Author: rusty

News:

Luxfer to support British Lung Foundation at regional conference

NOTTINGHAM, England (Oct. 1, 2006)—Luxfer Gas Cylinders will be providing valuable practical and financial support at British Lung Foundation (BLF) regional ‘Breathe Easy’ conferences to be held in Derby and Wolverhampton in early October.

Members and supporters of ‘Breathe Easy’ groups from across the Midlands will attend events as part of BLF’s Information Exchange and Support Days aimed at raising awareness and providing networking opportunities for both new and well-established groups.

Caroline Johnson, BLF support and development manager for the Midlands, said: “Luxfer's contribution to the events will provide a much-needed resource both financially and in terms of hands-on help. As a charity run and maintained by patients and carers, Breathe Easy Groups benefit enormously from the conferences, which help provide advice ranging from fund-raising to marketing, as well as an opportunity to meet together socially.“

Lung diseases — asthma, emphysema, tuberculosis and lung cancer - affect eight million people in the UK. ‘Breathe Easy’ is part of the BLF support network that extends across the country. The 136 nationwide groups offer mutual support, advice and information to all those affected.

The British Lung Foundation is the only U.K. charity working for everyone affected by lung disease, providing support for affected people today and working in a variety of ways, including funding world-class research, to bring about improved treatment, care and support for the future. BLF provides information via its website, www.lunguk.org, and telephone helpline: 08458 50 50 20.

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Luxfers new Voyage cylinder line made from revolutionary L7X higher-strength aluminum alloy showcased at Medtrade

ATLANTA, Georgia (September 30, 2006)—Luxfer Gas Cylinders showcased its new Voyage line of higher-capacity cylinders for ambulatory oxygen users at Medtrade 2006.

Made from Luxfer’s patented, higher-strength L7X aluminum alloy, Voyage cylinders provide patients much more oxygen than conventional all-metal cylinders. “Because L7X-alloy cylinders can be filled to 3,000 psi, they hold up to 50 percent more oxygen than conventional aluminum cylinders of the same size,” said Vicky Butler, Luxfer’s international medical marketing manager. “This increased capacity is important to oxygen patients, who gain a significant increase in ambulation time and need to change cylinders far less often. It also offers a major advantage for homecare providers, who save money on deliveries since fewer trips to patients’ homes are required in this era of ever-increasing fuel costs.”

Long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT), when properly prescribed and maintained, is the only non-surgical therapy clinically proven to extend the lives of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and low blood-oxygen levels. In addition to prolonging life, LTOT improves the quality of life for many patients who use oxygen-dispensing units in homes and vehicles.

Widely used for more than 20 years in Europe, Luxfer L7X-alloy cylinders were first introduced in the United States at Medtrade in 2005.

Now in its 27th year, Medtrade is a highly successful international event that attracts thousands of medical professionals from across the globe and more than 850 exhibitors from the home healthcare market.

News:

Luxfer delivers lecture on ambulatory oxygen at National Healthcare Congress in Colombia

BOGATA, Colombia (July 25, 2006) – Kathryn Gamboa, U.S.A. business development manager for Luxfer Gas Cylinders, recently delivered a lecture at the 5th National Healthcare Congress here.

Led by Dr. Alexander Paz and attended by more than 500 delegates, including physicians, respiratory therapists, pulmonary consultants and homecare providers, the congress included workshops and seminars on optimum care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), for which oxygen therapy is often used.

Ms. Gamboa’s lecture highlighted lifestyle advantages for ambulatory patients associated with Luxfer oxygen cylinders, particularly those made from Luxfer’s new, patented, higher-strength L7X™ aluminium alloy.

"Because Luxfer’s L7X-alloy cylinders can be filled to 3,000 psi (207 bar), they hold up to 50 percent more oxygen than conventional aluminum cylinders of the same size,” Ms. Gamboa said. “This increased capacity is important to oxygen patients, who gain a significant increase in ambulation time and need to change cylinders far less often. It also offers a significant advantage for homecare providers, who save money on deliveries since fewer trips to patients’ homes are required in this era of ever-increasing fuel costs.”

