Equipment Report

VOLVO ACQUIRES SCAT TRAK LINE

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE), Asheville, N.C., has acquired the rights to the Scat Trak skid steer loader line of equipment. Scat Trak loaders were formerly manufactured by the OmniQuip subsidiary of Textron Inc., Providence, R.I

The assets acquired by Volvo CE include exclusive manufacturing and product design rights to the line of five different skid steers (with operating capacities ranging from 1,350 pounds to 2,450 pounds), tooling and inventory. Volvo did not acquire any of the OmniQuip manufacturing facilities in Port Washington, Wisc., but instead will assemble the skids steers at its Asheville plant.

Volvo CE executives say the product range will be further developed and launched globally under the Volvo brand in late 2002, as part of the company’s plan to increase production at the Asheville facility.

"Compared to the market’s leading skid steers, the Scat Trak machine emerged as a very competitive product in our extensive tests. Its recognized performance, together with the Volvo brand and strength in distribution, will be extremely beneficial for our dealers and customers," adds Tony Helsham, president and CEO of Volvo CE.

"At the right time and without adding any manufacturing capacity, we have acquired a new first-class product range, which is essential to the further development and broadening of our product range," adds Leif Johansson, president and CEO of parent company AB Volvo.

Putting the Screws to Company Name

Screw Conveyor Corp., Hammond, Ind., which changed its name in 1998 to SCC Industries, has decided to revert to its original name. The third generation, family-owned business was incorporated in 1932 as Screw Conveyor Corp. The name change in 1998 did not achieve the desired affect, says Garry Abraham, CEO.

"The bulk material handling field has come to recognize us and our name as people they know and trust," Abraham says. "When we changed, we lost valuable identity and name recognition. Now we have taken our name back and we want to assure our many customers that we never left."

Fuchs Adds Dealers

Fuchs Loaders, Dallas, has named J.W. Burress Inc., Roanoke, Va., and Warrior Equipment, Montgomery, Ala., as dealers to carry the Fuchs line of scrap handlers.

J.W. Burress will serve Virginia, North and South Carolina and eastern Tennessee from its nine locations. Warrior Equipment will serve Alabama and Arkansas from its 13 locations.

COLTON EQUIPMENT ADDS EXCEL LINE

Colton Equipment, West Linn, Ore., will now serve as a distributor for Excel Manufacturing, St. Charles, Minn. Colton has represented recycling equipment manufacturers for 20 years, selling equipment and installing it at material recovery facilities, paper stock plants and scrap recycling facilities.

Colton sells and services balers, shredders, conveyors, sorting systems and other equipment used by recyclers. Excel makes a line of more than 10 types of balers, both single-ram and two-ram.