Supacat Re-signs Armed Forces Covenant

Posted on July 12, 2018 by Proteum

UK military vehicle developer, Supacat and parent SC Group, have re-signed the Armed Forces Covenant, affirming their pledge to uphold the Covenant. This is a promise by the nation, enshrined in UK law, to those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, that they are treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society they serve with their lives.

Head of Supacat, Phil Applegarth, who himself served in the regular Army and continues as a Reservist, re-signed the Covenant on behalf of the company with the Commander South West Brigade, Col Andrew Dawes, during this year’s Ten Tors Challenge on Dartmoor organised by the Brigade.

Supacat has supported numerous activities on behalf of the armed forces, including the Ten Tors, where it fielded three of its high performance all- terrain vehicles, Jackal, LRV400 and SPV400. Supacat is aiming later this year for a Silver Award, which enables the UK Ministry of Defence to publicly thank and honour those organisations that have provided exceptional support to the armed forces community and defence by going above and beyond their covenant pledges.

Phil commented, “We are very proud to uphold the Armed Forces Covenant and of the many former service personnel and reservists who work for the company and continue to serve their country. The whole company’s culture is one of total commitment to providing our armed forces with the finest vehicles and equipment”.

Over 1,500 organisations have signed the Covenant to date, including businesses and charities and all 407 local authorities in mainland Great Britain and four councils in Northern Ireland.

Supacat delivers the first production HMT Extenda Vehicle to Norway

Posted on June 7, 2018 by Proteum

UK Special Forces vehicle designer and manufacturer, Supacat (part of SC Group), has today announced the recent delivery of the first production HMT Extenda vehicle to the Norwegian Armed Forces. The handover took place at Supacat’s Devon facility on 30 May 2018.

Supacat signed a £23 million contract with The Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) to supply a new fleet of High Mobility Vehicles in May 2015. The award includes the provision of a comprehensive through-life support package. The first ‘pre-series’ vehicle was delivered in early 2017 followed by full fleet delivery taking place during 2018 and 2019.

The HMT Extenda is unique as it is convertible to a 4×4 or a 6×6 configuration by inserting or removing a self-contained third axle unit to meet different operational requirements. Like other HMT series platforms, such as the UK’s ‘Jackal’, the HMT Extenda can be supplied with optional mine blast and ballistic protection kits and with a variety of mission hampers, weapons, communications, ISTAR and force protection equipment to suit a wide range of operational roles.

Major Arild Stangenes, NDMA Programme Manager said “the delivery of our first production vehicle is a major milestone in a long-term programme that has been ongoing since 2011. We are very pleased with the quality of our first production vehicle and with a product that fully meets the needs of our user.”

Nick Ames, Chief Executive of SC Group, of which Supacat is a part, said “this project milestone is a great achievement for Supacat and for our Norwegian customer. I am proud of what the team has achieved in delivering a fantastic product and we are looking forward to following this first production delivery with the rest of the order.” He added, “yet again, the Supacat HMT has proven itself to be the vehicle of choice for specialist users across the globe.”

Ecocharger Electric Quad bikes now available in Australia and New Zealand

Posted on May 28, 2018May 29, 2018 by Proteum

Ecocharger is delighted to announce that the Ecocharger electric quad bike is available in Australia and New Zealand.

Managing Director, Michael Halloran said “We are excited to be bringing this technology to the local market. The Ecocharger quad is not simply an alternative to petrol bikes, but a genuine leap in technology. With performance that at least matches its petrol cousins, it is a game changer. And it’s not just the obvious peace, quiet, clean air and lack of jerry cans that you will notice. The regenerative braking, the lower centre of gravity and the cool, non-sparking engine, provide some safety features that just aren’t achievable on a petrol bike. On an Ecocharger you will truly stand out, very quietly, amongst the crowd.”

Two variants of the Ecocharger are being built and sold in Australia and New Zealand; the 4WD Eliminator and the 2WD Dominator. Both come equipped with a class leading 72V, 15kW engine that provides ample power and torque across the speed range.

The versatility and mobility of the Ecocharger is backed by European design quality and the quads are being built locally in Australia, so buyers can be assured of quick and effective support.

The Ecocharger quad bikes are zero emission and have a low noise signature, so are well suited to areas that are sensitive to emissions or for buyer’s who want to enhance their green credentials.

Halloran says the Ecocharger makes economic sense as well: “We have had a number of bikes operating in Australia and New Zealand for the last six months and this has given us great confidence.

The maintenance on an electric vehicle is substantially less than a petrol vehicle and this means lower maintenance costs and reduced down time. With a range of around 40km to the charge, that’s the equivalent of 6 or 7 litres of fuel on the average petrol quad bike – all for just $1 of electricity.”

