SURGE IN REPORTED METAL THEFT SPARKS TRADE BODY WARNING ON THE HANDLING OF GAS CYLINDERS N


ational trade body the British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA) is


raising awareness of the procedures involved in handling returned gas cylinders. The move comes in light of a reported surge in metal theft, featured recently in the UK media. Doug Thornton, chief executive of the British


Compressed Gases Association, (BCGA) is calling for vigilance to ensure gas cylinders are correctly processed and returned. Thornton said: “Gas suppliers invest a great deal of resource into development and, once in service, into maintaining cylinders so they can safely be used over many years. The market for industrial gases in the UK is significant and consequently there are many thousands of gas cylinders in circulation. “In the vast majority of cases, most


customers will return the cylinder back to their gas supplier. However, some do not. Unfortunately, a number are stolen. They are stolen in some cases for the gases they contain, but more frequently for the scrap value of the metal. This is a disturbing trend as the thieves will have little concern over the safety of themselves or the people to whom they sell stolen cylinders and will not care about releasing gases into the environment. “It is important therefore that people are


aware of their responsibilities in handling and processing gas cylinders correctly, and that action is taken by the authorities to tackle the issues where they are not processed correctly. No-one has the right to declare gas cylinders to


be scrap or to cut them up without the express permission of their rightful owners, namely the gas companies. Where gas cylinders end up at a scrap metal yard or waste management facility, the operators should be aware that most have not been abandoned by the gas supplier and that they have a duty to take reasonable steps to obtain the permission of the owner before destroying a cylinder.” BCGA has a range of information for the waste


management industry to support the safe handling of gas cylinders on site. This includes ‘Leaflet L2, The Safe Handling of Gas Cylinders At Waste Facilities’ available for free download from the BCGA website, which features a flowchart detailing safe disposal methods, as well as useful contacts for further advice and assistance. It also outlines the processes to be followed


to establish legitimate ownership and to ensure that a cylinder is in a safe condition for processing and disposal. Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Industrial Gas Cylinders are the property of the companies named on the cylinders – and by calling a maximum of three numbers, the cylinders will be collected free- of-charge by authorised staff carrying appropriate identification and returned to their lawful owner. Advice can also be provided on the disposal of unbranded cylinders. The BCGA has made the appeal following


media reports in April regarding a reported rise in metal theft figures. Robin Edwards, of Onis Consulting, is the


former police lead in metal theft and an industry expert in addressing the issue. He said: “In 2017 I stated metal theft was sitting on a precipice and unless action was taken we would see an increase in offending. Unfortunately my prediction appears to reflect the current situation. Dorset recently reported a 300 per cent increase in metal theft and Network Rail has also published figures that show an 80 per cent increase in delays as a result of metal theft. Unfortunately, the price of copper is inflated and has risen close to pre-2013 levels and if you throw a lack of enforcement into to the mix it’s not difficult to see where this is heading.” Thornton added: “We are disappointed to


hear of the rising number of metal theft cases, but not surprised. We welcomed the revised Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 and the investment at the time by the Home Office in funding extra specialist regional British Transport Police co-ordinators, which led to major successes in tackling metal theft crime. We strongly supported this approach as our major interest is to protect against the loss of gas cylinders. “However, the Government withdrew this


extra funding and the service was disbanded. As we predicted, the criminal fraternity is not slow to recognise opportunities as they emerge and now we face an upturn in the figures again. We strongly urge the Government to re-evaluate its position and step-up activity to tackle the issue.” www.bcga.co.uk


PROCENTEC SETS FRESH DIRECTION WITH THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW BOARD P


ROCENTEC is proud to announce the addition of three new Shareholders /


Partners. Pieter Barendrecht, Matthew Dulcey and Raoul Heesters will, in addition, form the basis of a new Board and work closely together to steer the future of the company. The original founders remain shareholders,


but no longer hold any operational roles within the company, and upon the completion of the legal procedures, complete the transition of the Board. As well as becoming a Partner, Pieter


Barendrecht will assume the role of CEO, effective immediately. In his previous role as


managing director, Barendrecht’s leadership has seen the company enjoy strong growth over the past four years. “I’m excited to take the responsibility of CEO


at this pivotal time for the company”, said Barendrecht. “It’s been a long road to get to this moment, but all parties involved agree that this is the next logical step in the progression of Procentec on the center stage of Industrial Automation”. Matthew Dulcey will continue in the Role of


CCO. As part of his role, Dulcey will continue to lead the R&D department, maintaining his invaluable insight and developmental focus on


the ever-changing landscape of Industrial Automation innovation, and ensuring Procentec retain their reputation as a company that stays ahead of the technological curve. Raoul Heesters will continue the role of COO.


Already in this role for over two years, Heesters has built a solid reputation as an approachable person, who can get the absolute best from Procentec’s valued employees. His creative focus on issues such as employee satisfaction, customer experience and build quality represent just some of the values on which Procentec have grown during the time of his tenure as COO.”


MANUFACTURERS SALES PERFORMANCE NEEDS TRANSFORMATION M


iller Heiman Group, a leader in improving sales performance through training,


consulting, technology and research, reveals in a report that manufacturing organisations must re-train sales teams to provide perspective and value, in addition to technical expertise, if they’re to survive the changing and volatile European landscape. The report includes a survey of 103 manufacturing sales leaders worldwide. Manufacturing currently accounts for 15 per


cent of European GDP, but with €17 billion in funding earmarked for industrial leadership by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, that number will likely jump as more companies incorporate advanced robotics, sensors and other


advanced technologies. Given the investments that many countries plan to make, understanding the unique challenges that European manufacturers face will be key to supporting its current and future salesforce. In the 2018-2019 Sales Performance Report,


CSO Insights, a division of Miller Heiman Group, surveyed manufacturing sales leaders globally on what they viewed as the factors that needed major redesign or improvement for closing new business and managing existing accounts. The report also identified three main external challenges that are affecting European manufacturers’ ability to sell: Firstly, a globalised manufacturing market means greater sensitivity to


/ FACTORYEQUIPMENT


geopolitical factors, causing even the most informed seller to be overwhelmed by issues such as Brexit. Secondly, while not a new problem, without a


thorough understanding of a customer’s end goals and priorities, sellers will find it nearly impossible to overcome price competition from lower-cost Asian manufacturers that they’ve battled for decades. Thirdly, the high-quality standards required for


the aerospace and defence sectors make them a natural fit for European manufacturers, however stakeholders are conservative and prioritise safety, meaning contracts take longer to negotiate and finalise. Read the whitepaper here: https://bit.ly/2O43oZn


FACTORY EQUIPMENT | MAY 2019 5


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