September 2018

Successful completion of certification Audit to ISO 9001 : 2015 and TS 22163

During the 20th-24th August 2018 the business undertook its transition to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/TS 22163:2017.

ISO 9001 : 2015 – Requirements for a Quality Management System, replaces the previous version of 2008 and ISO/TS 22163 : 2017 replaces IRIS Rev.02 which is the Quality Management Standard for Railway Applications.

We are pleased to announce that B Hepworth & Co Ltd achieved the quality standards required to gain re-certification, thus demonstrating the business’s dedication and focus to Quality.

September 2018

Quality Department promotions announcement

Following the successful completion of our certification Audit to ISO 9001:2015 and TS 22163, two internal promotions have been announced.

As a result of the very successful Quality Audit and her dedicated and professional approach as Lead Quality Engineer, Sarah Phelps has been promoted to Quality Manager.

Linda Bates has been promoted to Quality and Development Director as part of the future development of Hepworth and the need to introduce a structured approach to training and development of employees in all departments.  A key element will include closer communication throughout departments and the improved level of skills.  Linda’s new role will include Quality, Training, Development, Employee Engagement / Motivation and Health & Safety.  A full programme detailing all aspects and timetable will be launched in the near future.

Hepworth CEO Jonathan Eddy commented: “I would like to congratulate them both on their promotions and look forward to the significant developments which this will bring to Hepworth”.

Inclusivity is about a company maximising the potential of their people to become a more inclusive, productive and respected organisation; being the best they can be by allowing their people to be the best they can be. Mental Health First Aid, an internationally recognised programme now running in more than 21 countries and part of a national approach to improving public mental health, aims to increase knowledge, understanding and personal confidence of how best to support others with a mental health problem.

The next step for Hepworth is to work through their business model to ensure that they cover Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Mental Health in all areas of the business, and to set up workshops with employees to raise awareness and understanding of the Inclusion criteria going forwards.

The purpose of the Inclusivity Board is to generate ideas and formulate action plans; currently there are 30 Ambassadors across the Midlands and Yorkshire who have signed up for the Inclusivity and Mental Health Awareness Campaign. The Board will be attending the House of Lords on 3rd December 2018 to present a series of case studies; their ultimate aim is for the adoption and rolling out of the Inclusivity Campaign throughout the country.

If you would like more information please visit www.madeequal.com and www.mhfaengland.org.

May 2018

Rail division update

Our Rail team have recently returned from a highly successful two weeks road trip in China, visiting both current and prospective clients, securing orders for the next few years’ supply of heavy duty wiper systems for the high-speed train market, at a rate of 30 train sets per month.

Preparations are well underway for Innotrans, to be held on 18th to 21st September in Berlin, Germany, on Stand number 206. Our Rail team, Ian Lockett, Alastair Timmis and Bert Thijssen, will look forward to seeing you there, where we will be displaying our wash and wipe equipment, plus we will be launching the latest, much improved Parvalux Viper 3 wiper motor.

May 2018

Fabrications division update

Hepworth Fabrications finds itself heading into a very busy few months, with several exhibitions and events on the horizon and also the successful completion of some initial contracts with new customers.

Hepworth Fabrications has been invited to attend the official HS2 Meet The Bidder event in Doncaster. The company, having been selected prior to attending, can look forward to meetings with buyers from Tier 1 Rolling Stock Manufacturers, all of whom are associated with the flagship HS2 project.

Following on from this Hepworth Fabrications (alongside the Hepworth RIM Moulding division) are at SUBCON at the NEC in Birmingham in June, on stand F47. Luke and Tom look forward to welcoming everybody to the stand.

April 2018

Rail Team revised list of contacts

We have recently published some new contact details for our Rail personnel. 

In 1988 Jonathan Eddy (Hepworth’s current CEO) became Managing Director of B Hepworth & Co Ltd and was responsible for a strategic change of direction, taking the company from its traditional UK Commercial Vehicle and Bus markets to the Marine and then Rail markets, targeting development of those export markets.

In 2004 Jonathan Eddy concluded the successful purchase of Hepworth’s largest competitor, Wynstruments Ltd. and then in 2009 a Fabrications company was bought, adding to the company’s portfolio of services.  In 2015 Monitor Marine International, manufacturer of high quality, precision engineered stainless steel marine deckware and interior fittings, was acquired and, in 2016, a RIM Moulding division was set up and launched, adding to the company’s product offering and bringing on board a new variety of clients from additional business sectors.

Hepworth relishes variety and challenge, and is proud to have its products on some of the world’s most prestigious and interesting projects, with wiper systems on vessels from the Queen Mary, US Navy Combat ships and Oil Rigs, to those on the fastest train in the world and the Arial Nomad! 

Ever flexible in outlook with their Marine, Rail, Automotive, RIM Moulding and Fabrications manufacturing divisions, award-winning Hepworth is always looking to the future; the next innovation, the next added-value service, the next developing market. 

