CONGRATULATIONS! Happy 35th Anniversary Tracey Road Equipment Congratulations Tracey Road Equipment on 35 years of operation from your friends at Terex Roadbuilding and Terex Construction. We look forward to another 35 years of success.
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Š 2011 Terex Corporation. Terex is a registered trademark in the U.S. and many other countries.
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Congratulations Trace cey Road Equipmen EEquipment ntt Tracey ers on your 35 35th Anniversary
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Tracey Road Equipment Working Hard and Smart for 35 Years By Laurie Mercer CEG CORRESPONDENT
With established businesses, it is sometimes tempting to become satisfied with a certain level of success. These companies conduct business much as they always had, not adapting to new technologies or change. Tracey Road Equipment is not one of those companies, however — it is by recasting and with an eagerness to invite change that Jerry Tracey credits his success. Tracey Road Equipment is celebrating 35 years of business, enjoyed throughout many economic cycles — both robust and poor. The company, with five full service facilities across New York State, has grown from a small enterprise that was first concerned with mounting snowplows in the snow belt to become a multi-media, fullservice one-stop-shop dealership for heavy equipment and Class Atrucks. “Before I started Tracey Road Equipment I was a salesman for the J.C. George Equipment Company, a long-established equipment company,” said Jerry Tracey, founder and president. “In 1975, J.C. George went bankrupt, and I was out of work. So I started a new company (then called D.W. Clark Road Equipment) with a partner.” Within three years’ time, Jerry had bought his partner out. The name changed to reflect his ownership. Now, after nearly four decades in business, Jerry and his closest partner, his wife Debbie, are joined by their two daughters, a son-inlaw, Debbie’s sister and brother-in-law as well as approximately 220
Tracey Road Equipment’s headquarters in Syracuse, N.Y.
Tracey Road Equipment’s Watertown, N.Y., branch.
Tracey Road Equipment’s Henrietta, N.Y., facility.
Tracey Road Equipment’s Binghamton, N.Y., facility.
Tracey Road Equipment’s facility in Albany, N.Y.
Tracey Road Equipment’s Truck Center facility in Syracuse, N.Y. 4
(L-R, back row): Raj Julka, Mark Bartlett and Jerry Tracey. (L-R), front row): Christine Julka, Nathan Julka (in lap), Sam Bartlett, Jennifer Bartlett, Debbie Tracey and Jake Bartlett.
employees in five locations across New York State in Syracuse, Albany, Binghamton, Rochester and Watertown. “With full service facilities in five different geographic centers, we can pretty much take care of any situation in a big hurry. And not just a quick fix, something they can live with for a long time,” said Jerry. “Family members and I include our employees as our extended family, are part of our achievement. We are all in this together. We share our strengths,” he said. Jerry looks back fondly on the early days but also reflects on the ever-changing landscape that is the construction and transportation industry. “I started with a handful of manufacturers in 1976, including Badger, Frinks Snowplows, Hiway salt spreaders, Catch Basin Cleaners and Mobile Street Sweepers, Etnyre F.W.D all wheel drive trucks and Heil Bodies. We are alive and well, but most of those manufacturers are now gone.” Early on, he said he hired older sales people — or Legends — as he calls them today, many of whom have since passed away, including George Carr, Jimmy Costello and Jack Hockman, all whom Jerry credits for Tracey Road Equipment’s early success. Joel Chesley, the vice president and controller, who shows up every morning, has been with him from the very beginning. “He was my first employee when I went on my own,” Jerry said.
An Original Joel Chesley, controller, joined Jerry and Debbie when there were just 15 people on board. Jerry calls Joel his “first” employee. They
This specially detailed Kobelco SK350 was the focal point of the Kobelco display at the 2011 ConExpo in Las Vegas. 5
The Syracuse, N.Y., yard is the busy hub for distributing the hundreds of pieces of equipment in Tracey Road Equipment’s rental, new and used equipment fleet.
Tracey Road Equipment’s showroom at its Syracuse headquarters holds a massive selection of lubricants, accessories, parts and supplies.
met through Jimmy Costello, a salesperson with C.C.O. equipment and a mutual friend. “We started small, installing snowplows and representing a couple of equipment lines with rollers and some excavators,” Chesley said. He always knew in his heart that this was just a start up to the plans that Jerry anticipated, but selling snowplows in Upstate New York, famous for its snow cover, seemed to him to be a good business model. “It looked like a steady client base to me,” he added. His previous position was controller at C.C.O. a heavy equipment company. Things have changed dramatically since that time when it comes to borrowing money. “Not as easy as it used to be,” Chesley said. “Heavy equipment costs a lot of money. More often we find ourselves renting equipment with the understanding that the customer will probably use that rental agreement as a down payment to buy.” As controller he certainly knows where the customer base is coming from. “All locations are full-service construction equipment and truck cen-
ters. Binghamton, Syracuse and Watertown are evenly split between customers going for trucks and heavy equipment. In Syracuse, we do most of the installations for municipal work.”
