Integrity Matters
Our latest training, news, blogs and articles.
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News,Training|
April 30, 2026What Recent Refinery Incidents Tell Us About Asset Integrity FailuresIntroduction Mechanical integrity is one of the most important barriers between normal refinery operation and a major accident. In simple terms, mechanical integrity is the assurance that pressu... -
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July 1, 2025Lessons Learned—Sulfidation ThinningLessons from Silver Eagle: Metallurgical Failure, Inspection Oversight, and the Critical Role of Integrity Planning On 4 November 2009, a catastrophic explosion rocked the Silver Eagle Refinery in ... -
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June 5, 2025When Repairs Go Wrong: The Critical Importance of Understanding Pressure Equipment RepairsCredit: CSB On April 3, 2017, a catastrophic failure occurred at the Loy-Lange Box Company in St. Louis. A pressure vessel—the Semi-Closed Receiver (SCR), which stores hot condensate at 100 psig—vi... -
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October 22, 2024The Importance of Integrity Operating Windows (IOWs) in Inspection ProgrammesOn April 2, 2010, the catastrophic failure of a heat exchanger at the Tesoro Anacortes Refinery in Washington led to a deadly explosion, killing seven workers. The root cause was identified as High-Te... -
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October 16, 2024Managing Residual Stresses in Pressure EquipmentResidual stresses are an often-overlooked but critical factor in the long-term reliability and safety of pressure equipment such as vessels, piping, and storage tanks. These stresses, which remain wit... -
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October 8, 2024Mastering Technical Report Writing for Pressure Equipment Inspection and AssessmentMastering Technical Report Writing for Pressure Equipment Inspection and Assessment - In the field of pressure equipment inspection and assessment, the ability to produce a clear, accurate, and thorou... -
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October 7, 2024Pitting AssessmentsPitting corrosion poses a serious threat to the integrity of metallic structures, primarily due to its highly localised nature. Unlike uniform corrosion, which affects larger areas more predictably, p... -
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October 4, 2024Creating a Detailed and Effective Inspection Plan for Pressure VesselsDeveloping a comprehensive inspection plan (WrittenScheme of Examination) for pressure vessels is not just usually a regulatory requirement—it is essential for ensuring the safety, reliability, and lo... -
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October 3, 2024Introducing Our New Offshore Structures Inspection and Risk Management Course!Offshore structures are essential to the energy industry, supporting everything from oil and gas platforms to renewable energy installations. These complex assets operate in some of the most challengi... -
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August 28, 2024Important Update to API ExamsImportant Update: Changes to API ICP Exam Administration We want to inform all our visitors about a significant change announced by the American Petroleum Institute (API) regarding the administration... -
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August 13, 2024The Importance of Design Integrity in Low-Pressure VesselsEnsuring the Integrity of Low-Pressure Vessels: Lessons from the Yenkin-Majestic Incident In this short article, I dive into the catastrophic failure at the Yenkin-Majestic resin plant, where poor d... -
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July 30, 2024UNDERSTANDING THE FOLIAS FACTORFITNESS FOR SERVICE ASSESSMENTS (FFSAs) UNDERSTANDING THE FOLIAS FACTOR We like to keep things simple on our FFS training courses at Wilkinson Coutts. In FFS codes, the term shells describes pipes,... -
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July 2, 2024A-Z of Pressure Equipment IntegrityA-Z of Pressure Equipment Integrity We're often asked, "What kind of things do your courses cover?" Well, we couldn't get that all down on here, but here is an A-Z snapshot of some common topics that ... -
News,Training|
July 1, 2024Navigating Temporary Repairs: Risks and Compliance EssentialsNavigating Temporary Repairs: Risks and Compliance Essentials Post Construction Codes (PCCs) API 510/570/653 define these as temporary repairs but a feature of ASME PCC-2 is that it provides t... -
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June 26, 2024Fitness For Service DecisionsFITNESS FOR SERVICE ASSESSMENTS (FFSAs) R-R-R-R DECISIONS We see lots of FFSAs during our training and consultancy activities at WILKINSON COUTTS. With the best of intentions, things sometimes get mo... -
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March 29, 2023Issue 2 of Integrity Matters is out now!Check out issue 2 of Integrity Matters now! Read all about Rosen's services for the energy transition! It's a great read. https://www.flipsnack.com/B99EFBDD75E/integrity-matters-issu... -
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February 13, 2023What is Patina?What is Patina? Patina is a layer of corrosion that forms on the surface of metal objects, particularly those made of copper, brass, bronze, and other metal alloys. Patina is formed by a combination o... -
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February 12, 2023Chloride Stress Corrosion CrackingChloride Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) is a type of corrosion that can occur in metal alloys, especially in those that are used in corrosive environments. It occurs when metal components are exposed... -
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January 26, 2023Methanol Stress Corrosion CrackingWhen most hear the words Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC), our minds immediately start thinking of Chloride induced SCC in stainless steels or Sulphide SCC. However, In March 2019, Step Change ... -