Jonathan Eddy, CEO of B Hepworth and Company Limited is justifiably proud of the milestone in his company’s history.  “From manufacturing chemicals to windscreen wipers, fabrications, yacht fittings and more recently RIM plastic mouldings, Hepworth’s journey has been long and varied.  Hepworth’s USP is our ability for bespoke design and manufacture to each individual customer’s specifications. Our products are manufactured in our three factories based in Redditch, UK where nearly all the manufacturing processes are in-house, with a capital investment program allowing the introduction of new plant and machinery to meet ever-changing requirements” said Jonathan, continuing  “Selling our products and services around the world we have met many wonderful customers and suppliers; I attribute Hepworth’s success to the hard work and dedication of its staff and employees who have always worked tirelessly to deliver the very best quality products and service. I would like to thank everyone both past and present for their commitment and loyalty.  We are currently working on many new projects and new product designs, welcoming the challenges and looking forward to the company’s continued future growth”.

“This ship would not exist without the dedicated service of the men and women of Marinette Marine, who can be proud of the accomplishment of putting another warship to sea. Once commissioned, this ship will provide presence around the globe for decades to come.” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer.

LCS is a modular, reconfigurable ship, designed to meet validated fleet requirements for Surface Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare and Mine Countermeasures missions. In October, the U.S. Navy awarded the Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine team a contract to build LCS 27. The contract value is under the 2017 congressional cost cap of $584 million per ship.

“Monitor Marine works with some of the world’s top superyacht yards and, because of our in-house engineering capabilities, we tailor exquisite deck equipment worthy of being seen on the finest superyachts” stated Neil Cramb, MMI’s Sales Director.

The Monitor engineering team build their tie-downs from a range of high-lustre stainless alloys. Their accompanying mounting systems are all engineered in collaboration with each shipyard to create a comprehensive package that can be supplied as a build-in solution for quick and convenient fitting. Some of their solutions are MMI’s signature 4-Bar Tie-Downs, engineered to fit flush in a teak deck, as well as a range of blind-mounted T45-R installations supplied with weld-in mounting pods, where everything is fitted from above-deck into a sealed deck-structure below.

Neil continued: “We are expecting to be able to offer the client a bespoke solution with our fittings, so that a vacant helideck can be safely used as valuable leisure space with no intrusion from unsightly fittings”
Monitor Marine will be exhibiting at METS 2017, where they will be showcasing their range of Helicopter Tie-Downs, as well as a range of other solutions including helicopter rotor-ties and folding pad-eyes.

Finn is the 63rd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and the first of her type to enter the fleet since 2012. The Navy says that she is capable of a full scale of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, and she is designed to handle air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously.

“John Finn brings both the sabre and the shield into the fight,” said Adm. Harris, who presided over the commissioning. “The advanced combat systems, coupled with the innovative spirit and the killer instinct of her amazing crew, are powerful reminders of our readiness to fight tonight. This warship is the embodiment of America’s resolve to protect our homeland and defend our allies.”

The destroyer’s name honours Chief Aviation Ordnanceman John Finn, who was among the first Medal of Honor recipients of the Second World War. Finn showed exceptional courage during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. While under heavy machine gun fire, Finn manned a .50-caliber machine gun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of a parking ramp, where he returned fire at Japanese aircraft for hours. Though wounded 21 times, he stayed in the fight until he was asked to stand down. After receiving first aid treatment, he overcame the effects of his injuries and returned to supervise the re-arming of American planes.

Finn served throughout the war, earning a commission and eventually winning promotion to the rank of lieutenant. He passed away in May 2010 at the age of 100.

Isle of Wight Council removed the old “Floating Bridge” after 40 years of crossings between Cowes and East Cowes.  The new ferry is two months overdue after engineers waited for tides low enough to complete a slipway.  The ferry, built by Mainstay Marine has an expected lifespan of 40 years and can fit 20 cars, compared with about 15 on the old ferry.

The authority had invited the public to suggest names for the ferry, but later postponed a decision “until after the general election”. Suggestions made so far include “Floaty McFloatface”, and “Blyskawica” – the name of a Polish destroyer which defended Cowes during World War Two.  (I know which is my favourite – Ed.)                                                                       

Image courtesy of Allan Marsh

As from April 1st 2017 G&O Trading has merged into into Hans Buch A/S and will continue being a major provider of high-profile products to support the development of sustainable solutions for the industry, marine and rail market. G&O Trading’s leisure marine segment will be merged into Johs Thornam A/S.

Managing Director of G&O Trading Mikkel Engsbro said: “We are happy that we can complete the merger, as our customers are seeking to consolidate their business with strong suppliers with both the technical, mercantile and financial position such as Hans Buch A/S and Johs Thornam A/S”.  Mikkel Engsbro will continue as Division Director responsible for the Marine and Railway business. Managing Director of Hans Buch, Henriette Olsen remarked: “It has been an important factor for us that we have been able to retain the employees of G&O Trading as their expertise is key to our continued success. We have set very ambitious goals and will continue to develop our partners’ footprint in Denmark”.

March 2017

Wynn wipers fitted to Starfish anchor handling tugs

Danish offshore vessel provider Maersk Supply Service has shared a video of the newest addition to the company’s fleet – the recently delivered Maersk Master anchor handler.

Our US Distributor, In-Mar Systems supplied the wipers and controllers for this project.

The vessel is the first of six Starfish anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels and its hull was launched at the Kleven shipyard in June of last year.  According to Kleven Verft’s order list, the delivery of all five remaining Starfish vessels should happen during 2017.

