Certex Sale

wd.admin@www.certex.co.uk (wd.admin) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:42:42 GMT

20/02/08 Forankra International AB strengthen the Certex Business Area with acquisition of Certex UK

With effect from the 1st of January 2008 Certex Lifting Ltd, with headquarters in Harworth, UK has been acquired by Forankra International AB. Certex UK will be part of the Certex business area.

Certex UK Directors Tony Stringer, Charles Gillespie, Kevin Smith and Adrian Tomkinson pictured at their new Central Hub at Harworth, Nottinghamshire

Forankra International AB is the leading supplier of lifting and lashing equipment in Europe. The company designs and supplies equipment for material handling, lifting and securing of cargo to trucks, trains, trailers, aircrafts and Ro-Ro vessels. Forankra International AB with a turnover of 220 million Euro and 900 employees is a subsidiary of Axel Johnson International AB.

CERTEX Business Area focuses on wire rope, lifting products and services. Certex UK together with the existing Certex companies in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia are the market leader in this segment on the European continent. The Certex group has a turnover of 135 million Euro and 500 employees.

CERTEX UK is one of the UK’s leading distributors of lifting products, services and lashing products, with a turnover of about 20 million Pounds. Customers come from within the manufacturing, steel, construction, offshore, oil, gas, port and shipping industries. The company operates from a newly-opened 48,000 sq ft headquarters in Nottinghamshire backed up by 16 regional lifting centres. The company’s 185 employees provide a national service to local customers who have specific local needs. These are located in Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Caerphilly, Erith, Glasgow, Gloucester, Great Yarmouth, Plymouth, Portsmouth/Devonport, Harworth, Southampton, St. Helens, Tyneside and Wakefield.

Certex's new central hub, warehouse and production facility at Harworth, Notts

Sven-Olof Berntsson, Managing Director of Forankra International, states: “Certex UK is a very strong company with experienced staff and I am very pleased to welcome them all into the Forankra International organization.”

Peter Keith, Regional Managing Director Certex, explains: “Certex UK excels in the supply, maintenance and related training for specialist lifting equipment and we are delighted to be joining forces with them in sourcing new and exciting market opportunities. I have no doubt that Certex UK’s technical expertise and extensive product knowledge will add an invaluable dimension to our Certex organization.”

Certex UK Managing Director, Tony Stringer, comments: Once we began discussions with Forankra International it became apparent that we could benefit from the commercial strength of joining such a prestigious international group without losing out on any of the autonomy and high levels of customer service we enjoy at ground level. Having talked with Forankra International at great length – as well as comparing notes with our sister companies overseas – we are confident that Certex UK will retain its core values bringing only positive change for our customers and staff.”

Certex UK will be operated as previously with its local management team, i.e Tony Stringer will continue as Managing Director, with Charles Gillespie as Director of Sales and Marketing, Kevin Smith as Operations Director and Adrian Tomkinson as Finance Director. The company will operate in the Certex group, reporting to regional managing director Peter Keith.

Customer Survey

wd.admin@www.certex.co.uk (wd.admin) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:28:36 GMT

14/12/07 Certex gets thumbs up from revolutionary Customer Survey

Customers of the one of the UK’s leading suppliers of lifting products and services have been ‘playing cards’ in an effort to evaluate the service they receive.

A selection of customers of Certex UK has participated in a revolutionary ‘game-style’ customer survey, which has not only achieved an unusually high response rate but has also revealed exceptionally high levels of customer satisfaction.

The survey – which was conducted by InfoQuest on behalf of Certex – was chosen as an innovative way of collecting customer data and generated a response rate of 68%, as opposed to the more typical 5-10% response of more conventional questionnaires.

Charles Gillespie, Sales and Marketing Director at Certex, explains why Certex opted for a different approach to data collection. “We all know that surveys relying on paper questionnaires or telephone interviews tend to be largely ignored by the intended recipients. They can also be seen as an intrusion on busy schedules and the dilemma is how to open up lines of communication and obtain vital commercial knowledge without annoying the customer and undermining the business relationship.”

To try and overcome this ‘data fatigue’ and make the process as fun and interactive as possible, a select number of Certex customers received a survey box and deck of 36 cards – each carrying a different question or statement. The customer then had to place the cards in one of the answer compartments labelled from ‘totally satisfied’ to ‘totally dissatisfied’ or ‘totally agree’ to ‘totally disagree’, and mail the box back to Infoquest.

