Kardie Equipment (a TGM Wind Company) has the largest fleet of truck mounted aerial work platforms in North America.
Kardie is the distributor for the Finland-based Bronto Skylift, who is the global market leader in truck-mounted hydraulic platforms.After launching as an access platform manufacturer, Bronto’s primary focus in Europe moved to fire & rescue.And in recent years, they have expanded into numerous other industries, with the help of distributors like Kardie Equipment.
As the top distributor, Kardie has had the pleasure of visiting the factory in Finland over the years, getting behind-the-scenes tours of the facility and learning the ins-and-outs of the Bronto manufacturing process. Each visit is always both very informative and incredibly entertaining. One of the standout features of the factory is the parts inventory management system, which is “second to none,” according to Kardie’s Director of Operations, Keith Darby. The system could be compared to a vending machine, utilizing the parts catalog to pull specific pieces after typing in the part’s designated retrieval number.
The facility is separated into various stages of the build cycle, to keep everything organized and maximize the efficiency of that stage during production. Bronto is meticulous and careful with quality control measures at each stage of manufacturing. The most impressive stage is the construction of the boom sleeves. Using only the strongest cold-rolled steel, Bronto applies intense heat to laser weld the two sections of the boom together into one solid piece. “The viewfinder on the welder looked like something you’d see in a Hollywood laboratory,” said Jason Baker, Director of Sales and Marketing.
The Kardie team always looks forward to hopping across the pond and visiting the Finnish factory, both for the collaboration on new ideas and product development confidence. “The precision, care, and attention to detail displayed by the technicians in the factory made me feel even more confident in going up 300 feet in our machines,” said Keith. To see more of the Bronto factory, check out the video below.
Click the video below to check out an exclusive peek of the Bronto factory.