http://m.plymouthherald.co.uk/brave-rnli-tractor-driver-gets-pounded-by-huge-waves-during-lifeboat-launch/story-30109574-detail/story.html?001

The judges were impressed by SC Group’s success in winning a £75m plus contract for its military vehicle business, Supacat, from the Australian Government and more recent wins for Norway and New Zealand. SC Group has also developed new business streams, such as its SC Innovation business, in different market sectors including marine and energy.  The privately owned family business employs over 200 people.

SC Group Operations Director, Lizzie Jones, who accepted the award, said, “We are delighted to receive this award which rewards the whole company’s hard work and success producing world beating products”.

 

The carriage is powered by a Four-Track-Drive system from Bosch Rextroth to deliver the exceptional traction for negotiating steep gradients and rough shingle. The new concept is for a `non-powered carriage` variant and the project is being driven by the opportunity to make considerable savings for lifeboat stations with more benign conditions. Subject to successful trials, the implementation of the new variant will substantially reduce the costs of components, production processes and in-service costs.

SC Innovation will perform the detailed design to modify the carriage to non-powered with the work and drawing package due for completion in January 2017. SC Innovation engineers will support the RNLI who will conduct trials of the new variant as well as Bosch  Rexroth on the software trials. All tractors must be compatible for operation with both powered and non-powered carriages and future builds will be for both variants according to the RNLI’s assessment of the station’s ground conditions.

Under the contract SC Innovation will also upgrade the tractor unit of the first pre-production SL&RS, SC-T01, which it delivered to the RNLI in 2011, to production standard for use in-service as a relief vehicle.

Joe Wilcox, Head of SC Innovation said, “We are proud to be collaborating again with the RNLI on the further development of the SL&RS, which we have been supporting throughout the project since we started designing a pre-prototype 14 years ago. It is an essential piece of equipment that has proved itself in service and has also become a showcase for our engineering capabilities in developing bespoke equipment for hostile environments”.

SC Innovation’s engineering capabilities are in mechanical and electrical engineering, structural analysis, structural optimisation, fluid structural simulation and test and validation, including full system prototype build.  The business has an established production capability carrying out low rate, high quality builds. Together with the in-house project management team these capabilities have combined to deliver projects for energy and marine customers, often in partnership with academic and industrial partners.

SC Innovation is exhibiting at Advanced Engineering UK, 2-3 November at the NEC, Birmingham (Stand K32).

Some interesting news regarding the BOLT Wave Energy Device that SC Innovation helped design, prototype and build:

http://www.earthtimes.org/energy/Scotland-wave-tidal-power/2970/

SC Innovation is Fit for Nuclear (F4N) accredited by The Nuclear Advance Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC) and is also the first South West England based engineering business to open an office in the Somerset Energy Innovation Centre (SEIC).  The centre has been established to create collaborative opportunities for prospective Hinkley Point C contractors to engage with local and regional companies.

“SC Innovation can offer a flexible range of attractive opportunities to potential partners.  We can offer workshop facilities and capabilities including subassembly, testing, verification and validation acceptance testing as well as documentation management.  We can also project manage the local supply chain where they can benefit from our access to over 2000 suppliers in the south west region”, said Joe Wilcox, Head of SC Innovation.  “One of our core competencies is delivering engineering projects in sectors which demand a high level of compliance with strict regulatory and technical standards, as evidenced by our F4N status”, said Joe Wilcox, Head of SC Innovation.

SC Innovation’s engineering capabilities are in mechanical and electrical engineering, structural analysis, structural optimisation, fluid structural simulation and test and validation, including full system prototype build.   The business has an established production capability carrying out low rate, high quality builds.  Together with the in-house project management team these capabilities have combined to deliver projects for energy and marine customers, often in partnership with academic and industrial partners.

SC Innovation main business is in developing customised solutions to operational problems or applying its comprehensive engineering capability to turn a customer’s concept into a fully engineered product, optimised for both value and performance.  It specialises in mobile or static handling and support equipment for operation in hostile environments.

Previous projects include developing the first ATEX 2 compliant Protected Transit Vehicle (PTV) for the Oil & Gas sector to protect workers in hazardous explosive and toxic environments; joint development and build of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute’s Lifeboat Launch & Recovery System for the Shannon Class; a 6×6 Specialist Utility Vehicle (SUV600) for emergency services and utilities, customised from a production standard 4×4 Land Rover Discovery; and designing and building the BOLT 2 `Lifesaver` wave energy converter for Fred Olsen.

SC Innovation is the brand for delivering engineering solutions to the energy, marine and specialist vehicles sectors of SC Group.  In September 2015 the company rebranded under a new SC identity to take it forward in its expansion into new markets and provide a clear customer focus for its products.

James Fisher Marine Services (JFMS) and SC Innovation are demonstrating the specialist offshore support vessel, Dart Fisher, for the first time at Seawork International – 14-16 June – to highlight the vessel’s operational capabilities and high carrying capacity.

Dart Fisher, berthed at VB22, will be displaying a Falcon ROV on deck, as well as a full unexploded ordnance (UXO) mitigation capability including the innovative Barracuda explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) system, along with inert mine targets on display. UXO demonstrations are at 11am daily – book now to secure your place onboard!

Dart Fisher is an SMV 24 multi-role vessel designed by SC Innovation and creates a new benchmark in offshore support.  SC Innovation is a design and engineering services firm that specialises in developing and customising equipment for harsh environments including the marine and energy sectors.

