Welcome to our latest feature, where we shine a light on members of the ESA. In this issue, we introduce you to two companies that have joined recently. Cross Manufacturing from the UK has more than eight decades of experience in precision sealing solutions, while VED SRL from Italy has been providing innovative solutions for industrial maintenance for more than fifty years.
Cross Manufacturing: Precision Sealing Solutions and Metal Forming Specialists
Cross Manufacturing was established in 1938 by Roland Cross to develop his rotary valve engine. To overcome the problem of conventional iron piston rings failing in his high revving engines, Roland developed a process for making piston rings from coiled wire. This drawn wire process for making rings was recognised as a problem solver in many industries, providing greater strength, minimising waste, and optimising the use of high-value, exotic alloys.
Proudly remaining a family business today and still utilising this proprietary forging process, Cross is a world-leading manufacturer of precision engineered high-temperature metallic seals and retaining rings for aircraft engines, gas and steam turbines, vehicle turbochargers, pumps, compressors, valves, and many more applications.
Operating from three UK sites, the company is a trusted partner to OEMs worldwide, delivering millions of precision components weekly. Its ring products, accredited to AS9100, IATF16949, and NADCAP for special processes, are known for their high precision and increased strength. The company’s expertise with stainless steels and alloys, including Nimonics®, Inconels®, Haynes®, and Waspaloy®, is especially relevant for safety-critical applications, high temperatures, corrosive environments, and cryogenics.
Cross Manufacturing also pioneered the design of other specialist products, including brush seals, which contain many thousands of fine wires, forming an effective barrier to gas flow while retaining the ability to deflect during shaft excursions and thermal movements. Brush seals are proven technology in the aerospace and power generation markets, providing efficiency and higher power output in a diverse range of applications all around the world. This brush technology is also being developed for new applications such as earthing and debris control for electric motors and powder scrapers in additive manufacturing.
For more, visit the Cross Manufacturing website or LinkedIn.
VED: Excellence and Innovation in Industrial Solutions
VED SRL is a leading Italian company in the industrial maintenance area, boasting over 50 years of expertise in delivering advanced solutions tailored for specialized maintenance of industrial plants and their crucial equipment.
Established in the latter half of the previous century, the company has evolved by offering customized solutions to meet individual customer needs, adhering to the highest quality standards. VED has charted a path of consistent growth, diversifying its product and service portfolio horizontally. The company has distinguished itself, thanks to its maintenance solutions, as a key player in Italy’s Oil & Gas and Energy Industrial market.
Part of a synergistic industrial group that includes COEMI SRL, which focuses on electrical and instrumental systems, the VED team comprises over 300 specialised human resources. Based in the petrochemical district of Siracusa, the company has broadened its expertise from its original focus on industrial gaskets and fiberglass pipes for Sicilian industrial hubs to a wide range of sealing system management technologies.
Organized into four Business Units, VED offers on-site specialist mechanical maintenance, engineering, production, and assembly of piping, structures, and fitting in FRP or other types of composite materials, production of industrial gaskets, and fugitive emission control—each ensuring operational safety and reliability. With seven offices and multiple production sites across Italy, VED ensures efficient, nationwide service.
Embracing Industry 4.0, VED invests in state-of-the-art machinery and cutting-edge technologies to optimize production processes and ensure a high level of precision and quality in the products offered. Noteworthy among the new services are interventions for the structural reinforcement of piping and industrial equipment damaged by corrosion and inspections in confined spaces using professional drones.
For more, visit the VED website or LinkedIn.