OUR JOURNEY

Adding Value – From Trading to Service Support to Engineering Solutions 

Serving Diverse Industries

World Class Technical Training

Operating, Maintaining and Remote Monitoring Worldwide with IIOT

United Tractors & Equipment Ltd. (UTE) was formed by a pioneering entrepreneur W. Daniel Fernando on 22nd March 1947 to initially sell and provide necessary repairs and service for Caterpillar Earthmoving Machines. The Civil Engineering Contractors who bought these machines did not have the capability to maintain or repair these large machines. Training of Operators was required for safely and to ensure maximum productivity. UTE provided this service which added value to the Contractors so that their investment in Caterpillar Machines was recovered as quickly as possible. Initially Caterpillar helped to train UTE personnel to provide the necessary Operator Training and After Sales Services. UTE had to invest in building a modern workshop and provide mobile services for its customers. It was not practical to bring these heavy machines to UTE’s workshop for minor repairs and services.

The next generation of ownership was Chaired by W. Pin Fernando after his father passed away in 1953. UTE with Caterpillar maintained its dominant market position until 1970 when Government Import restrictions prevented growth of the private sector construction industry and UTE could only unofficially represent Caterpillar in Sri Lanka. However, in 1979 UTE was once again the official sole distributor for Caterpillar Products in Sri Lanka. The third generation took over under W. Priath Fernando after his father Pin succumbed to Cancer in 1981. By this time, massive development was taking place under the Mahaveli Scheme and UTE took the lead together with Cat to provide a variety of earthmoving machines and ensure quality after sales services.

Over time, the expertise that UTE developed helped customers to choose the best combination of machinery for their major contracts. This enabled lower downtime and idle time and ensured higher value addition and better returns on their investment.

When the Construction Industry slowed down, UTE started to serve other industries with other quality brands of equipment that helped to increase productivity and transportation. From Agricultural Tractors for farmers, to Marine engines for fisherman, and even Locomotives for the Railway Department, UTE was at the forefront helping to modernise industrial development.

Warehousing, Material Handling, Logistics and Metal Fabricating Industries were required to support Industrial Development. UTE developed expertise and used their experience of identifying the best combination of equipment and design of systems to add the best value once again as a Supplier.

UTE today is the only company that helped to completely rehabilitate 10 Locomotives and re-engine 4 Locomotives installing Cat Engines for the Sri Lanka Railway. These locomotives continue to provide excellent service even 30 years after the rehabilitation and repowering

Other areas that UTE pioneered was in Water and Sewage Treatment, undertaking Turn-Key Projects for the National Water Supply and Drainage Board and using that experience and expertise to help the rapidly growing Private Sector industries as well. A flagship project was the Waste Water Treatment Plant for Unilever Sri Lanka where the Chairman of Unilever declared open the treatment plant by confidently drinking a glass of water that had gone through the treatment process.

In 1996 the National Power Crisis created an unprecedented demand for Diesel Powered Generators. UTE together with assistance from Cat and other Cat Dealers in Asia, supplied a record number of Cat Gensets. The UTE Service Crew worked around the clock to install the new units, service existing units and repair units installed in essential services.

By the time, Priath retired and handed over the Chairmanship in 2017 to his son, W. Prasan Fernando, UTE was constantly focused on training technicians and had developed a World Class Training Centre. The trained and qualified Technicians are now assisting clients worldwide to operate and maintain power plants and Cat Machine fleets.

With the fast-paced development of technology and increasing costs and hazards of travelling, UTE supported its former CEO and Presidential Award winner Mr. Riyad Ismail to develop IIOT remote monitoring systems that are rapidly gaining acceptance worldwide.

On 22nd March 2022, UTE reached its 75th year celebrating its resilience as a well-managed organization and continues its value adding journey with customers … long after the sale.