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MR LOADLINK

Dizzy Heights…

Mr. Loadlink comes back down to earth after scaling the heights of the recent National Association of Tower Erectors annual conference in Fort Worth, Texas.

Was the suspense killing you?

I closed my last blog with reference to our latest ‘groundbreaking innovation’, offering only a clue that it will be used for ‘measuring tension on static lines’, and kept you on tenterhooks by adding, ‘watch this space’ before signing off and disappearing knowingly into the sunset.

The Clamp On Line Tensionmeter (COLT) boasts a state-of-the-art Bluetooth load monitoring app among a myriad of standout features.

The Clamp On Line Tensionmeter (COLT) boasts a state-of-the-art Bluetooth load monitoring app among a myriad of standout features.

I wasn’t really trying to create the same effect as the novelist of a good old-fashioned page-turner; I’m a humble blogger. I was merely honouring a commitment we made to stage the official launch of the Clamp On Line Tensionmeter (COLT) at the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) annual conference, which straddled the end of February and the beginning of March in Fort Worth, Texas. As the show proved, there was no need for added theatrics.

 

The reaction from the tower erection, maintenance and service professionals in attendance was overwhelming. I’d go as far as to say it was the most emphatic response I have seen for a new product in nearly three decades of attending trade shows and exhibitions. I’m glad it was kept under wraps, as the engaged, positive, quality demographic that NATE attracted to the convention deserved the first look.

Of course, many pointed to the state-of-the-art Bluetooth load monitoring app, while the integral quick adjustment mechanism (meaning it can be used to measure wire rope diameters from 3/16 in. to 1 in. or 5mm to 25mm) was the standout feature for others. Both elements equally impressed one of the early visitors to the exhibit, from the tower erection sector. “So I won’t need additional sheaves or tooling and the app will contain details of infinite wire ropes,” he remarked. “Wow!” he added. It wasn’t the only time we heard that word.

If the constant flow of footfall had abated I would have sat down to catch my breath. Reality was, no sooner had one inquisitive tower maintenance team left the stand (or booth as they call an exhibit stateside) a service company arrived, followed by another tower erector. At times, people had to leave the back of the crowd and come back later. Our product range is generally well received but this was unprecedented.

Tower erection and maintenance professionals were among visitors to our exhibit at NATE’s recent conference and exhibition.

Tower erection and maintenance professionals were among visitors to our exhibit at NATE’s recent conference and exhibition.

Plumb market

This blog isn’t about basking in our glory. The more important takeaway is the importance of tailoring a product to a marketplace and launching it in their back yard. Not everyone in the below-the-hook or, more specifically, force measurement industry knows what ‘plumb and tension’ means. To the NATE community, that’s their world. It’s a way of life. It was the perfect audience for the COLT, hence our endeavours to keep it behind closed doors until the event.

Welcoming another NATE attendee to the Straightpoint exhibit.

Welcoming another NATE attendee to the Straightpoint exhibit.

As I said in the press release we circulated as NATE doors flew open, we based the COLT on feedback from end users. Combining industry intelligence with our own research and engineering expertise, we devised a product that fills a gap in the market and supersedes alternative solutions. Further, it raises the bar in tension measuring technology to the stratosphere.

The towers themselves are getting pretty high too. Many of the professionals we met frequently service structures that are hundreds of feet in the air and I heard references to 1,000-foot-high structures, as the communication network achieves coverage across the vast landscapes of North America. Imagine how important it is therefore that when there are, say, 12 guy ropes around a tower, the tension is equal. In this business, it’s no good being a few degrees off vertical.

That’s where the COLT comes in. The computer numerical control (CNC) machined aluminium construction with high precision roller bearing pivot; high leverage tensioning arm; auto-locking magnetic handle mechanism for security when installed; and IP67 / NEMA6 waterproofing rating, will all combine as the tensionmeter is applied to keep this fascinating sector working efficiently and safely.

(The COLT will typically be applied from ground level or using a stepladder to attach it two feet from a termination or connection).

Wayne’s world

Wayne Wille, technical sales manager, has walked the corridors of NATE for a number of years. He’s a trusted authority in tension measurement and served as a great product champion for us after he joined the company during the latter stages of the COLT’s development. It was tremendous to have him on the stand throughout the show.

Therein lies another important reminder: becoming a thought leader and commentator on a sector builds up incredible trust in a marketplace. It’s not as crude as this, and I paraphrase, but one delegate suggested, “If this product is as good as you say it is, Wayne, we want to buy it”. Another said, simply, “Wow! That looks awesome”, after exchanging pleasantries with their old friend and looking across to the COLT.

Wayne started working with the tower industry in 1994 and attended his first NATE event in 2006. I like the way he summed it up when I asked what he enjoys about working in the sector. “The tower industry is always looking for solutions that offer them efficiency, safety and reliability,” he replied. I could certainly relate, as a supplier of equipment that does just that. As Wayne added in networking conversations, Straightpoint offers a solution that is very quick and accurate. It was music to the ears of a captivated audience.

