NEWTON, WI: When Eric Burrows, Vice President of B & B Metals, was looking for a machine to feed scrap into B & B Metals’ 1,100 ton Vezzani shear, he knew he needed a machine that was more than just strong. He needed some serious height to reach the shear, which stands nearly 35 feet in the air. So he turned to SENNEBOGEN again to help him improve the overall productivity.

This 835 R special stands nearly 35 feet in the air.

Burrows relied on the operational performance of his first SENNEBOGEN purchase once he decided he was in the market for a new material handler. He recalled that he enjoyed dealing with SENNEBOGEN last time as they listened to him and his concerns about his operation.

The performance of the 835 C Series crane he'd bought for his Newton, WI., scrap processing operation two years ago set the precedent for the latest addition to his line of “green giants” - a 835 R special Material Handler, another SENNEBOGEN green line machine. “We needed something with some height and something stable. It also had to be dependable and quick,” Burrows says. “And with the 266-horsepower Caterpillar engine they have in there, we figured that this was the machine for us.” With a working radius of up to 68 feet, 11 inches, the 835 R special has the reach covered. “We looked at some other manufacturers, but nobody could give us the height we needed,” said Burrows.Furthermore, Burrows says he's impressed with the machine's stability. He says he's climbed into the operator's cab himself and picked up loads. “It's much more stable than I anticipated,” he says. But for the machine to truly meet his ideal needs, Burrows wanted mobility, as well as tall and sturdy.

“We wanted something that could give us operational flexibility, but we still needed the height,” Burrows says. “We didn't want something you could just stick in the ground, like a pedestal crane.”The 835 R special's primary job is to feed the Vezzani shear, which processes around 2,500 tons a month, says Burrows. But with its tracked undercarriage, the material handler isn't limited to working a shear. If the shear is down, Burrows has the option of taking the 835 R special across the yard and putting it to work in other ways. If the machine lacked that mobility, its productivity would be dependent upon the productivity of the shear.

“This machine does some serious lifting,” Burrows says. “We can also use it to feed the baler and the shredder. It's very mobile, very stable and is a well balanced piece of equipment.” The Midwestern scrap processing facility has been in business for more than 40 years since it was started by Burrows' parents, Robert and Sally. B & B Metals remains family owned and now has 35 employees. And with the solid relationship SENNEBOGEN built with B&B during the purchase of the 835 C, Burrows was more than willing to look to the green line again.In his second dealing with SENNEBOGEN, Burrows was again impressed with the personal attention he received. With the scrap industry booming, many manufacturers he's dealt with have put him on the back burner, Burrows says.

“But at SENNEBOGEN, their family approach to the business was exactly as it was the first time. We like that in a supplier. They are a ‘no surprises’ company.” With SENNEBOGEN, Burrows felt he and his company were a priority. “We were looking for something special, and they took the time to listen to our requirements and help us create a solution for what we needed. It's a well-built machine - I'd recommend it to anybody in a similar situation.”

SENNEBOGEN has been a leading name in the global material handling industry for more than 50 years. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, SENNEBOGEN North America offers a complete range of purpose-built machines to suit virtually any heavy lift or "pick & carry" application. A growing network of distributors supports SENNEBOGEN sales and service across North America, ensuring the highest standard of professional machine support and parts availability.

- MARCH 2005 -