Trust doesn't win every deal, but it sure gives dealers a serious head start.
That is especially true in Ohio, where Midwest Mine Services (MMS), one of Superior's newest full-line dealers, spent more than three decades earning customer confidence through support, parts, and problem-solving in the field.
Today, that's helping the company turn a long-standing service business into new equipment sales.
“Everybody bids these jobs,” says Bob Keaton, who co-founded the company in 1997. “At the end of the day, our customers want a local company that’s going to support what they’re buying.”
Midwest Mine's early results reflect that reputation.
"When we look at some of the wins they’ve had so far, it's clear that customers trust to buy whatever they're selling," says Superior's channel manager, George Wilcox. "Producers have strong confidence they'll back it up."
Alta Midwest Mine's roots trace back to parts sales, but the company quickly found itself solving bigger challenges. As customers requested help with installations, the business expanded into field service and fabrication.
Today, about ten employees work in the company's Northwood, Ohio fabrication shop, building specialty components and making modifications that help producers adapt to more complex production demands.
“What used to be a 10-product plant may now need to produce 20 or more unique specifications," Keaton says. "We’re changing the structures and steelwork around their equipment, so everything works better together.”
As material specifications push producers to rethink how their plants are arranged and supported, time and again Midwest Mine has been the team they rely on to help adapt their operations.
Alta Midwest Mine had equipment sales experience years ago as a Telsmith dealer, but that relationship ended when the brand fully morphed into Astec.
Keaton knew Superior's Jeff Gray from those days, and when the two recently reconnected, they began exploring the idea of Midwest Mine representing Superior in Ohio. Those discussions ultimately led to MMS becoming a full-line dealer in August 2025.
Like Midwest Mine, which has 40 field-based service employees, Keaton recognizes Superior's large support team as a differentiator. The shared emphasis on service and support made the partnership a natural fit.
The partnership also fills a long-standing gap in Midwest Mine's lineup, adding washing equipment for the first time.
"If you tell a customer you can only quote part of a plant, the conversation often stops," Keaton says. “Now we’ve got the whole package and that makes us really effective.“
Keaton has made a few other observations about Superior, including access to technical support.
“We had wash training in here recently, and honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been trained by anybody better," he says. "We're familiar with washing, but direct access to Superior's expertise is helping us understand it at a much deeper level.”
As Midwest Mine grows its equipment business, Keaton sees technical support as an extension of the customer service that has defined the company for nearly three decades.
“Our service demonstrates what we’re capable of,” Keaton says. “Customers have become comfortable with us, they trust us, and that's carrying over into their equipment decisions.”