The Engineering Technology
Group has been appointed the sole UK representative for The Surface
Alliance, one of the world’s largest industrial component cleaning
specialists. It joins and complements the existing Engineering
Technology Group businesses of Chiron UK, Turning Technologies
(Nakamura), Hyfore and Hyformation.
The Surface Alliance is composed of four companies, each leaders in
their field, that have come together to offer customers a comprehensive
range of cleaning technologies, machines and bespoke systems. They are:
LWP, which focuses on aqueous systems; EMO which focuses on
solvent-based systems; Hoesel, which offers special purpose
solvent-based systems and installations; and Mechonolav, which offers
custom spray cleaning systems using aqueous media.
Richard Blake, Managing Director of Chiron UK, takes responsibility for
the Surface Alliance portfolio and has appointed industry expert, Helmut
Dehnert as UK sales manager for the products.
As Richard explains, “The Engineering Technology Group was created to
offer customers access to the world’s most productive machine tools and
all the supporting elements they need to take full advantage of them.
“The key thing for our customers is that when they want a new production
cell they can go to one company, place one purchase order and we take
responsibility for delivering the complete solution. Our relationship
with The Surface Alliance means we have direct access to another product
that our customers would otherwise have to source elsewhere.”
Helmut Dehnert says that the
growing need for this type of equipment in the UK is being driven by two
key factors.
“Firstly, the automotive and aerospace industries are demanding cleaner
parts from their own production and from their subcontractors. Achieving
these levels of cleanliness often calls for a more sophisticated
approach than has been taken in the past,” he says.
The second factor driving this need is legislation. By 31 October 2007
all companies will have to comply with the requirements of Solvent
Emissions Regulations that will outlaw many traditional cleaning methods
and strictly control the emission of volatile organic compounds. This
will mean that companies will have to use either aqueous cleaning
methods or systems that are designed to ensure there is no escape of
organic solvent fumes to the atmosphere.
“Various deadlines for compliance have been and gone, but the crunch
comes next October. After that the Factory Inspector will be closing
companies down if they are still using open solvent tanks, and nobody is
going to be able to get out of it. It isn’t just as simple as changing
over to aqueous media for everything though – there are some demands
they just can’t cope with so you may have to use modified alcohol,
trichloroethylene or whatever. But to do that you have to have a machine
that complies with the regulations. Because The Surface Alliance covers
all the possibilities it can always provide the best and most
cost-effective solution in any application,” says Helmut.
For more
information please contact:
Polly Taylor
Chiron UK
Tel: 01926 818 418
E :ptaylor@chironuk.co.uk
www.turning.biz
www.chironuk.co.uk
www.engtechgroup.com
Andy Sandford
Sticklebacks Communications Ltd
Tel: 01737 270 648
Mob: 07971 436 644
E :
Andy@sticklebacks.com
www.sticklebacks.com
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