Gloucestershire-based weld overlay cladding and fabrication specialist Arc Energy Resources has announced the promotion of Andrew Robinson, son of the company’s founders, Rosemary and Alan Robinson, as the new Managing Director.
Andrew, who graduated with a degree in Economics and Spanish from Nottingham University, joined the business in 2008 and was appointed to the Board in 2013. His parents, Alan formerly managing director and Rosemary finance director, are still involved as directors in the running of the Eastington-based engineering company, who’s highly trained welding teams, provide fabrication and weld overlay cladding services to the oil & gas, defence and water treatment industries.
Following his university studies Andrew had plans to work at the treasury in London. But nearing the end of his course he became ‘underwhelmed’ with the idea of crunching numbers for the rest of his life and wanted to do something more exiting and practical. So in 2008, Andrew started working for the company, and found that he really enjoyed it. In discussion with Alan, an opportunity was identified to benefit from Andrew’s economics background to develop a purchasing department, an area in which Arc Energy was deficient. Says Andrew: “Many technical products were dictated by commodity markets and we were buying them at spot prices, which I felt could be improved.” The introduction turned out to be an outstanding success, with cost reductions of up to 25% on key spends such as welding consumables and industrial gas, and a halving of stock days within the first two years.
He went on to develop Arc Energy’s environmental management system and won accreditation to the international standard ISO 14001 in 2010. He then set his sights on the company’s shop floor scheduling system. “It was time well spent”, he admits, “as it enabled me to experience all aspects of the business.”
Commenting on aspects of projects that he has been involved with, he quotes a growing interest in full supply projects, where Arc Energy is involved in buying materials and ancillary components; and which exercises his purchasing background. “Most Arc Energy projects have involved clients supplying free issue materials, but recent trends indicate an increasing requirement to source and supply material”, says Andrew. “Our clients are seeking to maximise production and offload risk. Many customers are keen for us to get involved in full turnkey supply packages, and these projects fit nicely within our strategic plan to grow this aspect of the business.”
Says Andrew, “From conception, the business has always punched above its weight in the provision of technical support. Indeed, many clients rely on the technical skills we supply as part of our service.
Our clients may not be experts in welding, so whilst their products look fine in CAD, when we take it apart to weld it we realise that production is not possible or would work better if it was designed differently. We don’t push our design capabilities but we actually carry out a great deal of ‘design for manufacture’ on behalf of our clients.”
Significantly, ‘design for manufacture’ was also an important element of the recent Fit For Nuclear audit which Arc Energy successfully undertook. The company was one of the first businesses in the south west to achieve the prestigious award. The directors identified nuclear new build as a significant area of growth in the UK and are keen to be able to offer its cladding and fabrication services from an early stage. Says Andrew: “We are currently heavily reliant on oil and gas. It is a measure of the reputation we have achieved that we are extremely busy whilst many others are quiet, at a time of falling oil prices. However, we recognise that we need to pursue a strategy of diversification nonetheless. New nuclear is an important part of that plan, as well as growing our other market sectors, such as green energy, defence and petrochemical.”
Since his appointment to the Board of Directors in 2013, Andrew has also been busy working with Cranfield University to develop Arc Energy’s five-year business plan. “This period was particularly exciting, mixing with other leaders from a wide and varied range of business sectors and talking about how we could drive our business forward. The thrust of the plan is growth” explains Andrew. “We are targeting 15% year-on-year growth, expanding both our cladding and fabrication facilities, whilst also seeking inroads into new markets. We are largely on track to meet that target in 2015.” As part of this plan, the company is building an additional 500m2 of workshop space on its site in Eastington to house additional cladding stations, and is taking on extra welders to support this.
Andrew is determined that he will continue the business philosophy of support and encouragement for all employees. He says: “The business achieved Investors in People accreditation in 2004, and that infrastructure has improved year-on-year. We won Bronze award last time and at the next review will target the Silver standard. I recognise that our employees are the key to our success and will always be proud to get the best out of everyone.” The business has a comprehensive training system which includes yearly apprentice intake and extends to regular careers support for youngsters who wish to find out more about engineering.
