2014 A Strong Year for Terex

GET, LLC is encouraged by words recently by Terex Chairman and CEO Rob DeFeo  who speaking to Great Britain-based International Construction Magazine recently said that the company's 2014 prospects will be strong led by its lifting division Genie.

“From a financial point of view, fleets are old and there is high utilization today," said DeFeo. "Used equipment values are strong, and ultimately the customer base is planning well when it comes to replacing fleet.”

DeFeo said the company would leverage its Genie aerial platform business to increase sales to the rental channel and further adapt its products – which include excavators and backhoe loaders – to the rental market.

“Our construction products are still too expensive and too traditional”, he said, “Give us some time to adapt them and work with Genie [for the rental channel]…I’d rather grow the business than walk away from the business.”

Terex announced that the company would develop a range of ‘channel specific’ backhoes and material handling products during 2014 and 2015 and as part of the rental growth strategy, Terex launched a ‘Direct to Rental’ (D2R) program-that will see Genie to sell selected Terex Construction products to its rental customers in North America, including backhoe loaders and boom truck cranes from Terex Cranes.

We are going to be a part of Terex's 2014 growth and we want you to come help us make it a successful year.

If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-797-0789-your authorized Terex/Genie Representative for Guam and Micronesia.

Guam-A Different Perspective

XTERRA Guam, the Guam International Marathon, the 27th Annual Guam Micronesia Island Fair and the Guam Live International Music Festival will bring much focus on the U.S. Territory over the next few months.  These high profile events bring a great number of benefits-primarily tourism and media exposure.  At a time when the Asia Pacific tourism market is growing annually by five percent, it makes much sense to take advantage of this and diversify our market further by reaching across the region to bring more people to our shores.  Yes-most of the focus has been on China and Russia to be the "golden egg" for our island's number one industry.  Japan visitors have been the heart and soul of Guam's  tourism for over four decades. But a recent on-line article may help boost  our visitor numbers from the least likely of sources-North America.

For many years, the Guam Visitors Bureau and all of their consultants have put aside efforts to market to our American brothers and sisters in the contiguous United States.  Cost always is the reason.  But thanks to the Huffington Post, a bump in arrival numbers from America is on the horizon.

Chloe Fox's travel piece entitled "Guam Is the Most Interesting Destination in America And Here's Why" as of the writing of this blog has over 81 thousand "Likes" and 11,757 "Shares" on Facebook, 343 Tweets and 571 versions sent via Email.  A good friend of this blogger and former Guam resident/Huff Post contributor Gene Park I'm sure helped out with the piece.  

You have to read it.  

Fox gives 11 great reasons to come to our island.  If it wasn't for space concerns, she could have provided at least 9 other reasons!  My favorite part-#2 Chamorro Food and the image from friend Vic Gonsaga. Never though Chicken Kelaguen could look so good.

Now a casual search of the news about Guam across the Inter-Web shows much about the social crazy occurring here from the scourge of drugs and other crimes to wildlife restoration to military posture.  The Huff Post piece is such a breath of fresh air to show Guam in a completely different light.

Guam cannot be just crazy politics and crime.  There is much more happening here than meets the eye.  We are just like every other community in America in seeking good from the occasional bad .  

More and more good events to bring Guam forward is key. 

Did I say that the Guam National Soccer team is playing an international friendly against CONCACAF member Aruba? The world's 162nd ranked team from the Caribbean playing against FIFA's 173rd ranked Matao this afternoon Guam time.  Let us see where  positive on-line press takes us.

Safe and Flexible with Bunk Beds

A recent article by Atlanta, Georgia based on-line magazine Student Housing Business.com featured a Q&A with Savoy Contract Furniture Marketing Manager Kelly Uhland with the focus on Bunk Bed Safety in boarding schools, colleges and universities.  One of the most experienced teams in the furniture business specializing in student housing and residence hall furnishings are based at Savoy's Home Office in Montoursville, Pennsylvania.  

Foremost in these professionals' thoughts? Student safety. 

Property management firms, designers, and school administrators all need to take a hard look at the realities of students sleeping six feet off the floor and what can be done to protect them.

"Estimates show more than 2,000 instances each year where 18-22 year old students seek medical treatment for bunk-bed related injuries," said Uhland. "Recent litigation has cited both institutions and manufacturers liable for the injury, even when alcohol was involved."

Uhland noted that Consumer Product Safety Commission regulations provide voluntary measures to be taken by manufacturers like Savoy Contract Furniture-just one of the many companies that make institutional beds for the 7,000 higher education institutions in America serving 15 million students.

"Limited budgets create tough decisions for builders even as risk managers shake their heads. Lawsuits continue to be on the rise, and people are taking notice," said Uhland.

She offers some advice to housing managers and school and college administrators  to make sleeping on campus safer:

• Look for adjustable height beds that do not exceed 30 inches. 

• Bolt on guard rails.

• Documentation is key. 