For further information, visit www.ecochargerquads.com.au/

Or contact Jordan Marchioni on +61 3 8645 8300 or [email protected]

Blackhill Engineering diversifies into precision test equipment fabrication with Bruel & Kjaer VTS Ltd. contract

Posted on May 15, 2018May 22, 2018 by Proteum

Blackhill Engineering, the heavy engineering division of SC Group, has been awarded an initial two year production contract by Bruel & Kjaer VTS Ltd. to fabricate base frames for high specification testing equipment. Bruel & Kjaer are a world leader in acoustic and vibration test & measurement products used by the space, aerospace, defence, automotive, telecoms and mining industries and the contract marks a diversification for Blackhill.

Nick Woods, Category Manager, Bruel & Kjaer VTS Ltd, said, “As a company that looks for more than just the price of the products we buy, finding Blackhill Engineering was an ideal fit with our business requirements. Not only do they have the fabrication and machining capability we were looking for, they have the right mind set to give their customers the confidence they know what they are talking about. This culture exists from the beginning of the ordering process, through every touch point during manufacture to the final delivery of product. With the support we have seen to date, Bruel & Kjaer VTS Ltd. is confident in the knowledge it has found a long-term business partner”.

The base frames weigh up to 2.5 tonnes and relate to eight different models of vibration test equipment, of which each model has up to six different versions.

Blackhill Engineering has one of the largest CNC mills in the South West of England and boasts one of the region’s largest crane lifts with the capability to lift up to 50 tonnes. Its 28,000 square foot of workshop space offers the flexibility to build large and small components and prototypes and perform one-off, low rate bespoke and continuous volume production.

Dan Baker, Business Development Manager at Blackhill Engineering, said: “Working with Bruel & Kjaer is a major diversification in Blackhill’s portfolio and an exciting milestone in its 60 year history”.

Blackhill’s markets have spanned nuclear new build and decommissioning, civil engineering & construction, marine & offshore, oil & gas, renewables, quarrying & mineral processing, space & telecommunications and automotive.

Recent projects have included flood gates and the delivery of components totalling 650 tonnes of steel for the Hinkley Point C jetty, for which it won two EDF Energy HPC Excellence Awards for Best Local/Regional Business and Best Manufacturing Equipment Supplier.

Ecocharger continues global expansion with SC Group partnership

Posted on May 1, 2018May 22, 2018 by Proteum

Ecocharger, the Devon-based manufacturers of award-winning quad bikes, have partnered with SC Group to continue their global expansion to manufacture and distribute their Electric ATV Quad bikes in Oceania.

Founded in 2013, Ecocharger now manufacture and distribute over 100 bikes a year in the UK and Europe.

Their bikes are reputed to be the best in the world powered by Odyssey Battery Packs with both single and twin motor options powered up to 30kw.

SC Group, with a growing global footprint, has decades of engineering design success, having grown to be one of the world’s leading companies specializing in the design and development of equipment operating in the harshest environments.

Through the partnership, the quad bike will be manufactured in Australia and available in both 2WD and 4WD variants. Through a pilot project a number of bikes have already been manufactured and delivered to pre-release customers.

On the partnership, Mick Halloran, Managing Director Asia Pacific, SC Group, said: “We looked long and hard at the right partnership and technologies to continue to grow our business and we see the Ecocharger as not just the best product in the global market, but game changing technology. We already have a number of confirmed orders from commercial and private users. We are also really excited about bringing our unique knowledge of Military and Defence markets to the partnership.‘’

Fred Chugg, Founder of Ecocharger, added: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with SC Group and really excited in terms of demand for our E – ATV in a warmer climate – where conventional fossil fuel is limited in remote areas and sunlight harvesting a conventional energy source.”

For further information please contact Mick Halloran on +61 3 8645 8300 or email [email protected]

Supacat Welcomes LAND 400 Decision

Posted on March 14, 2018March 14, 2018 by Proteum

Supacat, which is a member of the Rheinmetall Land 400 team, welcomes the announcement of the selection of the Boxer CRV and Rheinmetall as the preferred tenderer for Phase 2 of the LAND 400 program. Supacat believes that Defence has chosen the outstanding capability to serve the Australian Army.

Supacat was established in Australia in January 2012 and since that time has built a considerable capability focused on Land Systems in the region. In addition to delivering its own products and services within Australia, the region and globally, Supacat has been proud of its participation with the Rheinmetall LAND 400 team since the early part of the bidding process through to playing a key role in the RMA phase of the program.

Supacat now looks forward to playing a substantial role in the delivery and support of the Boxer CRV fleet. Michael Halloran, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, congratulated Rheinmetall on the Boxer down selection and said “We have been very impressed with the way that Rheinmetall has actively sought out Australian industrial involvement for the program. Participating in this program offers Australian SMEs an opportunity to further develop their capabilities and reach a global audience.”

