Maintenance expo

Maintec 2013 returns to the NEC, Birmingham, from 5-7 March, with a catch line 'Maintenance as a driver for business value' – echoing the industry's mandate to move from a cost to a profit centre. As last year, the exhibition includes not only most of the expected exhibitors, showing their plant-related maintenance equipment and services, but also the so-called Learnshop free seminar programme. Additionally, following good reports last year, Hazex returns to cover the world of hazardous areas, with product vendors and its own seminar programme. However, new for this year is a conference which organiser EasyFairs says is aimed at senior maintenance professionals, again mirroring the show's stated theme of strategic value through maintenance. As we go to press, the agenda has yet to be firmed up, but key speakers so far include: Graham Darch, regional engineering manager at Britvic; Ian Rigby, engineering manager with Pepsico; and John Davenport, operations director at Alcon. Among others due to make an appearance are Paul Dennis, technical facilities manager with Experian, and Dr Sethuraman Muthuraman, condition monitoring engineer at Scottish & Southern Energy. As for those Learnshops, there are 38 this year across the show's two theatres – all designed to help maintenance engineers and technicians save money and increase efficiency, while also improving asset care. Content may vary, so check online before you travel. However, as we go to press, highlights on day one include: 'Implementation of an efficient asset management system using plant condition monitoring' by Ian Pledger and Ian Taylor of Schaeffler; 'Application of acoustic emissions' by the renowned Dr Trevor Holroyd, of Parker Kittiwake Holroyd; and 'Web-based condition monitoring' by David Manning Ohren of Eriks. Day two focuses on energy and efficiency. Highlights include: Idhammar managing director John Roberts exploring the link between OEE, ROI and energy saving; Robin Buller of KRR ProStream, focusing on the 'big four' (balancing, shaft alignment, looseness and resonance); and George Varga, of SPM Instrument, who will look at the economic benefits of condition-based maintenance. Then, day three moves on to hazards, services and online systems. Ones to watch: C-Cubed's technical director Dr John Atkinson examining web-based predictive maintenance; and David Woods, of TA Cook Consultants, on how to get the best out of contract technicians. Moving on to Hazex, there are more dedicated Learnshops, including one from Sira Test and Certification, which will cover IECEx, the world's first certification scheme for people working in notified hazardous areas. Turning to the show floor itself, this year sees new names, including AW Chesterton, Decksafe Solutions, Ernst Schad, Intertek, James Walker, Keytracker, Lubricus Grutzner, Metool and Saacke Combustion. Meanwhile, among the old guard, look out for Beko Technologies, CRC Industries, Fluke, Schaeffler, Thermal Energy International, Valveforce and MCP Consulting and Training. Beko, for example, says it will outline how it helped an unnamed car manufacturer replace old dryers and reduce running costs, while also improving air quality. Its initial project was to replace two dryers but energy savings were so convincing that the plant changed all four. TEI intends to reveal how its Flu-Ace condensing heat recovery system at Premier Foods is saving £110,000 per year in gas alone. As for Fluke, expect to see its CNX wireless system, which enables remote simultaneous parameter reading for both monitoring and troubleshooting. Valveforce will show its pneumatic control valves for fluids, such as thermal oil, steam, water, nitrogen and natural gases. Finally, watch out for Schaeffler, MCP Consulting and Training, and Newson Gale – the latter in the Hazex area. Aside from showing its range of systems for condition monitoring of plant and machinery, Schaeffler will be demonstrating its remote condition monitoring system for wind turbines. Then, MCP will be exploring what it takes to get machine operators involved in asset care. And Newson Gale says it will showcase its Bond-Rite static earthing clamps and static grounding systems – essential for plant safety.