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Ken Skala (L), district manager, and Chris Salerno, director of sales, with the largest NPK hammer — the GH50.
Founded in 1923, Nippon Pneumatic Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (NPK Japan) established itself as a manufacturer of air tools and expanded into chemical processing equipment production in 1945. In 1957, they established the construction equipment division, and it was then that NPK Japan pioneered the world's first boom-mounted pneumatic hammer.
In 1985, the reputable designer and manufacturer of hydraulic hammers, crushers, shears and pile drivers joined with a group of partners in Cleveland, Ohio, to form NPK Construction Equipment Inc. This provided the means to build an extensive dealer network in the Americas, located in Walton Hills, Ohio. The foundation of this organization was to provide a durable, dependable product, supported by unmatched commitment to customer service provided by all departments of NPKCE, according to the company. NPKCE has proved this unwavering support over the last 35 years.
"Many others claim to have this same commitment, but we do it. It's just part of our culture and company DNA," stated Ken Skala, NPKCE district manager. "The sun never sets on an unanswered question."
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As demand increased, NPK Construction Equipment expanded by adding a fabrication facility in Wickliffe, Ohio, in 1989. Eventually outgrowing that facility, NPKCE purchased a new, larger facility adjacent to the main offices in Walton Hills, Ohio, in 2009. This expansion allowed for and led to future growth, including the addition of NPK Machining in 2013 and the new construction of a second manufacturing facility completed in 2023.
Favorably, this growth has melded all NPKCE divisions onto one campus; enabling a collaborative environment that is highly efficient and productive with streamlined processes and flow. The hydraulic attachment manufacturer's 200,000-sq.-ft. United States' facility is situated on more than 16 acres in Walton Hills, Ohio, and equipped with state-of-the-art machining centers, robotic welders and welding bays that stay consistently busy.
As the company continues to grow both organically and with the acquisition of Genesis in 2019, NPK continues to fabricate its products in their manufacturing facilities based in Japan, the United States and Europe.
Many of the company's 120 employees are long tenured. According to Chris Salerno, director of sales, "NPK employees are the most important company asset."
Employee longevity certainly says a lot about a company. It is a key indicator of employee satisfaction combined with good work ethics and increased levels of knowledge and experience.
According to Tiffany Thomason, sales and marketing support of NPK Construction Equipment, NPKCE ranks high in this category with having almost 50 employees who reached a more than 20-year tenure, with 10 of them reaching 30 years or more. There also are many employees with five to nearing 20 years of service.
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"As a 30-year employee, I can surely say NPK is a great company to work for," said Thomason. "Regardless of length of employment, every employee in every department plays a special role in the success of NPK…it is a team effort. We are dedicated, we care, and it clearly shows through our quality products, unmatched customer service, product support and highly satisfied customers…now that is success."
NPK offers full service and support to its dealers, including a full warranty in a protected territory to support end users. The company also trains all technicians around the country to provide all-inclusive dealer support. Yearly, more than 30 dealer technicians are trained in-house, while many more are trained at dealer locations.
"Something I often tell our dealers and customers is that NPK's product support is not a department. It is an attitude," said Mike Rzeszotarski, product support manager of NPK. "It's not one single department within the company making NPK shine, rather it is an attitude that everyone has at NPK ensuring we provide the highest level of service, support and quality to our customers. We all work together as a team at NPK ensuring our highest and number one priority is taking care of our customers."
The company has a 98 percent fill rate for parts and understands the importance of uptime.
"After-sales support is important. We pride ourselves on making sure our customers are taken care of and constantly review our inventory to ensure uptime," said Salerno.
"The company is here for a common goal to support the customer and create a culture of customer-oriented mindset," said Skala. "We help provide solutions to problems."
NPK continues to innovate, as it introduces its V250R crusher pulverizer. This unit is ideal for primary and secondary demolition and is well-suited for high-reach applications. It has a recommended carrier weight of 53,000 to 77,000 lbs. The V250R is also equipped with full 360-degree rotation capabilities that allow for the best attack angles at all times, according to the company.
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Unit specs include:
- working weight — 6,065 lbs.
- max jaw opening — 35.4 in.
- cycle time — 1.8 close / 1 open (seconds)
- oil flow — 26 to 66 gpm
- operating pressure — 4,060 psi
- maximum crushing force at tip— 229,500 lbf
For more information, visit npkce.com. CEG
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