Even when you offer popular nailing solutions to the industry, they can always be better. That has been the mindset behind recent enhancements to the popular Woodpecker, Block Pallet Buddy and Master Recycler lines of equipment offered by Midwest Machinery & Automation. Midwest has redesigned and improved all its lines to reduce worker strain and improve operator safety.
Wayne Wagner of Midwest, explained, “This has been a huge year for our team with product improvement. We’re focusing on safety and efficiency, and our team has improved machine designs to make them easier to work with and improved controls based on our own experience and customer feedback. Also, we have redesigned most of our jigging to make our machines easier to use and improve changeover times. We have made the jigs more robust and redesigned our machine’s logic to make them more reliable, faster and easier to use.”
All these equipment lines are known for their simplicity, efficiency, and ability to get the job done. One machine line that has seen significant growth is the Big Buddy and Little Buddy machines designed to build block pallets as well as wooden crate components. Wagner commented, “The block pallet machines have really taken off for us. They are filling a nice niche in the market for those who want greater production than what you can build by hand, but don’t have enough volume or physical space for a large nailing machine. Our Block Pallet Buddy systems are much less expensive than the larger nailing systems, which can run $750,000 to a million dollars or more.”
Over the years, Midwest has expanded its manufacturing network to now include Stutzman Manufacturing, Millcreek Machine and Hawkeye Welding & Manufacturing. Each manufacturer specializes in a particular product line, and each offers a different level of expertise and ability. Except for Stutzman, which provides on-site technical support, most on-site customer-facing operations are handled by Midwest and its staff. Wagner commented, “We all agree that service is paramount to the success of our equipment. We have made and continue to make large investments in the service arm of our business because it separates us from the rest of the pack. There are many machines that look like ours, both imported and domestic, and some even claim to be the same. We can’t stop this, but what we can do is innovate and provide top-tier service to create a better customer experience. This is not something that’s easily duplicated.”
Let’s look at some of the nailing solutions offered by Midwest and see how a greater focus on safety and efficiency has taken good machines and made them better.
Woodpecker and Woodpecker Jr. Improve with Second-Generation Design
Developed by Burt Stutzman and his team at Stutzman Manufacturing, the Woodpecker line of nailers have become very popular over the last 25 years. The Woodpecker Junior is the single-operator model and is popular with pallet manufacturers that want a robust, simple-to-operate machine for a single operator. The Woodpecker Junior combines quick changeovers with a small footprint.
Midwest and Stutzman worked with customers to develop their second-generation Woodpecker Junior. The companies consulted with some of their high-producing customers and asked what would make the machine better. Additionally, both companies met to discuss how the machine can be safer and more efficient.
Wagner said, “We’re evaluating the overall design of our machinery, and the people that are asked to use it. You can never assume that someone knows how something works, what button to push, or how to best utilize a machine’s features. It’s up to us to make sure we continue to develop all our machines so they are easy to use and safe for all operators, maintenance personnel, etc.”
Other enhancements include relocating the controls to make them more ergonomically friendly and safer to reach, plus some additional controls to better use the machine’s functions. For example, the new Woodpecker Junior design includes controls that are located outside the traveling area of the gantry that does the nailing. Additionally, the full-size Woodpecker has gone through significant enhancements and changes that include improved controls, updated features and benefits for everyday use, and upgrades to time tested functions. Wagner said, “We want to continue improving these machines every day. In our eyes, it is not ok to rest on prior success, so instead, we listen to our customers and to each other and collaborate on ways to keep moving the ball forward.”
The Woodpecker Junior has gone through other enhancements to make the second generation better than the first. Wagner explained, “We completely redesigned the jigging on that machine and made it more robust, plus provided additional flexibility for a range of pallet sizes and configurations that we couldn’t build on our 1st generation machines. We have also upgraded the stacker for the Woodpecker Junior by making it more robust and easier to use. Plus, we now offer ink coders that are attached to the stacker of that machine. This feature has been very appreciated by several customers who once had to hand stamp these pallets after they were stacked.”
Stutzman Manufacturing does some customization based on special requests. Edward Stutzman, technical support and office manager for Stutzman Manufacturing, recalled, “A customer requested a special machine to do a really big heavy pallet, which we didn’t like, but we had to make a custom board stop for him. And when we did that we said, ‘Oh, we know we can use that here and here.’ So now we use that on all the machines. It’s easier and more efficient for our shop, and it works better for our customers.”
A lot of the changes are incremental, but these small improvements make a big difference over time. Stutzman estimated that over the last 15 machines alone, they have made 8-10 upgrades. Wagner commented that, “We look at these machines like most people look at their vehicles. If you buy a 2024 truck, you want and expect that truck to be different than the 2014 that you are moving away from. This is how we build our machinery.”
