Andromeda Industries is the Australian owned and operated manufacturer of Superflex plaited wire cable. From this cable Andromeda produces a range of lifting gear such as slings, strops and flat woven slings. Geoff Bower, Andromeda Industries Customer Relationship Manager explains how versatile Superflex strops are and how they provide great gripping power and solve lifting problems.
Featuring a higher WLL than a standard sling, Superflex strops are designed to choke onto and safely lift things like poles and piles, steel bars, drill rods, bundles of tube and even cranes.
“Andromeda Industries is a family-owned business based in rural New South Wales and has been operating since 1972, being the only manufacturer of Superflex in the world,” said Geoff.
“Over the past 50 years we’ve seen a lot of changes in regards to lifting, noticeable in industries such as civil construction, mining and oil and gas. This has allowed our Superflex Slings and Strops to solve a large amount of unique lifting problems.
“We manufacture Superflex strops from one tonne through to 168 tonne capacity in a straight pull. We have different configurations of the Superflex range available and the strop is specifically designed for choke applications commonly seen in the erection of poles within the power industry. Because of the highly flexible nature of Superflex, and the fact that it’s steel, gives it a really high tolerance to heat. We have supplied Superflex to aluminium smelters where they are lifting aluminium ingots. You can’t use soft slings because of the heat, you can’t use chain because it will mark but you can use Andromeda’s Superflex range of slings,” said Geoff
Andromeda Industries also manufactures steel Flat Woven Slings which are gaining a lot of traction in the civil construction sector for lifting modular buildings and steel roofing – anywhere that you can’t use a synthetic sling. Some large Tier One construction sites are starting to ban synthetic slings and they are turning to Andromeda’s Flat Woven Slings and discovering other lifting solutions within their product range.
Geoff explains the versatility of Superflex products, highlighting the non-abrasive qualities while still obtaining the strength of steel.
“Compared to other products, Superflex has a genuine edge because it’s so flexible whilst maintaining the durability of steel. You can lift concrete beams, steel roofing or anything with a sharp edge with confidence due to its cut resistance and flexibility. It can get dirty, but you can still inspect it with confidence as it is easier to visually assess damage. Obviously, you must maintain and service your lifting equipment and products, but the key features of Superflex are durability and flexibility,” he said.
Geoff and Andromeda have a long standing relationship with Borger Crane Hire and Rigging which he further explains.
“We’ve been working with Borgers for many years, predominantly the Hunter Valley office and we have also built a relationship with Jon, Shawn and Nathan through recent CICA (Crane Industry Council of Australia) events. Borgers has been using our Flat Woven Slings and other Superflex gear for years and we recently had the pleasure of giving Shawn a tour of the factory to show him exactly what we do, which was brilliant. We are grateful to be able to collaborate with Borgers on this cover and cover story,” said Geoff.
The manufacturing process for the Superflex range is tried and trusted.
“As I said, we’re the only manufacturer of Superflex. With our founder Raymond McLaren and our engineering team we designed and built what’s called an ‘Orbital Square Plaiting Machine’. This machine is the only one of its kind in the world and was designed to plait steel cords producing plaited cables of a four by three sinet plait – what we now call ‘Superflex’.
“We also have a horizontal braiding machine which produces our larger Superflex from 12-0 (48mm) up to 24-0 (96mm). The horizontal braiding machine was developed due to the size of the cable produced as well as the concept being scalable, so if we want to go bigger, we can.”
“As far as testing is concerned, we are National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) certified, and we have been members of The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) for a very long time. Both of which ensure quality and accountability, which is extremely important in the lifting industry.
“I’m pleased to say that I now represent Andromeda Industries on the LEEA Regional Council. A keen focus for me will be to represent manufacturing within LEEA locally and to promote the safety and training that LEEA provides to other industries,” said Geoff
“Being a manufacturer, we look at the markets from a different point of view compared to the lifting and rigging houses. We travel extensively and see what is happening both nationally and internationally. Hopefully we will be able to bring some of these experiences to our local representation of LEEA and assist the association with growth to this region.”
Andromeda Industries is gaining traction in overseas markets.
“Earlier in the year we attended The Associated Wire Rope Fabricators (AWRF), and the Product Information Expo (PIE) which was held in Denver, Colorado. Wire ropes are massive in the United States and attending the expo and conference was a real eye-opener. We were able to connect with some fantastic people, and it was amazing to talk with international peers who know of Superflex.
“Previous to that, we were in Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Investment New South Wales. We have started to make connections in this region, thanks to the local LEEA representative and we are seeking potential resellers, which is exciting. These overseas markets present the potential for significant growth, and we are receiving notable enquiries now from Kuwait, Singapore and Malaysia regarding some of our specialty items,” Geoff said.
“We are also an active member of CICA. We joined two years ago and attending CICA events like the National Conference and Exhibition have provided us brilliant opportunities to connect with many of the large crane hire companies like Borgers who have been using our products but had no idea where they came from.
“As we operate through a reseller network, we don’t often get firsthand feedback from the crane hire companies that are using our products. This feedback has been invaluable and ensures that we are meeting the market needs. Some companies that are using our products thought that Superflex was produced in Europe due to the quality. So being able to promote local Australian made is fantastic.
“These events provide us with the opportunity to highlight our range of products like our Flat Woven Slings, which are popular with crane hire businesses as they are increasingly not being able to lift with soft slings. We frequently receive feedback that ‘wire rope is wire rope’ but when you actually see and feel our Superflex and other products you understand the vast difference between the two,” said Geoff.