August 2008 issue - Weir Minerals

http://groupintranet.weir.co.ukWeir Bulletin 15Business ImprovementInvestmentbrings newopportunitiesto BartonSteve Simone opens the Barton facilityWeir Power & Industrial opened anew workshop facility at the Bartonon Humber site. Customers andsuppliers from all over the UK andoverseas attended.The investment in the new buildingbrings a number of benefits to thebusiness as the workshop managerJohn Fillingham explained. “As well asexpanding our facilities our craneagecapacity has been trebled, meaningwe can accommodate much largermachinery than before.“The workshop can handle steamturbine components up to 75Mw;opening up new opportunities andmarkets and we have the potential totake on larger more technicallychallenging projects.”The workshop is fully insulated,with an energy efficient heatingsystem and is equipped to recyclerainwater for use in its pressurewashing facility.The facility has already won aneight year maintenance contract at anincineration plant in South EastEngland and significant potential hasbeen identified within local industry.Field services manager MartinSeaton said: “As a purpose builtfacility, the workshop will enable us tofurther improve the standard ofservice to local customers, throughgreater efficiency and a faster responsetime. It will prove invaluable to Weir’sinternational business, where we haverecently been involved in projects inPakistan, Egypt, West Africa, thePhilippines and the Middle East.”Neil Mackmin, operations directorfor Turbomachinery added: “The newfacility is a key part of our long termstrategic plan to develop the businessand to significantly expand ourparticipation in the globalturbomachinery business.”Weir SPM builds itsfirst manifold trailerBy MATT TREIDA, marketing co-ordinator, Weir SPMWeir SPMcompleted itsfirstproduction ofa Safety Iron Manifold Trailer inJune. A manifold trailer is a highpressure manifold system consistingof low and high pressure pipe andvalves that are permanentlymounted onto a trailer allowing thesystem to be transported to a wellsite as needed. The manifold permitsmultiple fracturing pumps to beconnected into a single source,facilitating the high pressure fluidand proppant mixture to bepumped into the well head duringfracturing operations.The Weir SPM manifold trailer isdistinguished from competitors inthe industry through the utilisationof Safety Iron , Weir SPM’s provenclamp connecting flow line system,designed to increase safety on sitewhile providing a superiorperforming connection whencompared to the traditional hammerunion connection. The beneficial useof Safety Iron in semi-permanentapplications ideally lends itself foruse in the manifold trailer.Completing the first trailer wastruly a multi-departmentalaccomplishment. Project leaderAllen Sutton said: “We pulledtogether an energetic andresourceful team to deliver thisexciting new product line. Whenwe’ve discussed the Safety Iron Manifold Trailer with customers,they’ve shown keen interest in ouroffer. The product will be a big itemfor growing the flow productbusiness.” The Safety Iron Manifold Trailer was designedthrough communication withvarious customers and the first trailerwas delivered to Key Energy Servicesin Odessa, Texas. The product is anexcellent addition to the SafetyIron family of products as well as agreat addition to the whole productportfolio manufactured by the WeirSPM flow control team.New facility forspecialist coatingsWeir specialist coating systems unitrecently moved to a new highly efficientfacility integrated within the Northwichcentre of engineering excellence.Investment in the new facility provides an excellent workingenvironment and a higher standard in protective coatingexpertise. Completion and transition of the facility took sixmonths and is now fully operational. One of the first orderscompleted was for a British Energy power station.