SPC News

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Including a special feature on thermal metal spray problems and solutions.

Lifetime achievement award

David Deacon, Managing Director of SPC, has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Institute of Corrosion, in recognition of his significant contribution to the corrosion and coatings protection industry.

In deciding to make the award – unique in its 50 year history – the Institute recognises David’s “continuous unrivalled commitment and contributions over many years.”

The Institute’s magazine, Corrosion Management reported: “It was recognised that the survival of the Institute on more than one occasion was due to his personal intervention. It was therefore agreed to create a unique one-off decoration to be known as the Lifetime Achievement Award.”

The award is a sword on an engraved plate glass plinth, chosen as a symbol of David’s lifelong crusade against corrosion.

David first joined the Institute of Corrosion Science and Technology (as it was then) in 1967. Among his many achievements he organised UK Corrosion and Correx exhibitions in the early 1980’s, was Chairman of the Council from 1986-88, became an Honorary Life Fellow in 1992 and was President of ICorr from 2002-04.

“I am deeply honoured to have received this award,” he says, “and am pleased that the Institute continues to go from strength to strength in its efforts to develop the skills and understanding of corrosion prevention and coatings technology.”

ICorr celebrates 50 years

Selected VIPs representing some of the most respected names in corrosion prevention gathered at the Thames Barrier in London to celebrate the Institute of Corrosion’s golden anniversary.

The theme was ‘Across the Generations’, with several organisations such as SPC (two generations), Elcometer (three generations) and FA Clover & Sons (fourth generation) represented at the prestigious event. All of the companies who sponsored the event  were presented with gold framed certificates by the President.to mark this auspicious occasion.

The Rt Hon Tony Benn, who was Minister for Technology when the Institute went through its biggest development phase, wrote a letter of congratulations which was published in a special commemorative programme.

Following a tour of the Barrier, David Deacon, Managing Director of SPC and 50th Anniversary Committee Chairman, welcomed 125 members and guests to the event and introduced several speakers including Prof Paul Lambert, President of ICorr,  Barry Colford, Bridge Master of the Forth Road Bridge and Martin Earlam, Asset Manager of the Thames Barrier.

From small beginnings as an organisation with a largely academic core, today’s Institute has seen 1,520 painters all approved under the ICAT Scheme, organised under its wholly owned subsidiary and commercial arm, CORREX. “This represents not only the infantry fighting the corrosion war in the front line, but the generals behind who are putting the war plans together,” explained David Deacon. ”Literally, from Professors to Painters”.

SPC at CORREX

SPC will tackle three themes on its stand at CORREX 2009, the pre-eminent exhibition and conference for anti-corrosion science and technology, which will be held at the NEC, Birmingham on 27-29 October.

SPC staff will demonstrate their experience on dealing with detailed specifications for successful contracts, particularly for the benefit of architects, consulting engineers and quantity surveyors.

Failure investigations will be observed and discussed from an independent perspective, with the emphasis on advising not to repeat mistakes of the past. This will focus on examples from some of the most prestigious steel structures in the UK that have benefited from SPC’s expertise in dealing with paint failures, created by a general lack of understanding by specifiers of Steelwork Corrosion Control.

The availability of training  for in-house training courses will be outlined, ranging from short, lunchtime-style talks to two-day intensive courses for teams of engineers.

Please come and visit SPC’s Stand C5 to discuss these important issues and much more.

 

Director appointment at SPC

William Deacon has been appointed Managing Director of SPC and this appointment is effective from 1st July 2013. Further strengthening the company's capabilities and enhancing customer service.

William began his coatings career gaining practical blasting and painting experience with a leading application contractor in this country. He underwent further laboratory training in France where he worked at an international paint manufacturer. He has also completed all three levels of Institute of Corrosion training, including the Advanced Level III.

He gained valuable additional experience as an Inspector at a variety of sites in England and Scotland, and later as Clerk of Works on the Blackfriars Bridge, London. In 2002 he became Inspection Manager of a newly created specialist Division at SPC in response to the ever-increasing demands from clients for a skilled, reliable coating inspection resource. He has been involved in the assessment of the coating condition of the Thames Barrier, which has now been exposed for over 25 years.

Jim Pearce has been appointed Inspection Manager.

Wind power challenge in Shanghai

The demand for greener energy solutions has resulted in a huge increase in wind turbine manufacture and placement throughout the globe – but this has not come without its challenges.

SPC has been retained by RWE, part of the N-Power group, to inspect the surface preparation and application of the coatings  of a number of wind turbines in Shanghai, China.

“There are several kinds of wind turbines installed in a variety of onshore and offshore locations and each have their own mechanical and operational differences,” explains SPC’s William Deacon. “However, the one common problem is corrosion control, and the fact that there are generally very difficult access problems involved in dealing with this.”

SPC’s experience in this area includes investigation and consultancy reports on a coatings failure at the Arklow wind turbine installation just off the coast of Ireland, when coatings on seven towers out of 105 were found to have failed. This resulted in a repainting project in situ costings nearly 3m euros on an original installation costing only 130,000 euros.