January 2023 newsletter
Welcome to our monthly newsletter – the January 2023 edition.
This month it’s all about newness! Our new Commercial Manager at Widnes, new inventions, new industry events/dates to remember for 2023, a new set of values, a new kettle at Hull, plus how about a ‘new year, new job’?
Finally, the entry deadline for this year’s Structural Steel Design Awards is just around the corner. Is your application ready? Further details are in the newsletter.
To read a copy click here.
To receive a copy of the newsletter in your inbox each month please subscribe.
Simply scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the ‘Newsletter Sign-Up’ button.
Next page
We’re pleased to announce the recent installation of a new galvanizing kettle at our Premier Galvanizing Hull plant.
It’s quite a logistical exercise to remove an existing kettle and replace it with a new one. Commissioning and planning the changeover takes months. And the installation – including removing/recycling existing zinc, dismantling the bath, fitting a new bath, and adding new zinc ingots – takes a whole week. The bath also had to be transported from Germany first!
The bath dimensions are the same as before: 7m length x 1.2m wide x 3.2m deep. However, it has a thicker wall than previously (now 60mm instead of 50mm).
For health and safety reasons, it’s typical to change galvanizing baths every 7-10 years as the wall thickness degrades over time, specifically in areas with a temperature difference, such as the ‘wash line’ and above the Dross protection. Structural integrity is crucial for health and safety, so even though we still had a few years left in our previous bath, we always opt for the cautionary approach.
Thanks to W. Pilling in Germany who provide all our kettles, and the following companies who helped with the installation: Projector Lifting Service, Zinco, Westech and Thermetal Metallurgical Furnace Engineers.
Next pageWe’ve recently launched a new set of company values for the Joseph Ash Group. They are collectively called ‘Our Chemistry’ – to reflect our excellent relationships with each other, our clients, suppliers and partners, and the chemicals we use in our galvanizing processes.
To create the values, we held several focus groups across the plants to find out what was important to our team members and what values they wanted to live by at Joseph Ash. We spoke to colleagues on the shop floor, administration and service teams at Head Office, and Commercial Teams at our different divisions. Everyone was offered the opportunity to share their thoughts on what our culture and behaviour look like when we’re at our best and what needs to be added to ensure the Joseph Ash Group thrives and grows. The resulting values are:
We thrive on team spirit, whether we’re looking out for each other’s safety or working together to meet targets. Providing help and assistance, celebrating achievements, and laughing are the elements that bind us together. We have each other’s backs.
The safety and success of our business and our future sit in our hands. We know what is expected of us as individuals and teams and demonstrate a ‘can-do’ attitude to get things done.
Growth through teaching and learning (internally and externally) is the catalyst for everything we do. We lead with experience and heritage, but we’re also enthusiastic about advancing and improving our products, processes, the industry and ourselves.
We respect each other and our differences and treat people as we want to be treated ourselves. We mix kindness with good manners and listening skills. We also appreciate family: not only in our home lives but also in the family we have at work.
If you’d like to know more – or if you’d like to join our team – please get in touch!
Galvanized lift innovation enables safe hoof care
Nestled amongst the rolling hills between Tregaron and Lampeter in Wales is an animal sanctuary called Beneath the Wood. Set up by Sasha Bennett in 2009, it provides a permanent home for dogs, sheep, cats, horses and – as of 2019 – a sounder of pigs.
The pigs (and their subsequent offspring) found safety at Beneath the Wood after they were rescued from an illegal and horrific slaughterhouse in Pembrokeshire. The 53 pigs were living in appalling conditions amongst carcasses and surviving on the entrails of the other slaughtered animals. Some were so desperate they began cannibalising. Some ate car parts, batteries, car doors… anything to avoid starvation.
After being rescued by authorities, the pigs became the subject of a court destruction order as they were not fit for consumption. There was a public outcry, so Beneath the Wood decided to fight for them. After a nine-month legal battle, the pigs (numbering 91 because the males were kept in a DEFRA isolation unit with the females!) were allowed to move to their forever home at the animal sanctuary.
