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ISSUE 423
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MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING MAGAZINE
M M MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING MAGAZINE
CUMMINS GENERATOR TECHNOLOGIES AN END TO END SERVICE
ABBEY METAL FINISHING Aerospace defence engineering
ISSUE 423
expert advanced manufacturing technologies Exceeding automotive expectations
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editor’s
Comment ISSUE 423
www.memuk.org Magazine Manager Daniel Beardsley
Pioneers In The
Feature Managers Tom Waite Elliott Jenkinson Kyle Joyce Bradley Drake
UK
Editor Ciaran Jarosz Contributing Editor Daniel Stephens
I always like a good “pioneer” story. It’s even better when that pioneer is a British business. That’s why I was interested to hear bearing manufacturer Bowman International announce a range of rolled bearings that it describes as the biggest advance in plain siding bearings since the 1940s. Developed from an alloy called TouchMet, which was produced in the US by Materion, Bowman International created bearings that outperform comparable products by offering higher load capacities and greater durability leading to longer life. Bowman also boasts that the product can provide industry leading capabilities in regards to heat, speed and corrosion, making it an ideal multi-purpose product. If the product does what it says, it’s nothing short of revolutionary. Indeed, engineering firms could enjoy increased reliability, reduced maintenance and fewer warranty claims alongside properties that beat the competition in terms of loads and speed. This is design and operational capability we’ve not seen before. Yet, the biggest advance in plain bearings since the Second World War is not just about design. Real cost reductions are generated by cutting wastage achieved through the rolling process. This is in comparison to previous methods regarding how ToughMet was machined from solid bar or thick-walled tube, leaving up to 75% of material wasted. Almost no wastage is generated from Bowman’s new rolling process while the method makes no limitations on the bearings capability. As such, the product can be plain or flanged with wall thicknesses of 0.75mm to 3mm or larger. Customisation of the product can provide an array of other benefits with the ability to provide holes and pockets, location slots, lubrication grooves and tabs. It would be easy to dismiss these bearings as an unproven product that needs time to find its feet and build its reputation but Bowman has been a specialist in the area since 1972. The company knows how to make products that are built to last and has a proven track record in doing so.
Journalists Jeff Senior Hayley Toth Jessica Sansome Holly Molnar Art Editor Stacey Brewer Designers Carla Taylor Sam Dickinson Natalia Wysocka Production Vicki Lindsay Lisa Pollinger Rebecca Scott Accounts Nick Charalambous Hasan Riaz Manufacturing and Engineering Magazine is published by: Trafalgar Publishing Ltd, 1st Floor Turnbridge Mills, Quay Street, Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD1 6QT Tel: 01484 437314
Manufacturing and Engineering magazine is published by Trafalgar Publishing Ltd. Company registered in England & Wales. All material is the copyright of Trafalgar Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. Manufacturing and Engineering magazine is the property of Trafalgar Publishing Ltd. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form whole or part without the written permission of a director of Trafalgar Publishing Ltd. Liability: while every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information herein, or any consequence arising from it. In the case of company or product reviews or comments, these have been based upon the true and honest opinion of the Editor at the time of going to press.
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Contents www.memuk.org
ISSUE 423 4 UPDATE
32 CUMMINS GENERATOR TECHNOLOGIES
The latest news from the industry
SPECIAL FOCUS 8 HEALTH & SAFETY Staying safe in the workplace
AEROSPACE 10 MIDLANDS AEROSPACE ALLIANCE
A united midlands aerospace industry
12 ABBEY METAL FINISHING Aerospace defence engineering
18 DAHER AEROSPACE Shaping industrial intelligence
AUTOMOTIVE 22 EXPERT ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES
Exceeding automotive expectations
50 FERITECH LTD 2
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12 ABBEY METAL FINISHING
MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING 30 BEST OF BRITISH Manufacturing at its best
32 CUMMINS GENERATOR TECHNOLOGIES
An end to end service
46 ALPHA ENGINEERING Precision manufacture
MARINE 48 CORNWALL MARINE NETWORK Improving prosperity
50 FERITECH LTD Design, manufacture, supply
56 SEVERN SUBSEA TECHNOLOGIES Innovative engineering
OIL & GAS 58 OIL & GAS REVIEW Awarded for good practice guidelines
60 KIRBY GROUP ENGINEERING A winning petrochemical partnership
CIVIL ENGINEERING 62 IPAF
Safe & effective powered access
66 STEEL CONSTRUCTION
CERTIFICATION SCHEME
Driving performance
68 TOOL & STEEL PRODUCTS For the infrastructure of the world
70 CLYDEFORTH ENGINEERS & CONTRACTORS LTD
22 EXPERT ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES
25 years in business
72 THE LAST WORD
Dyson: One of Britain’s longest running innovators
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update Siemens picks up Factory of the Year Award Siemens Healthcare has won 3 awards at the UK Best Factory Awards held on Friday 25th September. • Siemens MR Magnet Technology (SMT) based in Eynsham, Oxford, received awards for: • Factory of the Year 2015 • Best Engineering Plant Award • People and Skill Development Award • More than 30% of the MRI scanners installed in hospitals worldwide feature a superconducting magnet manufactured at the Siemens MR Magnet Technology (SMT) plant in Eynsham, Oxfordshire. The Best Factory Awards (BFA) now in its 24th year, is one of the most sought after manufacturing awards within the UK. The awards are run in partnership between Works Management magazine and Cranfield School of Management. Craig Marshall, Managing Director of Siemens MR Magnet Technology, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for all of the staff, external recognition of what we do and how we do it is massively motivational. The BFA judging criteria is particularly focused on being able to demonstrate that the culture within the factory reflects our values and the overall strategy is understood and indeed embraced by everyone on the payroll.” “These new awards for Siemens MR Magnet Technology, are a reflection of the journey the
company has been on since its formation in 2003. The life blood of Siemens Magnet Technology is challenge and continuous improvement which has resulted in driving up productivity through increasing efficiency, instilling and incentivizing a sustainable culture of continuous improvement, all of which is backed up with rigorous skills training. At the centre of the Siemens Magnet Technology strategy wheel is a neat saying which we live by, ‘Don’t limit your challenges, Do challenge your limits.’ This phrase epitomises the mind set we promote. I recently pulled up an apprentice for
not correcting me when I called him by the wrong name, deference cannot be allowed to trump mistakes, when I or the rest of the senior team are wrong we need to hear it.” The team at Siemens MR Magnet Technology, are not strangers to the Best Factory Awards. Winning three awards in 2012 for Best Engineering Plant, Supply Chain Award, Innovation Award and was also highly commended in a 4th category – Skills Development Award. Siemens Healthcare is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimising clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 52,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world www.siemens.co.uk/healthcare.
IKEA PULLS PLUG ON HANERGY SOLAR DEAL AFTER THREE YEARS Scandinavian furniture giant IKEA has cancelled its domestic solar PV supply deal with beleaguered Chinese thin-film module manufacturer Hanergy. An IKEA spokesperson confirmed to Solar Power Portal this afternoon that it had chosen not to renew its solar supply contract with Hanergy, little more than three years after striking the partnership. In a statement, IKEA said the deal between the two companies had ended on 1 November and IKEA was to now pursue a "new business model". "Based on the successful roll out and to ensure
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IKEA Group has a growth plan in place for the future, we have evaluated our business model, starting in the UK. A new business model has been decided upon, which includes the decision not to renew the contract with Hanergy Solar UK when their current contract ends on 1st November 2015. "IKEA group’s priority now is to work collaboratively with Hanergy Solar UK during the phase out, in order to ensure the best interests of customers and we are working with the local team at Hanergy Solar UK to agree a transition time plan to ensure a smooth transition for our visitors, their customers and
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store teams," the statement read. IKEA and Hanergy originally partnered in September 2012 in a deal which was ultimately so successful that the furniture manufacturer elected to expand its sales of solar equipment into eight additional markets last year. But since then Hanergy's share price has collapsed prompting an investigation by Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission and six months of claim and counterclaim between the financial authority and Hanergy Thin Film chairman Li Hejun. Trading of Hanergy shares remains suspended.
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update ARE BP PLC, OPHIR ENERGY PLC AND AMEC FOSTER WHEELER PLC SET TO SOAR? The outlook for the oil sector is very downbeat at the present time. Industry experts are generally of the view that we have now entered a ‘new normal’ of low oil prices, which means that profitability for sector incumbents and their investors may be disappointing over the short to medium term. Of course, it is not all that long ago since there were predictions of $200+ per barrel. Since then, though, a slowing Chinese economy as well as increased production of oil have combined to more than halve the price of black gold and send predictions for its future price level southwards. The reality, though, is that the price of oil is a known unknown. For investors who can take a long term view and cope with a relatively high degree of volatility, the margins of safety on offer at a number of oil producers, explorers and supper services companies indicate that now is an opportune moment to buy. Clear upside For example, BP (LSE: BP) trades on a price to book value (P/B) ratio of just 0.96 which, for a company with such an appealing asset base, indicates that there is clear upside potential. Furthermore, the company is taking a prudent approach to the future direction of the oil price, with it stating in its recent third quarter results that it is planning on operating within an environment of $60 oil. This means that BP is focused on improving productivity, reducing costs and generating efficiencies over the medium term,
which is likely to have a positive impact on its bottom line. In addition, BP remains committed to paying a relatively generous level of dividends, with the company stating in its third quarter results that it intends to maintain its current level of payout over the medium term. This means that BP should yield around 6.8%, which makes it one of the most appealing, albeit risky, income plays in the FTSE 100. Very sustainable Similarly, with Amec Foster Wheeler’s (LSE: AMFW) share price having fallen by 16% since the turn of the year, it now offers a yield of just over 6%. Unlike BP, though, Amec Foster Wheeler’s dividend is well-covered by profit at 1.7 times, which indicates that they it’s very sustainable, even if profitability comes under pressure in future years. Looking ahead, though, the company is forecast to return to positive earnings growth next year, which has the potential to improve investor sentiment and push its share price higher. With Amec Foster Wheeler trading on a price to earnings (P/E) ratio of just 9.7, there is considerable rerating potential and this makes it a very appealing buy at the present time. One to watch Meanwhile, Ophir Energy (LSE: OPHR) today issued an update on its exploration well at the Soy Siam prospect in Thailand. The well was drilled to a depth of 1,627m, but all the reservoirs which were encountered were dry and no hydrocarbon shows were encountered.
EU PLANS EXPORT WAIVER FOR PHARMA MANUFACTURING The European Commission plans to bring in an export waiver for supplementary protection certificates, in order to boost pharma industry manufacturing in Europe. In the European Economic Area (EEA) supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) extend a company’s intellectual property rights for a drug following the expiry of the original patent for medicines and biologics. The certificates were created to compensate companies for the long approval time for products. Currently, pharma manufacturers in Europe are forced to outsource production to supply countries without SPCs or to regions where SPCs expire early in comparison to Europe, creating competition as soon as the SPCs expire in Europe. However, according to the European Genetics and Biosimilar Medicines Association (EGA), in order to increase manufacturing and R&D in Europe, the exemption of SPCs is essential. The EGA says it will create new high skilled jobs within the pharmal industry and stimulate economic growth.
Adrian Van Den Hoven, director-general of the EGA says: “The European genetics and biosimilar medicines industry is on the cusp of creating many more jobs as it expands access to high quality medicines for patients. Europe needs to rapidly introduce a targeted SPC waiver to capitalise on this tremendous opportunity for pharmaceutical manufacturing in the EU.” Evidence suggests global spending on generics will rise from 27% in 2012 to 36% by 2017 and 80% by 2020. An SPC manufacturing waiver for the purposes of export into countries which are not SPC protected could allow the European genetics and biosimilar industries to develop, creating thousands of technical jobs and giving a boost to new smaller companies. The plans, revealed in a European Commission strategy document, suggest that the waiver will allow for granting SPCs in Europe, giving greater transparency and certainty to European regulators and generic companies about products’ IP statuses.