Says Andrew: “I now think that the future of business is less about hurdles and more about opportunities. I see the future as a really exciting place, and a lot of the opportunities that were included in our plan for 2015 are really taking off. Construction on the new building started in October, we are currently trialling our latest investment in new machinery, and our latest batch of apprentices have just started college.”
Andrew was the proud recipient in 2014 of the Institute of Directors South West Developing Director of the Year, and the company’s hard work was rewarded in 2015 with several prestigious awards: Stroud Life Family Business of the Year and overall Business of the Year; Cotswold Life Employee of the Year (for project manager Charlie Fryer) and runner-up Manufacturer of the Year.
ADIPEC 2015
Stand 3220, Hall 3, 09-12 November 2015, Abu Dhabi
UK-based Advanced Insulation and its United Arab Emirates-based business partner, TRIZAC Abu Dhabi, will be using its stand at this year’s ADIPEC event to exhibit its portfolio of offshore passive fire protection and insulation systems.
During the exhibition, Advanced Insulation – a leading manufacturer of passive fire protection and insulation systems for the upstream oil and gas industry – will be showcasing samples from its ContraFlex® range of bespoke flexible protection jackets, which provide high-performance thermal insulation to ensure that surface temperature is maintained to as low as 11°C during a fire event with rating for jet fire JF (ISO 22899) of 30 - 180 minutes or hydrocarbon fire HF (UL1709) 30 - 180 minutes fire event. ContraFlex jackets can be installed without the use of specialist equipment and in areas that require regular maintenance access. Typical applications include the protection of valves, actuators, cable trays and junction boxes.
Also on show will be samples from Advanced Insulation’s award-winning ContraFlame® MS400 system, a multifunctional composite system using unique syntactic phenolic foam and phenolic glass reinforced laminate. These materials combine to provide an integrated passive fire protection and thermal insulation system for lightweight under deck protection. It’s durable construction makes it suitable for a number of applications, including cellar decks, cantilever decks and associated structural components.
Commenting for Advanced Insulation, Muhammad Sohail Ashraf, Head of Sales for the Middle East says: “A highly-knowledgeable team from both companies will be available throughout the four-day event. It’s a great opportunity for us to answer any questions visitors to the stand have regarding Advanced Insulation’s passive fire protection and insulation products.”
ADIPEC attracts a wealth of investors, key decision makers and industry experts from the oil and gas sector, with the 2015 event boasting over 2,000 exhibitors and expected to attract over 85,000 visitors.
To further information, visit www.aisplc.com, email sales@aisplc.com or call Advanced Insulation FZE on +971 4 8819821.
Advanced Insulation – a leading manufacturer of passive fire protection and insulation systems for the upstream oil and gas industry – has announced plans for a series of technical sessions and an open day at its Katy facility in Houston, Texas.
The ‘open-house’ event – taking place throughout the week of 7th December 2015 – will give new and existing customers an opportunity to review the company’s portfolio of topside and subsea technical coatings for the upstream oil and gas industry; and fendering and subsurface buoyancy products for the global marine and offshore energy markets.
As Mike Sherman – Advanced Insulation’s North American Subsea Sales Manager – explains: “Houston, Texas is the energy capital of North America and therefore a major launching pad for the Advanced Insulation brand and products to new and existing customers. The open-house event is a real opportunity for the company to bring together technical decision makers and influencers from throughout the oil and gas and marine sectors; and a chance to provide them with a comprehensive understanding of Advanced Insulation’s products, services and quality in a personalized and relaxed setting.”
The event includes three days of technical sessions – on Tuesday 8th, Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th December – comprising site inductions, product presentations, displays and live application demonstrations of Advanced Insulation’s complete range.
It will be an opportunity for visitors to view the company’s recently launched range of distributed buoyancy modules which, with patent-pending clamping technology, have been designed to reduce tension and load strain on subsea risers and umbilicals. Also on site and being demonstrated during the event will be the company’s ContraTherm® C25, a silicone syntactic insulation system.
