Ameri-Shred, Alpena, Michigan, has added 1.5-horsepower versions to its Series 1 HDD-SSD shredders. The AMS-150-SSD and AMS-150HD-SSD are available in 120-volt or any three-phase voltage and feature:
a single shred width and a dual-cutting chamber that will shred rotary drives on one side and solid state drives (SSDs) on the other
an infeed slot, discharge bin and shred width for each chamber
can be installed as stationary machines or can be placed in trucks for mobile hard drive shredding
U.K.-based Master Magnets Ltd. in conjunction with CRJ Services, also of the U.K., have developed an integrated eddy current separator (ECS) mounted on a tracked chassis for the dual purpose of separating ferrous and nonferrous metals with one machine, according to the Magnetics Division of Global Equipment Marketing Inc., Boca Raton, Florida, which serves as the U.S. distributor. It features:
a variable speed vibratory feeder, providing a steady stream of feedstock for optimum separation
a rare-earth drum magnet for separating ferrous material integrated with a 60-inch-wide ECS for separating nonferrous material
chevron belts for separation of stockpiles
an 11-foot tracked chassis with 16-inch-wide pad crawler tracks
EBI Environnement, headquartered in Berthierville, Quebec, has invested more than $2.3 million (CA$3 million) to upgrade its material recovery facility (MRF) in Joliette, Quebec. The upgraded MRF has been operational since mid-September 2016.
Machinex, based in Plessisville, Quebec, designed and installed the upgrade, which includes a ballistic separator that can sort fiber, containers and fines; a ferrous scrap magnet; an eddy current separator; and three MACH Hyspec optical sorters that clean newspaper, ejecting PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and other fiber, and sorting HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and mixed plastics.
David Marcouiller, Machinex executive vice president of sales engineering, says, “Optical sorting has become a major component of MRF upgrades since it can sort a large quantity of materials within a short period of time and obtain a higher quality.”
Now that the modernized MRF is operating, EBI Environnement employees who formerly had to manually sort materials now are working in a quality control capacity.
Audrey Castonguay, who serves as director of communications at EBI Environnement, says, “With our new equipment, we can increase the overall quality of material recovered, particularly with fiber, plastic and aluminum containers.”
Metso installs shear in Texas, develops housing design for shredders
Waxahachie, Texas-based Oak Cliff Recycling has selected an N Series Inclined Shear (NIS) made by Metso to accelerate the way it processes bulky, oversized scrap.
“Metso NIS has the design and ability to process difficult materials quickly and efficiently,” says Benjie Smith, owner of Oak Cliff Recycling. “Cutting cycle times are fast, and the design of the moving floor in getting the scrap metal to the blades removes the added time of folding and compressing in a box.”
Smith says the Dallas-area recycling company had struggled with unwieldy materials in conventional style shears that slowed down production. Oversized and often intractable material hampered recycling processes, and the company turned to Metso for a solution.
Scott Holder, Metso regional sales manager, describes the NIS as a state-of-the-art gravity-feed shear that can accept long material and large, bulky scrap. It is available with cutting forces that range from 600 to 1,250 metric tons. According to Metso, it is ideal in preparing heavy melting scrap, auto bodies, steel mill scrap, miscellaneous shapes, pipe, plate, railcars, demolition scrap, aluminum and stainless steel materials, as well as for use in shipbreaking applications.
In other company news, Finland-based Metso says it has developed a new housing design that is available for almost every Metso Lindemann shredder model. It is intended to cut service downtime and to facilitate equipment maintenance.
Metso says the most significant improvement is the detachable front wall, which provides easier access to wear parts and speeds replacement of worn components.
Newell Recycling Equipment to distribute CEG equipment
Scott Newell, CEO of Newell Recycling Equipment LLC (NRE), El Paso, Texas, and Gualtiero Rudella, CEO of CEG Srl, have announced that NRE is now the exclusive American representative and distributor for CEG’s extensive line of balers and shear balers for the scrap metal recycling market.
CEG, based in Daverio, Italy, manufactures the Taurus range of shears and balers.
Newell says he is pleased with the new arrangement because both companies have similar histories, having both begun manufacturing scrap processing equipment in the early 1960s and having strong reputations. Newell built and sold shredding plants, while CEG’s focus was on shears and balers. Both companies have sold their scrap processing machinery worldwide.
