Spiroflow opens technology centre

CONVEYING and weighing systems manufacturer Spiroflow Ltd opened a Technology Centre in the North of England as part of its expansion plans.

The facility, officially unveiled by Cllr Michael Ranson, Mayor of Ribble Valley, will accommodate a demonstration area for the company’s machines and equipment, and house a unique powder characterisation and testing laboratory. At this site, customers may conduct full scale system trials and reduce the risk of costly downtime in the handling process.

Dr Will Weston, a specialist in materials science at Spiroflow, and engineer Terry Mason, will manage the new centre.

At the unveiling of the technology centre: Michel Podevyn, chairman, Dr Will Weston, materials specialist,  Jeanette Ranson, Mayoress, Cllr Michael Ranson, Mayor of Ribble Valley, and Jeff Dudas, CEO Spiroflow Inc

“Powders and granular materials are complex entities with vastly varied handling properties, so conveying solids is a much more complex task than it is for liquids,” said Dr Weston. “Testing in the material characterisation lab will allow us to fully understand each material in order to design the most efficient bespoke handling solution. The lab will also be invaluable for customers’ development projects to test the feasibility of introducing a new product into their process – particularly vital if a prospective additive has the potential to be cohesive, or has a high moisture or fat content that could affect the flow of the powder in conveying pipework, weigh vessels or valves. Preventive testing can ultimately save thousands in processing downtime.”

Recently Spiroflow opened a factory in North Carolina to serve customers in the North and South America and the Far East.