The format was obviously appealing, with 68% of those contacted taking part. Opinions were sought on a range of subjects but overall 58% of customers were ‘totally satisfied’ with the company and its services, with particularly high scores in product quality, ease of doing business, pricing, business practices, service technicians, training courses and the responsiveness of staff.

Richard Startin, Service Manager at HTC Plant Limited in Sheffield, was one of the customers totally satisfied with the company’s performance. “The survey was a refreshing, simple and effective way of providing accurate and honest feedback. It made a very welcome change,” he said.

John Coldwell, UK Managing Director at InfoQuest, commented on how well Certex performed in the survey and noted the particularly high customer satisfaction rate. “Anything above 60% total satisfaction is rarely achieved and most successful companies aspire to a level of 45-60%. Obviously Certex is at the top of this range – with 58% customer satisfaction,” he said.

Certex has been organising a series of staff workshops to review the data, identify where improvements can be made and develop action plans to implement customer feedback.

Roller Hockey Star

wd.admin@www.certex.co.uk (wd.admin) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:03:07 GMT

19/06/08 Helping hand for young roller hockey player

Lyndon Taylor

Certex enjoys supporting a wide range of community activities from its branches across the UK, the company’s most recent venture being the sponsorship of an up-and-coming Roller Hockey star.

Twelve-year-old Lyndon Taylor from Edenthorpe, near Doncaster, is making his mark in the world of Roller Hockey and last year represented Great Britain in the AAU Junior Olympics, based in Detroit, USA.

“It was a ‘chance-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity for Lyndon to take part in this competition where he played against some of the best hockey players in the world,” said Nathan, Lyndon’s father. The team picked up a silver medal at the games, which was a fantastic achievement for Lyndon, but without your donation this would not have been possible.”

Lyndon has kept up his links with Certex and earlier this summer elected to spend a day at the company’s headquarters at Harworth. “I had a great time seeing how the company operates,” he said. “The guys on the shop floor were really good fun and everyone was welcoming and friendly.”

Lyndon’s next big competition is the National Finals to be held in Rotherham later this year.

LEEA Awards

wd.admin@www.certex.co.uk (wd.admin) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:06:51 GMT

26/11/07 Certex Employees Come Top In Industry Examinations

Two employees of Certex UK – one of the nation’s leading suppliers of lifting gear and services – have been singled out for prestigious industry-based training accolades.

Trina McAnulty and Paul Harrison have both received the Cyril McCauley Trophy for best papers in the LEEA (Lifting Equipment Engineers Association) correspondence courses, and Trina’s entry went on to win the Harry Brown Memorial Shield for Best Overall Paper out of all of this year’s national LEEA courses. She is the first woman in the history of the LEEA to have received this distinction. The prizes were presented at the Association’s AGM on Friday 23 November.

Top of the class: Trina McAnulty and Paul Harrison (right) receive their awards from LEEA President, John Kilby.

The LEEA correspondence course is a non-compulsory safety training course for the lifting goods and services industry. It runs for seven months and covers 20 specialised subjects, ranging from evaluating design, through to manufacture, assembly, testing, examination and certification. There are five courses per year (covering different areas) and the best papers from each course are then judged against each other for the Best Overall Paper.

Trina McAnulty, who is Certex’s HSEQ (Health, Safety, Environment and Quality) Manager based at the company’s head office in Harworth, Nottinghamshire, took the ‘General Lifting Gear’ qualification. Speaking of her success, she said: “The course has given me a really good understanding of the lifting gear industry and its legislative requirements. Although I had worked in related industries for a number of years before joining Certex, the LEEA diploma has provided me with a specialist knowledge that will enhance my day-to-day work.”

Paul Harrison is Lifting Centre Manager at Certex’s St Helens branch and has worked in the lifting industry for 14 years. He said: “The qualification gives a valuable insight to a whole range of specific procedures and requirements, and will really help when I am working with customers to provide solutions for their lifting requirements.

As a company, Certex has always invested heavily in staff training believing that it is vital to have employees that are both skilled and knowledgeable.

Kevin Smith, Operations Director at Certex and himself a former LEEA best paper winner, said: “The quality of the LEEA courses is outstanding and we encourage our staff to take part. This year we were able to enter 30 candidates from the company and the fact that two of the five best paper awards from the 2007 courses were won by Certex staff is a remarkable achievement.”