Uhland noted that there are many questions to ask and answers to seek when procuring residence hall furniture. 

Keep in mind that versatility, storage, style and budget may drive decisions from one vendor to the next, but safety must drive the final decision to make that purchase without compromising  design.

For more information on how GET, LLC and Savoy Furniture (GSA Dorm and Quarters Contract #GS-27F-3019D (John Savoy & Son, Inc.)) can assist with your case goods needs, call us at 671-483-0789 or check out our website at www.get-guam.com.

LED Lights to Rival Regular Lightbulb in Price by 2020

Our friends at Deco Lighting have been fantastic to work with over the past couple of months. Not only have they helped us with a number of Design Build efforts here in Guam, together we will soon light up the Santa Rita Basketball Court in Southern Guam with the installation of four Deco Light D823-LED 23" Floodlights.  No question the Deco Lighting Team has been a huge help to us and recently this blogger stumbled across an on-line article written by the Deco Lighting Team about an issue that has many in this part of the world wondering if it is really time to make the full conversion to LED.  

"It is exciting to see LED technology finally having its time to disrupt traditional inefficient incandescent lighting," said Deco Lighting. "As volume production increases, and prices come down, affordability rises. We have seen this parallel in many new industries and technologies, LED Lighting is not like the iPod replacing the Walkman but more like solar panels on the roof replacing diesel generators."

Deco Lighting maintains that as the efficacy (lumens/watt) of LED increases and costs come down it makes more and more sense to make the switch. They note that rebates from utilities and other programs help get early adopters into new technologies like solar and LED lighting, but the real growth happens when the price performance is almost at parity or better than current incumbent technologies making it a no brainer for consumers to switch throughout the next six years and beyond.

Ironically, our friends in Hawaii will get to try this out first hand as the Pacific Business News is reporting that Hawaii Energy is offering small businesses and restaurants across the archipelago an opportunity to replace their old lighting with newer energy-efficient ones for free between now and June 9.  Hawaii Energy is a ratepayer-funded energy conservation and efficiency program for Oahu, the Big Island, Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Businesses there pay about 33 cents per kilowatt hour on Oahu and slightly more on the Neighbor Islands, about three times the national average of 10 cents per kilowatt hour.  Guam businesses pay well over 26 cents per kilowatt hour-just depends on what time they are not using their peak load which puts it on par with Hawaii.

With lighting accounting for nearly half of a retail business' overall electricity costs at 48 percent, account for 27 percent on an office's costs and 18 percent for restaurants what is the lifeline of an economy to do?

Deco Lighting offers a solution.

"Organizations like Nichia, CREE, and Philips are at the leading edge trying to squeeze more light out every diode for less dollars, which in turn will allow all of us to use less energy and produce less greenhouse gasses," said Deco Lighting.  "Its an exciting time, the next time you are in a parking lot or building look up and look for what kind of light you see. You will be surprised how much more LED lighting you will see as time progresses."

We think it is already happening. Expect this not to be an LED sprint, but more of an LED marathon.

To learn more about the lighting products that GET, LLC provides, including the LED lines of our partners, Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc., please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or call us to discuss solutions for your important lighting needs-All Made in America!!!

Maintain Safe Distance from Power Lines When Using and Aerial Work Platforms

GET, LLC currently has for rent a Genie TZ-50.  We have been proud to be able to put this specialty lift into the Guam and Micronesia marketplace and spend much time with our customers going over the safety features of this  trailer-mounted lift when delivered to a respective job site.  We can never forget that safety is key in using all aerial work platforms (AWP)-including the TZ-50.  More importantly we should pay close attention when using an aerial lift outdoors, especially around overhead power lines.

This important issue was highlighted recently by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) who called  on aerial work platform operators and managers to always be aware of and keep safe distances when working near power lines. The IPAF used the CONEXPO in Las Vegas, Nevada earlier this month to highlight this important safety message.

The IPAF says that a fully extended boom should always be at least 50 feet from electrical pylons, and 30 feet from cables on wooden poles. These recommended safe distances meet or exceed those specified in American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requirements.

IPAF reiterated that electrocutions are one of the largest causes of AWP-related fatalities in the United States.

“Operators or supervisors are often not in a position to know the voltage in the power source,” said IPAF North America Manager Tony Groat. “it is possible to work closer to power lines than the IPAF-recommended safe distances, but this should only be undertaken after seeking expert advice from the power supplier and implementing extra safety precautions.”

The IPAF's Accident Reporting Project and Powered Access Rental Market Reports found that  in 2013, all seven reported cases of electrocution worldwide occurred in the U.S., where the AWP rental fleet is estimated at 510,000, which is 54 percent of the world rental fleet.  

 “AWPs are probably the safest way of doing temporary work at height, so the onus is on managers and operators to stay safe when working near to power lines/conductors," said IPAF Technical Officer Chris Wraith. "Electrocutions can be prevented through proper planning, risk assessment and management of work at height, including thorough operator training and familiarization."

