INTERVIEW
DaveWood
discusses
howWHECO built its global
reputation repairing and
restoring cranes and other
construction equipment.
W
HECOhas been amajor
player in theproduct
support realmof cranes
formanyyears, andyet the company’s
management team spends a lot of time
explainingwhat theydo. Butwhen it
comes time to repair an accident-damaged
craneor restore andgivenew life to an
olderunit,WHECO ismost often the
companyname that comesup.
“We specialize in the repair and
remanufactureof equipment,with an
emphasis on cranes,” saidDaveWood,
WHECOpresident. “Weprovideboth
engineered structural repairs tomeet
FederalOSHA requirements, andwe
haveworking relationshipswithmany
of theOEMs, and formal agreements
withManitowoc andTadanoAmerica.
WHECOwas oneof the first structural
thatwere currentlybeing replaced could
be safely and economically repaired,”
he said. “We alsounderstood thehigh
liability sideof the crane industry and
fromDayOnedocumented everything
wedid.”
Wood said theWHECO teamhas a
philosophy tonot “bruise” the customer,
but tooffer them aviable alternative to
just replacing thedamaged component.
“We also earned a reputationwithin
the insurance industry as a company
that couldworkwithboth the insurance
company and the insured to assure a
timely and smooth return to service,”he
said. “Webelieve inbeingvery transparent
inwhatwedo and thatwas something
new to a lot of people.Also I think it’s our
teammembers that aremore like a family
and the fact theyhave the ability to react
andgrow asWHECOgrows.”
ACT
had theopportunity to catch
upwithWood aboutWHECO, recent
projects, theproduct supportmarket place
andwhat he likes aboutworking in the
cranebusiness.Whatwediscovered is
thatWood is an engaging, thoughtful and
passionatebusinessmanwho cares very
deeply about the crane industry, itspeople
andquality.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR
WHECO IN THE CRANEMARKET PLACE?
Workingwith theOEMs and showing
repair companies toprovide all the
engineering anddocumentationwith all
its repairs.We’venegotiated complete
crane rebuilds for both themilitary and
private companies.”
Wood joinedWHECO inDecember
of 1986 after reconnectingwith the
company’s founder, RonWilliams.
“I hadmetRonWilliams several years
earlier on aprojectmydad’s construction
companywasperforming,”he recalled.
“Ronwas on theBOD that owned the
project.He latermoved to theTriCities,
wherewe reconnected.At the time I
joinedWHECO therewere about five
employees and the company specialized
inhydraulicwork.We startedperforming
complete rebuilds of equipment for a
privatepower line construction company
and themilitary in the late1980s. Itwas
these two industries that ledus into the
craneworld.
In1994Woodbecame apartner in
WHECO and soon afterwasnamed
president.
WHECObuilt its reputation earlyon as
a can-do company, he said.
“Weunderstood theneed toget
equipment back into the revenue-earning
streamquickly andknew thatmany things
>30
JUNE 2014
ACT
29
Can-do
leadership
WHECO President DaveWood stands in front
of a 1940s era Badger crane that was used
in a rock quarry nearWHECO’s headquarters
in Richland, WA. WHECO has five U.S.-based
facilities and one in theMarshall Islands.
WHECO restored a 38-year-old 300-ton
truck crane for miningwork, giving it at
least 20more years of working life.
