It has been a challenging start to the year for those involved in the manufacturing sector. In the US, the Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers index (PMI) fell four tenths of a percentage point to 48.2 in December 2015.
As 50 is the ‘dividing line’ between growth and decline, these latest figures indicate that manufacturing activity is contracting. And looking at other geographies paints a similar picture. India’s steel sector is suffering when it comes to production, while major efforts are being made in places such as Zimbabwe to revive its flagging manufacturing fortunes.
We take a closer look at some of the key projects taking place worldwide.
In several months, we preview Modex, which returns to the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA, and with it, the latest innovations and inventions across the overhead lifting sector and wider supply chain.
Modex 2016 will provide attendees with access to the latest manufacturing and supply chain equipment and technologies. Taking place across four days during April 4-7, more than 800 exhibitors from industry, commerce and government will display their supply chain solutions and innovations on the 250,000 square foot show floor.
Hoist was in attendance last year and found the event to be an engaging, informative and educational show that enabled visitors to interact with exhibitors, as well as a comprehensive programme of seminars and conferences.
Elsewhere, UK crane manufacturer Pelloby is closing on its 50th year in business. Specialising in equipment from jibs and hoists for larger overhead cranes, the company has just completed a busy, and successful 2015.
Among the key projects the company has been integral to over the last 12 months is in the provision of several overhead cranes that formed part of the reconstruction process of a busy warehouse that was severely damaged by a fire. Hoist takes a closer look. Finally, when concrete slab reinforcement manufacturer Hy-Ten awarded Lloyds British the contract to replace crane runway beams at its UK site, the proposed solutions were far from straightforward. So the company’s Southampton branch of Lloyds took up the task to get the job done.
Reaching the gantry sections that needed replacing with a conventional construction crane would have required one with a nominal capacity of 500t. The site did not have enough space for such a huge crane. Instead, Lloyds British designed a working method using davits and aerial work platforms to lift the beams.
