Production plus: Fuchs machines prove their worth to Maine recycler.

When scrap recyclers buy new material handlers, they need to know they will be rewarded with increased productivity and efficiency to justify their purchases.

Peter McAvoy of Industrial Metals Recycling in Maine is convinced that is exactly what he has received with each of the five Fuchs scrap handlers that he has purchased.

"The Fuchs 360 in our Bangor, Maine, facility is doing the work of three machines that operated at that location previously," says McAvoy. "The machine's mobility and reach allows it to feed the shear/baler we have there, pre-sort material that comes in, and then load rail cars at the end of the day," he comments.

Industrial Metals was so impressed with its Fuchs 360 that it quickly went back to its Fuchs dealer, Formula Equipment of Newburgh, N.Y., to discuss additional purchases. The company has now outfitted its other yards with Fuchs 350 model material handlers. McAvoy praises the mobility and productivity of the machines.

"You put down the stabilizers, and in a matter of seconds the machine is ready to work," he comments.

The elevated cabs of the Fuchs machines allow the company to increase the average weight of outbound rail car by two tons, says McAvoy. "Over the course of a year, that's a good step toward the payment of the machine."

The machines are more productive at the same time they save on fuel costs. "Some of our old machines at our Bangor facility were using 100 gallons per day of fuel--and there were three of them. Now they have been replaced by the one Fuchs 360 using just 50 to 60 gallons per day," McAvoy remarks, adding that the savings came just in time before recent fuel price increases.

The machines have allowed faster pre-sorting and processing of demolition scrap, faster cycles for processing equipment, and faster rail car loading--meaning fewer man-hours and thus more cost savings. Additionally, operators love the comfort provided by the Fuchs cabs, says McAvoy.

"Even on the coldest days this winter, the operators are in there in their shirt sleeves," says McAvoy. "These guys are smiling in these machines--sometimes I think they're having too much fun, but they're being so productive it's a winning situation for everybody."

Reliability, outbound shipments with higher weights, fuel savings, labor savings, faster scrap pre-sorting, a happier workforce--the advantages sound almost too good to be true, McAvoy acknowledges.

"We did our research and thought the numbers might be too good to be true, but the results have been spectacular," McAvoy says of operating with the Fuchs machines. "These machines have been amazingly productive while also helping us save on operating costs. We are profiting in a number of ways by having these Fuchs scrap handlers."