Planning Ahead — and Looking Back What does Jerry remember about his start up venture 35 busy years ago? “First of all, the economy was very rough,” he said. “There was fuel rationing. Then in 1980 when I bought out C.C.O. [another heavy-equipment dealer], interest rates went up to 22 percent. We were paying two to three percent above prime. We’ve seen it all in the heavy equipment business, but this recession is the worst one yet.” The purchase of C.C.O. Equipment, as well as different product lines, placed Tracey Road Equipment as a major hub in Syracuse, with 84,000square-feet of space under one roof and three additional buildings on the compound for the truck center and body shop, all on 35 acres. Chesley remembers the move up. “We started off on East Brighton Avenue in Syracuse. Buying C.C.O. gave Tracey Road the current headquarters, which we have probably quadrupled in size.” Tracey Road Equipment carries a full line of heavy and light construction equipment — for sale, lease or rent — including front-end loaders, backhoes, skid steer loaders, dozers, track or rubber-tire excavators, paving and compaction equipment, scrap, demolition or material handling, mowers, street sweepers, snowplows, fork lifts, catch basin cleaners, trailers, pavers, buckets for a variety of purposes, attachments and much more. “The fact that we sell both heavy equipment as well as medium and heavy duty trucks makes this a unique business in several different ways,” said Dick Ridings, construction sales manager. Tracey Road Equipment has taken on a number of new product lines since Ridings joined the company four years ago. These include Doppstadt, Terex Road Building Products, Takeuchi, Sennebogen, LaBounty and Sakai. Ridings said Tracey Road Equipment people are well respected in the business because the company gives its employees — including at least 20 outside sales representatives assigned to construction equipment alone — intense training sessions devoted to supporting the piece of equipment with a focus on productivity, equipment safety and recommended maintenance for longevity after the sale.
This Wal-Mart truck receives its finishing touches before it is returned to the retailer giant. 6
Tracey Road Equipment’s parts department offers a large parts inventory that will keep any equipment or trucks sold by the company running smoothly.
If it’s parts you need, Tracey Road Equipment has all the bases covered.
“Supporting our equipment after the sale — that’s what we are all about,” said Ridings. Tracey believes technology is essential for all diagnostics with today’s machinery. “When you look at our markets, you see that public and private sector customers are about equal in volume,” said Ridings. “We always have equipment and financing that is used on all of the public and private brands in the construction spectrum. On the public side, our customers are taxpayer funded so they are very careful about how they invest in equipment.” Tracey Road Equipment offers them solutions, including renting for short-term use. Municipalities are a business just like everybody else. Sometimes it’s easier for a highway superintendent to ask for five-year payment terms rather than a large amount all at once.
options with dump trailers, flat bottom floor trailers, and live bottom trailers with a moving, conveyor-like platform. Everything that moves will wear out with use. That’s why Tracey Road Equipment has parts and service covered in every location. “We have good customers in Pennsylvania and Vermont in addition to upstate,” said Ridings.
Serving Watertown and the Military Tracey Road Equipment’s Watertown facility works a lot with the U.S. military, especially serving the needs of nearby Fort Drum. Joe Natali manages the Watertown store. “Fort Drum made this place grow,” said Natali. “Fort Drum is even getting its own exit off Route 81.” The creation of Fort Drum, on which thousands of trickle down jobs in the area depend, was the largest peacetime expenditure in the history of the county. The four-season weather makes it a prime training site for others including National Guard troops. “Fort Drum has significantly assisted the growth of our business,” he
Helping Customers Get the Machine They Need Wheel loaders are an example of a machine that can be very specialized, depending on the jobs they serve. “Our customers in scrap always have solid tires,” Ridings said. “And tires are not the only aspect of what makes the scrap industry professional a different kind of customer for us. Another great customer base includes highway workers who do chip sealing on roads. We understand how it works and why people seal roads the way they do today.” Whether it’s earthmoving, paving, grinding and shredding or trommel screen production, it’s all very different turf with different equipment needs. Providing equipment to clean out catch basins is yet another area of Tracey Road Equipment expertise in a specialized equipment market. Most material and equipment travels on trailers, and trailers of varying sizes, shapes, options, and price ranges are sold and rented in all five locations. Tracey Road Equipment’s trailer inventory encompasses three major, American-made manufacturers: Etnyre, Rogers and Interstate. As with so many things in this industry, there is almost no limit on the number of bells and whistles a customer can have on a custom-built trailer. Depending on whether it’s an equipment trailer or a material handling trailer, Tracey Road Equipment creates them for customers in the range of 25-tons to 150-tons in weight. Prices can go from $15,000 to $150,000 with lots of top-end, really exotic pieces like multi-axles and stringers attached. There are many different deck sizes, goose neck axles, plenty of
Tracey Road Equipment’s highly qualified service department schedules repairs or maintenance with an eye on getting customers up and running as fast as possible. 7
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Everything Under One Roof — in Five Locations
said. “In the future, I expect our relationship with the military to continue. The government may cut back on some military spending, but everything breaks down and the infrastructure to a place like this one will continue to need to be fixed and upgraded.” Tracey Road Equipment originally serviced this area, which includes the Oswego county line to the Canadian border and over to Plattsburgh, as its original territory as D.W. Clark out of Syracuse. Tracey Road Equipment opened its Watertown branch in 1996. With six bays, parts and service and approximately 18 full-time people, the Watertown store also focuses on contractors doing bridge work, scrap yards opening up in the area, and many assignments from municipalities for construction equipment, snow trucks and dump trucks. Natali said trucks are a big part of what the company does because trucking is still a healthy industry in this area due to to milk haulers and large farms. “We can finance anything on the truck side and on the construction side. Small contractors from Canada will also come over to buy. So you could call us global,” he said.
