Spray Booth supplied to Marshall SV

Airchannel has supplied Marshall SV of Cambridge with a range of ITW spray painting equipment. The apparatus, including the patented Magic-Flow system, will help achieve the precise standards on paint finish and colour consistency needed on a new fleet of trucks, that form the first stage of a massive contract to replace the MoD’s tri-Service fleet of four, eight, and fourteen tonne cargo vehicles and recovery trucks.

The new support vehicles will be the logistic workhorse for all three Services. The trucks are fitted with more comfortable cabs, air conditioning and the latest in diagnostic and fault finding systems. They can also be fitted with an armour pack to protect crew from small arms fire and mine blasts.

Because of the nature of operations, the trucks will be painted in a collection of colours to reflect their varying environments. The Magic-Flow system makes this an easy process, its precise fluid handling capability is ideal for all types of spray applications with guaranteed accuracy, reliable mixing and metering of two component materials.

Magic-Flow is a true power horse, a rugged unit that creates perfect finishes every time, repeatedly, whilst complying with the toughest EPA Legislation. Mixing ratios can be stored in a wide range, with up to 50 recipes and an icon guided touch screen, which ensures easy communication between operator and machine. It can use either solvent or water based materials and can handle up to 32 paints or colours.

A brand new spray booth was constructed for the contract, outside this a mixing room now houses two 3K units. Each of which mixes the colour, hardener, and solvent at high pressure and feeds five Binks AA4000 spray guns, all of which are pumped through the system by Binks HP1032 paint pumps. A separate Binks HP0432 pump feeds solvent for flushing purposes. All of which is done automatically by the Magic Flow system via remote gun flushing holsters. The main control panel is located independently and, once set, rarely needs any further adjustment.

Important info from Carbon Trust

The Carbon Trust has been monitoring how the current economic environment has been affecting customers who wish to take out interest free Energy-Efficiency loans. It is clear SME access to private sources of finance has been affected by the current market situation.

On the 19th November the Carbon Trust reduced the CO2 threshold by over 20% down from 2.57 tCO2 to 2 tCO2 per £1000 of loan offered. This means, for customers installing energy-efficient equipment which reduces their electrical consumption, a £5,000 loan could be offered for a reduction of less than 19,000 kWh. (Previously Circa 24,000 kWh)

For applications currently being processed where we have not made an unconditional loan offer the new threshold will apply and customers will be notified by the Financial Services administration team.

To see the effect of the new threshold on loan values for your projects, please use the online calculator at:

https://www.carbontrust-online.co.uk/carboncalculator/

Equally, given the current economic climate the Carbon Trust will permit until further notice the use of securitised debt (e.g. HP or Asset Finance) to fund the remainder of a customer's required total project cost. Security will only be permitted over that part of the debt which is not provided by the Carbon Trust. For example a business wishing to purchase equipment valued at £150,000 and the Carbon Trust provides a loan of £75,000. The securitised debt funder can only secure their funds on the £75,000 worth of the equipment. Other terms and conditions apply.

Developing a Carbon Management System

Airchannel is amongst 1,000 business leaders who have pledged action on climate change. We are currently working closely with specialist organisations, such as the Carbon Trust and Envirowise, to enable us to reduce our carbon emissions further and become a more environmentally responsible company.

By developing a carbon management strategy we can better control our impact on the environment. We already provide products and services to our customers which are environmentally conscious.

Hydrovane HV01 - HV04 Compressors Special Offers Extended!

Complying with our Reliability Promise, Airchannel are hitting back at the credit crunch, giving you the opportunity to take advantage of these great special offers.

With fabulous mark downs on list prices, choose from this collection of Hydrovanes best products:


4 cubic feet per minute - HV01 RM - 1phase or 3 phase 10 bar working pressure, receiver mounted Rotary Vane Air Compressors.
List price: £1318.00 Your price: £835.00

8 cubic feet per minute - HV02 RM - 1 phase or 3 phase 10 bar working pressure, receiver mounted Rotary Vane Air Compressors.
List price: £1741.00 Your price: £1055.00

20 cubic feet per minute - HV04 RM - 3 phase 10 bar working pressure, receiver mounted Rotary Vane Air Compressor.
List price: £3034.00 Your price: 1835.00

To pick up one of these offers please contact Airchannel on:

Tel: 0800 526 581
Fax: 0800 3287514

Email: info@airchannel.co.uk
Web: Airchannel

Energy Tip No. 10

Enhanced Capital Allowance - Although air compressors do not appear on the Energy Technology Criteria List they still may have components that meet the energy technology list criteria.

