Since the acquisition of Plymouth-based Manuplas by Advanced Insulation in April 2014, the company has seen significant growth in demand for its products and as a result has made the decision to purchase a neighbouring facility on the Estover Road site.
The new facility will service the demand for new subsea buoyancy products as well as creating more space for marine products manufacture including buoys and modular bow fender systems for offshore wind farm service vessels.
Commenting for Manuplas, General Manager Stephen Ward says: “The growth of the renewables industry, particularly offshore wind farms, has driven us to spend many years researching and developing leading concepts for modular fendering systems that are mounted on wind farm support and crew vessels. With these new solutions already proving popular, and demand for our existing portfolio strong, extra space and additional manufacturing facilities will help to futureproof the company.”
The Manuplas portfolio now includes a range of sub-surface buoyancy and subsea protection products such as pipe laying floats, umbilical floats, installation buoys, modular subsea mooring buoys, piggyback saddles, subsea cable protection systems and ROV buoyancy. Additionally, the company is also readying itself for the launch of a range of Distributed Buoyancy Modules incorporating proprietary engineered clamp technology for the SURF (Subsea Umbilical Riser Flowline) market.At 50,000 square feet, the purchase of the new unit on Estover Road will more than double the manufacturing and office space of the existing Manuplas facility, with 80% of the additional floor space being earmarked for the manufacture of future designed and developed high-performance products.
As Stephen goes on to say, the Manuplas name has a long association with the design, manufacture and supply of marine products to ports, harbours, navies, boat builders and vessel operators around the world and, through substantial investment in research and development, products now include market-leading solutions for the rapidly growing offshore industry where lightweight buoyancy materials are required for use in water depths beyond 3000msw.
On-going research and development projects have seen the company develop and manufacture high-performance products incorporating physically cross-linked polyethylene foams which, to increase abrasion and tear resistance, are sprayed in a unique protective marine-grade polyurethane coating that allows for the incorporation of a nylon or Kevlar reinforcement. Additionally, the company’s new modular, foamless polyurethane fender solutions have the ability to deliver excellent energy absorption properties thanks to the unique design of the internal structure.
For further information on the Manuplas range of subsea products, or their marine buoys and fender systems, call +44 (0)1752 771740, email sales@manuplas.co.uk or visit www.manuplas.co.uk.
Gloucestershire-based Advanced Insulation, a leading manufacturer of technical coatings, specialised passive fire protection systems and thermal insulation materials for the upstream oil and gas industry, has opened a major expansion to its Gloucester manufacturing facility on the Quedgeley West Business Park.
Following significant growth in recentyears, the recently refurbished 35,500square feet Unit L building will accommodate several new processes – including the company’s award-winning ContraFlame® MS400 deck protection system – that will contribute to the company’s future development.
A number of panel presses are being installed and commissioned at the new Gloucester facility and will help Advanced Insulation significantly increase the production of ContraFlame MS400 panels to meet the current and expected growth in international demand for this type of system.
Commenting, Advanced Insulation’s Production Manager Chris O’Leary says that the current building, occupied just four years ago, no longer has the capacity to cope with future demand for ContraFlame MS400 and other product lines coming through the order books.
“Additionally, production space within the new building includes an area to accommodate the application processes for Advanced Insulation’s ContraTherm® C25 silicon-based insulation, which has been ordered by a major new client for applications such as pipework, connectors and other oil & gas equipment.” says Chris.
Alterations to Unit L building started at the beginning of 2015, with the ContraFlame MS400 presses being commissioned in early June for panel production to commence in August.
Initially, Unit L will create approximately fifteen new jobs at the Quedgeley site and will also accommodate an office area for Advanced Insulation’s engineering and design department. The additional manufacturing space will also be used to produce other new products as they are introduced, as well as developing new ways to use existing core products.
Panel products such as MS400 are easier to install compared to alternative solutions. Additionally, with no restrictions on material shelf life, handling and storage issues are eliminated and using lightweight materials and products has the potential to save customers substantial amounts of money and weight.
As Chris explains, ContraFlame MS400 is currently one of the oil & gas industry’s optimum insulation materials and has already won a number of awards, including the National Smart Product Award at this year’s EEF/Aldermore Future Manufacturing Awards.
To find out more about Advanced Insulation’s products and services, visit the website: http://www.aisplc.com or email info@aisplc.com.
Gloucester-based Advanced Insulation – a leading manufacturer of technical and insulation materials for the upstream oil and gas industry – is continuing its reorganisation with the appointment of Andrew Sweeney as finance director.
Andrew joins Advanced Insulation with 20 years experience of managing high-performance finance functions for multinational organisations; of which the last ten years have been as finance director in technology driven organisations in the engineering sector.
Commenting on Andrew’s appointment to the Advanced Insulation board, managing director Andrew Bennion says: “During his career Andrew has consistently and successfully sought efficient and effective solutions to increase profitability and reduce costs, so I look forward to working with him as we continue to grow our existing business while seeking further growth in new sectors and in new markets.”
Born in South Africa, Andrew qualified as a chartered accountant before embarking on his career in commerce and industry.
For further information on Advanced Insulation’s topside and subsea insulation systems, call +44 (0)1452 880880, email sales@aisplc.com or visit www.aisplc.com.
