YEARBOOK & MEMBERS’ DIRECTORY2024 BRITISH FLUID POWER ASSOCIATION
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President’s Foreword A very warm welcome to the 2024 edition of the BFPA Yearbook & Members’ Directory. Time seems to have flown by since I was first appointed to the role of President back in May last year during the Association’s AGM. A lot of the work we are currently focused on started under the very capable management of previous BFPA President John Farmer with Paul Cooke as the Interim Leader during 2022 before the appointment of Chris Butcher as Managing Director later that year. During this period, I served as Vice President, working with the rest of the team to establish strategy teams to lead our Four Pillars covering education, training, health and safety, standards, and industry and statistics. I continue to be a great advocate for the work that those hard-working and committed people do on these all-important topics. Leading up to my appointment as President, the BFPA began to take discussions about sustainability to a whole new level for our industry, and this continues to be a key focus for us, with what I believed to be some fine work being done to help to further energise the membership in all things related to energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. Indeed, the BFPA’s team and the Association in general is now as efficient and cohesive as I’ve ever known it to be. It has become very forward-looking and is now even more dedicated to moving with the times; for example, in terms of digitalising some of our core service offerings and making them available online. More than ever, we are now focusing heavily on education and training because of the serious skills shortage that is affecting companies not just within the fluid power industry but also within engineering and manufacturing in the wider sense throughout the UK. Well-established service offerings to members, such as market statistics and general support at the end of the phone whenever required, remain firmly in place, of course. Added to this, Chris Butcher has now introduced regular regional meetings, which are proving to be very popular, are well attended and generate healthy and valuable discussion about how to get the best out of Association membership. However, what I have appreciated most as President at this stage is the level of increased membership engagement that is taking place. There has been much greater open discussion amongst members and the Association and a lot more collaboration with the aim of generating ideas and actions for our mutual benefit. Generally, we have seen more people attending meetings at events such as the BFPA AGM and the Economic Forecast at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, and working together as an industry, putting aside their individual company affiliations for a moment. The BFPA’s Statistics and Market Manager, Sarah Gardner, should be singled out for particular praise in facilitating these types of events. Also, Chris Butcher has worked very hard on engagement himself, visiting the membership at their premises and listening more closely to what people really want from the Association. Martin Kingsbury, Membership and Training Director, continues to serve the membership through direct face-to-face discussions while also taking BFPA training courses to new heights, both in terms of boosting the number of trainees and further refinement of the course content. Karen GordonBrander, Administrative and Training Coordinator, remains a safe pair of hands, keeping everything at the Association running smoothly and efficiently. There is now a palpable feeling that people want more than ever to be more involved in BFPA events and other initiatives. There is a greater buzz of excitement and enthusiasm that has reached a whole new level over the past year or so. Before signing off, I would like to express my gratitude to Chris Butcher who since taking up the role of Managing Director little under a year and a half ago has shown himself to be genuinely passionate about the industry and about providing the best possible service to the membership through direct engagement. I would also like to say a big thank you to Nicky Quinn, who joined the BFPA as Standards and Projects Manager in mid-2023. She has settled in superbly and liaises with the Technical Committees, the BSI and the Strategy Teams very efficiently, offering many valuable ideas of her own in the process. Personally, I am looking forward to building on the momentum we have established, working out new ways to promote the industry to the next generation and continuing to develop all the main industry themes we are currently involved in – everything from training, statistics and standards to safety and sustainability. Furthermore, the whole BFPA team and I are very much looking forward to celebrating the Association’s 65th Anniversary during 2024. We hope all our members will join us to celebrate. Time for celebration www.bfpa.co.uk 3 Rebecca Galley, President.
