IMPIANTI OMS S.p.A.

 

International Pipeline Products Limited, based in the Yorkshire town of Catterick Garrison, is one of the world’s foremost moulders of engineered pipeline pigs for the on and offshore pipeline industries.

 

Better known as Inpipe Products, the company produces both foam and elastomer based products covering the entire range for the cleaning, testing and isolation of pipelines and, since an investment in early 2006 on a second OMS machine for elastomer products, has relied on OMS for the production of its entire range.

 

Previously, the cast elastomer work was undertaken as a hand casting process which was costly in terms of both time and labour. When the new OMS CAL 40 machine was first introduced you could say there was a healthy scepticism as to whether it would prove versatile enough against the traditional method - but with a 3 component configuration giving a very wide Shore A hardness range, mass flow meters and closed loop output control of the component metering lines and the ability to select from 4 independent colour metering units, it was soon apparent that the machine had all the bases covered.

 

Works Manager Ian Short and PU Departmental Manager Lee Galloway both enthuse about the machine which, along with their other OMS Impact 40 machine used for the foam pigs, has given virtually faultless service over the past 12 months of production.

 

Ian says ”At first we were facing a new learning curve to integrate the new CAL 40 machine into our production setup and, of course, we ran into teething problems. Now, we have refined our casting techniques and materials handling processes and we know we can run any product type with immediately and with first rate quality”.

 

Lee adds “The new machine has enabled us to achieve fantastic economies compared to the old manual system to the extent that we are now able to compete for any type and size of contract safe in the knowledge that we will produce a first class product on time and “right first time”.

 

He adds “The machine is very sophisticated, giving us continuous degassing of materials and recirculation of all components, including colours, to the mixing head for instant response. Yet it is simplicity itself to use and maintain and our uptime is exceptional”.

 

Business for Inpipe has never been better and, who knows, perhaps soon they may add a third OMS machine to help them meet their order book. Here’s hoping!