Powering Progress Through Partnership

Behind Vermeer’s new D24 drill is a 25-year relationship and a shared promise to support the people who rely on it.

Ask anyone on a utility crew what makes a good day, and the answer is usually simple: get the job done safely, keep moving and avoid surprises. That thinking shaped Vermeer’s new D24 horizontal directional drill (HDD).

 The D24 helps crews install fiber optic cable, gas and power lines in places where room can be tight and ground conditions challenging. It gives operators plenty of drilling capability without feeling oversized on a congested jobsite. For all contractors, from owner-operators to companies running fleets, it helps crews spend less time wrestling with equipment and more time moving work forward.

While the D24 is new, the relationship behind it is not. Vermeer has used Cat engines in its drilling machines for more than 25 years. 

For the D24, Vermeer chose the Cat® C3.6 engine because it could provide the power the drill needed in a smaller, lighter and quieter package. That helps crews work in difficult ground while still moving comfortably around restricted sites.

 Yet Mike Byram, Vermeer vice president of Infrastructure Product, says the engine itself is only part of the story. “Obviously, the Cat brand, the reputation and the upfront engineering support we get are important,” he says. “But the biggest thing that is very aligned with Vermeer is the Caterpillar aftersales support.” That support is strengthened by Ziegler Cat, Vermeer’s local Cat dealer. Like Vermeer, Ziegler is family owned and places lasting relationships at the heart of its business.

For the people buying and running a drill, support should be straightforward. Vermeer already offered three-year, 3,000-hour coverage on the D24, including parts and labor anywhere in the world. Caterpillar worked through Ziegler Cat to extend the engine’s coverage to the same term.

 It sounds like a small change, but it removes a potential headache. Owners do not have to keep track of different coverage periods for the machine and engine. For three years or 3,000 hours, all machine-critical systems have aligned global protection. “It’s a differentiator for customers,” says Tayte Askelsen, Vermeer customer experience manager for service. “We’re trying to help them control the cost over the lifetime of this product, and an extended warranty gives them peace of mind on the cost for three years.”

That peace of mind comes from a team committed to helping customers keep working, solve problems quickly and stay productive. Vermeer understands the machine. Caterpillar provides worldwide engine support. Ziegler Cat brings those capabilities together for Vermeer and its customers.

Ryan Stebbins, a Ziegler Cat application engineer, has supported Vermeer for about seven years. For him, the relationship is rooted in a shared desire to do the right thing for customers and keep their machines working. “I wouldn’t call it a typical OEM-supplier relationship,” Stebbins says. “It’s truly a partnership.”

The D24 brings that partnership to the jobsite. It gives crews the capability they need for demanding work without sacrificing maneuverability on crowded sites. Just as importantly, it comes with a network of people ready to step up and help, wherever the next job finds them.