The open-house event – which concludes with an open day at the facility on Friday 11th December – welcomes anyone wishing to gain a better understanding of the range and quality of Advanced Insulation’s products and services. Those looking to attend one of the technical sessions or the open day should email mike.sherman@aisplc.comor call +1 (281) 600 0022 before Friday 6th November.
Gloucestershire-based Advanced Insulation – a leading manufacturer of specialist passive fire protection and thermal insulation materials for the upstream oil and gas industry; and manufacturer and supplier of fendering and buoyancy products for the global marine and offshore energy markets – has won a number of awards in the recently announced Gloucestershire Business Awards, which have established themselves as one of the most prestigious events in the local calendar since they were first held 18 years ago.
The Business Innovation Award recognises organisations that have introduced a new product, process, invention, idea, or design that has made a significant contribution to the business. The award – sponsored by the University of Gloucestershire and contested by three other local companies – was Advanced Insulation’s first of the evening and represents another success for the company’s innovative ContraFlame® MS400 system, its lightweight cellar-deck insulation and protection material for the offshore oil and gas industry.
The second award, Growth Business of the Year, was sponsored by Gloucestershire College and recognises Advanced Insulation’s outstanding increases in sales, profit, market share and business expansion over the last 3 years.
Commenting for Local World Gloucestershire, managing director Sarah Pullen says: "Yet again we have had a record entry for this year’s Business Awards, the judges have had a very difficult task and the standards have been very high.”
To find out more about Advanced Insulation’s products and services, visit http://www.aisplc.com, email info@aisplc.com or call +44 (0)1453 880880.
Advanced Insulation – specialists in the design, engineering and manufacture of floatation and buoyancy solutions for the marine and offshore sectors – is launching a new range of distributed buoyancy modules (DBM) featuring the company’s latest, patent-pending integrated clamping technology.
DBMs are designed to reduce tension and load strain on subsea risers and umbilicals, which act as a connecting interface between static structures on the seabed and dynamic floating structures on the surface. Insulated or multi-layered subsea risers have softer outer surfaces, so traditional clamping methods that use stiff/rigid materials cannot grip without slippage or, through the use of higher clamping forces, damage the riser itself.
Advanced Insulation’s new range of DBMs feature a unique, patent-pending clamping technology that is designed to adapt to the specific needs and conditions of a riser’s operation and eliminate slippage throughout its operational lifespan. The new internal clamping mechanism consists of three segments housing nine rubber inserts, which innovatively increase the surface contact area at the interface between the riser and the DBM. Vertical bar retainer rubbers then ensure that there is no drop off while the holding bolts are engaged, which also secures the clamp element orientation and ensures that the clamp cannot misalign around the riser body. This innovative clamping interface allows Advanced Insulation’s new DBMs to be deployed where traditional solutions would often fail and also results in a smaller more efficient clamping solution.
Commenting for Advanced Insulation, Guy Downie, head of sales for buoyancy products says: “Rate of installation has been a major factor in the design of this DBM system, which promises to deliver significant gains in speed and reliability for the installer.”
He goes on to explain that fastener cover clips protect fixings and prohibit the growth of damaging marine life, prolonging the module’s working life. Filled with specific grades of syntactic foam, cylindrical buoyancy or ballast modules fit around the clamp and are secured using heavy-duty Kevlar straps. Various foam densities are employed in order to achieve a specific buoyant ‘upthrust’ that is suitable to survive the required operational water depth and field service life.
The ability of this system to be connected in a modular configuration allows for single, double and triple solutions based on a proven reliable standard. Each Advanced Insulation distributed buoyancy module is designed specifically to suit a customer’s requirements and features a robust, highly durable exterior design that is low maintenance and easily installed.
For further information on Advanced Insulation’s new distributed buoyancy modules, call +44 (0)1452 880880, visit www.aisplc.com or email info@aisplc.com.
