SIMA conference

you guys that went to the sima conference, how was it? got any photos? who'd you see? how was the fisher plant tour?<p><br>bryan<p>----------<br>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.snowplow.web.com&quot;&gt;The Snowplow Homepage&lt;/a&gt;<br>

 

The SIMA conference was great as usual.Always alot to learn and this year they had a trade show which was pretty neat.I got hooked up to a salt supplier International salt who is going to be letting us spray his salt facilities with Magic.Also met snow plow contractors who do 2 million to 7 million in snow plowing and get only 40 inches of snow a year! WOW!! The SIMA conference is a great place to learn about the snow bussiness.<p>----------<br>J PARKER<br>914-485-4200

 

Bryan, <p>If you could let me know what your email address is, i have some cd shots of the our MTS booth and SIMA's booth at Traverse City APWA show, and some shots of Jacks talk about cutting edges at traverse citiy and some of the seminars if you or anyone out there is interested<p>vince

 

John what amazed me was Lipinski.<br>They did 2.5 million this winter with 16&quot;<br>And last year did 1.3 with 6&quot;<br>Dino

 

Yeah Dino we are in the right businees but in the wrong pew,but we`ll get there we are well on our way<p>----------<br>J PARKER<br>914-485-4200

 

This is why we're looking to increase our time/effort in snow and cut back on grass. Every business has a lot to plow, but not everyone has grass to cut. <p>Besides, businesses put less value on walking behind a mower on a sunny afternoon, than being on-call 24/7 for all winter and heading out to plow 12&quot;+ at 3:00am in mid-January. <p>That 12&quot; storm may or may not come but at least they've got the insurance that we're on duty.<p>----------<br>Dave in S.Ontario<br>www.cutntrim.com

 

John, any good reading material or handouts you can xerox and sent me. I would appreciate I was unable to attend. Sounds like it was worth going to. Maybe next year.<p>Rob

 

vince-my email is bkrois@aol.com. If you have any literature or anything also. My email address doesn't show up on my profile even though it's supposed to. thanks,<p>bryan<p>----------<br>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.snowplow.web.com&quot;&gt;The Snowplow Homepage&lt;/a&gt;<br>

 

Hi all - I attended a local roads conference and trade show yesterday in North Bay, Ontario. Good turnout by vendors. Some day, I plan to travel the distance to the NE states again (I Honeymooned in Skowhegon) and may catch up. SIMA is on my mind.<p>Some of my observations:<p>Lots of changes coming to the pickup plow market: Meyer is bringing out a drive-in quick mount, but I'll reserve judgement.<p>Dino, I asked around for urethane edges - got references to rubber and blank looks. I'll take you up on your offer as the vendors up here do not know their lines very well. <p>I followed Mag-Cl with not much positive comments from the vendors. I'm stumped because the guys here (who use and make a living with it left me with another, more positive impression). I'll read all the propeganda on both products and probably repost a question or two.<p>I saw the first newer style Diamond - they are not sold locally, even by our established Meyer dealer. Not bad looking, certainly more stout that the Meyers. I did have the opportunity to try a Diamond Vee about 8 years ago. I was a radical design at the time, but it would sell well now. <p>A solid plow in Canada, Arctic from London Ont. was represented by their marketing manager. I chatted him out of one hour of his time and some trinkets. I have used their plows for years before switching to Boss for the Vee. Anyways, they have redesigned their line to include a HD poly straight blade, full trip and are introducing a HD poly edge trip to get them into the markets where Fisher dominates. Their unimount system is straight forward and includes a crank jack to re-align the holes after a snowfall. My $64 question was when will the Arctic Vee come out? I was disappointed in the answer here - they want to focus on the straight blade (with wings for the parking lot market!!) for another year before introducing a vee. It will, at this point, have a trip edge and double acting cylinders: again to go after the Fisher/Western market. I argued with him on the wings and double acting hydraulic system - our Boss's with smart-lock are flawless, quick and easier on the pump, batteries and alternator. He used to work for Fisher, so he has that on the brain. Anyway, I chatted with my local dealer, and he had the same concerns as me, as well as several others, and he is taking the manager to task at the regional sales meeting level. Good company, stubborn management.<p>Anyway, why should you guys south of the border be interested in a Canadian-made plow? Afer looking at the Arctic HD straight blades, the slick mount and ... the US-Canada $$$ exchange rate, the Americans have a buying advantage. The hydraulic system is the same, ages-old electric Monarch than serves very well.<p>I also saw a 9', Sweden-made Vee blade/dozer for the backhoe. Very HD - 2,400 pounds and well built, inclucing a pressure-relief accumulator system. The price was very steep - $12,500 plus taxes, but I am heading back at the end of the show to make a rediculess offer....<p>Didn't mean to rattle on so long, Regards<p>John<br><p><font size="1">Edited by: Deere John

 

Deere John<br>That sweden plow should have been by Swede V<br>Great company and they have helped SIMA a ton. For all you guys who have to train new drivers, or want to help better train all drivers. SIMA now has a training video out to help with aspect of our businesses. Go to the SIMA site for more info. Western/Fisher dumped a ton of money into the video and they are behind SIMA 150%. So as SIMA members we should psh their products when we can.<br>The plant tour was nice, the lunch even better.What disapointed me was I thought being new and all, they would have a more modern approach to making plows, they still hand weld(59.4'of weld in an 8'straight plow)<br>al plows.They do have a 9'6&quot; vee plow this year, and western should see it next year.<br>Please do contact me about those edges. They are pretty new , and only 2 makers I believe.<br>Most people havent used them, so they hear things about similar edges and think these are the same.<br>Fisher tested urethane vs steel and on dry test beds it went 6 mi longer than steel, and that was with a product no where near as good as ours.<br>Dino<p>----------<br> Professional Ice and Snow Management <br>Products:Services:Equipment www.sima.org

 

Deere john,<p>The HD edge you refer to is a High Density,UHMW or VHMW Polyethylene. <p>Fisher has used these as steel replacements for a couple of years now with little to no success. <p>I've been told that they have worn down to the trip edge in less than one hour is some cases. This material was made to be a cheap replacement for teflon.<p><br>vince

 

Thanks Vince - all I got from the trade show people were the reference to the rubber edge (probably what you called UHMW stuff) and those who didn't know that much gave me blank looks. I will only switch from steel to something else with the anecdotal advice from people who have used them (ie. this forum). Cheers<br>John

 

Ok here is the scoop on edges.<br>You have 4 basic materials.<br>Steel, yes there is variation but we all know what that is<br>Rubber, yes same as your tires, and well that other thing.(as a side we were using rubber type materials for birth control and just has a baby girl, so actually its only good for one thing)<br>UHMW or poly ethylene, anyone who has had a lightweight fisher plow with a black or white compostie edge knows what UHMW is<br>Lastly is polyurethane, what confuses people and suppliers is the general poly prefix, and they automatically assume its UHMW.<br>As time permits I will soon have more info at my home page. Please check in and see what all the tech info is about.<br>Dino<p>----------<br> Professional Ice and Snow Management <br>Products:Services:Equipment www.sima.org