To find out more please visit Airchannel.

Massive Energy Savings Thanks to Expert Advice

Airchannel has replaced 4 fixed speed air compressors at Haani Cables with a new CompAir L75SRF compressor, saving the Company an estimated £10,000 annually in energy costs.

The Hartlepool based electric cable manufacturer was keen to save on their energy usage and asked Airchannel to conduct an air usage audit and suggest the best combination of equipment for savings and life cycle costs.

Haani was looking to save a minimum of 10% of the energy costs associated with the compressed air systems, but Airchannel advised that far greater overall savings could be made. It suggested and subsequently installed a CompAir LSRF rotary screw compressor which incorporate a variable speed switched reluctance drive system, and an integral refrigerated dryer.

The CompAir SR technology and build quality speak for itself, and it has the added benefit of being the most energy efficient solution on the market today. Airchannel estimates that the LSR speed-regulated compressor can produce savings in excess of 25% in energy and operational costs by eliminating energy loss during periods of unloaded running and precisely matching power consumption with air demand.

With a typical oil lubricated rotary screw compressor operating at 70% load, energy costs can account for 82% of the cost of ownership, compared to 62% with an LSR. Equally, maintenance and service for the LSR stands at 5% of the cost of ownership, as compared with 8% for fixed speed and the LSR systems are sequence managed by a Delcos control system.

Additionally, Airchannel were asked to advise on the cooling water system. This had been positioned inside the factory and was consuming over 120 Kw of energy per hour with two large refrigerant chillers. Experts in this field, Airchannel and Delimon working in partnership recommended the installation of Delimon airblast aftercooler complete with moisture inhibitor for warmer days.

Airchannel fitted the new system outside, and consequently Hanni is now using just 22Kw of electricity per hour on it’s cooling operations.

Airchannel Becomes Beko's Preferred Partner in Scotland

At a short ‘signing ceremony’ in Airdrie Beko and Airchannel have taken a step closer together in Scotland. ‘Preferred Partner’ means that Airchannel now offer the entire Beko range, including condensate management and air treatment products, and the new measuring technologies such as Oil Control.

Airchannel have a strong presence across Scotland with branches in Airdrie and Aberdeen, they count many of Scotland’s blue chip companies amongst their customers.

Richard Spires, General Manager of Beko UK said “ Beko and Airchannel have a long trading history, the two companies respect each other and have a great working relationship. This alliance allows us to work even more closely together”. With a greatly extended range of products and services, Beko can now rightfully claim to offer the whole package from the compressor house to point of use.

Beko Technologies Limited is based in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. Beko supplies the full package for compressed air and condensate treatment. Bekomat zero-loss drain traps, Owamat oil/water separators, Drypoint compressed air dryers, Clearpoint filters and Bekosplit emulsion splitters to treat problem condensate and Bekoblizz deep cold compressed air cooling system for use with blow moulding. BEKO offer an unrivalled expertise in the whole spectrum of managing compressed air and condensate.

Energy Tip No. 9

Heat Recovery - Around 90% of energy used by a compressor is turned to heat energy and usually wasted!

To find out more about energy saving please visit Airchannel.

Energy Tip No. 8

Variable Speed Drives - Efficient supply of air as and when its needed.

For more information about how to save the energy please visit Airchannel.

Airchannel Go-Karting Championship 2008

Airchannel’s National Go-Karting Championship is well under way with most regional events now complete and the team’s preparing for the final!

The Championship has two stages, region qualifiers from which the best three men and women will proceed to the National Go-Karting Final taking place at Daytona Racing, Milton Keynes in March 2008.

