How are we already halfway through 2025?
Feels like just yesterday we shared our vision for the year ahead. Well, we’re back—with updates, upgrades, and a lot of momentum. As we head into the second half of the year, our focus is crystal clear: simplify what we offer, optimize how we deliver it, and double down on what we do best—heavy-duty manufacturing, high-quality craftmanship and precision engineering. It’s all coming together to create a smoother, smarter experience for our customers—and deliver even more value where it counts.
We sat down with Hamilton Caster President Mark Lippert for a mid-year check-in to talk about what’s ahead over the next six months—and why it matters to the people who rely on Hamilton to keep their world turning.
Q: Mark, what’s the big theme for the back half of the year?
Simplify and amplify. After years of planning, refining and testing, we’re rolling out major upgrades. Streamlined product lines. Better performance. Less friction. All designed to help customers spec smarter and move better.
Q: Let’s talk light-duty casters. What’s changing—and why?
We’re moving away from products under 300 pounds—they’re not our core strength. So we’re retiring older models (200/300 Series, STA, STL) and transitioning customers to tougher, longer-lasting solutions: Hi-Lo, Workhorse, and Endurance Stainless Steel. It’s about giving customers a more durable, higher-value product. Built stronger. Made in the USA.
Q: We’re also phasing out roller bearings. What’s the benefit there?
Precision ball bearings are the future—and they’re already outperforming traditional roller bearings. They’re smoother, more durable, and maintenance-free. We’re making them the standard to give every customer better quality—while still offering roller bearings as a custom option. Tapered roller bearings, by the way, are here to stay—they’re a key part of our lineup.
Q: What’s the story behind our new integrated bearing design?
We engineered our new ZPI (Zero-Fix Precision Integrated) bearing in-house to outperform traditional top-hat designs by reducing friction and boosting durability—without extra cost. You’ll start to see ZPI bearings this fall, replacing convention ball bearings in most wheels across our line.
Q: Nice! We’re also launching a new Drive Wheel Series. What should customers know?
We’re taking our most popular custom drive wheels and making them standard for faster lead times—Duralast®, V-Grooved, Single Flange. Same Hamilton toughness, now faster to your floor. But don’t worry: our custom drive wheels aren’t going anywhere. If you’ve got a unique spec, we’re still here to build it just like we always have.
Q: And our new website updates? Give us the scoop.
It will be a game-changer. Our new online experience will guide users through the caster and wheel selection process with smarter logic and real-time CAD integration. You’ll see your caster build update live, with dynamic pricing and part numbers tied to your choices. It’s going to make spec’ing easier, faster, and more intuitive—especially for buyers managing complex projects. We have such a robust offering, so it really helps to let the user customize the journey.
Q: That’s super exciting. Any final thoughts?
Buckle up. The second half of 2025 is going to be a surge of better tools, better parts and better experiences. We’re raising the bar across the board—so our customers can keep raising theirs.