The Standard in Attachment Manufacturing

NPK Construction Equipment
Written by Mark Golombek

NPK Construction Equipment is an industry leader with a comprehensive product line of construction and demolition attachments.

The company, with head offices in Cleveland, Ohio, was formed in 1985 as a distributor for Nippon Pneumatic Mfg. Co., LTD of Osaka, Japan, but its work has now expanded to include engineering, research and development, and manufacturing. NPK Construction Equipment remains under the umbrella of NPK Japan, and provides exclusive distribution and support for the USA, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

In November of 2018, we had the privilege of speaking with NPKCE President, Dan Tyrrell, and for this interview, we talked to Vice President of Sales, Claudio Calzado. We chatted about investment in infrastructure, the company’s relationship with NPK Japan, finding and acquiring qualified personnel, and growth in general.

Much has happened since we last spoke. “Last time we spoke, NPK was investing in infrastructure to be more efficient, keep up with quality, and improve deliveries. We were in the process of growing significantly when Dan did the interview. Since then, we have outfitted our factories and acquired Genesis Attachments LLC and Genesis GmbH, a large scrap shear manufacturer,” says Claudio.

NPK Construction Equipment improved productivity in its factories by investing in robots, automated equipment, and bigger blast booths, giving it enhanced turn-around times for any emergencies or client stocking requirements. An excellent team helps it all run smoothly.

The NPK Group is comprised of NPK Japan, NPK Europe, NPK Middle East, and NPK Construction Equipment in the U.S. NPK Japan is the founding company, has been in business since the mid-1930s, and began producing hydraulic construction equipment attachments in the 1960s. NPK Europe was established in the 1960s, in Rotterdam, Holland followed by NPKCE in 1985 and NPK Middle East in Dubai in 2005.

The company in the U.S. is very much integrated with the other subsidiaries, making it a truly global company that can source items from every country to meet demands. “We complement each other,” says Claudio. “If we are talking about the whole NPK group, that now makes us the most specialized and complete attachment manufacturer in the industry, bar none.”

NPK has been a trendsetter and innovator with hydraulic breaking technology, crushing and demolition tools since the 1950s. It was one of the first companies to develop and produce hydraulic breakers, but the industry has progressed, and now there are many competitors around the world.

“Despite the maturing and advancement of this industry, NPK Construction Equipment continues to be a pioneer and is always on the cutting edge of technology for hydraulic breakers and demolition,” says Claudio.

“It is also relevant to note that NPK is one of the only top manufacturers that, throughout the years, has always been NPK. It has never changed hands. This is a rare thing and showcases our strength in partnership,” says Claudio.

In total, there are five values that the company takes seriously in its quest to further its standards of excellence and provide the best customer and dealer experience. It aims to maintain the brand recognition as an industry leader with the best quality, most efficient delivery system and constant innovation; provide the best value and support to its dealers and customers; keep NPK manufacturing and operations safe, productive, and efficient; provide a work environment that enables employees to thrive and reach their true potential; and remain profitable to sustain growth. Everything the company does revolves around these values.

In March of 2020, NPK Construction Equipment will be attending Con-Expo, the preeminent construction equipment show in the industry, where the team will demonstrate the latest technology in hydraulic beakers along with the newest in demolition and shear attachments from Genesis Attachments. The Genesis Razer X Milti-Jaw Demolition Tool received the 2019 World Demolition Summit award for Innovative Tools and Attachments.

When last I spoke to Dan Tyrrell, one of the main challenges for the NPK group was to find areas for growth. This attachment manufacturer is always looking for new markets to enter but wants to be careful not to attempt things that are out of its scope or deviate from what it does best.

“We are now a group that comprises close to 250 employees in North America alone. That allows us to grow in a big way but also maintains our ability to keep doing what we do best, which is attachments in a specialized industry and manufacturing. It keeps it in line with what we do,” says Claudio.

In 2019, NPK Construction Equipment bought Genesis Attachments LLC of Superior, Wisconsin and Genesis GmbH in Germany and now has additional facilities that include a factory, another research and development department, an engineering department, and a sales team. Genesis is one of the best innovators in shear technology, scrap shears, and demolition tools.

Both companies have invested heavily in internal development and do minimal outsourcing. The NPK group designs, builds, and supports all of its products in-house throughout facilities around the world, and this is another element that separates it from the rest of the pack.

Acquiring Genesis makes NPKCE more efficient because now, with another facility in Wisconsin and a whole new group of engineers and research and development capabilities, the company is combining resources to make both product lines even better.

One of the main competitive advantages for NPKCE and the entire NPK group is that product support is unmatched, as all its dealers can attest. Secondly, it has always provided the latest technology with the most productive tools in the industry. Add these two factors together, and it is easy to understand why the company has been growing consistently and expanding its scope of operations since 1985.

“With a large engineering group and expanded facilities, we can and will become more efficient and effective,” says Claudio.

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