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Value Added Services at Imperial Steel

Venturing Into New Markets – Centre Pivot Irrigation

Centre pivot irrigation has become a staple of modern-day agriculture and is now almost as prevalent as tractors in our open fields.

center-pivot-irrigationCenter pivot irrigation was invented in 1940 by visionary Frank Zybach. In 1948, Zybach built the first model, mounted on metal skids with two towers connected by wires that worked two-way water control valves, and had a sprinkler pipe hanging about two feet from the ground. In 1949, he applied for a patent and received one in 1952 for the “Zybach Self Propelled Sprinkling Irrigation Apparatus”.

People didn’t latch on to the idea right away, but by June 1976, Scientific American magazine called centre pivot irrigation systems “perhaps the most significant mechanical innovation in agriculture since the replacement of draft animals by the tractor” and the Irrigation Association says it is “without a doubt the greatest advancement in agriculture since the McCormick reaper”; so recognition did eventually come to pass.

Fast forward to the present and Imperial Steel is proud to be a tubing manufacturer and distributor for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) companies wanting to deliver even more specialized centre pivot irrigation systems.

Center pivot systems require different specs than what we have produced historically. We love to conceive of new uses for our tubing and collaborate with our clients to deliver value added products that meet their needs and solve their problems.

Manufacturing tubing for centre pivot irrigation systems combines our love of innovation and creating value added products with our love of the agriculture industry, and we hope to continue blazing a trail long into the future.

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Value Added Services at Imperial Steel

Did You Know? Imperial Steel Offers Value Added Products & Services

At Imperial Steel, we take pride in solving our customers’ problems and providing value added services.

Whether your special project requires cut to length tubing, specific tubing manipulation that you can incorporate directly into your production line, or small production runs of custom tubing sizes, we are always up for a challenge and we love helping to make our customers’ lives easier!

Check out our newest video to see a few examples of what we’ve done in the past. Request your free estimate online or give us a call to discuss your company’s specific needs.

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Imperial Steel Winnipeg

FABTECH Canada 2016: Uncover New Ideas and Solutions

FABTECH Canada 2016 is Canada’s leading exclusive fabricating, welding, metal forming, and finishing event. The show happens every 2 years and will be held at the Toronto Congress Centre from March 22nd thru 24th.

fabtech-canada-logoCo-sponsored by five industry-leading associations: the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. (FMA), SME, American Welding Society (AWS), Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), and Chemical Coaters Association Intl. (CCAI), the show is a one-stop shop for metal fabricators to browse metalworking tools and technology; network with other manufacturing professionals; and learn about technical and leadership concepts via educational conferences, panel discussions, and forums.

More than 350 exhibitors will occupy over 73,000 square feet of floor space, giving attendees access to hundreds of new products, product experts, special events and education sessions.

Canadian manufacturers directly employ more than one in every 10 working Canadians – making manufacturing the third largest industry for employment in Canada, eclipsed only by retail and healthcare.

FABTECH has grown to become North America’s most authoritative event for metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing since its debut in 1981. The show has grown exponentially with Fabtech Canada, Fabtech Mexico and Fabtech USA all experiencing great success.

Imperial Steel is proud to be part of an industry that makes products to improve daily life – providing safety, convenience, comfort, energy and more!

To learn more about FABTECH Canada, visit their website: fabtechcanada.com

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Imperial Steel Winnipeg

Imperial Steel is now on Facebook! Like our page and get tube news.

At Imperial Steel, we value our customers and want to communicate with them, no matter where they are. In the past while, we’ve been growing our online properties in order to do just that.

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And now, it is with great excitement that we announce the launch of our Facebook page! We think we have the best tube news in the business, and we want you to be a part of our ‘fandom’. Through our Facebook page, we will share blogs, our newest videos, industry stories, community events, and the many unique, value added products that we create for our customers.

To follow us on Facebook, simply click here; then click the “Like” button on the page. If you feel like being a real social butterfly, please share our page with your friends using the “Share” button.

And finally, if you still can’t get enough Imperial Steel news, our website has a page where you can “Stay Connected“.

Contact us anytime, we want to hear from you!

