NO.

1 2014

Customized products
are an important part of our work
PAGES 2-3

Trade fairs

Barcode scanner

Competition

Visit us at any of our trade fairs

this spring.
PAGES 4-5

ensures improved
delivery reliability.
PAGE 6

Answer the
questions correctly
to win a practical
backpack and a
stylish cap.
PAGE 8

New business opportunities

for Elpress

Johannes Blhammar,
Product Manager at
Elpress, has an important
role to play in the new
area of Business Development.

We do not sell a cable

lug, but a system for
secure connections

Elpress is taking steps towards a more market-oriented

organization, at least through the new business area of
Business Development which will be working on development of new business together with our customers. This
primarily involves customers in the Traction, Renewable
Energy, Electrical Machines and Automotive segments. It
is all about understanding the needs of the customer,
being close to them and learning about their applications. A customized product is an important part of
our work. Solving problems for the customer and
manufacturing profitable products at the same
time presents a special challenge. In this way
we are also expanding our knowledge base
in terms of customer needs. Furthermore, there is a need for problem solving in a project format in partnership
with customers.
The needs are just as varied and
complex for large companies with
operations in many countries. The solution is as simple as it is ingenious. Elpress
has accumulated technical know-how with marketing
expertise in the new business area. With short decision paths internally, a lot of muscle, high-caliber skills
and great quality consciousness, Elpress is a quick-witted
partner that caters for multiple parts of the process. The
entire solution is just a phone call away.
Business Development is not an entirely new phenomenon for Elpress, as we have been supporting our
customers with problem solving in different ways for

www.elpress.net

investment in
production

It took a massive crane and a lot of precision

by the crane operator when the 6-tonne
machine had to be lifted off the transport
vehicle.

Andreas Sjholm, previously responsible for the Electrical Machines segment, has primary
responsibility for the work of the Business Development area.

many years, but we are now investing more

resources and adding even more power to
help our customers to find the best solutions.
The head of the new business area is Andreas Sjholm, who at the time of writing is
busy putting together his team.
There are many good ideas out there
that sometimes fall at the finish line due to
the lack of resources or a mandate to take
the idea all the way to completion. Here we
can intervene and support the customer,
either by escalating a question from the
subcontractor to a higher level in a global
enterprise, or by producing a really good
solution for the market in-house, he says.
Previously, customers often initially
approached field sales staff at Elpress and
requested technical assessments.
Now the question is addressed directly
to specialists instead who can quickly
determine the business opportunity and
make a technical assessment, while the
salesperson engages in the more commercial element of the same question, says
Andreas.
The new team is open to both short and
long-term projects.
Sometimes a product has to be
certified, which means that we as project

www.elpress.net

managers either involve the departments

internally and can assist with testing or
engage the help of an outside party. As for
more long-term relationships, I think there
is huge potential in working with business
development together with customers. It
benefits both us and our colleagues in the
industry to work this way, at the forefront
of development, flexible, agile and quickwitted. In short, it all seems very exciting,
says Andreas Sjholm.
He stresses that Elpress will continue to
put quality before anything else.
We help the customer to develop the
safest and best solution. We do not sell a
cable lug, but a system for secure connections. Our product may look small and ordinary where it sits at the end of the cable,
but if it does not work it could jeopardize
the whole application. We notice that many
customers take risk assessment very seriously nowadays, says Andreas.
He adds that the new approach towards
industrial customers is in no way at the
expense of the important domestic market.
Wholesalers in the Nordic Region are
still the heart of our business, we continue
to develop and nurture these long and excellent relationships, while also moving up
a gear in the export market, he says.

New machine
increases cutting capacity
We have invested in another Sinico cutoff/end-finishing machine and this time
the model is a TOP 1100 CNC machine.
It can cut and end finish pipes with a
capacity of around 1,000 - 1,200 pipes/
hour.
This investment increases our cutting
capacity overall, and in particular the
finishing of pipe diameters from
20 mm and upwards.
The machine was installed in week 11,
which was followed by operator training
and running-in to become another full
production unit in our fleet of machinery.

Thomas Jonsson, cutter operator, in front of

the new Sinico machine.

Trade
fairs

Welcome to the Elpress booth at AWEA Wind Power

When? May 5 8, 2014 Where? Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, USA Booth number: 2652

Aluminum is a strong material when used for

electrical connections
At our booth, we will be exhibiting our specific solutions for
the rotor blades on wind turbines as well as solutions for very large
cables, explains Elpress GM Export Carsten Mathiesen, who will
be on site in Las Vegas in early May.
Just ten years ago there were not many people who would have
put money on aluminum being a material for the future for this
type of installation but Elpress understood early on that there
was a need for a more cost-effective material to withstand extreme
environments and excessive vibrations.
Elpress supplies aluminum solutions for towers, rotor blades,
engine rooms and control systems in wind turbines. All applications are approved according to standards such as IEC. We also
offer servicing and maintenance of our applications, says Carsten
Matthiesen.
Elpress crimp station CS2500, which was launched a few years
ago, has been well received by wind power manufacturers globally.
It has been designed for continuous production of electrical

connections for really big cables, with a

quick locking cable terminals with low
force, which shortens the total production time for crimping, Carsten explains. It also comes with software that
enables wind turbine manufacturers to
connect the crimp station to a regular
PC for analysis and printing reports on
crimping operations.
System Elpress is allowing us to
add quality to the market, and we are
proud to offer automated product
equipment with the highest personal safety possible. Crimping
methods have progressed at a steady pace with wind power over
the last 20 years, and nowadays we are entrusted to deliver our
solutions to many of the leading technology producers globally,
says Carsten Matthiesen.

