Advanced Insulation – specialists in the design, engineering and manufacture of floatation and buoyancy solutions for the marine and offshore sectors – has announced that its Modsyn range of subsurface floats is now available ex-stock.

Designed with simplicity and adaptability in mind, the impact- and abrasion-resistant Modsyn subsurface floats are durable and reusable; and suitable for numerous applications including trimming, buoyancy and subsea marker buoys or where small amounts of tethered buoyancy are required.

Championing the Modsyn, Guy Downie head of sales for Advanced Insulation’s buoyancy products says: “Not only can this cost-effective, rugged and versatile product be customised, but can also be purchased off-the-shelf, which will help to significantly reduce shipping times for this adaptable subsurface float. This fits well with the Industry focus on effective use of assets, combined with the best service.”

Modsyn is available ex-stock in three variations – Modsyn 29, Modsyn 59 and Modsyn 105 –  and can be suitable for water depths up to 3,000msw, providing uplift from 10 to 55 kg. It can be deployed and re-deployed on multiple projects and, with recessed lifting slots designed in, Modsyn is easy to use and helps to reduce operator health and safety risk.

Each Modsyn subsurface float is constructed from a durable rotationally-moulded polyethylene shell and an inner core made from high-performance composite syntactic foam. Each can be configured with either a central 40mm diameter through-hole or fixed eyes top and bottom.

As leading manufacturers of technical and insulation materials for the upstream oil and gas industry – and specialists in the design, engineering and manufacture of polymer solutions for the marine and offshore sectors – Advanced Insulation and its Manuplas business unit have manufactured and supplied a five-piece modular bow fender set to Northern Offshore Services AB (NOS) for its M/V Developer, a next-generation crew vessel developed and based on the company’s extensive experience in the offshore wind market.

The Manuplas name has a long association with the design, manufacture and supply of marine products – such as modular bow fender systems for offshore wind farm service vessels – to ports, harbours, navies, boat builders and vessel operators around the world and, as Manuplas technical sales support manager Andrew Wickham explains, Manuplas developed this custom fender system following more than 10 years’ experience in designing and engineering  bow fenders, utilising bespoke materials developed in house specifically for this highly demanding application.

“These fender designs are proving popular based on their ability to generate higher levels of grip while applying less force on the landing piles.  The impact pads which take most of the abuse, are independent of the rest of the Bow fender system.  This makes them easier and more cost effective to replace as and when required and ultimately minimises any disruption to the vessel’s operation schedule.” Says Andrew.

Other benefits of the fender set include high-impact absorbency with the ability to withstand harsh offshore environments, safe access to turbines, high abrasion resistance and a virtually non-marking external finish.

Commenting for NOS technical manager Markus Olofsson says: “The main reason for contacting Manuplas was to create a partnership that could successfully build custom boat landing fenders. The increased surface area where their solution attaches to the boat landings, coupled with the advanced materials used, increases the wave height that the vessel can accommodate at the boat landing.”

The custom fender developed with Manuplas is a high-performance solution that provides excellent performance at sea when arriving at boat landings in poor weather

Additionally, with the new five-piece modular fender set, NOS can operate in much higher wave heights. On a typical day in the North Sea, NOS’s newer vessels can operate for around 28 days per month.

Summing up Markus says: “We have been working with Manuplas for six years and were among the first to use the custom-built fenders. They are outstanding in service and its new five-piece modular fender set is very high on the list of performance features for NOS’s vessels. It is also much cheaper to replace a fender than to repair a vessel, so the Manuplas solution is also an important component in helping us to succeed in this market.”

Northern Offshore Services’ M/V Developer has now been deployed to UK offshore wind farms for operation.

Gloucester, UK – 2014 – Plymouth-based Manuplas – an Advanced Insulation company specialising in the design, engineering and manufacture of polymer solutions for the marine and offshore sectors – has appointed Guy Downie as head of sales for its buoyancy products.

Welcoming Guy to the team, Advanced Insulation’s director of subsea sales Kevin Firth says: “Guy’s proven track record and experience as a manager and technical sales professional in the offshore oil and gas sector will prove invaluable to Manuplas as we seek growth in new and existing markets and sectors.”