The 95 meters long, 25 meters wide Maersk Master started its sea trials in February 2017, and can accommodate 52 people. The AHTS has a bollard pull of more than 250 tonnes and towing drums designed for 500 tonnes of pull force. Specs claim that the vessel has a 4,600 tonnes of deadweight capacity, and a deck capacity of 2,500 tonnes.

Hepworth Marine
It has been a difficult year for the Marine Industry world-wide. One major change we have made this last year is that we are now working directly with shipyards in China and Spain. Necessary to enable us to become more competitive and improve technical support to our customers, this move has proved to be a very effective strategy, resulting in more orders from those countries.

We also developed and introduced a straight-line wiper with an extra heavy-duty arm capable of working with a 2 metre blade configuration. The quietest and most smooth-running wiper on the market, the redesign has made a significant impact on the wiper’s price and cost of installation.

Looking to 2017, we are looking to increase our global network of Certified Service Stations, which have qualified engineers who have been trained by us. The following companies are qualified to install, commission and repair our wiper systems: Observator BV (Netherlands), Observator GmbH (Germany), Servi Ulsteinvik (Norway), JRC (Brazil), Nautic Solutions (Niteroi), AMI (Australia – 4 locations), Aquanautic (Singapore), Noah (Singapore) and Benson Marine (India -5 locations).

Monitor Marine
Monitor Marine launched a new range of low profile, high quality polished stainless steel Pull-Up Cleats and orders are increasing on a monthly basis as boat builders use them on their production lines. The comprehensive range of Helicopter Tie-Downs is gaining in market share too, now including three new models for over-deck installations and for flush mounting into concrete surfaces; this gives an increasing flexibility to the range of environments that they can be used in.

Hepworth Rail
The Rail division has undertaken quite a few business trips to see both existing and potential new customers and, in doing so, have successfully turned many enquiries into orders. Sales for fleet retrofits, one of our target markets, has increased again from 2015 with a further increase predicted for 2017. Innotrans was a great show for us, with new build projects and more retrofit orders and enquiries being received. We are hoping for the same level of success at Railtex in 2017 and, with the addition of several members of staff strengthening the division including a Rail Technical Manager, we are looking forward to being able to give our customers faster design responses in the New Year.

Hepworth Fabrications
For Fabrications, the highs of the year are securing continued business within the Rail UK market through the winning of a substantial contract on a platform vehicle. Staying on Rail, we have also been successful in winning 3 packages of work from a new UK customer; this has been a very difficult task as we do not fall in what they consider their ‘catchment area’ for suppliers. Now that we have our first purchase orders, we are hoping to build on our relationship to ensure that we are successful on future projects with them.

With our non-rail customers, it has been a mixed year and our focus for 2017 is to build up a more varied customer base.

Hepworth Automotive
The Automotive division has continued to push onto new areas, including the aftermarket and low volume production components supply. This expanding division had a very successful three days at the Automechanika Show, held back in June. Automotive exhibited a range of products including wiper systems, chassis/body parts and aftermarket accessories. Highlights of the event were visits from leading UK OEM’s and discussions regarding new vehicle and motorbike designs, special editions and prototypes. Many new enquiries were received from both UK and overseas-based companies, in fact the event was so successful that we have already reserved a stand at next year’s event.

So on to 2017. We would like to thank all our customers, suppliers and staff for all their business and support during 2016, and wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.

December 2016

Tugboat Telstar fitted with 1800mm blades

The Tugboat Telstar has been equipped with Wynn Straight Line Wipers and
extra heavy duty 1800mm wiper blade configuration, supplied by our distributor Observator Vision.

The Telstar is operating on the Nordzee canal in the Netherlands.

As the company’s publicity says “Seven Seas Explorer is spaciously intimate, breathlessly elegant and perfectly staffed,  bringing elegance and glamour to the world’s greatest destinations, offering exquisite dining options that rival those of the finest restaurants ashore…”

The Golden Spanners awards celebrate the best of rolling stock maintenance and are handed out to those companies making the greatest strides in train reliability, as measured by MTIN (Miles per Technical Incident). The awards are based on moving annual averages at Period 7 (four weeks ending mid October). Modern Railways Industry and Technology Editor Roger Ford has for many years assessed the reliability of the nation’s train fleets.

AWARD CATEGORIES:  • Ex-British Rail DMU  • New Generation DMU  • Inter-city Train  • Ex-British Rail EMU  • New Generation EMU

Three awards are given in each category:
• Gold Spanner – most reliable train based on Miles per Technical Incident (MTIN)
• Silver Spanner – most improved fleet (percentage improvement in MTIN)
• Bronze Spanner – fastest incident recovery (based on primary delay per incident)

Hepworth Rail’s Alastair Timmis and Christine Hewitt were invited by Modern Railways’ Chris Shilling as Guests for the event and were very proud to find out that Hepworth’s wipers were on the majority of the winning vehicles and all of the new build categories.

Alastair Timmis stated: “We consider it to be a fantastic achievement for Hepworth to be on all of the new build vehicles in the EMU and DMU categories. Even though we of course didn’t win an award directly, our Wipers, which are a safety critical item, helped these vehicles win their awards for their reliability. It was great to meet up with current customers and potential clients and a really impressive show. I would like to thank Chris Shilling for his very kind invitation”

The moulding contract that the Automotive division has is now well underway (Leisure industry products). We have also completed further contracts for automotive and motorsport products.

