Alco’s new R&D and Production Facility

Published: 5th December 2013 | Issue 27

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Yorkshire based valve manufacturer Alco Valves Group has opened a new facility in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. The 14,000sq ft new facility extends the company’s headquarters’ capacity to over 40,000 Sq ft. This is in addition to the group’s manufacturing facility in Manchester, sales offices and warehouses in the USA, Canada and Singapore.

Operations Manager James Stangroom says that while the company is a global brand, it is still a privately owned British Company:

‘Founded nearly 40 years ago and still with a family culture. We have fathers and sons, fathers and daughters working here. There is a fantastic team atmosphere.’

Mr Stangroom believes that this positive atmosphere is conducive to Alco’s emphasis on quality, which he believes sets the company apart from its competitors. Sales Manager James Hinchliffe agrees:

‘We produce a quality engineered product. As such, everyone needs to take responsibility for quality. That is what we continue to achieve.’

The pair also believe that the significant investments made at Alco contribute to the positive working atmosphere and ultimately the success of the business. As well as the new facility next door to Alco’s existing plant in Brighouse, Alco has invested in a 10 tonne crane, hyperbaric testing facilities and 15 new members of staff in the last six months. The company also plan to employ a further 20 staff in the coming six months including roles such as valve fitters, QC operatives, valve design engineers as well as sales and administration roles. In addition to the expansion of the production facilities the Research and Development department (R&D) has also benefitted from moving into a larger area at the new site and increasing staff numbers whilst adding advanced technologies such as rapid 3D digital modeling, 3D laser object scanning and 3D rapid printing. These technologies are employed as a method of rapid prototyping of three dimensional valve parts from a computer generated image/drawing and then creating a physical component in plastic or metal materials within minutes or hours rather than conventional CNC machining of prototype parts, which can take days.

‘We are investing ahead of the demand curve.’ Says Mr Hinchliffe ‘Our forward order book is in fantastic shape, and our teams are very busy therefore we wouldn’t want there to be any barriers between winning the work our products deserve. These investments will mean we can operate at an increased capacity without sacrificing lead times.’

Alco’s new workshop will specialise in the production of large bore double block and bleed valves with diameters from 3" to 12". There are also two testing bays, offices for the design and sales teams as well as a document hub to manage the paperwork required to maintain the company’s qualified status, quality standards and the approvals for end users such as Shell, Total, BP, Chevron and Aramco. Currently valves are being manufactured and tested to 10,000 psi. This will be increased to 15,000 and 20,000 psi in the coming months.

‘Top performing company’

The company has been making high pressure valves and manifolds to the highest international standards for the offshore, petro-chemical, subsea, scientific and power generating industries for nearly 40 years. Ball valves, needle valves, double block & bleed valves, severe service valves, cryogenic and high temperature valves are all designed and made at the Brighouse plant. Alco’s worldwide expansion over the years has seen it open and operate sales offices, manufacturing plants, technical support offices and warehouses in the UK, Houston Texas USA, Toronto and Calgary in Canada, Singapore, the Middle East, South East Asia and the Far East. In addition, the company has many agents and distributors in over 30 other countries around the world. The business is celebrating some international project awards from major blue-chip clients. In July Alco was awarded £6.5m of contracts for the oil and gas industries alone. The Group’s sales are expected to exceed £30m this year. The Group was also recognised as one of Yorkshire’s top 100 performing companies in a recent Yorkshire Post survey, it was ranked in 58th place this year but aiming to be ranked higher next year.

There is also a very healthy forward order book into 2014 and beyond. This only goes to confirm Alco’s position as a world leader in high pressure valve design, valve technologies and manufacturing methods.

Alco’s Group Managing Director, Stuart Lomax, said ‘Our expansion and grip on international marketplaces is vitally important to the future of the business and our current and future employees. It is very satisfying that some of our expansion has already taken place here in the UK and with tens of thousands of British made valves being exported to an impressive global client base each year. This is a really exciting time for our businesses, both here in the UK and abroad.’

Alco Valves
Tel: 01484 710511
www.alco-valves.com

Telephone:	01484 710511
Email:	uk@alco-valves.com
Website:	www.alco-valves.com
	More information on the Alco Valves Group BVAA Member Directory Page

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