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A new blast suit that meets international standards for use in wet and dry abrasive blasting operations and also for heat-protective clothing has been launched by Hodge Clemco.

Developed in collaboration with Shell and major maintenance contractors in the petro-chemical sector, the suit is an important advance in protective clothing for abrasive blasting operatives. It is the first to meet EN ISO 11612:2008 (Clothing for protection against heat and flame) and EN ISO 14877:2002 (Protective clothing for blasting with granular abrasives), allowing it to be used at on-shore and off-shore petro-chemical installations and in zoned environments.

The suit is manufactured to military standards, with features such as reinforced stitching, Velcro zip protector flap, brass zip, thumb loops and elasticated foot stirrups. The outer material is heavy-duty wear-resistant fabric, which is supple enough to provide full mobility, while a breathable inner lining helps to regulate body temperature. An identification label holder is stitched to the chest area, and the wrists and ankles have 50mm-wide reflective tape.

Unlike traditional leather-fronted blast suits, which are difficult to clean, the new model can be laundered up to 50 times without adversely affecting fire-resistance and other properties. Laundering and care instructions are stitched in. Five sizes are available, from 38in. to 56in. chest.

Hodge Clemco continues to offer its traditional leather-fronted suit, which is ideal for conventional abrasive blasting operations.

A self-contained combined blast and spray room designed and built by Hodge Clemco has provided a leading supplier of industrial contract services, with a compact, cost-effective training facility at its Skills Centre.

The company provides industrial services to a wide range of industries, including on-shore and off-shore oil and gas, manufacturing, and energy and power generation. The courses run by the Aberdeen Skills Centre are designed to develop the capabilities of existing staff and train new recruits, and its competency assessment programme is approved by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

In order to reinforce its expertise in surface preparation and protective coatings application, the company decided to install a dedicated training facility for both abrasive blasting and spray-painting, and to provide on-site training courses. These have subsequently been approved by the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO).

Whereas abrasive blasting and spraying are usually carried out in separate dedicated rooms, Hodge Clemco has combined them in a single 40ft container, which has reduced the space required for the new facility, as well as the cost. The container has been partitioned internally to provide a blast/spray room, plant room, abrasive recovery system and blast machinery.

The blast and spray room itself, which is approximately 4 metres long x 2.4 metres wide x 2.4 metres high, is lined with rubber curtains to protect it from abrasive damage and has a large viewing window that allows trainees to see inside. When spraying is under way, a ventilation system passes air through the room and out via a bank of filters at one end. The blast and spray room itself, which is approximately 4 metres long x 2.4 metres wide x 2.4 metres high, is lined with rubber curtains to protect it from abrasive damage and has a large viewing window that allows trainees to see inside.

The blast and spray room itself, which is approximately 4 metres long x 2.4 metres wide x 2.4 metres high, is lined with rubber curtains to protect it from abrasive damage and has a large viewing window that allows trainees to see inside. When spraying is under way, a ventilation system passes air through the room and out via a bank of filters at one end. When blasting is in operation, the filter bank is protected by a pair of hinged steel doors the full height and width of the chamber, which are interlocked with the abrasive recovery and dust collection system for safety purposes.

Inside the room two breathing air connections and additional emergency stops have been provided, allowing for a trainee and a tutor to work together safely. An abrasive recycling system has been included that allows blast media to be recovered via a sweep-in floor hopper and cleaned automatically for re-use, with re-usable media being diverted to the main storage hopper and the rest being separated out for disposal.

Hodge Clemco has introduced the range of IBIX Ultra Portable blast machines into the UK and Eire. These machines complement the already extensive range of Hodge Clemco Contractor machines. Our IBIX range is targeted towards the offshore, marine and small use operators, where compressed air availability may be limited and portability and weight is a prime factor in the machine selection.

The lightweight aluminium construction, trolley / backpack style and user friendly pistol design make these an ideal machine where site access is difficult. The machines have been launched in two capacity sizes. A full range of spares and PPE is offered with the IBIX line of products.

Hodge Clemco has introduced a new line of safety focused products. Building on our "back-catalogue" of safety products, the new line of equipment incorporates remote emergency stop devices, tamper proof bonded hoses, safety interlock kits as well as our proven range of PPE. Our range of safety products ensures total compliance with all the latest regulations and minimises risks to operators and general personnel on fixed, site and off-shore work stations.

Hodge Clemco has acquired Premier Equipment Services, a leading North East based supplier of surface finishing equipment for the marine and offshore industries. The company acquisition took place in September 2008 and the managing director of Premier, Joe Hughes, has joined the team at Hodge Clemco to ensure all the customers of Premier Equipment Services are maintained to the same high levels of customer service. Hodge Clemcos" acquisition of Premier Equipment Services is the perfect marriage for both companies, allowing us to develop our already extensive customer base, offering a larger range of competitive products into the surface finishing arena.

Hodge Clemco has acquired the full 100% share stake in Wolverhampton Abrasives from IMI. IMI was happy to offer the business for sale to Hodge Clemco, allowing IMI to concentrate on core business activities. Abrasives have always been a core part of Hodge Clemcos business. As the main sales agents for over 40 years, Hodge Clemco had always considered Wolverhampton Abrasives as its own. The very strong close working relationship with IMI has allowed us to develop the brand to the stage where JBlast is the leading expendable abrasive in the market today. Over the years many successful products have been added including a range of recyclable abrasives and the Stonegrit range of materials. Hodge Clemco is proud to fully incorporate Wolverhampton Abrasives into our business, providing a one-stop account solution between the equipment and abrasive sales. Our sales team are specialists in the full range of products and can advise you on any aspect of surface finishing equipment.