We have just supplied a wiper switch for the vehicle shown in the picture on the left; it’s a GT40 replica rather than the real thing though!

November 2016

Fabrications Division’s busiest month yet!

The month of October saw Hepworth Fabrications complete one of their busiest months. This has been due in part to our expansion into new markets such as the food processing industry, plus entry into the first delivery stages of the two national rail contracts that we have won.

The end of the month saw Luke Russell attending the Local Government Expo in London, where discussions were had about several large projects occurring in 2017 that would need high fabrication supplier involvement, for example: New Street Station Upgrades and Heathrow Terminal.

Overall Hepworth Fabrications is busier than ever and we wouldn’t have it any other way!

November 2016

Key Account Manager appointed for Far East Rail clients

Ian Lockett has been tasked by the company to take charge of the key Rail accounts for China and Korea.

“With the rise in enquiries we are focused on giving the best possible service and support to deal with the demanding opportunities we are being provided. I will be the key contact for clients and plan to be travelling more to see them and offering help with ongoing and new business opportunities, whilst continuing to support all our other valuable clients.” Ian remarked.

Ian has been with the organisation for over 15 years and has extensive rail industry knowledge. He began as an Electrical Assembler before progressing on to be a Warranty Engineer, then a Service Engineer, followed by becoming Hepworth’s Rail After-sales Manager. Ian is now Technical Sales Manager and has gained a wealth of experience that he passes on – to the advantage of our customers!

Other news includes that the outcome of Innotrans is proving superb for Hepworth Rail. We have received an unforeseen amount of enquiries and we are delighted to say that many of them are progressing well. We have also visited several additional potential new clients regarding their enquiries and have high hopes of receiving their orders in the near future.

November 2016

Monitor Marine launches modified Multi-Purpose Connector

In the last month, more export orders have been received for Helicopter Tie-Downs, all for installation to new build SuperYachts, one of which has two Helidecks.

A modified version of the 3 Tonne Flush-Fit Multi-Purpose Connector now includes a design that can be installed on Helipads and Helidecks where there is limited or no under-deck installation access. This version can be fully installed above deck, being fitted into a threaded backplate. This method increases the application areas for both the 3 Tonne and 1 Tonne models.

The new 2017 Product Guide (V7) is now available and on-line showing all the new product additions, together with revised loadings for Helicopter Tie-Downs; a result of design changes and Lloyds test results.

Made in the Midlands CEO, Jason Pitt explained: “This year saw a growth in applications for our Women in Engineering category. It is crystal clear that Midlands manufacturers stand together as passionate advocates for the continual and future success of women in engineering. I would like to congratulate Emily for her great achievements at Hepworth.”

Hepworth International also were ‘Commended’ in the Manufacturing Achievement Award 2016. The award was sponsored by Birmingham City University, represented by Natalie Lewis, and was presented to Hepworth Automotive’s Tom Dunkley.

In line with the Strategic Defence and Security Review direction on innovation and defence exports, the RN has invited industry, academia and certain Defence partners, including the US Navy, to safely experiment and demonstrate the potential offered by maritime autonomous systems within the Joint Warrior operational environment.

Major defence firms and small businesses alike are heading north to take part in Unmanned Warrior 2016 where they will show off their ideas for the future of autonomous systems at sea.

Lieutenant Commander Clive Langmead writes:  “In Scotland QinetiQ, as part of its long term partnership agreement with MoD have prepared the flying and underwater ranges which it runs in Benbecula, Stornoway, Applecross and the Kyle of Lochalsh, including erecting hangars and laying a dummy mine field for the robots to try and find. Several RN Mine Hunters will also be trying to do the same. So this will be a very direct test of new systems against old.  The Mine Hunters already use remotely piloted submarines in their work, but Unmanned Warrior is hoping to show things can be taken a stage further. The RN extended the invitation and 40 demonstrators have agreed to come and show off their ideas of the future of autonomy at sea. The guest list of distinguished visitors is large and the systems are some of the best, if not the best, in the world”.

October 2016

Rail and Fabrications divisions exhibitions a success!

The Rail team received many enquiries from both new and existing customers; the majority of whom had planned to come and see us on our stand. We are already in the process of discussing many of the new projects that we were approached about and are very confident about building on our successful working relationships with customers both old and new.

September also saw the Hepworth Fabrications team attend the Northern Manufacturing Show, which is one of the largest production manufacturing shows in the UK.

At the show the team met with existing customers to discuss ongoing projects and also a great many potential customers wishing to discuss our new and improved capabilities. Overall the show was a great success as we continue to discover new markets.

To be able to trade in all of our markets worldwide both the ISO and IRIS certification are a must, have but they also ensure that we can manage all elements of our business in an effective way and promote continual improvement throughout.

We had a 4 day audit week commencing the 25th July which went very well. The Bureau Veritas Auditors provided much more useful feedback on improvements we could make to all areas of the business, and we improved our IRIS scope from 65% to 69%.

It is our increased scope that make the continuation of our certification more complex. In Fabrication for example we make products for Rail which have to meet stringent standards then we also make litter bins. We have recently been approved to manufacture fuel tanks and have had to go through a detailed manufacture and test process to receive our type approval. This, coupled with the wiper side of our business and Monitor Marine also in our scope of approval, demonstrates the variety of manufacture we have to include in our certification. Next year we will be adding our plastic division to the scope as well. 

