Industrial Process News Issue 717

The new StopTite® Industrial range

This is StopTite, the new industry range of premium sealants, adhesives & thread lockers. This product is available in uniquely colour coded categories to help you find the solution you need. The extensive range covers all the different types of engineering applications such as: thread lockers, retainers, pipe sealants gaskets & adhesives for mechanical assemblies.

StopTite products have outstanding mechanical

NIRONIT Edenstahl

See them on page 16

Interface Force Measurements

See them on page 19

Magnaflux

See them on page 20

Inside this issue: Contents:

Industrial Process Technologies ................ 6-8

IMHX 2022 The Logistics Solutions Show Review 12

Handling, Storage & Logistics 13-15

UK Metals Expo

Review 16-17

Materials Testing 2022

Review 20

properties with a temperature range of -50°C to 200°C+. Our Threadlocker product helps to prevent the loosening of bolts, studs and screws, due to vibration and shock loads. It can also be used to permanently lock threaded components.

The Retainer products offer excellent resistance to shear and compression and can be used for the permanent fixture of bearings, shafts, splines and keys.

The ST27 Pipe Sealant product offers an instant low-pressure seal on tightened fittings up to 150psi.

The ST31 Muilty Gasket offers resistance to low pressures after the assembly of mating flange faces. Seal joints between metal faces and flanges. Ideal for motoring and industrial applications.

The 007 and 006 highstrength adhesives have been designed to bond metal and composite

applications, offering high-impact resistance while remaining quick and easy to use.

Made in Britain, our innovative StopTite range has been formulating a wide range of industrial products with partner companies for over 40 years. The company’s products are popular with all industries, including renewables, water, electronics, construction, military, aircraft, farming, leisure, automotive and all types of production lines. Supplied to stockists as retail display boxes of 6 to 20 items. Free samples are available and can be requested by emailing: sales@stoptite.co.uk or call 01584 874220. For more information, visit: www.stoptite.co.uk

100 years of business for Kingston Engineering

KingstonEngineering

is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of bespoke power screws. Based in Hull, the company offers a vast selection of materials and specifications designed to suit their clients’ requirements. With a history dating back to 1919, Kingston Engineering has specialised in manufacturing right Hand/left Hand, single/multi-start, cut thread Power Transmission Screws and Nuts for over 60 years. Adaptable for mechanical power transmission, their products conform to the standards of British, European and American requirements. All of Kingston’s products meet ISO 9001-2015 accreditation and are examined thoroughly during the manufacturing process.

Kingston Engineering’s screws can be used in a range of applications across multiple industries, including aerospace, oil and gas, nuclear energy, the chemical and medical fields. The company works closely with both suppliers and end users to provide the best purpose-built screws possible, with customers across the UK and the US.

The current directors have more than 100 years of experience between them and are continuously engaging in plans to help the company become global leaders in screw manufacturing.

T +44 (0)1482 325676

sales@kingston-engineering.co.uk www.kingston-engineering.co.uk

Integrated solutions designed around you Morris Lubricants

launches new video series

MSL offers a wide variety of specialist products to aid a multitude of Design, Manufacture, and Inspection applications. From a design perspective, our nTopology software offering enables us to engage directly with CAD OEMs, Additive OEMs and design teams looking to optimise their design process, by introducing generative capabilities to overcome the complexities of advanced additive manufacturing, considering, light weighting, field driven data design and complex lattice material structures.

Our Creaform measurement and scanning products can then be utilised to perform dimensional and surface profile checks back to the Designer intended CAD model. Our Strategic level partnership with Creaform means we can cover a vast spectrum of design and

manufacturing applications, with their handheld scanners tactile probing, and photogrammetry solutions, the HandySCAN3D, Go!Scan3D MetraSCAN3D and MaxSHOT3D, providing point cloud data capture for 3D printing, reverse engineering and quality control.

Adding the Iris 3D from Virtek Vision International to the MSL solution portfolio, fits perfectly within the

manufacturing process and means we can also support the production and build processes for composite lay-up, fabrication, and guided assembly. Projecting laser templates exponentially faster using innovative vision technology with laser projection in one system. All of which results in the provision of multiple endto-end Design, Manufacture, and Inspection solutions bespoke to each customer’s requirements. We believe that success is achieved with the full adoption of our solutions, and it is our experience that defines our solution focused approach for our 400+ customers across the UK.

T 01733 325252

sales@measurement-solutions.co.uk www.measurement-solutions.co.uk

Anew video series has been released by Morris Lubricants – designed to provide end users and distributors in the industrial, manufacturing, plant and off-highway sectors with an insight into how oil is made and the factors that should be considered when choosing a lubricant supplier.

The series of five short videos (https://bit.ly/MorrisOil) demonstrates the key areas that should be considered when selecting oils and lubricants, to ensure maximum equipment life and reduced production downtime.

The videos feature Guy Martin, lorry mechanic, motorbike racer, TV presenter, engineering enthusiast and Morris Lubricants’ ambassador who is taken through the production process by the company’s technology manager, Adrian Hill.

He demonstrates the key areas that should be considered when selecting oils and lubricants, to ensure emission compliance by protecting after treatment devices, improved component longevity, greater equipment reliability and reduced maintenance downtime.

www.morrislubricants.co.uk

Medical aerosol can inspection

Identify Direct was commissioned by a major aerosol manufacturer to develop an on-line system to visually inspect laser-etched engraving on the bottom of aerosol cans manufactured for the pharmaceutical industry.

Issues:

n The bottom of the pressurised can is concave and of shiny aluminium.

n The writing and DataMatrix are laser-etched rather than printed meaning very low contrast.

n Inspection had to be 100%.

n The writing was in an annulus around the base of the can, not straight across.

n The cans are moving along a production line and vary in position across the track.

Solutions:

n We successfully developed an in-house ‘flat dome’ which, together with a classic dome and a ring light, gave a consistently good image on all the cans.

n We developed software based on a ‘polar unwrap’ tool, using the central DataMatrix mark as a ‘locator’ to position the Polar Unwrap Region Of Interest correctly on each can, using a DALSA camera to capture the images.

The result is an effective on-line system that can read every can, check the quality and automatically reject bad cans or stop the line for cans that could not be reliably read.

sales@identifydirect.com

www.identifydirect.com

Asset Management Company of the Month

Award-winning company offers safer, stronger, smarter networks

of Partial Discharge related electrical faults in HV switchgear and cables. We’re not simply here to advise customers on when they need to change their transformers or cables. We provide a service in partnership with our customers. We want companies to make their own decisions about repair and upgrading. We offer installation, annual calibration on the UltraTEV® Plus² and a full repair programme. We even train staff on Partial Discharge, at our in-house dedicated training centre, over a two day course. We can also come to your company and demonstrate our products free of charge. We think our products speak for themselves. Some companies are happy to monitor their own data but some want our team to take responsibility for data monitoring and storage. Others contract EA Technology to offer routine, annual testing of their cables and switchgear using our products. Each company is unique and we will accommodate all reasonable requests.”

In this issue of Industrial Process News we are happy to announce that EA Technology is our Asset Management Company of the Month.

EA Technology was established as the UK Electricity Industry’s Research Centre in the 1960s. When the industry was privatised in 1990, EA Technology was given the opportunity to evolve into a commercial entity.

In 2011 The Sunday Times listed EA Technology as one of the Top 100 UK companies for international trade. As a trusted company with a long history working with electricity boards it has provided all the major electricity networks with high voltage (HV) and low voltage (LV) fault detection tools for decades. It now has an enviable, unrivalled customer base across the entire electricity network sector.

After a period of continued growth, EA Technology is now diversifying into other industrial sectors such as oil and gas, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, airport and transport and large-scale manufacturing companies. David Harding, Business Development Manager, EA Technology, tells us more.

“Many of our customers use two of our most popular Partial Discharge detection products: the UltraTEV® Plus² and Astute® HV Monitoring. Both these products monitor high voltage (HV) networks, the UltraTEV® Plus² is hand-held and the Astute® is a 24/7 fixed monitoring system. With any number of separate and widely varying buildings, equipment and installations stretching across hundreds of miles, customers with large scale multisite operations need fully-functioning HV substations & power cables to maintain a high-quality service & to avert accidents.”

Electrical outrages can cost companies thousands in monetary terms and loss of confidence in reputations. Public sector companies can be fined significant sums per minute for loss of power by regulatory bodies like Ofgem. Early detection of electrical problems can be a vital investment by companies for increased productivity, optimal health and safety of personnel and sustained customer confidence.

EA Technology was the first company in the industry to label ‘partial discharge’ the process where electrical discharge can cause substantial damage with potentially life-threatening risks in high voltage situations. The discharge can be subtle at first but can lead to expensive damage to cables notwithstanding the obvious dangers.

David explains why EA Technology products are invaluable to customers, “Our products avoid costly failures and dangerous faults through early identification and fault management. If an HV network goes down in a large production site, or in an airport or on the railway it can be hugely problematic. It means machinery stops producing, planes don’t fly, trains can’t run and companies could be facing huge costs to resolve the fault. Our early detection products uncover faults so companies can proactively solve the problem. Not only do the hand-held and fixed monitoring systems detect the fault, they give a precise location allowing engineers to isolate the problem and save money with targeted

maintenance. Our products can save money, time and prevent dangerous failures.”

The hand-held UltraTEV® Plus² won The Innovation Prize from The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2007. With real-time survey functions the device transmits results directly to the company computer system for further analysis. With an intrinsic partial discharge radar the company can detect early network outrage errors. It is a portable device allowing engineers easy storage in the back of vans to measure cables and switchgear anywhere, even hard to reach areas.

Protecting assets is an individual decision for companies dependant on budget and size of stock.

The Astute® HV Monitoring offers continuous fixed monitoring round-the-clock. With automated alerts for Partial Discharge activity it can allow for immediate investigation if serious, or otherwise wait until routine maintenance. The detection device saves on impromptu costly repairs and allows the wheels of productivity to keep turning. The Astute® HV Monitoring system was recognised as innovative by The Institute for Asset Management in 2018.

EA Technology considers itself to be partners with its customers, offering ingenious, robust solutions rather than hard-hitting salespeople. David explains the company philosophy.

“Companies want to understandably protect their assets. Our products offer pinpoint, precision location

EA Technology offer a specialised oil analysis programme whereby customers send samples of their HV transformer oil to the state-of-the-art laboratories for analysis. The results will determine if the oil needs changing, and is widely considered to be the first indicator of deteriorating asset health.

It’s not just HV networks that need monitoring it’s also the low voltage (LV) networks. Electricity companies need excellent network visibility on LV faults across their entire networks. Even smaller LV outrages can cause large fines from Ofgem and of course, electricity companies want customers to enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply. The VisNet® Hub monitors the precise location of LV network faults.

From their origins as a research and development company in the 1960s, EA Technology is now a worldleading, multi-award-winning specialist in asset management solutions for owners and operators of electrical assets. Exhibiting at last year’s Plant & Asset Management Trade Show at the NEC, EA Technology was delighted by customer demand and interest as David explains, “After a break due to COVID-19, we weren’t expecting a huge interest. We demonstrated our three most popular products: UltraTEV® Plus², Astute® HV Monitoring and VisNet® Hub to customers and all three were a hit! The show directly resulted in new customers being onboarded and orders being placed – so it was a real success for us.”

EA Technology cover the width and breadth of the UK as well as international markets, and are happy to take enquiries by phone or email on the details below.

T +44 (0)151 347 2313 info@eatechnology.com www.eatechnology.com

Astute® HV Monitoring

David Harding

UltraTEV® Plus2

VisNet® Hub

Astute® Office

Pumps & Valves

Leading the way in recyclable pump technology

“The pumps can also reverse cycle which is widely used for cleaning the nozzle at the end of each dispense by sucking the product back into the pump. Another very exciting capability is its in-pump dilution option, where it can pump high-ratio concentrates, and accurately mix them with water at the point of dispense. This takes water out of the distribution channel, saving the customer both money and carbon emissions from shipping their products around the world,” added Gillian.

The first Quantex pump was invented by Quantex Founder, Dr Paul Pankhurst, to create a less expensive, more accurate alternative to a peristaltic pump. Several years of R&D and customer collaborations, led to the successful development of several off-the-shelf, recyclable pumps with varying flow-rate ranges. In June 2021, Quantex was acquired by PSG, an operating company of Dover Corporation and now sits alongside 13 other pump and flow measurement brands.