She noted that major gas companies in the U.S. are already offering 3,000-psi filling and that Luxfer is actively promoting higher-pressure filling as part of its marketing, using the slogan: “Higher pressure is coming. Will you lead or follow?”

Ms. Gamboa works in the Luxfer U.S.A. headquarters in Riverside, Calif.

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Luxfer Gas Cylinders names SK Cylinder Corporation distributor of Luxfer products in Japan

TOKYO, Japan (July 19, 2006)—Luxfer Gas Cylinders, the world’s largest manufacturer of high-pressure aluminum and composite cylinders, announced today that SK Cylinder Corporation will become a distributor of Luxfer products in Japan.

Luxfer also announced that Luxfer Japan, its subsidiary company, will be closed.

“This new partnership with SK Cylinder offers Luxfer better opportunities for future growth in the Japanese market,” said John Rhodes, Luxfer Gas Cylinders president. “SK is a well established, successful business with both the infrastructure and sales organization to market Luxfer products to a wide range of new customers. We believe this decision greatly strengthens Luxfer’s prospects in Japan.”

Luxfer plans to begin transferring business to SK Cylinder as soon as possible.

An operating company of Kanto Koatsu-Yoki Manufacturing Company, Ltd., SK Cylinder Corporation is a major supplier of welded and seamless steel cylinders and aluminum cylinders for a variety of applications, including beverage, medical, fire extinguisher and industrial manufacturing. The company was founded in Tokyo in 1960.

Luxfer Gas Cylinders is an operating company of Luxfer Group, founded in England in 1898. With manufacturing facilities in England, France, the United States and China, Luxfer Gas Cylinders serves customers in global gas markets, including medical, life support, alternative fuel vehicles, fire extinguisher, beverage, scuba, paintball, automotive and industrial gases.

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Luxfer to help set up new British Lung Foundation Breathe Easy groups

NOTTINGHAM, England (July 13, 2006) – Luxfer recently announced plans to support the British Lung Foundation (BLF) by providing start-up grants totalling £1,250 for five new “Breathe Easy” groups across the Midlands.

Lung disease—asthma, emphysema, tuberculosis and lung cancer—affects eight million people in the U.K. ‘Breathe Easy’ is part of the BLF support network that extends across the country. The 136 nationwide groups offer mutual support, advice and information to all those affected by lung disease.

Caroline Johnson, BLF Support & Development Manager for the Midlands, said: "People often take breathing for granted until they or a loved one develops a problem. Our ‘Breathe Easy’ groups help to highlight the plight of the many millions who find it a struggle everyday to even get out of bed due to shortness of breath. We welcome these start-up grants from Luxfer; they will help us to support more people affected by and living with lung disease in the Midlands."

Grants of £250 each for the five new areas—Buxton, Bourne, Newark, Retford and North Nottingham—will enable groups to find and book venues, to meet regularly and to set up communications networks, including newsletters, to keep members and their families fully informed and in contact with healthcare professionals.

Vicky Butler, Luxfer’s European Marketing Manager added: “People with lung conditions and those who care for them often feel isolated from the outside world. These new ‘Breathe Easy’ groups will help provide much-needed support for members, as well as offering an opportunity for respite and specialist advice.”

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Luxfer sponsors Kids in Action charity

NOTTINGHAM, England (July 13, 2005) — Luxfer Gas Cylinders recently sponsored the charity Kids In Action to help provide disabled and disadvantaged children with safe environments for sporting activities and family holidays.

Veronique McKellican, Luxfer’s European marketing director, said: "Now in its 10th anniversary year, Kids In Action offer disabled children and their families a unique opportunity to build confidence and independence within a safe, social environment. We’re extremely proud to be associated with such a well-deserving charity and wish them every success in the future."

