Lollini--A Winning Team

Sam Lee and David Gomes

When David Gomes decided to expand his scrap business at A to Z Metals in Compton, Calif., to include a ferrous operation, the decision of what equipment could get him there was easy. Gomes stuck with Lollini R&M—a name that had proven itself for years on the job handling A to Z’s nonferrous material.

Gomes’ first Lollini machine—an AL 4032FD baler—set the precedent, baling about 1 million pounds of stainless steel per month at the Compton yard, one of the two A to Z Metals facilities in the Los Angeles area.

Since Gomes’ business is active on both the buying and selling end of the scrap trade, uptime is essential for the equipment at A to Z, and the Lollini AL 4032FD has met his expectations, and more, he says. He’s been impressed with the tough build of the machine, which has seen no major maintenance problems in its two years of service. "We’ve had some small issues where they had to overnight us parts," Gomes says. "But it’s like a pit bull, that machine." To handle situations like these, Lollini has partnered with Motion Industries, Birmingham, Ala., providing 60 locations across the United States to supply parts and service to Lollini customers.

Gomes was so impressed with the durable performance of his first Lollini baler that, when he wanted to process ferrous scrap as well, the ALC706FD Shear/Baler with its 700 tons of cutting force was an obvious choice. "It’s a piece of equipment we know we’re going to need to handle the tonnage we expect," Gomes says.

After 15 years in the scrap business—five of them at A to Z Metals—Gomes knows how integral reliable, tough equipment is to success. Lollini has proven to be a valuable addition to a winning team, he says, so much so that he’s already recommended Lollini to his colleagues in the industry. Moreover, when it comes time for A to Z Metals to expand again, Gomes says he would definitely consider another Lollini machine.