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President's Message
By Bill Putnam
Greetings and welcome to our Spring Updates!
We are looking forward to seeing you all at our Annual Conference in June. This year is a joint conference with our partner Eurocord and their members. We last met as a joint conference two years ago. Hilton Head Island, located in the coastal low country of South Carolina, will be a change from the wonderful, historic city of Vienna, Austria, but it also promises to be a very full, informative, and entertaining conference. The full agenda and registration details are included in this newsletter. We expect a good turnout, and we have a number of new members so be sure to get your reservations in soon.
We continued our Winter Technical Meeting this year as a successful virtual event in early February. Thanks to all that participated under the leadership of our Technical Director, Sarah Padilla, and Technical Committee Chair, Forrest Sloan. This committee work is the heart of our organization and the work by everyone involved is the key to making the standards and guidelines better for all parts of our industry. If you are not yet involved in a committee, please let us know, as participation is encouraged.
Our industry continues to see change and that also has changed the makeup of our Board of Directors. We welcomed Stuart Janke of Cortland International to the Board this past fall in place of Jim McTaggart. I would like to thank Jim for his service to the Institute and wish him the best of luck in his new role.
Thank you for the honor and privilege to serve as your President for the past two years. I am pleased to continue to assist our incoming officers going forward. As always, if you have issues or opportunities to bring up, please contact one of the Board or the Cordage Institute staff.
Bill Putnam
President
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Cordage Institute Happenings | |
Register for the Cordage Institute & Eurocord 6th Joint Conference | |
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Please join us for the Cordage Institute and Eurocord’s 6th Joint Conference to enjoy plenty of opportunities to connect and collaborate with members of both organizations. The program will feature technical working group and committee meetings, presentations by industry experts, member-led discussions, the Sim Whitehill Golf Tournament, and social activities.
In addition, on the evening of Monday, June 17, the Cordage Institute will present the Richards Technical Contribution Award to a representative of the Technical Committee, and Steve Hudson, a longtime member and Past President of the Cordage Institute, will be recognized with the prestigious Gale Foster Award of Merit.
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Technical Seminar Presentations at Annual Conference | |
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The Cordage Institute’s Technical Operating Committee is very excited to announce the following technical presentations for the 2024 Joint Conference:
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“Integrated Structural Health Monitoring of Woven Structures” by Dr Osgar J. Ohanian and Matthew Davis with Luna Innovations Incorporated
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“Yarn-on-Yarn Testing Method – Stability Improvement for Abrasion and CoF Measurements” by Dr. Yuhua Wang with Zhejiang Four Brothers Rope Co.
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“Biotwine Made from Seaweed to Replace Petroleum-Based Plastic Twine and Tubular Mesh for Terrestrial and Ocean Farmers” by Katie Weiler and Emma MacFarlane with Viable Gear
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“Untangling Justice: The Forensic Examination of Cordage at the FBI Laboratory” by Linda M Otterstatter with FBI Trace Evidence Unit
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“Industry 4.0 and Rope Manufacturing – How Will the Data Revolution Change One of Our Oldest Inventions” by Luis Padila with Knowix
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“Bio-Based Coatings and Life Cycle Management/ Assessment: An Update – Climate Change, Sustainability, Life Cycle Assessment and Coatings: What to do?” By Koen Van Goethem with I-Coats N.V.
The Technical Seminar on Wednesday, June 19 will feature presentations carefully chosen to align with the committee's aim of addressing current and significant topics concerning fiber ropes, cables, chains, and other synthetic tension members. These selected presentations will be showcased during the Technical Seminar and subsequently made available on the Cordage Institute's website.
The abstracts for the selected technical presentations can be viewed by clicking on the link.
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Steve Hudson Selected for the 2024 Gale Foster Award of Merit | |
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Steve Hudson, a longtime member and Past President of the Cordage Institute, will be posthumously awarded the Gale Foster Award of Merit during the Cordage Institute and Eurocord 6th Joint Conference in Hilton Head Island. Named after the well-respected former CI Technical Director, the Gale Foster Award of Merit is presented to individuals who have contributed outstanding service to the organization and to the industry over a substantial period of time.
Steve used his love for caving and adventure to help engineer better climbing and life safety rope. Creating Pigeon Mountain Industries in 1976, Steve and three other caving families worked to improve strength, handling, and consistency. Throughout his career, he was a proponent of improving the techniques and equipment used for rope-based rescue and life safety applications, and he helped to develop the Cordage Institute’s Technical Committee Operating Policies and Procedures, which are still in use today. Steve served on the Cordage Institute’s Board of Directors from 1997 to 2001 and again from 2003 to 2011, and he served as President from 2005 to 2007.
Steve passed away in 2013, and his wife, Diane Cousineau Hudson will be in attendance to accept the award on his behalf on the evening of Monday, June 17. Past recipients of the Award of Merit include Rollin Stirman, John Flory, Steve Swiackey, Sim Whitehill, Tom Yale, and Bill Hagenbuch.
