Inside Rotork UK at Leeds

A sales subsidiary adding value to the experience provided to customers.

Rotork UK has occupied purpose designed new premises at Leeds since September 2014.

Introduction
The BVAA recently visited the headquarters of Rotork UK in Leeds. As a Rotork subsidiary, Rotork UK incorporates the UK sales and customer support operations for Rotork Controls, Rotork Fluid Systems and Rotork Gears. Leeds is also a Rotork stocking centre and houses one of Rotork’s UK Site Services operations, dedicated to 24/7 asset management support of companies and industries throughout the UK and Ireland.

Supported by regional centres at Bath and Glasgow, the modern 7,450 m² Leeds manufacturing and operation facility provides the focus for customers for the complete suite of flow control products and services available from Rotork.

The role of the subsidiary
Richard Holbrook, the Regional General Manager of Rotork UK, explains the importance and benefits of the subsidiary structure, which he describes as: “A customer facing business providing products from all Rotork’s divisions and Site Services locally. It gives us a clear focus on customers, enabling the local delivery the complete sales and fulfilment processes, after sales care and service support. The development of close customer relationships assists the provision of complete solutions, drawing on the full range of Rotork products. And, of course, it makes it easier for the customers to deal with Rotork.”

The facilities at Leeds support Rotork UK as the leading supplier of valve actuation solutions and service support to the UK power, water and chemical industries. The site is also a Centre of Excellence for complete valve actuation solutions, serving customers with project management encompassing assembly, test and inspection, installation, commissioning, servicing and preventative maintenance. The extensive workshop and valve automation centre is staffed by engineers trained and qualified to deliver overhauls, repairs and factory fitting of actuators to free-issued valves. Field service engineers operate throughout the country providing preventative maintenance, repairs, upgrades, installation, commissioning, health checks, loan actuators and shutdown services.

Richard continues: “When an end user needs to replace an actuator or automate a manual valve there is often more work required than just supplying the actuator. As a sales and service subsidiary we have the capabilities to design and deliver complete mechanical and electrical packages and system integration with the control room.”

“For some power station customers we remove, overhaul, re-install and commission over 200 actuators in our workshop during a maintenance shutdown. When requested we carry out additional actuation projects simultaneously to ensure that customers make the most of their shutdown time. Tasks include preventative maintenance, making sure actuators are fully functional, upgrading and replacing obsolete products, overhaul and testing both on and off-site.”

Framework agreements are an important part of Rotork UK’s activity. Water company frameworks include United Utilities, Seven Trent, Yorkshire, Thames, South West, South East, Wessex and Scottish Water.

Manufacture and test
The Leeds facility is the worldwide headquarters of Rotork Gears, which manufactures an extensive range of valve gearboxes, both quarter-turn and multi-turn, designed to withstand harsh operating environments including subsea and nuclear. Some gearbox ranges are manufactured at Leeds and all of them are tested in the facility. The emphasis on testing is important, as unlike some other gearbox manufacturers, Rotork Gears tests every size of all its products. Matthew Knapton heads the team at Leeds that is responsible for research, product development and testing of the entire Rotork Gears portfolio of products manufactured in the UK, The Netherlands, Italy, China, India and the USA. He explains: “We are investing heavily in new products and new equipment with which to test them. For example, our engineers are currently completing the development of a new rig which is capable of testing gearboxes with up to 400 tons thrust and 100,000 Nm output torque.

“At any one time specialist design engineering teams are working on several projects, optimising designs, meeting new specifications, designing new models and increasing the output performance range of products at both ends of the scale. They are assisted by the new product introduction team, which takes the product from design to production. Two of the main areas of activity at the moment involve new products and the development and testing of products to meet the latest specifications for the nuclear power industry.”

In addition to gearboxes, Rotork Gears also provides a complete range of mounting kits, chain wheels, pedestals and accessories for the valve and actuation industry.

Much of Rotork Fluid Systems attention at Leeds is centred on the Skilmatic range of intelligent electro-hydraulic failsafe actuators for safety related valve control. Skilmatic activity includes manufacturing, research, development and testing, sales and after sales support for the worldwide Rotork sales network. In addition, as a Rotork Fluid Systems Centre of Excellence, the Leeds facility provides sales, custom engineered solutions and stock distribution of all Rotork pneumatic, hydraulic and electro-hydraulic products throughout the UK and Ireland.

Tel: 01225 733 200
Email: information@rotork.com
Web: www.rotork.com

Published: 17th February 2016