Supacat has significant recent expertise in developing industrial capability in Australia through delivering development, production and support programs in partnership with Australian SME’s under the Supacat Team Australia banner.

Mr Halloran went on to say “Over the last six years, we have strived to create an agile, compact prime, capable of delivering land projects within our region and services around the globe. On top of our existing projects, our involvement in the LAND 400 program will contribute to a lasting legacy of Defence Industry capability that provides Defence with access to a cradle to grave development capability for Land Systems.”

The interaction between Supacat and Rheinmetall is not limited to Australia. Mr Nick Ames, Chief Executive Officer, SC Group said, “We are delighted that the involvement between Supacat and Rheinmetall will continue through the LAND 400 program. This complements our interactions with Rheinmetall on a number of European projects.”

Ovivo tasks SC Innovation with testing water filtration components for Hinkley Point ‘C’

Posted on March 8, 2018 by Proteum

SC Innovation, the design and engineering arm of Devon based SC Group, has completed structural tests on key water filtration components for Ovivo UK, which is supplying the cooling water intake screening system for Hinkley Point ‘C’.

The tests, which were conducted in January at SC Innovation’s Dunkeswell facility and witnessed by representatives from Ovivo UK, assessed the structural strength of the proposed mesh panels to be used for the Drum Screen. This is a key part of the cooling water intake screening system, which will be used to cool both the electricity generating steam-cycle and the nuclear reactor services of the new nuclear power plant.

The 1m x 1.5m mesh panels will be fitted to four 27m diameter drums, which complete a full rotation every 35 minutes. Water enters from the side and flows through the panels radially from the inside to the outside, filtering through the mesh. The debris collected in the mesh is then cleaned using jets of water and a hopper.

The tests examined potential deformation by applying pressure cycles to the mesh to determine whether the mesh would withstand service at its maximum design pressure. Three different meshes were successfully tested at various pressure increments to a maximum of 3.5 times the mesh design pressure, without a single failure. Linear Variable Displacement Transducers (LVDT’s) continuously captured displacement measurements at various positions on the mesh whilst also recording pressure and temperature measurements. The data captured was recorded and analysed using state of the art data acquisition software configured for this test by SC Innovation.

SC Innovation won the project from Ovivo UK based on the comprehensive engineering capabilities available across SC Group and its agility, original thinking and rigorous approach to planning, testing and reporting. Joe Wilcox, Head of SC Innovation, commented, “This project fits within one of our core competencies; delivering engineering projects demanding high levels of compliance with strict regulatory and technical standards. We worked closely with Ovivo UK to complete the project successfully, matching our capabilities to their requirements along the way and positioning ourselves to pursue further opportunities in the nuclear sector in new build, existing generation and decommissioning”.

Ovivo UK have been awarded the contract to supply Nuclear New Build (NNB) / Électricité de France S.A. (EDF; Electricity of France) with the water inlet system for the Hinkley Point ‘C’ (HPC) Nuclear Power Station, which will be one of the largest filtration systems in the world when installed. As part of the Contract Ovivo are required to test the filtration mesh panel system to demonstrate that it can achieve the required performance parameters based on the various load conditions that the equipment will be expected to encounter during its working life.

Ovivo are currently working with the HPC Supply Chain Support Team at the Somerset Energy Innovation Centre in Bridgwater to identify and engage local fabrication companies and test houses. Having undertaken an extensive review of the local test houses Ovivo have engaged SC Innovation, who are based in Dunkeswell, Devon, to undertake the testing programme for the mesh panels.

“SC Innovation’s experience coupled with their high standards and professional approach has resulted in the successful testing of the filtration mesh panels, which in turn has allowed Ovivo to complete a significant design milestone”, said Sid Jones, Supply Chain Manager, Ovivo UK.

SC Innovation is F4N (Fit for Nuclear) accredited and the project is its second for Hinkley Point C, following on from providing Engineering Design and Project Management Support to Blackhill Engineering, also part of SC Group, in delivering heavy steel structures for the temporary jetty at the Hinkley Point C site near Bridgwater.

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.

Hinkley Point C is the first nuclear power plant to be built in the UK for decades and is one of Europe’s biggest construction sites. The project will create 25,000 job opportunities and aims to create 1,000 apprenticeships during construction.

Supacat Special Operations Vehicles Accepted in New Zealand

Posted on January 18, 2018 by Proteum

Supacat, part of SC Group, has announced that the fleet of Special Operations Vehicles – Mobility Heavy (SOV-MH) has been accepted by the New Zealand Ministry of Defence. The fleet goes into service with the New Zealand Defence Force early this year.