NRE says it has manufactured or licensed approximately two-thirds of the 850 full-sized shredders in the world and almost all the world’s shredders have design features based on the original Newell designs.
During the same period, CEG says it has manufactured and sold more than 700 shears and balers internationally, including more than 40 machines for the U.S. market that were manufactured under license.
The Newell family, beginning with Alton Newell Sr., who was an auto wrecking yard operator, has been operating scrap processing plants since 1939. Newell Sr. invented and began using what is believed to be the first truly mobile baler for automobiles. Around 1960, he invented and patented a shredder that was widely used in Newell Recycling Co. plants, the equipment supplier says.
The partnership with CEG allows NRE to be able to serve all scrap processors, not just the shredding industry.
Navistar launches Core Advantage Program
Navistar, Lisle, Illinois, has launched the Core Advantage Program, a new approach for core life cycle management. The Core Advantage Program allows fleet owners to manage their core and remanufacturing activity through tools like the Navistar proprietary software Core Management System (CMS).
Cores are used or failed parts that have been returned by the customer. They are used to remanufacture a returned part and to restore it to “like new” condition.
Remanufactured parts carry the same features and functionality as new parts and come with the same warranty, Navistar says. With the new Core Advantage Program, fleets can now have their own account number and location codes within CMS, which streamlines their ability to see and run reports on purchases, return history, core eligibility and core fallout rates across multiple locations.
Estes Express Lines Parts Manager Jim Cliborne, who was part of the pilot program, says, “The new program from Navistar has worked well for us. It’s been instrumental in increasing recovery on end-of-life trucks and reducing our maintenance costs.”
In other company news, Navistar was honored in the first-ever Analytics 50 Awards. Drexel University, Philadelphia, and CIO.com announced the winners, with Navistar’s Analytics team, represented by Dan Pikelny, vice president of analytics, being one of the honorees. The goal of the Analytics 50 Awards program is to honor 50 companies that are using analytics to solve business challenges.
To be considered for the Analytics 50 Awards, Navistar described how it came up with an analytics-based solution to address a current business challenge. The analytics team has developed algorithms to predict the lifetime failure rate and sets alerts on future risk, instead of focusing on historical experience, which means the team is helping fleet managers detect problems and prepare accordingly, the company says.
Wrightspeed and The Ratto Group unveil range-extended electric collection truck
Wrightspeed Inc., an Alameda, California-based manufacturer of range-extended electric vehicle powertrains for heavy-duty applications, and The Ratto Group, a Santa Rosa, California-based waste, yard waste and recycling collection and processing company, have unveiled the first commercial application of a range-extended electric collection truck.
Wrightspeed says that with the support of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, communities in Sonoma and surrounding counties will be served by a fleet of clean, quiet trucks from The Ratto Group that are powered by Wrightspeed’s range-extended powertrain, The Route.
The Route powertrains are displacing conventional diesel engine and transmission systems in commercial trucks and mass transit fleets, Wrightspeed says. Designed to deliver economic, environmental and performance benefits in original equipment manufacturers- (OEM-) installed new vehicles and existing fleet retrofits, The Route is a scalable solution that has been recognized by the state of California for its ability to help meet climate and air quality mandates. Wrightspeed was awarded $7 million in grants by the California Energy Commission to further develop the technology for broad-based adoption.
Wrightspeed and The Ratto Group presented the new truck during a Nov. 2, 2016, press conference in Sonoma County that included comments from Sonoma County Chairman of the Board Efren Carrillo, Chief Operating Officer of The Ratto Group Lou Ratto and Wrightspeed Founder and CEO Ian Wright.
“Today is a milestone for Sonoma County in terms of improving local air quality and upholding environmental standards,” Carrillo said at the time of the press conference.
“Sonoma County citizens have shown their high interest and support for innovative solutions that benefit our greenhouse gas reduction goals.”
He continued, “We applaud Wrightspeed and The Ratto Group for their commitment to innovation and for blazing a path for the future of solid and compostable waste as well as recycling in Sonoma County and beyond.”
The Ratto Group’s fleet services more than 140,000 customers in Sonoma County, Mariposa County, the city of Novato and in West Marin. Ratto and Wrightspeed say they plan to roll out more than 15 Route-equipped trucks to meet community needs.