September 2016

Hepworth Marine B140 blade replaced with upgraded B160 blade

The Hepworth B140 articulated blade is obsolete as of this month and has been replaced by the B160 articulated blade.

The new blade is manufactured in stainless steel, (rather than mild steel as previously used) and powder coated black. The item is the same in fit, form and function. B140 articulated blades for non-marine applications will still be available.

Over the past six months, Monitor Marine’s Design Engineering Team has been involved in a number of new and exciting developments that will bring additional products to their current range of high quality, precision engineered stainless steel marine fittings. The Load Tests carried out recently at Lloyds British on Monitor’s range of Pull-Up Cleats were very successful, with better than expected results. On all four sizes from 120mm up to 320mm in length, the maximum Working Load calculated figures were exceeded by at least 25% in all directional loads. Not only will these cleats take higher loadings than other competitive designs, they are also low profile, require very little maintenance and are easily installed on to any type of deck structure.

Our designers are currently finalising a smaller version of the successful 1 Tonne Multi-Purpose Connector, as well as a new type of 50mm Hatch Handle.

Designed to match existing MMI highly aesthetic designs of the 50mm, 70mm, 80mm and 100mm handles, the new products will add to an already very superb quality “suite” of furniture for all new builds or re-fits.

Since the introduction of these vessels they have grown their annual provision to just over 160,000 patients per year which is expected to grow towards 250,000 once MV Forth Hope is brought in to service in the summer of 2017. Since inception, their projects have now treated over 1.3million patients with a free health service and over the next 25 years MV Forth Hope alone will benefit over 2 million patients.

As part of the vessels build they will be welcoming our Patron HRH The Princess Royal to Rosyth on the 20th of July to see the outfitting under way.

Hepworth is proud to be able to help with such a worthwhile project, and Rev Willie McPherson, Chief Executive of Vine Trust said: “On behalf of the Trust many thanks for your kindness. We have been humbled by the kindness of so many businesses in support of this project which over the next 25 years will enable MV Forth Hope to treat somewhere in the region of 2 million patients with a free health service in South America”.

A lot of enquiries are being quoted for, including one for over 300 Multi-Purpose Connectors for installations in the Middle East to anchor Skypool covers for a large area, plus sales are being made of both the 1 Tonne and 3 Tonne Connectors to an increasing number of Tender and Toy suppliers.

After a successful visit the OTC Exhibition in Houston, further meetings have now been arranged with some of the leading manufacturers of Helidecks and Helipads where the use of our wide range of Tie-Downs are the most comprehensive designs available, and a large offshore supply company based in Houston will be marketing our commercial range of Tie-Downs in South America, having already secured a significant contract with one of the world’s largest oil & gas producers.

Monitor Marine will be attending the forthcoming SuperYachts – Meet the Buyer in Italy, 15-18th June.

Hepworth Automotive’s Technical Sales Manager, Tom Dunkley, attended the London Motor Show earlier this month which has made a welcome return to the capital after too long an absence. The all-new annual event attracted over 25,000 visitors, hosted 130 new car models from more than 40 brands and saw some of the UK’s best known dealer groups talking to prospective customers.  Opened by patron HRH Prince Michael of Kent and held at the Battersea Park Evolution Centre, the show was a resounding success appealing to a broad demographic, with a good cross section of dealers from niche specialists and regional family groups to some of the biggest names in the Motor Trader Top 200.

Tom Dunkley stated: “This was the first Motor Show held in the UK since 2008, held in the idyllic surrounds of Battersea Park, London. It was great to see so many British manufactures under one roof. The stands were full of exciting new models and outlined the strength of British Design and Manufacturing. The plans to continue the show annually are a great start to having a show that competes with the world’s established Motor shows.”

Fabrications Division
For the first time Hepworth Fabrications will be exhibiting at Subcon 2016 held at the NEC, Birmingham, during 7-9th June 2016. Please visit us on Stand: H42, Qimtek Pavilion.

Rail Division
The Rail Division will be exhibiting at Rail Live on 22nd – 23rd June 2016 at Quinton Rail Technology Centre, Station Road, Long Marston. We will be located in the Rail Alliance Membership Marquee Stand No A11.

Marine Division
Hepworth Marine will be exhibiting at Seawork International, to be held at the Mayflower Park, Southampton, UK from 14th – 16th June 2016, and will be welcoming buyers from around the world.

The vessel also boasts:
    •    2,500 state rooms
    •    20 restaurants  
    •    Central Park – a living park in the centre of the ship with more 10,000 plants and 50 trees
    •    24 lifts for guests
    •    The Ultimate Abyss – the tallest slide at sea, plunging visitors 10 stories from deck 16 to deck 6
    •    The deepest pool at sea
    •    A double-story Wonderland specialty restaurant
    •    11,252 works of art
    •    Robot bartenders
    •    Virtual balconies with real-time views of the destination for interior rooms
    •    2,100 crew members from 77 different nationalities

image courtesy of www.cruisecritic.co.uk

April 2016

Super Cruisers fit Wynn Wiper Systems

Hepworth’s wiper systems are being fitted to many of the new and very fabulous cruise liners, including:

• The Carnival Vista, which features 35 Type C Wynn Straight Line windscreen wipers with 8000 Series Control System and two Clear View screens

• Holland America’s new ship the Koningsdam, fitted with 23 Type C Wynn Straight Line wipers with 8000 Series Control System and two Clear View screens

• Harmony of the Seas, the world’s largest luxury cruise ship, which is fitted with 18 Type C Wynn Straight Line wipers and 8000 Series Control System.  Stood on its end it would be 50m (164ft) taller than the Eiffel Tower and is almost 100m (328ft) longer than the Titanic!

