July-August 2021

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS Metal Work provides the right treatment for Vixen Founded in 1990, Vixen Surface Treatments Ltd is a well-established producer of wet and dry blast cleaning cabinets, degreasing machines and phosphating equipment. The company supplies to a worldwide customer base that includes large tier 1 organisations such as: British Aerospace, Caterpillar, Siemens, Redbull F1, BMW Mini, Black & Decker, Ford, Rolls Royce, Hotpoint and Sharp Electronics. Vixen also serves other well-established companies in technical industries such as aviation, engineering, medical and automotive, by providing them with reliable customer service and quality manufacturing. All of Vixen’s products are developed at the company’s state-of-the-art factory in Teesside. From here, Vixen produces both off-the-shelf and bespoke machinery that can be used for a multitude of surface treatments. Vixen’s Jetwash, Agiwash and Tristar ranges are designed exclusively for degreasing issues whereas the world- renowned Aquablast wetblasting cabinets and the Jetair dry blast equipment caters for the blast cleaning and surface treatment sector. All of Vixen’s machinery provides cost-effective and environmentally friendly way for superior finishing of components. For the past 15 years, one of Vixen’s main pneumatic parts and automation equipment suppliers is Milton Keynes- based Metal Work. Vixen holds an extensive stock of Metal Work equipment at its premises in Teesside, while Metal Work holds a high level of consignment stock in Milton Keynes as part of a dedicated Kanban system specifically set up to serve Vixen and ensure a fast turnaround of parts and equipment to support its manufacturing operations. Long-standing relationship Metal Work initially began supplying Vixen with one of its air treatment products. Neil Turnbull, UK sales manager for Metal Work, picks up the story: “I gave a presentation on our industry- leading and innovative One unit air treatment system to the Vixen engineering and production team in 2006, which went down so well that Vixen decided to install it on all their front loader degreasing machines. The One unit manages all the front-end machine control requirements on filtration, pressure control, shut off and pressure switch output which gave over 40% cost reduction on their previous air treatment suppliers equipment,” he explains. “We then developed further equipment testing and evaluation of performance for the machine pneumatic equipment requirements for the company. We had to ensure that our products met Vixen’s strict performance requirements to ensure they stay at the leading edge of their industry. From the extensive trials this resulted in us becoming a regular supplier of all the company’s pneumatic equipment requirements, from air treatment equipment to pneumatic fittings and filter regulators. Soon after, we also 48 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2021 www.hpmag.co.uk Vixen personnel getting up to speed with Metal Work’s latest electric actuator and special design capability during a visit the company’s Italian manufacturing facility.