OTR Wheel Engineering, Inc. (OTR) has successfully launched a program with Taylor Machine Works (TMW), the market-leading manufacturer of high-capacity lift trucks and container handling equipment, to inspect and, if needed, replace wheels used in vehicles operating at ports. The collaboration between longtime partners OTR and TMW facilitates on-site wheel inspections at major U.S. ports and provides a critical safety enhancement that port staff and union leadership alike have endorsed. The program also reduces costly equipment downtime and productivity losses, a major focus given the volume of business transacted at ports.
Because safety is a top priority worldwide, especially at ports where heavy equipment is involved, OTR is expanding this program to its customer base and partners in Europe. Through this expansion, OTR will leverage its footprint and staff to replicate the same process being implemented in the U.S. It will offer proper de-mounting and installation of OEM-approved wheels, which is not only mission-critical for worker safety but also affects the productivity and performance of vehicles operating in the field when downtime is not an option.
“This program is game-changing,” says Michael Stoeckel, Global Vice President, Sales & Marketing at OTR. “Together with TMW personnel, our program is providing critical service to ports across the U.S. and soon, globally. This is a great example of how working with long-standing partners, such as TMW, can offer tremendous benefits in safety and productivity, and we’re thankful for TMW’s support in this effort.”
“We inspect, diagnose and confirm the condition of the wheel, its duty cycle, and the application,” explains Charles Jackson, senior manager and sponsor of OTR’s program with TMW. “If a wheel has a stress crack, we can visually see or detect it using a proprietary process, and if it’s approaching end of life, we will inform the port staff accordingly. We then recommend an OEM-approved replacement wheel, allocated from OTR’s stock of wheels manufactured in-house, to ensure safe and continuous vehicle operation at the ports. It’s a win-win-win.”
OTR will be exhibiting at Bauma, October 24-28, 2022, Booth 430 in Hall A6, where a 10-bar OTR port wheel will be displayed. Staff will be on-site to explain how the program can be implemented in additional locations worldwide.