Since the acquisition, Quantex has moved its headquarters to Duisburg, Germany where it benefits from the established resources and clean room facilities already in place for other PSG branded products: Quattroflow, Almatec, and Hydro. Quantex’s London office and dedicated manufacturing plant in High Wycombe are still in operation..

“Quantex is the leading provider of recyclable pump technology, where, instead of the pump being a part of

the fixed equipment, it is attached directly to the liquid packaging – similar to the way a tap is already connected to a bag in box of wine. But instead of pressing the tap and allowing liquid to dribble out using gravity, the pump is clipped into a motor drive in the fixed equipment, and the product is dispensed accurately, at a range of precision flow rates suitable for all kinds of liquids. When the product supply is finished, you simply replace the bag and pump with a new bag and pump,” stated Gillian Harding-Moore, Director – Marketing.

Quantex’s system is extremely hygienic and requires no costly cleaning or maintenance. The Quantex pumps also maintain vacuum capability which equips them with the ability to handle high viscosities such as mayonnaise, hair conditioner, or glue, and can evacuate the bag by 98%.

Warehouse & Storage

With the drive to save single-use plastic waste, the wealth of benefits of using Quantex pumps has been recognised by UK and European supermarkets, who have been attempting to trial refill stations, where consumers bring their reusable bottles to refill in stores instead of using single use pre-packaged goods. Dispensing liquids has been proving to be too expensive and labour intensive for shop-floor staff.

“Quantex technology provides the key enabler for scaling up refill in supermarkets, with a low maintenance, low cost and flexible solution that can be standardised for dispensing virtually any fluid. Quantex is working with several refill equipment manufacturers, who are designing their next generation of dispensers around the Quantex system.” Gillian continued, “Several global

brands and retailers are excited by the early prototypes that allows product replenishment to be 75% faster, with no cleaning or maintenance, and no drips that cause dangerous slip hazards in supermarket isles. The aim is to provide a better refill experience for consumers and therefore, encourage more refill adoption. The first machines are planned to be in European supermarkets trials from October this year, with a roll-out scheme planned for 2023. It is an exciting market to be in, as it is just the beginning of a big change to the way we shop, and Quantex is sitting at the heart of the movement.”

As the company looks ahead, in addition to Refill, Quantex is moving into the Biopharma market, and aligning with other Dover brands; Quattroflow®, em-tec, Malema®, and CPC®. Gillian added, “The alignment will strengthen our PSG offering, providing pumps, flow measurement solutions and connectors that serve cell and gene therapy and bioprocessing needs from early process development through to upstream and downstream applications.”

Contact

T +49 (2065) 89205-0

www.quantex-arc.com

Medical shops achieve surgical precision with deep hole drilling automation

Medically speaking, cutting people open is dangerous. Today, physicians get around this problem by using modern surgical instruments to perform minimally invasive procedures, which make major operations into simple outpatient appointments. But to accomplish these feats of surgical science, manufacturers in the medical industry have to drill small-diameter holes through the entire

length of slightly larger instruments. Thin part walls, intricate features, high surface quality and concentricity requirements, and extreme depth-to-diameter (D:d) ratios make these parts a challenge in production.

A typical laparoscopic surgical instrument is designed to direct tools, cameras and other devices into the body through the instrument using a guide

wire. And to ensure smooth, reliable and accurate performance during procedures, highly precise hole concentricity is required at D:d depth ratios well above 100:1, a challenge even for dedicated deep hole drilling equipment.

With these challenges, it’s no surprise that many manufacturers try to skip the deep hole drilling process altogether by farming out the work, but

going to outside suppliers brings its own problems. Pre-drilled blanks might solve the deep hole drilling problem, but they have to be fed into the machine one by one, defeating the whole purpose of using automation-ready Swiss-style machines. Meanwhile, cannulated bar stock allows shops to continue using their bar feeders, but it’s very expensive – and the hole quality and OD/ID concentricity rarely meet the needs of medical manufacturers anyway.

To overcome these challenges, medical manufacturers are turning to dedicated deep hole drilling equipment to finish instruments started on the Swiss-style machines. With an experienced gundrill operator, careful setup and a bit of finesse, the hole quality can be excellent, and it allows the Swiss-style machines to remain fully automated. The only remaining problem is part handling and transfer which introduces significant risks when the accuracy requirements are so high, and if the part has to be flipped to drill a stepped bore, that introduces more setup operations and more risk of human error.

What medical manufacturers need is a truly end-to-end automated process that allows for an efficient single-piece workflow for surgical instruments – and some deep hole drilling OEMs, such as UNISIG, have engineered all the technology required to meet this goal. The result is a complete system that offers easily automatable, on-demand deep hole drilling processes for the most demanding surgical instrument applications: the UNE6-2i.

As a twin-spindle machine with two independent drilling axes, the UNE6-2i inherently has the capabilities manufacturers expect from a high-performance deep hole drilling machine. Counter-rotation, specialised workholding and superior alignment and precision allow shops to confidently hold concentricity tolerances and minimise mismatches, even at the extreme D:d ratios common in the medical industry. In addition, the UNISIG Smart Control Interface simplifies operation, while an innovative flowbased coolant system automatically reacts to pressure changes for effective chip evacuation and high process security.

What allows the UNE6-2i to truly shine as a part of the surgical instrument production process, however, is the in-machine automation. After the front spindle drills the first hole, a robot takes it out of the spindle, puts the hole onto the second spindle, and loads another fresh blank into the first spindle. The robot’s perfect repeatability ensures the highest hole quality – and the only human labour required for the process is loading bar stock into the Swiss-style machines, preparing the blanks for the UNE6-2i’s robot and sending the finished parts on for post-processing.

The UNE6-2i’s capabilities also give manufacturers significant production flexibility. Two holes with two different diameters could be simultaneously drilled in a single part, or two parts could be in-process simultaneously to allow operators or robots to load and unload the machine without stopping. Alternately, this twin-spindle configuration can be used to drill halfway through a part from one end with the first spindle and allow the second spindle to finish the hole from the opposite end.

www.unisig.com

Cutting costs or improving sustainability in coding and marking?

Amid a cost of living and climate crisis, manufacturers are battling to try and cut costs, while improving sustainability. Rotech can evaluate your coding and marking processes to help you achieve the best of both worlds.

Often overlooked but hugely important; your production line coding could be a key component to becoming more cost and eco-efficient. Replacing outdated technology and processes will allow you to reduce your carbon footprint, while also removing extra expenses.

At Rotech, we are advocates for newer and greener thermal inkjet printers. The maintenance-free systems, only require

CCL Label presents the thinnest stretch sleeve

recyclable cartridge-based inks that do not contain harmful MEK fluids. Unlike aging CIJ printers, TIJ does not need regular on-site servicing, reducing the overall lifetime value and environmental impact of travel, extra resources, and spare parts.

Where labels are concerned, the environmental impact is obvious. Not only do they promote waste and limit recyclability, they are costly and currently experiencing supply chain disruption. So, are they always necessary?

Large area printing offers a greener alternative to labelling – by removing this extra step in production you are both cutting

costs and improving sustainability.

Rotech’s team of experts offer support, advice and solutions to all industries wanting to improve the environmental impact of their manufacturing. This will come hand in hand with dramatically cutting costs and maximising efficiency. Now something that seemed impossible isn’t so difficult to achieve after all!

For any further information on Rotech, or any one of our solutions, call +44 (0)1707 393700 or email: sales@rotechmachines.com or visit our website at: www.rotechmachines.com

Industrial Process Technologies

CCL Label, the world’s largest converter of pressure sensitive and extruded film materials for decorative, functional and information labels, has announced an innovation that was developed in-house in the Austrian Voelkermarkt site. The sleeve label hub presents the thinnest stretch sleeve in the market that is available at the moment – the sleeve has a thickness of 30 micron. It was especially designed for returnable 1 Litre PET bottles that are typically used in the German mineral water market.

“This extremely thin stretch sleeve was developed with sustainability in mind. With 30 micron the sleeve is a lot thinner than the ‘standard’ 45 micron sleeves that are usually used. This accounts for efficiency on the material side – a lot less raw material is needed to manufacture this sleeve and thus it helps reduce the carbon footprint of the product,” says Thorsten Umek, Product Manager at CCL Voelkermarkt. “We calculated that beverage brands can save up to 32 tons of plastic material per 100 million sleeves –which is approximately the weight of over 5 adult African elephants.”

Stretch Sleeves technology itself has several sustainability advantages. They are made from mono-PE (polypropylene) material that has a high degree of elasticity. This means that no adhesives and no heat is necessary to apply the sleeve to the bottle or other container – it attaches itself and stays in place with the help of its own elasticity. On top of that it is possible to integrate different percentages of recycled content into stretch sleeves from several sources – including Post-Consumer Recyclate (PCR) material.

“Stretch Sleeves have been a popular decoration technology for the German mineral water industry that traditionally has been a returnable scheme.

Typically reusable 1 Litre bottles made from rigid PET and increasingly rPET are used – which already is a very sustainable system itself. Now the bottle can have an even lower environmental footprint by combining it with the super thin stretch sleeves that we just launched,” explains Stefan Schaeffert, Business Development manager at CCL Label.

To find out more about different decoration technologies, visit: www.ccllabel.com and to receive the technical data sheet, please contact: sleeves@cclind.com

Industrial Process Technologies

Wide temperature range single frequency DPSS laser

The FPYL-532-50TSLM-C and FPYL532-100T-SLM-C have an outstanding wide operating temperature range between -40°C to +60°C. They are offered with either 50mW or 100mW at 532nm in a very compact housing

of just 110mm x 52mm x 52mm. The spectral linewidth is <0.00001nm which complies to a coherence length of >9m. With a power stability of <1% and a noise of amplitude <0.25% they are perfectly suitable for applications like:

n Confocal Microscopy

n RAMAN Spectroscopy

n Particle Measurements

n DNA Sequency

n Flow Cytometry

n Digital Imaging

n Analytical Chemistry sales@frlaserco.com www.frlaserco.com

Technology investment boosts cleanroom capabilities at William Hughes

William Hughes, a specialist manufacturer of springs and wire components, has enhanced the capabilities of its 80m2 Class 7 cleanroom with its investment in a digitally controlled Ultrawave Neon 60 Ultrasonic Cleaning System.

The new Neon machine, which is Class I Medical Devices compliant to MDR (EU) 2017/745, compliments existing assets and capabilities in the ISO 14644-1 accredited cleanroom, which include further solvent and aqueous cleaning systems, a UV-inspection dark room and various cleaning verification systems, including filtration studies, NVR testing and microanalysis.

As well as being used internally, the cleanroom is offered as an advanced subcontract facility. The only one of its kind in the UK, it is being regularly utilised by leading manufacturers in the aerospace, medical and hydraulics industries, where it is used for the cleaning and packing of small batch, precision-machined and fabricated parts to meticulous standards. William Hughes can also undertake assembly the assembly of units involving more than one component in a cleanroom environment.

William Hughes Special Processes Manager, Shaun Tattershall, explains, “The cleanroom has evolved over the years since we acquired ultrasonic cleaning company AC Services, in 2015. To keep up with industry demands and evolving legislation we have invested in new contemporary technology which offers the levels of performance expected by some of the most demanding industrial sectors. The careful handling of every part untrusted to our care is a central philosophy of this service.”

T 01963 363377 sales@wmhughes.co.uk www.wmhughes.co.uk

British Adhesives & Sealants Association

With its history dating back to its inception in 1983, BASA has excelled in its mission to become an umbrella organisation for UK adhesives and sealants manufacturers. We focus on technical and legislative aspects and on promoting awareness of the industry and technology by providing guidance on technical and compliance issues and creating a variety of networking opportunities for members, holding events using virtual platforms since March 2020.

BASA is the voice of the adhesives and sealants industry’s and is an information source for manufacturers and suppliers. The association advocates on behalf of its members, liaises with Government regarding legislation, and keeps Members well informed of UK, EU and International proposals and initiatives.

With the growing concerns around the environment and using sustainable products and raw materials, BASA is dedicated to helping its members minimise harmful chemical usage and educate the public on the industry's drive for safer products. BASA members work hard to formulate innovative products that positively contribute to the sustainability agenda whilst maintaining performance and durability.

BASA hopes to continue to reach more potential members, looking at ways to support its manufacturers post Brexit and help them to navigate potential new legislation and trade rules.

T 03302 233290 www.basa.uk.com

GOJO wipes away tough soils with new product launch

Hardworking

hands and surfaces need a hardworking wipe. Skin and surface hygiene specialist, GOJO IndustriesEurope is

proud to

introduce new Hand & Surface Scrubbing Wipes to its high-performing range of solutions for tough soils environments.