April 2016

Rail Social Event

A team from Hepworth are looking forward to attending Rail Sport, an annual event that brings together the rail community for a weekend of fun and networking. Leasing companies such as Angel Trains and Porterbrook, plus lots of the Train operators such as Virgin Trains, East Coast, etc. will be at the event. It also caters for rolling stock manufacturers such as Bombardier, Alstom and suppliers of items into the rail industry. We look at this event as a great opportunity to meet with our colleagues throughout the industry whilst having a jam-packed weekend of fun!

It runs from Sat 11th – Sun 12th June, held at Stanley Park, Blackpool, FY3 9HU.  If you are attending the event, we look forward to seeing you there!

April 2016

Fabrication and Automotive exhibitions

Hepworth Fabrications will be exhibiting at Subcon Expo-UK for the first time, a manufacturing supply chain show that is dedicated to subcontracting and outsourced engineering services.

Also, for the very first time, AUTOMECHANIKA is being held in the UK this year. Hepworth International will be exhibiting some of their latest automotive products on Stand No. 11 L 40 where their technical design and
engineering team will be able to discuss their high quality production capabilities.

Both exhibitions are held from 7th – 9th June 2016 at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

The intense video shows a ship stranded in North Sea about 100 miles from land as powerful waves crash into an ERRV (Emergency Response & Rescue Vessel); the job of the workers on board is to look after the oil platforms and the people who work on them.

The dramatic footage captures exactly what it was like to be on board a ship being battered by strong waves as Storm Gertrude caused chaos across Britain last month.  The clip shows powerful waves – some estimated to be around 100-foot high – crashing against the vessel, brutally rocking it from side to side and soaking the entire deck. The boat can be heard creaking under the weight of the storm as it brutally rocks from side to side in the choppy water.

December 2016

End of Year Message from Jonathan Eddy, CEO

Once again the holiday season is approaching and with it, the end of another year. 

2015 has been a year of substantial change and development, at the end of which we are still aiming to accomplish improved results, with a priority to exceed our customer’s needs and expectations.

July saw the acquisition of Monitor Marine International, a highly strategic transaction and an excellent acquisition which complements our existing Marine product range, offering the opportunity to expand our presence and product range into the superyacht and bespoke tender markets.

With over £1 million of investment in new plant and equipment during this year alone, the company continues to grow its product base and technical abilities.

The Rail department has seen the addition of several new team members to help with the exciting developments and growth of this expanding sector, with key members of the team now regularly out on the road meeting face to face with customers, attending key trade shows and networking events.

Hepworth was awarded Best Newcomer to RailTex in the second quarter of the year, as well as being presented with the Manufacturing Achievement Award at the Made in the Midlands ceremony in October. I am also proud to be able to announce that we won our category in the Manufacturer MX Awards for Supply Chain Excellence, reflecting external commendations for Hepworth continued improvement.
The Fabrications division is currently the fastest growing part of the business, with an increasing customer base. The division has penetrated a number of new markets, offering superb quality and service, whilst improving processes, capacity and capabilities as a result of implementing strategic investment in this sector of the organisation.

Within Hepworth, we have launched a number of new strategies and we will monitor and improve these throughout 2016, ensuring that we put the customer at the heart of everything we do, showing our customers how we can support their needs by providing sound technical advice where needed, flexibility where possible and a large range of specialised products and services.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my personal gratitude to the whole of the Hepworth team for their hard work and dedication to this company, without which we would not achieve the successes we have. It is of real value to both myself and to all of our customers.

Every New Year is a fresh beginning with great ambitions and a fitting time to refresh commitments. Hepworth International look forward to a successful and prosperous 2016.

Jonathan Eddy CEO

December 2015

Monitor Marine orders still grow…

Monitor Marine orders for both SuperYacht and Tender installations continue to grow as do new customer accounts as a direct result of an active worldwide marketing program.

After successful Boat Shows earlier this year, we are also experiencing higher production volume from our schedule order boat-builders.
As part of the Hepworth strategy, new products are now being added to both the Deckware and Cabin range and include a smaller (50mm) SnapShut and Finger Pull, a Mini Pad Eye – Strap type, 1 Tonne Connectors with awning attachments, 70mm Deck Drains with either standard or bespoke logo grills as well as “satin” or powder coated finished range of Hatch Handles.

Customers can now order a “suite” of fittings from 50mm, 70mm, 80mm and 100mm diameter which all have the same theme for on deck or interior lockers and hatches.

All these new additions to the range were shown at a very successful METS Trade Show in Amsterdam and were very well received with customers already placing orders as a result.

Back in 2010, Hepworth removed a bespoke solution in favour of a company-wide SAP Business One solution. This provided the company with clear and accurate analysis of its inventory, enabling it to successfully manage and forecast demand and make significant savings on third-party reporting, plus improvements in its supply chain management.

