Weldco Welcomes New President

February 6, 2024

Weldco-Beales Manufacturing is announcing the departure of its current President, Darren Lunt. Inuvialuit Development Corporation (IDC) and Weldco would like to thank Darren for his dedication of nearly two decades of service at WBM. He leaves behind a strong legacy of a commitment to both customers and employees that has seen Weldco grow and sustain its position as Canada’s leading heavy equipment attachments manufacturer.

In his place, WBM is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Seaman as its new President. Robert is a recognized leader with diverse industry experience including manufacturing, chemicals, construction, and more. Previously, Mr. Seaman was CEO of Talius, a BC-based manufacturer of premium window coverings and security solutions, where he took the company from a regional force to a dominant industry leader across North America.

Prior to Talius, Mr. Seaman served as President & CEO of NexGen Wood Protection. Robert built and led diverse teams of over 120 individuals located internationally, including Vancouver, New York, Dubai, and Shanghai, taking a line of sustainable building materials from concept to global market leader.

“We are thrilled for Mr. Seaman to join the team at WBM,” said Robert McLeod, the IDC Chair, “and are excited to work with Robert as he executes on the board’s vision for a globally renowned manufacturer.” On behalf of the Board and management, the Chair would like to thank Darren for his time at Weldco. His commitment to WBM’s customers and its employees enabled the company to see continued success.

As we express gratitude to Darren for his contributions to Weldco’s success, we welcome Robert’s leadership as WBM embarks on the next era. We look forward to continuing Weldco’s legacy of creating value for our customers and innovating to create the highest quality products in the market.

Mini is ‘MIGHTY’

April 8, 2023

WBM breathes new life into a previously ‘small-scale’ product line.

While WBM is widely known for their ability to produce and customize attachments for some of the largest machines we see out in the field today, the recent demand for mini excavator attachments has encouraged Weldco to get back to the drawing boards and open a door that had been closed for some time.

A New Niche

Servicing the growing mini‐market demand of lower mainland BC, most WBM mini attachments are produced in their manufacturing facility located in Langley, BC.

Using previous designs from both mini excavator and loader backhoe attachments, WBM’s in‐house engineering team got to work, redesigning a product line that could be streamlined and scalable for the growing need.

Work Smarter – And Harder!

Much time and effort were taken to not only simplify the designs, but to utilize common components and materials, effectively creating a product line that could be easily reproduced, without sacrificing strength or quality.

The WBM facility currently produces a range of dig buckets, clean‐up buckets, bucket thumbs and manual couplers for CEX 15, 25, 35, 50, 80, and 120 series.

While the mini attachment program is limited to one facility at this time, WBM’s dedication to continuous improvement is a vision shared among all the branches, and they consistently pull together their expertise and resources, providing the best possible custom solutions for all their customers.

For more information on WBM’s Mini product line, ask your local dealer or WBM representative.

Attaching Value in Waste Management

July 18, 2022

WBM is widely known for creating long-lasting, heavy-duty attachments for a variety of industries, for over 75 years. What you might not know, is that we have a unique ability to customize attachments to meet very specific job requirements – this project is a great example!

A Waste Management facility in Northern Alberta required an attachment that could sort through a variety of general waste materials, with the ability to extract smaller metal pieces, preventing them from ending up in a shredder or other machines, causing damage to the equipment.

Excavator Scrap Waste Grapple — This WBM Scrap Waste Grapple can be used in waste handling operations or in conjunction with optional electro magnet to extract / sort steel from general waste materials.

This Scrap Waste Grapple, custom-made by WBM, accomplishes just that. Made with a 48″ wide, tip-to-tip jaw shape to pick up scattered waste and debris, this grapple can also be outfitted with a heavy-duty electromagnet for handling ferrous scrap metal and smaller metal particles. The recessed lugging is designed to optimize the grapple lift height.

SPECIFICATIONS:

This grapple has a maximum capacity of 6 sq. ft. while using the magnet, and 9 sq. ft. without.
90°, 180°, or 360° continuous grapple rotation available.
Open dimensions: 121”; Closed: 66-1/5″
Height: 60″ (71-15/16″ including pin-grabber coupler)
Total weight with magnet: 5,070lbs (3,640lbs without)

WBM’s goal is helping our customers get exactly what they need to maximize the productivity of their machines. Ask your preferred heavy equipment dealer or contact WBM directly to ask how we can help to make your equipment do their best work.

