SHIOCTON, Wisconsin — Dennis Berken saw an opportunity when he entered the pallet industry more than 10 years ago. He saw another opportunity when he entered the pallet machinery industry two years ago.
Dennis acquired Go Fast Manufacturing, a well-known and established machinery manufacturer and supplier to the pallet and sawmill industry, two years ago. Since then, he and his son, Dan, have been strengthening the company and expanding its product line to include new machines, including a first-of-its kind device to enhance de-dusters.
The Berkens were not newcomers to Go Fast machinery when they acquired the manufacturer two years ago, however. They had been customers of Go Fast and using Go Fast equipment in their cut stock mill since entering the pallet industry.
The Berkens’ two companies, Go Fast and Shiocton (pronounced shy-OCK-ton) Cut Stock, are located on the same site in Shiocton, a village of less than 1,000 people in east-central Wisconsin, just 30 miles west of Green Bay.
Why Go Fast?
There are a number of reasons to select Go Fast saws and equipment. Go Fast band resaws feature heavy-duty construction, said Dan. “They are low-maintenance machines,” he added. They also are versatile. “You can run different widths, different heights, and make many different products,” added Dan.
Another important aspect of the company’s band resaws is that additional heads can be easily added inline for additional resawing of cant material instead of having to return the cant to a single-head resaw. “We’re trying to create an environment where the line or machine can grow with your business,” explained Dan.
“They can keep adding heads as they grow,” he added.
Unlike most manufacturers, the band wheels are below the cutting surface, not above it. The low-profile design is more compact and improves visibility.
Go Fast is also known for its de-dusters, which it has enhanced with heavier-duty construction. The company also is the only manufacturer to offer a de-duster with a board knocker, noted Dan, an added feature that benefits mills in cold climates that have the challenge of working with frozen wood material during winter. The knocker shakes the gate feed mechanism, throwing the stack of boards in the hopper backwards. It provides better feeding of the bottom board into the de-duster and also helps eliminate stalls and jams, overcoming the problem of frozen lumber that sticks together. With the use of the board knocker these dedusters are able to run in lines up to six bandsaws.
The Go Fast team have re-designed the Go Fast chop saw and also have been adding machinery and equipment to the Go Fast product line, including a thin kerf grade resaw with automated return system. The expanded product line includes end trim saws, double-end trim saws, multi-trim saws, double-head notchers, and material handling equipment, such as green chains, conveyors, stacking racks, and round tables. The company also offers firewood slab saws and firewood wrappers and has the ability to engineer custom machines.
The team at Go Fast utilizes state of the art CAD modeling software to aid in new and re-designs of machinery and custom machines per customers’ request. Kevin Wieser heads up machinery design and started working for the Berken’s at the age of 16. Kevin utilizes what he has learned growing up in the sawmill business and applies it when designing. He often remembers back to his days stacking boards and sweeping floors, when trying to make products better and more efficient. Utilizing this CAD software allows for laser cut parts and standardization of design specifications.
Customer Focus with the Right People in Place
The Berkens adhere to a policy of giving advice that is in the best interest of a customer or potential customer. In some cases, in recommending what they think is the best machinery solution for a customer, the Berkens will recommend a competitor. “We pride ourselves on being trustworthy and honest with people and making sure they get the right product,” declared Dan.
The Berkens singled out Kevin Wieser at Go Fast, whose duties include marketing, sales, purchasing and machinery design. “He’s an integral part of the company,” said Dennis. “Without him the company wouldn’t be where it is.”
Shiocton Cut Stock serves as a ‘working laboratory’ for Go Fast Manufacturing that it can use in the research and development of new machinery products. “We run what we sell,” said Dan.
In fact, every machine that goes out the door is tested first, noted Dan. The company has a saying, ‘We include the sawdust for free.’
“It comes to our customers ready to run,” added Dan.
(For more information about Go Fast Manufacturing and its product line, visit the company website at www.gofastmfg.com or call 800-854-7439.)
Buying Go Fast and Expanding into Equipment Manufacturing
When Dennis launched Shiocton Cut Stock, the Berkens began making investments in used machinery and equipment to increase production of deck boards and stringers from cants. Their first choice was a Go Fast two-head band resaw, and they consistently chose other machines built by Go Fast, which was located only about an hour away.
Over the next 10 years they continued to grow and expand the mill with additional investments in used Go Fast equipment, mainly multi-head band resaws and also de-dusters. However, they came to utilize their own staff for maintaining and supporting the equipment instead of relying on Go Fast for service.
When the opportunity arose to acquire Go Fast, it was an easy bridge to cross for the Berkens. The machinery business is the proverbial horse of a different color from the cut stock business, they agreed. However, their experience already working for and serving the pallet industry gave them a leg up.
