Industry news

HAYLEY 24/7 IS UK’S FIRST SKF-CERTIFIED GEARBOX REBUILDER

THE BEARINGS, SEALS AND engineering solutions manufacturer, SKF, has chosen Hayley 24/7 as its first certified gearbox rebuilder for the UK, at its sites in Dudley and King’s Lynn.

To gain accreditation, a set of stringent criteria had to be met. Hayley 24/7 staff have also upskilled in root cause failure analysis and condition monitoring as part of the program. The teams at both locations will now benefit from access to the latest product innovations, the highest quality tools and equipment, and the specialist expertise of SKF. At the same time, regular audits will be conducted to ensure that strict quality standards are being met with every job.

As a result of the certification, the mechanical engineering specialist’s customers will be able to enjoy benefits, such as lower cost of ownership, reduced maintenance costs, decreased operational downtime, and both an enhanced level of mechanical reliability and overall productivity.

Mark Brady, Managing Director at Hayley 24/7, said: “We are delighted to become the UK’s first certified gearbox rebuilder for SKF. This will further raise the bar of our gearbox diagnosis and repair standards, subsequently delivering longer life and reliable gearbox assets for our clients.”

Gary Quinlan, Regional Director, Hayley Group (East Anglia) (left) with Mark Brady, Managing Director, Hayley 24/7.

WILO JOINS GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE

THE WILO GROUP HAS BEEN selected to participate in the global sustainability and climate protection initiative called ‘50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders’ of the United Nations and Bloomberg.

The participating companies will act on the basis of the 17 sustainability goals of the United Nations. Commenting on the announcement, Oliver Hermes, President & CEO of the Wilo Group, said: “We are proud and happy to be part of this initiative. The Wilo Group is committed to achieving better living standards worldwide and improving the efficiency of water management systems in the face of climate change.”

As part of the initiative, the participating companies will make an important contribution to the debate on current issues such as environmental and climate protection or social justice. At the same time, they will digitally present the results of their own sustainable actions in short documentaries.

“We take a clear position on issues such as climate protection, energy and resource efficiency as well as digital transformation. Together with our global network partners, we drive future-oriented climate-friendly solutions and proactively promote dialogue with politics, business and NGOs. Corporate political responsibility as a part of sustainable action is a living practice for us,” added Oliver.

Construction of Sulzer’s service centre on track

WORK ON SULZER’S NEW STATEof-the-art service centre in Birmingham, UK, is continuing to schedule. As planned, the building is now watertight, and attention is turning to the internal construction of the workshop area and the offices. Customers can expect the new facility to be open towards the end of autumn 2020, and in the meantime, the existing service centre will continue to work at full capacity.

Located in the prestigious Birmingham Business Park, Sulzer’s new service centre is rapidly taking shape with the main building shell in place and sealed. While the construction continues, plans for moving all the staff and their tools and equipment are being finalised to avoid any interruption in service to customers.

A great deal of planning has gone into developing the most efficient workflows for each area of the service centre. Together, they will deliver a wide range of capabilities, all using lean manufacturing techniques, to ensure all maintenance and repair projects are optimised.

Chris Powles, Head of Electro Mechanical Services – EMEA at Sulzer, commented: “This new facility will be an engineering centre of excellence using lean manufacturing principles to ensure an enhanced customer experience. The improved working environment and more efficient processes will benefit our employees as well as our customers, who will have an uninterrupted, highlevel service throughout the transition to the new site.”

HOUGHTON INTERNATIONAL SIGNS AS BAKER HUGHES CHANNEL PARTNER

Houghton International CEO, Michael Mitten.

BAKER HUGHES HAS APPOINTED Houghton International as its latest Channel Partner, focusing on API 610 centrifugal pumps in the UK and Ireland. It’s a comprehensive agreement covering overhauls, repairs, parts, replacements, and more with the proven advantages of Baker Hughes’ OEM service processes and technologies.

The partnership agreed with Houghton International isn’t just about repairs and regular maintenance, it’s about injecting new technologies into old machines. Some of the 150+ API 610 pumps operating in the region have been in service for 30-40 years, so the manufacturer’s ongoing knowledge and technology sharing with Houghton International will help improve pump efficiency and reduce energy consumption.

The two companies will work together to use their combined knowledge and experience to ensure that the installed base of pumps remains fit for purpose, modifying the design and upgrading the components accordingly to improve efficiency, save energy and extend the mean time between failure (MTBF). As an authorised Chanel Partner, Houghton International will also be able to support the specification and installation of new Baker Hughes pumps across a range of sectors.

Commenting on the appointment, Michael Mitten, CEO of Houghton International, added: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with Baker Hughes to support the ongoing operation and performance improvement of its installed base of centrifugal pumps in the UK and Ireland.

“With decades of proven experience in upstream and downstream processes, Baker Hughes pumps are known for exceptional performance in extreme conditions, and we look forward to supporting customers in continuing to operate these pumps for many years to come.”

NEW FACES JOIN THE RIDGWAY TEAM

RIDGWAY MACHINES, A manufacturer of precision taping and winding machines for the electrical and energy industries, has welcomed no less than six new specialists to its team.

Paul Heggs has joined the company’s production team as Production Manager and Neil Chesters as Installation & Commissioning Engineer. Paul will be using his experience to manage Ridgway’s team of mechanical fitters and engineers to meet production deadlines. Neil is joining to support Ridgway’s customers all over the world, both remotely and on-site. Two new mechanical fitters are also joining to bolster Ridgway’s team, and support in machine builds.

The company has also appointed Paul Kirk as Quality Manager. Paul understands Ridgway’s customer needs and requirements and will be further developing effective quality control processes. While Ashley Sinclair has joined the company, bringing design engineering experience and innovative new ideas. Ashley will be working on new product designs to provide the best solutions for Ridgway’s Customers.

LEICESTER ENGINEERING FIRM MARKS 30 YEARS IN BUSINESS

THE OWNERS OF A LEICESTERbased industrial electric motor service company, Alpha Electrics, says a ‘commitment to excellence’ has helped it reach 30 years in business, with the firm having recently made significant investments, including doubling the size of its premises.

The Patel family started Alpha Electrics in 1990, and the company is now planning for the next 30 years by investing in the business and setting out plans for growth.

Alpha Electrics’ company director Rajesh Patel (left) and Hem Patel, Senior Sales Engineer

The company specialises in the repair, maintenance and service of industrial electric motors, working across sectors including construction, aerospace, precession engineering, food, packaging, automotive, retail and more.

Hem Patel,Senior Sales Engineer at Alpha Electrics, said: “We are constantly evolving and seeking ways to change, improve and develop our services in a drive to become more specialist and maintain our position as experts in this field. That is why we are now planning for the next phase of the business. We started by revisiting what has got us to where we are now and have then used these values to help devise a strategy to further grow the business.”.