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January 24, 2023Lessons LearnedHF Damage Mechanisms - the threat to your assets. The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board have issued the final report on a significant fire and related explosions that occurred ... -
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January 19, 2023LIVING WITH WELD DEFECTSLiving with weld defects comes as a surprise to many. Construction codes (ASME, EN etc.) are based on years of experience and contain acceptance criteria for materials, design, fabrication, testing an... -
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November 24, 2022The scholarship is back!The scholarship is back! As our last winners near the end of their training programme, we've decided to launch this successful programme again in 2023! The info is in the flyer, but anyone undertakin... -
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July 27, 2022New Report Writing MasterclassLET’S SAY (just occasionally maybe) that some reports are not as good as they could be. You’ve paid for them (or someone has) and they just don’t give value for money. We’ve designed the Wilk... -
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May 6, 2022Integrity Matters - Out Now!Issue 1 of Integrity Matters is out now! Click the link below to read it. We'd appreciate feedback, positive or negative to ensure the magazine continuously improves. Do you want to appear in the nex... -
News,Training|
April 25, 2022HTHA - The threat that's hard to detect!HTHA – A serious threat to pressure equipment integrity. Covered extensively in our API 571 Training Course, we're often asked about HTHA. When carbon steel is used to manufacture pressure eq... -
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April 24, 2022API ICP EXAM HANDBOOKAPI ICP EXAM HANDBOOK This new 820 page Wilkinson Coutts handbook covers the API 510/570/653 Bodies of Knowledge (BoK) to help with your online and residential training. 270+ figures and flowcharts e... -
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March 15, 2022API 579/ASME FFS-1 ChangesSometimes, A Little Change Is A Good Thing Fitness For Service Training - API 579/ASME FFS-1 - must be up there as one of the most comprehensive and helpful resources out there in the world of... -
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January 17, 2022Integrity Matters - New Magazine!Integrity Matters - New asset integrity magazine Coming in April 2022! We are introducing the NEW magazine for asset integrity professionals and pressure equipment stakeholders. Welcome to 'Integrit... -
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November 18, 2021Fitness For Service - Local Metal Loss Level 1 AssessmentFitness For Service - Local Metal Loss Level 1 Assessment. Part 3 of our 3 part series takes a look at the assessment of local metal loss. As we discussed in Part 1, there is strictly no definition of... -
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November 10, 2021Fitness For Service - non-uniform metal loss. Part 2 - How to Assess Non-uniform Metal LossFitness For Service - non-uniform metal loss. This is the second part in our 3-part Fitness For Service series for the assessment of metal loss using API 579 level 1 methodology. It's best if ... -
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November 3, 2021Fitness For Service - Metal LossFitness For Service General Metal Loss One of the most common damage classes (modes) found in static mechanical plant is metal loss. It can be caused by a number of damage mechanisms such as; ... -
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August 12, 2021Choosing a Training CompanyThe 7-Rules to Follow Most people shy away from choosing a training company as they consider it is something of a shot in the dark. Training companies can be difficult to choose because there are many... -
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July 22, 2021A Lecturers Life - Meet Bryan SchoolingThe phone rings, my taxi is here. I kiss my family goodbye. My 4 year old runs off to play with something as my impending absence is instantly forgotten about. Unicorns are obviously much more interes... -
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July 16, 2021Pressure System Safety RegulationsWhat are the PSSRs and what do they cover? The Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR) cover the safe design and use of pressure systems with the aim to prevent serious injury from the... -
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July 6, 2021Back to basics - Material PropertiesThis article 'Back to basics - Material Properties' covers the essential properties when considering asset integrity. Material science in itself is a huge subject, with endless reference books and aca... -
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July 5, 2021Pressure Relief ValvesPressure Relief Valves - Pressure equipment requires protection from over pressurisation. A common way to protect vessels is the installation of a pressure relief valve. A pressure relief device is ... -
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July 2, 2021Branch Connections: ASME B31.3 Para. 304.3.2Calculating Branch Connections: ASME B31.3 Para. 304.3.2 - Whenever a branch is added to the main pipe run (header) an opening is created by the removal of a predetermined amount of metal. We use Bran... -
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July 1, 2021What is stress?What is stress? Introduction In the most simplistic term, stress is simply a force divided by area. The most common unit we see in pressure equipment codes and standards is pounds per square inch (psi... -
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June 30, 2021Fitness For Service - stay in the game.What is fitness for service? Fitness For Service (FFS) assessments are a set of methods that use quantitative data to determine if a degraded component is fit for continued service at the current oper... -