CURTISS-WRIGHT LAUNCHES EN ISO 13849 COMPLIANT MOTOR CONTROLLER
New C3-CE is ideal for small industrial and Class 3 vehicle applications
Christchurch, U.K. – 23-09-2015 – Curtiss-Wright Corporation today announced its Industrial division has introduced a new version of the C3 motor controller to its established and cost-effective range of AC motor controllers. The C3-CE is EN ISO 13849 compliant and, as a new addition to the high-performing, compact and cost-effective C3 motor controller range, provides OEMs with a controller that is ideal for small industrial vehicle applications, including Class 3 pallet trucks.
The new C3-CE, from Curtiss-Wright’s brand family of PG Drives Technology, retains all the features and benefits of the original C3 motor controller but has been CE marked as a safety component and designed with EN ISO 13849 Category 3 hardware architecture – including dual microprocessors, dual inputs and a dedicated B+Safe output. This provides a safer and more convenient approach that, unlike the conventional and widely-used Category 2 architecture, doesn’t require the safety function to be checked at ‘machine start-up’ and ‘prior to the initiation of any hazardous situation’, which can be inconvenient and potentially dangerous.
Key features of the C3-CE include:
Sales Inquiries: Please forward all sales and reader service inquiries to cwig.uk@curtisswright.com.
For more information on Curtiss-Wright Industrial products, visit www.cw-industrialgroup.com or call +44.1425.271444.
About Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Curtiss-Wright Corporation is a global innovative company that delivers highly engineered, critical function products and services to the commercial, industrial, defense and energy markets. Building on the heritage of Glenn Curtiss and the Wright brothers, Curtiss-Wright has a long tradition of providing reliable solutions through trusted customer relationships. The company employs approximately 9,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit www.curtisswright.com.
Gloucestershire-based Arc Energy Resources – a specialist in weld overlay cladding and fabrication for oil & gas, nuclear and water industries worldwide – is delighted to announce that employee Charlie Fryer has been awarded Employee of the Year at the recent Cotswold Life Engineering Manufacturing Innovation (EMI) Awards, with the company itself achieving runner-up status in the Manufacturer of the Year category.
A real success story for Arc Energy Resources, in 2005 and at the age of just 14, Charlie Fryer enjoyed a week’s work experience with the company and, encouraged by his time there, applied for and was accepted on an apprenticeship at the company on leaving school. In July 2013, having undergone extensive on- and off-site training and an often intensive course at Gloucester College, Charlie completed his apprenticeship and is now employed by the company as a Project Engineer. And the story doesn’t end there because, having completed his HND in Mechanical Engineering in 2014, Charlie is now studying towards a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of the West of England in Bristol, which he will complete in 2018!
The Cotswold Life EMI Awards were open to businesses throughout the Cotswolds, an area steeped in a history of manufacturing and one that continues to flourish with industries from renewable energy to pharmaceuticals, automotive, aerospace and many more. This award follows recent successes at the Stroud Life Business Awards, where Arc Energy Resources was shortlisted for and successfully won the Family Business of the Year, along with the highlight of the evening, the Business of the Year award.
A delighted Andrew Robinson says: “The culture of our company is to embrace and nurture talented staff and their thinking. This leads to a workplace where each member of staff and their ideas are respected, valued and listened to, whilst demonstrating Arc Energy’s commitment to attracting, developing and retaining committed personnel. It is this philosophy which saw the company gain the Investor In People Bronze award in 2013.”
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For further information contact:
Andrew Robinson, Arc Energy Resources
Unit 12 Eastington Industrial Estate, Meadow Mill, Eastington, Gloucestershire GL10 3RZ
Tel: +44 (0)1453 823523 Fax: +44 (0)1453 823623
E-mail: sales@arcenergy.co.uk Web: www.arcenergy.co.uk
For press information contact:
Dennis Cantillion, Cantillion King Advertising
16 The Cornhill, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 2JT
Tel: +44 (0)1453 755551 Fax: +44 (0)1453 751525 E-mail: dennis@cka.co.uk
Gloucestershire-based Advanced Insulation – a leading manufacturer of passive fire protection and insulation systems for the upstream oil and gas industry – has been awarded the Smart Product Award at the 2015 Cotswold Life Engineering Manufacturing Innovation Awards.
