Smiley Monroe is celebrating five years of success in the United States. Aggregates Business looks at how the company has grown in the key aggregates market.
Five years ago, Northern Ireland-born manufacturer Smiley Monroe expanded its operations stateside when it opened the doors of its first US plant in Franklin, Kentucky. This strategic move was not just about geographic expansion; it was about bringing the brand’s core value of being “close to our customers” to life on American soil.
Despite being the new kid on the block, Smiley Monroe came to the US with more than 45 years of belting expertise and an established blue-chip customer base in the US, including the likes of Terex, Astec, Wirtgen, McCloskey and Eagle. The decision to invest in a plant across the Atlantic was customer-led from day one.
“Our Kentucky facility was born out of listening to our original equipment manufacturer [OEM] customers across North America who needed faster access to premium, customised, endless conveyor belts and after-market support,” Smiley Monroe Inc vice president Morgan Walker said.
“Five years on, Smiley Monroe Inc [the US-based subsidiary] continues to meet and exceed those needs, and to date has delivered conveyor belts to 48 states and expanded sales into Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, growing our prestigious customer base in the process.”
The after-market hero
It is not just equipment manufacturers who are benefiting from Smiley Monroe’s move to the US.
The company’s after-market product ZIP CLIP is gaining traction in the market and now accounts for nearly 60 per cent of its total sales. Smiley Monroe Inc estimates that ZIP CLIP is more than 10 times faster than vulcanising and is supplied ready-to-fit.
The mechanically fastened belt can be self-installed and run in under one hour without the need for a vulcanising team or specialist service crew. The factory-prepared joint ensures the joint retains the same tensile strength as the belt itself, making ZIP CLIP a more permanent solution than DIY clips. Once fitted, Smiley Monroe has said it can be run indefinitely. The fact ZIP CLIP can be fitted without removing the conveyor and from ground level makes it a safe installation option on-site, reducing not only downtime but health and safety concerns.
Kenny Harris, superintendent at Kentucky-based limestone quarry Gaddie Shamrock, said ZIP CLIP has slashed downtime from 24–36 hours down to three or less.
“ZIP CLIP has cut our downtime a lot. In the old days, we relied on a service team coming to vulcanise the belt,” he said.
“Because ZIP CLIP is supplied ready to go with the joint already prepared, it’s a much safer, faster option for us to get back up and running.
“It saves us thousands of dollars in service bills and lost production.”
Smiley Monroe offers ZIP CLIP on a 24-hour turnaround with expedited delivery options, which is proving to be a key selling point in reducing customer downtime, especially in the case of a breakdown scenario.
A material world
Located just one hour north of Nashville and within a day’s drive of over 70 per cent of the US population, Smiley Monroe’s Franklin facility is well situated to serve America’s materials handling industry.
While shorter lead times and local support have led to growth in the market, the company’s global footprint and extensive supply chain are proving to be a competitive advantage.
“Our extensive stock holding across three global sites alongside our highly developed supply chain means we can offer our customers a large range of material options, including a wide range of chevron or cleated belt profiles,” Walker said.
“We work closely with our customers to help choose the correct material specification and profile for their application, ensuring they achieve maximum conveyor uptime, belt lifespan and material throughput.”
That advantage extends to flexible supply options, from off-the-shelf belt rolls and ready-to-fit ZIP CLIP replacements to customised, hot vulcanised endless belts. These are all manufactured to strict quality standards and supported by Smiley Monroe’s engineering and research, and development teams.
Customers with extreme conveying applications are also benefitting from Smiley Monroe’s premium ToughFlex belt range, which the company said last up to four times longer than standard EP-multiply belts. This heavy-duty option is available in a range of widths and profiles and can be customised to suit the customer’s needs. Reinforced with heavy-duty (cut- and impact-resistant) top covers and an additional binder warp, ToughFlex offers a metal-free alternative to RipStop belting.
What’s next?
With a growing customer base, Smiley Monroe will seek to expand its US operations with an eye on new locations and sectors.
ZIP CLIP is already becoming the go-to belt option for tricky waste recycling applications and has found a niche in construction and demolition waste. As the facility grows, Smiley Monroe will also seek to emulate the computer numerical control (CNC) capabilities of its Northern Ireland and India sites, bringing a local supply of cut rubber and plastic parts to the US market. The company is committed to recruiting new talent to deliver the expertise, support and customer-centric service on which its global reputation has been built. AB
