Faith. Trust. Loyalty. These are the traits Mike Vorster learned about as a boy working in his family’s construction and contracting business in South Africa. His father, T.G. Vorster was a pioneer and innovator – a longtime Caterpillar customer who relied on “big yellow machines” to build their business starting in the 1940s. In fact, they were one of the first customers in South Africa to buy a Cat® D8 and D10. Vorster tells his family’s story, it laid the foundation for his own career as an author, teacher and thought leader in the equipment management space, sharing his expertise in equipment costs and lifestyle management. Vorster’s focus now is about passing down success and passing along his father’s life lessons to future generations.
PROGRAM GUIDE (19:05 total run time)
Guest: Mike Vorster / Construction Industry Expert, Author & Thought Leader
2:10 – The birth of a family business in South Africa.
5:35 – Early lessons in faith, trust, loyalty and doing business with Caterpillar.
9:51 – A young boy lives and breathes the construction business.
11:45 – Cat equipment becomes the storehouse of Vorster family wealth.
13:52 – The most valuable lesson: people do business with people.
15:30 – A memoir for future generations.
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Faith. Trust. Loyalty. These are the traits Mike Vorster learned about as a boy working in his family’s construction and contracting business in South Africa. His father, T.G. Vorster was a pioneer and innovator – a longtime Caterpillar customer who relied on “big yellow machines” to build their business starting in the 1940s. In fact, they were one of the first customers in South Africa to buy a Cat® D8 and D10. Vorster tells his family’s story, it laid the foundation for his own career as an author, teacher and thought leader in the equipment management space, sharing his expertise in equipment costs and lifestyle management. Vorster’s focus now is about passing down success and passing along his father’s life lessons to future generations.
PROGRAM GUIDE (19:05 total run time)
Guest: Mike Vorster / Construction Industry Expert, Author & Thought Leader
2:10 – The birth of a family business in South Africa.
5:35 – Early lessons in faith, trust, loyalty and doing business with Caterpillar.
9:51 – A young boy lives and breathes the construction business.
11:45 – Cat equipment becomes the storehouse of Vorster family wealth.
13:52 – The most valuable lesson: people do business with people.
15:30 – A memoir for future generations.
It’s been called the most powerful tech event in the world. The CES (Consumer Electronics show) is a massive annual event showcasing the latest innovations in consumer technology. So why is Caterpillar attending CES 2024? Science fiction-like tech may get the most media attention, but Caterpillar is showcasing how technologies can solve real-world problems today – not years in the future. Senior Vice President of the Electrification + Energy Solutions Division (E+ES) – Rod Shurman – knows a lot of people, including customers, might be surprised to see Caterpillar and CES in the same sentence. On this Beyond The Iron podcast, Shurman explains why it makes sense to be at CES and and how we’re showcasing the company’s machines and energy solutions to meet the evolving needs of Cat customers as they electrify their job sites.
Also, check out our Caterpillar at CES page for a more in-depth look at the exhibit and the solutions we’re showcasing at this global tech event.
PROGRAM GUIDE (11:21 total run time)
Guest: Rod Shurman / Senior Vice President, Electrification + Energy Solutions Division
1:31 – Why does it make sense for Caterpillar to have an exhibit at CES?
4:29 – What’s the elevator speech describing the company’s showcase?
5:57– A key message? Caterpillar’s powerful combination of technologies and expertise.
7:50 – Not shying away from customer pain points.
9:29 – How is what we’re offering, different from our competitors?
The Caterpillar Podcast
Faith. Trust. Loyalty. These are the traits Mike Vorster learned about as a boy working in his family’s construction and contracting business in South Africa. His father, T.G. Vorster was a pioneer and innovator – a longtime Caterpillar customer who relied on “big yellow machines” to build their business starting in the 1940s. In fact, they were one of the first customers in South Africa to buy a Cat® D8 and D10. Vorster tells his family’s story, it laid the foundation for his own career as an author, teacher and thought leader in the equipment management space, sharing his expertise in equipment costs and lifestyle management. Vorster’s focus now is about passing down success and passing along his father’s life lessons to future generations.
PROGRAM GUIDE (19:05 total run time)
Guest: Mike Vorster / Construction Industry Expert, Author & Thought Leader
2:10 – The birth of a family business in South Africa.
5:35 – Early lessons in faith, trust, loyalty and doing business with Caterpillar.
9:51 – A young boy lives and breathes the construction business.
11:45 – Cat equipment becomes the storehouse of Vorster family wealth.
13:52 – The most valuable lesson: people do business with people.
15:30 – A memoir for future generations.
