When this happens, honesty is of paramount importance. Obviously, it is much more convenient to just be honest with the customer and tell them that what they are looking for is unfortunately not achievable.

This is why we have put together a Tube Bending Design Guide to give clients some clarity on what can and cannot be achieved with our tools and apparatus. By following our guidelines, customers can ensure that the tube components specified are optimised for production without compromising the functionality that is needed.

Why are there limits?

Certain design requests from customers may limit production to specific bending machines, or perhaps require special tooling. Such design requests can have a huge impact on costs, and place a constraint on choices, while taking more time to complete.

Simply put, if you are aware of our capabilities before requesting quotations, then you will be able to make a clearer decision on what it is you need from us.

Remember that there are several different types of tube bending, including:

• Compression tube bending
• Draw bending
• Roll bending

Each of the bending options have their place because they provide different benefits, mostly revolving around the shapes that different bends can form. These benefits are all available to view in our Tube Bending Design Guide. Once you are familiar with the different bending processes available, the selection process can then be made for a design engineer to undertake.

The same goes for tube size. Choosing a “standard” tube diameter brings several advantages, including having the material more readily available at a likely lower price. This means that you can get a rapid response and/or prototypes produced quickly. However, we offer a range of different tube sizes, with the more popular options available up to 50mm.

If you need specific bend radii for your project, then we can work with you too. If you follow our guidance and advice in our Tube Bending Design Guide, you can come to us with as clear an idea as possible. From there, we will work with you to get you the final product you desire.

Don’t be afraid to ask

If you are worried that your design configurations may not fit our specifications, the best course of action is to always ask! You will get the best guidance from a tube manipulator, who will point you in the correct direction you need to achieve what you need.

Remember, the key rules of thumb are:

· Select a standard tube size

· For small bend radii, try to keep to one bend radius if possible and use radius of 2 x D

· For larger bend radii, you can have multiple radii but keep to greater than 7 x D

· Before you finalise your design, talk to a tube manipulator early in the design process of your overall product for their view on the ease of manufacture

For more information on Listertube, you can find us on LinkedIn, and you can download the Tube Bending Design Guide by clicking the button below.

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This so-called “UK tour” has given me the chance to catch up with customers, whether they’re current, former, or dormant, and discuss potential new business opportunities with them. As a result, I have been able to learn more about how I should work with them, so I can help them achieve their goals.

What I’ve learned

First of all, this is a BIG country. I have covered several hundred miles on my travels to meet with Listertube’s customers, but it has certainly been worthwhile. People deal with people, and I have found that it’s a good, effective use of my time to maintain working relationships in person, as opposed to through a phone or computer screen.

I have touched down on many customer premises over the last few months, which is helpful for me to understand exactly what services customers need from Listertube. Coming up with possibilities and solutions during the visit allows us to display our expertise and explain our processes to the customer.

At Listertube, we are proud to work closely with customers to get them the solution they desire. Being able to meet with them personally has given me the best possible chance to understand what they want from our high-quality service and years of experience.

Do you have a project in mind that you wish to discuss with us? If you want John to pay a visit to your facility whilst he is on the road, please get in touch and we will arrange for John to schedule a visit. You don’t have to be a regular customer – even if you have an enquiry, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

For more information on Listertube, you can find us on LinkedIn.

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With certain circumstances coming to the forefront in recent years, such as Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of customer’s requirements for tube products has been affected, and support from Listertube to resurrect or replace this business is needed now, more than ever. John will use this “tour” as an opportunity to catch up with customers, and promote potential new business with them. This way, we can learn more about how to work with these clients so that they can achieve their goals.

The importance of being proactive

People deal with people, and we find that it can be much more productive when we establish these working relationships in person, rather than over the phone, email or even a video call. We also find it easier and more effective to discuss and assess the customer’s needs when we are at their premises; this means we can come up with possibilities and solutions during the visit, whilst illustrating our expertise for the customer to see first-hand.

Whilst John is visiting clients, we invite them to pick John’s brains and not to be shy about making any enquiries. Listertube prides itself on working closely with customers so that they can get the solution they need, and John’s journey will enable him to communicate with customers to get them their desired outcome.

John may be racking up the miles, but we hope he will also be racking up the ideas and opportunities that will benefit both Listertube and our customers.

