An interruption to the supply of Okells beer during Manx Grand Prix race week was averted thanks to help from the Department of Infrastructure’s technical services section. A fault in the brewery’s kegging plant’s computer control system was preventing brewed beer from being transferred to the kegs. Head brewer Dr Mike Cowbourne identified the source of the problem to be with a programmable logic controller (PLC) of a type with which the Department of Infrastructure was known to have extensive experience. He explained: ‘We have in-house expertise to manage our systems but this particular hardware device was one for which we needed outside specialist help – and help in a hurry - given that the fault occurred on the Friday of the August bank holiday and our beers would be in heavy demand over the Manx Grand Prix race week. ‘The Department’s technical services manager Graham Allison kindly agreed to release engineer Jason Poyzer to rectify the fault. After spending all of Friday with us, Jason generously volunteered to work at home on the PLC programme over the holiday weekend. He returned to the brewery on Tuesday morning and by lunchtime he had fixed the problem and the kegging plant was fully operational again.’ Mr Allison explained: ‘Our technicians and engineers within the department’s technical services asset management team have extensive experience in maintaining a large range of equipment, including control systems for moving bridges, flapgates, the new Battery Pier fire pump at Douglas, and support for the marine operations centre at the Sea Terminal. ‘When the call came in from the brewery, we were happy to lend that expertise and Jason did a fine job over the weekend. With the Island busy with MGP visitors, it certainly wouldn’t have been a good time to run out of beer!’ Dr Cowbourne added: ‘All of us at Okells – and of course our loyal customers – are extremely grateful to the department’s technical services team for saving the day and keeping the beer flowing.’ www.okells.co.uk Ends