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Imperial Steel Winnipeg

Workplace Safety in the Manufacturing Industry

Workplace health and safety is key to the success of any manufacturing business. Not only do manufacturers want to ensure their employees function in the best possible environment, but workplace health and safety is also key to their financial success as worker productivity increases exponentially in a safe environment. Most importantly, workers in a safe and healthy environment produce the highest quality products.

The keys to workplace health and safety are found in the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety standards. Guidelines include fire safety, first aid and emergency plans. Since implementing these standards in 1970, workplace injuries and illness have decreased by 40 per cent. But manufacturing, construction, engineering, welding and other physically-demanding workplaces require more specific standards.

Risk hazard assessments, appropriate tools and other equipment are some examples and the use of personal safety equipment such as helmets, gloves, face and ear protection, appropriate clothing and safety footwear is paramount to their success,.

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Worker compliance is a necessity for ensuring the safety of workers. These standards can be achieved through communication and education. Well-trained managers and floor staff understand the importance of safety wear and can share information through both verbal and written reminders. Posters and other written notices should be prominently displayed throughout the workplace. And managers should meet regularly with workers to ensure they understand the importance of workplace safety.

Beyond safety gear, equipment must also comply with safety standards. At Imperial Steel, we ensure that not only our workplace is healthy but that our products, developed for the automotive and agriculture industries, are produced with the highest quality and care. Our tubing lines include galvanized, aluminized, welded, hot rolled and cold rolled and our products are rust-protected to the best degree possible using ZAM® alloy coated steel. For more information on our products visit us at imperialsteel.com

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Imperial Steel Winnipeg

TPP could threaten North American steel industry

north-america-globe_NAFTAThe Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is under negotiation and the impacts for the auto-parts manufacturing industry in North America are of great concern. Under the current North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) requirements, a regional value content (RVC) of 62.5 per cent must be attained for automobile parts and light-duty vehicles and 60 per cent for other segments of the auto industry. This could be decreased to 50 per cent under the TPP.

The impact for not only steel and other auto parts manufacturers but for the automobile industry itself would be extremely detrimental. The decrease in RVC would offer an advantage to producers whose primary supply chain is outside of the TPP region. For steel producers providing products such as tubing and piping to the automotive industry, an RVC disadvantage within the TPP would encourage off-shore sourcing and supply, creating devastating consequences for North American economies.

The Canadian Steel Producers Association has issued a joint press release together with the American Iron and Steel Institute and Mexico’s CANACERO to make governments aware of the impact of this potential decision. A strongly worded letter was released on September 22 addressed to Ed Fast, Canadian Minister of International Trade, Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal, Secretary of Economy of Mexico; and United States Trade Representative Mike Froman, outlining their concerns.

At Imperial Steel, we support these efforts to ensure a healthy steel industry. Imperial Steel produces piping and tubing products for both the automobile and agricultural industries. These include galvanized, aluminized, welded, hot rolled and cold rolled steel tubing. For more information on our products visit us at imperialsteel.com

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Imperial Steel Winnipeg

Manufacturing: The Key to a Healthy Economy

The manufacturing industry is vital to Canada’s economy, contributing 14 per cent to the GDP, creating millions of jobs, and being progressive in developing innovative and green technologies. While newer “high tech” and service industries, move into the spotlight, manufacturing is the backbone that bolsters these industries as a consumer of their products and services. The health of the Canadian manufacturing industry is a gauge upon which to judge the economy as a whole.

Canada-Manufacturing-IndustryUnfortunately, industry statistics show that manufacturing in Canada suffered a sales decrease of 1.5 per cent in September over August, due to lower sales in the vehicle assembly industry as well as coal and petroleum products. These statistics are particularly important as a weakened manufacturing sector was a key factor in the global recession of 2008-2009, spurring many countries to take measures to strengthen their manufacturing base.

Government policy is one way to encourage a healthy manufacturing industry. Canada must maintain and develop government policies to ensure that the manufacturing sector remains not only stable but continues to grow in the “new” economy. Measures such as tax cuts, the federal government’s Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance, and allowances for training have worked in the past to bolster the manufacturing industry and should therefore be continued. Measures considered in the TPP must reflect pro-manufacturing priorities advocated for by all three NAFTA countries.

