Association News and Events
Road Improvements
 For
many years employers, employees and visitors have criticised
the condition of the roads of the Heanor Gate Industrial
Park. Heanor Gate Association has not been idle and has
done much lobbying of politicians and Bowmer and Kirkland.
The Association is now delighted to announce that in the
near future you will be able to not only see, but also feel
the fruits of its labours, as you drive along freshly laid
surfaces akin to a snooker table...Heanor gate Road will
be resurfaced using an innovative, environmentally friendly
recycling process, a method performed by a specialist company
soon to be disclosing the date of commencement!
The Association expresses its gratitude
to Councillor Geoff Carlile, Cabinet Member for Regeneration
of the Derbyshire County Council and Ralph Jones Managing
Director of Peveril Securities Limited for their help.
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As a leading supplier of approved additives for animal
feed and human food, Roche Vitamins
(UK) Ltd at Heanor are bringing colour to the food
we eat by manufacturing and supplying natures owns colouring
agents called 'carotenoids'. Carotenoids
from Roche are high quality nature-identical colour pigments.
Many years have been spent identifying and isolating the
most effective carotenoids found in nature. By copying the
structure of these natural pigments in the laboratory, Roche
are able to provide a pure molecule with well defined properties.
In nature caretenoids are almost everywhere in bacteria,
plankton, fungi, fish, reptiles, insects, birds, mammals,
flowers, leaves and fruit. More than 600 different carotenoids
have been identified so far. The most familiar is beta-carotene,
the orange-red pigment in carrots, which was discovered
almost 200 years ago and gives its name to a whole class
of compounds. Synthesised around the globe by plants, fungi
and certain bacteria at a rate of some three tonnes every
second, carotenoids show great diversity of structure, function
and colour.
Together with the green pigment chlorophyll, carotenoids
are the basis of life on earth. They play a key role in
photosynthesis; a metabolic process which enables some organisms
to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic material
using energy from light. Carotenoids are also needed to
protect organic molecules from being destroyed by oxidation.
Since animals and humans, cannot make carotenoids from simpler
molecules, they are totally dependant on the amount supplied
in either feed or food. In this respect carotenoids are
lie vitamins. Indeed, some carotenoids are converted in
the body to vitamin A, which is essential for vision, growth,
reproduction, proper development of the skin and mucous
membranes of the body and resistance to infection. For herbivores
and vegans, carotenoids are in fact the only natural source
of vitamin A. Throughout nature carotenoids play an important
role in communication, without them seeing would not be
possible, smell and taste would also be impaired. Both animals
and plants use the colours of carotenoids as signals and
triggers in communication.
Plants use colours to lure insects and birds and so ensure
fertilisation and the spread of their seeds.
The distinctive colours of some fruits, insects and animals
are a warning that they are not edible. Some creatures protect
themselves by adopting colours that blend into their surroundings.
Many change their colours to indicate they are ready to
mate or to defend their territory.
Carotenoid colouring is a sign of good health. Since Darwin's
time we have known that throughout the animal kingdom, the
flashiest males have the best chance of finding a mate.
But it was only recently that researchers discovered why
this is so. Males that can afford to use carotenoids as
ornaments are healthier and stronger. One reason why females
are not usually highly coloured is that they need to pass
on their carotenoids to their off spring. This is especially
important for egg-layers such as birds and some fish (e.g.
the salmon family). In the rapidly growing embryo, the high
rate of metabolism produces lots of dangerous free radicals;
the molecules responsible for causing oxidative damage.
By transferring large stores of carotenoids to colour the
egg yolk, the mother protects the developing embryo against
this oxidative damage. In wild birds and farm poultry, loss
of pigmentation because of disease, sickness or nutritional
deficiency is associated with fertility.
Poultry need carotenoids for healthy
growth, metabolism and reproduction but like humans carotenoids
cannot be produced in their body. In the wild birds
can select the best sources of carotenoids by eating the
natural vegetation. Farm animals today, however, depend
solely on the feed provided. To be sure that the amounts
of carotenoids are adequate, it has become common practice
in the poultry industry to add, as a supplement to the poultry
feed, pure carotenoids supplied by Roche Vitamins (UK) Ltd.
By carefully choosing the right combination of carotenoids,
from both plant origin material and feed supplements, the
feed producer can provide poultry with just the right levels
to promote the health of the bird whilst at the same time
giving a deep golden-orange yolk colour....... a sign of
good quality egg to the vast majority of UK consumers.