Victory for Beneath the Wood and the pigs! But not without its problems.
Because the pigs had been kept in dreadful conditions at the slaughterhouse, their hooves had grown and, in some cases, become curved and uneven, making it difficult for them to stand and walk. As a result, the pigs needed a much-needed pedicure. But foot care on such heavy and strong animals is challenging. Especially when the biggest pig – Gandalf – is 7ft in length and weighs over half a tonne!
Beneath the Wood turned to Designeering in Leicestershire for help.
Designeering is a design and engineering company which helps people/companies to develop product ideas and bring them to life. The team at Beneath the Wood explained their problem. They told Designeering about animal lifting equipment such as cow hoists. A good idea, but unfortunately not suitable for the pigs. They needed lifting equipment that was strong and modular enough to accommodate different size pigs.
Designeering rose to the challenge and designed, engineered, and manufactured an innovative Pig Lift that can lift the pigs in the air with their feet dangling so they can be treated and trimmed.
They opted for a modular design that can accommodate animals ranging from 150 kg to over 600 kg. The unit is also mobile, electrically operated, and safe for the operator and animal.
As the Pig Lift consists of steel sections, tubes, and laser-cut sheet metal fabrication welded together to form a heavy-duty structure, it needed to be galvanized.
Hot dip galvanizing is imperative because it provides a long-life, low-maintenance corrosion protection, which safeguards the steel from atmospheric attack, which causes rust and weakens steel.
Designeering sent the Pig Lift to Joseph Ash Walsall to be treated with a galvanized coating to prolong the life of the equipment. The team at Joseph Ash were delighted to help such a good cause and donated their time and service free of charge, including collection and delivery.
The Pig Lift was delivered to the animal sanctuary just before Christmas: designed, manufactured, protected from corrosion with a galvanized finish, and ready to enable hoof trimming. The giant boars need hoof trimming first, so they’re being treated, and it’s onto the other pigs.
Sébastien de La Hamayde, Creative Director at Designeering said “We’ve loved working on this project! Sasha Bennett and her team at Beneath the Woods do a fantastic job providing a safe home for all the animals they look after. As for the pigs, despite experiencing trauma at the illegal slaughterhouse where they were found, they are now well looked after and comfortable in their new surroundings. We are proud to have designed equipment to help the Sanctuary continue looking after them.”
Paul Hudson, Sales and Technical Manager at Joseph Ash Walsall, said “Wow! What an amazing project to be involved in. Thanks to Designeering for contacting us and sending the steel to our plant. We were happy to donate our services for such a worthwhile cause. We hope the pigs thrive in their new home and the new lifting equipment gives them some much-needed care.”
______________________________________________________________________________
Beneath the Wood Sanctuary is a not-for-profit organisation. They run solely on public donations, mainly through their Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram social media accounts. They have around 140 animals in their care, ranging from dogs, cats, pigs, horses, and sheep, all rescued from difficult circumstances. They are a small team of dedicated volunteers, just five people keeping the animals fed and cared for, along with occasional volunteer days for extra help on larger projects.
To support the Beneath the Wood team, contact Sasha Bennett via email.
Next page
Welcome to our final newsletter of 2022.
We hope you have a festive break full of fun and rest, joy and peace! Followed by a successful, safe and prosperous New Year.
To read a copy click here.
To receive a copy of the newsletter in your inbox each month please
subscribe.
Simply scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the ‘Newsletter
Sign-Up’ button.
Welcome to our monthly newsletter, the November 2022 edition.
Read about our new Commercial Manager at Chesterfield, London Build 2022, a new Careers website, galvanizing for a sustainable future, and an A-Z of everything you’ve ever wanted to know about galvanizing.
We’re also talking about the Holidays… Yes, it’s still November, but we thought you might find it helpful to know about our plant arrangements over the festive break. Just in case you need to plan ahead.
To read a copy click here.
To receive a copy of the newsletter in your inbox each month please subscribe.
Simply scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the ‘Newsletter Sign-Up’ button.