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Luxfer to give Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service a helping hand

NOTTINGHAM, England (June 27, 2006)—Luxfer Europe have announced plans to support Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service throughout the coming year with ongoing sponsorship for international and local events, including Extrication Challenges and community-based Road Traffic Awareness Days.

Vicky Butler, Luxfer European marketing manager, said, “As a local manufacturer within the industry, we have developed a much-valued relationship with Nottinghamshire’s Fire and Rescue Service, and we are extremely proud to be associated with such a professional, dedicated and hard-working team.”

Extrication competitions throughout the summer will include the North West Challenge, Brighton’s National Challenge and the North American International Challenge to be held in Canada during September.

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Mark Lawday named Luxfer AFV specialist

NOTTINGHAM, England (June 27, 2006) – Luxfer Gas Cylinders has announced the appointment of Mark Lawday as Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Project Manager with responsibility for developing their compressed natural gas (CNG) product range in the global market.

With a background in mechanical design and manufacturing, Mark is a graduate member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining with a special interest in metallurgy and the processing of high-strength aluminium alloys.

As a major player in the supply of large composite cylinders into the CNG alternative fuel market, Luxfer is working alongside the International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles (IANGV) to develop a range of lightweight, large-diameter carbon cylinders for use in alternative fuel vehicle fleets across the world.

“With virtually every country on Earth investing in clean energy technologies, the alternative fuel industry is set to expand rapidly over the next few years,” Mark Lawday said. “Globally, there are now more than 4.7 million CNG vehicles in use, providing major environmental benefits such as a 20% reduction in C02 emissions and over an 80% reduction in nitrous oxides. In response to significant demand to increase CNG use, Luxfer has already developed a range of lightweight, large-diameter cylinders that can be mounted in groups on top of buses or in the sub-frames of trucks.”

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Luxfer compressed natural gas cylinders granted NGV2 2000 approval

Riverside, Calif. (June 27, 2006) – Luxfer Gas Cylinders recently received NGV2 approval for its Type 3 compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders, which will be available to alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) manufacturers.

Mark Lawday, Luxfer’s AFV project manager, said: “NGV2 approval is an exciting milestone for everyone involved in the CNG market since it offers increased opportunities and potential for new product development across the sector.”

Type 3 cylinders are lightweight, fully wrapped carbon composite cylinders with all-metal aluminum liners. Luxfer is developing a 410mm-diameter product range specifically for use on commercial buses and trucks. To meet requirements from other vehicle sectors, alternative-diameter Luxfer products are due to be launched throughout 2007 in lengths from one to three meters and capacities ranging from 80 to 320 liters.

The world's largest manufacturer of aluminum and composite high-pressure gas cylinders, Luxfer offers an expanding range of high-quality cylinders for CNG and hydrogen storage in alternative fuel vehicles.

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Luxfer Gas Cylinders named to prestigious Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame for Executing Strategy

BARCELONA, Spain (June 14, 2006)-Luxfer Gas Cylinders was named to the prestigious Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame for Executing Strategy in ceremonies here today.

Luxfer was one of only three companies to receive the 2006 global award, given by the Balanced Scorecard Collaborative. The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) concept was created by Dr. Robert S. Kaplan and Dr. David P. Norton in 1992 and featured in their best-selling Harvard Business School Press book, The Strategy Focused Organization (2001).

The BSC approach has been implemented in thousands of corporations, government agencies and organizations around the world and has been cited by Harvard Business Review as one of the most important ideas of the past 75 years. Based on the simple premise that "measurement motivates," the BSC puts strategy at the center of the management process, allowing organizations to implement strategies rapidly and reliably. In 2000, Drs. Kaplan and Norton launched the Hall of Fame program to honor publicly companies successfully using the BSC.

Presenting the awards was BSC co-founder Dr. Norton, who said: "Today's winners have achieved breakthrough performance results using the Balanced Scorecard and are truly strategy-focused organizations."

