To take a product from the lawns of Newcastle Technical College in 1957 to the yards and warehouses of some of Australia and New Zealand’s biggest crane companies and rigging equipment distributors respectively in 2024 takes imagination, innovation and engineering know-how. Raymond McLaren, founder of Andromeda Industries has done this with his “climax design” that is The Superflex Cable.
With his early interest in wire rope manufacturing and splicing beginning with the steel tube manufacturer Stewart and Lloyds, Raymond’s interest quickly became a passion that saw him put his mechanical engineering nous to further use, inventing a machine that – 50 years later – still has no equivalent in the wire rope industry the orbital square plaiter. Commissioned in 1975, the orbital square plaiter is the machine responsible for the unique and exclusive design patented by Andromeda: Superflex cable.
Andromeda’s Superflex is a specialised wire rope that possesses 912 individual wires, ultimately forming the complete wire rope. By point of comparison, a standard 6 x 36 wire rope contains 216 individual wires.
The idiosyncratic feature of these wire ropes is that, unlike conventional laid or twisted deigns of wire rope, Andromeda’s are plaited, ultimately giving the ropes extra flexibility. – akin to that seen with a synthetic sling.
According to the manufacturer, the plaiting of the steel cords creates a very tough and set resistant cable composed of many more wires than is possible with laid wire rope.
Using a durable material such as steel provides extra assurance as well, giving the product extra durability and performance when it comes to hotter environments.
Since being brought to the market in 1975, Andromeda’s products have developed expansively through innovation and research.
Today, the company’s inventory includes Flat Woven Slings through to Staytight Cattle Cable.
Through Superflex-exclusive lens, the company manufactures and distributes cables, slings and strops to holistically service the between hook and load market in the crane industry.
The unique and innovative creation of Andromeda’s Dean-0 Sling is designed to be made very short and provide a single lifting point under a Ramshorn Hook on large cranes.
This enables a singlepoint of load to be attached and still maintain centreline loading on the cranes lower hoisting block assembly.
With sizes ranging from 11 tonnes to 165 tonnes, this sling provides a plethora of lifting needs.
As mentioned above, the Dean-0 Sling is only one of many different slings that Andromeda Industries produces.
Other products produced by the Moonbi manufacturers include the Superflex Sling, Superflex Strop, Superflex Double-Ended Strop, Steel Flat Woven Slings in both cradle lift and choker lift configuration and cover all bases of slings ranging in size from 10mm ND through to 96mm ND.
Depending on the sling or strop required, the Superflex slings range has lifting capacity from 1 tonne in a straight pull through to 168 tonnes when assembled into the Superflex Double-Ended Strop.
Additionally, the sling can increase to 330 tonnes in cradle configuration and everything in between, allowing for vast coverage of various lifting applications.
Its expansive inventory has come in for high praise from high-profile crane and lifting equipment companies.
According to Pilequip, Andromeda’s Superflex range represents the “pinnacle of lifting solutions” with the range thriving in heat-intensive environments such as pilling, while Borger Cranes endorsed this product as providing “structural integrity, versatility and capacity” that other brands “can’t match”.
The company possesses NATA accreditation and full membership with LEEA, indicative of the company’s attitude that safety and quality are paramount in the high-risk work industry of heavy lifting.
Before a product is distributed to a client, Andromeda tests all its products to Australian Standards, utilising its 300-tonne capacity horizontal test bed, its 40-tonne capacity vertical test bench and a 4200- tonne Talurit press.
Thus, founded on the back of passion and innovation, Andromeda’s journey from a student’s interest in 1957 to a national lifting and rigging equipment staple in 2024, may be a long winding 67-year-road, but its been a road where innovation, quality and safety have been emphasised at every corner – notions that still permeate through the company’s operations to this day.
Image: Andromeda Industries
Founder Raymond McLaren, now in his late 80s, expressed his desire for his lifelong commitment to thrive for many years to come.
In line with this, Annette Williams, a dedicated employee of Raymond’s, has acquired the company.
Annette, who has been with Andromeda for nearly 19 years and served as general manager for over 6 years, is devoted to maintaining Andromeda’s reputation as a prominent supplier in the crane and lifting industry, while also preserving “Raymond’s legacy.”