We also would like to thank our suppliers HPC, Compair, Domnic Hunter and Beko who are supporting the championship and will join us at the race.

Good luck to all Airchannel Champions!

Energy tip No. 7

Are you an SME? If so Airchannel can assist you in applying for one of Carbon Trust interest-free loans for projects leading to reductions in energy costs and therefore carbon emissions.

For more details give us a ring on 0800 526 581 or visit our web site.

Energy tip No. 6

Regular analysis of your compressed air and gas system as part of a complete air quality program will increase long term system efficiency and will reduce costs.

Call us on 0800 526 581 or visit our web site for more details.

Energy Tip No. 5

Turn it off! If a piece of equipment is not in use then turn off the air supply to it.

For more energy saving tips please click here.

Energy Tip No. 4

Measure how much energy you are using. Unless you know how much you are paying, you won't know what impact the changes make.

For more information about energy saving please click here.

Energy Tip no. 3

Regular Maintenance. Equipment that is regularly serviced will operate more efficiently.

To find out more about Airchannel service plans, please click here.

Energy tip no. 2

Reduce the pressure. If your equipment can handle a lower pressure, a one bar drop in pressure is likely to reduce your energy bill by up to 10% !

For more energy tips from Airchannel click here.

Saving the Energy, Saving the Environment!

Airchannel would like to help!

With our primary objective being to take responsibility for our customers' compressed air system Airchannel is very focused on minimising our customers' energy use for compressed air. This means that we will always endeavour to make your system as efficient and effective as possible, thereby not only reducing your costs but also helping to reduce carbon emissions.

So from today on you will be able to find here simple tips on how to save energy.

And let's start with the first one!

Energy tip no. 1
Be aware. Ensure your workforce is aware of the cost of compressed air so they do not waste it (e.g. using it to clean a floor that could be brushed)

Click here to find out more about energy savings.

Airchannel Announces Energy Efficient L90 Air Compressor

There’s great news, as CompAir launches its completely redesigned L 90 kW to 132 kW oil-injected screw compressors, which deliver high-end range of machines that addresses operators’ key concerns for reduced cost of ownership.

Commenting on the new CompAir range that is available from Airchannel, Alastair Shanks, Managing Director said “This range of compressors is better in every way - including a new compact footprint, reengineered components, increased air output and reduced parts’ and maintenance requirements.”

There are four models in the new range; L90, L110, L132 and L132 SR variable speed unit, that deliver capacities from 17.45 to 22.87 m3/min and pressures of 7.5, 10 and 13 bar.

With rising energy costs being a major concern for customers across the globe, its essential to consider the compressors lifecycle costs. The new range incorporates specific features and components that will improve energy usage, reduce maintenance downtime and parts’ costs and deliver better overall performance. The result is a range of gear driven machines that deliver up to 15 % more air output with a lower CO2 burden improving the compressors’ environmental credentials too.

The new range of compressors provides a minimum 15 % increase in air volume flow with greater energy efficiency than the previous models and also uses CompAir’s new gear drive, which increases reliability and efficiency even further.

Airchannel customers can gain maximum energy efficiency improvements with the L132 SR variable speed machine, which can reduce running costs by 25% on average. This compressor uses an innovative Switched Reluctance (SR) drive that varies the speed of the compressor according to air demand and could give a minimum saving of at least €15,000 running at 4000 hours a year, based on average energy costs.

The combination of innovative component design, a 20% reduction in parts and excellent accessibility to all areas of the machines makes the new range of compressors easier to service and more cost-effective to operate.

The Alpha Air End EK230 has an integrated oil filter and thermostatic valve, limiting the number of tubes and hoses that would otherwise require routine replacement. Higher reliability is also achieved with fewer points of leakage and the unit design means that there is greater space for cooling air to circulate, to prolong its life.

All major components are arranged to enable maintenance engineers easy access for routine servicing, helping to reduce equipment downtime. Specific attention has been paid to the oil separator, which includes a hinged cover and also an easy-view oil-level indicator.

