Features
Business Briefs
• Jay Armstrong has been appointed sales manager at Machinery & Equipment MRO, Toronto. He has a degree in Commerce and over 40 years experience in product management and market research, in ad agencies and in sales management. Most…
No charges in burns Lake Sawmill blast that killed two
Burns Lake, BC – Nearly two years after an explosion and fire tore through a British Columbia sawmill, leaving two workers dead, the Crown announced there will be no charges, pointing a finger at a questionable investigation by the…
Registration open for bearing specialists gathering in May
Glen Ellyn, IL − The Bearing Specialists Association (BSA) has opened registration for its 2014 annual convention, taking place May 3-6 at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Scottsdale, AZ.
Mining machinery market to rise 8.6% annually to 2017
Cleveland, OH − Global demand for mining machinery is forecast to expand 8.6% per year through 2017 to US$135 billion, despite some sales weakness in the short term, according to Freedonia Group analyst Matt Raskind.
Global motion control market to grow 4% annually
Dublin, Ireland − The Global Motion Control Market 2014-2018 report, released Jan. 13, 2013, by Research and Markets, forecasts the global motion control market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.32% over the period…
PTDA Canadian Conference set for quebec venue
Chicago, IL − Since its debut in 2002, the Canadian Conference of the US-based Power Transmission Distributors Association has become a powerful business conclave for Canada’s power transmission/motion control industry. The event…
New economic index shows modest growth in 2014
Ottawa – The Composite Leading Index, a new economic indicator published for the first time on Jan. 31, 2014, by The Conference Board of Canada, shows that the Canadian economy will grow in the first half of 2014 – but only modestly.
We welcome new team members
With this issue, we welcome two new members to the Machinery & Equipment MRO team: Jay Armstrong and Hwee Choo. Coincidentally, they have both moved over from working on automotive industry publications in our publishing group. It’s…
BC sawmills to be checked again for explosive dust
Richmond, BC – Inspectors are heading back to 150 British Columbia sawmills to ensure the operations are doing everything possible to reduce the build-up of potentially explosive wood dust.
PEMAC announces Capstone Awards
Calgary – Completion of the Maintenance Management Professional (MMP) certificate program offered by the Plant Engineering and Maintenance Association of Canada (PEMAC) is a significant commitment, requiring 225 hours of class time and an…
Fake cranes putting purchasers at risk
Westport, CT – Terex Corporation is warning customers to be wary of fake Terex/Demag crawler cranes that take short cuts with regard to quality and safety.
Industrial fasteners market to reach $14.8 Billion
Cleveland, ON – Demand for industrial fasteners in the United States is expected to increase 4.3% per year to $14.8 billion in 2017. Gains will be supported by rebounding levels of motor vehicle manufacturing, a segment that makes up…
Better times in store over next two years
Ottawa – Following subpar growth in 2012 and 2013, Canada’s economy is expected to grow by close to 2.5% annually over the next two years, according to the Conference Board of Canada’s Canadian Outlook-Autumn 2013. Highlights…
Managing Change
We strive to get an early start on detecting trends in the various industries we follow. Recent research really piqued our attention – the forthcoming burgeoning of maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) in the oil & gas, and mining…
Replacement chain saves over $23,000
Problem: A steel plant was using standard roller chain on the main drive of its steel polishing machine. The application is very demanding due to tiny metal shavings creating an abrasive environment. As a result, the chain needed to be replaced…
3D printer to build spare parts in space
Moffett Field, CA – NASA is preparing to launch a 3D printer into space in 2014, a toaster-sized game changer that greatly reduces the need for astronauts to load up with every tool, spare part or supply they might ever need.
Search is on for the toughest cold weather workers
Cincinnati, OH – The search is on for the toughest winter workers in the third annual Cintas & Carhartt Cold Crew Contest. Cintas first launched the campaign in 2011 to recognize individuals in the US and Canada who withstand the…
Improvements in growth seen for OECD countries
Paris, France – Composite leading indicators (CLIs), designed to anticipate turning points in economic activity relative to trend, continue to signal improvements in growth in most major Organization for Economic Cooperation and…
Manufacturing output accelerated in september
Toronto – Canada’s manufacturing expansion accelerated to a 15-month high in September 2013, according to the RBC Canadian Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (RBC PMI). A monthly survey, conducted in association with…
Demand for bearings to rise 4.4% annually
Cleveland, OH – Ball, roller and plain bearing demand in the United States is forecast to increase 4.4% per year to $12.9 billion in 2017. This will be a notable improvement from the growth registered during the 2007 to 2012 period.
Nine really essential skills
When industry complains about skills shortages, it’s not just technical skills in welding, electrical knowledge or mechanical prowess that’s missing from job applications.
Business Briefs
• The following members have joined the STLE (Society of Tribologiests & Lubrication Engineers) in its Toronto Section so far in 2013: John Walsh, ALS Tribology; Paul Joseph Brear, Atlas Copco; Bram Muange, BASF; Guy Labrecque, Fluid…
Motor market driven by demand for higher efficiency
Zurich, Switzerland – The market for low-voltage motors will grow to more than $23 billion by 2017, driven by regulatory requirements that stipulate higher motor efficiencies, according to a report from information and analytics provider…
SKF to acquire Kaydon
Gothenburg, Sweden – The boards of directors of the SKF Group of Gothenburg, Sweden, and Kaydon Corporation of Ann Arbor, MI, have agreed that SKF will acquire Kaydon in an all-cash transaction valued at about US$1.25 billion, including…
PTDA Canadian Conference focuses on team building
PTDA’s 12th annual Canadian Conference set a new high when a record-breaking 250 participants gathered in Toronto June 6-8. Canadian distributors and their manufacturing partners met to network and hear about building effective teams,…
Increasing equipment reliability with proper lubricant selection
Modern lubrication technology can provide MRO specialists with proven, effective problem-solvers for today’s demanding applications. Different friction regimes require different lubricant forms, and proper lubricant selection must…
The impact of lubricants on machine performance
Everything works better with lubrication. But with the huge variety of lubricants available, it can become a challenge to select the right lubricant for the application. Making a good decision requires knowledge of the application and its…
Improving worker safety everywhere
The collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh in April, where more than 1,100 workers were killed, shocked the Canadian public. As a result, retail industry groups in North America, Europe and Japan promised an initiative to have all the…
Generator repair requires perseverance
Earlier this year, representatives of one of the biggest and oldest companies involved in subsea cable repair and installation around the world contacted us from England. They asked if we could rewind and repair a large generator for a ship in…
Keeping the Flow Flowing
“You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” is a phrase that is often used. This concept can be all-too-familiar for anyone who has ever neglected an engine-powered dewatering pump. A dependable pump…
