Are You Still Buying Bar Frame Baskets?
Many of our customers are die-hard bar frame basket buyers. And we do understand the appeal. First, bar frame baskets typically have quick lead times and are affordably priced. There’s no need for tooling to produce them, compared with cast baskets, which can be expensive. That said, there is a tradeoff that comes along with the affordability of bar frame baskets. Bar frame baskets have a lower level of carbon and nickel, which means they lose their integrity and shape in six months to a year. So, while paying less initially, you will purchase bar frame baskets more frequently–ultimately costing you more time and money.
Why Make the Switch to Cast Baskets?
The bar frame baskets you’ve been buying may work for your operation, but you might want to consider a more durable, consistent, heat-efficient option that can optimize throughput.
First, cast baskets hold their shape longer than bar frame baskets and have better heat efficiency. With a life span of one and a half to two years, their improved dimensional stability results in a more consistent end product. This reduces the need for post-processing or rework following the thermal cycle.
By leveraging our expertise in specialized fixturing and our cast baskets, you can achieve optimal loading and surface contact, preventing part deformation. In addition, our cast baskets offer a thinner wall cross-section, providing 7-10 percent more loading capacity than frame-welded basket designs.
When you decide to invest in our cast baskets, our team will help identify the best size, shape, and combination of components to optimize your loads. We will leverage our pattern inventory of hundreds of designs and sizes that fit most base trays and furnace hearths. We also offer a wide variety of premium materials to suit your processing temperatures.
Why Choose Pro-Tech for Cast Baskets?
Pro-Tech has decades of industry experience, with a strong focus on customer service, product design and performance, and personal sales assistance.
Our US-based experts have created a proprietary cast basket design and superior alloy that increases life expectancy by 50 percent. Without frequent basket replacement, your operations will run smoothly for longer. While the initial investment in the cast basket may be higher, you’ll see significant cost savings over the basket’s life.
With metal component experts Pro-Tech and parent company EQI, you can expect the performance guarantee that comes from an ISO 9001 quality system. Our foundry staff and metallurgical team continuously improve existing alloys and create new ones that increase cast products’ overall life and performance. As a baseline, we offer higher nickel content than our competitors, ensuring stronger, more durable basket walls.
When you’re ready to move forward with a Pro-Tech customized solution, the engineering process is easy. Our experts will create the drawing and collaborate with you on approval. Then, we’ll produce and ship your order. Some standard sizes are already in stock, making ordering even easier.
Once you’re in our system, you can participate in our stocking and replacement program. Our decades of experience in inventory management allow us to efficiently track your tray, basket, fixture, and replacement parts, ensuring zero downtime when you need to place an order.
Ready to make the switch? Contact one of our reps today.
630.271.0551 sales@protechcompanyinc.com
Initially, EQI focused on gray iron counterweights for forklift trucks and other large mobile equipment. Over the next decade, we swiftly penetrated additional construction, forestry, and CNC machine tool manufacturing markets and expanded our sourcing to China and India. Today, we have become one of the largest diversified metal component companies importers in the US, with multiple manufacturing and service locations globally.
As we expand our industry impact and build exceptional teams, we will remain relentlessly focused on partnering with our customers to achieve long-term success. At EQI, we are committed to solving complex supply chain problems and providing value-add services, tailored solutions, and cost-effective quality. This commitment was our north star during our first 20 years, and it will continue to guide our efforts in the future.
Our 20-year milestone is a testament to the passion and tenacity of our people, and we’d like to thank all the EQI employees and customers who’ve made our success possible over the years. Our true differentiator is the expertise of our people and supplier partners, which, in turn, drives customer relationships built on partnership and trust. We’re grateful to everyone who has contributed to our growth and are excited to see what the future holds!
Due to its extensive global network, EQI is the perfect partner for Hyster-Yale. The company has a strong international presence with manufacturing facilities and regional product development centers in the US, China, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, India, and Japan. EQI also has an extensive global network, with headquarters in the US, Canada, Vietnam, China, and India. In addition, EQI has 11 warehouses and finish painting locations across three continents and 30 customer fulfillment locations on six continents.
Because EQI sources products offshore, it’s well-equipped to be cost-competitive, meet quality requirements, store products near customers, and always have a team ready to serve. These capabilities were beneficial during the supply chain disruptions during the pandemic.
Solving Supply-Chain Challenges During the Pandemic
Over the past few years, COVID-19, unprecedented inflation, and material shortages have been incredibly disruptive for companies such as Hyster-Yale. Shortages across Tier 1,2 and 3 parts and components required significant changes in the company’s ordinarily steady supply chain. To address these challenges, Hyster-Yale turned to its core suppliers for help securing parts when and where they needed them.
As a key supplier for Hyster-Yale, EQI set the standard for overcoming supply chain challenges and meeting delivery dates in a crisis. First, EQI offered Hyster-Yale use of its freight forwarder, containers, and shipping contacts. EQI also found alternative sources for materials, mitigating risk by supplying parts that can be produced at multiple locations.
For years, EQI has had multiple regional sources across China. So, when certain Chinese regions closed during the pandemic, EQI had other resources to turn to in China. EQI also became the first and largest customer of a foundry in India that produces cast iron counterweights. EQI’s strategic approach to sourcing materials in new regions set an industry precedent and helped them fulfill clients’ needs during the shutdown.
