The Link

Issue 6 The newsletter from the UK’s leading supplier of MRO products and services

Strategic fluid power Foreword 2011 is a year we are looking forward to with cautious optimism. As all areas of partnership announced manufacturing look set for growth, the sector is once again forecast to outperform the rest of the economy, as was seen in 2010.

That doesn’t mean manufacturing industry can rest on its laurels. Manufacturers face an almost unprecedented set of performance improvement challenges and those companies who continue to innovate and maximise operational efficiency will be the ones that succeed in the post-recession manufacturing economy.

In this issue of The Link we will be focusing on the crucial role a planned approach to Group Chief Executive of Brammer, Ian Fraser (left) with Charly Saulnier, President – , the Middle East maintenance and asset management can and Africa for Parker Hannifin play in optimising plant performance.

A strategic partnership agreement has been announced between Brammer and Parker Hannifin, David Strydom, editor of Food Processing, the world’s largest diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies. provides a further insight into asset management in our ‘Straight Talk’ feature The agreement is designed to significantly extend the support and product availability to on the back page. customers throughout the fluid power sector and to target growth in key MRO markets. We will also be celebrating some highlights Ian Ritchie, Managing Director of Brammer UK, explained: “This is an exciting development as of 2010. The annual Brammer Manufacturing the economy returns to growth. There is a natural synergy between our two companies in the Forum and Awards took place October MRO sector, with Parker’s extensive product portfolio being complemented by our specialised and was a huge success – for a full report knowledge of distribution.” on the seminars, awards and attendees see page three. Charly Saulnier, President – Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Parker Hannifin added: “This partnership will enable us to benefit from Brammer’s international expertise, while giving Brammer On behalf of all the team at Brammer I would fast access to our extensive portfolio of fluid power technologies. For our customers in the MRO like to extend our best wishes for a continued sector this will result in even higher levels of service and support, and will enhance our ability to manufacturing led recovery in 2011. help them increase the productivity, efficiency and profitability of their business operations.”

“Together, we have the ability both to deliver an exceptional range of advanced fluid power technologies, backed by fast and efficient product supply and technical service facilities, and to give customers crucial ongoing support as the economy begins to return to growth.” Ian Ritchie Managing Director Ian Ritchie, Managing Director Brammer UK.

www.brammer.co.uk Latest news

A toast to contract success

A major contract to supply a full range which would offer significant added value, of MRO products to brewing and distilling well beyond simply saving costs on giant Diageo has been clinched by Brammer individual components. following a highly competitive process Tony McCartney, Supplier Performance involving several MRO suppliers. Manager at Diageo, explained: “Brammer’s The deal covers 37 facilities in , response in the opening months of this four in Northern Ireland, and the packaging, venture has been fantastic. Their expertise canning and bottling plant at Runcorn in sourcing and technical know-how, in Cheshire. strengthened by the network of industry experts at its disposal, gives us a real Brammer won the contract based on its ability opportunity to reduce our operating to offer a complete partnership approach, costs significantly.”

Brammer goes to Iceland An ethical Brammer has confirmed its commitment The team is led by Managing Director, approach to its growing customer base in Iceland Michael Wallwork, who prior to joining with the formation of a dedicated Brammer in early 2010, spent more than Brammer has confirmed its ethical business Icelandic subsidiary. 15 years in senior management across approach by achieving membership of an various roles in global engineering. With a independent organisation for companies Based in Reykjavik, Brammer Island ehf is Masters and Bachelors degree in Business committed to the continuous improvement of geared to supporting Brammer’s existing Management and Aerospace Engineering, the ethical performance of their supply chains. Icelandic customers in the metals sector Michael held general management positions SEDEX – the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange as well as developing new business at other in , and the UK before – is a not-for-profit membership organisation, large manufacturing facilities within the relocating to Iceland. metals, power generation and food sectors. based in London, but open to companies anywhere in the world.

Brynn Woods, Purchasing & Distribution Director at Brammer UK, explained: “Many manufacturing customers now use ethical business practices as a key criterion in selecting MRO suppliers.

“SEDEX membership provides independent recognition of our commitment to maintaining and furthering robust ethical practices in our supply chain – and a further guarantee to both existing and potential customers that Brammer operates ethically in all areas of its business.”