Better Production Efficiency, Support and Parts Service
Midwest’s manufacturing partners have worked to reduce lead times. Wagner noted, “Stutzman, compared to five years ago, they have cut their production time in half. For example, a standard 60 x 60 full-size Woodpecker used to take 20 business days to fully assemble and is now down to about 10 business days.”
Midwest has invested more in its manuals, instruction materials and technology. The company has customers in Mexico and Canada and uses WhatsApp to communicate with them. Many customers prefer to communicate via text and email because a picture says 1,000 words.
When it comes to service, Stutzman Manufacturing has a staffed phone line that is available during business hours. The company also has a service tech on the road most of the time. Edward Stutzman noted, “We try to have somebody at the shop on call to troubleshoot any issues over the phone. If I’m not here, it is me, my brother, my dad.” Wagner added, “Midwest spends a considerable amount of time supporting the Woodpecker line. Stutzman Manufacturing has taken the time and money to invest in our team with both education and parts, and we are constantly on the road providing on-site support, installation, training, whatever is necessary. Because of this partnership, our customers can always contact someone for support.”
Stutzman Manufacturing has also worked hard to ensure availability of spare parts. Stutzman added, “We now have well over a million dollars in part inventory. We try to keep anything in stock that customers would need, and we try to ship our parts orders the same day.”
Stutzman Manufacturing has also changed how wear parts are attached to make replacement easier for customers. Stutzman acknowledged, “We have made the usable wear parts easier to bolt on vs something that requires welding to attach.”
Many of the employees who work on the production line or in the office are part of the Stutzman family and have been with the company for a long time. This ensures continuity of quality and control of all aspects of the operation. Plus, everyone there tries to be customer-focused in how they produce and upgrade equipment. Stutzman stated, “The beauty of building these machines from the ground up is that we have control over every aspect of the machine. When we are evaluating any part of the machine during the manufacturing process, or reviewing a customer request or suggestion, we always ask ourselves how we would want it done. We treat these machines as if we are the ones buying and using them.”
Why This Group of Manufacturers?
One unique aspect of the equipment sold by Midwest is who designs and constructs it. Wagner noted, “Our manufacturing partners produce quality equipment that our customers have come to trust for many years, even before Midwest was conceived. Our builders are like-minded and share many common manufacturing principles as well as shared parts and systems. Our customers enjoy the simplicity and reliability of the machines that we offer, and the credit for this ingenuity goes to our partners.
Midwest has expanded from one manufacturing partner with Stutzman Manufacturing to two others who know Bert and have worked with him on the manufacturing process. Having more partners has improved delivery times and given space for customization and special projects. Wagner explained, “Millcreek Machine manufactures our Block Pallet Buddy line of machines, while also reviewing many of the custom wood-to-wood fastening applications that are brought to us.”
So why this group of partners? Wagner explained, “They have great ideas and know how to make them work conceptually and in reality, they don’t overthink things or make things too complicated. They are great at taking complication out of things. We may not be as fancy as some of the other manufacturers out there, but we make a machine that gets the job done day after day, and it gets it done efficiently and it gets it done at a reasonable price.”
Midwest and their partners manufacture high-quality American made equipment. Their processes allow them to remain an industry leader and competitive with imported nailing machines and low-cost domestic machine manufacturers.
Big Buddy and Little Buddy Improvements
The Little Buddy and Big Buddy nailing systems have become increasingly popular for block pallets, specialty nailing applications and wooden crates.
The Little Buddy produces a mat that can be used for block pallets, or it can be used to build specialty wooden parts, and wooden crates sides and tops. The Big Buddy nails the block pallet bottoms while nailing a pre-made mat to the block pallet bottom previously assembled. It has two separate jig stations to complete this task and allows users to produce a wide variety of sizes and configurations. With two to three operators, the entire system can turn out 500-700 pallets in a typical shift.
Why have the Little Buddy and Big Buddy systems become popular? Wagner explained, “The cost of the machines is lower than bigger systems and an operator can easily adjust those machines to produce different pallet sizes. The big guys make amazing block nailing machines that are very impressive, but they are costly, large and not for everyone. We believe the Block Pallet Buddies fill the needs of those pallet manufacturers that require another type of automation.”
This solution is ideal for those who want to efficiently produce a truckload or so per day. Most customers produce CP3, CP7 and perimeter-based pallets, much like CHEP and PECO. Most run the system with two operators, but you can achieve maximum output with three. Companies that have three operators may reach 700-800 pallets per shift. The Little Buddy can clinch a nail, which is critical for creating a pooled-style pallet. Why so much interest in block pallet production? Wagner didn’t know all the reasons, but he did say, “Block pallets require a lot of labor to make by hand. And there are fewer operators out there who can do it efficiently, and even fewer that will even try. That’s why there is interest in these nailing solutions. We also see more customers that are trying to diversify by offering block pallets.”
