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Leading storage tank manufacturer Harlequin, has previewed two important new additions to the pioneering tank manufacturer's range of environmentally preferred, Bunded Tanks at FPS Expo. The new 1,100 litre and 3,500 litre models both combine the very latest advances in storage tank design, with a manufacturing pedigree that stretches back almost 3 decades.

The 1,100 litre Slimline model is an all-new replacement for the company's long-serving 1100BND/ENV model – the very first bunded tank to be manufactured by the company which first appeared in 1996.

The new model builds upon the success of the original, and combines compact dimensions with the environmental integrity that only integral bunding can afford. Designed to exceed the most demanding technical, environmental and regulatory requirements, the product is already OFCERT Licensed in accordance with the requirements of OFS T100 – the only independently acknowledged standard for the design and manufacture of rotationally moulded bunded tanks in Western Europe.

Harlequin's Marketing Manager John Switzer says, “The new 1,100 litre Bunded complements our existing 1,000 litre and 1,300 litre Slimline Bunded models, as well as the new 650 litre Slimline Bunded which also made its debut at FPS Expo. With four Slimline Bunded options now available in a choice of capacities from 650 litres to 1300 litres, Harlequin offer installers an unrivalled choice at smaller domestic oil heating installations, where space will often be at a premium and where a bunded tank is now normally required.

Also making its debut at FPS Expo is an all-new 3,500 litre Bunded Tank from Harlequin, primarily developed in response to demand from customers in mainland European markets.

John explains, “Our existing 2,700 litre and 5,000 litre models are strong sellers in all markets in which we operate. However, increasingly installers have been asking for a tank which fits somewhere in between, as fuel delivery quantities in some European markets tend to be considerably higher than here in the UK. The new 3500BND/ENV addresses that demand. And whilst we expect that the majority of sales will be outside the British Isles – we are confident that the arrival of a 3,500 litre Bunded Tank option, will provide installers with a useful option for larger domestic and smaller commercial heating oil storage installations.”

Both new models will shortly enter production at Harlequin's Advanced Manufacturing Facility in Moira, Co. Armagh and will be available to order from Harlequin Accredited Resellers throughout the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France and Iceland.

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Leading excavator attachments manufacturer, Hill Engineering Ltd, is experiencing an ever increasing demand for its products in the UK and Ireland, as well as from across Europe and the USA.

Ireland-based Hill Engineering provides top quality, highly reliable, world-leading attachments, including the unique 'Safety First' Auto-Loc quick hitch, together with a range of exceptionally durable excavator buckets.

As an extremely forward thinking company, Hill continues to invest heavily in both research & development, as well as in its manufacturing resources.

The 'Safety First' Auto-Loc fully automatic excavator quick hitch is a notable example of their product innovation.

With the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) having issued a number of safety alerts and now proposing a ban on the production of semi-automatic hitches, following four fatalities over the past year where attachments have accidentally become detached from such devices (generally attributed to incorrect operator use), some contractors and plant hirers are recommending that only fully automatic versions be allowed on their machines/sites.

The Hill Auto-Loc has been purpose-designed to put operator safety first and is fully compliant with and actually exceeds all existing UK and international safety standards and legislation.

As the Auto-Loc is fully automatic, there is no need for the operator to leave the excavator cab to remove or insert a safety pin when changing from one attachment to another. This completely eliminates the risk of a safety pin being inserted incorrectly or not being inserted at all.

Its unique, advanced design also enables the operator to visually confirm from within the cab that the bucket or other attachment is securely locked in position – a vitally important and potentially life saving safety feature and one which, surprisingly, is not available with most other hitch manufacturers.

The Auto-Loc's innovative design even goes beyond the current British Standards by ensuring that attachments can only be released when the boom is in a safe working position. And, as an additional safety feature, an optional non removable safety pin can also be fitted to help guarantee complete operator peace of mind.

Originally established in 1994, Hill moved to new £4.5million, 85,000sq.ft, purpose-designed, state-of-the-art premises in 2006, whilst retaining its original nearby factory in Newry, Co.Down, as a dedicated research & development facility.

Hill Engineering also produce a range of heavy duty steel excavator buckets, enabling them to provide a top quality hitches and buckets package for its customers, and the company is currently investing around £2 million in the robotic automation of their entire bucket production line.

