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OBR ups its game for 2022

After Covid disrupted Oxford Brookes Racing from fielding its first electric car entry in the 2021 Formula Student competition, all the focus has been on upgrading the car entirely to race in 2022. SPAL as the thermal management partner, received this update:“Since FSUK the new has been mainly working on the OBR21 car. Our current mid-term goal is to get the car running on its own power and complete a shakedown early this year. The car is close to the running state mechanically, although the g...

Have a question about SPAL fans? Consult our technical bulletins

The art of thermal management is all about solving problems and whether it’s an issue of undercooling or overheating, the solution always focuses on how to get maximum airflow in minimum space.Along the way SPAL has produced a series of technical bulletins to answer questions posed by customers in answer to their cooling conundrums as well as videos to provide a practical guide to understanding how SPAL high performance fans and blowers work....

A day in the life of Kevin Johnson

As the country continues to unfurl from the pandemic and the daily rhythm of life is recalibrated, Kevin Johnson, BDM Transport Refrigeration, SPAL Automotive UK shares some insights on how to get the best out of the working day....

Technical Bulletin 6 - Fan blades straight or curved?

Why are some fan blades straight while some are curved and what is the difference?In Technical Bulletin No. 6, SPAL UK MD Matthew Morris discusses the subtleties of the right type of blades for the job."The choice of straight blades to curved blades is dependant on the application and at the ‘working point’ of the fan, i.e. at what pressure it has to deliver the correct airflow."There is no hard and fast rule, although some manufacturers will claim that the curved blades are quieter when at ...

SPAL reprises Harper Adams scholarship

SPAL Automotive UK is once again supporting top seeded agricultural university Harper Adams by offering an exclusive scholarship to Year 2 and Year 4 engineering students.As a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance fans and blowers found on the kit of the major global agricultural OEMs, SPAL is finding its products increasingly specified in electric and hydrogen fuelled machinery.The acceleration of the sector towards achieving net zero emissions is a current challenge for enginee...

LAMMA Show 2022

We can’t believe it but suddenly LAMMA is next month – 11-12th January 2022 – and we are raring to go for the 40th anniversary of the leading farm machinery show....

Suspension issues can't stop Rob Wilson in the Cambrian Rally

Over Hallowe’en weekend our determined rally driver Rob Wilson and co-driver Martin Haggett, competed in the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally in North Wales in Snowdonia.Fielding a different car than usual did present some challenges though, as he explained:“We started the weekend with some Wales Rally GB stages. The first stage was Gwdyir which was a tough stage because it was a really rough track and we were running tarmac suspension on a Peugeot 205 GTi.“Despite having stiff springs on our 20...

Rob Wilson on course for selection in the World Rally Championship

Exciting news that Rob Wilson was selected by Motorsport UK to demonstrate his skills in the FIA Rally Star competition - the global talent detection programme - and is one of three to be heading off to the final in Germany.Here is Rob to explain what this means:“This weekend saw me compete in the FIA Rally Star UK Final where 18 candidates where selected to go head-to-head on two slalom and fitness tests. All this for the chance to progress to the European final in Germany where the...

UKCOP26 - Are we ready for net zero 2050?

With #COP26 coming up fast in November, SPAL assesses whether the UK automotive industry is in good shape and on track to achieve net zero by 2050.The whole transport sector accounts for 10% of the world’s CO2 emissions so it is a natural target in the battle against climate change to limit global warming to 1.5˚C.The internal combustion engine has been a significant polluter since the latter half of the 20th Century and though there has been a focus on cleaner fuels and cleaner engines since...

Rob Wilson swaps cars for Cambrian Rally

Rob Wilson’s racing season continues with its ups and downs but after having to pull out of the Trackrod Rally last month for the want of gearbox parts, he was determined not to miss out on the Cambrian Rally, part of the BTRDA Rally Series, coming up at the end of October.He updated us on his trials:“Sorry that you haven’t heard from me in a while, I have been spending a lot of time searching for a replacement gearbox for the Fiesta R2. About two weeks ago we bought one from Italy and I w...

Pandemic positivity makes new recruit right pick for SPAL

Kevin Johnson has joined SPAL as Business Development Manager for the Transport Refrigeration sector, practically fresh from a stint driving a supermarket home delivery van to keep busy during the pandemic.An area manager in the motor trade, Kevin was made redundant just before lockdown and since there was nothing suitable to apply for at that point, he signed up with Sainsburys.“I am a positive person and sitting around at home is not my style. So, keen to keep working and helped by my previo...

Caterham Cars pull off cool kit build challenge

How do you make the launch of a new model kit car more exciting? Assemble it against the clock 450ft up in the air that’s how. Caterham Cars’ new lightweight Seven 170 was put together in the British Airways i360 Viewing Tower pod overlooking the sea at Brighton. The Big Build Challenge took a team of engineers just six hours of diligence when it usually takes one enthusiast 100 entertaining hours to complete.SPAL MD Matthew Morris admired the mechanical wizardry of the feat partic...