For use in a variety of trade workplaces, such as construction sites, garages, workshops, factories, or anywhere that heavy-duty cleaning is required, these multi-purpose wipes are impregnated with a cleaning and degreasing solution that is highly effective on heavy soils, but gentle on skin. Designed for use on hands, arms, tools and objects, materials, and surfaces, they remove tar, paint, sealant, grease, and oil quickly and easily – and without the need for water.

These extra-large and thick non-woven wipes are dual textured, with an abrasive side to remove heavy soils and a smooth side that leaves hands feeling soft.

Dermatologically tested and enriched with Vitamin E, they won’t irritate skin & feature a pleasant citrus fragrance too.

Incredibly easy-to-use, GOJO Hand & Surface Scrubbing

Wipes are available in two different sizes and quantities: an 80-count canister (200 x 270mm) and a 70-count bucket (300 x 250mm).

GOJO Hand & Surface Scrubbing Wipes complete the company’s heavy-duty cleaning range, which includes:

n GOJO® NATURAL HAND CLEANER – Using apricot stone and corn seed scrubbers, this is suitable for medium-duty soils, such as dirt, grease, oil, carbon black, oil-based paint and tar.

n GOJO® OLIVE HAND CLEANER – Heavy-duty soils, such as caulk, graphite, adhesive, paint, sealant, and tar are removed by the action of an olive-stone scrubber.

n GOJO® SUPROMAX HAND CLEANER – A walnutscrubber formulation cleaner that removes sticky soils and adhesive.

For more information, call +44 (0)1908 588444, email: CustomerExperienceUK@GOJO.com or visit: www.GOJO.com

Industrial Process Technologies

ABB RobotStudio® takes to the Cloud

n World’s leading robotics programming software expands into the Cloud with powerful new functionalities

n Allows teams to collaborate on robot programming and simulation from anywhere in the world, on any device

n New features include simplified interfaces, version control and highly accurate simulation – making programming easier and faster

ABB has enhanced its industry-leading RobotStudio® robot programming and simulation software with Cloudenabled functionality. The new RobotStudio Cloud enables individuals and teams to collaborate in real-time on robot cell designs from anywhere in the world, on any device.

New features such as automatic version control increase transparency and productivity across teams. The software’s

simplified interfaces and intuitive navigation allow users of all skill levels to work on robotic projects.

“At ABB Robotics, we continue to develop innovative and flexible solutions to help businesses overcome challenges, respond to changing customer needs and thrive in an age of increasing digitalisation,” said Marc Segura, President of ABB Robotics division.

“New web-based tools like RobotStudio Cloud bring a new level of agility and flexibility to manufacturers in how they plan and design their robotic automation solutions. Offering a simplified user experience, RobotStudio Cloud helps to increase collaboration and reduce complexity, enabling both novices and experts to push the boundaries of robotics programming.”

Already the world’s leading robotic programming software, the new and enhanced Cloud-based RobotStudio software can help companies programme robots more collaboratively while cutting the time, cost and disruption associated with physical testing and commissioning. Now system integrators and engineering teams can collaborate in real-time to design, develop and enhance robotic automation solutions.

https://go.abb/robotics

The K900

floor cleaner robot

The world’s first smart, simple and low-height industrial cleaning robot

Good news travels fast, and it’s true that the K900 floor cleaner robot is now available in the UK exclusively from Crescent Industrial!

The K900 is an autonomous vacuum-sweeper specifically designed to clean in warehouse distribution and industrial areas including floors around robot shuttle systems, mezzanine floors and automated pallet racking systems.

User friendly:

n Plug and Play Option – with no setup required

n Online cleaning reports

n Remote software updates

n Intuitive user controls

Unique design:

n 35cm height for cleaning hard-to-reach areas

n Pivots on axle for best manoeuvrability

n In-built trolley handle for easy transportation

Machine data:

n Cleaning Range: 1,000m2/hr at 0.7m/s speed

n Lithium Batteries give up to 5 hour run time/90 minute recharge time

n 35 litre dirt container

Despite being packed with cutting-edge technology and features, the K900 weighs in at 32kg, making it ideal for use on mezzanines and other weight-sensitive areas.

Are you ready to move floor cleaning in your workplace to Industry 4.0? Request a demonstration today by visiting: www.crescentindustrial.co.uk or emailing: info@c-ind.co.uk

Decarbonising petrochemical refining

It’s worth considering some of the technologies that make electric process heaters and heat exchangers promising candidates for replacing traditional heaters. Heaters with Continuous Helical Flow (CHF) technology are playing a critical role in making large electric process heaters more robust and economical.

CHF ensures the baffles with the heater do not exist as discrete elements, but rather as a single continuous spiral winding around the interior of the shell side of the heater. This forces

the flow to be rotational and helical, resulting in an even better heat transfer coefficient per unit pressure drop. This means heaters with CHF technology such as Watlow’s HELIMAX® heat exchanger, do not have dead zones or areas with insufficient flow. As there are no disruptions to flow, fewer hotspots can develop, subsequently reducing fouling rates.

A single removable HELIMAX bundle can supply up to five megawatts of power duty range, even with a smaller

footprint, than fuel-based heat exchangers. Combine this efficiency with the reduced need for maintenance to address coking, and you have a product that increases productivity even as it contributes to decarbonisation efforts.

Furthermore, it’s crucial to have fast, reliable control systems for all larger, modern heat exchangers, especially in petroleum processing, where errors can be extremely costly. Engineers are now beginning to realise two things. Firstly, there are far more opportunities to use electric process heating systems with far fewer size constraints than energy and environmental engineers previously imagined and secondly, the control of these megawatt size heating systems is demonstrated with precise control of process and skin temperatures. www.watlow.com

New features on the EasyLog Cloud

Live maps

Live maps are now available on the EasyLog Cloud –this new feature clearly shows the live alarm status of the area you are monitoring. Maps allow you to create a visual representation of building floor plans, storage areas or even the inside of individual fridges and freezers.

Upload your own background images, define the areas you’re monitoring and drag and drop your data loggers into place, once activated your map will come to life with live colour coding showing the alarm status of every area you have defined.

Only taking a few minutes to set up, this new feature provides users with an intuitive display of any critical areas that need attention.

Only available for professional accounts, starter accounts can upgrade to a professional in their accounts setting page in their EasyLog Cloud account.

SMS messaging

Also new to the EasyLog Cloud is SMS messaging. Receive instant text messages to alert you when conditions breach your parameter threshold. Simply add your phone number to your account setting and opt-in to receive SMS notifications from your devices.

T 01794 884567 sales@lascar.co.uk www.lascarelectronics.co.uk

DSL’s industrial computing solutions

DSL is known in the industry for our robust and reliable products. From bespoke electronic design services through to off-the-shelf panel PCs, DSL are able to provide industrial computing solutions to suit your requirements, timescales and budget.

We provide a fast and reliable bespoke electronic product design service for when an off-the-shelf solution simply cannot meet your needs.

Our expert electronic design engineers take you from concept to reality – whether you require a simple circuit board design to managing and delivering entire multi-layer, multi-board projects, from inception, design, prototyping to delivering high volumes of fully assembled and tested products.

Have you been struggling with finding components for your designs? Contact us about our Design Health Check!

Our UK-based team provide a wealth of knowledge and expertise, providing you with high quality technical support and a 5 year warranty. Visit us at: www.dsl-ltd.co.uk/electronic-design or contact us for more information about our products and services.

Oil, Gas & Offshore

Oliver Valves secures 3-year contract in North America

Digital Edge Subsea

Digital Edge Subsea supplies the oil and gas industry with its digital video recording system.

The company, established more than 10 years ago, has nurtured strong customer relationships that has allowed for honest customer feedback, and this has been incorporated into the development of the Version 5 Edge DVR.

Conversations continue and now Digital Edge are pleased to be able to offer further software that will help their customers to serve their clients better.

Data Archive App

Digital Edge will soon release a data storage and back-up solution that uses an integral app within Edge architecture, to avoid needing a 3rd party app. Edge Archive handles the transfer of

data from the internal DVR drives to Client storage, either on a NAS, a Raid, or a phased delivery to multiple external hard drives.

Being a Native app, the data transfer ensures that the quality of Live recordings are not impacted by a 3rd party program trying to access the same file that the DVR app is currently using. Ensuring recorded data integrity and quality is of the highest importance.

Archive can act as a Simple data mirror of the correct internal drive data folders, or can be used to create multiple simultaneous backups of Client Deliverables. This can be done in continuous backup or a phased approach, ie. after each dive.

For more information or a demonstration of the system, contact: info@digitaledgesubsea.com or visit: www.digitaledgesubsea.com

Finalist recognition as Subsea Company of the Year

Oliver Valves has secured a fixed 3 year contract to supply a large range of valves to the Kaybob Duvernay project in North America.

Located in Fox Creek, Alberta, Canada, Kaybob covers an area of 330,000 acres, equivalent to 4/5 times the size of London and is estimated to produce 22,000 barrels of natural gas per day.

Almost half-way into the contract, Oliver has supplied a significant number of Instrument Manifolds, and Reduced and Full-Bore Double Block & Bleed valves from our sister company Twinsafe, with injection and sampling probes, in orders placed so far worth over £500,000. Oliver engineers carried out strength calculations that was were needed to gain approval and to obtain Canadian Registration Numbers (CRN), which is a legal requirement for pressure rated products to be installed and operational in Canada.

Valve safety, performance and manufacturing quality are the cornerstones of Oliver’s success and their strong customer relationships are what set them apart from other suppliers. Another unique strength is their dedicated Research & Development facility in Knutsford, England.

Oliver Valves and its sister company Twinsafe, who specialise in pipeline valves, work with clients around the globe on oil, gas and hydrogen projects to provide world-class valve solutions that include Zero-rate A valves for hydrogen applications.

Visit their website for more details at: www.valves.co.uk

J+SSubsea has been named a finalist for the Subsea Expo Company of the Year (under 50 employees). The Global Underwater Hub will host the renowned awards event on February 22, 2023, at P&J Live in Aberdeen. The awards recognise the companies and individuals that are paving the way in the £8 billion underwater industry in the United Kingdom. The awards are held in conjunction with Subsea Expo, the world’s largest underwater exhibition and conference.

Managing director, Phil Reid (pictured), said, “The news of the award nomination caps off a fantastic year for us. It’s been a period of rapid expansion, thanks to the dedication and expertise of our team. However, we feel like we’re going from strength to strength, with a wonderful team driving our ongoing success, using our technology to expand into new markets and win new contracts.”

Commenting on the announcement, chief executive of the Global Underwater Hub, Neil Gordon, said, “The Subsea Expo Awards recognise the people and companies who work hard to ensure that the UK’s world-renowned

underwater industry continues to capitalise on the unprecedented scale of opportunity in the global blue economy while continuing to innovate and drive the UK towards its net zero goals.

“We’re delighted to be able to recognise the hard work and dedication of the finalists and share their success stories with the industry at the Subsea Expo Awards dinner in February.”

The awards coincide with Subsea Expo – free to attend, the three day event is expected to attract up to 6,500 industry professionals and will feature around 150 exhibiting companies. More information can be found at: www.subseaexpo.com

Contact T +44 (0)1224 773435 info@jands.co.uk https://jands.co.uk/

LAUDA – Experts In Thermal Control And Measurement

Providing Innovative Solutions For Thermal Process Control, Chilled Water Applications, Water Baths, Freezers, Incubators, Shakers, Stills, Tensiometers, Viscometers And Contact Angle Measurement.

Located in Stamford, UK, LAUDA Technology continues to provide an expanding range of feature-rich, future proof solutions with energy efficiency and connectivity front of mind, serving a diverse range of industries including chemical, energy, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, oil and gas, composites, automotive, aerospace, food & beverage, brewing, digital printing, laser and beyond.

Since 1956 LAUDA has been developing, manufacturing, and supplying reliable precision measuring instruments that have become firmly established worldwide in research and quality assurance. We are here to assist with your application needs, from measuring instruments for determining the viscosity of polymer solutions, to optical contact angle measuring instruments for measuring the free surface energy and the wetting behaviour, through to classic tensiometers for determining the surface and interfacial tension of oils and surfactants.

Beyond measurement, LAUDA retains a core competency in temperature control for applications in research & design, pilot plant or full-scale production. LAUDA’s new range of water chillers has been designed not only to comply with the new Eco-design directive, but to surpass it through the innovative use of variable speed modules that automatically reduce their duty cycle in line with the cooling demand hence reducing energy consumption and running costs, giving a tangible return on investment for the user, while ensuring full compliance with the latest regulations on refrigerant (fluorinated) gases.