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Vice President’s Foreword Having only been in my role as Vice President of the Association for a few months now, taking a deep dive into the position has been both challenging and exciting. Over the past few months, I have come to fully appreciate the hard work and dedication of the team more than ever. 65th Anniversary As the Association celebrates an impressive 65-year milestone, one of my main goals is to consider how we should shape the future of the organisation so that we can serve the membership even more effectively. One theme is the increasing focus on digitally transformative technology and electronics within the fluid power industry. This type of technology was barely a twinkle in our industry’s eye some 65 years ago when the Association was founded. For example, the marriage of electronics and pneumatics – and even electronics and hydraulics although this is currently in a more nascent state of development – can offer considerable benefits to users and OEMs in the form of greater efficiency, reliability, energy efficiency, cost savings and accuracy. Digital transformation The digitalisation of both software and hardware will continue apace, and we need actively to promote the technology’s benefits to BFPA members. Looking a little further ahead, I believe artificial intelligence (AI) will increasingly be integrated within fluid power technology. It can already be found in some software applications, but I anticipate it won’t be long before it becomes an intrinsic part of hardware too. Membership engagement Over the past year, the BFPA has become considerably more active in visiting member companies face-to-face at their premises up and down the country. In this way, we can better gauge members’ current goals and ideas as to how the Association can further raise its game. This, I’m delighted to report, has gone down extremely well and the Association has taken note of many suggestions from these companies. BFPA Managing Director, Chris Butcher, should be particularly singled out as the driving force behind this closer relationship with the membership. One prevailing concern we hear about regularly is, understandably, the ongoing skills shortage, including STEM. We need to find a more efficient way to get the message across to more young people that the fluid power sector can be exciting, rewarding and offer a fruitful lifelong position where the sky’s the limit in terms of career prospects. This will be a topic that the team and I will continue to discuss during 2024 with a view to getting more member companies to engage with their local schools, colleges and universities to ensure students at all levels and ages become more aware of our industry and what it offers. Standards I’ve also become more aware of the vital role the Association plays in its standards work. For example, pre- and post-Brexit, the BFPA was very active in clarifying what aspects of the new CA marking would differ from the European CE marking so that the membership could be better informed and able to prepare their products and services accordingly. Similarly, the BFPA’s market statistics service continues to be very highly valued by the membership. Sarah Gardner does a laudable job, ensuring the reports are of a consistently high standard. Sarah is also the epitome of integrity insofar as she maintains watertight confidentiality and remains completely impartial and independent. That is, of course, a great benefit for everyone in this industry. Similarly, Martin Kingsbury has helped to take the Association’s training courses to new heights of attendance. Many of these courses are now available online too. Let’s also not forget Karen Gordon-Brander, whose administrative skills and dedication keep everything well organised and on track. Four Pillars The Four Pillars, covered extensively in the last edition of the Yearbook, are also developing well, with the respective Leaders and their teams generating many valuable ideas that could make a difference in our industry. I would also like to say a sincere thank you to John Farmer and Rebecca Galley for helping to get the Four Pillars initiative off the ground and ensuring it continues to gain momentum. So, the BFPA is in shipshape order, and I very much look forward to developing my role as Vice President throughout this year. I also look forward to our AGM in May and hope to see many of you there. I do hope you enjoy this special anniversary edition of the Yearbook. Major milestone www.bfpa.co.uk 5 Swapnil Khedekar, Vice President.
Board & Council Committee 6 www.bfpa.co.uk BFPA BOARD 2024 BFPA DISTRIBUTOR COUNCIL 2024 Christopher Hamlett Alfa Gomma (UK) Limited Nick West Allswage UK David Scholes Bosch Rexroth Limited Chris Butcher British Fluid Power Association Limited Martin Kingsbury British Fluid Power Association Limited Andy Whiteford Danfoss Power Solutions Limited Swapnil Khedekar - Vice President Festo Limited John Farmer Flowtech Peter Rowbottom (Co-opted) Gates Hydraulics Paul Newnham GS Hydro UK Limited Peter Willson Hopespare Limited Gregg Heller Husco International Partners LLP Rob Buchanan Hydreco Hydraulics Limited Rebecca Galley - President Hydroscand Limited Andy Dickens Interpump Fluid Solutions Jerry Hughes (Co-opted) Jemlyn Limited John Glover Kawasaki Precision Machinery UK Limited Chris Curr Moog Industrial Group Francesco Chessari MP Filtri UK Limited John Savage (Co-opted) NFPC Limited Adam Burrows Pirtek UK Limited Graham Wood Savery Hydraulics Nick Pittwood SMC Corporation (UK) Limited Mannie Saunders Yuken Europe Limited Nick West - Vice Chair Allswage UK Andrew Newell Antech Hydraulics Limited Chris Butcher British Fluid Power Association Limited Martin Kingsbury British Fluid Power Association Limited Deborah Smidt Cotswold Hose and Fittings Limited Peter Willson - Chair Hopespare Limited Stuart Gardiner Hydrasun Limited Richard Bailey Hydratech Engineering Limited Simon Childs Interpump Fluid Solutions Gene Orchard KRAMP UK Limited Tim Harper R & G Fluid Power Group Limited Paul Prouse Rotec Hydraulics Limited Sebastian Cole Tom Parker Limited Key facts about the BFPA and membership Did you know?... Membership Open to all hydraulic, pneumatic and motion control manufacturers, distributors and suppliers, BFPA members gain unlimited access to our full range of products and services. Subscriptions are based on annual sales directly associated with fluid power equipment in and from the UK. Consultant membership is available to consultants who have expertise in hydraulics and/or pneumatics and are offering consultancy services relating to fluid power technology. Education and training members are approved to deliver BFPA training courses or the Association has approved their internal training programmes. Associate members are usually companies which have a link to the industry, but do not have their main business in fluid power. Statistics For almost 50 years, the BFPA’s statistical surveys have provided our members with valuable insight into the key trends in the fluid power industry. This service is exclusive to Association members and is one of the most prized benefits of membership. Accurate and reliable economic forecasts are a key aid to successful business planning. We work with Oxford Economics, the world’s leading economic consultancy and forecaster, to produce an annual forecast for the UK fluid power industry. Technical standards One of the main aims of the BFPA is to create, raise and maintain standards in the fluid power industry. The Association’s technical committees play a key role in framing worldwide best practice through the development of national, European and international standards. The BFPA also offers a supporting range of publications. Training The BFPA has created a suite of training courses that have been developed by utilising the knowledge of industry experts, so no matter what industry your company is associated with – for example construction, offshore & marine, agriculture, renewable energy, rail, mining – these training courses from the BFPA's Learingin and Development programme will be relevant for you and your employees. Training courses are available throughout the year and can be provided either direct from the BFPA or through one of its associated training providers. Industry representation The BFPA works hard to represent the hydraulic, pneumatic and motion control industry at national, European and international level. The Association works alongside other professional associations to represent the interests of the fluid power industry at government level.
