Mastermatic XT 150 & mbk Cage Handling NCP

Northern Concrete Pipe, Grand Rapids, MI, Plant Manager Charlie LaMange explains the benefits of the HawkeyePedershaab Mastermatic XT-150 and mbk automated cage handling system. The mbk has an ALZM which is an automatic longitudinal loader that has almost doubled Northern's production speeds off of its mbk. This is necessary to feed the HawkeyePedershaab Mastermatic machine they installed. They are running two pipes at one time and the cage machine has to be able to keep up along with cage robots and according to LaMange the system is doing that. The Mastermatic XT-150 has reduced Northern's cycle time and is improves the quality of its pipe. The Mastermatic has helped Northern achieve better production overall. The Mastermatic machine's rotor compactor system makes an overall better pipe, according to LaManage, in both the bell, the barrel and the spigot. It is a little bit more technical concrete pipe machine but the actual physical work, the lifting and manual labor is greatly reduced and the plant workers love that part. In today's hiring market, especially in Covid times, this has helped Northern reduce its labor force. The automation is taking the place of people that they were not able to find currently. It is not that they want to reduce the workforce, but they want their team members to work less, be more ergonomic and safer.