Hardide plc, a provider ofsurface engineering technology,has commenced dealings of itsOrdinary Shares on the AIMmarket of the London StockExchange.

The company's surfaceengineering technology,combines ultra-hardness, lowfriction and chemical resistancefor use with steel, hard alloysand other materials. Whenapplied to customercomponents the Hardidetungsten carbide coatingtechnology typically extendsuseful life by cutting down onabrasion and corrosion.

The Company has identified theoil and gas, valve and pumpmarkets as offering the bestgrowth opportunities and isalready supplying a number ofmulti-national service, supplyand manufacturing companiesin these sectors.

Coatings specialistgoes public

www.worldpumps.com WORLD PUMPS May 20054

Melaar acquisition give FCXGraco product range FCX, a distributor andmanufacturer of flow controlproducts and solutions, hasacquired Melaar, a Sydney-based product distributor.Melaar is a distributor of Gracoproducts in the region whoserange includes pumps, valvesand related products designedto control the flow of lubricantssuch as oils, greases and liquidfood products.

A substantial proportion of saleswill continue to come from the

production of high added-valuepumping systems, which aresimilar in concept to actuatedvalve packages, but thecombined range will also helpopen new doors to markets andcustomers.

The company intends that itwill operate as a separateproduct unit within FCXAustralia and will be headed up by Phillip Butterworth,Melaar's existing ChiefExecutive.

Concentric opens purpose-built factory inIndia for oil and water pumps

n e w s b u s i n e s s

Davey Products Pty Ltd, theAustralian designer andmanufacturer of water pumpsand systems for rural,metropolitan, industrial, pool,and spa markets has acquiredthe New Zealand-basedContamination Controlbusiness.

Contamination Controlmanufactures and supplies arange of water treatmentproducts for domestic, rural,

industrial and commercialapplications in the New Zealandmarket.

The business includes urban andrural households, large dairies,breweries and food processors,municipal water supply utilitiesand commercial offices. Itsproduct range covers a widespectrum of water treatmenttechnologies including cartridgefiltration and ultra-violetdisinfection.

Davey is currently the distributorfor Contamination Control'sSteriflo range of ultra violetwater treatment systems in theAustralian market. Theacquisition offers the potentialof a larger market sharethrough a more comprehensiverange of water treatmenttechnologies, in addition toDavey's established dealernetworks and key accounts inAustralia and in its establishedexport markets.

Davey Products buysContamination Control

Concentric has opened a newpurpose-built factory in Pune(formerly Poona), India where itwill manufacture and assembleoil and water pumps formedium and heavy dieselengines. The new complex isequipped with modern CNCequipment, including 14 lathes,15 vertical machining centresand four special-purposemachines.

Concentric commencedoperations in India in 1999 andalthough it is known as aninternational supplier to truckand construction industries, italso manufactures, lubricationpumps for transmissions andcompressor, fans, impellers andassociated equipment.

Following the opening of theIndian facility, Concentric Pumpswill continue to manufacture atits other locations inBirmingham, UK and Itasca,Illionis, USA. Birmingham willremain the group centre ofdesign, development andengineering and recently, thecompany commissioned a KiraCNC machining centre to formthe core of a new dedicatedmanufacturing cell.

David Woolley, managingdirector of Concentric pumpscommented, "We have a rollingprogramme of investments at allour plants. This reflects thecontinuing growth in demandfrom our partners around theworld."

Voith Siemens Hydro reports asuccessful 2003/2004 fiscal year.New orders came to �680million, representing an increaseof 15%. Sales for 2003-04dropped again slightly becauseof long invoicing periods formajor projects. The figure forthis period was �466 million.

The market for hydropowerplants continues to unfold alongvery positive lines. The globalmarket for electromechanicalequipment, with a steady annualaverage volume of around �3billion per year leaped to �4.5billion in the period underreview, largely fuelled by thebooming market in China.

Against this background, VoithSiemens Hydro Power Generationsaw orders received jump to anew all-time high in the history ofthe joint-venture company(founded in 2000). According toplan, year-on-year sales droppedowing to the low level of orders inhand at the beginning of theperiod and to very long projectrun times in some cases.

Voith Siemens Hydrohas positive outlook

APE Pumpscompletesgiant pumpAPE Pumps, based in SouthAfrica, has completedfabrication of the biggest water-engineering pumps that thecompany has yet manufactured.The R8-million order is for three1600mm single-stage verticalturbine pumps weighing 17 tonseach. The contract is for a USproject management companyand are to be installed as part ofa pumphouse refurbishmentproject at a dam 200 km northof Basra in southeast Iraq, wherethey will replace pumps morethan 30 years old.

The pumps can deliver 4000litres per second at a head of 20 m and are driven by 1300kW motors. Standard materialswere used throughout, withcast-iron bowls and stainlessshafts and impellers.

One of the constraints overcomeby APE's engineers was the needto fit the pumps within existingsumps at the pumphouse andline up the units to existingpipework. Fabrication wasaltered to meet thisrequirement, and special basesconstructed to fit existingfoundations. Sales director DaveMurphy commented that APEwas able to deliver in 22 weeksagainst competitors’ lead timesof 40-45 weeks.