Certex – which operates mainly in the manufacturing, steel, construction, offshore, oil, gas and shipping industries – has a workforce of around 150 staff based at the company’s headquarters in Harworth, Nottinghamshire, and its 15 regional distribution centres.

Gunnebo

wd.admin@www.certex.co.uk (wd.admin) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:16:54 GMT

24/10/07 Certex gets Platinum Status with Gunnebo Lifting

Certex UK – one of the nation’s leading suppliers of lifting gear and services – has become one of the main UK distributors for Gunnebo Industries.

As part of the arrangement, Certex has been given Gunnebo Lifting’s top distributor status of Platinum for their market-leading chain systems, which include the recently launched ‘Flexi-leg’ system.

Platinum status means that Certex will have full access to all Gunnebo Lifting products – some lines of which are reserved exclusively for Platinum distributors – and will also be able to pass on to its customers any special features or offers that are again only available to Platinum dealers.

Charles Gillespie, Certex’s Sales and Marketing Director, said: “We are delighted to have formed this partnership with Gunnebo Industries. They are one of the world’s leading manufacturers of lifting equipment and are well known within the industry for quality and safety.

“Gunnebo Lifting is the UK’s leading brand for chain systems and we expect these products to be particularly popular with our customers, especially the Classic (grade 8) and GrabiQ (grade 10) series,” he added.

As with the majority of Certex’s product lines, Gunnebo Lifting offers an excellent service package, which will further enhance Certex’s reputation in this field. The two companies will also work together to arrange customer visits to the Gunnebo Lifting factories, and to provide free customer training and product demonstrations.

Michael Gough, Managing Director of Gunnebo Industries UK, said: “Certex has an unrivalled reputation within the UK lifting industry as a key supplier of quality products and services, and we are delighted to be able to add them to our select list of top ranking Platinum distributors.

We will work together to ensure the best support possible on all our products, and with Certex we also know that customers will benefit from the company’s comprehensive back-up services, including installation, product testing, repair and maintenance, and training services.”

Certex – which operates mainly in the manufacturing, steel, construction, offshore, oil, gas and shipping industries – provides a national service to local customers with local needs. It does this through a network of 15 regional distribution centres.

For further information on Gunnebo Lifting products, please call Certex UK on 0845 230 7475 or visit www.certex.co.uk.

Certex Buy Ropetek

wd.admin@www.certex.co.uk (wd.admin) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:22:48 GMT

28/09/07 Certex Announce Purchase of Caerphilly-based Lifting Products Company

Leading lifting gear distributor Certex UK has today announced that it is acquiring the wire rope and lifting equipment specialists – Ropetek Ltd – to boost business growth across South Wales.

Ropetek Ltd, based in Caerphilly, supplies wire rope and lifting products to a wide range of industries and has a strong portfolio of customers in the region, which complements Certex’s existing customer base.

The company, which was established in 1999, has an annual turnover in excess of £1m. As well as providing a full range of rope and lifting accessories, it also offers specialist rigging and splicing facilities both in house and on site, including hand splicing and white metal socketting.

Under the new ownership, Ropetek will continue its current trading operations as part of Certex UK, retaining both its name and existing staffing structure. It will benefit from being able to draw on the central manufacturing hub for rope and lifting accessories based in Retford, Notts.

Kevin Smith, Certex's Operations Director, said: “This deal will give Certex the opportunity to reach new markets in South Wales and build on the excellent track record established by Ropetek in this area. There are also considerable synergies between the two companies and the services they offer, which will ultimately benefit both sets of clients.”

Pat Nelmes, Co-owner and Director of Ropetek, will continue to manage the business in Caerphilly and is convinced that the sale will benefit both companies. “I have over 30 years’ experience within the lifting industry and Ropetek has enjoyed nearly eight years of successful trading. However, it is important to secure the company’s long-term future and we felt this was best achieved by joining forces with a nationally based organisation like Certex.

“Being part of Certex will also provide us with new business opportunities and we are looking forward to expanding and developing within that organisation. Meanwhile, it will be ‘business as usual’ for our regular customers and suppliers, to whom we offer our continued service and commitment,” she added.

New Offshore Division

wd.admin@www.certex.co.uk (wd.admin) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:27:59 GMT

15/07/08 Certex Launches New International Offshore Division

Certex International – the largest distributor of lifting products and services in Europe – is launching a new offshore division that will give its customers access to an even greater range of quality products and innovative service solutions.

