BIT SERVICE AND CINCINNATI MINE – A RELATIONSHIP SINCE THE ’60S

By: Evan Lucyk

At Bit Service, we value our professional relationships deeply. Since the sixties, we have been working with Cincinnati Mine Machinery Company, and we are an exclusive vendor of Cincinnati products in Canada. Today, we wanted to highlight why the remarkable relationship we have built with one another has lasted for over 50 years.

Cincinnati Mine Machinery Company specializes in helping clients develop solutions and find the right products for cutting and conveying needs. Cincinnati Mine relies on its quality, reliability, and service values to deliver high-quality cutting and conveying machinery. At Bit Service, we stand behind building long-term customer relationships. And Cincinnati Mine Machinery Company relies on building long-term relationships and helping clients improve productivity while reducing costs.

Cincinnati Mine is involved in the entire process, from the strategy, planning, and installation to support. Their team is always around to help. As a company that works by the same values, we appreciate and stand by Cincinnati Mine’s commitment to every step of their customer’s journey.

Many of the products offered were jointly developed between our two companies, with refinements and adjustments made to suit our diverse clientele. Essentially, at Bit Service, we believe in these Cincinnati Mine products and want to get them to you. So we worked between our two teams to make sure that the products were relevant and worked for mines all across Canada.

Cincinnati Mine’s family-run values and personability also drive our relationship with them, as they match our own dedication to our staff. Before the pandemic, we would typically fly down there once or twice a year, and they would do the same, coming to Saskatchewan once or twice a year. They would send us local treats, like the Cincinatti chili that we loved to eat. Plus the yearly visits allowed us to get to know each other’s partners, families, and hobbies and likes and dislikes. We ended up fostering friendly personal relationships in addition to our business relationships.

The low staff turnover on both sides has fostered company and personal relationships among staff members. Scott Bahr, our CEO, has been with the company for 20 years, and the Cincinatti Mine Machinery Company General Manager, Ron Paolello, has been there for 30 years. As Ron has said, “Anyone can sell something once. Having dedicated representation with the same company, for 50 years, speaks for itself. This has allowed us the opportunity to develop partnerships as well as friendships, while supplying quality products throughout the industry.”

We’ve always looked out for each other’s best interests. While our relationship has been so long-running, the inability to travel has required a temporary change in how we foster the relationship. The lack of in-person meetings has meant all our interactions have been over the phone or email.

While it is nice to catch up and chat, our relationship feels different without face-to-face interaction. It’s been a struggle through 2020, and will be in 2021, as travel is still restrictied, and as most live events are cancelled. Even though challenging times have made connecting different, we are both still committed to nurturing our relationship—and this is essential for maintaining strong business bonds.