An AP555E Paver featured on the CONEXPO-CON/AGG show floor was recently sold to Caterpillar customer Schlouch Incorporated, a site preparation company out of Blandon, Pennsylvania. Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar Chairman & CEO, signed the machine with a special note to celebrate Schlouch’s 31st year in business.
The note from Oberhelman said, “Barry, Deb, Stacey, and the Schlouch team – take good care of my baby – and thanks.”
Schlouch has been a Cat customer for 31 years and owns 53 pieces of Cat® equipment. They’re planning to use the new paver on some asphalt paving jobs in 2014.
“We see an opportunity to increase utilization, efficiency and versatility with the AP555E,” said Barry Schlouch, company president.
Schlouch worked with their local dealer, Ransome Cat, to purchase the machine. “The people at Caterpillar, Ransome and Schlouch are very aligned and collaborate well,” Schlouch said. “Everyone understands the importance of reliability, uptime, competitive owning and operating costs, quality and productivity.”
Schlouch has known Oberhelman for nine years, after first meeting at CONEXPO. Since then, Oberhelman visited Schlouch’s company in 2006; and Barry and his wife, Deb, visited Caterpillar in Peoria, IL in 2008.
“I’ve been attending CONEXPO since the mid-1980s,” Schlouch said. “I first met Doug Oberhelman at CONEXPO nine years ago and we’ve built a strong and trusted relationship. This event with Doug and the paver made for a very special 31st anniversary celebration that my family and team will always remember.”
“It’s been a pleasure getting to know Barry, Deb, and their family and team over the years,” Oberhelman said. “We appreciate Schlouch Inc. as a loyal and valued customer. And I really enjoyed celebrating the company’s 31st year in business by presenting Barry with the keys to his paver and by signing that paver personally.”
