I work for a company that manufacturers grouser bar. (Grouser bars are to replace the original grouser treads on a crawler dozer.) Our business is doing pretty well actually - doubled in the last year. However, one obstacle that we've come across is with heavy equipment dealerships (This doesn't pertain to all dealerships). Many dealerships, however, tend to tell their end users that it is better to reshoe than regrouser (since the dealership makes so much money off the markup on parts). However, the truth is that end users can save hundreds regrousering if it is a small machine (sizes 6-8) and thousands regrousering if it is a large machine (sizes 9-13). If they regrouser on the track they save even more. For instance on a D-11 or equivelent the end user can save more than $10,000 per regrouser job and closer to $15,000 per job if they regrouser on the track. That is significant savings, but how do we motivate the dealerships to regrouser, when they make so much money of the markup on a track shoe?
From the standpoint of a welder I have tried to tell diggers that I could save them money by letting me regrouser on the machine. Can't convince them that it's worth doing, they all seem to be in love with buying pads. I tell them I can do a small (450, D3) machine in a weekend right in the field (probably $800 plus materials) and get no takers.
have you tried offering the angle of offering both and that you will not offer your products to anyone else in a certain geo area, Make them the different /progrssive one.
Roughly how much do the new grouser bars cost for a 450 inc. shipping for an end-user?
From the management side most times the whole shoe or pad is replaced because most of the time the bar is worn down to far and the pad is curved or weakened and will be more likely to break especially if it is a wide pad or in severe service :bash
With your system a new bar is just welded in place? Cut the old one out, fit up a new one (with beveled ends, fill it with a bunch of weld passes)? Do you just sell the parts or provide the service, or a combination of parts and service?