A COMPLEX PRODUCT—
A SIMPLE MISSION
BY: MIKE CHALMERS
Industry leaders in overload protection, Winona (MN)-based OZ Lifting Products LLC operates within a pretty basic philosophy: to help its customers move loads easily, safely, and securely.
But as you might have guessed, there’s a little more to it than that. Nearly 15 years in business says that the OZ mission goes well beyond the tag line, and in fact comprises a company completely committed to providing safe, high-quality, affordable industrial lifting equipment to its loyal customers—with an almost obsessive dedication to customer service and support. OZ products serve the oil and gas industry,
shipyards, mines, medical facilities, and many other industries—delivering safe lifting solutions to extremely hazardous and demanding lifting environments. But such commitment and range would fall flat without the third component—one which distinguishes OZ even amid much larger competitors: quality control. “It’s about oversight and testing—ensuring that
we set the absolute bar in quality control compared to any of our competitors,” emphasized owner Steve Napieralski. “Te OZ hoist is top of the line; each one is triple tested at the factory to fifty percent over the rated capacity. We have direct oversight at the factory on every aspect of manufacturing. We can also supply the mill certificates on the steel. We even provide the metallurgical makeup of our chain.” And with every barrel of chain OZ brings in, they send a sample to a local load-testing company for a re-test. Tis attention to detail, combined with factory testing and oversight, ensures a verifiable top-quality product—a focus that permeates the full line, from hoists to cranes to clamps to trolleys to winches.
26 SUMMER 2018 INDUSTRIAL LIFTING EXCHANGE The OZ Lifting Products facility.
“We feel that with all of our oversight and in-house rigging and testing, we distinguish ourselves,” noted Napieralski. “It comes at a cost, but at the same time, it has created jobs here in the U.S.”
Genuine Interest A 30-year veteran of the lifting and rigging business, Napieralski started the company in 2004, having worked for a manufacturer for a number of years before starting a rep business in 1995. “I actually still have the rep business, but only handle a handful of lines,” he said. “It’s mainly the motivation behind starting OZ; I wanted something I could call my own.” Napieralski used what he’d learned over the years, listened to his customers about their safety concerns, and noticed that no one was paying much attention to lever hoists and chain hoists with overload protection.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