Wayne Wille, technical sales manager, talks a NATE visitor through the COLT.

Wayne Wille, technical sales manager, talks a NATE visitor through the COLT.

Even as the business leader, I was there to learn from Wayne and the contacts he has spent many years cultivating. It would have been a mistake to be bullish on my first visit to the show. As I listened to stories, I was charmed by references to the mechanical dynamometers with cable grips and come-a-longs that were widely used in the sector years ago. They spoke about juggling three pieces of equipment; with COLT they’ll use just one.

I’m singling Wayne out but it’s worth referencing the expertise Dave Mullard, our UK-based business development manager, has in this marketplace. The engineering and marketing teams deserve a doff of the cap too for producing a product that looks fantastic but is also designed for purpose. Many tower erectors identified its key components and standout features just by looking at the COLT’s dimensions, which was rewarding.

Despite this positivity—“The COLT will sell very well in this market,” Wayne beamed within the first hour of the NATE show—we haven’t put all our eggs in one basket. Manufacturers of any product will be wise to challenge its potential for diversity even when the fanfare from the primary marketplace is prolonged. We’re already looking at applications including cable median barriers, zip lines, metro transit, ski lifts, fall arrest systems, and more. The first units will be put to use on site as early as 1st May this year!

Wayne Wille and I used our trip to NATE’s conference to visit Aldinger, an accredited calibration, certification and repair center for test and measurement instrumentation.

Wayne Wille and I used our trip to NATE’s conference to visit Aldinger, an accredited calibration, certification and repair center for test and measurement instrumentation.

Power of positivity

It was truly an honour to spend a few days among tower erection professionals, most notably because of their positive outlook. Positivity is damn powerful; don’t underestimate it. I spend a lot of time at lifting equipment, oil and gas, maritime, breakbulk and other trade shows where, with all due respect to these industries, there is often an air of negativity about the state of the market and prospects for each other’s businesses. Not so at NATE. These guys are on the up, in more ways than one.

Meanwhile, Jeff Miller, the new general manager of Straightpoint Inc., has settled into the company and has started to focus on our six key performance indicators for 2017. The old adage is true, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. (There’s a nice synergy there with our equipment!) Jeff’s introduction to the company has allowed John Molidor, director of sales for the western hemisphere, to concentrate on big projects, research niche markets and attend trade shows. He was at ConExpo-Con/Agg in Las Vegas this week where he caught up with many contacts to discuss force measurement, load monitoring and suspended weighing load cell solutions for the construction sector.

There have been other highlights over the last month or so but, as always, I can’t cover them all in detail. Joining Scott Abernethy on a traditional English pub-crawl during his recent visit from Straightpoint Inc. in California and an enlightening trip to Gaylin in South Korea were among the most memorable moments.

Thank you for reading! Use the hashtag #loadcell on social media.

Mr. Loadlink

February 2017, , , , , , , , , , ,

Bank On It…

In his final blog of the year, Mr. Loadlink explains why a presentation at a recent networking event provided much food for thought heading into 2017.

They say breakfast is the most essential of feeding times. It turned out to be just that earlier this month (December) when I was invited to attend a networking session over the all-important, opening meal of the day.

Not only did the coffee and sustenance prepare mind and body for another big day, but also the content was equally nourishing. Guest speaker was Henk Potts, director of global research and investments at Barclays, who touched upon all the hot topics that have been aired in boardrooms all over the world of late.

Potts wrapped up anecdotes and bite-sized forecasts about Brexit, the state of the oil and gas market, exchange rates, Donald Trump, and more. He shared them with those present almost as though they were breakfast treats. The difference, however, was that these snippets, while just as moreish, offered more than a short-term sugar rush.

The insights Potts was offering were more dietary supplements or stimulants that will help us business owners and thought leaders run faster, last longer and hit harder in 2017, providing we took the right dosage and consumed them sensibly. To be taken after eating and washed down with a soft drink, the brainy banker’s breakfast bites were hugely satisfying.

If I had to take just one thing from Potts’ morning message, it would have been his references to uncertainty. He said nothing is more certain heading into next year than the damage we can do to businesses, the economy and our all-round stability, by being indecisive or using these all too familiar signs of our times as excuses to dither.

Trump cards

Show a bias to act, he meant. Get stuck in. It doesn’t matter whether one is a Brexit backer or has a Remain campaign t-shirt screwed up in the bottom of a wardrobe. Regardless of the percentage of business contributed by the oil and gas market during its last (barely memorable) boom. Despite fluctuating exchange rates and one’s opinion of the new USA president elect. The only Trumps that really matter are those among the cards we play.

