Airway Heights-based conveyor system manufacturer Remcon Equipment Inc. has hired new CEO Sean Johnston, who plans to use his background in artificial intelligence and technology to improve operational efficiency and grow the company, he says.

Located at 2207 S. Lawson, Remcon was founded in 1977 by engineer Dennis Lux and primarily serves the recycling industry with custom-built heavy conveyor systems, Johnston says. Lux now fills a role as CEO emeritus and will continue to support Johnston and the company with day-to-day operations.

The business employs seven engineers, welders, and technicians at its Airway Heights facility, says Johnston, who began his new role in early August.

Johnston, 32, studied operations and technology management at the University of Portland and most recently worked remotely from the Spokane area for Dallas, Texas-based freight transaction company Triumph Financial Inc., managing AI product development. 

He plans to use his experience with AI tools, such as San Francisco-based Anthropic PBC’s Claude AI model, to create programs to assist in the prototyping and design of the Remcon’s conveyor systems and reduce quote times for customers from between 15 and 20 days, to around five days.

“We’re building out parametric models; instead of having to draw a conveyor system from scratch every time, or take a copy of a previous system and then modify it in your designs, you can have a set system that then you adjust the parameters on to make it fit the application that you need,” Johnston explains.

AI tools could help with the company’s accounting needs and improve efficiency during the testing phase, when employees assemble a completed conveyor system and check it for flaws or safety issues, he adds.

With the help of these tools, Johnston says he hopes to increase the number of units produced each year and increase revenue. The company currently ships between 20 and 30 systems a year and earned revenue in the low millions in 2025, he says.

“The quoting speed and the sales growth go hand in hand,” says Johnston. “If we can quote faster and we can sell more, then we'll be able to build more equipment. Ultimately, we want to grow this into a regional powerhouse.”

As revenue grows, Remcon expects to hire additional engineers, technicians, and sales employees, says Johnston. Revenue is expected to increase to between $10 million and $20 million within the next five years, he says.

Along with his tech background, Johnston says he’ll be leveraging his sales experience to network and connect with past clients to boost sales. He also will spend time learning about the conveyor manufacturing process from employees to better understand the business, he says.

“We have a great product, and the guys on the shop floor do an incredible job putting it together,” he says. “It’s kind of like, ‘Why not? Why can’t we build this business the way it should be built?’”