Doug Paul, the company’s municipal truck manager, has been working for the company for 16 years, joining Tracey Road Equipment after graduating with a degree in management from the Rochester Institute of Technology, or RIT. “With training and constant hands-on in the many market niches we serve, Tracey Road Equipment people are recognized for being both long-term with the company, and completely engrossed in the heavy
Hitching a Ride on the Marcellus Shale Boom “I’d say 95 percent of the direction of this company comes from Jerry and his ability to see into the future,” said Art Ospelt, manager of the Binghamton location. He’s been with Jerry for 28 years. “The Binghamton facility which I run, is larger than all of Tracey Road Equipment was when I started with the company,” he said. In Binghamton, Ospelt manages 28 full-time employees, 12 service bays, among other duties. He anticipates good things in the future due in part to his facility’s proximity to Pennsylvania. “We hired people from that area to cover it so that we can reach the benefits of the energy harvesting being done there,” he said, referring to the booming Marcellus shale business. Green technology also is the wave of the future, according to Ospelt. “Anything green — green energy, green manufacturing and green building. The future is going to be with new technologies coming along.” Despite fierce competition for the heavy equipment business, Ospelt said his company’s strength comes from the fact that, “Nobody does what we do. Jerry’s theory back then and now is to truly be a one-stop shop. We have a broad line of equipment, attachments, trucks, rentals, road mechanics, in-house service, financing plans, and insurance and warranties. That’s a real plus when customers don’t have to shop around for each part of the puzzle.” “Our rental fleet alone is worth millions. There are lots of businesses that aren’t that big.”
Tom Santaferra is the core manager in Syracuse, N.Y.
Chris Nielsen is Tracey Road Equipment’s truck service manager.
Dick Ridings, (R), construction equipment sales manager, discusses this year’s Takeuchi order with Chuck Hussey, regional business manager of Takeuchi.
Bill Allman is the general warranty manager. 10
equipment industry. They live their work,” he said. “What we offer, that nobody else has, is everything under one roof in five locations across the state. When towns and villages buy a truck from us, we mount their snow moving equipment, build the dump bodies to their specs, create spreader bodies just the way they want them and more. Plus, we can fix it, if the machinery does get in an accident. The customer isn’t just buying a piece of heavy equipment from us; they are buying the dealership as well. “Being able to fix it, that’s a big plus for highway superintendents
who can’t afford to have equipment down,” said Paul. Tracey Road Equipment’s sales team is fully trained and educated on the products they represent and highway people appreciate that skill. Patience also is a virtue when ordering a Class-A truck. The time it takes to actually deliver a new municipal truck to the town or village’s highway barn is often close to a year. Each truck is different. “From the time of the initial sales call until the customer has a driver up into the seat of the truck could be a year based on the lead time,” said Paul. Mounting and installing any additional equipment could take another 30 days. “There are literally 150 to 240 different options you can choose from when ordering a Class-A truck from us,” he said.” Paul added that paint color, including logos on the doors and sometimes even pin striping on municipal trucks is one way of appreciating how much time drivers spend in their vehicles, and how much pride they take in the equipment. If he notices any trends in his area of expertise it is municipal leasing. “That is much stronger than when I first started 16 years ago with Tracey Road Equipment,” he said. The company also offers parts and service for everything it sells. Meanwhile, the Tracey Truck Center has Freightliners, Sterling, Western Star and Oshkosh in stock, both new and used. Beyond meeting various customers’ wants and needs, the Tracey installation and fabrication experts can build a vehicle, from the chassis up, to match the most exacting parameters.
Joel Chesley is Tracey Road Equipment’s controller and vice president.
Other Innovations
Dave White is the equipment sales coordinator at Tracey Road Equipment’s Syracuse headquarters.
“There’s no other dealership like us. That’s the only way to begin telling our story,” said Jerry. In fact, one look at the Tracey Road Equipment Web page — www.traceyroad.com — demonstrates the way the company has embraced technology and social networking which has helped to energize its marketing strategy. The company publishes its own blog called, “This Week’s Dirt” (www.thisweeksdirt.com), which includes announcements for special events, such as Woodsman’s Field Days at the Boonville Oneida County Fairgrounds, tow shows or other relevant content associated within the industries that Tracey Road Equipment operates. A truck and heavy equipment dealer isn’t necessarily the first type of company people look to have a strong online presence. But, with an estimated 80 percent of the U.S. population turning to the Internet for information, every business can benefit from having a well-designed web page and strong social media footprint. Tracey Road Equipment is building its online social media presence as a way to improve customer relations and keep interest in its services and equipment offerings strong.
