Superior Industries
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Founder(s) | Neil Schmidgall |
| Headquarters | Morris, Minnesota, USA |
| Key people |
Micah Zeltwanger, CEO Jarrod Felton, VP Paul Schmidgall, VP Tom Zosel, CFO |
| Products | Bulk handling conveyors and components, ship loaders, fuel tanks, fuel trucks, fuel trailers, petroleum equipment, precast concrete |
| Employees | 1,200 |
| Website | Superior-Ind.com |
Superior Industries is an American manufacturing company. The company's eight divisions design, manufacture, market and sell bulk material handling conveyors, conveyor components, fuel tanks, fuel trucks, fuel trailers, petroleum equipment and precast concrete products.
The company traces its origins back to 1917 when Henry Schmidgall began manufacturing concrete products in Hancock, Minnesota.
Starting in 2008, Superior started acquiring several new companies. During this time, the company has grown its product and service divisions from two to eight and employees from 350 to more than 1,200. The acquisitions have helped Superior gain a reputation as one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States.
History
- 1917: Henry Schmidgall moves to Hancock, Minnesota after purchasing a small concrete drain tile manufacturer.
- 1940: Henry's son forms Schmidgall Sand and Gravel from the aggregate division of Hancock Concrete.
- 1942: Hancock temporarily moves its production machinery to Lincoln, Kansas during construction of the Smoky Hill Air Force Base in Salina.
- 1972: Henry's grandson, Neil Schmidgall, founds the Superior Machinery Company after building conveyors and plants for Schmidgall Sand and Gravel.
- 1974: Hancock manufactures the state of Minnesota's first ever precast box culvert.
- 1974: Superior begins manufacturing conveyor idlers after acquiring the presses and tooling to Ersham Manufacturing of Enterprise, Kansas.
- 1997: Superior applies for and is granted its first ever technology patent.
- 1999: Superior is acquired by Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Astec Industries.
- 2001: Superior begins manufacturing conveyor pulleys.
- 2004: Superior Industries is reacquired from Astec Industries by local investors in Morris, Minnesota.
- 2006: Southwest satellite manufacturing facility opens in Prescott Valley, Arizona.
- 2008: Superior acquires propane and CO2 fuel tank, truck and trailer builder, Westmor Industries of Morris.
- 2008: Superior acquires conveyor manufacturer, Fesco Systems of Norcross, Georgia.
- 2011: Superior acquires precast concrete builder, Hancock Concrete. Hancock's aggregate supplier gave birth to a need for Superior conveyors back in the 1960's and 1970's.
- 2011: Superior acquires petroleum truck builder, Trans-Tech Industries of Brewer, Maine.
- 2012: Superior's Westmor Division acquires Determan Brownie, Inc of Fridley, Minnesota. The new business becomes Westmor Fluid Solutions.
Equipment Division
Superior manufactures portable and stationary conveying equipment used in construction aggregates, mining, concrete, asphalt and recycle industries. The company markets its equipment globally, but in North America products are sold through a network of dealers.[1] Products include telescopic conveyors, radial stacking conveyors, portable truck dumps, overland conveyors and stationary systems.[2] Equipment is manufactured in Morris and Prescott Valley.
Components Division
Like its equipment, Superior's conveying components serve a variety of industries like construction aggregates and mining. Components are sold through a large distribution channel from Canada to the U.S., through Mexico and into Central America and South America.[1] Outside of those territories, the company sells its product direct to customers. Products include idlers, pulleys, belt cleaners, impact beds and sensors. Conveyor components are manufactured in Morris and Prescott Valley.
Fesco Division
In late 2008, Superior announced it acquired Fesco Systems of Norcross, Georgia. The company is known throughout the southeastern United States for its work engineering and constructing conveyor systems for bulk material handling and processing industries.
Westmor Division
On May 1, 2008, Superior announced its acquisition of Westmor Industries, a manufacturer of petroleum and liquid-handling equipment.[3] Westmor's corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities are located in Morris, Minnesota, the same Minnesota community as Superior's corporate offices. The company was founded in 1972 and manufactures cargo tanks, bulk tanks and other equipment for America's propane, CO2 and biofeuls industries.
Trans-Tech Division
The acquisition of Brewer, Maine-based Trans-Tech Industries was announced on September 30, 2011. Like Westmor, Trans-Tech manufactures cargo storage tanks, but this division focuses on the petroleum and wood pellet delivery industries. The aluminum tank builder was founded in 1984.
Hancock Division
On December 10, 2010, Superior announced it acquired Hancock, Minnesota based Hancock Concrete Products. Founded in 1917, the company manufactures pre-cast concrete pipe, culverts, boxes, manholes and arches.[4]
Superior's past is closely connected to Hancock Concrete. Before establishing itself in 1972, Superior’s founder and the grandson of Hancock's founder, Neil Schmidgall, began manufacturing custom built conveyors, gravel washing plants, crushing plants for Schmidgall Sand and Gravel, which supplied aggregates for Hancock.
Growth
In 2007 and again in 2008, Superior was named to Inc. magazine's first ever list of 5000 fastest growing private companies in the United States.[5] In the spring of 2008, The Private Company Index listed Superior one of ten "Top Growth Companies" in the U.S.[6]
The company reports an annual growth rate of more than 15% and currently employs more than 1,000 people.