C2572 02 Apr-May 06 AW - LP Gas Magazine

More documents

Recommendations

Info

AUTOGAS CONVERSION EQUIPMENT Toroidal lpg tanks in the computer controlled paintshop. SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT AT WVM Dutch company, Witte van Moort, has been making lpg tanks since 1974. It now manufactures 54 different types of lpg tank and has capacity for an annual production of 100,000 units. HKL Gaspower Ltd has been purchasing and distributing WVM pressure vessels in the UK for over 20 years. “The main reason we have opted to stock these tanks for so long is down to a number of reasons, quality being the main one,” said Stuart Bradley, general manager at HKL. “Generally, in the UK, WVM is still regarded as the premium tank brand, despite great competition from some other manufacturers with similar products. The tanks are also four-hole orientated, offering maximum reliability and safety, and giving peace of mind to us as a company to confidently sell the product. “There are two main marketplaces in which we sell WVM tanks – predominantly, the thriving UK lpg automotive conversion sector, but also to a number of forklift truck dealers and manufacturers. “We are happy to continue working with WVM for the foreseeable future and stock a full and comprehensive range of its product line here in Birmingham.” In the 1950s, Witte van Moort began manufacturing children’s bicycles, and has since progressed to mopeds, components for central heating systems and, in 1974, in cooperation with a Shell subsidiary; it began to design lpg tanks. Initially, it made six types of tanks, and this has now increased to 54 varieties for different models of cars and forklift trucks, made in the lpg department of Witte van Moort’s 20,000m2 factory in Vriezenveen, Holland. The tanks are each hydraulically tested to 30-bar. “The Dutch prefer tanks equipped with four separate accessories – a mechanical 80% filling valve, a solenoid takeoff valve, a gauge with an electronic sensor and a security spring valve set at 27 bar - primarily because of their reliability compared to multivales,” said Henk Borger, manager of the lpg department at Witte van Moort. “Multivalves often have a smaller capacity than security spring valves and that’s why, during a fire, the pressure in the tank rises too much. Also, filling the tank takes too much time and the filling capacity is too low. The electronic filling valve has a PTC that measure the level of the liquid and the solenoid valve shuts off when the liquid level reaches 80%.” Production of lpg tanks is a serious business, says Henk. To homologate the lpg tank, a cycle test is required to reach 12,000 times a pressure between 0 and 30-bar. Then a burst test much reach a minimum of 67-bar. Witte van Moort tanks can withstand 80 to 120-bar in a burst test, depending the shape of the tank, says the company. During production, the tanks are also subjected to mechanical and x- ray tests. After mounting the valves, the tanks are finally tested with compressed air to 11-bar, to be sure that all the tanks are safe. “Production quality is Witte van Moort’s number one priority,” said Henk. “That’s why a lot of OEMs are our customers, including Renault, Volvo, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Subaru, and so on. “Volkswagen AG has performed quality audits in Poland and Italy to compare Witte van Moort to other companies. They were happy with the results. Witte van Moort was the only company with enough points to deliver all brands in the Volkswagen Group. “We make sure that our assurance of quality is also available to the aftermarket.” The production of lpg tanks needs a lot of investment, says Henk Borger. Equipment, such as deep draw presses, fully robotised welding machines and hydraulic test machines, are needed. “In my opinion, Europe needs one organisation that controls the national notified bodies so the customer is sure that lpg tanks produced in Europe and lpg tanks that are imported into Europe all exactly fulfil the demands of United Nations Regulation 67.01,” said Henk. “The Dutch lpg tank market, including forklift trucks, is about 25,000 tanks per year. We find that UK customers tend to give less priority to quality than those from Holland and other countries.” Contact Witte van Moort on +31 546 562444 www.wvm.nl Ford Transit lpg twin tanks. PED homologated forklift lpg tanks. 18 LP GAS MAGAZINE APRIL/MAY 2006
