Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment Inc
Encyclopedia
Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment Inc (ELS) is a Canadian
manufacturing company specializing in standard and custom overhead material lifting systems and equipment. ELS was founded in by Jim Muir in Waterloo, Ontario
and its headquarters is currently located in Elmira, Ontario
.
. A significant customer at the time was Kraus Carpets
as Mentor Dynamics helped construct the building, storage hoppers and an extensive carpet handling system that is still in use today.
In the mid 1970’s Jim Muir started working with the ship building industry to develop a low friction lining system to facilitate the movement of bulk materials in the holds of self-unloading ships. After the fastening process was patented, Mentor Dynamics eventually lined dozens of ships. Most of the original liners are still in place.
In the early 1980s Mentor Dynamics was presented with a few additional business opportunities. One came in the form of an overhead conveyor system
, which still provides a steady stream of business. The other opportunity was the manufacturing of overhead cranes as another manufacturer moved out of Ontario leaving Mentor to serve their established customer base.
The crane business grew steadily through the 80’s; eventually developing into jib cranes, monorails
and wide spans double girder cranes. Carl Young purchased the company in April 1989. He incorporated it as Mentor Dynequip Inc. but kept Mentor Dynamics as the operating name. The focus was on designing and making small to mid-sized overhead cranes and gantry crane
s. Mentor was also a distributor for hoist
and specialty crane manufactures. In early 1992 the business was restructured, this time without the ship liner business or the 36000 square feet (3,344.5 m²) company owned factory.
The company was sold again in August 1998, this time to Paul Whittaker, P.Eng. It was operated as Mentor Dynamics, with the corporate name registered as Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment Inc.
As of January 1, 2008 Mentor Dynamics moved to its own property and building in Elmira, Ontario. Coinciding with the move, the company also changed its name from Mentor Dynamics to Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment Inc. to better communicate the essence of its business endeavors.
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
manufacturing company specializing in standard and custom overhead material lifting systems and equipment. ELS was founded in by Jim Muir in Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
and its headquarters is currently located in Elmira, Ontario
Elmira, Ontario
The town of Elmira in Ontario, Canada is the largest community within the Township of Woolwich in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and is located 15 km to the north of the city of Waterloo.-History:...
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History
ELS was founded under the name Mentor Dynamics in 1971 by Jim Muir . The primary focus of the business was related to structural steel fabricationsFabrication (metal)
Fabrication as an industrial term refers to building metal structures by cutting, bending, and assembling. The cutting part of fabrication is via sawing, shearing, or chiseling ; torching with handheld torches ; and via CNC cutters...
. A significant customer at the time was Kraus Carpets
Kraus Flooring
Kraus is a manufacturer of tufted broadloom carpet and distributor of other flooring products. The company was founded in 1959 by Michael Kraus. Headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Kraus has manufacturing facilities in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in Dalton, Georgia, USA and in Southport,...
as Mentor Dynamics helped construct the building, storage hoppers and an extensive carpet handling system that is still in use today.
In the mid 1970’s Jim Muir started working with the ship building industry to develop a low friction lining system to facilitate the movement of bulk materials in the holds of self-unloading ships. After the fastening process was patented, Mentor Dynamics eventually lined dozens of ships. Most of the original liners are still in place.
In the early 1980s Mentor Dynamics was presented with a few additional business opportunities. One came in the form of an overhead conveyor system
Conveyor system
A conveyor system is a common piece of mechanical handling equipment that moves materials from one location to another. Conveyors are especially useful in applications involving the transportation of heavy or bulky materials...
, which still provides a steady stream of business. The other opportunity was the manufacturing of overhead cranes as another manufacturer moved out of Ontario leaving Mentor to serve their established customer base.
The crane business grew steadily through the 80’s; eventually developing into jib cranes, monorails
Overhead crane
An overhead crane, commonly called a bridge crane, is a type of crane found in industrial environments. An overhead crane consists of parallel runways with a traveling bridge spanning the gap...
and wide spans double girder cranes. Carl Young purchased the company in April 1989. He incorporated it as Mentor Dynequip Inc. but kept Mentor Dynamics as the operating name. The focus was on designing and making small to mid-sized overhead cranes and gantry crane
Gantry crane
Gantry cranes, bridge cranes, and overhead cranes, are all types of cranes which lift objects by a hoist which is fitted in a hoist trolley and can move horizontally on a rail or pair of rails fitted under a beam...
s. Mentor was also a distributor for hoist
Hoist (device)
A hoist is a device used for lifting or lowering a load by means of a drum or lift-wheel around which rope or chain wraps. It may be manually operated, electrically or pneumatically driven and may use chain, fiber or wire rope as its lifting medium. The load is attached to the hoist by means of a...
and specialty crane manufactures. In early 1992 the business was restructured, this time without the ship liner business or the 36000 square feet (3,344.5 m²) company owned factory.
The company was sold again in August 1998, this time to Paul Whittaker, P.Eng. It was operated as Mentor Dynamics, with the corporate name registered as Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment Inc.
As of January 1, 2008 Mentor Dynamics moved to its own property and building in Elmira, Ontario. Coinciding with the move, the company also changed its name from Mentor Dynamics to Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment Inc. to better communicate the essence of its business endeavors.
Products
Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment Inc still manufactures its products under the brand name Mentor Dynamics as well as acting as a distributor for such companies Gorbel, Anver, Schlumpf, Columbus McKinnon Industrial Products, Stahl Crane Systems, Kito Hoists, Lift-Tech, Budgit, and Shaw-Box hoists. Some of the products that ELS manufactures include: overhead cranes, below the crane hooks, intelligent devices, hoists, trolleys, balancers, and transfer cartsTransfer cars
Transfer cars are used to move heavy material across floors, typically in factories. There are two types: non-steerable and steerable. Non-steerable transfer cars, which came first, are typically rail mounted, handle higher capacities up to 100 Tons, and are used to transfer material between...
.
Environmental Impact
Engineered Lifting Systems is committed to the highest standard of environmental care as described by the Ontario Government.Mission statement
Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment Inc. (ELS) provides standard and custom overhead material lifting systems and equipment on time, on budget, while exceeding the expectations of our domestic and international customers. We make difficult jobs seem easy.See also
- Professional Engineers of OntarioProfessional Engineers OntarioProfessional Engineers Ontario, PEO, is the self-regulatory body that governs Ontario's 73,000 professional engineers, and sets standards for and regulates engineering practice in the province. It has a statutory mandate under the Professional Engineers Act of Ontario to protect the public interest...
- American Society of Mechanical EngineersAmerican Society of Mechanical EngineersThe American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
- Crane Manufacturers Association of AmericaCrane Manufacturers Association of AmericaThe Crane Manufacturers Association of America is an independent trade association in the United States. It is affiliated with the United States Division of Material Handling Industry. The voluntary association of CMAA members has existed since 1955. Member companies represent industry leaders in...