Posted to News on 6th Oct 2008, 15:01
Altra Industrial Motion covers power transmission in Europe
A new global force has announced its presence on the European market for power transmission products. Altra Industrial Motion, Inc, a global manufacturer and supplier of clutches, brakes, couplings, gearing, belted drives, linear actuators and power transmission components, is committed to achieving synergy across its many brands - Warner Electric, Matrix International, Wichita Clutch, Stieber, Twiflex, Bibby Transmissions, Huco Dynatork and others - to deliver market-leading positions in all the countries in which the company operates.
A Nasdaq-quoted company, Altra Industrial Motion Inc is a multinational designer, producer and marketer of a wide range of mechanical power transmission products. The company comprises 19 primary businesses, some with multiple locations worldwide. It brings together strong brands covering over 40 product lines with production facilities in nine countries and sales coverage in over 70 more.
Altra's brands include Warner Electric, Matrix International, Wichita Clutch, Stieber Clutch, Twiflex Limited, Bibby Transmissions, Huco Dynatork, TB Wood's, Formsprag Clutch, Ameridrives Couplings, Industrial Clutch, Boston Gear, Marland Clutch, Nuttall Gear, Inertia Dynamics, Warner Linear and Kilian Manufacturing.
These group companies deliver a comprehensive product portfolio including industrial clutches and brakes, gear drives, couplings, machined-race bearings, belted drives, linear actuators and other related products. These meet the demands of customers in a diverse range of industries, including general industrial, material handling, aggregate and mining, marine, metals, printing, oil and gas, transportation, and turf and garden.
Altra products are also frequently used in critical applications, such as fail-safe brakes for elevators, wheelchairs and forklifts; and the company provides products for use in a wide variety of high-volume manufacturing processes, where reliability and accuracy are critical in both avoiding costly downtime and enhancing the overall efficiency of manufacturing operations.
Altra Business System
Key to Altra's success in global markets is a process known as the Altra Business System (ABS). A comprehensive business management system designed to achieve world-class excellence, the ABS focuses on improvements in quality, delivery and cost - all in order to to drive customer satisfaction. It also provides the tools to achieve specific business objectives with the involvement of all associates.
In order to produce quality power transmission components at competitive prices, Altra uses an integrated approach to manufacturing that manages equipment, materials and people in the most efficient manner, while ensuring a safe and secure working environment. Some of the key principles followed include: Kanban, JIT, Jidoka, Kaizen and standardised work. Kaizen, or continuous improvement, is one of the main drivers of the ABS. Its primary objectives are to identify and eliminate waste in all areas of the facility, including the manufacturing, purchasing, and administrative processes.
Commenting upon Altra's presence in Europe, European Director of Sales, Neil English, says: "Altra maintains a balanced portfolio of world-class motion control products serving a diverse range of markets around the globe. The breadth of our product lines is as impressive as it is deep, giving many of our internationally recognised brands the ability to support and blanket a myriad of markets."