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Highlights of the Winter 2024 Virtual Technical Meeting | |
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On February 6-7, 2024, the Cordage Institute held its latest Virtual Technical Meeting. The two-day event consisted of Technical Subcommittee and Task Group Meetings, and a meeting of the full Technical Committee. During the full Technical Committee meeting, reports from each Subcommittee and Task Group were provided.
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New Cordage Institute Members
The Cordage Institute is happy to welcome the following new members:
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Kennedy Wire Rope and Sling Company, based in Texas, is a full-service rigging shop with locations in Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Houston, Texas. They manufacture wire rope slings, web slings, round slings, and synthetic rope assemblies. Kennedy Wire Rope and Sling Company also manufactures fiber rope assemblies for several industries including Oil and Gas, Wind, Aerospace, and Heavy Marine. | |
Hamilton International is a North American leader in supplying technical textiles for industrial applications. We develop innovative textile solutions for clients across industries by sourcing products and investing in strategic production. Our approach to the market allows us to meet precise requirements and mitigate supply chain issues. We are a client-focused firm who leverages product knowledge, industry expertise, and extensive international resources to provide unmatched service. | |
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Founded in 1984, Southern Ropes is one of the largest manufacturers of high-quality synthetic ropes. They cater to an array of markets, including Commercial Marine, Leisure Marine, Industrial, Mining and the Armed Forces. They manufacture twisted and braided ropes to standard and custom specifications, extruding polypropylene and polyethylene yarns on site.
Southern Ropes is at the forefront of rope innovation, combining the latest rope-making technologies with strong and durable materials like Stealth Fibre® UHMwPE, Vectran®, Technora® and Zylon®. Their world-renowned ropes conform to British (BS), European (EN) and South African (SABS) standards, with the entire company ISO 9001:2015 accredited.
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Knots & Notes
By Sarah Padilla, Cordage Institute Technical Director
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The Knots and N otes section of Ropecord News informs you of the standards being developed by the Cordage Institute, as well as by other industry organizations. As we develop this section of the newsletter, please let us know what type of content is of interest to you by sending an email to sarah@ropecord.com or info@ropecord.com.
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Standards Update
Updates from the Cordage Institute Standards subcommittees on how things are progressing since the last newsletter.
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The Standard Review
Updates from other standards bodies that are relevant to the cordage industry.
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Member News and Press Releases | |
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I&I Slingmax / Yale Cordage Makes Personnel Announcements
Press Release
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The Board of Directors of Yale Holding Company, which is made up of I&I, Slingmax, and Yale Cordage, welcomes Chris Chrisafides as Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the combined business. Chris has been a member of the board of directors for Yale Cordage since the summer of 2020, and was part of the due diligence team that acquired I&I / Slingmax in 2023. Chris has an extensive background in manufacturing and industrial settings, and has overseen growth of both public businesses (Dow Polyurethanes in North America) (DOW) as well as private businesses (Elite Comfort Solutions, a portfolio company of Arsenal Capital Partners which sold to Legget & Platt (LGT) in 2019).
Also, Bill Putnam, former president of Yale Cordage, and current President of the Cordage Institute, has been named Chief Technology Officer of Yale Holding Company. Bill brings over 35 years of experience in the synthetic rope and lifting technologies arena. Bill will continue to focus on working with both I&I / Slingmax and Yale Cordage to solve industry challenges and bring novel solutions to the lifting and rigging industry.
Please join us in congratulating both Chris and Bill in their new roles.
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Cordage Institute Members Attend 2024 OIPEEC Conference | |
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More than 150 people from 27 countries, including several Cordage Institute members, joined the 2024 OIPEEC Conference on April 9-12, 2024 in Bardolino, Lago Di Garda, Italy.
Recognizing outstanding contributions in this field, the International Organization for the Study of Ropes (OIPEEC) concluded its paper contest, showcasing the latest insights from leading experts and researchers within the wire and fiber rope industry.
The best paper awards went to:
1st Place – Elizabeth & Mark Huntley from Whitehill Manufacturing “Fatigue Analysis of Nylon and Polyester Rope”
2nd Place - Maurizio Meleddu, et al from Teufelberger-Redaelli “Analytical Model and its Implementation in the Steel Wire Rope Industry”
3rd Place - Dr. Pengzhu Wang, et al from Bridon Bekaert Rope Group “Development of Steel-Fibre Hybrid Ropes and the Application in Mining Hoist Systems”
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From Left to Right:
Bill Putnam with Yale Cordage, Amy Jenkins with Teijin Aramid, and Sven Winter with ROTEC GmbH
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New Rope from Bekaert
Press Release
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Ten-strand Dyform DSC10 PI from Bekaert for luffing and hoist applications where both ends of the rope are fixed.
The Bridon-Bekaert Ropes Group division of Belgium headquartered steel wire transformation specialist Bekaert has launched Dyform DSC10 PI – a high-performance compacted parallel laid rope construction with all the strands within the rope being spun/twisted together in one operation. It is used in applications such as luffing ropes on crawler cranes and hoist ropes on electric overhead traveling cranes where both ends of the rope are fixed and the load is prevented from rotating.
