Outfit makes grinders
MIDDLESEX TWP — At the Glade Run Industrial Park, three unique businesses operate under the Ferree Family Businesses and provide a diverse array of products for both the pulverizing, size-minimizing and racing industries.
Pulva Corp. operates side-by-side with two companies, Frankland Racing Supply and American Diecast Co. LLC in the industrial park off Route 228.
Two other separate companies, Butler Pre-Owned Auto Sales and RV Center on Route 8 in Butler and Water Soft Inc. are also operated by the Ferree family.
Though bought by current owner Ed Ferree nearly two decades ago, Pulva Corp. was established in 1938 and has manufactured pulverizing equipment for the size reduction industry.
Ferree's daughters, Catie Morley and Caroline Hahn, and son, Alex Ferree, are all involved in different aspects of the family's business ventures.
During the past five years, the plant has increased in size by 40 percent while more than doubling its work force.
Catie Morley, vice president of the Ferree Family Businesses, said Pulva Corp. is already planning another expansion because of customer demand.
The company has ordered a new lathe and needs the additional space to machine its pulverizers.Morley said the high horsepower machines grind all types of materials into whatever size the customer requires.Ned Kerr, Pulva plant supervisor, said it takes about six weeks from when the company gets an order to the building and the testing of the machine.The machines are used in the construction, farming, cosmetics, food processing and the pharmaceutical industries."They're very diverse machines. We even had a request from one of our customers for our machines to grind shark cartilage," Morley said.The company manufactures a variety of sizes from 1 horsepower pulverizers all the way up to more than 200 horsepower hammermills for industrial applications.Morley said many of the company's customers send a sample of the material they want crushed so testing can be done to perfect the size specifications before the machines are shipped out via tractor-trailer truck to businesses across the country.Along with its varied sizes of pulverizers and crushing machines, the company also manufactures a cryogenic grinder, which is designed for laboratory use.It can grind as little as one pound or quantities up to 200 hundred pounds.Morley said the company is looking to expand its facilities and that the installation of a new lathe will expand manufacturing capabilities.<B>Frankland Racing Supply</B>Frankland Racing Supply has been a longtime supplier of quick change rear ends for racing.Since its founding in 1947 by Jim Frankland, the company has manufactured quality racing parts.The company manufactures independent, open tube, closed tube and rear end products for late model dirt sprint cars and modified street-rods for street and road racing applications.Owner Ed Ferree, who is a late model dirt car owner/driver, is heavily involved in the racing industry.Frankland also has developed a rear placement parts division. It offers replacement parts for Winters and other leading rear end brands. Frankland supplies an array of rear end needs such as centers, gears, ring and pinions.Morley said last year the company held its first racing festival where cars and drivers were featured and tours of the production facility were given.It coincided with the Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway, and this year's event is scheduled for June 26, with the race taking place June 27 to 28.
American Diecast Co. grew out of the family's interests in racing since all members of the Ferree family have been involved in racing, especially at Lernerville Speedway near Sarver.Driver Alex Ferree finished first as the late model points leader for the 2007 season.The company makes a variety of different die cast 1:24 and 1:64 model die cast race cars for all racing circuits from dirt track racers up to well-known NASCAR drivers.Morley said American Diecast's niche is the small race teams and local racetrack market.The company strives to be the leader and innovator in the dirt racing industry. The company, which started in 2003, produces between 50 to 70 die cast race cars per day and about 1,000 per month.Morley said drivers sent the company their car logos and colors, which are then reproduced on die cast cars that are shipped in from China.The company provides several series of die cast race cars from the Red series which allows small track drivers the opportunity to have race cars reproduced.The White and Blue series allow medium and large racing teams the same opportunities to reproduce their vehicles, but on larger scales.American Diecast also does a NASCAR line and a corporate line for companies that want a car designed with its company's logo for promotional materials.
