June 2, 2025 Sahm Splice Demos Swagers, Cutting Machine in Ripley MS

Sahm Splice has installed two swaging machines and an annealing/cutting machine at its U.S. facility in Ripley, Mississippi.

The company specializes in the mechanical splicing of wire rope; it is a supplier of end terminations and ferrules to the global rigging industry. The range includes ferrules made from aluminum, copper, steel, and stainless steel — all manufactured in-house at headquarters in Germany and the U.S. It has additional facilities in France and the UK.

The U.S. operation was inaugurated early last year, but Sahm Splice has only more recently finalized installation of a suite of swaging and annealing machines. The fleet includes 450-ton and 800-ton capacity swagers, and the model 1225 annealing / cutting machine. Demonstrations are already being given to a diverse customer base working in heavy lifting or structural support across a myriad of end-user marketplaces, including arboriculture; construction; cranes; energy; entertainment; manufacturing; marine; mining; offshore; and safety and rescue.

The 450-ton capacity swaging press is suitable for aluminum ferrules up to ZEN® 30 (Multibite ZEN® 34), and flemish eye ferrules up to 32 (1 1/4”). The larger, 800-ton version is suitable for aluminum ferrules up to ZEN® 40 (Multibite ZEN® 48), and flemish eye ferrules up to 50/52 (2”). These swagers are among the most popular in the range — and are available at a competitive price.

The mid-sized 1225 wire rope cutting and annealing machine, meanwhile, is utilized for separating wire ropes in 8-40mm diameters, enabling the ends of the rope to be conically tapered. It offers fast, central clamping of wire ropes without changing the jaw; short annealing time, owing to a special transformer; and easy adjustment of tapered length, with fine adjustment of clamping jaw clearance.

Live demonstrations

Omar Madrigal, office manager in the U.S., said: “The set-up of these machines represents a significant milestone for the Ripley facility — and it’s been great to witness live demonstrations and see customers’ reactions to the equipment in use. We continually remind clients that they are always welcome to visit and see the swagers in action.

“We also offer training, repair, and refurbishment, in addition to on-site commissioning, after installation. Test bed calibration can be completed remotely or on-site; our technical support is always available and ready to help. Our service covers customers’ needs throughout the product lifecycle. From installation to daily operation, maintenance, and support; the experienced team provides professional service solutions.”

Mike Gelskey, CEO at Lift-It Manufacturing, said: “We are beyond impressed with our Sahm Splice test bed — three years later. Our machine functions as it did on day one. From the engineering support of special fittings, and custom test pin sizes, to the delivery, set-up, and software interface… we have been delighted with every facet of the process, which has exceeded our expectations.”

Lift-It’s approximately 103 ft.-long horizontal test bed specifications are 600 ton / 100 ton / 10 ton, with a 5-ton capacity load cell. The testing length (pin to pin) is maximum 23.1m; and cylinder stroke length, maximum 4,500mm. Madrigal pointed to other notable customers, including Certex, Bridon Bekaert, Carl Stahl, Usha Martin, Pfeifer Drako, Dynamica Ropes, OTS, Tokyo Rope (USA), Koronakis, Pewag, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Apave Inspection, Mørenot, Scale AQ, and Viking.

• Last month (April), Sahm Splice promoted its mechanical splicing of wire rope products and services at the Associated Wire Rope Fabricators (AWRF) Product Information Exhibition (PIE) & Technical Summit in Denver, Colorado. Madrigal said: “It was a fantastic experience, meeting both new and familiar faces, and catching up on the latest updates in the rigging and lifting industry. The PIE provided a great opportunity for engaging discussions; we had many insightful conversations. At future [AWRF] events, we will strive to keep learning, strengthen relationships, and grow our network in the U.S.”

Subscribe to Industry Today