AME to install CXT cranes in Jurong facility

An entrepreneurial Singapore businessman who has built his company’s future on successfully supplying quality precision products to highly demanding and cyclical industries is preparing for the next phase of expansion - even as others contract.

Mr Steven Toy Kok Sin, Managing Director of AME International Pte Ltd (AME), is investing more than S$30 million in a new plant at Jurong, Singapore, to supply his custom-engineered steel fabrications to global and local companies in the oil and gas, shipping, construction, and energy generation industries.

“Certainly there have been some big fluctuations in oil prices and sales in recent years. The upswings have brought in some lesser quality suppliers, while the downturns have seen them go. We take a long-term view of the future and invest for when energy prices return to more sustainable levels, said Mr Toy, whose decision to equip the new facility with ,hjfollows very good experience with the type in AME’s existing plant.

A key component of AME’s latest facility will be a broad installation of 12 durable and versatile Konecranes CXT overhead cranes in capacities from 5-30 tons to produce, maintain and manoeuvre the often elaborate, irregularly shaped and specialised bespoke metal and piping structures required for vital onshore and offshore roles in oil and gas production infrastructure, manufacturing processes and exploration. Delicate handling of such structures is vital to optimize their structural integrity and safety, as well as the safety of the workforce producing them.

“We place a high emphasis on safety, reliability and avoidance of downtime, which is essential if we are to meet the delivery expectations of customers in very demanding industries. In our existing factory, we replaced previous makes of cranes with Konecranes, because the old cranes were breaking down every week or so,” said Mr Toy. “It was aggravating.”

“When you are working 24-hours shifts, and when safety is vital to the heavy work we do, we couldn’t afford to use anything less than the best brands. In making our decision on which cranes to buy, we sought industry comment on the leading brands. Konecranes received the best industry feedback from our customers, who operate in tough and demanding industries. And our experience since has been first class.”

Over two decades of business, AME has built its reputation for reliability and precision on continued investment in quality processes, allowing it to provide tailored solutions to a broad customer base across a host of sectors. Awards recognizing its achievements have included Circle of Excellence in Offshore and Marine Industries, Singapore Brands, Promising SME 500 and Successful Entrepreneur.

Mr Toy – whose most recent Award is Singapore Outstanding Enterprise – purchased his first Konecranes more than a decade ago and has put these versatile workhouses to diverse uses, including employing one set of four CXTs to facilitate some of the groundbreaking engineering involved in the construction of the Marina Bay Sands integrated casino which is billed as the world's most expensive standalone casino property at US$8 billion, including the land cost.

“With our men working underneath, safety was an absolute priority,” said Mr Toy. The CXT cranes were used daily for the entire duration of the project, providing optimum reliability and ongoing safety. “Then, when we were finished at the site, we packed up the cranes and brought them back into our existing production facilities, where they continue to provide good service,” he said. 

AME’s existing CXT cranes are used in fabrication and maintenance of loads ranging upwards from half a ton to 15-tons plus. “Most of what we produce is pretty heavy, so we value the safety, ergonomic and control features, such as the high-contrast colour display and pendant control. The cranes are very easy to control and positon – they are very user-friendly,” says Mr Toy.

On-site service is provided by Konecranes through an ongoing service contract, which also ensures staff operating with AME are familiar with its methods and production processes, so communication and implementation is smooth and efficient. Konecranes additionally undertakes safety compliance tasks, a specialist task to check that the equipment attains the high standards demanded by government safety regulations and inspections.

“We let the experts do the job, because cranes are Konecranes’ business and it frees us up to do ours. We prefer to work with a globally recognised specialist partner like Konecranes, who are our reliable business partner.

“I must say their service is good, and this is important,” says Mr Toy. “Backing of product with service is most important to us. This is strongly related to safety and quality standards,” he says.

AME’s new facility will incorporate a total of 12 CXT units in 5, 10, 15 and 30-ton capacities. On the basis of experience to date, Mr Toy looks forward to a productive ongoing relationship. “They are very good cranes with much less repair and maintenance.  And they are very well backed in the field,” he says.

CXT benefits

Konecranes incorporating CXT wire rope hoists are a staple lifting device used globally and throughout the Asia-Pacific in maintenance tasks, production lines, engineering industrial warehouses and factories. Their strength, compact size, speed, reliability and safety make them indispensable in assembly workshops where time and space is money.

“CXT wire rope hoist cranes are designed to be industry benchmarks of safety and ergonomics, with easy and effective load handling and optimum dimensions for space saving solutions,” says Mr TK Mak, Industrial Equipment Manager, Konecranes South East Asia Pacific.

“Konecranes CXT wire rope hoist cranes utilise the latest technology for improved load accuracy, versatility and ease of use – making them the industry leader in medium-heavy indoor cranes,” he said.

Key features that contribute to their success include:

Space efficiency – In an industry where floor space utilisation is difficult but vital, the compact design of the CXT allows them to operate closer to the walls, lift loads high and ultimately save valuable space. This enables businesses to optimise their valuable floor space.

Strength – Depending on the model, CXT can lift up to 80 metric tonnes. The new rope reeving system also extends the lifetime of the ropes by as much as 40% - having a significant impact on maintenance costs.

Safety – In an industrial setting, operators must be able to rely on the safe performance of the crane. Konecranes design, manufacture, and assemble all of the key components to make a quality wire rope hoist crane. High quality components and precise manufacturing based on years of experience enable enhanced durability of the hoist.

Konecranes’ product development has invested in speeding up and extending hoist operation cycles, and in crane safety and durability. Features that have resulted from this research and development include:

Speed – The latest CXT wire rope hoists are available with adaptive speed ranges which offers improved productivity and lower energy consumption

Adaptive Speed Range (ASR) – a stepless hoisting movement control method. It allows very slow speeds which are important in moment of load lift-off and lowering. It also has the ability to lift up to 50% faster than traditional hoisting control. ASR is typically used in light to medium lifting.

Extended Speed Range (ESR) – this is an extension of the ASR that allows even slower speeds. ESR is typically used in heavy to very heavy lifting. When more performance is needed out of the hoist, ESR is the choice.

Positioning and area control – This feature is designed to assist the operator in positioning the load more efficiently and accurately. This allows the crane’s working area to be adapted to the varying physical layout of individual facilities and production lines.