Mark Wise, Managing Director at B Hepworth, said the accolade reflected the hard work of the team at the performance wiper system specialists.  “We are delighted and very proud to receive an award at this year’s MX Awards ceremony, especially in such prestigious company,” he said, before continuing  “it is a great boost to the team to get recognition for the business improvements we have made and the successful projects undertaken in true collaboration with our supply chain partners and our customers. We are looking forward to building on this success and generating new initiatives that we can showcase as exemplars of great British manufacturing in the future.”

As part of winning the accolade, Hepworth had to go through three rounds of judging. After submitting their initial application, judges then visited Hepworth’s factory in Worcestershire before a final round of judging in front of industry experts.

Pictured are Craig Bagnall, Finance Director (left) and Mark Wise, Managing Director (right) proudly holding their awards.

November 2015

Monitor Marine manufacturing moves to Redditch!

Manufacture of all Monitor Marine products is now in full swing at our Hepworth site in Redditch, England in accordance with ISO9001:2008 Quality Standards and without any delays to customer delivery schedules.

The recently introduced 1 Tonne SWL Multi-Purpose Plug-In Connector has been tested by Lloyds British and the 5:1 load strength factor was exceeded, when only the shackle gave way at over 6.5 tonnes loading!! There was no damage to the Connector.

There are numerous applications for the Monitor Flush-Fit Connectors, apart from being used as lift points for tenders etc. A light aircraft manufacturer in the USA has ordered three 1 Tonne Connectors which will be fitted to the underside of the wings and nose. Having little or no windage in flight, they will safely anchor the parked plane in all weather conditions.

There will be a number new product developments being exhibited at the METS Show in November and will include a 75mm diameter range of deck drains which can be supplied with bespoke logo designs. Orders have already been placed for the newly launched Monitor Maintenance Kit which will service all lock assemblies and Connectors. 

Nick Hussey, CEO of Hennik Group, publishers of The Manufacturer magazine and organisers of the awards said: “It is an incredible achievement to have been shortlisted – these are the largest and most rigorously judged awards in the sector so any company being shortlisted will have provided evidence to the judges of a superior level of understanding of what makes modern UK manufacturing so vibrant and competitive.  Manufacturing is very much alive and well and the shortlisted companies are exemplars of what advanced manufacturing looks like in terms of sustainability, innovation and world class competitiveness”.
 
Companies shortlisted in 8 of this year’s categories will now begin the process of the judging team visiting their factories for assessment before an intensive Judging Day brings together all finalists for face-to-face presentations to the panel on October 14.  The winners will be crowned at The ICC, Birmingham on November 26, where more than 1,000 industry leaders will come together for a night of reward, recognition and celebration.

July 2015

Hepworth International Rail Department contact changes

We are restructuring employee positions within the organisation, which will result in some changes in points of contact.

This will affect the following employees and will become effective from the 1st September 2015.

Ian Lockett – Rail Technical Sales Manager
Ian will be responsible for project management of all overhauls and retrofit projects as well as supporting new sales development.

Alastair Timmis – Rail Account Manager
Alastair will be responsible for the project management of existing projects and new sales enquiries. He will also be responsible for new sales development.

Alison Rennison – Rail Sales Administrator
Alison will be responsible for supporting the day to day project management for new and existing projects.

Adam Lockett – Aftersales Technical Support
Adam will be responsible for all aftersales issues. He will also be responsible for site visits relating to service work, first fits and warranty issues.

Sebastian Matuszyk – Warranty Engineer
Sebastian will be responsible for our warranty returns and service department. He will manage all returns, carry out investigations and provide technical reports on all returned items.

Rob Fallon – Warranty Assistant
Rob will be responsible for supporting the day to day operation of the warranty returns and service department.

Hepworth was awarded Best Newcomer to Railtex and, in addition to the engraved glass trophy that was presented to Ian Lockett and Tim Bell by Roy Walker, Guest presenter for Railtex, Hepworth was given membership to Rail Alliance for the next 12 months.

Alastair Timmis, Rail Account Manager stated: “Railtex was an extremely successful show bringing in many new enquiries superceding our initial expectations of the show. Following a growing global trend, a large number of the enquiries were for our Electrical Wiper System to replace ageing Pneumatic Wiper Systems.”

iverpool is a city that has been Cunard’s home from the beginning in 1840, until 1967. When Queen Mary 2 arrived on 24 May, she hosted a Champagne reception and lunch. On 25 May all three Queens reunited in Liverpool for the first time in history. Sailing in formation and meeting on the famous waterfront of their spiritual home, the fleet performed a water ballet together, creating a spectacular one-off event. Thousands of people viewed the display from the banks of the Mersey, which was later concluded with a brilliant firework display.
Hepworth would like to congratulate Cunard and thank them for the confidence they have in Hepworth’s high performance wiper systems.

Image of three Queens vessels courtesy of Cunard.

Hepworth International exhibited examples of their stainless steel and aluminium fabrications, precision castings and assemblies at last week’s Expo. Also on show were marine and rail wiper components, and electrical controllers together with automotive exterior trims, all manufactured in Hepworth’s Redditch factory.

Sales Director, Peter Turnock commented – “It was an extremely rewarding day, with numerous sales enquiries and new potential clients trying to source a total service of design engineering in custom-made, precision fabrications”

Working closely with member companies, SMMT acts as the voice of the motor industry, promoting its position to government, stakeholders and the media. Enabling the UK motor industry to fulfil its potential, SMMT addresses the major issues that impact on the automotive sector.