Next pageTo help you plan ahead for December and January, please find below advance notice of our festive period opening hours for all Joseph Ash Group plants:
Joseph Ash Bilston
Will be closed from 22 December 2022. (The last day for deliveries is 21 December 2022.)
Will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Joseph Ash Bridgend
Will be closed from 17 December 2022. (The last day for deliveries is 16 December 2022.)
Will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Joseph Ash Chesterfield
Will be closed from 23 December 2022. (The last day for deliveries is 22 December 2022.)
Will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Premier Galvanizing Corby
Will be closed from 23 December 2022. (The last day for deliveries is 22 December 2022.)
Will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Premier Galvanizing Hull
Will be closed from 22 December 2022. (The last day for deliveries is 21 December 2022.)
Will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Joseph Ash Medway
Will be closed from 24 December 2022. (The last day for deliveries is 2pm on 23 December 2022.)
Will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Joseph Ash Telford
Will be closed from 23 December 2022. (The last day for deliveries is 22 December 2022.)
Will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Joseph Ash Walsall
Will be closed from 21 December 2022. (The last day for deliveries is 20 December 2022.)
Will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Widnes Galvanising
Will be closed from 24 December 2022. (The last day for deliveries is 2pm on 23 December 2022.)
Will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Welcome to our A-Z of Galvanizing – everything you’ve ever wanted to know about galvanizing if you work with steel.
Pre-treating steel to ensure it is free from surface contaminants is a fundamental part of the hot dip galvanizing process, as zinc will not react to unclean metal. As part of the pre-treatment stage, steel is pickled in acid to remove mill scale and rust, producing a chemically clean surface for galvanizing.
Different bath sizes suit varied steel fabrications. No matter how large your steel, we can help. Across all Joseph Ash Group plants, we have a range of bath sizes to suit the smallest to the largest of jobs. Visit our bath dipping sizes page for more information.
A circular economy encourages materials to be made, remade and recycled. Hot dip galvanizing fits perfectly into a circular economy because it optimises the durability of steel (enabling it to be used again) and facilitates the ease of reuse. It can also be recycled if there’s no immediate need to repurpose it. Read The sustainability of galvanized steel for more detailed information.
When designing steel for construction, also design it for galvanization, as a good design will prevent any processing problems at the galvanizing plant and ensure the best steel coating possible. For design advice, talk to our Technical Team. They’d love to help. You can also download Safe Design for Hot Dip Galvanizing.
At Joseph Ash Galvanizing we are committed to preventing pollution and minimising environmental impacts. For every process of our operations, we take a proactive approach to controlling emissions and ensuring the highest protection for the environment. Follow how we do this in Our Green Future – a fun, interactive graphic showing all our service steps, from collecting steelwork from a customer to its delivery at the end destination and all our environmental processes along the way. See it on our website
Once steel has been hot dip galvanized, a small amount of surface finishing may be required to smooth, clean or condition the metal. This is known as fettling.
The Galvanizers Association provides free authoritative advice on hot dip galvanizing since 1949. Visit their website for a wealth of steel and coatings information.
Health and safety at a galvanizing plant are of the utmost importance. At Joseph Ash Galvanizing, we are committed to ensuring our plants are safe environments to work and visit.
ISO standards dictate ways of doing things, whether making a product or providing a service. They are the distilled wisdom of people with expertise in their subject matter. There are many different standards that Joseph Ash Galvanizing complies with to ensure we provide the best service and product for our customers. Examples are the Coatings Requirements of BS EN ISO 1461:2022, the Quality Management System of ISO 9001, and the Environmental Management System of ISO 14001.
A jig holds steel in place in the correct orientation throughout the galvanizing process to facilitate ease of handling.
Galvanizing baths are also known as galvanizing kettles. They are large rectangular structures made from steel plates welded together. They come in many sizes. (We have a range of sizes across the Joseph Ash Group.) Galvanizing kettles are filled with zinc, which becomes a liquid state when heated to 438-460C. Steel that needs to be galvanized is lowered into a kettle at an angle so that the zinc can coat the steel.
