YOKE Industrial Corp. is supporting industry’s conformity with regulatory frameworks by delivering rigging products equipped with SupraNano chips and Digital Product Passports (DPPs).

YOKE is committed to transforming compliance demands into business value, helping companies remain competitive in an ever-changing world. It is a manufacturer of Grade 80 and Grade 100 lifting chain fittings; swivel hoist hooks; shackles; angular contact swivels; wire rope clips; and lifting points. It also offers award-winning digital chips, which can be embedded directly into steel or retrofitted to snatch blocks and other products using tags. It’s partner company, RiConnect Inc., a provider of cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS), supports this hardware with DPPs that securely record verified information across a product’s entire lifecycle.

The X-Link Single and X-Link Double master links feature SupraNano digital chips that enable Digital Product Passports, and integrate multiple components into a single, one-piece rigging solution.

The uptake of DPPs is being driven by key industries’ alignment with the European Union’s (EU) Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which aims to improve the sustainability of products placed on the EU market. Importantly, ESPR is not only a regulatory requirement but also a significant opportunity to lead industry transparency and enhance resource efficiency. YOKE is leading industry in safety, compliance, and resource efficiency through one of its most significant digital transformations.

ESPR expands the scope of the former Ecodesign Directive by applying sustainability requirements to a much broader range of products placed on the EU market. It empowers the EU to introduce product-specific rules over time, targeting key lifecycle factors such as durability, repairability, recyclability, energy and resource efficiency, and the use of recycled materials. For manufacturers and distributors, ESPR represents a fundamental shift, requiring changes to product design, greater traceability of materials and components, and more robust technical documentation to demonstrate compliance as a condition of market access. A central feature is the DPP, placing further emphasis on YOKE’s latest hardware and software offerings.

Steven Hong, president at YOKE, said: “Integrating digital functionality is a revolutionary step for the rigging industry; we want to pioneer the use of digitalised and sustainable rigging solutions globally. The benefits of equipment carrying a DPP are clear: beyond the regulatory framework, product information, inspection reports, and usage history can be tracked, making pre-use checks, maintenance and examination much easier.”

The value of SupraNano digital chips and supporting software was exemplified by YOKE’s recent launch of single-leg and double-leg master links as one-piece rigging solutions; they will be fully equipped with DPPs, enabling users to improve resource efficiency and support circular economy goals, as soon as they add them to rigging stores. The products perfectly illustrate the dovetailing of hardware and software in presenting a lightweight solution, fast assembly and reduced risk, while serving as physical carriers of advanced digitalization.

The new X-Link Single and X-Link Double master links enhance lifting efficiency by integrating multiple components into a single item.

Traditional lifting systems are complex and use multiple components, increasing operational risks. The new X-Link Single and X-Link Double master links enhance lifting efficiency by integrating multiple components into a single item. More traditional products rely on separate components: master links, slings, and shortening devices, which had to be assembled individually.

YOKE’s Hong added: “Integrating components into a one-piece master link solution is another important step, and one that revolutionises the use of these single- and double-leg rigging products at the point of use. Additionally, thanks to DPPs, each X-Link Single and X-Link Double master links’ information, inspection reports, and usage history can be tracked throughout its lifecycle.”