The worldwide pandemic has illustrated the vulnerability of the global supply chain and has forced many businesses to review their supply chain strategies. News of events that are pushing the global supply chain to the breaking point has many economists and shipping specialists worried. The new wave of Covid-19 in China and Asia, flood waters in Germany and China, and the increase of cyber-attacks worldwide since the start of the pandemic are causing disruption in the global supply chain.
Companies who rely heavily on their main and secondary suppliers from China are, according to Deloitte’s 2020 report Covid 19 – Managing supply chain risk and disruption, experiencing significant disruption. The report goes on to suggest things may get back to normal around April 2021, unfortunately, that optimistic forecast for normalcy has just taken another turn for the worse. Wuhan, the highly industrialsed province where 200 of Fortune 500 companies have some type of link, has been brought into a severe lockdown once again, further crippling the supply chain.
Fortunately, turning to local manufacturers can help take out the worry of the impact of supply chain disruption for many industries.
Crusader Hose, Australia’s local manufacturer of layflat hose, hasn’t missed a beat. As an essential service, Crusader Hose has kept its doors open and delivered well over 500,000m of hose to the mining, industrial, agricultural and firefighting sectors since the first major lockdown. Local manufacturing is key in these times of uncertainty. For the timely delivery of the products you need, Crusader Hose should be part of your business strategy.
Crusader Hose, an Australian-owned company, has been manufacturing layflat hose for over 35 years and has grown from a small, family-run business to a medium-sized business of over 40 employees. It struggled for many years to turn a profit due to the competition and volume of imported hose on the streets, but by working relentlessly to improve its manufacturing plant to produce world-class hose, it is the name many people trust.
Working closely with industry, Crusader Hose has been designing, manufacturing, and supplying the mining sector with layflat hose for mine dewatering and bore water pumping. Add to the list, reel systems to assist in the safe and efficient deployment and retrieval of multiple length of hose.
Waterlord®, their heavy-duty layflat hose, is ideal for mine dewatering. Manufactured in large diameters of up to 12”, Waterlord® moves large volumes of water in quickly and safely, assisting in keeping mining operations efficient and on-time. The high-pressure reliability of Waterlord® comes from the world’s-best manufacturing process of the TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) thru-the-weave extrusion encasing a robust textile reinforcement. It is manufactured in one continuous length of up to 250m and can handle high-working pressures; its tough exterior can withstand rugged terrain. Both flanges and couplings are available, which can easily connect to existing pipelines.
Many mine operators are asking for Waterlord® layflat hose reeling systems because of its inbuilt properties – keeping multiple lengths compact, making layflat hose easy to handle and easy to deploy. Although short lengths can be unrolled with little manpower, for long runs up mine walls and across pits, hose reel systems are the ideal solution. Interchangeable spools make it quick and easy-to-handle multiple lengths of hose.
Flexibore® flexible rising main is the choice of many dewatering projects where water extraction from deep depths is required. The revolutionary Flexibore® 400 can handle high pressures of depths of up to 400m. The technology required to manufacture what is believed to be a world-first, is state-of-the art. The ease of handling layflat versus rigid pipe, reduces installation time by days, making Flexibore® the efficient and cost-effective choice for many mining engineers.
“We have seen the importance of supporting local manufacturers in the preservation of the supply chain for successful business”, said Francois Steverlynck, Managing Director of Crusader Hose. “Buying from an Australian producer gives you peace of mind regarding back-up, quality, quick turn-around and excellent customer service. We stand by our products so your needs will be looked after.”