The CM Lodestar® is one of the most renowned hoists in the entertainment industry, but do you know why it’s called the “Lodestar”?
In response to this question, CM replied on their blog with the explanation of the iconic name “Lodestar”:
Our entertainment trainer, Dave Carmack, travels the world to teach and share important information about entertainment rigging and hoisting safety. At the end of his classes, he likes to stump his students with this question: “Can you tell me why we spell our hoist, LODESTAR, instead of LOADSTAR?”
Dave was asked this question many years ago by a student, which prompted him to do some research.
Reaching out to Columbus McKinnon engineers, Dave finally found the answer.
“Lodestar” is defined as a guiding star. In 1955, when the first industrial Lodestar® was introduced, many of our hoists had galactic names like Meteor, Satellite and Comet. It was the first of many unique products that Columbus McKinnon brought to the material handling industry, which also included aluminum hoist frames, the Weston-Type brake, and the first alloy chain.
Source: CMCO Live – The True Meaning of the Name “Lodestar”
There you have it. “Lodestar” proves to be a fitting name that not only is a clever play on words, but also represents CM’s innovation and reputation as a leading provider of electric chain hoists. It may not be in the spotlight, but the CM Lodestar® proves time and time again that it is the star of the show.
