4-5 Q-Safe:exclusive PPEbrand launched

3Coca-Cola award for Brammer

The newsletter from Brammer andBuck & Hickman

Issue 182015

600th industrial vending machine installedInvend™ is a leading industrial vending service,available exclusively through Brammer andBuck & Hickman.

Since the last edition of thelink, Brammer and Buck & Hickman’s work has received acknowledgment from customers and industry bodies alike.

As you’ll see within this issue, we were recognised with a Supplier of the Year Award for Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility by Coca-Cola Enterprises which is a fantastic accolade for us, their pan-European MRO supplier. Soon after, Brammer were presented with the 2015 BSIF Award for Safety Excellence, for our work with the Royal Mint.

Finally, we are proud to announce the launch of Q-safe, the PPE brand which is exclusively available from Brammer and Buck & Hickman. This comprehensive, head-to-toe range is suitable for all manufacturing and industrial environments and is the focus of our health & safety feature on pages 4 and 5.

Foreword

7BSIF Award Win

Ian Ritchie, Managing Director, Brammer and Buck & Hickman

Invend™ recently passed a major milestone after the 600th UK installation was completed.

Invend™ can dispense a wide range of industrial consumables, from abrasives and cutting tools to hand tools, and from personal protective equipment (PPE) to lubricants and greases.

Companies benefi tting from the Invend™ industrial vending service include Coventry-based Atlantic Air Transport which has taken delivery of two carousel and one locker-style Invend™ machines for its tools and general maintenance consumables after being impressed by the increased stock control and traceability provided by the service.

Proven to lower consumption of industrial consumables by between 25 and 40 per cent, Invend™ reduces the amount of time needed to locate and order consumables, and also provides

greater visibility over which items are used in each area. For companies choosing to vend PPE, there are further health & safety benefi ts as only approved PPE is available on the shop fl oor, which leads to improved traceability.

The vending machines are provided by Brammer and Buck & Hickman and offer 24/7 access to consumables, while also reducing ‘walk and wait’ time by being conveniently located at suitable sites around the facility. Invend™ machines have a direct internet connection to register restocking needs with Brammer and Buck & Hickman, who take responsibility for all replenishment to avoid stock-outs of fast moving items, as well as providing real time management information on usage by individual and cost centre.

To fi nd out more about Invend™ or to book a free sales demo with our Invend™ Demonstration Vehicle visit www.brammer.co.uk/invend

2 thelink – Issue 18 2015

Brammer’s 600th Mobile Centre of Excellence visit was held at British Sugar’s Hollow Road site in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, where 35 delegates enjoyed the opportunity to get to grips with the vehicle’s hands-on product demonstrations. Of particular interest to engineers was the drive train best practice rig, which showcases the latest solutions and shines a new light on mechanical power transmission to improve production effi ciency and reduce energy consumption.

Brammer has partnered with British Sugar for 19 years and its team works closely with Dan Blake, Condition-Based Maintenance Engineer at the Hollow Road site in his driveto implement a best practice approach – a key factorbehind the Mobile Centre of Excellence’s recent visit.As a result of experiencing the latest MRO solutions on the day, a number of value-adding projects have been identifi ed which Brammer and British Sugar will be exploring over the coming months.

Soon after, Buck & Hickman’s Mobile Centre of Excellence clocked up its 200th customer visit at EDF Energy’s Torness Station, coinciding with the fourth anniversary of the partnership between the two companies. The team spent six hours on site meeting engineers and introducing them to the range of tools, maintenance and PPE products within. One of the most popular displays was the Facom RFI technology tooling demonstration rig with several attendees stepping up to experience the products for themselves, while restricted access and spark-resistant tooling also generated a lot of interest due to the nature of operations at the EDF Energy site and the overriding priority being nuclear safety.

To book a visit from the Mobile Centresof Excellence, Invend™ Demonstration Vehicleor Specialist Tool Demonstration Vehicle,contact marketing.uk@brammer.biz ormarketing@buckandhickman.com

Both Brammer and Buck & Hickman’s Mobile Centres of Excellence have clocked up milestone customer visits at BritishSugar and EDF Energy Torness respectively.

