Hallett Dock uses several Komatsu wheel loaders, including this WA500-3 model, which an operator uses to move ice-control materials. "The company was one of the first in the area to buy Komatsu equipment," said Superintendent Clyde Jago. "That was in the late '80s, and it was a leap of faith because it had run other brands for a long time. The Komatsus worked very well, and we've continued to buy them. We let the operators compare equipment the last time we were looking to buy, and Komatsu came out the clear winner."
the company's strategic location providing easy access by rail and water. Rail service and Interstate highway access provide the company with products arriving and departing daily by rail as well as by truck. In addition, its maritime facilities provide transportation of materials by ship. Its location allows easy access to the ports of the Great Lakes, the Saint Lawrence Seaway system and Europe.
"You really couldn't ask for a better location," McCoshen remarked. "It's very easy to bring materials in and take them back out quickly and efficiently, which is important when you're dealing with large quantities of goods. It provides safe, dependable access, and water is really the most economical form of transportation."
Commodities are stored at both of the company's maritime facilities - Hallett Dock has approximately 100 acres of outside storage at the two facilities - or in its one bulk-storage building, which holds about 20,000 tons.
In addition to handling products for a variety of customers, Hallett Dock owns and is a wholesale agent for several materials, such as limestone and limestone screenings, decorative stone, red ball aggregate, ballast stone, black dirt and topsoil, roofing ballast and salt/sand blend.
Employee owned
Hallett Dock handles commodities with a relatively small, but highly experienced staff of about 20 employees. Many of its employees have worked at Hallett Dock more than two decades, including office manager Kara Raymond, who's been with the company 22 years.
"The company is employee-owned, and that's a real benefit," Fryberger emphasized. "They all have a stake in the success of the company and, therefore, they take customer service very seriously. Since our employees are involved in the day-to-day operation, they have great ideas, and we've taken many of them and put them to use in making our operations run more smoothly. It's exciting to see. Plus, it's a small company in which decisions are made quickly because the primary focus of the employees is to provide quality service to our customers. It's like a big family."
"We have a long list of employees with many years of service, and that really pays off," said Sykes. "They know how to handle any situation and quickly resolve any issues that may pop up. They're adaptable, which is important to us as well because we handle so many different products. They're enthusiastic and well-organized. We believe it's the best work force in the business. We have relatively little turnover, so that's a positive as well."
Mike McCoshen, General Manager