For decades Viking Engineering & Development Inc. has been a key component of the success of many pallet companies. It is known for manufacturing in the United States reliable and productive pallet nailing equipment that is combined with top-notch service. Its latest high-speed nailer is the Viking Turbo 606, which has helped position Challenger Pallet & Supply for success thanks to efficient production and quick changeovers from one design to the next. Viking has also developed a reputation for designing machinery that can efficiently run recycled lumber with its Express 403 and Champion line. R.B. Pallet Service has found success producing combos using the Express 403 as customers continue to want lower pricing with consistent quality. These two case studies demonstrated how Viking is at the heart of many future-facing success stories in the pallet industry.
Challenger Pallet & Supply: Future Looks Bright with Turbo 606
Challenger Pallet & Supply’s success has been intertwined with that of Viking Engineering for three generations, starting with the Idaho pallet producer’s purchase of its first Viking Duomatic in 1982.
By that time, Challenger Pallet & Supply, first launched by the late Victor and Gloria Hegsted in 1969 in Idaho Falls, was already a growing company, but it had come to a critical crossroads.
“We had landed a really big account and we had an old FMC nailing machine,” explained Kelly Bennion, Victor and Gloria’s son-in-law, and now the company’s general manager. He had started with the company earlier in 1982. The old machine wouldn’t be able to keep pace. “That old FMC was so out of date. Everything was by hand. There was no computerized system to it at all.”
“If you had a really good day, you could get 300 pallets out of it,” Bennion recalled. “Other than that, our numbers were in the 250 or 275 range.”
With the arrival of the new account, Challenger was able to justify getting its first Duomatic. “That’s where the relationship began,” he said. “We kept that machine for 20 years.” Over the course of time, the company also accumulated several Viking Champion machines. At one time, it was running 10 of them.
After the tragic death of Victor Hegsted in a 1982 plane crash, the company was run by Gloria, her son Tad Hegsted, and Bennion, until Gloria’s retirement in 1998.
One notable moment in Challenger’s relationship with Viking took place in the aftermath of a horrible fire that burned Challenger to the ground in 2006. A week after the blaze, Viking had located a replacement nailing machine, and within two weeks, it was installed and producing pallets. “Their reaction time,” Kelly said, “was incredible.”
Challenger’s relationship with Viking has continued in recent years with its purchase of one and then a second Turbo 606. “We went to the 606 because of the (short) changeover times,” Bennion said. Purchasing its first 606 allowed Challenger to sell two of its Champions. “We could do changeovers in such a short period of time it allowed us to justify getting rid of a couple of those nailers.”
The first 606 was one of the original 606 units built by Viking. Understandably, some bugs needed to be worked out. By the time it purchased its second 606, there were no issues at all. “I’ll tell you what,” Bennion said, talking about its production, “It sings a song like you wouldn’t believe.”
Challenger enjoys the ready access to data. “I can pull up history on that machine on a moment’s notice, just by a couple of clicks of a mouse.” For example, the day before our interview, the 606 at the Idaho location had produced 2372 pallets. The previous Friday it had built 2100. Total production, Bennion explained, can depend on the number of changeovers. The Turbo 606 at the Montana location of Challenger averages around five changeovers daily, and has production in the 1400 to 1600 pallet range. The Montana operation also runs a Champion 305.
Having the best equipment in place has been an important component of Challenger’s well-planned transition for the future, and its leadership succession is also well underway, with Tad’s sons Cole and Justin, and Kelly’s sons-in-laws Justin Karoly and Chris Goodwin. “We’ve been letting go of a lot of things,” Bennion explained. “Tad has pretty much handed off all of his position to Cole, and I’ve given about 90% of my job to Justin. Justin Karoly is doing sales, and Chris Goodwin is running one of the plants. All four boys are just taking over, and they are doing great.”
“Viking is very grateful for the long-term relationship it has with Challenger,” said Scott Ellefson, sales manager for Viking. “And it’s pretty neat that both companies, like several others in the industry, are in transition to new leadership. It’s been really fun working with each other!”
Challenger Pallet & Supply is based in Idaho Falls, with other facilities located in Montana and Salt Lake City, Utah.
R.B. Pallet Service
Seizing opportunity has always been at the heart of R.B. Pallet’s approach to doing business, whether taking advantage of the free cores that were available when it began in the late 1970s, to today, when opportunity is more aligned to investing in the best equipment and getting the most out of it. The trend toward combo pallets and using the best equipment to assemble them has turned out to be a winning combination for the Wisconsin company.
The R.B. Pallet Service story begins like many others in the industry. Ronald Young Sr. worked for a grocery wholesaler. When the grocery business was slow, he would be assigned to drive loads of pallets to the landfill. One day he said, “Why are we taking these to the landfill? I’ll fix them and bring them back good as new.” This idea led to Ron and Bernice Young launching R.B. Pallet.
