Wakefield-based pyrometallurgical engineering firm Inprotec has won a six-figure contract to supply a new lead casting plant to NELCO Worldwide, a global leader in medical and industrial radiation shielding.
Inprotec, based in Normanton, a specialist in the design and supply of industrial-scale plant used to recover lead and precious metals, has been commissioned to design and install a new state-of the art lead melting plant at NELCO Worldwide’s stateside manufacturing facility in Houston, USA, with the project expected to take six months to complete.
At the heart of the new plant will be three industrial-sized melting kettles, where lead will be melted before it is used to create a range of radiation shielding products, including the lead doors and bricks used to encase the X-ray and radiology facilities commonly found in hospitals and medical centres.
It will replace the existing plant at the company’s Houston site and has been commissioned by NELCO to boost the company’s production capabilities, create a better working space for employees and deliver significant environmental benefits.
Commenting on the win, Chris Oldroyd, managing director of Inprotec, said: “We’re delighted to announce this contract win and excited to be working with a business of the scale and significance of NELCO.
“Once operational, the plant will deliver massive benefits to NELCO, ranging from boosting their already impressive production capabilities, through to significantly enhancing the working environment for employees and reducing the company’s environmental footprint.”
Gary Miller, executive VP and chief operating office at NELCO Worldwide, said: “We chose to partner with Inprotec for their world-leading process and mechanical engineering capabilities and we’re looking forward to realising the benefits that this new plant will bring to our facility in Houston.
“Employee safety and well-being, alongside our work to reduce our environmental footprint, are all incredibly important to us as a company. This new plant will ensure that we continue to lead the way, both in terms of the quality and range of products we produce and the processes and workmanship that fuel their creation.”
Inprotec is a family-run engineering business which started in 1977 as G.A. Oldroyd, named after its founder, Garry. In 2010, Garry’s son, Chris, took over the reins and renamed the business Inprotec as part of a rebrand, with the company moving to a bespoke manufacturing facility in Normanton shortly afterwards. It specialises in the design and supply of pyrometallurgical process plant used to recover lead and precious metals and works with clients all over the world.