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update ENGINEERING TRIUMPH FOR AMEY RAIL’S ANDREW LOVEDAY A good sense of humour and strong team spirit are the winning qualities Amey Rail’s Andrew Loveday brings to his work as a site manager and civil engineer on the Crossrail project. Says colleague Andy Gibbs, ‘With over 30 years’ experience on the railway, there is not much about civil work that Andy doesn’t know, and I have seen him work with the more junior members of his team to really develop their knowledge. ‘Andy always has a ‘can-do’ but safe approach – Andy will get a job done, but he will never let safety be sacrificed, which explains, I feel, why he has such a superb reputation. ‘I have known him identify a safety concern regarding access to a new structure and then stay late in the night to build a safe working platform for access in order to prevent accidents and to drive the project forward.’ Andrew Loveday goes above and beyond contractual requirements to give clients a bespoke solution to their project needs – one of the reasons the Crossrail project is on time and on budget. ‘For the last year, Andrew has been the site manager and lead civil engineering operative for Amey Rail’s contribution to the Crossrail Outer Area Project,’ says Amey project manager, Oliver Jackson. ‘Andrew has shown great leadership and innovative skills
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to successfully deliver the civil engineering construction of nine separate structures.’ Based in Exeter, the job means he’s been living away from home for eight years. His experience has added great value to a young and relatively inexperienced workforce. ‘Andrew’s contribution to the project and attention to detail are a testament to his character,’ continues Oliver Jackson. ‘This is a selfless, dedicated, engineer, who takes great pride in the quality of his work and his consideration for others. To relate one incident: On completion of his construction task (which followed the approved design rigidly) Andrew observed that the structure he had constructed, whilst correct, did not address the needs of the contractor who was to complete the signalling installation. The structure did not provide safe access for installation works before final completion. Andrew, having finished his work returned to the depot to construct a temporary access stairs and platform. This allowed the following contractor to access and work in a safe manner. This was above and beyond what was required of him, but Andrew once again could not just walk away. The safety of people he had not even met had been considered and any issues resolved before he felt comfortable in going home.
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TECHNIP WINS SANTOS BASIN CONTRACT Technip said it has been awarded a contract from Libra Oil & Gas in the Santos Basin pre-salt area, offshore Brazil. The company will carry out the work for the consortium which is led by Petrobras Netherlands and its partners Shell, Total, CNOOC and CNPC. Technip said the project includes the supply of flexible pipes for the Libra extended well test field and is one of the first steps of the giant field development. The contract covers the supply of high-end flexible pipes which are the first to be installed in the area.
Adriano Novitsky, President of Technip in Brazil, said: “Technip is very proud to have been selected to supply the first pipes for the Libra development. “It is the result of strong R&D and engineering efforts to overcome the pre-salt technical challenges using flexible pipes solution.” Technip’s operating center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will perform the project management and engineering. The highly technological flexible pipes will be produced at Technip’s manufacturing sites in Vitόria and Açu, Brazil. Delivery is scheduled to start in the second half of 2016.
UNEXPECTED JUMP IN FACTORY OUTPUT BOOSTS UK MANUFACTURERS The closely watched CIPS/Markit purchasing managers’ index (PMI) survey posted a reading of 55.5 last month – where 50 separates growth from contraction. This is a sharp improvement on September’s revised 51.8 figure, and the best month of growth since June 2014. The report said the 3.7 point rise was one of the steepest in the survey’s 24-year history. However, the report cautioned that it remained to be seen if this jump was a one-off rise or the start of a longer term trend of expansion. It said rises in domestic orders lifted solidly in the period, while export orders posted back-to-back monthly increases for the first time since the third quarter of 2014. The report said export growth was driven by large firms selling to customers in the Middle East, East Asia and the USA.
But it added that export growth at smaller firms was “more subdued”. Rob Dobson, senior economist at Markit, said UK manufacturing showed early signs of springing back to life at the start of the final quarter of the year. He added: “The revival provides a tentative suggestion that the manufacturers are pulling out of their recent funk, having been dogged by recession since the start of the year, and may help boost economic growth in the fourth quarter. “The big question now is whether this bounce back is a one-off or the start of a sustained re-emergence from recession.” This survey contrasts with other recent measures of the economy. Employer’s body the CBI said last week that manufacturing orders suffered their biggest fall in three years in the three months to October.
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update
Civil engineers call for HS2 high speed rail link to be extended to Scotland CIVIL engineers have called for highspeed rail to be extended amid warnings that a failure to broaden existing plans will leave Scotland's transport network at a disadvantage. The Institution of Civil Engineers Scotland said that a meaningful shift from air to rail between London and Scotland’s central belt is only achievable if the high speed rail project (HS2) is brought north of the Border. Under current proposals, HS2 will link London with Birmingham, reducing its 81minute travel time to 49 minutes, before forking to provide onward routes to Manchester and Leeds. However, the link was originally envisioned by former Labour transport secretary Lord Andrew Adonis as uniting people north and south of the border. Ronnie Hunter, chair of the ICE Scotland state of the nation steering group, said: “The completion of the Borders Railway, and its early success, has shown us that there can be a bright future for railways in Scotland. "It is now time for the Scottish Government to outline a clear determination to enhance and upgrade our strategic rail network for the long term. “That means working with the UK Government to extend high-speed rail to Glasgow and Edinburgh, with a travel time of less than three hours, in order to
provide a realistic option for ScotlandLondon commuters. “If we fail to make this happen the vision many have of rail competing meaningfully with air on travel to English cities will remain a fantasy rather than a reality.” ICE Scotland is this week releasing its Scottish Infrastructure Scorecard, which is compiled using evidence from expert members and stakeholders and is used to analyse the government’s transport policy as one of five major areas of infrastructure. Speaking in 2009, Lord Adonis said: "I see this as the union railway, uniting England and Scotland, north and south, richer and poorer parts of our country, sharing wealth and opportunity, pioneering a fundamentally better Britain." In May this year, Scottish MPs reacted furiously to claims that the group behind the HS2 project had argued there was no "business case" to extend the line into Scotland. Drew Hendry, the SNP's transport spokesman at Westminster, said including Scotland in HS2 would be transformative but added: "The Westminster establishment have shown a total lack of ambition throughout the development of plans for HS2 and seems committed to keeping Scotland in the slow lane." There is currently only 68 miles of verifiable high-speed rail in Britain, which runs from London to the Channel Tunnel.
Other major countries in Europe have invested heavily in their transport infrastructure, and in some cases the travel time has been reduced by more than half. At present, services make the 345-mile trip between Glasgow and London in no less than four and a half hours. However, the journey from Madrid to Barcelona, around 315 miles away, can be made in two and a half hours, while those heading from Paris to Marseille, a distance 410 miles, will arrive in the south of France in just over three hours. Speaking ahead of the HS2 conference in Edinburgh later this week, Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown said: “I have always maintained that we must extend the high-speed rail network further and faster to Scotland in order to deliver significant economic benefits by boosting growth and providing more and better opportunities. ils vital in ensuring that our businesses are able to compete and grow, but Scotland’s world class supply chain businesses can also play a key role in delivering this project, building skills, capability and jobs for the next generation." HS2 Ltd has said previously that work on improving the rail links between Scotland and the south of England is being considered and that commuters north of the border would benefit from high-speed services from the moment HS2 opens.
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SPECIAL FOCUS HEALTH & SAFETY
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SPECIAL FOCUS HEALTH & SAFETY
STAYING SAFE IN THE WORKPLACE Workers in the manufacturing and engineering sectors are Particularly vulnerable to potential dangers, highlighting the importance of health and safety in the workplace
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Health and Safety is of utmost importance to any industry, company or business and for manufacturing and engineering, it is no different. The manufacturing and engineering industries are quite complex, from machinery to toxic substances, workers in this field are exposed to potential dangers daily which highlights the importance of health and safety in the workplace. There are many systems in place to prevent work related accidents and ill health, such as the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. This covers basic health, safety and welfare issues which applies to most workplaces. Health refers to the general workplace environment, safety includes maintenance whilst welfare looks after drinking water and washing facilities, amongst others. Despite this, accidents still happen but by having procedures in place, it helps to reduce the risk and creates a safer working environment for employees and visitors. The manufacturing industry is diverse as it is made up of multiple industries including; ceramics, food and drink, molten metals, plastics and textiles. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there is an estimated 2.5 million workers in the manufacturing sector. The HSE also say that there were 4,100 reports of injury’s that had left workers off work for up to seven days or more. As well as this, the Labour Force Survey estimate that 33,000 workers suffer from ill health, caused or made worse from their current or recent job due to work exposures. Taking textiles as an example, the risks
include; fire and explosion, hand knives, dyes and dyeing. Most materials used in the textile industry will be flammable to a degree. Loose materials and high piles of stock can burn and spread fire easily so by keeping loose materials, such as off cuts, in a metal bin and storage to a minimum, it already reduces possible fire hazards and improves the safety of workers. A survey commissioned in 2014 by the European Union Occupational Safety and Health Agency, in collaboration with the HSE, found a variety of ways in which workplaces within the manufacturing sector put in place to manage risks. An estimate of 96% of workplaces with 5 or more employees reported that they regularly carry out risk assessments, essential to the safe running of a company. Engineering involves a lot of machinery and
it is involved in 10-15% of accidents reported to the HSE. The HSE offers a lot of guidance on safe guarding for range of tools and machinery that is common in the engineering industry. Another risk within the engineering industry is the exposure to metalworking fluids. Being exposed to these fluids can cause a number of effects including; irritation of the skin, bronchitis and breathing difficulties. But as with the manufacturing sector, there are procedures in place to help reduce the chances of harbouring such problems. This is the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) which requires the exposure to metalworking fluids by either inhalation, ingestion or skin contact to be prevented where ever it is reasonably feasible but if that isn't possible, then so it is adequately controlled.
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AEROSPACE MIDLANDS AEROSPACE ALLIANCE
A UNITED MIDLANDS AEROSPACE INDUSTRY 4
Founded in 2003, the Midlands Aerospace Alliance (MAA) was the last of the aerospace alliances to be established. Prompted by a downturn in the aerospace industry back in 2001, the MAA's goals were, and to some extent still are, “To make sure that we create a community of aerospace companies to improve communication along the supply chain in particular, and to ensure that we are adding to the support we provide to the industry on a regional level, and not just nationally,” as explained by Andrew Mair, Chief Executive of the MAA. Through the delivery of support programmes, the sharing of industry-important knowledge, research and providing a clear, coordinated strategy for the Midlands aerospace industry, the MAA is positioned to both support and guide aerospace supply chain members for individual and shared prosperity. Through doing this, the MAA is not only able to support local businesses and their respective communities, but preserve the existence of the Midlands aerospace industry as a whole; something which it has achieved most admirably. Of approximately 120 technology projects
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in the National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP) being run across England, some 30 are being undertaken within the Midlands specifically, and as such there have been great efforts to support aerospace supply chain members, increase communication and disseminate knowledge and individual findings for the benefit of all within the chain. This is traditionally done through networking events run by the MAA directly, allowing companies and key suppliers to meet, compare experiences, notes, findings and more – a simple, yet increasingly effective measure. But of course it is not a case that members of the MAA are in any way behind or struggling to keep up with the latest technological developments, and instead are typically pioneers in technological innovation for the industry, within their own subsectors and areas of specific expertise – the case is simply that, though collaboration and the sharing of information, members of the Midlands aerospace supply chain are able to tap into a resource of sectorwide information which they can then develop yet further. As Mair explains: “If our companies are to compete with lower costs and offer novelty to
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AEROSPACE MIDLANDS AEROSPACE ALLIANCE their customers, whether it's Airbus or RollsRoyce through their own technologies, such as lighter components or a manufacturing process to make parts faster, then they need to be aware of existing technologies, understand how they can be inserted into aircraft and develop their own intellectual property.� Where the MAA comes in specifically is, on the one hand to support this collaboration, whilst on the other hand trying to support member businesses which may be rich in experience on the factory floor, but may not have the relationships needed with key industry partners and educational establishments to drive forward research and development, new technologies and production methodologies. And by tapping into this resource with the MAA's guidance, companies are able to over-
come many of the key challenges currently being faced in the aerospace industry, such as that of increasing demands for efficiency, productivity and overall manufacturing capacity. For supply chain members of the aerospace industry, specifically smaller enterprises struggling to be experts of anything and everything, the MAA offers a resource which cannot be overlooked – one which allows smaller, innovative organisations to focus on their relative areas of expertise and utilise the MAA in an advisory role for the rest. It's a way forward for businesses without the infrastructure required to lead, but the passion and know-how to do so with a little help.
