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Home Under The Hood Tools That Make Your Shop Safer and More Productive

Tools That Make Your Shop Safer and More Productive

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Episode Summary

Episode 5: In this episode of the Parts for Trucks Podcast, host Jamie Irvine explores how the right tools can significantly enhance both productivity and safety in the heavy-duty trucking industry. Featuring in-depth conversations with Jake Malpass from Milwaukee Tools and Mark Keegans from AlmaMates, the episode dives into innovative tool systems designed to reduce technician strain, improve workflow efficiency, and prevent workplace injuries.



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Connect With Us: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms. 

Disclaimer: The Parts For Trucks podcast is produced by Parts for Trucks, Inc. for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content, opinions, and views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of Parts For Trucks, Inc. Read more... 

Transcript

Jake Malpass: 0:00

When you see fuel on a Milwaukee product from us, that's our Rolls-Royce, that's our Cadillac, that's our product that's geared towards your customers, those true pros. Now, I think from M12, M18, as well as our packout line, we really have those targeted solutions to get after those specific applications.

Mark Keegans: 0:19

And you know one day, like anybody, there's got to be an easier, better way, and we believe that we've got an easier way when it comes to wheel and maintenance and brake systems. To me it's a no brainer.

Jamie Irvine: 0:33

You're listening to the Parts for Trucks podcast. My name is Jamie Irvine. I am the national sales director at Parts for Trucks and your host. In each episode of the Parts for Trucks podcast, you'll walk away with tools, strategies and knowledge to make your job easier, cut costs and elevate your performance in the heavy-duty trucking industry.

Megan Bouchard: 0:59

Welcome to the Parts for Trucks podcast, where we explore the latest trends, technologies and strategies in the heavy-duty trucking industry. Each episode you'll hear from industry experts to help keep your trucks on the road and your business thriving. Now let's get into gear. Here's your host, Jamie Irvine.

Jamie Irvine: 1:17

In this episode, we're going to dive into productivity and safety Now. I wanted to share with you a little background on this topic, so let's look at a few general trends around safety and productivity In Ontario in 2022 and 2023,. The Occupational Health and Safety Report that was issued indicates over 35,000 injuries in sectors like construction and the trucking industry. Saskatchewan's Worker Compensation Board reported that time loss injury rates were down 12.75%, from 2.04% to 1.78% per 100 workers. So progress was made, but we all know that any injury is too many injuries. Statistics Canada reports that personal injuries, including workplace injuries, cost $19.8 billion to the Canadian economy each and every year in just health care costs alone, never mind adding in things like lost productivity. So having the right tools can significantly contribute to increased productivity and the reduction of injuries at work At Parts for Trucks.

Jamie Irvine: 2:36

Safety is one of our core values. It's one of the things that we aim to do every day, which is to be the safest heavy-duty parts and service company in Canada, and we want to share with our customers tips, tricks, tools that will help them to be safe as well and also to increase their productivity so that they will be more successful. Now, to help me with that, I have lined up a couple of tool companies that have really dedicated themselves to this same mission and I hope that you enjoy both interviews. First we're going to talk with Milwaukee Tools and then we're going to introduce you to a wheel end system a complete wheel end system that will help you with air disc brake and foundation brake and to do that job as productively and quickly and easily as possible, but also as safely as possible, and to remove the strain on technicians' bodies.

Jamie Irvine: 3:36

It's a great episode. I hope you enjoy it. I'd like to introduce you to Jake Malpass. He is the product manager, core tooling from Milwaukee Tools. Jake, welcome to the Parts for Trucks podcast. So glad to have you here. Jamie, thank you for having me. So I have a question for you why is Milwaukee in business?

Jake Malpass: 3:54

At Milwaukee Tool, we're obsessed with the user experience. Our goal is to constantly work hand in hand with our core trade professionals to bring a solution to them that satisfies their every need. I think the way we've been able to separate ourselves from the competition is never wavering from that commitment and making sure that we're in the trenches with our customers on a daily basis, getting that feedback to come out with a solution that's going to truly optimize their day-to-day workflow.

Jamie Irvine: 4:22

Okay, so Milwaukee is really obsessed with the customer experience. Describe for me what the situation is like for your customers, our customers, if they don't have the right tools, but from a legacy solution standpoint, jamie, we still see pneumatic hoses across workplaces in Canada.

Jake Malpass: 4:42

We still see a lot of folks using different battery-operated platforms and pulling for different chargers and packs. We think that we can truly be a one-stop shop for these customers and get rid of those legacy hassles and really focus on that productivity.

Jamie Irvine: 4:58

When you say a legacy solution, I'm assuming you're looking at the pneumatic types of tools. I mean, I guess that's airlines everywhere. What happens to productivity and safety if you're using those types of solutions?

