Wendt - Metal Management - Newark

When faced with the challenge of selecting a new shredder to meet the needs of its Newark, N. J., location, Metal Management Inc. evaluated the different vendors available and chose Wendt Corporation.

Jim Mosebach, National Director of Shredder Operations for Metal Management, says there are several reasons why the company was eager to work with Wendt Corp.

"We liked the idea of a 130-inch mill that could shred heavier grades of scrap," says Mosebach. "There are other large mills available, but we just felt that the extra 8 or 10 inches could give us an additional edge when shredding that heavier stock. And we thought it was more compatible with a 9,000-hp motor."

A machine that large handling heavy forms of scrap would also have to be purposely built for extreme durability, and Mosebach was thoroughly convinced that Wendt Corp. would meet that standard. "We were convinced the design was satisfactory and that the mill was very robustly built."

Mosebach and his team at Metal Management commissioned Wendt Corp. to provide a 130 HEAVY™ Shredder, powered by a 9,000-hp AC motor in Newark. Wendt Corp.’s Mark Ridall refers to the 130 HEAVY™ Shredder as "the flagship installation within Metal Management and one of the largest and most productive shredders in the world."

The plant was installed in the second half of 2007, and was up and running at full speed by late November. According to Mosebach, it has exceeded the high expectations Metal Management had for the mill.

"We’re feeding cars, light iron, No. 2 scrap, light No. 1, No. 2 bundles, logs and a lot of things we couldn’t shred before with our old mill," says Mosebach. The Wendt HEAVY shredder replaced a 98/104-sized mill that was powered by a 4,000-hp motor.

"It’s a very robust machine," declares Mosebach. "We have put some stuff in that mill that I would have just cringed if it was entering a smaller shredder, but with this plant, it is a non-event."

Mosebach credits not only the designers and builders of the shredder, but also the installation and start-up team that was deployed by Wendt Corp. "I give kudos to Tom Wendt Jr. and his start-up team," he says. "The dedication of the start-up engineers was something I was extremely impressed with," adds Mosebach.

For his part, Wendt Corp. Executive Vice President Tom Wendt says he is proud to be part of Metal Management’s Newark operation. "Metal Management is widely recognized as one of the scrap metal industry’s largest and most successful companies," he remarks. "Metal Management has been a loyal, long-time customer for Wendt, and we are honored to have been selected to assist with the Newark project. We are especially pleased with the shredder performance and positive customer feedback. We look forward to working with Metal Management on future projects."

Mosebach says he is "absolutely satisfied" with the Wendt HEAVY Shredder. "I have no reservations whatsoever about the decision we made."