by ECS Administration | Jan 11, 2021 | Announcement, Blog Post, Feature Articles
Following the most recent changes announced in January 2021 by the Scottish Government and the new Tier-4 Lockdown instructions we wanted to update you on what this means in terms of our support and services offered to all our clients.
After carefully reviewing our own safety operating procedures we confirm that;
- Being a critical supplier of support for many major industries, we are still available and providing 24 x7 x 365 help to all our clients on support contracts
- If you do not have a support contract, then contact us and we will work with you to put in place a support arrangement to at least help you through this latest lockdown challenge
- Our engineers are also still available and working on new system projects
- We can also help provide you with remote access support and ensure that the current situation does not expose you to increased or new Cyber threats and breakdowns.
- In keeping with guidance, our company and team are strictly adhering to all best practice guidelines and importantly, we have put additional measures for staff and client safety during this challenging period. The safety of our staff and those we work with is of the utmost importance to us.
Client support – Elite support many clients across the UK in the Energy, Food & Beveridge, Manufacturing, Chemical and Oil and Gas sectors. Many of these are classified as critical infrastructure and consequently these sectors, like Elite Engineering & Support are still working and here to help.
If you would like help in exploring or readying your operation for remote working, securing operations whilst remote working or, need a Cyber risk assessment please contact us:
+44(0) 1506 597900 email info@elitecontrols.co.uk
We look forward to your continued support
Thank you
by ECS Administration | Nov 5, 2020 | Announcement, Blog Post, Feature Articles, Press Releases
Elite were invited to present at the CENSIS Cyber IoT Cyber Security Programme.
Sharing the “stage” with Siemens Industrial Security and Safety Services Manager Paul Hingley, Elite’s own Colin Crosbie provided a pragmatic, insightful and highly informed overview of Cyber threats and best practice design considerations facing all of our major manufacturers today.
In these challenging times, keeping personally safe is very much to the fore in all our minds however, with ever increasing needs around remote working and an increased use of new technologies, making sure that our critical industrial base is also equally safe from Cyber threats has never been more pressing.
CENSIS is the National Innovation Centre for sensing, imaging and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies; they are tasked with raising industry awareness of this critical and ever more important subject as part of the IoT Cyber Challenge Program.
If you have any concerns or worries about your Cyber Security and Resilience please get in touch for a confidential discussion emailing cyber@elitecontrols.co.uk
https://new.siemens.com/global/en/products/services/digital-enterprise-services/industrial-security-services.html
#cybersecurity #iot #internetofthings #innovation #cyber
by ECS Administration | Oct 8, 2020 | Blog Post, Charity, Feature Articles
Congratulations team Elite for participating so enthusiastically in the Cycle September 2020 challenge!
Under the careful guidance of our Captain 🙂 supported by his very able First Lieutenant JC, our team smashed our 1,000 mile month target clocking up a total of 1114 miles during September.
More than 50% of the team took part in the challenge and we collectively contributed and helped save more than 1200lbs of carbon CO2 emissions.
In terms of the final places in our company size categories; Elite finished #1 In West Lothian and, #9 in the UK. Worldwide we finished #4 for Manufacturing and Engineering companies. An amazing achievement.
Finally, a massive thank you too for the huge encouragement received from all our colleagues in Elite House – it really helped especially, when the sun didn’t come out!
Keep up the good habits everyone and thank you once again for all your help & support!
Captain Benji Kirkpatrick, Systems Engineer Elite Control Systems Ltd
by ECS Administration | Sep 23, 2020 | Announcement, Blog Post, Commissioning, Feature Articles
Following the successful completion of a project last year for a major manufacturer based in Slovakia, Elite were asked to further enhance and expand the client’s control system. The original control system in the new state of the art plant, produces the syrup that is used for the manufacturing of kitchen sinks.
The original control panel design, PLC software programming and designing of the HMI Screens were carried out at Elite’s site in Livingston, with a site visit to Slovakia needed for the on-site commissioning.
The commissioning phase for the system expansion proved to be quite a challenge due to the critical nature of the existing process. Any code modifications or additions had to be performed in a 2-hour window, as this was the maximum permitted downtime.
