Welding World - Issue 1 - February 2021

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W ELCOM E

INSIDE

EDITOR ’ S L E TTE R

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DARREN ISTED Editor, Welding World editor@welding-world.com

NEWS 4 Brexit: Why we should be buying UK 7 EWM: New dictionary 8 OBE: Honour for Adrian Hawkins 10 Skills Fund: Focus on welding 11 EBW tech: Nuclear trial 12 Forming: Light-weighting challenge 14 Training: New academy launch 16 History: The race into space 18 Oil: Production update 19 Health: Welder therapy

Croner: HR FAQs answered HSE: Take part in survey FEIN: Call to help youth President’s message Lincoln: Partners skills awards Calendar of events

If I could turn back time.

For some it may be a song title but for most it will be a fervent wish.

Of course the clock is inexorable, and time marches on, but what a year we have been through and we now find ourselves in a new year and with challenges none would have imagined just 12 months ago.

Back in February 2020 the coronavirus started to loom but its impact, both personal and in terms of business could not have been guessed at.

Now of course, the future is a little clearer.

We are part of a global community which is taking the first steps back into a way of living which has been on hold for many, and tragically for some has been altered forever.

But it is the fact that this is a global issue, and one where we can both give help across the world and also recognise that we all face similar problems which should give us hope.

Gatherings are still planned for later in the year, indeed with vaccine roll-outs gathering apace these are looking more and more likely.

The demand is clearly there for our knowledge, expertise and products and despite all the challenges thrown at us, including Brexit, we can rise above them.

Normally my notes to start the year are full of hope, and an urge to both get cracking on projects and to hit ever more ambitious targets.

Perhaps in 2021 this should be the year where we work to thrive, but at the same time recognise that we are all part of a larger community, and one which is universally coming to terms with the effects of such a traumatic period.

It’s a year for humanity to have a greater say.

NEW PRODUCTS 28 A guide to some of the latest technologies

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“Why you should be buying from the AWD welding distributorships in the UK” We have all experienced the “white noise” effect of trying to understand the Brexit deal or No Deal and then finally, The Deal.

How many of us understand the “Brexit Deal”? It is a bit like trying to explain the “rules of cricket or a rugby match” to someone that has never watched or played it before. I think we are all glad it is over, and we want to get on with life.

Please consider the hidden points of purchasing your welding headshield before you “press” the “buy now” button.

Let’s explore the impact the deal will have on the buying and selling of welding equipment and welding PPE safety equipment. I am not in the slightest bit interested in making political judgements.

In common with many people, we thought that a deal meant that goods would flow freely between the European mainland and the UK in the way that they had always done. And that is just not the case.

In recent days, the press has been full of stories about how people ordering goods from their favourite European sellers have been hit by tariffs, VAT and assorted admin charges. So I thought we would try to explain what is going on, and what it will

mean in the future for those who have got used to finding their welding equipment and PPE cheaper in the EU and are about to press the “buy now button”.

HOW IT USED TO BE For years now, some people think that welding equipment is cheaper to purchase online from other countries in Europe and undercut UK distributors across an array of brands and products. This has been possible, as some have suggested, because sellers over here are greedy, uncompetitive and unwilling to sacrifice margin. In most cases, the reason prices are higher over here is because goods come into the UK through a wholesaler.

These companies perform a vital role, because the big European brands simply cannot cope with selling their equipment into hundreds of separate UK Distributors.

In Europe it is different. The brands do not always use wholesalers. They sell directly into individual distributors. The problem, insofar as pricing is concerned, is that the UK wholesalers must earn a margin in return for their services, and this slice of the cake simply gets added on to the

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retail price. All is fair. Warranty is intact and everyone is fully supported.

Some people find the pursuit of the lowest price has little to do with necessity. It is a game, just like a competitive sport.

If you can find a welding jacket and full set of other PPE that is £30 cheaper in Germany or Italy you have won! And, so in recent years, some European welding distributorships have set themselves up to meet this demand for lower prices with dedicated cut-price.co.uk websites, offering cheaper prices than they do in their own markets.

We then must view that those who chase cheaper prices overseas have a habit to ‘know the price of everything and the value of nothing’. There may be a money saving in the first instance, but down the road things don’t always go as smoothly, and barely a month would go without someone coming into a UK distributor company asking if we could help with a warranty problem on a jacket, welding head shield or MIG Welding machine that had been purchased from the internet and often from the EU. Unfortunately, it is only with the original retailer that one has the

NEWS warranty. Unfortunately, these companies tend not to be as responsive when there is a problem as they are when it comes to sending the initial boxed order out. Emails can take an age to get answered. There is suddenly a lack of English speakers on the phones, and so on. What hurts is that to send a welding jacket back to Europe for, say, a zip repair or a small fault costs something in the region of £60. It does not take long for that smart purchase to suddenly not look quite so clever.

Not everybody experiences problems with their purchase, and certainly some welders will have had experiences that they are satisfied with. Without a doubt these EU vendors have taken a lot of sales from UK distributors in recent years.

Distributorships have learned to live with the situation. In business, you win some and lose some.

Now in the post Brexit world, the challenges of buying abroad are going to be a little different. The rewards, in some cases will be lower; the risks will be higher.

TARIFFS AND VAT ON PRODUCTS BOUGHT FROM EUROPEAN RETAILERS, AFTER-BREXIT What we now know is that the deal that Boris and his cohorts did with Europe did not provide tariff-free trade in the way that we had all got used to it.

The only goods that can be purchased from Europe tariff-free are those that are made in Europe. The problem for welding products is that, even though most of the major brands are domiciled in Europe, almost everything they sell comes out of China, we’re talking here about many of the known names, with only a few that actually still manufacture in mainland Europe.

What this means is that, when you buy from a European seller, you will now have to pay import duty. Knowing what that duty is going to be is a bit of a minefield.

The tariff is dictated by what is known as the ‘Commodity Code’. This code reflects both the product category and the country of origin. Every item will have its own commodity code, and therefore its own level of tariff. This can vary from a relatively low 2% for parts, up to 12% for products made in China.

Now, if you are looking to buy something out of Europe the first, but certainly not the only, consideration you must bear in mind is the tariff charge. If you are careful,

you should be able to calculate what this charge will be, if you know definitively where the goods are made. And in this you might need the help of the EU seller. Once you have the country of origin, you should be able to get the commodity code via the gov.uk website. But undoubtedly the best thing would be for the retailer to supply you with the commodity codes for all the items you want to order. Once you have this, you will be able to make an exact calculation of the duty that will be levied when the goods arrive on your doorstep.

The tariff is only going to be a part of the extra cost you need to bear in mind; and in most cases it will be the less significant cost. The main issue for many people is going to be the levying of VAT at the UK rate of 20%. Now there’s a threshold here.

Goods that cost less than 150 Euros will ultimately not be subject to additional VAT. This is a somewhat arbitrary figure, but it was agreed on as part of the deal.

For items below this threshold, European retailers are obliged to register for VAT with our own HMRC. On all sales below this figure, European sellers are supposed to pay the VAT direct to the Chancellor.

A couple of pointers here. The extra administrative burden involved has caused many smaller European retailers

to refuse to sell into the UK. The amount of admin. required would simply be disproportionate given the income these smaller companies might generate from sales to the UK. The 150 Euro threshold will only come into play in six months’ time. In fact, currently, the threshold below which you do not have to pay VAT is only 22 Euros. This might allow you to buy a nice pair or two of welders gloves.

What you should also be aware of is that the VAT will be calculated not on the price of the goods on their own, but on the combined cost of the goods plus the duty. An example you buy a £750 on welding package. When that lands on your doorstep, you will be expected to pay out an extra £90 duty. The VAT at 20% will therefore be calculated on the figure of £840. A further £168, bringing the grand total to £1008. An extra 35% almost on top of the price on the sellers EU website.

There are more costs to add. The couriers are going to be levying an admin. charge as well, and this is to compensate them for the extra work entailed in collecting payment from the buyer, for accounting for this, and for remitting back to HMRC. It is difficult to say what this charge will be. It will vary, from company to company but, historically, when we have purchased

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Image by THAM YUAN YUAN from Pixabay

N EWS of this line happening all the time in the Welding distributor’s Trade counter Shops.

The Welders Jacket you tried on in the UK AWD Welding Distributors shop fits well.

When it arrives in the box it is not always a good size fit. You decide you need to return your Welders Jacket to the EU Shop.

Fair enough; you return them, and your retailer might even offer free returns. You won’t be able to claim back the duty, the 20% VAT uplift and the admin. charge. And that’s a loss you will just have to take on the chin.

goods into the UK from outside Europe we have paid between £15 and £20.

Please remember the cost of returning faulty goods to Europe for warranty claims and repairs. That is not going to change, although given that we are now not on the inside, it is inevitably going to become more expensive to send parcels into Europe.

The real difference is that whereas, in the past, when you purchased an item from France, you were protected by the manufacturers’ warranties, this will no longer be the case. In the past, you still had to go via the supplying dealer to activate the warranty, but you were nonetheless protected by law. But now, if you buy goods from the EU, you will effectively be ‘grey importing’. You will have no legal rights whatsoever, and the manufacturer will have no obligation to honour the warranty, for the supplying retailer will have sold the goods outside their allotted ‘territory’. You will have to rely on the goodwill of the seller. And if that is not there, you will have nowhere to go. Indeed, even if you do have the seller’s goodwill, the manufacturer may refuse to honour the warranty claim because the

retailer may well have broken the terms of his supply contract.