The new SOV-MH vehicles are based on the latest MkII version of Supacat’s HMT Extenda and provide a high level of commonality with the equivalent vehicles with other Special Forces. New Zealand is a new customer for Supacat and the latest defence force to join the HMT family.

Designed for, and used by, the world’s elite Special Forces, the HMT Extenda is unique in being convertible to either a 4×4 or 6×6 configuration to meet different operational requirements. Its open architecture provides for various levels of protection and great variety in the roles and missions for which it can be configured.

Michael Halloran, Managing Director Asia Pacific said, “We are very pleased to have achieved our first product export from the Australian office. It is a great credit to the Supacat Team Australia members that we have delivered this fleet on time and to budget.”

The SOV-MH vehicles were manufactured at Supacat’s existing assembly facilities in Australia using Supacat Team Australia members to manufacture and assemble the vehicle. This represents the first time that Supacat Team Australia members have exported completed vehicles and complements the opportunities already emerging for Australian suppliers to enter Supacat’s global supply chains.

Supacat exhibits at the NIDV Symposium and Exhibition in Rotterdam, 30 November 2017

Posted on November 24, 2017November 28, 2017 by Proteum

Supacat, the acclaimed UK designer and manufacturer of special forces vehicles, is exhibiting at the Netherlands Industries for Defence and Security (NIDV) Symposium and Exhibition on Thursday 30 November 2017. Having recently been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise (International Trade, for Outstanding Short-Term Growth), the NIDV 2017 event forms part of a global marketing effort aimed to capitalise on recent export successes.

Supacat will be exhibiting their Light Reconnaissance Vehicle 400 (LRV 400) at the event. The LRV 400 provides a highly versatile tactical capability for special forces; it can be transported centrally inside a CH-47 Chinook fully equipped and loaded, making it immediately and rapidly deployable. Also, it has the unique feature of being convertible from 4×4 to 6×6 to provide a flexible alternative configuration that increases payload, capacity and range to meet different operational requirements. Supacat intends to offer the LRV into a number of vehicle procurement programmes in the region and the NIDV 2017 show is seen as an ideal platform to showcase the capabilities on offer. Supacat has teamed with Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Nederland B.V. to offer the LRV 400 into upcoming procurement programmes in the Netherlands. If an order is received, then RMMV will assemble Supacat vehicles in-country.

With over 1000 specialist, battle-proven vehicles in service across the globe, Supacat designed the LRV400 to fill the gap in the market for an agile off-road vehicle sized between its HMT 400 Series (GVW 7600kg) and quad bikes. It carries a crew of 3 or 4 supported by an operational payload of 1700kg with a GVW under 5000kg. It can achieve high speeds on or off road and can operate up to 800km from the point of insertion, offering special forces a true long-range capability.

Phil Applegarth, Head of Supacat said “we have been very successful in winning a number of major export orders for our special forces vehicles in recent years and we would like to capitalise on that success by offering our products more widely”. He added “there are a number of European procurement programmes emerging for vehicles in our capability space and we feel sure our battle-proven products will be highly attractive to the users. Supacat vehicles have already been sought out and purchased by some of the world’s finest units and we would like to add more nation’s armed forces to that list”.

Blackhill Engineering wins two EDF Energy HPC Excellence Awards

Posted on November 20, 2017November 28, 2017 by Proteum

The successful delivery of a 650 tonne steel fabrication contract for the jetty at Hinkley Point C (HPC) has earned Blackhill Engineering, part of SC Group, two EDF Energy HPC Excellence Awards for the Supply Chain in 2017. It has been named Best Local/Regional Business and Best Manufacturing Equipment Supplier.

A heavy engineering specialist, Blackhill built the steel pile caps and bridge beams for the construction of the temporary jetty, which will extend 500m into the Bristol Channel at Bridgwater Bay and will allow sea transportation of construction materials to the Hinkley Point C site. To deliver the contract Blackhill was also able to draw on Engineering Design and Project Management Support from sister SC Group business, SC Innovation.

The awards were presented by Stuart Crooks, Managing Director, Hinkley Point C, EDF Energy at a ceremony on 17 November at Bridgwater’s McMillan Theatre. Reflecting the team effort, the two awards were accepted by Dan Baker, Business Development Manager, Mike Simcox, Works Manager from Blackhill Engineering, and SC Innovation’s Sector Lead on Special Projects, Stuart Ship, together with SC Group Chief Executive, Nick Ames.

Nick Ames, Chief Executive of SC Group said: “We are thrilled that Blackhill’s performance has been recognised by our customer with these awards and we are very proud to be part of the team of south west firms helping to deliver this vital UK infrastructure project”.

Image: (from left to right) Dan Baker, Stuart Ship, Mike Simcox, Nick Ames.