Rotrex Group eyes growth with procurement of Europes largest capacity trailer winch

Tuesday, 19th January 2021

The Rotrex Group, which boasts the largest range of trailer winches in the UK and is one of the leading lifting firms in the whole of Europe, has invested almost a quarter of million pounds in a brand new state of the art 60-tonne capacity trailer winch that it believes will secure a new era in its continued growth.

Against the backdrop of the current pandemic, subsequent economic turmoil, and the ongoing uncertainty of Brexit, the Derby headquartered business is confident the latest acquisition will be in high demand both here in the UK and across continental Europe. Rotrex has already secured a major contract for the equipment at a huge project in Norway, starting in early 2021.

The new winch is called ‘MAGNI’ which is the Norse God of Strength. It has been manufactured in Italy to Rotrex’s exact specifications, including state-of-the-art remote control and Wi-Fi technologies. It is now the largest capacity trailer winch currently available in Europe. It also has large rope storage facilities allowing pulls of up to 2,400m which is more than double that of their current 40-tonne winch.

Don Wilkinson – European Sales Manager at the Rotrex Group – said: “The investment is a real game-changer for Rotrex and our international customers. On top of the additional pulling capacity needed for large projects, the winch is fitted with HMPE fibre rope making handling a lot easier due to its lighter weight. It also ensures pipework and ducts are not damaged during pulls”.,

The Norwegian contract will also be supported on site by one of Rotrex’s mobile engineers which Don sees as crucial for such projects adding, “Our clients value this personal commitment from us. Our team of mobile engineers are currently working with clients across Europe on numerous hire set ups, pulls, as well on-site testing, refurbishment works, servicing and training. It’s not just rental, we offer a full service”

Although the winch will be first used in Norway on a water utilities contract for re-lining pipes, its design makes it versatile so it can be used on many different applications such as long cable pulls and supporting major tunneling projects.

Rotrex is therefore confident this new acquisition will open up a host of new markets that demand this kind of niche pulling capacity and will be an exciting step-change helping then to grow, secure jobs and further investment both domestically and internationally.

Investment Yields Results for MRDS Group

Tuesday, 19th January 2021

MRDS Group, the Aberdeen-headquartered oilfield and marine services expert, is looking forward to a fruitful 2021, following significant investment, development and commercial success in the latter part of 2020.

The company, which was acquired by the Garrick Group last August, has since seen investment to the tune of £600,000 in personnel, new service lines and overseas facilities. This has included a 20% increase in headcount, the launch of an Asset Integrity specialism and the establishment of a UAE-based entity.

Highlights of 2020’s final quarter included the inspection, repair and recertification of drilling equipment – in addition to ongoing operational support – for a number of North Sea-based clients, focused upon both production and decommissioning. In the UAE, work included well control equipment inspection and repair for a locally based European operator. This contributed to a total £500,000 of contract awards in the region during Q4.

The company has also announced a total £2 million worth of UK and international contract awards due to commence early 2021, which includes several newly-won drilling contractor clients.

Ian McGillivray, Managing Director, comments: “Despite the ever-shifting challenges of the past 10 months, I am delighted to report that MRDS has gone from strength to strength, with our fully COVID-compliant workshops constantly operating on a full-time basis, due to client demand.

“2021 looks set to continue that trend with several major contract awards confirmed, in addition to current tendering activity across Europe, the Middle East and West Africa. The advent of our Asset Integrity service has already broadened our sector capabilities to include renewable energy, offshore decommissioning and vessel maintenance, whilst we are set to increase our commitment to our UAE client base by opening our 10,000 square feet, local workshop facility this spring.”

With a growth strategy focused upon the UK and UAE, MRDS reports plans to increase its domestic and international headcount by 20% over the coming 12 months.

SMS Group Starts 2021 on an Even Keel at OEM Representation in UK for ARG Stabiliser System

Monday, 18th January 2021

The SMS Group is pleased to represent Tohmei Industries in the UK for its Anti-Rolling Gyro (ARG) system – widely regarded as one of the best solutions in the world for minimising roll, both at anchor and at slow speed.

The SMS Group has an enviable reputation as specialists in ship repair, marine engineering and major fabrication projects in the Commercial Marine, Defence, Cruise and Superyachts sectors.

The business has recently moved to Western Avenue, within ABP Southampton’s footprint, adjacent to the King George V drydock.

From this perfect location, the business will act as the UK distributor and installer for the ARG product.

