Oasis Trading and Equipment Company, the sole distributor of Caterpillar equipment in Oman, says it accords top priority to ensuring that its customers' equipment continues to operate at the lowest possible cost.

'Keep them running' summarises the mission with which employees in Oasis parts and services support divisions are charged with, says Nick Maas, manager of Oasis Trading and Equipment Company.

''This seems very simple enough, but keeping Caterpillar machines and power generation systems operating at the lowest cost is not only one of Oasis Trading and Equipment's greatest strength, it is also a tough job and one that is getting tougher,'' he elaborates.

Product support is what differentiates Caterpillar and Oasis Trading and Equipment from their competitors day in and day out, he points out.

Maas continues: ''In the world today, with its fast-paced change of technology, we can no longer be absolutely sure that we sell the best machines. This is because competitors can take big strides in design and engineering. But the one area where we can be the best is in product support. We can be better and are better than our competitors.

''Our equipment is used by customers to earn an income, so it is imperative that we do whatever we can to keep that equipment running. Our equipment is almost always the best, which is reflected in the price. Our customers are willing to pay for Caterpillar products.

''Customers, large and small, are finding that machine maintenance and repair is becoming more and more difficult to do themselves. They are in the construction business and repair and overhauling equipment is not their core business. They are finding that when it comes to machine repairs and overhauls, their best value is to turn to the Cat dealer for whom maintenance, repair and overhaul is a core business.

''The Cat Service embodies our entire delivery system, which is designed to provide superior parts availability, the right technical information, service training and tools, everything necessary to expertly maintain or repair a piece of machinery.

''Not only does Oasis provide the best 'in-shop' services, but also the best level of service for machines and power generation systems in the 'field'.''