Above: A Fagor Arrasate-built slitting line. The company builds slitters, presses and automation technologies
April, 2026- In tennis, competitors on each side of the net are actually collaborating. There is an agreement to return the ball. In industry, playing well together frequently reaps large rewards.
In February, Butech Bliss, based in Salem, Ohio, and Spanish metal processing equipment builder Fagor Arrasate formed a strategic partnership designed to strengthen the delivery of coil processing solutions globally, combining Fagor Arrasate’s engineering and automation capabilities with Butech Bliss’s localized execution, service and lifecycle support in North America.
Butech Bliss has invented multiple types of scrap choppers, shears and other metal processing equipment over the decades.
Fagor Arrasate is a global supplier of metal forming and processing equipment, offering slitting lines, press systems, automation and integrated production technologies across automotive, appliance, metals processing and industrial markets. Through this partnership, Butech Bliss and Fagor Arrasate will combine Butech Bliss’s strong U.S. market presence, engineering, broad heavy manufacturing and service capabilities with Fagor Arrasate’s advanced coil-processing technology, jointly expanding market reach and delivering more complete solutions to customers across the United States.
Jock Buta, CEO of Butech Bliss, says, “We have been working with Fagor for 25 years. We would sell them scrap choppers and other equipment, and we always had a nice cooperative relationship with their North American team. They are rarely a direct competitor but there’s many opportunities to collaborate; that’s why this was a natural progression.”
From Fagor Arrasate are Phil Conway, director, North America; Marianna Yanveldt, sales directormetals division; Mikel López, managing director-metals division; Peter Swenson, sales managermetals division. From Butech Bliss: CEO Jock Buta and Jay Cuff, vice president, coil processing equipment division.
FITTING TOGETHER
During a series of conversations he had with Mikel López, managing director for the metals division at Fagor, Buta recalls they discussed how each company had developed new technologies, which are complementary, and that when brought together, customers can access a broader range of solutions.
He says that there is limited overlap within coil processing equipment and wider products and markets between the two companies. “For example, we sell into mill equipment markets that deliver red-hot metal. Fagor doesn’t do that but they are the No. 1 supplier of stamping press lines to the automotive industry. We don’t serve automotive.”
One new product Fagor has introduced is robotic slitter tooling loading and handling systems to feed the slitting heads. “The European market in particular tends to be more progressive in terms of higher degree of automation to both improve safety and to replace labor, which is difficult to find,” Buta says. “So it’s a separate, bigger investment but, if you have high production, you can justify it in order to provide more uptime and less downtime. They also have knife inspection and deburring systems to automate those tasks.”
On Butech’s side of the equation, “we have our broad range of scrap chopper models, which have evolved and expanded, and design and build the industry’s standard-leading scrap chopper sold throughout the world, and so the brand is helpful to Fagor. They don’t have to develop those unique models for rare applications. We also offer aftermarket support, especially to service any variety of scrap choppers, including other brands. The Butech scrap chopper’s specialized service provides overnight field repair, in house rebuild and offers a vast parts inventory that helps them furnish something else to their customers,” says Buta.
FACILITIES
A strong advantage for Fagor, particularly in North America, is Butech’s facilities and operations. “We have a large facility for heavy manufacturing and can turn around the production of spare parts, replacement parts and deliver 24/7,” Buta says. “We have a rebuild shop that is also appealing for them, even in the stamping machinery business. The customer can send it to Ohio instead of Spain, making turnaround much faster.” This means that Butech can “service a warranty or refresh equipment that is wearing out.”
Both companies have developed some specialized assets in cut-to-length and slitting technology. “We both intend to sell those systems but it is better to work together than compete.”
He notes that the two firms did that a few years ago with Feralloy in Sinton, Texas, to support Steel Dynamics Inc.’s new mill there. “It was not an official partnership but we each installed a sliffing line and we did a CTL line. It demonstrated that we could get along and respect each of our technology strengths.”
TECHNOLOGY SHARING
Fagor makes lighter-gauge slitting lines, and says Buta, “they have refined that more than Butech. So we could use that or supply components into some of those lines. Then Fagor could share their technology with Butech,” such as a separator shaff with automatic set up that keeps slit mults separate. Similarly, Butech has a mult threader that automatically takes the head end and feeds it into the recoiler, which eliminates manual intervention.
Butech also has a proprietary technology, a notcher that allows a scrap chopper to be used in conjunction with plunge slitting. The notcher, positioned ahead of the sliver, releases the edge trim slits, allowing them to feed directly into the scrap chopper. With Butech’s self-threading entry chutes, no labor is required. This replaces a less efficient method where the head end and trim are cut, reversed and then chopped. The system works automatically and is hands free for operators.
“This is one of the technologies that allows Fagor to expand its capabilities,” says Buta. “We have technical exchange between our engineers so that we can understand the intricacies” of each company’s systems “so we both can sell and understand how to integrate them when necessary.”
