A few words from the President

Patrick Helly CEng Prof MICME MIMECHE has been elected as the National President for ICME for 2010/11. Patrick owns and manages New Pro Foundry, an independent, medium volume non-ferrous foundry. The company manufactures components for a range of sectors including automotive, film and arts and general engineering. The company also specialises in supplying the classic and specialist vehicle markets. Components have been produced for classics like Aston Martin, Bugatti and Norton as well as more modern brands like the McLaren F1.

A practical and enthusiastic foundryman, Patrick has a long involvement with ICME at regional and national level through the London Branch where he has been secretary, treasurer and president. He is also a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and a Chartered Engineer.

Friendly and helpful members
It is of course a great honour to be elected President of the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers. I have been a member since 1982 and have found the members to be friendly, helpful and great fun to be with.

One thing that I have noticed is that there has always been a certain shyness about what we do and our industry, perhaps because of the age and history of the industry and the common perception of manufacturing in general.

I have worked in other areas of industry - high volume machinery, automotive fuel development, the nuclear industry and electricity generation and I can tell you that in my opinion there is no industry that offers the intellectual challenges, diversity and downright fun that the casting industry does.

The importance of the castings industry
We also have history; casting is the oldest mass manufacturing activity. Indeed modern civilisation is impossible without castings as is shown from some of the following examples.

The provision of fresh clean drinking water has saved more lives than any medical treatment and depends on casting pumps and valves, items which are near impossible to make any other way, certainly not economically.

In transport, cars rely on engine blocks, cylinder heads, gearboxes and brake discs as well as components for rail and aerospace, and in power generation we require turbine housings and gearboxes. Not forgetting mobile phones and plastics, all are dependent upon castings.

In short our modern civilisation is a direct result of the work of our predecessors in the industry. And our work continues.

Pride in our industry
So, when you are asked “What do you do?” don’t mumble about manufacturing or avoid an answer. Stand up and say “I am a Foundryman, I make castings that make civilisation possible.” This leads me to what can be called my ‘Theme’ for my year in office.

I want to instruct and educate our government and the wider public about our industry and I believe our remit to educate within the industry can be expanded to include these groups.

To this end we will be engaging with Parliament through the Industry and Parliament Trust to broaden their appreciation of the industry. We have this June had our second meeting with the Trust, and the opportunities to engage with politicians and advisors is there for us to take. I urge all members to engage with their industrial neighbours, our local councils, schools and universities, to promote the importance of our great industry.

This can be an exciting time, an opportunity to raise our profile and hopefully attract new members.

I would like to thank Dr Bill Griffiths, from whom I take over the reins and who alongside other officers of council, has worked hard over the last several months to steer the institute through the difficult period of the global recession and all the challenges that this brings.

I look forward during my year of office to working alongside Vice Presidents Steve Bell and Ian Young and to meeting with many of you at the national and branch events that will be taking place during the coming months.