Gloucestershire-based Arc Energy Resources, the weld overlay cladding and fabrication specialist, has acquired precision machining company CLG Engineering, based in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire.
Arc Energy Resources provides corrosion-resistant weld overlay cladding services to a variety of clients in industry sectors ranging from oil and gas to defence, power generation, petrochemical, water and nuclear. Its versatile processes provide a practical combination of readily-available, cost-effective base materials and corrosion-resistant alloys to protect any critical area, providing cost savings and reductions in lead times. Its fabrication department holds ASME U and U2 Stamps, and manufactures radiographic-quality specialist equipment, including pressure vessels, spools, pig launchers, wellhead equipment and nuclear devices.
CLG Engineering provides CNC milling, CNC turning and assembly services to, amongst others, the oil and gas, automotive and rail industries. Certified to ISO 9001, and with over 40 years’ engineering experience, its knowledgeable team can produce parts from 25mm to 1.25 metres in length, and up to 18” diameter, within tight tolerances.
The acquisition means that Arc Energy Resources’ 80 employees are supplemented by CLG Engineering’s 14, to create a stronger team with a wider mix of skills. Both companies are supported by teams of experienced project managers, inspectors and welding engineers, with access to a wide range of auxiliary processes in-house, including heat treatment, NDT and CMM inspection.
Commenting on behalf of both companies, group managing director Andrew Robinson, says: “This is a fantastic opportunity for both companies. CLG Engineering’s precision machining capability perfectly complements Arc Energy Resources’ cladding and fabrication offering.
“The group structure enables us to offer a one-stop-shop for all our clients’ engineering requirements, from design and material supply through to welding, cladding, machining, NDT, pressure testing, surface finishing and project management.”
He goes on to say that the cultures of the two companies are highly compatible, from a focus on quality, attention to detail and customer service, to the way they treat their staff. “I have great plans for the future growth of the group, and am looking forward to supporting our clients on new and larger projects.” says Andrew.
Arc Energy Resources was supported in the acquisition by Gloucestershire-based BPE Solicitors. Commenting for the practice, corporate partner Tim Ward says: “We were delighted to represent Arc Energy Resources at such an important time. With our head office in Cheltenham, we opened an office in Stonehouse just two years ago, so this is a great opportunity to work with two successful Stroud businesses, providing them with legal services at a very exciting time. We wish them every success.”
The acquisition follows a record trading year for Arc Energy Resources, which grew its turnover in 2015 by 14% to £6.5M and invested heavily in new equipment and facilities including a bi-cathode rotary head cladding cell, a robotic welding cell and a 6,000 square foot extension to its workshop.
Gloucestershire-based Advanced Insulation, a leading manufacturer of specialist passive fire protection and thermal insulation for the upstream oil and gas industry, has appointed Richard Lane as Sales Manager for its Covertherm business unit.
Richard’s UK-based role makes him responsible for the sales and development of Advanced Insulation’s ContraFlex® range of bespoke insulation and passive fire protection jackets, which are used to provide high-performance thermal insulation and protection from jet and/or hydrocarbon fire to equipment requiring frequent maintenance access.
Commenting on his appointment, Richard says: “I have a proven track record of working for HVAC and Industrial Insulation based manufacturers, during which time I have developed new markets and established key working relationships. I am therefore looking forward to using my skills, experience and enthusiasm to champion the ContraFlex range in the UK.”
Covertherm Managing Director Paul Kendrick says: “Richard is a welcome addition to the team and his experience will be fundamental in helping to bring ContraFlex to new UK and export markets. His appointment comes at a time when the company has been steadily reversing a trend that saw manufacturers looking abroad for low-cost production solutions for passive fire protection jackets.”
Established in 2009 and acquired by Advanced Insulation in 2015, Covertherm’s range of bespoke thermal insulation jacket and cover solutions provide exceptional heat savings and are well aligned to complement the ContraFlex range of flexible fire protection jackets. These include high-temperature, acoustic, leak detection and thermal insulation solutions for numerous applications, with optional integral heat tracing insulation jackets also available.
To find out more about Advanced Insulation’s products and services, visit http://www.aisplc.com or email info@aisplc.com.
UK-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 moved its Korea-based manufacturing operation to a larger facility in Sinpyeong-dong.
Commenting for Advanced Insulation Korea, General Manager Andrew Court says: “Following significant growth and expected demand from both Korean Shipyards and local EPC contracts for our ContraFlex® range of flexible passive fire insulation jackets, it was apparent that the existing facility in Hwajeon-dong was no longer suitable for the increased manufacturing requirements in Korea.”
Advanced Insulation’s ContraFlex range is designed to provide high-performance, thermal insulation and passive fire protection from jet or hydrocarbon fire to equipment that requires frequent maintenance access such as valves, actuators, welding nodes, manways, junction boxes, process vessels, hot equipment exhausts and localised protection.
Andrew goes on to say that Advanced Insulation Korea’s expansion to a 2,000 square meter facility highlights the growth the company is currently experiencing. “The increased space improves production efficiencies and warehousing to ensure that we continue to exceed our customers’ expectations. Recent growth and the expansion have allowed us to double the employment of local staff and build better business in Korea.”