The Midlands Aerospace Alliance was formed in 2003 to support and represent the aerospace industry across the Midlands region.
www.midlandsaerospace.org.uk
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AEROSPACE ABBEY METAL FINISHING
AEROSPACE DEFENCE ENGINEERING Amfin has established an enviable reputation as a professional and accomplished metal finishing company
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Through a combination of legislation, the development of new, specialist industries and a commercial culture of quality and efficiency above that of mere productivity, the UK manufacturing sector is one under constant scrutiny with regard to quality assurance and product performance. In turn, pressures upon industry contractors are at an all time high; however, to those with the required expertise, these industry developments provide a clear and definitive method of progression for companies with an ethic of innovation and a motivation to push the boundaries of product and service provision. As key product and service providers become increasingly specialised through the sharing of information, knowledge and experience, so too do the relative expectations of all contractors and services throughout the supply chain, from top to bottom. Not only are there prominent demands for highly specialist products and services, but there lies a simultaneous requirement for adaptability in contracting services so that end-service providers can, in turn offer highly specialised services to the
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requirement of the end-customer - naturally this presents significant difficulty for those offering contracting services to the sector, yet at the same time presents clear opportunity for those able to rise to the challenge. With specific regard to the aerospace industry, the importance of quality extends yet further, most importantly due to the conditions within which the end-product must perform. Within this specialist industry, Abbey Metal Finishing (Amfin) is one such company which is not only capable of, but also strives to keep ahead of the curve in service provision. This is achieved primarily through: inward investment into new technologies, rigorous quality assessment procedures, strategic partnerships throughout the wider aerospace industry, and, most importantly, recognition of the specific needs and requirements of customers so as best to develop long term working arrangements to strict, yet reliably-met schedules. Established circa 1947, Amfin is a professional, highly accomplished one-stop-shop for metal finishing which specialises in aerospace and industrial service treatments and, as part of its remit works with organisations throughout: aerospace, defence, medical automotive, gener-
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AEROSPACE ABBEY METAL FINISHING
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AEROSPACE ABBEY METAL FINISHING
al and specialist engineering. From its state of the art site in Hinckley, the company is able to offer industry-leading surface treatments which have achieved global acclaim throughout its extensive, worldwide client base. To summarise, the diversity of materials that coatings can be applied to is also extensive, and including: light alloy, steel, titanium, nickel based super alloys, exotic metals and composites. Quality planning and procedures start at the moment Amfin is in receipt of an order and, in accordance the company designs a comprehensive, tailor-made process route for the individual requirement of specific contracts. As Amfin itself explains, its service is: “Expertly managed from initial enquiry through to completion of finishing and inspection process requirements.” And this is possible only due to the infrastructure in place. “We have invested heavily in the continuous updating of our extensive processing facilities and systems to provide a wide range of many different services.” Enabling it to keep ahead of the curve in industry developments and technologies, Amfin, as explained by Graham Vaughan, Technical Director, understands the importance of investment into research and development to develop new processes, techniques and methodologies (including process automation) so as to best offer specialist finishing solutions. As such, Amfin has effectively positioned itself as a highly technical, experienced and innovative company which eagerly seeks out, alongside aerospace primes and other specialist engineers, the next step in the manufacturing process, or the next check in the quality assessment process. There is no better example that demonstrates this as the work Amfin has recently carried out for the Bloodhound SSC land speed record engineering project. Amfin formulated specialised, bespoke tooling and 14
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AEROSPACE ABBEY METAL FINISHING processes to carry out specific testing and protective treatments on the wheels being used for the record breaking run attempt. It is because of this dedication that the company presently integrates a wide range of high quality plant and equipment which enables it to offer a comprehensive range of processes for coatings and inspections; these include: plasma spraying, anodising, electroplating, painting, non-destructive testing and more. Additionally, the company plays host to a vast network of experienced, motivated
“Expertly managed from initial enquiry through to completion of finishing and inspection process requirements” engineers which enables efficient utilisation of these facilities to the benefit of the customer, as the company explains: “Amfin's facility at Hinckley has one of the world’s most modern processing and finishing plants integrated with other processing shops on one site. Our quality standards combined with a management team and skilled work force focused on customer service undertake an extensive variety of finishing processes.” Vaughan adds: “Since the complete redesign and rebuild of our facility in 2011, Amfin now have world class facilities and a long term busi-
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ness strategy that will secure the future of its staff and will allow it to provide long term employment and reliable support to its customer base... It will allow us to be more flexible to future changes and allow new processes to be brought online with the minimum of risks, while maintaining quality and large batch quantities (or large component processing).” And through this facility, Amfin continues to showcase incredible expertise across a wide array of contract archetypes where we have seen the company work directly with design authorities to product safety critical parts at increasing volumes and in more environmentally-friendly ways, such as moving away from cadmium plating to extend the quality of its service so that it benefits not just the client, but minimises any and all consequence of production. Specifically, Amfin has installed an ISO 14001 environmental management system, which helps minimise the effects of processing on the environment, but recently Amfin has also installed (and gained accreditation) to ISO 18001 its health and safety management system which, combined, highlight the company's dedication to best practice and corporate responsibility as the company also collaborates: “The installation of these system (along with a raft of other accreditations) shows that we take corporate responsibility very seriously. Installed systems, by their very nature help provide continuity and predictability and help drive continuous improvement. “Our parent company Camellia has the following viewpoint in conducting their business: “ 'Our entire emphasis is towards the development of a world-wide group of businesses which by their very nature require their managements to take a long view. Many companies in
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the group are more than 100 years old and have acquired particular skills, traditions and ethos. We see ourselves more as custodians or trustees rather than owners, that is, we do not see these assets as objects or commodities or bits of paper that can be traded, but rather, as living entities from which, if properly managed, we might earn an attractive return on our investment. We also consider it our prime responsibility to ensure the continuity, development and progressive growth of these individual enterprises.' ” Amfin also benefits from membership with
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the Midlands Aerospace Alliance (MAA), which offers a diverse range of support and associated benefits to the business. In addition to raising awareness of companies within the aerospace sector, the MAA also triggers forums for discussion on new and emerging technologies both internally and externally, as Vaughan explains, which most importantly supports Amfin's predisposed ethic of innovation and investment into emerging technologies, research and development, and associated markets. From its Hinckley site, Amfin, as mentioned has already proven itself a highly capable provider of expert finishing and inspection solutions, specifically for the aerospace industry; however in the coming years we expect this service to evolve alongside new practices, technologies and methodologies and, as such we are eager to see the position at which the company is in 2016 and beyond – to say the least, we expect the coming years to be exciting times at Amfin, and within the wider industry. Providing further hints towards future ambitions and goals, Vaughan also sheds a little light on where he sees the company going in the coming years: “Expand on our proven track record and install satellite facilities anywhere in the world, to support the movement of manufacture to emerging economies and to provide business continuity for our European and UK based facilities.” www.amfin.co.uk
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Daher Aerospace.qxp_feature 2 13/11/2015 14:48 Page 18
AEROSPACE DAHER AEROSPACE
SHAPING INDUSTRIAL INTELLIGENCE DAHER IS AN EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER THAT DEVELOPS INTEGRATED INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS FOR AEROSPACE AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
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The current aerospace industry, although booming, is facing some key challenges. Firstly, finding new material and new solutions for making aircraft lighter and more economical, and secondly the increasing globalisation of the supply chain. Known as one of the only companies worldwide to manufacture equipment and provide an integrated logistics solution, Daher is a leading name in the aerospace industry. Crucially, it is helping to overcome these issues. Established in Marseille in 1863, this familyowned company has been dealing with inte18
grated logistics for over 150 years. Daher started out as a shipping company transporting heavy goods, and in the 1930s became a specialist in the transportation of rail locomotives, wagons and carriages. Today, Daher is an equipment supplier to the aerospace industry and aircraft manufacturers. As well as a broad range of advanced technologies, Daher also designs and builds the TBM 900 business aircraft. Currently, Daher has a â‚Ź1bn turnover and a workforce of 8,500 people. To help provide solutions for the key challenges in the aerospace industry, Daher has partnered up with a leading aero engines OEM
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and is working on a number of research and technology projects. Aero engine OEMs are helping to reduce the weight of aircraft by putting an increase share of composites inside the engines. Daher is also working with aerospace OEMs to help address the globalisation of the supply chain. Vincent Chanron, Marketing & Communications Director for Daher, says: “Manufacturers need to find solutions to have a globalisation of their supply chain and that's one of the areas where Daher is involved. We have a number of solutions that really give an overview of the supply chain to a manufacturer
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and this is one of the key issues that we're working on, specifically with our customers in the UK and abroad.” Daher is a member of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance. MAA formed in 2003 to support the aerospace industry across the Midlands region. Daher Managing Director Jacques Grimal said the MAA is “important because it promotes the growth of the aerospace industry.” The company is supported by the alliance in a number of ways such as shared knowledge and information, support programmes and strategy consultation. These are
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achieved through activities such as seminars, workshops and networking, "Meet The Buyer/Supplier" events, technology development projects and distributing information through regular e-letters. Daher distinguishes itself by dealing with both manufacturing and logistics. Vincent Chanron says: “We're unique because we're actually one of the only companies worldwide that is both an equipment manufacturer and an integrated logistics supplier, and in that sense we're able to offer really end-to-end solutions to our customers all the way to designing and manufacturing equipment. We also deal with the logistics ourselves, going all the way to do industrial services on the final assembly lines in the factory. So basically, we allow our customers to have only one responsible company, in this case Daher, for designing, manufacturing, dealing with the logistics but also installing that equipment on their lines.” He adds: “We're professionals in integrated logistics solutions but we are also an equipment manufacturer and in that respect the convergence between services and industry,
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The aerospace industry is thriving but Daher is eager to develop it further. The company wants to transform the way it designs and manufactures products
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between logistics and manufacturing equipment, is something that is in our DNA, in our genes, and therefore we're able to provide integrated solutions to aerospace, which is one of the key aspects of our company.” Elsewhere, Daher has teamed up with USbased manufacturing company, Gulfstream, which produces the world’s most advanced business aircraft. It helps to manufacture some of Daher's structures. The company has also gained contracts with a number of aircraft programmes, including the latest Airbus programme, the A350. The aerospace industry is thriving but Daher is eager to develop it further. The company wants to transform the way it designs and manufactures products, as well as bringing more innovation and digital solutions into the factory. Vincent says: “There's a lot of challenges ahead of us and that makes it very interesting for us to be part of this industry.” Daher also wishes to focus on operational excellence to try to strive for on-time delivery and on-quality delivery. With a lot of new, innovative programmes being set up by Daher, the future certainly looks bright.
www.daher.com/en/ Tel: 01332 274300
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AUTOMOTIVE EXPERT ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES
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Expert is the UK’s leading manufacturer of industrial automation systems and robotic assembly.