2 Alastair Campbell hosts annual Manufacturing Forum

Two further thought-provoking seminars were Ian Ritchie, Managing Director of Brammer hosted by Alan France, Operations Director UK, explained: “Ironbridge and its history of of Idhammer Systems, on “Operational manufacturing and engineering innovation Excellence in Manufacturing, Maintenance & provided the perfect backdrop to a day Asset Management”, and Dr Keivan Zokaei of focused on the 21st century product and Warwick University on “Continuous Improvement service innovations required to drive the future in Procurement & Supply Chain Strategies”. competitiveness of UK manufacturing.

The speaker programme preceded the “This year’s speaker programme was designed Brammer Awards lunch, hosted by Alastair to be both challenging and thought-provoking Campbell. The awards, now in their fourth in encouraging delegates to consider the Alastair Campbell, the former Labour year, recognise the importance of sustainability, commercial benefits achievable through spokesman and communications strategist, product and service innovation in delivering optimising their procurement, supply chain, was the host of the 2010 annual Brammer improved operational performance. maintenance and asset management strategies. Manufacturing Forum and Awards Lunch. The Award winners were as follows: “The Brammer Awards once again presented The event, held at the Ironbridge Gorge some very difficult decisions for the judging Museum and entitled ‘Manufacturing our • Sustainable Manufacturing – Unilever panel, with many strong entries based on Future’, was attended by more than 100 senior • Reduced Maintenance Award – significant business benefits achieved. delegates from all sectors of UK manufacturing. Rio Tinto Alcan We congratulate all the finalists and especially • Increased Production Uptime Award – The keynote address was given by Steve the winners who have demonstrated TATA Steel Radley, Director of Policy and External Affairs significant proactivity and innovation, at the manufacturers’ organisation EEF, • Business Process Improvement Award – working with Brammer and our strategic who explored the future for UK manufacturing Michelin supply partners, to improve their in the post-recession economy. • Supplier Management Award – Festo manufacturing operations.” Award success Ian Ritchie (right), Managing Director of Ian Ritchie commented: “As a major sponsor Brammer UK, presents Kevin Parkin (second of the awards, we are delighted to support left) and Duncan Hay (third left) of engineering The Manufacturer in its quest to demonstrate firm DavyMarkham with the Brammer that the UK manufacturing industry has sponsored Operations & Maintenance Award a resilient and vibrant future. at The Manufacturer Awards 2010 with guest speaker Lord Digby Jones (left). The annual “On behalf of Brammer I would like to event was attended by companies across all congratulate the team at DavyMarkham sectors of industry to highlight the diversity for their achievements and dedication and strength of UK manufacturing. to continuous improvement”.

3 The big topic

The role of maintenance and asset management in optimising plant performance Brynn Woods, Purchasing & Distribution Director, Brammer UK

As UK industry starts to experience a period efficiency whilst reducing operational costs. operated and well maintained, with of growth and demand continues to increase, If an efficient and reliable plant is the key vital spares available when needed and there is a feeling of cautious optimism and an driver of success, then the way in which a unscheduled downtime minimised. abounding sense of opportunity. This doesn’t company approaches its maintenance and This is brought firmly into focus by the fact mean that manufacturers can rest on their asset management strategy is critical. that unplanned production downtime can laurels – we still face an almost unprecedented Common objectives should be standardised throw manufacturing schedule adherence into set of performance improvement challenges in around typical metrics used by best-in-class disarray. It can often cost many thousands of the post-recession economy, from increasing manufacturing companies such as Overall pounds per hour, and can be commercially raw material and commodity costs, combined Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) – measured damaging for companies in asset intensive with extended lead times and continued tight as a percentage by multiplying plant industries. Lost production time can mean a controls on operating budgets, employment availability, performance and quality – failure to meet a tight order deadline and even and capital investment. and asset downtime, measured as the the consequential loss of one or more highly amount of time the asset is offline against valuable customers. However, irrespective of the economic total asset availability. situation, the key drivers of manufacturing It can also be further complicated by the competitiveness and profitability remain the In order to maximise OEE and minimise issues brought on by ageing plant and need to optimise production output and asset downtime, plant must be both well equipment. This is becoming important since

4 possible, stock value and the number of stock-keeping units held should be minimised, with the number of suppliers minimised to reduce inventory and working capital tied up in maintenance spares as well as the transactional costs associated with maintaining duplicate suppliers of the same thing.