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Advanced Composites Group Prepares for the Future
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 Considerable
financial investment, solid management and outstanding performance
during the past 3 years has ensured that ACG is organised
and equipped to meet its bold expectations for future sales
growth. An extensive capital expenditure programme is set
to continue the process.
The purchase an implementation of a new package of computer
software to provide ACG with a new integrated business system
is currently underway. This system will speed up the control
and administration of almost every area of ACG business.
ACG's Technical Centre has been through a complete reorganisation
to house all of the Group's fundamental research activities
into materials and processes, as well as the more routine
product testing and composite laminate characterisation
work that has become an increasingly important part of customer
service.
The Group's manufacturing division ACM has increased production
dramatically in the past few years to keep pace with demand.
There has been extensive investment in production equipment
including 2 hot melt fabric impregnation machines and 3
unidirectional tape lines that operate around the clock
to provide a total combined production capability of nearly
1.5 million square metres of prepeg per annum. In addition,
the unidirectional tape lines have recently been re-equipped
with the most modern creel sets, and full air-conditioning
has been installed in the production areas, both having
a positive effect on product quality. Improvements have
also been achieved with the installation of new warming
ovens and mixers for the production area and walk-in freezers
are now operational for the storage of the materials undergoing
quality checks.
The composite component and mould tool manufacturing activities
of the group have been enhanced by the introduction of CATIA
workstation facilities. This CAD system is the aerospace
industry standard and will enable ACG to undertake work
for aerospace companies worldwide with increased efficiency.
The planned installation of a 5-axis CNC machine centre
will also provide the Group with a fully integrated design
and manufacturing service for patterns, mould tools and
components.
A dedicated training centre was commissioned earlier this
year that offers both standard and customised training courses
in composite mould tool and part manufacture, as well as
in composite laminating and processing for groups of up
to 8 people at a time in the fully equipped workshop. The
courses provide sound instruction in the theory and practice
of tool and component and manufacture, based on over 25
years manufacturing activity.
ACG operates in the aerospace, motor sport, automotive,
marine and defense markets and currently employs some 250
people in Heanor and USA.
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Bowers Electrical Ltd.
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 Bowers
Electricals Ltd have announced a major redevelopment of
their workshops at their main factory in Heanor, which will
allow easier flow through the workshops and also the handling
of much larger equipment.
The company is already well known for its supply of both
knew and refurbished industrial electrical equipment, such
as transformers, HV and LV switchgear plus the repairs and
rewinds of all its equipment, together with electrical motors,
alternators etc. The limiting factor has been mainly due
to handling facilities, which have been up to 20 tonnes.
The major development in this programme is the increased
facilities to 40 tonnes lifting and the development of a
specific area for Grid type transformers.
The company, besides increasing the cranage is installing
variable frequency test sets, flash testing equipment for
handling 33kV to 66kV transformers. Michael Bowers, the
Group Director, stated, "This is a major development
due the amount of Grid type transformers we are supplying
both to the UK and overseas, as there are limited facilities
in the UK for the repair and servicing of this type of equipment."
The company has received orders for a quantity of these
Grid type transformers over the last year and the handling
of this type of equipment previously has been very difficult.
The developments also include new printing facilities and
a drying oven together with specific testing facilities.
Other major developments undertaken by the company are:
- The complete re-layout of the servicing and manufacture
of HV and LV switchgear,with improved testing facilities.
- The re-layout of the motor and transformer winding machine
areas.
- Improvements in the distribution transformer and the
distribution packaging substation workshops, to make easier
flow of production.
- The reorganisation of the machine shop facilities.
- A new shop has also been laid out for a new area that
the company is developing for dealing with train and tram
bogies, including new re-tyring of the wheels.
Michael Bowers finished with the comment, "The benefit
to clients will be very major indeed. Our company policy
is to get as many customers as possible to visit the works,
so they can fully appreciate all the facilities that are
available under one roof."
Lightning Fast Turn Around
Bowers Electrical received an urgent
call from one of the contractors, who help to maintain equipment
at some of the Ministry of Defense sites, for a 10MVA 33000/11000v
transformer which, although it was very urgently required,
had to be fully overhauled to the customer specification.
Bowers Electrical managed to complete the task within 7
days and at the same time agreed to take in for servicing
and possible repair, two similar 10MVA transformers from
the customer's site.
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D. B. BROOKS (ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS) LTD - We have the
power to control!