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June 29, 2021Salt is bad for your health! - Corrosion basicsCorrosion Basics Part 1 Salt is bad for your health! - Corrosion basics Definition: Corrosion is the degradation of a metal by its environment--it literally means to "eat-away". Most metals do not n... -
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March 19, 2021BOILER INSPECTION TRAININGSTATUTORY BOILER INSPECTION TRAINING FROM WILKINSON COUTTS Boiler Inspection Training Course at Wilkinson Coutts, we offer a selection of tailored courses on Statutory inspection of shell (package)... -
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March 4, 2021The Competence LoopThe Competence Loop At Wilkinson Coutts, we are often asked whether a training course “will make an individual competent in the subject matter?” Another popular question is, will a training course pro... -
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February 4, 2021Don't Stress It!Allowable Stress - What's it all about? Find out here. The tensile test is used to establish the tensile strength of steel. If a tensile force is applied to a steel bar it will have some extension. Up... -
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October 13, 2020Fracture Mechanics - IntroFracture Mechanics – When does it apply? Fracture Mechanics - When does it apply? A question we are often asked. There are two approaches to design. Many pressure equipment design codes use th... -
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October 8, 2020Ductile - Brittle TransitionDuctile- brittle transition temperature (DBTT) (Unit K) The temperature below which materials, in laboratory tests at least, are brittle, and above which they are ductile. Body-centred cubic transitio... -
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October 7, 2020Accuracy vs Precision?Difference between accuracy and precision "Degree of accuracy " The accuracy of a measurement expressed as a proportion (percentage) of the quantity being measured. Thus a measurement of leng... -
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October 2, 2020Word(s) of the dayNEW! API 579 Fitness For Service eLearning - WILKINSON COUTTS WORD(S) OF THE DAY Following on from the announcement yesterday of our NEW API 579 Fitness For Service ELEARNING training course, today'... -
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September 30, 2020Acronym SoupSOME NOT-SO-FAMILIAR ACRONYMS If you’re not that familiar with codes such as API and ASME you may be puzzled by some of the acronyms they use. Here’s a handy list from the WILKINSON COUTTS P... -
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September 30, 2020THE API SOURCE INSPECTOR FIXED AND ROTATING EQUIPMENT ROLE THE CURRENT TREND is for inspectors who perform their inspections in manufacturing works to be called Source Inspectors, rat... -
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September 24, 2020ASME PCC 2 Pressure Equipment Repair Appreciation Training Course. - Try the Quiz Repairs to Pressure Equipment: ASME PCC 2 Pressure Equipment Repair and In-Service Repair Codes. In the re... -
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September 23, 2020Success - It's yours for the taking.Success - It's yours for the taking. A SUCCESS STORY FROM WILKINSON COUTTS ONWARDS AND UPWARDS: Inspection surveyor to refinery in-service inspector We all like to hear success stories from people ... -
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September 22, 2020API Inspector Certifications - Which one is best? Where do I start? API Inspector Certifications - Which one is best? Find out Here. WHICH API IS MOST POPULAR? Statistically, across all countries, ... -
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September 18, 2020API 510 Pressure Vessel Inspector Training - Remaining Life and Intervals What’re the rules on API 510 Inspection Intervals? API 510’s views on most subjects represent common US practice. One of the... -
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September 17, 2020Are you interested in Fitness for Service assessments? Try this question to test your knowledge. The Question Note, there’s only one answer. Fitness-for-Service assessments are carried out on pressur... -
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September 16, 2020Codes Standards and Recommended Practices. What's the difference? First, it’s all about standardisation The idea of published technical documents in the integrity industry, in general, is that they ... -
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September 15, 2020Four Types of API Exam Questions API Certification Exam Questions have a specific style to them. The style is common in the USA and some other places but follows different logic to that seen i... -
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August 7, 2020Virtual ASME/API Training: HERE TO STAY? 3rd-7th August is Virtual training week at WILKINSON COUTTS. We’ll share some of our experiences and views on this new presentation method. Check out our posts... -
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August 5, 2020DON’T WORRY ABOUT CALCULATIONS IN OUR VIRTUAL TRAINING COURSES Wilkinson Coutts Have You Covered! We are used to delegates feeling worried about some of the calculations that are part of ASME a... -
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August 4, 2020VIRTUAL ASME/API TRAINING: HERE TO STAY? 3rd-7th August is Virtual Training Week At WILKINSON COUTTS. We’ll share some of our experiences and views on this new presentation method. Check out ou... -
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August 4, 2020Non-Intrusive Inspection's FutureNII is here already Here at Wilkinson Coutts training, we’ve learnt one important thing from our involvement with API and other inspection codes. For a few years, they have thinking that NII can be a... -
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August 3, 2020Virtual Training to Stay?Virtual Training API and ASME Plant Inspection 03-07th August is Virtual training week at WILKINSON COUTTS. Learn about our Virtual Training API and ASME Plant Inspection training. We’ll share some o... -
