Arc Energy Resources has applied to patent a pipe manipulation system designed to increase the efficiency and quality of its corrosion resistant coating services to the oil & gas industry. The pipe manipulation system is one of a number of developments resulting from an engineering programme started when Arc Energy employed two graduates from the University of Exeter under the DTI’s Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme. Toby Venn, one of the graduates seconded to Arc Energy, designed the new machine and is already working on the next development, a new generation of welding workstations to complement the manipulation equipment. Arc Energy, technical and quality director Neil Cook says the engineering programme is part of an ongoing investment in R&D that is designed to benefit Arc Energy’s highly specialised weld overlay cladding and fabrication businesses. The programme focuses on developing equipment, techniques and processes. Other successes since Toby and fellow graduate Jenny Bingen joined the company a year ago are expected to benefit the business by GBP 400,000 over two years, and include the design of a manufacturing information control system.