We always thought that there was an element of risk involved in buying your Welding Products from Europe or anywhere abroad, because when if even the smallest thing went wrong you could often find yourself facing significant costs to put things right. But that situation has suddenly got a whole lot worse because, as a grey importer, your consumer rights do not really exist. It is a clear case of ‘Buyer Beware’. Take the chance if you have the appetite, but you will simply have to live with the consequences if things go wrong.

There is one more significant factor that you will need to factor into your considerations when buying goods from Europe. Say you’re thinking of buying a Welders Jacket from your favourite European seller. You have already called into your local AWD Welding Distributorship shop to check the fit.

Having found the correct size, you tell the person you need to have a think about it. And you rush back home, turn on the computer, and order your goods from a cheaper company in Europe. We hear

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THE MORAL OF THE PURCHASE MADE There is no moral to this Purchase. Some will blame those who voted to leave the EU, but there will be gains for the UK, both politically and economically, and at the same there will be losses too.

This is now and where we are. I would suggest that the financial benefits would now have to be huge to justify buying your Welding Equipment from a seller in mainland Europe. The prices will not be as advantageous as they once were.

There will clearly still be instances where goods can be purchased less expensively overseas. But the problems you might experience if things do not go smoothly, and the costs associated with resolving those problems, have multiplied. If you are a gambler, go for it. But you will have nobody to complain to if it does go wrong.

And if it does, it will cost you.

A FINAL ADDENDUM. Some people will bemoan their lack of access to cheaper prices in Europe, and we understand this. But, by the same token, UK Distributorships have often been taken advantage of, with purchasers wasting their time on identifying the right welding machine and the right Welding Headshield or Welders Jacket size, in the full knowledge that they were only ever going to make their purchase on line and from a different country. Always has been somewhat unfair.

We do not support the Welding Distributor who gives bad service. But if your local AWD Welding Distributor has given you a good service, they have probably earned the right to your custom. Furthermore, there has never been a time when your local AWD Welding Distributor has more needed your support. ■ DAVID ELLWOOD WWA/ AWD Board Director

NEWS

EWM DICTIONARY Quick, concise information at the click of a mouse – the updated EWM AG MIG/ MAG welding dictionary is available now to download on the EWM website. With this dictionary, EWM gives the reader a deep insight into the MIG/MAG welding procedure and all necessary materials, auxiliary materials and relevant settings.

MIG/MAG welding is the must-have process in almost all metal processing branches, from the trades to large industrial operations. What shielding gases are used and how are they different? Which welding machines and arcs are available? How do I set the parameters correctly? What sort of material transfers are involved with MIG/MAG welding? How do I achieve good penetration characteristics? These and many more questions are answered in the new welding dictionary, consisting of 12 chapters split across 70 pages, including many easy-to-follow diagrams and tables.

It’s suitable for both beginners and experienced welders alike, explains the benefits of various EWM welding processes and provides valuable tips for practice. ■

Click the link below to download the dictionary:

Schweißlexikon

Welding Dictionary

MIG/MAG

MIG/MAG

www.ewm-group.com/en/

www.ewm-group.com

Low-cost purge monitoring in the palm of your hand TVC offers a range of equipment for the measurement and control of Oxygen levels including the popular BPM and HPM hand-held range of purge monitors.

Competitively priced entry level purge monitoring The BPM offers high accuracy and reliability in a small, portable, and simple to use unit. Designed for use with all inert purging gases, covering all purging applications, and able to continuously monitor Oxygen levels for quick, easy, spot checks.

Other equipment in this price range use constantly diminishing chemical cells, however, the BPM’s non-depleting Oxygen optical cell technology offers reliability, accuracy and extremely long-life.

• Displays Oxygen level from 21.00% to 0.01% • Ergonomically designed hand-held case • Simple, single push button operation • Monochrome LCD displays the Oxygen level and battery level Combined sensors for accurate and efficient purging The robust HPM is available in two models, subject to resolution required. Both models have on-board data logging as standard, IP rated buttons and a 2.6” OLED full colour display which easily shows when the set Oxygen levels have been achieved and welding can begin.

HPM-01 • Non-depleting optical Oxygen cell • Displays the Oxygen level from 21.00% to 0.01% HPM-02 • Combines both optical cell and Zirconia sensor technology • Displays in both percent (%) and parts per million (ppm) • Measures from 210000ppm down to 1ppm and from 21.00% to 1ppm Optional Carbon Dioxide content measurement from 0.5% up to 59.9% and an optional output to enable flow control via a remote flow control box for quick, accurate and efficient purging are also available for the HPM.

Contact us for further information on our range of Oxygen Purge Monitors The Validation Centre (TVC) Limited, Unit 15, Brinell Way, Harfreys Industrial Estate, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR31 0LU, UK. +44 (0) 1493 443800 sales@tvcalx.co.uk

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Adrian Hawkins receives OBE in New Year Honours list 2021 Adrian Hawkins has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List, published on Friday 1st January 2021.

Adrian will become an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to business, and in particular the welding industry, as founder of Weldability Sif and Managing Director of Welding World.

Adrian said “I am so pleased to receive this honour. Business and Industry have been important tenets in my life, through which I have sought positive, sustainable outcomes for my colleagues and my community. This award is a humbling recognition of a lifetime of effort in building a successful business — and working to support others in building theirs, through my role as Managing Director of Welding World and Chairman of biz4Biz”.

Adrian attended school and college in Stevenage and married Jennie in 1977.

Together they have two children: The oldest, Gareth, who is married to Shelley; and Alexis, who is married to Tristan Bond.

The families continue to live locally and, during 2020, gave birth to grandsons, Elliott and Greyson.

Adrian’s career in industry began in 1975 with the British Oxygen Company (BOC) and he founded Weldability Sif in 1981, which he grew from supplying one branded product in the UK, to many thousands internationally today. The company became a highly successful and respected source for a full range of welding products, trading as Weldability, and in 2008 acquired Sif - a British welding consumables company started in 1925. In March 2019 Weldability-Sif was acquired by Indutrade AB, a NASDAQ-listed corporation.

In recent years Adrian has been a school and college Governor and Chairman of a multi-academy trust. In his tenure, Adrian established the Weldability-Sif Foundation, a charity that today supports >40 Welder-Training Studios across the UK, which have so far delivered 18,000 welder qualifications. The foundation works alongside awarding-bodies, incorporates the services of FE colleges and partners with businesses such as MakeUK and EDF,

to address industrial skills pipelining for the UK workforce.

Adrian is also the Chairman and Founder of biz4Biz, an organisation established to support business owners and leaders, as well as a patron of business clubs, working alongside Hertfordshire MPs and Local Authorities and engaging with local business leaders.

From 2014 to 2020 Adrian was appointed to the main board of the Hertfordshire LEP, serving his full six-year term and he has served as Deputy Chair of the Hertfordshire LEP from 2017 to 2020. Adrian continues to Chair the Hertfordshire LEP’s Skills and Employment Board (SAP), has championed the delivery of the

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Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal (HOP) and, in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire, delivered a voluntary supporter’s network to provide a support service to businesses during the COVID pandemic.

In March 2020, Adrian was appointed the independent Chairman of the Stevenage Development Board. A lifelong advocate for Stevenage — having been born in his parents’ council house and subsequently started his first business in the New Town — Adrian is leading the Board on a £50M funding bid from the Government’s Towns Fund. If successful, the bid is expected to release a further £600M in private funding for the regeneration of Stevenage, the UK’s first new town. ■

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Children creating pieces of art from scrap metal Children from Highgate Hill House School, a co-educational school for children with special educational needs aged 5 to 16 years, near Holsworthy, Devon, have recently been expanding their creative skills by attending a welding workshop hosted by The Pottery Box at Whitstone.

All classes are led by a member of the local community, who has twenty five years experience in the mechanics trade, and include the design and creation of metal sculpture work.

One pupil, Kitty, who has recently attended the course, made a clock complete with workings, from scrap parts sourced from an old car. The clock now sits pride of place in her sitting room at home.

Another pupil who has particularly enjoyed this experience was Rihanna, who made an alien, selecting all of the parts she’d like to use, laying them out into a body shape before welding.

Angelique Medland, owner of The Pottery Box, said: “The enthusiasm and creativity of the children has really impressed us, both with the welding and pottery classes that they take part in here. They get a huge sense of satisfaction from seeing the project through to completion, from initial design to a finished article they can take home”.

Sir Peter Birkett, School Founder, added: “The Pottery Box is another example of a fantastic resource available to our pupils, literally on our doorstep. It’s also a great opportunity for children to meet members of the local community, building their confidence and gaining important social and life skills along the way. A course like this may spark a particular interest with a child, and from a preparation for life beyond school and potential career point of view, this is something we are keen to pursue”. ■

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NATIONAL SKILLS FUND The government is investing £2.5 billion in the National Skills Fund which will include welding as part of skills bootcamps it has been announced.

The National Skills Fund will help adults to train and gain the valuable skills they need to improve their job prospects.

It will support the immediate economic recovery and future skills needs by boosting the supply of skills that employers require.

The Chancellor announced £375 million for the National Skills Fund at the Spending Review in November 2020. This includes £95 million in funding for a new level 3 adult offer and £43 million to expand skills bootcamps.

From April 2021, any adult aged 24 and over who wants to achieve their first full level 3 qualification, which is equivalent to a technical certificate or diploma, or 2 full A levels, will be able to access almost 400 fully funded courses.

Courses will be available in a variety of lengths, to support adults to get the skills they need to boost their careers.

This is part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee announced by the Prime Minister in September 2020.