Jake Malpass: 5:12

Let's focus on safety first. Obviously, the tripping hazards that pneumatic hoses present the need to constantly be serviced, some unreliability in power, density and torque specs that those provide as well, some unreliability in power, density and torque specs that those provide as well. So, from all those places, safety is a number one focus for us at Milwaukee, and the transportation maintenance space is no different. From productivity standpoint, being able to have dialed in fastening torques for specific applications across your daily productivity is going to just increase the amount of work you can get done in that day. So, from a safety and productivity standpoint, getting rid of those pneumatic hoses, not sacrificing any power, is something that we're continually focused on.

Jamie Irvine: 5:52

Every little bit of productivity lost in a shop has a detrimental effect on the business, and when you think about the trucking industry being the backbone of society, it's really an honor for us to be able to serve them. But we have to do everything we can to provide them with solutions and make our customers more productive, because the work that they do in the trucking industry supports all of us. So you mentioned that Milwaukee has taken a pretty dominant position in the Canadian tooling market. Talk to me a little bit about the driving force behind Milwaukee's reputation for heavy duty, and let's talk about how you're supporting professionals in the trucking industry.

Jake Malpass: 6:31

Well for sure, the driving force between you know our reputation for that nothing but heavy duty mindset all comes from that focus on innovation. Just to take it back a couple of years, jamie, you know we've created categories at Milwaukee Tool. To take it back a couple of years, jamie, we've created categories at Milwaukee Tool Professional trucking industry aside, products like the Sawzall products like the Hole Shooter, which was the first mobile drill that we developed in the early 1900s, all the way to being the first company to develop the Hole Saw. We really take that mindset very seriously and I think that focus on the user has been what's able to kind of catapult us into the position that we are as of a few years ago. We're the number one pro tool brand in Canada. I've been with Milwaukee Tool for seven years and it's been really, really fascinating and empowering to be a part of this group that's driving that growth.

Jake Malpass: 7:23

From a global operations standpoint, we have over 17,000 team members, 11 million square feet of space to continue investing in our cordless platforms.

Jake Malpass: 7:32

In addition to that, we're accelerating our manufacturing growth in the North America market with regards to hand tools, sockets and our safety products as well. So, from a people standpoint and a product standpoint, we've been pretty unwavering in our commitment to continuing to push the envelope, investing hundreds of millions of dollars back into the business to continue our mission of delighting the user at every turn and really the auto sector as a whole. The goal has always been to cut those pneumatic hoses and have cordless solutions with similar, if not more, power density. And a great example of that, jamie, is our M18 Fuel D-Handle High Torque Impact Wrench. Not so long ago it would be tough to imagine a cordless impact delivering 2,000 foot-pounds of breakaway torque. So we're getting into some pretty incredible specs here being able to install 200 one-and-a-quarter-inch bolts on a single battery charge, alleviating that mindset from the customer of, you know, sacrificing power, sacrificing runtime. That's what we are doing. You know the Red Army every day engaging with those parts for trucks customers to optimize their day-to-day operations.

Jamie Irvine: 8:37

Yeah, and when you think about the needs in a commercial trucking repair shop versus an automotive, there are distinct differences. So let's go into a little more detail about the different systems. Talk to me about the difference between an M12, m18. If I'm in a commercial truck repair shop, if I work for a fleet that fixes its own equipment, if I'm a mobile mechanic or technician, what would I be thinking about when I'm looking at your M12 versus M18?

Jake Malpass: 9:06

No, I think from M12, m18, as well as our pack outline, we really have those targeted solutions to get after those specific applications and I think it's worth noting, jamie, that we've had that M18 platform out for a long time. A lot of our competitors are asking their customers to go into additional voltage platforms, making their investment in their previous purchases pretty obsolete. We don't believe in that. We're not going to leave a user behind and I think our commitment to M12, m18, and packout really exemplifies that. We recently released our new line of M12 fuel stubby impact wrenches and the whole story there, jamie, is having a solution that's lightweight and allows you to access those hard to reach areas Weighing under five pounds. You're going to have about 550 foot pounds of breakaway torque on that 12 volt platform. So having those ergonomic while powerful solutions within that M12 platform has really been the sweet spot for us, as well as our M12 ratchets.

Jake Malpass: 10:07

We've been an industry leader in that space for a long time. We're continuing to go back to the drawing board on a yearly basis to continue to elevate those solutions. But as we go to M18, it's a very wide array of solutions, especially in that impact wrench category, from three-eighths anvils up to one inch and above, and, I think, our flagship fuel high torque impact, we introduced what we call a patented battery isolation system. The power that these units are putting out Jamie, is forcing us to have a more secure placement with the battery on the tool to alleviate that shaking back and forth. And some of these first generation impacts that we launched were so powerful that users were experiencing some shake in that battery. So we spent time with them in the field and with that new generation solution that we launched a few months ago. Introducing that battery isolation technology was all driven from the user and the feedback they provided to us.