 D.B.Brooks
Ltd was founded in 1974 as an electrical installation company
servicing predominately the Animal Feed, Flour Milling and
Grain handling industries.
In 1980 they moved to their present site, centrally based
in Heanor Derbyshire, where control panels could be designed,
built and tested under one roof.
As technology changed, the company expanded again to include
in-house design software. This expansion extended their
works and offices and was completed in the Autumn of 1998.
The existing site still offers scope for further expansion
as and when required.
Existing clients rely on their ability to work from the
most basic of flow diagrams and information, their experience
is backed up by site surveys which further enhances the
service.
D.B.Brooks Ltd strength lies in three main complementary
engineering disciplines and this allows them to bring a
single source approach to the project. This releases their
clients from the time consuming and potentially fraught
area of interfacing between panel builder, site installer
and software engineer. By combining these elements they
are able to provide co-ordinated project management from
initial enquiry to commission ending with the high quality
project documentation and on going service support contracts.
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Education in Business Developments in Amber Valley and
Erewash
Derbyshire Education Business Partnership
is a country wide organisation which runs a variety of education
and business link activities in your area. These include,
Work Experience, Mentoring, Teacher Placements into industry
and Work Related Learning.
Recently, Young Engineers for Britain
and Neighbourhood Engineers
teamed up with K'Nex in the
Junior Engineers for Britain
challenge. The aim of the challenge, nationally and locally,
was to provide school children with an introduction to the
world of engineering.
To promote the engineering industry in the Amber Valley
and Erewash areas, Derbyshire EBP
facilitated the K'Nex challenge
with William Howitt Juniors,
a local Heanor School.
Prior to the pupils undertaking the challenge, they listened
to local chemical engineer Debbie Rodgers who talked about
the diversity of the engineering sector as well as promoting
equal opportunities.
Approximately 75 pupils in Year 5 had their opportunity
to be engineers for the afternoon; all demonstrated their
creativity and ingenuity by designing and making a model,
which could go on or underwater, with
K'Nex construction kits. Debbie subsequently judged
these utilising her experience and knowledge in the field
commenting. "These types of activities in school are
excellent, not only for the children but for local businesses
to get involved with too; they are an incredibly worthwhile
experience for all concerned." The winners, Karl
Gillott and Harry Bates
went on to represent Southern Derbyshire in the regional
final held at Boots, Nottingham.
Kerry Lowe, DEBP commented,
"Local business support is always vital for the education
and business link initiatives such as the K'Nex challenge
to be successful."
Anyone interested in finding out more about
initiatives that are planned in the Erewash and Amber Valley
areas, please contact:
Kerry Lowe on 01332 592146 or Dave
Millichap on 01332 592047
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Work based Learning Benefits for All
 South
East Derbyshire College and Employer Direct play a major
role locally in the Government funded Work Based Learning
Schemes which are designed to raise the skills level of
the future workforce and enable businesses to invest directly
in their future success.
The schemes, designed for businesses large and small, aim
to develop the individual's knowledge and skills within
the workplace environment and present a real opportunity
for people wanting to learn outside the traditional further
and higher education systems.
Work Based Training schemes for young people are available
under the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme - working towards
NVQ level 2 or 3; Youth Training is available for those
needing additional support; also Preparatory Training as
a 12 week programme introducing young people to future schemes.
The employer provides work experience and vocational development
whilst paying the young person a wage or training allowance.
The cost of training is supplemented by
Local Learning Skills Council through both South
East Derbyshire College and Employer
Direct.
The college, in consultation with the employer and young
person, compiles an individual training plan based on the
needs of both the business and trainee. The college then
delivers all the off-the-job training and monitors the young
person's progress.
If your business has a suitable vacancy then contact either
Derbyshire Careers Services
or South East Derbyshire College
for information.
South East Derbyshire College
also delivers the Governments New Deal Scheme locally which
is designed for:
- Young people aged 18-24 who have been unemployed for
at least 6 months and claiming Jobseeker's Allowance
- Jobseekers aged 25 and over who have been unemployed
for more than 2 years.
New Deal clients are able to work towards a qualification
of NVQ level 2 or equivalent. On the Full Time Education
and Training Option, time spent on work placements enables
trainees to practice their skills in the workplace whilst
allowing employers to assess possible new recruits.
The Work Based Learning team works with both employers
and New Deal clients during the duration of the work placement.
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Parkers Piece
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