Alstom Power has been designing and manufacturing turbine technology for power generation in the UK for over 100 years, and started as the General Electric Company in 1889. Now part of the French multinational conglomerate, the company is a global leader in the field, and close to 25% of the world's power production capacity depends on Alstom technology.

Still located in the original works in Rugby, the on-site servicing and repairing of gas and steam turbines worldwide is among Alstom Power's main activities today. They need highly specialist tools, and an efficient and practical work modus operandi for the engineers to follow whilst on site for this sophisticated operation.

Alstom Power in the UK has been a client of 5 Star for the last 17 years!

During this time 5 Star has supplied literally hundreds of cases for a multiplicity of uses and items including tooling, measurement and brazing equipment and hydraulic torque wrench systems as well as traditional tool sets.

All the cases are finished in a striking Navy Blue HPL (High Pressure Laminate) exterior - Alstom's corporate blue - and feature branding applied by using 5 Star’s in-house screen printing facility. 

Alstom's cases utilise a wide range of 5 Star standard product specifications as their starting points, from ‘Light Industrial’ through to ‘Super Tour’, depending on the individual project or application. From there, most of them are then bespoke designed.

5 Star’s Steve Swann manages the account, and works closely with Alstom Power's Department Stores Controller Mick McGrath on each individual case solution.

McGrath explains that they have been loyal to 5 Star over the years for numerous reasons, "Their products are strong, well made and completely reliable," he states adding, "5 Star takes on every project with enthusiasm, and finds inventive and imaginative ways to ensure that we get exactly what we need. Nothing is ever too much trouble". He also notes that the turnaround time is extremely fast.

The recent GT26 cases are made from 5 Star's Heavy Industrial range, selected to deal with the weight and super-pimped amount of tooling inside. 

The basic case design is similar to a book-case, with a near central split and two fold out 'shadow boards', which house all the individual tools whilst the turbine service is in operation and the case is centrally located giving extremely quick and easy access to all the tools.

Inside, a variety of plywood support bars were all CNC machined specifically to hold the tools in an upright position.

The cases also include individual tool identification, again achieved using CNC engraved legends produced by 5 Star’s CADCAM team.  This is a simple and effective method for locating tools as well as immediately showing up any missing items!

The GT26 cases themselves are not used for general transportation of the tools. Instead, these are packed away by the Alstom engineers at the end of the service session in a matching set of smaller shipping cases, also supplied by 5 Star - a concept requested by Mick McGrath which has proved highly successful.