Contact T +44 (0)1780 243118

info@lauda-technology.co.uk

www.lauda-technology.co.uk

www.linkedin.com/company/lauda-technology-ltd www.facebook.com/LAUDA.UK/ www.twitter.com/lauda_uk

Flow Control Group

Covering a wide range of sectors including oil, gas, industrial, water, wastewater, sewage, chemical and power generation, the business provides consultancy services including product design, specification, selection, valve sizing, actuation, flow and pressure management, installation and the supply and retrofit of a full range of spares and replacement products.

The Group’s Site Services division specialises in ‘OnSite’ product support. We can undertake both new installations and carry out retrofit of valves and actuators to existing works. Where necessary we can act in a support capacity on client led installations.

The Flow Control Group incorporates fabrication

and machining capabilities and can, in addition to the production of valves and penstocks design and manufacture mounting kits, pedestals, drive bushes, spindles and other ancillary equipment.

Our manufacturing facilities supply bespoke products in accordance with ISO 9001:2015 quality management systems. The business also operates to ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45000:2018 standards operating to the highest Health & Safety and Environmental standards.

Utilising our in-house actuation facility, we can assist with actuator selection, and can fit, set and test actuators prior to delivery. We can also fit actuators on site where necessary.

T 0121 752 8870 sales@cotswoldvalves.co.uk www.cotswoldvalves.co.uk www.flowcontrol.co.uk

Oliver Valves R&D leads a valve revolution

Our Research and Development Centre based in the UK is world-leading in the technology to seal, test and innovate valves for Hydrogen, Carbon Capture and Subsea applications.

One huge part of our R&D operation is automation. As well as giving us the ability and capacity to test multiple projects simultaneously, it also allows us to replicate demanding environments to ensure that valves are qualified to meet the most robust testing criteria in the industry.

To rapidly collect, process, and analyse significant amounts of data from multiple sources, you need a powerful processing capacity with precision and accuracy. Our data processing network is custom-built in-house and is tailored to our valve designs, ensuring that we maximise the performance and safety of each valve we manufacture.

We have a strong mix of engineering skills within R&D which are resulting in amazing achievements, such as designing the first ball valve to be qualified by a thirdparty for hydrogen application. Our engineers are long-serving and have decades of experience and are instrumental in passing on their knowledge and expertise to apprentices joining the business. This invaluable work is reciprocated by their enthusiasm for new engineering technology that’s helping drive and shape our future development projects such as automation.

Each year Oliver places significant investment in its people, processes and systems, and this was certainly evident in 2022 with the installation of new testing rigs in two factories that exceeded the cost of £1m. Yet again, an example of the confidence we have in the future of valves, especially at a time of very difficult challenges and uncertainty that surrounds the UK economy, and with the ongoing energy and cost of living crises. The future looks very positive and we’re well-placed in leading valve development within the energy industry.

www.valves.co.uk

Premier Foods’ Paxo Packaging wins award

Premier Foods decided to replace the PVdC coated packaging film on its Paxo stuffing range as part of its commitment to the UK Plastics Pact.

The challenge to the technical team at National Flexible was to supply a film that:

n Provided consumers with a fully recyclable solution.

n Incorporated as much recycled content as possible.

n Matched the sealing integrity and performance of the PVdC coated film.

n Maintained full food packaging compliance.

The resulting replacement film, developed by National Flexible in conjunction with the polymer supplier and the film manufacturer, was ‘Highly Commended’ in 2 categories at the 2022 UK Packaging Awards held at the London

Park Lane Grosvenor Hotel. The film was ‘Highly Commended’ in the following categories:

n Flexible Plastic Pack Of The Year

n Resource Efficient Pack Of The Year

These awards recognised that the replacement film had 60% recycled content by combining

Post-Consumer Recycled waste (PCR) with industrial regrind, to produce a film which met the Premier Foods commitment to the UK Plastics Pact. Research for the project was over a year in the making and the film was also trialled and approved in conjunction with capital investment in new machinery at the Premier Foods site.

The replacement film also gave the following environmental and sustainable advantages:

n The carbon footprint was reduced by circa 30% thus reducing global warming

potential.

n Acidification is reduced by circa 25%.

n Eutrophication is reduced by circa 25%.

n Photochemical ozone creation potential is reduced by circa 25%.

n Water consumption is reduced by 40%.

n Primary energy demand is reduced by 15%.

n Recycled content of the film reduces the use of virgin material by circa 37 tonnes per annum.

n The film is exempt from The Plastic Packaging Tax.

n (LCA validation was by Thinkstep using Gabi software)

In summary the replacement film eliminates the use of PVdC, which is disruptive to the recycling of plastics. The new film is 100% recyclable, has a lower carbon footprint, reduces the use of virgin material, and has many sustainable

IMHX 2022 The Logistics Solutions Show Review –

The logistics event with the ‘wow’ factor

After a three year hiatus, IMHX – the UK’s premier logistics solutions and intralogistics technology event – returned to Birmingham’s NEC over three action-packed days from 6-8 September 2022 to showcase the developments that are shaping the global logistics industry.

With many of the world’s most innovative & influential manufacturers and suppliers presenting intralogistics solutions ranging from the humblest hand pallet truck to the latest ‘all singing and dancing’ fully automated warehouse system, a visit to IMHX is an absolute must for logistics

professionals who want to remain ahead of the curve in the rapidly changing supply chain world.

A brand new feature of IMHX 2022 was the Sustainability Zone. Combining physical displays, augmented reality, and virtual reality demonstrations, this dedicated area of the show ground gave visitors a ‘deep dive’ into the many steps that companies operating in the supply chain space could take to make sure that they perform as sustainably as possible.

IMHX returns in three years’ time to Birmingham’s NEC from 9-11

September 2025. This is our pick of the best exhibitors from this year’s event, listed here in alphabetical order: BOPLAN® UK LTD, Close Brothers, Hoppecke, Nilfisk & Supply Chain Network. Further details can be found on this page.

www.imhx.net

Safety products on the road

BOPLAN® UK LTD is excited to be exhibiting our products at the following events:

n IntraLogistex, 28th to 29th March 2023 (NEC Birmingham)

n Foodex, 24th to 26th April 2023 (NEC Birmingham)

n The Health & Safety Event, 25th to 27th April 2023 (NEC Birmingham)

n Safety & Health Expo, 16th to 18th May 2023 (ExCeL London)

n PPMA, 26th to 28th September 2023 (NEC Birmingham)

Our industry experts and enthusiastic team both in the UK and our HQ will be focused on providing a level of interactive consultation to overcome the daily challenges faced across your business and industries.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to interact with our innovative products, giving us the chance to network with health & safety officers, buyers and specifiers who oversee the protection of the day-to-day operations and safety of dedicated personnel.

The UK operation based in Wolverhampton will be presenting its market leading products for warehousing, manufacturing, distribution, engineering facilities, public sector transport (Airports, shipping, terminals), food and beverage, automotive, aerospace, and parking.

Products

Anti-slip, Axes Gate, Bollards/Protective Posts, Column protection, Floor line marking Handrails, Rack Protection, Safety Barriers/Guardrails, Safety Gates

Contact: Steven M Dunn, UK Business Unit Manager

T +44 (0)1902 824280 s.dunn@boplan.co.uk

www.boplan.com/en

www.linkedin.com/company/boplan

www.twitter.com/Boplan

www.facebook.com/BoplanGroup

Floorcare and vacuum systems

IMHX 2022 seems a distant memory as the new year gets well under way, but the effects are still being felt. It was our first Warehouse & Logistics show since the pandemic; excited to be back, we led with innovation and new technologies – our Industrial Vacuum range VHB 436 is a cordless industrial vacuum solution which is moving forward from strength to strength. Nilfisk autonomous technology in the form of Liberty SC50 and SC60 Scrubber dryers remain increasingly popular but when cleaning challenges are tough then the warehouse & logistic sector calls upon the Nilfisk combination cleaning machine the CS7010 for its industrial performance; always ready to fulfil the task with efficiency and unrelenting performance.

All eyes now focus on The Cleaning Show at London ExCeL on 14-16 March, Nilfisk are set to present a host of energy saving products across the floorcare range and introduce ground-breaking battery technology across floorcare and Industrial vacuum systems. Our floorcare range is extensive and includes scrubber

dryers, sweepers, commercial and industrial vacuum cleaners, carpet, and steam cleaners. Nilfisk continue to provide best-in-class cleaning performance at a lower total cost of ownership, requiring minimal training and maintenance requirements. Set yourself apart from the competition and visit Nilfisk at The Cleaning Show on stand C5.

www.nilfisk.co.uk

and environmental advantages. This project also demonstrated how collaboration between the technical teams of the customer, the supplier and the film manufacturer can produce a positive outcome. Lydia McCarthy, Procurement Executive of Premier Foods felt that all involved can be proud of what they achieved over the year, whilst George Slack, MD of National Flexible thanked Jon Wriglesworth of Premier Foods for all his work in ensuring that the project had a successful outcome.

NB Environmental Packaging Audits

National Flexible provide (without commitment)

FREE Environmental Packaging Audits, these audits are undertaken by a member of our technical team, along with a machine engineer.

Top Exhibitors

They consider all aspects of the existing packaging operations, including pack design and printing, film selection, pack carbon footprint reduction, machine running speeds and optimum shelf life of the pack contents. These audits invariably result in a resolution in film usage and/or reduced packaging costs.

Please contact Scott McEvoy on 01274 685566 for more details.

Supply Chain Network (SCN)

Completing projects with prestigious clients including Gardiner Brothers Shoes, EDF Hinkley Point C, Clarke Energy, & BBH among others – the Supply Chain Network (SCN) team are specialists in everything Logistics, from Warehouse Modelling and Design to Optimisation and Fit-Out and can help you reach your facility’s capacity & fulfilment potential in 2023 and beyond.

Experts in all aspects of Warehouse and Network Design, The SCN team understands the importance of remaining competitive in what is a very dynamic industry, and the ongoing vital data analysis and physical facility adaptations required to achieve this.

As many changes across all sectors will surely continue to develop throughout 2023, the supply chain industry is constantly adapting as best it can to both technology and labour shifts. The SCN team is aware of this and ensures that all solutions are tailored specifically not only to each client, but to each project and its particular industry. Our philosophy is that “We are in it together” with our clients. We

work to ask questions about their supply chain at all levels. Contact SCN today to learn about the work that we do and to ensure you are ready, and future-proof your business plans and logistics solutions.

T 01529 455340 admin@scnuk.com www.scnuk.com

Reduce your MHE energy bill

The rising cost of living is top of everyone’s agenda, especially when electricity prices have tripled in a few months. Now, Hoppecke UK is helping companies to reduce their MHE energy bills by capitalising on off-peak rates and the latest battery and charger technology.

For businesses operating an electric fleet, there are important considerations around recharging. Assess how much power the truck draws during operation and check the charger’s percentage of inefficiency. Also, calculate the Kw unit cost of your AC mains supply.

It pays to check when you can access low-rate energy because off-peak power can cost around 18%-20% less. Generally, peak rate electricity is available from 06.00

to 22.00, with off-peak power accessible between 22.00 & 06.00, but it does vary between suppliers.

Using the latest technology will save you extra. Hoppecke’s high efficiency TCHF smart charger is 23% more efficient than a standard low frequency charger. Add its Trak-Air system and the TCHF TrakAir can recharge a battery fully in six hours, including end of charge

rest. This fits within the typical off-peak electricity period enabling businesses to make substantial extra savings.

Talk to Hoppecke about reducing your MHE energy bill. Email: sales@hoppecke.co.uk for a free energy audit.

T 01782 667305 sales@hoppecke.co.uk www.hoppecke.com/uk/

Asset finance: Your next option for funding

Asset finance is a form of funding many firms know little about – we take a closer look at the products and why it could be the perfect option for your next purchase.

In short, asset finance is an alternative form of funding used by businesses to obtain the equipment they need to grow or access much-needed cash, and gives businesses access to the equipment they need without incurring the cash flow disadvantage of an outright purchase.

Agreements can also be customised with flexibility on both the term and repayment schedule.

A key product is Refinancing (capital release), which makes your assets work for you and releases cash back into the business. The finance company purchases the asset, financing it back to you, with repayments calculated in line with the income the asset is expected to generate; at the end of the refinance term, you own

the asset.