The entire expansion project lasted around 3 months from initial development to commissioning.
The original hardware used for this work was based on Rockwell’s standard and safety Compactlogix PLC’s.
Linked via Ethernet, these PLC’s were expanded to accommodate the additional control requirements.
Due to the existing installation being an Elite-developed solution, the development for the expansion became much more streamlined and this definitely helped the control expansion to run smoothly.
The successful outcome of this work means that our customer has now doubled their manufacturing capabilities when compared to the previous layout of the plant.
by Bill Grant | Sep 2, 2020 | Blog Post, Commissioning, Feature Articles, Press Releases
Following many years of operation, the Siemens S5-based PLC used at out clients’ site was becoming ever more difficult to maintain. Replacement parts were also becoming more and more difficult to source, due to the length of time the PLC had been deemed as being obsolete. In addition, fault finding on the old system was very problematic. Upon an occurrence of a fault, it was very difficult to determine the root cause of the issue. Due to the critical nature of the system, there typically wasn’t time to request Elite to attend site and help to determine the cause. Elite was asked to provide a more modern, upgraded solution incorporating a new PLC and HMI.
The solution implemented has incorporated the use of a Siemens S7-1500 Series PLC. This was programmed using the latest Siemens TIA Portal software with integrated Advanced Safety features.
The existing PLC code was migrated in stages from STEP5, to STEP7 Classic, and then to TIA Portal. In addition, the HMI was further enhanced and programmed to receive system messages related to the exact cause of fault events. These were then presented for display on the alarms mimic.
Our client has achieved the goal of their project, and can now identify various faults with ease given the capabilities of the modernised system. In addition, due to the relevance of the upgraded system, all spares can be sourced with ease and cost effectiveness. It should also be noted that the reliability of the system has also been improved significantly.
Elite is once again proud to offer a ground-breaking solution to one of its key customers and look forward to new challenges in the future.
by Bill Grant | Mar 17, 2020 | Announcement, Feature Articles, Press Releases
By now we are all aware of Corona virus (COVID-19) and how important it is to take steps to help contain the virus in the UK and beyond.
We want to let you know about some of the measures that we are taking to help mitigate health concerns whilst also continuing to provide ongoing critical business support services to our many clients. This includes;
- Visiting Elite House – we are now limiting visits to our office unless considered absolutely necessary and, where the meeting cannot be carried out using video or teleconferencing technology.
- Precautions for the health of our staff and customers – Best practice guidelines on hand washing, sanitising surfaces including door handles have been implemented.
- Staff Remote working – as a further precautionary measure, we have instigated remote / home working for most of our staff. A skeleton support team will operate from our Livingston office to deal with site support calls as normal and, until such time as government guidelines have changed.
Here’s how you can help us;
- Keep using the services of our company! We will all come through this and the Elite team are here and ready to help you.
- Please keep us informed of your plans – if one or more of our team are due to visit your premises and, if this needs to change, then we would appreciate if you would let us know as early as possible.
- Keep yourself healthy! – please follow current guidelines, washing your hands frequently, self-isolate if you have symptoms and cover your mouth with your elbow when you cough!
All of us at Elite will do everything that we can to support you whilst at the same time do our bit in helping prevent the spread of this virus.
Thank you in advance for your co-operation and understanding. Should you have any concerns about any current project or indeed anything else, please feel free to contact us directly or call your existing Elite contact.
by Bill Grant | Mar 6, 2020 | Announcement, Blog Post, Feature Articles, Press Releases
Winner!
Centre for Engineering Education and Development CeeD is the national body supporting a range of industry sectors in Scotland, bound together by a common aspiration to improve operational efficiency, effectiveness and ultimately profit through Peer to Peer knowledge exchange.
At the Glasgow Hilton CeeD Industry Awards ceremony 2020, Elite Controls won the highly prized Cyber Resilience Award. Elite’s Colin Crosbie exemplary work in this area impressed the panel judges who specifically cited our contribution to keeping the infrastructure of our many clients safe and secure.
Feeling very proud and a huge well done to everyone at Team Elite for making this happen.
The Build Up..
Bill, Colin, Brian and Sam
