Montabert Opens Distribution, Rebuild Center in Nashville, Illinois

Aaron Scarfia (L), GM Montabert USA, and Michael Gidaspow, vice president products, service and solutions Komatsu America, with a Montabert V56 hammer. (CEG photo)

Wed October 11, 2023
Katherine Petrik – CEG Editorial Assistant

Montabert USA held an open house on Sept. 28 to celebrate the opening of its expanded distribution and rebuild facility in Nashville, Ill. This expansion will enhance the company's factory-certified rebuild system, as well as allow more space to store parts and repair larger hammers with the new rebuild pit.

"We're here today in Nashville, Ill., to launch our new rebuild and reman facility," said Aaron Scarfia general manager of Montabert USA. "This has been our distribution center since April 2019, and we're excited to bring our rebuild capabilities in house. This really expands our abilities to service our customers with repairs or, if they have an older or aged Montabert breaker, to trade in."

Amanda Carpenter, customer service, warehouse and rebuild manager, said the facility is all encompassing.

"We ship out all United States orders from this location and store all parts and equipment in house as well," she said.

With the rebuild process brought in house, including all customer repairs, servicing machines out in the field, break downs, etc., customers can send their hammers in to be diagnosed, repaired and returned to them in a more efficient manner.

"The advantage of bringing the rebuild process in-house is that all the parts are available, it cuts down on turn-around time, technicians are on site and quality assurance is on site," said Carpenter.

This new facility services the entire United States dealer network of 20 to 30 certified dealers. All orders come through the Nashville distribution center. Customers can send hammers to be rebuilt, or if they want to trade older hammers for newer models, Montabert will buy back the old ones to refurbish and resell.

"For customers looking buy a new Montabert breaker, we'll buy the old breaker back from them, sell them a new breaker and install it on their machine so they can start producing," said Scarfia.

Rebuild Pit

"In this area, we take in customers' hammers, tear them down and inspect them, diagnose any problems and send a report. If they want us to proceed with putting it back together, it is rebuilt in this area and sent back out to the customer," said Carpenter.

The new facility has a 10-ton crane that can lift the biggest hammers and equipment; a lift table that can lift the hammer up and down in various positions and levels so the technician can work safely; and a test bench to test hammers once they are rebuilt.

"Our technicians have everything they need to rebuild a hammer," said Carpenter.

Rebuild Capabilities

As part of Montabert's "reman" program, the company will purchase older, used models from customers, rebuild them and sell them as remanufactured equipment.

"We buy back older hammers, bring them to the warehouse and rebuild them, repaint them and resticker them," said Carpenter. "We sell them as remanufactured equipment to other customers at a discounted price with a six-month warranty. All remanufactured inventory stays in house." CEG