Seventy-five per cent of all products contain steel–making it a critical part of the manufacturing industry. At Imperial Steel we look forward to Canada making the right decision to strengthen its manufacturing base, particularly in the automotive industry where many of our tubing and piping steel products are used.

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Imperial Steel Winnipeg

Imperial Steel – Dates of 2015 Holiday Closure

Merry-Christmas-Happy-New-Year

All departments at Imperial Steel, including our office and manufacturing services departments, as well as shipping & receiving, will be closed effective December 24, 2015 so that our staff can enjoy the holiday season with their families.

All services will resume on Monday, January 4, 2016 at 7:00am.

Imperial Steel would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

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Imperial Steel Winnipeg

FABTECH 2015: METAL MAKES LIFE MORE CONNECTED

FABTECH2015_STDFABTECH 2015 is just 3 days away! The event, held in Chicago in 2015, is all about metal.

Co-organized by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. (FMA), SME, American Welding Society (AWS), Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), and Chemical Coaters Association Intl. (CCAI), the show is a one-stop shop for metal fabricators to browse metalworking tools and technology; network with other manufacturing professionals; and learn about technical and leadership concepts via educational conferences, panel discussions, and forums.

More than 1,500 exhibitors and 40,000 attendees will occupy 650,000 square feet of floor space from November 9th thru November 12th at McCormick Place in Chicago. This event is North America’s largest collaboration of technology, equipment and knowledge in the metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing industries and has come to be known as the place where some of the best minds in manufacturing come to share their perspectives.

FABTECH will next be held in Canada at the Toronto Congress Centre from March 22nd thru 24th, 2016. Visit FABTECH Canada’s website to learn more.

Imperial Steel is proud to be part of an industry that makes products to improve daily life – providing safety, convenience, comfort, energy and more!

To learn more about FABTECH, visit their website: http://www.fabtechexpo.com/

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Imperial Steel Winnipeg

ZAM® – The Steel Coating of the Future

Steel is a near-perfect building material. Strong, inexpensive when compared to the alternatives, and durable. The invention of steel ushered in the industrial age – it’s the material that transformed the world, and formed the basis for the technologically advanced society that we enjoy living in today.

Steel has a downside, however. When exposed to oxygen and moisture, it rusts. In a few short years, the natural corrosion process can transform a strong and durable structure into a veritable piece of “Swiss cheese”.

ZAM logoThere are many ways to slow the formation of rust. Some are more effective than others, and some require constant maintenance. Introducing ZAM®.

ZAM® is a hot dip coating for sheet steel comprised of a Zinc-Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy. It’s more effective than other steel treatments (like Galvanizing), and far cheaper than more expensive alternative materials like aluminum and Stainless.

ZAM® is exclusively produced by Wheeling-Nisshin, and we at Imperial Steel Products Ltd. use steel with this coating extensively in our steel tubing products.

We are particularly excited about the potential of ZAM® in agriculture. Because it’s particularly resistant to extreme climates (are you listening, Prairie winter?) and high chloride and ammonia environments like those used to house livestock, we see it as an ideal material for use by our agriculture customers.

Besides superior cost-effectiveness due to its lower installation costs (there’s no need for other coatings or treatments), longer service life, ZAM® has many advantages over competing technologies. ZAM®’s corrosion resistance is superior on both drawn and bend processed parts, and the cut edge rust protection is better than any competing coating’s. All of this performance is coupled with the advantage of being thinner than other metallic coatings, reducing manufacturing, transportation, and construction costs while benefitting the environment.

To find out more about ZAM® products, contact Imperial Steel Products online. Stay connected by signing up for our emails, or request a quote. To speak to a representative directly, call us toll-free at (866) 791-2179

  • ZAM® is produced according to Designation: A1046/A1046M Standard Specification for Steel Sheet, Zinc-Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy-Coated by the Hot-Dip Process
  • ZAM® is a registered trademark applied to the hot-dipped zinc-aluminum-magnesium-alloy-coated steel sheets developed by Nisshin Steel Co. Ltd.