Clayton County Recycling improves uptime with Hardox® 600 wear parts

Serving northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin since 1995, Clayton County Recycling processes scrap metal from across the region among cornfields. Their robust operation includes an auto shredder that separates steel, aluminum, brass, and copper. The equipment handles massive volumes of material every day—and absorbs significant wear in the process.

Keeping machines running is critical. As Operations Manager Scott Philpott explains, “Our machines take a beating. Before switching materials, the shredder was eating through its liners and blades were wearing out too quickly,” This meant frequent downtime, repeated labor hours, and lost productivity.

With one of the main extraction processes focused on copper reclamation, there’s no time to lose. The shredder’s liners were failing in as little as two months. Built from a mild steel, they simply couldn’t withstand the constant impact and abrasion inside the machine day after day. 

Frequent breakdowns created issues such as:

• Excessive downtime
• High labor hours for liner replacement
• Lost production
• Reduced operating efficiency
  
  

Clayton County needed something stronger—something that could withstand the harsh conditions, extend wear life and reduce maintenance interruptions.
That’s when Philpott partnered with the certified experts at Hardox* Wearparts center Ecco Fab and decided to step up his operation’s steel to Hardox® wear plate.

Hardox^® 600 didn’t just extend liner life—it transformed operating efficiency. Key results for Clayton County Recycling include:

• Up to 6-times longer wear life compared to mild steel
• Significant reduction in labor hours for replacements
• Reduced downtime throughout the year
• Higher overall production
• Greater reliability in heavy-wear locations
  
  

Clayton County Recycling now relies on Hardox^® 600 in their most demanding applications and considers it a strategic advantage. “Production is key in any industry,” says Philpott. ”If there’s a heavy wear spot… we’ll use a Hardox^® solution.”

With dramatically longer wear life, fewer unplanned interruptions, and dependable toughness, the shredder example is just the first step. Acording to Philpott, the move to using Hardox^® 600 hasn't just improved uptime, it has strengthened Clayton County Recycling’s position in a competitive industry. “I have not experienced a material anything like this... Hardox^® 600 gives us a competitive edge,” he concludes.