In the big tent

Variety is the spice of life in the Pavilion and Workshop at this year's SED. From tyre sealants to portable hydraulic testers; from warning beacons to non-metallic bearings, there is going to be plenty to interest visitors.

Among the products being launched at SED 2003 are new offerings from American companies CST Corporation and David White (stand 15). They are unleashing a new line of electronic self-levelling rotary lasers designated the 2100N series. These have an accuracy of 1.6mm over 30m and are displayed on stand 15P. Included in the new line-up are the 2110N exterior visible horizontal-beam electronic self-levelling (±5%) laser, the 2125N interior/exterior unit and the 2175N split-beam interior laser.

Another company using SED 2003 to launch a new service is Tikkurila Coatings (stand 72P), a manufacturer of industrial paints and protective coatings for all sectors of the construction industry. Temaspeed, the company's UK distributor, offers its customers a colour service that includes protective coatings, floor coatings and OEM product finishes ranging from primers through to topcoats and thinners. According to the manufacturer, the Temaspeed colour bank incorporates all main international colour cards: NCS, RAL, British Standard, SSG, Monicolor Nova, RR and KY. It also claims that, on the basis of a sample and by using Tikkurila's colour matching software, it can identify and match almost any colour; all major OEM machinery colours can be reproduced.

On stand 61P is Webtec Products, the Cambridgeshire-based manufacturer of the Webster range of hydraulic diagnostic test equipment, which will launch its latest evolution of the Webster portable hydraulic tester. According to the company, Webster testers play an essential role in preventative maintenance. Designed to test pumps, motors, valves and cylinders on construction machinery, the latest offering - the portable tester - measures flow, pressure, temperature and speed and features an easy-to-use control panel, increased battery life, improved overall weather resistance and an optional infra-red tachometer.

Also on the Webtec stand will be hydraulic components used for flow, pressure and directional control, along with a newly acquired range of bank and lever operated valves that were formerly sold under the B&G, JFP and H&C brands.

That's not to say that the Pavilion is just about products that have never been seen before at the show. The big tent will also host familiar names, faces and products including Hertfordshire-based Commercial Body Fittings on stand 60P. It has supplied hardware to the construction, engineering, trailer and commercial bodybuilding industries throughout the UK and Europe for over 30 years. With a range of over 3,500 products, CBF staff will be on hand to inform visitors about items ranging from droplock pins, polyurethane sealants and mud flaps to ventilators and spring bolts.

Going one better and celebrating 100 years in business is Laystall Engineering on stand 39P. From humble beginnings in a small workshop in London's Laystall Street, the company has since expanded and now incorporates, among other divisions, its former competitor for hydraulic cylinders, Hydraulic Precision. Specialising in the supply of hydraulic equipment, including pumps, motor valves and filtration units, the Laystall hydraulics division manufactures single-acting, double-acting and multi-stage hydraulic cylinders made to customers' designs. Laystall's cylinder liner division manufacturers laycarb and cromard cylinder liners using the company's patented silicon carbide impregnation processes. Used by blue-chip clients such as Ford, Leyland, Perkins and Bedford, the cromard cylinder liners incorporate hard chrome plated bores.

Hertfordshire-based Delta Design will be providing Pavilion visitors with a few highlights of its own on stand 57P. Catching visitors' eyes will be its Gamma Star xenon warning beacon. It is a flexible single-bolt beacon that the company says has been designed to provide a durable and vibration-resistant solution for use in applications in the construction and plant markets where rotating products currently available may not offer long life. The company's xenon strobe light bars come in lengths from 610mm to 1,610mm and have double flash end strobes with optional high intensity directional front or rear strobes and dual voltage (12/24V).

The occupant of the Pavilion's stand 1 will not only be the first exhibitor greeting visitors as they come through the entrance, but it is a company that claims its product is unrivalled in the sector that it serves. Air-Seal Products says that its tyre sealant can prevent all tread punctures up to 30mm and will permanently stop all rim and bead leaks and slow punctures. Widely used in the waste management and demolition industries, the product can be used for tyre pressures from 4psi to 120psi, is water-soluble and has a freezing point of -20ûC, says Air-Seal. It says the sealant works by being introduced in the tyre and is spread evenly over the inside surface as the tyre rotates. As soon as a puncture occurs, the air pressure in the tyre forces millions of fibre particles and fillers suspended in the sealant to interlock and form a plug which prevents any further air loss. Thanks to fibres that constitute the backbone of the tyre sealant, once a strong plug is formed, the final seal is provided by filler particles that lodge between the fibres to form an airtight plug.

Another regular in the SED Pavilion (for five consecutive years) is Leicester-based Nylacast, specialist in engineering plastics. Nylacast is on stand 112, where it will be exhibiting a range of wear parts and components said to have been specifically designed and manufactured for use within the construction industry. The company says it pioneered the use of non-metallic bearings and self-lubricating components and, in 30 years of manufacturing plastic components, it has supplied leading players such as Volvo, Manitou, Terex, Caterpillar and JCB.

Never let it be said that the Pavilion is rubbish - at least not when it comes to the disposal of waste. Sussex-based Eco Island on stand 82P has come up with the innovative idea of storing waste and recycling vessels underground. According to the company, the system works like this: at surface level robust colour-coded or labelled glass fibre or steel receptacles accept the waste which falls into a secure container below.

Depending on the size of the system chosen, between two and six standard 1,700 litre containers can be stored underground on a hydraulic platform. When the vessels need emptying, the platform is raised and the containers emptied. If more space is required, underground systems are available to accommodate industrial wheeled compactors of 7m3 and 20m3 capacity.

The theme of A-Plant Tool Hire Shops' stand 143 will be the company's expanding tool hire operation. The new external and point-of-sale branding now in use at over 80 Tool Hire Shops will be featured.

If you need to stop fluids seeping into places where they shouldn't go, Cambridgeshire-based Gates Hydraulics is keen to show you its EnviroFluid hydraulic hose that prevents fluids from seeping through the tube and blistering the cover. Designed to resist the side effects of tube and cover degradation that are associated with most biodegradable hydraulic fluids, the hose is claimed to be compatible with fluids such as synthetic esters, polyglycols and vegetable oils as well as petroleum-based fluids. Gates EnviroFluid hydraulic hose comes in pressure ratings of 280bar, 350bar and 420bar.

Experienced visitors to the Pavilion will know it is also the SED home of industry bodies such as the Oxfordshire-based British Fluid Power Association (stand 9P). Representing the interests of the UK hydraulic and pneumatic equipment manufacturers and suppliers, the BFPA offers a range of services to member companies. These include: technical standards and guidelines; market and statistical data; international co-operation; and education and training; as well as representation of the industry's views. n