New catalogue introduces 7,700new productsMore than 7,000 new products have been added to the latest Brammer Industrial Supplies Catalogue for 2015/16, which now contains more than 60,000 individual products.

The catalogue is divided into fi ve sections of high quality maintenance repair and overhaul products for easy reference, each containing thousands of products from market-leading brands including 3M, Siemens, SKF and Stanley. In addition, customers have access to two exclusive specialist brands. The fi rst, Roebuck,is a comprehensive range of quality tools and specialist equipment, and the new catalogue features more than 100 pages of Roebuck products including a new range of abrasives and tool storage units –

alongside the hand tools rangewhich is covered by a lifetime warranty. Q-Safe is a new range of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with more than 180 new products featured in the catalogue. Q-Safe provides a complete ‘head-to-toe’ PPE product range,a proven and cost effective solutionwhich can help reduce purchasing costs without compromising on safety. Customers can be assured of qualityas all products are tested to robust European safety standards.

Brammer has also made additions to its Housed Bearings and Mechanical/Electrical Power Transmission ranges

within the new catalogue, highlighting Brammer’s commitment to sourcing and supplying components from the world’s leading manufacturers.

The Brammer catalogue will soon be joined by the new Buck & Hickman catalogue which will feature over 6,000 new products, and will be availablelater in the year.

For your free catalogue email marketing.uk@brammer.biz or marketing@buckandhickman.com

Milestone visits for Mobile Centres of Excellence

3thelink – Issue 18 2015

The award win, in the Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CRS) category, will be offi cially presented to the Brammer team at a ceremony to be held on 15 September 2015. Key to Brammer’s recognition in this important category has been its close collaboration with CCE’s teams in identifying opportunities for energy and water savings, and its ability to implement solutions which have successfully reduced resource consumption and carbon emissions.

CCE also pointed to Brammer’s commitment to reducing its own emissions as a major factor in the award win, with its Europe-wide 35% carbon footprint reduction in 2014 highlighted as a key achievement for the business in CCE’s announcement.

Brammer has partnered with CCE as preferred MRO supplier since September 2009, currently trading with all 17 of the soft drinks giant’s European plants – in the UK, Sweden, Norway, France, Belgium and the Netherlands – each of which benefi ts fromits own Brammer Insite™.

Over the past six years Brammer has partnered with CCE on its carbon reduction targets, delivering impressive cost savings. To date, more than €3m in validated operational cost savings projects has been achieved across more than 1,000 value-adding projects.

To be considered for the CRS Supplier Award, key partners of CCE are expected to demonstrate their own corporate responsibility and high levels of excellence in sustainability. Across all of its European locations, Brammer applies environmental principles to its work and when making decisions or investments, and always gives careful consideration to any possible environmental impacts. As a valued partner to thousands of manufacturers Europe-wide, Brammer plays an important role in responsible manufacturing by helping customers drive effi ciencies and achieve energy savings across production activities.

Brammer’s dedication to helping its customers to reduce emissions and energy consumption, as well as the company’s own efforts at its

NDCs, branches and other premises, has been recognised. In notifying Brammer of its success, CCE explained: “We have also been impressed by your response to CCE’s carbon expectations and how you are challenging your own carbon footprint of 35% reduction in 2014, whilst growing your business, your lowest ever reported ratio.”

To achieve the fi gures which have been so well-received by CCE, Brammer has committed to a number of measures at its premises – from waste management and recycling to green transport policies anda number of energy effi cient initiatives in areas such as lighting and temperature control at various sites across Europe.

Tanya Kilfeather, European Key Account Development Manager of Brammer added: “Sharing core values and a commitment to carbon reduction is an important factor in the success of any working relationship, and we are delighted that our CRS approach has been recognised and rewarded by CCE – a prestigious global brand with a fi rm focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility.”

Coca-Cola award for BrammerCommitment to driving effi ciencies and uncovering energy-saving opportunities has secured a coveted Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) Supplier Award for Brammer, the UK’s leading supplier of industrial maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) products and services.