As we already supply our products to the Commercial Vehicle and Automotive industries as a Tier 1 & 2 supplier, Hepworth are planning to expand their product range for both the OEM’s and after-market areas.

April 2015

Inmar Systems is cornering the market!

Our agent in the US, Inmar Systems, has supplied the following Wynn Straight Line Wiper Systems for the vessels detailed below.  These heavy duty wiper and control systems are ideal for large ocean-going vessels, or vessels requiring maximum coverage.  The Type D has an externally mounted motor, and the Type C has an internally mounted motor.  These straight line wipers offer the most advanced design of linear action window wiping systems for marine and other specialist applications.

National Security Cutters, the flagships of the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet, are designed to replace the 378 foot Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters, which entered service during the 1960s. NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120.

The Legend-class NSC is capable of meeting all maritime security mission needs required of the high-endurance cutter. It is the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutter in the Coast Guard, with robust capabilities for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions.

April 2015

Hepworth Rail Road Trip taking the the USA and Canada by storm!

Hepworth Rail are currently out in the USA and Canada visiting our clients, suppliers and prospective customers, and forging and cementing relationships in order to further develop our business prospects.

Alastair Timmis, Rail Account Manager and Ian Lockett, Rail Aftersales Manager have been to Seattle, Sacramento and Los Angeles via San Francisco, and then headed off to Ontario, Canada before working their way back down the East coast to Delaware, just south of New York before flying home.  Alastair said: “It has been a very valuable and successful trip with the Rail team obtaining many new enquiries and orders. It was a beneficial experience for both the company and customers by paying them a personal visit, where we were able to talk about our products and services face to face.  In this age of the internet, emails and mobile phones it is all too easy to lose the personal approach and being able to build working relationships with the very people we are supporting.  I think that our continuing road trips are proving that we cannot, as a company, forget this very important aspect of our customer service.”

epworth attended the Dubai Boat Show with our agent Brook Marine, who had built a big stand with working wiper displays on either end. Venu Kayyil and his team were, as ever, extremely helpful and the show itself was a real eye opener. Mainly aimed at yachts and their equipment, there were some incredibly expensive toys on show; a different area of the industry for us, as Hepworth are usually found exhibiting at offshore shows.

At the Istanbul exhibition we joined Mete Tarihmen and his team from Nemo Marine, our marine agent for Turkey. The exhibition was relatively quiet, however we will be making a return visit in May to visit previous, current and potential customers. Vietnam is one of the rising stars of shipbuilding, having recently become the 5th largest in the world by tonnage build (in 2010 they were 11th). The Inmex Vietnam exhibition was small in size but big in potential and there have already been a number of enquiries with more to follow, after many enthusiastic replies.

There were even surprise visits from Eugene Wee from Noah, and Aaron Smith and Samuel Huy from A.M.I, our agent in Australia. Servi visited us to showcase some of their own products in the hope of gaining our approval on further collaboration, which could have big consequences and increase our competitiveness considerably. Hepworth was happy to welcome them all and look forward to seeing them again, June 2 – 5 in Oslo for Norway’s Norshipping exhibition.

April 2015

Rail news update…

The Rail Division has recently secured a contract for the Canadian Kingston & Vancouver new build train projects, 40 sets to be built and shipped to Millhaven in Canada beginning in May 2015.

Jonathan finishes off by saying: “Since 2010 we have been manufacturing our products in two to three weeks, but we aim to half this to five to ten days in the future, which will mean our customers won’t have to order in advance and will make us more efficient. Meanwhile, over the next three to five years, it is our goal to reach up to £30 million in turnover; this will be reached through both organic and acquisitional growth.”

The 3,600-passenger vessel, featuring B Hepworth’s Type C’s wipers systems with 6000 Series controllers, is the largest cruise ship designed for the British holiday market, according to operator P&O.

The Britannia’s home port will be Southampton for the summer months after being built in Italy at a cost of almost half a billion pounds sterling; she will sail from Southampton during the summer and from the Caribbean in the winter.

The 141,000-tonne ship can hold up to 3,600 passengers and 1,500 crew, and features a 94m (308ft) union jack on its bow.   There are 15 passenger decks, 13 places to eat and 13 bars, four swimming pools and nine places to enjoy the entertainment and, at 330m (1,082ft), the ship is longer than the Shard is tall!

Britannia will make its maiden voyage to Spain, Italy and France on 14 March.

Image courtesy of BBC News Hampshire and Isle of Wight

February 2015

Kinetic Light Sculpture

Hepworth’s Fabrication division machined all the copper metal work for the amazing Kinetic Light Sculpture by Hugo Light Design who are located in London.

With this being such a unique vehicle aesthetically, and its sister car the Ariel Atom being an iconic sports car, B Hepworth and Co Ltd, a Midlands-based manufacturer of high performance bespoke windscreen wiper systems was excited to have the opportunity to work with Ariel to develop the Nomad’s wiper system.  The project began in 2012; dual pendulum wrap-over wipers and wiper arms with a 50Nm motor were used, but there were some complex challenges for their design team to overcome, most notably packaging the system around the structure of the vehicle.