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Contents 8 www.bfpa.co.uk The BFPA Team Contact the BFPA team in Chipping Norton for further information: Cheriton House, Cromwell Park, Chipping Norton, Oxon 0X7 5SR T: 01608 647900 W: www.bfpa.co.uk Chris Butcher Managing Director chris@bfpa.co.uk Martin Kingsbury Membership and Training Director martin@bfpa.co.uk Sarah Gardner Market/Statistics Manager sarah@bfpa.co.uk Nicky Quinn Standards and Projects Administrator nicky@bfpa.co.uk Karen Gordon-Brander Administrative and Training Co-ordinator karen@bfpa.co.uk Ed Holden Editor BFPA Yearbook ISSN 2048-2280 16 Letter from the Managing Director 20 65th Anniversary Celebration – BFPA 22 65th Anniversary Celebration – HYDAC 24 BFPA Education and Training 28 Fluid Power Systems Training 30 Approved Hose Assemblies Scheme 32 Statistics 34 Standards 38 Skills – Marvelous Manufacturing 40 Skills – Altrad Sparrows 44 Skills – Industrial and Marine Hydraulics (IMH) 46 Skills – Hydraulic System Products (HSP) 48 Skills – Rotec 52 UK Manufacturing Success – Kawasaki 54 UK Manufacturing Success – Webtec 56 UK Manufacturing Success – HydraForce 58 Sustainability – Moog 62 Sustainability – CAFA 66 Sustainability – Festo 68 Sustainability – Stauff UK 70 Sustainability – Hydrasun 72 Smart Manufacturing & Engineering 95 Manufacturers/Principal Suppliers: Hydraulics 110 Manufacturers/Principal Suppliers: Pneumatics 120 Manufacturers/Principal Suppliers: Compressed Air 129 Manufacturers/Principal Suppliers: Fluids 130 Consultants 132 Educational Establishments & Associate Members 137 BFPDA Regional
Fluid Technology, Hydraulics, Electronics and Service. Worldwide. With over 9,000 employees, 50 overseas companies and over 500 sales & service partners, HYDAC is your reliable partner worldwide. Our product range includes hydraulic accumulators, fluid filters, process filters, coolers, electrohydraulic controls, industrial valves, sensors for pressure, displacement and magnet technology, cylinders, pumps, mounting technology, hydraulic fittings, condition monitoring and much more. We design and supply turnkey hydraulic control and drive systems including the electronic controls for mobile and stationary machines and systems for a diverse range of industries. HYDAC Technology Ltd Hydac House, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 0YG Phone: +44 (0) 1993 866 366 Internet: www.hydac.co.uk HYDAC Technology Ltd
10 www.bfpa.co.uk A C Hydraulics Limited AB Hoses and Fittings Limited ?Abbey Hose Limited Abdex Hose and Couplings Limited Ace Hydraulics Limited ADT Flexibles (UK) Limited Afton Chemical Limited Aircare (Corby) Limited T/A OMC AKG UK Limited Alan Mackay Machinery Limited Alatas UK Limited Alfa Gomma (UK) Limited Allswage UK Altrad Sparrows (Aberdeen) Amba Hydraulics Limited Antech Hydraulics Limited Antifriction Components Limited Approved Hydraulics Limited Arco Limited Argo-Hytos Limited Armada Engineering Limited Armstrong Lyon Hydraulics Limited Ashfield Springs Limited Bachy Soletanche Limited BIBUS (UK) Limited Bosch Rexroth Limited Bowen Fluid Engineering Limited BP plc Branch Hydraulic Systems Brennan Industries of Europe Limited BSP Hydraulics Limited Buckley Industrial Limited Burley Fluid and Air Limited Burley Hydraulics (Cambridgeshire) Limited Cambridgeshire Hydraulics and Pneumatics Limited Camozzi Automation Limited Carlton Hydraulics Limited Centurion Pressure Control Century Hose Limited Cleveland Flexible Engineering Completely Hydraulic Control Gear Hydraulics Limited Cotswold Hose and Fittings Limited C-Tec Fluid Power Limited Custom Fittings Limited Cymru Hydraulics Limited Danfoss Power Solutions ll limited DB Fluid Control Limited DCA Limited Delta Motion Limited Derek Lane and Company DFA Manufacturing Media Limited Duncan Rogers (Engineering) Limited Ehrco Limited Emerson Automation Fluid Control and Pneumatics UK Limited EnerMech Limited ERIKS UK Euro Hydraulics (Scotland) Limited EvoFluid Hydraulics Limited Evolution Hose Limited Fairway Hydraulics Limited Fast Group Wales Festo Limited Flexicon Industrial Supplies Limited Flexihose (Plymouth) Limited Flotec Industrial Limited Flowtech Fluidpower plc Fluiconnecto UK Limited Fluid Air Power Fluid Power Design Solutions Limited Fluid Power Services Limited Fluid Power Solutions (Wales) Limited Fortress Interlocks Limited FPE Seals Limited Freudenberg Sealing Technologies Limited Gates Hydraulics GD Associates Global Hydraulic Services Limited GS Hydro UK Limited Hallite Seals International Limited Handling Truck Services Limited Hansa-Flex (NI) Limited Harrier Fluid Power T/A Flowfit Hayley Fluid Power Hedley Hydraulics Limited Helipebs Controls Limited Henry Gallacher Limited Hercules Hydraulics Limited HEYPAC Limited hi TAG Limited Hinchliffe Hydraulics Limited HMS Sultan Holmbury Limited Hopespare Limited Hose Assembly Technology HTL Member of Fluidpower Group HUSCO International Partners LLP HYDAC Technology Limited Hydracam Limited HydraForce Hydraulics Limited Hydra-Hose Limited Hydra-Line Hydrapower (York) Limited Hydraproducts Limited Hydrastore Limited Hydrasun Limited Hydratech Engineering Limited Hydraulic Adaptors and Hose Assemblies Limited Hydraulic and Offshore Supplies Limited Hydraulic Equipment Supermarkets Hydraulic Power Services Limited Hydraulic Pumps (UK) Limited Hydraulic System Products Limited Hydraulics and Pneumatics Limited Hydraulink Limited Hydreco Hydraulics Limited Hydroscand Limited Hyphose Limited Hy-Pro Filtration Industrial Ancillaries Limited Industrial and Marine Hydraulics Limited Industrial Engineering Supplies Limited Industrial Hose and Pipe Fittings Limited Integraflex Limited Integraflex Yorkshire Limited Interpump Fluid Solutions Intrico Products Limited J & P Engineering Services Limited J.M.Consultant James Lister and Sons Limited JCB Research JDW Engineering Limited Jemlyn Limited JML Henderson Limited Kanflu Limited Kawasaki Precision Machinery UK Limited Kiowa Limited KRAMP UK Limited Lancashire Hose and Fittings Limited LANXESS Solutions UK Limited Leader Hydraulics Limited Leicester Hose and Hydraulics Limited Leyland Hose and Silicone Services Linde Hydraulics Limited Lubricants UK Limited Lubrizol Limited M & R Hydraulics Limited Marine and Hydraulics Engineering Limited MD Engineering Fluid Power Limited Mechanical Services (Wessex) LLP Association Members
