Smiley Monroe is turning more and more US mobile materials processing downtime into dollars as demand rises for its high-quality Zip Clip replacement conveyor belting.
Founded in 1979, the Lisburn, Northern Ireland-headquartered company has been trading in America for three years after opening a production facility in Franklin, Kentucky, in 2020.
Speaking at CONEXPO/CON-AGG 2023 in Las Vegas, Aimee McCracken, Smiley Monroe’s group marketing manager, says the firm is rapidly growing its customer base Stateside. “Customers see the value of having their Zip Clip replacement belts factory fitted so they can be quickly installed onsite. They also appreciate Zip Clip’s quality and maximum uptime. We have a very agile approach and can mostly dispatch Zip Clip’s next day in breakdown cases.”
Smiley Monroe is committed to replicating the skilled workforce, culture and core values underpinning its success to date. Working with The Kentucky Office of Employer and Apprenticeships Services, the company launched an accredited three-year Conveyor Belt Technician Apprenticeship in the US at the start of 2023. The first two candidates will start their apprenticeships this year. If successful, similar apprenticeship programs will be introduced throughout the Smiley Monroe Group in conjunction with local education authorities and colleges.
The learning and development of employees is a major focus across the Smiley Monroe Group and is a strategic pillar in their ambitious growth plans to triple sales by 2028.
Smiley Monroe kickstarted 2023 with several internal promotions. Tim Monroe is the new chief marketing officer, David Mullan and Ryan Wright have taken up sales director roles, and Jayne Peters is Smiley Monroe’s new director of people and culture.
Smiley Monroe’s customised, endless conveyor belts are supplied to leading global OEM customers such as Wirtgen, McCloskey and Terex.