If you want John to pay a visit to your facility whilst he is on the road, please get in touch and we will arrange for John to schedule a visit. You don’t have to be a regular customer – even if you have an enquiry, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

For more information on Listertube, you can find us on LinkedIn.

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You can watch the full video below, where Peter explains more about Listertube and what we can do for our customers.

Tube manipulation capabilities

Listertube consistently produces components to customers’ exacting specifications. We are a make-to-print tube manipulation business, providing sizes from 4mm up to 75mm in diameter and bending in a range of tube materials including mild steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminium, brass and other materials.

Why is Listertube an expert?

Firstly, the team at Listertube have a wealth of experience in tube manipulation; collectively, there is around 150 years of tube bending experience in the Listertube team. Even though we have strong faith in our knowledge base, we are always looking to better ourselves, which is why we work with various universities to develop our expertise, and invest in accreditations to support our expert knowledge.

We are also undertaking many innovations in our processes, such as the ways in which we can bend tube – we work with the latest technologies wherever possible. Listertube always collaborates with customers to meet their requirements, ensuring they receive the product that they are asking for.

How Listertube can help you

Listertube helps customers overcome challenges every single day. Our speed of product delivery is second to none, and forms part of our ‘Fast, Friendly and Reliable’ motto – we know that our customers want their product as soon as possible, so we endeavour to get it to them quickly, without compromising on quality.

We also help customers develop designs optimised for rapid and cost-effective production. We have produced documents, available for free download from our website, that provide guidance to help customers come up with a design that is most suitable for tube bending. Even those designers who are well qualified may need some assistance with tube manipulation – this is where we come into the process, giving clear and friendly guidance to help customers produce a design that we are able to manufacture (remember ‘Fast, Friendly and Reliable’).

Listertube guides available to download

You can download these guides at the following links:

Tube Bending Design Guide

If you are unsure about what type of bending your tube requirements need to fulfil, Listertube’s design guide is essential reading, containing information on the benefits of different bend types, tube sizes, and bend radii.

You can download the Tube Bending Design Guide here.

Tube Bending Size Guide

We are often asked to give specific advice on which tube diameters and bend radii customers should use if they want to be sure that we will have the tooling already available. In this guide, in contrast to the others where the standard principles apply whichever tube manipulator a customer chooses to use, the tooling size information relates directly to Listertube.

You can download the Tube Bending Size Guide here.

Tube End Design Guide

This supplement to our very popular tube bending guide explains the wide range of tube end forming, assembly and fabrication processes. By ensuring that product developers are aware of what is available and some of the considerations, they can prepare manufacture-ready designs utilising the most suitable design features.

You can download the Tube End Design Guide here.

Industries Listertube can support

Listertube caters for a wide range of customers across various industries, including aerospace, furniture, sports equipment, hydraulics and so on. You can see a list of sectors that we work in by clicking here.

We can produce components in seamless hydraulic tube, or for a more cost-effective solution, we provide Electric Resistance Welded (ERW) tube. Our customers are supported from the prototype stage through to high volume production, and these services are available to clients across the whole of the UK.

Expert advice from Listertube

As experts in the industry, we can help advise customers and meet their needs, providing cost effective solutions and components at all times. We can also redesign components to ensure they are suitable for our manufacturing processes, but also to fit into the finished product.

We can provide various end forms in order to simplify the assembly process for the customer. Hydraulic customers also benefit from a complete package, with rigid tube and flexible hose available as part of the service.

If the project is in the early design phase, and the customer does not yet know what their product is going to look like, then we can provide a visualisation of how it will look on completion, so that they are updated on the process. In the short term, for some applications we are also able to provide temporary 3D printed tooling, giving customers an initial tangible product that allows them to finalise their designs.

Customers are always welcome to visit us at Listertube. If you want to book a visit, then please get in touch and we will be happy to welcome you.

Submit your enquiry

Customers send us enquiries in all manner of forms. These can simply be delivered through a verbal description, a few sketched notes on paper, a sample of tube that has been brought in, or a fully-fledged CAD drawing/model. We take enquiries in any of those forms, and from there we will begin to assess the customer’s needs.