Mend-A-Hose Hydraulics Limited MEOX Limited / Eastern Hose Merseyflex Limited Merseyflex Scotland Metal Work UK Limited Metalflex Limited MH Hydraulics Limited Micron Eagle Hydraulics Limited Middlesex Hose and Fittings Limited Midlands Power and Motion Limited Millennium Coupling Company Millennium Engineering Limited Moog Industrial Group MP Filtri UK Limited N O V Training Centre Neilson Hydraulics & Engineering Limited NFPC Limited NHP Nelson Hi.Power Norgren Limited Norton Hydraulics Limited Oddy Hydraulics Limited Oldham Seals Limited Oldham Seals Limited - Jetrac One Stop Fluid Power Limited P.J. Tooling Limited Parker Hydraulics and Pneumatics Limited Pearson Hose and Hydraulics Limited Pearson Hydraulics Limited Pegasus Hydraulics Limited Pennine Pneumatic Services Limited Phoenix Hydraulic and Electrical Services Limited Pirtek National Training Centre Pirtek UK Limited Pneumatic Components Limited Pneumax Limited Polyhose (UK) Limited Powerflow Solutions Limited PPK Services Limited Pressure Design Hydraulics Limited Pressurelines Hose and Hydraulics Limited Prevost UK Limited Primary Fluid Power, Systems Division (Knowsley) Pro-e-Con Limited Quaker Houghton R & G Fluid Power Group Limited Ram Reman Limited Ramko Hydraulics Limited Rapid Hydraulics Limited Regent Trist Hydraulics Reid Hydraulic Services Limited Related Fluid Power Limited Robbie Fluid Engineering Limited Rotec Hydraulics Limited Rubber and Plastic Products (NI) Limited Rubberfast Limited Rubberlast Group S and S Hydraulic Services (South West) Limited SAI (GB) Limited Sanders Hydraulics Limited Sarum Hydraulics Limited Savery Hydraulics Schwer Fittings Limited Shell Lubricants SMC Corporation (UK) Limited Sparex Limited Spectrum Hose Limited Stauff Anglia Limited Stauff UK Limited Subsea 7 Sun Hydraulics Limited Swan Seals Limited SWR Limited The Hydraulic Centre Limited Titan Fluid Technologies Limited Tom Parker Limited Torishima Service Solutions Europe Limited Trident Hydraulics Limited TSL Fluid Power Limited Turner Hydraulic Group V and A Hydraulics Limited VHS Hydraulic Components Limited Voith Turbo Limited Wandfluh UK Limited (Southam) Webtec Products Limited Wessex Hydraulic Services Yarl Hydracentre Limited Yorkshire Hose and Fittings Limited Yuken Europe Limited Zeus Hydratech Limited ZwickRoell Limited (Boston) www.bfpa.co.uk 11 Publishers Ed Holden Editor Ryan Fuller Managing Director ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk Andrew Jell Internal Sales Executive andrew.jell@dfamedia.co.uk Chris Davis Production Manager chris.davis@dfamedia.co.uk Emma Floyd Operations Manager emma.floyd@dfamedia.co.uk Ian Atkinson DFA Direct Sales Director ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Financial Finance Department accounts@dfamedia.co.uk Ian Atkinson Chief Executive Officer ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk DFA Media Group 192 The High Street Tonbridge Kent TN9 1BE T: 01732 370340 The content of this yearbook/members directory do not necessarily express the views of the BFPA, Editor or publishers. The BFPA/publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the publishers. Copyright DFA Media 2024
BFPA For the past 65 years, the British Fluid Power Association (BFPA) has served one of the UK’s most important industries.The BFPA is the UK's only trade body for hydraulic and pneumatic industries and its members represent approximately 75% of the UK fluid power market. Hydraulic and pneumatic systems are used in a wide range of engineering applications to control and power movement in mobile machines such as excavators, trucks and aircraft, and in industrial applications such as in factory automation and infrastructure projects. Strong market segment Total sales of fluid power equipment in the UK (including exports) reached around £ 1.5 billion in 2022, recovering from the negative impact of the pandemic in 2020. The UK fluid power industry employs over 14,000 people in the UK and BFPA estimated the UK fluid power market was around £ 1 billion in 2022, with hydraulics accounting for around 78% and pneumatics about 22%.. Education and training Education and training are key focuses of the BFPA to ensure that, with ongoing support of the membership, it continues to engage with governing bodies, education and training organisations to ensure the BFPA leads the way on fluid power industry training standards. Partnering with members, the BFPA currently has 25 approved UK training facilities, and this number will only increase in the coming months and years. To date, the Association has trained 13,000 people across 70 companies throughout the UK, Europe Australia, Africa and Asia. Industry representation As the voice of the hydraulic