TW Metals aerospace tube worldwide

www.twmetals.co.uk

Phone : 023 8073 9333

TW opened in Southampton in 1963 as Tubesales Ltd., and quickly established its position as the leading distributor of instrumentation tube. Rebranded as TW in April 1998 ……… the company is still recognized as holding the most in depth and widest range of instrumentation tube in the UK market. Our major markets are aerospace, (both airframe and engine) and Oil, Gas and Petrochemical. As ongoing support of globalization TW have developed the expertise to market, and export our products worldwide, Managing Director, Gail Thomas reports that TW now exports over 56% of its sales to 136 countries around the globe. TW International has facilities in France, Poland, India, Singapore and China, supporting global offload to the major aerospace companies such as Boeing, Airbus, and Rolls Royce. It further supports oil gas and petrochemical industries for a wide variety of uses such as down hole drilling.

For decades, customers worldwide have depended on TW Metals for top-quality products, complete processing services, timely delivery and expert service. To continue being the Best service center for our customers, we have implemented a state-of-the-art automated information system, adopted the latest concepts in supply chain management, installed new processing equipment and enhanced our delivery system. Strategic acquisitions have also contributed to our growing strength in products and services.

Nickel Alloys

In October 1998, TW Metals UK further expanded its capabilities with the acquisition of Philip Cornes Group, a UK-based processor and distributor of nickel and super alloys, serving customers in the oil, gas, petrochemical and heat treatment industries.

Founded over 35 years ago, UK, Philip Cornes specializes in the supply of nickel alloys, and heat and corrosion resistant materials. Philip Cornes carries one of the largest inventories of nickel alloys in the world. A hallmark of Philip Cornes' success is the group's growing worldwide expansion. In the last two and a half decades, the company has expanded to include Philip Cornes International (Brussels, Belgium) and Philip Cornes South East Asia (Singapore), Our latest facility opened in January 07 in Shanghai China. To complete their global coverage, a special export department is based at the UK Headquarters to support business from the Middle East, South America, Africa, India and other locations not covered by existing offices.

In 2007 TW Metals were awarded a service provision contract to distribute welded titanium tube from 0.750” upto 9.000” diameter for Pneumatics, air conditioning, water & waste systems. These tubes are supplied to a major aircraft manufacturer in Europe. The tubes are manufactured from titanium sheet and shipped to our facility in the UK. The tubes are then cut to length, machined, straightened, inspected and shipped direct to line.

Our comprehensive stock range of bar and tube can also be found in the medical industry, used for patient implants, screws, nuts and bolts and surgical equipment. TW Metals products can also be found in products such as dentist drills and surgical cameras!

Machined tube

TW Metals have several large contract customers where we supply commercial grades of 6AL 4V titanium & Inconel 718 bar in heat treated conditions, offering maximum yeid strengths to customer specifications, such as Schlumberger & Halliburton. These bars are then machined to very tight tolerances. These parts can be over two meters in length & four inches in diameter. Initially supplied as bars they get machined into a “hollow bar” or heavy walled tube. During the machining process upto 90% of the raw material is removed. These tubes are then used in the Oil Industry for deep hole drilling applications.

TW were also recently awarded a large contract to supply machined tubes used for actuation systems within commercial and military aircraft. The tubes are manufactured in stainless steel and range in diameters from 18mm upto 39mm in diameter. Within our facility the tubes are cut, machined, part marked then shipped to the customer. Due to the criticality of these parts the tubes are finished to very high tolerances, in some instances the dimensions have limits of one thousands of an inch!

Many of our contracts involve supplying material to the MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) market. Many of these requirements come in the way of an AOG, or “aircraft on the ground”. Material is supplied from our facilities worldwide and TW have to be able to react to the urgency, often shipping material within one hour of receiving a customer order. These customers are offered a 24 hour AOG service, so they can always speak to a technical sales person wherever they may be located. MRO requirements can be vast but typically we supply aluminum sheets for skin repair work, extrusions such as seat track or stringers. Also hinge section and tubes for hydraulics.

TW is also proud to be a sponsor of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Solent Branch. TW have worked with the RaeS for many years and heavily involved in organizing many of the lectures and presentations attend my aviation enthusiasts throughout the UK.