Joe Natali is Tracey Road Equipment’s Watertown, N.Y., branch manager.
Ray Clark is the service manager in Watertown, N.Y. 11
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Congratulations to Tracey Road Equipment 35 Years of Excellence and Still Growing SENNEBOGEN is proud of it close and long-standing relationship with Tracey Road Equipment. As one family owned company to another, we welcome this opportunity together with their many customers in scrap handling and recycling, port facilities, demolition, forestry, roadbuilding, construction and trucking to wish the Tracey Road Equipment family continued health and prosperity long into the future.
Erich Sennebogen, Owner and Managing Director SENNEBOGEN Maschinenfabrik GmbH Constantino Lannes, President, SENNEBOGEN LLC
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Overhead view of Tracey Road Equipment’s service facility in Syracuse, N.Y. It is among the largest in the state.
Tracey Road Equipment has a Facebook Page to post light-hearted non-sales information (www.facebook.com/TraceyRoad); it keeps current with posts on Twitter (@traceyroad); posts videos of equipment in action for customers to view on YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/traceyroad); and is involved on Foursquare (https://foursquare.com/venue/23614359), where it offers specials for customers who check-in; and Linkedin (www.linkedin.com/company/tracey-road-equipment-inc.). Everyone is invited to tweet their comments or post on the company’s Facebook page. The company recently introduced a new incentive, which is a first in the industry. The company’s Tracey Road Equipment Rewards Program http://www.traceyrewards.com) offers loyal customers a chance to earn discounts on future equipment or truck purchases and service visits for being a loyal customer. The program gives customers a total of 6 percent back, split equally into two separate accounts, which can be used on a future visit to one of Tracey Road Equipment’s five locations across Upstate New York. “The customer is given a Future Service and Future Purchase Account where 3 percent of each dollar spent by a customer in the service department or from the purchase of over-the-counter parts is credited to each account for future use. The customer actually earns dollars, not points, and can redeem this for a reduction off a future service invoice or a future purchase of equipment or trucks at any of our locations,” explained Tracey. “It’s one small way we can thank our customers in choosing to work with us as a trusted business partner. We know they have many choices when it comes to a customers’ equipment and trucking needs and want to make sure that we are letting them know that we appreciate their business.” Being a visionary, Jerry has a keen understanding of the benefits technology can offer business. When e-Emphasys introduced eXtend, latest business management solution designed specifically for equipment dealers and rental companies, Tracey Road was an early adopter when the rest of the industry was still on legacy systems. Jerry’s vision and passion for technology has a ripple effect through the organization. So when the eXtend solution was introduced, everyone at Tracey Road leveraged it to its highest potential, providing newer opportunities to serve customers better and provides for efficiency improvements. “Tracey Road and e-Emphasys share a common culture of continuous innovation and focus on the needs of the customer,” said Shriram
Jeff DeLosh is the parts manager in Watertown, N.Y.
In Henrietta, N.Y., Kathy Fedison (L) is the office manager and Kim Saylor is a sales representative. 14
Rajagopal, Director of Product Development for e-Emphasys. “I have personally been a witness to the kind of efforts and the passion, and enthusiasm that is exhibited in anything that Tracey Road does, whether it is heavy equipment, insurance or software and technology. Jerry and his team diligently and patiently helped us understand every critical aspect of the dealership and rental industry. The extraordinary efforts put by the Tracey Road team in providing us with this precious knowledge and their unconditional support inspired us through the evolution of the product. This passion continues even today as we continue to leverage the feedback provided by Tracey Road and our other equipment and rental accounts.” “Tracey Road has been a pioneer in embracing emerging technologies. We are extremely fortunate to be associated with such a customer focused organization. Jerry is a role model for us in our endeavors”, said Milind Bagade, CEO of e-Emphasys.
Where to Find the Money Peggy Kip, Debbie Tracey’s sister and finance manager for the truck side of Tracey Road, described a recent trip she took looking at colleges in Philadelphia for one of her kids. “It’s kind of a thing we do when we travel. We look for vehicles on the road from the large number of fleets we service. In this business it’s easy to become absorbed,” she said. Peggy has now been with the company for 20 years. As a college student she worked for Jerry and Debbie part time counting parts. Peggy said she left a job she liked as a paralegal in Syracuse because Jerry and Debbie valued her knowledge of working with contracts and her ease of working with numbers. She added, “I think they also thought it would be a good challenge for me. It gave me a chance to do everything.” Peggy describes Jerry as being “pretty resilient.” “He has become more sophisticated and diversified over the years in the marketplaces he represents and supports,” she said. “Key to a lot of our business is the parts and service we offer. Our reputation stands for itself. Plus, people know we are family run and very hands on with our customers. Everything we do is built on relationships. We have lots of return customers and now even second generation customers who first came with their parents when they were kids.” “Buying a $125,000 vehicle is not a frivolous purchase,” she said. “There has to be some trust developed. Plus building a truck is like building a house — you have to have the right specs. We need to know how we are going to put this truck together so that it runs for you every day
The Tracey Road Equipment parts department in Henrietta, N.Y., is stocked with well trained representatives and a multi-million dollar inventory of parts.
