Harris: cranking out innovation.

For more than a century, customers have relied on the manufacturing skill and design innovation of Harris. Headquartered in Peachtree City, Georgia, with manufacturing facilities in Cordele and Baxley, Georgia, Harris Waste Management Group Inc. and its Harris Press & Shear division remain the preferred supplier of processing equipment to the scrap and recycling industries.

Harris has stayed at the top by consistently demonstrating an ability to innovate. That ability to excite the market with new products has moved into high gear in 2003, as Harris is poised to introduce a series of design, operating and service innovations for the recycling market.

EQUIPPED FOR THE FUTURE

Harris, with the support of its parent FKI Corp., has continually upgraded the design and machining capabilities at both its Cordele and Baxley facilities. "FKI has made a substantial investment in manufacturing equipment to enable us to provide superior customer support all around," says Doug Sebastian, Harris VP of Sales and Marketing.

Director of Engineering and Technical Resources Henry Jobe notes that Harris has upgraded its cylinder-making capabilities so it can manufacture its own specially-designed cylinders as well as re-building Harris cylinders for customers with a quick turnaround time.

On the design side, the Solid Edge three-dimensional software system allows the company to perfect the design of every part found in Harris equipment, down to nuts and bolts, while also reducing product design time.

"The combination of investments in our plants and engineering department gives us the maximum amount of confidence in our equipment," says Sebastian. "And not only that, we're producing products and parts faster for our customers."

Harris Manager of Parts and Service Dwane Braziel echoes that vote of confidence. "We're now even better able to meet customer needs because of the commitment FKI has made in the plants and equipment."

The company has also invested in its ability to use the Internet and modern telecommunications methods to boost customer service capabilities. Owners of Harris scrap metal balers, shears and shredders can order replacement parts online at www.harris-parts.com, and can also ask technical questions online through the Web site.

Newer Harris equipment also includes modems through which Harris equipment owners and Harris representatives can communicate and conduct machine troubleshooting online. "We dial that line up and can watch that machine operate via the Web," says Dwane Braziel. "It's a tremendous troubleshooting tool for the customer."

Operators are noticing a difference in how newer Harris models work as well. "The touchscreen control is something that is rapidly gaining popularity," notes Mike Lee, General Manager of Harris's Baxley facility. "It provides the customer with a lot more data than what is offered on many other control systems," he adds.

The newest technological enhancements are part of an overall Harris philosophy to provide the best equipment recyclers can obtain. "We have a large amount of equipment in the field that has been providing reliable service for 25 or 30 years," says Doug Sebastian. "The owners of that equipment will be happy to know that we have a whole new generation of equipment that will provide them with even better performance when they are ready to upgrade from their old reliable models."

IRON-CLAD POWER

Even though design work may have shifted to computer drives and monitors, the work of compressing, shearing and shredding scrap metal continues to call for the best metal fabrication and machining possible.

Here, too, technology plays a role, as Harris can call on a combination of its experienced machinists and metal-workers using engineered systems and processes to make Harris balers, shears and shredders for scrap recyclers.

The resulting products feature some recently introduced innovations to maximize production. "Harris has introduced a new family of power units on its shears and balers incorporating a flooded suction design that enhances both productivity and extends pump life," notes Harris President Edd Berkoben.

Henry Jobe notes that the GS (Global Shear) Series of Harris shears includes a re-designed crosshead section designed to minimize the bulk of the machine while maintaining its strength. An operator-friendly gibb adjustment and a versatile clamshell charging box also allow the GS line of shears to boast impressive hourly production rates.

Harris equipment can now also be outfitted with computerized production monitoring systems, helping scrap yard operators keep close tabs on production numbers.

"We are seeing a more sophisticated second and third generation of operators and customers," says Edd Berkoben. "The pioneers in the recycling industry were very innovative and contributed to many advancements. With the new generation we are seeing and can expect to see an even greater demand for sophistication and automation."

Harris's response includes control and reporting systems to help company owners track production and equipment design improvements such as upgraded hydraulic systems that yield impressive production graphs.

PACKED FOR SHIPMENT

When Harris introduces a new baler model, the industry takes notice. In the first few years of the new millennium, Harris has given the industry plenty to talk about.

The new HHB-150 horizontal baler from Harris is the first in a line of balers featuring the company's new "prefill" hydraulic cylinder. According to Harris R&D Manager Ed Simpson, the prefill cylinder design allows for steady cylinder and hydraulic fluid movement that ultimately reduces energy consumption and decreases the cycle time.

Jim Jagou, Harris Vice President of Sales, says the design feature is proving its worth in the field and provides benefits that customers can clearly see. "The high production rate and low power costs provided by the new cylinder design provides the efficiency recyclers are looking for in today's operating environment."

The HHB-150 model in use by Waste Management Inc. at a high-volume New England recycling plant has been a success in the field, according to Edd Berkoben. "This baler is performing up to and beyond expectations and provides a showcase for Harris to display its new product in operation to potential customers."

While the HHB balers are poised to capture the attention of large recycling plant operators looking for the ultimate baling machine, Harris is also introducing models for small and medium-sized recycling plants.

The Wolverine model two-ram baler is "best suited for the smaller recycler who needs the versatility of a two-ram baler at a good entry-level price," says Jagou. Also new from Harris is the TransPak compactor, a large-volume compacting machine designed for haulers maximizing the material they can transport in one trip.

All Harris models are supported by a dealer network and Harris support team that Mike Lee says is second to none. "We have a nationwide support staff consisting of both our own Harris service staff and the service people from our distributors throughout the U.S. and the world. They're ready to support equipment once it is in the field."

TEARING IT UP

Scrap recyclers who have relied on Harris balers and shears can now turn to Harris for metals shredding solutions. With the birth of the Harris Shredder Division in 2000, scrap recyclers gained the option of turning to Harris for all their scrap processing needs.

"The addition of shredders to our line of equipment is a strategic step that positions Harris as an overall service provider for scrap recycling operators," says Edd Berkoben.

The innovation of Harris engineers has also been able to shine in the Shredder Division. Unique function of the reject door allows unshreddable objects to be ejected from the shredder quickly, without causing downtime and minimizing any direct impact on the door and associated hydraulic cylinders.

Automation again takes center stage, as an operator-friendly control tower features a system that links the shredder and its infeed and downstream systems. "We have a sophisticated control system that also makes the shredder easy to run from the operator's viewpoint," says Javier Herrera, VP of Business Development and Technology. The long-standing ability of Harris to rely on its Cordele fabricators and machinists to build heavy-duty equipment contributes to the reliability of its shredders.

Doug Sebastian says the design innovations found in Harris Shredders have been added for the same reason Harris balers and shears are upgraded and re-designed. "That really is the whole bottom line: To minimize the downtime of our customers. Harris is in a continuous improvement mode. That is why Harris is still number one and will continue to put out the best products."