Martin Engineering
COVID-19, has brought a number of challenges to the bulk material handling and processing industry, like many other industries. This limited critical training options to improve conveyor safety and production efficiency. With in-person visits curtailed for the foreseeable future, Martin Engineering has developed an extensive array of tools to continue its decades-long tradition of educating those who maintain, manage and design conveyors for industrial operations. The result is a wide range of globally-available options to help improve safety and efficiency, reduce maintenance expenditures and extend equipment life, ultimately contributing to greater profitability.
Senior Engineer Todd Swinderman, Honorary CEO of Martin Engineering and an industry veteran with more than 40 years of application experience, explains the current situation saying: “The pandemic has impacted our ability to teach traditional classes at customer sites. But it doesn’t reduce the need for conveyor operators and facility managers to obtain the benefits and continuing education credits those sessions provide.”
In response to the restrictions that the virus has placed on face-to-face learning, Martin has created a series of interactive online modules based on the same non-commercial curriculum that has served bulk material handlers so well over the years. Designed to keep attendees engaged and organized into 45-60 minute segments, the virtual classes cover topics such as best practices for safety, fugitive material control and belt tracking.
Online FoundationsTM seminars online seminars deliver non-commercial, topic-specific problem-solving information that can be put to immediate use,” said Swinderman. ““There’s no sales pitch, and even the most remote locations can take advantage,” he added.
“Conveyors are one of the best productivity-enhancing tools available, but conveyor injuries cost employers millions of dollars annually,” observed Senior Engineer and Sales Manager Oğuzhan Cemoğlu, an instructor of Martin’s safety workshops since 2010. “Conveyors are one of the best tools for increasing efficiency of production. However, occupational accidents caused by conveyors cost employers millions of Turkish liras every year. It can be said that because of the size of their material cargos, the speed of their operation, and the amount of energy they consume and contain, conveyors have been shown to be a leading cause of industrial accidents, including serious injuries and fatalities. But injuries are preventable with the right training, preparation and safety precautions.”
Cemoğlu states that the company preferred the Zoom platform for their online training. However, the company’s expert trainers around the world also have experience with Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Webex software. “We love Zoom because it provides the best experience for the trainee,” he continues. We are also able to create highly valuable content for them, including the sharing of business stories, additional content videos, related blog articles and download links to the FoundationsTM book.“
“Our platform has been created to increase participation as much as possible,” adds Cemoğlu. “Many trainers don’t use the available platform features effectively, because they were thrust into online training as a result of the pandemic. But we’ve worked hard at using engagement features to increase learner participation, with options such as a raise hand button, chat, Q and A, screen sharing, white boards, private breakout rooms and polling.”
According to Oğuzhan Cemoğlu, Martin team has taught approximately 2,000 attendees using video conferencing since the onset of the virus. “We’ve presented these modules to learners in coal handling plants, cement manufacturing, aggregate production and pulp and paper mills,” adds Cemoğlu. “We’ve also provided training for industry consultants, service providers and engineering firms who design conveyors and plants.”
The company also engages with customers in a variety of other ways, including free webinars on critical concepts and best practices, as well as blog posts with insights by leading professionals detailing their experiences in the bulk handling industry. Customers can always reach Martin’s industry experts via phone, live chat, email or social media, and its industry reference books in the Foundations series can be downloaded in any of five languages from the company’s website at no charge.
Online seminars are developed for providing non-marketing issue-specific problem-solving informaion.
Martin has a long history of investing in conveyor training for its customers since putting out its first problem/solution literature in the 1980s. This was followed by the first edition of FoundationsTM in the 1990s, a 500+ page volume that has become an internationally-recognized resource for safety, maintenance and operations training — with more than 20,000 print copies in circulation around the world. Swinderman estimates that Martin Engineering has trained more than 50,000 mine workers, operators, maintenance personnel and management personnel worldwide.
Martin trainings are covered in two main categories. Trainings on safe working practices and solutions for common conveyor problems are organized for maintenance and operations personnel, while training which focuses on design and operation of conveyors for safety and production efficiency is developed for technical and management personnel. In addition, Martin trainers and engineers can design custom programs not only for customers using conveyors, but also for those who need training in industrial vibration applications, air shocks and silo cleaning applications.
Both of Martin Engineering’s training methods are highly interactive, effective, and free from commercial concerns. Both trainings focus on providing timely information that can be immediately put into practice. Training is available in several languages, and details are available from regional Martin Engineering locations. To learn more about offers or to schedule a session you can visit: Https://www.martin-eng.com/content/ page/546/conveyor-system-training-education or call +90 216 499 34 91.
