Industrial Manufacturing & Machining Services.

Single-source machining, fabrication, and assembly for OEMs across steel, pulp and paper, plastics, presses, and heavy industry, for components up to 160,000 lbs.

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When an application is too large, too complex, or too critical for a standard shop, Norwest is the answer. Since 1965, Norwest Precision Ltd. has been a single-source contract manufacturer for the original equipment manufacturers behind steel mills, pulp and paper, plastics and extrusion, injection molding, and press equipment. From our 100,000 sq. ft. facility, our team of 300 experts machines, fabricates, and assembles components weighing up to 80 tons, 12 feet in diameter, and 50 feet in length.

We provide turnkey solutions from advanced planning to delivery, including raw material sourcing, design support, machining, fabrication, NDT and hydrostatic testing, mechanical and electrical assembly, and re-certification. With deep experience in austenitic and duplex stainless steels, specialty alloys, and dissimilar metals, plus 160,000 lbs. of lifting capacity, 25 ft. of clearance under the hook, and ISO 9001:2015 quality, Norwest delivers one-stop capability to keep your production lines and capital equipment running. As part of New Era Group, we can also draw on 350,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space across 7 plants when your project calls for more capacity.

We manufacture, machine, and assemble a wide range of components for diversified industrial OEMs, including:

Steel Mill Equipment: rolls, chocks, mandrels, caster segments, and slag ladles
Pulp & Paper: feed and throat screws, augers, refiners, calender rolls, and suction rolls
Plastics, Extrusion & Injection Molding: blow film dies, feed screws, tie bars, and clamp cylinders
Press Equipment: crowns, bolsters, platens, rams, crankshafts, and flywheels

Material Handling & Lifting: crane hoist drums, tongs, hook blocks, and transfer cars
Power Transmission: gearboxes, pinions, ring gears, spindles, and heavy shafts
Rotating Equipment: rolls, rotors, drums, and precision-balanced assemblies
Structural Fabrications: machine frames, bases, weldments, and pressure vessels

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Case Study

Large-Diameter Crane Drum Manufacturing for a U.S. Steel Mill.

THE CHALLENGE

A major U.S. steel mill required a matched pair of large-diameter crane drums for a mission-critical overhead crane under severe cyclic loading. The primary challenge was maintaining tight dimensional tolerances across massive drum diameters—specifically for shaft fit, gear mesh, and rope groove profiles—while executing a complex, multi-stage scope that included fabrication, heavy welding, precision machining, and specialized flame hardening, without multi-vendor handoffs.

THE NORWEST SOLUTION

Norwest Precision assumed full accountability for the turnkey project, managing every phase under one roof and coordinating closely with both the OEM and the steel mill. Our team fabricated and welded the drum bodies, performed final precision machining, and executed the full shaft and gear assembly. To maximize long-term wear resistance, we flame-hardened the finished working surfaces in-house.

RESULTS

We delivered both crane drums fully assembled, hardened, and ready to install, meeting all dimensional, mechanical, and operational specifications. By centralizing fabrication, machining, gear assembly, and heat treatment with a single accountable partner, Norwest Precision eliminated vendor coordination delays and delivered a reliable, heavy-duty asset on schedule for critical mill operations.