09 Dec Suite of Transmission Castings Comes Out Top in the UK Cast Metals Industry Awards 2019
The UK casting industry came together for its 2019 Awards Dinner to celebrate together the ‘Best of British Casting’.
Once again the UK foundry industry showed its mettle in a night of celebration, featuring good company, good food and drink and, most of all, good castings. Featuring guest speaker, comedian Simon Evans, the evening went with a swing at Wolverhampton’s Grand Station.
Central to the evening was the presentation of the three awards, for Innovation, Company Achievement and Component of the Year. Co-presented by Pam Murrell of the Cast Metals Federation (CMF), which organises the event, and Simon Evans who also handed out the awards, the awards showed the successes of the industry in all sectors. Technical and commercial expertise, investment in plant and people, focus and attention to detail, all were on display.
The ‘Component of the Year’ award was won by Finecast Foundry Ltd for its complex five casting Transcend transmission assembly in aluminium for Jaguar Land Rover. Shortlisted in this category were Peel Jones Copper Products for their redesigned 229kg blast furnace tuyere, and William Cook Rail for its 375kg steel bolster for the Citadis Spirit Light Rail Vehicle, a component that William Cook had to step in to produce when the original north American supplier was not able to achieve the quality requirements.
The ‘Company Achievement’ award was won by Sarginsons Industries Ltd for its investment in new technology and training programmes. Shortlisted was Alucast Ltd for its bold strategic step into ‘lightweighting’, combined with investment in plant and people, and Dean Group International for its growth and focus on H&S and Environmental performance.
The award for ‘Innovation’ was won by RSM Castings Ltd for its unique and fully automated core cleaning, trimming, venting, assembly and painting robotic cell. The two shortlisted companies were CastAlum, for its work to reduce and remove solder in high pressure diecasting by combining additive materials and an understanding of conformal cooling, and Petrofer UK for its flexible new die face lube 5050BS for both traditional and micro-spray uses.
“The UK cast metals industry never ceases to amaze as every year it continues to innovate and succeed in the face of uncertainty,” said Pam Murrell. “The commitment we see in all of our many entries this year shows an industry committed to its people, its customers, through quality and professionalism and to a sustainable future, despite the difficult and somewhat insecure times we are working in.”
Photo caption:
The winning team, from left, Barrie Jones, RSM Castings, Anthony Evans, Sarginsons Industries and Chris Heatley, Finecast Foundry.
