Answer by Jon Fryman, Product Specialist & Training Manager

Alloy Chain, as defined by the National Association of Chain Manufacturers (NACM) is Grade 80 and/or Grade 100 premium quality, high strength chain that has been heat treated and is used in a variety of sling and tie down applications.

There are four methods for cutting Alloy Chain:

1. Use a Hydraulic Cutter. Hydraulic Cutters are designed to cut smaller diameters of chain up to 5/8” in diameter.  Some Hydraulic Cutters can go even larger.  The benefits of using this method are that it is easy, clean, quick and you don’t have to worry about damaging adjoining links.
2. Use a Plasma Cutter. Using a Plasma Cutter is very precise and quick.  It can cut chain up to 1” in diameter and, if done correctly, will not damage adjoining links.
3. Use an Abrasive Wheel. An Abrasive Wheel can cut chain up to 1” in diameter – and even larger in some cases.  If you are using this method, you must be careful not to cut or nick the adjoining links.  The use of an Abrasive Wheel will shoot out sparks, so you must have a higher degree of safety and awareness of your surroundings.
4. Use a Torch: For this method, you should consult a Trained and Qualified Technician, as in a “Sling Manufacturer” for proper methods and procedures.  The reason for this is because you must be careful to prevent any “high temperature” issues with adjoining links on either side of the link being torched.  The adjoining links could possibly get too hot, thus changing the dynamic of the heat treat, tempering and ductility.

Chain sling users can help avoid damage and possible accident by recognizing these 5 improper practices and preventing their occurrence.

1.  Overloading – can lead to rapid wear, elongation and possible sling failure.
   
2. Improper angle of lift – small angles of lift result in excessive loads being imposed on each leg of the sling.  The results on the sling are the same as for overloading.
   
3. Faulty hook-up
   1. Point loading of hooks.  Wedging or forcing the hook point into the loads results in the hook bending and failure.  Hooks should not face in toward the load.
   2. Slipping of unbalanced loads.
   3. Lifting with twisted or knotted chains can impose loads in excess of rated capacity and spin the load dangerously.
4. Impact loading – jerking or snatching loads (shock loading) when lifting can impose loads on the chain in excess of the actual weight of the object being lifted.  These dynamic forces can break or damage the sling.
   
5. Improper storage of chain slings – chain slings placed in areas where loads may be deposited on the sling, where traffic can run over the sling or in areas where they are exposed to corrosive action can severely damage the slings.
   

For more information about this topic, please see the Peerless Chain Sling User’s Manual (10.20).

Come visit us at booth 605 at the AWRF P.I.E. in Minneapolis!

Check out our new QuikBinder video to learn more about the product!

 

On Saturday, May 20^th Peerless Industrial Group was presented an award recognizing our 100 year anniversary by Robert Martinez, Jr., President of IAMAW.

Pictured, from left to right:  Carlo Lonardi, CEO/President of KITO Americas; Robert Martinez, Jr., President of IAMAW; Tom Wynn, KITO Senior Advisor & Past President of Peerless Industrial Group; Yoshio Kito, KITO President & CEO; George Kosidowski, President of Peerless Industrial Group, Inc.; Phil Gruber, GVP.

 

On Saturday, May 20th, Peerless Industrial Group, Inc. had their 100 Year Celebration.  Employees, retirees and special guests gathered under two large tents for great speeches, food, and conversation.  Tours were offered to attendees and everyone had a great time, in spite of the dreary cold weather.  

Winona Daily News shared a story Sunday regarding the celebration, On the road to success, as well as second article, Peerless’ history is one of growth, tradition.

Be sure to check out the article “A Peerless Century” in the March-April issue of Wire Rope Exchange!  It’s a great read!!

Check out the front page of Sunday, March 5th’s Winona Daily News to read about Peerless Industrial Group:

http://tinyurl.com/zp92czr

 

 

Today is a day for us all to be especially proud as we celebrate the official date of our 100 year anniversary.

Happy Birthday Peerless!

On Thursday, February 9^th, Peerless Industrial Group, Inc., the largest manufacturer and distributor of industrial and consumer chain and traction products in North America, kicked-off their centennial celebration with a ribbon cutting prior to hosting the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce Network Nite.

Peerless Chain Company was founded February 16, 1917, as a manufacturer of tire chains after the rights and interests for the diamond link chain patent were purchased from its inventor.  Peerless eventually expanded into hardware and industrial chain manufacturing, as well as wire forms by the 1960’s.  By the late 1970’s Peerless entered the overhead lifting market, but was still known primarily as a chain supplier to the local hardware stores and retail chain stores.  That remained the case until a series of acquisitions beginning in 2004 changed the face of Peerless.

March 2004: The acquisition of Weissenfels USA.  For several years Weissenfels USA has been the largest chain supplier to the U.S Department of Defense supplying chains for use in critical application items such as aircraft tie-downs, tow chains, aerial delivery cargo slings and tire chains.  Weissenfels USA served the North American market for over 30 years.  While the Weissenfels USA name is no longer in use, the customer relationships are still as strong today as they have ever been.

July 2006: The acquisition of the American Chain Company (ACCO).  ACCO was established as the Weed Chain Tire Grip Company in 1904 and became the American Chain Company in 1912. Through the years, ACCO built a strong foundation in the overhead lifting and marine chain and fitting markets.  The ACCO brand name is still in use today for the products in the Peerless marine category.

December 2010: The acquisition of Letellier Material Handling Equipment (LMHE).  Beginning in 1974, LMHE manufactured high quality overhead lifting devices to satisfy the requirements of customers in many diverse industries.  Today the products within the below-the-hook and material handling category are manufactured by the Peerless Custom Lifting divisions in South Holland, IL and Jeannette, PA.

September 2011:  The acquisition of Security Chain Company (SCC).  SCC brought cutting-edge traction and cargo control products to our always increasing product offering.  The SCC traction product category consists of many brand names like Auto-Trac, Z-Chain, and Super Z.

August 2014:  Peerless became a wholly owned subsidiary of KITO Americas.  KITO Americas also operates the Harrington Hoists and KITO Canada businesses in North America.  KITO Americas is a market leader in providing powered and manual overhead lifting products.  The combination of Peerless, Harrington and KITO brands gives combined customers access to a much wider variety of products in the markets served throughout KITO’s global network.

Today, as a worldwide provider of lifting solutions, utilizing their exceptional design, engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams, Peerless continues to develop crucial products for the wide variety of markets they serve – with product offerings grouped into six categories:  Overhead Lifting, Below-the-Hook and Material Handling, Cargo Control, Hardware, Marine and Traction products.