The launch of our new catalogue is as much symbolic of our growth as it is a celebration of our industry leading product range.
I said in my last blog that this month’s catalogue launch would represent one of the most significant milestones in Straightpoint’s history. However, only when the first copies arrived at Havant headquarters did it really strike me just how momentous the occasion was. As soon as I opened it, the catalogue made even last year’s edition look dated. It demonstrated just how far we have come over the past 18 months.
The new catalogue represents the culmination of months of hard work and dedication from the whole Straightpoint team—a process that for many started at the turn of the year. So committed were we to hit our target distribution date of 1st April that a number of staff spent the last weekend of March in the office. We created something of a production line with one person putting folders together, another counting catalogues and me taping DHL labels on the packages. I don’t think any were upside down!
The DHL driver’s face was a picture when he arrived to collect the catalogues for distribution. I don’t think he expected a company our size to be able to generate so much information. I guess that’s testament to the scale of our growth. The level of distribution and impact the catalogue will have across the world is something we should be very proud of.
As soon as the new catalogues were being opened before the Easter weekend, the telephones were ringing and emails were arriving from our distributors and partners in all four corners of the world. I know what Pieter van Duijn, commercial director at our Dutch partner Van Gool, meant when he called the new catalogue “fresh”.
Our designer, Ian Gregory, IG Designs, who was up until the early hours of the morning working on it towards the latter stages of production, deserves a huge amount of credit for the design and visual impact of the brochure. Many pointed to the sharp design, breadth of information and general saleability of the new catalogue.
New products
Of course, what stood out for most was the volume of new products and enhancements to our industry leading range of force measurement, load monitoring and suspended weighing load cells. In the opening pages, we detail the new, remodelled Radiolink Plus. Our best selling product by some distance now features improved ingress protection to IP67, increased battery life to 1,200 hours and reverse polarity circuitry to protect the load cell should the batteries be inserted incorrectly. From mid-2015 the Radiolink product is available for use in zone 0 hazardous areas; we will be able to offer the Radiolink ATEX IECEx approved with classification Ex ia II C T4 Ga.
Pages 4 to 7 present our Wireless Loadshackle and Wireless Compression load cell ranges. These products are now fitted with a new chassis that will give all the benefits of the Radiolink Plus. Our popular SW-MWLC wireless data logging software is also improved allowing the operator the ability to view and data log up to 100 Straightpoint wireless load cells simultaneously!
As the pages are turned, great products keep coming: our wireless accessories on pages 10 and 11 now include the addition of a new SW-SD LED ‘score board’ LED display and a rugged, industrial windows tablet, while our cabled Loadshackle range is detailed on pages 16 and 17, before the compression load cells on pages 20 and 21—now fitted with an o’ring protected machined enclosure that ensures that the load cell can be used in the harshest environments.
The new Low Headroom link is on pages 18 and 19, designed for use where space is a premium and accurate measurements are required. Designed with the entertainment rigging industry in mind this will soon become a very popular product in the Straightpoint catalogue. This is a niche sector we will take very seriously over the next couple of years.
Welcome to Aaron Orsak
In the UK, Hayley Willis is settling into her new role in purchasing, having taken over from Tanya Gregory, who is leading the company’s marketing efforts. Meanwhile, across the pond, I am thrilled to announce that Aaron Orsak has joined the Straightpoint team in the position of technical sales engineer, reporting to John Molidor and based in Houston, Texas.
Aaron will cover Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and brings a wealth of experience in the lifting and rigging industry. In fact, he sold many Straightpoint products during his time working at Bishop Lifting who are one of Straightpoint Inc.’s biggest customer. More recently, he had experience with Certex, who are standard-bearers in the
John Molidor (right), General Manager Straightpoint USA and Aaron Orsak (left), Technical Sales Engineer
New recruit Hayley Willis embraces a Straightpoint load cell
fall protection industry as well as providing industrial rescue courses and critical testing services.
We are very excited to have Aaron on board. The nature of our industry’s supply chain means we can introduce people to the business who already have an intrinsic understanding of the marketplace and our products. Of course, Aaron will still spend the coming weeks working with John and the team in Camarillo to get fully up to speed with the role and will also visit UK headquarters to complete his induction process.
Personalities are very important to our growth strategy. Hayley has proved to be a great addition to the UK operation and I know Aaron will fit in equally well in the US. When John and I decided it was time to grow the North American team, Aaron was the first person we thought of. We plan to grow aggressively in the Houston area and Aaron will be a perfect fit when we are looking for someone to lead that operation when we open an office in the not too distant future.
It’s been a privilege to share the highlights of another busy, challenging and exciting month at Straightpoint. I hope you enjoyed reading this—and the new catalogue!
Mr Loadlink