Maljohn Company • 800-268-1908 • http://www.maljohn.com/
Reprinted from Grain Journal November/December 2013 Issue
Since it started offering drag conveyor flights and return roller assemblies from an 18-foot-x-15-foot shop in Hamilton, ON, Canada, in 1976, Maljohn Plastics has grown into one of North America’s leading suppliers and manufacturers of plastic products for grain and industrial applications.
Started by Mal Johnson who had been selling grain handling accessories across Canada for 10 years, the company has grown from two to 24 employees, with manufacturing locations in Hamilton; and Regina, SK, Canada; and a stocking warehouse in Niagara Falls, NY.
The original shop, says Johnson, was so small that large plastic sheets had to be cut outside behind the shop.
That’s not a problem anymore with a manufacturing facility totaling 20,000 square feet in Hamilton and 15,000 square feet in Regina.
Besides the growth in manufacturing capability, Johnson expanded the company management in 1998, when his nephew, Jason Galbraith, joined the company. First working in the shop manufacturing parts, he then moved on to sales and estimating.
“About five years ago, I had the opportunity to become president and began running the day-to-day operations of the company,” Galbraith says. “I currently own a portion of the company and am continuing to purchase more from Mal.”
Early Plastic Products for the Grain Industry
From its beginning, Maljohn has specialized in Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) plastics, today stocking a variety of types and thicknesses of both materials and products.
The first products that Maljohn offered were UHMW drag conveyor paddles and return roller assemblies. As time went on, Johnson says the company was among the first to offer plastic flex sections that did not need to be placed inside of metal parts. These sections were used to construct one of the first plastic flexible spouts for loading grain into boxcars.
From there, Maljohn’s product line has expanded into larger telescopic spouts, conveyor flight edging, pressure sensitive tape, belt conveyor idlers, and many other plastic products.
“UHMW products are smooth under a microscope,” Johnson says, “while steel products have a mountain range- like surface and are more affected by grain abrasion.”
Since its first UHMW products, Maljohn has offered many varieties of plastic solutions for the grain and farm implement industries.
“When customers expressed concern about static electricity discharge on employees, we started manufacturing static-reduced black products that contain glass beads,” Johnson says. “These products with carbon black enhance grain flow and discharge static.”
The company’s product line includes:
• Drag conveyor components:
– Formed u-trough liners – standard and full coverage.
“We have full coverage liners,” says Johnson, “ which means the liners go all the way up to the top of the u-trough, and standard coverage, which is only so many inches above the center line of the u-trough. “Our u-trough liners outlast steel by 5-6 times and are one-third the weight of steel. We pre-form our liners for all size troughs.”
– Drag return roller assemblies.
– Flat-bottom drag flights (paddles).
– UHMW flat-bottom liners.
• Belt conveyor parts:
– Rigid cable rollers.
– Flexible cable roller.
• Spouts and chutes:
– UHMW spout liners.
– Multi-part telescopic spouts.
– Two-part telescopic spouts.
– UHMW flexible spout sections.
Maljohn’s telescopic spouts have been in use in the grain industry for many years. The abrasion-resistant and food-grade spouts can be used for many different loading aspects, from trucks to barges, in the grain industry. Some key features:
– Light and easy to handle.
– Corrosion- and UV-resistant.
– Square or rectangular spouts.
• Screw conveyor components:
– Flight brush edging.
– Hangers bearing inserts.
– Flight facing.
– Flight edging – standard and extra depth.
– U-trough liners
• Pressure sensitive tape. The company’s pressure sensitive tape is used in any application or environment where a tough, durable wear strip is needed.
Manufacturing Processes
The company’s manufacturing capabilities include:
• 2D forming and bending.
• Complex and simple cutting.
• Complex and simple machining – drilling, chamfering, counterboring, and countersinking.
• Application of adhesives – pressure sensitive tape, adhesive-backed sheet, etc. – and metal attachments such as fasteners.
• CAD-programmable cutting and machining.
• Punching and stamping.
• Lathe prepared parts.
Minimizing waste of plastic during the manufacturing process was an important factor to Johnson. Since its founding, the company has thrown away less than 1% of scrap plastic while sending it away to be made into fresh sheets.
Maljohn is also able to keep up with consumer demand by keeping a variety of plastics available for customer needs. The company holds $250,000 worth of raw plastic material in stock at both production facilities.
“By having material available, we can generate a product to our customer’s specifications quickly, on time, and consistently,” Galbraith says.
Customer Commitment
Since its inception, Maljohn has had a variety of customers, from distributors to end users. It also manufactures for original equipment manufacturers and other companies with machined parts.
“We have been able to make products to answer end-user problems,” Johnson says. “This connection has allowed us to help to answer questions.”
From the beginning, Johnson says he sought to build relationships with potential customers. This included visiting grain companies in Winnipeg, MB; Calgary, AB; and Edmonton, AB every six weeks.
“I wanted to sell products and get to know what problems my customers were having to help answer concerns,” Johnson says. “They knew they would see me on a regular basis to help solve problems with a product.”
One company tested components for five years before switching over to Maljohn products, Johnson says. The company then put Maljohn’s products in 500 elevators. Johnson and Galbraith attribute this relationship to their many visits. This relationship also encouraged them to add a new Maljohn facility in Regina.