Certex International Offshore Services brings together five companies from the Foranka International AB group that are well established within the global offshore market – Certex Offshore (UK), Certex Norge (Norway), Peter Harbo (Denmark), Erling Haug (Norway) and Haug Offshore Services (Norway).

The division will be officially launched at the ONS conference and exhibition in Stavanger on 26-29 August, one of the world’s leading forums for offshore business.

All five of the component companies will continue to operate on an individual basis but as part of Certex International Offshore Services, they will be able to draw on each others extensive resources and expertise.

Dave Butler, General Manager for Certex UK’s offshore operations, believes that there will be considerable benefits for new and existing customers. “We have seen our new facility in Aberdeen double in size over the past two years and it now offers the complete range of lifting products and services, including the ability to supply and manufacture all associated rig-up equipment. The formation of Certex International Offshore Services will allow us to accelerate that growth,” he said.

Each company within the new division has its own distinct market and skills areas but there is also significant overlap in the services they offer and it is hoped that a lot can be gained by pooling resources and sharing good practice.

For example, Erling Haug in Norway has the manufacturing facilities to produce very large slings, and Certex UK are specialists in flare boom installation. The other companies in the division will now have direct access to these and other highly specialist products and services without having to go to external suppliers.

From its bases in Norway, Denmark and the UK, Certex Offshore will be in a unique position to provide a total package for all lifting solutions to the niche offshore market, including product supply and hire, inspection and testing, repair and maintenance, certification management and training services.

Its engineers are also second to none in terms of competency and are fully trained and experienced in the complexities of the offshore environment, with qualifications approved by regulatory bodies such as ASNT, LEEA, OPITO and LOLER. They are able to provide expert services both on and offshore to help customers deal with the most complex lifting demands.

Between them, the division’s companies already look after the needs of some of the biggest names in the global offshore industry, including AMEC, BP, Sparrows Offshore Services, Perenco, Aker Kvaerner, Maersk Olje, Kongsberg Offshore, Statoil and Norsk Hydro.

Charles Gillespie, Director of Sales and Marketing at Certex UK, sees the new division as a positive development for both the individual companies and their customers. “At the beginning of the year, Certex UK was acquired by Foranka International AB and being able to work alongside other industry professionals is undoubtedly one of the benefits of being part of such a prestigious international group.

“We will still operate on a ‘business as usual’ basis and build on our success in offering a responsive specialised service matched to the individual needs of our customers. However, we now have the added advantage of being part of the new offshore division, which will give us extra combined purchasing and delivery power to help our customers find the very best economical and logistical solution to any requirement in the rope, rigging and lifting business,” he said.

Certex’s new international offshore division can draw on a wide range of specialist testing facilities.

The companies making up Certex Offshore

Certex Offshore (UK)

Certex Offshore (UK) is part of Certex UK – one of the UK’s leading distributors of lifting products, services and lashing products. The company has two specialist offshore centres in Great Yarmouth and Aberdeen, catering for the specific needs of this niche market. Both centres offer an around-the-clock, 365-days-a-year service which includes lifting gear sales, product hire, repair and maintenance, product inspection and testing, certification management as well as training services.

Certex Norge A/S (Norway)

Certex Norge A/S has over 30 years’ experience in supplying rigging equipment to the Norwegian oil related industry, servicing small, local units as well as large international operators. A full range of pressing, testing and repair facilities is available to meet any demand and the company has extensive technical resources to support process and product development, design and manufacture and the provision of a comprehensive range of services.

Peter Harbo A/S (Denmark)

Based in Esbjerg, Peter Harbo A/S provides professional lifting equipment and services to the marine, industrial and offshore sectors in Denmark and worldwide. The company also has a branch office in Fredericia, which comprises a complete test and rigger shop, as well as sewing facilities for the fabrication of roundslings, lashing equipment and special products.

Erling Haug A/S (Norway)

With a head office in Trondheim, Erling Haug provides all types of lifting equipment, products and services to both offshore and onshore markets. The company’s engineers also have considerable expertise in designing and constructing lifting systems to suit individual customer’s needs.

Haug Offshore Services (Norway)

Haug Offshore Services are part of the Erling Haug Group and operate from a base in Kristianson. The company supplies logistic and technical services to the offshore industry – from exploration drilling via supply and subsea installations to operations and extractions. Its customers include shipping lines, shipyards, engineering works and the fishing industry.

