Like many businesses during the pandemic, PAMI felt the economic impact and uncertainty created by a turbulent and evolving environment.
Changes in the manufacturing workplace, sagging demand for product, shaky supply changes, and economic uncertainty with vendors meant that some PAMI clients faced unclear futures. The watershed effect saw PAMI in the unlikely position of having to curtail its activities at the key testing centre in Portage la Prairie, MB.
However, the pandemic months were far from a full shutdown for some manufacturers like Lode King Industries of Winkler, MB, producers of highway transport trailers.
The company has been in business for over 40 years and has streamlined into two main product lines: hopper bottomed grain trailers and commercial flat deck trailers. Needless to say, transport companies and farming operations maintained their levels of activity and their need for equipment through the pandemic, thus the need for continued services in the testing field.
Roy MacLean, Director of Engineering for Lode King, talks about the company’s reliance on PAMI’s technical acumen. “With the products that we manufacture, there is a sequence of Transport Canada and Department of Transport regulations we must comply with,” MacLean outlines. “One of those regulations is the presence of a rear impact guard on many of our semi-trailers, designed to keep small cars from getting underneath the trailer in the event of a rear end collision.”
The specific requirements for effectiveness and durability have to be tested and documented to prove that standards have been met or exceeded. MacLean notes that recent changes to requirements by the DOT in the States have required retesting of around 18 different bumper configurations for Lode King products.
It’s the adaptability and responsiveness of PAMI’s testing and its professionals that’s helped keep Lode King trailers on the road. “We’ve done the retesting and they’ve all passed, so we’re quite happy with the results of all that work,” says MacLean.
Those compliance tests were performed at PAMI’s Portage facility under the scrutiny of engineers like Lorne Grieger, director of technical sales. Over his many years with PAMI, Grieger has performed mechanical tests like those compliance procedures for Lode King.
With a background in product management, product testing and field work, Grieger has done it all. Much of his time in his current role is spent working on the road directly with clients and engaging new businesses with PAMI’s potential to support them.
The attention to high standards and lasting reputation has made PAMI the go-to choice for compliance testing and documentation.
“We have capabilities to provide certification or documentation at the end saying that because we are ISO certified or the instrumentation is accurate, we can provide accurate test results for companies to be safe to market when they release their products into a regulatory intensive marketplace.”
Grieger says PAMI also plays an important part in research and development for companies designing new products or troubleshooting existing iterations. The pandemic impacted supply chains which in turn delayed production and on-boarding new products.
When demand for the R and D side waned, there was concern that PAMI’s Portage plant would cease operations. In an effort to weather the economic ripples, PAMI made the decision to seek a buyer for its Portage facility.
When we came to the point where we needed to test more of the bumpers, we ended up scratching our heads going ‘if PAMI’s not there, what do we do now.”
The alternatives weren’t there, at least not in Manitoba. One of the least feasible options for Lode King was to purchase their own testing equipment, at great expense, and do the testing in-house.
While the DOT requirements allowed for in house testing, MacLean admitted that any testing equipment they would have brought in house would have been inferior to what had been available at the Portage PAMI site, even given its prohibitive cost.
The attention to high standards and lasting reputation has made PAMI the go-to choice for compliance testing and documentation.
The convenience and the connection of a sit down, face to face meeting was probably the greatest advantage in Lode King’s relationship with PAMI.
The level of contact has continually bred confidence, and the communication allowed for everyone to be on the same page.
“PAMI’s MTS system provides the latest tools and technology to meet
the needs of clients like Lode King when it comes to testing”, says Lorne Grieger.
“We have the system here locally so companies that don’t have the capability or the requirement to do testing all the time can access testing when they need it to de-risk their product launches or innovate and develop new products.”
MTS allows for accelerated life testing – the ability to head to the field or the working environment, collect data, and return to run a virtual road simulation.
Using the technology to extrapolate the data, testers can figure out the lifetime durability of a component within a short period. The process allows a high degree of confidence in decision making when it comes to determining whether a product is set for market or requires a redesign.
PAMI’s return to the fold allows local manufacturers to continue providing the quality that customers in the industry have come to expect.
“For smaller manufacturers on the prairies, having the chance to come on site and witness the testing leads to understanding and an internal experience,” Grieger says.
In addition to producing the necessary reports and documentation for clients, PAMI provides the on-site security of direct advising to manufacturers that will ensure the continued success of the reviewed components. It’s all part of the package, says Grieger.
It’s why the province’s manufacturers and their industry customers have come to rely on PAMI’s continued presence at the Portage site. Just ask
Roy MacLean.
When Lode King sent their manufactured pieces to PAMI, he explains that the engineers at Portage simply bolted the components to the testing equipment, and in very short order, had
the evaluations done.
“We were quite delighted by the news that they were still there and available for our needs,” MacLean says. “That was a saving grace for us, because all the work we had done in trying to chase down hydraulic testing equipment or seeking other suppliers was just turning out to be
a big challenge.
Going back to PAMI with equipment we knew worked and people who were competent and had done the work before was just a huge bonus for us.”
For Canadian manufacturers and their customers, the continued presence of PAMI at its Portage la Prairie location signals the best outcome for reliable testing and consulting needs in a home-based, professional and cost efficient manner.
The future looks bright for PAMI as they embrace their “PAMI 2.0” phase. By expanding their services and growing their team, they aim to stay at the forefront of innovation and testing. PAMI is excited about the projects on the horizon and their potential to contribute to the growth of the Prairie provinces.
PAMI welcomes visits from those interested in learning more about their facilities and services.
For those looking to witness their projects in action and discover how PAMI can provide support, a visit to one of their locations is an excellent way to gain insights and explore the possibilities for collaboration.
Reach out to our team HERE to schedule a tour or discuss an upcoming project.