Kevin Ransom is the service manager in Henrietta, N.Y.
A Freightliner truck is in the process of repairs at Tracey Road Equipment’s headquarters in Syracuse. 15
Congratulations to Tracey Road Equipment on Your 35th Anniversary
6803 Manlius Center Rd. East Syracuse, NY 13057 (315) 437-1471 Toll Free: (800) 872-2390
115 Railroad Ave., PO Box 5306 Albany, NY 12205-0306 (518) 438-1100 Toll free: (866) 740-8853
300 Middle Road Henrietta, NY 14467 (585) 334-5120 Toll free: (866) 950-6210
6060 Butternut Drive Ext. East Syracuse, NY 13057 (315) 437-3900
1523 Route 11 North Kirkwood, NY 13795 (607) 775-5010 Toll free: (800) 370-9488
19598 Cady Road Adams Center, NY 13606 (315) 788-0200 Toll free: (888) 335-0200
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paving. We do a lot of customization.” Daimler also offers a “nice avenue” for municipalities instead of bonding their money. She explained, “Lenders can be very flexible. Municipalities can make payments the year following the purchase when they have budgeted the money while using the bond for capital improvements instead.” She said the financial services people like to work with people who have paid their bills, even if they made interest-only payments for the last six months. They also can arrange skip payments for people in a seasonal business such as landscaping and paving. Tracey Road Equipment’s three primary truck manufacturers and major partners are Freightliner,Western Star and Oshkosh but we sell used trucks at all five locations includes products by many other manufacturers like International, Volvo and Kenworth — all vehicles, which can be serviced at Tracey Road. The company also has a full service, standalone, body, collision and paint shop where customers get exactly what they want on their vehicle. She said, “We sit down with them and make sure everything is ordered exactly how the customers want their trucks painted. It is more than a vehicle; it is a moving marketing piece as well.” “Everything we do here is helping our customers build their business,” she said. That one-stop service concept sets Tracey Road Equipment apart from its competitors, said Christine Julka, Jerry Tracey’s daughter and company marketing manager. “Our clients don’t have to leave and take care of certain parts of a transaction somewhere else,” she said. In addition to selling, leasing and renting equipment, the company also offers financing and insurance services necessary to complete a financial transaction to its customers, as well as warranty and extended warranty assistance, parts and repair services. To help make financing easier to obtain, the company offers insurance services in house; many times, financing terms cannot be finalized until the prospective buyer has insurance coverage in place. Having insurance services available means the customers don’t have to coordinate with different providers outside the Tracey Road Equipment building, making for a more convenient buying experience.
Parts Manager Jim Chamberlin (R) leads a team of well staffed, factory-trained parts specialists in Albany, N.Y.
doing the job it was designed to do.” She said some new customers are ordering a truck because they just got their first big contract. Others have been renting and are now ready to buy. “Maybe initially they bought a good used truck from us, but the investment for parts and service is significant so they are going for a new vehicle for their second truck.” While money is tight, Peggy said she sees some improvement in the past six to eight months. “Our brand partner has always been Daimler Financial Service. At this point I see loans getting back to being a little easier to make. We are looking to customers with business experience and a good credit rating. A lot of our customers for Class A trucks and heavy equipment are selfemployed business people whose truck is their livelihood. They may be milk haulers, working for utilities, stone and quarry, recycling (with hacker/packer bodies), compacting, doing scrap, hauling wood, or
A truck receives service in Albany, N.Y. 18
No matter which part of New York State customers do business in, Tracey Road Equipment has a service and repair facility to help them get back up and running. Shown here is the company’s garage in Henrietta, N.Y.
Embracing Change
Being in a snow belt might mean an emergency call on Christmas Day, but everybody at the Tracey family gathering knows the customers’ needs come first. Dedication is how they grew the company. “One of our daughters was born on Christmas Day, so it’s a double whammy when it happens. It’s not uncommon. We all know what to expect,” said Debbie. “Even our vacations, when the children were younger, were based around business. We’d have meetings in certain parts of the county. We took the children, and that was our family vacation,” she added.
