February 25, 2013
As part of its ambitious expansion plan and commitment to quality and service, leading wire and tube drawing lubricant specialist, Metalube, has acquired almost £60,000 worth of new laboratory equipment.
With a £40,000 investment, the Mettler TGA/DSC is a laboratory highlight. This cutting edge instrument carries out simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis in a single test enabling the evaluation of oxidative stability and evaporation rates under a variety of conditions.
Commenting on this notable purchase, Metalube’s Technical Director, Chris Nettleship says: “This new Mettler TGA/DSC is particularly good news for wire and tube drawing manufacturers. It allows us to study the ageing of oils and therefore extend the service life. We can also investigate how lubricants behave during the annealing cycle, working alongside customers to optimize product and processes. This all results in enhanced tube quality.”
Another recent addition to Metalube’s lab is an £18K Reichert M2 friction and wear tester. This latest model with variable speed and load, allows the company’s chemists to study the frictional and wear reduction properties of Metalube’s wire drawing products (copper and aluminium).
Nettleship adds: “Investment is key to our growth and ensures that Metalube continually provide the class of products that meet our customers’ needs. We are 100% committed to quality and innovation. This requires equipment that meets 21st century demands.”
Besides the company has installed three new manufacturing vessels into its Manchester based factory.
These new additions will allow the company to diversify into new product ranges as well as considerably increase existing production capacity. The new vessels are capable of producing more than 5000 tonnes of speciality lubricants per annum and the installations are a sizeable £100,000 investment.
Commenting on these new factory additions, Commercial Director, Douglas Hunt says: “As a business, we are fortunate to be growing fast and equipping our factory to meet current and impending customer demand is vital to our success.” He adds: “Our strategy is to continually re-invest into Metalube’s future whether this be in our people, increasing our global presence or advancing our factory and laboratory.”