The magazine from Yorkshire Copper Tube Issue Eight - Autumn 2010

FOOTBALL SPONSORSHIP COPPER IN ACTIONUNVEILED ECO HOMES

Celebrating 60 years of Copper Tube from Kirkby

SPECIAL EDITION

WELCOME / NEWSWelcome to our second, special edition of Tube Talk. Concluding our two part journey into 60 years of copper tube manufacturing in Kirkby, this bumper newsletter is packed with fascinating archive material and anecdotes.

Catch up on all the latest news, get your technical questions answered and win one of 60 fabulous prizes.

And remember, don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have a story for Tube Talk.

The Editorial Team

2 | Tube Talk

Following the huge success of our visit to PHEX in April we were quick to confirm our place at the Manchester and Chelsea events.

We will exhibit at Old Trafford on 13th and 14th October and at Stamford Bridge on 8th and 9th December so if you’re in the area come along! Pick up your free 60th anniversary van freshener, and say hello!

Yorkshire is once again sponsoring Rainhill United JFC!

Manufacturing Support Services Manager, Phil Carlisle presented youngsters with new kits for 2010/11 season, making it the fourth year of sponsorship by YCT.

Hopes are running high for the new season, especially after the Under 12’s secured promotion to the Premiership of the Warrington and Cheshire League at the end of last season.

All set for PHEX

Rainhill Utd JFC Sponsorship

It comes after the team demonstrated how they would save more than €20,000 by improving the yield of its finishing line shear process.

They faced stiff competition from other KME Group companies from France and were judged by members of the board from across Europe.

Yorkshire’s Simon Blackmore, Phil Carlisle, Jez Alston and Harry Pevie also presented other OpEx projects they had been working on over the previous twelve months including a Spinner Block improvement programme and an updated Health and Safety Reporting system.

Simon said: “It was fantastic to win the best OpEx project of 2010 as everyone on the team has worked really hard. We are all looking forward to starting work on the 2011 projects.”

OpEx is a KME group led initiative that allows the company to analyse processes and business functions to further improve customer service and become the lowest cost producer of high quality copper tube in Europe.

Watch this space for more news about OpEx projects.

In the last edition of Tube Talk we gave you the chance to win Yorkshire Copper Tube goodies galore! Twenty lucky winners were chosen from thousands of correct email and postal entries and the prizes were sent out in the summer. Congratulations if you were one of the chosen few….don’t forget to check out the latest competition on page 11.

Our big screen premier took place early in the summer after we officially launched out interactive CD Rom.

We’ve included all you ever wanted to know about Yorkshire Copper Tube, from our beginnings 60 years ago to a full guided video tour around our impressive manufacturing plant. It features all company and product literature - so everything about Yorkshire is in one easy place.

Want to know more? Drop us a line on Yorkshire@icgonline.co.uk and we will pop one in the post to you.

Yorkshire Awarded Best OpEx project 2010

Goodies Galore

IN BRIEF

CD Rom success

Yorkshire Copper Tube’s OpEx (Operational Excellence) team were delighted to be presented with the Best Lean Six Sigma Project Award at the OpEx Corporate Annual Review in France.

Tube Talk | 3

YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ANSWEREDIn the fourth in a series of Tube Talk features, experts at Yorkshire answer some of your questions about chrome plated copper tube.

Q. How are chrome plated tubes joined?A. Because the chrome plate is very thin, fittings made for use with the relevant size of plain tube can be used. However, one or two special measures are necessary. For example, when using compression fittings, some additional tightening of the nut is often necessary in order to obtain a leak-tight joint. This is due to the fact that the chrome plate is harder than the underlying copper tube.

When using capillary fittings the chrome must firstly be removed using a fine-toothed, flat file (or similar tool) to expose the underlying, yellow-

coloured nickel substrate (required for the chrome to adhere to the copper) or copper surface itself. If using push-fit connections, it is good practice to

use a scribing tool to create a “score mark” around the tube, at the position where the grab ring in the fitting will be seated, in order to allow the ring to grip the tube effectively.