Becoming a Center-of-Gravity Supplier
EQI has grown exponentially since 2004. Initially, the company focused on gray iron counterweights for forklift trucks and other large mobile equipment. Over the next decade, it entered new markets in construction, forestry, CNC machine tool manufacturing, and more. It’s also become a pivotal partner to several large-scale manufacturers by launching strategic initiatives to expand sourcing operations and offer value-added services.
For example, in late 2021, EQI acquired Industrial Paint Solutions in North Ireland, fueling EQI’s penetration in warehousing and finish painting services. The facility is also strategically close to Hyster-Yale’s plant in Ireland, allowing EQI to help them reduce working capital and warehouse production-ready parts according to Hyster-Yale’s line sequence and manufacturing schedule. EQI provides a similar value-added service in the US with a warehouse near Hyster-Yale’s largest manufacturing facility in Kentucky. The warehouse allows Hyster-Yale to keep fewer goods on hand while keeping line-ready components nearby.
This is just the beginning of a long and successful partnership between EQI and Hyster-Yale. In the years ahead, the team at EQI will continue to uncover and solve problems for Hyster-Yale, helping them mitigate risk through tailored solutions, hassle-free logistics, and cost-effective quality.
If you’d like to learn more about how EQI can solve your supply chain challenges, please contact:
Phone: (616) 850-2630 E-mail: info@eqiltd.com
ADDING A NEW DEMENSION TO EQI’S EXTENSIVE METAL PRODUCT OFFERING, PRO-TECH EXPANDES CAPABILITIES AND SERVICES ACROSS A BROAD RANGE OF OEM’S AND INDUSTRIAL SECTORS
Spring Lake, MI 2/19/2024 – EQI, a leading provider of line-ready solutions for metal products, has finalized its acquisition of Pro-Tech, a prominent supplier of metal products to the thermal processing industry. This strategic move underscores EQI’s commitment to diversification and expansion into key markets, positioning the company for sustained growth and success.
Established in 1985 by brothers Jim and Mike Barron and headquartered outside Chicago, IL, Pro-Tech has built a strong reputation for supplying high-temperature products utilized in various sectors including heat treating, steel production, lime production, cement production, and power generation. Pro-Tech’s proprietary products, coupled with its strategic approach of utilizing company-owned tooling and outsourcing production to high-quality foundries, have enabled it to establish a solid foothold in the thermal processing market.
Pro-Tech proudly serves a diverse customer base of over 100 clients, ranging from commercial heat-treaters to major players in heavy-duty truck manufacturing, power generation, automotive, and aerospace industries with captive heat-treating operations. With 90% of its revenue originating in the United States and additional contributions from Mexico, Canada, and India, Pro-Tech has effectively expanded its global footprint while upholding a robust presence within the domestic market. EQI is excited about partnering with Pro-Tech to further strengthen the company’s position and deliver enhanced value to its customers.
“We are thrilled to welcome Pro-Tech into the EQI family,” said Blake Phillips, President & CEO of EQI. “Their extensive expertise in the thermal processing industry and their commitment to quality align perfectly with EQI’s core values and strategic objectives. Together, we will leverage our combined strengths to deliver exceptional value to our customers and drive innovation in this critical sector.”
Under the terms of the acquisition, Pro-Tech will operate as a division of EQI, maintaining its focus on delivering high-quality products and services to its customers. EQI remains dedicated to fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence, ensuring a smooth transition for both teams, and further enhancing customer satisfaction.
About EQI, Ltd:
With an unmatched range of expertise and production capabilities, EQI is a leading provider of line-ready metal components that streamline and de-risk the supply chain for industrial equipment manufacturers. The company’s one-of-a-kind foundry network delivers high-quality metal castings, forgings, and fabrications on-time and on-budget. With a team of experts and locations in the U.S., Canada, China, India, Europe, and Vietnam, EQI’s tailored solutions mitigate risk and contain costs for manufacturers worldwide.
About Pro-Tech:
Pro-Tech is a renowned supplier of high-temperature products to the thermal processing industry, with a diverse customer base and a strong global presence. Established in 1985, Pro-Tech has built a reputation for quality and reliability, serving clients across various sectors including heat treating, steel production, lime production, cement production, and power generation.
For more information about Pro-Tech, please visit:
PROTECH companyinc.com
For additional details on how EQI’s new capabilities can assist you, please contact:
Phone: (616) 850-2630
E-mail: info@eqiltd.com
August 2023
Spring Lake, MI
EQI and Accucam Machining, a division of EQI, are excited to announce the unification of both companies under the EQI brand following the successful integration of the business.
The highly detailed integration work enables a unified EQI and its nearly 350 associates to deliver synergies across the enterprise and provide compelling advantages to our customers and supplier partners around the world. While much of the work was completed “behind the scenes”, with little to no impact to our valued customers and associates, the results have already been transformational. The full integration and unification of these two great businesses provides tremendous opportunities across the value-chain from Sourcing and Production to value added services and product fulfillment.
With the integration complete, a united EQI offers an unmatched range of expertise and production capabilities for line-ready metal components that deliver certainty to industrial equipment manufacturers in today’s uncertain world.
To learn more about The EQI Advantage, contact us today!