It is the first distribution/installation agreement signed by the SMS Group since moving into its new premises.

Nicholas Warren, The SMS Group’s Commercial Director, comments: “The product is fantastic and the results speak for themselves, the customers love it.

“Easy installation, easy operation – and a keen price. From our Southampton base, we’ll be acting as both the UK distributor and retrofit installer.

“Stephen Harrold, one of our senior engineers, has been trained specifically by Tohmei, and we believe the retrofit opportunity, not only locally, but also nationally, will be sizable.”

Nick added: “Given our core customer base we believe we’re well connected and well networked to be able to sell directly to both yacht owners in the leisure market, and also the key UK marine manufacturers. The product is also very well suited to many of our commercial customers too.

“The Tohmei ARG stabiliser is the original ‘Anti Rolling Gyro’ stabiliser. The technology was developed originally by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for space satellites and then adapted for the marine market.

“With approx. 2,500 units built, there are Tohmei ARGs working off every continent worldwide.”

Sojitz Corporation (Sojitz) is exclusively representing Tohmei’s ARG system as an exporter in the European market and has an office in Hamburg.

Sojitz has increased the ARG presence with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in Europe since the early 2000s.

In 2016, MHI transferred ARG business to Tohmei, who had been the assembler since the commencement of the ARG project under MHI.
Since then, Tohmei has been well known as the official ARG manufacturer.

New to 2021, Sojitz has appointed The SMS Group as a non-exclusive dealer for UK market because of its extensive network within the UK marine industry, boat builders and yacht owners, and because of its service-led reputation.

Over the coming weeks and months, the SMS team will be approaching many UK manufacturers to share product information and pricing.

Rope and Sling Opens Plymouth Depot

Monday, 18th January 2021

Rope and Sling Specialists Ltd. (RSS) has opened its eighth facility—in Roborough, Plymouth.

The 5,000 square-foot site joins six other lifting and rigging depots and the recently acquired Gemmak Engineering business, the manufacturing division within the RSS engineering services department.

Having last opened a site in Warrington, this expansion represented an opportunity to move into a new-build in a prime location close to Plymouth and the surrounding area. RSS worked closely with the developer, RJM Property & Development Consultants Ltd., to ensure that the Broadley Park Industrial Estate site was both fit for purpose now, but also able to accommodate what the company is hoping will be significant long-term demand in the region for engineering, hire and sales, initially upheld by Ministry of Defence (MoD) contracts.

The location currently sits under Matthew Rogers, engineering services director, but RSS is recruiting for a dedicated depot manager; each of the company’s facilities is the responsibility of a single person. David Homeyard has been recruited as head of projects and programme for MoD work, while a project coordinator and three multi-skilled engineers complete the team.

RSS has also invested in a suite of machining equipment including a new 60t capacity tensile test bed and a wire rope press, both of which will be installed in March.

Perhaps more notably, with a nod to the aquatic nature of the region, the company has invested £35k on a boat—a Humber Defender RIB—for swift and safe delivery of personnel and small product to marine sites.

Rogers said: “The MoD is providing an immediate focal point for the business but we are strategically located to support the whole south-west region of the country. The marine industry is naturally of primary interest—Plymouth has a strong history in ship-building—and the geography generally will produce demand for our full range of lifting and rigging services. We’ll also leverage Gemmak’s engineering capabilities.”

In addition to the core lifting and rigging product offering, and the aforementioned engineering services, the Plymouth site will also showcase the company’s collaborations with a number of leading brands. It is nationwide distributor of JD Neuhaus’s (JDN) Profi air hoist range, and has more recently formed partnerships with MSA Latchways, a provider of innovative fall protection systems, and FAAC, a manufacturer of automatic commercial and industrial doors.

Beyond Plymouth, RSS has two sites in South Wales, plus depots in Grangemouth, Scotland; Aylesford, Kent; Templeborough, Rotherham; Heathrow, West London; and Warrington, equidistant to Liverpool and Manchester.

Offshore Dialogue: The Value Of Wind And Water

Wednesday, 13th January 2021

Sustainable use of the oceans is one of the focal topics at SMM DIGITAL. At the Offshore Dialogue online conference on 2 February, international experts will discuss current trends in the offshore wind farms segment, technical challenges facing tidal and wave energy conversion, and innovative ocean monitoring technologies.

