Forbes recently moved into a custom built factory on its Kelso site in Scotland and says increased manufacturing efficiencies have enabled it to remain highly competitive.
“We have risen to the challenge to ensure full production was maintained despite the demise of the chemical industries in the UK,” states Melvyn Jupp, Forbes Managing Director.
Forbes manufactures tanks, scrubbers and other chemicals handling equipment using a large range of materials – glass reinforced plastics (GRP) including vinyl esters, thermoplastics such as polypropylene (PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE), and GRP dual laminates incorporating thermoplastic inner shells. Materials are selected to give long term chemical resistance and expected product life spans in excess of 25 years.
The company offers products ranging from a few litres in capacity to in excess of 200 000 litres, with diameters of over 5 m and heights up to 18 m.
Recent orders
Examples of Forbes export orders over the past year include:
- six 40 m3 tanks for Portugal for use in handling petrochemicals;
- five 40 m3 large dual laminate tanks for handling sodium hypochlorite, caustic soda and iron salt solutions at a French power station;
- tanks for handling ultra high purity water in India;
- nine tanks of various sizes for Ireland for handling pharmaceuticals; and
- tanks for food production in Greece.
The latest shipment leaving the Forbes Kelso works is bound for Russia and includes six 20 m3 capacity tanks for use in chlorine production plants for water treatment.
Currently in production at Forbes is an order for two scrubbing towers for China – one 2.85 m diameter and 22 m high, the other 3.5 m diameter and 14 m high, in dual laminate and vinyl ester fire resistant composites. These towers have sophisticated internals and PVDF packing media all manufactured in house.
This order is scheduled for shipment during May.