Funders can also look to take over a finance agreement with another provider and extend the term, reducing monthly payments and easing cash flow pressure.

Other examples of asset finance products are:

n Hire Purchase (HP)

n Finance lease

n Operating lease

For more information, please visit: www.closeasset.co.uk/asset-finance

T 01244 457569

enquiry.manufacturing@closebrothers.com www.closeasset.co.uk/manufacturing

Handling, Storage & Logistics

Re-usable packaging solutions

XPO partners with Hanson UK to transform distribution

to the UK builders’ merchants. Hanson is part of Heidelberg Materials, a global market leader and one of the largest suppliers of low carbon heavy building materials to the construction industry.

Under the new contract, XPO has developed an optimised, digitally managed transport network to manage more than 30,000 deliveries annually from Hanson’s facilities in Warwickshire, East Midlands, North Wales, and Lancashire.

XPO’s proprietary technology will provide Hanson with enhanced delivery visibility, improved health and safety compliance, and bespoke KPI digital dashboards.

together, we are completing a phased implementation of the new distribution model. XPO’s ability to leverage data for continuous improvement will support our growth and help to move us towards our goal for net zero carbon operations by 2050.”

Dan Myers, XPO’s managing director – UK and Ireland, said, “Our collaboration with Hanson already feels like a longestablished relationship between two trusted partners. From the first day of working together, the combined team have committed to a seamless implementation, and I thank them for their efforts. Together, we are implementing a marketleading platform to serve Hanson’s customers and support their success.”

XPO, a leading provider of freight transportation services, has entered into a multi-year partnership with Hanson UK to distribute packed cement and cementitious materials

Gareth Price, technical director, Hanson Cement, said, “XPO is the ideal partner to enhance the reliability and sustainability of our transport operations in the UK. Working

http://europe.xpo.com

Loadhog designs and innovates its products to ensure that the plastic used is re-usable for as long as possible, has the best carbon rating with a low number of additives. This enables the materials to easily be recycled so that the material can be repurposed into a new packaging design.

Loadhog has noticed a rising demand in the market to remove single use materials, especially as the price is increasing for these materials. This aligns with companies wanting support with the reduction of their carbon footprints due to an increase in pressure from governments and the public. By making the switch now it will put companies at a greater competitor advantage compared to those making a last-minute switch when carbon reports are audited more closely.

Loadhog re-usable packaging solutions eliminate single use packaging throughout the supply chain. The Loadhog Pallet Lid is one of the company’s most sought-after single-use packaging replacers, a perfect eco-friendly re-usable substitute to stretch wrap and now it can be manufactured with recycled materials. The Loadhog Pallet Lid enabled Sky and Unipart Logistics to remove all single use packaging from their supply chain. This robust pallet lid securing solution, with retractable straps and an integrated tensioning mechanism, creates quick waste-free pallet security. This resulted in eliminating 10.2 tonnes of plastic wrap per annum, which is equivalent to 79,200 pallets of single use plastic per year.

Earlier this year Loadhog launched the Autotote. The Autotote is the next development in intralogistics containers. It is perfectly designed to offer smooth silent running, with its single shot double skin strengthen base and cantilever edges. The importance of automation is growing, with estimates suggesting the global intralogistics market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 15.5% from 2020 to 2030. This is pushing more organisations towards future proofing their supply chains. The Autotote advances all aspects of the supply chain from improving accuracy and speed, to reducing waste, and is suitable for all conveyors and transfer units, with an optimised base design that reduces deflection and noise.

As well as the Autotote, Loadhog introduced the Omnimax, an omnichannel container that can be used throughout the whole supply chain. This includes working with automation systems to maximise picking efficiency in the warehouse, to increasing vehicle fill during transport to the store and for deliveries to the end customer. In accordance with FM Global regulations, the Omnimax can also be manufactured with drainage holes to allow water to drain away in the event of a fire.

Visit: www.loadhog.com for more information about how our services can improve your sustainability moving forward and see how other companies have greatly benefited through working with us. Our team will work with you to discuss your needs and provide the most effective solution you require. Also, read more about how we are trying to improve sustainable solutions and reducing your carbon footprint here: https:// loadhog.com/future-sustainable-packaging/

OnRobot drives market growth with groundbreaking D:PLOY platform delivering unrivalled reductions in application deployment time

Delivering on its mission to break down automation barriers and bring the benefits of collaborative automation to businesses of all sizes, OnRobot has launched D:PLOY, its highly anticipated flagship platform, for worldwide availability. D:PLOY is the industry’s first automated platform for building, running, monitoring, and re-deploying collaborative applications. By automating the process of getting a robotic application up and running, D:PLOY allows complete applications to be deployed and redeployed directly on the manufacturing floor in a few simple steps, with zero programming – all within a few hours. At launch, the D:PLOY platform supports palletising, CNC machine tending, packaging, and transferring (pick-and-place) applications, with future announcements planned for additional processes.

“The D:PLOY platform and its ability to truly democratise automation has been OnRobot’s goal from the beginning, and we have been laying the groundwork for years,” said Enrico Krog Iversen, OnRobot CEO. “Today, we offer the industry’s broadest range of tools and application solutions for every leading robot brand – all based on our ‘One System, Zero Complexity’ philosophy. Now that the building blocks are in place, we can finally launch the first version of D:PLOY, which will be a market enabler across the industry.”

D:PLOY addresses one of the industry’s greatest challenges: the shortage of skilled robotics engineers and integrators who can help smaller, less-experienced manufacturers break through existing barriers to automation.

Simon Potzkai, Robotics Sales Engineer at Alexander Bürkle, an OnRobot system integrator and a D:PLOY beta tester, said, “D:PLOY simplifies the task of building and integrating a robotic cell with an innovative approach that doesn’t require any type of programming. With the current shortage of engineers, that’s a huge advantage for integrators. By making it easier and faster for us to deploy automation, we can serve more customers and help them more quickly realise the advantages of automation. That’s a win-win for everyone.”

As an automated platform that works with many leading robot brands and can be applied to a wide range of common applications, D:PLOY can help speed up robotic adoption within the large untapped segment of small & mid-sized enterprises.

Alan Vallis, Training and Development Manager at LG Motion Ltd, an OnRobot distributor, said, “D:PLOY will make automation accessible for companies who may be a bit reluctant, whether it is related to cost or in-house skills and competences. I think D:PLOY will demystify a lot of that.”

How D:PLOY works

D:PLOY automates many of the manual steps necessary today for building and running an application. D:PLOY automatically discovers most of the installed hardware, and generates the robot motion based on the obstacles and cell boundaries defined in the workspace. The program logic, signals exchange, event handling, and robot movement are automatically created for the entire application based on a few inputs such as workpiece attributes and pick position.

D:PLOY offers unrivalled reduction in robotic cell deployment time and complexity. For example, initial deployment of a palletising application drops from 40 hours to 4 hours, for a 90% time savings. Just as critically, when production requirements change, D:PLOY gives the flexibility to quickly re-deploy the application for new products or workpieces. Real-time monitoring improves productivity and minimises downtime.

About OnRobot

OnRobot A/S was founded in 2018 with the mission of breaking down automation barriers and bringing the benefits of automation to manufacturers of all sizes. Headquartered in Odense, Denmark, with offices spread across the globe, OnRobot is the

world’s leading provider of the broadest range of tools and application solutions for collaborative applications. All offerings are based on the same ‘One System, Zero Complexity’ philosophy, delivering a unified interfacing experience. OnRobot products and solutions are provided through more than 700 distribution and system integration partners and used in many different industries, making it easier and faster to automate tasks such as material handling, machine tending, assembly, and surface finishing.

Contact: Vikram Kumar, OnRobot GM for North Europe, UK and Ireland Vikram.kumar@onrobot.com www.onrobot.com

D:PLOY automates robotic deployment for multiple applications directly on the factory floor with zero programming or simulation needed, resulting in dramatic time savings of up to 90% over conventional solutions

D:PLOY Palletising

D:PLOY Packaging

D:PLOY CNC

Enrico Krog Iversen, OnRobot CEO

UK Metals Expo Review – Top Exhibitors

UK Metals Expo

By 2030, a modern and progressive UK Metals Industry will be supplying high quality, innovative and competitively priced products to a wide range of customers. It will be the principal supplier to the UK’s main manufacturers and infrastructure projects, and a leading global exporter.

The UK metals industry is seen by many as a sleeping giant – self-sufficient and slow to change. The reality is that it is a uniquely placed powerhouse of UK industry with many of its own challenges and opportunities. Coming years will see the need to rise to some significant challenges such as skills shortages, recycling effectively and trading post Brexit.

The UK Metals Expo, held at Birmingham’s NEC from 14-15 September 2022, was the first time that the entire industry was both represented and brought together fully under one roof.

UK Metals Expo benefited from full endorsement and collaboration from the UK Metals Council, its member trade associations and numerous other industry bodies.

With a new Governing Body chaired by Lord Rupert Redesdale the influence of the event was year-round with major initiatives, challenges and successes discussed and presented in detail in the show floor theatres.

The entire metals supply chain was represented from

NIRONIT Edelstahl: The future looks bright!

primary metal manufacture, supply chain management, processing metals, fabrication, surface coatings & recycling with industry experts, leading vendors and trade attendees.

Theatre themes included Supply Chains, Innovation, Skills, Circular Economy and Resources. These set the tone for the event which was heavily driven by sharing an agenda driven each year by the Governing Body.

The UK Metals Expo returns this year to Birmingham’s NEC from 13-14 September 2023. This is our pick of the best exhibitors from last year’s event, listed here in alphabetical order: Confederation of British Metalforming, Henan Yongtong Aluminium Co Ltd, BIBUS Metals Ltd, Hydro, NIRONIT Edelstahl & Righton Blackburns. Further details can be found on this page and the next.

https://ukmetalsexpo.com/

UK sales team for Chinese rolling mill

Henan Yongtong Aluminium Co Ltd, known as YOTO, has taken the bold step of being the first Chinese Aluminium Rolling Mill to have a dedicated sales team in the UK. This is a first for one of China’s top 5 rolling mills, producing over 600,000 tonnes of aluminium flat rolled products per year.

Simon and Fred, with over 50 years of joint experience in the aluminium industry, offer a first hand insight into the commercial benefits of buying directly from a China mill with the contacts and assurances needed to guide you through the buying and importing of aluminium from a quality mill.

YOTO majors in 1000/3000/8000 series alloys with a new 5000 series line coming on stream later in 2023. Through Yoto’s exclusive export hub, Shanghai Defeller International Trading Co Ltd, we are able to offer a full range of aluminium flat rolled products in all ranges of sizes and alloys.

Our services are open to companies that historically buy from European mills that are looking for cost savings without compromising on quality, and

Hydro Extrusions

At the heart of our offerings lies our knowledge and experience in aluminium extrusions and manufacturing processes. Education, design, manufacturing, fabrication, surface treatment, finishing and logistics – we offer unmatched capabilities, knowledge and competence in finding the best possible solution for your aluminium project every time.

Hydro is pushing the boundaries for low carbon aluminium and use of post-consumer scrap to create recycled alloys and products helping our customers on the path to zero emissions. We offer certified aluminium products with a transparent footprint.

Sustainability is no longer a competitive

companies that buy in volumes that are sufficient to merit ordering in full containers.

To lean more about Yoto/Defeller UK, please contact our UK Sales Managers:

Contact: Fred Keery, UK Sales Manager

M 07902 718717 fred@defeller-aluminium.co.uk

Contact: Simon Small, UK Sales Manager

M 07790 104221 simon@defeller-aluminium.co.uk www.yotoalu.com

edge, but a necessity for remaining viable in a society governed by global climate action. As standards evolve, industries must work to find innovative ways of changing the way the world consumes.

Aluminium is full of untapped potential for being a more sustainable metal of choice and a key player in the circular economy. We are exploiting aluminium’s infinite recyclability and usability to lower carbon footprints by offering low-carbon and recycled aluminium.

Hydro Extrusions serves customers in all industries, from automotive to building and construction, electronics, offshore and maritime. Our experts help design and manufacture customised extrusions to fully

Righton Blackburns

Righton Blackburns is an independent metals and plastics supplier to a diverse customer base including; the repetition machining, safety-critical, aerospace, oil & gas and engineering markets.

In 2022, the company announced the formation of a specialist division to distribute powder metals – Righton Blackburns Powder Metals.

Righton Blackburns Powder Metals is the sole UK distributor of Liberty Powder Metals and supplies an extensive range of powders from steels and stainless steel, nickel superalloys, cobalt chrome, aluminium and titanium alloys.

