www.hpmag.co.uk JULY/AUGUST 2026 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS VOL. 31 No. 5 JULY/AUGUST 2026 Annual Buyers’ Guide 2026/27 Buyer's guide cover.qxp_layout 05/08/2026 09:5 g p28 p32 Keeping marine systems moving NFPC Industry Open Day Exhibition 2026 ANNUAL BUYERS’ GUIDE p47 Understanding the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) 2000
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The apprenticeship opportunity EDITOR’S COMMENT www.hpmag.co.uk HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 3 The system has been endlessly rebranded, restructured and rebadged, while employers have been left navigating complexity, bureaucracy and funding rules that often seem designed to discourage participation rather than encourage it. ‘ ’ Engineering has spent the best part of two decades telling successive governments exactly the same thing. The UK’s biggest industrial constraint is not a lack of ambition, investment or innovation. It is a shortage of skilled people. If Andy Burnham’s Government is genuinely prepared to put apprenticeships back at the centre of industrial policy, it will find few critics across manufacturing. The real test, however, is whether ministers are prepared to break with the habit of treating apprenticeships as a political headline rather than an economic necessity. The system has been endlessly rebranded, restructured and rebadged, while employers have been left navigating complexity, bureaucracy and funding rules that often seem designed to discourage participation rather than encourage it. Engineering does not need another skills strategy. It needs stability. For too long, the national conversation has been dominated by the assumption that university is the default route to success, with technical education occupying an uncomfortable second tier. That mindset has done enormous damage, not only to engineering but to the wider economy. At the very moment Britain is talking about AI, reshoring manufacturing, accelerating defence production, building energy infrastructure and leading the transition to cleaner technologies, employers are competing for the same limited pool of experienced engineers. A renewed focus on apprenticeships recognises something industry has understood for years. World-class engineering businesses are not built by importing talent indefinitely or hoping the market will somehow solve the problem. They develop their own people. The apprentice joining the business today is the maintenance manager, design engineer or operations director of the next decade. Skills are not an annual expense. They are a long-term investment in competitiveness. What will matter now is whether government is prepared to trust employers. Engineering companies know the skills they require far better than Whitehall does. If apprenticeship funding becomes more flexible, if employers are given greater influence over training and if smaller manufacturers are supported rather than buried under administration, the returns will be measured not in statistics but in productivity. There is also a wider point that politicians often overlook. Apprenticeships are not simply about filling vacancies. They are about restoring confidence in technical careers. Every successful apprentice challenges the outdated notion that engineering is somehow a secondchoice profession. In reality, manufacturing demands advanced digital capability, systems thinking, automation expertise and problemsolving skills that many graduates never acquire. Engineering will welcome the rhetoric, but it has heard promises before. This time, manufacturers will judge ministers on one measure alone: whether more skilled people walk through the factory gate. Everything else is politics. Aaron Blutstein Editor
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www.hpmag.co.uk HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 5 CONTENTS EDITORIAL Editor: Aaron Blutstein t| 01732 370340 e| editorial@dfamedia.co.uk Content Sub Editor: Leslah Garland t| 01732 370340 e| leslah.garland@dfamedia.co.uk SALES Sales Manager, UK & Overseas: Andrew Jell t| 01732 370347 e| andrew.jell@dfamedia.co.uk Italian Sales Office: Oliver & Diego Casiraghi t| 031 261407 f| 031 261380 e| info@casiraghi.info Turkey: Intersmart Media meltem@intersmartmedia.co.uk Managing Director: Ryan Fuller t| 01732 370344 e| ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk Production Manager & Designer: Chris Davis t| 01732 370340 e| chris.davis@dfamedia.co.uk Reader/Circulation Enquiries: Perception t| +44 (0) 1825 701520. e| dfamedia@dmags.co.uk Marketing Manager Hope Jepson e| hope.jepson@dfamedia.co.uk Financial Finance Department e| accounts@dfamedia.co.uk Published by: DFA Media Group, 192 The High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE t| 01732 370340 e| info@dfamedia.co.uk w| www.hpmag.co.uk In co-operation with H&P is a controlled circulation magazine, published 8 times a year. Please contact DFA Media with any subscription enquiries. Paid subscriptions are also available on an annual basis at £110.00 (UK), £145.00 (Europe) or £180.00 (Rest of the World) P+P included. The content of this magazine, website and newsletters do not necessarily express the views of the Editor or publishers. The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the publishers. 28 30 6 NEWS 16 HYDRAULICS 24 PNEUMATICS 28 INTEGRATED SYSTEMS From cranes and pumps to winches and conveyor systems, bearing technology is helping improve uptime, reduce maintenance and support marine operations. Chris Johnson explains how these often-overlooked components are helping keep ports running efficiently. 