EXCEEDING AUTOMOTIVE EXPECTATIONS
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There’s little Expert Tooling & Automation hasn’t done as a leading engineering supplier to the automotive, aerospace, medical, energy, FMCG and OEM sectors. It’s a mark of its skill that it is capable of bespoke solutions for clients, resulting in an enviable reputation, one which has endured for many years. Established in 1972, the company has become the UK’s leading manufacturer of industrial automation systems, assembly tooling, automated assembly, special purpose machinery and robotic assembly. Drawing from the talents of its experienced team, Expert has never stood still. This has seen it establish long-lasting client relationships where services remain geared towards specific requirements, while the reputation it enjoys continually encourages others to choose Expert as their service partner. Supported by the wider capabilities of the Expert Group, the tooling and automation specialist has sites in the West Midlands and North East, providing both a national and international service. Its success in the last four decades has seen it become both the UK’s largest automation systems builder and the largest supplier of glazing solutions to the global automotive industry. Its engineering skill has seen it grow its presence as an international supplier to OEMs and first and second tier organisations while its expertise has enabled it to consult with its suppliers and customers in
order to find bespoke solutions for specific challenges. Indeed, Expert is able to deliver a comprehensive range of services from design, simulation and simultaneous engineering to final assembly, inspection and equipment maintenance. This competency is founded upon access to state of the art equipment, machinery and facilities. For example, Expert boasts its own design suites with specialists in electrical and mechanical design, as well as CNC machining centres and a temperature controlled optical laser inspection facility. This year has been particularly notable for Expert as it places more emphasis on its research and development activities, focussing heavily on composites, particularly bonding composites to other materials, as the automotive sector moves increasingly in this direction. The company also hopes that its ambitions to grow within the aerospace industry will be aided by the headway it’s making at the forefront of composite technologies. Expert’s research and development division is currently working collaboratively with its supply chain and customers on three automotive projects based around composite technologies. The results of these are likely to impact several sectors, not just automotive, as the knowledge pool regarding the implementation of composite materials grows. It’s evidence of how technologies roll over from one sector to another, and why Expert has so successfully established links with a variety of industries.
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And of course, the support of key supply chain members has proven essential to the company's continued success, with organisations such as RSW Engineering Design having played a key role in ensuring the continued prosperity of the company itself. RSW offers a first-class professional design service using the latest 3D CAD software to provide professional solutions to meet the most demanding technical criteria. The company is also looking forward to opening a purpose-built 30,000 sq. ft. factory that will triple its available assembly space and create 25 jobs in the North East. Its activity in the area began with a couple of employees six years ago. Expert’s North East facility now boasts a multi-million pound turnover and a workforce totalling 40. The new plant at Rainton Bridge Industrial Estate will allow the company to continue to expand its design and build capability alongside an in-house project management team. The company has been working closely with Sunderland City Council’s Business Investment Team since it opened its site in the North East and that relationship continues. Dave Bartell, Operations Director, called it a “major move for the company” and noted how it will enable Expert to recruit more staff. With a number of new jobs created, the company is also eager to bring in apprentices and placement students, working closely
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with the University of Sunderland. Expert gives guest lectures at the university and currently has two students on paid one-year placements, each of whom will receive vocational experience of engineering with the view to joining Expert when they have completed their degrees. “The length of the placement means that the students add real value during their time with us. Their enthusiasm and knowledge is very helpful, and they become really involved with the work here,” added Bartell.
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David Thompson, Process and Application Engineer, echoed Bartell’s enthusiasm for new blood, highlighting the need for Expert to address the skills gap in order to secure its future. “It’s vital that we bring in the next generation in order to ensure the sustainability of the business over the long term. A skills gap is impacting the industry as a whole and we are not immune to it. “A lot of people within the business are coming up to retirement age so it is beneficial
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for us to look towards those who will fill in the gaps, that’s why we’ve pushed our apprenticeship schemes and the initiative has been very successful, particularly because we’ve been introduced to, and been able to employ, some very talented people. We’re proud to be able to welcome young people into such a fascinating industry within a company who cares about them.” Expert has just taken on an intake of apprentices, with nine at Coventry HQ and an extra two joining the current five in the North East with each beginning to specialise in their chosen area including electrical, mechanical and joining technologies. The graduate scheme also continues to grow, with 14 graduates currently employed. This growth has enhanced the knowledge pool and helped Expert tackle bigger, multi-million pound projects more regularly. It’s important to show how valuable and rewarding the engineering industry can be, 26
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“We are pleased with the global growth that Expert has achieved so far this year, and it is forecast to continue into 2016 and beyond” believes Thompson. “I actively promote that people look after engineering and that’s something you can see across the business. The perception that engineering is a dirty, smell, hands-on profession might have been correct when I first started but it isn’t the case today. It is a lot smarter, a lot more cutting edge. Some of the equipment we manufacturer is incredibly interesting and right at the forefront of advanced technology. The sense of accomplishment you get in engineering is perhaps something you don’t find
to such a degree in other sectors.” Moreover, Expert can now welcome new staff to its recently refurbished offices in the West Midlands. Its Coventry headquarters have seen the controls department expanded as part of the company’s ongoing investment. Its automation capacity is now greater than ever before. The company’s significant investment comes as it reported a 68% increase in international orders this year with the total number of enquiries from overseas customers at their highest level since Expert began. Activity continues to expand worldwide with current projects for clients based in China, France, Russia, Singapore and Italy taking place. More work is expected as global enquiries jumped by 107% compared to 2014 levels. Managing Director Angelo Luciano said: “We are pleased with the global growth that Expert has achieved so far this year, and it is forecast to continue into 2016 and beyond. “We are experiencing a consistent rise in
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the volume of orders being placed from across the world. Several of these enquiries have originated from repeat customers with factories in other countries, whose engineers have heard about and been impressed by the work we have done for their counterparts. Our whole team is working hard to establish a more prominent global position and our current success reflects the high quality services that we provide.” It certainly helps when a company can highlight accolades such as its North East branch winning Overall Business of the Year as well as Best Training Provider from the Sunderland Echo newspaper. “One of our major strengths is being able to find a solution to the various challenges faced by the sectors our customers operate in,” says Thompson. “It’s about tailoring our skills across a number of disciplines; I almost see it as pieces of a jigsaw where we have everything that we need for a specific task, our strength is knowing how to position the pieces in order to find the right solution for each individual client. “Part of that ability is maintaining a strong
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knowledge base across all the technologies that we use and implement, and importantly, knowing how to relate those technologies into the service that we ultimately provide.” Louise Lawther, Sales and Marketing Assistant, believes the company’s flexibility has played a huge part in Expert’s growth over the years. “Everything we do is completely bespoke. It isn’t as if we have a menu of rigid services, it’s actually open-ended. Everything we do is based around specific customer needs. Because they are continually adapting as each sector progresses, we have to be able to adapt with them.” Thompson agrees. He says, “When it comes to our service capability, there isn’t a lot we can’t do. Our history has shown an ability to tackle all kinds of engineering challenges resulting in our growth as a business, our enviable reputation, and why customers keep coming back to us.”
www.expert-amt.com Tel: 02476 428 500
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MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING BEST OF BRITISH
MANUFACTURING AT ITS BEST Despite the renown dip in manufacturing since the 1970s, where UK manufacturing contributed approximately 25% of GDP, the UK still ranks second globally in the aerospace arena and has seen great prosperity in the automotive and pharmaceutical industries. Manufacturing has always been something that the UK excels at, and this isn't likely to change any time soon. With manufacturing currently account for only a tenth of the British economy, one might think it a bleak picture for the UK manufacturing sector, however reports suggest that British factories are in fact in the midst of a resurgence. In a recent survey it was shown that the balance of manufacturers reporting a rise in domestic sales rose during the second quarter of the year to the highest degree since records actually began in 1989, showing great signs for the future of the industry. It is not, however simply an increase in the number of sales, but an overall change in the economic landscape for the UK manufacturing sector whereupon new markets and new arenas have been located by ingenious manufacturing companies. China, Russia and India have increasingly become more important in the UK exports market, with a great deal of work brought back home from some of the world's most prominent industrial emerging market powers such as China – something that has greatly assisted in supporting the market. So why is there a sudden surge in the market? Sources suggest that it is the British reputation for productivity, efficiency and quality which has been opening up new opportunities in the market for reputable manufacturers such as for
Future Advanced Manufacture, one of the companies spearheading Britain's manufacturing revival. Craig Peterson, Managing Director of Future AM commented: "We're getting enquiries all the time. Even though we're a little bit more expensive, with the cost of shipping (from China), lead time problems and the quality issues, we're seeing a lot work coming back now.” Of those industries currently performing, British-built bicycles have seen impressive leaps in sales, jumping up to approximately 70% last year as the industry adapts in line with the wider cycling boom. Adrian Williams, managing director of Stratford-upon-Avon based manufacturer Pashley, the UK’s second-biggest bicycle manufacturer, said: “We have seen a general upswing in demand for British products.” This growth can be attributed partly to the popularity of Tour de France, held in Yorkshire and well reputed for inspiring people into a healthier, more fitness-conscious lifestyle. Alongside the surge in popularity for riding bikes, there had been a corresponding 70% year-on-year growth in the number of bikes being produced in Britain, with the numbers more than doubling to 120,000 in three years since 2011, the exact point at which British cycling was underlined at the London Olympics and at the Tour de France. British
Cycling Campaigns Manager Martin Key commented on the increased demand and popularity of bikes, whilst also urging changes in transport infrastructure to facilitate the sustained interest, saying: “With so many people now riding their bikes regularly, it’s time that the proper transport infrastructure is put in place to allow them to get around safely and in the manner that many of our European counterparts currently enjoy,” he said.