Sector subject areas and courses available The courses on offer will deliver a wide range of skills in many jobs and sectors.

All of the qualifications have been carefully chosen to help adults improve their job prospects and meet the needs of the economy.

Qualifications will be available in: • engineering • building and construction • manufacturing technologies • transportation operations and maintenance

• business management • public services • accounting and finance • medicine and dentistry • horticulture and forestry • health and social care • ICT practitioners • ICT for users • mathematics and statistics • science • agriculture • nursing and vocations and subjects allied to medicine • child development and wellbeing • environmental conservation • teaching and lecturing • warehousing and distribution Information on accessing the offer will be available in early 2021.

The qualifications list will be kept to ensure that it responds to changing labour market needs.

Awarding organisations, Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Greater London Authority will be able to suggest additions to the list through the qualifications funding approval guidance.

19 to 23 year olds will continue to be eligible for their first full level 3 via the adult education budget and will be eligible for any additional qualifications made available through this offer.

As part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, the Prime Minister also announced the skills bootcamp programme.

Complementing the level 3 adult offer, skills bootcamps offer free, flexible courses of just 12 to 16 weeks. They give people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer.

Skills bootcamps will now also include courses in technical skills such as: • welding • engineering • construction

NEWS

£10M NUCLEAR MANUFACTURING PROJECT “ROAD-TESTS” ELECTRON BEAM WELDING TECHNOLOGY EBFLOW The first-ever application of electron beam welding (EBW) technology in a UK nuclear industry project is underway using Cambridge engineering firm CVE’s Ebflow system.

With £10m funding from the UK Government, the project’s aim is to test the capability of EBW to replace existing welding techniques in civil nuclear power manufacturing.

Ebflow, a local vacuum EBW system, is designed for use on site in large industrial manufacturing without the need for a vacuum chamber.

Bob Nicolson, CVE’s managing director, said: “The Ebflow technology simplifies thick section welding when producing large structures and components, such as those found in nuclear power plants. The technology makes this possible by using a mobile, coarse vacuum which removes the need for a vacuum chamber on site – which avoids the prohibitive cost of creating vacuum chambers large enough to accommodate the size of nuclear energy structures.

“We are confident that this latest project will demonstrate how the technology can transform fabrication in heavy engineering – whether that’s in nuclear, wind farms, oil and gas or civil engineering.”

Existing tests of the Ebflow system showed results between 20 and 30 times faster than traditional arc welding techniques, therefore improving productivity, using less power and reducing the overall carbon footprint of the manufacturing process.

The nuclear manufacturing project – led

by UK steel and engineering company Sheffield Forgemasters – will involve the installation of an electron beam welder able to weld 3.0m diameter cylinders as an integral part of the manufacturing process.

In addition, it will be used to produce a small, modular reactor pressure vessel

plus steel alloys designed for nuclear power fission.

Jesus Talamantes-Silva – research, design and technology director at Sheffield Forgemasters – said: “Although EBW exists elsewhere, it is used on a smaller scale than the 200mm welds we will conduct. We aim to demonstrate how EBW can improve material characteristics over traditional welding…and how this technology can integrate at manufacture to improve component weld properties at a later stage.”

“Using EBW over traditional welding techniques, circumferential welding of pressure vessels can be reduced from approximately 150 days to 10 days and we will be able to produce safer, stronger components for the next generation of nuclear power, with lower costs and vastly reduced production times.”

Alongside CVE and Sheffield Forgemasters, the EBW welding project consortium of organisations also includes TWI, Arc Energy, NAMRC, the University of Manchester and Cambridge University, plus a steering committee comprising Rolls Royce Civil Nuclear, Rolls Royce Submarines, Cavendish Nuclear, the MOD and the UK Atomic Energy Authority. ■

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FORMING THE UN-JOINABLE TWI is working with the Imperial College of London (ICL) to develop the next generation of fast and cost-effective forming technologies. Once more, friction stir welding (FSW) is at the forefront of the light-weighting challenge, helping designers and manufacturers form dissimilar alloy tailored welded blanks.

Researchers working at ICL have pioneered a new metal forming process called ‘FAST’ (Fast light Alloys Stamping Technology). This technology combines rapid heating with cold-die stamping and in‑die quenching. The main process novelty resides in its rapid heating method; effective at increasing material formability to enable complex shapes, but swift enough to deter the microstructural changes that would decrease the strength of the material.

This is a new offering, as traditional hot forming processes (like hot stamping or superplastic forming) inherently anneal (and soften) the components.

Subsequent heat treatments are traditionally required to improve strength after forming. For precipitationstrengthened materials, FAST reduces the manufacturing cycle times by eliminating the need for (i) a pre-forming solution heat treatment and (ii) post-forming artificial ageing; both time-consuming operations. Several lightweight materials have been successfully formed using this new technology, including ultra-high strength steels, aluminium alloys and titanium alloys.

Aiming to expand further on these design freedoms, TWI and ICL have recently collaborated to form parts combining dissimilar aluminium alloys. Figure 1 shows an M-shaped demonstrator of a car body-in-white reinforcement, joining AA7075 and AA6082. Hardness measurements suggest that, following the paint baking cycle, the formed component reached over 98% of the original strength for each alloy.

The FSW joining process proved essential in enabling this development, producing joints with the ductility required for enduring the rapid deformation rates involved during FAST forming.

Some of the key enabling features of FSW were:

Figure 1. M-shaped technology demonstrator: (a) FAST forming apparatus; (b) Successful forming using FAST forming conditions; (c) Fracture when attempting to form at room temperature; (d) Post- forming hardness distribution (adapted from Liu et al. 2020)

• Unique Weld Microstructure FSW promotes dynamic recrystallisation, generating a dense microstructure of highly refined, equiaxed grains. The process also creates a homogeneous dispersion of fine precipitates. A careful selection of processing conditions can tailor these microstructural transformations to enhance joint tensile strength, ductility, formability and even facilitate local superplastic behaviour.

• Near-Flush Joint Profile Many forming processes rely on drawing/ elongating sheets of material within a die.

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Proud surface features will impinge the die, increasing the strain on the material and potentially tearing the parts. FSW preserves the original profile of the sheets, which enables an effective drawing operation. This is in contrast to fusion welding techniques, which can produce surface proud spatter and/or weld beads (especially when using filler materials to join crack sensitive aluminium alloys).

• Absence of Porosity or Cracking Given that FSW does not melt the joint, it assures that porosity or solidification cracking cannot occur. This leads to a

NEWS

INDUSTRIAL RELEVANCE This technological milestone is of notable importance for the automotive sector.

Aluminium alloy usage in vehicles is steadily increasing, with the majority of the metallic components obtained by sheet metal forming, extrusion or casting. Aluminium is predicted to be the prevalent material used in vehicle manufacture by 2040 (Figure 2). However, the relatively low formability of aluminium alloys at room temperature often limits their application, especially for high-

strength, complex‑shaped stampings.

There is also a clear trend to hybridise fabrication, by introducing higher strength grades from the AA2000 and AA7000 series, often joined to traditional options from the AA5000 and AA6000 series.In addition to the challenges of joining dissimilar aluminium alloys, forming such hybrid components will add another layer of complexity and risk. Dissimilar joints produced by traditional technologies often suffer from a decrease in ductility compared to the parent materials.

Many technologies will be able to form some sort of joint. However, not all joints will be able to endure the service conditions or even downstream manufacturing processes (especially if forming is involved). Since its invention

by TWI, FSW has revolutionised aluminium constructions for the transport sector. Its proven ability to join dissimilar aluminium parts for forming applications continues to play a vital role in automotive design, which is increasingly driven by topology optimisation. The recent combination of FAST forming with FSW builds on that existing offering, providing new opportunities for both technologies. ■

margins,” explained Chief Executive Ian Thurley.

“While the disruption of the COVID-19 outbreak back in March meant that we were closed for four weeks, overall, the pandemic has not had a major impact on us. With our COVID safety measures in place, we enjoyed a busy summer and are able to continue to operate, even during the current lockdown”.

“With much of the economy struggling, the strength of the UK’s manufacturing sector is evident with it showing resilience after a year of turmoil. Thanks to the skill and commitment of our team

at Siddall and Hilton Products, we had the strongest July in over a decade and already we have a full order book into next year. Encouragingly, we are also seeing major international projects come to market and recently secured a significant contract in France.”

“Despite having lost turnover during the initial lockdown and taking on the additional costs to become COVID secure and protect the team, we are fortunate that the business is in a healthy position.

Our staff have adopted a very positive and supportive attitude and it is largely due to their hard work and commitment that we are now planning some major investments next year, including expanding the workforce. 2021 will see the business move into the next stage of its development, building on the brand’s international reputation for quality and service and helping us to realise our vision to become a World Class mesh manufacturer.” ■

Figure 2. Material usage in vehicles from 2010 to 2040 (Brett et al. 2017)

fully consolidated joint, which maximises the joint loadbearing cross section. It also ensures the material can elongate more uniformly during forming operations.

• Low Distortion FSW’s low heat input favours much lower distortion. This, in turn, eases part location in tooling and eliminates inconsistencies linked to uncontrolled movements caused by flattening of warped welded sheets as the tooling closes to initiate the forming process.

Welded mesh manufacturer makes new investment Siddall and Hilton Products based in Brighouse has spent £2 million on a new welding machine.

Expected to create 10 new jobs in the process, the LGR102 machine, benefits from the latest medium frequency welding technology and is manufactured

by EVG, in Austria.

