Buying a crusher – ‘People are the big thing’    

Anthony Ryan of McHale Plant Sales states: In days of yore, when dealing with courtship, marriage, and a happy life thereafter, a word of cautionary advice that grandmothers were wont to pass-on to their offspring was this: ‘Marry in haste and regret at leisure’.

To a love-struck young man or his adoring young girlfriend, it was a chilling warning enough to dull anyone’s ardour.

Recognising that there is often truth in these old sayings, one wondered if the same wisdom would apply to quarry owners and aggregates producers seeking to purchase a crusher with the promise of a happy life to follow.

To satisfy this curiosity, Hub-4 spoke to Anthony Ryan, director at Metso crushers distributor McHale Plant Sales in Tamworth.

Hugely accommodating and always willing to give of his experience and knowledge to those who would ask, Ryan confirmed that long and lasting relationships are quite normal throughout the crushing and aggregates community.

His main recommendation is that all intending buyers would invest ‘serious time’ conducting research into the equipment one wishes to purchase, and having done so, ‘spend even more time on what is arguably the more important point, that being ‘to study and enquire into the nature and character of the people from whom they wish to make a purchase, and into the culture and personality that guides their business practices’.

Stressing that ‘people are the big thing’, Ryan believes that once the right machine is chosen, the next matter of greatest importance is the ‘culture of flexibility’ that exists on the supplier side.

“Customer support and service are big issues. Knowing that no machine will run forever, and that somewhere along the way a component will fail and need replacement, every buyer should spend time getting to know the supplier/distributor into whose care he is about to place his trust, his expectations, and a considerable investment in financial terms.”

“A customer facing an interruption in production and ‘revenue-sapping’ down-time will have one priority above all others: to get his distressed crusher up-and-running as soon as possible...even if it means leveraging his supplier into going the extra mile to secure a solution.”

To avoid downstream difficulties, Ryan fervently believes that customers should ease pressure on themselves by doing everything possible to ensure they buy from a supplier willing to take on board their customers’ goals as though they were their own.

“Look for an energetic and supportive partner strong enough to have the full support of, and power of influence over, the manufacturer whose products they represent” he urges.

“Be happy that they maintain ample spare parts to meet most eventualities and, in extreme situations, the capacity to source and supply them without delay.

“Check too their culture in relation to on-site service support; their understanding of speed and the importance of fast response times; and if they have a ‘round-the-clock’ work mentality and a ’can do’ culture of flexibility” he advises.

“Secure access to the ‘higher-ups’ on your supplier side and gather those vital ‘call me if you need me’ contact numbers.

“Avoid those working to a strict 9am - 5pm timetable where your after-hours contact is limited to a ‘sorry our office is closed’ message minder.

“Welcome those who place value on being a ‘friend of your business and a lynchpin in your success’ - people who would drive through the night to get a customer out of trouble

This quest for flexibility should relate also to other aspects, Ryan suggests. “Mindful that top quality crushing and screening equipment comes at a premium price, buyers should seek-out a supplier with the flexibility required to structure a capital expenditure proposition that promises affordability built-in at all points,” Ryan adds.

“From purchase price to trade-ins, with rent-to-buy and other tailored options, a well-funded distributor not ‘hide-bound’ by rigid corporate rules and procedures can often be better placed to ‘talk turkey’ with customers who are keen to get on with ‘doing the business they do best’ without the drag and fear of a burdensome funding arrangement fixed to their business like a ball and chain” Ryan added.