A University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre apprentice has helped the UK's largest aircrete block manufacturer reduce operational pump costs by 86%, achieving this remarkable savings through substantial reductions in water usage, repair costs, and downtime.
Alex Whinfrey-Gibson, 22, joined H+H Limited two years ago while studying maintenance engineering at the AMRC Training Centre in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Early in his apprenticeship, he took on a significant project to upgrade the company’s centrifugal slurry pumps, aiming to enhance reliability, reduce repair costs, and streamline production processes. Through this, Alex identified a critical bottleneck in H+H’s production line that was causing inefficiencies in slurry pumping.
“The work I did to upgrade the centrifugal slurry pumps led to a substantial improvement in mean time between failures (MTBF), meaning equipment failures became far less frequent,” Alex said. “This has driven huge savings for my company and delivered benefits in multiple key areas.”
Thanks to Alex’s innovative approach, the project achieved:
- Reduced downtime, cutting repair costs and maintenance time, thereby boosting operational efficiency;
- Lower operational expenses through decreased water waste and energy consumption, alongside a reduced environmental impact;
- Enhanced system reliability, positively influencing employee morale as operators no longer contend with frequent breakdowns;
- Better allocation of employee time, allowing for focus on higher-value tasks, improving overall productivity.
The success of these upgrades has impressed H+H’s management. Geoff Wray, site manager at H+H Pollington, remarked, “Alex has been a breath of fresh air for us, tackling what had been a challenging problem. We’re already seeing substantial benefits in terms of uptime on our slurry pump fleet, which brings both financial and production volume gains.
“What’s particularly encouraging,” he added, “is that Alex is now leading a project to upskill our team with the knowledge he’s gained. This will strengthen our operations for years to come.”
In manufacturing aircrete blocks, converting fly ash into abrasive slurry creates challenges for pumps, often leading to failures that disrupt production. Traditional pumps are essential but costly, with the potential to cause operational delays. Alex saw an opportunity for optimisation by upgrading the pumps and collaborated with Atlantic Pumps, drawing on his previous experience as an apprentice technical application engineer at AESSEAL.
“I began by analysing the current equipment to determine the root causes of the failures,” Alex said. “Through a six-step process, I worked with experts, ran tests, and made adjustments to sealing technology, lubrication schedules, and staff training.”
Nikki Jones, director at the AMRC Training Centre, expressed pride in Alex's achievements, noting that his work exemplifies the strength of apprenticeship programmes. “Alex’s story shows how apprenticeships can nurture young talent, driving innovation and growth within businesses. His problem-solving skills, leading to significant cost savings and operational improvements, highlight the transformative impact apprentices can have on the industry.”
Alex describes his apprenticeship as a ‘transformative experience,’ equipping him with essential skills and knowledge. He is now a proud STEM ambassador at the AMRC Training Centre, volunteering his time to inspire young people, career changers, and school leavers to pursue engineering.
“Growing up in Doncaster in a working-class background, I’ve seen many people with great potential who lacked the opportunities to realise it,” he said. “I’m passionate about giving back to the community, which is why my STEM ambassador work at the AMRC Training Centre is so important to me.”
Alex is due to complete his maintenance engineering apprenticeship at the AMRC Training Centre later this year. Following this, he will continue at H+H’s Pollington factory as a project and reliability improvement engineer.
Image: Alex pictured at Pollington H+H site