TPi October 2009

Mater ials Tube and pipe

Metal service centre receives Queen’s Award for Enterprise

Whitehouse,MetalsUKgeneralmanager, “Four years ago our business was purely domestic, while today business from international clients has risen to 50%. “The markets we compete in are very aggressive and it is difficult to truly differentiate our offering from that of our competitors. We take pride in our vigilance in determining the end use and end destination of all our metal we export. Winning this award in the current economic climate is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and makes me extremely proud to be part of the business.” Mr Whitehouse and Ian Griffiths (company CEO) attended the formal ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 6 July, where her Majesty the Queen presented the award. Metals UK supplies a wide range of duplex, super duplex, nickel alloys and stainless steel to the offshore, oil and gas, chemical, nuclear and aerospace industries. The company also offers full cutting and added value processing capabilities in house, including laser, water-jet, plasma and hi-definition plasma.

Over the past three years Metals UK’s export earnings have increased by 412%, as the company has strengthened its position in international markets, currently supplying over 40 countries in Europe, the Americas, the middle and Far East, India and Australia.

METALS UK, an international specialist metal service centre, has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2009, for outstanding achievement in international trade. The Queen’s Award for Enterprise is the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a British company and is the UK’s top award for business performance.

“We are delighted to receive our first Queen’s Award,” commented Robert

Metals UK Ltd – UK www.metalsuk.com

Metals UK staff were joined at the presentation ceremony by Ed Murphy of the Lancashire S S Chamber Of Commerce (back row, centre) and the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire (front left)

New thermoplastic composites research centre established

Photo credit: Sue Byford

OFFICIALS from Boeing, Royal Ten Cate, Stork Fokker and the University of Twente have signed an agreement to establish the Thermoplastic Composites Research Centre (TPRC) at the University of Twente in The Netherlands. Reasons for pursuing research into thermoplastic composites technologies are that they can offer cost-efficient fabrication and assembly processes and have environmental advantages. Thermoplastics are said to be more ductile (impact resistant), and thermo- plastic composites are potentially more sustainable than thermoset compo- sites. These properties can result in shorter cycle times and more environmentally friendly processing methods.

As a result, thermoplastic materials are expected to have a major impact on the development of sustainable and cost- effective methods of production. The concept of the consortium is to collaborate with different parties within the supply chain on thermoplastic composites. The research centre will focus on development of thermoplasticcomposite technologies for a broad range of end- use markets including wind energy, oil and gas, aerospace, automotive, medical, machinery, infrastructure, sports and marine. The centre will enable researchers and developers from all parties to work closely together on open innovations,

Boeing have worked with Royal Ten Cate, S S Stork Fokker and Twente University

and will also allow the sharing of research equipment.

New additional members to the TPRC consortium will be encouraged to join in the coming years, including organisations that will represent a wide range of market sectors. Thermoplastic Composites Research Centre – The Netherlands www.tprc.nl

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Tube Products International October 2009

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