The machine will manufacture 100% of Siddall and Hilton’s industrial mesh product range and will be the fifth in the company’s EVG machines.

“Following the MBO in summer 2019, we have embarked on a period of review and improvement, including restructuring our back office operation which has enabled the business to run more efficiently and resulted in better profit

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Dodds announces new Assured Skills Academy for welding Economy Minister for Northern Ireland, Diane Dodds, has announced a new Assured Skills Academy for welding at South West College.

The Assured Skills Academy will see 24 successful applicants receive industry-standard welding training during a six-week course.

Participants who complete the Academy are guaranteed an interview for a welding position at one of seven companies in the Dungannon area.

Highlighting the opportunity, Minister Dodds said:

“I am very pleased to announce this Assured Skills Academy in welding is open for applications.

“People with welding skills are in high demand in our local engineering and manufacturing sector.

This Assured Skills Academy will equip participants with these skills, through an industry-recognised qualification, and position them very strongly to kick-start a new career in welding. I urge anyone who is interested to apply.

Participants on the academy will study for a Level 2 City and Guilds Award in Welding Skills. No experience in welding

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is required to apply.

Ciaran McManus head of industry and training at South West College said: “Engineering is a major sector of employment in the south west region.

The college is committed to working in partnership with local employers to help them attract, develop and nurture new talent.

“This new pre-employment Assured Skills Academy is an example of this commitment and is a great opportunity for people in the area to gain new skills and a potential offer of employment.” ■

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N EWS

The non-consumable electrode plasma gun In 1957 I was craft apprentice for the then Ministry of Supply, at the Proof and Experimental Establishment, Eskmeals, Cumbria on the North West coast.

I was taught basic skills of electronics, fitting, turning, machine shop engineering, welding, plastic technology and electrical installation.

In 1960 I was transferred to a Royal Ordnance Factory, working on advanced materials and processes.

At that time the Space Race and Cold War were in full flow and technologies had to keep pace with the new demands.

It was to this end that a certain worldbeating scientist Leonard Heathcote, aged about 28, was tasked with competing amongst other things – Plasma technology.

Len, as he liked to be addressed, was a brilliant scientist who worked on two problems at a time mostly in his head, having a vast grasp of all the advanced technologies surrounding him. He had a tiny budget but that was one of his fortes.

The way he taught me was that when you had a problem, solve it by thinking of three different ways of doing it (even if it meant using a ‘sky hook’ to solve the problem.

The thought being using a ‘sky hook’ could solve the ’impossible’ so work on what you can solve, then turn on removing the sky hook). Then choose the best Idea – simplify until you can’t simplify it anymore – then go for it.

The ‘race for space’ involved majorly the UK, USSR & USA at that time. As was the evidence at the time the USSR & USA were throwing money at plasma technology, the guns/torches they worked on cost an estimated £10,000 (old money) for 6 seconds burn time. The British project to solve the problem was the nonconsumable electrode plasma gun.

The R&D department at ROF Patricroft was no bigger than a small garage workshop being about 50ft x 50 feet, with and adjacent equally small drawing office.

The staff headed by Len, Consisted of Eric Crowe in his sixties, chief scientist, two technical scientific assistants fresh out of

university, one chartered draughtsman, one fitter, one turner and an apprentice, me!

In one corner partitioned off say 20 x 15ft was where the plasma experiments were carried out.

A second-hand 6” lathe, and generator, a bench, control panel with 4ft ‘Thermal Ignitrons’ all WD Surplus, where up to 5 of us would be crammed in at any one time.

Various rods of exotic materials, tungsten carbide, ceramic, copper, many steels, and uranium rods were fed through a central hole into the plasma. I spent 2 weeks spraying the uranium on to a graphite mandrel and being filmed at the same time, just in my working clothes with no protection as I was told it was harmless.

(During a meal break whilst discussing the usual office chat, Len who was throwing comments into the brew suddenly shouted out. “Christ George, stop the spraying we are going to have a nuclear explosion!”

All worked out while we were chatting. A little huddle and some back of envelope calculating deemed I was safe – he had made a miscalculation in his head!

Most of the work was making test free flight heads (rocket warheads for re-entry), rocket motor parts, Venturis etc.,--- and a successful silencer for the Fairy Rotodyne!

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The most used method was to machine out of graphite various shapes in the lathe, spray, then ground to a fair finish.

The graphite is then chipped away, and the form finally fettled. The splashes of molten material were observed, porosity, inclusion etc examined minutely and noted.

Len considered the competitors’ approach was wrong and a new tack had to be set, he immediately dismissed their idea for brute force, and proceeded down the road, simple is best and may be the cheapest.

He reasoned that if copper could be cooled quick enough, the plasma temperatures at least 40,000 0 C the process could be tamed. In quick order excellent results were attained. At this time, I was in the drawing office and was tasked with tiding the copper electrode up, which I duly did. The part cost estimated at 3s 4d, a bit different to £10,000!

During the trials it was estimated that the life was in the order of 3 months compared to 6 seconds. Subsequently the secret was divulged to British manufacturers to exploit and the rest as they say is history. ■ GEORGE ELLIOTT

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INDUSTRIAL UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY MARKET 2020-2024

OIL UPDATE The decrease in global petroleum consumption has sent oil prices lower than in April 2020. As a result, OPEC and other oil producers agreed to cut production levels by 7.7 million bpd to stabilise global oil markets.

A meeting in January saw OPEC agree to keep production broadly steady in February and March with production cuts of 7.125 million bpd and 7.05 million bpd respectively, as a result of the surge in COVID-19 cases and the new lockdowns imposed to curb the spread of the virus.

In response to the agreement, US oil prices rallied past the $50 mark while Brent, the global oil benchmark, traded at $53.60 per barrel.

The number of oil rigs in operation was down significantly in 2020 and many oil producers have announced reductions in capital spending and drilling activity as a result of weak demand and low oil prices. As more countries re-enter lockdown, analysts are predicting that oil demand and prices will likely remain low in 2021 with a recovery not expected until 2022. This could lead to further industry consolidation in 2021. In 2020, Chevron completed its purchase of Nobel Energy while ConocoPhillips announced that it would acquire shale driller Concho Resources for $9.7 billion and Devon Energy reported it would acquire WPX Energy for $2.6 billion. ■

Technavio has been monitoring the Global Industrial Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) market and it is expected to grow by USD 1.28 billion accelerating at a CAGR of almost 7% during the forecast period.

The growth trajectory of the market is traced through a detailed analysis of the prevalent market forces, trends, and drivers along with competitive benchmarking. Download latest version with COVID-19 analysis Free Sample Report The demand for power backup has increased significantly in several industry verticals. UPS systems are being recognised by countless organisations such as oil and gas, petrochemical and refining, automobile design facilities, food processing, chemicals, and healthcare as an essential power backup to ensure continuous operations across businesses. This increased usage of UPS will result in the growth of the Industrial Uninterruptible Power Supply Market during the forecast period.

The growing population and rising urbanisation have resulted in increased

power consumption worldwide. The widening demand-supply mismatch in electricity consumption is leading to power shortages, which in turn is driving the need for UPS systems among residential, commercial, and industrial end-users.

The market is fragmented due to the presence of several players. The growth of the players depends on several factors such as market conditions, government support, and industry development. To survive and succeed in such an intensely competitive market, players must distinguish their product and service offerings through clear and unique value propositions. ABB Ltd., AEG Power Solutions BV, AMETEK Inc., Eaton Corporation Plc, Emerson Electric Co., Fuji Electric Co. Ltd., Langley Holdings Plc, Legrand SA, Mitsubishi Electric Corp., and Schneider Electric SE are some of the major market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their position in the slow-growing segments. ■

It’s time to test your knowledge with five multiple choice posers set by our quizmaster extraordinaire Dave Ellwood WWA/AWD board director. Just click on the quiz and using our digital interactive technology see if you can make it five out of five first time. Good luck, and if you think you have five burning questions which could provide a tough test email us at editor@welding-world.com

QUIZ 2021 Round 1 CLICK HERE TO PLAY

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NEWS

Jonathan Davies, MCSI patient, welding at Livability Maesbury Metals

WELDER THERAPY Rehabilitation is an important part of caring for a spinal injury patient – and members of staff on the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI) have gone above and beyond to provide personalised rehabilitation.

Jenny Clayton, Occupational Therapist, and Kate Betts, Rehabilitation Technician, who both work on MCSI at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, have been supporting patient Jonathan Davies with welding as part of his rehabilitation.

Jonathan Davies, who has been on MCSI at the Oswestry-based hospital since earlier this year, is a Chartered Engineer by trade and welded for many years prior to his injury.

Jenny and Kate organised for him to visit Livability Maesbury Metals, who are based on Maesbury Road Industrial Estate in Oswestry.

Jenny said: “When Jonathan was transferred to MCSI from his previous

hospital, we quickly established that one of his occupational therapy goals was to be able to weld again.

“I started to look online at local facilities that could potentially offer a patient outing, and found Livability Maesbury Metals. Kate then contacted the organisation to see if a visit would be possible, and they could not have been more helpful or welcoming.

“The injury Jonathan sustained included the loss of nearly all movement and sensation in both of his arms and hands.

Although due to his rehabilitation, some minimal movement and sensation has returned.

“Throughout his rehabilitation therapy, he’s worked really hard to get to the point where he is now, and we’re all really proud of the progress he has made.”

Livability Maesbury Metals are a charityrun organisation where adults with disabilities and mental health problems can go to learn a new skill, provide a place

for people to get work experience and feel part of the community.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there were a range of precautions in place to ensure the safety of Jonathan, Jenny and Kate.