Jerry Tracey admits that while his body might be seasoned by years of hard work, his mind is still very much caught up in the spirit of the 1970s when risk taking and change promised to make the world a better place. A Vietnam veteran who served in the Air Force for four years, he said, “I’ve always been for change. I embrace it.” Even though he never left his hometown of Cicero, he credits the spirit of revolution that fueled the 1970s in this country as being responsible for his desire to make his mark in this world. “The 1970s were what was happening. It was the revolution in this country,” he said. “That’s how I got to be where I am today. I don’t think I could duplicate that energy today. We were free spirited and truly believed that your dream could be whatever you wanted it to be. You could have a vision and fulfill it.” For his wife, Debbie, who was 21 when they started the business, it meant managing the enterprise while raising two daughters. “We didn’t come from money or anything,” she said. “We knew if we wanted to be successful we were going to have to work hard. It’s hard to look back and remember that it was a big risk financially and emotionally.” They had to mortgage their house in order to launch Tracey Road Equipment. She credits her husband with being a hard worker. “We both have been in this together from the start and I’m very proud of what we have done,” she said. Tracey Road Equipment is family based. The managers are very approachable and close with both employees and customers. “We are all so involved,” said Debbie. “If you want to own your own business, you have to work 24/7, but the rewards are also great. Everyone here knows we have a reputation for excellent, knowledgeable customer service to build upon. It’s all very hands on.” Debbie is the vice president of Tracey Road Equipment and also accepts the responsibility for the oversight of the company’s accounts receivables and payroll departments. “I feel fortunate to work with such great and openly honest people. They are not afraid to share with us when things are difficult. With attitudes like that, difficult or uneasy situations, like slower payments, have been easier for us to deal with in an appropriate manner, even in hard times,” she said.
Turning Scrap Metal Into Coin of the Realm Talk about embracing change is easier to understand when compared with what happened to the scrap industry a few years ago. “Scrap — that really helped us out,” said Jerry. Though it’s often considered by the public to be waste material, scrap has significant monetary value. The scrap industry processes recyclable material into raw material feedstock for industrial manufacturing around the world — more than $10 billion worth of scrap metal a year. Scrap goes into 60 percent of all metals and alloys produced in America.
Tracey Road Equipment’s repair facility in Albany. N.Y. 19
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Kawasaki Congratulates Tracey Road Equipment on their 35th Anniversary
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MAIN OFFICE: 6803 Manlius Center Road, East Syracuse, NY 13057 With Branches in Albany, Binghamton, Rochester and Watertown Sales-Rentals-Service-Parts (315) 437-1471 or toll free (800) 872-2390
“The Best in the Business�
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Congratulations Tracey Road Equipment on Your 35th Anniversary!
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35 YEARS OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND LONG LASTING PARTNERSHIPS Congratulations to Tracey Road Equipment for 35 years in business. We wish you continued success in the coming years. www.sakaiamerica.com 800.323.0535 Tracey Road Locations: Main Office: 6803 Manlius Center Rd. East Syracuse, NY 13057 (315) 437-1471 FAX (315) 437-4041
Albany Office: 115 Railroad Ave. Albany, NY 12205 (518) 438-1100 FAX (518) 438-4430
Binghamton Office: 1523 Route 11 North Kirkwood, NY 13795 (607) 775-5010 FAX (607) 775-5104
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Rochester Office: 300 Middle Road Henrietta, NY 14467 (585) 334-5120 FAX (585) 334-5127
Watertown Office: 19598 Cady Road Adams Center, NY 13606 (315) 788-0200 FAX (315) 788-3006
A service technician works to get a customer up and running in Albany, N.Y.
Keith McGovern is a truck and equipment sales representative in Albany, N.Y.
(L-R): Bob King, expediter; Sheila Barnes, service writer; and Greg Hansen, technician, all of Tracey Road Equipment’s Albany, N.Y., branch.
“When the scrap business took off, we had the number one line for equipment needed,” he said. Again his 1970s sensibilities, in addition to his business acumen, is reinforced by positive social values, because scrap recycling helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserves energy and natural resources, including energy and water. The company’s versatility also is evident in its ability to address the truck market while new technologies, especially new emission controlled devices, are changing customers’ attitudes toward buying new trucks. “With the environmental laws changing, there is a certain burden applied by the new laws. That’s why the trucking industry dried up in 2008, way before construction did,” Jerry said. Customers were skeptical about any new system, especially ones he called “untested,” that also added another $10,000 to $12,000 to the sticker price. Explaining the confluence of the marketplace in a nutshell he said, “The truck industry was booming in 2006 and 2007 because buyers knew new emission regulations were on their way.” “Fortunately, today, we are seeing better reliability in new trucks, and the fuel economy is much improved. When the new emissions standards came out, Freightliner made a substantial investment, as did a whole lot
The parts and service department staff in Binghamton, N.Y., stand ready to assist customers. 24
Tracey Road Equipment’s parts counter and showroom in Henrietta, N.Y.
Tracey Road Equipment’s shop and service facility in Binghamton, N.Y.
of dealers, including us, to support that goal. Customers in the new product are a working testimonial. They are very happy with the choice they made,” he said.