and pneumatic industries in the UK, BFPA engages with a variety of professional associations, government, legislative bodies and other stakeholders in order to represent the interests of its members at national, European and international level. Industry Intelligence The Association is also a trusted source of valuable industry data and statistical market intelligence and offers its members the opportunity to participate in a wide range of industry surveys. Standards Members also have access to valuable and important technical standards information, as well as having the opportunity to influence and provide insight into all relevant standards activity. BFPA Business Support The BFPA has identified trusted partners who are able to offer members a range of useful, high quality outsourced services. These include free advice for members on HR, tax, legal and H&S and R&D Tax Credit advice. Four pillars To serve our industry in a more strategically beneficial manner, the Association has established four strategic pillars, which are discussed in depth in this edition of the Yearbook & Members’ Directory. More information For more information on membership, please contact: The BFPA Cheriton House Cromwell Park Chipping Norton Oxon OX7 5SR Tel: +44 (0)1608 647900 Email: enquiries@bfpa.co.uk An introduction to the BFPA 12 www.bfpa.co.uk Karen Gordon-Brander karen@bfpa.co.uk Administrative and Training Co-ordinator Sarah Gardner sarah@bfpa.co.uk Market/Statistics Manager Nicky Quinn nicky@bfpa.co.uk Standards & Project Administrator Chris Butcher chris@bfpa.co.uk Managing Director Martin Kingsbury martin@bfpa.co.uk Membership and Training Director
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Letter from the Managing Director I am not too sure where the past 16 months or so have gone. From day one, it has been a steep learning curve. It is vastly different working within and promoting an association to selling physical products or components. One of the initial challenges of joining the BFPA as Managing Director was picking up on the great work that had been done in 2021 and 2022 on the strategic plan, making sure the host of ideas that came out of it became a key focus for us so as to ensure various aspects of the strategy became of tangible value and benefit to our members and the wider industry. Whilst one or two actions are still to be rolled out in this our 65th year as an association, the invaluable input of the strategic teams and that of our own inhouse staff ensures we are well-placed to deliver many new aspects to the membership during 2024. This includes updates to the statistical data and market intelligence reporting structure, the introduction of a standards finder, our ever-increasing learning and development programme, our mental wellbeing support and guidance, and net zero guide. As the Association celebrates its 65th year, we are well positioned to better serve our members. Moving to the next phase of the strategic plan and greater membership engagement, we need to carefully consider how we can further improve how we serve and engage with our existing and potential new members during this year and beyond. Greater engagement Visiting our members over the past year has been a fantastic and rewarding experience. We have received an incredibly positive welcome from all the visits we made to our members, which has resulted in being invited to visit others. This is always a positive situation. The regional networking events introduced through 2023 have seen a continued increase in attendance. They have also helped to bring in new members over the past 12 months. We also introduced ‘Members Spotlights’ within our newsletter. These are simple overviews of any of our member companies that would like to take part. The Members Spotlights are also covered on the various social media platforms. Our newsletter provides a huge amount of information for our members – some may say too much. However, we always have a positive story to tell. Our newsletter actively promotes companies that have made valuable investments in their business, whether in terms of people, equipment or innovative technology. It also highlights other activities going on within the BFPA. The power of social media Social media has proved to be a highly effective form of promotion for the BFPA as well as for our member organisations and their activities. Through this greater visibility, we are being proactively invited to visit more member companies, which is fantastic. Also, what the BFPA prescribes as best practices is being increasingly A year in the chair 16 www.bfpa.co.uk Chris Butcher, Managing Director of the BFPA, reviews some of the key focuses and achievements since he joined in November 2022, and reflects on the Association’s impressive 65th anniversary milestone this year.
