For Stefen Lausch, a mechanic working with Wagga Wagga City Council in New South Wales, no two machinery breakdowns are ever the same. The team he is a part of manages a large fleet of graders, rollers, semi-trucks, trailers, tractors and slashers used by the council to maintain the regional parklands and nature strips, among other responsibilities.
“You never know what to expect when you are working with the machines in the field. It can be as simple as the blades in the slashers needing to be replaced, or a bearing seizing up, or the nuts and bolts getting jammed,” says Stefen.
The six-member team is responsible for maintaining the council’s entire fleet of machinery, Stefen says his go-to products for both routine maintenance and reactive repairs are Henkel’s LOCTITE industrial products.
“We have never used any other brand other than LOCTITE. The LOCTITE maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) kits are very handy toolboxes that we regularly replenish to have them handy when we need them,” says Stefen.
As a distributor of a wide range of industrial products, BSC helps multiple regional councils meet their requirements for repair and maintenance products. Russell Randal, National Accounts Manager – Agriculture at Motion Asia Pacific (BSC’s holding company) says the BSC sales representatives and application engineers work closely with the Henkel Australia team to support customers.
“Our team regularly visits the council’s workshops to make sure they are well supplied with the products they need. The mechanics also stop by at the BSC branch whenever they need a certain product. On some occasions, we might also pay a joint call to the customer with representatives from Henkel to try and resolve any issues they may be having.”
Randal says the LOCTITE MRO kits are particularly popular with repair and maintenance specialists.
“LOCTITE’s MRO kits contain all of the necessary maintenance products a mechanic needs in case of a breakdown to get their machinery up and running in minimum time. We help our customers keep their kits replenished when they run out of a core product or if they need any other LOCTITE industrial product not included in the MRO kit.”
Rocco Mammoliti, an Application Engineer with Henkel Australia, says the LOCTITE MRO kit is packed with the most popular repair and maintenance products in the LOCTITE industrial core product range, including the LOCTITE 243 Threadlocker and the LOCTITE 567 Thread Sealant.
“Threadlockers are the most used products in the MRO kit. Particularly our 243 Threadlocker is the number one big seller. When large lawnmowers and slashers come under heavy vibrations, their fasteners tend to get loose. Threadlockers prevent those fasteners from coming undone unnecessarily,” he says. “At the same time, the Threadlocker provides protection from corrosion. They also provide lubrication, so when someone wants to undo the nuts and bolts, either to replace or repair a component, they will come undone easily. So, the Threadlocker both seals and protects the components from corrosion.”
The LOCTITE 567 Thread Sealant is another highly popular product in the range, according to Mammoliti.
“Our 567 Thread Sealant is universal thread sealer which can be used with multiple fluids. This product has excellent solvent resistance, allows easy assembly, prevents galling, and can withstand temperatures up to 204°C,” he says. “Our Instant Adhesive is perfect for instant repair of plastic components that break off and the LOCTITE Retaining Compounds are perfect for cylindrical parts or close-fitting parts that need disassembly.”
With the extensive product range available from LOCTITE, Mammoliti recommends that end users refer to the LOCTITE MRO Solutions Guide and Product Selector to identify the most suitable product for their application.
“LOCTITE’s industrial products have been specified by major original equipment manufacturers in their vehicle maintenance guides. That means we have worked with major brands in the industry at the product design and development stage to ensure full compliance with their machinery requirements,” he says.
“LOCTITE by Henkel as a company has been around for over 50 years and we have a proven track record of industrial experience. Every single one of our core products in the industrial range is an essential item to have on the shelf to solve your repair and overhaul challenges. Especially when you have a breakdown, you need something you can trust, and LOCTITE is a brand you can trust will do the job.”