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Samson Announces Agreement to Acquire Corderie Henri Lancelin
Press Release
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Samson, a Wind River Holdings® company headquartered in Ferndale, Washington, USA, is pleased to announce its purchase agreement with Corderie Henri Lancelin (Lancelin) with headquarters in Ernée, France.
"We are delighted to welcome Lancelin into the expanding Samson family," said Christian Rheault, CEO of Samson Rope Technologies. "Aligned in our commitment to innovation and strong teams, we are eager to enhance support and innovation for our customers worldwide, particularly in Europe across our diverse markets."
Founded in 1907, Lancelin is a family-owned company passed down over four generations. Lancelin focuses on customer care and specializes in creating technically advanced and visually appealing ropes. Known for its innovative approach, Lancelin has established an authoritative brand presence, particularly within the boating, sailing, and recreational marine sectors. The company's dedication to innovation is underscored by a contemporary testing facility featuring a machine capable of breaking ropes with a strength of up to 600 metric tons. Lancelin stands out for its adept use of market and product intelligence, enabling it to foresee customer requirements and expertly craft high-quality products.
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Eurocord Optimizes Technical Meetings: Targeted Focus, Multifaceted Collaboration
We are excited to announce a new format for our Technical Meetings. In this new perspective we are adopting a matrix model to strengthen our efforts in promoting Eurocord initiatives.
Core themes:
- Standardization (ISO / CEN-CENELEC)
- Trade Defense
- Sustainability
These central subjects will be guided by our diverse business sectors: ROPES - TWINES - FISHING - MOORING - AGRICULTURE - LEISURE – INDUSTRIAL
This format combines in-person and virtual meetings:
- Physical Meetings: Spring and Autumn, for in-depth discussions and collaboration.
- Reporting Meeting: General Assembly where working group chairs report progress.
- Optional Video Meetings: Chairs can convene virtual meetings as needed.
New Technical Director
Eurocord is pleased to welcome Rui Marques as its new Technical Director!
Rui brings a wealth of experience to the role, with a strong background in various technical and leadership positions in the industry. His technical expertise will certainly contribute to Eurocord's ongoing initiatives.
Rui is currently in transition, working alongside Antonio Freitas as he prepares for a well-deserved retirement in the end of this year, passing the baton to Rui Marques in 2025. We look forward to his significant contributions in the years to come.
Joint Convention on the Horizon
Just a couple of months to our prestigious joint convention, marking more than 10 years since Eurocord and Cordage Institute joined forces. We are excited to meet you all again, this time in American lands, and certainly it will be one more successful event.
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Researchers Investigate How Lost Ropes and Fishing Lines are Handled by the Norwegian Commercial Fishing Industry
Sølvi Normannsen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, PHYS.org
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Lost fishing lines and ropes are a growing problem. As a leading fishing nation, Norway, with its long coastline and fish-rich waters, is particularly vulnerable to marine litter. A new study from NTNU shows that only a third of all ropes produced and sold in Norway can be recycled in a sustainable way.
The rest are burned, buried, sent out of the country—or just pile up and contribute to something called ghost fishing.
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Lifeboat Team Rescues Whale from Lobster Pot Ropes Off Cornish Coast
PA News Agency, Bracknell News
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A humpback whale caught in fishing rope was freed in a daring rescue by lifeboat volunteers off the coast of Cornwall.
Ivy the whale was spotted by Marine Discovery Penzance, a wildlife-watching tour, after it became stuck in lobster pot lines in Mount’s Bay, near the port of Newlyn at about 10am on Sunday.
Hannah Wilson, co-owner of the company, told the PA news agency that the whale was “stuck fast”.
“Stuck fast, motionless, breathing only every three to four minutes, which isn’t too bad."
“You know if they’re panting or breathing every minute that’s bad, but it’s breathing was fairly calm, but it was very stationary. So we don’t know how long it had been.”
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Techtextil Frankfurt
April 23-26, 2024
Messe Frankfurt
Frankfurt, Germany
AWRF Spring General Meeting
April 28 - May 1, 2024
Omni Nashville Hotel
Nashville, Tennessee
Offshore Technology Conference
May 6-9, 2024
NGR Park
Houston, Texas
WSTDA 2024 Annual Meeting
May 20-23, 2024
Los Suenos Marriott
Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica
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Cordage Institute and Eurocord 6th Joint Conference
June 16-19, 2024
Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Techtextil North America
August 20-22, 2024
Raleigh Convention Center
Raleigh, North Carolina
Cordage Institute Fall 2024 Technical Meeting
October 1-2, 2024
Element Philadelphia Downtown
Philadelphia, PA
International Workboat Show
November 12-14, 2024
Morial Convention Center
New Orleans, Louisiana
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Ropecord News
Ropecord News is published by the Cordage Institute. The Cordage Institute is an international association of rope, twine, and related manufacturers, their suppliers, and affiliated industries. Articles appearing in Ropecord News are the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the Cordage Institute. Members are encouraged to contribute articles and items of interest by emailing them to info@ropecord.com.
Rates for advertising are available from the Institute.
Peter M. Lance, Executive Director
Tel: 610-971-4854
Fax: 610-971-4859
E-mail: info@ropecord.com
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