NEW WINE IN OLD BOTTLES

One of the most obvious examples of modernization and upgrading of facilities is fitting new plant into existing buildings. This has become an attractive option for a number of reasons, which include high capital cost, the closure of so much capacity producing a large 'building bank', and the reduced production volumes required by market conditions. Advantages to be gained from upgrading existing buildings include a reduction in overheads due to contraction, keeping skilled labor on the same site, provision of more capacity from an existing fully utilized site by increase in throughput, re-use of existing services, ie, gas, electricity, steam, water, drainage etc. This article looks briefly at some of the contracts carried out by Courtaulds Engineering Ltd in recent years.