Bottom line:  Be safe when using an aerial work platform.

If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, including the rental of our TZ-50 or the purchase of equipment or parts for any of Terex or Genie's AWP Products, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-797-0789-your authorized Terex/Genie Representative for Guam and Micronesia.

Guam-A Different Perspective

The argument rages between the Executive and Legislative Branches of the Government of Guam relative to transparency.  During the week set aside to celebrate Guam's Open Government Law, this discussion has hit a fever pitch.  I am not sure how it will end, but I can say with authority that the talk should never have happened.  

Now that sounds a bit strange from a blogger accused of not being transparent during the majority of his time in public service.  I will say that there was a local politician who put these types of talks into perspective for me early in my career in government.  

This long time Guam Senator and Senior Staffer to a former Governor once told me that a Special Assistant to the Governor of Guam has as much influence as a sitting Senator in the Guam Legislature.  While the latter is elected by the people, the Governor of Guam appoints Assistants to be able to carry out his or her duties as mandated by the Organic Act of Guam.  Thus there is a strong notion that both carry similar weight in the execution of duties of their respective branches of government. I won't argue that point since I have been witness or have been directed to take numerous hard line stances in defense of the public policy direction of the office I represented.  

The tone has been adversarial-as is expected.  But more troublesome, to me, the tone from the Executive Branch has been downright rude.  Yes, in all fairness, lawmakers should be allowed to describe their view of how government should be run since they hold the power of the purse.  But an accusatory themed outburst on social media recently by a Guam Senator is far from an appropriate venue to discuss important matters.  Why not call an oversight hearing?  Why not subpoena members of the Administration to bring forward evidence of the wrongdoing or lack of professional commitment to the duties as discharged by law?  In this case, two wrongs clearly are not making a right here.

So the discussion on transparency has led to the adoption of a Legislative Freedom of Information Council.  Compliance with the Freedom of Information Act is its charge.  12 members of our community will make up this group including the Attorney General, members of the three branches of government, the media and members of the general public.  In 30 days this group will meet for the first time and will begin the work to police the government of Guam agencies who have failed to comply with this important law enacted about 15 years ago.  A free and open government to serve the people of Guam is the direction with this Council.  The Council's actions will certainly stir up much controversy in an election cycle that at present has no Democrat to run against the incumbent Republican Governor and two political party organizations seeking their identity against a backdrop of policies that do not accurately reflect the platforms of their national counterparts.

I ask each of you to watch this process closely and caution you to not place high expectations for substantive outcomes during this election year.  While it might be entertaining at first blush, there are many more issues that face our island that require our immediate attention-jobs, economic diversity and energy independence.  That is better talk for this community with a required action to make our island a better place to live.

Do You Practice Cost-Avoidance with Your Inventory of Furniture?

GET, LLC received a great piece of advice from our partners at Savoy Contract Furniture that we wanted to share with you-practice cost avoidance by minimizing furniture repairs and replacements. From experience, Savoy Furniture has found that their respective customers experience a significant reduction in these costs with their durable, high quality residence hall and lounge furniture.  From campuses to corporate offices, this practice of cost-avoidance through the implementation of revenue producing ideas attracts and retaining students and or repeat customer business. They ask that we all differentiate our office or housing facility with all new designs, and unique personalization options. Savoy Furniture takes it one step further by recommending that we provide our end users with the versatility to reinvent their respective spaces with stacking chests, loftable beds, and mobile furniture.

Why is this important?

Spending on quality furniture can pay off in years to come. according to The Wall Street Journal. In fact, the publication asserted in 2012  that buying top-grade pieces can be a good investment: good furniture, along with other home design elements, can last a lifetime and increase in value.

Also, purchase a high-quality product which is easier to maintain than lower-quality furniture. 

You’ll find high-quality furniture, at a variety of price levels, from a well established company with a good reputation. 

“Learn the history of the company from which you want to buy,” said Assistant Director of North Carolina State University’s Furniture Manufacturing and Management Center (FMMC) Steve Walker.

Furniture manufacturer Shelby Williams released a report recently that stated that there are four things to take into account when investing in high-quality furniture:

1. Choose the Right Product for the Application-different applications require different products, so the way you operate your business should determine the furniture selection.
2. Ensure Furniture Is Tested to Standards-The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) has a series of widely recognized tests for seating. 
3. Request a Furniture Sample
4. Consider Your Brand’s Environmental & Social Reputation-Environmentally responsible solutions such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood, bio-based foam and formadahyde-free finishes are very typical today. These are all great features; however, buying good quality furniture that performs well for many years might be the ‘greenest’ action of all, as it means less furniture goes to the landfill.

For more on how GET, LLC through our friends at Savoy Contract Furniture and teaming partner American Hotel Register can assist you with your specific furniture needs- please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-483-0789 to discuss the best solution for your facility.  All the solutions are Made in America!