Brammer currently trades with all 17 of Coca-Cola’s European sites.

4 thelink – Issue 18 2015

Now launched across Europe, Q-Safe is fully compliant with all current European standards for health & safety and also fulfi ls legislative requirements. The range is designed, manufactured and tested to the highest possible standards and benchmarked to the same standards as popular premium brands, giving customers confi dence in the proven quality of Q-Safe.

An additional benefi t of Q-Safe lies in its compatibility with Invend™, the industrial vending solution available through Brammer and Buck & Hickman. All products –

from safety glasses to gloves – have been tested extensively with the three types of Invend™ machine and deemed ‘vend ready’, giving existing vending customers the opportunity to consolidate and optimise their PPE. A key benefi t of using Invend™ to supply employees with PPE is the audit trail it creates: as staff are only able to access approved products deemed most suitable for their roles, health & safety managers can be assured they don’t mistakenly wear a lower level of protection. Vending also creates a useful audit trail of issued health & safety items.

Q for Quality: Exclusive PPE brand launched by Brammer and Buck & Hickman

Q-Safe products are designed for compatibility and wearability.

Q-Safe, newly launched by Brammer and Buck & Hickman is a ‘head-to-toe’ range of personal protective equipment (PPE) for manufacturing and industrial use. Available exclusively from Brammer and Buck & Hickman, Q-Safe is a comprehensive range comprising of more than 80 different products, covering head, hand, eye, ear and respiratory protection as well as limited-life clothing including coveralls, overshoes and aprons.

Book your Health & Safety Mobile Centre of Excellence visit

Q-Safe is the latest addition to the innovative, hands-on product displays and video demonstrations from supplier partners including 3M, Ansell and Kimberley-Clarke – but as Q-Safe is exclusively available through Brammer and Buck & Hickman, the Health & Safety Mobile Centre of Excellence is the only place that health & safety managers,

engineers and shop-floor employees can experience these products first hand.

To book a visit from the Health & Safety Mobile Centre of Excellence direct to your premises contact your local branch or email marketing.uk@brammer.biz or marketing@buckandhickman.com

Fresh from the launch of Q-Safe, our Health & Safety Mobile Centre of Excellence has been kitted out with a selection of the new PPE products from the extensive range of more than 80 individual items.

With procurement managers constantly tasked with decreasing spend and finding enhanced value for money in the products they buy, PPE typically poses a challenge as health & safety simply cannot be compromised on. Q-Safe provides an effective and viable solution to the challenge of reducing purchasing costs while maintaining a duty of care to staff members and adhering to stringent health & safety legislation. Offering real value for money, the range is practical and affordable while still ensuring high levels of safety.

One of the most important factors in specifying PPE is the individual fit and compatibility, with comfortable, well-fitting PPE much more likely to be fully utilised by operatives especially where numerous protective items must be worn.

Q-Safe’s range has been sensitively and ergonomically designed, with a number of size, fit and colour options available within each product area to ensure wearability and comfort for the user. As well as size, a number of other variables are available depending upon the product – for example, of the six types of eyewear included in the range, three are available with either clear or smoked lenses for workers in different environments. Disposable hearing products are available in a variety of options to suit the application, including corded, moulded, detectable and bulk dispense styles to provide a suitable model for different industries. For those with allergies, Q-Safe’s disposable nitrile and vinyl gloves are available with or without an internal powder coating.

There are a number of ways to discover the full Q-Safe range. The range can be viewed online at q-safe.biz, or you can request a catalogue:

• By emailing marketing.uk@brammer.biz or marketing@buckandhickman.com

• In your local branch

• Online at www.brammer.biz and www.buckandhickman.com

• On board the Health & Safety Mobile Centre of Excellence

Q-Safe is suitable for a variety of sectors including construction and manufacturing.

5thelink – Issue 18 2015

6 thelink – Issue 18 2015

Caparo manufactures a wide range of specialist cold heading, bedding & seating and galvanised and engineering wires. At its Wrexham site, Caparo had to frequently replace its flooring due to its non-slip properties wearing down. Originally an epoxy grit floor had been specified, but this was highly susceptible to wear due to the use of water in its manufacturing processes. Caparo found that the floor needed full replacement every 8-12 months due to the grit detaching and floor surface becoming smooth and slippery – which at an annual cost of £4,300, represented excessive avoidable expenditure.

