New approach to skilled technician training supports move from reactive maintenance to predictive planning

Track assemblies are the most expensive wear items on dozers and excavators, and they require regular measuring to forecast replacement timing. Without regular measurements, that timing becomes guesswork that risks unplanned downtime and rushed parts orders and maintenance. This measurement work requires a physical presence, not remote monitoring. For heavy earthworks operations that support mine operators in remote Northwest British Columbia, regular measurement is complicated by the long travel times for dealer technicians to reach job sites. Tahltan Territory is home to approximately 70 percent of B.C.'s resource-rich Golden Triangle. Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC), the business arm of the Tahltan Nation, serves as the primary contractor working on the Red Chris Tailings Impoundment Area construction at the Red Chris mine, operated by Newmont Corporation. TNDC also supports the site with block cave project development, mill operations, site services, road maintenance, and exploration. Historically, Finning Canada, TNDC's equipment dealer, scheduled representatives to visit to perform track assembly measurements. But, as TNDC's fleet grew to 38 tracked machines, they identified the opportunity for an existing TNDC employee to regularly measure undercarriage components and ground-engaging tools, including bucket teeth, cutting edges, and anything that bolts onto a bucket or blade. How Finning and TNDC developed a promising labourer into an undercarriage wear specialist Anthony Smaniotto, TNDC's fleet manager, determined that Tahltan Nation member Austin Carlick-Beck, an enthusiastic and highly skilled technician who manages, services, and repairs specialized tires used in mining and construction, was ideal for the job. Carlick-Beck started with TNDC in March 2024 as a labourer on the mechanical team, bringing experience from Kal Tire. With formal training and certification, Carlick-Beck continued to take on a more focused role as an off-the-road (OTR) tire specialist, certified by the Tire Industry Association, making him one of TNDC's resident tire experts. The learning curve for this new role went beyond technical skills to professional accountability and embracing new expectations. The transition involved training and hands-on mentoring by a Finning representative over several months, and, in May 2025, Carlick-Beck travelled to Edmonton for formal wear specialist training with Caterpillar — the same training that Finning technicians receive. Today, Carlick-Beck is TNDC's first undercarriage wear specialist, and he provides service throughout the Golden Triangle. The arrangement works as a contracted service with Carlick-Beck holding a dual role between TNDC and Finning. He works a two-week-on/two-week-off rotation, dedicating three to four days per cycle to wear measurements. He is proficient at using ultrasonic measuring devices, interpreting wear patterns, and forecasting replacements. On dozers from D6 to D10, he watches particularly for cracks on the track frame, a common failure point if not caught early. The new role is an experience that Carlick-Beck has been relishing. "I like going to the pit and working on big equipment — 793 haul trucks, 994 loaders, D10s, D8s, excavators," Carlick-Beck says. "I really enjoy learning something different, new tools, trying things out. Working with Finning's team of wear specialists has made it easier to pick up the job because there's someone who shows me what to do and who can answer questions." Regular wear part measurement has allowed TNDC to move from reactive maintenance to predictive planning. These accurate wear forecasts allow Finning to order replacement tracks and components months in advance based on actual data, which avoids expedited shipping and ensures parts availability.