The strategy should also focus on an engineering spares standardisation programme, which has the potential to significantly reduce inventory and cash tied up in stock, while ensuring a consistent the recent recession as economic and oil sampling and acoustic analysis to assist standard of components is used across financial pressures have influenced a general in the monitoring of plant performance. the asset base. reduction in capital investment in new plant and equipment. Many companies are instead While this approach requires a significant focused on driving existing assets over an evolution in maintenance strategy and The benefits of outsourcing extended lifespan, frequently while working execution for many manufacturers, its impact The purchasing of spares for the daily within reduced operating budgets. is being widely proven in safeguarding production schedules, adding new efficiencies maintenance and repair of production and An effective maintenance and asset to operations, reducing maintenance costs, manufacturing equipment is often a complex, management strategy is absolutely critical improving spares management and even time and resource consuming activity for most to meeting these challenges while delivering lowering energy consumption. organisations. When well managed, however, on operational performance, service levels this is an operational area that can provide and overall company profitability targets. considerable added value with major cost Best practice in maintenance savings generated through demand reduction, management reduced inventory, production and Developments in Maintenance spares management also plays maintenance improvements. maintenance strategy a significant part in achieving the goal of Outsourcing of some, or all, aspects of MRO A best-in-class approach to maintenance and improving overall efficiency in manufacturing spares management is consistently proven asset management strategy is to move from operations, helping to maintain continuity of to reduce total acquisition costs and working a reactive approach – where plant is run to production and avoiding costly downtime. capital, while the right partner can also add failure, often supported with high levels of A successful maintenance spares sourcing engineering stock and characterised by strategy should always focus on the total cost value to the engineering team to support the unreliable performance and frequent of ownership, rather than the initial purchase goal of optimising plant uptime and production breakdowns – to proactive and condition- cost, with factors such as component lifespan, output. In the current economic climate, based maintenance management. spares criticality, reliability, reduced where capital investment is being restrained, maintenance and service intervals all and therefore plant asset life is being Making effective asset maintenance contributing to the purchasing decision. extended, an effective maintenance strategy decisions requires organisations to equip their is the key to improved manufacturing plant employees with the right data at the right time Ultimately, the strategy should concentrate reliability and higher operational and and in the right format. This may include the on identifying the most common and financial performance. adoption of condition monitoring techniques machine-specific spares, ensuring critical such as vibration analysis, thermographics, spares are always available. Wherever

5 Brammer active

commissioned with minimum downtime. This consisted of Flender FZG helical bevel Brammer’s bespoke gearboxes fitted with a 160kw Siemens motor, and Siemens Fludex fluid couplings with Siemens output gear couplings. Brammer solution for Tarmac also arranged the design and manufacture of new base plates, complete with a ceramic lagged head drum, as well as the complete removal of the old products, and fitting and commissioning of the new equipment. With as much of the work as possible undertaken off-site, the installation was undertaken in just four days.

The line is now fully operational, with the risk of downtime vastly reduced thanks to the robustness of the new solution. Tarmac also estimate an overall cost saving of up to £10,000 per annum.

Steve Wallis, Zone Manager – London East for Tarmac Quarrying Materials, stated: “The performance and condition of the existing drive assembly was a matter of A bespoke designed solution from Brammer where it is processed – meaning any increasing concern to us but recommissioning is helping to reduce both costs and the conveyor downtime effectively halts was not possible due to the downtime risk of downtime at Europe’s largest facility production completely. involved. However, Brammer were able to processing marine dredged sand and gravel. deliver a solution which not only minimised The company was concerned about the life downtime during installation but has reduced expectancy of the motors and gearboxes Tarmac Quarrying Materials’ facility at that risk in the long term.” Greenwich Wharf receives between 15 driving the conveyor, which were several years and 20 ships per month, bringing in a old and beginning to show signs of heavy wear. Andy Hosken, Brammer’s National Key Account Manager for Aggregates, combined total of 60-70,000 tonnes of Like many divisions of Tarmac in the UK, commented: “This proved to Tarmac our marine dredged ballast for processing. Tarmac Quarrying Materials is a long-standing ability to design and deliver a complete customer of Brammer, which supplies a The ballast has to pass along a main inlet engineering solution comprising technical variety of MRO products to the Greenwich conveyor to the ‘virtual quarry’ location advice, world class product and project facility, and the Tarmac team asked Brammer management from start to finish.” to provide a solution to the conveyor issue.

