Performance Wiper Systems

Maritime, rail and commercial vehicle operators have a duty of care to provide safe transport for people and goods and to meet this responsibility, it’s vital to be able to maintain a clear view of the route ahead, even in the worst conditions.

To prevent low speed accidents in stations, depots and yards and to avoid passing signals at danger, it’s vital that train drivers can see clearly, whatever the weather conditions. For a ship’s captain, cold or wet weather can have an adverse effect on visibility, as can fatigue caused by long working hours. Whether at sea or in port, excellent visibility is a crucial element in maintaining safety.

B. Hepworth & Co Ltd has an illustrious history that stretches back to the late 1860s and from its early days manufacturing chemicals for the carpet industry, the company has grown to become a leading manufacturer of windscreen wiping systems, washing equipment and associated control systems. With a 42,000 sq. feet factory in Redditch, UK and a worldwide network of more than 20 agents, the company exports its marine, rail and automotive products to over 50 countries. Hepworth has earned an enviable reputation for designing and building best-in-breed systems that operate reliably, even in the harshest weather.

For more than 25 years, Hepworth Group has turned to Parvalux to supply British-made geared motors that deliver the reliability, quality and performance their customers demand. In business since 1947 and with three factories in Dorset, Parvalux Electric Motors is the UK’s largest manufacturer of fractional horsepower geared motors.

Hepworth chooses the compact Parvalux Viper3 geared motor to power its rail wiper systems because it has been designed specifically to deliver reliability and require low maintenance – both highly desirable in challenging operating environments where low cost of ownership is a requirement and space is at a premium. Viper3 has an IP67 protection rating, a large brush design to minimise wear at higher operating speeds and low gear wear made possible using composite materials, a large diameter gear and a one-piece spindle. Viper3 is also EMC-compliant to EN50121-3-2 2015 standards for integration of apparatus on railway rolling stock.

The Parvalux SD29 motor and M box gearbox are also specified by Hepworth to provide drive power in the company’s marine windscreen wiper systems. Installed on some of the world’s largest ocean-going vessels, as well as tugs and other hard-working craft, Parvalux geared motor solutions deliver the reliable and robust power solution required to get the job done, every time.

Bert Thijssen, Head of Sales and Marketing, says: “Over the years, Parvalux has become an important supply partner to the Hepworth Group. We specify Parvalux geared motors in our marine and rail-focused systems because they deliver the performance and reliability our customers have come to expect from every Hepworth product. Hepworth is a hard-working British manufacturer with a proud history of innovation and we are always delighted to work with suppliers whose ethos matches our own.”

To find out more about B Hepworth & Co Ltd, please visit the company’s website: https://b-hepworth.com/