At just 3.2 m2, the new compressors have an exceptionally small footprint, meaning they can take up to one third less floorspace than comparable models, making them ideal for installations where space is at a premium. The low speed air-end, radial fan and a noise damper at the cooling air inlet also ensure that the machines run quietly, with low noise levels starting from 73 dB (A) on the L90 model.

Speedy response out of hours proves invaluable

Airchannel were called out by AETC, an existing customer, to a Sullair LS-16 compressor (75kw), which had no back up. Airchannel responded to the call within 1 hour and found a major failure to the Star & Delta contactors. Due to the critical nature of the process, which uses compressed air for a test rig for jet engine turbines, time was of the essence. The make and type of contactor used were not readily available, it was now 5.15pm and the customer was insistent on having compressed air that night.

A phone call was put into Speedy Compressors, Wednesbury branch and a request was made to respond the same evening. Airchannel prepared the site and by 7.30pm the same evening we had a 600cfm Diesel compressor, 1000ltr Bowser & 2” main hose on site providing compressed air to enable production to resume.
Airchannel through an existing supplier found replacement Cutler Hammer contactors to enable an effective repair to be made.

The timely repair of the equipment meant that AETC only lost three hours of critical production and the overall impact to their business was minimal. Cornelius Peters, AETC Engineering Manager, called Nick Wiseman, Airchannels RSM to say it was the best response to a site problem they have received from any of their contractors.

Airchannel shows the way for food hygiene

Compressed air is a widely used utility in the food processing industry and many production processes depend on it for their operation. Whilst reliability of supply is essential in pure production terms, a critical factor is the quality of the air supply. Airchannel has taken the lead in the supply of products and services to help all food producers both maintain and improve current standards to comply with these requirements.

At any stage during the food production or packaging cycle there exists potential for contamination, which could compromise food safety, leading to potential health risks and the threat of a product recall. The use of compressed air carries its own risk in this environment, with a number of potential sources of contamination in the air supply in the form of solid particles of oil, dirt, and water in the form of humidity.

Airchannel has taken a lead role working with The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS), in conjunction with the British Retail Consortium (BRC), in the creation of a code of practice - a code that lays out the minimum recommendations for compressed air quality in new installations, to assist food producers in regulating their supply of compressed air.

The Code has ultimately been put into place to improve confidence in food safety, however the worry is that food manufacturers could face cost increases, since they may be required to upgrade their existing systems. To help alleviate this concern, Airchannel can carry out an audit which will include monitoring and recording air quality as part of HACCP procedures.

At the same time, the pressure to reduce the running costs of the air system is increasing. Therefore, how to achieve high standards of compressed air with a reduced environmental carbon footprint, and the lowest owning and operating costs possible is a key issue.

"Compressed air users should not be alarmed about the new code of practice," said Alastair Shanks, Managing Director of Airchannel. "The code clearly confirms that both oil-lubricated as well as oil-free compressors are acceptable for generating compressed air for use in the food industry."

Contamination of compressed air systems and the potential types of contaminants are varied, ranging from rusted pipes to micro organisms. The most significant contaminants in either oil-less or lubricated systems are DIRT (solid particles), WATER (gaseous & liquid) and in lubricated systems the additional hazard of OIL (gaseous & liquid). Microbiological organisms such as bacteria may also be transported through a compressed air system or propagated due to conditions within the system.

Airchannel understands the importance of knowledge - where, when and how contaminants can manifest themselves. This knowledge not only ensures a deep understanding of how to eliminate and remove contamination sources, but also forms the background for the design of any compressed air system for use in the food industry.

Where compressed air is used in food production, its use is spilt into two groups. The outlet compressed air must be specified as one of the following:

Air that comes into direct contact with the food (contact)
Air that could come into contact with the food (non-contact)

Airchannel can help you to comply with the code of practice and can assist to ensure that any upgrades or new installations meet or exceed the minimum recommendations laid out.

To tackle these issues, the industry has launched its own Food Industry Sustainability Strategy (FISS). One of the aims of FISS is to reduce the food industry’s carbon emissions by 20% by 2010 against a 1990 baseline by introducing cleaner, more efficient production processes.

