Company
Exceeds Industry Prediction
Bark
River Concrete Products
Bark River, Michigan
The Van Enkevort brothers Gerald, Clyde
and Donald planned to continue with their family farming duties upon
returning from World War II, which they did until an addition to the
barn was needed. They never expected to be making concrete block for the
barn, which would result in the start-up of a new family business.
Dave Van Enkevort
(middle) is proud to be a part of the concrete products vusiness that
was started by his father, Donald, and uncles, Gerald (left) and Clyde
(right).
Concrete block were scarce at the time
so the boys decided to try and make block themselves after noting the
piles of gravel and sand that stood in one corner of the farm. They
bought a block machine in the summer of 1946 and immediately began
modifying the machine.
The modified three-at-a-time block
machine cranked out 1000 block a day and the company Bark River Concrete
Products was born. The mix was entered by hand and pressed into a mold.
The block were manually handled after coming out of the mold and air
dried overnight to cure.
Production was based on the farm for
the first 1-½ years. Operations were moved to the current location in
1948. At the new site, Bark River installed a used Besser
three-at-a-time V3-M Vibrapac block machine.
When Bark River Concrete Products
began, the industry predicted only seven years of good business. Despite
this dismal prediction and other obstacles, the brothers were determined
to make a go of the business. The combined entrepreneurial skills of the
brothers proved valuable as they devised ways to improve plant and
office operations.
In November 1999, the
train system for transporting block to the curing chamber was removed
(lower left) and construction began for building larger kilns (lower
right).
In the early 1960s, the brothers built
a clever train system for transporting block to the curing chamber. The
linear train rails were 800 feet long, 400 of which were in the kiln.
The steel pallets containing green block were automatically lifted from
the conveyor into bays on the train racks. The train traveled farther
into the kiln as each bay was filled. By the end of the day the entire
train was enclosed inside the kiln and the block were cured overnight
with steam. The next morning the train system traveled back to the
starting position so that the first bay was lined up with the unloading
station ready for the cured block to be unloaded. Then, as the first bay
was loaded with green block, the cured block in the second bay were
unloaded.
The V3-M was eventually replaced by a
new Besser V3R block machine, which was later replaced by the V3-12
Vibrapac concrete products machine that is still operating in the plant.
"Besser has always built the best block machines," stated
Clyde who reminisced about the company history.
Of all the brothers, only Donald’s
children chose to remain in the family business. His four sons began
working in the gravel operation as kids. Dave is most familiar with the
entire operation, Jim works in the block sales office, Don assists in
the trucking end of the business and Paul is involved with the gravel
operation.
The addition of an
LSC-40C rack transporter system and expanded kilns allows Bark River
Concrete Products to increase daily production.
Eventually, the entire train set-up
began to wear and it was evident that the time to invest in an updated
facility and new equipment had finally arrived. Dave Van Enkevort and
Len Olson, plant superintendent, worked together to research options for
replacing the homemade rackveyor/loader/unloader. In November 1999 the
plant roof was raised to accommodate new and expanded kilns. Sticking to
the work ethic of the Van Enkevorts before them, the Bark River staff
did the majority of the construction. Dave commented, "We have
super workers. They want to work and we can’t keep them away on
Saturdays." Len has been an instrumental part of the company’s
longevity.
Besser staff worked with Bark River
Concrete Products on this unique project from the start to give them the
satisfaction they deserved. Dave was pleased with the Besser assistance,
"We’re very happy with the technical service of Besser Company.
Customer service is important to us. We saved money where we could and
Besser still supported us. Russ Chenoweth, Besser representative, was
there whenever we needed him."
Len Olson, plant
superintendent, has been instrumental in the continued success of Bark
River Concrete Products.
Besser installed an MS-10 Multi-Spade
Besser-Matic, LSC-40C rack transporter system, automatic kiln door,
block turnover, Easy Blend Batching System and metering package for the
plant upgrade in April 2000. The company currently manufactures a
variety of block in variegated colors and are looking at options to
produce paving stone. "The business is fun and challenging,"
mentioned Dave. The new equipment has improved the efficiency of the
plant and provides more time for the second generation of Van Enkevorts
to do what they do best – hone their entrepreneurial skills. Bark
River Concrete Products has endured well beyond the original seven years
predicted by the industry and the business continues to prosper.
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