Electric lifestyles: Electric adventures

The race to zero emissions has been given a nudge with the recent fuel crisis but that aside it is clear that electric car ownership is in the ascendent. The latest figures from SMMT indicate sales of BEVs are up by nearly 50% on 2020 and in the top ten bestsellers is the Tesla Model 3.We spoke to Richard Lane an engineering expert who switched to electric 3 months ago swapping his Golf GTI for a Tesla Model 3 Performance edition. Part of the decision was to research the feasibility of transitio...

Brushless technology in the spotlight at MIA CTS

SPAL is joining an impressive line-up of names at the Motorsport Industry Association, Conference & Technology Showcase on 14th October. Focused on the latest innovations and technologies to be harnessed in the ‘Race to Net Zero’, SPAL’s range of high-performance brushless motor axial fans will be very much in the spotlight.Increasingly specified in electric and alternative fuelled vehicles for exacting thermal management applications such as battery and fuel cell cooling; SPALâ€...

SPAL boosts green credentials with WWT membership

SPAL is doing its bit for the environment by joining the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust (WWT) as a corporate member to support conservation projects in the local area.Partnering the charity is one way for SPAL to improve its green credentials having already upped its recycling efforts and using less plastic in the warehouse.All of this is in line with the principles of its ultra-efficient brushless drive technology range of fans which are proven to reduce emissions and are increasingly ...

SPAL outstanding in its field at CropTec

Ahead of its appearance at the CropTec Show 24-25 November, SPAL talks about its range of high performance fans and blowers in specialised applications such as crop sprayers and seeders....

Is hydrogen power the next big thing?

Ahead of LAMMA 2022, the maker of SPAL high performance fans and blowers which feature on the kit of the major global producers of agricultural machines, is working with various manufacturers to see if hydrogen is the preferred route for the agricultural sector....

Cenex-LCV review

It was fascinating for the SPAL team walking around Cenex-LCV this week being able to see inside development vehicles including the new Lotus electric platform (described as gorgeous and amazing) as it showed how much progress had been made on the road to net zero emissions.It was an opportunity to see how SPAL fans had been integrated in various cooling systems not just in cars but buses too....

USM recharges electric dreams

Great to hear from University of Strathclyde Motorsport (USM) getting in touch with an update ‘as the memories from Formula Student 2021 competition fade and the new university semester approaches.’Without the crowds to cheer them on it must have been a very different feel and the supreme behind the scenes efforts were still hampered by Covid restrictions and yet reported it was the team’s best FSUK result ever to come 9th Overall, 2nd Overall in 2 Year Vehicle Class and 2nd in Design....

Technical fault ends hopes for Woodpecker Stages

Rally courses always have a few surprises to challenge drivers to get out of trouble but even if you do come good, sometimes it's just not your race.That was the case for Rob Wilson who took on the reformatted course around Badlands Farm, Radnor in the Woodpecker Stages....

SPAL probationer lands a promotion

Following a storming debut at SPAL, Patricia Mori has passed her 3-month probationary period and landed a promotion to become a fully-fledged Business Development Manager.Within days of joining the team at SPAL, it became clear that her knack for convincing colleagues to treat themselves to her home-baked goodies was just another aspect of her natural sales flair....

SAGE 2021 report day 2

Compact and select the inaugural SAGE Expo, one of the first in person events attended by SPAL for over a year, had ample space for exhibitors and visitors to mingle at a distance. It was also the perfect opportunity to test out the new mobile exhibition vehicle.It proved quite the attraction for visitors to look round the neatly organised interior and enjoy a cup of espresso from the onboard facility. It was a welcome place to huddle under the canopy during the sudden downpours but Adam Betteri...

SPAL on tour

SPAL is making final preparations for SAGE (Sports & Groundcare Expo 27-29 July at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern), pulling together giveaway packages and doing risk assessment compliance for the organisers. As the first in-person event for over a year, it is a great opportunity to debut the SPAL mobile exhibition vehicle designed for travelling to shows all over the country as calendars begin to fill up again now the pandemic is easing. SAGE visitors will invited on board for coffee a...

Hybrid lifestyles : Hybrid adventures

With the electric revolution well underway it is noticeable there are more EVs out and about, charging in driveways or in a pub car park, so SPAL was curious to know what the experience of switching to pure electric is like in real life....

Nicky Grist Stages so close for Rob Wilson Motorsport

Rob Wilson didn’t make it out of the woods in his first forest race of the season @NGStages, but his post event report gives an insight into the level of strategic thinking required to tackle a gravel rally course....