Jake Malpass: 11:07

In a world where there's so many tools, sockets and other trade focused solutions like dead blow hammers, keeping these items secure and organized is really what's affecting that daily productivity Knowing where all of your products are at any given time. Right. And we have pack out drawers launching soon that come already stocked with hand tools and sockets within them, so you're really ready to go for work on day one of purchasing that product. And another cool launch on the way with Packout is our racking kit that allows those mobile users in those vans, trailers, setups to truly optimize their day-to-day workflow with having those built-in customizable pieces that you can kind of make best for you. I believe we're that industry leader in that modular storage system technology and the growth of packout just continues to blow us away.

Jamie Irvine: 11:55

You know, when I think about productivity, I think about the time I had a commercial business that worked on buildings, not commercial trucks, but it was very similar to like a mobile repair business. When we would set up a job site. Every move you had to make, every extra step you had to take with you and your employees, it all contributed to eroding the margin that you were able to earn on that job. And so, as I listened to you talk about all of these solutions and having them, you know this solution for that, this solution for that and being able to keep it all organized. It doesn't maybe on the surface it doesn't seem like that would impact productivity or profitability that much, but I know from experience that every time you have to take an extra step, you're spending time, and time is money.

Jake Malpass: 12:48

Yeah, so with that, time is money focus. I want to bring it back to our M12 fuel stubby impact wrenches. They've been such a hit within this sector of the market so we noticed that there was a slight amount of downtime. That was noticeable on folks changing modes within their impact wrenches. So we took that pain point and went to the drawing board and introduced a new technology to change modes with single-handed operation. So essentially, you put that tool into neutral, you double tap the trigger and you're going to go from modes one to two to three to four, all while having to be a little bit more streamlined with your operation. So we're focused on that productivity within the tool bodies themselves.

Jamie Irvine: 13:28

What's the one key system and how does it help technicians work faster without cutting corners?

Jake Malpass: 13:34

Repeatability is something that's a really big focus in the professional trucking space.

Jake Malpass: 13:39

Having that dialed in torque spec that you know is going to perform that you don't have to double check later and with one key users have the ability to have the most repeatable torque in the industry. So, utilizing that platform, users can have targeted torque specs dialed into that product to ensure that when you're pulling the trigger on that certain mode, you know exactly the foot pound ratio that that product is going to deliver. So OneKey is all about customizing, tracking and managing that. Repeatability of torque is really what they're going to notice day in, day out where OneKey is optimizing their workflow. The tool's memory supports up to four custom profiles. It can be easily accessed with a touch of a button on the tool and then, once those profiles are saved on the tool, the connection to the smartphone piece of one key technology is no longer necessary. So you're ready to rock. You can complete those applications with increased confidence, and repeatability is really kind of that piece of one key that's really going to be optimized in this space.

Jamie Irvine: 14:40

So let's shift our conversation to safety now, and when we think about the commercial trucking industry. Obviously, safety on our public roads is a must, and so there are standards by which we have to repair this commercial equipment. But inside of the shop, we have to protect the workers as well, the technicians, the people who are operating in these difficult environments as well the technicians, the people who are operating in these difficult environments. So what safety features in Milwaukee? Tools kind of, are game changers for these truck shops.

Jake Malpass: 15:16

With safety. You know, outside of the trucking industry we have dual trigger grinders, dual trigger bandsaws pieces that enforce customers to keep two hands on the tool at all times. But as we go into the you know, transportation maintenance space, we still see a lot of you know everyday drills being used out there in the field. And then, with that in mind, our you know, latest generation drill has what we call auto-stop technology. In my time on the JobSide Solutions team, you see a lot of folks you know, in many different trades you know drilling a hole and that you know in many different trades you know drilling a hole and that you know drill loses control and it's spinning uncontrollably. You know causes. You know injuries to your elbow, face, whatever the case may be, we've seen it all With auto-stop technology.

Jake Malpass: 16:00

If you do get into a bind, that drill is going to stop on its own after 45 degrees of uncontrolled turn. So being able to have that built into the product just gives that user more confidence, right, jamie? And being able to go through their day-to-day without having those injuries, with having that background of support based into the product and safety is not something that we're losing focus on at all is increasingly and increasingly focused on those safety-focused solutions. We have a pretty incredible roadmap of launches coming down the pipeline here that I just think are going to continue to delight the user and give us more legs within this space to continue growing with customers like parts for trucks.

Jamie Irvine: 16:40

Yeah, and you mentioned the tripping hazards that exist with legacy pneumatic solutions. You talk about the ergonomic design of lightweight M12 tools. That's something, again, that you might not think a lot about unless you have to do a job thousands of times and then, all of a sudden, an ergonomic tool can actually be something that prevents an injury, one of those repetitive injuries that can occur.

