Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

Rail Technology Company Expands and Launches Components Business on the Path to Independence

Rail technology specialist Rowe Hankins has made significant changes to reflect its growing specialism in railway safety systems and enable its subsidiary Cudis to continue to grow and expand. The company’s successful and expanding components distribution business, Cudis, has been relocated to larger premises to accommodate future expansion. The name for the rail business has been changed to Rowe Hankins Limited from Rowe Hankins Components.

“Over the last decade our components and rail engineering businesses have developed side by side. Growth in both has been considerable and it made sense to transfer all our factored electrical products into Cudis and make Rowe Hankins a dedicated rail specialist,” explained MD Toni Hankins.

The relocation has opened up space at Rowe Hankins HQ where substantial investment has been made to expand and remodel manufacturing areas for increased output and create a new engineering suite for design and development. With the assistance of the Manufacturing Institute the company has also introduced principles of lean manufacturing to ensure it remains competitive with other world-class producers.

The refocused Rowe Hankins business will offer systems and services to the rail sector that include hydraulic magnetic circuit breakers, on-train monitoring and recording devices (OTMRS) and hall-effect speed sensing devices for speed measurement, positioning and roll-back protection. The newly developed Intelligent Wheel Flange Lubrication system prolongs the life of wheel sets and rails, reduces noise and lowers frictional energy loss. Trackside equipment includes earth leakage detectors which give early warning of insulation failure. Relay and signal monitors ensure rapid fault finding while DC substations deliver reliable power supply.

Manufacturing facilities cover pre-assembly of components and development of sub-systems to reduce build/repair time for OEM’s and in-service workshops. Rowe Hankins also operates research, engineering and development facilities for new products and systems improvement.

Rowe Hankins has also taken a major holding in Praxis Engineering at Long Marston, in Warwickshire. This rail test facility has a three mile test track and extensive workshop facilities. “The developments at Parker Street and association with Praxis will be the springboard for a substantial growth in the business in 2008 and beyond,” added Toni Hankins.

Cudis will specialise in electrical components including circuit breakers, consumer units, control panel components and associated electro-mechanical devices for industry and domestic use. Now based at a new purpose built unit at Peel Mills in Bury, Cudis has plans to increase stock levels and expand the product range to support the growing national distributor network. The company will continue to use the research and development facilities within Rowe Hankins for the development and evaluation of new products. It has an active programme to expand market coverage by expansion and innovation of product ranges.

More Information:

Toni Hankins
Telephone +44 (0)161 765 3000
Fax. +44 (0)161 763 1421
E-mail: sales@rowehankins.com
Web: www.rowehankins.com
Rowe Hankins Ltd, Power House, Parker Street, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0RJ, UK

High/low resolution images are on the web at www.ainsmag.co.uk/rh109/4534rh1a.htm