PPMA endorses manufacturer's unique training methodology 

The PPMA (Process & Packaging Machinery Association) has paid a glowing tribute to a Walsall-based business for its radically different, but highly effective approach to business improvement training and coaching.

Even with more than 2.5 million people out of work, Chris Buxton, Chief Executive of the PPMA, believes a shortage of skilled labour is still the greatest threat to his members' economic stability. He therefore welcomes the highly unusual programmes for business improvement and skills development provided by PP Business Improvement. He is convinced that PP's ability to transfer its own highly successful culture and ethos to its clients' businesses can give his PPMA members the tools that they need to weather the current economic recession.

PP Business Improvement, a division of Power Panels Electrical Systems Ltd (PP Electrical Systems), provides a range of unique, tailored business improvement training programmes - embracing Six Sigma, 5S, Lean and Seven Wastes - to businesses from every industry sector. PP Electrical Systems won three BFA (Best Factory) Awards in 2005 and two Mx (Manufacturing Excellence) Awards in 2006, attaining the Investors in Excellence Standard. In 2008, the company went on to win four separate BFA awards, including Factory of the Year, Best Small Company, Best Electronics & Electrical Plant, and the Skills Development Award.

Like most of British industry, the majority of the manufacturers who make up the PPMA membership are SMEs. Typically, they have a turnover of less than £10 million and employ fewer than 20 people. This means that, although they face exactly the same pressures on margin as the rest of manufacturing in the current recession, they have fewer opportunities to trim costs through reducing manpower. Chris Buxton describes them as a large collection of small companies who have known tough trading conditions for much longer than this recent economic crisis and have always had to work hard to differentiate themselves from their competitors. The current conditions are simply exacerbating the situation. "In fact," he continues, "those who have risen to the challenge and are competing on innovation rather than price are faring better."

PP Business Improvement, a division of Power Panels Electrical Systems Ltd (PP Electrical Systems), provides a range of unique, tailored business improvement training programmes. Also refer to the other picture.

For most, a realistic evaluation of their skill-set is key to their strategic planning: "And their resides a major issue: the gross shortage of skills in this country. We do regular surveys and, in the last complete year, the single biggest obstacle to business growth among our UK manufacturers was the shortage or absence of suitably and appropriately qualified staff. For the majority, it is even more inhibiting than a lack of orders. It's alarming. Add to that a pronounced lack of work ethic and we are struggling to find well-qualified new intake who really want to make a go of what they are doing."

Visits to PP's own manufacturing operation (Power Panels Electrical Systems Ltd based in Walsall) have persuaded Buxton that the company has solved many of the issues that afflict his own members: "For a start, PP has tackled the skills issue within its own environment. The company no longer relies on the state or the system to deliver. It has an excellent in-house training philosophy; it applies good management science to its people development; the company understands its market and its customers; and it has shaped a company to deliver to customers' needs.

"What is more, the company hasn't sat back on its laurels; it constantly reviews its policies. The company has an ongoing process of self-scrutiny and it's reflected in the product and the staff. The PP facility is not only physically and environmentally consistent with what you'd want to see in a modern, forward thinking company but, when you talk to the staff, to a man, they all understand what the company is trying to achieve. They have bought into it and they have an excellent attitude to their work."

But what could Power Panels' expansion into a training organisation bring to PPMA members? "They represent an excellent example of what a good British company is all about. So they act as something to aspire to. They are a living example of walking the talk. If anyone asks why the company is qualified to train others, they can simply say 'Look at what we have done'. PP has the culture and ethos that British industry needs."

The training programmes at PP are unique in that courses are heavily focused on the practical implementation of business improvement techniques. Following theoretical, classroom-based learning, training course delegates are then shown how to implement these tools and techniques in a live, real time manufacturing environment - in PP Electrical Systems' own manufacturing environment. The training programme can be continued at the customer's own premises. Here, a mentor from PP visits the customer's own premises to demonstrate to trainees how to implement the training tools and techniques into their own company.

For further information on PP Business Improvement, view website: www.ppbusinessimprovement.co.uk or email: foxd@power-panels.co.uk

ThreeBond's  flame retardant version of their established
TB1530 series 1-component moisture curing elastic adhesives

Global adhesive manufacturers ThreeBond are pleased to announce a flame retardant version of their established TB1530 series 1-component moisture curing elastic adhesives. The TB1537 is certified to UL94 V-0 and is both phosphorous and halogen free. This makes it especially of interest in electronics/electrical applications such as bonding of inverters/converters onto substrate, motor coils, sensor potting, sealing of battery packs for laptops etc.