Jake Malpass: 17:05

Oh for sure, and I think we're going to continue to focus on that. And when we think safety, we always think of decreasing the worst case scenario. But I think a lot of what we look at with safety at Milwaukee Tool is making that worst case scenario possible, so that auto stop technology in our drills is really a key focus on that. That's our number one example. But for the access piece, we have our M12 Fuel Insider box ratchet which is delivering unrivaled access and over three quarters of an inch shorter head profile than the M12 ratchets that we came up with originally. So we call it the hierarchy of controls, jamie, and the last step of that unsafe situation is when that PPE is mandatory, when that auto-stop functionality comes in. We're laser focused on ensuring that those unsafe scenarios are minimalized the best we possibly can and building that functionality into the tools themselves.

Jamie Irvine: 18:04

Explain to me what the RedLink Plus intelligence is preventing tools from overload or overheating. How does that kind of connect back to safety and productivity when you see?

Jake Malpass: 18:14

fuel on a Milwaukee product from us. That's our Rolls Royce, that's our Cadillac, that's our product, that's geared towards your customers, those true pros, and we have a three prong approach to that fuel message. And Redlink Plus Intelligence is part of that. So fuel means that product has our PowerState brushless motor, our Redlink Plus Intelligence and our red lithium batteries that are all tying together to really make what we call a smart tool.

Jake Malpass: 18:41

Think about a circular saw. You have a M18 fuel circular saw in your hand and you're cutting a bunch of lumber. You're going to eventually run into a knot where that product, if it wasn't fuel, is going to kind of underperform in that application because it's not uniform material that it's going through. So where Redlink Plus Intelligence really takes that to the next level is when you reach that nod on your circular saw. Redlink plus intelligence is going to kick in and say, hey, something's not right here. We need more power to get through this piece of the application than we did for the last. Let's call it five seconds. So that Redlink intelligence is going to ramp up and say, hey, we need more RPMs delivered to the blade of this saw to complete this application. You're not doing anything from a functionality perspective. As the end user, You're just going through your cut. So I think with that fuel message we tend, as Milwaukee folks, to think that everyone completely understands what that means. Having that availability really showcases our focus on the user as well.

Jamie Irvine: 19:47

Yeah, it makes me think of like if you're taking a nut off of a stud and the threads maybe are damaged right, so all of a sudden it binds, it gets tighter, you're going to need a little more force then.

Jamie Irvine: 19:57

That's where that technology would kick in for someone working on a commercial truck. You talked about the packout system because I think it's important for us to acknowledge that certainly when you're working on commercial equipment, you don't always have the advantage of getting that piece of equipment into a nice shop where everything is set up for you. Sometimes you have to go on the road and of course we've got people who specialize in mobile, but a lot of the shops that we either have ourselves or that we work with with our customers there are times when equipment doesn't make it back to the shop. It needs to be repaired and you've got to go out there and get that thing going and get it back to the shop so you can complete the repair. So in that environment, how does the packout system really improve the overall workflow and make the person who has to go do that mobile job more effective and safe?

Jake Malpass: 20:49

We have that three-piece stack with the rollable base on the bottom. So traditionally you had to take those boxes off to access that bottom piece, to take your largest tools out and get those going. So in our world here it would be those impact wrenches, those larger solutions. I think a big innovation that we're coming out with that is actually now shipping for that mobile user is our packout rolling drawer unit. You do not have to take out the packout stacks off the top of the unit to access that bottom piece. It's just a nice handy drawer that you can access very easily. But from a mobile user perspective, we truly pump our chest out and say, hey, we're the best in the industry here and if we don't have a solution that optimizes your workflow today, let us know, We'll create it for you.

Jamie Irvine: 21:38

When we look at the whole picture now. We've talked about a number of the different types of tools. We've talked about a lot of the different innovations that Milwaukee brings to this space and to help our customers in the trucking industry. Let's talk a little bit about what you're doing to ensure that these tools are reliable, that they're going to last a long time, that the investment made in your tools is going to pay off. Because when we think of return on investment, it's not just the purchase price of the tools, Because, you know, when we think of return on investment, it's not just the purchase price of the tools. It also is like is this tool going to be there for me when I need it? Because if it isn't, that causes additional downtime. And I'll tell you from the parts world, Jake, you know, the part cost is irrelevant if we somehow contribute to more downtime, contribute to more downtime. So just tell me a little bit about what Milwaukee does there to ensure that there isn't additional downtime because of a tool that's letting you down.

Jake Malpass: 22:34

I think service is a big competitive advantage for us. Jamie, we're going to have 10 factory service centers across Canada pretty soon. We really pride ourselves on having that speedy turnaround time, especially for what we call our heavy duty partners Some of our largest users across the country. We double down on that service to ensure that they're having that value add from us. But a big introduction that we had over the last few months here is our e-service platform. So we have our factory service center spread across the largest markets in Canada.

