Giant oil separation vessel manufactured in Brownhills to hit the road
A giant oil separation vessel, manufactured at a Brownhills business specialising in high integrity fabrication, welding and tube manipulation, will require a police escort when it its transported to Cheshire next month.
The vessel made from high strength steel by the team at European Heathyards at Maybrook Road is 16 metres long, five metres wide and at 60 tons is the single largest product that the firm has even built.
The project was worth more than £500,000 to the company, which currently employs 75.
The business, which was originally Heathyards, was bought by European Steelcraft in 2007 and a new factory was built in 2012 with five manufacturing workshops.
Director of manufacturing Dave Silvester said: "The vessel is the maximum size and height that can go by road and to get under the bridges on the route from Brownhills to Essar Oil UK's Stanlow Refinery at Ellesmere Port.
"It took 200,000 litres of water to fill it for hydro testing last week.
"When it is covered with insulation and shiny stainless cladding it will look like a space ship going up the road."
The company had to build a furnace around the vessel for heat treatment. The vessel is now being shot blasted and painted.
The vessel is due to be loaded on a special trailer on February 10 and set off the following day.
European Heathyards has bought land adjoining its site for expansion and work is starting this year on an extension that will double the floor area and add a paint shop and other new facilities.
Mr Silvester said the expansion was likely to see a 20 to 25 per cent increase in the workforce.
"We are hoping to win more orders on the back of this project. We are already quoting for a similar-sized vessel for a customer in Southampton," added Mr Silvester.
