WORK is underway on construction of a new Rebuild Centre of Excellence workshop at Finning UK & Ireland’s HQ.
The facility is designed to accommodate growing demand for machine rebuilds and major reconditions.
Finning explained that the investment in the 1,230 sqm unit will support specialist tooling and testing facilities as more customers choose Cat Certified Rebuilds. The move follows the launch of Finning’s ‘Rebuilt and Ready to Go’ programme last year, giving customers immediate access to Cat machines that have been fully rebuilt to deliver ‘like-new’ performance.
Finning and contractor McPhillips celebrated the start of the 33-week project with a groundbreaking ceremony on site at the Cannock HQ in Staffordshire.
Dave Carter, head of rebuild, repair and response, said, “The new workshop will support the growth of the Rebuilt and Ready to Go offer, extending the life of more machines, reducing waste and saving on raw materials. Sustainability is integral to our operations, the communities where we work, and our long-term plans. Not only will the new workshop provide state-of-the-art facilities where our teams can continue to give used machines a new lease of life, it will provide a safe and secure work environment which supports our energy management objectives.”
The steel-framed, 14m-high workshop building will feature a solar PV roof panel system. Last year, Finning reported a 32% reduction in carbon emissions, which the business attributed partly to the proactive sourcing of renewable energy. In the UK and Ireland, the company aims to ultimately rely on alternative energy to provide 100% of its energy.
Craig Freestone, senior project manager at Finning UK & Ireland, said, “By investing in our network we hope to support more customers in finding the right equipment and machinery to meet their needs – whether it be new, used or rental products. This year Caterpillar is celebrating its 100th anniversary. It’s a brand that is always looking forward, committed to finding new ways to help customers solve their own challenges. We worked with its designers on the layout of this new workshop. It offers a flexible, optimised working space to accommodate a vast range of machines in reflection of that Caterpillar legacy of innovation and engineering expertise.”
Paul Inions, MD of McPhillips, added, “We’re delighted to be here at the groundbreaking of what marks a significant first milestone in the delivery of a significant investment by Finning. This will be a robust and modern Rebuild workshop, built to ensure durability and structural integrity and with the addition of roof PV solar panels to support sustainability goals.”