Jake Malpass: 23:07

But we recognize that some folks are hours drives away from those facilities. So for e-service you receive rapid service with repairs. We try and keep it to that 7 to 10 business day turnaround. But it's a really cool platform that you can access on our website and anyone who's purchased a Milwaukee tool can use it. You can access on our website and anyone who's purchased a Milwaukee tool can use it. We offer free shipping to our repair facilities where our factory-trained technicians use those genuine Milwaukee parts to repair your tool and then we ship it directly back to your address no charge. Our impact wrenches and our M18 solutions nine times out of 10, they have a five-year warranty attached to them. I think that's a big competitive advantage for us. A lot of brands out there are offering one year let's call it bumper-to-bumper service. Then after that you have to pay out pocket for those parts and those technicians' time and tool in person, all the way to servicing those users in remote areas with our e-service platform we think we have a pretty robust service offering.

Jamie Irvine: 24:18

That is a really big competitive advantage for us. Yeah, and you can also use parts for trucks over 32 locations as a. Milwaukee tool distributor. So don't forget about that. There's nothing like telling a story that illustrates everything we've been talking about, so share with me an example of how your tools transformed a truck shop in the past and how you know to give our listeners confidence that if they are thinking about making this change to Milwaukee, it's going to work for them as well.

Jake Malpass: 24:42

I think you look at our systems With M12, you have over 200 products let's call a quarter of those really geared towards the customers that we're reaching here today. M18, it's a little bit easier to see right those impact wrenches that folks are using day in, day out, those grease guns that folks are using day in, day out. Then you also have the safety piece. You have the packout piece. But to get into a bit of a story, in my time in Jobsite Solutions we were working with different automotive shops that are operating at a bit of a smaller scale than the true professional trucking industry. But I was able to build a great relationship with a lot of these folks and get them away from those legacy pneumatic solutions while also introducing specific solutions that we have on our cordless platforms that our competitors don't. I think a great example of that is our M12 Fuel low-speed tire buffer, which is the world's first cordless tire buffer, so making those tire changes that much quicker and optimizing that user. On the M12 platform they can stick their battery into that tire buffer tool, their M12 stubby impact wrench that we talked about earlier. We also have a grease gun available on the M12 platform. You just kind of keep rolling that ball down the hill.

Jake Malpass: 25:58

But my experience with the Parts for Trucks team I was lucky enough to attend your national sales conference a few days ago Just the energy in that room was fantastic and the focus on partnering with Milwaukee to grow as a team was what really.

Jake Malpass: 26:12

I was kind of taken back by and learned a lot, and working with your folks has been incredible and I think the growth that you guys have seen with us is not stopping anytime soon, because I truly believe, jamie, that we're just getting started. We had our 100-year anniversary last year and that was a big deal for us and that tagline that we continually put forward was we've come a long way in a short amount of time. But we feel like we're just at the tip of the iceberg of where this brand is going to go and how we're going to service that professional trucking industry. Moving forward, I referenced our 18-month roadmap. A lot of these solutions that were coming out are geared towards the folks that are going to be listening to this podcast today. So we appreciate everyone's investment in the Milwaukee platform to date. But I think a great piece that I want to end with is just truly showcasing that you know the best is yet to come for Milwaukee Tool.

Jamie Irvine: 27:05

If you're ready to take that next step with Milwaukee Tools, make sure you buy them from Parts for Trucks. Jake, thanks so much for being on the show and talking to us about your tool line, about how it impacts productivity and safety, which is so important in the trucking industry. Really appreciate your time.

Jake Malpass: 27:22

Thank you so much for having me.

Jamie Irvine: 27:23

Jamie, I don't know about you, but after that discussion with Milwaukee Tools, I'm itching to go buy some tools. I think I probably will, and if you want to buy those tools from Parts for Trucks, you should reach out to any one of our 32 locations as well as talk to your outside sales representative today. These tools will make your shop more productive, will make your technicians happier and will help them to be safer. Now, what about some of the big jobs that are done in a shop, like wheel end brakes, things like that? Now, whether you're talking about air disc brake or foundation brake, doing a brake job on a commercial truck is a big job and it comes with a lot of risks, and that's what we're going to talk about. Next, I'd like to introduce Mark Keegans from AlmaMates. They have a complete set of wheel end tools that makes up a system built to help technicians work faster and safer. Mark, welcome to the Parts or Trucks podcast.

Mark Keegans: 28:21

Thanks for having me, jamie, appreciate the opportunity.

Jamie Irvine: 28:25

So I'd like to ask you what inspired AlmaMates to develop tools like BrakeMate, and how do your technician interactions shape your approach?

Mark Keegans: 28:36

I think the biggest thing is in the 25 years that we've been involved in the truck space, there's a real prevalence where OE's build equipment. They put together the equipment, but oftentimes the technicians don't have the resources readily available to do the repair work or the maintenance work. The other thing is and this is a personal thing is the older I got, the more difficult I found it to work on vehicles and you know, one day, like anybody, there's got to be an easier, better way, and we believe that we've got an easier way when it comes to wheel and maintenance and brake systems.

Jamie Irvine: 29:21

You know it's funny, my father-in-law. He works in the maintenance side on heavy equipment and he jokingly said one time you know, at my age if I drop a wrench I'm pretty much done for the day.

