2021 was a productive year for Schramm, with a robust aftermarket, increased rig sales, significant gains in the Australian market, and new talent added to teams on both sides of the globe. All this was accomplished in the midst of unprecedented supply chain congestion, travel restrictions, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“There have certainly been challenges, but we’ve had an excellent year,” says Otis Spencer [President & CEO]. “We’re in position to carry that momentum into 2022.”
Otis credits Schramm’s commitment to safety as an important factor. “We’ve had no lost time incidents during the pandemic. We’re proud of our employees’ hard work and grateful for their health and well-being.”
Australia has been particularly active, even while contending with strict travel restrictions, adding new talent to the senior management team and constructing a new Service facility in Adelaide. “The new team down here has really hit the ground running,” says Craig Mayman [EVP Sales, Marketing & GM Australia].
“Everybody has done a great job of being productive despite supply chain challenges and travel restrictions.”
The Hammers & Bits team implemented a strategy of extensive field work with customers. The strategy paid off, netting Schramm large gains in Australia. “When we work with customers in the field, we ensure they have the right version of our product for the right ground conditions,” Craig says. “That’s how we get our customers the best price per meter.”
Robert Franklin [Inside Sales] has been a valuable addition to the Australian team. “Robert has done a great job supporting the team from the office,” says Craig. “His role has already expanded to include outside sales and marketing, and it will continue to grow.”
On the engineering front, Electric over Hydraulic production has increased in tandem with industry interest. The team recently completed a redesigned T685i rig and the first-ever T130 EoH conversion— both major achievements in the past year for Schramm.
Mechatronics Engineer Miten Hirani played a large role in this success. ”Miten took on the responsibility of managing all of our Electric Over Hydraulic projects in addition to the T685i and T130 redesigns,” Craig says. “He’s really stepped up.”
In the US, the commitment to aftermarket sales and support has been a success. The Hardwick Machinery JV has increased Schramm’s service footprint and expedited rig service. Randall Johnson [Engineer] has been an important element of the operation, providing engineering expertise and OEM part fabrication. “Randall has been a tremendous help to us, and business at Hardwick continues to increase,” says Otis.
The West Chester facility overhauled its inventory management over the past year, implementing new shipping, receiving and order-filling processes. The new system has expedited order fulfillment even with supply chain delays.
General Foreman John Hadfield has made important contributions to these structural improvements. After an impressive 47 years of dedicated service, John has stepped back from his role as foreman to focus on streamlining operations across the board. “From writing manufacturing SOP’s to expediting parts, John is doing a bit of everything for us,” says Otis. “He’s our resident jack-of-all-trades.”
Around the globe, Schramm dealers steadfastly supported their customers in the face of unprecedented challenges. “As a result of travel restrictions, our dealers have done some real heavy lifting,” says Craig.
Throughout 2021, the supply chain crisis has strained businesses in every industry, causing major shipping delays and widespread frustration. “It’s been a difficult challenge to mitigate,” says Otis. “But it makes this year’s numbers even more impressive.”
The focus on aftermarket sales and service has paid off and is poised to grow even more with the opening of the service facility in Adelaide. With travelling restrictions lifted [for the time being], Schramm attended multiple trade shows, and the Hammers & Bits team travelled overseas to get out in the field with customers.
It is impossible to predict how the ongoing pandemic and supply chain issues will play out in 2022. But whatever challenges arise, Schramm will meet them, as it has for more than 120 years.
“We have a lot of momentum heading into 2022,” says Craig. “There are plenty of reasons for us to be excited about the upcoming year.”
