BFPA update (June 2013)
Hannover fair 2013, the BFPA and Vladimir Putin
The Hannover Fair is without doubt the largest and most successful industrial trade show in Europe, and as such should be a ‘must do’ for any British company looking to increase its business and profile. However, some companies in this country still fail to see incredible opportunities open to them. Not so however BFPA/DA member companies Custom Fittings, Webtec, FPE Seals and non-member Mac Fittings; each of which took space on the BFPA Pavilion during the Fair in early April this year.
The show is clearly split into many sections such as Wind Energy, Automation, Electronics, Fluid Power and many more, making it simple for the visitor to see precisely the technology in which they are interested – plus of course other subjects of passing interest. With education in technical subjects being such a hot topic these days it was encouraging to see such a large hall devoted to just that, showing young people just what is available in industry. This section was extremely well supported by companies such as Volkswagen who built a replica production line and students were given work projects around this. Could this be part of the reason Germany still has a very vibrant technically based economy?
The opening ceremony was a spectacular affair, with Angela Merkel formally opening the event. The special guest was Vladimir Putin, president of supporting country Russia; again, another indication of the importance with which German politicians view industrial strength and international relationships.
The BFPA will again be at the 2015 Hanover Fair and we seriously encourage any British companies keen to export to join us. The rest of the world seems to think it the right place to be and they can’t all be wrong.
Ian Morris, director, the BFPA.
Hannover 2015 – BFPA space booked
Following the success of the BFPA’s Group Pavilion at the 2013 Hannover Fair, the BFPA has already booked space at MDA Hannover 2015 (13-17 April).
This early booking should secure the BFPA a favourable location within the exhibition hall and four companies have already committed to joining the association. The customised Pavilion will again feature a hosted lounge area with free refreshments and on-site support – a simple and stress-free formula for exhibitors.
To register your interest or for more information, contact Janet Dixon on 01608 647900 or e-mail janet@bfpa.co.uk.
2013 BFPA AGM held at the IMechE in London
On 15 May some 50 BFPA and BFPDA members assembled in the impressive Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) building in Birdcage Walk, London. Stuart Edwards, a Deputy Director at Department for Business Innovation Skills (BIS) – deputising for Government minister Michael Fallon who was called to an important debate in the Commons at short notice – and Dr Scott Steedman, director of Standards at the British Standards Institution (BSI) were the main speakers at the event.
Dr Scott Steedman has been with BSI for around one year and gave both an able and informative presentation on the 'World of Standards'. He was also kind enough to praise the work done by the BFPA in this arena. It is well-known within the fluid power industry, both at home and abroad, that the organisation is an important contributor to global standardisation.
As is usual at these events, networking was very evident during the morning and the two periods pre- and post-meeting offered a valuable opportunity to discuss with and meet others in the industry.
CETOP
Comite Europeen des Transmissions Oleohydrauliques & Pneumatiques (CETOP) is a body comprising most of the countries of Europe. The BFPA has been a member from the start and, indeed, the association held the Presidency during the 1990s, with Malcolm Kelly taking the role.
During this year’s Hanover Fair two CETOP-related meetings took place; these being the CETOP Presidents Council and the International Statistics Committee, which is not a CETOP group but in which CETOP as part of VDMA plays a significant role. One of the most valuable elements of these meeting is the attendance by a wide range of countries including Russia, Romania, Taiwan, China, USA, Poland and of course the main industrial European countries.
Following a review of the current economic situation the countries present each gave an update on their own market for fluid power together with a forecast. These figures tend to vary in sophistication as some countries present have only been collecting data in recent years, but the BFPA comments that it is still relevant and reassuring that these countries can all work together.
New publication
BFPA/P112 Guidelines on seals for fluid power applications including care and handling.
This guide is a revision of BFPA/P105 that now includes care and handling, and aims to provide greater understanding of seal behaviour for fluid power applications.
Revisions
BFPA/P27 (Issue 3) Guidelines on understanding the electrical characteristics of solenoids for fluid power control valves.
This guide embraces solenoids for pneumatic and hydraulic control valves. It gives guidance on understanding the electrical characteristics of solenoids for control valves, including definitions, specification data and information on relevant national and international standards.
BFPA/P47 (Issue 3) Guidelines for the use of hydraulic fluid power and hose and hose assemblies.
The aim of this document is to assist the user to understand terms that are used within this branch of the industry, also to direct the user to the correct manner in which to use hose assemblies.
Events
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Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week
05 - 06 June, 2024
NEC, Birmingham -
HILLHEAD 2024
25 June, 2024, 9:00 - 27 June, 2024, 16:00
Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire UK
