10/3/2014 Updated 10/6/2014

Belt Tech broadens reach, opens facility in Kentucky

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By Mike McNulty

WASHINGTON, Ind.—Belt Tech Industrial Inc. has opened a fourth branch in Madisonville, Ky., to continue expanding its customer base and increase capacity for its existing customers.

The company is adding the branch because “there's a huge potential to serve customers in the Madisonville area, and our new branch location will allow us to be close at hand so that we can do that to the very best of our ability,” said CEO Jordan Russell.

He said the new operation will begin with a crew of four employees, and the firm hopes to expand the team within the first year of operation.

Its investment in the new location was not disclosed.

“We are serious about providing quality service to our customers,” according to Chris Kimball, chief operating officer of the firm. “No matter where they are and which branch they are working with, we want to have a consistent experience.

“Our existing crews are working near capacity in our Indiana, Illinois and Tennessee service locations. Our location in Madisonville will relieve some of that pressure. Being close to the customers will reduce travel time that ultimately will benefit the customer.”

A good portion of its customer base in Hopkins County, where Madisonville is located, is involved in mining, and “the mining industry continues to be strong” in the county, said Donnie Carroll, the judge executive of Hopkins County. Because of that, he said, Belt Tech will be a good fit.

Belt Tech's Madisonville office will provide “all the quality services our customers have come to expect from Belt Tech, including turnkey belt installation, belt cleaner maintenance, automatic lubricants and on-site belt winding, to name a few,” Kimball said.

He said that the company has a number of existing customers in the area who want to use the firm's service crews, “but because of our previous geographic location from them, it proved difficult to provide the service they needed.”

Because the Western Kentucky coal market “is alive and well,” as its customers continue to invest in their operations, he said Belt Tech wants to be there to support them.

Founded in Washington in 1991, Belt Tech sells, installs and services conveyor belts and components.

It also designs conveyor products and serves coal and power producing companies in the area.

Russell said the new Madisonville operation represents a critical part of Belt Tech's long term growth strategy. “With the Madisonville office, we'll be able to provide on-the-spot, quality services in that area while our customer base grows.

“High caliber products and an expertise at conveyor maintenance and other conveyor services are really our cornerstone. We want to have a consistent presence in the Hopkins County area to provide that.”

With its corporate headquarters and original hub in Indiana, and with other sites in Illinois, Tennessee and now in Kentucky, the company can cover all four states, Kimball said.

The service facilities also allow the firm to service customers in Alabama, Missouri, Mississippi and Arkansas.