The Caparo team called in long-standing partner Buck & Hickman to identify a solution which would help extend the life of the existing flooring, while simultaneously reducing the downtime and inconvenience caused by the frequent replacement. A further key criterion for the selection of a new flooring system was the health & safety of employees, with Caparo specifying non-slip flooring to minimise the risk of falls.

Upon investigation of the site, Buck & Hickman identified that the best course of action would be to cover the existing flooring surface with specialist, durable non-slip matting as Abbey Kelly, Buck & Hickman Key Account Manager explained: “We identified Ergodeck No-slip matting for our initial trial over a 10m² area as it had the additional benefit of anti-

fatigue properties. Operatives working in the area agreed, finding it comfortable to stand on, and not a single slip or fall was reported over the course of the trial. The product also offers a three-year guarantee as its cleats (studs) are integrally moulded into the mat for a longer life, leading to significant potential cost savings over the life of the flooring.”

Based on the results of the trial coupled with the cost benefits, Caparo has had the Ergodeck matting installed throughout the site which has maximised health & safety for employees as well as eliminating the downtime associated with the replacement of the original floor. Caparo will also enjoy a considerable cost saving of £12,900 in epoxy grit replacement costs over the course of the three-year Ergodeck guarantee – with the potential for the matting to exceed its projected life.

Paul Boyes, Operations Manager of Caparo explained: “The wear of the epoxy grit floor had become a concern to us in certain areas of the plant, not just because of replacement costs, but because of the potential health & safety risks it posed to our workforce. However, Buck & Hickman’s expertise and clever thinking has resulted in a simple and cost-effective solution which combines reduced capital expenditure with a guarantee of no slips – protecting our employees and minimising disruption.”

Buck & Hickman takesto the floor at CaparoNon-slip safety flooring recommended by Buck & Hickman is enhancing plant safety as well as cutting floor maintenance costs for a leading manufacturer of specialist steel wires.

Caparo’s previous epoxy grit floor and, (right), the newly installed Ergodeck.

The wear of the epoxy grit floor had become a concern to us in certain areas of the plant, not just because of replacement costs, but because of the potential health & safety risks it posed to our workforce. However, Buck & Hickman’s expertise and clever thinking has resulted in a simple and cost-effective solution which combines reduced capital expenditure with a guarantee of no slips – protecting our employees and minimising disruption.

Paul Boyes Operations Manager, Caparo

7thelink – Issue 18 2015

In a ceremony at London’s ExCeL Centre on 16th June, the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) announced Brammer as winner of the Safety Excellence category for its work with The Royal Mint in Llantrisant.

With 33 different types of gloves being used regularly on site by its employees, The Royal Mint was faced with an annual spend in this area of some £70,000. However, the range of products available did not necessarily mean that the most suitable gloves were being used for each task, with gloves often selected on the basis of familiarity over suitability.

Brammer joined forces with Ansell, a leading manufacturer of protective gloves, to undertake a thorough audit of all areas of glove usage. Chemical analysis was undertaken to confirm the selection was correct, with extensive trials in each working area before a final selection was made. It was discovered that 85% of site

requirements could be catered to by holding just six types of glove in stock, thanks to the new measurable product selection method.

Gloves are now also distributed on site through Brammer’s Invend™ service, with each machine containing only the gloves required in each area. The Royal Mint now has full visibility of which gloves have been retrieved by which employee, ensuring complete traceability.

John Steggles, Contract Manager at The Royal Mint commented: “In terms of optimising health & safety practice and reducing the risk of accidents, the Brammer-Ansell project has been an unprecedented success.”

In awarding the Safety Excellence prize to Brammer and The Royal Mint, the judging panel noted their ‘exceptional and impressive close working relationship’, along with the commitment to ‘improved health & safety best practice combined with the…benefits of the Invend™ service’.