30 APPLICATIONS Chemical injection skids incorporating hydraulically actuated diaphragm metering pumps have been delivered for three FPSOs operating in Brazil’s Búzios field, with the integrated packages engineered to meet the performance, safety and space requirements of offshore applications. H&P reports. 32 KNOWLEDGE BASE 36 BFPA Hydraulics & Pneumatics’ issue-by-issue briefing on current activities and views involving the British Fluid Power Association. 38 COMPRESSED AIR, VACUUM AND GENERATORS As part of a sustainability investment at its Milton Keynes production facility, Santa Maria UK has switched from delivered liquid nitrogen to on-site nitrogen generation from Atlas Copco. H&P reports. 40 BCAS Our regular news and events update on the British Compressed Air Society. 41 NEW FACES 42 SPECIAL REPORTS Mobile Equipment/ PPMA Preview 47 ANNUAL BUYERS’ GUIDE 113 PRODUCTS & SERVICES DIRECTORY 38 Subscribe for your FREE copy now Printer: Warners, UK © Copyright 2026, DFA Manufacturing Media Ltd ISSN 1366-1981 Audit Bureau of Circulation – Average net circulation 10,015 January 2024 to December 2024
NEWS 6 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 www.hpmag.co.uk Danfoss to create a leading global player in Fluid Conveyance Danfoss has announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Alfagomma, a global manufacturer of hoses and fittings headquartered in Vimercate, Italy. The acquisition supports the strategic focus to accelerate profitable growth in line with Danfoss’ long-term strategy. Alfagomma will become part of the Fluid Conveyance division, a core business within the Danfoss Power Solutions segment, creating a leading global player in fluid conveyance that strengthens the ability to serve customers globally. “The acquisition of Alfagomma is a significant milestone for Danfoss and an important strategic step in executing our long-term strategy. By bringing together these two businesses, we form a leading global player in fluid conveyance, giving us complementary capabilities, greater scale, and the global presence needed to better serve all our customers and accelerate future growth. We are excited to welcome talented colleagues from a company we have long admired for its dedicated and competent people, strong customer partnerships, and industryleading expertise and service,” said Kim Fausing, President and CEO of Danfoss. Founded in 1956, Alfagomma is a privately owned global manufacturer and distributor of hoses and fittings under the brand names ALFAGOMMA, Dunlop Hiflex, and Argus. The company’s products are used in mobile hydraulics, industrial applications including mining and oil & gas, marine, shipbuilding, and other industries. Alfagomma has a strong global presence with 28 production and assembly sites, about 4,500 employees, and sales of approximately EUR 600 million. “Alfagomma is an excellent strategic fit for Danfoss Power Solutions. Our businesses are a perfect match, with limited overlap and significant opportunities to create value for customers around the world. By combining our technologies, manufacturing footprint, and global market presence, we will strengthen partnerships and expand our ability to support customers wherever they operate across mobile and industrial hydraulics and other industrial applications. Alfagomma comes with a great reputation and will add expertise in industrial applications such as oil & gas and mining where they truly excel. Most importantly, we are bringing together two teams with strong customer focus that share a strong passion for solving complex application challenges. We are happy to welcome the Alfagomma team to Danfoss Power Solutions,” said Daniel Winter, President, Danfoss Power Solutions. Danfoss Power Solutions’ Fluid Conveyance division manufactures hoses and fittings for vehicles, aircraft, marine, mining, food and beverage, mobile and industrial equipment, and other applications. “Alfagomma is one of the most respected names in our industry. By bringing together two businesses with complementary strengths, we are creating a leading global player in the hose and fittings industry with exceptional manufacturing, distribution, and strong application know-how. This combination strengthens our ability to support customers globally and creates a strong platform for sustainable, long-term growth,” said Domenico Traverso, President, Fluid Conveyance, Danfoss Power Solutions. The Board of Receivers of Alfagomma said in a statement: “This transaction represents the successful outcome of a structured process aimed at preserving business continuity and securing longterm value for Alfagomma and its stakeholders. In Danfoss, we have found the right, important industrial partner: a family-owned, leading global company that shares its values and long-term vision, with a clear commitment to strengthen the operations, support the industrial base, and ensure stability, growth, and continued investment in the people, capabilities, and operations of Alfagomma. We consider that this is the best possible outcome for the company, its employees, customers, and suppliers, and for the industrial communities in which Alfagomma operates. In our role of receivers appointed at the end of May 2025, we believe that we have fulfilled our mandate, including from a timing perspective, aimed at providing Alfagomma with a future of continuity and growth.” The acquisition is subject to necessary approvals. It is expected to be fully completed by Q4 2026. Until closing, both companies will continue to operate independently, with a strong focus on business continuity, stability, and delivering the high level of service customers expect.
