Marathon Pac bulk packaging enables customers to obtain welding wire for free

The International Welding and Cutting Fair, Schweissen & Schneiden, Stand 1:309, Essen, 14-19 September 2009

ESAB, one of the major exhibitors at the 2009 Schweissen & Schneiden exhibition in Essen, dedicate a significant part of its stand to welding consumables. ESAB's Marathon Pac™ is demonstrated live at the event to show how this form of bulk packaging can boost the productivity of MIG/MAG welding stations. ESAB engineers are on hand to explain how the cost-savings achievable by switching from 18kg spools to Marathon Pacs™ can actually exceed the cost price of the wire – so users can obtain their welding wire 'for free'.

Since the launch of the Marathon Pac™, ESAB has been studying data from users to establish the actual cost savings that can be achieved. Various production environments have been investigated, including those in low-cost and high-cost economies, as well as highly mechanised plants, and data has been collected from manufacturers representing a spread of different industries. Great care has been taken to look at all of the cost savings, not just the labour required to exchange the spools or Marathon Pacs.

For example, it has been found that downtime caused by feeding problems - which are normally eliminated when using Marathon Pac™ - can be much greater than the downtime associated with spool changing. In addition, the stable feeding and straight wire delivery from the Marathon Pac™ leads to better joints, good penetration, less spatter, improved joint appearance and reduced post-weld repairs. One European supplier to the automotive industry reported that savings due to reduced welding defects, rework, grinding and scrap were worth five times the savings in downtime.

Further financial benefits result from reduced expenditure on spare parts and maintenance labour thanks to the smooth, straight-feeding wire causing less wear on liners, guide tubes, feed rollers and other feeding components. From the data that has been collected, ESAB has concluded that switching to Marathon Pac™ packaging will always pay for itself, with Marathon Pacs™ being more cost-effective than 18kg spools in all professional production environments. In some cases the savings can be greater than the purchase cost of the welding wire.

Further information from:
Jim Boot, ESAB (jim.boot@esab.co.uk)
Brian Corthine, Taylor Alden (brian@tayloralden.co.uk)