Foranka International AB

Forankra International AB is a subsidiary to Axel Johnson International and is the leading supplier of lifting and lashing equipment in Europe. Forankra International AB designs and supplies equipment and materials for the lifting and securing of cargo to trucks, trailers, aircraft and Ro-Ro vessels. Customers include some of the biggest shipping and transport companies in the world, as well as major airlines, car manufacturers, paper mills and steel industries. Forankra International AB has subsidiaries in Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Holland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Russia. Forankra International AB has a turnover of 220million Euro and 900 employees.

Vestas Give thumbs up to CertMan

uk@certex.net (uk) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:13:33 GMT

24/09/08 Vestas Offshore Gives Thumbs up to Certex's Safety Certification System

A revolutionary software system that simplifies product inspection and certification has been credited with ensuring standards of health and safety at one of the UK’s leading wind farms.

CertMan – a unique user-friendly computer system that records lifting gear inspection and certification – is used by Vestas Offshore UK Ltd at Kentish Flats to keep track of the condition and supply of all the safety and lifting equipment necessary to maintain the 30 turbines at its Whitstable Harbour site off the North Kent coast.

The system was developed by Certex UK – one of the nation’s largest suppliers of lifting products and services – to help companies cope with the increased responsibility for equipment placed on them by LOLER.

CertMan offers a complete online management solution for lifting gear certification.

Product histories, maintenance schedules and inspection reports can be instantly accessed, and printed out by users from any location.

Other features include an electronic messaging service passing vital product information around the company instantaneously; an early warning system that highlights in advance, products due for inspection; and colour coding for defective products to avoid the possibility of them being overlooked and put back into service.

Vestas Offshore UK at Whitstable is part of a worldwide company that dominates the global market in the production of high technological wind power systems, and is typical of the type of organisation that can benefit from using the system – namely a large-scale operator, where safety is of key importance and large quantities of lifting gear need to be monitored and inspected.

Peter Martin, Service Technician at Kentish Flats, is delighted with the ease and simplicity of the system. “CertMan has definitely taken the stress out of the certification and inspection process, giving us more time to focus on our core business.

“Every six months an engineer comes out and makes an inspection of all our lifting gear including Personal Protection Equipment. The service details are then recorded onto CertMan, reports are available from Certex within hours and we can view our equipment register online at any time. This ensures that paper work is always up-to-date, we know when individual inspections are due, and – most importantly – we have peace of mind that safety on site is always being maintained,” he said.

Relevant for both fixed and portable lifting equipment, CertMan produces SI 2307 certificates, full inspection histories for auditing purposes, method statements and product defect reports. Operators are issued with secure ID and passwords and there is on-line technical help on how to use the system.

Charles Gillespie, Director of Sales and Marketing at Certex UK, adds: “CertMan is revolutionary in the lifting industry and offers companies an easy and reliable way of handling their testing and certification. As far as we know, there is no other software package offering such a comprehensive and flexible system.”

In addition to the contract with Vestas at Kentish Flats, Certex provides similar services for the Scroby Sands wind farm off the Norfolk coast through its Erith and Great Yarmouth regional centres; and Certex Denmark also has a contract with the Vestas group for CertMan.

For more information on CertMan, please call 0845 230 7475 or visit www.certex.co.uk

ENDS

PHOTO CAPTION: Vestas Kentish Flats wind turbines are covered by Certex’s revolutionary inspection and certification programme – CertMan.

Pressure Vessel Division

uk@certex.net (uk) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:17:08 GMT

CERTEX MOVES INTO NEW PRESSURE AND VENTILATION
SYSTEMS MARKET

Certex UK – one of the nation’s leading suppliers of lifting gear and services – is branching into the pressure and ventilation systems market with the launch of a new service division.

Operating from Certex’s Great Yarmouth office, the division will provide a full range of expert services across the UK from product supply and installation, repair and maintenance through to inspection, testing and certification. It will also address clients’ legal responsibilities by ensuring that equipment conforms to current legislation, including PSSR and COSHH.

Orders have already been secured with a number of companies – including a project with Thames Water to extract methane gas from plant in waste water application sites – and Certex is currently seeking contracts with other utility providers.