Commenting on his appointment, Guy explains that the role as head of sales for buoyancy gives him responsibility for a market-leading portfolio that includes surface-rated marine and subsea buoyancy solutions and other moulded PU products at a time when, following substantial investment in a new, state-of-the-art syntactic foam process plant, the company has significantly improved lead times and project deliveries thanks to increased capacity.

“The investment at our Plymouth facility means we can offer faster lead times and are well placed in the market to supply both shallow and deepwater buoyancy products manufactured from a wide range of composite technologies including ultra-low density materials.” says Guy.

The Manuplas portfolio includes buoyancy products for offshore installations including MODSYN floats, modular subsea buoys and pipeline installation floats; piggy back blocks, guides and clamps; engineered clamps, distributed buoyancy modules for riser and umbilical systems; ROV vehicle buoyancy using ultra-low-density composite syntactic foams; and moulded PU protection products, including cable protection systems.

Guy joins the Advanced Insulation group of companies – a leading manufacturer of technical and insulation materials for the upstream oil and gas industry – having worked for multi-national organisations including Vikoma, Freudenberg and Trelleborg.

For further information on Advanced Insulation’s Manuplas buoyancy systems, call +44 (0)1452 880880, email sales@aisplc.com or visit www.aisplc.com.

Against stiff competition from businesses across the South West and South Wales, Plymouth-based Manuplas – an Advanced Insulation company specialising in the design, engineering and manufacture of polymer solutions for the marine and offshore sectors – has won the prestigious regional Environmental Efficiency Award at this year’s EEF/Aldermore Future Manufacturing Awards. 

The regional award win means Manuplas will now be nominated for a national award, which will be announced at a gala reception being held in London in April. 

Commenting for Manuplas, general manager Steve Ward says: “It is great to see that our in-house recycling project, which has seen the company reduce its impact on the environment by recycling an impressive 38-tonnes of lightweight Polyethylene Foam and Expanded Polystyrene Foam, has been recognised by such a prestigious regional award. We are delighted with the win and looking forward to the national awards in April.” 

The EEF/Aldermore Environmental Efficiency Award has been developed to recognise those companies that have done the most to improve environmental performance, for example through improvements in the areas of resources, waste, energy, carbon, water and other emissions and/or more generally improving operational efficiency.

As Manuplas research and development manager David Hamnett explains: “The grade of foam used is not recyclable by traditional methods so, with financial support from Business Link, we investigated available recycling options. We also began looking for organisations that could put the recycled material to good use and discovered opportunities at both Dartmoor and Paignton Zoos. 

He adds that the company purchased a compactor with the intention of significantly reducing the volume of foam waste going to landfill and has, since recycling operations began in 2011, completely eliminated this waste stream. It also reduced the associated high transportation and disposal fees that were costing Manuplas nearly £10,000 a year. 

Used in the manufacture of products for the marine, offshore oil & gas, renewables and leisure industries, Manuplas successfully recycled approximately 2,000 cubic metres (38 tonnes, or the equivalent of more than ten of ‘Duchess’ – the female African elephant at Paignton Zoo!) of lightweight foam between January 2012 and March 2014. The recycling process – which shreds the waste foam and compacts it to remove air content – produces 300 millimetre square logs that are cut into one-metre lengths. 

When Manuplas realised what the recycling process was capable of, they contacted local organisations to ask if the compacted foam logs (which do not rot and require no on-going treatment) would be useful. 

“Happily, having received a positive response from Paignton Zoo, Manuplas subsequently donated a significant number of the compacted logs for landscaping and animal enclosure projects!” Reports David.

The donation has saved Paignton Zoo a considerable sum of money and, instead of the mundane appearance of the previously used traditional timber structures, the Manuplas logs have created a visually striking look that is more in keeping with the Zoo’s natural environments.

Summarising for Westfield Health – the Award sponsor – chief executive Jill Davies says:  “Congratulations to Manuplas on their well-deserved success. Manufacturing is an important part of the UK economy and companies that are constantly looking to improve their performance and grow must be supported and recognised for their efforts.”

For further information on its foam products or foam recycling projects, call Manuplas on +44 (0)1752 771740, email sales@manuplas.co.uk or visit www.manuplas.co.uk.