The Ohio Gas Association’s  Annual Technical Seminar & Affiliate Display gave Walker Express time to shine

March 30, 2012

Jackson, Ohio's Walker Express Manager Jake Gordon finds opportunities at recent seminar.


The Ohio Gas Association’s (OGA) Annual Technical Seminar & Affiliate Display took place March 29 and 30. It was the twenty-fifth year for the 41-year-old association. Walker Machinery Co. participated.
OGA is a natural gas trade organization that represents over 30 local distribution companies and cooperatives. Additionally, it represents the vast majority of all intra and interstate gas transmission firms, as well as over 10 natural gas commodity marketers whose customers include: residential, commercial and industrial gas users. Three primary functions of the Association are to monitor and report on legislative, regulatory and compliance activities. The member companies of the OGA, which is headquartered in Columbus, serve over 3.6 million customers, in Ohio.
OGA’s President Jimmy Stewart, a former Walker employee, just came on last summer. He is always excited about the opportunities the Technical Seminar presents.
“This seminar enables our affiliate members, like Walker, to show off their products and services to our corporate members, which are basically all the natural gas transportation and distribution companies in Ohio, along with several producers,” Stewart said. “As a result of the coming boon of Utica Shale, in Ohio, alone, it will bring at least $10 billion of pipeline construction in eastern and southeastern Ohio.”
Walker’s Jackson, Ohio Express Manager Jake Gordon represented Walker for the first time at the show. Walker recently became a member of OGA. According to Gordon, the seminar had several attendees that were Ohio’s suppliers of natural gas, from Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Walker was the only equipment dealer in attendance, Gordon said. His attendance was worthwhile.
“This allowed us to meet with several of the pipeline companies, who are building the lines that the new market is going to need,” he said. “It is interesting that several of the members were not aware of the complete process of the procurement of gas from the beginning of the process to the end. Most were only familiar with their portion of the job.”
In talking with OGA Chairman Dick Dickerson, Gordon learned that Dickerson is mainly involved in the design of pipelines and was unaware of the entirety of well development and how construction equipment was first on the job, through the completion of the work to the refineries.
“He informed me that his work load is more that the last few years combined,” Gordon said. Both Stewart and Dickerson predict that the use of natural gas will one day be powering a vast majority of the vehicles that are on the road today, Gordon said.

Ohio Township Association Annual Winter Conference & Trade Show showcased walker machinery

Feb. 10, 2012

One of Walker’s Jackson, Ohio store managers Jake Gordon showcased the Caterpillar® 420EIT with a BA25 Broom Attachment at the OTA's Winter Trade Show, in Columbus.

COLUMBUS - The 2012 Ohio Township Association Annual Winter Conference & Trade Show took place Feb. 8 through 11 at the Columbus Convention Center, in Columbus, Ohio.
The trade show, Feb. 9 and 10 featured more than 100 vendors. This was Walker Machinery Co.’s first event with the organization. According to one of Walker’s Jackson, Ohio store managers Jake Gordon, with over one hundred Townships in our territory, Walker needs to reach out and inform these potential customers of the services that Caterpillar offers.
“This show allowed us to show our backhoe unit, which nearly every Township owns,” Gordon said. “We have been able to obtain rentals from several of the Townships in the area and they have said that they like the machines and services they have received.”
Walker showed a Caterpillar® 420EIT with a BA25 Broom Attachment, which according to Gordon garnered much attention.
“We had more inquiries about the broom from the customers than the machine itself,” he said.
The conference kicked off with an afternoon of workshops and a legislative reception at the Ohio Statehouse. More than 60 educational workshops were offered attracting state and county officers to the trade show.
“Our participation in the event went very well,” Gordon said.

First oil and gas expo big success

Oct. 5, 2011

MORGANTOWN - In light of West Virginia’s prosperous oil and natural gas industry, the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association (WVONGA) wanted to set a platform that supported the state’s resources.
WVONGA developed the first annual West Virginia Oil & Gas Expo that took place October 5, in Morgantown. According to Executive Director Corky DeMarco, the Expo was to help promote the local industry.
“In developing the Expo, our goal became simple – to give the people of the industry a chance to see all aspects of the industry come together in one event,” he said.
Manager of Walker Machinery’s Athens, Ohio branch, Jake Gordon supervised Walker’s presence at the event.
“As we all know, the Marcellus and Utica Shale formations are the main driving forces for the industry,” Gordon said.
According to Gordon, all Expo’s have some difficulty getting up and running. This was no exception, for Walker, but Gordon worked out the kinks. He arrived a day ahead to ensure a successful Walker display.
Cleveland Brothers, of Harrisburg, Pa. requested an outdoor booth next to Walker’s. Cleveland Brothers displayed a D6N and Walker, a 315DL. Since Walker is a distributor of REMU buckets, it also featured the EX140 and L150 along with video-taped demonstrations.
By 9:00 a.m. on the fifth, Gordon had everything set up and began receiving the public. A few customers arrived early to check everything out, he said.
“It seemed that several of the expeditors are potential customers that we may be able to do business with,” he said. “About 275 vendors presented at the show.”

Sept. 20, 2011

Photo 1: From left - Parts and Service Sales Representative Larry Shifflette and Manager Bob Adkins have been working together since the Jackson store first opened in 1987.

