STORAGE

Safe T Homes SAVE Lives

In the wake of the destruction left by Hurricane Matthew, Sukup Manufacturing and GoServ Global is
ready to send 24 additional Safe T Homes to Haiti.

t Milling and Grain we are always

looking to champion innovative
solutions in our industry that cross
over into benefitting others and
early reports from GoServ Global
indicate that while only 10 percent
of the traditional homes in the area
were left standing after Hurricane
Matthew, all 200 of the Sukup
Manufacturing Co. Safe T Homes currently in Haiti withstood
the storm with just minimal damage. The people in villages with
Safe T Homes were able to use them as shelter to ride out the
hurricane.
GoServ Global, a non-profit organization out of Eagle Grove,
Iowa, that works directly in Haiti, states that at their John 3:16
Village, people from the community crammed as many people
as possible into the Safe T Homes; up to 60 in one.
Sukup Manufacturing Co. is the worlds largest family-owned
and operated grain storage, drying and handling equipment
manufacturer headquartered in Sheffield, Iowa, and covers
1,000,000 sq. ft. of office, manufacturing and warehouse
space. The company employs over 500 people, making it one
of the largest employers in North Central Iowa. Indeed, three
generations of the family are now active in the business.
The round shape of the Safe T Home allows it to withstand
high winds and windows come with 16-gauge galvanized
perforated steel screens that have lockable covers for security.
Hurricane Matthew put the strength of the Safe T Home to the
test with winds reaching up to 145 mph being categorized as one

68 | November 2016 - Milling and Grain

of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in recent history.

Charles Sukup, president of Sukup Manufacturing Co.
comments, The whole idea behind the Safe T Home was to
take the same engineering principles we used to help farmers
protect their crop from the harsh weather conditions of the
Midwest, and apply them to provide safe and secure shelters for
people in underdeveloped parts of the world.
He continues, We are very proud of the design of the Safe T
Home and how it held up in the worst hurricane to hit Haiti in
over 50 years.
After the devastating earthquake in 2010, GoServ Global
teamed up with Sukup Manufacturing Co. to help provide
people with a sturdy and secure structure to call home. It was
a simple decision when our safety director, Brett Nelson, asked
me whether he could pursue bin homes for relief efforts, says
Steve Sukup, vice president/chief financial officer at Sukup
Manufacturing Co. He further comments, Brett asked, What
size?! I said 18 foot. That has worked out great! We are a familyowned company with family values and feel proud to contribute.
In 2013, Sukup Manufacturing once again paired with GoServ
Global to raise money to provide 25 Safe T Homes to areas in
need of housing. Sukup pledged to match donations one-for-one,
for a total of 50 homes. Including the 50 Homes for Humanity
campaign, Sukup Manufacturing has donated more than 75 Safe
T Homes.
Hundreds of Iowans and many others around the country
have provided funding for Safe T Homes through churches,
Christmas presents and more, says Emily Schmitt, corporate
counsel, a third-generation Sukup family member. In this

day and age where you usually have to dig through financial
disclosures to see where your charitable contributions are going,
it is refreshing to know that our Safe T Homes and GoServ
Global are truly saving lives. It only encourages us to further
expand our efforts, and next time we hope it can save even
more.
Before the storm even ended, Sukup Manufacturing Co. Plant
Manager Jon Swanson scheduled additional Safe T Homes
to be produced. On a normal day Sukup Manufacturing strives
to have on hand 11 Safe T Homes ready to help in disaster
circumstances. They have increased that number to 24 for this
week and once logistics permit, Sukup will be ready to ship at a
moments notice.
In an interview with KCCI Des Moines, Ken DeYoung, the
co-founder of GoServ Global said, Those kids, their families,

are no different than mine, and to walk away from them in 2010
was impossible. Now I know a lot of those kids better. We cant
abandon them.
Sukups product line includes on-farm and commercial grain
bins, portable and tower dryers, centrifugal and axial fans and
heaters, stirring machines, bin unloading equipment and bin
floors and supports. Sukup also manufactures a line of material
handling equipment that includes bucket elevators, drag
conveyors and chain loop conveyors, as well as a line of steel
buildings.
Sukup has six distribution centers located throughout the
Midwest and their products are sold throughout the U.S. and
Canada, as well as in over 80 foreign countries.
To learn more about how you can help or contribute to the relief in
Haiti of Hurricane Matthew, visit www.goservglobal.org/give.

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124 Ridge Road, Laser Park, Honeydew, Ext 15, Gauteng | P O Box 4012, Honeydew, 2040, South Africa
Phone: +27 (011) 794 4455, | Fax: +27 (011) 794 4515 | Email: sales@gsiafrica.co.za | Website: www.gsiafrica.co.za

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