AgPro joins JCB dealer network
AgPro Equipment Services Inc., headquartered in Hettinger, North Dakota, joins JCB’s North American dealer network as AgPro JCB. The dealership now offers JCB’s agricultural equipment, including high-speed Fastracs, telehandlers, skid steers and compact track loaders with side-entry doors and a patented, single-arm PowerBoom.
Founded in 2007, AgPro Equipment is an independently owned and operated business offering a wide range of agricultural services to individual farmers, ranchers and equipment dealers. In addition to a full line of diverse agricultural equipment, AgPro Equipment features a full-service department for equipment maintenance and repair, as well as for financing and leasing opportunities. The dealership also offers agricultural, industrial, heavy-duty truck and automobile parts through many suppliers and distributors and has a fully authorized NAPA auto, truck and ag parts store.
In addition to offering JCB equipment, AgPro JCB has adopted JCB’s overall look and brand at its Hettinger location. The dealership says it will use advertising and marketing materials to further communicate the availability of JCB equipment within central and southwestern North Dakota.
“In less than a decade, the company has managed to create an outstanding business and a network of customers who know they can rely on AgPro Equipment’s products and services to meet their agricultural needs,” Richard Fox-Marrs, Savannah, Georgia-based JCB North America president of agriculture, says of its new dealer. “We’re excited to be a part of the company’s growth and look forward to working together for a successful future,” he adds.
Crigler Enterprises expands its role with American Baler
American Baler, headquartered in Bellevue, Ohio, has announced that it has assigned the state of Florida to its Georgia dealer, Crigler Enterprises.
Crigler is based in Atlanta with established operations in Florida.
Companies in Georgia and Florida that are interested in American Baler’s products can contact Wayne Crigler by email at wcrigler@crigler.com or by phone at 404-874-4401.
For more than 70 years, American Baler has been building horizontal balers used for recycling a wide range of materials. Additional dealer contact information is available at www.americanbaler.com.
Zimmer America adds Beccaria product line
Spartanburg, South Carolina-based Zimmer America Recycling Solutions has announced it is the exclusive sales representative to North America for equipment made by Beccaria Srl, Scarnafigi, Italy.
Beccaria manufactures a range of equipment and plants for the plastics industry, including for mixing and blending, batching, storing and transporting plastic granulate, flakes and powder.
Other equipment made by Beccaria includes:
big-bag emptying, filling, and weighing stations;
screw conveyors and pneumatic conveying systems;
single and double-shaft batch mixers and rotating double-cone mixers;
hot air mixers/dryers for granulate;
mixing/blending silos;
storage silos for granulate or powders; and
storage and dosing plants for extruders.
Shared Logic announces new Ohio DPS integration
Holland, Ohio-based The Shared Logic Group Inc. has announced the integration of the state of Ohio “Do Not Buy” list. In a letter from Ohio Department of Public Safety (DPS) sent to scrap metal businesses that are registered in Ohio, the new “one swipe” functionality was announced as a way to have to swipe the potential seller’s identification card only one time.
Shared Logic’s RIMAS (Recycling Industry Management and Accounting System) NTP software has integrated and uploaded Ohio DPS information since it was first available in 2015. The company has now upgraded this integration to include a check from the state of Ohio’s “Do Not Buy” list. This check calls upon the list for each ID card and displays data if any are found.
“This development allows our customers to cross-reference the state’s database directly from our software instead of using a web browser to login and run a query for each ID card,” says The Shared Logic Group. “This upgrade is being made available at no additional costs to our customers.”
Since 1982 The Shared Logic Group has been providing the recycling industry with accounting and management software solutions and has more than 3,000 licensed users today.
May 21-24: Strive for Sustainability Solid Waste & Recycling Conference with Trade Show, Bolton Landing, New York, New York Federation of Solid Waste Associations, https://conference.nyfederation.org
California’s Port of Long Beach (POLB) is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. With 175 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports, the POLB handles $180 billion in trade annually. The POLB is a major economic engine for the Southern California region, supporting 1 in 8 jobs in Long Beach, 300,000 jobs in Southern California and 1.4 million jobs nationwide.
As the second-busiest seaport in North America, POLB moved 7.2 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) in 2015 and exported more than 380,000 TEUs of recovered paper and scrap plastic in 2015, which was 14 percent of our total laden container exports. We would like to thank the recycling industry for your confidence in our port and for your business.