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July 31, 2020A Request from Wilkinson Coutts(Orignally Posted: 6th July 2020) You don’t need us to tell you that in a few short months, integrity/inspection jobs have turned upside down. We hope you’ve all stayed safe We know it’s... -
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July 31, 2020About ASME B31.3 Testing TermsAPI's (SIFE) Body of Knowledge includes the pressure testing requirements of ASME B31.3. The terms used are slightly different to those used in ASME VIII and other codes. Here’s what the B31.3 ... -
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July 30, 2020Ways to Eliminate Rogue Materials27-31 July is API SIFE (Source Inspector Fixed Equipment) week at WILKINSON COUTTS. Today, we will be studying the Principles of Eliminating Rogue Materials to prevent failures. Sourc... -
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July 28, 2020API (SIFE) Pressure Testing QuizAPI (SIFE) PRESSURE TESTING QUIZ Our API SOURCE INSPECTOR (SIFE) technical quizzes are compiled to give you an insight into the technical coverage of codes and standards included in the SIFE Bo... -
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July 28, 2020API (SIFE) Vessel Dimension TermsAPI SIFE have specific ideas about vessel dimensions. For today's topic during SIFE week, we will be looking at some of the terms used in the SIFE study guide. · Levelness: Parallel to a horizontal... -
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July 27, 2020About ASME Plant Inspector L1/L2The ASME Plant Inspector Certificate provides training and certification in the fundamental principles of inspection assessment and management of fixed pressure equipment. Because it is based on sound... -
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July 27, 2020Source Inspector Fixed Equipment (SIFE)27-31 July is API SIFE (Source Inspector Fixed Equipment) week at WILKINSON COUTTS. Check out our posts and website snippets The API SIFE Roles and Responsibilities API SIFE have specific i... -
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July 24, 2020Wind Turbine Structural SteelCan S355 be Weld-Repaired? Today's snippet discusses the steel needed for wind turbines, as well as necessary repairs welds, and code adherence. High strength S355 structural s... -
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July 23, 2020Wind Turbine Bolting InspectionFor today's snippet, we will be looking at tension bolts featured in Wind Turbines, and the various types. There’s many types of WT structure and foundation tension bolts. Can ... -
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July 22, 2020Dear Budding Technical Authors(Originally Posted: 13th July 2020) Good news everyone: we’ve just published the new Wilkinson Coutts Plant Inspection Guide! Just scroll down for a quick look. Remember if you’re a customer, g... -
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July 22, 2020What ASME/API Training is best?(Originally Posted: 14th July 2020) Our on-line API and ASME training options are proving suitable learning opportunities for many delegates. Please think them through carefully before you dismiss our... -
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July 22, 2020Into the Future with Wilkinson Coutts(Originally Posted: 17th July 2020) We’re proud of our role as an ASME Certified Training Provider. ASME has members in 140 countries, with active code and publication programmes worldwide. ASME L... -
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July 22, 2020Five Wind Turbine Inspections(Originally Posted: 20th July 2020) The 20th to the 24th of July is Wind Turbine Inspector week at WILKINSON COUTTS. We’re getting a great response for our first course and will be posting snip... -
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July 21, 2020Wind Turbine WSEs: What's in them?The 20th to the 24th of July is Wind Turbine Inspector week at WILKINSON COUTTS. We’re getting a great response for our first course and will be posting snippets throughout the week. Check them... -
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April 30, 2020Wilkinson Coutts and Welding Greek Institute partners in Athens.Wilkinson Coutts begins training partnership with the Welding Greek Institute at their new state of the art training center in Athens. We are pleased to announce that the Welding Greek Institute and W... -
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April 30, 2020Launch of Matthews Integrity Hub!We are pleased to support the launch of the new Matthews Integrity Hub website launched today! The long-awaited new MATTHEWS website provides a completely new information forum for people working in... -
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April 30, 2020Enter our fantasy football competition to win!Now the World Cup is nearly over, we’re going to fill the gap of football excitement. Join our fantasy football league for a chance to win a free API online training course. The T&Cs are s... -
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March 28, 2020Wilkinson Coutts strengthens its team and welcomes Cliff Matthews to the company.We are delighted to welcome Cliff Matthews onto the team here at Wilkinson Coutts. For many, Cliff won’t need any introduction! Cliff is no stranger to the engineering training industry. As fo... -
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March 28, 2020Win a Wilkinson Coutts Scholarship worth £10350!To celebrate our 3rd year in business we are offering this fantastic opportunity to those who are thinking about progressing to the world of plant inspection. All the details are attached, but if you ... -
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December 7, 2017Congratulations to our next finalist!Congratulations to our next finalist, Sharon Leslie! As the highest-scoring delegate on the recent ASME Plant Inspector Level 1 course, Sharon will now be in the final to win a Wilkinson Coutts Traini...