Heading up the new service division is Lee Bullen who has over 12 years’ experience of working with various utilities companies, including Thames Water, Anglian Water and National Grid. “There is a lot of overlap between Certex’s core lifting gear business and the ventilation and pressure systems market with both types of equipment requiring periodic inspection, testing and certification,” he said.

“Certex has a wealth of experience in servicing this type of industry and specialises in offering clients a complete solution package. The company will also be able to provide industry-led training packages and other support services, such as computerised certification management.”

The division has the capability to service all kinds of equipment found throughout the utility industry, from small compressed air systems widely used in workshops to 10,000-litre air water receivers. Its services also cover a range of ventilation systems, including those used to remove foul air/welding fumes or larger more complex gas extraction systems found on main water or sewerage sites.

To find out more about Certex’s pressure and ventilation systems services, please contact Lee Bullen on 01493 857705.

Lee Bullen, head of the new Certex service division for pressure and ventilation systems, (right) and engineer Dean Tedstone test equipment from one of the divsion’s customised vehicles.

Training Launch

uk@certex.net (uk) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:21:52 GMT

08/09/2009

CERTEX LAUNCHES NEW SAFETY AND RIGGING TRAINING SEMINARS

Adrian Kirkham, Certex’s new Training Manager, conducts a training seminar.

National lifting gear distributor Certex UK is launching a series of free training seminars designed specifically for those working in the rigging industry.

Run in conjunction with Crosby – one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of lifting equipment – the one-day course offers a comprehensive review of best rigging practices and inspection knowledge when using slings and rigging hardware, making it ideal for those wanting to enhance or refresh their skills.

The seminars are free of charge to Certex customers who purchase Crosby lifting equipment and will be held across the UK. As well as receiving the latest Crosby rigging workbook, catalogue, rigging card and other relevant training material, participants will receive certificates of attendance on successful completion of the course.

This latest initiative coincides with the appointment of new Certex Training Manager, Adrian Kirkham. He takes over the role from George Coull – who has just retired from the company after almost twenty years’ service during which time he positioned Certex as one of the country’s leading providers of training courses for the lifting industry.

Adrian, who shadowed George for over a year in preparation for the handover, will continue to provide an extensive portfolio of industry specific training courses that can either be carried out at Certex’s own purpose-built facilities or onsite. The company also offers tailor-made training packages, designed around the customer’s own individual needs.

Adrian brings his own considerable expertise to the role of training manager. He started his career at Bridon Ropes, where he became Quality Assurance and Technical Manager and then moved into specialist steel manufacturing working on several high profile projects including the Millennium Dome and Chelsea Football Stadium. Two years ago he joined Certex – initially on the manufacturing side – before being recruited to join the training team.

Adrian believes that quality training has never been more vital to customers, who are offered specialist support from Certex in both selecting and maintaining products. “Choosing and using equipment correctly not only enhances the performance of products but it also extends their life expectancy, which in the long term saves money,” he said.

“The safe use of equipment and the ability to conduct thorough examinations is also essential if companies are to meet the statutory legal requirements and we can make sure that employees are adequately trained to do this or alternatively provide the appropriate support from our own engineers.”

For further information about the full range of courses, or to discuss your individual training requirements, please contact Adrian on 0845 230 7475.

For more information on the Crosby rigging seminar. Please click here

Montrose New Sling Shop

uk@certex.net (uk) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:57:29 GMT

28/09/2009

CERTEX LAUNCHES OWN SLING RANGE FROM NEW MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN MONTROSE

Producing the new range of wire rope slings

Certex UK – one of the nation’s leading distributors of lifting and safety equipment – is launching its own-brand range of slings produced at the company’s recently opened manufacturing facility in Montrose.

The new Quic-Slings are the first fully conforming wire rope slings on the market to comply with the latest European standard (EN 13414-1). To meet this requirement, the products are manufactured according to the new regulations and are comprised entirely of approved components and fittings from leading suppliers such as Crosby.

The manufacturing facility itself has been set up to enhance Certex’s range of services to the offshore market and will be run in conjunction with the company’s regional centre in Aberdeen. The fully customised Montrose workshop has been equipped with a wide range of equipment and holds comprehensive stock to meet customers’ needs.

“We have worked hard to recruit the services of very experienced local personnel, who have been making wire rope sling assemblies in the area for many years.” said Certex’s Regional Business Manager, Davy Young. “This means that we can ensure workmanship and product knowledge to the very highest of standards.”

“Add to that our excellent supply partnerships with major and global manufacturers of wire ropes and fittings and we are able to produce an unparalleled range of products,” he added.