Designed for 360° excavators, Heavy Duty buckets are fabricated from heavy duty steel, with drop forged side wear plates, a box beam for extra strength and wear straps fitted as standard. They can have optional fixed pins and/or approved OEM tooth systems incorporated on request.

Severe Duty Rock buckets are also available, with Hardox internal and extended wear plates and bossed heads fitted as standard.

The latest introduction to the Hill buckets range is the unique Ground Force bucket. Its advanced compact design, with the head sunk lower into the bucket, provides a substantial increase in ground force when compared to a standard bucket.

A unique feature is that it can be fitted with or without a quick coupler, thus achieving an even greater ground force.

With a standard bucket and hitch the loss in ground force is 12%, whilst using the Ground Force this can be reduced to 6%. Additionally the Ground Force has removable pins and can therefore be attached direct to the excavator, further increasing ground force by 5%.

Together with improved clearance between the bucket and cab, all these factors put the Ground Force at the forefront in bucket design and performance.

All Hill products are ISO 9001 and CE accredited and as a customer focused organisation with a flexible approach they can tailor equipment to meet individual customer requirements.

Hill Engineering Managing Director, Ian Hill, said: “We constantly strive to design and manufacture top quality products to the highest possible world-class standards, with safety always an over-riding consideration”.

“I consider Auto-Loc to be the safest and best engineered quick hitch on the market today and the Ground Force bucket also provides exceptional superior performance”.

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Environmental control manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric, has launched a new wall-mounted, inverter driven heat pump air conditioning system with an industry high COP of 5.25 in heating and 5.15 in cooling modes.

The M Series, MSZ-FD models demonstrate beyond doubt that smaller air conditioning heating has come of age and extends the possibility of energy efficient heating and cooling to a wider range of properties and applications.

“These models are ideal for the UK climate because they can deliver energy efficient heating for the majority of the year, but can also be used for cooling when the British summer eventually arrives,” explained Peter Cole, Product Manager for the range. “This is a fairly new concept for us to be promoting these products based primarily on their heating benefits.”

A heat pump extracts free energy from the surrounding air to maximise efficiency. This means that for every 1kW of electricity fed into the system over 5kW of energy are available to heat or cool the space.

The new range will initially have two models available in 2.5 and 3.5 kW sizes but Mitsubishi is planning to add more high COP models to the range later in the year. The units offer an ultra quiet operation at just 20 and 21 dBA respectively and also come with the ability to connect to an MXZ multi unit for even more flexibility of design and use.
Unique to Mitsubishi Electric is the additional ‘Replace’ facility, which can reduce replacement and upgrading costs by potentially allowing users to reuse the existing pipework.

Suitable for a huge variety of smaller applications, Mitsubishi Electric’s M Series range offers exceptional performance and efficiency with complete versatility.

The new MSZ-FD models come with an infra-red controller as standard and a maximum pipe length of 20 metres and a pipe height of 12 metres. Both models also include additional advanced features including a plasma duo air filtration and deodorising system, self cleaning functions and the I-See sensor to aid temperature control and efficiency.

“For their size, these models offer the best performance in both heating and cooling against anything else in the industry,” ended Cole.

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Wales-based insulation specialists, Excel Fibre Technology, which manufactures environmentally friendly insulation for the construction industry has, with part funding from the Welsh Assembly Government, invested £4 million in upgrading its production line doubling production capacity.

The company has installed the new production equipment in response to rapidly increasing demand for its Warmcel insulation products which the company produces from 100 per cent recycled newspaper.

Jane Davidson, Welsh Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, toured the upgraded production facilities with representatives from Excel Fibre Technology.

Excel Fibre Technology’s Managing Director Nick Thompson said:

“There has been a huge raise in the demand for cellulose fibre products from the construction and manufacturing industries in recent years and, thanks to tough environmental targets set by the Government, we expect this growth to continue.

“Our recent plant upgrade has increased capacity by a further 50 per cent so not only can we meet existing demand but we now have enough surplus capacity to take advantage of the significant growth opportunities in the market. It’s excellent news for the company and the environment.”

Commenting the Minister said:

“It is extremely rewarding to see a Welsh business enjoying success thanks to a combination of innovation and engagement with the community. Businesses have a responsibility to tackle green issues and by providing practical solutions to paper recycling schemes Excel Fibre Technology is demonstrating its commitment to following a green business agenda.”