Kate said: “Livability Maesbury Metals really went above and beyond for us – they ensured we came on a day when they had fewer of their usual clients to ensure social distancing was adhered too and they also took our temperatures when we arrived.

“We all had a great time, and Jonathan did a fantastic job after not welding since February.”

Jonathan said: “I am so thankful to Jenny and Kate for organising the visit for me – it was great to be able to weld again and I couldn’t have done it without all their help and support.

“I’m really looking forward to visiting again and trying out some more welding.” ■

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N EWS

CRONER ADVICE LINE: YOUR FAQS ANSWERED As part of your membership, you have free access to Croner’s HR advice line.

For more guidance on any of these areas, instant answers to your questions, or just a second opinion: Call 0844 561 8133 and quote our association number to speak to an advisor.

WHAT IS THE KICKSTART SCHEME? The Kickstart Scheme was announced by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, in July 2020 as part of his “Plan for Jobs”. It is aimed at creating new high-quality jobs to help 16-24-year-old unemployed people on Universal Credit who are at risk of longterm unemployment. Employers who take on scheme participants will receive funding from the Government to cover some employment costs, including wages.

Register for a free webinar on the Kickstart scheme here Questions the Croner advice line can help with: • What changes have been made to the scheme?

• Am I eligible for the scheme and how do I apply for funding?

• What is a Kickstart gateway?

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR BUSINESSES WITH SCHOOL CLOSURES? The escalation of the Coronavirus pandemic has forced school closures, resulting in many employees balancing work commitments and childcare/home schooling responsibilities. At time of writing, schools could return on 8th March ‘at the earliest’. As employees juggle this new way of working, employers have been exploring the best ways to support their staff.

Questions the Croner advice line can help with: • What rights do employees have for time off for dependants?

• What are my options to allow flexible working for my staff?

• What do I do if it is not possible for an employee to work from home and homeschool?

WHAT APPROACH SHOULD I TAKE TOWARDS THE VACCINE FOR MY EMPLOYEES? The roll out of the Coronavirus vaccine signifies the biggest step yet in combating the risk posed to the public from serious illness, and enables employers to begin to envisage a return to more normal operations. The approach you take will be dictated by various things including industry sector and the individual circumstances of the employee.

Register for a free webinar on managing the vaccine in your business here Questions the Croner advice line can help with: • Can I make it mandatory for my employees to have the vaccine?

• Can I insert a clause in employees’ contracts to require them to have the vaccine?

• Can my shielding employees return to work once vaccinated?

WHAT ARE THE HR CONSIDERATIONS FOR MASS TESTING STAFF FOR COVID-19 IN THE WORKPLACE? Employers whose staff have been allowed to continue going to work despite national lockdown measures across the UK may have already begun mass testing their staff for COVID-19, or are thinking about doing so. Mass testing in the workplace can

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enable employers to spot asymptomatic positive cases of the virus and reduce the possibility of it spreading to other members of staff.

Questions the Croner advice line can help with: • Do I need a testing policy, and what does it need to include?

• What do I do if an employee tests positive?

• What is the best way to organise and communicate our testing process?

WHAT HAS CHANGED WITH EMPLOYING FOREIGN NATIONALS? From 1st January 2021, a new immigration system was introduced. Foreign nationals will be able to work in the UK through routes that include the Global Talent Visa route, Start-up and Innovator route, and Skilled Worker route. If you intend to take on foreign workers from next year, it is essential that you apply for a license as soon as possible.

Questions the Croner advice line can help with: • What is the difference with these routes and how do they work?

• How can I attract foreign workers and manage workers abroad?

• Does anything change for any foreign nationals I currently employ?

WHAT ARE THE NEW MINIMUM WAGE RATES COMING INTO FORCE FROM APRIL? National Minimum Wage rates increase every April and this year is to be no different, despite the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic. From 1 April, the National Living Wage will increase by 2.2 per cent. It will also be extended to those aged 23 and 24 for the first time, meaning those in this age bracket will see their salaries increase by nearly 9 per cent.

Register for a free webinar on meeting National Minimum Wage rules here Questions the Croner advice line can help with: • What is the difference between the National Living Wage and the Real Living Wage?

• What are the new amounts for employees and apprentices?

• Are there any changes to statutory rates?

NEWS

Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) - the UK government agency responsible for workplace health, safety and welfare – is reviewing the Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/588) (EMF 2016). The post-implementation review (PIR) phase of the work is due to be completed by the end of June 2021, whilst the Reforming Regulation Initiative (RRI) phase will only be completed later in the year.

In order to help with this work HSE would like to hear from Welding World readers about: • whether EMF 2016 has met its original objectives; • what the costs and benefits of EMF 2016 have been • whether the requirements of EMF 2016 can be achieved through a different

approach (or are needed at all); and • whether, if EMF 2016 was to be abolished, the level and standard of protection for workers would be reduced.

Readers will recall EMF 2016 came into force on 1st July 2016 and was intended to ensure: • a harmonised regime across all European member states;

• duty-holders take action to minimise and control the risks from electromagnetic fields (EMFs); and • all workers remain protected.

The survey should take just 10 minutes to quickly complete. It is available by clicking HERE. The survey will close at the end of 24/02/2021.

The information you provide will be used to inform the EMF 2016 post-implementation review (PIR), and the later Reforming Regulation Initiative (RRI). To emphasise, all of the individual responses to the survey will be aggregated together and treated anonymously. Also, please note that no information you provide will be used for regulatory inspection purposes.

This is your chance to make a valuable and positive contribution.

Your input is vital and will be invaluable to HSE, so please take part if you are able. ■

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N EWS

80% OF METALWORKERS BELIEVE NOT ENOUGH IS BEING DONE TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE UP A CAREER IN THE SECTOR Despite being one of the UK’s most prominent sectors, the metalworking industry is struggling to attract new talent and apprentices. Research recently commissioned by power tools and accessories manufacturer, FEIN, has uncovered that 80% believe not enough is being done to encourage young people to take up a career in the industry.

The same report also uncovered that 76% believe there are fewer younger people entering the metalworking sector year-onyear, while 42% believe the skills shortage will have the biggest impact on the future of the industry, with 74% confirming it’s a serious issue that must be tackled.

“With almost half of those surveyed believing that the skills shortage will be the greatest thing to impact the industry, it’s clear that more must be done at all levels of the sector to support emerging talent and attract the next generation of metalworkers.

“If combating this issue doesn’t take precedence for businesses moving forward, many fear their industry (and skillset) will soon become extinct, as high levels of skilled professionals continue to retire each year, with not nearly enough individuals entering the sector to fill the growing gap,” comments Raphael Rudolph, managing director of FEIN UK. Further research also suggests there are core regions that are finding it challenging to recruit talent more than others, with Scotland’s welding industry struggling particularly to fill nearly 40% of its

• 47% are seeing traditional apprentice roles being automated • 35% believe apprentices slow down the work flow and impede productivity • One-third believe their role will ultimately be taken over by a robot • 20% admit their company doesn’t take on apprentices or offer any training schemes • 15% are fearful for the future of the industry

vacancies. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the north west is exceling in this area experiencing incredibly high demand for jobs in the sector.1 However, despite this, it’s clear that each region in the UK is struggling to attract new talent to fuel industry demand.

On the skills shortage, the research found that: • 83% believe the government must do more to support the future of the trade through better promotion of the industry, further funding for training schemes and additional courses during education • 57% believe that young people don’t want to work in the industry

Despite the above, 60% of those questioned are hopeful for the future of the sector, with 88% stating that from the apprentices who are joining the industry, their contributions are invaluable, and they bring fresh ideas, drive and tenacity.

Furthermore, half of those asked would like further training to enable them to provide additional support to emerging talent and give them the best start possible to their careers, with many looking to manufacturers, like FEIN, to provide this added support and training.

“While the research solidifies the fact that more needs to be done at all levels of the industry to tackle the skills shortage, there is hope and although there’s some room for improvements, those entering the industry appear to have the talent to drive business forward if provided with the right support,” concludes Raphael.

To find out more and to download the full ‘future of the metalworking sector’ report, visit https://www.fein.com/en_uk/ knowledge/metalworking-sectorreport/.

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Gavin Pearson, 5 Parsons Street, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 1JJ. + 44 (0)1952 290 036 + 44 (0)1952 290 037 secretariat@awd.org.uk www.awd.org.uk Editor: Darren Isted editor@welding-world.com Design: David Walters Published on behalf of Welding World by: Tel: 07539 782979 Email: hdmdigitalsales@gmail.com www.hashtagdigitalmedia.co.uk While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, the AWD, the editor and the publisher, Hashtag Digital Media, cannot accept liability for any statement or error, or for any claims made by the advertisers, contained herein ©Welding World 2020. They cannot be held responsible for the failure to use, or for the poor depiction of use of environmental, personal or other equipment, such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) equipment in photographs received from editorial contributors or advertisers. Best practice in the use of the correct and appropriate equipment is advocated and strongly recommended by the AWD. Hashtag Digital Media ensures that the paper used for printing this publication has been sourced from sustainably managed forests.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE What on earth can I say in these dreadful times, my heart goes out to everyone right now no matter what your circumstance. But you know what they say, sorrow won’t pay the bills so we pick ourselves up, brush ourselves down and push on.

Here at Westermans, 2021 has greeted us with new challenges, including but not limited to: Brexit, Covid-19, and once again a significant lack of toilet roll.

Rations are back but now with products and components and not just food. So, my key message for survival is to stock up on what you can, especially your best sellers to get you through the first quarter until the world economy and customs gets itself back on an even keel.