In safe hands: BSIF Award winA project by Brammer and The Royal Mint to rationalise the use of safety gloves on site and ensure compatibility and safety for employees has been recognised for its success by the UK’s leading health & safety industry body.

L to R - Philip Baker, Vice Chairman, BSIF. Alan Murray, Chief Executive, BSIF. Nadine Sherwood, Product Manager, Brammer and Buck & Hickman. Alun Davies, SHE Co-ordinator, The Royal Mint. Russell Gardiner, Insite Manager, Brammer

Branch network grows through investmentRecent investment has seen the opening of two new locations covering the north of England and East Anglia.

In early spring, Brammer’s Norwich branch was relocated to a new, modern site close to the A47. At more than 900 sq ft larger than the previous Sales and Service Centre, the new branch provides 3,250 sq ft of space dedicated to a comprehensive range of industrial maintenance, repair and overhaul spares and tools, as well as personal protective equipment. Its new location, close to the city’s main transport link, gives customers easier access to products and expertise, and also enables us to continue providing guaranteed delivery and local service, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Soon after, the launch of the latest joint Brammer and Buck & Hickman branch in

Carlisle was celebrated with an open day at Carlisle United Football Club. Visitors to the event received an insight into the services on offer by receiving technical help and advice from both companies in their specialist fields as well as experiencing all five specialist demonstration vehicles – the Brammer, Buck & Hickman and Health & Safety Mobile Centres of Excellence, as well as the Invend™ Demonstration Vehicle and Specialist Tool Demonstration Vehicle.

Peter Malpas, National Operations Director, explained: “Investment in new branches and facilities showcases our commitment to providing excellent regional service to customers as we recognise the need for them to have a local Sales & Service Centre with local knowledge. Watch out for further branch openings in the coming months.”

8 thelink – Issue 18 2015

Buck & Hickman tools demonstrated to construction apprentices

Thousands raised in 2015 charity drive

As part of a company-wide commitment to encourage young people to consider careers in engineering, construction and related industries, Buck & Hickman exhibited at the SkillBuild competition held at South & City College, Birmingham, in June.

More than £6,500 has been raised by Brammer and Buck & Hickman employees in 2015 to date thanks to a variety of events, competitions and feats of personal endurance!

SkillBuild is a multi-trade competition which tests aspiring young tradespeople across 10 disciplines including bricklaying, carpentry, tiling and plastering. For the past 45 years the competition has rewarded the best in construction talent as well as showcasing the variety of skilled careers on offer, making it an important event for Buck & Hickman to support.

Buck & Hickman’s Mobile Centre of Excellence was in attendance alongside the Specialist Tool Demonstration Vehicle which proved very popular with the 100+ competitors and other visitors to the event, who valued the hands-on nature of the hand and power tools plus PPE products on display.

The winners of the Birmingham event go forward to challenge for a place in the WorldSkills UK team which will travel to Sao Paolo, Brazil, for the finals in September.

First up was the world-famous Virgin London Marathon, where Brammer’s Invend™ Implementation Coordinator ‘Big’ Jon Green completed the course in 6h 9m, raising more than £3,000 for the Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children which provides mobility equipment to the families of disabled and terminally-ill children.

In early May the annual football tournament was held as a qualifier for the Brammer Group-wide European Championships and, in the UK, a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. 13 teams competed in a league format followed by a knockout phase which saw Brammer’s NDC Wolves progress to the Euros along with Bucks United, Buck & Hickman’s best performers. The tournament raised more than £400 for Make-A-Wish, which the company has supported since 2007.

Then it was back to London, where Buck & Hickman Marketing Services Manager Lisa Kirby undertook the London Marathon route with a twist! Fundraising in support of a friend who has recently completed her treatment, Lisa and friends took part in the annual Moonwalk – a trip around the marathon course, walked overnight in support of breast cancer charities. In all, the group raised more than £3,000.

Congratulations to Jon, Lisa, the 103 participants in the football tournament, and all those who donated to their fundraising efforts.

Headway Road, Wolverhampton WV10 6PZwww.brammer.co.uk www.buckandhickman.com0870 240 2100 08450 510 150