September/October 2001
If crushing cars is your game, you’re in luck—today’s car-crushing equipment is faster, stronger, and more automated than ever before.
By Lynn R. Novelli
Lynn R. Novelli is a writer based in Russell, Ohio.
The scrap industry and the automobile recycling industry wouldn’t be the same if it weren’t for the car crusher.
By providing a cost-effective solution for shipping car hulks to shredders over long distances, the car crusher linked the two industries and helped them grow by extending their geographic reach.
Though it seems today that car crushers have been around forever, the equipment is barely over 40 years old.
The first crusher was built in the late 1950s when Jack West, now executive vice president of MAC Corp., and the late Bob Flanagan recognized an opportunity.
At the time, West and Flanagan were running Parts Exchange, a Dallas-based salvage operation. “We’d go around to these auto dismantlers and see vehicles all over the yard that they didn’t know what to do with,” West recalls. He and Flanagan came up with the idea of a mobile car crusher that they could transport to auto dismantlers and crush hulks on-site. They had a ready market for the flattened vehicles in the huge Proler Steel Corp. shredder in Houston. Flanagan designed a portable machine with a 20-by-7-foot steel platform onto which a car hulk was placed. Two vertical hydraulic cylinders flattened the vehicle, alternating in pressurizing the hulk. Several more hulks could be stacked on top, one by one, and crushed to create a dense package for transport.
Flanagan and West kept their crusher business going for several years until the price for steel scrap hit bottom in the early 1960s. At that point, they sold their crusher and went back to the parts salvage business. Still, they kept an eye on the scrap market.
The growth of automobile shredding plants revived interest in car crushing, says Norm Kramer, a retired MAC Corp. executive who is now a Florida-based recycling consultant. “With their need for large volumes of scrap, shredding plants had to draw material from beyond the local area, which meant transporting car hulks,” he explains. “It wasn’t possible to ship whole cars cost-effectively. When the cars were flattened, though, a flatbed truck could be loaded with 20 to 22 tons and haul material hundreds of miles efficiently.”
For the first time, large-scale steel recycling could be feasible and profitable. Al-jon Inc. was the first to market a crusher in 1963, a machine that flattened auto hulks in multiple steps.
By 1965, Kramer—then a scrap processor in Chicago—had teamed up with Flanagan and West to create Mobile Auto Crushers Inc., now MAC Corp.
“The Big MAC was the first crusher to flatten cars in a single step with a floating lid that could be held in one position,” says Kramer. In 1967, Mobile Auto Crushers received a patent on that design.
In 1970, the company participated in a landmark project with General Motors Corp. to demonstrate the environmental and economic impact of car crushing. A Big MAC crushed 3,000 cars that year to clean up the scenic Traverse City, Mich., area where derelict, abandoned cars were causing a serious environmental concern.
The flattened hulks were shipped to a Proler scrap facility in Chicago for shredding, and the steel was returned to GM’s Detroit plant. This effort—the first large-scale automotive recycling project—made national headlines and helped forge the link between the ferrous scrap and automobile recycling industries.
By 1989, demand for car crushers was “huge,” says West. “We were three months behind in orders, and so was Al-jon. That’s when R.M. Johnson Co. saw an opportunity. That company became a viable competitor with its E-Z Crusher and has been in the market ever since.”
The Crusher Crew
Crushers have changed little in design in their 40-plus years, and today’s models bear a strong resemblance to the original crushers of the 1960s and 1970s. Even size has remained consistent, with a 40-by-8-foot footprint and a 20-foot 90-inch opening for accepting hulks as the standard.
Over the years, the three main car-crusher manufacturers—Al-jon, E-Z Crusher, and MAC Corp.—have incorporated virtually the same technology and options so that all of their units feature rocker lids, fully automatic operation, similar hydraulics and cycle times, a choice of engines, and oil- and fluid-collection systems that meet environmental requirements.
The three brands also are comparable in their minimal service and maintenance requirements, though each has a slightly different approach to handling service.
To help potential buyers make comparisons, here’s a rundown of the models on the market today. As you read, keep in mind Norm Kramer’s advice for buying a crusher: “It comes down to what company you feel comfortable dealing with.”
Al-jon Inc.
Since the first Al-jon car crusher rolled out of the company’s Ottumwa, Iowa, plant in the early 1960s, Al-jon Inc. has been earning customer loyalty with heavy-duty, no-nonsense products and a strong customer-service orientation.
Following the firm’s motto—“Keeping It Simple, Building It Strong”—Al-jon engineers are “constantly seeking ways to build simple, functional equipment,” says Jim Langland, vice president of sales. Al-jon, named after founders Al Sharp and Jon Kneen, was the first manufacturer to design and build a crusher with both an automatic setup and cylinders that work while pushing rather than pulling—features currently included in the Al-jon
Impact V portable crusher. “Our engineers figured out how to combine rapid setup with a design that uses the cylinders to crush the cars while pushing instead of pulling, which allows the cylinders to work at their strongest,” Langland notes. These innovations, introduced in 1995, allow one-man operation of the crusher, reducing labor costs and simplifying scheduling.