Chrome plated tubes are in theory also suitable for use with crimp/press fittings. However we recommend that

advice in this respect is sought from the relevant fitting manufacturer.

4 | Tube Talk

Q. Can chrome plated tubing be manipulated?A. Tubing in sizes up to (and including) 28mm can be manipulated with bending machines, in exactly the same way as plain tube, using the same formers and guides. Care should be taken to ensure that the tooling in contact with the tube is smooth and clean, to avoid risk of the chrome being scratched. Larger sizes are not suitable for bending.

Q. Do Yorkshire supply chrome plated copper tubing?A. Yes. We supply chrome plated tubing in 3m lengths in sizes 15 to 54mm and also in 2m lengths in 15 and 22mm sizes. This product is commonly employed where tubing is surface-fixed and a decorative finish is required.

YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Tube Talk | 5

PART TWO

Celebrating 60 years of

manufacturing in Kirkby

Take a trip back in time to see 60 years of Yorkshire Copper Tube

in the second of our two part commemorative feature.

6 | Tube Talk

Drawing & FinishingFollowing the drawing process, the tube is drawn through a final finishing machine which creates the final size of the tube.

PromoCampaignsOur successful promotional campaigns have gone down great with customers, from lollies to t-shirts, tools and vans!

Tube Talk | 7

Tube TalkWe love to keep our customers informed, with our newsletter, Tube Talk.

Quality Control & SawingTube is passed through a strict testing system to ensure product quality. It is then passed onto the saw for cutting.

Packing & LabellingTubes are packed in bundles, then our internal barcode system allows us to monitor stock in real time and trace our products through the supply chain process.

8 | Tube Talk

Factory Refurb This summer saw the refurbishment of many factory areas including the No.8 Schumag Area. The factory is now ready for another 60 years!

WANT TO SEE OUR FACTORY IN ACTION?

Drop us a line on Yorkshire@icgonline.co.uk and we will pop our cd-rom in the post to you.

New OfficeWork started on new offices in 2008, and the official opening took place in 2009.

Tube Talk | 9

Yorkshire has appointed two new apprentices via the Knowsley Apprenticeship Scheme. We wish them every success for the future!

Yorkshire supplied tube for a next generation 225-bed hospital in Caerphilly, South Wales.

A range of products were supplied for the £172m hospital where patients have single, en-suite bedrooms, specially designed to prevent the spread of infection and preserve patient dignity.

Tube was fitted using modularisation processes by contractor, Lorne Stewart based at their MDSL division in Hartlebury near Kidderminster.

NEW student accommodation at Exeter University is currently under construction using Yorkshire products.

A total of 17 accommodation blocks, each equipped with its own boiler house, are being built using a range of product from 15mm to 108mm tube.

The 18-month building project is expected to be completed in December 2011.

Caerphilly Hospital, South Wales

Exeter University

Shaun Stulberg: apprentice electrician.

Shaun, aged 16, is working towards a Modern Apprenticeship, a BTEC National Certificate, a NVQ Level 3 and HNC in Electrical Engineering.

In his spare time, he loves sport and has represented his school in football, cross country, athletics and rugby. He also plays tennis and golf! Shaun’s football allegiance is to the red half of the city!

Christopher McCormick: apprentice mechanic.

Chris, aged 19, is working towards a Modern Apprenticeship, a TEC National Certificate, a NVQ level 3 and HNC in Mechanical Engineering/Manufacturing.

He is a keen amateur boxer and has won several national championships. He has represented Merseyside in European tournaments and has been chosen to train for the England squad. Chris’s football allegiance is to the blue half of the city!

Congratulations also go to Darren Nagle who completed his four year apprenticeship programme with Yorkshire in August. He has now joined Yorkshire as a qualified electrician.

Apprentice success

(L-R) Christopher McCormick and Shaun Stulberg

Tube was supplied for two prototype eco homes, commissioned to meet low carbon emission targets by City Building (Glasgow) and Glasgow Council.

