After a very wet 2007 ginning season, the folks at Kiech-Shauver-Miller Gin in Monette, Arkansas decided that enough was enough. Unforgiving wet cotton made ginning with their existing tower drying system a very tough experience. They vowed they'd never go through that again. The team at K-S-M were already big fans of their existing Steamroller, so depending on Samuel Jackson for their new drying project  was a natural fit. It began with a simple inquiry about replacing their existing tower dryers, but evolved into a project that changed the way they had looked at drying and ginning cotton.

The Kiech project was almost as impressive for what was removed as what was installed. In addition to removing  250 connected horsepower and three push fans, a feed control, three heaters and three tower dryers were replaced by a Hot Box II, two heaters and a single Collider Dryer. With the help of Banjo IIs and properly sized piping and cyclones, K-S-M enjoyed more powerful drying using much less equipment and energy. As a bonus, Kiech was able to save even more energy using Simple Shed Technology on their new 1400 Series Heaters. 

"The 2008 season was no doubt easier on my guys. The gin
ran so much smoother it even sounded different. Our average
ginning rate increased from 26 to 32 bales per hour! I didn't
know a drying system could make an impact like that."

- MaLeisa Finch (pictured below, right), Manager of K-S-M. 

If you spend any time around the folks at Kiech- Shauver-Miller Gin, you'll find out quickly that they care about two things most of all: people and doing a great job ginning cotton. We think the first has a lot to do with the second! K-S-M is a family operation with MaLeisa's father running the gin before her and her mother (pictured left, center) operating a farm to this day. MaLeisa runs the gin a lot like her father making sound decisions using common sense and relying on the great team she has assembled in the gin. Dewayne Couch (pictured left) is the Superintendent and a key member of that team. Kiech's history of success speaks for itself and at Samuel Jackson we feel fortunate for the opportunity to work with them.