Taiwan demands to see new Rotabolt plant in Black Country

It is three decades since the Rotabolt was first unveiled – a bolt fitted with technology to measure its tension to ensure it is properly tightened – and it won a string of awards, no least one for innovation presented by Prince Charles on BBC TV's legendary Tomorrow's World.

But industry has been slow to recognise the breakthrough - until recently.

Managing director Rod Corbett, who has been with the company since shortly after Rotabolt launched its new bolt, said: "So many disasters are down to a simple problem with a bolt – whether it is damaged, too loose or too tight. Planes crash, trains are derailed, pipelines leak, oil rigs catch fire, chemical plants explode and tower cranes collapse.

"In the Potters Bar rail crash in 2002, when seven people died, nuts had come free from bolts on the points. Nuts and bolts, missing and fractured, were at the heart of the 2007 derailment at Grayrigg in Cumbria.

"Our Rotabolts now fix the motors to Tube trains on the Circle Line after the Chantry Lane derailment in 2003 when an electric motor fell out the bottom of train because of a faulty bolt joint.

"In so many industries our bolts can stand between normal safe operation and disaster.

"It can get very frustrating when something happens, an accident which is down to a faulty bolt, because I know our system would have prevented it."

After turnover has doubled to £4 million over the last five years, the company is now investing £400,000 in new plant to boost production capabilities and is opening a production facility in Taiwan to meet rising demand for the Rotabolt in South East Asia.

"The main growth is coming from chemical processing companies, onshore and offshore oil and gas industries, wind energy, mining, transport and cranes.

"Over the years, threequarters of the battle has been persuading people why it works. We have been up against a traditional mindset in the UK. But the Taiwanese got it straight away. Our new production cell is being built next to a 60 square kilometre petroleum complex near the capital, Taipei, because they don't want to have to wait six weeks for a ship load from the UK, they want their bolts as soon as possible.

"It is easier to install and much easier to maintain - if it loses tightness the locking RotaCap on top of the fastener will spin freely.

"They are more expensive, and that varies from three or four times the cost on a smaller bolt to only 20 or 30 per cent more for a large bolt with a high nickel content.

"But there is a considerable saving over time in terms of maintenance - in terms of the time it takes to carry out regular checks on safety critical bolts, they can pay for themselves very quickly."

Another satisfied customer is the US Army, which has Rotabolts fitted to its battle bridges, carried into combat on the back of tanks. About 20 bolts are fitted to each one, made of aluminium but blackened to make them less visible.

The wide range of applications means even the sales staff among Rotabolt's 25-strong workforce are highly knowledgable engineers or have a metallurgical background.

To cope with use in tough conditions the bolts can be made of corrosion-resistant exotic materials, while the larger bolts can be five metres long and about six or seven inches in diameter.

As well as keeping offshore platform cranes in one piece, these large bolts hold down compressors in refineries.

"And they have a long life span," said Mr Corbett. "We have customers coming back to us after 14 or 15 years asking for the bolts to be serviced rather than replaced. It's a real testament to the product but of course means we have to wait a long time for replacement orders."

"We are seeing a growing acceptace in the market when firms understand how it can ensure reliability and reduce maintenance. They are gradually seeing the light. For instance with firms handling hydrogen, where they can't afford a leak.

"The Taiwanese first saw Rotabolts in use on a BP facility. There is a very environmentally-aware business culture in that country, which is a key reason why we have grown so quickly there. They got it immediately, which has led to use setting up the manufacturing facility there."

Another growing market for Rotabolts has been the development of windfarms, with the company forging strong links with companies such as Alstom and Vernier, for whom it has made bolts for the Indian market.

As a result, Rotabolt has seen production grow to around 130,000 bolts per year but Mr Corbett is expecting further growth. As a result the factory is updating its older machines with newer CNC cells.

"It has been a long wait for success for our parent company, James Walker. They are privately owned, and I don't think a plc would have been so patient, but they knew it was a good product and have been in it for the long haul," he said.