It is always nice for a company to hear that their products are of interest to outside parties and to know the products have a sound future ahead, and there is no better way than by gaining an award from a prestigious awarding body or group.
In 2011, leading corrosion control specialists, BAC Corrosion Control Ltd (BAC) received three such awards.
In May, innovative corrosion treatment system LATreat™ – developed and patented by BAC and Mott MacDonald – won the Research, Studies and Consulting Award at the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) Engineering Excellence Awards, at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London.
ACE represents the interests of the UK consultancy and engineering industry and is the leading business association in this sector, with around 650 members. Their Engineering Excellence Awards showcase the finest achievements of consultancy and engineering firms and the innovation that makes the industry crucial to local, national and global economies.
LATreat™ is a highly innovative, environmentally friendly treatment that uses only the components of seawater to sterilise and then deposit a protective coating to marine steel structures affected by Accelerated Low Water Corrosion (ALWC). ALWC can cause premature perforation of unprotected steel and if untreated can lead to premature failure of a structure.
The process uses phased electrical currents passed through seawater to protect marine steel structures against ALWC. This affects marine structures by eating away steel at up to 25 times the rate of normal corrosion. LATreat™ uses electro-chemistry to derive all the chemical agents from seawater itself, the process is highly environmentally friendly.
At the British Expertise International Awards, at the Institute of Directors, London, LATreat™ followed this at the beginning of November with its second award – Innovation of the Year. The judging panel acknowledged that "the process demonstrated outstanding physical or intellectual innovation which has either taken place overseas, or in the UK with international significance and the innovation may be freestanding or as part of a project".
Received in November, at the EEF Future Manufacturing Awards 2011, at the Heritage Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire, the final award was runner up for the Climate Change Opportunity Award where it was seen that BAC had demonstrated the seizing of business opportunities associated with climate change by developing and or finding new markets for products or services that help customers reduce their carbon emissions.
Switch Mode Power Supplies (SMPS) units supplied to National Grid were manufactured and supplied by BAC following years of working together and the specialist units were ordered as part of a 3 year contract. The new units are being installed throughout this year by National Grid as part of their replacement programme and through efficient operation, remote monitoring and smart metering, will reduce National Grid’s and other companys’ energy consumption significantly.