Brammer found that the existing drive “Brammer were able to deliver products were now obsolete and, due to a solution which not only the need to minimise downtime, removing them for an extended period for refurbishment minimised downtime during was not an option. installation but has reduced Brammer therefore proposed a complete that risk in the long term.” new drive assembly package that could be

6 Charity update

Brammer aids major hospice refurbishment

Brammer has donated £8,000 of materials Brynn Woods, Purchasing & Distribution to aid a major refurbishment project at Director for Brammer, comments: the Compton Hospice’s coffee shop “Brammer’s National Distribution Centre in Wolverhampton. is in Wolverhampton and we are always keen to support local charity and community The refurbished coffee shop was officially initiatives. Some of our local employees reopened by the Mayor of Wolverhampton, have been touched personally by the work Councillor Malcolm Gwinnett, along with of the Hospice and we are delighted to be Tarmac chief executive Terry Last. able to help its continued vital efforts through this donation.” The materials supplied were used to replace lighting at the shop as part of the Golden Simon Cater, corporate fundraiser at Envelope Challenge, a community project run Compton Hospice, said: “The work has Brynn Woods (right) with Terry Last by Tarmac. As well as replacing the lighting, completely transformed the coffee shop, the refurbishment has involved redecorating which we hope will make the venue a The project will have a lasting effect not and completely replacing the flooring as well meeting place for people across the city, only for customers of the coffee shop but as updating furniture. not just people who visit the hospice. for patient care at the hospice. Tapes up! Branch manager rides to national cycle speedway glory

Kevin Burns, manager of Brammer’s Sales his country in events around the world. & Service Centre at Corby, Northamptonshire, The team’s home track is at Leicester and has got on his bike to clinch national glory is one of just three designated ‘national’ as captain of Leicester Monarchs cycle cycle speedway centres in the UK. speedway team. He comments: “Cycle speedway is a really The team has seen off competition from across the UK this season to win the British fast and entertaining sport and we always championship – the sport’s equivalent of get good support at our matches. To win the FA Cup. the British Championship is a great effort from

Kevin, who has been participating in the sport the team and a reward for the many hours of for around 25 years, is a full England and dedicated training and also the travelling which Great Britain international and has represented goes with taking part in national tournaments.”

7 Straight Talk

Straight Talk is a regular editorial feature delivered by leading manufacturing industry experts. In this edition, David Strydom, Editor of Food Processing, looks at asset management. www.fponthenet.net

money on what may be seen as an unessential investment. An appetite for There’s a saying often used in the food and beverage industry, ‘Everybody’s got to eat’, which is intended to keep spirits up even when GDP figures are down. It’s the sector’s way of coping with the fact that maintenance even in an age of austerity, food is essential and therefore there will always be a reliable In layman’s terms, asset management is crucial in order to keep production running market for UK food manufacturers. about identification, followed by elimination, at optimum levels. But that saying doesn’t take into account of a problem – or potential problem – within There are many maintenance techniques but the fact that when there’s less cash around, a machine. Successful maintenance means one of the most important ones carried out at people may consume less – and cheaper – your plant is less likely to experience food than they otherwise might have. This the site was lubrication management, which is interruptions or failures. in turn means retailers place more pressure often overlooked by factories. This is because Asset maintenance is an essential part of on their suppliers by squeezing margins. they tend to deal with problems when they running your business, particularly in the food occur rather than taking proactive steps. The answer is to ensure manufacturers and beverage sector. This is illustrated by maximise profit by running as productively several examples throughout the industry, Equipment fails mostly because of as possible, streamlining their processes most notably at the Cadbury plant in Chirk. contamination, which can be controlled by and maintaining their assets. It’s the only filtration and lubrication management. But way forward if the industry is to weather For a company as iconic as Cadbury, not many companies are prepared to spend this shaky economic recovery. asset maintenance is key. Any significant plant shutdown at a Cadbury factory would be costly and could even endanger an existing contract and have a negative affect on the brand.

Cadbury saw the value in protecting its plant and worked to develop an outsourced asset maintenance programme in order to keep equipment in top condition at its raw material processing plant at Chirk.

The key here is that the main production area at Chirk is harsh and noisy with temperatures above ambient in some sectors. This made asset maintenance not only advisable but

For more information about Brammer’s products and services please contact us. 0870 240 2100 www.brammer.co.uk

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