CASE STUDY The Customer: Dale Earnhardt Inc. The Challenge: Race Car Manufacturing The Conclusion: A broad range of Quincy Compressor equipment Quincy Air Compressors Take the Checkered Flag with Dale Earnhardt Inc. Racing Team
Dale Earnhardt Inc., The Customer in over 150 countries. Compressor and Patton’s Inc., the By any measure, Dale Earnhardt NASCAR consists of three Quincy distributor in the region, among the winningest Inc. has grown far beyond its major national series – the NASCAR has a bit of legend about it, as well. organizations in humble beginnings. Formed by Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR As Randy Earnhardt, Dale’s Dale and Teresa Earnhardt in Nationwide Series and NASCAR brother and director of purchasing NASCAR racing, relies 1980, Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) Craftsman Truck and inventory had its first “corporate headquar - Series, as well control at DEI, on the rugged reliability ters” in a three-bay garage where as eight regional remembers it, and hard-working Dale had an office. Over the years, series. NASCAR “We were in the need for more space quickly sanctions some need of a com - efficiency of Quincy grew with the addition of more 1,500 races at pressor so we employees and race cars. In 1999, over 100 tracks looked in the air compressors in its DEI opened its new headquarters in 35 states. phone book and demanding manufacturing complete with administration DEI is found Patton’s offices, the Trophy Room, show - composed of was the biggest operations. room and retail store. This main four Sprint Cup name in this complex quickly became a “must teams. The team area and they see” for race fans visiting lineup for the 2008 Sprint Cup happened to be a Quincy dealer. Mooresville, North Carolina, widely season is the No. 1 Bass Pro Of course, Dale wasn’t one to known as “Race City USA.” Shops Chevrolet with driver wait very long, so when he called Today, DEI employs over 450 Martin Truex Jr., the No. 8 U.S. them, they brought it out that people at its two state-of-the-art Army Chevrolet with drivers Mark afternoon and installed it. It campuses. And the organization Martin and Aric Almirola, the No. 1 5 worked fine and from that day reigns as one of the sport’s most Mernards Chevrolet with driver forward, that’s all he ever wanted, successful teams, amassing over Paul Menard and the No. 01 Dale and we’ve maintained that 100 wins including six NASCAR Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet with driver relationship ever since.” Championships and three Daytona Regan Smith. It was a bit more involved 500s. than that, however. Mike Cranford, The National Association for The Challenge executive vice president at Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc., better NASCAR is a storied sport filled Patton’s, fills in some of the back known as NASCAR, is the sanc - with famous hard-fought races story. When Dale called Patton’s tioning body for one of America’s and legendary drivers ... none wanting an air compressor right premier sports. NASCAR ranks as more so than Dale Earnhardt, away, it was after 5 p.m. and all the No. 1 spectator sport – boastin g who won seven NASCAR Cup the service delivery vehicles were 17 of the top 20 attended sporting Championships and posted 76 out on the road. “So we ended up events in the United States – and victories in the Series. So it’s only loading the 10hp F370 Quincy the No. 2 rated regular-season fitting that the beginning of the Compressor onto one of our sales sport on television with broadcasts relationship between DEI, Quincy person’s personal trucks and
continued on reverse continued from front delivered it that evening. We Compressed Air Supplier of Dale selecting the best Quincy air com- helped Dale install the compres- Earnhardt Inc.,” recognizing years pressor for each particular sor and had him up and running of reliable, efficient, quiet, long- requirement. DEI’s manufacturing within two hours.” lasting equipment operations. operations currently utilize a That was the start of a very range of Quincy equipment: an special relationship. Impressed by The Conclusion F390 Duplex and six F390 Simplex the exceptional effort and profes- DEI recently moved its four Sprint units, QT-5 and QST-25 units, and sionalism Patton’s demonstrated, Cup teams into a new 180,000- a pair of QSI-370s with Power$ync. square-foot facility about five The reciprocating compressors are “Everything we do miles from the