The next generation of gypsum mixers expertise

ACS Mixers is a company built on decades of expertise. It’s our in-depth knowledge of the industry — and how the highest-quality pin mixer parts are designed, sized, and manufactured — that helps gypsum plants all over North America run smoothly.

Our industry veteran, Wayne Beveridge, is the go-to contact for many gypsum plant managers and operators. He’s the one you call for technical support when things don’t go as planned, even if you’re across the continent and it’s the middle of the night.

As Beveridge plans for retirement, he’s been working closely with a newer addition to the ACS family: Eden Westbrook.

Westbrook joined ACS Valves four years ago. Today she works as a sales representative for rotary valves, and she has started a transition to ACS Mixers. You can think of her as Beveridge’s apprentice. Combined with her growing knowledge of gypsum mixers, her sales experience and customer-first mindset make her a unique asset to the team.

This year, the two of them have been working closely together to make sure you get all the mixers technical support you need in the years to come.

Wayne’s 40 years of gypsum industry experience

After starting his career as an apprentice, Beveridge worked his way up the ranks in a gypsum plant, drywall plant and mine. He accumulated several certifications over the years, including underground certifications, structural welding, fabricating and welding supervision, to name a few.

He eventually was promoted to maintenance manager. During that time, Beveridge became well-acquainted with ACS Valves through their relationship to his company. It also helped that their facilities were just across the road from each other.

“I moonlighted at ACS as a millwright to make extra money when my daughter was going to college,” Beveridge says. “I helped build some of their stuff back then. They supplied equipment and did machining jobs for us over the years, so we always had a good working relationship with ACS.”

When the plant closed, it seemed natural for Beveridge to then make a move to ACS Mixers, where he provides sales and technical support to customers around the world.

The most common issues he handles are caused by worn-down parts or a change in the system. Beveridge helps customers narrow down the source of their problem so they can quickly diagnose and fix it.

It’s the type of job where analytical skills and a solid mechanical background really come in handy, Beveridge says.

“The trick is trying to decipher the information I’m given — photographs, video, or just a description,” he says. “It helps to have lots of experience in the drywall industry, because I’ve seen almost every problem that anybody could have in my line of work.”

Beveridge says his favorite parts of the job are the people, the freedom and the ability to help people on a daily basis. “It’s kind of like a puzzle — it’s fun to try and figure things out to help people.”

These days, Beveridge spends any spare time on the job training Westbrook in all things mixers.

Eden’s hands-on study of mixers knowledge

Learning about gypsum pin mixers is a hands-on process by nature, so much of their training involves taking Westbrook down to the shop to see how things are assembled and made.

“It’s basically an apprenticeship,” says Beveridge. “It’s a learning experience to see how things go together, which part is which, and some of the potential challenges in making that part.”

Westbrook is learning how issues are normally dealt with, so she’ll know how to handle them down the line. One of the first things she and Beveridge did together was a mixer inspection.

“The process has been good — it’s nice to learn new things,” Westbrook says. “The inspection was very intricate. A customer was involved through video. The hands-on work, plus the mechanical side of it that Wayne taught in the class, are all helpful for me.”

Westbrook currently handles questions about pricing, delivery and timing on spare parts for ACS Mixers, and she is beginning to work on larger quotes for mixers. It’s important to her to be thorough with each inquiry she fields.

“We try to set realistic expectations for customers by giving them details about the systems, lead times, and potential issues,” she says. “Then it’s just about taking any feedback and trying our best to meet their needs.”

Every gypsum plant is different, so the sales process involves asking a lot of questions to get the full picture. As Westbrook learns more, she will be able to remember the unique properties and nuances of each customer’s process.

To properly quote a mixer, sales reps need to understand exactly what the customer wants, what equipment they currently have, and how they plan to use it. Then the ACS team can get ahead of any potential issues and talk it through with the customer.

“If we don’t know something, we have the resources here to find out,” Westbrook adds. “We have a good team. Everyone has a good relationship, and we communicate very well.”

On the training front, Westbrook will continue to work closely with Beveridge with the goal of transitioning into his role over time.

“When customers are talking to Eden, they’re talking to me,” he explains. “As she continues to learn, I’ll be listening and often having input into those communications.”

Eventually, her training will allow Westbrook to become the go-to person for ACS Mixers customers, just as Beveridge is today.

The ACS experience: What to expect

No matter who’s on the other end of the phone with you, there are some things you can always expect from ACS Mixers. On the side of quality, you get trouble-free operation, period. Then there’s the customer service.

“The number one thing is that we give a full set of drawings,” Beveridge says. “So for every piece of that mixer, customers have an actual AutoCAD drawing of it. When the part comes, they can pull the drawing and they can double-check it before they put it on the shelf. Or when the mixer comes, it’s going to drop right in and fit exactly. There’s no messing around.”

On the ACS side, each part is checked by technicians and shippers before it goes out to the customer, and everything is made with computerized cuts for added accuracy. The full set of drawings gives customers added peace of mind by guaranteeing everything is correct.

The drawings generate a lot of positive customer feedback for the Mixers team. Overall, the team places a strong focus on good customer relationships.

“We just take all the customer feedback we can, and we'll go forward with it,” says Westbrook. “We try to emphasize relationships, and to make personal relationships with customers as well. And we’re always critical on the details.”

“Our customers are all top shelf people,” Beveridge adds. “We have really good working relationships with most of them. Some are new and some we don't know, but those relationships are growing as well. They all have our phone number. They can call us 24/7 and we'll answer the phone. When we see the phone number come up, we know who it is. That's how close a relationship we have with these people.”

Ready to make a phone call?

If you have a question about gypsum pin mixers, spare parts or how they fit into your plant’s process, you know who to call — Wayne Beveridge and Eden Westbrook will be there to help you out. Get in touch today.