Within 24 hours, we will evaluate what the customer wants, and then make contact with them to discuss any queries, and suggest any possible improvements that can be made.

Celebrating 150 years in business next year

We have certainly come a long way from our beginnings as a humble ironmonger shop in Tipton. Across the whole company, Listertube has a breadth of knowledge and experience on hydraulic applications including tube that, cumulatively adds up to many hundreds of years.

As a division of James Lister & Sons Ltd, we are excited to be celebrating our 150^th anniversary next year, placing us as one of the most long-standing businesses and leading tube benders in the country.

Simulation service

When we have a new enquiry, Listertube can provide different types of simulation so that the tube is feasible to bend in its current format. Our onsite CAD facilities means we can import a design if it is supplied in CAD format, or if it needs designing, we can also provide that service. Listertube can also decide if the design is suitable for tube bending as it is, or if it needs more work applied to it beforehand.

The second stage involves simulating the bend process on a screen, meaning at the current moment, we will not have to bend anything. From this, we can prepare for foul conditions, and present these to the customer if there are any issues. Most of the time, this is not the case, but we want to prepare for any eventuality and maximise our efficiency should the situation arise.

Simulations allow us to not waste materials on unsuitable designs, meaning we can improve our environmental footprint and make as much use of our materials as possible. It also means we won’t spend time and energy on materials that don’t end up as part of a finished product. For those rare occasions when we have to buy in the more unusual tubes for customers, we can do simulations before they arrive to ensure that they are suitable for the job.

High stock levels

One of our major strengths is that we stock tube across all materials and all sizes. For customers that need tube very quickly, we can suit their needs, sometimes with a slight variation if they would prefer their tube arrive directly from our stockroom. Many tube benders don’t keep a significant amount of stock on their premises, and usually must order in, slowing down the process for customers.

We can also supply loose or unbent tube to customers if they so wish, meaning they can create mock ups, or can be creative with the design themselves.

Why choose Listertube?

Customers should choose Listertube for tube bending and manipulation services because of the three values that we live by: ‘Fast, Friendly and Reliable’.

We are able to work quickly because of the processes we have in place for rapid quoting, and we consistently hit customer deadlines, recently achieving 98% on-time delivery. Our focus on strong customer service also ties into this, and we ensure we are responsive with customers at all times – we won’t just leave you in the dark.

As a family business, Listertube encourages a friendly environment from within. Everyone who is part of the company is proud to represent the company, and this extends to how we work with customers.

Reliability can be seen as a prerequisite for customers, but we put a lot of effort into making Listertube an ideal partner for tube bending and manipulation. Our ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environment) and ISO 45001 (health and safety) accreditations back up our efforts to ensure our processes are of a high quality, both internally and externally, so customers can be confident in our methods and put their trust in us to deliver on their tube requirements.

For more information on Listertube, please get in touch with us and we will be happy to work with you.

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As a multi-stack machine, the Unison Breeze 76 permits for different bend radii, typically up to five, on the same tube component. In order to produce complex tube parts, compound bending takes place on the machine, which is when two bends are close enough together that there is no straight clamping space between them.

With the Unison 76, we can produce tooling spanning multiple stacks to cater for this type of complex component. In addition, one of the tool stack spaces can be used for a ring roller setup, which allows for large radius bending.

The machine is also fitted with push assist, meaning Listertube can produce much tighter bend radii than on a usual basis, e.g. down to one times tube diameter, on large diameter tubes.

Energy efficiencies drive Listertube’s sustainability goals

As an all-electric machine, the Unison Breeze 76 is considerably more energy efficient than traditional bending machines, helping Listertube in its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint wherever it can.

As a four-stack machine, this means we can bend tubes with up to four different radii bends (subject to tooling), which will significantly increase Listertube’s capabilities. Staff training has now taken place on the machine, meaning we are now able to pass the efficiencies onto our customers.

In summary, this machine acquisition enables us to now bend up to 3” or 76mm tube, with complex bend radii varying from less than 2D up to large arcs, all on the same product, thereby increasing speed of delivery and efficiency.

For more information on Listertube, please follow us on LinkedIn.

