Blue Monkey Disposing & Recycling offers convenient C&D class 3 transfer station for Tampa area customers

In 2011, Jason McMahan and Joshua Doddy saw an opportunity to buy a construction and debris (C&D) Class III transfer station in Tampa, Fla. The name Blue Monkey Disposing was unique and easy to remember. After three years of limited improvement, Jason asked his brother, Wesley, to join the business and help it grow.

“My brother called me out of the blue one day and said he needed somebody he could trust, was dependable and would show up every day to take care of things when he wasn’t around,” recalled Wesley. “My wife and I decided to sell everything we owned and make the leap from Arkansas to Tampa. My background in the trucking industry as a shop foreman, mechanic and manager lent itself well.”

Located just east of downtown Tampa, the company operates as a C&D Class III material recycling transfer station. It now has 11 employees and handles an average of 400 tons of material per day. Customers haul debris from a 35-minute-drive radius to use the facility.

“Typically, people will dump two to 10 tons per load,” explained Wesley. “One of the first changes was installing a scale. It’s a much more efficient process and has improved our bottom line.

“We also updated the tipping facility so that two customers can dump material at the same time,” continued Wesley. “Previously, whenever a trailer had an issue dumping, the line backed up, and we got complaints. We listened to our customers’ feedback and added the second lane to make it a better experience.”

Emphasizing customer service is a major part of Blue Monkey’s philosophy.

“Our workers and spotters do the small things, like opening and closing doors for customers,” explained Wesley. “They appreciate that because our number-one goal is to get them in and out without any problems. Unlike many other facilities in the area, we’re a family-owned operation and take pride in that.”

Added efficiency

To help the business operate more efficiently, Blue Monkey recently began using a Komatsu PC210LC-11 excavator with a Genesis Handling Grapple (GHG)100 attachment.

“Our old machine with a standard size thumb and bucket took almost 50 minutes to load a truck,” recalled Wesley. “We believed that if we could load a truck faster and with a bigger basket, we would be able to get more volume through the facility and increase our efficiency. So far, it’s been amazing to see what the excavator with the attachment can grab and throw in the trailer.

“One early concern was what would happen if a load was too heavy and caused the machine to sway,” continued Wesley. “We learned the answer pretty quickly when we had a couple of customers dump an entire trailer load of shingles on an empty floor. The operator grabbed the whole bundle and just threw it right in the trailer without any issues.”

The GHG100 offers a capacity of one cubic yard and 360-degree rotation. It is specifically designed to handle waste and sort C&D more efficiently than a standard bucket. The PC210 has a 9-foot, 7-inch arm and 18-foot, 8-inch boom that allows the operator to reach material throughout the facility without moving the machine.

“Since we’ve added the PC210 and GHG100 our loading times and productivity have improved,” stated Wesley. “The grapple’s rotation and reach of the excavator give our operators the ability to work the material instead of working the machine. The grapple is also a safer option because the operator can cut material that’s hanging off the side of the truck or compact loads further into the walking-floor trailer.”

“The Genesis grapple makes my job a lot easier,” noted Operator Carla Scranton. “It has great positioning to pick up more material and load it into the semi faster than our previous machine. The added ability to rotate the attachment 360 degrees is wonderful as well.”

Working with Linder

When Wesley, Jason and Joshua decided to add new equipment, they turned to Linder Industrial Machinery and Sales Rep Randy Thomas. In addition to the grapple and excavator, the firm also added a Komatsu WA270-8 wheel loader with solid rubber tires and a three-yard bucket.

“The wheel loader is mainly used for cleaning the tipping floor and the area where our trucks are loaded, but we can switch to a fork attachment and pull recyclable material to another staging area,” explained Wesley. “And because we’re located in the south, our operators appreciate having a closed cab with air conditioning. The versatility of the machine to accommodate my older operators who like using an actual shifter and my newer operators who are more comfortable with a joystick makes it a great fit.”

Finding the best equipment was as important as selecting the right distributor for Blue Monkey, according to Wesley.

“We had a lot of issues with our previous distributor and wanted somebody that could work closely with us,” said Wesley. “Jason did a lot of research on different attachments and distributors before choosing Linder and Genesis.

“If we need anything, Linder’s customer service is top-notch,” continued Wesley. “We appreciate the similarities between our businesses in that regard. Our equipment, thanks to Linder and Genesis, has brought this company another step ahead.”

Continued growth

“Our permit was renewed to where we’re able to dump C&D outside in an overflow area and can now handle the additional business,” noted Wesley. “There’s a lot of construction in the Tampa area, and the old material can’t get trucked out fast enough. It’s more efficient for drivers to dump material at our facility rather than hauling it two hours to the landfill.

“We’re in a prime location now and plan to stay,” continued Wesley. “Our goal in the near future is to build a brand-new facility here that is even more efficient. If we keep on track as we are right now and the economy stays strong, we’re going to keep growing.”