Timken Provides Rolling Mill Training for Steel Dynamics and other Producers
12/20/2007 - The need to train new millwrights to replace retiring veterans is accelerating demand for Timken’s Rolling Mill Industry Training classes, with demand for the training class nearly doubling in 2007 alone.
The urgent need to train new millwrights to replace retiring veterans has accelerated demand for Timken’s “Rolling Mill Industry Training classes.” According to the company, demand for the training class has nearly doubled in 2007 alone.
“Many of our customers rely on Timken to help maintain the skills of their rolling mill maintenance team,” said James Mayhugh, a principal service engineer at Timken who conducts many of the classroom and hands-on sessions included in the three-day program. Last year, 91 individuals attended Rolling Mill Industry Training classes held at Timken’s service engineering lab in Canton. In 2007, 162 people attended.
Timken’s training program addresses such topics as bearing fundamentals; proper handling, installation, lubrication, maintenance and repair of bearings; bearing damage analysis; four-row bearing maintenance and measurements; demonstrations of large-bore four-row tapered bearings used in high-speed applications; and gear-drive bearing settings.
“Because we maintain our own steel mills, manage our customers’ maintenance operations through MILLTECSM, and operate roll, chock and bearing repair facilities, we have become a trusted source of training for rolling-mill operators,” said Mayhugh.
Timken also arranges dedicated training programs for customers who request it. Steel Dynamics Inc. was one producer that sent employees (from both the Butler, and Columbia City, Ind., facilities) to a Timken program.
“Timken’s credibility and experience showed through in the quality of this training,” said Curt Butler, Roll Shop Supervisor for Steel Dynamics’ Structural & Rail Division in Columbia City. “Achieving and maintaining a well-trained workforce is our number-one priority. The knowledge that our personnel gained has enabled us to decrease downtime, and that’s how we measure success.”
Steel Dynamics is the nation’s fifth-largest producer of carbon steel products, with 2006 annual revenues of $3.2 billion and annual shipments of 4.7 million tons. Headquartered in Fort Wayne, Ind., SDI operates five electric-furnace minimills and employs about 3500.
Timken provides innovative friction management and power transmission products and services. Timken’s approximately 25,000 employees generated sales of $5.0 billion in 2006 from operations in 26 countries.