“Companies have the same concerns and issues we do when it comes to trying to decide what is the best machinery for their plant,” admitted Dan. The Berkens’ successful experience owning and operating Shiocton Cut Stock has helped them, he noted.
Dan, 33, is the CEO of both businesses. His duties include overall management, marketing and sales. Dennis, 60, is hands-on managing operations on the floor of the companies, and another son, Jacob, 25, works mainly in the cut stock mill and supports roles in the company’s trucking operations and design support for Go Fast Mfg.
The businesses are located on the same 10-acre site with about a half-dozen buildings. Go Fast has a shop for its operations, and Shiocton Cut Stock has a mill building; a central office services both companies, and there are additional buildings for storing material and ancillary operations.
Speedy Turn around Makes Shiocton Cut Stock a Strong Partner
Most pallet company customers are within 50 miles, and the company generally does not serve customers over 100 miles out. Shiocton Cut Stock has a semi-tractor and a fleet of trailers to make deliveries and also a dedicated log truck.
“What’s made our cut stock business is our ability to do quick changeovers and fast turn-arounds for our customers,” said Dan.
Shiocton Cut Stock has about two dozen employees. The company produces three loads a day or more. Although the company’s ‘bread and butter’ is producing components for standard GMA and similar pallets, “We’ll make anything,” suggested Dan, including custom material and components for wood containers and crates.
The Berkens entered the pallet industry in 2005. There were few mills in the region making cut stock at the time. “We saw an opportunity to provide a product and a service to local pallet suppliers,” said Dan.
Their venture coincided with a career decision by Dennis. He had worked in the construction industry for over 30 years and was employed by a company that made commercial buildings. The company began a restructuring to down-size, and Dennis began to explore other options.
They were acquainted with the owner of a small mill that made cut stock; Dan, who also worked in construction, had done some carpentry work for the owner. It was a very small operation. The owner operated it almost on a hobby scale in a barn.
Dennis began a relationship with the owner. He also began to acquaint himself with the pallet industry in the region and saw the potential to grow the business. There were only about four or five mills within a 100-mile radius that were supplying pallet manufacturing businesses. “Every pallet company we talked to…needed more cut stock,” recalled Dennis.
“Demand was pretty great for the material,” said Dennis. “That intrigued me to become part of that supply chain…and we had the drive to try and create a plant that could make them material.”
Dennis had a strong background in managing construction operations — overseeing employees as well as subcontractors and the processes they performed. Both father and son also had some mechanical background with experience in machinery and equipment.
“I figured that with my background, this would be right up my alley,” said Dennis. It turned out to be a good fit.
The Berkens reached an informal agreement with the owner, who agreed to move his operations into a commercial building at another site. The new location would allow more room for existing and additional equipment that could be set up in-line with other work stations to improve workflow and production. The Berkens commitment included setting up the mill in the new location and getting some outdated machinery running again. Basically, they provided the building, an old facility that was owned by one of their new customers for cut stock. It was not functioning, and the Berkens made renovations and improvements.
With the research they already had done, the Berkens quickly developed more customers for pallet cut stock, and they soon reached an agreement to buy out their partner.
In 2007 the Berkens moved Shiocton Cut Stock to a new facility. In the log yard a Morbark debarker prepares logs for milling, and a shop-built log merchandiser bucks them to length. A Cooper sharp chain scragg mill with twin circular saw blades processes the log into a two-sided cant, then a bandsaw splitter converts the two-sided cant into two three-sided cants.
The cants are cut to length on a multi head trim saw, and resawing is done by an assortment of Go Fast bandsaws, including a five-head line, a six-head line, and a two-head line. The finished boards are cleaned by a pair of Go Fast de-dusters. For other operations the company has a shop-built edger, a double-head Timberline notcher, Pendu lumber stackers, and an assortment of single-head and double-head band resaws, pop-up saws, and single-head notching machines.
The company bucks some slabs to length to be sold for firewood. This firewood is mainly sold in bulk but some is also wrapped in bundles, using a Go Fast Firewood Wrapper, and supplied to small businesses, like gas stations and convenience stores, or for sale to homeowners. Slabs also are processed by a Morbark chipper for chips for the pulp and paper industry and for landscaping businesses, and the latter also are a market for the company’s bark. Sawdust is sold to farmers for animal bedding.
The company cuts mixed hardwood logs – mainly ash, maple, and oak – and aspen. It buys some cants for special sizes but relies largely on its log supply.
The company’s customer accounts are a testament to its quality and service. Most of the customers who began purchasing cut stock when the company began over 10 years ago are still customers of Shiocton Cut Stock. “We make good partnerships with our customers,” stated Dennis, and the business works at maintaining long-term relationships with customers.
