DIGITALISATION
COIL DELIVERY AUTOMATED IN QUEBEC
CR Slitters, Réfandoirs CR, is a Quebec company specialising in steel processing. It uses advanced equipment for cutting and slitting flat metals, offering personalised, made-to-measure service. In a new 650ft-long facility, the company wanted to maximise the number of coils that could be stored and accessed; simplifying management and saving time were other goals. The new building had of necessity the same footprint as the one it replaced; the challenge was, therefore, to maximise product storage capacity and to find a
specialised handling solution that would prevent damage and minimise retrieval time. The coils are delivered by truck, unloaded by gantry crane and stored several layers deep in rows: the aim was to use the same space to store more steel coils. But the more product there is, the more complex its management becomes. “The quantity of coils to be managed means that the inventory is constantly changing,” says production manager Dany Lampron. “For this reason, keeping track of their location was a problem.” To simplify this, each product had to be easily located and moved, while speeding up the process. Handling also had to be smooth, as it was important not to damage the coils when moving them. Digital automation and warehousing was the solution. It was supplied and implemented by overhead crane manufacturers and lifting experts Groupe Industriel Premium of Quebec, who are present across Quebec and eastern Ontario. The system incorporated automated equipment, overhead cranes, handling tools and a comprehensive inventory management system, all interconnected and inter-communicating. “As soon as trucks are unloaded the coils are not only logged but also sent directly into the automated system,” says Lampron. “This means a coil is unloaded and registered within a very respectable timeframe of about 15 to 30 minutes. Tracking the exact location of goods had previously been a challenge; the automated system now allows us to pinpoint each product’s exact location in real-time throughout the day. “Automation minimises the need for manual intervention, allowing for much denser storage. It also requires less space – addressing two key factors we wanted to improve. Automating this process improves organisation; furthermore, since we do not work night shifts, the automated system keeps running while we are away, ensuring that the necessary materials are ready for production when we arrive in the morning – which has helped us meet our targets. Employees now have more time for other tasks such as unpacking military boots, preparing shipments or assisting with processing machinery – enabling us to optimise their time effectively.” The technical expertise that was needed spanned mechanics, electrical systems and automation. Premium successfully
took the project under its wing, coordinating the various stakeholders to bring the project to a successful conclusion. “There is no fan. No filter. No ventilation openings. Just a sealed, passively cooled system engineered to work harder, for longer, in conditions where conventional hoists give up.” Chain hoists are not glamorous equipment. They do not attract much design attention or engineering investment. The
result, says CMAK, is an industry where the dominant products have remained architecturally unchanged for decades. “We think this product proves it does not have to be that way.” The thermal management strategy, the structural architecture, the testing programme and the performance data of the new hoist will be revealed by CMAK in the coming weeks, as will the product itself, its name, its full specification, and how to get one.
They expect not to be in a dirty, noisy, dust-filled environment; they expect not to have to wash off dust, oil and grease at the end of the working day. As automation increases operators shift from hands- on control to hands-off supervisory roles like a comfortable chair, in a comfortable and clean office, with a touchscreen as almost the only evidence of technology that is visible. “Higher levels of automation often require higher
operator competence,” says remote control systems manufacturers Scanreco; and Rockwell say that 40% of
34 | October 2026 |
www.hoistmagazine.com
the manufacturers they questioned reported workers being re-skilled last year. The factory floor is no longer just a place of manual labour and overhead cranes and conveyor belts; it is becoming an environment of digitally connected and intelligent machines, with human intervention increasingly at arm’s length and artificial intelligence stepping into its place. Warnings have been sounded about AI. But humanity, so far, is finding it useful. Certainly, in the scenario above, working conditions will improve. It is a brave new world – are we ready for it?
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