During times of hardship such as these it is easy to forget to spread some of the good news, and we have an abundance of it in the UK right now, here’s just a few.

BAE systems have just been awarded a colossal £2.4bn munitions contract which is going to help to create 4,000 jobs around the country. Stockport based defence supplier WFEL have won a contract worth £2.3bn to manufacture artillery vehicles for British defence.

Brexit waters are calming and we are successfully navigating ourselves through the storm to bring more business to our own shores after a long and uncertain road. On that note if anyone has set up a satellite office or has any tips for simple trade with Ireland, I would really appreciate a call. Like-wise if there is any advice you require, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone, our team here at Westermans are always happy to help, and now more than ever we must help one another.

And finally, my wife and I have both had the vaccine and can now look forward to time spent with a home full of family, including the addition of 3 beautiful great grand-children.

Spring is finally on the horizon, those of you who know me well will know I have my bulbs and plants ordered (stuck obviously at customs) and the light at the end of the tunnel has been switched back on. Be patient, be kind, but most of all be positive to those around you as it rubs off you know.

I hope you had a lovely January and anything else you need please don’t hesitate to let me know!

PETER WESTERMAN President AWD

NEWS

LINCOLN ELECTRIC UK PARTNERSHIP WITH SKILLS AND EDUCATION GROUP AWARDS Lincoln Electric UK is embarking on a multi-faceted plan to raise welding education standards across the nation and at the heart of this, is a newly approved partnership with Skills and Education Group Awards.

Skills and Education Group Awards is a leading national awarding organisation with a long-established reputation for providing high-quality support and services to the educational sector. The partnership sees Lincoln Electric endorse Skills and Education Group Awards’ newly developed Fabrication and Welding qualifications to provide UTC’s, schools, colleges, other further education and skills providers and employers with an industry leading qualification suite.

In addition, Skills and Education Group Awards will be providing a Digital Learning platform to allow training providers to utilise the Lincoln Electric U/LINC suite of delivery materials. This will support welding educators with the consistent delivery of training, allowing them to create bespoke training packages for individual businesses.

Commenting on the partnership, Jason Scales, Business Manager, Education for Lincoln Electric stated, “We are excited to have this partnership with Skills and Education Group Awards. This will provide

DATES FOR THE DIARY 2021/2 GLOBAL INDUSTRIE 7-10 September 2021 Eurexpo, Lyon. www.global-industrie.com/en

SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN 13 -17 September 2021 Essen, Germany. www.schweissen-schneiden.com/ joining-cutting-surfacing/

METAVAK

5 - 7 October 2021 Evenementenhal Gorinchem, Netherlands. Annual trade event for the metalworking industry https://metavak.nl

us with an incredible platform to share Lincoln Electric’s 100 plus years’ worth of knowledge in welding training, research and instruction with these institutions and redefine what a quality welding education programme should look like.”

Paul Eeles, Chief Executive of Skills and Education Group Awards, added, “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Lincoln Electric to provide colleges,

WIN EURASIA

10 - 13 November 2021 Istanbul, Turkey. www.win-eurasia.com/en#

METALMADRID ’21

17 November - 18 November 2021 IFEMA, Madrid, Spain.

The leading annual industrial show www.metalmadrid.com/en/

MACH

4 - 8 April 2022 NEC, Birmingham, UK. Manufacturing Technologies Event www.machexhibition.com/

training providers and other institutions with high-quality training resources and qualifications that are designed to meet industry need.”

If you are Interested in finding out more about the fabrication and welding qualifications, either CLICK HERE to view our offer, or email Kaye, Relationship Manager at Skills and Education Group Awards. ■

WELDING BRNO 2020 OK

3 -7 October 2022 Brno, Czech Republic.

International Welding Engineering Fair www.bvv.cz/en/welding/ welding-2020/

EUROBLECH

25 – 28 October 2022 Hanover, Germany.

26th International Sheet Metal Working Technology Exhibition www.euroblech.com/2020/english/ exhibitors/exhibitor-hub/

CLICK HERE for more

events and news updates

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P R ODUCT N E WS

The next generation of technologically advanced welding and cutting solutions from Weldability Sif Weldability Sif launch their range of Sifweld Evolution welding machines packed with new features and technology normally only available on high end welding machines but surprisingly these come without the price tag.

The SifWeld Evolution range of MIG, TIG and Plasma Cutting equipment meets the most demanding needs of professional applications in a variety of welding environments. Because welding applications vary, we have developed the range to include power sources that can meet various needs and requirements including higher energy efficiency and large colour LCD displays which allows for user friendly control of all the welding parameters to keep running costs lower compared to traditional equipment.

The Sifweld range of MIG welding machines, delivers a high build quality, reliability, energy efficient technology and functional user benefits for welding professionals with high production

environments, in and around the workshop and on the move site work.

The SifWeld Evolution MTS200SYN with PFC technology for 230Volt or 110Volt in single-phase operation combines intelligent Synergic and Manual MIG welding, providing smooth and powerful genuine Lift TIG and MMA performance.

It also features a large colour LCD display with a simple, easy-to-use interface allowing configuration of current, voltage, gas, arc-force, burn-back and inductance in MIG, you are also able to have full control of the Lift TIG and MMA functions.

The SifWeld Evolution MTS300SYN high current 230Volt single phase and the MTS400SYN, 400Volt Three Phase professional, machines are microprocessor-controlled inverter welding package for MIG, MMA & Lift-TIG applications.

100% Duty Cycle at 400A and 60% at 500A for the MTS400SYN this machine is the ideal work horse for high production

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manufacturing in both air cooled or water cooled versions. Using the built in Synergic facility the machine will automatically give the optimum welding parameters for the specific material, wire size and shielding gas.

SifWeld Evolution MTS500DP (Dual Pulse) and MTS400 Robot are suitable for MIG, MMA and TIG welding applications. Both machines are 500 amp with a 400 amp output at 100% Duty Cycle providing smooth and powerful genuine Lift TIG and MMA performance. Incorporating the built in Synergic and Dual Pulse facility the machines will automatically give the optimum welding parameters for the specific material, wire size and shielding gas, including optimum MIG welding of aluminium.

The MTS500 Robot has all the high quality and high production features of the MTS500DP, with the added advantage of Full Digital or Analogue Control from most types of industrial and collaborative Robots.

PR ODUCT NEWS Dual Pulsed MIG technologies, like that of the MTS500DP, and MTS500 Robot have advanced to provide excellent welding performance on thin gauge aluminium, stainless and other alloys. Upgrading to a modern MIG inverter can improve productivity, reduce weld costs, and improve operator efficiency. Dual Pulsed MIG can replace AC TIG by giving welders the ability to control heat input, increase travel speeds, eliminate burn through and control the bead profile while welding aluminium. The new Dual Pulsed Sifweld Evolution MIG technology enables operators to tailor the arc length to match their personal preferences.

TIG The advanced Sifweld Evolution Aerotech range of AC/DC TIG machines have features normally only available on high end Aerospace specific TIG welding machines, including: Four power levels of HF ignition strength, fully adjustable cleaning and welding current levels on both the positive and negative parts of the AC Square Wave Cycle.

The SifWeld Evolution TS200AC/DC and TS320AC/DC Aerotech Inverter TIG welder is fully digital and programmable professional, microprocessor-controlled inverter welding power source for AC TIG, DC TIG & MMA applications. The use of

IGBT technology providing a compact and lightweight machine that is feature rich including the advanced Aerotech features and High-Speed Pulse. There is also a fully digital control with large colour LCD for showing and changing all welding parameters.

The SifWeld Evolution TS200DC Dual Voltage Inverter TIG welder is a fully digital welding machine used for TIG and MMA welding. It has PFC Technology so the machine can be used on 230volt or 110volt Singe Phase supply. High Frequency ignition and High-Speed Pulse with the complete range of fully adjustable parameters normally expected on a professional TIG welding machine.

Designed for welders with an eye for detail, SifWeld Evolution TIG/MMA equipment as well as SifWeld Evolution MIG DC inverters keep technology on the inside and simple, easy to use control and performance on the outside, offering reliable solutions to keep you welding at its best.

PLASMA CUTTERS The Sifweld Evolution Plasma range includes Cut 40 Dual Voltage and Cut 40 Air professional 40Amp plasma cutting system, designed for hand-held efficient cutting in manufacturing, sheet metal, general maintenance industries and

automotive. Featuring IGBT inverter technology colour LCD display which includes fault messaging of the power source and torch to ensure optimum performance, comes with a quickconnect euro adapter to ensure effortless connection on every model.

The Cut 40 Air comes with a built-in compressor and gives the operator the advantage of plasma cutting when an internal air supply is not available, just flip the switch and the machine can be used with an external air supply in the workshop from a 230V single-phase power supply. Your SifWeld Evolution CUT40 DV & CUT40AIR comes with everything you need, straight from the box, including plasma torch and earth return clamp.

The final plasma cutting system is the Cut 100 CNC, a professional 100 Amp system designed for efficient cutting in the heavy fabrication, manufacturing, demolition, and general maintenance industries.

An industrial plasma cutting machine, which operates from a 400V three-phase power supply and with a 100% duty cycle.

