Dust Extraction and Fume Extraction specialists. Whether it's Downflow Booths, mobile filter units, or Hood Positioning Devices (Extraction Arms), flextraction have products to suit your dust and fume extraction requirements.

Fume and Dust Extraction System Makes Welding Safer at North Hertfordshire College’s Skills Centre

Posted January 24th, 2012

Flextraction Ltd, supplier and manufacturer of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) has recently installed a welding fume and dust extraction system in the UK’s first specialist foundation level welder training facility at Stevenage Skills Centre, part of North Hertfordshire College (NHC). The system incorporates the Company’s latest totally self supporting Hood Positioning Devices (HPD).

Earlier in 2011, Weldability-SIF entered into partnership with The Welding Institute (TWI), Cambridge and the College, to initiate foundation level welder skills training at the College. This was a first step towards a full apprenticeship programme designed to meet demand and overcome the current skills gaps in the UK welding industry and this was opened by John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning on 13th October 2011.

As an approved sponsor to the Weldability-Sif Foundation Charity, which has been set up and registered with the Charities Commission, to specifically encourage the development of new welder training facilities across the UK, Flextraction has installed in each of the 6 welding bays 2m standard telescopic HPD’s, incorporating black polyester coated 100mm diameter PVC 371 hoses with a coated mild steel 100mm diameter flared hood and mesh guard. Each HPD was supplied fully assembled with wall mounting bracket, control damper and with no internal components. Each bay was also fitted with an electronic airflow indicator attached to each hood to monitor the extraction air flow.

In addition to the HPD’s Flextraction also designed, manufactured and installed the spiral galvanised sheet steel ductwork needed to safely extract the welding fumes and dust from the welding bays to a point outside the building. It was designed with inspection/access doors, flexible hose connections and supporting brackets, as well as being sized to give a good conveyance velocity throughout its length.

Flextraction’s HPD’s all use mounting brackets, hoods and hoses specifically designed for the capture and extraction of industrial dusts and fumes including hazardous and corrosive fumes at the point of source in surface grinding, welding, product tipping and drum filling, as well as food processing and all manufacturing applications where dust and fumes are emitted.

David Stevenson, Welding Tutor at NHC said: “The Flextraction equipment is used daily to extract dust and welding fumes from 6 purpose built teaching bays with the latest Weldability-SIF 300A MIG welders and 200A AC/DC HF TIG inverters. At the present time we have 204 welding students and we are looking to double this number in 2012 and we will build additional teaching bays to accommodate this number.

We have very strict Health and Safety criteria and all the equipment we have, including the Flextraction installation, meet these requirements. When we were ordering the equipment we specified that the arms had to be flexible with the ability to keep close the point of extraction, which the Flextraction equipment has met in all aspects.

We have found that the equipment is very easy to maintain and clean as it has no filters, also it is easy to operate and the students have no problems in moving the extraction hood close to the work they are undertaking, making the overall environment in which they are welding very pleasant at the same time keeping their lungs clean.”

The Weldability-Sif Foundation Charity is currently looking for additional complimentary sponsors and further details can be found when you register at www.weldability-sif.org

Flextraction Launch New Range of Vehicle Exhaust Extraction Systems

Posted January 4th, 2012

Flextraction Ltd, supplier and manufacturer of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) products is launching a new range of Flextraction vehicle exhaust extraction systems designed to provide environmental protection to operatives in garage repair and vehicle body shops working on motorbikes, cars and commercial vehicles.

This new comprehensive range of vehicle exhaust extraction systems includes mechanical and motor-driven exhaust hose reesl for use with static vehicles in garage and fleet vehicle workshops where the hoses are required to be stored way when the extraction system is not in use.  These systems are available in various sizes with nozzles to match, meeting and handling nearly every type of vehicle found on the market today.

Products available in the range include wall and ceiling mounted spring driven hose reels for use with motorbikes and cars, for workshops with high ceilings and working on high sided vehicles, wall and ceiling motor-driven exhaust hose reels with a push-button control to roll and unroll the hose complete with a safety stop and remote start/stop of the centralised fan.

Flextraction can also supply complete exhaust extraction system with Extruded Aluminium Track (ETK) and sliding carriages. Fan and adjustable sliding fixing points are also available. Included in this new product portfolio is a wide range of sheet metal fans with inlet and outlet flanges.  Additionally, there are a range of zinc plated sheet steel floor traps equipped with elbows for under the workshop floor or for use with internal hideaway hoses.

Lee Darton, Managing Director, said: “This is our own range of vehicle exhaust extraction systems which complements perfectly our existing range of Flextraction fume, dust and fluid extraction systems. Our business covers a very wide range of industrial sectors including the vehicle repair sector and these new systems will give us a more competitive edge in a large market sector.”

Flextraction Appoints New Mananging Director

Posted December 14th, 2011

Flextraction Ltd, supplier and manufacturer of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) products, has announced that Lee Darton has been appointed Managing Director.

Lee has many years experience in the Fume and Dust Extraction equipment industry and has been with Flextraction for over 12 years as Sales Manager and most recently as General Manager (Products).  This promotion comes at a time when the Company continues to further develop its range of products, aiming to increase its market share both in the UK and in Europe.

 Wally Gilder, Chairman of Flextraction said: “Lee has played a significant role in the development of this company and has created a fully focussed and committed sales and after sales team.  Under his guidance we have seen our market share continue to increase and this appointment comes at a time when the Company is experiencing improved trading conditions and the introduction of a wider product portfolio.  It is just reward for all his commitment and endeavours.”

Lee said: “Flextraction has a comprehensive range of dust and fume extraction products that cover a multitude of industries, which we continually strive to improve and develop.  Our marketing strategy has led to increased order books both from the UK and from new markets in Europe.

Working with the UKTI (UK Trade and Investment) in order to find defined partners in Europe has led to the recent appointment of a distributor in France for our range of Hood Positioning Devices (HPDs).  This in turn has resulted in increased production of HPD’s at Melton Mowbray.

We are continuing to drive our export business forward and are currently looking at defined partners in Germany and Spain.  My appointment as Managing Director will help us take the Company forward as part of our on going marketing and investment strategies, both in the long and short term.”

Lee lives in Grantham, Lincolnshire, is married and admits to being an avid Arsenal supporter and a lover of fine foods.