Speedy Bearing Supply Gets Mill Running On Time

Revolvo has enabled Novelis to meet its deadline to complete a major aluminium mill refurbishment project in South Wales. The project was initially under threat, due to extended 18-24 month deliveries from major bearing manufacturers for large, 960mm (OD) cylindrical roller bearings. Employing its specialist design and manufacturing facilities, Revolvo was able to cut the best-case 18-month delivery time by more than 50%, and deliver the bearings in just 8 months. Novelis is the global leader in aluminium rolling and can recycling. A relatively new company, Novelis was formed at the beginning of 2005 after all the rolled product activities of Alcan were spun off and grouped together as a newly established business. Today, Novelis operates the world's most advanced aluminium rolling mills and is continuously upgrading its production facilities to improve both the quality and output of its mills. One such upgrade was undertaken recently at the company's Castle Works at Rogerstone in South Wales. A major investment project, the upgrade concerned the large mill at the Castle Works and, in particular, the replacement of tapered sleeve bearings in the reduction mill with large 730mm bore (960mm OD) cylindrical roller bearings. These bearings were crucial to the project; a fact attested to by Bob Beale the Rolling Shop Manager at the Rogerstone Plant. 'We couldn't have gone ahead with the project without the cylindrical roller bearings; they were crucial to completing the project on time', said Beale. 'Unfortunately, when we contacted the major bearing manufacturers, they were all were quoting 18-24 months delivery on large size bearings, which gave us a major problem'. 'It was our purchasing manager who first had the idea of contacting Revolvo'. 'I had used the company before to supply some thrust bearings, and I was very satisfied with their performance'. 'However, I wasn't aware that Revolvo could manufacture bearings of the size that we now required'. In fact, the size of the CRB bearings was not a problem for Revolvo as the company manufactures bearings in sizes from 25 to 1400mm bore. In addition to these products, Revolvo also manufactures inch, special custom designed and obsolete sizes, which are used to keep older machinery in operation. 'Revolvo were very good', said Beale. 'They handled everything, including the export paperwork as 50% of the bearing order was for the USA. Revolvo delivered the bearings on time to our subcontractor, completely assembled into chocks'. 'The chocks were then assembled onto the rolls prior to fitment in the mill'. 'This took place in early January and we commenced rolling in February'. 'Although it's still early days, the indications are promising as the quality of output from the mill is very encouraging'.