Page 139 - Peterson 85 Years and Going Strong

We are the only Caterpillar dealer on the West Coast that has a shore-side facility for marine repair.
– Rich Floyd, marine engine sales, Peterson Power Systems, retired 2018
five years ago.” Some of the work is performed at Peterson’s dockside facility. Some of it is still done by field techs out at the customer’s site. It all boils down to options and meeting the customer’s need in the most timely and cost-efficient manner pos- sible. “We were very fortunate that KKMI did not want to do their own mechanical work anymore,” says Floyd. “Their offer made it very attractive for us to get in there. It has been a win-win situation for everyone.”
“We are committed to serving the marine market from our own dock facility or wherever our cus- tomers and the market demand leads,” says Barry Kreuzer, Peterson Power’s GM of product support. “Our marine team continues to build relationships, follow up on commitments, and provide top-notch product support. We’re all in.”
In recent years, the US Coast Guard has become a big Peterson customer. Three Homeland Securi- ty vessels are stationed at Coast Guard Island in Alameda—the Bertholf, the Waesche, and the Strat- ton. Peterson marine techs have worked on all of them. According to Richter, “the Stratton and the Waesche were involved in two of the biggest cocaine busts in US history, down in the Gulf in 2015.” Each vessel uses three 3512 Cat gen-sets, along with Baylor generators to run its communications and utilities. Peterson does all the maintenance and repairs on both.
Tugboats and bar pilot vessels are still the main- stays in the local large commercial engine market. They use the larger Cat marine engines like the 3508, 3512, 3516, and 3600s. “In 2015, I sold three sets of engines to Baydelta for three of their tugs,” says Rich Floyd.“Those guys take great care of their boats. Their engine rooms are superb. You could eat off those engines they’re so clean.” Baydelta’s number one client is the oil industry. They also charter out tugs for the container market, but the big money is in oil. “We are really focused on es- corting tankers,” said Zwart. “If one of our boats goes out of service, we don’t make any money.
Top to bottom: Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf returns to homeport in Alameda, California after a counter-drug operation in April 2012; Peterson marine techs help maintain three local US Coast Guard vessels used for Homeland Security surveillance.
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