As well as manufacturing its own brand of Flemish Eye and steel ferrule slings, the Montrose facility will also produce wire rope slings by talurit; socket terminations by resin pack; 2, 3, 4 and 5 leg wire rope slings; pennants; and crane wires.

For more information about Certex products and services call 01224 701473.

Davy Young, Certex’s Regional Business Manager.

Certex Renewable

uk@certex.net (uk) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:11:11 GMT

15/10/2009

CERTEX LAUNCHES NEW RENEWABLE ENERGY CENTRE

Certex UK – one of the nation’s leading suppliers for professional lifting and material handling solutions – is launching a new centre dedicated to the highly specialised renewable energy market.

Dave Butler, General Manager of Certex’s offshore operations, (right) is pictured with Jason Potter, Assistant Manager at Certex’s Great Yarmouth branch, outside of the OrbisEnergy Centre in Lowestoft.

Based within the flagship OrbisEnergy Centre in Lowestoft, the Certex Renewable Energy Centre offers customers a complete service package, including product supply, repair and maintenance, inspection and testing, certification management and training services. It will operate as part of the highly successful Certex Offshore Division which also has bases in Great Yarmouth and Aberdeen.

The new Renewable Energy Centre has been set up in response to an increasing global demand for offshore energy which includes a UK target of 15 percent of energy from renewable sources by 2020. This target is equivalent to a seven-fold increase in UK renewable energy consumption from 2008 levels and will lead to those within the industry requiring more specialised equipment, and increased support with technical engineering and health and safety requirements.

Certex has a long standing history of servicing both the offshore and renewable energy industries and its customers already include some of the world’s leading turbine manufacturers, such as Vestas Offshore and the major support/installation companies such as Sea Jacks and A2Sea. The company’s services cover the initial building of wind turbines to their maintenance and servicing.

Dave Butler, General Manager of Certex’s offshore operations, is confident that the company is ideally placed to meet the needs of this burgeoning market. “The new centre builds on the success of Certex’s offshore activities and combines years of industry experience with a global infrastructure that provides the best products and services currently available.

“In addition, all of our engineers receive extensive training and are qualified to perform even the most demanding of tasks in an offshore environment. This not only gives customers complete peace of mind in the selection and performance of equipment but also assures total legal compliance in meeting health and safety requirements.”

Based in the recently opened OrbisEnergy Centre in Lowestoft, the Certex facility will be run by Jody Potter, Senior Verification/Certification Engineer, and amongst its services will offer free lifting and testing technical support together with advice at all levels to wind energy related companies in the locality.

Charles Gillespie, Sales and Marketing Director for Certex, said: “Over the next decade around £8billion will be invested along the East coast into the offshore renewable energy industry and this area is emerging as the international place of choice for large-scale offshore wind farms.

“The OrbisEnergy Centre has already attracted a wide range of companies involved in the renewable energy industry and we are excited to be part of this growing business community.”

The opening of the Certex Renewable Energy Centre is another example of the growth of the company’s Offshore Division which has expanded considerably over the past five years to serve the needs of this specialist market. This includes the launch of its high profile Pressure and Ventilation Systems Division which has enjoyed huge success after only two years in operation and runs a fully equipped mobile workshop/utilities support vehicle for onsite pressure testing, repair and maintenance.

Certex is scheduled to recruit at least six additional qualified offshore engineers to support the activities of the new Renewable Energy Centre, who will join the twenty-strong engineering team at Great Yarmouth.

The centre will also work alongside the wider Certex international wind energy division which has facilities in Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Norway.

For more information on Certex’s services to the renewable energy market, please contact Jody Potter on 07718 625 464.

On Thursday 5 November, Certex is teaming up with leading lifting equipment manufacturer Crosby to run a free training seminar at the OrbisEnergy Centre in Lowestoft, designed specifically for those involved in lifting equipment at all levels.

This one-day course offers a comprehensive review of best rigging practices and inspection knowledge when using slings and rigging hardware, making it ideal for those wanting to enhance or refresh their skills in this important area.

The event is free of charge to Certex customers who purchase Crosby lifting equipment. As well as receiving the latest Crosby rigging workbook, catalogue, rigging card and other relevant training material, participants will receive certificates of attendance on successful completion of the course.

