INTEGRATED FUTURE FOR ARMSTRONG
Armstrong has announced the formal merger of its two key areas of operation in the UK. The off-site construction division of the company (Armstrong Integrated Systems based in Halesowen) and the HVAC equipment arm of Armstrong in the UK (headquartered in Manchester and Redhill) will now operate as a single company under a new legal framework. The move is expected to streamline and simplify administration and day-to-day contact for Armstrong customers who frequently require products and services from both divisions.
Steve Cooper, Armstrong’s UK managing director, said, “For the last five years, both companies have operated side by side, offering distinct specialisms to the market. Armstrong Integrated Ltd will continue to leverage the strengths of our core product offering but with a greater emphasis on carbon reduction and whole life cost for the system, not just at a product level, but as a single provider of energy solutions and services to both the new construction market and the refurbishment/retrofit market.”
The integration of the two companies enables Armstrong to further strengthen and accelerate its product development activities in areas including:
- Low and zero carbon heating and cooling including the integration of renewable technologies such as biomass, heat pumps and solar thermal.
- Variable speed pumping technology and integrated control solutions.
- Fire, water supply, heat exchanger and sealed system expansion solutions.
The company will continue to operate using the well-known and respected Armstrong brand name. A new legal name has been chosen for the company however to recognise the merger of all operations – Armstrong Integrated Ltd.
“The name ‘Armstrong Integrated Ltd’ has been chosen to not only reflect the integrated design of our products and customer solutions, but also our desire to unify internally as a business and to communicate our ambition to form partnerships with our customers” explained Steve Cooper.
“The move, in response to market feedback, will allow us to deliver an even better level of customer service providing enhanced customer access to our specialist teams across three centres of excellence. Our knowledge and capabilities enable us to provide customer support and services throughout the whole lifecycle of an installation from manufacture, to delivery, right the way through to service and replacement parts and products.”
The changes are designed to support Armstrong’s continued growth in the UK market and do not involve any scaling down of activities. Operations will continue at all three sites – Halesowen, Manchester and Redhill – with the existing workforce and management structure. The changes are effective as of June 7th 2010
White Papers
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Events
Why not come and visit us at any of the following industry events:
The Energy Event, The Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham, 8-9th September http://www.theenergyevent.com/
Energy Solutions Expo, London Olympia, 6-7th October http://www.energysolutionsexpo.co.uk/
March 2010
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Retrofit Project Uses Integrated Biomass Boiler Armstrong UK has secured an order to design, manufacture and build a 500 kW packaged biomass plantroom for Highland Council, Scotland serving Fortrose Academy. http://www.fortroseacademy.webeden.co.uk/ Explaining the process that lead to the successful bid, Business Development Manager Ian Rogers stated, “Armstrong won the installation primarily on the basis of our superior specification. However, drawing on a strong working relationship with a local maintenance company, we were also able to offer a higher level service than the Council had experienced on previous HVAC projects.”
Highland Council plan to add a biomass boiler to every property they own over the next 2 years, to reduce their energy costs (most existing systems are currently using oil) and their carbon footprint. As they are located in the heart of the UK's largest forest, supply of woodchip and pellet fuel is not an issue. The Academy pays for biomass fuel in a unique way. Working with the supply chain they have calculated the carbon released by the fuel, plus the process from the chainsaw, through the delivery process to the boiler. Using heat meters to measure boiler output, they only pay for the heat they use. This assures that regardless of the quality of fuel or its affect on performance, the energy bill relates to performance. The renewable system operates on a wood pellet supply and will replace the existing heating source as the primary system. Armstrong will provide an integrated biomass plantroom that will measure 8m x 8m x 4m and will be manufactured in 2 sections.
The specification states that the system will incorporate:
Delivery is planned for early April 2010 |
May 2009
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IPP Award for 2009 And the Winner is... Armstrong!! Frequently referred to as the HVAC industry’s Oscars – the H&V News Awards were held April 30th at Grosvenor House Hotel in London. Armstrong had been short-listed in the category of Air Conditioning Product of the Year for the IPP-CHW Ultra Efficient Chilled Water Integrated Plant Package, and was selected the winner!
The requirements for application in this category are listed on the awards web site and seem to have been written with our IPP system in mind. “Open to manufacturers of air conditioning equipment and components. Judges will look for genuinely new innovation or a novel application of existing technology to new markets – those launching “me–to” products should not apply. Aesthetic effect, efficiency and the demonstration of commercial success are factors that are taken into account. The product’s environmental credentials will be scrutinized closely. Third party evidence of performance gains credit. “
A comment posted on the H&V News web site quotes editor Simon Duddy stating: “We are in the midst of difficult times, but that makes it more important than ever to celebrate excellence and innovation in the hvac industry. We have not been disappointed by the calibre of this year’s entries, whose efforts speak volumes for the resilience and ingenuity of firms and individuals working within h&v.” The Armstrong Integrated Plant Package system is the leading HVAC chilled water system available, offering 60% to 80% energy savings compared to today’s standard plant designs. Taking into account the initial costs, the installation savings, energy savings, reduced maintenance expenses and extended equipment life, the IPP-CHW has a 35% lower 5-year, and a 50% lower 20-year life-cycle cost than standard chilled water plant designs. To everyone involved, congratulations on receiving some well-deserved industry recognition. |
October 2008
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New Chiller from Armstrong is a quantum leap Armstrong has launched the Quantum variable speed chiller as a new addition to its HVAC range. The Quantum scores highly in all major specification criteria as it is extremely energy efficient, has very low maintenance requirements and is designed for extended long life. It has the lowest net installed cost in its class, and also offers the best lifetime cost – 43% less than a traditional chiller based on a ten-year calculation. Operation is also quiet and vibration free.
The extremely low maintenance requirements of the Quantum chiller stem from its oil-free, magnetic bearing compressor design. The magnetic bearings keep the shaft properly centred and positioned at all times for extremely high reliability. The Quantum does not encounter wear to the moving parts and its bearings do not require routine replacement. In addition it does not incorporate oil which might otherwise require changing or entail a risk of leakage, so maintenance requirements are greatly reduced compared to traditional chillers. Digital monitoring of compressor operating conditions, including temperature, pressure, motor current, shaft speed etc, also contributes to long-life and reliability. As there is no oil inside the refrigeration circuit, the Quantum is not subjected to the heat transfer degradation problems that routinely occur in systems involving lubricating oil. This means that thermodynamic performance of the Quantum remains much higher throughout the life of the chiller. The product range includes water cooled chillers from 200kW to 2200kw (@ 29 degrees centigrade ECWT) and air cooled chillers from 200kW to 1020kW (@ 35% centigrade ambient). Chillers are available in three different energy efficiency configurations: value; premium; and premium+. This offers the specifier a choice of units to suit the environmental strategy of the application. |
The Quantum’s outstanding energy efficiency performance is made possible by Turbocor centrifugal compressor technology. The variable speed drive provides maximum efficiency at all times – including at part load. The compressor design is also fully-integrated with digital control to optimise efficiency of the system as a whole, not just for an individual component within it. The control system features on-board communication and diagnostics.
May 2008
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