www.bfpa.co.uk 17 recognised as the accepted standard for our industry. These practices may not be a legal requirement like the Gas Safe Register; however, we need to continue our efforts to drive these standards, helping to keep workers safe and encouraging companies to remain compliant. Learning and Development Programme The progress and development of the BFPA’s training courses has gone from strength to strength. 2024 is the 26th year that the Association has provided training. Over the years of valuable input from our Education and Training committee and members, the BFPA courses have developed significantly. This has been of paramount importance. Our courses are based on the BFPA listening to its members and are reliant on the hard work of the Education and Training committee. The courses focus on syllabus content that addresses what our members flag as specific requirements for the fluid power industry. Along with the courses’ evolution, attendance rates have grown significantly. Three years ago, training represented approximately 17% of our annual revenue. During 2023, this increased to 38%. Last year, we also rebranded our courses as the BFPA Learning and Development Programme. Within this programme, we have what we refer to as vocational certification training and competencebased qualifications. To achieve that growth in attendee numbers, we needed to secure additional training personnel who were independent of the BFPA. This has resulted in increasing our footprint throughout the UK. We now have 26 training partners all in BFPA membership. The combination of our UK footprint and trainers who can travel to a customer’s own facility, provides options to companies wanting to invest in training, and potentially mitigate additional costs of travel, hotels whilst also reducing time away from the workplace. 2023 was a record year for the Association, with over 2000 people go through courses that are part of the BFPA Learning and Development Programme. This is a record for us. Attendees came from over 90 different companies, some of which are based as far away as South America, the Middle East and Asia as well as more local companies in the UK and Europe. This result is a true reflection of the hard work of Martin Kingsbury and Karen Gorden Brander. To further spread our wings globally rather than remaining UK centric, we have invested in a learning management system (LMS). Over time, this will provide us with the opportunity to offer more online digital training. Provided the funds are available, we plan to offer training in multiple languages to attract even more interest and uptake of our courses worldwide. We have already conducted online training in a few foreign languages, including sessions in Portuguese for 60 people from one large company based in Brazil, and the demand continues to grow. The language project is likely to be developed within a three-stage process. The first part of the process is getting our LMS fully up and running. We have already begun our internal training on the system, and the bulk of training activity during this year will comprise uploading, learning and launching the system. The second phase will then be to upload the training data that lends itself to online learning. Of course, there are aspects of training that cannot be done online and must be taught face-to-face, creating and building hydraulic or pneumatic circuits or hose assemblies. The third phase will be to look carefully at where we are attracting the greatest level of interest to determine what languages we should translate the courses into as a priority. While the courses are gaining more traction, one of the biggest challenges for us is finding more well-qualified and experienced people or member companies who can deliver this type of training. Just because you are a good hydraulics or pneumatics engineer or company, does not mean you are a good teacher. As the demand for fluid power training continues to grow, we are always keen to explore opportunities with new training partners. The skills gap. This leads on to another critical issue within our industry, namely the ongoing skills shortage. Our members and their customers are all quite aware that this is a considerable problem. They may currently have enough skilled personnel to get by. However, many people working within the fluid power industry are in their 50s or 60s, or even approaching retirement. The skills issue will be covered elsewhere within this edition of the Yearbook. However, we all know we need to attract a younger generation into our industry. There is no alternative. We need enthusiastic, talented young people to enter our industry, embrace it, get up to speed with established hydraulic, pneumatic and electromechanical technology and also take us forward in terms of digital transformation, even including artificial intelligence (AI), which is inevitably going to play more of a role in our industry, as indeed it will in just about every other walk of professional and social life. The younger generation has grown up with mobile phones and social media. Many also have an innate interest in all things digital and are therefore ideally suited to move the fluid power industry forward. However, first we need to attract them into the fold. In this regard, the Association, together with associate organisations such as Marvelous Manufacturing, is keen to encourage member companies to engage more with local schools, colleges and universities to ensure young students gain a better understanding of our industry and what it could offer them in terms of a rewarding lifelong career. Fortunately, a large number of our member companies are stepping up to the plate and are not only engaging with local education establishments but are also ‘growing their own’ skilled workforce. This will be key if we stand any chance of filling the skills gap. The alternative is to train the people they already have in other technical disciplines or seek to employ people currently working for competitor companies. The strategy of finding dedicated and talented young people by engaging with local educational institutions and guiding them through “Fluid power is the hidden force in manufacturing. It is a fantastic industry filled with thousands of talented people.”