The company stuck with repair and recycling for several years, explained Ron Young, Jr., the current owner. “We would get to work out in the yard with mom for five days a week, and on Saturday and Sunday, we would get to work with dad,” Young recalled. He started repairing pallets at the age of 12.
R.B. Pallet outgrew its 40×60 structure by the mid-1990s. It built its current 22,500 square-foot building in 1997. About that time, Ron Sr. retired and Ron Jr. took over the helm.
Young’s first experience with Viking came in 2001 when he purchased a used Champion from Viking. “I was only running it one or two days per week,” Young recalled. “I was thinking, ‘Oh man, how am I ever going to pay for this fancy machine?’” As it turned out, the company began gradually picking up orders for a few new pallets here and there as well as combo pallets emerging as a popular product. Young finally sold that first Champion in 2016. “That was my favorite machine in the shop,” he said.
In 2012, RB bought a different nailer, but quickly found that the operation wasn’t keeping up with demand. “I said to myself, ‘I have to sell that thing and get another Champion in here,’” Young said. He bought a 1994 Champion in 2013, rebuilding it and putting it into service. Still not able to keep up, the company purchased a new 304 Classic from Viking in 2015.
Shortly after that, his Viking sales representative mentioned that Viking was coming out with a new prototype machine they were calling the Express 403. “I said to put my name on it, I’ll take it,” Young recalled. “I said if you need a down payment, I’ll make it right now. I’ve already outgrown the three machines I’ve got.”
“We went to the Richmond show and ran that machine,” Young continued. “Everybody told me I was crazy. You can’t build a combo pallet with recycled lumber on a tandem machine. You just can’t do it. But do you know what? I’m crazy enough to try it. And we did.”
The Express 403 is the newest offering from Viking with production capabilities upwards of 1,200 pallets per shift. It is the industry’s most economic tandem option, according to Viking, providing consistent performance and low maintenance.
“The Express 403 uses the same board feeders as the much faster Viking Turbo 606. The entire machine is powered by a single hydraulic power unit. It was designed to fill the gap between the production capacities of the Viking Champions and the Turbo models.”
Young stressed that the secret to running combo pallets is to pay close attention to the thickness and width of lumber. There should be a maximum tolerance of 1/8-inch.
Another critical factor in steady production with no jam-ups is nail selection. Young sought support several years ago when he was having jamming problems with his 1994 Champion. “It seemed like the nails I was using were a little lighter gage, and I always had problems. Viking recommended a switch to Viking nails, and Ron has stuck with them ever since. “The Viking nails resolved the problem with my machines. And it was awesome how Viking worked with me on payment terms.”
At R.B. Pallet, cores are dismantled with Hartland band saws. They operate a two-man unit as well as two single operator saws. Young doubles up on the single operator machines, noting that production runs so much more quickly and easily.
Dismantled deck boards fall onto a belt where they are taken to a round table for sorting. Band saw operators drop the separated stringers onto another conveyor, which transports material to equipment designed to prepare the stringers for use in combo pallets, including a trimmer, PRS Pallet Doctor stringer sizer and a Hazledine notcher. If solid stringers are of adequate quality, they are notched. The stringer line upgrade was part of a 2016 expansion for R.B. Pallet that also included paving two acres in the yard and the purchase of the Viking Express 403.
“Paying attention to detail is crucial,” Young said, regarding sorting pallet components for rebuilding into combos. “If you don’t size them, you’ll have problems. Preparing the lumber so you can run it on a tandem machine is the most important.”
Attention to material sizing has made a difference. While initial production expectations were for 900 to 1000 pallets per day, RB regularly exceeds that amount. “I think our best day has been 1349,” Young stated.
Ron is equally enthusiastic about his two Champion machines. “I could just throw sawdust at them and they would nail it,” he quipped. “The Champion is by far the best machine out there. You can’t go wrong with a Champ.”
“Why buy an import when I have the best machine manufacturer (Viking Engineering) right next door,” Young said, speaking to the advantage of buying USA manufactured equipment. “The machines are reliable and their service is second to none. The call center support guys are awesome.” Viking is expanding its customer service by developing a Parts Store and Maintenance Video Library on its website.
As R.B. Pallet looks to the future, Young is mapping out his next upgrade, in which he plans to add a drying shed, a few more loading docks, and possibly another truck or two. “I’m looking at the next two years of doing an expansion, which will probably be the last expansion of my career. My son is 13; he’s coming up. If he decides he wants to get into the pallet business, it will be here for him, ready to go.”
“Viking is proud that we can help take Ron Young’s business to the next level,” stated Kurt Larsen, COO for Viking Engineering. “Our machines are built to last and will be there for Ron’s son, the next generation.” Leveraging the best equipment and achieving peak performance has positioned R.B. Pallet for success years into the future.
