Caterpillar Announces Online Equipment Training Course

Caterpillar Inc. announced the availability of “The Fundamentals of Equipment Economics” web-based training course, designed to help construction business owners and fleet managers reduce equipment costs, extend and optimize machine life, and improve profitability through proven, data-driven principles. Built on over 50 years of experience, Caterpillar has partnered with industry expert Mike Vorster to develop an equipment economics curriculum.

An eight-part online program offered by Caterpillar University, “The Fundamentals of Equipment Economics,” is designed for a wide range of businesses, from large contractors that manage diverse fleets with hundreds of machines to small construction and landscaping firms using a single piece of equipment. It uses a pragmatic, step-by-step approach to teach essential skills and best practices for:

• Predicting and managing owning and operating costs;
• Determining when to repair, rebuild or replace a machine;
• Measuring the value of reliability and utilization; and
• Mastering quantitative tools and advanced economic concepts.

In other news, Caterpillar received gold for its Cat® Command for Construction system during the 2021 Edison Awards program. It was recognized as being the best of the best for the Smart Productivity Tools–Living & Working Environment category. Named after Thomas Alva Edison, the Edison Awards have recognized some of the most innovative products, services and business leaders in the world since 1987.

Cat Command removes the operator from the machine, offering safe operation in hazardous areas. The Command console and station delivers remote-control operation from the comfort of an air-conditioned office, thousands of miles away from the project site. Eliminating shift-long machine vibration feedback, the system reduces the chances for operating injuries and fatigue-related accidents as well as increases productivity.

“We’re honored the Edison Awards panel of judges, comprising of more than 3,000 senior business executives and academics, chose Cat Command as a gold recipient. I’m extremely proud of how talent from the entire enterprise coalesced around the vision for Cat Command, and I commend them for their dedication to innovation and hard work on a solution that adds significant customer value,” commented Construction Digital & Technology Worldwide Product Manager Fred Rio.

“We were very impressed by the level of collaboration and discovery in this year’s entries,” said Edison Universe Executive Director Frank Bonafilia. “Somehow, while facing the unprecedented challenges of this global pandemic, companies around the world figured out how to work safely and smartly and still innovate at an award-winning level.”

For more information, visit the Caterpillar website.