SP at ISRI 2013 & Material Handling Options

February is almost over and ISRI 2013 is right around the corner!  We will be in attendance at booth 1506 with our head sales representatives Gene Koelsch and Brad Duemler ready to answer your questions. We will have conceptual graphics of our newest machines including the EM-Series compactors, a great deal of literature, and prize drawings.  Here is a link with all the information for ISRI 2013 in Orlando -  http://isriconvention.org

We also want to discuss one of the best things about dealing with SP: the opportunity for customization. We believe in making waste handling decisions easier by incorporating high end standard features and offering site-specific optional features for our compactors. This starts with an understanding of where and how the equipment will be used including the type and amount of waste you are dealing with. Once this is understood, additional equipment makes the future use of your equipment easier and maximizes efficiency during operation.

First, the additions that can be made to both our 5,000 and 10,000 lb. decks help with loading, servicing the units, and safety. Deck extensions, for instance, allow clearance for accessing the rear of a machine, as well as make it easier to join machine decks to loading docks. We also provide OSHA and ANSI compliant hand rails and safety gates that make loading areas more secure.

Next, our wide selection of hoppers and chutes help you customize how you load waste into your compactor. Whether your operation requires side loading, rear loading or a fully enclosed design, our hoppers can be designed to accommodate almost any height or distance from a loading wall. Similarly, chutes can be customized for use with self-contained compactors and interlocked systems as security chutes. Safety interlocks are also incorporated into doghouse type enclosures to prevent unwanted usage. SP also offers many options for connecting your compactor to a container such as compactor stands and pinning tunnels that prevents waste from spilling when containers are pulled away from compactors.

The numerous control features available on our equipment make using our compactors easy and even more reliable. Beyond the interlock switches mentioned earlier, we also manufacture infrared start systems which start compaction cycles when they sense a full chamber. Our advance full load indicators notify you when a container will soon be full so that you can contact your hauler and reduce compactor downtime. Monitoring the performance of your unit is also made easier with our many pressure and temperature gauges which will prevent your unit from operating if oil levels get low or temperatures become too high.

These options and many others help you accommodate any installation and plan ahead according to how your equipment will be used. To learn more about how our standard and optional features help you reduce your overall cost of waste disposal visit www.sp-industries.com or contact Gene Koelsch, Brad Duemler, or Adam Pool in our sales department.

Happy New Year and a Call to Material Handling Dealers

Another holiday season has passed and SP welcomes you to the new year!  We are starting this year as we always do, with a focus on customer satisfaction. 

Once again, we are looking for dealers who are as committed to customer satisfaction as us and also interested in working with a leading manufacturer in the material handling industry dedicated to selling premium products and systems. We have been producing product destruction, recycling, compaction, and cart dumping equipment for over 45 years. And most importantly, our sustainable systems attract customers by providing them the lowest overall operating costs in waste handling.

Lowering operating costs happens on many levels with SP equipment. Our equipment maximizes payloads and minimizes labor, transportation costs, equipment repairs, power usage, fuel emissions, resulting in a significant reduction in your carbon footprint.

Right now we serve a wide customer base in the food waste, metal recycling, pallet destruction, and waste compaction industries. Expanding our operation, however, does not happen without qualified dealers who are sales minded and can provide customers with support throughout the buying process. For dealers as well as direct customers, SP provides sales training, technical support, systems consultation, and the best warranty program in our industry for all of the equipment we manufacture.

If you are interested in becoming a dealer of high quality waste handling equipment, we would love to hear from you! Please contact Denny Pool at 800.592.5959 or denny@sp-industries.com for more information on pursuing a relationship with SP.

SP Introduces Our Newest Compactors & Says Happy Holidays!

The holiday season is here once again!  With all the hustle and bustle it’s a welcome break from our everyday pressures. There is the usual scramble around here as we work to get those last minute orders out the door before year’s end. No matter how bad or tough you think things are, it’s still a good time to count our blessings and be thankful we wake up everyday, take nourishment, and head out the door. And be thankful for our service men and women serving and fighting for our freedom. I’m most thankful for my health, family, and friends. I’m also thankful for the great partners and employees we have and the chance to serve you for 30 years. November is a great month. 1982 is when it all started so it’s SP’s 30th Birthday. Even though I started here in 1984, November is the same month in 2002 I became President; 10 years and going strong.  

