NEWS

November 2010 Sealing Technology5

I N B R I E F

Seal manufacturer celebrates centenaryPrecix Inc recently celebrated its hundredth anniversary. To mark the event a company-wide ‘cookout’ took place on 21 September and the names of current employees were list-ed, by length of service, in the local newspaper.

Eriks relocates Warrington service centreEriks has announced that it has relocated its Warrington service centre to purpose-built premises on the town’s Birchwood Park indus-trial estate. The company’s sealing technology business, Pioneer Weston – a core technology centre for the development and manufacture of rotary sealing products – is already located on the estate.

Variable-speed drives help seal manufacturer to reduce energy costsAs part of the Trelleborg Group’s Energy Excellence Initiative, an investment in new processes to control pressure build-up in hydraulic power packs on presses has cut wasted energy at Trelleborg Sealing Solutions’ manufacturing facility in Cadley Hill, UK – reducing energy costs by an estimated £12 000 a year. ABB Drives’ Alliance member Inverter Drives Systems (IDS) installed four 18.5 kW ABB standard drives to automatically maintain system pressure just below the system unload value, using a pressure transducer to feed back to the drive’s internal PID control-ler. Andy Lamb, Manager, Process, Facilities & Safety, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, com-mented: ‘We were challenged to save 10% on our energy costs and felt that variable-speed drives could help us achieve this.’ Energy was being wasted in the power packs that supply hydraulic fluid to presses which are used to bond fabric to rubber.

Seal-flush pumps have an extended seal lifeMee Industries Inc says that its seal-flush pumps for fog systems, which are used in conjunction with gas turbines, now have an extended seal life. These flushed pumps are designed for an intense, continuous-duty gas turbine, deionised (DI) water-fogging application. They are virtu-ally maintenance-free, and are energy-efficient and have a long service life, claims the firm. Fogging with demineralised water can dra-matically shortened the pump’s seal life. These pumps are recommended for fog systems that operate for more than 300 hours per year. The special seal-flush option extends the seal life to approximately 6000 operating hours. This greatly reduces maintenance and catastrophic pump failure that can occur if pumps are oper-ated with leaking seals, which can result in water contamination of crankcase oil.

‘The new centre is one of a network of over 230 John Crane facilities in 50 different coun-tries. Like them, it is dedicated to providing the highest possible levels of customer support,’ commented Colin Ure, General Manager, John Crane UK Ltd.

‘The new Northern Service and Operations Centre is tangible proof of both our commit-ment to those customers and our ability to meet their expectations.’

With access to original drawings, specifications and materials, plus advanced tools and technolo-gies on-site, the centre’s experienced staff can restore equipment to an ‘‘as new’’ condition. In addition to the expanded service capabilities the new facility also ensures that customers will ben-efit from even faster turnaround times on service projects. The centre also provides a 24-hour shut-down and emergency assistance service.

John Crane UK also offers customers an extensive range of upgrade and conversion services, with experienced engineers available to analyse customer requirements and recommend the most appropriate product or technology.

The centre’s servicing and restoration capa-bilities are complemented by air and hydraulic pressure testing, and has the ability to conduct full dynamic testing under operating condi-tions. Customers can also access bespoke train-ing for their own staff via the centre. This can be carried out on-site or at a customer’s premis-es, by a dedicated team of training specialists.

‘One of John Crane’s guiding principles is to develop the ability to satisfy not only the needs our customers have today, but also those that they will have in the future,’ added Colin Ure.

‘This principle has been used to guide the development of the new centre and the feed-back that we have received so far indicates that we are achieving that aim.’

Contact:

John Crane EAA, Nash Road, Trafford Park, Manchester

M17 1SS, UK. Tel: +44 161 886 5993, Fax: +44 161

872 1654, Email: louise.palmer@johncrane.co.uk,

Web: www.johncrane.co.uk

EnPro Industries acquires high performance seal manufacturer

EnPro Industries Inc has acquired Hydrodyne, a designer and manu-

facturer of machined metallic seals and other specialised components used primarily by the space, aerospace and nuclear-power industries.

Hydrodyne will join the High Performance Seals Group (HPS) within EnPro’s Sealing Products segment.

‘This is the latest in a series of recent acquisi-tions. These are building a stronger position for our HPS group in highly attractive and specialised sealing markets,’ commented Steve Macadam, President and Chief Executive Officer, EnPro.

‘Hydrodyne manufactures unique, high-value components that are specifically engineered for critical applications. It brings strong relation-ships with well-respected customers in the space and aerospace industries, and the HPS group’s established relationships in the nuclear-power industry will expand Hydrodyne’s opportunities in a very attractive market.’

Hydrodyne is based in Burbank, California. In addition to Hydrodyne, the HPS group includes Garlock Helicoflex in Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Garlock France opera-tions in Saint Etienne and Montbrison, France; Wide Range Corp in the UK; and Technetics Corp, based in Deland, Florida, USA.

Contact:

EnPro Industries Inc, 5605 Carnegie Boulevard,

Charlotte, NC 28209-4674, USA. Tel: +1 704 731 1500,

Fax: +1 704 731 1511, Web: www.enproindustries.com

Dichtomatik is appointed distributor for DuPont Kalrez seals

Dichtomatik Ltd has been appoint-ed as an authorised UK distribu-

tor for the Kalrez range of perfluor-oelastomer parts manufactured by DuPont Performance Polymers.

Pictured at the opening ceremony of the new John Crane service centre in Manchester are (from the left): Colin Ure, General Manager, John Crane UK; Charlie Lacon, UK Service and Operations Manager; Brian Germaine, Engineering Director, Sulzer Pumps (UK) Ltd; David Tallentire, Vice President, John Crane EMEA; Warren Smith JP, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester; and Staffan Hamelin, Director, John Crane Northern Region.