Jeremiah Wann, owner and president of Imperial Systems Inc., located in Jackson Center, Pa., oversees an operation that has grown from two to 20 employees in just five years.
Jackson Center, Pa.—Jeremiah Wann invested three years as an art major in pursuit of a college degree before he realized that a university diploma would ultimately cost him about $100,000.
“A time arrived when I had to consider how I would pay off an education that was so costly,” Wann said. “That’s when I asked my father, Richard, who has been in the dust collection business for more than 25 years, if I could go to work for him.”
Wann’s life-altering decision to learn his father’s business has proven wise, as well as profitable. Five years ago he became the owner and president of Imperial Systems Inc., which specializes in blowpipe components, custom system design, fabrication and complete package systems for a wide range of industrial customers.
“I knew if I Iearned this trade well enough, surrounded myself wit
Imperial Systems specializes in blowpipe components, custom system design, fabrication and package systems for industrial customers.
h knowledgeable people and found ways to improve upon the business, it would be my ticket to survival,” Wann added.
Imperial Systems began as a small firm with a couple of employees. However, it expanded rapidly and now employs 20 fulltime people. Imperial Systems also utilizes the services of 10 sales representatives located across the country.
“Our sales reps travel nationwide, which works well for us because they are marketing our services,” Wann said. “We do a considerable amount of work for customers who may never come to our physical plant.”
That plant is situated on 12 acres in an industrial park in Jackson Center and, at 15,000 square feet, is twice the size of Imperial Systems’ original facility.
The new site includes a fabrication shop, a detached paint booth and a large area designated for storage.
“Our new facility is unique and makes a world of difference in our production,” Wann said. “We have increased our product line and can now build our own baghouses. We are the only company north of Kentucky that is constructing its own baghouses.”
Imperial Systems’ BRF-model baghouses can be as large as 50-feet tall x 14-feet diameter. Rugged construction features of baghouses manufactured at Imperial Systems include: 7 and 10 gauge weld
Imperial Systems is situated on 12 acres in an industrial park and is comprised of 15,000 square feet.
ed construction, easy access to clean air plenum and a design that accommodates a minimum of 25-inch negative pressure.
Trucks bearing loads for Imperial Systems have easy access to the operation since it is conveniently situated near an interstate exchange.
Among the dust collection items offered is the Imperial Big Round Filter. Its construction is designed to support high performance components. This filter is used for a variety of dusts, including wood, straw and grain.
Additionally, Imperial Systems manufactures ducts, fittings and cyclones that are equipped with a coned top to facilitate rain run-off and a 12-inch inspection door.
Environmental demands have changed significantly in the last two decades, Wann noted. “We are now seeing customers who have had cyclones for 20 to 30 years and are having to upgrade,” he said. “The Environmental Protection Agency is informing these cyclone owners that they must install a filtration system.”
Such government intervention can cost a modestly sized sawmill as much as $350,000, according to Wann. “It’s really hard for a sawmill to justify that kind of expenditure,” he added. “We’ve found that we can design a very cost effective system for them, and sometimes integrate wood fired boilers and storage systems.”
Pictured is a baghouse manufactured by Imperial Systems.
Imperial Systems can provide on-site consulting for customers, as well as create detailed drawings of the proposed changes to the customer’s existing system.
“Not only do we offer turnkey systems that we design and install, we also offer component part replacements,” Wann said.
Many Imperial Systems customers are now using the company’s new 24-page color catalog as a resource in regard to dust collection systems. The catalog became available in August and can be accessed on the firm’s website at www.isystemsweb.com.
Or, inquiries can be addressed to key personnel at Imperial Systems. They include, in addition to Jeremiah Wann, president: Dan Pears, general manager; Russ Ryland, project coordinator; and Peggy Thompson, secretary.
Imperial Systems’ 70,000 CFM reverse air bin vent is utilized by a veneer manufacturer.
“Each person at Imperial Systems is valuable to us,” added Wann. “Without these people we could not grow, because they are the ones who are producing our products on a daily basis. We’ve grown substantially since w e began, which is a good testament to the quality of work these people do. At our bigger, new facility, we plan to continue that growth by continuing to improve our products and service.”