Photo 2: First Jackson Store.

Photo 3: The track press has allowed for repair and full service of existing track.

Jackson store's success rides on quality customer service

JACKSON – When Bob Adkins first heard that Walker was building a Jackson store, he wanted in.
“I thought it was a great opportunity to be there, in the beginning, and be a part of a growing business,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Adkins has been manager of the Jackson store since 2001. He had worked at the Beckley store, first in parts and then as service coordinator. With the first Jackson building, in 1987, Adkins came on board. Prior to that, Jackson had no physical Walker presence accept for Parts and Service Sales Representative Larry Shifflette, who quickly learned the words “that’s not my job” did not exist.
In 1978, Shifflette came into the Jackson territory. Without a store, everything was serviced from the Parkersburg store and from Shifflette’s home. These were the days before cell phones. There were two resident field mechanics in the Jackson area and the Parkersburg branch ran two parts delivery trucks throughout the territory five days a week, Shifflette said.
“It was very difficult to sell in-shop service work because of the distance between here and Parkersburg,” he said. “We would do components, transmissions and engines and that type of thing, in Parkersburg, but as far as sending an entire machine there was very difficult.”
The first store gave Shifflette some relief, but it was without a shop so he still could not offer in-shop repairs. And most everything - the parts and sales departments, the receptionist - was in one big room.
“It was like working in one of these egg farms with all of the noise,” Adkins said.
The building did offer a very small parts warehouse and a small lawn, which presented a problem. Whenever machines came in from job sites, they could not be cleaned and sat all day, Adkins said. But the employees forged ahead. They had to do repairs in the lot, which winter made more challenging. But despite their efforts, the work did not come and they had whittled down their shop employees to two men.
“Nobody wanted to commit here because of the small building. It made it feel kind of tenuous,” Adkins said.
Relief came in Nov. of 1998, when a new Jackson store was complete. The business has changed in a major way, Adkins said.
“We are right on the very edge of adding a second shift to our shop and more of that’s coming as we continue to grow,” Adkins said.
Creating a niche, in Jackson, is a big reason for the store’s growing success, Adkins said.
The hydraulic cylinder and honing and repair were something no one was offering in the Jackson area, he said. Also, the addition of their track press, donated by V.P. Tim McLean, has allowed for the full service and repair of existing track. The continued undercarriage work and the servicing of smaller machines from Belle’s overflow helps, Adkins said.
“I don’t think it’s where it could be just yet,” he said. “But sometimes you have to work on certain things for awhile, go onto other things and come back.”
Another factor in Jackson’s increased business has been the employees’ working relationship. They work very closely which leaves little room for surprise, Adkins said. They also learn a lot from one another. For Adkins, the most lasting impression is the enthusiasm of Shifflette, former sales rep. Len Young and the late Gary Hunley’s for the quality and integrity of the Caterpillar products.
“That was pretty infectious,” Adkins said. “Being right, on time, and making sure you know what you are talking about. I still have the enthusiasm for the product and I think that’s what keeps all of us driving on forward to try to do the next thing.”
“We have always had a sense of pride and always strove at this facility for customer satisfaction,” Shifflette said. “We try to instill that with everyone here.”
Something unique to the Jackson store, according to Adkins, is that while most of the other branches have struggled maintaining too much work, they have had to claw after whatever they can get. Consequently, their customer base is very diverse, from some mine operators, to coal-fired power plants, to small contractors and landfill operators, which makes the Jackson store very diverse in keeping up with those customers’ needs.
“I know we have a lot of warts and bumps and things but I want to tell you I’m very proud of what we accomplished since we started in 1987. It’s a great feeling to be able to introduce something into the market here and make it fly,” Adkins said.

Karen ridenour keeps demanding pace

July 19, 2011

ATHENS – When Karen Ridenour was hired at Walker Express, in Athens, she was told that she would have to learn almost everyone’s job.
“They said I have to know pretty much everything in case someone is off - and I do,” Ridenour said.
As administrative assistant, Ridenour processes all invoicing for three different stores: Athens, Jackson and Parkersburg. She writes agreements for the Jackson and Athens stores; does the banking which includes managing credit card charges; takes inventory; and when folks are busy she handles parts orders.
It is no accident that Ridenour is so accomplished. When she began working at Walker, five years ago, she brought a lot of experience with her. She and her late husband, John, owned Ridenour Hardware, in Chester, which she helped run for about 14 years. She learned a lot about banking, filing tax reports, inventory and working with employees and customers. She has also been the Fiscal Officer, for Meigs County’s Scipio Township, for the past four years.
Ridenour was hired in the spring, where training time was scarce. She had to jump right in and learn as she went.
“It was a fast period,” she said. “We were constantly slammed and I was trying to learn the computer and stuff. It was rough at the beginning, but everyone was patient and I stayed right at it. I just love it.”
According to Jake Gordon, manager of the Athens store, Ridenour knows where everything is.
“When I’m not available, she runs the place,” he said.
While Ridenour loves the work, her favorite part is working with the people, she said. The people are so friendly, at Walker, they treat you like one of the family, she said.
“The company is really great to work for. It’s the best job I had since my husband and I had our own business,” she said.