Turning Kansas Into A Dredge Manufacturing Powerhouse
Custom Dredge Works got its start in the aggregate mining industry and eventually, expanded into the dredge contracting industry with hearty, innovative designs that demonstrate an affinity for the maxim "dredge designs that increase production while reducing downtime". Custom Dredge Works builds two type of dredges: chain ladder and cutter head. A chain ladder is very similar to a chain saw in which a rotating chain with cutters stirs up the material which is then pumped to the surface as a slurry. The cutter head dredge stirs up the material similarly but uses a conical-shaped bit as the agitator.
CLIENT: Custom Dredge Works
LOCATION: Topeka, Kansas
PRODUCT USED: C9 Cat Engines (350 hp) & C32 Cat Engines (1.350 hp)
Introduction
CJ Jones has been a self-described “motor head” his whole life.
“I’ve built cars, raced cars, torn them apart and put them back together again,” he says. “And now I collect them.”
It was his love of the automotive industry that led to the opening of his metal works business in North Topeka, Kansas in the early 1980s. It was at times fulfilling and fun, but it was also very hard with ups and downs, and the Jones family endured tough times.
In the late 90’s when CJ’s son, John Jones, was attending college, he had every intention of becoming a stockbroker. As a finance major, he had his career mapped out, but after one day on the job, he realized it wasn’t for him.
“There was a lot of cold calling and selling involved.” He called his dad and said, “This isn’t for me” and CJ invited him to join him at Metal Works. This was a turning point for the business. It was also at that time they were asked to repair a dredge.
DREDGING UP BIG BUSINESS
They did such a good job on the project, the customer asked if they could build a dredge from scratch. They did. And Custom Dredge Works (CDW) was born. Since that time, CDW has grown into one of the country’s leading manufacturers of state-of-the-art dredges.“We needed a niche. And dredges became our niche,” says John.
Dredging is an age-old technology that can be used to move just about any material that can be suspended in water and pumped. Dredges are commonly used in mining sand and gravel. There are environmental uses too, including the removal of mining tailings from waste ponds and dredging navigable waterways to keep shipping channels and ports accessible.
To say Custom Dredge Works builds complete dredges doesn’t adequately describe just how much of the fabrication is done under one roof. “We start with a stack of plate steel, angle iron and channel and turn it into a dredge. Fully 99% of the design and fabrication work is done in house,” Jones explained. “We even truck the product to the customer.”
THE CATERPILLAR CONNECTION
Most dredges include two engines: one to power the pump and an auxiliary power unit to provide electricity and power hydraulics. The engine of choice? Caterpillar.
“Depending on the size of the dredge, we’re using C9s, (350 hp), all the way up to C32s (1.350 hp), for the larger dredges,” Jones said.
We chose Cat because of the worldwide service,” Jones continued. “You can always count on their dealer network for parts and service.” Worldwide availability of parts and service is increasingly important to CDW as they have not only shipped dredges across the U.S., but also to Mexico, South America and recently to Nigeria.
THE FOLEY POWER SOLUTIONS PARTNERSHIP
Ed Beatty, Industrial OEM Accounts Manager for Foley Power Solutions, began working with Custom Dredge Works in 2014, offering engine specifications and related technical information for the application.
“What we’ve found with Ed & Foley Power Solutions, is someone to become part of our team to keep us informed of what’s changing, what’s available, the better solution,” Jones said.
CUSTOM DREDGE WORK'S PHOTO GALLERY
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