Hamburg, 12 January 2021 – About 70% of our planet is covered by water. The Earth's oceans play a key role in shaping the global climate. The more important it is to gather and evaluate as much information as possible about the composition of this ecosystem and how it changes. Technologies that can be employed for this purpose will be one of the topics of this year's Offshore Dialogue which will take place on 2 February during SMM DIGITAL. Among the high- ranking experts participating in this online conference will be Professor Uwe Freiherr von Lukas from the Ocean Technology Campus in Rostock, Germany. His research team develops and tests submarine technologies under realistic conditions at the Digital Ocean Lab located just offshore in the Baltic Sea.

Demand for specialised ships

The most severe impact of climate change is seen in the Arctic, as confirmed recently by the spectacular MOSAiC expedition. For an entire year, the German icebreaker “Polarstern” drifted across the Arctic Ocean, moored to a large ice floe. The most ambitious scientific exhibition of the century had a budget of €140 million. The value of the information it collected is immeasurable. A major contributor to the success of the MOSAiC project was the specialised under-ice camera equipment provided by MacArtney, which also included control, recording and display software. During the Offshore Dialogue, Torsten Turla, Managing Director of MacArtney Germany, will explain the importance of sensors in environmental monitoring.

The changes happening in the icy polar waters confront shipbuilders with new challenges. "As climate change causes temperatures to rise, the ice in the Arctic regions is getting weaker while the winds are getting stronger. This means that the dynamic forces acting upon ships are getting stronger," explains Dr. Walter Kühnlein, Chairman of the Executive Board of the German Association for Marine Technology (Gesellschaft für Maritime Technik, GMT). GMT is the cooperation partner of the Offshore Dialogue.

Flowing with the tides

Tidal forces are among the phenomena that will be examined under the conference motto "new technologies for future needs": Tidal energy is eco-friendly, reliable – and predictable. The world's greatest tidal range is found in the Canadian Bay of Fundy: Twice per day, 160 billion tonnes of water flow into the bay and back out again. At each tide, the water rises and falls by roughly 13 metres. An ambitious project has been launched at Bay of Fundy: Soon several tidal power plants will make use of the enormous tidal range to generate energy sustainably. In his speech titled “Pempa’q In-stream Tidal Energy Project”, Ralf Starzmann, Managing Director at SCHOTTEL Hydro, will explain how such a system functions.

Offshore wind a growth market

Clean, low-cost, and with huge market potential: Offshore wind energy has much to offer. Having grown more than 30% annually over the past decade, it has shown to be more competitive than some fossil fuels. Now the wind industry is getting extra headwind from the European Commission’s "Green Deal", which intends to increase the European wind farm capacity from currently 12 gigawatts (GW) to 60 GW by 2030, and to as much as 300 GW by 2050. The consequences for the market will be explained by Arvea Marieni. A strategy and innovation expert, she is a partner of the Italian consultancy Brainscapital Srl Società Benefit and one of the panellists at the Offshore Dialogue during SMM DIGITAL.

Tackling challenges

The conference programme can be streamed free of charge. "This is our way of making expert knowledge available to a wider industry public. We want to make a positive contribution for the benefit of the maritime industry during these challenging times so that all relevant players can benefit from state-of-the-art solutions," said Claus Ulrich Selbach, Business Unit Director – Maritime and Technology Fairs & Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH.

Universal video borescope for inspection of cavities

Wednesday, 13th January 2021

Borescopes enable quick and non-destructive visual inspections in cavities that are otherwise not accessible, for example to inspect machines in offshore plants.

Due to the various fields of application, there are many different devices with a wide range of features. The new video endoscope PCE-VE 800N4 from PCE Instruments with its small and powerful camera offers best conditions for a thorough inspection of cavities which are difficult to access.

The camera head which can be moved in four directions and has a diameter of only 2.8 millimetres can be easily inserted into existing cavities. The viewing direction of the camera can be continuously adjusted upwards or downwards and to the right or left using two rotary knobs. With its field of view of 80 degrees, the camera covers a large area the focal point of which can be adjusted between 5 and 50 millimeters via the adjustable focus. The images are transferred directly to the 5-inch monitor. The image brightness can be regulated in 9 steps by a separate key on the endoscope handle.

The images displayed on the monitor can be edited via the device menu and saved as images or videos, either with or without a time stamp. Due to the wide field of view, relatively large areas are displayed even at a short distance. The resolution is 400 x 400 pixels.

The new PCE-VE 800N4 is equipped with a 1.5 m long flexible endoscope cable and thus also allows continuous examination of larger cavities. As the camera cable has a high protection degree IP67, even damp and heavily soiled areas can be examined. The camera cable can be exposed to temperatures of up to 60 °C and the monitor can tolerate ambient temperatures of 0 to 40 °C.

