Published: March 2026
At AGG1 in St. Louis last year, Isaac Kimball approached Jason Adams with a question. The 23-year-old, part of the next generation at family-owned Kimball Equipment, asked if Superior Industries had a way for dealer employees to spend time inside the company.
“Nothing formal," replied Adams, the president of Superior. "However, it's an idea we'd been kicking around."
Kimball told Adams he thinks it would position him to better to help his family's business and their customers. While no formal program was in place, Jason agreed to give Kimball an opportunity.
"He took the initiative," Adams says. "How could I turn that down?"
Not long after, Kimball was onboarding at Superior's facility in Columbus, Nebraska, where a majority of the manufacturer's screening and washing equipment is built.
“We had a conversation where I made it clear that when he’s in our facilities, we're counting on him as part of the team,” Adams says. “He has to follow the same rules for safety, scheduling, and accountability."
Kimball agreed, and the results of his pilot program have been positive.
Connecting with His Roots
From Nebraska, Kimball made the six-hour drive north to Morris, Minnesota, where he transitioned into Superior’s crushing division. There, he’s been expanding his knowledge of jaws and cones, gaining exposure to different cone designs, including assembly of the Endeavor® Spider Bushing Cone.
Kimball Equipment, for its part, has deep roots in bearing cone technology.
“My grandpa worked with Louis Johnson and helped connect our dealership to the original El-Jay bearing cone,” Kimball says. “I believe Kimball Equipment was the second El-Jay bearing cone dealer in the U.S., maybe even the world.”
Experiences That Build Trust
Kimball will complete his stint at Superior in June, marking a full year with the company. His experience has shown Superior it has a unique opportunity to strengthen future dealer-manufacturer teams.
“Isaac's experience here has been about giving the next generation real exposure to how equipment is built, tested, and supported,” Adams says. “When someone understands that firsthand, they’re better equipped to serve customers and make decisions about our products."
Such commitments can further strengthen partnerships between Superior and its dealers, and Adams sees this pilot as something to build together.
“When dealers and manufacturers spend time working alongside each other in the trenches, they see how equipment is built and get to know the people who support it," Adams says.
That shared understanding builds trust that carries over when challenges arise in the field.
“We build custom, mechanical equipment and there are times when things need attention,” Adams says. "When that happens , it's people who know each other working through it."
A Deeper Understanding
Kimball, for one, has a new appreciation for the manufacturer's role given his upbringing at a dealership.
"In the field, you can get critical and think, 'Why is this going wrong?' or 'What are they doing over there?'" he says. "Now, I’m the guy ‘doing it over there,’ and I can see how it all comes together."
Learning, of course, is a two-way street.
“Superior does a great job mitigating issues for the guys out there, but they’re also open to feedback,” Kimball says.
He’s been able to bring real-world field observations directly to the manufacturing floor, prompting closer review of specific applications and details.
"That’s been really valuable," he says.