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Louisville Switching Blog

A Copier is a Xerox and a Spotter is an Ottawa

Posted by Donald Robinson

Apr 20, 2012 3:18:00 PM

Whenever you need to make a copy you Xerox the original. This is the common lingo that is used today in the business world. This is almost an expression of endearment. The copy machine that Xerox produced was superior in almost every way to all of the competing brands. Xerox dominated the market for this type of equipment. The impression that business people acquired over time was that your copy machine surely must be a Xerox, and, if it wasn’t, then it should have been a Xerox.

This is what happens when one company so completely dominates a market because their product is superior to all of the wannabes. All of the other copy machine manufacturers spent all of their time trying to catch up to the leader. Many of them are no longer with us. Kleenex is another example of such a dominant force in their industry. We are always referring to any tissue as Kleenex. A particular tissue could have been made by Second Rate Manufacturing and it would still be called a Kleenex because it either was a Kleenex or it should have been a Kleenex.

This type of brand recognition has distinguished Ottawa from the other brands also. We have received parts inquiries from new customers who are in need of a part for their Ottawa. After some discussion and the customer gives us the serial number we realize that they do not own an Ottawa, even though they should. Many aspiring competitors have spent a great deal of time and money attempting to copy the Ottawa. Most of those aspiring competitors are only memories from the distant past. Some of the unfortunate buyers of the off-brand spotters are now stuck with a spotter for which there are no parts available and no resell market available other than a scrapyard.

Ottawa has such a dominant position in this industry that many people refer to an off-brand spotting truck as an Ottawa. This is natural considering that Ottawa produces and supports two thirds of the spotting trucks used in the USA. Many years of research and development have led to this dominant position. Ottawa has been producing spotters since the late 1950’s. No other brand comes close to this illustrious and distinguished history. Take a look at the companies today that are serious about making a profit and you will find that they own the Ottawa brand spotters.

Long lasting spotters that promise a positive ROI are what serious companies look for when they buy equipment. Your first choice for a Terminal Truck (aka; yard dog, yard bird, yard horse, yard mule, hustler, hostler, shunt truck toter, toter truck, terminal truck and terminal tractor) should be an Ottawa. If your current truck is not an Ottawa, it should be.

louisville switching This is our competitors Research and Development Department.This is our competitors Research and Development Department.

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