Swiss-based Verope and Korean manufacturer Kiswire describe the aim of their joint venture as being to offer affordable high quality special wire ropes for crane applications to the world market.
At the heart of the business, like that of any wire rope manufacturer, is good quality steel wire. Verope founder Pierre Verreet explains: “The wire has an effect on the quality of wire rope directly as the basic, principal element of wire rope. Verope`s joint venture partner Kiswire has understood the importance of wire quality and has been concentrating its efforts on improving the quality of wire.
“For the Verope products, high-quality and high-performance wire rods from the world’s leading steel makers, such as POSCO and NSC are purchased in a close collaboration on the improvement and development of wire rods with these steel makers.
“The research and development centre at Kiswire is equipped with high-tech analysis equipment and is researching the technology related to high carbon steel wire, heat treatment, surface coating, wire drawing and wire rope manufacturing, machine and so on. And it has been conducting joint researches with the external laboratories, universities and customers.
“Kiswire’s Hyrope factory in Busan, Korea, has introduced a new optimised, automated wire manufacturing process in 2008, developed using Kiswire’s own know-how. It has been controlling every factor that can affect the mechanical properties and microstructure of wire on their process: pickling process, heat treatment process, galvanising process and drawing process. And it has been minimising the invisible internal/surface defects of wire and the quality deviation of wire. We can therefore produce the high-quality and high-performance wire ropes by using these high-tensile and high-ductility wires.”
The latest product in the Verope range is Veropro 10. Verreet says: “Veropro 10 is a non-rotation-resistant rope, in steel-plastic combination, with 10 outer strands. Each strand is individually compacted. The rope has a very high fill factor and as a result it provides a high breaking load. We optimised the rope for higher flexibility and form stability. The target applications are as hoist ropes for electric hoists as well as for luffing purposes for cranes of different kinds.”
