BY: Mike Chalmers

All photos courtesy of Tandemloc.

Since 1984, Tandemloc has been at the forefront of the lifting and rigging industry, providing the type of lift beams, spreader bars, lifting equipment, and custom solutions that have earned them a universal reputation for quality, safety, and reliability.

As the Havelock (NC)-based company celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, its commitment to what it proudly describes as the Tandemloc Quality Difference has never been stronger—which bodes well for the myriad industries around the globe that have grown accustomed to their professional approach and dedication to customers.

Tandemloc’s headquarters also serves as the location for its 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, where 54 total employees handle the full scope of the business, from the administrative side to product development, welding, painting, and even proof-testing, all of which is accomplished in-house utilizing state-of-the-art equipment and processes.

Known far and wide for both its lift and spreader beams, Tandemloc’s inventory is all but spilling over with equipment options for customers who rely on products for critical lift operations—be it ISO container lifting, general lifting & rigging, cargo securement, and more.

“We keep a lot of our spreader beams, end caps, lift beams, and pipe/barrier grabs in stock,” said Tandemloc President Bradey Boisen. “Essentially, we stock many of the more popular products, or products that have a long lead time. But we do a lot of made-to-order products as well. One of our made-to-order programs is our Rapid Ready Program, where, within certain parameters, we can have a custom lift beam or spreader beam ready to ship within five to seven business days.”

As for what distinguishes the Tandemloc line, Boisen points to certain examples like their end caps. “There are certainly products like this on the market, but we believe ours are easier to use. One major manufacturer, for instance, uses a bolt-together connection, whereas we offer the pinned connection—utilizing large pins, which cuts down on assembly time and excessive inventory.”

Similarly, he added, with ISO container mobilizing, the two main items Tandemloc offers are container casters and hydraulic lift casters. “A lot of companies have casters, but ours come with our Casterloc, which interfaces with the container to provide a rigid connection. Our hydraulic lift caster system is ideal for maneuvering containers in tight areas where forklift or crane access is difficult or impossible.”

As for cargo-securing/container stand options, Boisen explained, “We have many different cargo-securing options ranging from D-rings to ISO connectors. Our name comes from the Tandemloc Connector, which allows for smaller containers to be connected to fit in a standard twenty-foot ISO container envelope.

“We also have our VISO connectors that provide a rigid connection for whatever someone is securing. They’re designed to interface with ISO 1161 corner fitting dimensions—beneficial for people using the corner fittings with things other than containers. A lot of customers utilize our connectors in niche applications.”

It should be noted that, with Tandemloc’s beams, while they do manufacture the main beam, they rely on select vendor-supplied items for the master link, wire rope, shackles, and a few other items.

Which should come as no concern, said Boisen, since every below-the-hook item the company ships is proof tested. “We don’t test in batches. Literally, every individual lifter we ship is proof tested—even video recorded with a time stamp available for customers.”

That renowned service extends even further, he noted. “We also offer maintenance, repairs, and proof-testing services for all previously sold Tandemloc lifting devices. And we provide inspections performed by our certified inspectors using documented procedures in accordance with ASME B30.20 standards. Moreover, our inspectors have been trained and certified to inspect and qualify Tandemloc lifting equipment.”

Ultimately, it’s a testament to commitment, acknowledged Boisen. “We take a lot of pride in our custom products and custom design process. Our designs range from customers approaching us for a slight modification to an existing design, to the customer knowing they need a unique solution and working with us to find it.”

As for reaching those customers, he added, Tandemloc mostly sells direct, although they do work through several distributors, including: Lifting Equipment Store, Patriot Crane and Rigging LLC, and Bairstow Lifting Products.

Worth Celebrating

As one might expect, a 40-year anniversary gives cause for plenty of reflection, and many at Tandemloc can trace that story back through at least half of those years.

“We have quite a few employees that have been working here for over twenty years,” said Boisen. “There are so many factors that have contributed to the success at Tandemloc that it’s hard to narrow it down to one, or even a few. Without question, the people that have worked here have been a huge part of that success. There’s been a mutual respect between the family and those working for Tandemloc throughout the years. Employees aren’t just a number.”

The original employee was John “Mike” DiMartino Sr., who founded Tandemloc after working as a draftsman for a company that manufactured cargo tie downs during a time when the container industry was emerging.

Having discovered considerable success designing his own devices, he left the tie-down company and started his own company. Ten years later, he closed the doors on that endeavor and started Tandemloc after designing a specialized securing device for the military—which became the company’s namesake.

“All the way through, Tandemloc has remained a family-owned business with John DiMartino Jr. and his wife Sue being the current owners,” indicated Boisen—who took over as president in 2023. “John DiMartino Jr. was with the company since it’s beginning in 1984 and continued as the president for decades. John’s brother Bill came on as an engineer in the mid-to-late eighties. He retired in 2022, and John retired in 2023.”

Further continuing the tradition, Boisen is John DiMartino Jr.’s son-in-law, and his wife, Lisa (John’s daughter), serves Tandemloc as its customer service manager. Another daughter of John’s, Deanna DiMartino, serves as marketing assistant. Additional members of the family have also worked for the company over the years.

Circling back to the company’s roots, Boisen pointed out that Tandemloc’s original products were all designed to handle and secure shipping containers, which then led to military applications.
“As a result,” he confirmed, “when it comes to tiedown standards, we have specifically designed a number of products to meet MIL-STD-209K—a military standard for tiedown and cargo tiedown provisions. But overall, the ASME B30.20 and BTH-1 standards are what Tandemloc uses to design and manufacture all our below-the-hook lifting products. Fortunately, these standards often coincide with any lifting standards for the U.S. military.”
As time and innovation moved forward at Tandemloc, according to Boisen, general-use lifting hardware evolved from the container-handling side of the business.

“Having products that would lift, secure, or mobilize containers leads customers to ask whether we could provide other general lifting products,” he said. “Having a competent engineering staff on hand through the years has allowed us to work with customers in designing a lifter for their application. Over time, this paved the way for us to start offering general lifting products as in-stock inventory as well as build-to-order.”

In general, he added, “Some of our product line evolved by following customer requests and recognizing new markets.”
Evolution being what it is, Tandemloc is also finding promising traction through its online offerings. “We keep certain items in stock, so we wanted to have a space on our website where people could purchase directly from the site without having to request a price,” said Boisen. “A lot of these items are non-custom, so the price doesn’t fluctuate as much.”

To that end, he noted, “Our online store has been seeing more traffic as the younger generation enters the industry. They seem to be more comfortable with this type of transaction.” Of course, he notes, “with the industry we’re in, there are often a lot of details that need to be ironed out before a customer purchases, so the online store is still a smaller percentage of our business.”
With the future in mind, Boisen points to two specific areas at Tandemloc where he is very optimistic. “Our Rapid Ready Program is one area where we’ve developed to keep up with customer needs moving forward. Another area would be our Electroloc products and electric lifters. These have been big in the energy and renewable energy sectors, along with the aerospace industry.”

However, one area of the future will soon take precedence over all others at Tandemloc—a moment to recognize 40 years of excellence.

“We’re planning a company lunch event with all of our employees,” to note the occasion, Boisen indicated. “Nothing too big—but certainly worth celebrating!”

This article appeared in the July/August 2024 Issue of Wire Rope Exchange.