Alive and kicking
September 1st 2003 Ian Clay, editor of IP&E visited SSP Pumps in Eastbourne to find out the story behind the brands recent re-launch
There are many images that come to mind when the town of Eastbourne is mentioned: the sea; the beach; the old people and of course the rotary lobe pump (RLP). Even I, a former resident must claim to be a little surprised at the last item on the list but as Tony Marshall, product support manager at SSP Pumps maintains I shouldnt be because Eastbourne, is the pump capital of the world.
The history of SSP Pumps can be traced back to The Howard Pump Company. Founded in Eastbourne, the company developed the RLP concept, launching the first product onto the market during the post war years of the 1940s. In 1958 several ex-employees of The Howard Pump Company founded Stainless Steel Pumps, developing their own RLP designs. When materials other than stainless steel began to be used the name of the company changed to SSP Pumps. In 1987 SSP Pumps was acquired by Alfa Laval with its products falling under the umbrella of a new company Alfa Laval Pumps. However, in November 2002 the SSP Pump brand name was re-launched in order to focus on the industrial marketplace.
The commercial reasons behind the re-launch when recounted by Tony Marshall make perfect sense. Alfa Laval, with its expertise in the food, brewing and dairy images focuses very much on these sanitary areas. SSPs products though are suited to many other areas and understandably sales of these products began to fall. Therefore a re-launch was required.
Now newly established with its own identity SSP Pumps can focus on what it does best. As such SSP brand RLPs made at the Eastbourne site comprise the stainless steel series S, X and N together with ductile series D pumps and the engineered-to-order A and G pumps. The SSP brand also promotes the series M stainless steel gear pumps. This portfolio of RLPs is one of the most comprehensive, providing solutions for a wide variety of uses.
The introduction of the Series A and G ranges of RLPs demonstrates SSPs status as a solution provider as both series are specifically engineered to order. SSP Pumps has a history of innovation with large pumps, being the first company to introduce 125mm dia ported RLPs, followed by 150, 200, 250 and 300mm dia ported pump models. With flow rates up to 680m3/h the pumps are for high-volume transfer applications.
Large does not simply mean the scaling up of smaller pump models. Both series are made to order, having five pump displacements ranging from 550 to 2270 l/100rev, differential pressures to 10bar and port sizes from 150 to 300mm in dia. The series A pumps, with metallic wetted components made from stainless steel can handle low to high viscosity pumped media and are suitable for delicate media and where organic solids in suspension, creams, froths, gels, emulsions and mixtures are to be pumped. Series G pumps with ductile iron metallic wetted components, operate with general industrial waste water treatment processes providing a good tolerance of suspended solids including fibrous matter. Series G pumps have proven ability in handling a full range of sludge thickness with rag and grit included.
SSP Pumps range of products and its focus on this market come together when ensuring that the customer is specified with the correct pump. Tony Marshall maintains that it is Very difficult for an end user to select their own pump and this is why SSP has a system in place to assist them with selection. This philosophy is implemented through SSP LobeSelect, a pump selection and configuration program. The program prompts the user to enter pump duty information and using data from a comprehensive liquids database selects the pump from the product range most suited to the application. In cases where there is no information on the database of the customers pumping medium, the rheology lab is able to provide a bespoke report on all the relevant liquid characteristics, that will impact on pump requirements and performance. This in-house rheology lab service is the only one of its kind in Europe offered by an RLP company.
Tony Marshall makes the case for RLP specification on the basis of low downtime and less maintenance, especially he says when compared to other pump technologies that make their money on spares. He admits that RLPs do have a slight price premium but is convinced that this is more than compensated for by their fit and forget characteristics. In order to prove this point when I visited the site Tony showed me one of the first SSP RLPs ever made that had recently been uncovered by engineers on a routine site visit. The pump was still fully functional after 45 years of service.
Engineering excellence of the products featured in IP&E is usually a given, but the emphasis on quality of manufacture is implemented on SSPs Eastbourne site by a highly skilled, experienced and motivated workforce using the latest CNC machine tools. Geoff Ticehurst, component unit manager showed me the manufacturing facility and it was an impressive partnership of manufacturing philosophy and continual investment in equipment. The emphasis on quality was demonstrated time and time again with Geoff continually drawing attention to metrology equipment and a measurement room with CMM - all focused on making certain the products are made to the tolerances required.
With its comprehensive product range and knowledge-based approach to pump specification the re-launch of SSP Pumps is most timely for those looking to solve specific pumping problems. SSP is also looking further afield than RLPs as it has just launched a range of dual and single disc pumps for the toughest of applications. With the re-launch of SSP Pumps the market has a chance to welcome back a trusted, quality supplier that is once more in a position to spread the word about Eastbourne pumping capital of the world! More articles from Alfa Laval Limited: | 