Featuring IGBT inverter technology and is ideal to cut up to 60mm thick steel. The SifWeld Evolution CUT100 CNC, again, comes with everything you need, straight from the box, including hand-held plasma torch, earth return clamp, and regulator with vapour-trap. ■

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P R ODUCT N E WS

HYPERTHERM INTRODUCES EXTREME BEVEL PLASMA CONSUMABLES FOR ITS MAXPRO200 AIR AND OXYGEN PLASMA SYSTEM Hypertherm, manufacturer of industrial cutting systems and software, has announced the release of extreme bevel consumables for its MAXPRO200® LongLife® air and oxygen plasma cutting system.

The consumables, designed for mechanised, robotic, and handheld cutting, have an aggressive pointed geometry so the plasma torch can tilt to an angle of up to 66.5 degrees.

This makes the consumables ideal for a wide range of jobs including steep mechanised beveling, tube and pipe cutting, structural steel work, pressure vessel construction, and handheld cutting.

In addition, it makes it easier for operators to see what they are cutting and gives them better access to beam flanges and

areas with limited clearance for better cuts and fewer secondary operations.

The extreme bevel consumables are available for both air and oxygen cutting

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at 130 and 200 amps. MAXPRO200 owners and operators can choose to purchase the consumables separately or as part of a starter kit (part 528058) that includes consumables for all the extreme bevel cutting processes available for this system.

“The MAXPRO200 is a true workhorse for companies demanding great cut quality along with high productivity and low operating costs,” said Jorge Santana, a Hypertherm product manager. “It’s 100 percent duty cycle combined with 200 amps of power and the versatility offered by both hand and mechanised cutting make it an enormously popular system.

The addition of these extreme bevel consumables creates new opportunities for customers around the world.”

Learn more at www.hypertherm.com

PR ODUCT NEWS

A Cut-Above the Rest: Lincoln Electric® Introduces VRTEX® OxyFuel® Cutting Feature In collaboration with The Harris Products Group (a Lincoln Electric company and the leader in cutting), Lincoln Electric® introduces the VRTEX OxyFuel® Cutting feature, bringing welding and cutting together for education by enabling users to practice torch cutting safely and virtually. From setting up the torch to executing the cut, each task is designed to simulate real-world cutting applications. Exclusive to Lincoln Electric, the VRTEX OxyFuel Cutting feature is available on VRTEX 360 and Transport models.

The VRTEX 360 provides a best-in-class, advanced-level virtual reality welding simulation training experience for educational or industrial environments.

It can be used for fundamental welding training, skill enhancement, diagnostic testing and instructor preparation. Virtual reality arc welding trainers provide a powerful, cutting-edge solution for cultivating welding talent quickly and resourcefully. Together with the MIG, Stick and GTAW devices, they simulate the look, feel and action of actual guns and torches.

VRTEX training offers welders a variety of benefits, including: • Faster Training • Increased Certification Rate • Reduction in Training Costs • Streaming Capabilities for Remote Learning VRTEX 360 FULL SYSTEM

“The Harris Products Group and Lincoln Electric collaboration raises the bar by offering the best state-of-the-art welding simulations,” said Ira Bennett, Director of Marketing for The Harris Products Group. “The addition of OxyFuel to Lincoln’s VRTEX 360 and Transport models offers instructors and students an all-encompassing welding simulation experience.”

Instructors can use the VRTEX OxyFuel feature for an introduction and reinforcement of cutting practices. VRTEX offers the ability to connect to the user’s fuel of choice, Propane or Acetylene, and properly set fuel and fuel pressures in proper safety sequence. Users follow a step-by-step torch lighting sequence, following safety protocols and reinforcing the importance of reading the flame, and displaying proper torch shutdown sequence.

OxyFuel Cutting is also applicable for students to learn application, evaluation and improvement of cutting. Visual cues will help the learner with proper technique by indicating proper aim, angle, distance and speed. VRTEX products reinforce the importance of heating the plate and cutting accuracy with realistic separation of the cut, and provides the user with feedback.

“Lincoln Electric is committed to continually offering best-in-class, innovative, virtual learning experiences for new and seasoned welders alike,” said Jason Scales, Business Manager,

Education for Lincoln Electric. “The VRTEX OxyFuel Cutting feature allows users a lifelike simulated cutting experience that will prepare them to apply their skills in the field.”

For more information about Lincoln Electric and its virtual welding simulators, visit www.lincolnelectric.com or, contact your local Lincoln Electric representative for information about adding the feature to your VRTEX 360 or Transport welding simulator.

About The Harris Products Group The Harris Products Group, a Lincoln Electric company with headquarters in the U.S., is a world leader in the design, development, and manufacture of cutting, welding, brazing, and soldering equipment, consumables and gas distribution systems. The Harris Products Group products are sold and used in more than 90 countries. For more information about The Harris Products Group and its products and services, please visit the Company’s website at www.harrisproductsgroup.com

VRTEX OXTFUEL CUTTING TORCH ATTACHMENT

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P R ODUCT N E WS

The right EWM welding machine for every MIG/MAG user Mündersbach company EWM AG is expanding its XQ series in the area of MIG/ MAG welding. Following on from the Titan XQ puls, Germany’s largest manufacturer of arc welding technology is now releasing its new MIG/MAG multi-process welding machines – the Phoenix XQ puls and the Taurus XQ Synergic. Users and apprentices from industry, production and trade can now find the perfect XQ welding machine for every area of application. All members of the XQ family are energy-efficient, have a long service life and can be digitally networked.

With its new Phoenix XQ puls and Taurus XQ Synergic, EWM continues to expand its range of modern welding technology.

Welders and companies can now choose the right XQ welding machine for every area of application and every welding task. And to make sure of this, EWM AG is offering its customers a chance to test the new welding machines in their own dayto-day work, in addition to an individual consultation.

With their new MIG/MAG multi-process welding machines – the Phoenix XQ puls and the Taurus XQ Synergic – Mündersbach-based EWM AG are expanding their XQ series which already includes their Titan XQ puls machines. all material thicknesses and all positions.

That’s what makes the Titan XQ puls, Phoenix XQ puls and Taurus XQ Synergic MIG/MAG multi-process welding machines stand out from the pack. The innovative EWM welding processes, included with the purchased machines at no extra charge, also save significant energy and material costs.

FUTURE-PROOF THANKS TO DIGITALISATION The MIG/MAG multi-process welding machines with XQ technology can be digitally networked, as standard in Industry 4.0. They are compatible with the ewm Xnet software solution to support, document and analyse a component’s entire production process, from work

With their MIG/MAG multi-process welding machines – the Titan XQ puls, Phoenix XQ puls and Taurus XQ Synergic – Mündersbach-based EWM AG is offering users and businesses state-ofthe-art welding solutions for all areas of application.

The LP control (available for all XQ machines) has “Favourites” buttons that allow the user to save individual welding settings and parameters.

ENERGY-SAVING Maximum operating convenience, low power consumption, a long service life and perfect weld seams when welding low to high-alloy steel and aluminium in

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preparation to final costing, all completely paperless – saving time and ensuring quality.

MAKING WORK EASIER AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON The control variants already familiar to EWM customers from the Titan XQ puls are now available for the Phoenix XQ puls and Taurus XQ Synergic. “Favourites” buttons make the user’s work much easier: At the push of a button, the user can save the current set operating point and reload it later by simply pressing the button again.

The functions of the EWM welding torches are also available with XQ technology.

Parameters such as the welding process, welding current, wire feed speed, welding program and tasks can be displayed and set directly on the torch. The days of traipsing back to the wire feeder are over! ■ CLICK HERE for more information

The EWM RD3X welding torch from the PM welding torch series allows the user to display and set parameters such as the welding process, welding current, wire feed speed, voltage correction, welding program and tasks directly on the torch.

PR ODUCT NEWS

WELD BACKING TAPE Supporting the backside or underside of weld joints will help prevent oxidation, eliminate re-welding and require much less post-weld cleaning.

Weld Backing Tape® available from Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® supports weld roots, reducing sugaring and oxidation.

Georgia Gascoyne CEO Managing Director for HFT® said: “Low cost Weld Backing Tape® is very easy to use. By simply attaching the tape onto the root gap using the adhesive aluminium tape either side of the glass fibre centre, which keeps the weld joint free from weld tacks.

“After welding, the Weld Backing Tape®

is removed, leaving the weld free from oxidation with no back gouging or grinding required.”

Unlike ceramic fibre, Weld Backing Tape® has no true melting point so it works satisfactorily with TIG or MIG welding (GTAW or GMAW) where temperatures can reach up to 6,000ºC. This overcomes the concerns associated with ceramic fibre versions that have a melting point of 1,800ºC. Weld Backing Tape® is available up to 600 amps and can be used for manual and

automatic welding. It can help achieve higher welding speeds and dramatically reduce the amount of post weld cleaning required.

Each tape consists of a 3” (75mm) wide aluminium adhesive tape, in the centre of which is a 1” (25mm) wide band of woven glass fibre. The glass fibre matting has differing thicknesses to match the welding current in use.

Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® have a Worldwide Exclusive Distributor Network. ■

FEIN launches new year deals grinder and mag drill promotions are now Power tools and accessories live and offer some significant savings manufacturer, FEIN, has launched a for a limited period, that those working number of new promotions across its across the metalworking sector can catalogue of products. benefit from.”

Promotions on tools from FEIN’s welding One of the offers available as and core drilling ranges, TOP DEALS part of the promotion is FEIN’s including its bevelling complete welding package. machine, angle grinder and PROMOTIONS & NEW PRODUCTS Those who buy a FEIN bevelling mag drills, launched on the machine and angle grinder, 1st January 2021 nationally within the three-month across the UK and will run promotional period, will receive until the 31st March 2021. a set of 10 indexable inserts “We are delighted to have upon registering both machines kicked off the new year by for FEIN’s three-year warranty. launching multiple offers FEIN is also offering a core across our product portfolio, drilling promotion, which means anyone with end-users given the opportunity to buying a FEIN mag drill who registers for take full advantage of some great deals the three-year warranty will receive the across various categories,” comments cutters for free, potentially saving up to Raphael Rudolph, managing director of £204.37.

