ET is the definitive seminar series for the aluminum extrusion industry. So special that it occurs only once every four years, the International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar & Exposition is a four-day educational event that attracts upwards of 1,300 industry professionals from all over the world! ET is truly global in scope and appeal with decision makers in attendance from more than 50 countries.

To learn more about Belco, including the the latest innovations to our Narrow Cut Hot Log Saw, visit us at Booth 309. For more information on ET ’12, check out www.et12.org.

In Belco Manufacturing tradition, I started packing Oven Panels with the other “low man on the totem-pole (Nick Kohn) on October 22, 1979. Since that 1st day I have been given the opportunity to do many different things and almost all were things I had never done before so it was a ”learn as you go experience”.

A lot of my “Shop” time was spent on the road doing repair, modifications & installation work, when with a Belco-Crew we got done what had to be done, when out alone for 6-7 weeks it was always very busy at the job-site but you miss your family, home-cooked meals, someone to talk to, etc. so when we added the Handling Department & needed a group leader I jumped at the chance to stay closer to home.

In November 1990 I went into Engineering for about 5 years until a position doing Spare Parts came my way, talking to customers, quoting & processing orders sounded more exciting than making, stretching & dimensioning lines!

Parts Sales was short lived when the Ionia Plant wanted to add a 2nd foreman to give Ray Stewart some needed help & this again was short lived when our then Purchasing Agent left & Sean Alkire moved from Parts Sales into purchasing so back to Inside Sales I went. Doing sales can be very fast paced at times between a very excited/broke-down customer & the shop being very, very busy but the shop has always found a way to do what it had to a customer in need.

A few months ago Chris Kohn joined Belco & this has really helps us to respond faster to our customers with an added bonus for me in that the; 60 to 65 hours weeks are now gone allowing me to spend my weekends at home. Almost all of my time away from work is spend with family, Sandy & I along with our kids; JR, Shelly & her husband Matt, Eric (attending Ferris), Kate (living home & going to GRCC) & our four Grandchildren; Nevaeh, Westin, Faithlyn & Amelia.

Other than talking a lot I really don’t have any hobbies but here are a few things I enjoy doing (no particular order) when away from work: boating/pontoon rides around on Big Pine Island Lake, boat-cushion floating in the lake on hot summer days, Deer Hunting (have not missed an opening day with Dad for 42 straight years), any projects that needs to be addresses at home or around one of the kids homes, camping/sleeping under the stars, nature (waterfalls are simple but amazing & fun to try & find in the U.P.), backyard bonfires with family and friends – Oh wait… did I forget to mention, that I make the best Hobo-Pies in the world & that I don’t know when to shut-up!!!

Batch Ovens
Special shaped parts and small quantities call for batch ovens to cure painting. Air-circulating, convection type ovens are a Belco specialty. Custom designed batch ovens are available to meet specific requirements.

Dry-off Ovens

• Moisture removal from parts between the spray washing and the painting or coating process.
• Ovens are equipped with an overhead or belt conveyor.
• All ovens available with choice of heat source and designed for maximum productivity.

Curing Ovens

• Belco Ovens are individually designed and built to accommodate your product requirements.
• Designs include floor, elevated and roofmounted curing ovens.
• Six inch thick insulated walls and ceilings provides maximum energy efficiency.

Belco Advantages

• All components from only the top name suppliers for easy replacement.
• Long lasting heavy duty materials of construction—no shortcuts.
• Belco’s never walk away policy—if we make a mistake we fix it at no additional.

Belco’s in house production allows us to tightly monitor and control quality assurance. It also gives us the flexibility to create custom solutions that help increase manufacturing standards and improve production quality.

Founded in 1959 as a sheet metal fabrication shop, Belco Industries rapidly expanded into building turnkey systems for the paint /powder coating and aluminum extrusion industries. Today we are an international corporation with equipment worldwide with a full compliment of service professionals.

Located in Belding, Michigan, our manufacturing facility exceeds 70,000 square feet. The strength of our manufacturing and engineering capabilities has translated into installations around the globe. The end result: superior quality, reliable results and a commitment to long-term service.

When not working, Jon spends his time pursuing the wild outdoors hunting and fishing. He shares this passion with Tom Kohn (owner) and recalls a business trip the day before deer season. It was late and Jon and Tom were trying hard to get back. Tom was also getting ready for a hunting trip early the next morning and shared with Jon that he wanted to make it back because he still needed to borrow a gun for the hunt the next day!

Quality Manufacturing is a custom fabricator of most anything made of metal.

The new paint system is primarily designed to handle long heavy parts that serve the agricultural equipment suppliers that rely on Quality Manufacturing on a daily basis.

The system is complete with a new Pretreatment system, Moisture Drying Oven, Two (2) large downdraft Paint Booths, Three (3) Air Make-up systems, Paint Bake Oven, Cooling Tunnel and a complete enclosure from the start of the pretreatment cycle to the exit of the Bake Oven.  A PLC control system allows for fully automatic start up and shutdown and ongoing diagnostics for any potential shutdowns. The enclosure assures a minimum amount of airborne contamination on the parts during the painting process for maximum paint quality.

Working with the power & free conveyor manufacturer parts can be loaded and unloaded on the system while standing still and then released into the painting process under a controlled environment.

Installation of the system commenced in July with expected full operation in early October.

SAPA’s 9” diameter press will receive a Model 810-HLS Hot Log Saw, along with a Model 810-20-4-PR25-2-P-L log furnace. The furnace will be capable to heat and cut up to 9,000 lbs per hour of 9” logs. The saw will cut accurate and consistent-length billets that will be sent to the press. The hot log saw also includes a “No-Scrap” cycle that will use the complete log.

SAPA – Yankton is a single-source supplier of soft alloy extruded aluminum products for a variety of aluminum applications.

Hydro’s 8” to 9” diameter press will receive a Model 89-NCHLS Narrow Cut Hot Log Saw, along with a Model 89-25-5-PR30-2-P-L log furnace. The furnace will be capable to heat and cut up to 11,000 lbs per hour of 9” logs. The saw will cut accurate and consistent-length billets that will be sent to the press. The hot log saw also includes a “No-Scrap” cycle that will use the complete log. A second 9” press line will also integrate a Model 89-NCHLS saw, and will be adapted to an existing furnace. Each line will have dual log tables that will load different types of aluminum alloys into the furnace.

Hydro’s St. Augustine unit is a leading supplier of extruded aluminum solutions including supply sourcing, extrusion, finishing, and fabrication of components, as well as contract manufacturing services, serving a variety of industries. For more information, please visit http://www.hydro.com/northamerica

For over 20 years Belco Industries has operated two locations in Belding, Michigan. The headquarters was located downtown on historic East Main Street while manufacturing was handled two miles across town at the West Belding Road facility.

In June 2010, Belco Industries relocated its headquarters to the West Belding Road location.

“With manufacturing and our front office working so closely together, it made sense for us to combine operations under one roof.” said Mike Kohn, Belco Industries President. “We’re already recognizing more efficiencies than we expected.”

Belco Industries now handles manufacturing and administation out of the newly renovated 70,000 square foot facility at 9138 West Belding Road.

“We’re proud of our new space and look forward to spending the next 50 years here.” added Kohn.

Contact us today to arrange a tour of the new Belco Industries headquarters