JFMS has also been accepted into Seawork’s innovation showcase and award for its Offshore Wind Management System (OWMS)™ which provides full operational insight to enable enhanced decision making for offshore activities delivering powerful results: greater operational efficiency and cost-reduction. Come and find out about OWMS™ at the showcase stand and the innovation award will be announced at Seawork’s Awards & Networking event on Tuesday 14 June.

A number of other James Fisher group companies will also be exhibiting at the event, with Fendercare and Strainstall exhibiting their respective marine products and load monitoring solutions at stand PG46.

SC Innovation, part of the SC Group, has been granted Fit for Nuclear (F4N) status by The Nuclear Advance Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC).   The F4N programme has been developed by the NAMRC and supported by partners including Areva and EDF Energy to assess a company’s standards against those demanded by the nuclear industry.

F4N forms part of a drive to introduce innovation into the UK nuclear industry and expand the local supply chain to support the Hinkley Point C project, particularly in the South West where SC Innovation is based.  In addition to its design, modelling, simulation and analysis capabilities, the company brings world leading expertise in bespoke mobile and static handling and support equipment, designed for the harshest environments where high performance, reliability and safety are paramount.   Its products have been applied across the renewables, oil & gas, marine, mineral exploration and emergency service vehicle sectors.

“Being granted F4N status reinforces SC Innovation’s credentials for nuclear engineering work and is key to positioning the business for working in the civil nuclear sector, particularly given our geographical proximity to the Hinkley Point C programme”,  said Joe Wilcox, Head of SC Innovation.

SC Innovation is exhibiting at All Energy, 4th – 5th May 2016 as part of the Nuclear South West stand (N38).  It is showcasing its design and engineering services, proven on projects including the RNLI Lifeboat Launch & Recovery System developed for the new 18 ton Shannon Class, to the BOLT 2 Wave Energy Device and SMV 24 Multi-purpose support vessel.

The company is also a member of the `National Skills Academy Nuclear Manufacturing` and the `Nuclear Industry Association

Encouraging its engineers to attain Chartered Engineer status through the IMechE is playing an important role in SC Group’s successful diversification strategy into new sectors was the message to the President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), Prof Richard Folkson, in a visit to the Devon based design and engineering firm yesterday.   Today nearly half the Group’s UK based 30 strong engineering team have Chartered status or are undergoing sponsored registration with the IMechE.  Five years ago there were two.

“Being registered as a Chartered Engineer with the IMechE is an internationally recognised accreditation which is respected across multiple industry sectors.  It provides our new and existing customers with assurance of our high level of professional competency and compliance”, said Steve Austen, FIMechEng, Engineering Director of SC Group and the IMechE Wessex region’s `Engineer of the Year`.

Prof Richard Folkson, President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said:

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to meet with the hugely talented engineers at SC Group and to witness some of the cutting-edge innovations the company is developing.

SC Group is a UK manufacturing success story. The equipment and vehicles they are developing are integral to the work of the army, as well as lifeboat rescue teams, and show just how important it is for the UK to have a vibrant and skilled engineering workforce”.

Last year the company rebranded under a new SC Group identity comprising four distinct businesses: Supacat continues as the brand for its core military vehicle business; SC Innovation offers engineering equipment design for diversified sectors such as marine, oil & gas, nuclear and renewables; Proteum for the marine products and services; and Blackhill Engineering brings large fabrication and associated machining.

The President visited the Design Office to meet with the engineering team and then toured the workshops where he inspected Supacat’s new Lightweight Reconnaissance Vehicle (LRV400) and SC Innovation’s Lifeboat Launch & Recovery System developed with the RNLI.   The visit concluded at the Test Track where Richard Folkson, a former Chief Engineer for Ford UK, and the IMechE delegation got the chance to test drive the acclaimed `Jackal` and other high mobility vehicles, for which the company is renowned.

Richard Folkson was accompanied on the visit by Ian Parsons, IMechE Western Region Chairman; John Earp, IMechE Devon & Somerset Area Chairman Alan King, IMechE Business Development Manager and Jill Dwyer, IMechE Business Development Executive.

Click here to visit the IMechE website:

http://www.imeche.org/news/news-article/chartered-engineer-registrations-supports-sc-group-expansion-into-new-markets-hears-imeche-president-in-visit-to-devon-engineering-group

 

Ellen Rodger has joined SC Innovation to lead business development and strategic growth in the Energy sector for the Devon based Design and Engineering firm. Her role is to build strong relationships with new and existing customers for the company’s innovative engineering and design solutions for the renewables, nuclear and oil & gas sectors.

Ellen joins from Exeter based renewable energy company, Sungift Solar, where she spent eight years as a Senior Manager and Director. During this time she oversaw the growth of the company to a £10million+ turnover business. In 2013 she won the South West IOD Young Director of the Year award and in 2015 the South West Inspirational Woman of the Year Venus award.  In her spare time she is a volunteer Watch Leader for he Tall Ships Youth Trust.

“We are delighted to welcome someone of Ellen’s calibre to SC Innovation where her Energy sector experience and impressive track record in growing new business will be invaluable in driving forward our expansion into new markets”, said Joe Wilcox, Head of SC Innovation.

Over the last decade the company has become a world leader in developing bespoke handling and support equipment to operate in harsh environments and has recently been granted Fit for Nuclear status by the NAMRC. Projects include developing the Shannon Class Lifeboat Launch System with the RNLI, the SMV24 Multi-purpose vessel, a vehicle for protecting crew operating in hazardous Oil & Gas fields and building the BOLT 2 Wave Energy Converter for Fred Olsen