18 www.bfpa.co.uk apprenticeships and technical qualifications, is not only good for the future of the company concerned; it’s also good for the industry as a whole in so far as there are then more qualified and active people working within our industry, bolstering the overall skills pool. Another crucial point to make is that while the engineering and manufacturing industries are fundamentally technologydriven, they cannot function without a backbone of accounts, marketing and sales professionals and human resource personnel. It is all connected. So, when member organisations talk to local schools and colleges they should not purely think in terms of STEM or engineering in general, they should also think about training people who would like to work in the store or the warehouse, or in admin and all the other areas of a business. Sustainability Another fundamentally important topic that not only affects our industry but everyone on our planet is that of the environment. Indeed, sustainability is a theme that resonates with a lot of young people who want to have influence on how we look after the planet both in their professional and social lives. For our part, the BFPA is committed to doing its bit and encourages the membership to do the same. For example, a key focus for the Association is to reduce the amount of training material that is available in printed form and will start to migrate this material across to a digital format, not just in terms of the training booklets but also the certificates. As part of the strategic plan, our members wanted help on how to get their journey to net zero started, how to progress this journey and what tools they need to be able to measure and monitor their carbon footprint. Investing with CAFA (Climate Action for Associations), we have developed a guide that our members can use to understand the jargon that surrounds sustainability. It will explain in simple terms how to measure and improve how their own company impacts the environment and at the same time understand what can be done to get closer to carbon neutrality. The guide will become available Q2 2024 and will form a large part of our May AGM followed by a ‘Sustainability’ workshop run by two representatives of CAFA, which is free for our members to attend. Standards Another important aspect of the BFPA is managing industry standards. Indeed, the Association holds the secretariat for approximately 500 different standards that people work to globally. I must admit that, while I have been involved in the fluid power industry in various capacities over the years, I had little idea just how involved the BFPA is in this work. Holding the secretariat and managing standards through the technical committees and direct engagement with ISO and BSI is crucial to keeping our industry as safe as possible. Members of our technical team travelled to the 2023 ISO review held in Milwaukee and through the BSI, will have representation at this year’s ISO review in Tokyo. The BFPA will also attend the London ISO review later in the year. Some companies might think it is not worth becoming a member of the BFPA, but they may not realise that the standards they work to every day are managed, controlled and maintained by the BFPA. I would like to offer particular thanks to Jerry Hughes, who has played a significant role chairing the technical committees for many years. I would also like to thank Nicky Quinn, who has only been a part of the Association since mid2023 but is already doing an excellent job managing this aspect of the Association. Statistics For nearly five decades, the Association’s statistical surveys have provided valuable information about key current trends in our industry to member companies. Indeed, statistics are considered as one of the most valuable assets of membership. Moreover, under the banner of ‘market intelligence service’, statistics have become a key ‘Strategic Pillar’ within the Four Pillars that were introduced following our strategic review in 2021. The ‘Industry Intelligence Strategy Team’ working group chaired by Kevin Mooney of Moog Industrial Group, addressed several key issues raised during a consultation with members in the initial stages of the project. I would like to thank all concerned for taking our statistics/market intelligence service to even greater heights. I would also like to thank Sarah Gardner, the BFPA’s Market/Statistics Manager, for her all her hard work ensuring up-to-date and accurate and invaluable statistics are regularly provided to the members who take part in our range of surveys. Four Pillars development In fact, all the BFPA’s Four Pillars, profiled extensively in last year’s edition of the Yearbook, are developing apace. It was decided to establish the Pillars to directly address some of the most important aspects of people working within the fluid power sector. They comprise Education and Training, Industry and Standards, Health, Safety and Environment and Business Intelligence/Industry Insights. A big thank you to the Leaders and teams of each of the pillars for their outstanding work and dedication over the past two years. This work continues. Serving our industry for 65 years So, the past year or so has been a busy and eventful time, with much to celebrate. For example, the positive feedback we have received from many member companies related to the greater engagement we have established over the past year has been truly inspiring and puts us on a positive footing going forward. However, the celebrations certainly don’t stop there. This year marks 65 years of the Association’s existence. Some may ask, industry associations, why should we bother? 65 years tells you why. For the BFPA, it’s about the people – the engineers, technicians and innovators—who have dedicated their careers to advancing our technology. It’s about the partnerships forged with our members to drive collaboration and knowledge sharing. It’s also about the collective effort to address global challenges, such as sustainability and resource efficiency, by developing greener technologies and promoting best practices. Over the past six decades, the Association has striven to serve the fluid power industry diligently and, with the help of its members, fight its corner in the corridors of power whenever necessary. There is content within this edition of the Yearbook that looks briefly at some of the Association’s history over some six and a half decades, while also considering how the industry itself has changed. Fluid power is the hidden force in manufacturing. It is a fantastic industry filled with thousands of talented people. We must continue to create curiosity and to offer opportunity to a new generation of designers, engineers and business leaders of the future. The BFPA and its membership are truly stronger together.