discover more ASME B31.1-B31.3 UNI EN ISO 9001 2014/68/UE EN 13501-1:2007 Aluminium modular piping systems for the distribution of fluid energy. Systems for compressed air, vacuum, nitrogen, gas and technical fluids. Customised ergonomic solutions. Design, energy saving and pay-back services. HOLLOW BAR SYSTEM ALUMINIUM PIPING SYSTEM DROP COLUMN SYSTEM AIR & ELECTRIC TRACK SUPPLY MODULAR TROLLEY SYSTEM - PRESSURISED WORK BENCH FOR ASSEMBLY - PRESSURISED SWINGING ARM BRACKET - PRESSURISED ALUMINIUM MANIFOLD SYSTEM MULTIFLUID PIPING SYSTEM 25 BAR hbs dcs ats aps ams wba mts mps sab In 1988 Teseo Srl invented a market by developing and bringing to market worldwide innovative modular aluminium piping systems for compressed air and technical fluids distribution. Revolutionary systems, carefully designed and manufactured in Italy, designed to be quick to install, durable and efficient over time: all this with a view to economic, energy and environmental sustainability. Since then, Teseo has never stopped inventing and designing products and services tailored to each customer’s needs, also enhancing its range of solutions for the distribution of compressed air and technical fluids, in order to be a solid and reliable partner from the compressor room to the machine or workbench. With the experience and expertise that only the Company that invented the product can provide. ERGONOMIC CUSTOMISED SOLUTIONS TESEO SRL Via degli Oleandri, 1 - 25015 Desenzano d/G BRESCIA - ITALY - T. +39 030 9150411 TESEO SOLUTIONS DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOU! 100% RECYCLABLE ALUMINIUM LIGHTWEIGHT AND ROBUST QUICK AND EASY TO INSTALL PLUG & PLAY EASY TO ASSEMBLE AND DISASSEMBLE ZERO WASTE 100% LEAK-FREE ENERGY SAVING CONSULTING DESIGN REDUCED COSTS DURABLE AND RESISTANT HIGH TECH DESIGN Write to: sales@teseo.co.uk to find your nearest Teseo distributor in the UK! MADE IN ITALY
NEWS 8 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 www.hpmag.co.uk With the submission deadline fast approaching, companies and individuals from across the electro-mechanical maintenance and repair sector are being encouraged to enter the 2026 AEMT Awards, one of the industry’s most respected programmes recognising excellence, innovation, and outstanding achievement. The Awards continue to celebrate the organisations and individuals that are driving engineering excellence, technical innovation, sustainability, skills development, and business success throughout the electro-mechanical sector. With Friday 11th September 2026 confirmed as the closing date for entries, businesses are urged not to miss the opportunity to gain industry-wide recognition. Full details of every award category, eligibility criteria and online entry forms are available at www.aemtawards.com. The winners will be announced at the prestigious AEMT Awards Presentation Dinner, taking place on Thursday 19th November 2026 at The DoubleTree by Hilton, Coventry, where industry leaders, manufacturers, service providers, and engineering professionals will come together to celebrate the very best the sector has to offer. Supported once again by the Association of Electrical & Mechanical Trades (AEMT), the Awards have established a growing reputation for recognising organisations that consistently demonstrate excellence in engineering, customer service, product innovation, and workforce development. Independent judging and broad industry support continue to reinforce the Awards’ credibility and prestige across the electromechanical maintenance and repair community. This year’s programme introduces two significant developments. The first is the new Electro-Mechanical Champion of the Year award, created to recognise individuals whose skill, commitment, leadership, and influence have made an exceptional contribution to the industry. In addition, the popular Service Centre of the Year category has been divided into separate Small Service Centre of the Year and Large Service Centre of the Year awards, ensuring organisations of all sizes can be judged against businesses of comparable scale and recognised for their achievements. The 2026 award categories are: Product of the Year – Sponsored by Sulzer Project of the Year – Sponsored by EMiR Software Small Service Centre of the Year – Sponsored by AEMT Large Service Centre of the Year – Sponsored by Menzel Supplier of the Year – Sponsored by DFA Media Contribution to Skills & Training Award – Sponsored by Innomotics Rising Star Award – Sponsorship available Electro-Mechanical Champion of the Year – Sponsorship available Sustainable Organisation of the Year – Sponsored by Hayley Group Diversity in Engineering Award – Sponsored by WEG Whether recognising an innovative new product, a successful engineering project, an outstanding service operation or the achievements of talented individuals, the AEMT Awards provide an unrivalled opportunity to showcase excellence before peers, customers, and the wider engineering community. With the Friday 11th September 2026 entry deadline now approaching, prospective entrants are encouraged to submit their nominations without delay. For full details of the categories, judging criteria and online entry forms, visit: www.aemtawards.com and ensure your organisation is represented in one of the electro-mechanical industry’s premier celebrations of engineering excellence. Final call for entries as submission deadline approaches for the 2026 AEMT Awards RS celebrates success of £50,000 Formula Student funding following UK team victories RS UK and Ireland, part of RS Group plc, is celebrating the success of UK teams it supported in Formula Student, Europe’s most established educational motorsport engineering competition, which took place at Silverstone recently. Formula Student UK was launched by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) in 1998 and has grown into Europe’s most established educational motorsport engineering competition, attracting hundreds of students and
NEWS 10 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 www.hpmag.co.uk industry partners each year. University teams are challenged to design, build, test and compete with a single-seat race car while also demonstrating business, manufacturing and project-management skills. The competition is intended to bridge academic learning and real-world engineering practice. RS launched its 2026 Formula Student funding earlier in the year, inviting fund applications from teams globally for £1000 worth of RS products. RS received 137 applications from 33 countries, and 50 teams were selected to each receive the £1000 product fund. Almost half of these were from the UK and Ireland. The RS Formula Student funding programme forms part of RS’s wider Engineers of Tomorrow initiative, which is dedicated to inspiring and supporting the next generation of engineers. Through funding, technical resources, industry expertise and hands-on learning opportunities, the programme helps students develop the practical skills and experience needed to succeed in engineering careers. Jen Scarlett, head of social impact at RS, said: “Supporting students in this prestigious and established competition is closely aligned with our commitment to championing tomorrow’s engineers, by helping teams develop practical engineering skills and bring their designs to life. We’re delighted that UK teams