Future Foundations #5 EXCERPT: 'APE Training Supports Piledrivers'

It doesn’t show up in the financial report or the other measurements used to determine how a company stands in the industry - market share or any fancy metrics like that, but when it comes to availability to Piledrivers, APE is, uncharacteristically perhaps, a quiet leader.

“The APE Pilebuck Equipment class was extremely interesting! It was exciting to see and learn how the different types of hammers work! Dan Corp is very knowledgeable and made it easy to understand while attending the class. Had an amazing time at APE!!!” says 4th year Apprentice Joe Brady of the Local 196 Piledrivers, Divers, Bridge, Dock & Wharf Builders.

Many apprentices of the 196 attended APE’s Piledriver’s class held this spring, run by APE’s National Equipment Manager Daniel Corp and Northwest Carpenters Institute’s Marc Carey, Pile Driver Coordinator/ Instructor.

“APE teamed up with NWCI to get this program back to full bore. That was the mission.” - Daniel Corp.

At the APE HQ Yard in Kent, WA, the 196 gets hands on and hands dirty.

credit: Northwest Carpenters Institute

APE has a long history of partnerships around the US and Canada of bringing expert training to apprentice and journeymen level Piledrivers - since the earliest days of APE when it was apparent that well-trained Pilebucks operated and maintained and understood the capabilities and limits of the equipment they were using.

“It all goes back to Dave Yingling” says Steve Reid, Assistant Training Coordinator for the Piledrivers Local 2404 in Delta, BC Canada. “He’d come up every year and teach level I and level II. He had a way. He’d keep them engaged and entertained.” “The Level I Training was something the apprentices looked forward to completing, achieving a level of confidence and technical expertise. The Fuel Pump class grew out of that.” The 2404 covers Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and the Territories; i.e. Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Worksites are often remote and support or service can be a big challenge. Reid continues, “A fuel pump is one of those things you pull apart and go ‘what the @#$%... but when you have the confidence to put it back together? Invaluable.”

Eric Legault, APE’s Canadian Regional Manager adds another point of view, “The ability to be able to work on hammers on the job site is definitely a high requirement and sought out from many of our clients. Our Classes teach the know-how of function, set up, and repairs to our Equipment. This will drastically reduce or eliminate downtime to equipment & and increase the safety of workers for any job site. If it's set up properly and serviced properly it will perform the way it is designed and intended to perform. This knowledge is an asset to the piledriver and a skill-set that our clients are very interested in.” Win-Win.

Replacing the Piston Rings. Good solid compression keeps the hammer running cooler with more energy.

credit: Northwest Carpenters Institute

“Down time is a huge constraint on any job, and clients are relentlessly on the hunt to find workers that are not only familiar with piledriving equipment, but to also be able to service them.” - Eric ‘Wiggy’ Legault, APE Canadian Regional Manager

The Southwest Carpenter’s training Fund’s Matt Dunphy, Coordinator out of Whitter, CA reached out to APE in early 2021 when they realized they needed refresher training on equipment they had in their yard an APE Diesel and APE Vibro. The SWCTF covers training for the Local 562 Southern California Carpenters Piledrivers. “We went up for a Training session in Stockton, CA and just got a full-on meat and potatoes everything you need to know if you’re running a diesel piledriver or Vibro. We’ve been working with APE for years and they’ve always been a great resource. Its the equipment our guys end up using in the field, so it makes sense that’s what they train on. We train Apprentices to Journeymen on this equipment - so getting this complete rundown ourselves was exactly what was needed.

“Great class with a knowledgeable Instructor (Dan Corp) and hands on instruction and functions” - 3rd year Apprentice, Frank Pineda, Local 196 Piledrivers, Divers, Bridge, Dock & Wharf Builders.