Henkel
June 23, 2025
Mannington Mills
June 23, 2025The Situation
Heritage Hosiery makes compression socks in a 42,000-square-foot plant in a suburb of Chattanooga. Compressed air is the heartbeat of the operation, according to owner Jeff Hixon, with its rotary screw air compressors running nonstop, 24/7. Downtime costs him about $5,500 per shift.
The Challenge
Heritage had two aging screw compressors—a 75-HP and a 100-HP machine—that weren’t keeping up after a small plant expansion. The main unit broke down frequently, and it often took a week or more to get replacement parts. Dust from a nearby dirt racetrack didn’t help, and they needed a lot of filtration to keep the air clean and prevent oil pass-through, which could ruin products and damage his desiccant dryers. In winter, they had to cover the radiator to keep the machine, which is located outdoors, from freezing.
“It was time to upgrade,” Jeff said. He also wanted a variable-speed drive unit to save money and energy.
The Solution
In the past, Jeff dealt with Rick LaFollette, general manager at Air & Hydraulic Equipment, an independent Kaishan distributor in Chattanooga. Rick recommended that Jeff consider replacing the aging compressors with two 100-HP KRSD rotary screw air compressors equipped with VSDs and backed by a 10-year warranty. After Jeff did some research, he agreed. He also purchased two twin-tower Mikropor desiccant dryers to get the high-quality air Heritage needed.
The company now has duplicate systems, ensuring reliability.
The Results
- ELECTRICITY SAVINGS OF $500/MONTH: The new system has cut electricity costs by $500 a month, eliminating the threat of $5,500-per-shift downtime. In addition, the units have stabilized air temperatures, a feat the older models could not achieve, and they have eliminated oil pass-through.
- SOLID MACHINES: “I’d put y’all up there with top marks, as far as runnability and dependability,” Jeff said. “They are really solid machines.” One is running all the time, with the second machine as backup. His maintenance team says the Kaishan machines are much easier to maintain than the aging, European-style equipment. “It’s very easy to get to everything. We really have been very impressed,” he said.
- AMERICAN-BASED: As a U.S. manufacturer, Jeff said Kaishan’s status as an Alabama-based company was a “huge” part of his decision. “We try to buy as much as we can here in the States.”
- A PARTNER WHO “MAKES LIFE EASIER”: Jeff’s trusted relationship with Air & Hydraulic Equipment “makes life easier for me,” he said. “They stand behind their product. When we call, they’re always there.” “I was really impressed with their knowledge of the machine and its capability.”
“I’d put y’all up there with top marks, as far as runnability and dependability. They are really solid machines.”
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