The year has been good despite the political scene, economy, and unem- ployment. It’s turned out a little above average compared to the last few years. You, our customers, with your hard work have paid off for all of us. Thank you for the orders, your friendship, understanding, harassment in good times and bad, and most of all your loyalty.

This year has seen some of our research and development programs come and go. After many hours and many dollars we have scrapped the digester, solar, and wind projects. We found them to be most unrealistic in return on investment to just plain gimmicks. The mechanical compactor and dumper systems however, made us a believer in R & D. As I’ve said before, SP was "green" before "green" was cool. Now we’re a little greener with the EM Series Compactors and the EM-EHD Dumper. These systems work almost the same as the hydraulic cylinder systems less the reservoir and hoses. The same sizes, forces, cycle times, penetration, warranties, & payloads with no worry of an oil spill are available.

 

The niche markets have stayed strong through the year. Maximizing food waste loads, scrap steel loads, and general waste loads have helped cut carbon footprints. This reduces fuel, emissions, labor, and wear and tear on the roadways. Our de-watering and de-oiling systems are getting more popular as they help customers recover cutting oils and lubricants. And our product destruction systems are destroying many different products from glass baby food jars to automotive transmissions or motorcycle frames. This eliminates the possibility of them showing up in the local flee market and saving our customers millions of dollars in lawsuits.

 

Our suppliers have increased their prices from 4% to 7% so it’s inevitable that we will be increasing also. It’s difficult to figure out completely due to the fluctuations in all the components from copper, steel, oil, and insurance. The increase will be around 5% and I’m hoping this will take us through next year.

 

Once again, SP wants to express gratitude for your loyalty and support. As always, we are here as more than just a high quality manufacturer, but also to support you through the entire sales process. Feel free to contact us at any time.

Sustainability in the Material Handling Industry

If not already developed, your company has likely begun to develop some sort of a green initiative. The conventional wisdom of doing things good for the environment and good for the bottom line is sometimes difficult to achieve. Now, thanks to the application of high density compaction and innovative technology, that’s all changing in the field of waste material handling and solid waste removal.

Through high density compaction and automated dispatching of waste haulers, it is possible to reduce transportation operations by an average of 40% or more. Such results are possible by fixing the problem at the source….the waste compactor. By improving the performance efficiency of waste compactor management so that only maximum loaded compactor containers are picked up, enormous improvements and savings are possible.

This is especially important because waste removal trucks are among the least efficient vehicles on the road. But as it turns out, the easiest solution to reducing costs and the carbon footprint of the waste process is with the waste compactor, not the truck. A high density compactor with a monitoring system from SP Industries is your best solution. An automated monitoring system actually watches how the high density compactor container is filling, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When a “full container” is sensed, the waste hauler is automatically notified by the monitor. In real world experience, this results in an average of 40% fewer trips by the waste hauler, and reducing the fuel consumption, air pollution, and carbon footprint of these trucks by 40%!

Many waste compactor users find it almost impossible to consistently know when a compactor’s container is ready for pickup. Because businesses are often concerned about calling the hauler too late, they rely on regularly scheduled waste pickups, or guess when to call for a pickup based on such unreliable measures as pressure gauges and indicator lights. These practices result in compactor containers being picked up too frequently, often with only 5,000# to 6,000# payloads when they should be 15,000# to 20,000# payloads.

Like an out-of-tune car or truck engine, an inadequate or malfunctioning compactor is incredibly wasteful. Improper pressure settings or faulty gauges can fool workers into calling for a pickup when the container is just half full. The added pollution that results, as well as the added expense, can be much more significant than is at first apparent. High density compaction is able to greatly improve waste stream efficiency and document results, because it is a complete, fully automated monitoring solution. State-of-the-art sensing technology, on-board intelligence and embedded software are fully configurable to the needs of the individual user.

Fewer truck pickups equate to fewer miles driven, which means fewer trucks are needed to service the same number of customers. That also means that truck maintenance is reduced proportionately. So, reducing these factors is an added bonus.

Perhaps the most attractive aspect of utilizing these types of systems is that on a purchase basis, the system typically pays back in 9 months or less. After that, it continues to generate major savings. Contact an SP representative today to find out more about how to significantly reduce operating expenses and cut your carbon footprint.