awarded funding from the RS Engineers of Tomorrow programme have achieved this great success.” Since launching the programme in 2021, RS has supported 54 different Formula Student teams across the UK and Ireland, providing 125 individual funding awards. Alongside the £1000 product fund, teams can access RS’s technical resources and engineering support network, gaining assistance with product selection, sourcing, compliance, troubleshooting, configuration guidance and prototype development support. Teams can also access technical data sheets, DesignSpark content, and product expertise to help identify the most suitable components and equipment for their vehicle development. Teams were evaluated by industry experts and engineering professionals, with criteria including engineering design, cost and manufacturing and business plan presentation. In the dynamic events, elements like acceleration, skid pad, sprint, endurance and efficiency were judging criteria, and the AI teams were additionally judged on autonomous systems capability and real-world performance. Of the products chosen by teams that had won £1000 from the RS Formula Student funding, those competing in the ‘Autonomous’ race category opted for single board computers (SBCs), to support high-performance computational requirements like computer vision for object detection, and path planning/decision-making systems. Common platforms included the NVIDIA Jetson series and Raspberry Pi. Most teams continued to rely on microcontrollers, largely due to their capability to handle real-time and safety-critical function – key considerations in Formula Student vehicle design. AMRC sets up £1m capability to de-risk hydrogen fuel switching for manufacturers The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has secured £1m funding to establish HyDecarb, a first-of-its-kind, open-access research capability dedicated to the decarbonisation ofindustrial natural gas. Industrial heat is one of the most significant challenges in the race to net zero, accounting for nearly onefifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. In the UK, industrial processes contribute approximately 12% of total emissions, the majority of which is heatrelated. While many sectors can turn to electrification, energy-intensive industries such as foundries, glassmaking and steel face massive technical barriers where electricity is not yet a viable option. The HyDecarb project, backed by the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, provides a real-world, industrialscale testbed for manufacturers to trial hydrogen fuel-switching in a controlled environment. Designed to bridge the gap between laboratory research and full-scale industrial adoption, the AMRC’s openaccess infrastructure removes the technical and financial barriers that have traditionally made the transition to lowcarbon energy too risky for individual manufacturers to attempt alone. Matthew Cawood, head of castings at the AMRC, says the capability is a necessity for the survival of these sectors. He said: “High-temperature industries have traditionally been the hardest to decarbonise, but finding a solution is now a necessity. By developing this capability at the AMRC, we are proving to our partners that they can slash emissions immediately without needing to reinvent their entire operation. “We are providing the environment where businesses can meet environmental goals while keeping their production lines running and staying competitive. As a leading manufacturing R&D centre, our role is to de-risk this technology and drive its adoption across the UK manufacturing sector to meet the
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NEWS 12 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 www.hpmag.co.uk country’s net zero ambitions.” At the heart of the HyDecarb project is a dual-innovation approach that mimics the exact conditions found in ageing UK factories, allowing for accurate, real-world testing: The furnace: A 20-year-old industrial furnace will be overhauled by Therser UKand converted to operate on any blend of natural gas and hydrogen. The hydrogen source: To feed the furnace, the AMRC will integrate a gas decarbonisation unit from Sheffieldbased cleantech pioneer, Suiso, which generates a hydrogen/natural gas blend to power the furnace. Suiso’s proprietary microwave pyrolysis technology decarbonises natural gas at the point of use by separating methane into hydrogen and solid carbon. By removing the carbon before combustion, the system enables industrial users to significantly reduce CO 2 emissions while continuing to utilise existing gas infrastructure. The carbon is captured in a solid form rather than being released as atmospheric CO 2 . This solid carbon is then upgraded by Suiso into high-value activated carbon, used globally for water purification and air filtration. This circular approach turns a carbon liability into a commercial asset, a key factor in the AMRC’s selection ofthe technology. Stuart McKnight, CEO of Suiso, said: “We are grateful to the AMRC for their confidence in our technology and for deploying it in their operations today and helping drive its adoption across the industries they support over time. “This project marks a significant milestone in the transition to costeffective, low-carbon industrial processes. Converting emissions into value is what we do at Suiso.” Matthew Pound, sales director of Therser UK, said: “Working alongside the AMRC and Suiso, we are helping to create a practical, scalable route for energy-intensive industries to reduce emissions, de-risk investment decisions and accelerate progress towards net-zero manufacturing. “By converting an existing industrial furnace to operate on hydrogen and natural gas blends, we are demonstrating how proven manufacturing assets can be adapted rather than replaced.” The AMRC’s HyDecarb capability reinforces Sheffield’s position as the UK’s hub for green manufacturing. By lowering the barrier to entry for hydrogen adoption and making research accessible to all, the AMRC is ensuring that the region’s manufacturing ecosystem remains at the forefront of the global race to net zero. The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), has launched a new Robot Experience Centre (REC) designed to help UK manufacturers accelerate the adoption of robotics and automation technologies. Located at MTC’s Ansty Park site in Coventry, the new centre has been supported by Innovate UK through the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. The vendor-neutral facility will enable manufacturers to explore, test and validate robotics solutions before making investment decisions. The REC comprises three dedicated areas: a modular automation and robotics sandpit for project development and experimentation; a demonstration space for applications including welding, palletising and machine tending; and a collaborative robot development area. Alongside access to robot and automation technologies, the centre will offer training and expert support to help businesses build skills, increase confidence and successfully implement automation solutions. The initiative has been developed to address the persistent barriers to robotics adoption across UK manufacturing, particularly among SMEs, where challenges around skills, procurement and implementation continue to hinder deployment. A new training programme – Robotics and Automation Adoption for Small to Medium Sized Enterprises – will provide practical guidance on evaluating, MTC launches new Robot Experience Centre to accelerate UK automation adoption
