Continued investment in research and development is helping companies to stay ahead of legislative and commercial demands, according to Armstrong Fluid Technology.
Continued investment in research and development is helping companies to stay ahead of legislative and commercial demands, according to Armstrong Fluid Technology.
At an event called ‘Past Present Future’ held on 16 October, members of Armstrong Fluid Technology’s senior leadership team, including company chairman Charles Armstrong, looked at the importance of continued investment in research and development.
The event was organised to celebrate important landmarks in Armstrong Fluid Technology’s history. It marked the company’s 80th anniversary and celebrated 10 successful years in Manchester and the official opening of the new factory.
Charles Armstrong, who had travelled from the company’s headquarters in Toronto, welcomed more than 100 delegates, including customers and partners. He performed the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, officially opening the factory, and addressed delegates prior to a factory tour. He traced the company’s history from its earliest beginnings, as a manufacturer of steam boiler feed products in 1934, through rapid overseas expansion during the intervening years, before bringing delegates up to date with current operations.
Regional sales manager Lee Davies then highlighted key technical developments that are providing valuable commercial opportunities and safeguarding customers against increasing legislative pressures. He gave an overview of the opportunities provided by Armstrong’s Design Envelope philosophy, which is now employed across the pump portfolio. This approach provides outstanding energy efficiency performance across a wider operating envelope than ever before, along with significant energy savings from smaller physical footprint and reduced installation and maintenance costs throughout the lifetime of the plant.
A factory tour followed, which enabled delegates to see at first hand some of the investments made by Armstrong in manufacturing technology and continuous improvement of production processes. Investment in the factory includes the latest handheld computers for stock control, new overhead cranes, and two automated rigs able to test the full range of Armstrong pumps. The site is also equipped with a purpose-designed testing rig for fire pump sets and a dedicated test line for specialist mining and quarrying pumps manufactured by sister company RMI.
A further presentation, by Paul Tonge (Armstrong) and Colin Dixon (ENER-G) featured a case study from a recent NHS project, and Steve Cooper, Director – Sustainable Design, updated delegates on the progress of Armstrong’s Planet Proposition Sustainability Initiative. Concluding the event, Andrew Harrop, Building Performance Technical Manager, focused on key drivers for future development. He explained that investment in research and development is positioning customers securely ahead of incoming legislative requirements. Armstrong pumps, for example, are already compliant with the motor efficiency standards due to be introduced in 2017. He also provided an insight into the company’s current research and development projects around such requirements as the Ecodesign Directive, reduction of Waste to Landfill, and the BIM collaborative approach.
(left) Charles Armstrong, chairman of Armstrong Fluid Technology