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MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING CUMMINS GENERATOR TECHNOLOGIES
Cummins Generator Technologies manufactures premium quality alternators from 2 to 10,000kVA under the STAMFORD速, AvK速 and MARKON速 product brands
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AN END TO END SERVICE
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With an expansive network of service locations worldwide, and commanding a team of certified technicians manufacturing STAMFORD, AvK and MARKON parts, Cummins Generator Technologies is equipped with the latest technology and expertise and is, as such integral to the growth of the alternator industry. Offering very much an end-to-end service, Cummins Generator Technologies is responsible for the design, manufacture and distribution of internationally-renowned alternators for electrical generator sets. With its UK manufacturing plant in Stamford, as well as sites as far afield as Romania, India and China, this is a company which takes its ambition to be worldleading seriously, and is well-positioned to realise such. The company is therefore able to demand exactitude across its range, though such a stronghold also maintains its commercial viability as its operations expand. As Barry Munson, Manufacturing Engineering Leader at Cummins Generator Technologies asserts, “One of Cummins' key philosophies is to have a manufacturing plant in the region which it supports, and so the addition of plants in Asia and the Americas is part of realising that aspiration. Similarly, should we reach full capacity at one manufacturing site, the breadth of operations we've established means we're able to purchase or transport alternators from other plants.” Having driven millions of pounds into the renovation of its Stamford bedrock, the company is more capable that ever of contending with soaring demands for its unrivalled alternators. With the overhaul of the site beginning four years ago, the UC line was initially targeted for improvement and, by redesigning the space and halving the footprint, the width of operations
has been minimised, thereby improving both productivity and efficiency. Following the success of the original scheme and its esteemed Cummins parentage, $10m worth of investment went toward a similarly ambitious project with respect to its HC line. Munson outlines the core areas of investment further: “Owing to our prolonged expansion over the years, we've added numerous facilities and what stood was a collection of buildings rather than one united whole. The investment and renovation scheme therefore
involved looking at the site as if it was a clean sheet of paper and, over the past 18 months, the entire site has been transformed. “What we did in our middle range line, which forms the majority of manufacturing at Stamford, is move every piece of plant, replace the whole roof and lay a new resin floor. Carried out over a period of 18 months, we sometimes had up to 100 contractors on site; yet, we eliminated any disruption to the customer, and saw no impact on our safety record.” Continues on page 18
“Owing to our prolonged expansion over the years, we've added numerous facilities and what stood was a collection of buildings rather than one united whole” MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING MAGAZINE
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The renovation targeted what might be described as the handshake between processes across lines and, having consulted operators in the area and made use of value-stream mapping and Six Sigma, the company was able to reduce product handling and the associated time wasted, therefore improving the plant's efficiency. More than that though, it's been instrumental in driving the repeatability of product specification – something which is vitally important to both a company's financial interests (not having to complete a job twice owing to mistakes), and accommodating clients which cannot afford variation in their products. Where previously the Stamford plant had two flow lines for the manufacture of HC4, HC5, HC6 and P7 products, one purpose-built line now stands in its place. Now incorporating all products, including the 4-pole, high voltage P80 range, Cummins Generator Technologies is afforded greater flexibility with respect to meeting customer requirement. Utilising the latest in electrical and engineering technology has contributed to both the company's ability to replicate the superior quality of its alternators and the speed at which they can be produced. As Munson reveals, “We made the move to bar code settings so, where previously, it would've been a case of trawling through a book to find a specification and program a machine, it's now much quicker and easier for operators to input the settings for different jobs and achieve the same specification over and over again.� It's that dependability and continuity between products which is often so sorely missed in companies opting to utilise multiple suppliers and operate at several different locations. With the complexity of design involved in the production of rotor and stator parts, for instance, it simply does not do to have the two parts manufactured in disparate places. If exactitude is not observed with respect to complimentary measurements it can result in, not only a machine which is operationally diminished, but an alternator which simply does not work. Alleviating the potential flaws in machinery associated with off site manufacture, Cummins Generator Technologies unify both suppliers and lines at plants, creating bespoke, optimised products which are right first time at a rate of over 90%. Its product range spans the alternator spectrum, comprising 2-pole, 4pole, and 6-pole alternators at low voltage, and 4-pole alternators at low, medium and high voltages and, suitable for all AC configurations. As such, the company services a number of markets, from industrial to marine; telecommunications to defence, and for the application of both stand-by power and continuous power. In fact, the sheer breadth of just what the company does well has seen it recently shortlisted for the The Manufacturer MX Awards 2015, sponsored by NatWest. Should the company secure the much-revered title of World Class Manufacturing, it will be just one more to add to the list of innumerable awards with which the company has been endowed for its commitment to engineering excellence, health and safety compliance and the authenticity and traceability of its kit. Having a UK supply chain forms part of that commitment to excellence.
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Utilising the latest in electrical and engineering technology has contributed to both the company's ability to replicate the superior quality of its alternators and the speed at which they can be produced.
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The length of a supply chain and the number of suppliers enlisted in the manufacturing process has been known to increase the level of variance in products and only introduce more levels at which things can go wrong. By keeping its supply chain noticeably short, Cummins Generator Technologies is able to observe more closely each individual element and scrutinise the practice of its suppliers more thoroughly. The result is better quality, more accurate manufacturing and a better quality, highly accurate product, in turn. Moreover, when things do go wrong – when specifications change, for example – it grants the company responsiveness and adaptability in operations. The speed at which Cummins Generator Technologies can deliver such high-end, individualised products puts it head and shoulders above the pack, as Munson illustrates, “In a competitive market, it's often time-frames which determine who gets the contract, and its the rapid turnaround we offer which differentiates us and means clients approach us above others. We wouldn't be able to offer that service is we didn't source locally and so short supply chains are evident world-wide.” As part of the Cummins family, unity is a principle the company value highly, and it is by
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working closely with each strand of the global corporation that Cummins Generator Technologies is able to remain a pioneer in the sector. “Being part of the Cummins family enables us to access to wealth of knowledge of the various teams,” explains Munson. “For instance, I can pick up the phone to the engine business or distribution business and ask advice on any technology they might have in their plants. That can involve the identification of sector-wide problems, the finding of solutions, or discussing any technological improvements which we all can make with a view to improving our products or delivery. It's that communication between Cummins' divisions that maintains our identity as a brand-leader on a global scale.” Colombia’s oil sector was, just recently, one such client noting the superb quality of Cummins Generator Technologies, and enlisting the application of its high-voltage STAMFORD P80 alternators. Representing a multimillion dollar revenue, crude oil extraction is amongst the most lucrative industries of today's world. Securing of the contract was therefore testament the company's reputation for outstanding value, short lead times and technical expertise. The premium alternators
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installed are coupled with Cummins G-Drive QSK78 G7 engines, producing a 2.5MW generator set design that meets the highest quality standards in a demanding application. The complete system is an arrangement of four generator sets that deliver 9MW of continuous power to a crude oil extraction site. Customised so as to be fit for application in such a domain, the generators are fitted with anti-condensation heaters, plus droop current transformers, to support parallel operation. The prowess in high precision and bespoke manufacturing for which Cummins, as a family, is known, is certainly something of which the company is incredibly proud. Part of maintaining that reputation is about promoting transparency and invoking trust between customer and supplier. To that end, the new Stamford facilities house a fully fitted-out showroom in which customers are able to see the process wherein a product comes into being. In addition, each of the three production lines has a customer area which weaves through the manufacturing plant right to the point at which a product is spray-finished and readied for transportation. A brilliant selling tool and certainly contributory to the securing of contracts, the showroom and client walkway support Cummins' ethic of visibility and accountability. Accountable in all aspects, Cummins Generator Technologies has responded conscientiously to its prominence in the sector and, indeed, its notoriety across the globe – implementing sustainable practices at each level. Currently striving toward, and on target to achieve ISO 9001 accreditation next year,
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MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING CUMMINS GENERATOR TECHNOLOGIES
The prowess in high precision and bespoke manufacturing for which Cummins, as a family, is known, is certainly something of which the company is incredibly proud. Cummins Generator Technologies is introducing clarity and more stringent requirements with respect to the energy-efficiency of equipment it purchases, and its capital acquisitions are now led by that ambition. Moreover, the Stamford plant has recently achieved a rate of 99.76% recycled waste – much of which is being reused as clinker concrete – and the ambition remains to achieve 100% and zero waste to landfill. Highly committed to the employment of responsible manufacturing – right down to the use of water-based solvents – the company also inspires best practice from its contractors operating on site, encouraging the proper use of its multiple recycling facili-
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MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING CUMMINS GENERATOR TECHNOLOGIES
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MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING CUMMINS GENERATOR TECHNOLOGIES ties. The newly-refurbished plant also boasts a number of solar panels and the energy recovered goes some way to powering the plant. Thanks to its wholly on site approach to manufacturing, the well-being of its staff is similarly safeguarded for, as Munson insists, “Safety is our number one priority and we believe no one should have to come to work with the worry of getting hurt. “We maintain compliance, keeping up to date with all relevant accreditations, but also go above and beyond with the recruitment of an occupational health team. They come in on a regular basis and employees are able to make use of them in regards to any concerns they may have, as well as the team being able to support those returning to work after a leave of absence.” Also welcoming diversity and encouraging the movement of people between sites, the company boasts high retention rates and works to ensure the expertise and best practice of its multiple sites is proliferated. Giving
though its plant may be unrecognisable from its 1904 inception, Cummins Generator Technologies has yet to concede its originating principles that knowledge back to the community, with the Cummins-wide, Every Employee, Every Community scheme, employees are also awarded 4 hours paid leave with which to make use of in local community projects. At Stamford, in particular, the whole task force were recently out in the region, working on a number of community projects for the entire day. Partnered with a number of charities and special schools in the area, Cummins Generator Technologies' comprehensive know-how is often enlisted for anything from providing advice on interview techniques, to financial management. And so, though its plant may be unrecognisable from its 1904 inception, Cummins Generator Technologies has yet to concede its originating principles of providing its customers with both a product and service with is inimitable. Able to exert pressure at each level of production, thanks to its unique offering of such a condensed process of manufacture, the specification of its alternators is beyond compare and it therefore comes as no surprise that Cummins Generator Technologies welcomes a variety new customers by the day.
www.stamford-avk.com
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velden.qxp_feature 2 02/11/2015 09:07 Page 44
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ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNING VELDEN ENGINEERING MOVES TOWARDS INDUSTRY 4.0 WITH AUTOMATION AND SMART FACTORY MONITORING.
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Velden Engineering, established in 1973, is a British 100% familyowned subcontract engineering company with a proud reputation for successfully delivering worldwide to the most challenging specifications. Providing a one-stop production facility to an array of blue-chip clients operating in diverse industry sectors, Velden supplies a broad range of product, covering everything from small turned items in high volume to precision machined components, all the way through to larger, ASME IX fabricated assemblies and fully built & tested systems. Through continued re-investment, Velden has been working to become a modern “Smart Factory” in line with cutting edge Industry 4.0 business methodologies. The company has further extended its in-house developed ERP system to incorporate IoT (Internet of Things) comprehensive machine tool monitoring and EDI direct data interchange with its customers. In addition Velden has invested over £2m in the
last 2 years on the latest production machinery, factory automation including multiple robot loading units, camera & laser vision inspection systems, intelligent energy saving LED factory lighting and solar generating technologies. Continued investment is also taking place in training and development with the company committing to take on a minimum of two new apprentices every year on-going and taking them through it’s own training program. These investments have enabled the company to give its customers quality products with improved lead times at lower cost, the benefits of which are shared with key clients such as Cummins
Power Generation. Velden has been supplying Cummins ever since 2005, and has thoroughly enjoyed working closely with the company over this time. “Cummins excellent and refreshing approach to supplier management has enabled and encouraged Velden to keep improving and support Cummins’ ownreputable service.” The result of this commitment is highlighted with Velden having won CUMMINS EMEA PGBU 2015 Supplier of the Year Award on the back of 100% On Time Delivery & Excellent Quality record. Velden was chosen for this award due to its “continued investment”, for producing “better quality products in shorter
“Velden has been able to further work towards being a fully-modern, smart factory”
Live shop floor KPI mission wall drives continued efficiency improvement
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lead-times at a better cost” and for “sharing those benefitswith Cummins.” According to Cummins “During 2015 [Velden] increased their portfolio and through the increase in volumes were ableto optimize productivity and share the benefits through cost reduction ofcurrent products. As subject matter experts they regularly proactively approach Cummins with cost reduction, part reduction and risk reduction opportunities. They offer excellent communication and always support urgent requirements. From a business side [the company is] managed and ran very well.” Through its commitment to future investment and continual improvement, Velden is now looking to maximise opportunities within Cummins, increasing its appeal to other business units, and also to attract enquiries from like-minded blue chip customers. www.velden.co.uk
“a proud reputation for delivering to the most challenging of spec...”
