updates from 40 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2025 www.hpmag.co.uk Contact BCAS at Tel: 020 7935 2464 e-mail: info@bcas.org.uk website: www.bcas.org.uk The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) has appointed Dr. Steve Downham to further expand its technical team, working alongside Tim Preece as Technical Officer. As a chartered mechanical engineer with a PhD that researched centrifugal pump systems, Steve is no stranger to the world of vacuum technology. For more than 26 years, Steve has held engineering positions at Edwards Vacuum, latterly as technical lead for new product innovation and research and development. Engineering knowledge This wealth of engineering knowledge will be a very welcome addition to the Society’s existing technical capabilities, particularly in supporting vacuum technology members and those who are keen to diversify their offer outside of traditional compressed air applications. Tim Preece will continue to be instrumental in developing standards and legislation and lobbying for the best outcomes for BCAS members. In partnership, Steve will provide guidance on how members can apply and deliver against the requirements set. Integral role Steve will play an integral role in the Society’s Vacuum committee, as well as working with the training and development team to develop new training courses for members and end users. Steve said: “It’s a pleasure to join the BCAS team and to use my engineering knowledge to help advise members. I’m planning to meet with lots of members and end users over the coming months, using my skills and experience in the vacuum sector to provide timely and practical advice.” Ashley Quartermann, BCAS Executive Director added: “We British Compressed Air Society expands team with the appointment of second technical officer send a very warm welcome to Steve. He has a wealth of knowledge in the vacuum and broader engineering sectors, which will help to strengthen our technical expertise further still. “In an ever-changing legislative landscape, it is vital that trade associations remain abreast of new requirements as well as lobbying for the best outcomes for their members and end users. Steve will play an important advisory role in many of these areas of best practice and improved performance.” The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) has been welcomed by The Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) as its newest Corporate Partner, a collaboration that will strengthen professional development, technical training, and industry standards across the compressed air and vacuum sectors. BCAS supports its members through a wide range of specialist training courses, tailored for both suppliers and users of compressed air and vacuum systems. By partnering with SOE, these courses will now benefit from formal accreditation, helping to boost the credibility of BCAS training and provide recognised pathways for engineers to progress professionally. As part of the partnership, professionals completing eligible BCAS training programmes will be able to achieve the EngTech postnominal recognition from SOE, validating their technical competence and commitment to continued learning. This joint initiative will further reinforce the value of skills development and professional recognition in the engineering community. Ashley Quarterman, BCAS Executive Director said: “We are proud to partner with the SOE to help further enhance our technical support and training offer for our members and their customers. “The SOE will be providing accreditation for many of our proven compressed air and vacuum training courses, as well as awarding postnominal status to recognise the technical qualifications of engineers in our industry.” BCAS joins Society of Operations Engineers as corporate partner Dr. Steve Downham
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=