CHICAGO — Less than 10 years old, Reduction Engineering Inc./Accu-Grind Industrial Knife Co. (Booth E10457) already is reinventing itself.
The sister companies officially merged Jan. 1, joining Reduction's background in making a variety of machines for the compounding, rotational molding and PVC profile markets with Accu-Grind's expertise in computer-controlled sharpening, repairs and replacement parts.
The companies also launched a strategic alliance in October with auxiliary maker Conair, making and marketing a series of Conair pelletizers with Accu-Grind rotors, bearing an "Accu-Grind Inside" label.
"It's worked out really well for us," said sales manager Greg Shook in a June 19 interview.
Since joining forces with Conair, Reduction Engineering/ Accu-Grind has seen its business climb by 50 percent, he said, with about 12 people joining the 75-employee work force so far. The firm plans to further expand that base.
The combination plays on Conair's brand name recognition in the marketplace and Accu-Grind's reputation to meet tight tolerance demands.
"The alliance works for everybody," Shook said. "There's unlimited potential."
Accu-Grind formed in 1992 with its computer-supported sharpening service and repair and replacement team. Reduction Engineering launched in 1993 with one pulverizer.
The company has readily expanded its offerings to the point it now can equip a full factory, from the pulverizers that introduced it to the industry to conveyors, silos and mixers, Shook said.
Reduction Engineering's added value, though, is in the service end, provided through Accu-Grind and its three service centers — in Oxford, Mass.; Etowah, N.C., and at the corporate headquarters in Kent, Ohio.
"We're interested in maintaining our customers in the long run," Shook said. "Our expertise is in the service."
