[INNOVATIONS] It was during the early developmental stages when Reick
fi rst realized his rust-repelling work-in-progress could actually be of tremendous benefi t in a number of additional areas, including the wire rope industry. He’s had a longtime friendship with Chris Reinauer
of Reinauer Transportation Companies (RTC), the Staten Island, New York-headquartered maritime fi rm that specializes in petroleum and chemical transportation. “We were talking one day and I happened to mention my new project. He immediately wanted to try it. He explained they’d been facing issues with wire rope rusting.” T e eff ects of HinderRust, he recollects, were
impressive—and wholly unexpected. “Everybody was fl abbergasted when we tried it. Even I
was really surprised. It just changes the whole nature of the way rope behaves. Because it’s so fl uid and surface-active, it’s literally protecting the rope from the inside out. As a result, the rope is going to last much longer.”
Wire-ropes two months in Salt-water: one coated with HinderRUST and the other as purchased.
“ ‘STATE OF THE ART’ IS AN INSULT TO ME. THAT’S WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE DOES.” – Frank Reick, President of Fluoramics, Inc.
AN INDUSTRY ‘GAME-CHANGER’ Back at his lab, Reick and his team conducted further, more comprehensive testing. T ey ultimately performed more than 100 experiments—an amount far in excess of the usual 40 trials most products undergo—to ensure the effi cacy of HinderRust. During the testing phase, Reick purchased samples of
wire rope from a local supplier and exposed them to the harshest of elements—salt water. T ree months after being immersed, the pieces coated with HinderRust were, he proclaims, “still totally rust-free.” Meanwhile, the control samples, the ropes which were only coated with the manufacturer’s lubricant, “looked as if they’d been buried with the Titanic,” he says. All told, Reick was pleased with the outcome, which,
he believes, marks HinderRust as a game-changer. “It’s a winner. And in terms of the wire rope industry, this may be bigger than any of us expected. “T is is absolutely a big deal.” Of course, this isn’t the fi rst time the veteran industrial engineer has brought an innovative new off ering to market. In the 1980s, for instance, after noticing the tremendous level of smog created by engine emissions, Reick invented Tufoil lubricant. Shortly after its release, Tufoil was named in the Guinness Book of World Records as “World’s Most Effi cient Lubricant.” Today, it remains a top-seller for Fluoramics.
When developing new products, Reick always abides by
one basic rule: “If I can’t make it better than everybody else, then I refuse to do it.” Expectedly, this mantra was foremost in mind when formulating HinderRust. And, as predicted by his commitment, it is indeed proving, thus far, to be another unmatched triumph for its creator. According to Reick, sales have, since HinderRust’s release earlier this year, been quite “good” and are on a steady upward trajectory. His offi ce was even fi elding sales calls prior to production, thanks to pre-release buzz coupled with Reick’s formidable reputation. “We actually had product sold before we had labels ready,” he
reveals. “T e New York Subway system, for example, was eager to switch to something that wouldn’t emit fumes in small spaces.” When they heard about HinderRust, he says, they were sold. And so, it seems, are many others. “We’re already seeing lots of sales overseas. Firms in
Italy, Brazil, and Malaysia are placing orders.” Stateside, business is likewise brisk. “RTC has, for its Senesco maritime division, been very excited about it. T ey’re buying gallons of it and just putting it on everything they can think of.” Even with such a track record of achievement, Reick never
stops to rest on his laurels; he is, he admits, always thinking. “Would you believe that right now I am working on something that will make planes fl y faster? T ere’s always an idea in the back of my head,” Reick declares. y
34
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012
WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE
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