Company Turns Disaster Into Opportunity to Innovate

Thu March 21, 2024
CEG

Sometimes it takes tragedy and unfortunate circumstances to create innovation.

Decades ago, a strong earthquake shook a community in Italy. The results were devastating, with buildings brought down to their foundations. In the older communities of Europe, the streets are very narrow and with buildings collapsed on both sides of the streets, access into the area to process and clean up was extraordinarily challenging.

Two innovative young people, one engineer and one salesman combined their efforts to create a compact crusher that could access and crush the rubble, giving larger machines access to the infrastructure of the affected area. The result of the efforts, design, testing, and innovation is known today as the Komplet 4825 crusher.

Photo courtesy of Komplet North America

In the years that followed, the Komplet company identified a market in Europe for a full range of aggregate processing equipment in the compact size range. Today, this includes mobile crushers, screeners, shredders and conveying equipment, all of which are designed, engineered, and manufactured in Italy and are sold for applications including onsite mobile crushing and screening operations, recycling, demolition, mining, quarries and even landscape and hardscape.

In the United States, the Komplet product is distributed by Komplet America through a dealer network and provides support to dealers and their customers.

Komplet America's president and CEO is Kyle Conti, a fourth-generation civil contractor who also has owned and operated construction equipment dealerships. With his background, when introduced to the Komplet product offering, he immediately identified the niche the machines could serve within the dealer/rental market and overall construction, demolitions and recycling market. He also completely appreciates the importance of providing reliable machines and having the ability to quickly support the product when and if needed.

Kyle coming from the background of construction understands that one machine is not right for all types of jobs. That is one of the many reasons why Komplet products fill a need. The famous saying "one size fits all" is not true in this case. Komplet produces a line of compact equipment that offers a variety of solutions that can be used in most crushing and screening applications.

In the category of crushing plants, Komplet America currently offers five different models:

• K-JC 503 Jaw Crusher features a 25 hp diesel engine, jaw size 19 in. by 12 in., output size ¾ in. to 3-1/4 in., production up to 34 tons per hour and weighs 7,496 lbs. Equipped with rubber tracks and wireless remote-control, the K-JC 503 mobile jaw crusher is Komplet's most compact mini crusher. It also features a hydraulically adjustable jaw setting, dust suppression water nozzles, and intuitive easy operation and setup time.
• K-JC 604 Jaw Crusher features a 55 hp diesel engine, jaw size 23 in. by 16 in., output size ¾ in. to 3-1/4 in., production up to 55 tons per hour and weighs 19,400 lbs. The K-JC 604 mobile jaw crusher is ideally suited for onsite demolition recycling and construction waste processing, which helps to avoid large landfill costs. The crusher is fitting with an integrated vibratory feeder and comes standard with remote-control, which can control all functions of the machine.
• K-JC 704 Jaw Crusher features a 74 hp diesel engine, jaw size 27 in. by 16 in., output size ¾ in. to 3-1/4 in., production up to 90 tons per hour and weighs 26,455 lbs. The K-JC 704 mobile jaw crusher is a compact jaw crusher that can tackle big jobs, but small enough to fit on a trailer and be transported by a dump truck. This machine is overbuilt to withstand the toughest applications. Its sensor above the jaw inlet opening turns the vibrating hopper on and off to control the feeding of material and prevents jamming.
• K-JC 805 Jaw Crusher features 130 hp diesel engine, jaw size 31 in. by 21 in., output size 1-3/8 in. to 4-3/4 in., production up to 160 tons per hour and weights 39,800 lbs. The K-JC 805 mobile jaw crusher is the largest and most productive rock crusher in the Komplet lineup. It is designed to handle even the toughest materials, including medium rock, hard rock, reinforced concrete and asphalt. This crusher is ideal for contractors and quarry operators yet is still easily transported from the yard to the job site.
• K-IC 70 Impact Crusher features a 100 hp diesel engine, jaw size 25 in. by 20 in., output size ¾ in. to 3-1/4 in., production up to 90 tons per hour and weighs 28,600 lbs. The K-IC 70 impact crusher is an economical solution to cutting costs and recycling waste materials on site with very low capital and operational cost. This machine is ideal for crushing and stockpiling in diverse recycling applications, including rock, demolition waste, asphalt, concrete, bricks, blocks, porcelain, ceramics, glass, and other solid waste.

