Customized Solutions for Extreme Conditions
High-Quality Components with Precise Dimensions
Since its founding in 1974, ELME from Småland, Sweden has become a world leader in manufacturing spreaders for containers. The secret behind their success is the company's unique ability to customize products for clients, combined with strategic partnerships with companies like Proplate, which delivers high-quality components with exact dimensions.
Structures Designed to Withstand Extreme Stress Around the Clock
Since 2013, Proplate has been cutting, processing, and delivering parts to ELME, the world's largest independent manufacturer of spreaders. These telescoping units enable forklifts and cranes to lift containers weighing up to 45 tons (20 or 40 feet long) several meters into the air. These structures must withstand extreme stress 24/7 in the toughest possible environments at container terminals worldwide.
"Many companies buy from us even though they can manufacture spreaders themselves," says Louise Gustafsson, Purchasing Manager at ELME. "This is because their solutions are standardized and lack the breadth in product range. Our strength lies in our ability to tailor designs to customer needs and adapt them to all types of forklifts. This makes us truly independent."
Components for Forklifts That Lift Heavy Containers
Over the years, ELME has delivered more than 16,000 spreaders. A key success factor is the company's flexibility at their Älmhult facility, where products can be developed from drawing to finished lifting yoke.
End customers often have specific requirements regarding display panel signals, work lighting placement, and handling capabilities. For example, some yokes can tilt containers loaded with grain or wood chips. The high standards demanded by both customers and end users are why ELME carefully selects collaboration partners who can provide the highest quality components.
Proplate contributes approximately 20 different parts made from S355 structural steel. These include the large, load-bearing components for the ELME Spreader Model 818, a gantry that end customers mount on their forklifts when they need to lift loaded containers.
Quality-Assured Components Despite Thick Steel
The collaboration works exceptionally well, according to Louise Gustafsson.
"Proplate has excellent equipment and a fine workshop capable of cutting with both gas and plasma with high precision. The components are quality-assured, even when the plates can be as thick as 70 millimeters. That's a real strength."
It's not always straightforward, she notes.
"We can have narrow tolerances and come with all kinds of specific requirements. Our end customers know exactly what they want. But we can rely on Proplate. They always get it right."
"I also believe the soft values work exceptionally well. Our contacts are service-minded and always one step ahead. One of many examples is that they always keep our steel in stock. They also share their expertise and experience. We help each other. We naturally place great value on this type of proactivity."
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