CONNECTION Parts HOT LINE February 2016 FOR ALL YOUR CONSTRUCTION AND CRANE PARTS NEEDS THE FIRST THE BEST SINCE 1994 MONTHLY E ON ARTICL 4 1 PAGE
Thomas Edison said, “I find out what the world needs. Then, I go ahead and invent it.” In the early 1990s, two mechanics working for the Fort Collins, Colo., branch of rental company RSC Equipment (now United Rentals) followed that philosophy when they discovered a need in the world of construction. After noticing that tires on lift equipment were leaving scuff marks on finished floors, they invented tire covers. The pair brought their idea to Doug McArthur, a manager at RSC with many years of operations experience, and the trio formed the company R&R Tire Surface Protectors Inc., now called R&R Surface Protectors Inc. R&R began selling its covers in 1994 and received a patent the following year. McArthur immediately brought his wife, Caroline, on board to help run the company. Caroline, who had honed her management and R&D skills as a pro-duction manager at Hewlett-Packard and Comlinear, soon became the heart and soul of the company, according to daughter Cindy Habermehl, R&R vice president and operations manager. It was Caroline’s warmth and friendliness, enthusiasm, connect-edness, and innovation that drove R&R’s success during its first 19 years. Caroline officially became R&R president in 2002 and oversaw the introduction of many new products, including R&R’s best-selling reusable EnviroShields™ (or diapers), which are custom t to attach under construc-tion equipment to protect surfaces from oil and hydraulic uid leaks. As with its tire covers, R&R’s diapers were another rst in the construction rental industry. “Caroline didn’t know a stranger and was always welcoming and friendly to everyone,” Habermehl reflects. “I remember her inviting customers who were traveling to Colorado to come by the shop and spend the day to see how our products were made. She let our customers know that R&R was always R&R Surface Protectors Innovates in Construction Rental MarketTo Cover and Protect
accessible to them.” R&R’s beloved leader passed away in January of 2014, but Caroline’s legacy is still very much alive at the family company. Habermehl and sister Lonni Buerger, who has worked at the company since the beginning, stepped up to manage R&R, and McArthur, their step-father, became president. Buerger—who Habermehl refers to as “the voice of the company and everyone’s best friend”—oversees R&R’s production and customer service departments. Since the beginning, quality has always been para-mount to R&R’s success. “Caroline, with her extensive R&D experience, spent a long time researching and testing the right materials to make our products the best,” Habermehl says. “The material we use—the heavy-duty nylon in our tire covers and the commer-cial-grade vinyl in our other products— is more durable than our competitors’, and we reinforce many of our products to ensure that they last. We value craftsman-ship because our reputation depends on it.” R&R has also thrived because of its close relationships with its customers, which has led it to create innovative new products based on customer needs. The company works with clients to design, engineer, and test its prod-ucts to ensure that they t well, are easy to use, and are durable. “Our R&D comes from what our customers have asked for,” Habermehl says. “For example, a cus-tomer called us and said, ‘Hey, could you make a cover that would go over the cab of our forklifts so our oper-ators can work outside in bad weather?’ We said, ‘of course,’ and took measurements from them. Then our team created what has become our ClimateCover™.”
Beth Hoffmann, assistant manager of the Sunbelt Rentals location in Florence, Ky., has worked with R&R for 10-plus years and praises the quality of the company’s products and its dependable customer service. “I know if I call Lonni, I can count on her to have the products I need here the next day. Our customers like R&R’s products because they last. If something doesn’t t properly, which is rare, they’ll x it immediately and ship it out. I wouldn’t use anyone else.” Dave Davis, parts manager at NES Rentals in Albany, N.Y., says, “They’re willing to customize anything we need. If we come up with an oddball machine, they’ll make a custom EnviroShield™ for us. We needed a curtain in our wash bay, so we sent them a diagram and they made a curtain for us. It’s been working great.” John Westerling, parts manager at MacAllister Rentals in Byron Center, Mich., says, “R&R’s products are fit to each machine, so there are no hassles. We have a lot of ‘emergencies’—products we need right away. We can call R&R, and I know we’ll have them the next day. They’ve never let us down.” R&R designs and manufactures its products at its Fort Collins headquarters and sells primarily through rental com-panies, including Sunbelt Rentals, Hertz Equipment Rentals, BlueLine Rentals, Able Equipment Rental, Skyworks, Papé, Beaupre, H&E Equipment, NES Rentals, United Rentals, and many other com-panies across the United States and internationally. R&R keeps patterns for many makes and models of lift equip-ment—including equipment no longer in production—so it can quickly turn around orders. It also offers same-day shipping and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Besides TireCovers™, EnviroShields™, and its clear full- and half-cab ClimateCovers™ to protect forklift operators, R&R also manufactures EquipCovers™, PortableDock Covers™, ForkCovers™, BuildBags™, and its latest product, ControlBox Covers™, which are typically used by painters to pro-tect equipment control boxes from paint splatters, which can be costly to clean up. This year, R&R is excited to be attend-ing its first trade show, the American Rental Association’s Rental Show Feb. 21-24 in Atlanta (booth #5320). “I see 2016 as a big year of growth for us,” says Habermehl. “We’ve been through a lot in the last couple of years after losing Caroline. This year, you’re going to see a lot more of us and our products.” Caroline’s com-pany continues to make its mark on the construction world. nFor more information, call (877) 847-3178 or visit www.rrsurfacepros.com.Caroline McArthur
Feb 2016 PartsEquipCovers™ ● ForkCovers™ ● BucketCovers™ ● SeatCovers™ ● PortableDock Covers™ ● BuildBags™ NO CUTTING REQUIRED THE FIRST. THE BEST. SINCE 1994. www.RRSurfacePros.com 877-847-3178 / 970-226-4082 R&R EnviroShields™ (diapers/uid tarps) protect interior surfaces from equipment uids and leaks. Durable and reusable and custom-made to t most machines. MOST DURABLE & LONGEST LASTING R&R TireCovers™ (socks/booes/wraps) protect interior nished surfaces from black marks & scratching caused by construcon equipment. Three styles. SAVES $$$ IN CLEANUP COSTS R&R ControlBox Covers™ protect the expensive equipment controls from ALL the elements—weather, paint, dirt and more. ClimateCovers™ RR TireCovers™ EnviroShields™ ControlBox Covers™ PROTECTS YOU R&R ClimateCovers™ protect YOU and your equipment from wind, rain, sleet & snow. Choose a FullCab or HalfCab Cover to stay comfortable while you safely work.