Ranger Boats has been manufacturing premium custom fishing boats since 1968.  The site includes several  buildings on a multi-acre site.

Ranger Boats invited 600 boat dealers to Flippin for their annual Advantage Tour which includes meetings, sales seminars, on-the-water tests and tours of the plant and operations.  The dealers arrived on Wednesday and Friday mornings for the split schedule.  4 PlantTours Service Reps arrived on Tuesday at 5:00pm to set up all the PlantTours equipment for the next morning’s tour.

They ordered receivers and headphones for 4 groups of 75 dealers in each tour.  We pre-programmed and labeled the groups 1, 2,3, and 4.  One guide led each group through 6  stops on the tour of the plant.  At most stops, a presenter was stationed with visual aids, posters, samples, etc. to present the technical information regarding the stage of each boat’s production, process stage.  The presenters and guides provided a description of all updates of  products and manufacturing  methods.  The president and founder of the company were also present to deliver remarks.

PlantTours handled the tour guide equipment logistics for the plant staff and groups and set up all the equipment a separate display and seminar building.  Ranger Boats chose the Moderate Noise/Behind-Head headphones for light noise reduction for each guest; few areas of the manufacturing area are high noise.  After their opening comments by the Vice President of Sales ended at 7:30am and each participant was equipped with safety glasses they were issued the receiver and headphone and were gathered by group by each assigned guide. It took about 20 minutes to issue all the radios and headphones to the dealers.

Each guide did a quick sound check and each group was assigned a tour route that began on a Spaced Start, so they rotated through each tour stop every 5 minutes.

Ranger Boats use this annual meeting and tour to update their dealers on new boat enhancements and competitive features.  The guides used Hand-Held microphones so each guide could pass the Microphone to the Presenter at each station for their portion of the tour.

All tours were completed by 11;45am.  No service or assistance was needed.

A wrap-up summary meeting and comments from management concluded the event at the plant.

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Flowserve produces flow control and pump products for oil, gas, chemical, water resources and other Commercial uses under the multiple brands.  The plant is approx 500,000 square feet and handles almost all production and assembly functions in-house, including assembly, electrical components, testing, warehousing and shipping.

The Resid Upgrading Conference was held to review manufacturing processes and update customer user groups during a weeklong event.  110 guests arrived on  buses at 12:30pm after meetings and lunch at their hotel in Long Beach.  The PlantTours equipment was set up for the tour that morning to conduct our tests and separate the units by group.

Flowserve split each busload into two groups.  We pre-programmed and labeled the groups A, B, C, and D.  One guide (plant engineers) and several other staff members walked each group through the 6 stops on the tour.  At each stop, a presenter delivered the message on their area/process.

PlantTours assigned 3 Service Reps to handle the tour guide equipment logistics for the plant staff and groups and set up all the equipment under a hospitality tent set up directly adjacent to the entrance to the plant.  We separated it by group (4) for quick and easy distribution.  The Flowserve contact chose the Moderate Noise/Behind-Head headphones for light noise protection and high comfort for each guest; few areas in the plant are high noise.  Each guide gathered his/her group after the welcome for the Plant Manager one group at a time and sent them the PlantTours Distribution table.  We issued the receivers, and headphones and accompanied each group into the plant. It took about 10 minutes to issue all the receivers and headphones to the 110 group participants.

Hand-Held microphones were used by each guide in addition to their head-worn mics to allow Q&A from the visitors.

We monitored the tours throughout the plant by rotating from group to group.  No service or assistance was needed.

At about 2:30pm, the first group arrived to return their receivers/headphones and by 3:00pm, all groups were in the training room, having lunch and were ready to board their buses for the return trip to the hotel.

We look forward to serving Flowserve for their next event opportunity.

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Aurora Pumps / Pentair WaterIn January, the Pentair North Aurora Operation hosted 80 independent distributors visiting Chicago for the AHR Trade Show and Convention (world’s largest AC/Heating show) for sales seminars and a tour of the plant.  As the group was scheduled for breakfast and a morning meeting, followed by a 10:30 tour, the PlantTours staff arrived at 8 a.m. to set up and quality test equipment.

The client’s pre-tour assessment determined they would need receivers and headphones for 8 groups of 10 distributors in each tour for optimal performance.  We recommended High Noise/Behind-Head headphones for maximum noise protection as several stops along the tour are high-noise areas.  The equipment was pre-programmed and labeled to prevent channel conflict if the groups passed one another en route. Two service representatives were assigned to handle equipment logistics for the plant staff and their groups. The pre-labeled equipment was organized in the break room, separated into groups for quick and easy distribution.  Each guide brought his/her group of into the break room, were issued equipment, which took about 15 minutes.

Aurora Pumps / Pentair WaterEach guide did a quick sound check, the distributors gave the thumbs-up and they were ready to go by 10:50.  Each group was assigned a tour route that began on a Shotgun Start, so groups rarely passed one another.. One guide and an assistant lead each group through 10 stops with visual aids, posters, and samples to present the technical information regarding that product, process stage and give a description of any changes in the production process.  The guides used Hand-Held microphones so they could pass the mic to the presenter at each station for their portion of the tour.

Everything went smoothly, the guides answered many questions from the distributors as well as provide updates on product enhancements, new processes and credit and shipping practices.  We monitored the tours throughout the plant by constantly moving from group to group.  No service or assistance was needed.

Aurora Pumps / Pentair WaterWe relocated the equipment tables and prepared for collection at 1:00pm. At 12:50 the first group arrived to return their receivers/headphones and by 1:15, all groups were in the break room, having lunch, ready to resume their afternoon meetings at 2:00pm.

As the PlantTours staff packed up the equipment, we were pleased when Pentair Water’s VP-Sales told us they would be booking us for a large meeting/plant tour for their Dealer Network in the first week of June.

Ingersoll Rand invited 90 Distributors from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico to the Athens PA Operation for meetings and a tour of the plant.  The group arrived on buses on Thursday afternoon at 1 PM for an opening meeting.  We arrived at 11 am to set up all the PlantTours equipment for the 1:30 tour.

They ordered receivers and headphones for 8 groups of 11 distributors in each tour.  We pre-programmed and labeled the groups A-H.  One guide led each group through 21 stops on the tour of the plant.  At most stops, one-two presenters were stationed with visual aids, posters, samples, etc. to present the technical information regarding that product, process stage and give a description of any updates with products and manufacturing  methods.  The president of this Ingersoll Rand division was also present with staff from their corporate offices.

PlantTours handled the tour guide equipment logistics for the plant staff and groups and set up all the equipment in the auditorium.  We separated it by group (A-H) for quick and easy distribution.  Ingersoll Rand chose the Moderate Noise/Behind-Head headphones for light noise reduction for each guest;  some areas of the shop are somewhat noisy.  After their opening comments by the Plant Manager ended at 1:15 and each participant was equipped with safety shoes and glasses they were issued the receiver and headphone and were gathered by group by each assigned guide. It took about 15 minutes to issue all the radios and headphones to the distributors.

Each guide did a quick sound check and each group was assigned a tour route that began on a Shotgun Start, so they rotated every 5 minutes.

Ingersoll Rand used this tour to update their distributors on product enhancements and new time-saving processes and changes.  They used Hand-Held microphones so each guide could pass the Mic to the Presenter at each station for their portion of the tour.

All tours were completed by 3:45pm.  No service or assistance was needed.

A wrap-up summary meeting closed the event at the plant.