ISO KAT (Kwik-a-Tach) MASTER HITCH RE-DESIGN AND STANDARDIZATION

December 14, 2021

WBM is committed to continuous growth and new opportunities, not only through best practices and processes but also through our dedication to ongoing product improvement.

The improved, ISO 23727 KAT (Kwik-a-Tach) re-design and process standardization enables WBM to create the best possible quality product for every single build consistently. The result is a safer, lighter, and more operator-friendly design without sacrificing Weldco’s renowned durability.

Design Improvements:

Increased operator visibility with enlarged viewing areas
Improved structural integrity and strength of the bottom bar
Lighter weight: 4% lighter than previous design
Increased safety with the addition of a simple ‘Pin-Lock Extend Indicator’ visual check for operators

Please check out the ISO KAT Product Page, and ask your local dealer or WBM representative for more information.

Fall Inventory Campaigns

September 24, 2021

Check out the Weldco-Beales Mfg. Fall Inventory Campaigns! Ready-to-Work Attachments and our Annual Snow Special: 12′ Snow Blades for 120-150 Class Wheel Loaders!

Ask your local dealer or WBM representative to see what is available in our In-Stock Inventory selection of WBM Wedge-Coupler-Ready attachments for 120-250 Class Excavators and Wheel Loaders!

It’s that time again for WBM’s Annual Snow Blade Special! Contact your local dealer or WBM representative for this quick delivery of WBM Snow Blades, available for 120-150 Machine Class Wheel Loaders! Purchase before December 31, 2021, and receive a $1,000 credit* towards freight or your next purchase!

* Must be redeemed before December 31, 2022.

COVID-19 Communication

July 5, 2021

July 5, 2021 Update:

Provincial health authorities have started to relax Covid-19 restrictions. Despite this, we will continue to follow the established protocols Weldco put in place until (at minimum) September 3, 2021. This includes the wearing of masks within the workplace, completing the pre-work health screening questionnaire, limiting gatherings, and maintaining social distancing where possible.

As we start to welcome back more administrative team members into the office environment, we are committed to minimizing the potential risk of a Covid-19 infection. We prefer to err of the side of caution over the next couple of months rather than take any unnecessary risks.

Optimism is growing that a return to “normal” is very close. As an organization we have adapted extremely well to the disruptions of the pandemic. We have embraced some new best practices that will likely get adopted as our new go forward standard operating procedure. These will be formalized over the next few weeks before being implemented.

Once again, thank you for your commitment to keep yourself and our staff safe.

March 20, 2020 Update:

To our Valued Dealers and Partners,

We, like you, are quickly adapting to the changing pandemic environment. During this time we are committed to communicating regularly with you the actions we are taking to respond.

The current effort to flatten the infection curve to minimize the impact on our healthcare system is critical. We all play a role in this, and we are taking it very seriously.

To this end, Weldco has implemented the following steps to ensure the well-being of those we work with:

We implemented a return to work policy for all employees who travelled outside of Canada that requires self-isolate for 14 days.
Employees are to stay home if they experience any sign of illness.
Social distancing practices are implemented in the office, shop and common areas.
Increased cleaning and sanitization of our workplace is being conducted.
Visitor screening protocols is being enforced.
Our Outside Account Managers are not visiting our customers in person, but are committed to support them by phone, e-mail, text or video conference.
Office and admin staff able to work remote have been deployed to work from home.

All our Weldco-Beales Manufacturing facilities are operating at the current time, which includes Edmonton (Alberta), Langley (British Columbia) and Barrie (Ontario). Our Oil Sand repair and refurbishment shop in Fort McKay (Alberta) is also fully operational.

We will pull through this by working together and following the directions mandated by our health experts. Let’s all continue to:

Practice Social Distancing
Self-isolate if feeling sick
Wash hands frequently
Cover coughs and sneezes
Avoid touching the face

Take care,

Darren Lunt,
President, Weldco Companies

Protective Structures for Excavators

May 10, 2021

FOPS vs. FOG Systems

What is the difference between FOPS and FOGs?

FOPS stands for Falling Object Protective Structure, and FOG is a new type of protection, called Falling Object Guard.

How are they different though?

