Denco Fluid Systems is renowned as a leader in the design and manufacture of systems including bespoke oil recirculation, heavy-duty grease, conveyor and chain lubrication, and cooling water. Hannah Barnett spoke to Ian Hussey, Sales Director, to find out more about the company’s decades-long history and recent rebrand.
The supplier of choice for numerous end-users and international manufacturers, Denco Fluid Systems provides high levels of professionalism, design competence, workmanship and specification-compliant products. This is backed up by experienced installation and commissioning services.
The company is a one-stop-shop for lubrication and cooling; priding itself on the full offering from design to drawing, contracting, manufacturing and aftercare spares sales for products: and Denco is staffed by the best in the business.
“We have, and retain, some of the UK’s leading experts in their respective disciplines,” said Sales Director Ian Hussey. “From the sales teams to design and application – including our 3D modelling and production engineering professionals – we provide a seamless service to our clients. This reinforces our continued repeat business.”
Altered focus
Denco was founded in 1948, and during the first 30 years the company specialised in worldwide lubrication tools. It also pioneered close-control air conditioning equipment and produced compressed air-drying systems.
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Hydratech and Denco celebrate their 20-year partnership
Hydratech’s market leading heat transfer fluids, glycols, antifreeze, inhibitors and water treatment chemicals are proven to provide precise, stable, temperature control and comprehensive system protection. Hydratech brands such as Coolflow, Thermox and Purachem have become synonymous with the applications they're designed for – making them the go-to choice for Denco and many other industry leaders. Denco have trusted Hydratech’s products and unrivalled customer service for over 20 years.
“EVERYTHING WE PROVIDE HAS ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND EFFICIENCY AT ITS HEART: PARTICULARLY
THE COOLING WATER SYSTEMS, WHERE ENERGY CONSERVATION IS OFTEN PARAMOUNT TO THE CLIENT’S PROCESSES”
A management takeover commenced in 2000, when the Denco Lubrication Division was sold to Bijur Delimon, part of the family-owned IMCI Group.
“We have grown from humble beginnings, with a £3m operation, to where we find ourselves today, at a record turnover of £15 million,” said Mr Hussey. “The core of Denco has remained with our lubrication heritage, but it has not been the single contributing factor towards our growth.”
Indeed, the company has recently undergone a brand change to symbolise
the wider level of services on offer. “Our legal entity hasn’t change: we’re still Denco Lubrication Ltd,” Mr Hussey explained. “But we have altered our name and our logo and put wavy lines in front of the words Denco Fluid Systems. That is intended as a new message; the wavy lines represent the level of fluid handling we are capable of.
“We run lubrication systems on many of today’s major rotating machinery applications. But we also do fluid spraying systems for cooling purposes. So, this is a more focused brand name, as we think
it is really important for us to acknowledge that we do fluid systems too.”
The new name not only encompasses all the trades and services Denco is capable of, but ties in seamlessly with its partner company, Hellan Fluid Systems, based in Cleveland, Ohio. The two companies account for around £50 million of the £400 million portfolio of the IMCI Group.
Growth and diversification
As part of its ever-evolving path of collaboration and diversification, Denco is keen to promote its Hellan Strainer Division, which provides online cleanable strainers, reducing the manual process of cleaning baskets.
Another area that has rapidly expanded is the BDi Cooling Division, providing bespoke heat rejection cooling skids to a wide range of industries. Operating at the forefront of cooling technology, the
division offers design, manufacture, service and support for water, oil and specialist fluid-based cooling and chiller systems. Clients are located across multiple industries including steel mills, oil refineries and specialist manufacturers for aerospace and defence.
The Denco aftersales and spares department ensures that all products are maintained quickly and efficiently by keeping extensive records over decades. One of the company’s key strengths is its ability to provide spare parts for everything it produces.
Denco has been based in Herefordshire since the 1940’s. Over time, the growth of the company has seen the regular expansion of production facilities; from three small business units to two additional factory facilities. In line with this continued growth, the two factory units are about to expand to four. This demonstrates the
company’s continued success and the demand for its products.
“The recent approval for a premises extension has permitted further investment in our own tools and equipment,” said Mr Hussey. “This is another pivotal time in our development; making our selfdelivery services more sustainable and allowing us to be competitive in the markets we operate in.”
Getting out there
Representatives from Denco recently attended the FPSO World Congress in Singapore. This gathering of key industry stakeholders set out to explore best practices in strengthening the future of
FPSOs by navigating market and supply chain uncertainties to drive FPSO projects on-time and on-budget. Denco plans to exhibit more extensively in the coming years, bouncing back from the challenges brought about by Covid and its aftermath.
“Attending major shows such as the FPSO World Congress gives us direct contact with delegates and the ability to use physical models to demonstrate our products,” Mr Hussey explained. “Today’s world is often one of vendor portals, where human interaction is lacking. Communicating online only makes it harder to understand the true benefits of a different way of doing things. The show allowed us to meet over 70 delegates and to forge connections in that region far quicker.”
The company upholds a family ethos: that suppliers are an integral part of the efficient running of its business.
“We take great pride in our suppliers, and in return, they are paid on time, to the terms agreed,” said Mr Hussey. “The business supports this model to maintain our approved supply chain, and our credit ratings therefore remain to the best standards we can operate to.”
Into the future
Denco is embracing its sustainable potential. The company has converted its facilities to LED lighting and maintains a policy of energy reduction where possible, with efficient heating and cooling systems. This principle is also passed on to client designs, with the most efficient solution for an application always highlighted, as well as the associated benefits in any sales activity.
“All of our systems are bespoke and r arely repeat in their designs,” explained Mr Hussey. “Everything we provide has energy consumption and efficiency at
its heart; particularly the cooling water systems, where energy conservation is often paramount to the client’s processes. This is no more apparent than with industries like power production where heat rejection must be as efficient as possible.”
With a focus on the continued growth of each of its divisions, Denco looks set for a sustainable and profitable future, driven by the skills of its staff.
“ Our diverse sectors represent the largest opportunity for increasing customers and business,” said Mr Hussey. “The company needs product design professionals in all areas and maintaining this skill set has sometimes been a challenge. We continue to offer apprenticeship s for our future engineers and support our home-grown talent through their career. This has worked for decades, and we are proud of our long-standing employees and the value they bring to our business.” n
