FS Construction Services Nathan Bleem quoting and estimating

Bleem Profile: Quoting and Estimating

Over the past few months, we have taken some time to introduce you to Jarret Herzog, one of our team members here at FS Construction Services, and discuss how his experience and expertise is foundational to our business and a great benefit to our clients. We wanted to continue with the idea that the people really do make the place, so we are going to highlight another one of our wonderful employees: Nathan Bleem.

 

Quoting and Estimating Expert Nathan Bleem

 

Nathan joined us six years ago as our Service and Sales Support specialist, but he has been in related fields since his time in college, where he studied plant soil science. When it comes to the logistics for how a job is going to get done, Nathan is our guy.

He describes his job like building a giant Lego set. When we meet with a client to determine their needs, Nathan will turn those notes into a CAD drawing, then use that as a template for estimating a price for the job. When that proposal is approved, all materials for the build have to be planned, sourced, and organized. This means that Nathan is working with multiple vendors and dealing with multiple shipping windows at once to make sure everything can arrive to the job site on time and in order. The thought of spinning all those plates may send some into a panic, but thankfully for us and our clients, it’s Nathan’s ideal zone of operation. Pick any one of our projects over the years, and you’re bound to land on one that has many parts and pieces, both small and large, that need to be calculated, ordered, and accounted for.

One of the reasons we are always on the lookout for the best of the best is because we know how often customers come to us for suggestions. And those suggestions are no good if they don’t work or are needlessly expensive. In Nathan’s words, when speaking of working with clients on grain storage, “When we work with a customer, many times they know approximately what size bin they will need. Meaning, how many bushels it will have to hold. From there, we give size recommendations and options. We figure out ways to make projects work within their current set up. We know what will work and what will not work if a project calls for marrying components from various manufacturers.”

If you are interested in getting an estimate for an upcoming project, grain system project or otherwise, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

FS Construction Services Jarret Herzog parts and service

Herzog Profile: Parts and Service (#3 of 3)

Over the past couple months we have been speaking with Jarret Herzog, our Service Manager at FS Construction Services, and leaning on his 20 years of experience here to learn about a variety of topics. Jarret embodies our philosophy at FS Construction Services of a client-first approach. So this time, as we explore parts and service, you will also get a sense of how we approach our clients, even long after the point of sale.

Jarret Herzog Takes Pride in Parts and Service

Jarret puts it best when he says, “My goal is to treat people how I would like to be treated.” We know that the world of agriculture is stressful. There are, quite literally, many moving parts at all times. There is a crucial reliance on properly working machinery, often uncooperative elements, and the added stressor of time crunch. All of this means that things have to work the way they’re supposed to, and if they don’t, there needs to be a solution quickly.

For that reason, “We keep a good inventory available for all machines, including Sukup, Shivvers, and GSI. This includes pulleys, belts, bearings, and motors.” In some cases, we are able to troubleshoot and solve problems over the phone. Not only is there the internal knowledge of our team, but we also have many catalogs, books, and manuals on hand for reference.

As Jarret says, “We need to take care of our customers, or we are falling short of our commitment. We get them what they need to keep them going. This is so very important, especially during harvest. It can mean longer hours, extra work, but this is the Super Bowl for growers.”

Over the years, we have come to expect certain issues arise and have anticipated solutions. We know during harvest we will get a lot of service requests for drying systems, and we also know that we can do the math to calculate proper speeds for drying systems over the phone. We also know that we get many service requests regarding unloading in January: power sweep trouble, bearings going out in vertical unloads, and electrical motor issues.

If you find yourself in a pinch, have an unanswered question, or need a new part quickly, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

Jarret Herzog FS Construction Services grain system brands expert

Herzog Profile: Grain System Brands We Service (#2 of 3)

Last month we spent some time focusing on one of our own employees, Jarret Herzog, as we explored the topic of preventative maintenance. Jarret’s almost 20 years as Service Manager at FS Construction Services makes him an ideal resource to discuss servicing grain systems.

