The UK’s leading manufacturer and supplier of hydraulic tools will be bringing its ECITB-approved training rig to the show to allow visitors to get an insight into the training courses offered by the company

Hi-Force, one of the UK’s leading manufacturer and supplier of hydraulic tools, offers an extensive product range including cylinders, manual and powered pumps, manual and hydraulic torque wrenches, stud bolt tensioners, jacks, nut splitters, puller kits, crimpers and many other industry specific tools.

Worldwide, it caters to various industries including oil and gas, petrochemicals and refining, ship building and ship repair, aerospace, defense, heavy engineering and others. In the UAE, the oil and gas industry forms the majority of its customer base.

"The oil and gas industry has been the largest industry for Hi-Force since the company established itself in the region and remains a key market for us. Adipec provides a platform for Hi-Force to showcase its products and services to key decision makers and professionals from the industry. The event is as much about building upon existing relationships in the industry, as developing new ones," comments Laura Thompson, Group marketing director, Hi-Force.

Hi-Force Middle East was established in 1992 and it has exhibited at every Adipec event since then, she adds. The company will be exhibiting at stand No 140 in Hall 1, this year.

In addition to its product range, Hi-Force also offers on-site services, including bolting services from a simple bolt up of a single flange joint to a major construction and maintenance and shut down projects to on-site lifting and jacking services usually related to heavy lift applications.

The Hi-Force philosophy of offering a complete service package to support its valued customers’ needs also extends to tool rental services. "With such an extensive array of Hi-Force products range, it is sometimes difficult for our customers to decide on the most suitable tool in which to invest their money. Additionally, with our high-value products like high tonnage cylinders, powered pumps, hydraulic wrenches, stud bolt tensioners and hydrotest pumps many clients simply cannot justify the high capital outlay to purchase, especially in cases where their needs for the product are relatively short term or even simply for a one off job," says Thompson .

Hi-Force will display its new SBT range of spring return tensioners at Adipec

FOCUS ON TRAINING

Hi-Force has been delivering product training courses in the safe and correct application, use, operation, service, maintenance and repair of hydraulic tools for many years. However, since 2013, it has invested in further developing this area of the business.

Following the success of its UK-based training school, coupled with a growing demand for Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) training in the oil, gas and petroleum industry, Hi-Force applied to have its Dubai facility, located in Jebel Ali Freezone, to be approved by the ECITB. The training school became an approved provider earlier this year and has since been delivering mechanical joint integrity training courses to numerous personnel in the bolting industry.

"With the Hi-Force Middle East training school launched earlier this year, this will be a key focus for Hi-Force throughout Adipec. We will be bringing our ECITB approved training rig to the stand to allow visitors to get an insight into the training courses offered. Our training manager will also be on hand to discuss the various aspects and details of the courses throughout the event," reveals Thompson.

A range of Hi-Force products, including hydraulic cylinders, pumps, torque tools and bolt tensioners will also be on display, she adds.

According to Thompson, ECITB training courses comprise of four modules: mechanical joint integrity, safe use of high pressure hydraulic equipment; tooling service and repair and correct tool selection. The training and technical tests are provided as separate elements, with the technical aspects usually completed within three to 12 months after the completion of the training element.

The Dubai-based training school combines both a practical work space complete with two ECITB training rigs, as well as a classroom space to deliver the essential theoretical aspect of the course, she adds.

Hi-Force’s in house trainers have both the technical and practical knowledge and understanding required to deliver ECITB courses to the oil and gas industry, as well as power generation and construction industry applications requiring bolted joint integrity.

The in-depth nature of the ECITB courses make them the ideal training course for all professionals employed to carry out mechanical joint integrity and flange management activities, that are associated with potential work scopes to industry standards, or client specific requirements that follow industry guidelines, Thompson explains.

NEW INVESTMENTS

Meanwhile, the company’s UK manufacturing facility has purchased four HAAS machines at a total investment valued at £250,000 ($384, 105). These brand new additions to the company’s existing fleet of 12 DMG Mori CNC machines are utilised for turning and milling of existing components and new components as required. These HAAS machines are not a direct equivalent of the Mori Seki machines, but will be introduced to complement and free up capacity on the more specialised machines, such as the five and seven axis machines, by completing the simpler operations, she adds.

Locally, the Hi-Force Abu Dhabi branch looks forward to moving to a new purpose-built facility before the end of the year. Situated within the existing premises, the new, two-storey office block is spread across over 5,000 sq ft and houses a significantly larger warehouse and a fully equipped workshop repair and rental facility. In the highly demanding Middle East region, this new facility will enable the company to vastly increase its stock holding and ensure that first-class products and services are exclusively available to its customers.

Around the world, Hi-Force has also celebrated the opening of a new premises in Malaysia, housing a well-equipped workshop for repair and rental services, an ECITB (Engineering Construction Industry Training Board) approved training school, as well as a significantly larger warehouse to accommodate an increased stock holding.

With a staff strength of approximately 250 and headquartered in the UK, the company has other regional offices located in Azerbaijan, Italy, Malaysia, South Africa, Netherlands, Aberdeen, and the UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi).

Concurring that the recent economic downturn has led to reduction in activity within the oil and gas industry, Thompson comments: "However, the recovery of the market is reflected through increased activity from the oil and gas industry within Hi-Force. Particularly, with Abu Dhabi’s natural oil and gas reserves, the Hi-Force Abu Dhabi branch has experienced a significant increase in performance over the last 12 to 18 months. Into the future, the oil and gas industry will be at the forefront of Hi-Forces strategy and will remain a key market for the company for many years to come."