Corporate News

 NATIONAL METALS GOES TO MEXICO

National Metals Co., Phoenix, a recycler of ferrous and nonferrous metals, has established the first officially sanctioned recycling maquilladora – a duty-free business zone – in Nogales, Mexico. National accomplished the effort in a joint venture with Transformadora de Mexico, Nogales.

National Metals, in business since 1938, operates automotive shredders in Phoenix and Tucson. The company would not confirm whether or not it will be establishing a new shredding operation in Mexico as part of the venture.

AL-JON WINS  EXPORT AWARD

Al-jon Inc., Ottumwa, Iowa, has won a Governor’s Export Award from the State of Iowa. The company is one of four companies throughout the state to be honored in 1996 for its successes in selling products and services outside the U.S. in foreign markets. The award was presented by Governor Terry Branstad during the Annual Governor’s Conference on International Trade in Des Moines, Iowa. Al-jon makes car crushers, balers, hydrostatic loaders and other scrap recycling and solid waste handling equipment.

IMPERIAL ZINC OWNERS PURCHASE ZINC PRODUCER

The investor group that acquired Imperial Zinc Corp., Chicago, last year has purchased Purity Zinc Alloys & Manufacturing Inc., Easton, Pa. The new owners are all metals industry veterans, and each maintains current metals business responsibilities beyond their zinc interests. Mark Spellman is vice president of Tri-State Metal Co., Chicago; Edward Hollander is president of Hollander Metals Inc., Glenview, Ill.; and Michael Weinger is founder and president of Tally Metal Sales Inc., also in Glenview.

Weinger calculates the current annual production capacity at Purity Zinc Alloys & Manufacturing to be more than 85 million pounds of zinc balls and zinc alloys. The new owners plan to modernize the 30,000-square-foot plant to boost productivity. The manufacturing site has adjoining acreage to allow for future expansion. Carol O’Sullivan is the new general manager in charge of production and sales for the company.

GBB COMPLETES D.C. MRF PROJECT

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton Inc., Falls Church, Va., recently assisted Eagle Management Systems with the development of its 125-ton-per-day materials recovery facility in Washington, D.C. GBB helped evaluate the recyclable materials stream and determine the ideal size for the facility. The consulting firm also prepared a Request For Proposals, evaluated the proposals and recommended a vendor. After negotiating a design/build contract with the selected vendor, GBB monitored the design and construction of the facility, as well as its start-up and performance testing. The MRF began full commercial operation in mid-1996.

AMERICAN BALER EXPANDS FACILITY

American Baler Co., Bellevue, Ohio, is conducting a significant expansion to its headquarters and production facilities. The expansion, which will provide the company with a combined total of 80,000 square feet of manufacturing space, also includes a substantial investment in new equipment. The work is expected to be completed this month. 

ALLIED METAL UPGRADES LABS

Allied Metal Co., Chicago, is making capital improvements, updating its software, and undertaking companywide integration for its computerized spectrographic metal analysis program. At the company’s two original aluminum and zinc production centers, the metallurgical lab has been expanded into a newly constructed section of the main building. The new location features a state-of-the-art air filtration system.

Improved computer-to-computer communication capabilities link the Canal Street lab with the metallurgical lab of another facility nine miles away. The spectrographic system at the company’s large, recently-opened zinc alloying operation in Chattanooga, Tenn., is also on line.

The greater lab integration assures nationwide multi-plant compliance with all Allied Metal statistical process control requirements.

ELLIOT EQUIPMENT EXPANDS IN NEBRASKA

Elliot Equipment Co., Davenport, Iowa, has opened a new distribution facility in Lincoln, Neb. This is Elliot’s third location, with the other one in Des Moines, Iowa.

Elliot is the authorized dealer for American Baler, American Hooklift, Leach Co., LaBrie and other companies. In addition, Elliot has an extensive parts inventory for all types of recycling equipment.

TECUMSEH PRODUCTS BEFRIENDS ENVIRONMENT

Tecumseh Products Co., Diecast Operations, Sheboygan Falls, Wis., has been nominated for a 1996 Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment Award sponsored by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, Madison, Wis. Tecumseh was nominated for employing innovative rotary kiln technology to recycle about 140 million pounds of scrap aluminum since launching the program in 1981. In addition to recycling its open scrap, the company purchases scrap from other companies for recycling.

FIBREX ACQUIRES KOSMOS RECYCLING

Fibrex, Chesapeake, Va., a supplier of specialty refuse and recycling receptacles, has purchased Kosmos Recycling Inc., Orlando, Fla. Kosmos, which offered Igloo Recycling and Used Oil Containers, was a competitor of Fibrex. The acquisition is a first for Fibrex, which has sales offices in Virginia, California, Germany, Spain and Taiwan.