Landscape Management, March 2010
COVER STORY KEEPING THE WHEELS TURNING Two successful companies share their differing approaches to truck equipment maintenance and repair LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET MARCH 2010 22 continued on page 24 w hen rick kier turned 16 and was fi nally old enough to get his drivers license he took the money he had saved from a paper route and mowing neighbors lawns and invested it in a new Chevrolet pickup Because the region of New York State where Kier lives typically gets 100 inches or more of snow dumped on it annually he also bought a snowplow for the truck That was in 1978 By the time Kier graduated from Jamevilles Dewitt High School he was the hustling owner operator of Rick Kier Summer and Winter Services with a fl eet of three pickup trucks and several classmates as employees So began Kiers career in landscaping and snow management that during his career as a landscape professional has seen him purchase 64 trucks over the years As the founder and owner of 23 year old Pro Scapes based in Jamesville NY Kiers fl eet now consists of 30 trucks including the three new models purchased last year In 2009 Kier also added to his equipment fl eet four additional payloaders three backhoes and a 100 hp farm tractor all being maintained and repaired in a new four bay maintenance building at Pro Scapes headquarters on a rolling scenic former dairy farm in Jamesville just outside of Syracuse The new maintenance shop replaces a building half its size that was no longer adequate to handle the companys vehicle equipment maintenance and repair needs Trucks and equipment are a huge part of our operation says Kier who for many years did or helped out with most of his companys vehicle and equipment maintenance and repairs We have a lot of people employees and customers that depend on our equipment If we dont have the equipment or its not performing satisfactorily then our people arent working and our customers arent getting the service weve promised them
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