Wakefield-based Rhodes Interform, part of Group Rhodes, has secured a major hydraulic press refurbishment contract in the aerospace industry. The deal will involve the replacement of the electrical controls and hydraulic system of a 1966 1,250-ton ‘John Shaw’ powder press, originally owned by Meggitt Aerospace in Coventry, a business recently acquired 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.

Peter Anderton, Rhodes Interform’s technical director, 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 the 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 3,000-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 significantly 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.