In the category of screening plants, Komplet America currently offers four different models to meet a wide variety of needs:

• Kompatto 221 Vibrating Screener features a 25 hp diesel engine, screen size 7 ft. by 3.5 ft., production up to 90 tons per hour and weighs 7,275 lbs. Komplet's smallest compact mobile screening plant, this vibratory screener can be fed directly by an excavator, backhoe or work in tandem with a Komplet crusher. It is ideal for working in limited access areas, taking up a very small footprint, but still producing up to 90 tons per hour.
• Kompatto 5030 Vibrating Screener features a 45 hp diesel engine, screen size 8 ft. by 3 ft. 1 in., production up to 280 tons per hour and weighs 26,455 lbs. Extremely easy to operate, the Komplet Kompatto 5030 mobile screener is ideally suited for working in small quarries, demolition sites and waste sites. It is capable of producing three different products in a single pass. Its heavy-duty, sloping, double-deck screen is capable of processing everything from sand, gravel, aggregate to topsoil and more. It is the ultimate in versatility, maneuverability and transportability.
• K-TS 30 Trommel Screener features a 30 hp diesel engine, screen size 5 ft. 6 in. by 4 ft. 3 in. and 8 ft. 6 in. by 4 ft. 3 in., production up to 60 MCH, and weighs 8,818 lbs. This machine shines when producing organic products and a very small footprint is required. The K-TS 30 trommel screener offers three different fraction sizes: fines, mids and overs. It is extremely efficient with electric drive operation minimizing energy consumption, wear and servicing costs.
• K-TS 40 Trommel Screener features a 60 hp diesel engine, screen size 9 ft. 8 in. by 4 ft. 3 in. and 9 ft. 9 in. by 4 ft. 3 in., production up to 100 MCH and weighs 22,046 lbs. The K-TS 40 trommel screener is the next generation of Komplet mobile trommel screeners that work with all large systems and offer a highly efficient throughput. The machine offers three different fraction sizes: fines, mids and overs. Numerous innovations create a machine with the highest level of functionality and cost-effectiveness and at the same time set new performance standards. The drive system represents the foundation for the extremely high degree of cost-effectiveness — everything on the K-TS is driven electrically, from the hopper to the discharge belts, which minimizes energy, wear and servicing costs.

In the category of shredders, Komplet America currently offers one model:

• Krokodile Slow-Speed Shredder, which features a 220 hp diesel engine, shaft size 60 in., output size 3-1/4 in. through 5 ft. ¾ in., production C&D up to 175 tons per hour, waste up to 18 tons per hour and weighs 34,000 lbs. The Krokodile gives all the advantages of mobile shredding in an extremely compact machine. It is ideal for shredding wood and any other form of domestic waste including palm trees, stumps and more to create mulch. With a shaft design for C & D waste and a shaft for wood and domestic waste, owners can shred just about anything they want. The Krokodile can process materials up to 50 in. in size.

In the category of conveyors Komplet America currently offers one model:

• K-TC 460 Tracked Conveyor features a 25 hp diesel engine, belt size 25 in. by 393 in., pile height 181 in., production up to 132 tons per hour and weighs 7,000 lbs. Komplet's K-TC 460 high performance tracked mobile conveyor offers compact size with excellent production and cost-effective material handling. This machine is small, lightweight, and easily transported. Its designed and engineered from the ground up to be easily combined to work in tandem with Komplet crushers and screeners.

According to Cody Price, Operations Manager of Komplet America,"The market for compact aggregate and recycling equipment in the United States is expanding at an accelerated rate. The cost of aggregate, fuel, labor, and landfill tipping fees have all increased dramatically."

"It has been an accepted practice for decades on larger projects to crush demolition materials and excavated stone on site to create an aggregate that can be reused at the site or even sold, and the savings create project and/or company savings and revenue. These compact machines are making it possible for smaller contractors, landscapers, hardscape contractors and smaller demolition contractors to see the same kind of savings."

Photo courtesy of Komplet North America

"Urban demolition sites are often too congested to allow a crushing and screening spread to be set up. With our machines and the small footprint, this is now feasible in places that in the past could not have been considered. The same idea is true with composting. There is a demand for composting in urban areas, but perhaps not the room for a trommel screener that is essential to the process. Our machines make that possible. Furthermore, smaller equipment means smaller expenses and out of pocket up front purchase costs."

Every machine Komplet manufactures can be easily transported, offering a tremendous savings to contractors operating in urban settings.

"All of our machines are very simple to operate," Mr. Price said. "You do not have to have a dedicated expert on staff assigned to the crushing and screening operation. In most cases, you can set up an entire spread and run it with one operator, and with our remote controls, that operator can run the spread from the cab of whatever machine is selected to feed the spread."

Komplet America goes the extra mile to ensure that every customer has a positive buying experience. Before each machine is delivered, it is brought into the shop and completely tested. It is then set up and operated with some products run through the machine to make sure there are no hidden issues. After the test run, the machine is cleaned, detailed, serviced again, and then designated ready for delivery. Every machine comes with a one-year/1,000-hour warranty and extended warranty options are available as well.

Regarding parts and support, Mr. Price said, "We have made a huge investment in inventorying every feasible part that could possibly fail for every machine we sell. We want our customers to be able to rely on Komplet to keep them running. When our customers need support, we want to get it to them immediately. We are the Komplet hub here in the USA to make sure your project keeps going."

"If there are issues, we have a staff of qualified technicians who can talk the customer through an issue that develops and when that is not a workable solution, we dispatch to the customer or use one of the service providers that we network with across the country."

For Komplet America it all comes down to the bottom line — the company wants to give its customers peace of mind while saving them time and money when they process materials directly on site, often under scenarios and locations where it has never before been possible. CEG