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This result has all come down to a combination of great teamwork, continued focus on customer service, and a determination to get all orders out on time; this has created some truly amazing outcomes! Some of our recent focuses that have led to this include:

• Significant investment in new machines, equipment, and tooling to expand our capabilities
• Ongoing marketing and focus on attracting new business
• Recent innovations to further improve our response to new enquiries
• Accurate stock control
• Production scheduling to maintain or even reduce our reliable lead times

We can say with absolute certainty that it is an exciting time at Lister’s tube division in Redditch, and we will continue bringing forward this momentum into the coming months.

Are you looking for expert service regarding tube bending and manipulation? We work for a wide range of customers across almost all industries, so please get in touch and see what we can do for you.

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Listertube recently worked with Peacock Salt to produce a lightweight metal handle and legs for its new spreader. This case study explores how Listertube was able to successfully produce parts in aluminium tube, as per the customer’s new innovative design.

Download the Peacock Salt Ltd Case Study

Peacock Salt is the largest distributor of salt products in the UK. With three sites located across the UK, and a mobile bagging unit, the company employs nearly 100 people.

Peacock Salt celebrated its 140 year anniversary in 2014, making it, by far, the oldest salt company in the United Kingdom, and one of the oldest in the world. Growing from its humble 19th century beginnings where it shipped coal, wood and salt around Europe, Peacock Salt grew to become the largest importer of white marine salt in the United Kingdom, with imports in recent years coming from as far afield as India and Australia.

Throughout this time, the company has maintained strong relationships with their customers from private individuals, small and large businesses, to local authorities and private operators who trust Peacock Salt’s services and products.

The Scenario

Peacock Salt required a company who could produce a lightweight metal handle and legs for its new spreader, the Optio. Listertube’s experience in tubing was invaluable to Peacock Salt’s journey to finding the best solution.

The Solution

After making contact, Listertube supplied samples to Peacock Salt, which enabled them to test the spreader when it was fully built – this helped resolve any teething problems before production. In the end, the customer chose a lightweight aluminium material for the handle and legs, which could then be heat treated for forming and maximum resilience. Previously, a much heavier steel equivalent was used, which caused issues for the customer.

The Result

Listertube was able to successfully produce parts in aluminium tube, as per the customer’s new innovative design. As a result, their product is now much lighter and more user-friendly, which has given them a significant advantage in their market. By appylying heat treatment to the product, Listertube has added significant value to the product by making it more durable.

“Peacock Salt found us via our website, and although their concept/design presented a lot of challenges, their friendly and pro-active approach complimented our own, and solutions were found through development and determination to achieve the correct results. They now have a market leading product, and place orders for substantial volumes to match the increasing sales of their product. All this, along with the added bonus of being really nice people to deal with!”

Listertube

Download the Peacock Salt Ltd Case Study

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Listertube has its own toolroom which allows us both to produce a lot of our own bend tooling (thus keeping down costs and leadtime for customers) and maintain it in-house as well as produce various jigs and fixtures such as for welding or drilling operations.

We design using Autodesk and download the programs to our CNC milling machine or CNC lathe

We also have the facility to 3D print some tooling, for bending up to 35mm diameter tube, allowing for small batch and prototyping work.

As the result of building up our own range of tooling over the last 12 years, purchasing an entire tube bending company tool set at auction, and then acquiring another tube bending company with all their tools, we now hold a vast range of tooling, meaning that we can most often meet your tube bending and end forming needs, without further tooling cost or delay.  For example, we hold over 260 tooling bend formers.  Our Tube Bending Size Guide (https://www.listertube.com/links/tube-bending-size-guide/) shows the range of tools, but we are constantly adding to our portfolio, so if you don’t see what you need just get in touch with us.

Flowdrilling – we also utilise the CNC milling machine for the precise positioning of flow-drilled holes in tubes when required, which can then be tapped using a floating arm tapping machine.

Flow-drilling is great way to produce connections and manifolds with only a single joint, thus minimising leak paths for fluid applications.

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NFL Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry made an apt comment: “Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.”

One of the first tasks to enable expansion was to give the factory a new layout. Large quantities of tube are kept in stock before bending. Pigeon-hole-type racking-type racking systems have replaced the more traditional fir-tree-type racking approach. Now tubes can be found a lot easier, speeding up the process. The new layout has created a far better flow and more working space.