The news follows similar recent announcements from Advanced Insulation regarding the expansion of its facilities in Gloucester, Plymouth and Houston.
To find out more about Advanced Insulation’s products and services, visit the website: http://www.aisplc.com or email info@aisplc.com.
Gloucestershire-based Advanced Insulation has been presented with the Manufacturing Innovation Award at the 2015 Insider Made in the South West Awards. The prestigious event celebrated excellence in manufacturing from across the region and gave local companies the opportunity to celebrate their ongoing commitment to world-class quality and excellence in manufacturing.
The event showcased the South West’s diverse manufacturing industries and companies from across the region – including Airbus, Pendennis Shipyard and Herman Miller – also celebrated wins on the night and will automatically go through to the Made in the UK grand final, where the best of British manufacturing will be celebrated.
Commenting for Insider Media, South West Business Insider’s editor, Miri Thomas says: “Advanced Insulation was recognised in this category for developing its ContraFlame® MS400 system, a lightweight cellar-deck insulation and protection material for the offshore oil and gas industry. The judges were particularly impressed that up to 10 per cent of Advanced Insulation’s revenue is invested into the research and development of new products, with the company’s mission statement being to bring one new product to market each year.”
Commenting for Advanced Insulation, Group Marketing Manager Matt Collins says: “2015 has been a particularly good year for Advanced Insulation and one full of well-received regional and national nominations and awards that everyone at the company should be proud of.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
Gloucester-based Advanced Insulation will be using its stand at this year’s Offshore Europe exhibition to promote numerous products from its subsea portfolio, including buoyancy solutions, moulded PU products for SURF impact and abrasion protection and its ContraTherm® thermal insulation systems for upstream oil and gas infrastructures.
Offshore Europe will also be the first exhibition where subsea buoyancy and SURF products will be exhibited officially as a range from Advanced Insulation; and follows the company’s acquisition of Plymouth-based manufacturer Manuplas in April 2014. The range includes modular pipe lay floats and buoys, Modsyn floats, ROV materials, distributed buoyancy modules and clamps; and moulded PU products for impact and abrasion protection. All are manufactured at Advanced Insulation’s facility in Plymouth, which has recently been expanded to meet the significant growth in demand for this range of products.
Commenting for Advanced Insulation, Group Marketing Manager Matt Collins says: “With last year’s acquisition of Manuplas, Advanced Insulation is now well placed to offer oil and gas sector operators a full package of solutions, from topside fire protection and thermal insulation systems to subsea insulation and buoyancy products, so this is a really exciting year to be attending Offshore Europe as there is so much to offer the market.”
For further information on Advanced Insulation’s topside, subsea and marine products and services, visit www.aisplc.com, email info@aisplc.com or call +44 (0)1452 880880.
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Editors’ Notes
Gloucestershire-basedAdvanced Insulation is a leading manufacturer of technical coatings, including specialised fire protection and thermal insulation materials, for the upstream oil and gas industry; and specialises in the manufacture and application of unique syntactic phenolic resin based foam insulation and fire protection systems.
Since it was formed in 2007, Advanced Insulation has become a single source provider for insulation and fire protection systems and represents one of the most respected and progressive names in topside and subsea insulation worldwide. The company's products are now qualified and used worldwide by major oil and gas companies – including Total, ConocoPhilips, Chevron, Samsung, BP, Statoil, ONGC, ENI Woodside, Talisman and ExxonMobil – and their engineering and fabrication contractors.
For further information, sales and reader service enquiries contact:
Matt Collins, Group Marketing Manager, Advanced Insulation Limited
Quedgeley West Business Park, Bristol Road, Gloucester, GL2 4PA, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 (0)1452 880880, Email: matt.collins@aisplc.com, Web: www.aisplc.com
For press information contact:
Simon Cantillion, Cantillion King Advertising
16 The Cornhill, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 2JT, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 (0)1453 755551, Email: simon@cka.co.uk, Web: www.cka.co.uk
Gloucester-based Advanced Insulation has, for a second time in six months, been placed on a Sunday Times Track listing, this time ranked 58th on the sixth annual Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200.
Commenting for Advanced Insulation – a leading manufacturer of passive fire protection systems and insulation materials for the upstream oil and gas industry – Group Marketing Manager Matt Collins says: “This is our second appearance on a Sunday Times Track league table in 2015 and we are delighted to be joined on this listing by 12 other companies from the South West region as well as other oil and gas sector businesses including Mech-Tool Engineering and ICR Integrity.”
Measured over its latest two years of available accounts, Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 listing ranks Britain's mid-market private companies with the fastest-growing international sales and is an expansion of the International Track 100 league table. Advanced Insulation made this latest list with overseas sales more than doubling to £35m in the two years to 2014, boosted by growth in Korea, Angola and Brazil.
Commenting for HSBC, UK head of corporate banking Amanda Murphy says: “The Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 is a great reflection of the value of building connections overseas. The world is getting smaller, and international business relationships are easier to build, providing ambitious businesses with many more opportunities to grow. I'm delighted to see so many great British mid-sized firms making such a strong impression on the world stage."
To find out more about Advanced Insulation’s products and service, visit www.aisplc.com, email info@aisplc.com or call +44 (0)1452 880880.
