Cousins Ronnie Thompson and Scott Thompson have always dreamed of owning a “Metal & Auto” shredder.
Thanks to a dedicated team of contractors, the cousins now have a new “Metal & Auto” shredder which is the first of its kind in the world at TT&E Iron and Metal, Inc., Garner. In 2004, the two partners bought out their fathers who founded the scrap metal company in 1975.
The new shredder is a complex piece of industrial machinery that sits on almost four acres of the 30-acre Garner location. Within 15 seconds, it can reduce a car into component piles of five-inch by five-inch pieces—separating stainless steel, copper, aluminum, seat upholstery and other fluff from the steel.
“It’s been one of our goals for a very long time,” says Ronnie Thompson, TT&E’s president. Shredding metal represents a large part of TT&E’s business. “The new state-of-the-art shredder takes us to another level,” treasurer Scott Thompson adds.
Raleigh-based Thompson Contracting, successfully completed the land clearing, grading, storm drain, water and sewer systems, curb and gutter, and concrete and asphalt paving.
“The weather gave us fits,” says Art Manning, TT&E’s design build general contractor. Manning is president of Manning*DBCM, Inc., Clayton. “It was the wettest weather for a project I can ever remember.” The challenging project involved clearing timber, crossing streams and widening a major road. Permits were required by multiple authorities in the state, county, local and municipal governments as well as the Corps of Engineers.
When the weather finally cooperated, the contractors cleared the site and poured concrete to accommodate the four-story Metso Texas Shredder, dubbed the “Cadillac” of such devices. The shredder arrived on the backs of 350 trucks.
The motor house and control building were built by Raleigh-based general contractor Beau Chene Company, LLC, and the subcontractors who dedicated themselves to getting the job done by the deadline.
Masonry contractor Mike Simmons, president, LPS Enterprises Inc., Wake Forest, says “Beau Chene assembled a great team to work with. We coordinated with the mechanical contractors and machine suppliers to get all the access holes for the hydraulic, electrical and mechanical lines in the correct places.”
“Our reputation depends on making things happen,” says Wade Berthelot, president of Beau Chene. “We don’t make any excuses,” he adds, “We find out when the end date is and then work backwards.”
Metal Roofing Corporation and Beau Chene have been teammates on many commercial and industrial projects since 1998. MRC president Ric Woosley says, “There were design changes that came about as the control building project was constructed. However these challenges were coordinated with our firm before metal wall panels were ordered. That’s how Beau Chene operates and it’s always a pleasure working with them.”
Beau Chene initially worked with plans based on a similar shredder that the owners saw installed at Neville Metals, Pittsburgh. When Progress Energy mandated that the Garner facility had to use DC power rather than AC, Beau Chene had to scramble to find suppliers of suitable switches for the motor control center. Design changes were made to accommodate the new power and conduit requirements.
Beau Chene and the subs worked many extra hours to get the project successfully completed. The TT&E owners had to have the shredder up and running by December 31, 2009 in order to receive the favorable tax treatment for certified recycling equipment offered by the IRS. The Beau Chene team did what it took to complete the recycling project on time.