In uncertain times, here’s what I’m sure about
This is a time of great uncertainty. There are mixed signals from the economy. Inflation is falling while overall growth falters. Reduced interest rates drive some investment, but many companies still face new realities. War and conflict persist in Ukraine and the Middle East, each with cascading impacts. As I write this, political leadership is in flux. Believe it or not, even in the face of all that, there is much that I am sure of. I believe that North American values will remain strong, and despite lower prices elsewhere, the value of North American manufacturing will become increasingly evident. I believe there will always be opportunities for well-engineered and well-made products. Most importantly, I believe in a strong future for Algood.
For over 55 years, the Algood brand has been built on four pillars: manufacturing excellence, a design focus, innovative solutions, and putting our customers at the centre of everything we do.
As we look forward, I am certain our commitment to each one will continue, and I am excited to tell you about some ways that will happen.
I’m entirely sure about our commitment to engineering and design. During COVID, our sole focus was meeting healthcare needs; many new projects were put on hold. In the aftermath of the pandemic, we also devoted much attention to re-engineering our manufacturing equipment, acquiring new machinery and designing new production processes. Now, our R&D efforts are in overdrive. The new year will bring our most ambitious product announcement in a decade. We’ll be introducing a new series of casters designed to meet the mobility needs of today’s material handling and technology sectors.
I can confidently say that our commitment to being the next generation of Castersmiths remains strong. For us, this has always meant combining deep caster knowledge and time-honoured craftsmanship with the most current technological solutions.
We are one of the only North American caster manufacturers to maintain a robust in-house tool and die centre—and it’s busy. We are creating new dies and moulds for the new series. In addition, we are re-tooling to improve the production of existing casters and wheels.
This year, we introduced our CADLAB™, providing online engineering access to 14 casters. Unlike many competitors, we allow users to configure a caster that best meets their needs by selecting from a wide range of options, including wheels, top plates, brakes, stems, and bearings. They can then download 2D drawings or 3D models of the rendered caster for precise design implementation. By the end of the year, all our 2” diameter wheels will be fully configurable in the CADLAB™, and in the first quarter of 2025, many new series will be added.
In addition, we have continued to add new equipment and expand our use of robotics to improve the efficiency of our metal stamping and assembly divisions. The result is significantly greater productivity and output that dwarfs previous totals.
I log thousands of travel miles, meeting face-to-face with customers to ensure we meet their current needs and are prepared to meet their requirements well into the future. We are constantly innovating in small and large ways to react to and anticipate our customers’ needs.
In the face of tremendous flux in the economy and both domestic and foreign affairs, Algood represents a sea of certainty. Our steadfast commitment to our long-standing values and a future fuelled by our beliefs is firm. We are excited to offer our customers something they can always be sure of.