Alpha engineering.qxp_feature 2 04/11/2015 14:23 Page 46
MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING ALPHA ENGINEERING
PRECISION MANUFACTURE Alpha Engineering Solutions is one of the UK’s foremost manufacturers of precision-machined parts and assemblies for the oil & gas, defence and scientific sectors
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It isn’t easy becoming a leader in your chosen profession. It’s even more difficult staying at the front once you get there. That’s the challenge facing Alpha Engineering Solutions which has confidently emerged as one of the UK’s foremost manufacturers of precisionmachined parts and assemblies. For nearly 20 years the business has delivered prototypes and batches in varied materials, working to high tolerances and clean assembly methods. Experience is the key. Alpha’s competent staff have years of expertise, bringing a wide range of skills to the table. Working collaboratively with clients, Alpha’s approach is driven by partnering with its customers to develop the best possible solutions on an individual basis. This is complemented by use of the latest CNC machine tools alongside design capability to produce high quality precision components for a wide range of industry sectors including defence, scientific, oil and gas. Alpha has the ability to service both small and large capacities and provide a reliable serv-
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ice with quick reaction times. Clients can be confident thanks to the company’s ISO 9001 certification that high standards of quality are maintained at all times. It results in the best quality components and a professional service. The company was founded when the merger of three companies, all sharing the same goal, came together to offer a one stop engineering solution. With a workforce of over 30 staff, Alpha can service the requirements of a wide range of market types, often exceeding expectations with solutions it can bring to the table. One sector Alpha has worked with for many years is the oil and gas industry. Engineering for this sector is the key to the functioning of today’s world, providing both energy and materials for industry. Alpha’s staff are highly experienced and competent in the manufacture of components made from high performance materials required in the sub-sea environment. Producing specialist components for the oil and gas industry has taken years of dedicated effort and on-the-job learning. Alpha can now offer this expertise to all industries utilising exotic
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MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING ALPHA ENGINEERING
high performance material like Super Duplex, Alloy 625 and Aluminium bronze. Alpha has also been part of the supply chain for defence products for over 12 years. It produces machined, welded and painted assemblies for control systems and supply from rolling stock for new and spares requirements worldwide. The company has been involved with marine defence, particularly nuclear propulsion repair equipment, for over a decade. Elsewhere, Alpha produces parts that are used in the control systems on the latest European fighter aircraft. Over the next two years, the company will be aiming for higher accreditation in the defence market sector. In addition, it also provides a wide range of scientific engineering services and products to the life science analyser community. From prototyping to first off batch to on-going production, Alpha manufactures and consults to give clients the best solution to their engineered components. www.alphaeng.co.uk Tel: 01782 774444
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Cornwall marine.qxp_feature 2 10/11/2015 15:02 Page 48
MARINE CORNWALL MARINE NETWORK
IMPROVING PROSPERITY Cornwall Marine Network is an organisation dedicated to supporting the growth of the marine sector in Cornwall
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With its inception dating back to the formation of the British Isles as we now know them, and a seafaring history which follows suit, Cornwall is privy to one of the most salient offshore markets. Representing the interests of those parties involved then, is one which demands all-encompassing yet highly individualised approach and, wielding such ambitions, Cornwall Marine Network can be attested as doing just that. Founded in 2002 with a view to filling the gap in representation for those in the commercial offshore, subsea and marine leisure industries, Cornwall Marine Network (CMN) now stands as the leading association dedicated to the marine sector. From its institution and the
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initial ascertaining of objectives by way of a local business assembly, the organisation has since accumulated some 350 members from a wide range of divisions, including: dockyards, boat-builders, fabricators and specialist engineering businesses. With the prosperity of its members in mind, CMN primarily provides and encourages training, and offers guidance and assistance with respect to the marketing of organisations. More than that, as a trade organisation CMN provides ample opportunity for networking and cross-pollination amongst members, as well as being active in securing investment and funding
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for those which it represents. Training is crucial to any company. It can make the difference of continued viability or make possible expansion. Recognising the need to ensure skills sets remain vibrant and employees dynamic, CMN operates as a training broker: working closely with its members to identify training needs, sourcing the appropriate training and development and, furthermore, finance them to further facilitate the implementation of any such programmes. Attentive to the needs of its members, a great number of CMN's educational courses run for between 1-5 days, thereby pro-
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MARINE CORNWALL MARINE NETWORK
viding the flexibility companies require when incorporating training opportunities. Of course, there is a limit at which training is beneficial and prolonged growth is dependent upon the recruitment of new staff and, with them, new skills and new perspectives. With a keen eye on succession management, CMN created the Cornwall Marine Academy, in which it targets young people in particular, promoting the marine sector and the various career options it offers. Moreover, by regularly launching campaigns to endorse the industry, and its contribution to Cornwall's GDP more generally, CMN is safeguarding the futures of companies for years to come. To that end, the association also annually publishes a Marine Guide and Directory which includes the latest
information about local ports, events and marine websites, as well as compiling an A-Z on all the different companies operating in the marine sector. Its second core ambition, acting as a marketing support service, was something which international subsea engineering specialist, Feritech, was keen to make use of. Looking to invest in a new website, CMN offered guidance through the process, as Tim Bowerbank, Marketing Manager at Cornwall Marine Network details: “Following consultation, we composed the website brief with Feritech and sourced a number of different web developers who could potentially realise the company's objectives. As the quotes came in from the various developers, we helped to assess the quotes, and were available to
attend any demonstrations and aid Feritech to come to a final conclusion about how best to go forward.” As well as a host of marketing mentoring services, and the aforementioned procurement of both training and financial resources, the association has its very own financial support to offer. The Cornwall Marine Capital Fund represents £1.85m of monetary funds for which companies who are looking to improve sites and create jobs, can apply. And so, as renewable energy developers invest in the county, thanks to the multimillion pound investment in Wave Hub – a wave power research project, CNM is looking to capitalise on renewed interest in the area and is actively looking to recruit new members.
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Feritech.qxp_feature 2 04/11/2015 12:11 Page 50
MARINE FERITECH LTD
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MARINE FERITECH
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MARINE FERITECH
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Since its formation in 2012 by husband and wife duo, Robert and Gemma Ferris, Feritech has pursued the international offshore market with a view to developing highly sophisticated and tailored solutions for use in the subsea sector and related extreme environments. As such, the company is involved with the design, manufacture, supply and rental of a range of engineered products and services, for use in marine ground investigation, subsea control and, most recently, equipment handling. Determined to remain at the leading edge, innovation is evident throughout the company's ever widening range of products and services. Indeed, many of its recent investments have been geared toward improvements in instrumentation, telemetry and increasing interactivity between product and user, driving a huge 75% of its profits back into research and development. With Feritech’s involvement in each component of a project, clients need not go elsewhere at any point of development making it something of a one-stop-shop for companies in the offshore sector It's something which, alongside its capacity to produce bespoke solutions, has attracted various clients including those in the renewable energy market, governments and major oil companies. Projects have varied from looking at anything from unexploded ordnance detection right through to the electromagnetic signals emitted by intercontinental power cables. Feritech works closely alongside clients throughout the lifespan of the project from concept, specification and design to installation and commissioning. Their dedicated and experienced team with expertise in mechanical, electrical, CAD and software engineering means attention to detail and support are always a priority, both in-house and in the field globally. This is consequently recognised by being ISO 9001:2008 and ISO14001:2004 certified. Equipment is built to withstand the harsh offshore environment and unforgiving handling, whilst detection sensors such as altitude, settlement, real time penetration and system health inform engineers via topside software to ensure safe and successful deploy-
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Projects have varied from looking at anything from unexploded ordnance detection right through to the electromagnetic signals emitted by intercontinental power cables
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MARINE FERITECH
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Feritech is evidence that it is possible for a young expanding company to operate successfully in one of the most difficult markets ment, operation and recovery. The modular basis of the designs allows the users to configure the equipment to their requirements and project needs. The upcoming addition of a cone penetration test (CPT) unit, heat flow probe and enhanced launch and recovery system (LARS) to its portfolio of capabilities has been prioritised over the last 18 months. Combined with their existing products such as the variable frequency high power vibrocorer and intelligent winches they will be able to offer clients in the offshore sector an end to end service. This integrated system will offer operational advantages such as improved safety, time and deck space saving and a simplified single deployment. The introduction of the enhanced LARS illustrates the requirement for optimising deployment and recovery as well as the core operation as Robert Ferris explains, “The subsea systems we offer improve operational safety and enhance productivity by delivering real time control and monitoring, it became evident that traditional deployment systems used with our equipment needed an overhaul as well, by rethinking the entire operation we can offer a truly unique solution.” As a member of the Cornwall Marine Network and the network's
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offshoot, the Marine Offshore Renewables Group, the company has been able to collaborate with others in the industry over the years, gaining alternative perspectives as well as discipline specific expertise. The reliability of Feritech’s products and services is key to their esteemed reputation and Robert recognises the key role suppliers and subcontractors undertake, commenting: “We have a very diverse portfolio of suppliers and subcontractors that we work closely with, we work hard to build these relationships and therefore they are part of the reason we can do what we do and in the timescales we regularly achieve.” Favoured in the subsea sector for the unrivalled timescales to which it can commit, and its engineering brilliance, Feritech is evidence that it is possible for a young expanding company to operate successfully in one of the most difficult markets and is, yet still, looking to increase its prominence with the introduction of distributors worldwide.
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Feritech's five year goal is to have subsea geotechnical solutions which operate completely autonomously and don’t rely on current technologies for telemetry and positioning. Feritech constantly push for technological advances including new sensor designs and smart power solutions, as well as improving reliability and safety for operators. Robert commented “We have a number of internal development projects currently ongoing investigating high speed data transfer, new sensing technologies and power recuperation.” Working in some of the harshest environments in the world, promoting innovation, and the sheer variety of global clients which it serves, the company is amongst the best in offshore and subsea technology. www.feritech.com
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MARINE FERITECH
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Severn Subsea.qxp_feature 2 04/11/2015 11:41 Page 56
MARINE SEVERN SUBSEA TECHNOLOGIES
INNOVATIVE ENGINEERING Severn Subsea Technologies (SST) is a specialist in the fields of subsea, marine renewable energy and downhole engineering.
