"MGTS provides an important engineering apprenticeship facility for both young people and adults alike,” says Craig Westerman, sales and operational director. “Our initial work with the organisation goes back some 10 years, so we are once again delighted to fulfil equipment needs for both the Coventry and Redditch training centres.”
The latest order centres on a series of Fronius TIG welding units; the Fronius 3000 Magicwave AC/DC welding systems have been supplied complete with water cooling and foot control.
“The units offer full digital control and provide a virtually soundless, stable arc in operation,” says Westerman.
Significantly, MGTS has been able to realise significant cost advantages by turning to Westermans for its equipment supply. As the company has active contacts worldwide for the procurement of used equipment, and a comprehensive refurbishment and refitting service, it is able to supply reliable welding equipment solutions at a fraction of the cost of new units. At MGTS, this capability has resulted in an estimated expenditure saving of some 66%, while meeting all the operational needs of the customer.
“The equipment provided by Westermans represents excellent value for money, particularly as we have been able to purchase top-specification welding units that are effectively as good as new,” says Neil Russell, MGTS centre lead at Coventry. “The service provided is first class, especially as Westermans focussed on meeting our specific requirements within predefined budgets.”
Russell points out that his organisation is playing an increasingly key role in helping to bridge the skills gap, and draws attention to the fact that this is underscored by demographic considerations that see skilled workers leaving the industry, with fewer then able to pass on their skills to the next generation.
“Our apprenticeship programmes are delivered within the framework of the Government’s ‘Standard Engineering’ qualification, which is now replacing NVQS,” he says.
This factor is a key consideration that is fully endorsed by Westerman and which, he says, is set to become more significant as new projects are built in the UK. He points out that some 13% of Britain’s welders come from other countries in the European Economic Area.
“For someone who is new to welding, the training can take over three years to reach the standard necessary to work on a project as challenging, for example, as a nuclear facility, so the services provided by MGTS play an important role,” he concludes.
