Machines manufacture the gears, but those sophisticated machines are manufactured, too. The bolts and parts making up those machines have to be of the highest quality to ensure the safety of the machine and the operators who use them.
The Nord-Lock Group has been manufacturing high-performance, reliable bolting for more than 40 years — starting life as a small business in Sweden, but continually expanding around the globe during its four-decade journey.
“When it becomes safety relevant, then we come with competence and with a 100 percent technical solution,” said Andreas Maile, global business development director at Nord-Lock Group. “Basically, we’re selling added value and safety. That’s the core of our business.”
Quality bolting options
The quality bolting options offered by Nord-Lock Group are designed to address vibration on dynamic loads, according to Maile.
“With our wedge-locking washers, we hope to reduce down times,” he said. “We deliver reliable performance in order to avoid failures. And with this, we basically save money. This is what we can provide to the key manufacturing industry.”
Keeping the bolts tight and secure while a machine is functioning takes an innovative approach, according to Maile.
“We provide the bolts so all the studs will remain where they are — that’s the most important thing, because as soon as the bolts are moving, the components will start to fall apart,” he said. “So, with this, we keep the quality, and we keep the safety. We also save money on the life cycle of the equipment and on the maintenance costs. We make sure that the bolt stays where it’s supposed to be.”
‘Failure is not an option’
That attention to detail and that dedication to the customer runs deep within Nord-Lock Group’s DNA, according to Maile.
“Our philosophy is ‘failure is not an option’ because we are basically supplying solutions for safety-critical applications,” he said. “That means 100 percent quality and selling by expertise and by competence because we are acting here in a niche area of manufacturing. Each bolt is a secure one. When you use a Nord-Lock product, you have a ‘fit it and forget it,’ because you have a safe solution.”
Having quality solutions is one thing, but if that product isn’t available as soon as it’s needed, then that quality means nothing, so availability is paramount, according to Maile.
“Availability is key, and this is why we have the delivery excellence program that we have,” he said. “It needs to be accessible, and it needs to be easy to do business with us.”
Brazilian expansion
To that end, Nord-Lock Group has been expanding to make its products even more available world-wide. Recently, the company moved into the Latin American market, setting up Nord-Lock Group Brazil.
As part of that expansion plan, Nord-Lock Group exhibited at the recent EXPOMAFE trade show in São Paulo, Brazil, in May.
EXPOMAFE is one of Latin America’s largest trade fairs for the metalworking industry, highlighting the latest in machinery, automation, and manufacturing innovations.
“It was part of our launch campaign,” Maile said. “We wanted to tell the Brazilian market: ‘OK, we are good. We believe in this market. We believe in the growth opportunities, and now we are there with competence and with availability.’”
Exhibiting at EXPOMAFE proved to be a lucrative move for Nord-Lock Group, according to Gediael Bernardes, regional sales manager for Latin America at Nord-Lock Group.
“EXPOMAFE here in Brazil is one of the biggest exhibitions in Latin America where we can showcase machine manufacturers and people who are involved in the manufacturing process,” he said. “It was a great opportunity to show our brand for the Brazilian market.”
Many attendees who came to Nord-Lock Group’s booth were familiar with the company’s products and reputation, but were unaware of the Brazilian presence, according to Bernardes.
“Maybe 60 or 70 people who went to our booth already knew our product but didn’t know we were here in Brazil with this solution,” he said. “And maybe 30 or 40 percent of the people didn’t know our solution at all, because it’s quite new here in Brazil, so the work that we did at EXPOMAFE was to not only present to the Brazilian market our solutions but also let them know we are now in Brazil with stock that is close to the customer. It was a great opportunity to formally announce we are here in Brazil with our own entity.”
It was a good move for Nord-Lock Group as Bernardes emphasized that many meetings and visits were scheduled during EXPOMAFE.
“We got some quotations and some business as well,” he said. “I don’t know the exact numbers, but we definitely got some business from this exhibition.”
Development journey
Nord-Lock Group’s expansion into Brazil is part of what Maile calls a development journey.
“We develop the solution as a provider of technology while addressing the challenges that are increasing,” he said. “The speeds are getting higher as well as the cost pressures, but we are there. We are in a good position as we continue to develop long-term partnerships and long-term relationships to improve our competitiveness with our customers. We have a statement which says, ‘build connections that last,’ and this isn’t just about technology. It’s also about developing trusting partnerships. This is our long-standing focus and the DNA of the company.”
Developing and nurturing those customer relationships means Nord-Lock Group must be able to work with its customers to solve any challenges that arise, according to Maile.
“It depends on the technology, but since we have a proper portfolio, we can handle challenges from M3 to M1200,” he said. “We have a broad portfolio of technologies, so we have a product range that is a bit more standardized. There are standard parameters, but we also have customized and flexible solutions. When a challenge arises, we look into it. Often, it’s clear for the customer what they need, but when it’s not clear, we provide the proper technical support and solutions. We have six test labs around the world where we can simulate and test bolted joints and other bolting challenges. We will offer a clear test report on if it’s working, how it’s working, and what the best solution may be from our perspective. We come up with a recommendation whether that’s a standard product or a customized product.”
The Nord-Lock Group brand represents a strong value, and that’s one of many reasons the company has been so successful since its inception, moving from the development of a patent for wedge-locking technology to an industrialized product. The company started in a small red barn in Sweden and has grown to doing about 175 million euros of business in locations in 26 countries that represent a total of 65 countries, according to Maile.
Safety first
“Our brand is related to safety — 100 percent quality and trust that our customers can build on,” he said. “About this, I’m really proud. We are continuing to invest in all our technologies in innovation and continue to expand. We have a global reach but a local presence, so we understand the different cultures and the languages all around the world. We have a trusting knowledge of our customer needs. We are involved in all industries. You can use our product underneath the earth in a mine up to a satellite close to the moon. Everywhere where you’re facing bolting challenges, we are there with the right solution providing safety.”
And providing those solutions and improving on the products that solve customer challenges will only continue as Nord-Lock Group moves into the future, according to Maile.
“The problems and issues with bolted joints will increase as the applications become more challenging,” he said. “They will be more advanced. We will continue to reduce the weight by using softer materials, which can be a challenge for bolted joints. Bolted joints will remain the most important connecting element. Because it can be reused and reopened, it has an advantage in comparison to welding, so it will remain an important function. I truly believe that critical bolted connections are increasing, and we can help the world to be a safer place, a more efficient place, and a more sustainable place because Nord-Lock Group can increase safety and reliability.”
Because of this and more, Maile said he is excited about where Nord-Lock Group goes next.
“We have a strong owner who has made a huge investment in the company, and we will continue to add innovations and new technologies on the journey,” he said. “So, we are absolutely not worried about the future. I see us having a big growth trend with product expansion and regional expansions, all while maintaining our highly qualified people, which are — besides our products — our biggest asset.”
More info: www.nord-lock.com/en-us