The announcement follows the launch of its innovative ContraFlame® MS400 system, a lightweight cellar-deck insulation and protection material for the offshore oil and gas industry, which offers integral thermal insulation and hydrocarbon fire protection to H120. MS400can also be modified to meet specific project requirements such as bespoke thermal insulation to meet U-value requirements.
Commenting for Advanced Insulation, Group Marketing Manager Matt Collins says: “It’s been a spectacular year for the company and one full of well-received nominations and awards and everyone at Advanced Insulation should be proud of the hard work they have put in to achieve these accolades.”
Categories for the Cotswold Life EMI Awards were open to all large or small businesses based in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Wiltshire. The Cotswolds have long been associated with a history of manufacturing and continue to be an area that flourishes with industries from renewable energy to pharmaceuticals, automotive, aerospace and many more. The Smart Product Award celebrates manufacturing or engineering companies that have successfully designed and delivered a new product to market within the last three years; and one that must have also driven innovation within in its sector.
Other recent honours include the International Company of the Year Award from Insider South West,the prestigious EEF National Smart Product Award and two awards at theBritish Private Equity and Venture Capital Association.
To find out more about Advanced Insulation’s products and services, visit www.aisplc.com, email info@aisplc.com or call +44 (0)1452 880880.
Agritechnica, Hannover Messe, November 2015 Stand A10, Hall 15
Curtiss-Wright Corporation today announced that its Industrial division will be using its stand at Agritechnica to promote products from its legacy brands of Arens Controls, Penny & Giles, PG Drives Technology and Williams Controls. With the industry moving away from discrete hydraulic controls, fully electronic operator controls such as those from Curtiss-Wright Industrial division – a recognized leader in providing components and sub-systems for a wide range of agricultural applications – offer huge improvements in reliability and operational comfort that can improve vehicle productivity and reduce operator fatigue.
About Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Curtiss-Wright Corporation is a global innovative company that delivers highly engineered, critical function products and services to the commercial, industrial, defense and energy markets. Building on the heritage of Glenn Curtiss and the Wright brothers, Curtiss-Wright has a long tradition of providing reliable solutions through trusted customer relationships. The company employs approximately 9,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit www.curtisswright.com.
Leading automotive, industrial and energy solutions manufacturer Q8Oils – a subsidiary of oil giant Kuwait Petroleum Corporation – has signed a distribution and manufacturing licence agreement with South Africa-based Blue Chip Lubricants Pty Limited. Based in Randburg, Blue Chip’s role as sole importer and distributor of Q8 lubricants in South Africa will also see the company manufacture locally to ensure they can deliver a high level of service and flexibility to their customers.
Commenting for Blue Chip, director Gary Marais says: “All products manufactured locally will be blended under strict Q8Oils quality controls, using its own high quality base oils and additives. In addition, the formulations we use are the same as those used by Q8Oils customers in Europe and North America.”
Established in 1983, Blue Chip Lubricants is a leading independent manufacturer,marketer and distributor of a wide variety of high quality lubricants and greases in South Africa; and has gained a reputation for the production of reliable products and services.
Championing the partnership, Q8Oils regional sales manager Abdulmohsen Homoud says: “When choosing a partner for this region it was essential that we found a high quality blender and a ‘can do’ partner, both technically and commercially. The Q8Oils and Blue Chip partnership is a perfect fit for the South African market, with customers being the ultimate winners.”
He goes on to say that, with Q8Oils’ marketing, manufacturing and research headquarters remaining in Europe, Blue Chip has significant corporate resources to call on whenever they are required.
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For further information contact:
Neil Grieve, brand & communication manager, Q8Oils
Petroleumkaai 7, B-2020, Antwerp, Belgium.
Tel: +44 (0)7824 537816
E-mail: grieve@Q8.comWeb: www.Q8Oils.com
For press information contact:
Simon Cantillion, Cantillion King Advertising
16 The Cornhill, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 2JT, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1453 755551 Fax: +44 (0)1453 751525
E-mail: simon@cka.co.uk Web: www.cka.co.uk