NEWS 14 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 www.hpmag.co.uk procuring and integrating robotics technologies. To support manufacturers beyond the initial adoption stage, MTC is establishing partnerships with system integrator partners. These collaborations will help businesses transition more effectively from proof of concept to production, reducing implementation challenges, minimising re-engineering and accelerating the delivery and costeffectiveness of automation projects. In addition, through the REC, MTC will connect potential adopters of robotics with a panel of financing providers to help them find the most suitable funding option. Commenting on the role of the Robot Experience Centre in helping manufacturers overcome barriers to automation adoption, Mike Wilson, Chief Automation Officer at MTC, said: “The Robot Experience Centre is about helping businesses understand what automation can do for them in a practical and accessible way. For many manufacturers, especially SMEs, the challenge isn’t recognising the potential benefits of robotics – it’s knowing where to start. By giving businesses access to testbeds, expertise and training under one roof, we’re helping them to make investments that will improve productivity, strengthen competitiveness, and ultimately, support long-term growth for UK manufacturing.” UK manufacturers are facing mounting pressure from high electricity costs, with a new report warning that continued price volatility could force factory closures and put an estimated £85 billion of economic activity at risk unless the next Government acts quickly. The report, From Crisis to Stability: A Future Energy System for Manufacturers, published by Make UK in partnership with Ecotricity, argues that reform of the UK’s electricity market is essential to improve industrial competitiveness, unlock investment and support the sector’s transition to net zero. According to the report, 90% of manufacturers have experienced at least moderate increases in energy bills since 2022, while more than half identify energy costs as their biggest business challenge over the coming years. More significantly, 13% of manufacturers surveyed say further increases in energy prices could prove terminal for their operations. Make UK estimates that a corresponding 13% decline in UK manufacturing output would remove around £85 billion from the wider economy annually, including approximately £50 billion across supply chains. The report also highlights the broader impact of elevated energy costs, with seven in ten manufacturers passing increased costs on to customers, while tighter margins are delaying investment decisions across the sector. Make UK argues that UK manufacturers continue to face structurally higher electricity costs because wholesale electricity prices remain closely linked to gas prices, while policy levies, constrained grid capacity, ageing infrastructure and post-Brexit trading arrangements continue to add cost and complexity. Despite these pressures, the report suggests manufacturers remain committed to decarbonisation. Nearly three quarters believe a renewable-led electricity system offers the best route to lower energy costs, while 71% say achieving net zero remains important to their operations. Investment in energy efficiency also continues across the sector. Almost nine in ten manufacturers have already implemented or are progressing efficiency measures, 63% have begun electrification projects, and 87% say they would increase investment if the price gap High energy costs could force UK factory closures without urgent Government action, Make UK warns
www.hpmag.co.uk HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 15 between electricity and gas were reduced. To improve industrial competitiveness, Make UK is calling on the incoming Government to implement a package of short- and long-term reforms. These include bringing forward the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme to this year and extending eligibility to all manufacturers, transferring electricity policy levies into general taxation, expanding business rates relief for green investment, creating a successor to the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, accelerating electricity market reform to reduce reliance on gas pricing, and reforming grid connections to better support industrial demand. Commenting on the findings, Stephen Phipson CBE, CEO of Make UK, said: “High energy costs are one of the biggest threats to the future of manufacturing in the UK. Companies want to invest, innovate and decarbonise, but they cannot do so while electricity prices remain internationally uncompetitive. “The incoming Government must act quickly, ensuring support reaches the whole manufacturing base while investment decisions are being made now. That means delivering the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme this year, extending it to all manufacturers, and moving policy costs off electricity bills. “Manufacturers are not asking for permanent subsidy. They are asking for an energy system that allows them to compete, invest and grow in the UK, at a time when wider business cost burdens have already increased significantly since 2024. Without urgent action, we risk losing industrial capacity that will be extremely difficult to rebuild.” Dale Vince OBE, Founder of Ecotricity, added: “Ecotricity has been campaigning for years now – to end the energy market absurdity that sets the price of all electricity to be the same as that from gas. This ‘link’ prevents Britain’s lower cost green energy from bringing down energy bills. It ensures that British manufacturers remain exposed to volatile global gas markets, undermining competitiveness – for no good reason at all. “The economic case for reform is clear. During the 2023 energy crisis, breaking this link would have saved UK businesses an estimated £30 billion. Inflation could have been 1.5 percentage points lower, Bank of England interest rates almost one percentage point lower, economic growth 0.6 percentage points higher, and the UK economy £36 billion bigger in GDP terms. The link fundamentally undermines our economy, as well as forcing overpriced energy on us. “British companies continue to face some of the highest energy costs in Europe – our next Prime Minister must seize the opportunity to lift this burden from our whole economy and finally ‘break the link’.” The report also highlights manufacturers including David Nieper, Schneider Electric and Numatic as examples of businesses investing in onsite renewable generation, electrification, energy efficiency and digital optimisation to reduce both emissions and operating costs. While these investments demonstrate continued confidence in industrial decarbonisation, Make UK concludes that individual business action alone cannot overcome the structural challenges within the UK’s energy system. The report argues that delivering cheaper, cleaner and more secure electricity will be critical to safeguarding manufacturing competitiveness and supporting the sector’s next phase of industrial transformation.