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Severn Subsea Technologies (SST) is a specialist in subsea, marine renewable energy and downhole engineering. The company designs and builds high reliability systems for harsh high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) environments, offering product development support, from concept design and prototype production, through to major projects requiring extensive research and development. Control valve engineering specialist, Severn Glocon Group acquired HPHT downhole tools company, Calidus Engineering, in 2013 in a bid to align its operations to better meet future technical challenges in subsea oil and gas production. Renamed Severn Subsea Technologies Ltd, the company provides research, development and test facilities to enhance Severn Glocon’s subsea valves capability. SST's Redruth facility has a machine shop equipped for manufacturing prototypes. It's the nucleus for Group subsea R&D and systems integration activity, in 56
tandem with small-bore subsea valve firm LB Bentley’s R&D Team and the Severn Unival Brighouse Valve Innovation Centre. It's also one of few companies across the globe that can offer a fully independent High Integrity Pressure Protection System (HIPPS) integration service. Its HIPPS facility at SST Cornwall enables Integrated Factory Acceptance Testing (IFAT) bringing together HIPPS components, customer and independent certification in a single space for HIPPS design, validation and testing. Commenting on his experience and ambitions for the company, Tim Blake, SST Site Manager says, “I feel very privileged to be heading-up an innovative company, with a fantastic team of engineers and staff, in an amazing location steeped in such rich engineering history. Over the last six months, my aim has been to focus SST back onto our core competencies and projects, and to build the framework for our HIPPS Engineering Centre and subsea component testing facilities. Longer term, my objectives are to continue to develop our
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MARINE SEVERN SUBSEA TECHNOLOGIES
presence within the local and worldwide marine renewables sector to become a supplier of choice for developers, to continue to be a centre of excellence for all Severn Glocon's R&D, subsea product development and testing requirements, and to help drive SST and Severn Glocon forward to become global market leaders in HIPPS.” Also commenting on how membership with the Cornwall Marine Network has helped the company prosper, Tim explains: “It has helped develop links with local marine companies, and with marine renewables companies in particular through CMN's subgroup MOR (Marine Offshore Renewables). After hosting an event for members of the MOR group and Cornwall Manufacturers Group, Tim said, “It was a great opportunity to share knowledge of how our products and services could provide profitable solutions and also to network with other Cornish supply chain businesses.” SST is working with a number of marine energy developers and has developed an integrated telemetry and control system which was used onboard wave power company Seatricity's Oceanus 2 wave energy device, deployed at the Wave Hub Test Site offshore St Ives. The SST system enables researchers to remotely correlate wave movement with power generated, and thus optimise power generating conditions offshore. SST has recently been shortlisted for Innovation of the Year at the Cornwall Manufacturing Awards. Their Zone 0 Tool Detection Alarm positively locates a drill string as it exits a well, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the wellhead during retrieval. The whole system is ATEX and IECEx certified intrinsically safe equipment for use in Zone 0 gas environments. This capability sets the SST TDA out way ahead of any other systems on the market, making it the safest method of monitoring a tool string during well intervention operations. This recognition positively reinforces SST's commitment and capability to create innovative designs and products to exceed their customers' requirements. www.severnst.com
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Oil & Gas Review.qxp_feature 2 04/11/2015 11:47 Page 58
OIL & GAS REVIEW
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OIL & GAS REVIEW
OIL & GAS UK AWARDED FOR GOOD PRACTICE GUIDELINES
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The Premier Award Medal for Excellence was awarded to Oil & Gas UK earlier this year for their good practice guidelines. Oil & Gas UK was presented with the award for their contribution to raising the professional standards of the industry. Established in April 2007, Oil & Gas UK is the leading representative for the UK offshore oil and gas industry. They state on their website that their, “Aim is to strengthen the long-term health of the offshore oil and gas industry in the United Kingdom by working closely with companies across the sector, governments and all other stakeholders to address the issues that affect your business.” British offshore rigs employ 7% of all the oil and gas workers in the UK, therefore it is important that a certain standard of health and safety is adhered to. Due to the focused management on health and safety, oil and gas leaks is at its lowest level to date and the offshore oil and gas industry has a lower accident rate than other sectors, such as manufacturing and construction. At an annual award ceremony in back in July 2015, Oil & Gas UK was recognised by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining for improving the safety of UK offshore rigs. To do this they published more than 30 guidelines for the industry. When receiving the award, Oonagh Werngren, Oil & Gas UK’s operations director, said: “I am delighted to receive this award on
behalf of Oil & Gas UK but also all the member companies who continue to dedicate specialist resources to facilitate the development of good practice guidelines to help the industry address issues including well operations, safe mooring of vessels, cargo handling, emergency response and decommissioning activities. “This important work demonstrates the industry’s on going commitment to continually review and improve the performance of all aspects of offshore operations. It shows what can be achieved through working together with the operators, contractors, service companies, government representatives and other stakeholders to strengthen the long-term health of the UK offshore oil gas industry and improve safety for the people who work in it.” Not only is Oil & Gas UK making the reduction of injury and hydrocarbon releases a top priority, they also take their responsibility towards the environment very seriously. Accidental chemical releases from UK oil and gas rigs represent only 0.1% of the total amount of chemicals released into the environment. Also, the Department of Energy & Climate Change has approved installations of UK Oil rigs and has issued permits for discharges and emissions from these installations. With such a high workforce and the many potential accidents that could occur on oil and gas rigs, it is important that large companies, such as Oil & Gas UK are the leading example of Health and Safety in the industry.
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Kirby.qxp_feature 2 04/11/2015 11:50 Page 60
OIL AND GAS KIRBY
A WINNING PETROCHEMICAL PARTNERSHIP Kirby are making a splash in the petrochemical industry with their philosophy of early engagement with clients and their reputation for injury-free work sites.
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The Kirby story starts with a small family owned electrical company in Ireland. 50 years later the company has grown to become one of the most trusted engineering and construction contractors in Ireland, the UK and Continental Europe. The Kirby reputation has allowed them to work closely with some of the biggest names in industrial manufacturing, bio-pharma and more recently the petrochemical sector to deliver complex projects successfully. Fergus Frawley, Kirby Managing Director, explains, “In the early days we built our business on our electrical expertise. Clients knew the quality of our work and they were increasingly asking for us to support their projects in the early design phases. We realised we had valuable expertise that could help clients to 60
create better designs with more accurate budgets. Our specialist advice has helped countless clients over the years to minimise shut-downs and save time and money during the construction phases.” Today, Kirby is a multi-disciplinary engineering and construction contractor, with the mechanical side of the business achieving equal levels of praise as the original electrical business. This diversification also allows them to deliver integrated turnkey solutions. Frawley adds, “The ability to act as a Principal Contractor, with overall responsibility for project delivery across all work-scopes from civils to HV/MV electrical infrastructure and piping services has proven to be much in demand from our clients. Our multi-disciplinary capabilities have opened a lot of doors for us and helped us through the tough times.”
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So the move into the petro-chemical industry was a natural transition for Kirby. Colin Kelly, Managing Director in the UK, explains, “Our strong project management approach and our commitment to LEAN techniques makes us an ideal choice for large-scale shut-downs and working in hazardous environments. Some contractors stick to the easy work, but Kirby never runs away from a challenge. We make a point of saying ‘yes’ more often. We know that working in live production environments requires a greater commitment, but that is the ‘Kirby Way’. We are there for our clients and it’s why they keep coming back to us.” Kirby was specifically chosen by Neste Oil to upgrade all instrumentation systems associated with an automation renewal programme for two process trains at their oil refinery in Finland. “They chose us based on our track
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OIL AND GAS KIRBY record for delivering results on large shutdown projects and for our work with previous clients such as ENI, Shell and Victrex. We are wrapping up the Neste Oil project now and it has been a great success,” continued Kelly. Kirby are uncompromising when it comes to safety and they have an enviable safety record to back up their claims. On the ENI Versalis project in Scotland, Kirby installed all electrical and instrumentation services associated with the expansion of a large elastomer production facility. Manpower peaked at over 60, and despite the complex nature of operations and interface with existing live services, Kirby recorded no lost time statistics on the site. But the Kirby safety record doesn’t stop there. Kirby recently achieved ‘one million man-hours without a lost time incident’ for the second time in the company’s history. They were also awarded the prestigious RoSPA ‘Gold Medal’ after achieving six consecutive years of outstanding safety performance and six previous ‘Gold Awards’. Their continuous safety focus has led to numerous national and international safety and quality awards in addition to awards from clients themselves. The combination of multi-disciplinary capabilities, a strong project management approach and the highest safety standards in the business is clearly a winning combination for both Kirby and their clients.
Kirby are uncompromising when it comes to safety and they have an enviable safety record to back up their claims.
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CIVIL ENGINEERING IPAF
SAFE & EFFECTIVE POWERED ACCESS The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) promotes the safe and effective use of powered access worldwide.
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The concept of powered access equipment as a safe tool to perform temporary work at height has taken off in recent years, even as the industry is a relatively young one. In the late 1970s, two organisations were in place to cater for the needs of manufacturers of powered access equipment and rental companies: the International Federation of Hydraulic Platform Manufacturers (IFHPM) and the International Work Platform Association (IWPA). Both the IFHPM and the IWPA wanted to create some order in safety standards and legislation to ensure that this rapidly growing industry was established on a sound footing. This was the catalyst that brought the two organisations together in December 1983 to form the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF). What makes IPAF unique is its ability to unite manufacturers, rental companies and end-users into one member organisation dedicated to promoting the safe and effective use of powered access equipment. IPAF’s founding managing director, Paul Adorian, provides insight into the early years: “At that time, manufacturing and user organisations tended to keep each other at arm’s length. However, the benefits that would accrue to all concerned by establishing an organisation where manufacturers and their customers could rub shoulders regularly soon became apparent. This situation was certainly unique and has led to an enormous amount of harmony and goodwill within the industry ever since. “By manufacturers and rental companies joining forces, the flow of information on
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CIVIL ENGINEERING IPAF
safety related topics has obviously been beneficial in promoting safety. The feedback from companies that buy, use and rent the products relayed directly back to the manufacturers was a tremendous contribution to the continuing development of safer products.� European Community legislation and certification also helped pushed the development of the industry. In the early years, there was little specific legislation in place for an industry that had grown very rapidly. There were some rogue manufacturers keen to get on the bandwagon with cheap products. There were no checks on design, fabrication, the quality of steel and other requirements. Today, certification has had a massive effect in improving the design and quality of machines. IPAF persevered in attending and contributing to meetings of TC98, the com-
mittee that drafts the European standards. IPAF has played, and continues to play, a key role in the development of EN 280, the European design standard for mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs). It actively participates in several committees, including those relating to ISO, FEM, US ANSI standards committees, Canadian CSA standards committees, the British standards committees BS 8454 and BS 8460. With growing globalisation, IPAF has been involved in MEWP-related standards development in countries as diverse as Brazil, China and Singapore. IPAF cooperates with safety bodies worldwide, such as the HSE in Britain, Berufsgenossenschaften in Germany, Suva in Switzerland, OPPPBTP in France, and OSHA in the United States. It also lobbies and makes representations to the relevant authorities on
IPAF promotes the safe and effective use of powered access through a growing range of safety campaigns and initiatives. See www.ipaf.org/safe
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CIVIL ENGINEERING IPAF issues of concern to its members. Legislation has also spurred the use of powered access and the need for training. The UK Work at Height Regulations for instance, while not discounting ladders and scaffolds, make it more difficult for people to use ladders and scaffolds, because they highlight the need to do a proper risk assessment and select the most suitable equipment for the job. Powered access often wins because it gets the job done quickly, effectively and safely. Scaffold for example, takes time to erect and dismantle, and blocks up space during a project. A platform comes in, does the job and goes again within hours. The IPAF operator training programme, initiated by members in 1991, has left its mark on the industry. Since then, operator training is provided by more than 620 approved training centres in 30 countries. This industry-led training programme is offered by leading manufacturers and rental companies, and requires that accredited partner training centres pass initial, annual and unannounced audits as part of the quality management system. Instructors are certified and undertake ongoing professional development which includes free annual updates to the training materials. Trainees undergo a complete programme backed up with quality checks, accredited instructors, supervised written and practical testing, controlled class sizes and course duration, and a central register of valid cards. Operators who successfully complete the IPAF training programme after passing a written and a practical test are awarded machine-readable Smart PAL Cards (Powered Access Licences). PAL Cards are valid for five years and show the machine categories that operators have been trained in. More than 100,000 PAL Cards are issued each year through IPAF-approved training centres worldwide. The PAL Card is accepted widely and recognised as proof of high quality platform operator training. The validity of a card can be checked by using the online verification tool at www.ipaf.org/checkpal But IPAF is much more than a training organisation. It is a global movement to ensure the safety of people in the powered access industry and to keep the industry up to date with the latest technical and safety advice in mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) and mast climbing work platforms (MCWPs). “People sometimes focus on IPAF’s training activities, but we are much more,” says IPAF CEO Tim Whiteman. “IPAF’s members
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IPAF’s accident reporting project collects data on worldwide fatalities involving mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) and mast climbing work platforms (MCWPs), with the aim of identifying key causes and developing further safety initiatives. MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING MAGAZINE
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CIVIL ENGINEERING IPAF
YOUR OFFICE IN THE SKY Bronto Skylift is the global market leader in truck mounted hydraulic platforms. We design, manufacture, sell and service appliances for rescue and firefighting as well as for construction work.
