1. 4 PowerSource
Make money
out of manure
Pendu’s new compost turner quickly turns
livestock waste into a valuable product
Compost turners are taking a turn for
the better with the introduction of a new
John Deere-powered model introduced
by Pendu Manufacturing, Inc. of New
Holland, Pennsylvania.
When it comes to composting, it all breaks
down to efficiency, and Pendu’s Turn
TEQ compost turner benefits composting
operations in several ways. For commercial
operations, the new machine, powered
by a PowerTech Plus 6090H engine, will
turn more material in the same amount
of space. It also cuts composting time by
as much as four weeks, according to Jeff
Metz, the company’s marketing director.
Pendu designed and built the Turn TEQ at
the request of a commercial composting
operation in Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania.
“Terra-Gro wanted to increase their
efficiency, so they came to us with an idea,
and we took them on,” relates Jeff.
Pendu is an industry leader in pallet
manufacturing and sawmill equipment.
The company came to the table with
valuable engineering expertise and a fully
modernized machine shop.
They worked closely with Terra-Gro
managers Loren Martin and Merle Ranck.
“We’ve done a lot of modifications to
composting machines over the years so that
they would perform to our needs,” explains
Loren, Terra-Gro’s general manager. “When
it came time to get another machine, it
made sense to come up with a new design
based on our experience over the years.”
The beauty of the new design is this: with
tracks positioned within the footprint of the
machine’s frame, the compost turner can
process windrows positioned right next to
each other, leaving no wasted gap normally
required for wheel tracks. “Instead of having
two large windrows, we now can place four
windrows in the building,” explains Loren.
“The net result is 25 to 30 percent more
compost inside the building, and we’re able
to get through the buildings faster.”

2. PowerSource 5
A PowerTech Plus
6090H engine powers
the hydrostatic compost
turner through a Funk
hydraulic pump drive.
Pendu’s new Turn TEQ makes quick work of turning a
4x2-meter (14x6 ft.) windrow. The turner adds more
oxygen to the material, decreasing composting time.
EmissionsCert. Tier3/StageIIIA
EngineModel PowerTechPlus6090HF485
Displacement 9.0L
RatedPower 242kW(325hp)@2200rpm
Cylinders 6
Aspiration Air-to-airaftercooled
Distributor
BellPowerSystems,Inc.
Essex,Connecticut
(860)767-7502
www.bellpower.com
FunkPumpDriveModel 59000
Numberofpads 2
Maxinputpower 522kW(700hp)
Maxinputtorque 1695Nm(1250lb-ft)
Inputconfiguration Platedriven
Furthermore, as paddles on the front
chute roller uptake the compost, fans blow
air directly into the material as it rides up
the conveyor. This thorough aeration of
compost materials enhances microbial
activity reducing composting cycle times
dramatically. “By introducing more
oxygen, we are able to produce the same
quality material in 10 weeks instead of 14,”
Loren says.
And there are other savings. The new
compost turner is more fuel-efficient,
thanks to the PowerTech Plus 6090H
engine that powers the hydrostatic
machine through a Funk hydraulic pump
drive. “We’re burning about half the
amount of fuel compared to our other
composting machine,” says Merle Ranck,
site manager for Terra-Gro. “We’re using
less fuel and generating more compost
material in less space.”
With years of experience in the
composting business under his belt, Merle
chose John Deere engine for the new
design. “We looked at John Deere and
(a competitive engine), and John Deere
gave us the best deal for the money, and
offered a timely delivery. But I do have a
preference for John Deere,” admits Merle.
“They’ve treated me well over the years. If
it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”