Welcome to Sustainable Compaction!

As the second quarter of 2012 begins, SP has an exciting new product announcement! We are pleased to introduce the first line of industrial, electro-mechanical compactors completely absent of hydraulic fluid. 

These ground-breaking compactors utilize a solid steel screw shaft powered by an electric motor that pushes the ram through the compaction chamber.  This eliminates the potential for hydraulic fluid spills in and around customer facilities providing contamination-free operation in all applications and for all industries.  The new EM Series frees up floor space by removing the need for bulky power units used with traditional compactors.  Also, a built-in grease system automatically lubricates the shaft and the motor remains protected by a soft-start system and full-load indicator to prevent surges or overamping. 

As with all of our equipment, the EM Series is completely customizable and can be integrated into most of our systems alongside our specialty dumpers, chutes, and decks.  You can find the EM Series specifications sheet here.

We anticipate the release of the EM Series to have a big impact on our industry and encourage you to contact us with your questions or concerns!

SP Reduces Waste Costs for Weber Packaging by 20% !

Creating fuel out of waste provides an incredible benefit to the environment and oftentimes your pocket book.  Weber Packaging Solutions found this out when they recently launched a new operation that helps convert its former label waste into fuel instead of landfill fodder.

Weber makes pressure-sensitive labels for use by both industrial and consumer goods companies. The firm annually produces more than 1,500 tons of paper and synthetic waste as a byproduct of its label manufacturing and printing operation inside its 320,000-sq-ft facility.

Weber then needed to determine a reasonable means of collecting its label waste and transporting it 200 miles to the Pellet America plant that is able to transform non-recyclable paper and synthetic waste into pellets that are used as an industrial fuel source.

For this Weber turned to our NP-165 scrap-loading system designed to pack paper waste into semi trailers.  This machine has been successfully integrated at several newspaper printing facilities across the United States to load (via compaction) over the road semi trailer with up to 40,000 pounds of scrap Old Newsprint (ONP).  At Weber, this system will allow the company to redirect 99 percent of their annual label waste from the landfill, and repurpose it as raw material for fuel pellets.  They will also be able to reduce their waste disposal expenses by nearly 20 percent, including the cost of using semi-trailers to transport their material.

Let us know how your organization has made their material handling practices more sustainable by commenting on this post.  Also, you can get a no obligation evaluation of your current system and how we can increase efficiency and boost saving for you by visiting:   http://www.sp-industries.com/costCalculator.cfm

Metal Recycling Compactors

Recycling scrap metal is an enormous business in the United States.  From the 56 billion aluminum cans recycled in 2010, to the millions of tons of ferrous and non-ferrous metals sorted, sheared, shredded, torched and baled at processing plants, the metal recycling business is booming. Compactors play an important role in this recycling process because achieving higher density during compaction equates to larger loads that can be transported from processing plants to steel mills.  The higher the density, the more money that processors save in transportation.

SP makes long lasting, fast cycling pre-crushers and metal compactors designed to maximize the efficiency and reliability.  Our systems can include fluid collection systems designed to separate oil from metal turnings and chips.  Also, our closed compaction containers eliminate the potential for ground water contamination in and around metal processing areas.   Most importantly, our equipment is backed by the best warranty in the industry and our engineers can address any site-specific installation concerns.

A great resource with information on all of our metal compaction equipment is our metal recycling catalog. You can also visit SP online at sp-industries.com for more information about metal compaction and equipment specifications.  And we would love to hear your experience with metal recycling by replying to this post or contacting us on Facebook or Twitter. 

Safety first . . .and next, and last!

First off, Happy New Year!  The holidays have passed and 2012 is here with new opportunities and challenges.  One challenge that cannot be ignored (especially at work) is safety.  And as you know, safety is not only very important in the waste handling industry but EVERY industry.

You may or may not be aware that a sizeable amount of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) focus is on employee education and training in the workplace.   For some time though, this information hasn’t been easy to locate because a great deal of it is spread throughout their standards publication and within other regulations.   In response to this “missing section” a recent collection of OSHA standards that are employee-training specific has been produced that aims to be a useful reference.