HYDRAULICS 16 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 www.hpmag.co.uk In many production environments, cleaning processes are run conservatively because cleanliness may be hard to verify. The result is frequent cleaning fluid changes, unnecessary downtime, and higher operating costs, all justified in the name of risk reduction. Hydraulic cylinder manufacturer Burnside Hydracyl worked with Dyne Testing, an Intertronics brand, to replace assumption with measurement in its cylinder washing process. By introducing quantitative cleanliness verification using the SITA Cleanospector, Burnside reduced washer servicing frequency, extended fluid life, and cut costs by around €7500 per washer per year, while maintaining product performance, quality levels, and operational safety. Burnside Hydracyl, of Ballymoon, Country Carlow, Ireland, has designed and manufactured hydraulic cylinders for sectors from agriculture to industrial maintenance for almost four decades. Hydraulic cylinders can use up to 400 bar of pressure. Cleanliness of components during manufacture is an essential safeguard for cylinder integrity and safety in use, as contamination can cause internal damage, leakage, and in severe cases structural failure under pressure. Quality Engineer JJ Ryan is responsible for maintaining and improving Burnside’s systems and processes in line with established standards. “The industry is moving forward in its expectations of cleanliness, but also of the quality framework and documentation around that cleanliness,” explained Ryan. Recent conversation with an important customer highlighted this and he saw an opportunity to reassess Burnside’s cleaning process. At the time, Burnside was replacing the washer fluid in its cylinder washing machines monthly. Ryan suspected this was over-cautious, but knew that contamination, even by microscopic fine particles, can damage the cylinders and cause serious issues during operation. “Pollution in hydraulic systems can lead to misalignment, blocked valves, and even uncontrolled failures caused by the Cleanliness measurement improves hydraulic cylinder manufacturing that were largely unquantified, without compromising quality or introducing additional process risk. By verifying cleanliness levels, Burnside would be able to make evidencebased decisions on washer fluid change frequency and gain full visibility of its washer maintenance strategy. Enquiries with industry partners pointed Burnside towards Intertronics and Dyne Testing. Understanding the industrial washing process Ryan contacted Dyne Sales Manager Alison Fox in early 2025, who first arranged cylinder surface cleanliness testing of different examples, from a series Burnside Hydracyl reduced washer maintenance, extended cleaning fluid life and improved production throughput by introducing quantitative cleanliness measurement into its hydraulic cylinder manufacturing process. H&P reports. pressure,” said Ryan. “These health and safety risks aren’t acceptable, so I wanted to keep the peace of mind that our cylinders were optimally clean while also reducing maintenance costs and eliminating disposal of usable washer fluid.” Burnside was spending around €1500 per international bulk container (IBC) of cleaning fluid. Across its fleet of washers, that added up to hundreds of thousands of euros each year. Managing Director Brendan Byrne asked Ryan to find a way to measure the cleanliness of cylinder components after washing, so the business could reduce waste and bring better control to a set of running costs
www.hpmag.co.uk HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 17 of washers: a known dirty component, one washed with old washing fluid, and one washed the day the fluid was changed. Dyne Testing used the SITA Cleanospector to assess the samples. It works by illuminating a metal surface with UV light and measuring the fluorescence from residual organic oils and contaminants, giving an immediate, quantitative indication of surface cleanliness without damaging the part. Cleanliness is expressed in relative fluorescence units (RFU), giving an objective numerical measure that can be tracked, compared, and controlled over time. The samples revealed an issue right away: one side of the components from a specific washer all returned high RFU values, too high to have been cleaned properly. Upon inspection of that washer, Burnside found a broken arm inside the washing chamber and immediately repaired it. “This sort of insight was exactly what we were looking for,” recalled Ryan. “We’d seen the Cleanospector on Dyne Testing’s website during research, so this demonstration convinced us that it could help achieve our quality and traceability goals.” Confidence through visibility Burnside purchased the Cleanospector in March 2025. Fox and Dyne Testing Technical Sales Executive Conor Kelly provided training for the quality team, demonstrating best practice tips for use and discussing how the instrument could best be integrated into the production line. “Conor explained it brilliantly; he kept everything simple and precise. Dyne are great communicators and teachers,” said Ryan. Equipped with the Cleanospector and the training, Ryan began to collect cleanliness data on cylinders across Burnside’s fleet of washing machines. A year on, he has amassed RFU data points across all machines and calculated a baseline cleanliness value. This enabled Burnside to reduce the average number of washer fluid changes per year from 12 down to seven, with plans for further reductions in 2026. This change saves around €7500 per washer annually and ensures that hundreds of litres of viable cleaning fluid are used to the end of their service life, while hydraulic cylinder performance is unaffected, quality standards remain high, and customer safety is maintained. Cylinder stroke count Cylinder stroking is another dimension of the post-manufacturing quality process. Once built, Burnside connects cylinders to a test rig and cycles them, before testing the hydraulic oil from the system. This stroking