Like Father, Like Daughters There are fathers of daughters who don’t treat the daughters as sons, but they do treat them as equals. Jennifer Tracey Bartlett, the director of human resources of the company, was about a year old when her parents embarked upon this journey. In the early days, even when her father was constantly on the road, she said he always remained focused on family priorities first. As human resources director she thinks the employees benefit from the family-centered values, saying, “Plenty of them, if they have a personal issue, will go right to my dad, even though I’m HR.” “My parents are really involved, which is why people in hiring interviews tell me they want to work here.” A mother of two boys, Samuel, 7, and Jacob, 4, and wife to Mark Bartlett, who also is dedicated to a family business of more than two dozen franchise restaurants, Jennifer remembers being dressed and ready to go to the office early Saturday mornings with her dad at age 5. “I couldn’t wait to get to where he worked. Every Saturday I’d be
Tracey Road Equipment’s showroom in Albany, N.Y.
At Tracey Road Equipment’s Albany, N.Y., branch, the sales staff (L-R) includes Keith McGovern, Paul Krufchinsky, Don Rickard and Peter Fletcher. 25
FORMERLY FORMERLY KENT DEMOLITION MOLITION TTOOLS OOLS
Con ngratullations to Traceey Roadd E Equipm quip quipment on 35 35 years inn busiinness! Thankk youu for fo alll tthhe successginng E Evverest ful years of brinngin andd Ame A rican can n Sno --pl pl lows productss to our customers, DQG KHUH¶V WR DQRWKHU years!
Congratuations Tracey Road Equipment on your 35th anniversary E. D. ETNYRE & CO. is proud of our association with Tracey Road Equipment. Whenever you need Bituminous Distributors, ChipSpreaders, Street Flushers, or Heavy Duty Trailers choose Etnyre and Tracey for proven dependability.
E. D. ETNYRE & CO.
Oregon, Illinois 61061 Phone: 815/732-2116 • Fax: Sales 815-732-7400 • email: sales@etnyre.com • www.etnyre.com
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Congratulations to ment on 35 Tracey Road Equip industry years of service to the
Broce Manufacturing Company, Inc. 205 East Main Street • Norman, OK 73069 www.brocebroom.com
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Art Ospelt is Tracey Road Equipment’s branch manager in Binghamton, N.Y.
Nicholas Skiba (L) and Rich Furman, both of the truck service department in Binghamton, N.Y.
dressed and ready to go by 6 a.m.,” she recalled. Among the many fascinations for her was a manual typewriter in a corner of the office that she used to create things like imaginary bills of sale. The machinery parts of the building were off limits without her dad, and the one time she snuck out there she got hurt and still has a visible scar. In spite of Jennifer’s interest in the family business, including attending heavy equipment auctions with her dad, her parents encouraged both her and her sister, Christine, to leave home after graduating from college so they could learn more about the larger world of opportunities. Jennifer earned a political science degree from the University of Rochester and then landed a job with a representative on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Marketing work with Price Waterhouse in New York City followed. In her early 20s she returned to Syracuse, meeting her future husband in the parking lot of a restaurant. She said the way they met is a family joke. He thought his car was stolen so he was distracted, and she found his lack of attention to her absorbing. When she decided to join Tracey Road Equipment she sought out some higher level courses in human resources to see if she was a good fit for the job requirements in an intense family atmosphere of some 200 to 250 people. Her father is still the person she talks to every morning even though they work together. “He always wants to know what’s going on and how things we talked about the day before turned out.” Of his three grandsons, all are named to honor their grandfather. Second-born daughter Christine (Chrissy) Julka and her husband Raj have nine-month-old Nathan Gerald. Like sister Jennifer, Christine grew up in the business. Growing up around the family business meant playing “Hide and Seek” in the office and being entertained by employees who are still with the company. As she matured, real work began with filing assignments. She worked in accounting while she was in college. A degree from Villanova University was followed by an MBA from Drexel University prepared her for work in the finance industry, which took her to Philadelphia, followed by time in Boston where she worked with her husband selling financial services and insurance. “We were doing pretty well, but my dad approached us,” she said. “He said he was missing an opportunity with his customers by not offering insurance. So we came back and addressed the need for insurance
programs dedicated to the construction industry.” “It’s a small, specialized market. There are not that many insurance carriers.” Under the name ADI Insurance Agency, Christine and Raj offer several programs to both Tracey Road Equipment customers and other dealers and manufacturers across the country. One program allows dealers to offer a loss damage waiver to customers who come in to rent equipment. They also offer other customized and branded programs which are designed to help dealers or manufacturers increase market share like an automated Customer Loyalty “Rewards” Program as well as an extended service contract and point-of-sale physical damage programs. “Raj and I are also working with Tracey Road Equipment by taking on the marketing responsibilities for the company. You’ve got to follow the trends; we are both big believers in the power of new technology and the emergence of social media.” That means the company is staying abreast of e-commerce trends, offering online applications for employment and financing. The company website includes downloadable information pamphlets and spec sheets for the full line of its equipment offerings, and offers contact forms for customers to send specific questions on equipment, sales or services. Social media is about raising a company’s profile amongst its