The Board are pleased to announce that ISN have recently celebrated our 21st Anniversary as an independent company. Prior to August 1994 we were part of the multinational company Cookson Group and were essentially a small R&D company looking at developing silicon nitride based ceramics and composites. In 1994 Cookson Group decided to divest its interest in advanced ceramics and in August of that year we had a management buyout and became International Syalons (Newcastle) limited.

We were convinced of the excellent potential of the materials we had been developing but had the challenge of changing the company from one focusing on R&D to one focusing on manufacturing and building a broad customer base. There have been many challenges over the last 21 years but we are now established as the leading producer of advanced silicon nitride based Syalon ceramics in the UK and sell our materials to customers all around the world. In addition we have now expanded our portfolio of materials and also offer alumina, zirconia and silicon carbide ceramics.

We look forward to providing our customers with high quality advanced ceramics for the next 21 years!

The Board are proud to announce that ISN have recently recruited two apprentices to work in our ‘green’ machine department. Luke Walker and Sean Dalziel have been with us for several months and are making excellent progress in a highly skilled and critical process area. With the success of this trial the Board are keen to recruit further apprentices next year.

The Board are proud to announce that ISN are sponsors of Backworth Cricket Club (BCC) in the North East of England. ISN has a long association with cricket as our Operations Director, Ian Denton and Sales Engineer, Aidan Love are former players.

Backworth CC are a long established Cricket Club affiliated with the ECB (English and Wales Cricket Board) and are members of the Wellstream Northumberland and Tyneside Senior League, one of the prem

ier leagues in the North East of England. The club has four senior teams and a thriving junior section and we wish them every success in the coming season.

The Board are pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Dodd as Sales Manager with immediate effect. Simon, who has more than 10 years of advanced materials sales experience, will be responsible for generating new business to help continue the excellent sales growth we have achieved in the last few years.

Simon has great knowledge in all the areas of application for which our advanced ceramic materials are used and will help our customers obtain the best advanced ceramic solutions for their requirements.

Simon says "I am looking forward to working with the team at International Syalons and aim to maintain and develop the business to ensure we remain the UK's foremost manufacturer of advanced silicon nitride ceramics, as well as developing on our increased portfolio of advanced ceramic materials. In addition I am extremely impressed by how innovative ISN is and was immediately struck by the clear focus on quality from the Board level down to the shop floor."

To discuss and application or material enquiry with our Sales team please call +44(0)191 2951010 or email for an initial consultation or send us a Request for Quote.

To coincide with the launch of our redesigned website ISN has recently increased our portfolio of advanced engineering ceramics. In addition to the various grades of silicon nitride and zirconia we already offer, we can now also offer 3 grades of alumina and 2 grades of silicon carbide. The alumina is available in a range of purities from 96% alumina to high purity 99.9% alumina and offers good wear and corrosion resistance along with excellent electrical and thermal stability. Silicon carbide has the best corrosion resistance of all advanced ceramics and is extremely hard and is available as a sintered grade and a reaction bonded grade.

With this increase in the range of advanced ceramics we offer, ISN hope to offer a complete solution to your ceramic requirement. Please call +44(0)191 2951010 or email for an initial consultation with our technical sales team or send us a Request for Quote.

The last few months has seen ISN expand our manufacturing capabilities to meet increased demand and allow further product development. In powder production we have installed a second Niro Spray Drier to allow us to work on developing new materials and composites. In green machining we have installed another new XYZ 4-axis CNC turning centre while in grinding we have installed a new Andmar Surface Grinder. To cope with the increased demand and complexity of parts we invested in a new Mitutoyo CNC Co-ordinate Measuring Machine at the end of last year which is now fully commissioned. We are continually making significant investments in new equipment to ensure the company can meet the increased demand while maintaining acceptable delivery times.

Working closely with the manufacturer Delapena Honing Equipment Limited, we have now installed an additional honing machine, which increases both our capacity and capability to machine bores to tight tolerances. The E2000 model offers a cost efficient solution across our material range to improve the honing process.

The Board are pleased to announce the permanent appointment of Ben Melrose as a Development Engineer with immediate effect. Ben is a double materials science graduate from Birmingham University. He graduated in 2008 with a BSc Honours in Sports and Materials Engineering and followed this in 2011 by graduating with an MRes in Science and Engineering of Materials. Ben joined us at Christmas and in the short period since then has proved himself to be a very capable and enthusiastic member of the R&D team. He will be responsible for the continued development of new grades of Syalon and developing novel processing techniques.

Chairman Tony Mitchell says "Ben has been a very dynamic addition to the R&D team and the appointment demonstrates the Company's intention to maintain R&D at the forefront of our business."

International Syalons (Newcastle) Limited is the UK's leading manufacturer of advanced nitride ceramics. We are a fast–growing, long–established manufacturing company supplying advanced ceramics to industries such as oil and gas, automotive and molten metal handling.

To help us keep our leading position in materials manufacturing, we are continuously seeking enthusiastic, self–motivated Scientists and Engineers to strengthen our research and development team, to help us develop new materials, applications and processes.

We welcome unsolicited applications and would be interested to hear from anyone who can demonstrate some of the following skills:

• Experience and knowledge of ceramics, especially non-oxide ceramics.
• Experience and knowledge of advanced manufacturing techniques.
• Be willing to do hands on practical work (essential).
• Have excellent interpersonal skills, including excellent written and spoken English (essential).
• Have an understanding of the requirements of advanced ceramics in industry.
• Have a knowledge of materials testing and analysis techniques, such as XRD, mechanical testing etc.
• Project management experience.

At ISN we promote personal initiative and value people who can work independently. For the right candidate we can offer a position with some of the following responsibilities:

• Materials development including nitrides, oxides and ceramic composites.
• Process development including advanced casting, pressing and moulding techniques.
• Developing advanced nitride powders.
• Materials testing and analysis.
• Liaison with customers.

We offer permanent positions with a competitive salary and the opportunity to work for a rapidly growing, ambitious company with a challenging but attractive career path.

Should this opportunity be of interest to you or for more information please contact our Technical Director, Nick Fecitt (nick.fecitt@syalons.com).

Tony Mitchell joined the Company in August 2001 and this month marks his first 10 years of service. He expressed his pride in the progress of the Company over this period and praised the staff and the management team, particularly Operations Director Ian Denton and Technical Director Nick Fecitt.

Tony says "This management team have focussed on customer service, quality and innovation. These are the building blocks of a great business and we are well on the way to achieving greater things. We have an expert workforce who take pride in solving customer problems, no matter how great the challenge, and seek to delight the customer with our service. Quality is their ethos as we strive to excede customer expectations. We all believe in teamwork, in sharing problem-solving, in innovation and learning and we share the benefits as we build the Company. It is a great pleasure and privilege to be part of this team."

Ian Denton adds "Tony has consistently stressed the need to grow the business through customer service, quality and innovation and has guided the Company forward and continues with our ambitious plans for the future. The strength of the Company lies in our sense of teamwork and focus."

Nick Fecitt also says "Tony continually presses for more investment in R&D and product and process innovation. We face many challenges with determination and our staff enjoy rising to the challenge."