Equipment Report

Irock Acquires Indy Equipment
Irock, a manufacturer of crushing and screening equipment based in Valley View, Ohio, has announced the acquisition of Indy Equipment, in nearby Independence, Ohio. Irock says the move marks a significant step in furthering its long-term business strategy of investing in growth, technology and quality assurance to meet the needs of its expanding customer base in the aggregates and recycling industries. The acquisition encompasses Indy Equipment’s fabrication and manufacturing division.

Irock notes that while the official acquisition is new, the relationship between the two companies has been in existence for more than 20 years. Irock was established in 1992 with Indy Equipment as a strategic partner providing expertise in equipment design, engineering and manufacturing. Irock says the original partnership strengthened Irock’s manufacturing process by ensuring high quality, purpose-built equipment for its dealers and end-user customers, reflecting Independence Recycling Inc.’s (Indy Equipment’s sister company) firsthand knowledge and experience in the crushing and screening industry.

Irock’s acquisition brings the entire manufacturing process, from initial design to final quality assurance together for a more streamlined process.

“Our focus has always been on providing the highest quality equipment solutions to our customers, and we’re proud to have maintained that commitment,” says Bob Nelson, Irock’s general manager. “This acquisition brings the expertise and manufacturing efficiency that we’ve accessed through our strategic partnership under one roof, which will optimize efficiency and product quality, while maintaining our commitment to meeting the highest of standards.”

Ken Taylor, president and owner of Irock, says transitioning from being partners with Indy Equipment to acquiring the company has been natural. “Indy Equipment was an ideal fit for us from the start, sharing similar values in regards to customer service and quality in design, engineering and manufacturing. It has been a strong partnership for years, and we’re pleased to take it one step further to work more closely and seamlessly together.”

CP Group Appoints New President and COO
San Diego-based CP Group has announced that Terry Schneider, former director of post collections at Phoenix-based Republic Services, has been appointed president and chief operations officer. He replaces John Willis, who is retiring from the company after 27 years.

Schneider has 23 years of experience in the solid waste and recycling industry. He most recently led the Corporate Recycling Operations Group at Republic Services. His previous role with the company was in market development, having led the Rail Operations Group.

“It is a pleasure and privilege to join the CP Group team at this point in their history,” Schneider says. “With the global demand for recycling services and aggressive sustainability efforts that are vital to many organizations, the challenges are exciting. We look forward to keying in on the customer experience with the latest recycling technologies along with innovative operational solutions.”

As the new president and COO of the CP Group, Schneider will be responsible for overseeing sales, engineering, research and development and all other aspects of business operations and strategy for the five companies under the CP Group: CP Manufacturing, Krause Manufacturing, MSS, IPS Balers and Advanced MRF. Schneider will manage the vice presidents of these five companies and work directly under Bob Davis, CP Group CEO and owner.

“I’m very excited that Terry has accepted the leadership role here at the CP Group,” Davis says.

Genesis Attachments Expands Dealer Network
Murphy Tractor and Equipment Co., based in Park City, Kansas, has been named exclusive dealer of Genesis Attachments, Superior, Wis., for Western Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and southern Ohio.

“Now carrying a wide range of attachments for use on all sizes of excavators and skid steers presents a great opportunity for our company to provide additional products and support to our existing customers,” says Matt McNett, Murphy Tractor and Equipment region manager.

Genesis says Murphy Tractor and Equipment Co.’s commitment to quality and customer service is well aligned with its own.

“Partnering with Murphy Tractor is a very good fit for us, but more importantly, it’s also beneficial for area companies interested in improving their operations through the use of attachments,” Leif Strandberg, Genesis Midwest regional manager, says.

Genesis Attachments designs and manufactures shears, grapples, concrete processors and specialty attachments for the scrap processing, demolition, material handling and decommissioning industries.

Murphy Tractor and Equipment Co. has 28 locations in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Nebraska.

The Road Connection Cross-Country Draws to a Close
After 35,000 miles, 39 states and nine oil changes, The Road Connection tour officially came to a close in Yankton, S.D., Sept. 20, 2012. A celebratory rally was held at Kolberg Pioneer, Inc. (KPI) headquarters to bring closure to this comprehensive advocacy campaign.

For the past year, the marketing team at KPI-JCI & Astec Mobile Screens has taken an active role in advocating for stronger construction and transportation industries by urging the passage of a long-term transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, commonly known as MAP-21.

Members of the organization identified a need for infrastructure funding, and subsequently created and sponsored The Road Connection—a campaign designed to bring awareness to the public about the condition of U.S. infrastructure.

“We have literally been taking our message to the streets for the past year,” says Lisa Carson, campaign director and marketing manager for KPI-JCI & Astec Mobile Screens. “Wanting to practice what we preach, our team in the truck traveled over 35,000 miles of U.S. roads, and saw quite a few nasty stretches of asphalt and concrete.”

The celebration to cap off The Road Connection tour was held in tandem with the KPI-JCI & Astec Mobile Screens National Dealer Conference (NDC)—an annual opportunity for equipment dealers to gather for networking, educational sessions, and seminars. Politicians, local businesses, students, employees, press and the general public listened to speeches, enjoyed lunch and networked in the KPI-JCI parking lot Sept. 20, 2012.

Keynote speakers at the event included South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard; Kim Phelan, director of programs for Associated Equipment Distributors; and Kenyon Gleason, vice president of operations for The American Road and Transportation Builders Association.

“It was a great way to celebrate all of the hard work that has been put into this initiative,” Curt Peterka, one of the drivers of The Road Connection truck, and advertising manager for KPI-JCI & Astec Mobile Screens, says. “Now, our job is to figure out what role The Road Connection can play as an advocate for our industry in the future.”

Over the next few months, Carson, Peterka and others will be determining next steps for the initiative while the truck itself enjoys a well-deserved break, parked at Kolberg Pioneer (KPI) headquarters in Yankton.

More information about The Road Connection is available at www.theroadconnection.org. To follow The Road Connection’s progress, visit blog.theroadconnection.org or facebook.com/theroadconnection.

Wastequip Reorganizes Business For Brand Flexibility
Wastequip, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., says it is realigning its business to better serve customers in the waste and recycling industries.

The reorganization is designed to allow the company to provide greater focus on individual product lines and brands, the company says.

Wastequip will remain the corporate parent for all products and brands. However, the company has been organized into the following stand-alone business units:

• Containers, including steel and environmental containers and hoppers;
• Mobile products, including tarps, hoists and vacuum trucks;
• Plastics, including all Toter brand carts and containers; and
• Technical, including compactors, balers and intermodals.

The reorganization will allow each division the flexibility to respond to needs relevant to their customers and the markets in which they compete, according to Wastequip. Wastequip says its customers will benefit by having focused sales representatives by product line and additional inside support staff for faster response times with quotes and other inquiries.

Manufacturing facilities will be aligned by division to ensure that products are manufactured to the same standards each time, regardless of the facility in which they are produced, the company says. Additionally, each facility will maintain inventory for faster customer response.

“We listened to our customers and to our employees to ensure that this is the right move for us,” Marty Bryant, CEO of Wastequip, says. “Wastequip has the top brands and products in the industry, and this new structure ensures we don’t lose focus on either. I am excited about the realignment of our business and the personal customer approach we offer that is not available from anyone else in the industry.”

Wastequip operates a network of 27 manufacturing facilities. Wastequip’s range of waste and recycling equipment and systems are used to collect, process and transport recyclables, solid waste, liquid waste and organics. Brands operating under the Wastequip name include Wastequip, Toter, Galbreath, Pioneer, Accurate, Cusco, Mountain Tarp and Parts Place.