Cadott Industrial Park now home to Road Runner Repair
Jason Klukas (left) and Aaron Vizer, co-owners of Road Runner Repair, officially opened for business in the Cadott Industrial Park this spring. Klukas and Vizer each bring experience, after being involved in the forestry and construction industries for nearly 25 years. Photo by Julia Wolf
By Julia Wolf
Those driving by Cadott on State Hwy. 29, may have noticed a new addition in the Industrial Park. Co-owners Aaron Vizer and Jason Klukas held the grand opening of Road Runner Repair at the new location, May 14.
Road Runner Repair offers forestry and construction equipment repair. Vizer says they do a lot with logging, but also work on backhoes, bulldozers, excavators and other machines.
“Not really agriculture or trucks, or stuff, per say,” said Vizer.
Vizer says they do all repairs, but specialize in hydraulics, including making the hydraulic hoses and hydraulic cylinder repair, and electrical work. Klukas says they also do a lot of undercarriage and track work.
The business also has a service truck, with the capabilities to do most any job that can be done in the field.
“The biggest thing that kind of sets us apart, I think is, the fact that we work on all brands,” said Vizer.
Vizer says most dealerships work on one brand, for the most part, but Road Runner Repair is a one-stop shop. He says it takes a lot more knowledge to be able to work on the different brands, but says they have gained that knowledge over the years.
Road Runner Repair also features a parts store and is a Ponsse service dealer.
“They’re kind of one brand that we are tied to, probably a little more strongly than any of the others,” said Vizer. “So, we do warranty work, after sales, servicing and have a large line of Ponsse parts.”
Road Runner Repair also carries parts for all brands of forestry and construction equipment, such as bars and chains for every brand of processor. The business also sells oils in the store.
“Hydraulic engine oil, stuff like that,” said Vizer.
Vizer also says they do outsourcing for parts, to try to save customers money. He says they find out who makes the part and get it direct.
“We rebuild and repair components, too, instead of just replacing, which can save our customers a lot of money,” said Klukas.
Vizer started Road Runner Repair in early 2012, about seven miles south of Boyd.
“I had built a shop at my house,” said Vizer.
He says he decided to relocate the business to allow for expansion, and to get away from the road restrictions and weight limits in the spring. The space is also visible from the highway.
The building also allowed room for a new parts store. Vizer says he sold parts before, but not at the level the parts store offers now.
Vizer says the process to begin the move started last spring, when they began working to purchase the lot.
“A little over a year later, we got this thing built,” said Vizer.
Klukas joined Road Runner team in early 2021, though they had been planning it for a bit before then.
Vizer and Klukas also bring experience with large machinery, such as John Deere and Komatsu products, from jobs prior to Road Runner Repair.
“Been in the industry, in one way or another, for almost 25 years, both of us now,” said Klukas.
Vizer says he has worked as a technician for most of that time, doing the repairs. Klukas has been doing more with parts sales, computer work and behind the scenes work with Road Runner Repair.
“It takes more than just guys in the shop to run something like this,” said Vizer.
Both also bring connections from their previous work, that have helped the business continue to grow. Vizer says they also try to keep their customers close and are friends with most of them, which also brings new connections.
Besides Klukas and Vizer, there are two other employees who work in the shop. Vizer says they try to run the place like a family business, even though they are not all family.
“We’re just kind of seeing where the workload takes us from there,” said Vizer. “Obviously, as time goes on, we might have to bump that up.”
The building is roughly 12,000 square feet downstairs, with a mezzanine that is about another 3,500 square feet. Vizer says the building is wood frame, instead of metal like conventional industrial buildings, but says that is fitting for them, since they work with loggers.
There is also geothermal heating and air conditioning for the entire building, including the shop.
“Just try to be pretty energy efficient, the way we built it,” said Vizer.
The shop has six bays, with the ability to pull equipment through, if needed. There are also overhead cranes in the four main bays, which are wireless and remote controlled.
“We’re always lifting heavy stuff on this big equipment,” said Vizer, while pointing out a machine’s counterweight, which weighs 17,000 pounds.
Vizer says business has been good since they made the location change. Klukas says he has noticed a little more phone and walk-in traffic every day, as people hear about Road Runner Repair.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="241"]
Instead of storing the oils in the shop, they are stored in the mezzanine area, to keep them out of the way and reduce clutter on the main level. The mezzanine also features parts storage, with a garage door for a forklift to transfer items up and down. Photo by Julia Wolf[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="479"]
Road Runner Repair, a business focused on forestry and construction equipment repair, moved to the Cadott Industrial Park this spring. The move gave the business more space and also allowed for the addition of a parts store. Photo by Julia Wolf[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="366"]
The four main bays of the shop have overhead cranes, to help with lifting heavy parts. The cranes are wireless, remote controlled, multi-directional and can be run at the same time. Photo by Julia Wolf[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="261"]
Road Runner Repair also has a service truck, which has the capabilities to do most repairs that can be done in the field. Photo by Julia Wolf[/caption]
