Equipment Report

A 41,000-square foot expansion project at Gehl Co.’s Madison, S.D., skid loader manufacturing facility has been approved by the board of directors. The project will increase the size of the facility to 172,000 square feet when completed in the second half of 2000.

The project will be coupled with the remodeling of 20,000 square feet of the existing plant. The projects will cost about $11.8 million and will include upgrades of equipment.

“The expansion will greatly increase our capacity at this facility dedicated to skid loaders, one of the fastest growing segments of the light construction equipment industry,” says William D. Gehl, president and CEO of Gehl Co., based in West Bend, Wisc.

 SVEDALA STRENGTHENS AFTER-MARKET ACTIVITIES

Svedala Industri AB has acquired the remaining half of shares in the Australian company Dunlop-Skega, a company formed in 1996 that was formerly owned by Svedala and Dunlop. Dunlop-Skega, with annual sales of about $100 million, focuses on the production of linings for grinding mills.

“The acquisition strengthens Svedala’s organization for after-market products in Australia and the Far East,” says Bengt Dehlen, division manager for Svedala Wear Resistance Products. “Having our own local production operations in this part of the world also enhances the degree of service we can offer the market.”

 MINPRO SYSTEM GETS NOD TO RECYCLE GLASS

Minpro International Ltd., Burlington, Ontario, and Enviroglass Recycling Ltd. of Nova Scotia, have signed a letter of intent to use Minpro’s Enviroglass Recycling system to grind glass to waste. The venture will have a head office in Halifax, Nova Scotia and the first plant will also be located there. Minpro will own 50% of the joint venture.

The Envirogrinder allows Minpro to take waste glass to a mobile processing facility where it is converted into a product that can be sold into several markets, including abrasives, fiberglass manufacturing, as golf course sand, and as paint and plastics filler.

 ERIEZ ENTERS JOINT VENTURE

Eriez Magnetics, Erie, Pa., has announced a joint venture with McNally Bangalore Industry Ltd., establishing a manufacturing affiliate to be known as Eriez India MBI of Bangalore, India. Eriez will own 60% of the new joint venture and McNally will own the remaining portion.

“[India] is rapidly modernizing its industrial base and we see strong potential for Eriez products and services with this new joint venture,” says Tim Shuttleworth, Eriez Magnetics’ Manager-International.

Construction of a new facility is currently underway in Bangalore and will help fill the need for equipment in India's manufacturing industries, accroding to Shuttleworth.

HI-RISE RECYCLING ACQUIRES COMPANY

Hi-Rise Recycling Systems Inc., Miami, Fla., has announced its purchase of Kohlman Engineering Corp., a manufacturer and distributor of compactors, chutes and recycling systems. The agreement calls for Hi-Rise to acquire most of Kohlman’s assets for 200,000 shares in Hi-Rise common stock. Kohlman’s yearly revenue is about $1.4 million.

Kohlman Engineering Corp. is based in Chicago and has been in business since 1982. The company’s product line includes a complete line of chute feed waste compactors.

“The addition of Kohlman to the Hi-Rise group will solidify Hi-Rise’s position as the industry leader in the chute, compactor and recycling enhancement business,” says Gary McAlpin, president of Hi-Rise. “The inclusion of Max Croy, Kohlman’s president, in the management team will reinforce the strength in the sales efforts for the architectural specified division.”