Pictured: Chris Potts, Marketing Director at ANT Telecom
Founded in 1866, Sherwin Williams is a global leader in paints and coatings with over 5,000 locations across the globe, from distribution centres, retail outlets and manufacturing facilities. Its site in Deeside, Wales, is a chemical manufacturing site located on the Welsh border, which specialises in producing industrial coatings for the beverage sector. This particular site spans approximately 5-6 acres and includes multiple five-story buildings. However, poor phone reception in the area and limitations in their existing communication tools posed significant operational challenges.
Due to its limited communication capacity prior to upgrading its system, Sherwin Williams’ relied on unlicensed radios. These often failed to provide reliable site-wide communication. This meant the business suffered from signal interference from nearby businesses, such as taxi firms, and limited coverage due to the site’s extensive metal pipework and infrastructure. This inefficiency led to time-consuming processes, with staff often needing to locate colleagues physically for critical tasks.
Recognising the inefficiencies and safety concerns associated with their existing system, in 2022, they sought a partner who could help them improve site-wide communication. ANT Telecom was chosen due to its expertise in providing customised communication solutions, particularly for industrial environments. ANT soon recommended various improvements to boost communications and increase staff safety, especially for those working alone on the site in lone working instances.
The challenge
Simon Bedford, the site manager at Sherwin Williams in Deeside, explains the challenge, “The team here on site consists of engineers, production and maintenance. Because there are so many people here working, it is crucial that we are all able to communicate. However, this was next to impossible with the quality of phone signal and the old unlicensed radios we were using before ANT, making it difficult to distribute and manage tasks efficiently and productively.”
Because of the previous systems the team had in place, operational delays were common. Simon continued, “Locating people was a nightmare. We had to go looking for people to have face-to-face discussions, which was time-consuming, especially on a site as big as this. In this line of work, when communication is not seamless, the workers have no other option but to stop what they’re doing, physically leave their tasks, and search for the individuals they need to contact. This results in a significant loss of time and efficiency.
“We also have a lot of vapour-based operations here, meaning there are a lot of hazardous areas. This is a problem because without contact or close supervision from other members of the team, lone workers, for example, are at a significantly increased risk as there are at times no other employees around to provide immediate assistance in the event of a fall, or other kind of extreme incident. This is why a reliable and safe communication system that could ensure compliance with safety regulations was so important to us. We needed continuous connection to ensure that in the event of an emergency an alarm could be raised to deal with any issues effectively for all our staff members. When we first started communicating with ANT, they informed us that the equipment they provided would help us communicate across the whole site and ultimately improve general task management and operations, which was one of the main reasons we chose them as a provider.”
The solution
“Initially, ANT came out and surveyed our site to assess radio coverage using a range of test devices. Once they had run the tests, they recommended the installation of 20 Hytera HP795EX ATEX-certified radios, designed with robust safety features like panic buttons and tilt sensors to support workers in remote or hazardous areas,” explained Simon. “As well as this, ANT also identified that we would benefit from a signal repeater system. This ensured site-wide coverage and eliminating dead zones caused by the site’s metal infrastructure.”
ANT suggested the use of Hytera’s latest ATEX radio because their rugged design makes them ideal in industrial environments, providing excellent, clear audio quality with noise-cancellation technology. Further, their ATEX certification align with safety requirements and regulations, and their long battery life, and extended radio range ensures reliable communication even in challenging conditions.
To ensure that Sherwin Williams got the solution they required, the team at ANT worked closely with them to marry the correct accessories including lapel mic and speaker, leather carry cases, and multi-dock charging stations to users’ requirements. In the installation’s early stages, there were delivery delays due to global supply chain issues, so ANT also provided 10 temporary radios, allowing Sherwin Williams to begin improving their communication system while awaiting final installation.
“During the installation process, ANT were great at keeping in contact and updating us on what would happen and when. They also helped our staff get to grips with the equipment and were more than happy to answer any questions we had along the way. Since the installation, we have been in contact to check everything is running smoothly. It’s comforting to know that if we need help with anything post-installation, the team will gladly step in and advise us,” adds Simon.
The results
The implementation of Hytera radios and the repeater system led to significant improvements across the site. Communication was greatly enhanced, allowing teams to connect across the entire site, including the remote areas, seamlessly. “We are delighted with our new radios,” said Simon. “Currently, we are in the process of commissioning a new multi-million-pound reactor system, which involves multiple teams working simultaneously across different areas of the site. The commissioning process requires personnel to be stationed at the reactor vessel, in the PLC server room working with the drives, and at the control station monitoring the system interfaces.”
“In the past, when conducting these function tests on equipment, it was common for team members to down tools and travel between different locations multiple times to ensure everything was working correctly. This meant that one person would need to go down to the vessel, check the equipment, return to the control room to ask questions, and then return to verify the next test and check if it worked. This process was time-consuming and inefficient. However, with the new ATEX Radios, we can now monitor and receive feedback from all areas of the site simultaneously. Team members stationed at various points of the site can communicate in real time and provide immediate feedback on the test results. This drastically speeds up the functional testing and commissioning processes, let alone our wider productivity.”
Simon continued, “With five operators each responsible for different tests in five separate areas, we can now conduct multiple checks simultaneously, all while maintaining clear communication back to the central control room. This level of coordination and efficiency wouldn’t have been possible with our previous setup, and it’s been a significant benefit in terms of time and resource management for this multi-million-pound project.”
In addition to carrying out tasks more efficiently, previous time-consuming issues - like relaying visitor notifications - are now handled without disrupting workflows. The safety features of the radios, including panic buttons and tilt sensors, provided an additional layer of protection, especially in hazardous areas where solo work is required. Also, the decision to use ATEX radios over alternative technologies, like ATEX smartphones, provided a cost-effective solution for Sherwin Williams that balanced operational needs with budget considerations.
Simon concluded, “We are delighted with the work ANT has done for us, and I’m happy to say that they have accomplished exactly what we needed them to do. Our efficiency and communication have improved drastically, and we are happy to recommend them to any business looking to enhance its communications.”