www.elpress.net

Welcome to the Elpress booth at

El & Teknik

When? May 6 8, 2014 Where? Odense Congress

Center, Denmark Booth number: C-3000

With e-learning
we offer a
complement to
physical training
Training is an essential part of
System Elpress. Operators must undergo the right training for optimum
operation of crimp tools, and at the
El & Teknik Trade Fair in Odense we
can proudly present a new concept for
e-learning.
It concerns virtual instructional videos
that will eventually be available on YouTube via a QR code. In this way, we can
assist customers and offer a complement to physical training, as well as facilitating further training,
says Per Noergaard, Sales Manager Elpress A/S.
In our booth at the El & Teknik fair, we will also be exhibiting our
CS2500 industrial press which is designed for continuous production of electrical connections. Anyone who wants to acquire a little
extra training on the crimp station has an excellent opportunity to
do just that in Odense in early May.
To all our customers and to all wholesalers specializing in
industrial applications, I would like to welcome you to the Elpress
booth, where we will provide coffee and cinnamon buns, says
Per Noergaard.

Welcome to the Elpress booth at CWIEME in Berlin

When? June 24 26, 2014 Where? Messe Berlin Booth number: 31A54

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We look forward to meeting

new and existing customers
Obviously Elpress will be on site when CWIEME attracts over
750 suppliers to Berlin at the end of June.
This is a major trade fair that attracts around 7,000 buyers and
designers from around the world, says Carsten Mathiesen.
Elpress has only good experiences of CWIEME in Berlin, the
worlds largest trade fair for coils and windings in the electricity
sector.
We have the opportunity to meet our existing customers in
the industry here, and we look forward to forging new contacts

www.elpress.net

and discussing potential new projects. At the Elpress booth you

will find high-quality solutions for transformers and generators,
and newly developed solutions for aluminum cables, Carsten
explains.
Elpress products have been very well received at this particular
trade fair in previous years, and Elpresss German sales representative will be attending along with Carsten Mathiesen and
Liselotte Hellgren Wgstrm.
We look forward to meeting you at the Elpress booth!

product news

EMBLA RA

- ergonomic new self-adjusting

stripping tool with angled handle

EMBLA RA (right-angled) is a version of our stripping and cutting tool EMBLA. The head of
the new tool is placed at right angles, which facilitates working at a workbench. The EMBLA
RA has an elaborate ergonomic shape with a rounded and soft grip on the fixed handle, and it
is designed to ensure you can work with your elbows bent and with no tension in the wrists
while sitting at your workbench. Different, easily interchangeable stripping cartridges ensure
stripping precision for a wide range of insulation from PVC to PTFE (Teflon) using a single
tool. Fine adjustment means that even very thin insulation can be stripped with no risk of
damage to the conductors. The tool has been tested to over 150,000 cycles.

EMBLA RA S
- straight blades, for PVC insulation
from 0.02 to 10 mm

EMBLA RA V
- V-shaped blades, for harder insulation
from 0.1 to 4 mm

EMBLA RA 16
- oval-shaped blades, from 4 to 16 mm

Improved delivery reliability

Nothing is so good that it could not be improved. This was the starting point last fall when
Elpresss Central warehouse decided to introduce barcode readers for picking orders.
The main purpose is, of course, to improve delivery reliability, says Joakim Wallin,
Production Manager Central Warehouse.
Elpresss central warehouse in Kramfors sees approximately 9,000 order lines being picked each month.
Until last fall, each order was printed on paper and then
picked and finally checked against the order on the computer, using just as many keystrokes as order lines.
This was a natural step to take. We had it in the back
of our minds for a while and barcodes have been part of
Elpress labels for a long time. We have gradually been
introducing PDAs to all of our staff since last fall, and the
results have exceeded expectations, says Joakim Wallin.
Besides the obvious purpose improved delivery reliability for customers the barcode reader has also helped
to make order processing more efficient.
The last step, where we used to sit at a computer and
check off the order, has been completely eliminated and
has now been replaced with a single button press on the
PDA, says Joakim Wallin.
It is still too early to evaluate the results, although
Joakim Wallin has seen indications implying that the num-

Enisa Spahic thinks

the barcode reader
is really great.

ber of replacement deliveries has fallen.