With the two Li-Ion batteries, the inspection camera has an operating time of about 8 hours. When the battery level is no longer sufficient, the batteries can simply be replaced or recharged. Alternatively, the PCE-VE 800N4 can also be operated via the included mains adaptor.

Whether in development, quality assurance or service and maintenance – the new PCE-VE 800N4 from PCE Instruments allows a thorough visual inspection of all accessible areas. The endoscope is versatile not only in mechanical and vehicle engineering but also in the field of building technology. For example, building service installations and installation ducts can be inspected and the extent of water damage or pest infestation can be determined without having to open components over a large area. All examinations can also be documented with image and video recordings.

You can find more information here:
Offshore Marine Service Directory
https://www.pce-instruments.com/english/measuring-instruments/test-meters/industrial-borescope-kat_40041.htm

LEEA Academy Awards recognise global achievement

Wednesday, 13th January 2021

The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) presented the Academy Awards for 2020 during a special Zoom event on the morning of 17 December 2020, which celebrated the achievements of the Association’s global learners regarding industry marine lifting equipment.

The annual Academy Awards scheme acknowledges students who have achieved the highest of standards in learning and development, and is an important contributor to LEEA’s drive towards sustainability of the sector.

Members of the Association’s Learning and Development committee presided over the categories to determine which students have excelled on their courses during the LEEA academic year to September 2020 to win the celebrated awards.

The Gordon Loveridge Memorial Prize for the highest score in the Foundation Certificate Assessment went to Gavin West of Sprint Lifting Equipment Ltd; Danny Woodfield of Konecranes Demag UK Ltd; and Chris French of Bunzl Brand Operations.

The Cyril McCaully Memorial Prize for the best paper in each of the advanced programme subjects was presented to Omar Alaa-ElDien Bahbah of Delta Inspection and Petroleum Services (DIPS) as the winner for Lifting Equipment General; Robert Clarke of OES Oilfield Services as the winner for Lifting Machines Manual; Gordon James Pilling of SNC-Lavalin Industrial Atlantic Inc for Lifting Machines Power; Christopher Killen of Walter Watson for Runways and Crane Structures; Sajo Thundiyathu Jose of ABS Group Inc for Overhead Travelling Cranes; and Shafik Mohamed Shafik Mostafa of Tetralift SAE for Offshore Container Examination.

The prestigious Harry Brown Memorial Shield for the best overall Advanced Programme assessment paper across all categories was awarded to Sajo Thundiyathu Jose of ABS Group.

Ross Moloney, CEO of LEEA commented: “With winners coming from Australia, Egypt, Canada and the UK, the LEEA Academy Awards really showcased the international nature of our learning. These courses are ideal for our global industry and are accessible even during the pandemic – perhaps more so than ever before – and in non-English languages. I would like to congratulate all this year’s successful recipients and thank the LEEA team for organising the 2020 Academy Awards. We are looking at exciting developments for 2021.”

Hydroscand UK Purchases Assets of JC Mobile Hydraulics, Southampton

Monday, 11th January 2021

Hydroscand UK, a leading provider of solutions and services for hose and fittings, is pleased to announce it has acquired the assets of Southampton-based JC Mobile Hydraulics as of 31st December 2020.

JC Mobile Hydraulics offers 24/7 mobile hydraulic hose repair, service and installation. This acquisition will increase Hydroscand’s capability and capacity in the Southampton area.

Jason Bray started JC Mobile Hydraulics in 2017 after working in the industry for over 15 years.

Jason will join the Hydroscand team as HoseExpress Development Manager and the experience and customer focus he brings with him will be of great value to his existing customers and in helping Hydroscand further develop its mobile hose repair service in the UK.

“Joining Hydroscand is a great next step for me. It means I can provide additional capacity and expanded geographic reach to my loyal customer base. It will also enable me to pass on my skills and experience to the wider team.” commented Jason.

“I am excited to welcome Jason to the team. This acquisition is an important addition to our core offering. I am looking forward to working with Jason, and I am confident we will continue to improve our HoseExpress mobile hose service together,” said Rebecca Galley, Hydroscand UK’s Managing Director.