The main composition of the TB1537 is a silyl-radical-based special polymer which cures rapidly with moisture in the air to achieve a fast skinning time and very low shrinkage. The cured adhesive is a tough elastomer providing good adhesion to many substrates. In addition TB1537 can be used for applications such as sealing/potting where RTV silicones may otherwise be used. Since TB1537 does not contain low-molecular cyclic siloxanes it does not cause electrical contact failure. TB1537 is available in white, black or grey.

For further information on this new flame retardant version of their established TB1530 component moisture curing adhesive,  e-mail: enquiries@threebond.co.uk or view website: www.threebond.co.uk

T3 scrubber-dryer is now available with fast-charging batteries

Tennant Company (NYSE: TNC), a world leader in designing, manufacturing and marketing solutions that help create a cleaner, safer world, today announces that its T3 scrubber-dryer is now available with fast-charging batteries. This type of battery offers improved operating flexibility to better meet any specific cleaning requirements; increased machine productivity supporting daytime and opportunity cleaning; maintenance-free and easy operation and a sustainable solution since it is recyclable to the highest industry standards.

With the high-capacity off-board charger developed for Tennant cleaning machines, the technology behind the fast-charging battery allows it to be fully recharged in less than 90 minutes. Designed for frequent intermittent charging cycles (charge after every use without going to a full charge), the battery doesn't experience a significant loss of capacity nor cycle life.

Tennant cleaning machines equipped with these batteries can be used throughout the shift and thanks to the intermittent charging cycles during operator breaks, the machine productivity can be boosted in order to efficiently cope with any unforeseen cleaning need. Tennant Company is convinced that this solution fully supports spot cleaning and daytime cleaning.

So far, Tennant Company has equipped the T3 walk-behind scrubber-dryer with the new fast-charging battery and is planning to expand its application to other scrubber-dryers and sweepers in the near future.

Tennant in profile
Engineered by Tennant Company, Tennant-branded products help cleaning professionals be leaders in creating healthy, safe, and attractive environments. Tennant is recognised as a world-leading manufacturer of indoor and outdoor cleaning solutions and specialty coatings. Tennant's industrial and commercial sweepers, scrubber-dryers, coatings, detergents, carpet cleaning equipment, vacuums, floor machines, burnishers and more deliver award-winning cleaning solutions to a number of industries, including education, healthcare, hospitality, retail, manufacturing, warehousing, and government.

For further information on Tennant, view website: www.tennantco.com

iX software-based HMI concept fills the gap between
proprietary HMI terminals and costly SCADA licence solutions

iX is a software-based HMI concept that fills the gap between proprietary HMI terminals and costly SCADA licence solutions. It consists of a development environment and a runtime environment and is available in several versions, including a complete Lauer HMI concept that can run on a panel PC or desktop PC platform as well as a runtime version for PCs from other suppliers. Thanks to support for the Microsoft .Net framework, iX enables a multitude of customer-specific adaptation options. With the ability to integrate externally available .Net controls (DLLs), there are practically no limits to your creative imagination in the generation of user-defined objects.

In combination with Microsoft´s Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) standard, users have unprecedented options for developing user interfaces. The use of vector-based graphics ensures that user interface environments are always rendered precisely, regardless of the scale factor. A large number of predefined graphic objects, such as switches, indicator instruments and technical pictograms, give even novice users rapid access and enable fast results. Additionally, iX supports the well-known Microsoft multifunction bars and thus frees designers and users from the shackles of nested menus. This means that suitable commands can be anchored to the desired locations. iX constitutes an open platform solution and supports the OPC standard. Users have the choice of using protocols from an extensive pool of drivers or a connection via a third-party OPC server. All data is stored in compliance with the SQL standard, which facilitates fast, easy data administration.

iX is a software-based HMI concept that fills the gap between proprietary HMI terminals and costly SCADA licence solutions.

As a special feature, iX is fully script programmable in C#. This allows users to use an object-oriented programming language to modify existing and yet to be defined objects as desired. There are no limits to individualisation. A large number of professional suggestions, and even open-source code examples, are available on the Internet. For further information, view website: www.beijerelectronics.com