Current news

AFC Energy, the low cost fuel cell provider, has entered into a binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with CEL International Ltd and WSP Environment and Energy (both part of WSP Group). Together they will contribute a range of services to AFC Energy in preparation for full scale deployment of fuel cell power stations. AFC Energy and WSP Group had previously announce previously announced the intention to work together on a SuperGreen Power Station, a showcase demonstration of the company’s fuel cell.

These services provided by WSP Group under the MoU will include investigations into legislative requirements, planning issues and engineering matters as well as assistance with product assembly requirements and other manufacturing operations, including assistance with the production of component parts and final assembly operations.

AFC Energy consider WSP Group to be a primary partner for deploying its fuel cell systems, specifically where the electricity supply company (ESCO) model or leasing model is utilised.

Stuart McLachlan, Managing Director of Global Operations for WSP Environment and Energy, said: “WSP is an organisation that prides itself as being innovative and supporting initiatives that are at the cutting edge of renewables technology, and we are delighted to be involved in this exciting project. We have worked indirectly with AFC Energy via Waste2Tricity for over a year and we can see the potential of AFC’s fuel cells in a number of markets and believe it could play a role in not only enabling us to flex into a low carbon future, but as being one of the emerging technologies that can fill the looming energy gap.”

CEL’s Hilary Mills-Baker will co-lead a seminar at the ISPE (International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers) Milan Conference in March 2010. Hilary will be running the GAMP: Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness in Equipment Qualification and Validation of Process Control Systems seminar with Sandro de Caris from GAMP Italia. GAMP stands for Good Automated Manufacturing Practice.

The session will focus on methods and approaches that can be applied to efficiently achieve and maintain compliance during the lifecycle of equipment and control systems using the newest ISPE Guides: GAMP, VPCS (Validation of Process Control Systems), C&Q (Commissioning and Qualification) and GEP(Good Engineering Practice). Case histories will be presented by both users and suppliers focusing on efficiency and effectiveness. The presentations will highlight targets already achieved, lessons learned and items to be addressed in the future, in a continuous improvement approach. Hilary is currently vice chair of the committee for the GAMP 5 update of the ISPE VPCS guide and will be specifically presenting on “Validation of Process Control Systems”.

Hilary is a Principal Instrumentation and Control Engineer with CEL International. She has extensive experience in the delivery of instrumentation and control solutions to the process industries and particularly for pharmaceutical clients.

The CEL ACTIVE Cup team (The Mad Hatters) have been awarded second place (the Gold Medal position) in the ACTIVE Cup competition held at Cranfield College of Management at Cranfield University. The team, comprising Paola Casagrande, Gareth Short, Steve Goaman, Pete Hall (from Celanese Acetate) and Stuart Bone (from CMI Consulting) gave an awesome performance over the weekend being narrowly beaten by the Siemens team.

The ACTIVE Cup is a simulated project delivery competition sponsored by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) and supported by the European Construction Institute (ECI). Twelve teams took part in total including Foster Wheeler, AMEC, Mustang, Shaw Group, Saipem and ODE. No computers are used, just simple ‘post it’ note planning and graphical tools.

This is the best result by a CEL team in the history of the competition with the Mad Hatters demonstrating great teamworking using the ACTIVE Principles and delivering their project on schedule and only narrowly behind budget. A massive well done to the team.

CAD Schroer, the global engineering solutions provider, have introduced process plant owners to a new concept for preventing expensive problems when adapting or moving their factories. Their latest MPDS4 Factory Layout software provides the opportunity to create walk-throughs of emailable process plant designs, and CEL International, a long-standing MPDS4 customer, has introduced a factory modelling service that delivers a 3D model, complete with 3D walk-through software and all CAD data, to clients needing to check process plant layout problems using clash detection.

Problems not detected at the design stage get extremely expensive once a capital project is underway, so it helps that “all stakeholders involved in a factory adaptation can conduct virtual 3D walk-throughs to ensure a design meets all specifications prior to build”, says Anke Adams, Marketing Manager at CAD Schroer UK. “We can help customers plan and cost necessary changes by quickly creating a 3D factory model from existing plans, 2D layouts and equipment models.”

CEL’s service, offered in conjunction with CAD Schroer, can include measuring up existing sites, modelling existing equipment and adding the supporting services (piping, ductwork, electrical etc.) to come up with an accurate digital model along with comprehensive CAD drawings, piping isometrics and parts lists for project engineers. Customers then have the option of using the MPDS4 Factory Layout software to make future changes themselves as CAD Schroer's plant design solution works within existing CAD environments, incorporating existing CAD data.

CEL International and CAD Schroer are at Total Processing and Packaging 2010 at the NEC Birmingham, UK, (Stand 5850), 25–27 May 2010.

See the full article as a pdf here (700k).

During October, the European Construction Institute (ECI) held its 20th Annual Conference, on the theme of Emerging Global Market Opportunities in Manchester. CEL’s Chloe Richards was nominated as Young Professional of the Year, and we are pleased to report that she was successful in receiving a commendation for her work to encourage young people into the industry, at the event’s Gala Dinner.

The main reason for her nomination is the work she does to promote the engineering profession to young people in schools and colleges, to make sure that there is a future generation excited enough about engineering to make it their career choice. Chloe does this in her capacity as a school governor directly helping with her local school. She is also a Science and Engineering Ambassador which involves working with local schools attending careers events and networking with teachers to provide industry knowledge for use in the curriculum and to support the new Engineering Diplomas. Additionally, Chloe is a member of SummitSkills (the building services sector skills council) Careers and Diversity interest group. The majority of this is achieved through involvement with STEMNET (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network). Chloe is also the first Young Ambassador in the National Skills Academy for the Process Industries and is a regional outreach co-ordinator for Engineers Without Borders.

Nigel Barnes, Managing Director of CEL International commented: “Congratulations to Chloe. She does a lot of this ambassadorial work in her own time and, when you combine this enthusiasm to develop the next generation whilst delivering on her objectives as a building services engineer for CEL, I believe this made her an excellent candidate for the ECI Young Professional Award.”