FEIN UK. “The bevelling machine, angle 01.01. – 31.03.2021

TOP DEAL CORE DRILLING STARTER PACKAGE

FEIN-UK.CO.UK

TOP DEAL WELDED SEAM PACKAGE

“Our machines save time and money at every step of the process, and we’re excited to offer even greater savings for those looking to invest in some new tools to kickstart 2021. At FEIN, we’re committed to providing robust, long-life solutions, while our products result in quality work being produced faster and more efficiently,” continues Raphael.

FEIN has been operating in the metalworking field for more than 150 years and, as the inventor of the power tool, has been focusing on the industry’s needs for some time.

“Last year was a challenging one for a lot of businesses, so we really wanted to start the year off with some exciting savings for our dealers and end users alike,” concludes Raphael.

For further information on the promotions, visit fein.com/en_uk/

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SI F T I PS

Tips for Welding Copper and Brass No 7 together with Sifsilcopper flux will produce a joint with excellent colour match.

Copper is not generally joined using arc welding electrodes. But in circumstances where there is no other welding equipment other than a transformer, Hilco Bronsil proves ideal.

COPPER Pure copper has characteristics of high thermal and electrical conductivity. The metal requires about six times more heat (melting point is 1,083°C) for fusion welding than steel so particular care must be taken during welding and brazing.

Tough pitch copper, which includes most varieties of high conductivity copper, contains up to 0.5% oxygen (cuprous oxide) and is not suitable for fusion welding since it has a tendency to embrittlement and cracking, though it can be brazed. Deoxidised copper, where the oxygen has been removed during manufacture by the use of deoxidising agents, can be fusion welded.

For MIG and TIG welding, it is necessary to preheat the workpiece if it is over 6mm thick. The usual shielding gas is argon, but with thicker material an argon/ helium mixture can beneficially increase the arc temperature. Consumables to be used are SIFMIG 985 and Sifsilcopper No 985, although Sifsilcopper No 7 can be used for TIG welding sheet up to 3mm thick.

Gas welding of copper, such as whiskey stills, tanks etc, requires the parts to be preheated to 600°C and slowly cooled on completion of the joint. Sifsilcopper

BRASS Brass is a generic term covering a wide range of copper alloys containing additions of zinc. All brasses, which includes gilding metal, can be silver soldered, MIG and TIG welded successfully. However, the addition of lead for free cutting brass and in gunmetal (LG1 & LG2) causes porosity and fume problems with gas shielded arc welding. Phosphor bronze, copper/tin alloys such as PB2, can be readily brazed or welded.

Gas welding of brass is not recommended as the zinc will tend to vaporise causing fumes (zinc oxide) and porosity. However, PB2 phosphor bronze can be joined with oxy-acetylene and Sifphosphor Bronze No 8, as sometimes used by sculptors.

For MIG and TIG welding a shielding gas of argon or argon/carbon dioxide mixture is used. If it is felt necessary to use preheat, this must be limited to less than 80°C, otherwise the structure of the brass may become altered.

The choice of filler wire or rod will depend on the composition of the alloy being joined. As a general comment, SIFMIG 8 or Sifphosphor Bronze No8 is recommended as first consideration.

However, SIFMIG 328 and 968 or Sifalbronze No 32 and Sifsilcopper No 968 may also be suitable. If colour match with brass is important, Sifphosphor Bronze No 82 is recommended. ■

Technical advice in the original SifTips style was started in 1932. ‘Sifbronzing’ is an almost universally recognised way of describing the low temperature bronze welding of sheet steel, cast iron and other metals. This explains why Sifbronze, the company which first developed and promoted the technique, is generally considered to be a supplier of high quality welding rods, wires, fluxes and equipment.

‘Will the Welder’ was a SifTips magazine that was produced in the early 1930s. The aim was to provide users with ideas and tips on how to get the most out of their welding equipment.

Sif is renowned for its UK manufacturing heritage as well as its complete range of quality welding consumables used globally for almost a century.

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A ND FINA L LY

THE EU AND THE NEED FOR LEVELLING UP

I am particularly grateful for my early years of employment as a representative working for a major corporation. It gave me the freedom to travel the length and breadth of the country and the opportunity to look inside many different factories and industries, producing many types of products in a variety of ways, utilising the skills of human endeavour.

It was a huge learning curve for me and a great opportunity to meet the hardworking people of the UK workforce.

From the mid seventies until the early eighties, I was able to see at first hand the impact of the UK joining the European Economic Community, or EEC as it was originally referred to, and quite frankly it was not a very pretty sight. Long-serving manufacturing companies, historically based in the UK and employing local people were being forced to accept the arrival of European competition, which initially undermined their revenues and, latterly, their ability to employ and,

finally, their reason to exist. Margaret Thatcher would have had you believe this was simply the application of the “Free Market”, but many of us knew this was an opportunity that her government could utilise, to undermine the viability of Trade Unions and reduce their ultimate power.

I remember visiting companies in Bletchley, near to Milton Keynes, and being told that they were being closed despite their 100 year history, because the land was more valuable than the business, a fact of life at that time across the UK. An aspect that created many of the retail parks that we see today, on sites where historic companies once stood. The retail boom was just about to begin, and property companies became enriched by the opportunity to copy and paste the concept across the country.

Many will argue that this change was necessary, the survival of the fittest, but it was actually the start of an unhealthy weakening of the global power and global

reach of this country, which had been created by many of our antecedents over the centuries before. This was the moment when modern technology began to replace people and when many started to feel further disenfranchised by their circumstances.

Joining the EEC represented long term peace and stability for Europe, but we could never quite form a European defence force whilst Germany was prohibited from doing so. The UK continued to shoulder the largest defence spending budget. We were promised significant trade advantages that only reduced in potential and size, of the volume that had been originally created with Europe when we traded independently. We were promised access and freedom of movement with 1 million Brits settling in Europe and 3.4 million Europeans settling here. This significant boost in population was never properly supported by public spending and we

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A N D FIN A LLY ended up with many of our public services struggling to keep pace with demand, making the indigenous population feel further disadvantaged.

During this time, and following my corporate employment, I chose to start my own business and left the security of the corporation that was, as I remember, struggling to retain its advantages and its long-term career-protection. I witnessed first-hand the delight of importing goods from Europe pre-deregulation and witnessed the paperwork challenges. I saw the Big Bang and the relevance of the money markets to the world and I witnessed the removal of the relationship between boss and employee, being replaced with a tome of contract law.

In recent years I have seen the various implementations of unnecessary EU legislation to ensure that minerals mined since the dark ages, were now correctly designated (REACH), the creation of EU import duties to protect the vested interests of uncompetitive EU manufacturing facilities, as long as you knew how and who to support you within the EU Parliament and the desire to create a single European currency, that this country thankfully did not want to join.

The EEC became the European Union, along the

way, and this drove the need to introduce a further tier of administration in the form of devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, just to ensure that decisions were still being made closer to home. Just who has been paying for all of this government, is likely to become apparent, as we count the cost of what has emerged, as an ultimately futile exercise, in political subjugation.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has brought into stark relief the single importance of one nation, one government. “Taking back control” also means taking full responsibility for the activities of this government and in recent months it is clear the government is intending direct control and delivery of funding to local authorities, FE Colleges and the NHS with various white papers and announcements in recent times. This new-found responsibility brings with it, greater stewardship and ownership of the outcomes, but also establishes a real need for local knowledge as a clear necessity in maintaining integrity. The desire to support a campaign of “levelling up” is not just a need to secure the “red wall” seats at the next election, but a real need to remove the disparity between our social classes, the motivation to remove the elitist influence in education and provide equal and fair opportunities for all. Now is the time to radically overhaul the skills agenda and provide the necessary financial support and direction to ensure that the UK can stand up for itself in tomorrow’s, uncertain world.

The UK has a natural geographic defence, as an island we are surrounded by the sea and consequently overseas travellers invariably and legally arrive at our ports or airports.

Under one single government it would have been far easier to control the arrival of overseas visitors and

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protect our indigenous population from the arrival of various virulent strains of the coronavirus. Thankfully the arrangements made to secure “speedboat” access to vaccines have at least been centralised in early 2020 and with the success of the UK vaccinating 18% of its population versus 4% in the EU at the time of writing. This is a stark example of centralisation working to the advantage of the people and the bureaucracy of the EU working against it.

Our recent mass-uptake of Zoom and Teams has brought mankind into close contact with modern methods of communication. Our brand-recognition worldwide as a place at the centre of the world’s time zones should present a real opportunity for this island, to quickly establish business across the world and we can now make clear that the UK is once more “open for business”.

I remain hopeful that with Brexit finally concluded and with the pandemic soon to be defeated, the UK will find much merit in its borders and its seas. Having achieved our release from the straight jacket of the EU, we are now able to trade anywhere we desire in the world, on WTO terms and have already secured a vast number of trade deals. From my experience of travelling the world on business, we now have a single advantage of displaying the respected Union flag, as an example of all that is great about our democracy and the quality of the UK’s much-admired society, attaching this to our renowned technological advances, to secure a vibrant future for our country, once more.

Kind Regards,

Adrian Hawkins OBE Managing Director, Welding World Ltd managing.director@welding-world.com