Mark Keegans: 29:32

Yeah, and I could certainly see that.

Jamie Irvine: 29:36

Yeah, so the name Alma Mates. Where does that come from and how does that relate to your, the way that you feel about technicians?

Mark Keegans: 29:46

The Alma Mates name came as a result of my heritage. I was born in Scotland, I'm an immigrant and my mates are all my friends. You know, they're the people that you can count on in times of trouble. They're people that you socialize with, they're people that you encourage and they encourage you, and really all my mates. Ultimate philosophy is to be friends with all that we deal with. So, whether it is a vendor that supplies us components, whether it's a customer or technician on the shop floor that uses our equipment and anybody in that space, we would like to consider my mates, and that is the guiding principle.

Jamie Irvine: 30:31

So how did that translate into setting the goal to eliminate certain tools? And talk to me about the no strain, no pain strategy.

Mark Keegans: 30:42

The technician is our friend and we want to be a technician's friend. And when you take a look at them doing any kind of wheel end work whether it's brakes or taking a wheel off or doing a kingpin or a tie rod there's a lot of physical pain on the body and we can get into the strain on the musculoskeletal system, we can get into the strain on a technician's attitude, we can get into pinch anxiety and these are all terms that we've heard on the shop floor and we just listen to the pain and the frustration and try to provide a solution that works and so far we've been very fortunate.

Jamie Irvine: 31:25

The trucking industry is the backbone of society and without it people's lives, their way of life, hang in the balance. So if we can do something to help them, then we've taken one step in the right direction of fulfilling our overall mission. So now that kind of sets the stage for who your company is and what the philosophy behind the company is. Now let's translate that into specific tools. I want to start off give us a quick rundown of what BrakeMate does and why it's kind of a must-have if you're in the world of brake maintenance.

Mark Keegans: 31:59

Okay, so the BrakeMate is a system that consists of two trolleys. First trolley will take the caliper off without any lifting of a technician. Once the technician loosens the bolts, we take our equipment, we put on our adapter and we literally lift the caliper off. Caliper weighs 65, 75 pounds. In some parts of the world it's up to 85 pounds. For a technician to do that, they're going to strain, it's going to cause pain on their back or they're going to have a second set of hands in the wheel. Well, not with our equipment.

Mark Keegans: 32:36

The second trolley literally takes the hub and rotor assembly off as a complete unit. Now a hub and rotor assembly can be upwards of 150 pounds. Could you imagine a technician trying to manhandle it? And you know, grunt and groan, it's just an accident waiting to happen. And so our system just removes it. No strain, no pain, as you said, jamie, and it just slides everything off. Once we have that, we've got a trolley with the caliper and we got a trolley with a hub and a rotor. We basically marry the two into a 90 degree angle, which creates a workstation at a workable height. We separate the hub and the rotor, we roll it over, we put the new rotor on, fasten it and we're good to go. If a technician follows our instruction, the only muscle group they will use is their forearms for about 30 seconds and so obviously we're talking about the air disc uh brake application.

Jamie Irvine: 33:39

We'll talk about foundation brake in a moment. Um, what about compatibility with different truck brands, trailer brands like? How have you overcome that?

Mark Keegans: 33:47

well, the nice thing about it is is the brakeMate is available worldwide In the North American market. We've identified over 14 different wheel and brake applications that our equipment works on, and we've even gotten to the position now where we go to a trade show, we display our product and some of the OE service team have actually come up to us and said hey, mark, this is what's happening on our systems. This is the changes that we've made. Will your system work on it? Take a few minutes, think about it, and the answer nine out of 10 times is yes, and if the answer in that, one in 10 is a no, we figure out how to do it. To me, it is a universal system.

Jamie Irvine: 34:30

We, as suppliers, have to help our customers be more productive. So let's talk about how this complete system not just the breakmate, but all of the different components that you have developed and all the different tools how does that help technicians to be more productive?

Mark Keegans: 34:50

that help technicians to be more productive. The biggest way is by taking the physical strain and pain of a technician's body Right away. They're more productive. If you have a technician doing break work all day long, the first job is going to be done in a much shorter period of time than the last job, because towards the end of the day, that person is exhausted. The next thing is that oftentimes we see two sets of hands around a wheel end when they're doing a brake chop, Whether it's taking that 150-pound hub and rotor assembly off, whether it's using pry bars, whether it's using heat Anything that we do by taking away the human element, if you will, and creating a mechanical process. It speeds things up, and the nice thing is is once a technician has used our equipment two or three times, they won't go back to the old ways.

Jamie Irvine: 35:42

We started the conversation off by talking about how this is a complete system. So what about the other tools that you've developed? How do they help with productivity? Walk us through a few of those and talk to us also about the foundation. You know SCAM brakes that are still so dominant in commercial trucks today.