By monitoring compressed air usage and updating equipment where necessary, Airchannel can recommend improvements that will help the environment as well as saving manufacturers money. A typical scenario in food processing plants is a variable shift pattern that results in inconsistent demands for compressed air. In some situations no production is taking place, but certain processes have to be kept in operation.

In these scenario’s, variable, as opposed to fixed speed compressors, can produce savings in excess of 25% in energy and operational costs. There is also potential for energy wastage in poorly designed or maintained compressed air systems. Leakages, pressure drops in the system caused by filtration, drying and piping systems and incorrect sizing of the pipework can all contribute to wasted energy. Here too, Airchannel has the expertise to help and guide food manufacturers as to the best practice for their particular application.

R22 Refrigerant Gas Phase Out!

The use of HCFCs (including R22) in new refrigeration systems was banned between 2000 and 2004 (the exact date was dependant on the type of application - for large industrial equipment the ban started by January 2001). This means that all R22 refrigerant equipment currently in use in food factories is at least 5 years old.

The phase out of virgin HCFCs at the end of 2009 could have significant implications for many food and drink manufacturers. Survey in 350 food and drink factories, carried out by Carbon Trust in 2005 showed, that 70% of sites have at least one refrigerant system using R22.

It is important that R22 users begin to plan for the phase out of R22. There is little time available before the 2009 phase out date.

With up to date knowledge on all industry related legislation in food and beverage industry - Airchannel is there to help! Get in touch.

More information can be found here.

Would you like to reduce your fuel consumption?

Most tyres are filled with compressed air, which when dry consists of about 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and 1 percent other gasses by volume. Water vapour (humidity) can make up to as much as 5 percent of the volume.

Filling your tyres with nitrogen mainly does two things:

1) it eliminates moisture
2) replaces small oxygen molecules with big nitrogen molecules, reducing the rate at which compressed gas diffuses through porous tyre wall


That means, theoretically, that a tyre filled with big nitrogen retains optimal pressure longer, leading to more uniform tyre wear and better gas millage.


So, the advantages are:

- reduced fuel consumtion
- increased life of tyre
- increased safety and comfort of a journey
- ecological note - by using nitrogen, you can keep tyres in a better condition so at the end of their life cycle, they can be more easily reconditioned, leading to a substantial reduction in they type of waste.

Sponsoring Mainetti Charity Golf Event

Mainetti UK Ltd., one of Airchannel's customers, is organising Charity Golf Event to support Cancer Research. The event will take place on the 6th of September at Jedburgh Golf Club. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Cancer Research UK.

Airchannel is proud to be part of the group of sponsors, who together managed to get together £7510.00!!!

Exhibiting in Sheffield

The third year in a row Airchannel is going to take place at the Northern Manufacturing Exhibition - a great place to meet our current and potential customers. The show takes place at Hallam FM Arena - 1-2 October 08.

You can find us at the stand number J24 where you will be welcomed by our lovely Sue from Sheffield branch. Mark, Andrew or Nick will then provide you with the technical support and answer any questions you might have about the compressed air system.

Except for meeting Airchannel colleagues, the exhibition gives you the opportunity to discover and evaluate Northern and UK suppliers, find out what's new on the market, what can help you to increase the productivity or improve your profit margin.

For more info: http://mail.colnedata.co.uk/events/event.asp?CONTSUPREF=NORTH2008

Flickr blog .... Nepal...

2006...seems far too long ago...

Would you like a little olive or compressor oil dressing with the salad?

To help the UK food industry ensure that the risks from contaminants from compressed air supply during the production of food are minimised, a code of practice has been created.The British Retail Consortium in collaboration with the British Compressed Air Society have introduced a code of practice with specific emphasis placed on the removal of oil contamination during food production.

But how do we consumers find out the food companies comply with this code??

Read more on //www.airchannel.co.uk/food/index.php

Social media presence

So far as a company our social media presence exists as ONE youtube video ...


But now of course I have a Twitter account!

Why am I blogging..??

Just been through social media training....great stuff....let's see if it can work for me and my company....

Well its not my company technically....will just be making money for my boss...