Powder Metals from Righton Blackburns are

designed and produced at a state-of-the-art facility in the UK and customers can expect a world beating service and manufacturer support that is second to none.

Providing vacuum inert gas atomisation in argon of steel, nickel and cobalt alloys deploying anti-satellite technology and plasma atomised titanium and aluminium alloys, they deliver highly spherical metal powders resulting in excellent flow and packing characteristics which is essential for metal additive manufacturing, PMHIP and near net shape production.

All powder metals are application optimised, customisation options including powder size distribution, chemistry adjustment and new

Our company includes about 67 employees who are located in the north of Germany – the main office in Rosengarten near Hamburg, our production in Bremen and the additional stock in Prinzhöfte near Bremen. We invest annually in the expansion of our stock assortment. Our strengths are stocking of classic stainless steels, such as the 304/304L, 316L, 316Ti and 321. In addition, we stock numerous special grades like 253MA, 254SMO, duplex and super duplex, AISI 410, AISI 347/H, AISI 904L, AISI 310S, AISI 304H and Grade 91 Cl. 2, that are used in various apparatus and projects.

Our second main pillar, the service centre with its own water jet systems, plasma systems and saws, as well as a brand-new straightening unit and deburring machine since December 2022 is able to deliver a fullservice treatment for our customers. Moreover, our machinery will be expanded by a new laser system in 2023 in order to be able to fulfil all our customers' wishes in the future. Since we have an international team in the export department, we can deliver to

companies all over the world.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact

T +49 4108 4301-0

F +49 4108 4301-43

info@nironit.de www.nironit.de

Confederation of British Metalforming

The Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM) is the UK’s only specialist manufacturer organisation for experts in Metalforming. We have very strong membership retention and are here to serve our members’ needs.

The CBM has a strong voice which is heard within Government and the wider manufacturing industry. We hold a weekly meeting with the Department for Business, and a number of CBM members attend these meetings, providing evidence from the coal face of challenges facing the industry. Recent Government lobbying has resulted in increased quotas on steel safeguard measures, saving members many thousands of pounds a year. We are active in inputting into many Government policies and consultations affected the Metalforming industry.

The CBM have for over 20 years been accredited to run a climate change energy tax rebate scheme with the Environment Agency, saving its members over £4m per year that they would otherwise pay

fabricated components.

Our locations across the UK consist of manufacturing plants, fabrication and components, extrusion die, casthouses, surface treatment, thermal break, building systems and pole products.

T +44 (0)191 301 1200 marketing.extrusion.uk@hydro.com www.hydro.com

in this energy tax.

We are also working hard to address the skills and labour shortage that the industry faces, we have recently developed and had approved a degree level apprenticeship standard and are currently working on the development of 2 more standards at Level 3.

If you would like to be part of CBM and find out more about how we can help your business, then please get in touch via email at: info@thecbm.co.uk or call 0121 601 6350.

alloy development are available upon request.

A trusted supply partner for consistently high-quality metals and plastics, Righton Blackburns is accredited to EN9100, ISO 9001, AS 9120 in addition to numerous 2nd party approvals.

www.rightonblackburns.co.uk

This spring’s special offer: room only up to 10 people – £150

The next time you’re planning a meeting, exhibition, training session or seminar, take the pressure off your own office space & give attendees something special with our discount room hire.

The NMC Venue, home to CBM ticks all of the boxes for a great place to meet:

✔ Convenient West Midlands location just 200 yards from Junction 1 of the M5

✔ Free and secure parking

✔ Spaces that work well for hosting meetings for up to 66 people

✔ Free Wi-Fi for all attendees

✔ Free unlimited tea & coffee

✔ Out-of-hours availability – so you can hold meetings early in the morning, into the evening and at weekends

✔ Catering from renowned providers, with a range of options to meet your needs

To learn more and enquire about dates, call Marie Williams on 0121 601 6350 or email: reception@nmcvenue.com For more information, visit: www.NMCvenue.com

SPECIAL 10% DISCOUNT FOR CBM MEMBERS ON MEETING ROOM HIRE

UK Metals Expo Review – Top Exhibitors

BIBUS METALS Ltd smashes its first UK Metals Expo

BIBUS METALS Ltd had a busy two days exhibiting at the UK Metals Expo 2022 on the 14-15 September at the NEC in Birmingham.

BIBUS Metals Ltd., located in Herefordshire, West Midlands, forms part of the BIBUS Metals Group. Globally, via numerous locations across Europe and Asia, BIBUS are one of the leading stockists and distributors for high-performance nickel-based and titanium alloys, supplying industries such as aerospace, chemical, thermal processing and automotive, amongst others. Strategically positioned warehouses and wide-ranging stocks give the BIBUS Metals Group the ability to react swiftly to valued customer demand and provide material from stock at both rapid leadtimes and/or scheduled drop requirements.

In an exclusive agreement with Special Metals Welding Products Company (SMWPC), BIBUS Metals Ltd. is the official UK stockist and distributor for all SMWPC welding consumables. As a result, BIBUS can offer welding consumables (MIG, TIG and electrodes) from stock to complement the nickel-based alloy products sold by the group (bar, tube, pipe, sheet, plate and foil).

BIBUS Metals Ltd., who are ISO9001/AS9120 approved, recently exhibited at the inaugural UK Metals Expo and enjoyed meeting both existing contacts and developing relationships with new customers and suppliers. BIBUS Metals Ltd. is very much looking forward to exhibiting at the Expo again in 2023 as it strives to continue to “support your success”.

T 01432 842904 info@bibusmetals.co.uk www.bibusmetals.uk

Extreme heat PPE

EDCProtection

is the market leader in France for personal protective equipment (PPE) designed to protect personnel working in extreme heat conditions.

EDC Protection offers the most innovative and reliable thermal protection on the French market, incorporating cutting-edge technologies tested and approved in its laboratory. As a specialist, it has acquired extensive knowledge of thermal risks and is able to offer end-users the solutions best suited to the constraints of their professions.

EDC Protection aluminised garments are used throughout the steel, foundry, glassware, cement and fire services industries, and even by volcanologists. Their role is to protect personnel at work against flames, intense heat and splashes of molten materials of up to 2,000°C.

In order to provide protection for personnel subject to identified risks, EDC Protection offers a complete range of Category 2 or 3 PPE that meets the specific protection standards.

Contact: Alan Vickerstaff

M 07710 098958 alan.vickerstaff@edc-protection.com www.edc-protection.com/en/

Surface Finishing High quality surface treatments

Curtiss-Wright Surface Technologies (CWST) provides high quality surface treatments which will improve the life and performance of critical components through its global network of over 70 operating divisions and specialist onsite teams.

Our surface treatments have been successfully used by OEMs in major industries such as aerospace, automotive, oil & gas and power generation for many years.

We are only too aware of the logistical challenges and costs faced by our customers and so we can offer a ‘One Stop Shop’ solution providing a wide range of surface treatments including Controlled Shot and Laser Shock Peening, bespoke and trade Coating Applications,

Thermal Spray Coatings and Parylene Coatings for metal, alloy, plastic and electronic components as well as Analytical Services.

We offer our customers a single source solution and point of contact for all their surface treatments, supporting their requirements through our global network of over 70 worldwide facilities and on-site field teams, improving and reducing turnaround times and costs.

We are specialists in protecting components from common failures and reducing maintenance costs for key industries such as aerospace, oil and gas, automotive, medical and general industrial markets.

T 01635 279621 eurosales@cwst.com www.cwst.co.uk

Lab Equipment Manufacturing Company of the Month

Contributing to society through science and technology

In this issue of Industrial Process News, we are pleased to announce Shimadzu as our Lab Equipment Manufacturing Company of the Month.

As a conscientious, customer focused company, Shimadzu places its customers at the heart of all its activity. Employing more than 4,000 people in R&D only, the company strives to continuously innovate and improve its technical solutions and advance analytical sciences here in the UK & across the globe.

“Within the last five years we released over 40 new analytical products. We not only supply innovative, robust and reliable technology, we support our customers on their entire journey from initial requirements, methodology design and installation to exceptional post-sales support and service including continuous training and development. We also support young analytical scientists in the UK with training, funding and co-supervising on laboratory projects,” stated Anna Cooper, Ph.D. | UK Marketing Manager.

Established in

1875 by Genzo Shimadzu Sr, Shimadzu is a global corporation that is built on trust, honesty and integrity.

Today, Shimadzu works broadly across six market areas; Analytical

& Measuring Equipment, Aircraft Equipment, Medical Devices, Hydraulic Equipment, Optical devices, and Vacuum & Industrial Machinery. The UK subsidiary of Shimadzu mainly works to provide analytical, life science and materials testing equipment and has two main components which are the Centre of Excellence in Milton Keynes, where Shimadzu hosts demos, training sessions and works on key applications and its R&D campus and production facility that are both based in Manchester. Here the company designs, develops and produces new and existing instruments from MALDI (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionisation) range and software for its customers both in the UK and globally. Furthermore, Shimadzu UK also has links with leading Universities in the UK and around the world for developing the future of Mass Spectrometry within the UK.

One notable objective of Shimadzu UK is to continually support its customers with application

Research Company of the Month

support, optimising workflows, training requirements and development of new solutions. The company has developed a brand-new online portal pack that is full of useful LC/LCMS, GC/GCMS and Spectrometry resources. The resources include Troubleshooting guides, Tips for Maintenance & Troubleshooting, Tips for practical analysis of various sample types, Basic & Advanced webinar series, and Fundamentals & Key Principles of various analytical techniques. www.shimadzu.co.uk/form/eresources

Shimadzu UK works across a variety of fields including pharmaceutical laboratories, environmental & energy, water testing, clinical/hospital labs, academia, food safety, chemicals, materials testing, and transport solutions. Its long-standing history serving society through science and technology reflects in its commitment to continue developing innovative technologies whilst providing excellent support and training designed to improve the quality and skills of scientists and researchers alike. “This ethos is demonstrated by Shimadzu’s consultative, trusted and transparent approach to all scientists and researchers out there looking to expand their

scientific capabilities,” added Anna.

Since COVID-19, the emphasis on science, research and innovation has accelerated. In response to this, Shimadzu delivered the Advanced i-Series UHPLC, a solution to support analytical laboratories around the world by providing intelligent instrumentation with better automation, remote access, and analytical intelligence. Offering key technologies to support a ‘New Normal’ in the laboratory, the Advanced i-Series is the first UHPLC series designed to support remote workstyle, keeping the safety of scientists, researchers and laboratory staff at the heart of its design. The ability to use remote operation and monitoring reduces lab time by 60%, and operators can even set up the i-Series to start at a specific time. Remote operation and data processing is also user friendly and can be linked to a smart device or web browser allowing analysts to remotely implement methods, set batch analysis, analyse results and create reports while working from home.

It’s technologies such as these that promote excellence in science globally. Shimadzu offer an extensive level of expertise and experience to life sciences here in the UK and around the world, and with 150 years of success behind them, who knows what the next 150 years will bring.

T 01908 552209

info@shimadzu.co.uk

www.shimadzu.com

www.shimadzu.co.uk

Unique Scottish Chemistry alliance links up universities, industries and communities

Industrial Process News welcomes innovative scientific research and ScotCHEM fits the bill making it our celebrated Research Company of the Month.

Chemistry has historically brought many life-saving and life-changing discoveries: from Alexander Fleming’s penicillin and Frederick Sanger’s insulin, to plastics and petrol. Today’s Chemists study everything from drugs to combat malaria and COVID-19 to developing completely recyclable materials. From the periodic table in schools to undergraduates looking at preserving precious metals such as gallium nitride in modern LED lightbulbs, Chemistry is at the forefront of medical research, renewable energy and climate change solutions.

ScotCHEM research pool for chemistry was the original brain child of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) in a bid to encourage the best researchers across the Scottish Higher education sector to collaborate. The Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews are regularly ranked as the top four universities for Chemistry in the UK according to The Complete University Guide. Scotland has long held the position as a leading global centre for chemistry discoveries in universities and across chemistry research companies.

The chemical sector is Scotland’s second export earner employing an astonishing 11,000 people across 240 organisations. Across a plethora of subjects from health, agriculture, technology and the environment, ScotCHEM has been working with over 200 academics, training 650 Ph.D. students with robust funding totalling £150,000,000.

In February 2023 the SFC funding will cease and ScotCHEM will begin trading as a not-forprofit public company. The Royal Society of Chemistry has been reviewing the future of chemical sciences for some considerable time and one of its recommendations was a merging of blue-sky-led university initiatives with more industry-based solutions.

