A local fertilizer bagging plant, The Andersons Maumee Large Pack, asked Binkelman to provide input on their material conveyance operation. The customer’s specific concern was their shaft-mounted gearboxes with the V belts and chain drives.
Account Manager Jon Poponak took the lead on this project, so we interviewed him for his insight.
What did Binkelman do in this situation?
Jon: When we inspected the site, we realized that the nature of the material and the lack of available housekeeping demanded that we come up with a different solution than what they had in place. So, we pivoted from the plant’s existing power transmission design to a maintenance-free design. We eliminated all V belt drives and converted to Dodge’s Motorized Torque Arm. Now, there’s no more need to change or re-tension V belts or maintain guarding around the gearbox.
Did the Binkelman team provide any unique value to this customer?
Jon: We approached this project not just to identify the best replacement option for the customer’s gearboxes, but also to solve their performance and maintenance issues. We also took care of some other headaches they had related to their original system’s design.
Why should others consider using Binkelman for this or similar projects?
Jon: Our team takes a holistic approach to providing solutions. We don’t look at these situations as a chance to sell a part. We’re always thinking beyond the quick fix to help in bigger ways. We’re good at recognizing opportunities that save our customers time and money.