Luxfer Gas Cylinders President John Rhodes accepted the award on behalf of his organization. "It is indeed a great honor for our company," he said. "Many people within Luxfer Gas Cylinders have worked long and hard on our strategic development over the past 10 years-and in particular with the BSC over the past five years. This award is for them. It is all too easy in business today to get hung up on the short-term and run a company by micro-managing the present. We have studiously avoided falling into this trap. Whilst current performance is important, it counts for absolutely nothing unless it is rigidly allied to a clear strategic view of the future, and this award supports our determination to link the present with our future. Because of top-level persistence, our strategy is now absolutely integral to our management thinking. Consistent concentration on our global strategy has not only made us stronger, more competitive and more successful, but also more responsive to our customers' needs."

Luxfer Gas Cylinders is a major division of the Luxfer Group, a manufacturing company founded in 1898. Established in the U.K. in 1958 and in the U.S. in 1972, Luxfer Gas Cylinders has become the world leader in the development, production and supply of seamless, extruded aluminum and composite high-pressure cylinders for the storage of gases. The company serves a variety of markets, including medical, life support for firefighters, alternative-fuel vehicles, beverage, industrial and specialty gas, automotive, scuba diving and paintball sports. The Luxfer service organization specializes in cylinder refurbishment and requalification. (For more information, visit www.luxfercylinders.com.)

Also admitted to the Hall of Fame for 2006 were Metro de Madrid, the leading public transportation system in Spain, and the CaliFor Group, a financial group offering life savings, pension plans and insurance.

Balanced Scorecard Collaborative is a division of Palladium Group, Inc., which specializes in client services related to strategy management, key decision management, resource management, human capital and data strategy and architecture (visit www.palladiumES.com).

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Luxfer debuts new North American edition of inspection manual at FDIC show

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana—Luxfer Gas Cylinders introduced a new North American edition of its Inspection Manual for Luxfer Carbon Composite Cylinders at the Fire Department Instructors’ Conference and Exposition (FDIC) here April 24-29, 2006.

Available as a free download on the Luxfer website (www.luxfercylinders.com), the 39-page manual is a detailed, illustrated guide to the use, maintenance and periodic inspection of Luxfer fully wrapped carbon composite cylinders in the United States and Canada. It includes an expanded section covering cylinder damage criteria and a section on repair procedures.

Luxfer passed out free CDs of the new manual at its booth, which also featured a display of the company’s extensive product line of carbon composite and aluminum cylinders used as self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) for firefighter and rescuer life support. Luxfer is the world’s largest manufacturer of aluminum, hoop-wrapped and fully wrapped high-pressure cylinders.

Luxfer manufactures SCBA cylinders in Riverside, California, and Gerzat, France, as well as its recently opened facility in Shanghai, China.

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Luxfer CNG cylinders shine at Clean Cities Congress 2006

PHOENIX, Arizona (May 31, 2006) - Luxfer Gas Cylinders showcased its pioneering range of compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders at the highly successful Clean Cities Congress 2006 held here May 7 – 10.

The Congress attracted more than 1,500 visitors and 85 exhibitors with the focus on “Fueling Economic Solutions” aimed at increasing global use of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and associated new technology.

“The Congress was the ideal global launch pad for Luxfer’s aluminum fully wrapped carbon CNG cylinder range,” said Mark Lawday, Luxfer’s AFV project manager. “Our exhibit positioned us as a major player in the alternative fuel vehicle market.”

As the world's largest manufacturer of aluminum and composite high-pressure gas cylinders, Luxfer offers an expanding range of high-quality cylinders for CNG and hydrogen storage for alternative fuel vehicles.

More than 4.7 million CNG-powered vehicles are now in use around the world. Major economic incentives are available to companies that convert vehicle fleets to CNG, which offers a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions and typical fuel cost savings of 33%.