The physical layout and logistical plans have been complemented by improvements to the company website along with information systems being developed. Listertube’s in-house IT team has produced a work scheduling program that not only draws information from the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system but also allows operation sequencing and tailored shop floor worksheets. At present, the company is developing direct work tracking using QR codes, so customers can be dynamically advised of work status. A virtual interface for tube stock control has also been developed, allowing each tube size to be allocated to a specific location, and all part tubes lengths can be tracked to minimise waste and speed up the production process.

Barcodes will be printed on Production Order Process (POP) sheets, which can be scanned back into the database, which immediately alerts management and instantly updates the stages that jobs are at. The customer experience has improved with the quick response to requested customer updates.

Listertube’s motto ‘fast, friendly, and reliable’ continues to drive improvements as the company utilises technology, stock, and storage to give customers an even better experience. Fully achievable lead times are quoted, and customers are kept informed of the progress of their orders. To maintain a position as a market leader, Listertube fully understands the need to constantly change and improve. Doubling the turnover in three years is not an idle boast – Listertube has invested thought, time and money and is well on the way to achieving its goal.

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James Lister & Sons, which is nearing its 150^th birthday in 2024, has completed an eighteen-month project that has seen it embed the K8 Kerridge Commercial System in its fluid power, consumable supplies and tube manipulation divisions.

The new technology will allow it to bring together the wide variety of processes it undertakes across its Headquarters in Smethwick and six branches in the West Midlands and South Wales, giving it real-time information, transparency and improved order tracking, merchanting, trade counter and production planning operations.

It also has the capability for customers to access their own portal for proof of delivery, send automated email acknowledgements for all orders and, importantly, provide a way for clients to place orders online.

Peter Davies, Chief Executive at Lister, said: “This has been a massive transformation project for our business, completed throughout the pandemic and in time for us to make the most of the bounce back we’re now seeing.

“The K8 Kerridge Commercial System will offer a host of operational and efficiency improvements due to improved planning capabilities and we now have a fully supported, disaster recovery safe system in place, giving our 5000-strong customer base complete peace of mind.”

He went on to add: “Investment in technology is already eliminating costs across our different business units and branches, not least in saving us four people by adding an automated accounts payable invoice matching module into the ERP. These individuals have been allocated to different roles, in order to help us cope with the demand from new orders.”

Lister, which is part of the Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN), employs over 100 people and is best known for its fluid power business and engineering consumables division.

This includes supplying hand tools, cutting tools and lubricants, workwear, hygiene products, hydraulic/pneumatic components and assemblies and delivering specialist capabilities like laser etching, 3D printing and the manufacture of high-pressure valves and touring car air jacks.

The biggest growth area following the easing of lockdown has been its tube manipulation business, which is able to bend tube in sizes ranging from 4mm up to 75mm and in metals such as steel, copper and aluminium.

A 30% increase in orders over the last twelve months has been achieved, delivering a 7.5% rise on pre-pandemic levels.

Investment in a Unison Breeze machine has also paid dividends, providing the company with ‘left and right hand’ capacity to make components that can’t be produced via traditional bending.

Peter, who is also co-Chairman of the Manufacturing Assembly Network, continued: “There’s definitely a sense of optimism in UK manufacturing at the moment and the latest investment will give us the platform we need to achieve our target of £16m sales by the end of 2022.

“Our involvement in MAN has been really beneficial, especially during the unprecedented set of circumstances Covid-19 presented. Sharing best practice and lessons learned with the other seven MDs reduced that feeling of uncertainty and helped us remain operational throughout.

“The joint marketing efforts have also led to new opportunities for James Lister & Sons, and this will be our focus moving forward.”

Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN) is a group of seven sub-contract manufacturers and a specialist engineering design agency.

Employing more than 1,700 people across 12 different factories, MAN can offer every engineering discipline imaginable, including aluminium casting, automation and control systems, forging, plastic injection moulding, precision machining, high-volume pressing, tube manipulation and welded assemblies.

Its membership includes Alucast, Barkley Plastics, Brandauer, Grove Design, James Lister & Sons, Kimbermills International, PP Control & Automation and Muller Holdings.

For further information, please visit www.lister.co.uk or www.man-group.co.uk. You can also follow Lister on LinkedIn.

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