Metal Shredder To Extend Hours

A metal shredder on St. Cloud's East Side will operate extended hours through next spring, when it will shut down to have its engine replaced with a more powerful, quieter one.

City Council members voted unanimously Monday to allow American Iron's metal shredder to work three extra hours a day on weekdays and 10 hours every Saturday from now until March 31 to build up an extra supply of steel scrap.

"We are still watching and will continue to monitor their work, but this company's relationship with the community is much improved," City Council President Carolyn Garven said.

Garven represents the East Side.

The company needs to build up that extra amount to keep its supply to Grede Foundry intact when it closes down temporarily to replace its diesel motor with a more powerful, quieter electric model, said Mark Newbury, environmental specialist for American Iron.

American Iron operates the shredder on a site owned by Midway Iron.

City officials' enthusiasm for the shredder is a sharp turnaround from previous years. In 1998, the city and Midway Iron went to court over the shredder's operation.

In 2002, the city filed another lawsuit to force the shredder's owners to reduce its air pollution emissions.

Grede Foundry needs a steady supply of steel scrap from the shredder for use in its metal works, said Bill Riner, vice president of operations at Grede.

"We need steel like a grain mill needs flour," he said. "We'll have to pay a lot more if we can't get it from American Iron."

It will take about a month to replace the shredder's engine, Newbury said.

The company can't build up enough of a surplus without the extended hours, he said.

City leaders also agreed Monday to remove restrictions on what route trucks delivering material to or from the shredder may travel, saying other similar companies are not required to hold to such restrictions.

New hours will be from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, instead of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Saturday, the shredder will run from 6 a.m.-4 p.m. St. Cloud (Minnesota) Times