SilverHawk Takes Flight: Globe Pipe Hanger Revolutionizes the Beam Clamp Market with Speed and Innovation
Globe Pipe Hanger Products is a sister company to Wire Products Company, serving the Fire Protection and Plumbing industries. Top beam clamps are a mainstay product line for industries that Globe services, with the 3/8” size representing 80% of the beam clamp market.
Malleable castings were purchased on the outside from a USA foundry, and were then drilled, tapped, and assembled. A portion were also electro-zinc plated for corrosion resistance.
With very short notice the casting supplier gave a dramatic price increase and dramatically increased their minimum order requirements. Neither of which could be absorbed by Globe nor passed along to our customers, in the highly competitive commodity pipe hanger business.
Immediately they initiated a new product development process, that completely reimagined the 3/8” top beam clamp.
Wire Products Company and Globe Pipe Hanger were already stamping steel parts for many of their customers, and the product development team accepted the challenge of replacing a malleable cast iron product with a stamped product made from cold rolled steel.
The product was designed using our CAD design software and prototypes were built. Samples were confidentially presented and market tested with key customers and installers, a sales & marketing plan was put into place, a provisional patent was filed and mass production was planned.
A major hurdle to overcome was a way to improve production speeds for drilling and tapping, that could reduce the price of each part, thus incentivizing the customer to order this all-new product. Our Tooling and Equipment teams designed and built a 20-station drill and tapping machine that uses thermal drilling, a first in the industry. Producing 10 parts in the time the prior method of drilling and tapping produced just one.
“SilverHawk” was launched, replacing the prior malleable casting part that is both lighter, stronger, and Made in the USA. Zinc Plated and UL/FM approved. Not only was it priced 30% less than the part it replaced, it is now the #1 selling part for Globe Pipe Hanger Products.</p>
