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.
Following its participation in the initial pilot phase of the Skills for Stroud Work Experience Charter, Eastington based weld overlay cladding specialist Arc Energy Resources has achieved the Full Recognition of the standard of the Charter.
The Charter, which is developed as a set of standards aligned with national good practice guidelines, is used as a basis to review the support that companies provide to individuals undertaking work experience activities within their organisations.
Commenting for Arc Energy Resources, director Rosemary Robinson says: “This is an important external endorsement for our organisation and reflects the commitment to, and importance we place, on ensuring a meaningful work experience programme is in place to enable our staff to achieve their potential; and broaden their knowledge of the employment opportunities available to them.” For further information on the Skills for Stroud Work Experience Charter see the resource pack on their website at: www.stroud.gov.uk/workexp.
Eastington-based Arc Energy Resources – one of the UK's leading specialists in weld overlay cladding and quality assured fabrication services – will once again be supporting this year's Stroud Festival of Manufacturing & Engineering and hopes to encourage pupils from the county's local schools and colleges to choose a career in engineering.
Director Rosemary Robinson is proud of the skilled engineers the company has assembled, a team that is qualified to internationally recognised standards and specifications, and capable of delivering quality products from enquiry to delivery and the service beyond.
Explaining the company's approach to people management, Rosemary says that if Arc Energy Resources is to maintain its standards and plan for the future, it is essential to continue to recruit and train skilled staff. "Recruiting and training has proved a major challenge recently. A decade ago there was a pool of skilled staff who moved between companies, many of them having served apprenticeships in large organisations." says Rosemary. "Today this resource no longer exists. Manufacturing became unfashionable with government and education and was allowed to decline. Fewer apprenticeships were served, fewer students entered engineering and, as experienced engineers retired there were fewer, new engineers trained to replace them."
Since last year, Gloucestershire Engineering Training has begun to offer welding and fabrication apprenticeships in Gloucester, which, thanks to its accessibility, they have been very happy to take advantage of by sponsoring their latest apprentice, Tyron Cleaver who has started his first year there.
A recent success for Arc Energy Resources is Charlie Fryer who, at just 14, enjoyed a week's work experience with the company in 2005. Encouraged by the 'experience', Charlie applied for and was accepted for an apprenticeship at Arc Energy Resources on leaving school. And 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 Charlie, now 23, has completed an HND in Mechanical Engineering and is now working towards a degree. Lee Crosbee (22) and Kieran Kellett (24) have continued with their apprenticeships in Fabrication and Welding.
Summarising, Rosemary Robinson explains that the skills and experience the Arc Energy Resources team brings to the company is invaluable in ensuring that it remains the partner of choice for the supply of weld overlay cladding and complex weld fabrications.
If you're considering a career in engineering, Arc Energy Resources will be exhibiting at the Stroud Festival of Manufacturing & Engineering on 24th November at Stroud Leisure Centre and will be on hand to offer advice.
Bristol, UK - Tuesday, 08 October 2013 - Heat transfer specialist Fulton celebrated its move to a new £3.5 million, 43,000 sq. ft. Bristol-based headquarters recently and was joined by over 60 customers, suppliers and dignitaries, including US-based owners Ronald and Bram Palm and Honorary President of the Combustion Engineers Association (CEA) – and lover of all things steam – Pete Waterman. In his speech, Pete Waterman welcomed Fulton’s decision to bring the manufacturing of its larger boiler pressure vessels for UK and Export markets from Fulton’s facility in China to Bristol, at a time when many manufacturers are doing the opposite. Despite the many local, national and international obstacles Fulton faced, he also praised the company for maintaining its presence in Bristol and protecting the jobs of local people. Guests were given guided-tours of Fulton’s new facility and a demonstration of its state-of-the-art plasma cutter and, following speeches from Bram Palm and Pete Waterman, the company was presented with a commemorative plaque from the CEA. Commenting on the move, Fulton UK’s managing director Paul Richards says: “The move to the new facility has helped us to manage current demand and plan for the future. Being a much larger facility, it has also helped to boost morale amongst the Fulton team as the offices and manufacturing areas are lighter, brighter and a nicer environment in which to work.” Fulton’s new UK headquarters creates a centre of excellence for the company’s heat transfer products and provides comprehensive customer support, from applications advice and sales processing, through to delivery. Because Fulton stayed within the Bristol area and hasn’t lost a single employee because of the relocation, the same experienced teams are available to help with enquiries for the company’s range of thermal fluid, fuel-fired and electric steam boilers, hot water boilers and ancillary products. The site also accommodates new training and seminar facilities created to enable qualified staff to keep customers up-to-date with the latest products and applications; and host the company’s recently announced City & Guild certified training courses, which offer a mix of theoretical and practical operational assignments. For further information call Fulton on +44 (0)117 972 3322, email uk.sales.office@fulton.com or visit www.fulton.co.uk. For further information contact Carl Knight Fulton Limited, Fernhurst Road, Bristol, BS5 7FG Tel: 0117 972 3322 Fax: 0117 972 3358 E-mail: carl.knight@fulton.com Web: www.fulton.co.uk For press information contact Simon Cantillion Cantillion King Advertising, 16 The Cornhill, Stroud,Gloucestershire,GL5 2JT Tel: 01453 755551 Fax: 01453 751525 E-mail: simon@cka.co.uk Web: www.cka.co.uk Editors Notes With manufacturing facilities in the United States, Great Britainand China, Fultonis a global manufacturer of steam, hydronic and thermal fluid heat transfer systems. Backed by over 75 years of research, innovation and experience, Fulton is building on a tradition of success and is focused on improving life through heat transfer solutions. For additional information about Fulton, please visit www.fulton.co.uk .
Specialist weld engineering company Arc Energy Resources is pleased to announce the appointment of David Hodges as Welding Engineer.
David began his welding career as an apprentice, where he gained experience in both sheet metalwork and welding. He progressed into design, quality and manufacturing for specialist automotive and rail products manufacturer Johnson Security, before achieving the role of senior production engineer and welding specialist, working between factories in both the UK and China.
In his role as senior welding process engineer with his previous company IMI, David successfully established two new product lines, whilst supporting and improving current production on products for the nuclear industry.
Welcoming David to the Arc Energy Resources team to focus on weld engineering within the oil and gas industry, managing director Alan Robinson says his previous experience in senior roles and his in-depth knowledge of welding, make him a valuable asset.
David lives with his partner and their daughter in Cheltenham and in his spare time enjoys singing and playing in his band, building and riding classic motorcycles, and watching motorsport.
For further information contact:
Alan 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
Arc Energy Resources is one of the UK’s leading specialists in weld overlay cladding and fabrication for the oil & gas industry. The company’s expertise provides protection against corrosion and wear for a variety of process and pipeline equipment for use in any hostile environment.
The company recently made a major investment in two new Rotating Head welding machines costing £500,000. This has increased productivity and extended the size and scope of work it can handle, which now includes complicated component geometries for the full or partial cladding and fabrication of a huge range of component sizes weighing up to 15 tonnes. The company’s in-house designed cladding workstations feature state-of-the-art control systems developed to suit its customer’s specialised engineering requirements, and can clad bores up to four metres diameter and areas of restricted access within bores as small as 20mm diameter. Arc Energy also offers in-house test weld, heat treatment, PMI and NDT facilities.
Industry certifications include ISO 9001:2008 quality management, ISO 3834-2 fusion welding of metallic materials, and the internationally renowned ASME U and R Stamps, as well as ISO 14001:2004 environment management, Investors in People and OHSAS 18001:2007 Health & Safety management system.