Mark Keegans: 36:00

One of the same things with air disc brake systems. There are a couple of manufacturers out there. Where the rotors are, basically they have a spline in the center. What we have found is that the hub and the rotor will seize together and on our hub rotor trolley we have a 10-ton ram that under normal circumstances or a brand new application can push the rotor off, the rotor off. But once the vehicle has been on the road or subject to harsh chemicals and that seizing takes place, the splitter mate will basically fit in between the hub and rotor assembly and you've got 30 tons of force pushing against it.

Mark Keegans: 36:43

And the worst hub and rotor assembly I have seen has been separated in under two minutes and I'll just share this with you because it was a shop that had a heck of a time separating seized hubs and rotors. I was physically in the shop. They were using a grinder. It took them two hours to do one wheel end. I went on to the opposite side. It was done in two minutes. Huge difference, huge time savings, huge sparing an individual's body. To me it's a no-brainer. And I think the biggest testimony for us is that one of the OEs that manufactures pads and rotors and hubs their field, service technicians actually use our equipment, so to me that's a great testimony.

Jamie Irvine: 37:31

Yeah, absolutely.

Mark Keegans: 37:32

You know you've got that tool. You've got the tool where, if you've got a seized bearing, you know it adapts onto our unit and we'll push out a seized bearing. You know we've got an adapter for drums so that we can take the heavy lifting off a technician's back and everything is integrated into the system. You make the investment in the breakmate and all these additional tools, or resources, as I like to call them, are readily available.

Jamie Irvine: 38:02

We've talked about the strain on people's bodies, but let's talk about the actual incidences where injury could occur. What are the kinds of injuries that do happen when technicians are working on brake systems?

Mark Keegans: 38:17

Right now they're subject to back injuries and shoulder injuries just because of the sheer weight of what they have to lift and the position of their bodies when they're trying to lift it. They're also subject to severe pinch points. I had one technician and he shared with me that every time he had to put a caliper on, there was an anxiety with him because you know, you've got a 65-pound caliper, you've got to hold the caliper, you've got to line up the holes for the bolts and put a bolt in. Well, I don't know how many hands you've got, but I've only got two. It eliminates a lot of that stress and I think what a lot of people don't really give consideration to is just tackling the job can be stressful because you know what's in front of you With the breakmate equipment and the system that we offer. It's no pain, it's no strain, it's very straightforward and you know whether you're young or not so young. The equipment is designed for all demographic technicians in the field right now.

Jamie Irvine: 39:25

Well, what I think about is I think about how, if you have an experienced technician who then gets injured and they could be off for an extended period of time, I mean that is a real devastating blow to not only their productivity and what they contribute to the shop themselves, but also the guidance, the mentoring, the training that they might give to younger technicians. The other side of that equation, you have a younger technician who's learning and they get injured and now they're off. Well, that delays their progression and also, if that injury is severe enough, it may be something that reduces their productivity for years to come. So, from whatever direction you look at it, this is a significant challenge for all shops and what a great system to be able to help them to avoid that and to become safer. So, obviously, if productivity and safety is high on the list, this is a tool system that really should be considered at every shop considered at every shop.

Mark Keegans: 40:32

There was a facility in British Columbia and the maintenance manager would come to us every year asking for a quote and on year number five he came and asked the exact same question Can I get a revised quote? We're getting it this year. I responded to him and I said when did somebody get hurt? And in fact that is what happened. It's unfortunate that somebody got hurt before the equipment ended up on their shop floor, you know, and there's an opportunity for each and every shop that's out there to minimize, if not completely prevent, these injuries when it comes to wheel end, and I believe that we've got that solution.

Jamie Irvine: 41:12

Yeah, and and really, at the end of the day, you, you hit the right word right. Preventing an injury is all about being proactive.

Jake Malpass: 41:19

Yeah.

Jamie Irvine: 41:20

So, if you have that proactive approach, you're going to be investing in tools and systems to be able to help your shop be be safer. When, when we think about the safety side of it, the productivity side of it, the entire tool system and the investment, but it really is not just an investment in the output of the shop, but it's an investment in your people. Talk to me about over the years how you've seen that had just a tremendous positive impact on the morale at shops.

Mark Keegans: 41:52

We were in Texas and we were doing a demonstration on the equipment and the fellow who did all of the break work was over 65 years old. He was height, weight challenged, as I call it. He had a bad back and a bad leg. If they could extend this individual's work life and make his daily tasks easier and safer, it would be a win-win for everybody. And they saw the equipment.

Mark Keegans: 42:25

The technician himself said to me oh, this is going to make my life simple. And you could see even in his demeanor his personality had changed because there was an easier, simpler way of doing real-end work. The other thing we've seen is shops are investing in equipment, not just to provide the resources for the technician, but in some places I've actually seen it being used as a hiring tool. They've actually gone the equipment into the shops so that they can say to that prospective employee we have the equipment here for you, you don't have to slug, you don't have to lift weights that are far too heavy to be lifting, you don't have to use pry bars. And I think that that was a pretty novel concept and way of presenting the equipment.