Containerized cargo makes up about 75 percent of total volume, but the POLB is an omniport, moving all types of cargo. In addition to six container terminals, the port complex houses eight dry bulk terminals, six liquid bulk terminals, five break bulk terminals and two roll-on/roll-off facilities.
Port improvements
As cargo volume grows and ship size escalates, we continue to ensure efficient movement of your cargo. We are investing $4 billion this decade to improve our infrastructure—building a new bridge, creating a fully automated, zero-emissions megaterminal and increasing on-dock rail capacity. This aggressive capital spending plan is one of the many reasons we have been named “Best American Seaport” by Asia Cargo News 18 times in the past 21 years.
Where is this $4 billion being spent? To start, POLB is building the new $1.5 billion Gerald Desmond Bridge, which will replace the current bridge. It will be 205 feet above the water, 50 feet higher than the current bridge. This will allow for megasized ships to travel underneath and reach our north harbor. It will have additional lanes in each direction, including emergency and bike lanes. The bridge is important commercially because about 15 percent of all U.S. imports travel on it. The new bridge will be completed in 2018 and will be an iconic structure for the city of Long Beach. With its towers, it will be 500 feet tall—the tallest structure in the city. It also will be the largest cable-stayed bridge west of the Mississippi River.
Our new $1.5 billion Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT) is the world’s first all-electric, zero-emissions automated megaterminal. It is owned by Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) and is opening in three phases. Phase one opened in April 2016, adding 10 percent more container capacity to the POLB. In 2020, the final phase will be completed, adding another 20 percent of container capacity. Upon completion, LBCT will have the capacity to move 3.3 million TEUs per year. If this terminal were a port, it would be considered the fourth-largest port complex in the United States. In addition, LBCT will be able to handle the largest ships being built—up to 24,000 TEUs. The terminal will have 4,280 feet of berth space and 14 ship-to-shore gantry cranes and can expand to 18 cranes.
POLB also is spending $1 billion to double on-dock rail capacity. Five of our six container terminals have on-dock rail. Currently, we move about 26 percent of all our cargo on rail. Our goal is to reach 50 percent within the next 10 years. Increased use of on-dock rail will significantly relieve truck and terminal congestion and dramatically increase the speed that we move containers through the port. On-dock rail also will increase terminal capacity, allowing us to move more containers per acre on an annual basis. We can continue to grow container volumes without building costly new terminals. Moving cargo by rail is not only more efficient, saving shippers time and money, but it also reduces the impact of port operations on the environment. On average, one train at the port is the equivalent of taking 750 trucks off the road.
Big ships
Why is the POLB spending so much of our resources on infrastructure? We have several reasons, but the main one is big ships. Ever-escalating ship size necessitates new strategic thinking by seaports globally. Consider these numbers: In 2015, we saw overall container volumes jump 7 percent. At the same time, the number of containers went up 54 percent, while the numbers of container ship visits were down 31 percent. This means that we receive more cargo at once, delivered on megasized ships. To stay competitive with other ports and to grow our cargo market share, we must improve our infrastructure so we can accommodate the biggest ships and move mass amounts of cargo efficiently.
How big are these megasized vessels currently arriving at berth at the POLB? In February 2016, our port welcomed the largest vessel to call on North America: the 18,000 TEU Compagnie Maritime d’Affrètement - Compagnie Générale Maritime (CMA CGM) Benjamin Franklin. This vessel is as tall as a 20-story building, as long as four football fields and as wide as a 12-lane freeway. We are a deep-water port; our main channel is 72 feet deep, and many of our berths are larger than 50 feet. We are big-ship ready!
Greening operations
The POLB is doing much more for our shippers, industry and communities than improving our infrastructure. As the “Green Port,” we know economic and environmental sustainability are two sides of the same coin. We continue to implement new strategies to reduce harmful pollution from the port complex and surrounding areas. Since 2005, the POLB has cut diesel particulate matter by 81 percent. In addition, nitrogen oxide emissions were down 54 percent, and sulfur oxide emissions were down 88 percent over the same period. These results, from data collected through 2012, represent six straight years of improving air quality in the harbor area. Initiatives such as the Green Flag, the Green Ship and the Clean Trucks program continue to reduce pollution for the surrounding communities.
We applaud the paper and plastic recycling industries for pushing forward your own sustainable initiatives.