The two, three-bed homes have each been constructed using different materials but both deliver low energy costs with features such as solar panels. Heating and hot water bills for one year are estimated to cost just £104 per house.

Already several local housing projects have been earmarked for eco homes and the two prototypes are currently being used as

show homes; they will also be used to help train local building contractors.

Stuart Lloyd, YCT Business Manager for Scotland and the North East, said: “There is nothing more renewable than copper and one of the key targets of this

project was renewable materials.

“We are extremely pleased to have been involved

and hope it will inspire other councils and housing associations to understand the benefits of eco homes.”

Yorkshire worked in conjunction with fitting company, Pegler Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Celebrates Eco Homes Project Yorkshire has been part of a ground-breaking Scottish eco homes project which is set to become a beacon for future house building innovation.

“ There is nothing more renewable than copper and one of the key targets of this project was renewable materials.”

10 | Tube Talk

Tube Talk | 11

60 for 60 in 2010

60 PRIZES TO

GIVE AWAY

Email your answers to tubetalk@icgonline.co.ukPlease include your name, business name, address, postcode and contact telephone number.

WINONE OFTWO SAT

NAVS

FLASKS

TUBE CUTTERS

SAT NAVS

SCARVES

WIN

We know you love our competitions and this edition’s will be no exception!

To mark our 60th year of manufacturing in the UK we are giving away 60 fabulous prizes.

The two top prizes are state-of-the-art Sat Nav systems, which we are sure will come in handy time and time again.

All the other prizes will be allocated to winners at random and include flasks, umbrellas, tube cutters, polo-shirts, scarves and torches.

To enter the competition please answer the following question:

“ How many accommodation blocks are being built at Exeter University?”

POLO SHIRTS

6 | Tube Talk8 | Tube Talk

Disclaimer: Yorkshire Copper Tube operates a policy of continuous improvement of products and services. Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in this newsletter is accurate. However, Yorkshire Copper Tube does not accept any liability for any omissions or errors in the text.

KME Group

Yorkshire Copper TubeEast Lancashire RoadKirkby, Liverpool L33 7TU United Kingdom

SalesTel. +44 (0)151 545 5079Fax. +44 (0)151 549 2139sales@yct.com

Technical ServicesTel. +44 (0)151 545 5107Fax. +44 (0)151 545 5018technical@yct.com

www.yct.com

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MEET OUR PEOPLE...

Joe McCabe is Yorkshire’s Export Sales Manager, a role which he began in January 2010 following the retirement of Robert Smith. In conjunction with

this position, he has responsibility for a number of UK customers.

Joe joined Yorkshire’s UK sales office in 1984 and by February next year he will have clocked up 27 years with the firm. Before being promoted to Export Sales Manager, he was a UK Sales Manager.

Joe now spends a third of his time overseas, visiting customers as well as liaising with partners, agencies, specifiers and project leaders in countries across the world including the Middle East, Far East and the USA.

He explained: “My new role as Export Sales Manager is very enjoyable; the markets and how people operate are very different from one country to another and it’s been a fascinating learning-curve.

“Historically Yorkshire has a strong prominence overseas and the brand is trusted for its reliability and quality. The markets continue to be competitive and it is my job to talk directly to the people on the ground about the benefits of using our product and our company.

“Some of our current projects include several installations in Qatar including the Sidra Medical and Research Centre (pictured below) and the Qatar National Convention Centre.”

C H Y T L B I D B A L X H SD P H A P P R E N T I C E HR W N Q E I S K R Z E O T EO N O A K E B U O D F J V AM B P H I X W M L C A Y P RH U N I V E R S I T Y O N EX S E M B C A U P E Q S G LM D L S G H A R H T D K L TU L E A X R L G E P N Z E UD O T A G O L F X Y I C T BP U P Q P M N M C E U P S EA D T E Q E C L A I C H E WE U S T X K J E I N Q P Z SI O L A L P A P R O J E C T