Constructed with a honeycomb steel interior, the Impact V is “rugged but lightweight,” weighing in at 57,700 pounds, says Langland. The crusher, which has a ground clearance of 17.5 inches, features Al-jon’s patented Quad Post Guide System that surrounds the lid with four heavy-duty guides, eliminates wobbling during operation, and reduces wear on the guides. Operation is fully programmable to the customer’s specifications, and automatic cycling by remote control is standard, eliminating the need for an operator stationed at the machine.
The Impact V can be ordered with a John Deere or Cummins engine. All hydraulic systems are custom-designed and built by Al-jon’s engineering department. Most of the crusher parts, however, are available over the counter at any hydraulic parts supplier.
Minimizing the number of proprietary parts in Al-jon crushers is a deliberate strategy to simplify equipment maintenance and minimize service downtime, says Langland. “We try to build our machine with basic parts that are available over the counter to make service as easy as possible,” he explains. “Our goal is to keep the customer up and running so he can make hay while the sun shines.”
The Impact V incorporates a solid-state electronic board and programmable controller chips that simplify troubleshooting from the field. Customers can consult with a technician via a toll-free number to pinpoint the problem using diagnostic lights on the machine. In most cases, the technician can recommend a solution that the customer can take care of himself.
Priced at $112,000, the Impact V is covered by a two-year warranty—double the industry standard, Al-jon says—and service consultations are always free to customers for the life of the machine, Langland points out. Al-jon service technicians are also available to rebuild older out-of-warranty machines at the customer’s yard at a competitive cost. For the automotive recycler looking for a cost-effective, state-of-the-art, turnkey car-dismantling operation, Al-jon offers the ELV—or End-of-Life Vehicle—Recycling System.
The ELV system incorporates a staging area where an operator uses the system’s attached crane to remove all recyclable parts from a vehicle, sorting them into different bins. The stripped hulk then heads to an Impact V crusher for flattening. (Eventually, customers will be able to purchase the ELV system with either the Impact V crusher or an Al-jon car logger.) The crusher, powered by an electric engine instead of the standard diesel, is equipped with a rear wall that opens for easy removal of the final package. For weatherproof, convenient loading, a semi-truck can be backed into the building and loaded directly from the crusher.
The ELV Recycling System solves several challenges for automotive recyclers, says Ken Kneen, Al-jon president. “It completely eliminates the storm water runoff issue, solves noise pollution concerns by replacing a diesel engine with an electric one, and reduces security risks because it can be locked up securely for the night,” he notes.
The price of the ELV system, Kneen adds, “is comparable to a new crusher and two new loaders.”
E-Z Crusher
Buying a crusher from R.M. Johnson Co. Inc. (Annandale, Minn.) is as simple as ABC—the three models in the company’s product lineup—with all models available in both stationary and portable versions.
A and B crushers have a footprint of approximately 42 by 8 feet and a ground clearance of 13 inches. The hydraulic cylinders are positioned on the bottom deck so travel height and operating height are the same and virtually no setup time is required.
The A Model is the most powerful in the E-Z Crusher line, suitable for flattening heavy-duty farm equipment. Weighing in at 59,000 pounds, a portable A crusher operates at a hydraulic system pressure of 2,400 psi and has a cycle time of 55 seconds. The model’s cost ranges from $80,000 to $111,500 depending on the options chosen. Available options include several power units, an automation system, an air compressor, and hydraulic outriggers, to name a few. Customers can even have the unit painted the color they desire for no extra charge.
The B Model, priced at $92,000, is the company’s biggest seller, according to Ralph Johnson, vice president of sales. The B crusher is designed for “day-in, day-out automobile crushing,” he says. The unit weighs 45,000 pounds, delivers 2,400 psi of hydraulic system pressure, and has a cycle time of 45 seconds.
The C Model, with its 7-by-7-foot opening, is designed for crushing appliances and other small items and can serve as a supplemental crusher in a larger operation.
E-Z Crusher offers a choice of John Deere, Cummins, Caterpillar, or Isuzu diesel engines, with gasoline- or electric-powered units also available. All crushers can be fully automated, using remote automation units that are custom-built at the firm’s facility.
R.M. Johnson bills its crushers as being constructed with more steel and more support than any other crusher on the market. Extra-heavy-gauge steel, beams, and welds in the machines maximize durability. The quality of steel used has not been downgraded in 30 years, notes Johnson.
All E-Z Crusher machines are programmed with a rocking lid for greater efficiency. “We believe that the rocking cycle also makes operation a little safer because it creates a tighter bundle for loading and transport,” Johnson explains. A four-post guide system is standard on all models.
An oil-collection system is standard on every A and B crusher built since 1991, while older E-Z Crusher models can be retrofitted with the system for a minimal charge.
