Equipment Report

Systems Alternatives International LLC (SAI), Maumee, Ohio, has announced an agreement with Sims Group USA, Richmond, Calif., to install updated versions of its software products in Simsmetal operating units throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The Simsmetal locations will operate using the SAI CRES (Commercial Recycling Enterprise System) business applications along with the web-based X-Sight Business Analysis tools.

Sims Group USA is part of Australia-based Sims Group, one of the largest processors and scrap trading organizations in the world.

Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), Eugene, Ore., has appointed Bruce Farnsworth as its new president, assuming the role formerly held by Fred Austin.

"Bruce has a track record of strengthening customer and vendor relationships, while building upon fundamental values of quality products and superior customer service," says Fred Austin, who adds that Farnsworth will look to continue and expand upon the company’s reputation and success.

Sean Austin will remain in his current position of vice president of sales, while Fred Austin will work on a consultancy basis during the transition period. Both Fred and Sean retain a minority interest in the company, while Farnsworth holds a principal equity position.

Bulk Handling Systems, incorporated in 1976, designs, manufactures and installs material handling equipment for the solid waste, recycling and wood products industries. The company’s equipment is operating in 23 countries throughout six continents.

Corru-Shred Inc., Pompano Beach, Fla., is offering a recycling system for old corrugated containers (OCC) different from the traditional paper baling and re-pulping market.

The Corru-Shred product, its inventor Norman Levine says, allows bulk shippers to shred their obsolete corrugated containers to create a non-plastic "loose fill" product for outbound shipments.

Levine’s idea is to take the OCC businesses accumulates in their warehouses and to shred it on site, creating a "high-quality, loose-fill packing and shipping material."

The Corru-Shredder™ is the name Levine has applied to his shredder, while the product it creates is known as Corru-Fill®.

Customer Ralf Moller of natural body care products maker Aromaland, Santa Fe, N.M., says he was spending a bundle on plastic shipping "peanuts" and other types of packing material, and still too many customers were calling to complain about damaged shipments. At the same time, his business generated obsolete OCC containers from incoming shipments.

After seeing a magazine article about Norman Levine’s system, Moller decided to give the Corru-Shredder system a try.

The company is now producing its own Corru-Fill packing material. Because Aromaland ships mostly natural products, customers immediately liked the characteristics of the new shipping material, says Moller. "I believe we had 100 percent customer acceptance of Corru-Fill, and when we had almost no breakage claims, customers were ecstatic. We also found that Corru-Fill was easier to pack with and saved us considerable time in our packing department."