We met with Ryan Altemus, the Regional Manager Petroleum for Cleveland Brothers, and asked him about Miami Lakes Learning Center. He told us about the benefits of upskilling their business – and how they as a CAT dealer can share their access to MLLC’s unique knowledge with their customers.

100% UP TO DATE 

Ryan Altemus is the Regional Manager Petroleum for Cleveland Brothers, which covers Pennsylvania, western Maryland and northern West Virginia. And he’s all too aware of the benefits he and his technicians get from the training at Miami Lakes: business value and confidence they can pass on to customers when they’re onsite.

– Our customers know that Cleveland Brothers technicians are being trained the correct way to work on these engines, to troubleshoot these engines, all of the parameters the engines are supposed to meet. So they know our technicians are 100% up to date on the engine itself, and that they’re the best choice for getting the engine back up and running.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

But Ryan and his team take it a step further. On top of the web-based and onsite training they give to customers, they also introduce them to Miami Lakes to help take the customer’s technicians to the next level:

– With our close customers, we work together to help get them and their technicians trained by some of these same people. And in our partnerships, we’re able to offer, firstly I can bring my technician onsite and help you with your asset and secondly I can take you to Miami Lakes and get your people trained to the same Caterpillar quality that everybody expects in the components.

“I can take you to Miami Lakes and get your people trained to the same Caterpillar quality that everybody expects in the components.”

GETTING REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE

One customer who came down to Florida was John McIntire, a mechanic for Williams. With five new G3600A4s in operation back home, there was no better place than Miami Lakes to work on the engine in action at the Larson Station, and really get to grips with it and its associated systems. 

And what was John’s verdict on the facility and the training he got from his instructor?

– I thought the instructor was really knowledgeable. He answered all the questions, and if he couldn’t answer anything he’d get me an answer eventually.

TAILORED TO YOU 

John goes on:

– I think they cater to individuals at the Miami Lakes facility. Specifically, if you ask questions, they try to help that individual understand. And they tailor to that question or to whatever that problem is that you might have. 

“I definitely learned a lot more. One desire I have is to do more emissions tests. So that definitely was a benefit, going through that training.”

For John the training has meant more knowledge and more confidence in what he is doing on the job.

– It has helped me specifically to understand how the engine works better. As far as tuning the engine, now I understand more how to use the NOx sensor. The A4 is a different beast from the A3. So I definitely learned a lot more. One desire I have is to do more emissions tests. So that definitely was a benefit, going through that training.

John was also a great fan of the location for his training. 

– Nice atmosphere. The weather was really good. And there’s plenty of things to see and do when you’re not in class.