Changing alliances
In the shipping community, overcapacity of vessel space on the water is creating uncertainty and anxiety. Cargo demand has not kept up with increasing ship size. The future of shipping lines and the alliances are in flux. In April 2017, the current four shipping alliances—G6, Ocean 3, 2M and CKYHE—will become three—The Ocean Alliance (CMA CGM, American President Lines [APL], COSCO China Shipping, Evergreen and OOCL), THE Alliance (Nippon Yusen Kaisha [NYK], Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. [K-Line], Mitsui O.S.K. Lines [MOL], Yang Ming, Hapag Lloyd) and the 2M (Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Co. [MSC]).
While these alliances shift, we will see mergers occur. Earlier this year, COSCO and China Shipping announced a merger, and the three Japanese lines—K-Line, MOL and NYK—recently have agreed to merge. Hapax Lloyd is acquiring UASC, Maersk is purchasing Hamburg Sod and Hanjin Shipping went bankrupt. Until containerized cargo supply and demand finds its equilibrium, we will continue to see mergers and acquisitions in the shipping community.
Through all the uncertainty and challenges in the shipping community, the POLB’s value proposition remains strong. The POLB is still the shortest, fastest and most cost-effective gateway for goods moving to Asia. With both Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Union Pacific (UP) servicing the Southern California gateway, the POLB handles cargo from every part of the United States.
Additional priorities
Shipping line challenges aside, POLB recognizes other issues related to the movement of cargo across the maritime supply chain. Our Supply Chain Optimization (SCO) Initiative is ongoing and continues to make the POLB more efficient operationally. With participation and input from all sectors of the supply chain, including shipping lines, shippers, truckers, railroads, labor and container terminals, the POLB is tackling issues such as chassis management and availability, terminal and truck gate issues and data sharing.
Safety and security are top priorities at the POLB. Since Sept. 11, 2001, the POLB and the other government agencies responsible for security have greatly expanded their efforts to protect the port complex and surrounding communities. The POLB takes a leadership role in the development of strategies to mitigate security risks in the port complex, working closely with multiple partners, both public and private, to plan and coordinate security measures. In February 2009, the POLB inaugurated its new, state-of-the art Joint Command and Control Center. The $21 million, 25,000-square-foot facility houses the POLB Security Division and Harbor Patrol, as well as units from other local and federal agencies. In keeping with the port’s Green Port Policy, the structure is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, incorporating environmentally friendly design, recycled materials, energy efficiency and sustainable construction practices.
The POLB believes that, even with many challenges, our future together is big.
The authors are with the Business Development Division of the Port of Long Beach in California.
Preparing for install
Features - Baling Equipment Focus
The baler-buying process requires planning, time, teamwork and experience.
The year 1995 might have been more than two decades ago, and yet many things introduced that year are still around today. For instance, the internet welcomed eBay Inc., Yahoo and Match, while The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened in Cleveland.
Mid America Recycling, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, installed a Presona baler at the company’s Lincoln, Nebraska, material recovery facility (MRF) that year. This marked the first time that Sweden-based Presona had entered the U.S. market with its balers, says Mick Barry, president of Mid America Recycling.
Fast forward to early 2016: Presona had since left the U.S. market, while that same old Presona baler packed materials in Mid America’s 40,000-square-foot building. (After leaving the U.S. market for some time, Presona is again being sold and supported by parts and service in the U.S., represented by Stadler America, with U.S. headquarters in Colfax, North Carolina.)
However, Barry says his recycling company recognized the need to replace its 21-year-old baler. After several rebuilds—which included relining the floor and replacing wear plates and harnesses among other fixes—it was time for a change, he says. In addition, Presona leaving the domestic market made replacing parts difficult, Barry says.
“The baler itself was rebuilt three times, and that’s a lot for a baler,” Barry says of the 1995 Presona installation. “It was old and worn out and probably not worth rebuilding again.”
Barry continues, “Are you going to put a $100,000 repair job on a machine that’s almost 30 years old, or are you going to put $200,000 on a new machine? As a business, you’re going to do what makes sense.”
So began the bale-buying process, one Barry is all-too familiar with—Mid America has purchased about 25 balers over the years, he says. In the end, it was all about getting down to business.
Compare competitors
Barry says he and the plant management team at Mid America searched the marketplace high and low for options, almost entirely via the internet. This makes it easier to compare brands and models, he says. From hydraulics and performance statistics to throat characteristics—What is the largest size of cardboard that can fit without jamming?—studying the various features of different balers is time well-spent.