E-Z Crusher strives to keep its machines as simple as possible to minimize breakdowns and downtime. In 30 years of manufacturing crushers, the company has changed its design little, says Johnson. “Everybody has gizmos. We try to keep the design simple so there’s less to go wrong.”
One of the few redesigns in three decades took place about two years ago in response to customer requests. Specifically, the eye assembly design was altered to give it added strength, the opening height was increased, and the cylinders were repositioned to allow for greater rocking during crushing, the company notes.
Like sales, service is also direct from the factory. According to Johnson, service on E-Z Crusher units is easy enough that customers usually can replace parts themselves. By calling a toll-free line, the customer is connected with a service technician who helps troubleshoot the problem.
Though E-Z Crusher’s units come with a one-year warranty, technical assistance is always free to customers.
Except for the proprietary automation system, R.M. Johnson builds E-Z Crushers with standard parts and components such as valves, pumps, and hydraulic parts to simplify service and maintenance. If necessary, parts—which are sold individually instead of as assemblies to keep maintenance costs down—can be shipped directly from the plant to the customer.
Johnson boasts that every E-Z Crusher built since 1972 is still in operation. Besides being dependable, the machines also hold their value, he states. For example, he recently sold a used 1985 model for $42,000 that sold for $52,000 new.
MAC Corp.
MAC Corp. started out more than 35 years ago building car crushers to order at a plant in Irving, Texas. Now it’s a diversified corporation headquartered in Grand Prairie, Texas, that manufactures crushers, balers, and shredders. On Jan. 1, 1999, in fact, MAC Corp. officially changed its name to Granutech-Saturn Systems (though to avoid confusion, we will continue to use the MAC Corp. name for the purposes of this article).
Despite MAC Corp.’s corporate changes, its products have changed little over the years. Sure, it has upgraded the hydraulics and automation as technology has advanced, but “otherwise we haven’t changed the way we build them,” says Jack West, executive vice president. “If you’ve got something that works good, you don’t want to change. The welds, beams, and floors are the same as they always were.”
MAC Corp. offers two basic models—the Big MAC mobile unit and the Little MAC stationary unit. Beyond that, customers can order whatever engine—John Deere or Cummins, diesel or electric—and special features they require. Both units are priced at about $100,000, depending on size, engine, and any special requirements.
Both the Big MAC and Little MAC, which come with oil and fluid reservoirs that meet EPA requirements, use a two-cylinder, alternating hydraulic press to rock the lid during compression—basically the same configuration that MAC Corp. patented in 1967. According to West, research has proved that rocking the lid can exert more force and results in a smaller end product.
The Big MAC’s twin hydraulic cylinders exert 306,000 pounds of crushing force and can crush a vehicle into a 10-inch-tall package in 45 seconds. Depending on the size of the vehicles, the Big MAC has the capacity to crush three to five hulks into a 30-inch high bundle for easy loading and transport.
All crusher operations are fully automated, with both the Big MAC and Little MAC coming standard with a compact remote control for ease of operation directly from a forklift or other loader.
West estimates that a Big MAC, working at top capacity with one operator, can process about 100 cars a day, with or without engines. MAC crushers rely on the force of the cylinders in the extended position for crushing power, making it possible to operate the machine with a smaller engine and less fuel consumption while gaining more power and minimizing wear on the cylinder, West says.
The downside to this cylinder configuration used to be that setup required two men and a winch. In recent years, MAC Corp. has automated the setup so that the cylinders are raised hydraulically. With this innovation and the remote-control capability, setup, loading, and operation require only one man. “The Big MAC can be set up in 20 seconds and ready to crush,” says West.
The Little MAC, the company’s smaller, stationary crusher, is designed for use in smaller recycling operations, though it boasts the same features and cycle time as the Big MAC.
The Big MAC and Little MAC come with a one-year warranty on parts and components, with all service handled through MAC’s headquarters.
“Customers who call in for service, in or out of warranty, are guaranteed parts or a service man on their doorstep within 24 hours,” West says.
Instead of having local service providers all over the country, MAC Corp. still prefers to dispatch its own service professionals to customers all over the world from its headquarters in Texas. The reason, explains West, is that he has never been able to find local service providers able to meet MAC’s exacting standards.
According to West, the first crusher built by MAC Corp. in 1967 is still out in the field crushing cars. •
Crusher Companies
If you’re in the market for a car crusher, these are the three main manufacturers in North America, along with their essential contact information:
Al-jon Inc.,14599 Second Ave.,Ottumwa, IA 52501
888/255-6620 or 641/682-4506, www.aljon.com
E-Z Crusher, R.M. Johnson Co. Inc., 890 Norway Drive, Annandale, MN 55302
800/328-3613 or 320/274-3594, www.ezcrusher.com
MAC Corp./Granutech-Saturn Systems, 201 East Shady Grove Road, Grand Prairie, TX 75050
877/582-7800 or 972/790-7800, www.mac-corp.com
If crushing cars is your game, you’re in luck—today’s car-crushing equipment is faster, stronger, and more automated than ever before.