Jamie Irvine: 43:19

Yeah, I love that, though, because, at the end of the day, how do you differentiate yourself? Right? When you're trying to recruit people? You differentiate yourself by demonstrating that you're going to invest in them in a way that other shops won't, and what a great example, right when you are thinking about your mission to make all these technicians your mates, your friends, and to support them. How did that influence certain decisions about the way that you support people who buy your tool system?

Mark Keegans: 43:53

At the end of the day, I want to treat people the way I would like to be treated, and that means with respect, with honor, with dignity, to try and help them out, no different than what I would do with my children, for example. And you know some people might say that sounds really cliche, but it's the driving force of our organization. And you know we have a warranty program. Absolutely, I've had situations where equipment was past warranty, it was five years old. We still sent the part to them at no cost. So if we can make our lives easier, I know that we can make other people's lives easier. And at the end of the day, you want to be remembered, not necessarily for what you put into their shop, but who that company was as an organization. And I think you know, like Parts for Trucks, your interactions with your clients. You want them to be memorable in a good way.

Jamie Irvine: 44:57

And that's really one of the reasons that we're very excited to partner with AlmaMates and to be the one that brings this entire system to the Canadian trucking market. We're excited about the training options available, both in person, which we're going to be doing across the entire country, the virtual training that's available on demand 24-7, the fact that we back it by this strong warranty also that we can demonstrate the return on investment, because we recognize this is a capital expenditure, this is an investment in your shop, but we can show you the return on investment because we've got a tool there. So all of these things align with our mission to help our customers, to support the trucking industry and to make safety and productivity a priority, and to demonstrate that by choosing partners like yourself that really enable and empower us to do that. So we're very excited about having this partnership between our companies and, like I said, we're going to be going and doing a cross-country tour. Mark, you're going to be doing a lot of travel over the next few months.

Mark Keegans: 46:06

You know what, jamie, I'm. I'm really looking forward to it. I mean, I think that this is a great opportunity for both organizations and, uh, I love being in a show. You know, I love getting my hands dirty. I mean, I can go home and I can tell my wife look, I worked today and my fingers are dirty.

Jamie Irvine: 46:25

Exactly so. If you're interested in learning more about breakmate, reach out to reach out to your outside sales representative or to a representative at one of our 32 locations across the country. We are going to be conducting ongoing training. We are going to be having units in our stores that you'll be able to see. We'll be doing some lunch and learns. There's a lot of activity that's going on to support really giving every customer the opportunity to see this complete system. If somebody looked at the system and maybe they are in a financial situation where they can't take on the entire system all at once, talk to me about how you built the system, where they could start off with some of the smaller accessory tools to help them and they could work their way up, and how all of it is compatible.

Mark Keegans: 47:13

When I look at it. Jamie, you know and we didn't mention this we've got a tool for cleaning the threads and inspecting the threads on the wheel studs. Somebody can start out with a stud mate which will do that job. If somebody runs into problems with the seized hubs and rotors, they can get the splitter made. So it's one of those situations where, yes, we can invest in the equipment at a capital purchase, but we can also invest in the equipment location or local area without that necessary approval in many cases. And the nice thing is that even when you're looking at capital assets, companies find the money when there's an injury.

Jamie Irvine: 47:58

Yeah.

Mark Keegans: 47:59

And that is unfortunate, and I'm certainly not one to judge that situation. But if one can find the money when the injury happened, couldn't one find the money before the injury? Yeah, exactly.

Jamie Irvine: 48:12

And parts and trucks will be there to support our customers as they acquire the various components to make this complete system. So if you want to do it all at once, or if you want to do it over a period of time, we'll work with you on that and we're looking forward to getting more of these tools into shops to protect our technicians here in Canada. Mark, thank you so much for taking time to discuss this with us and joining me on the Parts for Trucks podcast. It was great to have you here.

Mark Keegans: 48:41

Thanks very much, Jimmy. I appreciate the opportunity.

Jamie Irvine: 48:44

Productivity and safety is a subject that we will continue to promote and talk about on the show. It is part of one of the core values of Parts for Trucks and we like working with vendors who share our passion for those values, including helping you be more productive and safer in your shops. A big thank you to both of our vendors, milwaukee Tools and AlmaMates with their Bra, their brake mate system. If you're interested in taking a look at any one of these tool solutions that we talked about today, you can find a lot of great information on partsfortruckscom and you can go ahead and buy those tools today. If you would like to talk to a representative, go into one of our 32 locations across the country or talk to your outside sales representative, and we would be happy to set up a meeting between one of our vendor reps at either Milwaukee or Alma Mates to come into your shop, assess the situation and make recommendations on which tools will make you more productive and safe.

Jamie Irvine: 49:41

You've been listening to the Parts for Trucks podcast. I'm your host, Jamie Irvine. If you haven't already, head over to partsfortrucks. com slash podcast to subscribe to the show so you never miss out. Thank you for listening and thank you for being heavy duty.