Barcode readers provide excellent support for
staff. They think these work really well and they
are pleased with the results. Above all, they
feel more secure that their orders are correct
because the PDA would trigger an alert if they
scanned the wrong product. We are doing a
better job, it is as simple as that, says Joakim
Wallin.
Up until now, this initiative has included
scanning the right item, while the next step will
involve checking for the right quantity as well.
The inventory process will also be able to benefit from the use of scanners.
We are taking one thing at a time. Nothing
is so good that it could not be improved, and
of course our long-term goal is to ensure that
customers receive exactly what they ordered 100
percent of the time, says Joakim Wallin.

www.elpress.net

product changes

Safety cable
for PVL1300
matrices

Background
Several of Elpresss customers work with
their PVL1300s in remote locations as
well as at high altitudes. In situations
like these, it is crucial to have all the
components under control when handling
crimping equipment. Dropping a matrix
by mistake from a height of 50 meters up
a wind turbine could cause serious injury.
The need for a protection mechanism
while fitting the crimping tool had been
identified.

Just a minute
Leif Lundberg
Market Segment Manager Traction, Elpress

After almost thirty years with the group, you

must have been involved in a lot at Elpress.
What has been the most exciting thing?
Seeing the segment concept emerge. While
servicing our domestic market electrical
wholesalers we have been very consciously
developing products and services for the
most demanding customers in segments
like Wind Power, Traction, Offshore and
Electrical Machines. This has allowed us to
take global market share slowly but surely.

Design update
The technical department at Elpress
worked with market representatives and
identified a solution, namely by fixing
matrices 13P29M and 13P37M at the
PVL1300 crimp tool using a safety cable.
The cable is attached with a ring to the
existing hole in the matrix and with a snap
hook that sits on the front part of the
PVL1300.
Current situation
The safety cable is available as an accessory
for existing customers and will be supplied
with all new 13P29M and 13P37M matrices.

New design

for punches 13P29D and 13P37D

Background
The marketing organization received
indications that the 13P29D and 13P37D
punches in their original design could be
fitted incorrectly in the fork. The problem
is that the punch fits even if it has been
incorrectly rotated 90, which means that
the crimp stop function is eliminated and
so the connection is crimped excessively.
Design update
The new design means that the punches
can no longer be fitted incorrectly in
terms of rotation as they now have four
wings in a cross formation, instead of
only two.

www.elpress.net

The old version is shown on the

left and the new one, cross-shaped,
appears on the right.

You are currently the segment manager for

Traction, but you were involved when
another segment (Electrical Machines)
saw the light of day. Can you tell us about
that?
It all began really with a feasibility study
that Elpress conducted with ABB in the mid1990s. Back then we soldered together the
winding conductors in their large transformers, and we wanted to test whether crimping
could work equally as well or provide an
even better solution. As expected, crimping
proved to be a safer, cheaper and more efficient method.
If you were to look into a crystal ball, what
would you see in the future for Elpress?
I never cease to marvel at our products,
they account for a thousandth of the value
of the finished application while also being
completely critical in terms of both quality
and function. There is nothing really strange
about this, though. System Elpress is the
right tool for the right cable lug and cable,
and when you also have an operator with the
right knowledge, this results in the highest
quality. This is the Elpress concept for success, and we will continue to be the best at
crimping.

competition

trade fair calender 2014

Answer the four questions correctly to be in with a chance of winning a

practical backpack and a cool cap. We are giving away sets to three people
who send in correct entries.
QUESTIONS
1. How many orders per month are picked at the Elpress warehouse?
1. 900 per month
X. 9,000 per month
2. 90,000 per month
2. What is the name of the Elpress segment manager responsible for the
Traction segment?
1. Joakim Wallin
X. Andreas Sjholm
2. Leif Lundberg
3.What is the name of the trade fair that Elpress will be attending in Las Vegas?
1. CWIEME
X. AWEA Wind Power
2. InnoTrans
4.What is the name of the new Elpress stripping tool with an angled handle?
1. Embla RA
X. Embla VH
2. Embla AR
Send or fax your answers by May 26, 2014 to: ELPRESS AB, Box 186,
SE-872 24 Kramfors, Sweden. Fax no. +46 612 71 71 51.
The correct answers and winners will be announced on our website at
www.elpress.se on June 2, 2014. Any tax must be paid by the winner.
Name

May 6-8, 2014

Odense, Denmark
Find us at booth C-3000.
May 5-8, 2014
Las Vegas, USA
Find us at booth 2652.
June 24-26, 2014
Berlin, Germany
Find us at booth 31A54.

September 23-26, 2014

Berlin, Germany
Find us in Hall 12, booth 315.

Company

September 23-26, 2014

Hamburg, Germany

Address
Zip code

October 21-24, 2014

Dalian Liaoning, China

Town
Country
Tel:

October 22-23, 2014

Kista, Stockholm

E-mail.

new staff
Production controller
Christina Forsgren
Tel. + 46 612 71 71 11
christina.forsgren@elpress.se

October 22-24, 2014

Beijing, China

November 25-27, 2014

Nuremberg, Germany

Elpress AB, P.O. Box 186, SE-872 24 KRAMFORS, Sweden. Tel. +46 612 71 71 00, e-mail: sales@elpress.se, www.elpress.net