Craven Fawcett

Manipulator takes strain out of handling clay pipes at WT Knowles & Sons Ltd.

Craven Fawcett, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of clay preparation equipment and part of Group Rhodes, has recently completed a project to design and produce a manipulator for WT Knowles & Sons Ltd., which has improved the manufacture and manual handling of clay chimney pots and clay pipes.

The Elland-based manufacturer required Craven Fawcett to design a bespoke manually operated manipulator that would handle pipe fittings, without the need for operator intervention. Craven Fawcett, which has supplied clay pipe machinery to WT Knowles for over 70 years, designed and manufactured the manipulator to the customer’s exact specification within a four-month period.

Glynn Dixon, Contracts Manager at Craven Fawcett, said: “Prior to the manipulator being installed, the production process involved the manual lifting of pipe fittings, which could cause health and safety issues. The new manipulator that we have designed takes all the strain, making it much quicker and safer for operators.”

Martin Knowles, Managing Director of WT Knowles, said: “We have worked with Craven Fawcett for many years, so were aware of their bespoke design and manufacture expertise. We are really pleased with the manipulator’s performance. Not only has it had manual handling benefits, but also we have seen an increase in production levels at the factory since it was installed.”

Craven Fawcett
www.grouprhodes.com

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