original complex. used in a variety of shop applica- in the shops around In the various manufacturing tions, while the QSI-370 screw building and operating shops, every part and piece is compressors are particularly suited Randy Earnhardt, DEI’s director of purchasing and inventory control, the race cars, there is built in-house. As Randy explains, for use with the CNC machines. counts on Quincy’s rugged reliability compressed air “Everything we do in the shops As Randy explains, the CNC to avoid costly downtime. involved in all of it.” around building and operating the machines (for computer numeri- race cars, there is compressed air cally controlled) computer machine making sure that there is no R andy Earnhardt Dale Earnhardt, Inc. involved in all of it. The manufac- parts and pieces and require a downtime.” turing side entails a lot of welding, constant air flow. “If we have a “Quincy has always been “Dale stated that Patton’s would and with welding you have a lot drop in air flow or lose air pressure, good to us, good equipment that be the only supplier handling his of grinding so there’s a lot of air we could have thousands of dollars lasts a long time,” Randy says. compressed air needs for now and usage in place,” he adds. “Just worth of damage to the machine “Their performance is top of the the future,” Mike explains. Patton’s about everything we do in this or the cutting tools themselves.” line, they operate quietly and worked with Dale until his unfor- business, we need compressed air In the racing business with with very little maintenance. I tunate death and continues working to do it – from air wrenches and demanding schedules, reliability just don’t think you could buy a closely with Randy and DEI. air grinders to our body shop area is a major concern. “An air com- better product for any business.” Over the past 20 years, Patton’s where we do our own painting, pressor being down could shut “Our relationship with has supplied DEI with over 20 bonding and sanding in-house.” us down indefinitely,” Randy Quincy and with Patton’s has Quincy air compressors, ranging Patton’s works closely with says, “so we have back-up com- been, bar none, the best of any from 5hp QT-5 reciprocating to 75hp DEI to design a compressed air pressors on all of our facilities. other company that we deal with. QSI Power$ync machines. Today, system that will fit each applica- Having the right equipment and I can’t say enough about the Patton’s Inc. and Quincy Compressor tion, consulting with Randy and having everything we need is service they give us and the are designated as the “Official various departments and then one of the biggest jobs I have, quality of the equipment.”
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MARKETS AND INDUSTRIES U N D E N I A B L Y T H E W O R L D ’ S F I N E S T Quincy’s product line includes Agriculture/Farm the following categories: Quincy Compressor specializes in compressed air technology, offering top-notch Automotive/Tire products and services since 1920. Serving the industry nearly nine decades, Quincy is on Rotary Screw Compressors Climate Control the cutting edge, engineering reliability and quality into every offering. Award-winning QSI 50 hp - 350 hp Contractor/Builder accomplishments have allowed Quincy to build solid relationships with its customers QGV 50 hp - 200 hp Dry Cleaning and achieve compressed air systems best practices. Quincy’s flagship products include QGB 20 hp - 60 hp Energy Exploration the QSI and QGV rotary screw compressors, the reciprocating QR-25, QT and Climate QSF 50 hp - 200 hp Control packages along with its innovative Royal Blue Warranty, widely recognized as Food/Beverage the industry’s strongest warranty program that covers both parts and labor on select QGS 10 hp - 15 hp Low Pressure rotary screw models. The True Blue Warranty offers industry-leading coverage on select Reciprocating Compressors Manufacturing reciprocating models. These programs deliver on the promise of superior performance. QR25 1 hp - 25 hp Medical/Dental To learn more, contact your local distributor who can be found by visiting the sales and QT 3 hp - 15 hp Pharmaceutical service locator at quincycompressor.com. PLT 3 hp - 15 hp Plastics 2 hp - 30 hp QRD Oil-less Woodworking Climate Control Medical Systems Vacuum Pumps Air Treatment EQTM System Analysis Services 701 North Dobson Avenue Bay Minette, AL 36507 Phone 217.227.7700 Fax 251.937.7182 Email: [email protected] quincycompressor.com