A FOPS is a separate structure that is mounted around the cab of a machine (ROPS certified or non-certified cab), that protects the cab from falling objects.

A FOG on the other hand, is guarding that is bolted directly to a certified ROPS cab, typically in two pieces: a roof and a front FOG.

As many machine manufacturers are now producing their own ROPS certified cabs, it is becoming more and more common to only have to install FOG on machines, protecting both the operator and cab from damage.

See FOPS/FOG product page for more information.

Ask your Weldco representative or local machine dealer to find out what package will best suit your machine!

Product Improvement: Wheel Loader Mat Grapple

March 12, 2021

WBM is committed to continuous growth and new opportunities, not only through best practices and processes, but through our dedication to ongoing product improvement.

The improved “Max-View” WBM Mat Grapple for wheel loaders is used to remove and place mats, which protect the environment and extend the construction season. This enables safe access for crews and heavy equipment.

This Mat Grapple has enhanced visibility for the operator, with increased structural strength, holding capacity and improved stability. Hoses are routed under the cylinders to minimize damage, and the bolt-on cover provides extra protection to hoses and jump hose connections.

Check out our website for a full listing of the new features »

Weldco Hydra-Lift takes Crane Cab to New Heights

November 16, 2020

The newly redesigned Hydra-Lift crane cab encompasses enhanced safety features and stylish comfort.

Safety is always a top priority at Weldco, and our new crane cab design is no exception. The redesigned cab has improved handrail clearance and conformance to ISO standards, overall improved LED lighting and an improved Load Moment Indicator System. In the event of an emergency, there is a removable emergency exit provided though the rear window.

The sleek new design features a tinted, curved glass window, improving forward and overhead visibility, with a lighter, sliding glass door that allows for easy cab access. At 675 lbs lighter than the previous model, this ergonomic cab has more interior padding & upholstery, with improved heating and adjustable air flow, making for a very comfortable experience.

The integrated rear fuel tank for the heater has a side-fill access, and the removable rear panel can also accommodate an optional A/C unit if desired.

The control center in the redesigned crane cab is comfort-fit for the operator, and easy to navigate. The high back seat is fully adjustable, and the proportional, electronically controlled joystick pods can flip upwards, allowing the operator room to move in the cab. The electrical panel is raised for easy service with an easy-open door.

As one of North America’s largest and most respected manufacturers of truck mounted cranes, Weldco Hydra-Lift products are proudly built in Alberta, Canada with the highest degree of quality and workmanship to provide their customers with reliable lifting solutions. Crane model capacities range from 30,000 lbs – 82,000 lbs with boom lengths ranging from 59 ft – 125 ft (23 ton – 50 ton capacities). For more information, visit www.weldco-hydralift.com.

Download the new WHL Crane Cab brochure »

New Product Announcement: The WBM HL Series Hydraulic Wedge Coupler

September 1, 2020

The evolution of the WBM Wedge-Style Coupler System

Weldco-Beales Mfg. (WBM) is excited to announce our newest addition to our suite of excavator couplers: the patented HL (Hydraulic Lock) Series Hydraulic Wedge Coupler. The new HL Series Coupler maintains similar features of the previous Hydraulic Wedge Coupler with an additional hydraulically activated safety-locking feature that effectively eliminates the need for a manual safety lock to be installed after hooking-up to the attachment.

WBM’s Wedge-Style excavator coupler systems (or quick couplers) allow operators to quickly change between attachments in the same machine class. The WBM manual coupler made its debut back in 1987 and the first WT-QC hydraulic coupler was released in 1993 for a JD 790D. WBM wedge couplers and wedge-lugged attachments quickly became the industry standard for dealers and their end users by offering superior breakout force retention while giving operators the flexibility to quickly and safely change attachments in the field. The new HL Series Hydraulic Wedge Coupler is the latest evolution of their flagship product.

The HL Series Coupler utilizes a double-acting hydraulic cylinder to engage and disengage the wedge bar while activating a hydraulic wedge bar safety lock. The safety lock mechanism provides a visual indication of the wedge bar engagement to the operator, allowing the operator to remain inside the cab. The control box is mounted in the operator’s cab, equipped with both visual and audible alarm features. The HL Wedge Coupler is currently available for 120 to 400 series excavators and is compatible with most factory supplied coupler control units.

For more information, check out the new HL Series Hydraulic Wedge Coupler Product page.