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The Association has come a long way since its formative days as the Association for Hydraulic Equipment Manufacturers (AHEM) in the late 1950s. With its HQ originally situated in Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, the BFPA re-located to Chipping Norton in the early 1990s to establish a more equidistant or central location for member companies and committee members to travel to from all over the country. Long-standing Technical committee chair and advisor, Jerry Hughes, worked for Lucas at that time and remembers arranging for the delivery of some furniture to the new BFPA HQ from Lucas’s operations in Coventry after being acquired by Berendsen. Jerry adds that he is glad to see that the furniture in situ today is far more modern and fit for purpose! Industry consolidation Chris Butcher, who has been Managing Director for the best part of a year and a half, reflects that over the past few decades the industry has seen a great deal of consolidation, which has, of course, been evidenced within the membership of the BFPA. “It has been interesting to see many UK manufacturing companies becoming part of a larger corporate structure over the past few decades,” he says. “Just a few examples include Fawcett Christie Hydraulics’ acquisition by Parker, Vickers and Eaton Hydraulics by Danfoss, Hagglunds by Bosch Rexroth and the list goes on. No doubt, the trend for mergers and acquisitions will continue.” Education and training ramps up In terms of developments within the Association itself, the growth of the Association’s education and training courses over 26 years is notable. “Over 16,000 trainees attended these courses, over 2000 in 2023 alone and the number is growing rapidly,” says Martin Kingsbury, Director, Membership & Training. “A recent further enhancement to the service we provide to members has been the introduction of online versions of some of the courses. Going forward, we will be focusing on offering online courses in other languages, and therefore expanding our reach globally.” Martin adds that the growth of the BFPA Learning and Development programme reflects the help and support from the education and training committee and invaluable input from Karen Gorden-Brander. Convenient access to standards online Nicky Quinn, Standards & Project Administrator, points out that a key development from the BFPA’s Industry and Standards Pillar has been the introduction of the library of fluid power standards, which is now available to members and nonmembers via the Association’s website. “There are so many standards that sometimes it can be challenge to know which one you need to refer to for a particular product.” says Nicky. “This new library, however, helps to address this issue.” Statistics Statistics continue to be mentioned by member companies as one of the most valuable benefits to them. Sarah Gardner, Market/Statistics Manager, explains feedback from members indicates that the BFPA industry intelligence service is highly beneficial and is identified as a key ‘Strategic Pillar’ of the Association’s Strategic Plan. Younger influence Looking ahead, Chris makes the point that, as the industry becomes increasingly reliant on technologies and concepts such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Industry 4.0 and Artificial Intelligence (AI), it will increasingly need a younger generation of experts to drive the uptake of these technologies. He also believes more young people should have a seat at the table of the BFPA’s standards committees. “With this in mind, one of the things I encourage is for member companies to bring young engineers to our technical meetings,” he says. Visiting member companies Chris is also highly proactive in visiting members at their own premises. During these meetings, he, together with other members of the BFPA team, discusses a range of topics to gauge the individual thoughts of member companies with a view to further improving the service the Association provides. Championing the cause of sustainability Martin reflects that although the Association regularly champions the cause of greater sustainability among its member companies, he feels the future must also involve reaching out to members’ end customers. “I believe that, to a large extent, it is the end customer who needs to recognise the value of more energy-efficient products and systems, even if the up-front cost is a little higher,” he says. “This then would pave the way for our members to develop more sustainable products and solutions in the knowledge that their customer base is already on board and in the full realisation that energy-efficient products are here now and will be driving greater improvements in the future.” Chris concludes: “The Association would not be where it is today without the huge support from our members, board and various committees, which is managed by a great team. I would like to personally thank Martin, Karen, Nicky and Sarah for all their hard work, without them the Association would not function. Here’s to another successful 65 years!” Time to raise a glass, reflect and look to the future 20 www.bfpa.co.uk Members of the BFPA team celebrate the Association’s major 65th milestone Anniversary. BFPA 65th Anniversary celebration
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