Established in 1977, Contract Chemicals has grown significantly over the last 29 years to become a leading international supplier of fine and speciality chemicals. Success has been achieved through a commitment to continuously improve our competitiveness, and by working to the highest levels of accreditation for quality, health and safety, environment and management systems, an essential requirement for all our customers.

Based in Knowsley near Liverpool, Contract Chemicals are a BS EN ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 accredited independent manufacturer of fine organic chemicals.

Key product markets include agrochemical, pharmaceutical, photographic and flavour and fragrances, all highly regulated industries characterised by an exacting requirement for quality and consistency. Products from our extensive range can be found in everything from market-leading antibiotics and anti-hypertension drugs through to photographic paper and salt and vinegar potato crisps.

The company has sales of over £20 million per annum, 65% of which are exports to markets including the USA, Germany, Eire, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, India, Korea, and Japan.

Harry Wilson, the works engineer, is tasked with ensuring that Contract Chemicals’ extensive array of reactors, distillation systems, drying facilities and product handling systems is maintained correctly and operates at optimum efficiency. In this industry, as with so many others, poor product quality or late delivery is not acceptable.

Harry uses ultrasound to routinely scan for faults on lined process pipes leading to and from reactors. On one occasion he was able to highlight a break down of the lining leading to minute ingress leaks. Chips and cracks in glassware, as well as pinholes in stainless steel pipework, have also been detected.

Using his ATEX Approved Ultraprobe 2000, Harry has improved vacuum on process reactors to such an extent that the process vacuum can be pulled down to 3mbar (believed to be the best ever achieved). Because the vacuum is so good, product quality and yield have improved and turn round time reduced.

The Ultraprobe is also routinely used for many other leak detection tasks, particularly on nitrogen and air lines around the process plant. Harry successfully completed the 5-day Ultrasound Level 1 course held at the National Fluid Power Centre in Worksop last year and is planning to utilise the ultraprobe for more applications.

Many thanks to Harry for his contribution.

Had an interesting occurrence during a demonstration of motor test equipment at a rewind company in Grangemouth recently. After I had performed a number of offline (de-energised) tests on a series of different motors, I was presented with a small 3 phase motor which was in for repair.

I tested the unit in the usual way using the automated feature on the All Test IV and obtained perfectly balanced readings. It was only when I did the insulation test that the motor failed. I was then told that the motor had been flooded with water at some stage, and that the rewind company had failed the motor on insulation test and scheduled the motor for a complete rewind.

The results I had obtained suggest that the windings are in perfect condition and that the short to ground exists elsewhere. It may even be that thorough drying would correct the problem.

In this instance, savings would be modest because in all probability a small motor of this type would simply be replaced. However there would be big savings in both money and time to be had, if the same situation had arisen with a larger or more exotic motor.

E-mail us or call on 01424 437000 for a complimentary PowerPoint presentation on motor testing.

On-site training:

We appreciate that for many companies, it is difficult or inconvenient for key members of staff to attend off site training courses. We offer on site half day workshops on any of our products (particularly ultrasound and infrared) in addition to the courses and events listed below. Please contact me directly on ejeremy@alpine-components.co.uk if you would like to arrange one.

Ultrasound Level 1 Course - 13th to 17th November 2006, National Fluid Power Centre, Worksop:

The National Fluid Power Centre in Worksop exceeded my expectations during last year's level 1 course. Despite having a record 28 students on the course rather than the anticipated 18, the centre coped admirably, offering help well beyond the call of duty!

With the growing number of digital Ultraprobe users (9000 and the 10K) much of the course's focus will be directed to analysis, trending and reporting of data as well as covering all the major applications.

I'm sure the mix of a tremendous conference / classroom area, coupled with an extensive practical laboratory all on the same floor, will make this year's course equally popular.

We have started taking bookings for the course.

Infrared training:

Introduction to Thermography (One day course)...

• 14th June 2006 -- Stirling Management Centre
• 25th July 2006 -- Brands Hatch Thistle
• 5th September 2006 -- Manchester Airport
• 2nd November 2006 -- Stirling Management Centre

Level 1 (5 Days)

• Monday 19th to Friday 23rd June 2006 -- Dublin, Ireland
• Monday 17th to Friday 21st July -- Milton Keynes
• Monday 18th to Friday 22nd September -- Stirling Management Centre
• Monday 20th to Friday 24th November -- Milton Keynes

Level 2 (5 Days)

• Monday 2nd to Friday 6th October -- Kent

It is always good to receive your feedback on any product we have sold or rented. If you have a success story that you would like to share with others in a future newsletter, then please do get in touch.

HTML e-mail format - If you cannot read the contents of this e-mail, please reply entering the words "please forward plain text version" in the subject line. We will then arrange for all future newsletters to be sent to you in plain text format.

Unsubscribe - To unsubscribe from our newsletters, please reply to this e-mail with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Contact Us - Jeremy Lineham, Mike Trim, Toni Simmonds, Jon Hill