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Finning Field Service Engineer Tom March takes gold

Field Service Technician Tom March has been crowned the world’s best Cat^® equipment maintenance engineer after coming top in the Caterpillar Global Dealer Technician Challenge.

He was named the hero of his trade in the inaugural competition staged in Las Vegas as part of North America’s largest construction show CONEXPO/CON-AGG. Tom was supported by his employer Finning UK & Ireland in the competition, designed to encourage investment in training and inspire the next generation of engineers to join the profession.

Tom, who took the winner’s title after emerging triumphant in a series of local and regional stages over the last two years, was one of 10 finalists who made it to the ultimate round of the global competition. He said: “My work is my passion - it just clicked with me and I have never looked back. 

“When we are out in all weather, overcoming such a wide range of challenges on a daily basis and trying to find solutions out in the field, it is easy to overlook how important our work is to the success of our customers’ operations.

“This competition has helped us all - the contestants and the people around us - to realise that we are experts in what we do, and being able to keep cool under pressure, carry on working safely and efficiently in the face of uncertainty and setbacks, is what sets us apart. The support we provide, and the commitment we give to our professional development, is crucial to the wider construction industry. I hope that I can now pass on the benefits of all the learning and experience I’ve gained from this competition to support other engineers and keep on powering progress in the trade.”

The Global Dealer Technician Challenge combined tests of skill and technical knowledge with timed problem solving challenges, resilience assessments and activities designed to analyse how competitors deliver the highest level of service to customers.

Christina Pritchett, Learning and Development Lead for Engineering and Technical at Finning UK & Ireland, said: “Here at Finning we couldn’t be more proud of Tom. His ability, persistence and determination shines through in the workplace and this has now been recognised at a global level. This is an outstanding achievement and richly deserved.

“With the development of new technologies and the integration of digital tools in construction equipment, the skills of our engineers remain in high demand. We hope Tom’s success will inspire others to explore careers in this area in the UK & Ireland.”

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