process flushes out any internal contaminants and fine particles, circulates fresh oil through, and confirms pressure integrity and seal performance. Technicians would stroke cylinders up to 30 times to ensure that oil cleanliness results fell within customer requirements; usually Class 7 or Class 8 from ISO 4406:2021 Hydraulic fluid power — Fluids — Method for coding the level of contamination by solid particles. If it was found to be marginally above tolerance, operators would resume the stroking process to remove more contaminants. This increased stroking time slowed production timescales, taking up to 30 minutes per cylinder. By increasing upstream cleanliness assurance with the Cleanospector, Ryan knew he could improve throughput on this process. Confidence, fuelled by clarity in the washing process, has enabled Burnside to reduce stroking cycles from 30 strokes down to 20 or even 15, saving around ten minutes per batch. For Ryan, the quality framework and the adherence to ISO 4406 provides the consistency and customer reassurance that he searched for after the traceability conversation that began the upgrade process. “Dyne Testing made my week when I could go back to that customer and tell them we had the exact documentation to put their fears to rest,” said Burnside MD Brendan Byrne. “Having Alison and Conor at our disposal to answer questions with great technical knowledge and communication skills has been great,” concluded Ryan. “This technology has opened up lots of opportunities for us at Burnside.” For further information please visit: https://dynetesting.com/productcategory/cleanliness-testing
HYDRAULICS Versa has launched its new C-316 Series Stainless Steel NAMUR Lockout Valve, a direct-mount actuator control solution suitable for fluid power applications requiring dependable isolation, corrosion resistance and long-term operational reliability. Designed for direct NAMUR actuator mounting, the C-316 Series allows the valve to be mechanically locked in either the energised or de-energised position during maintenance procedures or plant shutdowns. When not in a locked position, the valve functions as a standard electrically operated actuator control valve. The new C-316 Series was developed to support industrial environments where exposure to moisture, corrosive atmospheres, washdown conditions, and aggressive process media can impact valve performance and service life. Featuring 316L stainless steel bodies, actuator caps, plungers, springs, and internal components, the valve is built to withstand demanding operating conditions commonly found in chemical processing, oil & gas, power generation, marine, and process automation facilities. Stainless steel lockout valve targets harsh environments Standard FKM (fluorocarbon) seals provide compatibility across a broad range of temperatures and media, while available solenoid configurations support both general-purpose and hazardous location requirements. “The C-316 Series expands our stainless steel offering with a practical solution for actuator isolation in harsh industrial environments,” said Rob Healey, COO. “Customers continue to look for products that combine reliability, corrosion resistance, and installation flexibility, particularly in applications where uptime and maintenance accessibility are critical.” Available in both 3-way and 4-way universal flow configurations, the valve supports operation with air, inert gas, natural gas and hydraulic media. The compact direct-mount NAMUR design helps simplify installation while reducing external tubing and potential leak points. For further information please visit: www.versa-valves.com Adaptive seal compensates for large tolerances The Prädifa Technology Division of Parker Hannifin has developed adaptive Warp Seals, specifically for the purpose of compensating for large component tolerances. They reliably seal ports, feedthroughs, and plug connections and are used where conventional static seals reach their limits due to manufacturing tolerances. As a result, reliable sealing is achieved even in the case of large tolerance chains, which reduces costs and assembly time. Many port, feedthrough, and plug connections today are created by highpressure die-casting, plastic injection molding, sheet metal forming, or similar manufacturing methods. The tolerances that can be achieved economically with these manufacturing methods are relatively large. For reliable sealing of housing openings and connections, that poses a considerable challenge. In many cases, conventional static sealing solutions are neither able to compensate for the aggregated tolerances in the tolerance chains nor can they be installed in a reliable process. When the manufacturing tolerances exceed the range that standard seals reliably cover, additional costs are incurred due to rework, stricter manufacturing specifications, more complex installation processes, or even higher warranty risks. Consequently, Warp Seals cover a wide range of applications, especially for large tolerance and high tightness requirements, including sealing of connections and feedthroughs in housings with axial, radial, or angular tolerances, as well as rods and pistons in hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Possible uses span the automotive industry, aerospace and defence, HVAC, industrial manufacturing equipment and mechanical engineering, off-road machinery, as well as hydrogen and fuel cell engineering, up to and including electrification and electric mobility where compact and flexible seals are required. For further information please visit: ww.parker.com/praedifa efficient design no longer presupposes that the component perfectly fits the seal profile but that the seal actively compensates for the real assembly space. Parker Prädifa’s technology-focused approach to developing the Warp Seal product family compensates for axial, radial, and angular tolerances. Using suitably adapted materials, the Warp Seals deliver high resistance against a wide range of media and environmental influences. Other benefits include ease of assembly of various components without major design-related or functional restrictions. The product family is available in several variants for a variety of assembly spaces and tolerance compensation requirements. The robust design of the seals and use of suitable materials guarantees reliable sealing of housing feedthroughs and plug connections even under challenging conditions. Depending on their design, Warp Seals can even function as pressure relief valves. 18 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 www.hpmag.co.uk