Professor Suzanne Halden, ScotSCHEM Communications & Strategy’s lead explains how ScotCHEM has evolved to meet these recommendations.

“ScotCHEM is the strategic alliance for the chemical sciences in Scotland. We connect industry, academic expertise, government, the third sector and the public. We aim to enhance Scotland's research impact and translation, driving innovation. We promote and support Scotland’s chemistryrelated industries and researchers, brokering strategic partnerships to address critical challenges. Skills delivery is core to our mission, and we engage with communities to ensure every citizen benefits from chemistry. We work across the whole of Scotland, with bases at the University of St Andrews and Forth Valley College (Falkirk).”

The three focus areas are ScotCHEM ACADEMIA, ScotCHEM INDUSTRIES and ScotCHEM COMMUNITIES:

n Firstly, ACADEMIA pools together the top leading chemistry research across all the Scottish universities with collaboration from higher education colleges to deliver first-class employability training and much needed industry-focused skills.

n Secondly, INDUSTRIES connects university research to industry expertise to deliver impactful solutions and facilitate employability skills. The unique collaboration will act as a lobbying voice through to top Scottish Ministerial levels.

The Scottish Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise will sit on the new Industry Leadership Group.

n Lastly, COMMUNITIES will maximise relationships between schools, communities and individuals strengthening STEM subjects through all stages of the education journey.

ScotCHEM is the only Scottish organisation that will facilitate a channel across academia, industry, government, the third sector and the general public across the chemical sciences allowing future young people to access the best training and work towards solutions in many societal, medical and environmental pressing areas. Professor Halden maintains that ScotCHEM is an important investment for the future of chemical sciences in Scotland.

“As a nation, Scotland is well positioned to lead in many areas related to society’s grand challenges. From decarbonising industries and safeguarding the health of the nation to ensuring our schools, colleges, and universities are training future workforces with required skills, chemical sciences will provide many of the solutions.”

To find out more about this innovative project, see website below: www.scotchem.ac.uk

Test, Measurement & Laboratory

Load cell, torque and pressure sensor specialist – People and products you can trust

Interface is an internationally recognised brand and decades of experience have gone into making Interface manufactured load cells the benchmark for thousands of users around the world, and Interface Force Measurements was established in 1996 by Neil Johnstone.

Based in Crowthorne, Berkshire, and covering the whole of the UK, Interface Force Measurements was originally established as the exclusive UK distributor for the well-known Interface Inc load cells. Since then, the company has expanded its product range into associated electronics, data collection, torque and pressure sensors and XSensor pressure mapping systems. All of these products complement one another as they are often supplied to the same customers, and the company also offers calibration and repair services to support its products.

As specialist force, torque and pressure sensor suppliers, Interface product reliability is second to none and all of its product lines have to match the highest standards. Early in 2022, the company launched an E-commerce site, store. interfaceforce.co.uk from which customers can purchase load cells from the Interface G-series of small form factor load cells at competitive prices.

The store includes detailed photos, which you can zoom in on, a wide product range, product descriptions and Google Pay options. While many companies in the industry are seeing lead times extend, the target of Interface is to supply small volume orders from stock on a nextbusiness-day delivery promise.

The latest range of force measurement sensors, the G-Series Industrial Load Cells and Load Buttons are a range of miniature and small sensors for industrial

Titan’s ultrasonic flowmeters ideal for pharmaceutical facilities

applications. Capacities for the Interface G-Series Industrial Load Cells start from just 4.5N Newton up to 200kN with metric threads, and these fully stainless-steel load cells offer an environmental protection rating of IP64 or better.

A large network of distributors outside of the US represents the global Interface Inc., and they have requested products that are designed and manufactured in metric, with the precision and accuracy of all Interface products. These products are designed for an international buyer and user, and all specifications are in metric specs, a global standard for force measurement products.

Distributors of Interface have direct competition in market for force measurement solutions, as competitors are manufacturing in regions outside of US, soaking up short‐term demands. Interface Global provides a benefit of near market production, shortening the time and cost to receive quality Interface products. Interface Global presents a new opportunity to brand solutions for a global audience.

Into this saturated marketplace, Interface load cells and torque sensors have a hard-won reputation for reliable, accurate and repeatable test results. The range of pressure sensors and pressure mapping systems from industry leaders GP50 and XSensor back this reputation. Interface also has a very wide customer base, from research and development engineers and designers in the aerospace, automotive, and autosport industries, to production control engineers, renewable and alternative energy

and university engineering departments and students.

Interface is the world’s trusted leader in technology, design and manufacturing of force measurement solutions. Its clients include a ‘who’s who’ of the aerospace, automotive and vehicle, medical device, energy, industrial manufacturing, test and measurement industries.

Interface engineers around the world are empowered to create high-level tools and solutions that deliver consistent, high-quality performance. These products include load cells, torque transducers, multi-axis sensors, wireless telemetry, instrumentation and calibration equipment.

As it looks to the future, Interface is developing solutions for remote monitoring which involve both Bluetooth and GSM-based solutions via a phone app. This will offer the ability to monitor sensors from almost anywhere.

Contact T +44 (0)1344 776666 info@interface.uk.com www.interfaceforce.co.uk

New E-commerce site from Interface Force Measurements

Interface Force Measurements, suppliers of the popular and whisper-quiet 1,200 precision series load cells are pleased to announce the launch of a brand new E-commerce website where you’ll be able to order your load buttons, in-line load cells and mini s-beam load cells.

Going live on the 1st of April, https:// store.interfaceforce.co.uk will feature the Interface G-Series of load buttons, in-line load cells and mini S-beam load cells. The Interface G-series has all the quality, reliability and performance you’d expect from a force transducer bearing the Interface name, but at very competitive prices.

https://store.interfaceforce.co.uk will offer our G-Series load cells on short lead times with next business day delivery for small quantities being the aim. Interface load cells at competitive prices with all the convenience purchasing online offers, what’s not to like?

The Interface G-Series was launched around one year ago, becoming a popular product range with students,

sensor offering accuracy, repeatability and Interface quality. All G-Series load buttons and load cells feature:

n Full stainless steel construction

n Individual calibration certificates to NIST traceable standards

n High output at 2mV/V

n Capacities from 4.5newtons to 50kN

If you are interested in placing volume orders or have an OEM application that G-Series products might be suitable for, please contact us directly.

Contact: Interface Force Measurements Ltd, T 01344 776666 info@interface.uk.com www.interfaceforce.co.uk E-commerce: store.interfaceforce.co.uk

Production of pharmaceutical drugs presents difficult challenges for process instrumentation used to monitor and optimise the process. Typically drug production processes require devices able to cope with low flow rates and constructed from ultra-pure materials to maintain hygienic, sterile & sanitary conditions. Designed initially for the chemical and electronics industries, Titan Enterprises’ Metraflow® is a non-invasive, chemically inert ultrasonic flowmeter. Optimised in its material and technological construction, the Metraflow’s single, clear bore removes any risk of nucleation or leak points where impurities could cause product contamination or impact process efficiency, making it a superior choice within pharmaceutical, medical and laboratory applications. Metraflow’s high performance PFA polymer tubing offers excellent chemical compatibility and an ultra-high grade of purity. The FDA-approved single PFA tube is highly resistant to corrosive chemicals & solvents, making it superior to PTFA. Non-intrusive with no internal moving parts, Metraflow® gives an accuracy of ±0.5% FSD and ±0.1% repeatability across flow ranges from 20 to 5,000ml/min. Highly suited to aggressive chemical and ultra-pure water flow measurement, the Metraflow® is ideal for use in laboratory applications.

Included in Titan’s ultrasonic range of flowmeters, the Metraflow® incorporates Titan’s patented ultrasonic technology with sophisticated electronics, supported with Titan’s proprietary USB interface software. https://flowmeters.co.uk/product/ metraflow-ultra-pure-water-pfa-ultrasonic-flow-meters/

Predictive maintenance for Thyracont Smartline™ transducers

Thyracont’s digital

Smartline transducers with modern combination sensors measure in range of rough to high vacuum, offering outstanding reliability and precision. Beside the classic analogue 0-10 V output, their digital interfaces RS485, EtherCAT and Profinet allow intelligent connection to PLCs.

All transducers with RS485 interface already provide all necessary parameters to support predictive maintenance. By beginning of the new year, these maintenance parameters will also be accessible via the transducers’ Profinet interface. This enables a direct integration into an existing Profinet network with PLC, which can take over the entire monitoring of the process.

Users can check the degree of sensor wear and corrosion, the time of the last adjustment as well as operation hours. Thereby, service intervals can be better planned, possible spare parts ordered in time and systems run times optimised. Naturally, all parameters can also be accessed by means of Thyracont’s VacuGraph -Software.

By implementation of Profinet and the associated opening against OPC UA (eg. by a PLC) Thyracont Smartline transducers establish a basis for industry 4.0. The functionality of these devices will remain geared to the latest standards of industry 4.0 in the future.

www.thyracont-vacuum.com

Engineering Company of the Month

Cutting edge fabrication with high apprenticeship retention helps plug manufacturing gap

Industrial Process News would like to award Grenville Engineering Company of the Month for innovative services.

Grenville Engineering has been a leading Precision Sheet Metal Fabricator for the last thirty eight years.

Established by Managing Director, Mark Barratt, in 1984, the company now operate from a 55,000ft2 premises in Stoke-on-Trent. The central Midlands location is ideally placed to meet customer needs across many sectors including life manufacturers, renewable energy, site services, petrochemical, medical, HVAC, rail, garden products, materials handling, yellow goods, building and automotive.

Helen Rawlinson, Marketing Assistant, explains how expertise is at the heart of the company, “Customercentric solutions are at the heart of what Grenville Engineering is all about. With 25% of employees having over 20+ years of service, 7 of whom have 30+ years of service. We collaborate intensely with our customers to ensure that we produce the highest quality products from carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminium to all specifications, without compromising on quality.”

The company has one eye to the future with an

extensive manufacturing apprenticeship programme with excellent retention results. Many of the senior positions started as apprentices including the Sales Director (27 years), Responsible Welding Co-Ordinator (24 years), Fabricator (20 years) and Team Leader (18 years).

The company has an in-house design team that can bring concepts to manufacturing using the latest 3D CAD software such as a recent heavy-duty weighing trolley for the retail warehousing sector. The team made a protype which included digital weighing scales and internal power supply. After regular inspections during the manufacturing process the trolley was successfully rolled out into the warehouse. The customer was delighted with the design: “Grenville Engineering are a key supplier for our fabrication needs, continuously setting a high standard of customer service, quality and delivery performance. Our strong partnership continues to grow, a testament to the performance of the company.”

This leading conglomerate offers a complete service from customer design, to laser-cutting, metal punching, plastic injection moulding, glass making, sheet metal forming, metal welding, assembly,

machining through to transportation of products.

The company are committed to fabricating first-class products using the latest cutting-edge machinery. “Last year we invested over £900,000 in the latest laser cutting, bending and punching technology to increase our capabilities and capacity. One of the two key investments was a 10kW Bystronic Bysprint 3015 3000 x 1500 bed fibre laser installed in September 2021. This complemented existing 6kw and 3kW Trumpf fibre laser machines. The Bysprint cuts mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass and copper, which cuts up to 25mm. The faster speed of this machine has helped us to increase our capacity and by using nitrogen can cut thicker materials which have helped us break into new markets. The other key investment was the Loewer 4TD-1000 disc master machine. Its primary function is for the edge deburring of laser cut parts to ensure the customer receives parts with the best possible finish.”

With a new 3,500ft2 manufacturing space and office facilities planned over the coming year the company are committed to expanding its existing capabilities.

The company were previously featured by IPN as one of the top exhibitors at this summer’s Subcon

Materials Testing 2022 Review – Top Exhibitors

The place to meet & do business

Materials Testing – the most comprehensive exhibition in the world of testing for quality, non-destructive testing (NDT), materials testing, condition monitoring and diagnostic technology – returned in 2022 with a new range of features and industry speakers.

Materials Testing 2022 took place from 6-8 September in Telford, UK and was the premier forum for a concentration of materials testing innovation and excellence. A host of initiatives made the exhibition a unique opportunity for the entire materials testing industry to meet and do business.

Materials Testing 2022 was free of charge for visitors, who benefited not only from a concentration of materials testing innovation and excellence, but also from an enhanced programme of talks and seminars in the exhibition hall, covering practical aspects of NDT and related technologies.

