Safety & Maintenance
Forging Opportunity in the New Year
T
aking care of any necessary equipment repairs, rebuilds or remanufactures now ensures that forgers and manufacturers will be ready for the economic rebound in 2021 In the forging industry, the recent economic slump, disruption of the international supply chain and consolidation among forge operations has created a potential opportunity for domestic operators to pick up new business in 2021. However, forgers must be poised to satisfy demand, as well as take advantage of additional business that gets reshored as North American manufacturers look to shorten lead times and the supply chain with domestic suppliers. So, forgers looking to rebound in the new year would be wise to consider the proverb, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” With this
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in mind, many forgers are now wisely taking this time to prepare for opportunity. This means re-evaluating their processes and seeking out new ways to improve production efficiency as part of their post-crisis rebound and recovery strategy. To the extent funding is available, that includes finding fast, economical ways to repair or acquire equipment that will enable production at higher volumes. For the far sighted, it can also mean rebuilding or even remanufacturing equipment to take advantage of high-production, labor-saving automation.
Rapid Repair Scheduling necessary repairs is the obvious first step to be ready for an economic rebound in the new year. “The most immediate and economical option is to repair existing or
out-of-commission units to get them up and running to spec with greater efficiency. This can be as simple as replacing parts that are worn, out-of-tolerance, or broken to bring the machinery back online,” says Ken Copeland, president of Ajax-CECO, a manufacturer of forging equipment since 1875. In recent years, the company has continued to expand into a one-stop, expedited domestic source for forging equipment with the acquisition of Erie Press Systems under parent company Park Ohio (NASDAQ: PKOH). As a result, the company is now the largest OEM forging equipment supplier in North America. According to Copeland, the most needed repairs on forging equipment usually involve perishable items that are common to every machine, including friction plates and driving plates for
