Case Study

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Tata Port Talbot Hard Metal 

How Hoverdale’s Ultraclad Wear Plate saved 3,000 man hours & 75 days of production over an 18-month period

The Situation

Screen decks made from punched mild steel plate were big used and because of the high volume of abrasive material (made up of iron ore, coke & lime stone) the mild steel panels were completely worn out in one week. It took a team of 4 men 10 hours to change them.

The Client’s Objectives

The client’s objectives were to find a better material/product to improve machine availability and reduce operating costs.

Our Solution

Our Ultraclad 800 material was plasma cut to produce screen panels. A complete set were installed and to everyone’s amazement they lasted 18 months saving 3000 man hours in maintenance and giving 75 days extra production.

 

Their Measures for Success

The company’s main criteria for success were:

Longer life from the screens
Reduce downtime
Increase plant availability
Increase screening efficiency

Our Work

We manufactured screen panels from Ultraclad 800 – a bi-metallic material with a mild steel base overlaid with 6mm of chromium carbide rich alloy. The screen panels were cut from the mild steel side which took advantage of the natural kerf angle (4 degrees) of the plasma cut to give holes with coneicity which improves screening efficiency and prevents ‘blinding’.

The Timing

The need for improvement was pressing and we were able to manufacture and supply a hearth layer screen deck complete in 5 weeks.

Value to the Customer

There were a number of ways in which the customer felt that this was valuable to them:

Dramatic improvement in lif

Dramatic reduction in maintenance costs

Significant increase in screening efficiency

Dramatic increase in machine availability

Total savings: 3000 man hours and 75 days extra production

“This is a fantastic result that we couldn’t believe possible’ – Eddie Booker Sinter Plant Engineer

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BEN DUCHESNE

Ben is a time serviced field service engineer in the busy waste and recycling sector, who’s career moved into to managing service teams and beyond. Originally beginning his career with a HGV repair and maintenance apprenticeship with IVECO, from there travelling and working in multiple countries moving towards waste processing shredders.

Ben joined the Hoverdale team in September 2024 seeking to apply his extensive knowledge to a new area. His values and ethics fit perfectly within the Hoverdale ethos.

He is happily married to Kristina, with 4 wonderful young children; 14, 11, 8 and 5. We the children he doesn’t get much spare time. He is a family man, who enjoys spending as much time with them as possible.

DAVID BARTER

David is an experienced leader, with a background covering Operations, eCommerce, Finance, Compliance, HR and IT. His career spans Banking, Retail and Engineering, spending the majority of his career working for ALDI as they grew to become 4th largest supermarket in the UK, including seven years on their UK board as Managing Director of IT and eCommerce.

David joined Hoverdale’s Senior Management Team in 2023 to seek a fresh challenge in a completely different industry sector. He has applied his approach to Process Improvement, Efficiency, Customer Service and Teamwork to great effect during Hoverdale’s sustained growth.

Married to Jane, with three adult sons between them, David volunteers on the board of the Nottingham Playhouse theatre as well as his local rugby and football clubs. Any spare time he spends enjoying walks with their Golden Retriever, Buzz, who is also regularly seen in the Hoverdale office.

MATT BEVERLEY

A time served Mechanical engineer Matt’s background includes many high-profile projects within the Automotive Industry: The Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, Spyker Le-Mans racing teams, Bentley, Aston Martin, and Airbus A380. This history and knowledge of complex manufacturing and engineering projects have been transferred and further developed into the bulk material handling sector. Matt has work in Europe, North America, Indonesia, and China

He joined the bulk solids and bulk handling industry in 2019 as Managing Director of Hoverdale UK Ltd and subsequently completed a Management buyout in July 2020. The business has grown yearly, increased employment, its customer base, and worldwide reputation, and disrupted the market with groundbreaking innovative technology. Since Matt took over Hoverdale, the company has filed four patents for innovation; one was granted in 2023 for a design to improve bulk handling. The success had been driven by delivering tailored solutions to the waste recycling sectors that keep material flowing out and money flowing in.

Awards Include

  • 2024 – Shapa company of the Year
  • 2024- Shapa Innovation in Technology
  • 2024- MHEA Engineer of the year
  • 2021 – MHEA Innovation of the year
  • 2021- IMechE Innovation award

Current Positions Include.

  • Group Chairman Hoverdale UK Ltd
  • President (MHEA) Material Handling Engineers Association
  • Vice Chairman: IMechE Bulk Material Handling Committee
  • Council Member: (SHAPA) Solids Handling & Particle Association
  • Member: Chartered Management Institute

Matt has been happily married to Julie for 22 years and has 4 children, 3 of which are involved within the Hoverdale group of companies. He is an RFU level 2 qualified coach and referee having been in several head coaching roles at various age groups from under 6’s to adults for his local team Nuneaton RFC. He believes in the core values that rugby teaches of Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship and try’s to carry this through in his day to day business activities. He is passionate at brining the next generation of young, diverse engineers into the sector through promotion of apprenticeship scheme and further education routes.