Tel: 01664 567226 • Email: info@dualpumps.co.uk www.dualpumps.co.uk Follow / Like / Subscribe Precision Under Pressure Defined by Trust UK Official Distributor Since 1983 Certificate Number: 13085 Your Trusted Partner Since 1975 Hydraulically Driven Pressure Washers Hydraulically Driven High Pressure Pumps Pumps & Pumping Equipment Cleaning Equipment Hose & Hose Reels Fluid Handling Components Fittings, Connectors & Filters Spraying & Watering Engines, Motors & Generators Delivering power, precision, and confidence where it counts A large range of pressure washers available including: engine, electric & battery driven
HYDRAULICS Hydraulic filters have traditionally been viewed as consumable components, replaced at predetermined intervals to protect pumps, valves and actuators from contamination. While that approach still has its place, the role of filtration is beginning to change. The latest filter technology, improved monitoring and a greater focus on contamination control are allowing maintenance teams to use filtration as a source of operational insight as well as protection, helping to improve reliability without fundamentally changing existing hydraulic systems. Differential pressure monitoring is making it easier to understand how a filter is performing throughout its service life and, in more demanding applications, can be supported by online particle counters and contamination sensors. Alongside this, advances in synthetic filter media have improved the balance between filtration efficiency, dirt-holding capacity and pressure drop. Rather than relying solely on operating hours, maintenance decisions can increasingly be based on what is happening inside the hydraulic system. Contamination Basing those decisions on operating data has a direct impact on reliability because contamination remains one of the most common causes of hydraulic component failure. Fine particles can accelerate wear in pumps, valves and actuators long before problems become visible during routine inspection. Detecting a rise in contamination levels or an increasing pressure differential across the filter gives engineers the opportunity to intervene before production is disrupted. The need for effective filtration has also grown as hydraulic systems have become more demanding. Higher operating pressures, tighter manufacturing tolerances and the widespread use of proportional and servo valves leave less room for contamination than was once the case. Achieving the required fluid cleanliness is no longer simply a matter of replacing filters at regular intervals. Filter selection, media performance and ongoing monitoring all contribute to maintaining the cleanliness levels required for the application, often measured against ISO 4406 cleanliness codes. Maintenance planning Maintenance planning also becomes more targeted when filter performance is monitored rather than assumed. Instead of replacing filters across an entire site according to the calendar, engineers can concentrate on the machines that genuinely need attention. That reduces unnecessary replacement of serviceable filter elements, can help extend hydraulic fluid service life when supported by oil condition monitoring and makes better use of planned shutdowns. That is not to say the transition is without cost. Retrofitting sensors and integrating monitoring equipment into existing hydraulic systems requires investment, so many businesses begin with a small number of critical assets where the return is easiest to demonstrate. The information gathered from those machines can then be used to assess whether a wider rollout is justified. Most maintenance teams are already collecting information on vibration, temperature or oil condition, so filtration data adds another layer of insight rather than creating a separate process. Looking at these indicators together makes it easier to identify developing faults before they become expensive repairs. It also provides stronger evidence when planning maintenance schedules, assessing oil condition and reviewing equipment performance over time. The shift is also changing what customers expect from filtration suppliers. Alongside replacement elements, there is increasing demand for advice on contamination control, filter specification, monitoring equipment and the interpretation of maintenance data. Technical support and application knowledge are becoming just as important as the products themselves, particularly where businesses are looking to improve reliability without major investment in new equipment. Used effectively, hydraulic filtration can deliver considerably more than protection against contamination. Advances in filter media, condition monitoring and a better understanding of fluid cleanliness are giving maintenance teams more information to work with and greater confidence in their maintenance decisions. For manufacturers seeking practical improvements in equipment reliability, filtration is increasingly becoming an active part of maintenance strategy rather than simply another scheduled service task. Beyond scheduled filter changes 20 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2026 www.hpmag.co.uk Hydraulic filtration is no longer just about protecting components from contamination. Advances in filter technology and condition monitoring are helping manufacturers make better maintenance decisions, improve reliability and reduce unnecessary servicing. H&P reports.
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