Port of Tyne Clean Energy Programme Cuts Carbon Emissions By 700 Tonnes in 12 Months

Tuesday, 5th January 2021

Port of Tyne has completed a detailed modelling exercise and long term analysis of its electricity network, as part of its award-winning decarbonisation and clean energy strategy. This process enables the port’s leadership to understand both current and future energy requirements in line with Tyne 2050’s ambitious net-zero roadmaps for Port of Tyne to become carbon neutral by 2030 and an all-electric port by 2040.

Currently, the Port of Tyne is working through an innovative asset electrification programme, which involves the conversion of legacy materials handling assets from diesel to low carbon electricity.

Once completed this will include a first for a UK port – to successfully convert an existing diesel-powered Liebherr mobile harbour crane to be fully electric. Existing diesel-powered Drax Hoppers used for bulk materials handling are also being electrified.

These two initiatives alone have reduced the port’s diesel consumption by 260K litres and eliminated 700 tonnes of CO2 emissions – enough to power over 80 UK homes for a year.

Port of Tyne has also invested in a new fleet of electric vehicles, LED lighting in every building and asset, smart energy monitoring meters and a team is also evaluating the potential for installing solar panels on warehouse buildings. The switch to LED lighting alone across the port’s estate has saved over 2.5M kWh of energy. As further evidence of the port’s commitment to becoming a clean energy enterprise and innovation hub, Port of Tyne has also launched Tyne Clean Energy Park, to provide a convenient, versatile strategic base for the north east’s rapidly growing renewable energy sector.

UK Power Network Services is helping the Port of Tyne to achieve a detailed understanding of its current electricity network, forecasting the impact that electrification will have on the port’s electricity load and ensuring long term operations remain resilient.

Matt Beeton, CEO at the Port of Tyne says, “We welcome the government’s allocation of £20m to help the maritime sector adopt clean energy and have made significant progress in this direction. To date, we have invested £2 million into clean energy projects, we have cut emissions to improve local air quality and launched a new clean energy business park for the renewable energy supply chain. All our clean energy investments reduce carbon consumption and lower our costs – going forwards we will be allocating up to 30% of our annual capex for more net zero improvements as we continue to prioritise green innovation and sustainability.”

In November 2020, Port of Tyne won two Clean Energy Awards at the Maritime UK 2020 Awards in the Clean Energy Operator and Clean Energy Enabler categories. Winning these two awards highlights the significant progress the Port has already made towards meeting the ambitious net zero roadmap targets outlined in Tyne 2050 and becoming renowned as a hub for clean energy enterprise in the UK.

The HTL Group announces rebrand of Gee-Force

Monday, 4th January 2021

The decision to rebrand Gee-Force, previously presented as part of the HTL Group, has been a critical element of an extensive rebranding effort in response to accelerated company growth and renewal to its corporate vision. The rebrand becomes effective from 1st January 2021, and at the heart of this rebranding, with a change of the company name from Gee-Force to HTL Great Yarmouth, will see an update to the corporate logo too.

The HTL Group has been incorporated since 1996 and is a controlled bolting and joint integrity specialist. The company remains headquartered in the North East of England, with strategically located facilities across the East coast of the UK and Australasia.

The HTL Group and Gee-Force Hydraulics previously partnered back in 2016, as HTL Group looked to expand their UK footprint in the South East of England. The successful partnership later led to Gee-Force’s acquisition in 2018 and now the official rebrand to The HTL Group.

The Group’s continued investment within the local Great Yarmouth region is extenuated as they commit to a larger premise, which will occur Quarter 3 2021, strengthening its commitment to supporting customers locally.

With a focus on supporting operations in multiple onshore and offshore industries, the investment in larger premises within the region will give customers much more extensive access to the HTL product, service and Training portfolio. With the ability to provide ECITB and GWO-approved training Courses for larger groups of delegates, the Great Yarmouth region’s Training portfolio will include On-Site Machining Training courses.

Marc Gerrard, UK Commercial Director, comments, “We are extremely pleased to see The HTL Group brand become renowned in the South East of England, just as we have seen our company grow within the North East of England and Scotland. We have seen the company evolve over the years and our footprint within the local Great Yarmouth region is an exciting opportunity to continue that evolution. It enables us to invest further in the local community and develop new business opportunities.”

Danny Peachey, Manager – Great Yarmouth, adds, “We have seen a big ambition to grow the business, and with The HTL Group brand behind us, will make the financial commitment to the region a success. The HTL Group name is synonymous with a commitment to its customers, so we are pleased to see this transition into the local community as well, as we move into a larger premise.”

Author: CGTeam

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