Imports, exports, production, even the cost of breakfast, are all negatively impacted by uncertainty, Potts argued. If the market and outside world aren’t providing the security we seemingly crave, we’ve got to at least be certain about our own goals and the actions we need to take to achieve them. If it feels right, it fits the business model, an audience is ready to consume it, go ahead and launch the load cell, hoist, hydraulic press or whatever else it might be. Invest in the equipment, team and marketing. Create certainty.

To be clear, Potts didn’t add the next bit—but I’m going to. I think industry could finish the calendar year stronger, and do so with a greater degree of tenacity and certainty. As the cultures that celebrate it prepare for the Christmas season, there is a tendency to coast towards the festive period and the end of the year. I’m not going into Ebenezer Scrooge mode here—I hope everyone has a restful and enjoyable time with his or her friends and families—but do we really have to go into a holding pattern for a month?

We’ve had a strong second half of the year, like many other businesses we network with, but I fear valuable momentum is lost by a ‘Leave it until next year’ attitude. It’s the same as the ‘Let’s wait and see how the oil and gas market looks in Q2 2017’ or ‘I’ll see how hard Brexit hits’ mindsets that Potts warns us against. Feasting on turkey is one thing, but starving a business or industry of productivity for weeks beforehand doesn’t lead to a Happy New Year for anyone.

Culture of certainty

I’ve blogged about diversification before and it’s been a big part of the culture of certainty that we’ve created at Straightpoint. It’s not an attitude of presumption or arrogance about end results, but of confidence in our direction and conviction in our methods. We went ahead and launched StageSafe, a 3t load cell dedicated to the theatre and live events industry. We pressed the button on a research and development programme before unveiling Proof Test plus (or SW-PTP) software. We immersed ourselves deeper into the marine sector. And we committed to go the distance with the transportation industry. All because we were certain it was the right thing to do—so we did it.

We’ll stick at it too. Yes, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has reached an agreement on lower oil production that will surely fuel growth, and oil prices might be about to hit $60 a barrel, but that isn’t going to signal a Straightpoint walkout from the markets we’ve diversified into. Certainly not.

We’ve worked hard to broaden our horizons and we don’t want to revert back to increased dependency on the oil and gas market. Of course, we welcome a likely bounce back in the offshore sector during next year, but we’ve had record months in H2 2016 without being reliant upon it and it’s important we retain that diversification to lessen the peaks and troughs associated with too deeply embedding oneself in any cyclical marketplace.

Preaching to the converted

I remember referencing Potts’ speech to Mike Duncan, managing director of the Gaylin Group of companies during a recent trip to Dubai. Neil Brodie, of Rigmarine’s (a Gaylin company) Kazakhstan facility; and George Ball, of the company’s Azerbaijan location, joined us for productive meetings. As I alluded to in my last blog, Mike and his team have shown conviction and certainty in recent times to continue a growth strategy despite the oil and gas market’s coolness. It was good to reflect on 2016 together.

Actually, I’ve extended an invitation to Mike to guest blog in my place early next year. He’s accepted and I’m looking forward to giving a kindred spirit the opportunity to connect with our audience. Having recently opened Gaylin’s sixth hub in South Korea—others are in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and China—it’ll be good to get a different, and truly global perspective on the offshore and other markets. Watch this space!

After formalities, we took the opportunity to go to the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, where we saw England start the day with a dramatic victory over Scotland in the quarter-finals. Given the Scottish roots of Mike, Neil and George, it was good to punctuate the business babble with friendly banter as England continued their quest to what was eventually to be a bronze medal-winning campaign. If you get a chance to attend the event I’d thoroughly recommend the atmosphere, carnival spirit and world-class sport to anyone.

Distributing the plan

Upon my return I’ve been engaged in planning activities, largely centred on business development and marketing for 2017. A presentation will be given to all staff early in the New Year, including many of the core values shared in this blog over the last 12 months. Prevalent throughout are references to our inbound marketing endeavours, for example. I also travelled to Straightpoint Inc. headquarters in Camarillo, California this month where much of the focus was on reviewing the year before I’ll return in January for 90-day planning.

A significant change in global focus is a commitment to develop our existing distribution network rather than looking to significantly expand it, as might have been the case in earlier years. In 2016, for example, we named around 20 new partners across the world. That was very much aligned with a goal to add partners to the network, but now it’s about motivating, educating and inspiring existing distributors to be the best ambassadors for the business possible.

Others who sell through distribution channels might consider a similar change of focus. It’s one thing to have a rapidly growing network of partners, but what opportunities might be slipping through the net because they’re not fully aware of the capabilities of a product range or are lacking sufficient knowledge to effectively communicate a solution out in the field?

Barclays’ Potts will be pleased to hear we have committed to a number of product launches in 2017, which I can’t say too much about yet but they’ll certainly feature in upcoming press releases and blogs.

That’s all for 2016! Continue to connect with us on social media over the holiday period and use the hashtags #loadcell and #belowthehook to engage.

Mr. Loadlink

December 2016, , , , , , , , , ,