Equipment Report

Rotor manufacturer Bowe Machine Co., Bettendorf, Iowa, has formed an alliance with Wendt Corp., based in Tonawanda, N.Y.

The new alliance draws upon the automobile shredding industry experience of both companies, offering shredder operators competitive pricing and aggressive lead times as well as economical rebuilding services, according to a press release issued by Wendt Corp.

Simon Bowe, president of Bowe Machine Co., says, "Our primary goal was to combine forces with a business similar to ours in dedication to the market place and to each other. Bowe Machine Co. believes that Wendt Corp. delivers that same dedication to the market place and that the synergies between our companies make for a perfect fit. We look forward to a very strong relationship for many years to come."

Tom Wendt, executive vice president at Wendt, says, "We set out to create a world-class organization dedicated to providing every customer with the very best equipment, service and support found in the recycling industry. The addition of Bowe Machine Co. built rotors represents a significant step towards achieving that goal."

More information on Wendt Corp. is available at www.wendtcorp.com. 

Jon Kneen, co-founder of equipment maker Al-jon Inc., Ottumwa, Iowa, has joked that he started his company in 1963 with no products, no customers and almost no money.

Just how far the company has come was evident at an open house event held May 18 to show off the Al-jon’s new manufacturing capacity, which carries a $3.5 million price tag and will be used to make balers and compactors for the company’s growing customer base.

The company Jon and Alan Sharp started has developed into a leading national provider of portable metal balers and landfill compactors that is also increasing its profile as an exporter.

Jon, his son Kendig, who is now president of Al-jon, and other long-time company employees had a chance to reminisce for a documentary that was shown at the open house event.

Jon’s long-time pilot recalled a number of occasions when he and Jon would fly to see a customer, receive a down payment on a piece of equipment and then fly back to Ottumwa before the bank closed in order to make a deposit to make payroll.

Steven Bacon, son of original Al-jon employee Charlie Bacon, displayed the receipt from Charlie’s first weekly paycheck, which came in at nearly $65 thanks to some Saturday overtime hours.

An ongoing request from scrap dealer Frank Alter in Davenport, Iowa, led to Al-jon’s car crushing and portable baling line of equipment, which helped the company establish a product line that has grown ever since.

The Ottumwa factory has subsequently "built enough crushers to crush Detroit’s daily production," Jon said. Kendig added, "We’ve been recycling long before recycling was cool."

The scrap recycling equipment, combined with landfill compactors that have earned considerable market share, has helped Al-jon grow beyond its existing plant space and also attract the attention of private equity investors Republic Financial Corp., Aurora, Colo.

Bill Haan, Republic’s president of private equity, said Al-jon was one of "200 opportunities" the company considered in 2006. "We hooked up with three of them," said Haan.

In addition to seeing opportunity specifically in Al-jon’s product line, Haan said that when Republic Financial found partners, it looked for the right chemistry. "We work well together," he said of Republic Financial and Al-jon.

Both Al-jon and Republic see opportunities in the export market, but both are also committed to allowing the business to grow right where it started in Ottumwa. "Growth for Al-jon is going to occur in Ottumwa, Iowa," said Kendig. While the company sees advantages in a Midwest location that is equidistant to many markets, Kendig also said, "The fact is, we live here."

Al-jon’s family atmosphere came through at its open house, where the company dog mingled with guests and Al-jon’s in-house band The Crushers—consisting entirely of Al-jon employees—played a classic rock set for guests.

Sierra International Machinery LLC, based in Bakersfield, Calif., has announced it has signed a letter of intent to invest in an equity position with IPS Balers Inc., Baxley, Ga. The new company will be called Sierra/IPS Inc.

"We are very pleased to have the opportunity to join with our colleagues at IPS to expand on the production and sale of baling equipment and technology for the nonferrous metals, recovered fiber and solid waste industries," Sierra International President John Sacco says. "Combined with Sierra’s expertise in ferrous shears and balers, this investment gives Sierra a strong position across the spectrum of the baler marketplace."

Sierra International, which was founded in 1962, designs and internationally distributes a variety of equipment for the scrap recycling and waste processing industry, including shears, balers and loggers. The company’s expertise comes from a long history of equipment manufacturing and from its experience running scrap and recycling operations, which rely on company-manufactured machinery.

IPS Balers, established in 1995, is a leading supplier of baling systems used in the fiber, nonferrous and solid waste industries. The IPS line includes two-ram, high- and low-production auto-tie machines, closed-door units and a complete line of vertical balers. The company’s range of machines includes many patented innovations, such as the Conquest and hinged-side open-end auto-tie baler.

The new company will be headquartered in IPS’s current Baxley facility. IPS principals, President Sidney Wildes and Vice President Forrest Wildes, will remain in their leadership roles with the company.

More information on Sierra International Machinery and IPS Balers is available at www.sierraintl.com and www.ipsbalers.com, respectively.

Harris Waste Management Group Inc., Peachtree City, Ga., has introduced the HP Series High Performance horizontal balers.

The line’s features include energy-efficient hydraulics, durable structure, easy-to-use controls and enhanced safety features, according to a press release from the manufacturer.

The HP Series High Performance horizontal balers have heavy-duty 6-inch-by-6-inch-by-3/8-inch wall square tubing with reinforcing for increased strength. The hinged retention chamber requires no mid-tension cylinders or devices.

In addition, the high-speed hydraulic drive delivers cycle times of up to 10 seconds faster, according to the manufacturer.

The balers have a serrated knife with deep graduated serrations and a 45-degree rake angle designed for smooth, efficient cuts. The knife fully retracts out of the charge box so material can fall without interference.

The energy-efficient hydraulic power unit has flooded inlet pressure compensated piston pumps for fast cycle times, noise reducing isolation mounts and simplified valving for reliable service, according to the company.

More information on the company’s equipment is available at www.harriswaste.com.