www.brontoskylift.com
cooperate to protect the safety of people in the access industry. We have re-adopted and re-affirmed the founding principles from 30 years ago – by doing so, IPAF members have made very clear what IPAF stands for and what it sets out to do and deliver. Work at height is inherently dangerous, but powered access is a safe and effective tool, and IPAF is here to keep the industry safe.” The not-for-profit organisation is owned by its more than 1,000 members who include manufacturers, rental companies, contractors and users of powered access. Among others, IPAF’s objectives are to encourage the highest standards of safety and good trading by members; and to encourage technical efficiency in the industry by cooperation in the establishment of standards. In sum, IPAF promotes the safe and effective use of powered access equipment worldwide in the widest sense – through providing technical advice and information, through influencing and interpreting legislation and standards, through its safety initiatives and training programmes. Join us in keeping the industry safe.
www.ipaf.org
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CIVIL ENGINEERING STEEL CONSTRUCTION CERTIFICATION SCHEME
DRIVING PERFORMANCE The SCCS was established in the early 1980s to provide a Quality Management Systems certification service for steelwork contracting organisations
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The Steel Construction Certification Scheme continues to drive performance in the steelwork industry. The scheme, which assesses and certifies the capabilities of steelwork contractors and associated companies against International Management System standards, has been established since 1986. Since its inception it has remained committed in its pursuit of driving standards and securing best practice across design, manufacture and erection processes and associated procedures and practices in the steelwork construction industry. Quality management systems operated by the certified contractors are formally assessed to ensure compliance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2008. Each certificate issued is valid for three years during which period SCCS conducts regular surveillance audits to monitor continued compliance with the certified management system. Meanwhile, environmental management systems operated by the certified contractors are formally assessed to ensure compliance with the requirements of ISO 14001:2004, and
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occupational health and safety management systems operated by the certified contractors are formally assessed to ensure compliance with the requirements of BS OHSAS 18001:2007. Assessment and certification is governed by an independent certification board whose members are selected from each sector of the steel construction industry. The board provides the essential technical links to ensure that the correct interpretation of standards, new technologies and work practices are applied to assessment and certification. The scheme's assessors are carefully selected to ensure that their experience is relevant to the product and process, such as design, preparation, fabrication, welding, painting and erection as well as environmental and health and safety issues. The assessors, who understand client needs, are specially trained on a continuous basis and all come from a background within the industry. Recently, the industry’s best and brightest were celebrated at the 47th Structural Steel Design Awards. The BCSA, of which the SCCS is a wholly owned subsidiary, is a national organisation for the steel construction industry and
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sponsors the awards each year. The glittering ceremony recognises the high standards of structural and architectural design attainable in the use of steel and its potential in terms of efficiency, cost effectiveness, aesthetics and innovation. They are open to steel based structures situated in the United Kingdom or overseas that have been built by UK or Irish steelwork contractors using steel predominantly sourced from Tata Steel. The BCSA’s member companies undertake the design, fabrication and erection of steelwork for all forms of construction in building and civil engineering. Associate members are those principal companies involved in the direct supply to all or some members of components, materials or products. Corporate members are clients, professional offices and educational establishments which support the development of national specifications, certification services, fabrication and erection techniques, overall industry efficiency and good practice.
www.steelconstruction.org Tel: 020 7839 8566
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CIVIL ENGINEERING STEEL CONSTRUCTION CERTIFICATION SCHEME
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tool and steel.qxp_feature 2 04/11/2015 12:13 Page 68
CIVIL ENGINEERING TOOL AND STEEL PRODUCTS
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Founded in 1927, Sheffield based Tool and Steel has clocked up many years’ experience in the design and manufacture of special tooling, general machining and heavy steelwork fabrication, and is well-versed in the utilisation of a wide range of processes, including: CNC milling, turning, hot and cold presswork, profile burning, welding, assembly and testing. Its proficiency has seen it granted sole manufacturing rights in the UK for the range of Pandrol hand tools used throughout numerous rail networks, and exported to over one hundred countries. Accommodating clients from various sectors, the company has the expertise and equipment to design and manufacture a wide range of precision products through to large machined fabrications weighing up to 35 tonnes. Owing to the reduction in the mining products sector, as a result of nationwide closures, Tool and Steel has focused its resources on growing markets. With the current investment plans for railway electrification across the UK, Tool and Steel has endeavoured to offer its steel fabrication capacity and capability to the
Overhead Line Electrification (OLE) installation companies engaged in alliance with Network Rail. In order to qualify for manufacture and to CE certify OLE steelwork, the business gained certification to BSEN 1090 in 2015 – assisted by Sandberg (consulting engineers) and the Steel Construction Certification Scheme (SCCS). Accreditation is something with which Tool and Steel is highly familiar (working in accordance with ISO 9001 standards and exerting keen emphasis on health and safety, sustainability and quality), the company pays real attention to the varying needs of its customers across the railway, general engineering and mining industries, the likes of which include: London Underground, Network Rail, MoD, Pandrol, Balfour Beatty, Bruel & Kjaer and Clyde Union (SPX). As Mark Nash, Business Development Manager elaborates: “Whilst developing and building relationships with our customers, we have witnessed a demand and identified an opportunity to provide innovative solutions to
FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE WORLD Founded in 1927 Tool & Steel offers a range of precision engineering disciplines to customers with demanding and challenging specifications. 68
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CIVIL ENGINEERING TOOL AND STEEL PRODUCTS both new and long standing problems, particularly in the rail industry. With safety at the forefront in today’s working environment our business plan includes investment in a range of products aimed at providing equipment that is safer to use, better for the environment and improves productivity.� The TS-33B battery powered rail grinding machine is the result of Tool and Steel's experimentation with additive manufacture, enabling the company to model and rapidly produce prototype components as part of the product development process. Used to rapidly modify and re-manufacture an electric motor safety guard for the rail grinding machine, engineers were able to check the functionality prior to releasing for manufacture. The final product, developed in collaboration with the Track Delivery Team at London Underground offers rail networks substantial benefits over conventionally powered grinders. Significantly reducing the associated risks from petrol and diesel exhaust fumes,
The TS-33B battery powered rail grinding machine is the result of Tool and Steel's experimentation with additive manufacture and eliminating the need to refuel during the shift, the innovative methodology enables track teams to work in confined areas, such as tunnels, without the fume inhalation concerns. Safe in all aspects, the design also ensures operators can safely operate the machine for longer periods of time, reducing the risk of injury caused by HAVS. With its success, at both the design, manufacture and operational stages, the company has vowed to make experimentation with new technologies and materials an increasingly important element in future development.
www.toolandsteel.co.uk
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Clydeforth.qxp_feature 2 04/11/2015 12:07 Page 70
CIVIL ENGINEERING CLYDEFORTH ENGINEERS & CONTRACTORS LTD
25 YEARS IN BUSINESS Clydeforth Engineers boasts a workshop capacity of 10,000 sq. ft. with 30 tonne overhead cranes and waterfront access to the River Clyde
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Reputation is something that results from sustained quality over the long term; the ability to meet or exceed customer expectation. Experience is one thing but the expertise to utilise that knowledge and implement it in order to provide the best possible solutions for clients is a skill unto itself. That’s something Clydeforth Engineers & Contractors Ltd has managed to achieve, confidently meeting its clients’ requirements in the provision of high quality pipework, steelwork, heating banks and plastic fabrication and installation since 1990. Modern technology, strong management and a determined, highly skilled workforce form the foundations that have seen 70
Clydeforth propel itself to the forefront of Scottish engineering. Now a reputed leader within the field, Clydeforth boasts a workshop capacity of 10,000 sq. ft. with 30 tonne overhead cranes and waterfront access to the River Clyde. The workshop is well equipped and on many projects the company works with Lloyds Register Ltd and Royal Sun Alliance. Significantly, Clydeforth’s site personnel are very experienced in the petrochemical and distillery industries and carry all necessary safety training and certification. The business gives its client the reassurance that quality standards will be met at all times. For example, it has achieved recognition for its health and safety practices with an award for continuous improvement from Scottish
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The business gives its client the reassurance that quality standards will be met at all times. For example, it has achieved recognition for its health and safety practices with an award for continuous improvement
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CIVIL ENGINEERING CLYDEFORTH ENGINEERS & CONTRACTORS LTD Engineering. It has also proactively set out to achieve relevant ISO accreditations including 9001, 14001 and 18001 for quality, environmental and health and safety respectively. This is part of the company’s internal development, promoting skills growth within its workforce. This has encouraged performance and helped Clydeforth improve its capability significantly. It has enabled it to remain a forerunner in the sector, solidifying its reputation. Clydeforth's workforce consists of pipefitters, platers, welders, mechanical fitters, scaffolders, insulators and plastic/GRP fabricators. The projects it undertakes cover a comprehensive set of disciplines including upgrading of Process Pipework for Allied Distillers/Wellman Process Engineering. It is also extensively involved in carrying out steelwork, pipework, ducting and plastic fabrication and installation for a number of clients. These include Ciba Specialty Chemicals Plc, ESSO, Allied Distillers Ltd, Chivas Bros Ltd, Scottish Power Ltd, British Alcan, Surface Technology and others. Its services are complemented by Clydeforth Industrial Plastics, which fabricates PVC, polypropylene, GRP tanks and other plastic fabrications for the industry. The company is also capable of carrying out workshop fabrication and installation for stainless steel and carbon steel pipework. This is in addition to supplying, fabricating and erecting pipe bridges, ducting, heating banks, tanks, small vessels and plastic fabrication. Site surveys and drawings can also be provided while its weld procedures and welder qualifications are approved to EN288 / EN287. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Clydeforth Engineers & Contractors Ltd has every reason to be proud of its achievements. Fittingly, the company is looking forward to the future. www.clydeforthengineers.co.uk Tel: 0141 958 0628
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the last word.qxp_feature 2 04/11/2015 14:42 Page 72
THE LAST WORD...
Dyson: One of Britain’s Longest Running Innovators
Whether you want to believe it or not, British manufacturing is still the world’s foremost player when it comes to new ideas. While smaller businesses are making significant gains “behind the scenes”, it’s companies like Dyson and its unmistakable “face of innovation”, that leads the way. It comes as no surprise that the company, which sells machines in over 70 countries and employs more than 5,000 people worldwide, was named one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the UK by FastCompany.com alongside others such as fashion designer Burberry and streaming-music provider Spotify. You can probably pick any street in England and every third house would be using a Dysonmade product. Engineer James Dyson’s bagless vacuums and bladeless fans have become an integral part of everyday domestic life. The
"Our growth is fuelled by technology and we are thinking long-term”
success of the company has seen it increase its global customer base, now selling 85% of its products internationally, a figure that has risen an incredible 30% since 2007. The renowned technology company designs and manufactures everything from vacuum cleaners to hand dryers, bladeless fans and heaters, spending over £1m per week on research and development. This has seen it produce some of the sector’s most eye-catching innovations such as upright vacuums that utilise the mechanical creation of a cyclone to capture dirt and microscopic dust in addition to lightweight cordless vacuums for easy-of-use. Last year it revealed the Airblade Tap, a 10second digital, motor-powered water faucet that not only washes your hands but provides a
450mph wind to dry them as well. While Dyson has shifted much of its manufacturing processes abroad – namely to Malaysia and Singapore – its identification of R&D as a key defining factor of its growth going forward is a lesson to all. Sir James Dyson once said, "Our growth is fuelled by technology and we are thinking longterm,” adding that “"investment in innovation is critical for UK manufacturers as it helps companies stand out in fast-changing global markets". Growth is fuelled by innovation, and innovation is driven by a long-term plan. Now moving into other areas, Dyson has confidently expanded its repertoire to include heaters and fans, while currently spending much of its time researching the use of household robotic concepts.
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ISSUE 423
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CUMMINS GENERATOR TECHNOLOGIES AN END TO END SERVICE
ABBEY METAL FINISHING Aerospace defence engineering
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expert advanced manufacturing technologies Exceeding automotive expectations
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