Equipment Report

SWEEPSTER AND FFC ANNOUNCE MERGER

Sweepster Inc., Dexter, Mich., and FFC Attachments (Farmer’s Factory Co.), Lee, Ill., have announced an agreement to merge the two privately held companies.

Michael Spear, currently CEO and general manager of Sweepster, will become president of the combined company, while Charles Foster, vice president and general manager of FFC Attachments, will serve as vice president and general manager.

"The merger of Sweepster and FFC Attachments is a win-win situation," says Spear. "Each company brings a number of strengths to the merger that we believe will create an even stronger combined company."

Sweepster's product line includes sweeper attachments for all makes of industrial lift trucks and tractors in a wide range of markets. In addition, Sweepster makes walk-behind and self-propelled sweepers, including airport runway sweepers. The company’s corporate and manufacturing facilities are in Dexter, Mich.

FFC Attachments makes a line of attachments, including scrap grapples for skid-steer loaders, backhoe-loaders, small wheel loaders and utility loaders. The company’s extensive product line is used in several applications, including demolition and scrap recycling. FFC’s corporate and manufacturing facilities are in Lee, Ill.

Current plans call for continued operation of both the Dexter and Lee facilities. "Both Sweepster and FFC Attachments enjoy excellent brand recognition in their respective markets," says Foster. "We plan to build on the strength of both brands."

Friedman Recycling Co., Phoenix, is the new home of a Bollegraaf HBC 140 baler. It joins a host of other Bollegraaf equipment already installed at the plant by Van Dyk Baler Corp., Stamford, Conn.

The entire plant runs on Bollegraaf equipment, including a commercial OCC starscreen used to sort select commercial waste at a rate of 15 tons per hour, according to David Friedman of Friedman Recycling Co. "We get a cleaner cardboard from dirty incoming commercial loads after sorting than we do from clean incoming loads," says Friedman concerning the effectiveness of the new equipment and the overall system.

The plant also includes a high grade sorting line (15 tons per hour), a confidential shredder (seven tons per hour), an HBC 100 baler, an air transport/dust collection system, an office paper sorting system and the newest item, the HBC 140 baler with two feed conveyors.

The HBC 140 is cable of processing up to 27 tons per hour of OCC and 70 tons per hour of newspaper, according to a news release issued by Van Dyk Baler Corp.