Although they do represent a condensed version of the standards and are not 100% authoritative, this site provides an invaluable resource for managers.  Across the board standards such as emergency and fire evacuation plans are listed as well as considerations for specialized industries that deal with chemicals and radiation.  Also, this reference provides detail on the safe use of heavy duty material handling machinery for both commercial and industrial jobsites. 

So expand your understanding of workplace safety by visiting this part of the OSHA Training network:  www.oshatraining.com/osha-general-industry-training-requirements.php  

For more safety information regarding the use of our waste handling equipment specifically you can always browse our equipment specifications online at:  www.bestcompactors.com  Also, feel free to contact the chairman of the compactor committee for the ANSI Z245 Accredited Standards Committee and our president, Denny Pool, at denny@sp-industries.com

The Benefits of High Density Compaction

When looking into purchasing a compactor there are many things to consider.  Simply understanding that these machines are designed to compact waste materials into a container is just the beginning.  It is important to look for a compactor that not only reduces volume, but also saves you money.  Oftentimes, taking into consideration the benefits of a compactor can make the purchasing decision an easy one. 

First and foremost, high density compaction reduces the costs associated with hauling waste.  Simply put, the more waste that gets squeezed into your container equates to fewer trips that need to be made to the landfill.  Moreover, these fewer trips to the landfill reduce the potential for property damage to black top or concrete loading areas.  As you can imagine, over time the traffic from 50 ton waste trucks can produce significant wear and tear on your lot.  Compactors also reduce the risk of fire at a facility.   Because compaction revolves around removing air to reduce volume, the higher density loads created throughout the process are much less likely to burn than loose trash.

For some companies product destruction becomes very important when disposing sensitive material.  Destroying products through compaction prevents their reuse and ensures peace of mind.  Compactors that have been operating for several years in harsh conditions can reflect their long life in chipping paint and weathered seals and hinges.  Therefore, at the very least, a new machine improves the aesthetics of a plant’s waste handling area.

Installing a compactor with a full enclosure design can also allow for better climate control in a facility.  This design eliminates the need to open doors on cold walls that let outside air in or inside air out.  These sealed systems also play an important role in reducing pilfering and pest control.  This is because a compactor that is connected to a container restricts employee access while preventing rodents from crawling into the compaction chamber or container. 

In terms of safety, compactors help control workman compensation claims while increasing the ergonomics of waste disposal.  For instance, incorporating a cart dumper into a compaction system reduces the risk of injury associated with heavy lifting and disposal of awkward materials.  At the same time, these systems are very easy to operate and maintain.   

So what is your experience with operating waste handling equipment?  We are interested in hearing about your experience with compactors and compaction equipment.  Also, let us know about some of the features you would like to see incorporated into compactors in the future.

For more information on the benefits of high density compaction, visit our site here.

SP Updates: Where we’re at and where we’re going

Having entered the holiday season and with the end of 2011 fast approaching, SP would like to discuss our present and future.  Not only have we been much more active in manufacturing and selling Extended Height Dumpers, but we are also heavily focused on marketing our metal recycling systems. This focus stems from a push to maximize efficiency as well as sustainability throughout the metal recycling process. 

As business picks up, we are seeing a good deal of interest from the food waste industry as well as transfer stations around the country.  Some of our latest equipment shipments include CP-8002 compactors, ROLO dumpers, and many food waste compactors such as our CP-125 and CP-155 units.  We are also very excited about our new hydraulic latch system designed to secure semi-trailers to commercial compactors and allow for fast, efficient trailer replacement. This premium alternative to traditional ratchet fastening systems covers the shaft from weather exposure and prevents corrosion therefore extending its overall life. 

We have also been regularly updating our website with new literature, photos, and interactive 3D drawings from our engineering department. There has been a boost in our website traffic and our social media presence is ever growing.  As always, we enjoy the online dialogue with others in the waste handling industry and would love to hear from you on Facebook or Twitter.  On a separate note, shortly after the first of the year we will be releasing our new pricing guide to reflect updated parts and equipment changes.  More information on this will be available once the changes have taken place.

Finally, SP invites you to incorporate sustainability into your holiday season personally and professionally.  There are many ways to reduce waste or plan ahead with the environment in mind and online resources such as www.facebook.com/greenopolis, http://www.facebook.com/RecycleBank, and http://twitter.com/#!/carbonfeet serve as great for reminders for how to accomplish this.    