Barry says some questions to consider upfront include:
How does the supplier address parts and service delays?
What are the tons per hour and weight per bale?
What types of commodities can the baler handle?
What is the baler’s size and how does it fit into the current system?
What facility changes, if any, from electrical and door sizes to installing concrete, need to be addressed?
Productivity, bale weight and the baler’s footprint should be determined during initial searches. Understanding the hole that is left behind by the previous baler also is important. Additionally, for Mid America, the ability to handle multiple materials was key.
Barry says, “We look for balers that can handle every commodity, and some of the extrusion balers we’ve seen around don’t do as well with containers; they’re used to paper, not something springy like PET (polyethylene terephthalate) containers.”
Another factor to consider is shipping patterns. When it comes to cubing out a shipping container, tractor-trailer or railcar, Barry says it’s important to ensure the baler makes bales with suitable dimensions. With Mid America’s central location in the U.S., considering shipping patterns was important as the company is not close to any ports, making efficient transportation of high importance.
Barry says, “We look at the baler that gives us the good 60-inch-type bale as they’re better on trucks.”
He adds, “What fits the shipping patterns in the region you’re in?”
Once the list of potential balers has been modified based on these criteria, then it’s time to pick up the phone and talk to the manufacturers. Pricing and timeliness of delivery are the next factors to figure out.
Barry says, “I put the matrix together, and we said here’s the three [balers] we liked out of the 15 I matrixed out.
Next, he considered, “Who’s going to really give us what we want? Who could perform quickly and deliver it on-site at the given price?”
Seek advice
Beyond the internet, reaching out to others in the industry can prove helpful. Ask fellow recyclers why they are dedicated to one brand over another, Barry advises.
For Barry, his go-to guy is Steve Sutta, president of Sutta Co., Oakland, California. Sutta has several balers from Imabe of America, based in Miami. Barry and Sutta spent some time on the telephone discussing Imabe balers, with Barry saying he trusts Sutta’s perspective.
“Sutta said, ‘Get this model, not that model,’ as he knew what we wanted. We wanted the bigger one and not the smaller one, so he guided us on what he thought based on what he’s used,” Barry says.
He went with Sutta’s word, selecting an Imabe H120/2000 baler for the company’s Lincoln facility.
“We look for balers that can handle every commodity, and some of the extrusion balers we’ve seen around don’t do as well with containers; they’re used to paper, not something springy like PET containers.” – Mick Barry, Mid America Recycling
Prepare a plan
With the manufacturer selected and specific baler pinned down, working out the logistics is the next step. “You have to plan your change-outs big time,” Barry warns.
He says a baler installation requires a system shutdown and advises choosing a time when the company’s operations will be least effected. Dealing with cranes and other equipment could come into play, depending on the baler’s size.
The installation also requires a company’s entire operational team. Barry says he included this team as well as the logistics crew and even notified customers whose pickups might have been affected by the shutdown.
Because most MRFs don’t operate 24/7, he explains that a successful installation could go like this: Stop system operations Thursday night. Store all materials collected Friday in piles and remove the old baler. Spend Saturday and Sunday setting up the new baler, getting back to business by Monday morning.
“You have to know your flow and understand your flow patterns. Tell a customer, ‘We’re not going to pick you up for a few days. Do you need additional containers?” Barry suggests. “Leave stuff all over the place and run a little overtime the following week so you can get organized.”
Recyclers must determine transportation for the baler.
Imabe of America’s parent company, Imabe Ibérica, is based in Spain, which is where Mid America’s baler arrived from. Barry says Imabe paid the ocean freight to the U.S., with Mid America dealing with the logistics from the port to Lincoln. (The baler traveled by train to Chicago, and by truck the rest of the way to Nebraska.) As the baler manufacturer had recently entered the U.S. market, Barry says Imabe officials expected Mid America to have better contacts at the port. And it did; the company deals with a freight forwarder that handled the paperwork, Barry says.
In the end, determine what is most important to the company when purchasing a new baler. For Mid America, that was time. Barry says if Imabe had not been able to perform in a timely fashion, he might have chosen a different baler manufacturer. Fortunately, the supplier stuck to its word.
“We heard they were good for their word, and as a testimonial, they were better than their word,” Barry says.
The author is associate editor of Recycling Today and can be contacted via email at mworkman@gie.net.