BVAA Comment Articles
Inspirational!: Comment By BVAA Director Rob Bartlett
The bonds and friendships made in early years are often the strongest. So too can be the influences we have in those formative times.
I, like many...
Valve User Issue 46
By BVAA Director Rob Bartlett: Making a Contribution?
We all know the type. ‘First out the taxi, last in the pub.’ The person who manages to reap all the benefits of our friendship group, but makes a rare...
Valve User Issue 45
Chairman’s Report: Proud of our Past, Developing our Future
As I drew toward the end of my three-year tour as the BVAA Chairman, I was very surprised to learn that I had also been on the BVAA’s Board for 15 yea...
Valve User Issue 44
Lessons in Life!: Or alternatively - have faith!
The draughty and crumbling 300 year old farmhouse where I grew up owed its continued existence to a tie-rod – essentially a humongous nut, washer and ...
Valve User Issue 44
Shock Tactics Work!
A few months ago, I had the absolute pleasure of attending a reunion of my Mechanical Engineering Class – a terrific night’s reminiscing, plus a drink...
Valve User Issue 43
Value v Cost: BVAA’s Director & CEO Rob Bartlett comments on the ins and outs of trade association services and membership.
In a downturn, it is inevitable that all costs are examined - often forensically. Indeed, at BVAA we routinely do this ourselves with our suppliers to...
Valve User Issue 42
Lest We Forget: 'Comment' by BVAA Director, Rob Bartlett
OK let’s put this into perspective. 2017 is the 100th Anniversary of the battle – or bloodbath if you prefer – of Passchendale. Or, depending on your ...
Valve User Issue 42
Another Round Anyone?: 'Comment' by BVAA Director, Rob Bartlett
Sir Thomas Comyn-Platt is a name unknown to most people. He was however the step-father (or, depending on whose books you read, father) of the famous ...
Valve User Issue 41
Decisions, Decisions
To those receiving this valve industry magazine for the first time – welcome. We very much hope you enjoy it, and also our Annual Review of BVAA activ...
Valve User Issue 40
Myth Busters: BVAA Membership: Another in our occasional series of myth-busting pieces about the BVAA…
One myth which still persists – even surprisingly among some of our own membership – is that BVAA is a body for ‘valve manufacturers-only.’ This has n...
Valve User Issue 39
‘Gambling: The sure way of getting nothing for something.’
So said Wilson Mizner. Research him and you’ll find cheery anecdotes, but I rather suspect Mizner was more crooked than the flow path in a low-noise t...
Valve User Issue 39
Brexit - Risk v Opportunity
Irrespective of political affiliation or personal viewpoint, I think it’s fair to say that few Brits woke up on 24th June 2016 genuinely expecting to ...
Valve User Issue 38
Time for a Huddle?: by BVAA Director, Rob Bartlett
Growing up on a farm, as I did, one became quickly attuned to the subtle signs and signals from Mother Nature that trouble was afoot. Our dairy herd h...
Valve User Issue 36
Drop The Dodgy Suppliers!
There can be few in the industry not aware of the dire straits in which the oil and gas industry finds itself and most especially on the UK Continenta...
Valve User Issue 35
View from the other side: The balance between Cost, Credibility and Confidence
This article, the fifth of our ‘View from the other side’ feature columns from our colleagues in the USA, is provided by Chris Warnett. Chris, a UK ex...
Valve User Issue 34
Inspired by an Engineer!
A few months ago, as I listened to the radio on one of my many long car journeys, I became entranced by one of the most thought-provoking interviews I...
Valve User Issue 34
View from the other side
This article, the fourth of our ‘View from the other side’ feature columns from our colleagues in the USA, is provided by Chris Warnett. Chris, a UK e...
Valve User Issue 33
Comment by BVAA Director, Rob Bartlett: Crystal Ball Time
As I write, a General Election looms and the future of our national Governance is far from clear.
By the time this magazine hits doormats, there wi...
Valve User Issue 33
View from the other side
How we arrived at smart actuators and what should be next?
This article, the third of our ‘View from the other side’ feature columns from our colle...
Valve User Issue 32
Gold Plating:: Are End Users' extra requirements to international standards justified or not?
By Barrie Kirkman, BSc. CEng MIMechE, barriekirkman@ntlworld.com
If the industry is faced with sustained Global low oil prices of $50 then the pote...
Valve User Issue 32
Comment by BVAA Director,Rob Bartlett: Greatest Briton?
50 years ago today the UK buried its Greatest Briton, Winston Churchill. I may be biased in that opinion due to a combination of the fact that I was b...
Valve User Issue 32
The European Economy is not a Level Playing Field
The economic climate is not uniform across Europe, and allocating resources toward areas of growth will help you outperform the general economy. Annua...
Valve User Issue 31
Comment by BVAA Director, Rob Bartlett: Triumph & Tragedy
It has been an extraordinary few months for the British Valve & Actuator Association in the short period between this and the autumn issue of Valve Us...
Valve User Issue 31
Valve Academy
No, not the latest in the Police Academy film franchise, a genuine idea to boost our wonderful industry!
I, like I suspect many readers, underwent ...
Valve User Issue 30
Introducing innovative technology to the valve and actuator user industries: View from the other side
This article, the first of our ‘View from the other side’ feature columns from our colleagues in the USA, is provided by Chris Warnett.
Chris, a UK...
Valve User Issue 29