Materials Testing 2022 presented companies with a major forum for promoting their products and services and interfacing with their markets; a unique opportunity to: present the latest technologies, source new contacts, meet

industry colleagues, keep up-to-date, and get new business.

The UK Metals Expo will return in 2024. This is our pick of the best exhibitors from last year’s event, listed here in alphabetical order: IE-NDT Ltd, Magnaflux & Ultrasonic Sciences Ltd. Further details can be found on this page. www.bindt.org/events/materials-testing-2022/

Ultrasonic Sciences Ltd

USL is a specialist in the design and manufacture of ultrasonic instrumentation and bespoke automated NDE inspection systems. Over the past 40 years, USL has supplied hundreds of machines around the globe, each designed around the specific application, the components to be inspected and the strategy required.

From simple to complex surface geometry components, machines have been supplied from 2 to 24 axes, from small desktop systems to large installations over 40m long. USL is a turnkey supplier and as such takes care of the full system – from in-house design and manufacture to shipment, installation, on-site commissioning and operator training as well as maintenance, calibration and ongoing system support.

System specific configurations can be based on linear (cartesian), robotic mechanisms, or a combination of both. System types include immersion, flatbed, complex geometry, dual tower, robotic, MRO specific, eddy current and thermography as well as custom

applications.

All USL systems include USL Scanner – a full featured inspection software taking care of motion control, ultrasonic parameters, 3D scan profile design, data acquisition and analysis in a single software package. Contact USL’s technical consultants to assist you with specifying the right type of system for your application. www.ultrasonic-sciences.co.uk

trade exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham. The trade promotion created interest from new industry sectors. Humanoid Productions has also recently made a bespoke corporate video creating a virtual ‘shop window’ of the fabrication process for all interested parties.

Helen illustrates the trajectory year ahead for the company, “We continue to grow year-on-year and are currently ahead of this year's targets. We are looking to achieve a £15 million turnover within the next 5-7 years. The business is strong and agile with planned investment in automation-press and weld robotics, expansion with our skilled night shift workforce and taking on additional units has increased our capacity and opportunities whilst fitting into our long-term business plan. Along with the planned expansion, we plan on remaining an attractive place to work with good opportunities for progression to attract the right calibre employee to help facilitate the planned growth. We will be back again at Subcon 2023 for our 7th year running!”

Contact

T 01782 577929

sales@grenville-engineering.co.uk

www.grenville-engineering.co.uk

Radiographic accessories

IE-NDT Ltd, UK manufacturer of a wide range of radiographic accessories, introduced its BrightSpot KL3 LED Film Viewer at the show. This features a revolutionary full colour touchscreen to control masking, intensity and moveable bright-spot.

The viewing area of 10 x 40cm comprises 60 individually controllable LED cells giving an exceptional screen evenness of 2% and density of 5.2D to EN52280 together with automatic fade in/ fade out and a wireless foot-switch makes this the most advanced film viewer on the market worldwide.

Also on display was a wide range of Image Quality

Indicators for traditional industrial radiography including Duplex to ISO and ASTM standards and CR Phantom to ISO 16371-1.

enquiries@ie-ndt.co.uk

Magnaflux raises bar with new innovative developer to speed up inspection process of NDT

Magnaflux launches a new environmentally friendly non-destructive testing product in Europe, Middle East and Africa regions. The ZP-4D is a noncombustible dry powder developer for form A penetrant testing that is ideal for highly sensitive fluorescent penetrant processes. ZP-4D is applied to oven dried parts following the use of penetrants and forms a thin film on parts that enhances the visibility of ultra-fine discontinuities. ZP-4D can be used within a variety of industries including Aerospace and Automotive Industries. It is ideal for use on Castings, Turbine and critical components highlighting defects with cracks, seams and porosity.

Magnaflux is a global leader in non-destructive testing solutions, partnering with manufacturers, test labs and field inspectors to make the world a safer place. With a manufacturing operation in Swindon, Wiltshire it sets an uncompromising stance on safety and performance which is why generations of NDT professionals continue to rely on Magnaflux’s unparalleled products and services to ensure the very best quality control for their

most critical components.

Magnaflux offers a range of NDT testing techniques including liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, and ultrasonic testing.

Contact www.magnaflux.eu

Tough new silo protection guidelines call for a tough new product

SHIELD Lite 2 is the final word in silo pressure safety

Recently having reinforced its reputation as a silo safety expert by collaborating with the Mineral Products Association (MPA) on new guidance for safer pressurised tanker deliveries, Hycontrol Ltd is now proud to announce the launch of the updated SHIELD Lite silo protection system.

The revised SPS is smaller than previous versions, with all critical silo-top safety components built-in and pre-wired to provide simpler, easier and lower-cost installation.

This design yields safe deliveries straight out of the box, cutting the chance of wiring mistakes. Utilising purpose-designed pressure monitoring and control equipment, SHIELD Lite meets and exceeds current best practices, including those in the new MPA guidance.

Powder storage silos are used across many industries but are at risk of overpressurisation during tanker deliveries. Pressures as low as one psi are enough to rupture a silo or forcibly eject the filter unit from the roof.

Besides the physical danger and risk of fatalities from falling equipment, this can cause massive equipment damage and environmental

pollution. A comprehensive, failsafe safety and control system is vital to prevent such disastrous outcomes.

SHIELD Lite goes beyond failsafe, providing a fullyautomated self-testing safety system that removes the risk of human error from the delivery process by thoroughly monitoring and controlling it. The highaccuracy pressure safety components are pre-assembled and wired for simple installation.

In addition, SHIELD Lite incorporates Hycontrol’s pioneering Ground Level Testing (GLT), whereby a single key-turn activates a full-function test of all the crucial safety components without climbing the silo.

Hycontrol Managing Director, Nigel Allen, said, “We have insisted for many years that simplicity is the key to safety, so we have made a system that will make a silo safe straight out of the box. With baked-in failsafes like ratio alarms, filter blockage warnings and driver delivery behaviour diagnostics, we can effectively eradicate the risk of human error.

“We understand that mistakes in maintenance and testing are inevitable. Our philosophy is to accept this and provide a system that monitors and safely alerts you when these errors occur. Safety for staff, contractors and drivers should always be the number one priority. As we say – safe silos are tested every time.”

Contact

T +44 (0)1527 406800

sales@hycontrol.com

www.hycontrol.com

www.siloprotection.com

Continuous Screen Changer SiloScreen

The Siloscreen is now the first choice for the production of: blown and cast film, thermoformed products, expanded sections, oriented tapes, twines, rope, tubing and other products which benefit from uninterrupted extrusion and steady process conditions.

Please visit: www.siloteq.com

Mobile: +44 (0)7733 111929

Email: trish.siloteq@gmail.com

Registered in England - GB No: 862 8924

HUMIDITY CONTROL MADE EASY 01372 571200 www.humiditysolutions.co.uk

Nitrile Gloves

Compressed Air Solutions Company of the Year

Greener compressed air solutions storming EMEA and C.I.S regions

global challenges have had and continue to have an effect on the global supply chain. As a Hitachi Group Company, we are mindful to the requirements for quick and efficient service and support. Ongoing global supply chain shortages which I believe many of us are enduring has affected product lead times forcing Sullair to be more vertically integrated. As with many companies, we are doing all that we can to ensure we meet customer demand, providing a strong product and service at all times.

“As the cost of electricity has continued to rise, we have and are continuing to see further demand from customers to provide energyefficient solutions, as well as a critical focus on sustainability,” contributed Victor Arnold, EMEA & C.I.S Vice President Sales & Marketing.

In this issue of Industrial Process News, we’re delighted to announce that Sullair is our Company of the Year for exceptional results in the compressed air solutions sector, with a special focus on environmental sustainability.

Compressed air is vital across many industries from pharmaceutical manufacturing operations, energy and renewables to construction, industrial and food and beverage production. The majority of everyday products and services have been either manufactured, packed or transported using compressed air.

Sullair offers a wide range of portable and stationary air compressors, air treatment products, lubricants, fluids and other solutions to keep these industries operations up and running, reliably and efficiently.

As one of the first businesses to bring rotary screw technology to the forefront in its air compressors, Sullair has solidified its reputation for innovative, durable and high-quality products. The multi-award winning OFD 1550 T3 oil free portable diesel rotary screw compressor was brought to market in 2021. Furthermore, Sullair air ends are expertly engineered with increased longevity and are gold-standard throughout the industry.

Sullair was established in Michigan City, Indiana USA, 58 years ago and is now a truly globally leading compressed air solutions company. With offices in Chicago, USA and manufacturing services in both the USA and mainland China, the company has expanded its global provision exponentially. All the manufacturing products hold quality assured ISO 9001 accreditations.

Sullair became a Hitachi Group Company in 2017 and there has been continued investment in the Sullair product, people and capabilities despite a global business downturn, as Marie Kerrelle, Channel and Aftermarket Marketing Manager at the Sullair UK hub, confirms, “Three years ago, we set out a strategy for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Commonwealth of Independent States (C.I.S) regions which continues to make good progress.

“The last two years have been particularly challenging for businesses globally bringing changing trends and customer expectations. Our UK base has continued to provide us with the flexibility we required to support our customers, distributors and employees around the region during this time.”

With global labour shortages and a steep rise in energy costs potentially jeopardising productivity, Sullair has taken proactive measures to ensure continued advancements.

“From a business perspective, these

Sullair is fully committed to the UK Government 2030 agenda for sustainable development and reduced emissions, by aligning it accordingly with its own 2022 long-term climate action strategy. The action points include: moving to 100% renewable electricity across all its facilities, introducing a voluntary carbon offset programme, funding capital expenditure projects for sustained CO2 reduction, continuous innovation towards greener compressor manufacturing and eliminating harmful chemicals for the suppliers’ manufacturing process. Marie elaborates further, “Sullair is committed to doing its part to create a better and more sustainable future. More than 85% of industries rely on compressed air – and energy represents more than 75% of the total costs of an industrial air compressor over its lifecycle.

“All Hitachi Group Company offices and facilities, including Sullair, plan to become carbon neutral by fiscal 2030 and net-zero by 2050. Carbon neutrality has already been achieved by Sullair Michigan city campus in 2021 ahead of schedule.”

Alongside global labour shortages and the continued energy crisis, there is also the threat of constantly shifting geopolitical factors as Marie demonstrates, “Due to geopolitical dynamics, countries are seeking to diversify their sources of oil and gas to name but a few. We are seeing new trends evolving which are driving new opportunities and further innovations.”

Sullair prides itself on delivering innovative, cutting-edge compressed air solutions with increasing interest across the aforementioned EMEA & C.I.S regions. Prominent exposure at trade exhibitions has resulted in interest and direct sales across a range of industries. Offering flexible and bespoke solutions are key as every company requires unique compressed air needs. The expert customer service team acknowledge that each and every company is on its own digital and environmental journey and continues to offer state-of-the-art solutions with reduced energy consumption.

With global demand growing across several regions, it has been essential that Sullair has excellent facilities to match this demand. In 2021 there was a $30 million expansion at the Michigan City headquarters, including a brand new 80,000ft2 fabrication shop. This unprecedented investment allows for more on-site manufacturing and air compressor production, reducing the reliance on the external supply chain and increasing overall productivity.

Looking ahead to the coming year there is lots of excitement around

exclusive new product launches as Victor shares, “We are happy to announce further new product releases this year. We’re constantly innovating to help transform the future of compressed air solutions whether that be oil-free compressors, portable electric compressors, Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity enabling predictive maintenance and remote monitoring of machines, or investment in technology such as our electronic spiral valve to drive energy efficiency.”

Sullair is in an excellent position to extend its growth portfolio across the EMEA & C.I.S regions, whilst concurrently promoting renewable energy through its sustainable long-term climate action strategy.

Sullair are worthy recipients of Company of the Year and the team was delighted to receive the award as Marie adds, “We feel very honoured to be selected as an Industrial Process News Company of the Year.  We remain focused on providing cutting-edge technology to our customers based on their needs and concerns, evolving with key trends and an emphasis on global sustainability by offering the most efficient, reliable and durable air compressors on the market.”

M +44 (0)7789 777473  Europe.sullair.com – EMEA & C.I.S Region  Europe.sales@sullair.com

Marie Kerrelle (Channel, Marketing and Aftermarket Manager) and Ian Cass (International Key Account Manager Oil & Gas EMEA/C.I.S)

Complete system assembly in Michigan City expansion building

Birds eye view of completed Michigan City expansion building

Complete system assembly in animal food production plant

Sullair OFD1550 Portable oil free rotary screw air compressor