New aerospace contract for Rhodes Interform

Rhodes Interform, part of Group Rhodes, has secured a major hydraulic press refurbishment project win in the aerospace industry.

The contract will involve the replacement of the electrical controls and hydraulic system of a 1966 1250 Ton ‘John Shaw’ Powder press, originally owned by Meggitt Aerospace in Coventry, a business recently bought by Parker Hannifin.

The press is used to manufacture sintered brake pads for aircraft and is probably the only one of its kind in Europe.

Rhodes Interform’s technical director Peter Anderton said: “This is a specialist upgrade and renovation of a vitally important piece of equipment. We won the contract based on our expertise in the manufacture, design and upgrade of presses in the aerospace sector. The project is expected to take eight weeks to complete, minimising downtime of this important line for Parker Hannifin.”

This latest contract is one in a list of new aerospace contract wins for Rhodes Interform, which recently secured an order to carry out a refit of a 1989 3000 Ton ‘Chester Hydraulics’ SPF press, at BAE Systems Samlesbury in the North West.

Rhodes Interform’s machine refurbishments offer customers a cost-effective solution to dramatically improve equipment life and increase productivity. The company provides a complete one-stop refurbishment service, from arranging where necessary for the machine to be transported to the company’s maintenance facility in Wakefield, through to retrofitting new components and re-commissioning on-site. 

Rhodes Interform’s parent company Group Rhodes, based in West Yorkshire has a 200 year metalforming history and has also been manufacturing presses to form composite materials from as early as the 1930s. The company has won Queen’s Awards for both Innovation and International Trade in recent years, particularly for its work in the aerospace sector.

Group Rhodes
www.grouprhodes.co.uk