Certex Fit for Future

uk@certex.net (uk) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:29:01 GMT

12/11/2009

CERTEX CUSTOMERS BENEFIT FROM COMPANY RESTRUCTURE

Certex UK – one of the nation’s leading lifting gear distributors – is offering even greater levels of customer care thanks to a recent streamlining of its services.

The company now operates five distinct divisions – sales and product supply; servicing and maintenance; offshore; defence; and equipment for the playground industries – enabling customers to deal directly with the part of the organisation most relevant to their requirements.

The end result is simpler ordering processes and faster response and delivery times, with the added convenience for customers of being able to source their product and service needs from a single point of contact.

Customers ringing the main Certex number 0845 230 7475 will reach a central reception service that will either handle the enquiry immediately or forward it to the appropriate division.

All product enquiries and orders are now handled by the Product Supply Division, located at Certex’s central warehouse and manufacturing facility at Harworth, Nottinghamshire. This is supported by two regional supply points in Caerphilly, servicing South Wales, and in Erith (London), covering the South East.

The Service Division based in Wakefield deals with all nationwide service enquiries and coordinates the activities of the company’s engineers – based strategically throughout the country to give optimum coverage – who will then go out to the customer. This division has its own dedicated telephone number (0845 026 4325) but enquirers can still reach the division using the main Certex number.

Dave Blakey (left) in charge of the Service Division and Pat Carnall, manager of the Product Supply Division are pictured at Certex’s central warehouse and manufacturing facility at Harworth, Nottinghamshire.

The Offshore Division based in Aberdeen and Great Yarmouth provides a complete product and service solution for the offshore market.

The Defence Division – operating from Devonport and Portsmouth – offers a comprehensive service to the MOD and its prime contractors and the defence industry.

The fifth division at Gloucester operates a specialist sales and manufacturing location for rope related assemblies for the playground industry, as well as offering a full range of products and services to the local area.

Charles Gillespie, Director of Sales and Marketing at Certex UK, explains why the company has chosen to adopt this centralised approach in favour of the previous system which had the majority of general service and product enquiries being dealt with by the regional branches.

“We were finding that most of our customers were no longer requiring direct access to their regional centres as Certex sales staff and engineers were visiting them at their own premises.”

A new company-wide computer system also means that the company has been able to streamline product ordering, with stock now being controlled and dispatched from designated sources within the organisation, rather than being held in smaller quantities at the various regional centres.

“We are confident that this new divisional structure will make all our services more efficient and cost effective, which will be of ultimate benefit to our customers,” said Charles Gillespie. “The regional centre approach has worked well for us in the past but customer requirements have changed and we are keen to reflect this in our working practices.”

New Safe Use Seminar Launched

uk@certex.net (uk) — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:09:26 GMT

Certex Launch New Lifting Safe Use Seminars

The new seminar has been designed to advise you on the statutory requirements for the safe use and pre-use inspection of lifting equipment

I am sure that many of you are aware of the Statutory Instructions 2306 and 2307 which are regulations that nearly all of us must comply with. These documents are more commonly known as the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).

So do these regulations apply to me?

If you are an employer or self-employed person and the Health and Safety at Work Act applies to you then these regulations also apply to you.

Concentrating specifically on our statutory requirements for the safe use and pre-use inspection of lifting equipment some of the relevant statements are …

‘Every employer shall ensure that all persons who use work equipment, or who supervise or manage the use of work equipment, have received adequate training for purposes of health and safety, including training in the methods which may be adopted when using work equipment, any risks which such use may entail and precautions to be taken’ – from Regulation 9 of PUWER

‘You need to ensure that people who use lifting equipment have received appropriate training, information and instruction so that they can carry out pre-use checks on the lifting equipment. Such checks should be carried out before the lifting equipment is being used by an operator during each working day or at the beginning of each shift’ - taken from the guidance notes of LOLER Regulation 8

This is different and must not be confused with the periodic thorough examination which is normally carried out every 6 or 12 months. You may already be aware of this requirement, if not please contact us although we will cover this in later issues.

So how can we help ?

Not only do we ensure that all our lifting products are dispatched with the relevant safe use documents, we are now introducing a half day ‘Safe Use Seminar’. This seminar is initially being held at our Certex Harworth branch, the central hub of our distribution network and is intended to run on the first Tuesday of every month. As well as obtaining useful guidelines on a number of standard products, with prior arrangement we are offering you the opportunity to bring along your own equipment for training and guidance.

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