This time, we are going to let Jarret talk about the three main manufacturers we work with in the grain systems world.

 

Herzog is Expert in Grain System Brands

 

Sukup

“We have a lot of customers that purchase grain bins and storage systems from us that are the Sukup brand. We work closely with them. They are a family-owned business that is highly dedicated to supporting and delivering the highest quality materials for growers.”

Like Jarret said, we spend a lot of time working with Sukup Manufacturing equipment. They are known for their grain bins, dryers, and grain handling equipment. Their quality and value have made them a popular choice in the counties we most often work in. For that reason, we have become quite comfortable working with Sukup over the years. On the rare occasion we can’t answer a question about Sukup equipment, the close relationship we’ve built over the years makes finding those answers a fast and easy process.

 

Shivvers

“Shivvers is another family-owned company that we work closely with. Their high-quality systems and components make them a great provider of solutions for our customers.”

Shivvers Manufacturing has been a leader in the grain-drying world for 55 years, and it shows. Their excellent counter-flow drying systems are a great value for our customers. Similar to our partners at Sukkup, our close relationship with Shivvers is a tremendous asset to our customers.

 

GSI

“GSI is another manufacturer that we feature. They have solutions for storage, conditioning, and handling.”

While we are generally called upon less to work with GSI, they are still an incredible manufacturer that provides high-quality products. Their grain products cover a wide variety of functions and their global footprint provides unique industry insight.

 

With these three great brands as partners, we know that whatever problem or need our clients face, we will be able to find a solution that fits them. If you are interested in adding or updating a grain system, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

FS Construction Services Jarret Herzog preventative maintenance

Jarret Herzog Profile and Preventative Maintenance Series #1 of 3

We work hard to ensure that the name FS Construction Services means something to those who hear it. Our ultimate goal is to make our name synonymous with hard work, quality, and great customer service. However, what truly makes FS Construction Services special are the individual employees who make up our team. Our collective expertise, experience, and skill is made strong by the wonderful employees who do this work day in and day out.

 

Preventative Maintenance Specialist

 

So we thought we would take some time to highlight our employees, explore what makes them such a great addition to our team, and give you an idea of how they might be able to help you. First up is our longtime Service Manager Jarret Herzog. Jarret is going to help us cover the topic of preventative maintenance this month.

During the almost 20 years Jarret has been Service Manager at FS Construction Services he has gained a reputation for being a quiet, modest, and knowledgeable man. Those who have the pleasure of working with him quickly learn that he is trustworthy and straightforward. Jarret’s experience really began when he was a child, growing up on a farm and learning how to work on agricultural equipment firsthand. He spent three years in the Navy on the USS O’Bannon then returned home and got an Ag degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Since he stepped into his Service Manager role with us Jarret has been the go-to for service needs for our grain systems customers as well as our employees who serve them. “When I have maintenance issues or questions, I know I can trust Jarrett. He is always helpful, friendly and knows my operation.” stated long-time customer Wes Kuergeleis.

Some of Jarret’s top preventative maintenance tips are:

  1. Rodent control. Check wire insulation for rodent damage. Mice can eat wires right up to the motor housing. To control mice, consider mouse bait or even getting cats on the farm.
  2. If drying system heaters won’t light or burn, check to make sure no safety breakers have been tripped.
  3. Check sweeps for wear and also check center verticals and chain couplers.
  4. Inspect fans, heaters, safety circuits, bearings, and transfer augers.
  5. Schedule a professional preventative maintenance service call well in advance of harvest.

Many customers have their own “checklist” that they run down prior to harvest however, your best bet to ensure your grain storage and handling equipment is in peek working order is to have a professional come and perform a thorough inspection. Pre-harvest is always the best time to schedule these.

Next month, we will continue our preventative maintenance series and cover information about the brands that we work with.

If you have any questions you’d like to ask Jarret or any of our other experts, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.