The Little Buddy and Big Buddy cannot make every block pallet, but Midwest always reviews each application to see what’s possible. Wagner clarified, “Block pallet design is often more complex than stringer pallet design. For this reason, we always ask for drawings before committing to any machine build. We want our customers to know what they will get from the machine so there are no surprises. Our machines have a shifting jig and nail in one line when the nailing gantry goes down and a second line when it goes back up. The Little Buddy also does this, but it has steel plates to clinch the nails over.
The Block Pallet Buddy machines are built on the Woodpecker Junior platform. The Little Buddy mat nailing machine was initially conceived and manufactured by Stutzman’s. Still, the decision was made that the stringer pallet machines and the block pallet machines needed to be separated to improve efficiency and lead times. Now manufactured by Millcreek Machine, Millcreek redesigned both machines to make them what they are today. Millcreek redesigned the controls and logic on the Big Buddy to make it more reliable, plus the jigging system has been enhanced to make the operation of the machine more ergonomic, while also easier to changeover.
Wagner commented, “We have completely redesigned the Little Buddy mat nailing machine. It is a completely new concept that is unique to us. The team at Millcreek figured out a way to put a mat takeout on the machine while still allowing the machine to quickly and easily be changed from one mat size to the next. In the past, operators had to hand stack the mats. Now, the system kicks out the mats automatically and dispenses them to a stacker. This has boosted production, allowing the capability to make up to 800 mats a day. Plus, it is less wear and stress on the operators.”
Millcreek has done a lot of customization on these machines. For example, customers use the Little Buddy to build crate tops, sides, custom mats and other custom wood packaging components. Wagner explained, “Millcreek is good at doing custom work to tailor a nailing solution to unique challenges, especially for non-standard pallets, boxes and containers.”
Jacob Miller, the supervisor for Millcreek, pointed out how the company has worked with customers to figure out solutions for custom crating and specialty pallets. He said, “We have extended our traditional frames to allow for building larger panels.”
He added, “There’s another thing on the Little Buddy we can customize to accommodate specialty designs, we call it skip firing. So if somebody has a crate they want to build with a board diagonally, let’s say the top corner to the bottom corner, we can put a nail in the different positions on that board.”
Master Recycler Can Nail Various Width Deck Boards, Improved with Safety and Efficiency in Mind
Most nailing machines love board consistency. The Master Recycler shines when you want to nail deck boards of various thicknesses and widths onto a pallet, or if you want to use reclaimed runners, or both. It uses a unique clamping system to hold boards of various thicknesses and widths in place.
Some recent enhancements include an enhanced pallet flipper that is easier and faster to use. Wagner said, “The new flipper is just amazing. It’s a much faster design and more accurate when it comes to flipping the pallet. All an operator has to do is place the boards on the machine, and this design has given our customers the ability to produce more, while also inviting a wider range of people to operate the machine.”
The old flipper was a two-stage process. This took extra time and wasn’t as accurate. Sometimes it would require some manual maneuvering. The new flipper will flip the pallet much faster in one motion. With the new design, some customers are achieving on average 450 pallets per shift with one operator.
Hawkeye Manufacturing also improved the nailing gantry for raising and lowering the nail guns for various pallet heights. This update allows operators to quickly adjust the gantry, or change the nail guns when the time comes. Also, the air logic and controls were upgraded and simplified. “We are always trying to reduce failure points in our designs,” added Wagner.
A major focus of recent enhancements has been improved safety. Leonard Mast, owner of Hawkeye Welding, commented, “Beyond just a normal e-stop, we have added a reset switch that has to be pressed before the machine continues operation. We are also improving labeling around the machine and installing photo eyes in front and behind the gantry for personal protection.”
The Master Recycler is based on a machine platform developed by Bert Stutzman many years ago. Hawkeye made modifications to the machine to create what we know as the Master Recycler. With nearly 90 Master Recycler nailing machines in service, Midwest and Hawkeye continue to eye the future possibilities of this machine and the everchanging pallet business. Wagner commented, “The progress of this machine is mind blowing, even for someone like me who has been involved in its evolution. Once again, we are very lucky to have such an innovative and flexible team that is always willing to continue development. We have ideas for future development of this machine, and we are excited about what the future holds.”
Reliable, Simple Machines That Are Continually Being Improved
Midwest Machinery & Automation has developed a strong reputation for offering robust machinery for the pallet industry. Recent enhancements have made its machines easier to operate and safer. Continuous improvement, increased value and top-notch service are always at the forefront of the team’s development process. If you have a custom application, the company works with customers to build upon its standard products and find special solutions for larger sizes, unique configurations, and custom packaging challenges.
For more information, email wayne@woodpeckermachine.com, or call (888) 577- 3886, or visit https://www.woodpeckermachine.com/.
