Spotted at the KME plant . . .

[Roto-Ray]

Pierce may have been low priced in your area, but not everywhere.  They are typically higher.  A lot of pricing can be related to the specs.  Pierce can usually build a rig cheaper than others when it is a Pierce-based spec.  If Pierce has a good dealership in the area, which your area did, they will sell a lot of rigs, many of which will be spec'd as a Pierce.  Grumman low-bid everything the last couple years they were in business, just to keep the factory open and people working.  Corporate had already decided to pull the plug.

 

I never said that Grumman built an inferior product.  Most that I have seen over the years were solid, dependable rigs.  I also believe that KME builds a much better product than they did years ago.  Remember, in many cases, the dealer sets the price, not the factory.  Some dealers choose to make money by volume sales rather than on only a few customers.  And yes, some of us will only buy Pierce!

 

 

Dave, you bring up some interesting comments.

 

One of the things that I've seen turn a lot of customers away from Pierce (at least in our area) is their sales/marketing strategy and tactics.  Few people will disagree that the Pierce marketing machine is one of the best out there.  However, I find it frustrating when I run into firefighters who will to poke fun at, or assume that a poor choice was made, when a customer chooses to purchase a rig from someone other than Pierce (not grouping you with these folks, Dave).  They think that no one can build a rig that will withstand the rigors of firefighting as well as a Pierce can - in spite of the longevity of many other manufacturers out there such as Seagave, Sutphen, KME, E\-One, and a number of the smaller regional manufacturers.

 

I've also reminded a lot of people that apparatus pricing has to be relevant to the area that's being sold in.  Someone from Alabama or Louisiana shouldn't look at the cost of of Pierce on Long Island to get an idea of what a Pierce might cost.  The sales staff has to know their area and customers in order to competitively bid their product.

 

Dave, can you explain your statement about the CPFD only purchasing Pierce?  Are you loyal to them based on quality, dealer support, pricing, or some other factor?

 

The comments posted by Chief Reeves are spot-on.  So many things have changed, and at the same time, so many things have stayed the same in this industry over the past 40-50 years.  However, longevity of the vehicle often depends on the specifications, and the customer assuring that the vehicle conforms to the specifications.  The question is, how does a customer who might only purchase a vehicle once every two decades have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to ensure that the vehicle was constructed to meet the specs?  Or, more importantly, that the specifications given to him by the sales rep were adequate to meet the demands that the customer will put upon the vehicle.

 

I know of areas of the US where the customer doesn't even do a final inspection at the factory.  Instead, they send the salesman out to do it on their behalf, and then they give the rig a cursory review at the dealership prior to delivery.  To me, this is ludicrous, but it's an accepted means of acceptance to those guys.  The fact that the customer is relying on the salesman to correctly interpret the specs and solely check the vehicle for compliance is a recipe for long-term trouble if you ask me.

 

On a somewhat related note, we recently sought proposals from three different manufacturers for new pumpers at work using the HGAC pricing schedule.  Our specifications were purposefully written to encourage competitive pricing amongst the vendors.   Each of the manufacturers were VERY responsive with their proposals - a couple even offered "extras" such as 3/16" bodies in place of the specified 1/8", etc.  When all was said and done, there was only a 1.3% spread from the lowest to the highest vendor.  I considered this to a success story as we purchase a quality rig that is also fiscally responsible to the taxpayers funding the vehicle.