Creating a workplace for the future
A brand new, state-of-the-art site in Birmingham, UK, is ‘the perfect setting for IMI Truflo Marine to thrive’
“IMI Truflo Marine creates incredibly clever solutions for our customers’ challenges with mission-critical assets and we now have a world-class building that resonates with that,” says Amy Payne, marketing manager of IMI Truflo Marine, part of the IMI Critical Engineering division.
Partially powered by solar energy, with motion sensor lighting and the ability to reclaim water used in manufacturing processes, the new building incorporates the latest environmental technologies.
Rated ‘excellent’ on the BREEAM benchmark, which is the gold standard for assessing a building’s environmental, social and sustainability performance, IMI Truflo Marine’s new home enhances the wellbeing of the people who work there, as well as being an investment in the future of the business.
“I’m really proud that this building has a strong set of sustainability credentials,” said Jackie Hu, IMI Critical Engineering’s divisional managing director, at the building’s official opening on 7 April. “As a purpose-built facility, it’s the perfect setting for IMI Truflo Marine to thrive.”
Solving the most difficult problems, faster
The vast, 57,000sq ft space at the Advanced Manufacturing Hub in Aston was designed to support IMI’s ‘Growth Hub’ mindset which identifies and solves acute customer problems quickly and creates value for the IMI Group.
“It’s really exciting that we’ve now got a dedicated Research and Development space so we can test the latest technologies and harness their capabilities,” says Rob Taylor, technical director at IMI Truflo Marine. “Working with other industrial partners can open the door to mergers and acquisitions too.”
The space will include an Accelerated Corrosion test facility – salt water is corrosive to metal and organisms such as barnacles and algae can stop parts operating effectively – so this will help engineers develop solutions to the kind of problems that all marine-based industries face.
Sounding out new solutions
With improved security and encryption tech at the site, the company is also able to work on defence projects that involve the acoustic signature produced by a submarine from mechanical sounds such as the flow of water or gas through pipes, and how this is picked up by sophisticated sonar.
It’s an issue that affects the market globally. “When we tested our market, there was a real need and a call from our customers to solve this. So, we brought in our first Computational Fluid Dynamics engineer,” says Rob. Through a combination of predictive data and 3D printing of metals to make the kind of complex geometry within a valve that couldn’t traditionally be machined, it was possible to not only make a submarine’s passive acoustics quieter, but also to manipulate them so they begin to sound like something else. “This allows us to move into a completely different space and think about what submarine technology will look like in 20 years’ time, not just today,” Rob says.
Keeping data safe
“Bringing all this in house means we’re able to wrap that type of information in a secure environment and have one-to-one relationships with our customers without having to share data across companies outside of the IMI group,” he adds. “We’re using this as an example of best practice so we can then start training other IMI facilities around the world to be able to serve their local markets just as securely.”
IMI heartlands
The new factory is in an area with a rich heritage for engineering and tech, within half a mile of the previous plant. “That’s purely down to wanting to be being able to retain the expertise of our highly skilled workforce. It’s quite common for our people to have 50 years’ service with the company. The retention level is unparalleled,” says Rob, who joined the engineering team nine years ago, which has since gone from six- to 40-strong.
Being a well-established part of the local community for decades plays a part in attracting new talent, too. “One of our design engineers came to us originally when she was at a local school for a week’s work experience. Now she’s about to finish her master’s degree and is coming back full-time,” says Rob.
A future-proof site
“The DNA of the business is our people,” says Amy, who describes how everyone’s opinion was canvassed at conception stage via surveys and mini working groups about the kind of building they wanted to work in.
The finished result incorporates a wellbeing room – a calming space where you can ‘take five’ – and a prayer room.
“Everything has been built to future-proof the business,” she says. “We’ve got electric car charging spaces and there’s a scheme around leasing electric cars; people are also encouraged to take public transport, cycle to work or to car share.”
“The building will change our working lives,” says Amy. “It’s a home to be proud of.”
