On The Road With Takeuchi: Visiting SMS Equipment in Acheson, Alberta

As Takeuchi’s national marketing manager, I relish the opportunity to get out on the road and visit our incredible dealers. It’s a great way to learn more about them, make some new friends and brainstorm innovative ways to spread the word about Takeuchi equipment.

In June, I headed north – 2,300 miles north, to be exact – with my colleague, Reames Cathcart, our creative team lead at Takeuchi. We were on a mission to visit our friends at SMS Equipment at their headquarters in Acheson, Alberta, Canada, near the capital city of Edmonton. There, we’d meet with their marketing team, get to know the people who make SMS Equipment such a success and have some fun along the way.

About SMS Equipment

 But first, a little background on SMS Equipment, one of the top heavy equipment dealers, not just in Canada but all of North America. Back in May 2008, three Canadian equipment dealers, Federal Equipment, Coneco Equipment, and Transwest Mining Systems, merged to become SMS Equipment. Today, the company employs over 2,800 associates across a network of more than 40 dealerships throughout Canada, along with locations in Alaska – and even one in Mongolia! SMS Equipment prides itself on providing some of the most creative, unique and productive solutions in a multitude of industries, including construction, forestry, road/aggregate and mining. They even share lots of  Takeuchi videos and customer testimonials on their website.

Building Connections

 Reames and I arrived in Edmonton on a Tuesday evening, and we met with the SMS Equipment marketing team at their corporate offices early the next morning to discuss marketing plans and overall direction. It was a chilly, damp day, so it was an excellent opportunity to stay inside and get some solid work done.

On Thursday, the weather cleared, so we were able to visit a loyal Takeuchi customer, SDC Services, at the LRT Pedway Access Tunnel jobsite in downtown Edmonton. The city has a series of climate-controlled, underground, pedestrian walkways that allow residents to get around safely and quickly, and SDC was digging a new access tunnel for the Pedway. This was a cool project to see in progress, and it really showed off how our machines excel on compact jobsites. SDC Services owns six Takeuchi excavators and five track loaders, and they are using a TB260 and a TL12 for this particular project due to their compact size and lower emissions, both of which are necessary when working underground.

Then, it was time for a photoshoot back at the SMS Equipment demo yard back in Acheson. Reames was able to get hundreds of great images that we’ll be able to use in our marketing materials. After that, we drove to Fort McMurray in anticipation of a visit to an oil sands mine there on Friday.

Experiencing Innovation

The following morning, I was able to see the autonomous haul trucks in use at this mine, something I’d heard about earlier and really wanted to experience in person. These self-driving trucks have become valuable tools throughout the mining industry as they improve operational efficiency, prioritize safety and reduce environmental impact. While these trucks are not something Takeuchi would manufacture, their use on mining jobsites could potentially impact the ways customers use our equipment there as well.

Embracing Local Culture

Finally, on Saturday—our last day in Canada— Reames and I were honored to attend the SMS Equipment Children’s Miracle Network golf tournament where Takeuchi was the cart sponsor. The Children’s Miracle Network® raises funds and awareness for 11 Children’s hospitals across Canada. All employee donations stay local to the closest hospital based on home addresses and are used to fund critical treatment and healthcare services, purchase pediatric medical equipment, support research and create healing environments for kids and families. Takeuchi believes in being good corporate citizens, so we were really pleased to sponsor this tournament for such a special cause.

That evening, we joined the locals and headed to a neighborhood venue to watch the home team Edmonton Oilers play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was our last night in Fort McMurray, and we got to enjoy a truly Canadian experience.

On Sunday, we made the long journey back to Atlanta. Reames and I truly enjoyed getting to know the great people at SMS Equipment and learn how they continue to grow their business. Our visit helped us gain new perspectives on dealer marketing and how Takeuchi can better support its dealers and their customers. Thanks to everyone at SMS Equipment for making our visit not only productive, but unforgettable!