The company therefore researched alternative methods, exploring different industries before subsequently identifying a completely new production process which can output a phenomenal 24,000 to 26,000 units per hour, regardless of diameter, and is now resulting in a terrific increase in capacity.
Moving from the previous moulded stars method to the new format has been far from straightforward. The production process greatly affects how the pyro behaves and the Peterborough team have had to spend a huge amount of time and resource in the careful adjustment of product composition.
Le Maitre confirms that the production transition has now been completed for all Mines, from Micro Mines through to 30ft Mines as well as Starbursts. Although the primary purpose was to greatly increase productivity, which is now being achieved, the team also took the opportunity to incorporate a number of further performance benefits. These significant improvements include: Products are much cleaner, with fallout reduced by 1/3 (for magnesium based compositions); Products are much more consistent across the range with colours in the same family travelling at similar rates; Blue and purple mines have been brought inline to look and behave in the same way as other colours, so they are now much brighter and tighter.
The new production process greatly improves consistency between batches and individual products meaning the customer will receive the same quality product every time.
Many of the magnesium compositions have been re formulated and are now low perchlorate compositions thus reducing their environmental impact. And, the Silver, White and Pink are completely perchlorate free! (You would need to dissolve over 9000 30ft mines in to an Olympic size swimming pool to put Le Maitre's products over the tightest current (2013) US perchlorate regulation.
(Jim Evans)