AUTOGAS CONVERSION EQUIPMENT Worldwide Networking Edward Davies and Norman Phillips began Duel Fuel Vehicle Technology in 1999. Things moved fast for them from then on. A year later, the company merged with Autogas Worldwide Ltd and began wholesaling autogas components from AEB and Stako. In 2001, they were introduced to Antonio Romano, the head of Romano srl, by AEB and became the sole distributor of the Romano Injection System and, in 2002, they were asked to start up Stako UK and a limited company was formed as part of the group. In 2003, a nationwide network of installers was set up and trained under the name of agw-Romano. Installers on the scheme are given logos and signage to promote their status as agw-Romano approved installers, and preferential rates. The network provides vehicle installation with a two-year parts and labour warranty and full customer service back up throughout the UK. The company has taken on an additional customer service engineer, Steve Bullock, to cover the north of England and Scotland and to extend the coverage offered to customers by the installer network in the north. “Autogas Worldwide Ltd has become the country’s leading independent component supplier and is the main distributor for Romano, Stako and AEB,” said Edward Davies, technical director. “It is recognised as an LPGA accredited Code of Practice 11 trainer and is a full member of the LPGA, playing a major part in supporting the industry and driving it forward.” Norman Phillips, Autogas Worldwide’s senior engineer, serves on a number of LPGA committees, including the Approved Installers Committee. The company certainly has some characters behind the scenes. Colin Seeney apprenticed as a medical electronics engineer, and set up and ran a quality assurance and production engineering consultancy, including acting as a British Standard approved lead assessor for quality assurance systems. Edward Davies is a graduate of Imperial College, London, and converted his first Land Rover to run on lpg back in the 1970s. Norman Phillips was trained as a buyer with British Gas before building several successful companies in the paper and recycling industry. Allan Thomas, who has been with the company virtually since its beginning, is literally part and parcel of the company, and looks after all their customers’ needs. “Nothing is to much trouble for him,” said Norman. “Behind every good company you must have an Allan.” Leighton Davies (no relation to Edward), Autogas Worldwide’s commercial manager, who started with the company in the parts store, spent 22 years in the RAF as an aircraft technician, and Roddy Jones, who helps run the stores and customer order section, was a part time professional footballer with Newport County, and was capped for Wales at amateur level. “Autogas Worldwide realises, in this industry, it’s very important that you must give your customers total support,” said Norman. “We have recently employed Steve Bullock, who is an LPGA approved engineer, and has been running his own autogas conversion company for the last seven years. He is now fully employed by us and is covering the north of England and Scotland visiting garages. He will also be carry stock on his vehicle.” Norman says his summary of the industry is quite simple. “Keep the exhaust pipe emissions clean, keep the conversions to the COP 11 2001 high standard and look after your customers. Finally, a message to all of you retailing lpg, and this is specifically directed to the big petrol stations, etc - don’t be greedy. If the price of lpg continues to rise and you keep putting hefty margins on, we won’t have an industry. It’s up to us people in the industry to keep the prices low. If we sell our lpg at a competitive price, the larger retailers will have to follow, and that will equate to a buoyant conversion industry. It’s all down to differential in price between lpg and petrol.” Contact Autogas Worldwide Ltd on 08707 461262 www.autogasworldwide.co.uk LP GAS MAGAZINE APRIL/MAY 2006 19
Page 1 and 2: APRIL/MAY 2006 AUTOGAS CONVERSION E
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS APRIL/MAY 2006 LP GAS THE
Page 5 and 6: If It’s autOGas EquIPmEnt It has
Page 7 and 8: What do you do for the LP gas indus
Page 9 and 10: Tankgas Equipment Ltd Specialist St
Page 11 and 12: DIRECTOR GENERAL launch of this at
Page 13 and 14: ZINC SPRAYING spray is perhaps not
Page 15 and 16: PRODUCTS Mitsubishi Launches Lpg Cu
Page 17: AUTOGAS CONVERSION EQUIPMENT NME Pa
Page 22 and 23: AUTOGAS CONVERSION EQUIPMENT FROM H
Page 24 and 25: AUTOGAS Reaching Out to Europe Reco
Page 26 and 27: LPGA FOCUS SPRING MEETING REPORT Ov
Page 28 and 29: WORLD VIEW Nigeria Sets Regulatory
Page 30 and 31: TRAINING ABC OF ADR By Henry Laferl

C2572 02 Apr-May 06 AW - LP Gas Magazine

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?