Butech has also developed many types of shears: mechanical, hydraulic, stationary crop, etc. “Some Butech shear designs only require a third of the power compared with any other shears. That is something that catches the eye of Fagor,” Buta says. Butech recently shipped a 3/4-inch rotary shear.
In the other direction, he continues, “Fagor has a lot of automation that we don’t, especially in light gauge. This includes robots.”
“We are taking these on a case-by-case basis. The equipment buyer gets the full benefit of this partnership. Often, when an end user buys pieces from different suppliers, and one piece doesn’t work, either supplier can blame the other without solving the problem.
“The customer needs a line that works throughout, and they want the same response from all suppliers. They don’t want one supplier to point to the other to fix it. Together, we will make sure your line is up and running.”
“Not only will customers who buy a combination of Fagor and Butech equipment get a full set of best-in-class technologies but our two companies have strategically aligned to ensure the customers receive a unified front to resolve any needs or problems.”
WIN-WIN
“The first time I met Jock was in Las Vegas in 2023 at a roundtable event. I also met Jock’s father, John Buta. We had lunch and discussed the possibility of an alliance,” says Fagor’s López.
Later on, López and Jock Buta went into great detail about all of the machines each company builds and which pieces fit into the other’s lines. “We started working a very few quotations, then sat down more seriously and we could see this is a win-win. So ‘let’s write down our wishes from each side.’”
For example, “we identified a machine that is key for safety and efficiency the FASTR (Fagor automatic tooling robot). This equipment eliminates manual operation, keeps operators safe, works 24 hours a day and makes no mistakes. It follows a standard assembly philosophy.” López says the Butech team was very interested in that.
“Then, we discussed what can Butech do for Fagor in the United States. Butech has name recognition and a good reputation. The customer can understand that if Butech is a leader and partners with us, we have an entry point. That can give us enough value in the U.S. market. The name brand and the powerful machines combine, such as scrap choppers and other machines,” López continues.
Often, “when you go to a U.S. customer, they might say ‘you are foreign.’ We have been working over the past decades to pursue more American business. We had success and we installed many metal processing lines in America.”
Now, with a regional partner that has insight into the U.S. market, “will also provide local service from Portage, Indiana.” Butech can arrive faster to Fagor’s customers for troubleshooting, and manufacture spare parts locally.
We recognize the value of going to market by integrating our products and services. We have a defined marketing plan and a list of the places we want to go,” says López.
“We have customers in Europe that are requesting a stretcher leveler. Our customer wants a source for that. We are working together with Butech on those, and now have 10 different quotations in Europe for that. The partnership has already been very positive,” he says.
PORTFOLIO MATCHES
Once the partnership was created, López says, “We created two different committees; one is on technical collaboration and the other on commercial and marketing alignment. Technical people from both companies work together. I have been in Butech workshops to see how they work. And Butech technicians came to our workshop last November to analyze our abilities. They saw our lines in action. So we have a channel to discuss technology and performance analysis, and to expand our portfolio. This allows us to identify complementary equipment and evaluate how both companies can strengthen each other’s offerings.”
Also, in the U.S. and Canada, says López, when customers need to change tooling on Fagor machinery, Butech can quote that technology.” Having access to Butech’s factory, “we can use it for faster delivery, especially with spare parts, and our pricing and delivery times are improved, compared with shipping from Europe.” However, Fagor will continue to manufacture it core machines in Spain.
SUPPORT SYSTEM
Butech has built a reputable after-sales support apparatus. “Our field service engineers and customer service department respond immediately when our customers call, where we’ll work out later whether its warranty or chargeable field service work.” Their team might provide warranty work even after the warranty expires, on a case-by-case basis. “Butech has a deep bench of experienced technicians committed to solving customer problems, whether its sending crews out to the customer site and doing field repair, bringing customer equipment back to Butech for an emergency turnaround rebuild, or make rush parts in our extensive manufacturing operation. Fagor benefits from our brick and mortar in North America,” says Buta.
The company “hesitates to sell a whole stretch-leveler cut-to-length line overseas due to the difficulty of long-distance installation, etc.,” says Buta, “but we will supply Fagor with the stretch-leveler and they would oversee installation. We expect to get such an order before long. That way, they can have us build that stretch-leveler and Fagor can supply the rest of the line.”
Butech Bliss has a long-standing relationship with Samuel Nelson Technology as a supplier of pickling lines while Butech manages the coil feed system.
“Fagor has customers that may want to install pickling lines. It allows Fagor to stay in the running by using us and our Samuel Nelson partnership. Fagor has multiple operations in Spain—manufacturing, engineering, etc.—and that capacity helps us to reach the European market.
Another benefit Buta mentions is “we want to avoid tariffs and shipping delays and so we will stock each other’s spare parts in inventory. That’s a natural. Customers are able to get those parts quickly. Butech has 200-ton crane capacity and large machining centers to be able to service stamping presses and line equipment. That’s one of the appeals for both of us.”
Game, set, match.
