McElroy, one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of thermoplastic fusion equipment, recently announced the addition of a new distributor to sell and service fusion machinery in Mongolia. EES Engineering is based in Khoroo, Mongolia and caters to the country’s fast-growing mining industry.
Munkherdene Sanjdorj, head of Business Development at EES Engineering, said his company was first introduced to McElroy equipment while working with the Oyu Tolgoi Mine in the southern part of the country. “Our company was founded in 2015, at which time the mining industry in Mongolia was still quite young.” said Sanjdorj. “The core of our business is mining equipment and maintenance, so when we were introduced to McElroy equipment, we were quite excited to get involved.”
“EES, LLC is a new and growing company, and we are excited to help play a part in their success.” said McElroy CEO and President Chip McElroy.
The company prides itself on promoting the latest technology, services, and equipment to boost productivity, quality, and safety in Mongolia.
“From the start, we (EES Engineering’s ownership) wanted to introduce Western brands to the country, as well as an understanding of the equipment itself.” Sanjdorj added. “Our mining industry is still in a maturing phase, and l ocal companies still have a lot of room for learning.”
Sanjdorj said the company was also drawn to the service training available for McElroy equipment. Through McElroy University, McElroy offers multiple levels of technician and service training, allowing distributors to maintain the highest standards in terms of quality and reliability.
To join McElroy’s distributor network, companies must demonstrate a commitment to providing the same level of service and support that has been a cornerstone of McElroy since its inception. Distributors understand McElroy equipment and the fusion process and are trained to provide service and support.
“We need to be self-reliant when it comes to looking after our machines.” he said. “In the last three years, when many technicians could not enter the country, we were tested to the maximum. We realised the benefit of self-sufficiency and self-reliance when it comes to maintaining and servicing our equipment.”
SHARP AWARD
Further to this it has also been recently announced that on 15 February, 2023, McElroy was recognised for its commitment to workplace safety and its participation in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). Oklahoma Labour Commissioner, Leslie Osborn presented the company with a proclamation commending leadership and employees at McElroy’s 51st Street campus, located at 5124 S 100th E Avenue in Tulsa. She and OSHA Consultation Director Jason Hudson also presented company leadership with a flag announcing McElroy’s SHARP-certified status.
McElroy Environmental Health and Safety Manager Tony Little said this year’s safety designation is especially worth celebrating. In 2022, McElroy had zero recordable safety incidents, with more than 700,000 total hours worked.
SHARP is an on-site consultation programme that offers confidential occupational safety and health services to small- and medium-sized businesses in the U.S., free of charge. Consultants from local agencies or universities work with employers to identify workplace hazards, provide advice for compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing and improving safety and health programmes.
“We all can use another set of eyes to help make sure we are doing the right thing here at McElroy and providing a safe workplace for our team.” Little said.
While addressing the crowd during the presentation, Osborn commended McElroy’s continued emphasis on employee safety. McElroy, she said, has a long history of ensuring safe working conditions for the hundreds of team members who come to work each day.
To become SHARP certified, companies must first reach out to their local OSHA representatives for a consultation visit. During the visit, representatives study the company’s entire workplace, doing walk-throughs of facilities, examining existing safety programmes, interviewing employees, and going through the company’s training records. The process is time and labour-intensive, and once completed OSHA representatives provide a report of their findings.
The company has a long history of dedication to workplace safety. In 1964, McElroy founder Art McElroy asked for OSHA to visit and help assure compliance with OSHA standards. This predated federal OSHA requirements and is a testament to McElroy’s culture of safety.
“Even back in those days, Art knew that it would be good to have someone come in and help make the workplace safer for his team.” Little said.
McElroy has been SHARP certified since 1999 and is one of 16 SHARP-certified workplaces in Oklahoma. This certification extends from December 2022 to December 2024.
“We are proud of this SHARP Award, but it is only a checkmark i nour safety journal. The real value of the award is [employee] safety, day in and day out.” said Paul Lui, McElroy’s Vice President of Operations.
