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West Side Salvage

West Side Salvage, Inc. • 800-747-0104 http://westsidesalvage.com/

Reprinted from Grain Journal July/August 2016 Issue

For more than 40 years, West Side Salvage (WSS) has been cleaning up spilled grain. Director of Salvage Ken Langham talked with Grain Journal about the important WSS milestone.

Company name: “Originally named Grain and Salvage Co. by Dale and Jeanne Vogt in 1968, an insurance company rated it as a demolition business because of ‘Salvage.’ The name was changed to West Side Salvage to reflect its location in Cedar Rapids, IA.”

Key dates:

1968: “Using shovels, bushel baskets, and pickup truck, WSS cleaned up spilled and damaged grain in the railyards in Cedar Rapids – first for the Rock Island Railroad, then for the Chicago and Northwestern (CNW), Milwaukee Road, and Illinois Central. The salvage was sold to local hog farmers.”

1969: “When the CNW wanted cars of grain transferred, WSS began using augers, then bought a PTO vac and straight truck.”

1974: “A fire wiped out most of WSS’ equipment. The decision to rebuild with all new equipment was a turning point that made West Side Unlimited possible.”

Corporate structure: “Family-owned West Side Unlimited is WSS’s parent. It also owns West Side Transport, a dry van operation with about 530 semi-tractors, and Shellsburg Elevator Co.”

Services: “We perform all types of salvage and recovery throughout the country, working for railroads, grain companies, and insurance companies.”


About West Side Salvage, Inc.

Atkins, IA
800-747-0104
319-446-7600
http://westsidesalvage.com/

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