customers and increasing loyalty by engaging the customer base, while reaching out to new clients. With that in mind, the company worked on its search engine profile, ranking high on Google searches, and has presences on various interactive social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. The company blog and weekly newsletter, gathering safety information, outside reviews of products, and equipment applications for customers and readers, is also intended to enhance audience engagement. Capitalizing off the multi-media capabilities of the Internet, the Web site also offers videos of equipment offerings in action. All of this information is not intended to replace the customer service experience; rather it is intended to enrich the Tracey Road Equipment reputation for excellence. The more information available, the more informed decisions the customer can make, Christine said. Is she surprised at how her family business has grown? Not at all. “I definitely expect to see it keep on growing,” she said. “I see bigger things in the future. It’s very exciting to be part of the family and the 28
business.” Julka and Chrissy have worked together for about 15 years now. He Tracey Road Equipment is an unusual combination in the working said they do it pretty well, largely because of the example set by Jerry world — they are a working family. Raj Julka began doing odd jobs for and Debbie. the company, including detailing used vehicles when he was 17 years As for the baby’s influence, “He is an unbelievable blessing. Having old. the baby gives us even more reasons to work hard, every day.” “I could do wonders with a power washer,” he said. “I buffed the Then, Now and Beyond trucks and cleaned out the inside so that it looked brand new when some“This is a person-driven business,” said Jerry Tracy. “Bricks and morone hopped into the cab.” He recalls what it was like dating one of Jerry Tracey’s daughters. tar — the Internet and all that is great, but knowing what the customer’s problems are remains the “He was very protective of most important thing we his daughters,” Julka said. own as a company every “You definitely got the feelsingle day.” ing he was intimidating, as “We can solve someany teenage boy would.” thing that’s a problem for He continued to work them with the right piece of part time at Tracey Road equipment and the right Equipment while studying service. This is also a crazy business at Ithaca College. world when you look at Raj and Christine married in how prices have changed 2005. since we began. What was “Jerry had talked to once an $18,000 skid steer Chrissy about moving back is now over $50,000. And home and he finally conthat increase has to be vinced her.” passed on for the service the He is proud of the value- Tracey Road Equipment’s showroom in Binghamton, N.Y. customer requires. There’s a added service they created for Tracey Road Equipment customers and others located across the ripple effect that eventually touches many people.” Jerry doesn’t beat around the bush. “Our future is based entirely on United States. “We work with manufacturers, lenders and distributors in heavy being able to hire the brightest assets that we can attract. That’s the difequipment, including agricultural markets, to help them develop rev- ference between a good company and a great company. We are known enue-generating programs and at the same time protect their customers for having great people.” While there is no lack of job applicants, Jerry said, “Everybody is with custom designed programs,” he said. One example of an ongoing relationship is a global equipment man- trained from the ground up by us. People with intelligence and good attiufacturer who uses Advantage Dealer Insurance for its customers’ tudes make our best employees. I sit on the board of directors for the Associated Equipment Dealers (AED), so we use lots of training providextended service contracts. Julka also is responsible for marketing Tracey Road Equipment, espe- ed by AED for the entire scope of our organization including HR and cially through social networks, including the Web. He said it gives them finance. Manufacturers also are key for on-site tutorials on how to maxan opportunity to review information that Tracey Road Equipment imize the effectiveness of their equipment.” Jerry, who embraces technology, still likes nothing better than a good, thinks it needs in order to make an informed decision. “People know that when they buy a piece of equipment from us it strong handshake. Because he knows that his grip comes from customer doesn’t end there. It’s just the beginning. There is a lot of follow up after knowledge and an appreciation for the customer’s needs and resources. the sale to be sure the customer’s expectations have been met, or even There is no other way to do business — thirty-five years ago, today, or many years in the future. CEG surpassed.”
John Schoeck is a product support representative based out of Syracuse.
Marty West is the office sales manager in Syracuse. 29
Get Tough. THE ALL-NEW WESTERN STAR 4700
Now available at
Tracey Road Equipment 6803 Manlius Center Road East Syracuse, NY 13057 (315) 437-1471 or (800) 872-2390 traceyroad.com 30
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New Holland Construction proudly congratulates Tracey Road Equipment on 35 years of success offfering equipment solutions,, rentals,, quality parts and expert service. *SV TVSHYGX PMXIVEXYVI ERH JYPP WTIGM½GEXMSRW please visit www.newholland.com © 2011 CNH America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark of CNH America LLC.
Congratulations Tracey Road Equipment on 35 years of service Features: • Excellent flotation • Highest horsepower in it’s class • 36” track shoes with a 6-way, power angle tilt blade • Semi-U blade: 5.6 yd3 (4.28 m3) • Straight blade: 4.0 yd3 (3.05 m3) • 6-Way blade: 4.2 yd3 (3.2m3) • Modular construction • Conventional drive • Fuel efficient Cummins 4.7 ltr engine • Powerful 2-speed geared steering • Single lever for steering, controlling transmission up and down shifting & forward/reverse selection • Minimal computerization • Easy to work on and service
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