A.W. Chesterton expands Massachusetts training, services hub

A.W. Chesterton Co., a leading industrial equipment fluid sealing specialist, has expanded its facilities north of Boston with a new state-of-the-art valve emissions testing facility, an expansive industrial training center, and an industrial equipment service location to support its New England‐based customers, the company announced this week.

To support its customers meeting the latest global emissions standards, Chesterton has opened a new state‐of‐the art testing facility with the ability to test valves up to 12” diameter in a range of media, including methane. 

Testing capabilities now include API624, ISO15848‐1, as well as TaLuft. This new facility enables Chesterton to develop tailored solutions for customers’ critical valve applications, the company says. This is a significant step in Chesterton’s mission to help its customers focused on the oil, gas and chemical industry sectors improve the reliability, efficiency, and compliance of their critical valves.

The doors are also open on a new, world class industrial equipment training facility that provides in‐depth training for plant engineers and plant maintenance staff from a wide range of industries -- ranging from oil and gas to hydropower and commercial water.  A platform of intensive training programs is designed to help Chesterton customers build and retain much needed critical workforce skills at a time when many companies are facing a looming shortage of skilled workers due to retiring experts, an inability to attract new talent, and the loss of in‐plant training programs.

According to the “The Future of Manufacturing”, a report prepared by Deloitte and the World Economic Forum, an estimated 10 million manufacturing jobs worldwide cannot be filled due to a growing skills gap — with potentially drastic impact on companies’ performance and profitability.

“We’re delivering training expertise in areas where process plants need it most – best practices in sealing equipment reliability and safely, reducing valve methane emissions, protecting equipment in challenging environments, and learning how to better reduce energy and water use in equipment operation,” said Brian O’Donnell, Chesterton's president and CEO. 

“We train not only how to seal equipment effectively, but also what works best for specific and challenging applications," he added.

Chesterton’s new training facility has practical hands‐on equipment laboratories for pumps, valves, and hydraulic‐pneumatic equipment as well as coatings application and lubrication best practices.  Recent classes provided training to groups from South American, Japan, and China.

Chesterton’s expansion in Groveland, Massachusetts, also includes a New England Service Center to provide mechanical seals, pump, and cylinders repairs as well as a wide variety of other capabilities focused on industrial equipment repair, upgrade, and installation.  This opening is part of the company’s overall plan to provide regional servicing. 

The company already operates centers in Louisiana and Houston.