Becoming a Dealer for SP Industries

SP is currently looking for dealers who are as committed to customer satisfaction as we are.  As you may know, we are a leading manufacturer in the waste material handling industry dedicated to selling premium products and systems.  Our facility has been producing product destruction, recycling, compaction, and cart dumping equipment for over 45 years. And most importantly, our sustainable systems attract customers by providing them the lowest overall operating costs in waste handling. 

Lowering operating costs happens on many levels with SP equipment.  By maximizing payloads our equipment minimizes labor, transportation costs, equipment repairs, power usage, fuel emissions, resulting in a significant reduction in your carbon footprint.  Our website is an excellent resource for details regarding the many time-saving and money-saving reasons why our waste equipment outperforms the competition.

Right now we serve a wide customer base in the food waste, metal recycling, pallet destruction, and waste compaction industries.  Expanding our operation, however, does not happen without qualified dealers who are sales minded and can provide customers with support throughout the buying process.  For dealers as well as direct customers, SP provides sales training, technical support, systems consultation, and the best warranty program  in our industry for all of the equipment we manufacture.

If you are interested in becoming a dealer of high quality waste handling equipment, we would love to hear from you!  Please contact Denny Pool at 800.592.5959 or denny@sp-industries.com for more information on pursuing a relationship with SP.

Transfer Station Operations

One of the many operations that SP Industries manufactures compactor systems for is the transfer station. SP offers many options for choosing a high quality, high density transfer compactor from different cylinder configurations to custom-designed systems that fit the needs of specific waste streams. In the waste handling industry, transfer stations allow municipalities a manner of collecting waste at one location before it is hauled off to a landfill that may be miles away. Because they are often times located in residential and commercial areas, transfer stations must take into consideration how daily operations may affect their neighbors. For instance, the coming and going of waste haulers dumping into compactors, debris clean up, and garbage odor are a few concerns that become important to monitor while operating in and around communities.

Waste Advantage  has recently released an article detailing the plan for community outreach that transfer operations should make as a part of the ongoing communication with their neighbors. A transfer station located adjacent to homes and businesses, for example, should consider monthly meetings with community members regarding a commitment to hiring local workers or landscape improvements. Also, as is the case in almost all planning and development stages, stations should develop a clear explanation of why the community needs the station and what benefits it provides.

After brainstorming a plan, transfer stations need to develop a process for responding to community concerns that the community is familiar with. One person should be assigned as the primary contact for community members with questions and concerns. Another consideration is for transfer stations to organize periodic facility tours for neighbors who are unfamiliar with station operations.


For more information on transfer stations and their role in a community visit http://www.sp-industries.com/ or http://wasteadvantagemag.com/

The SP Triple Bottom Line

We have been busy updating our literature, tweaking the website, and working on new products! The theme we have kept in mind during these updates and changes has been a continuing focus on sustainability, most popularly known as “thinking green.” At SP, we take a very detailed and involved approach to sustainability. The development and production of new products to be added to our line of waste handling equipment centers around meeting the needs of the present without compromising those of the future. In other words, we gauge how sustainable our products and operations are according to how well they uphold three interdependent dimensions: the environment, economics, and society—what we refer to as our triple bottom line.


For a leader in the waste material handling industry, adhering to this triple bottom line means manufacturing equipment that not only achieves maximum density but also increases our customers’ payloads and results in less trash hauling. Also, with the economy in mind, we have specific criteria designed to help our customers perform an accurate cost savings analysis regarding their material handling and recycling efforts. For instance, it is important for companies to ask: “What size and type of waste am I dealing with?” “What volume have we produced in the past?” “What compaction ratio are we currently getting?” How many pick-ups do we currently have and what is the maximum load allowance in our current container?” Moreover, we help companies navigate deciding among buying, leasing, and renting. Labor and equipment intensity also becomes relevant in making purchasing decisions especially in terms of the number of workers and machines utilized within a waste handling operation.


Read more about how our systems make waste handling operations more sustainable in our latest metal recycling catalog or on our website. Also, we would love to hear any questions or comments that you have via a response to this post or by emailing us.