Steel is a tough, durable metal; it can last for decades when appropriately treated. In the UK, galvanized steel (with a typical thickness of 85 microns) can last about 85 years before it needs maintenance. The lifespan does depend on the environment, however. For example, the lifespan might be slightly less in damp coastal areas or places with high levels of Sulphur Dioxide. For more information, view the Galvanizers Association corrosion map. It’s an excellent resource for calculating the levels of corrosion in atmospheric conditions across the UK.
A micron signifies one thousandth of a milimetre. In the steel and galvanizing industry, in order to be standards compliant, >6mm thick steel requires an average coating of 85 microns. This can last for a century in many UL settings.
As stated by the Galvanizer’s Association: “It is astonishing to think that a coating, just thicker than a sheet of A4 paper, can protect a steel structure for the better part of 100 years.”
At Joseph Ash Galvanizing, we mainly galvanize large items such as lampposts and motorway barriers for our clients. What about the small steel parts that hold the bigger pieces together, though? The nuts and bolts? Yes, we galvanize those in a spin bath at our Telford plant. When nuts and bolts are used to hold parts of a bridge in place, it’s just as vital that they are rust resistant too.
Hot dip galvanizing is a chemical process, carried out by highly skilled operatives. At Joseph Ash Galvanizing, many of our valued team have been honing their skills over periods of 20, 30 and 40 years, which means your steel is in safe hands.
Powder coating is a paint mainly applied to metals to provide a harder finish than a normal paint. The paint is applied as a powder electrostatically from a spray gun and is cured in an oven under high heat to form a tough, durable skin. Powder coating paints come in many colours and can be used to create different finishes, such as textured or metallic.
Quenching is the process where steel is rapidly cooled after it has been lifted from the galvanizing bath by immersion in water and/or a dilute chromate or phosphate solution.
Steel is made from iron, which rusts when exposed to water and oxygen. Rust is the result of a chemical reaction called corrosion. To prevent rust from forming, hot dip galvanizing coats steel in zinc. The zinc reacts with oxygen and carbon dioxide to form zinc carbonate. This becomes a protective barrier, stopping water and oxygen from reaching the steel.
Small items such as nails, chains and screws need to be as rust resistant as the steel structures they support. However, they are too small to galvanize in a hot dip galvanizing bath. With spin galvanizing, small items can be placed in a perforated basket and immersed in molten zinc. Once the zinc/alloy layers form, the basket is centrifuged at high speed so that the spinning action removes the excess zinc and creates a clean profile.
Wherever you are, or wherever the end destination for your fabrications is, Joseph Ash can transport them for you using our large fleet of specially equipped lorries, including articulated, rigid, and Hi-ab craned vehicles.
The ability to collect and deliver steel is vital as we like to make life as easy as possible for customers.
Galvanizing baths protect steel against rust, enhancing its lifetime. But galvanizing baths need protection, too, so they can continue to galvanize. Non-destructive testing is used for this purpose. The testing involves ultrasounds which determine the thickness of a bath over time. If the bath becomes too thin, it could crack. Not only would this put the bath out of action for many months, but it would also be perilous for our team if molten zinc leaked onto the floor of the plant.
To achieve the best quality zinc coating, it is important to ensure that the molten zinc can flow freely over all surfaces, externally and internally. So, where there are sealed hollow sections or cavities, vent and drain holes are essential. Please download Venting Tips for Hot Dip Galvanizing.
Our galvanizing plants are self-contained – with steel going in at one end and the final product coming out at the other. This means we can control the amount of waste we produce. At Joseph Ash Galvanizing, we minimise waste by recycling it at almost every stage of our operations. For example, Zinc that oxidises on the surface of our baths is removed as ash and recycled, and waste heat is used to warm pre-treatment tanks. Any wastewater generated can also be treated and reused, with only small volumes of stable solids requiring external disposal. See our ‘Green Plan’ for further examples.
At Joseph Ash, we want to make our customers’ lives easier. We do this by providing a range of additional services which include: Collection and delivery, Additional paperwork if requested, bundling, packing and labelling of all steelwork, passivation post-galvanizing, on-site storage, full technical support, a one stop-shop service.
At Joseph Ash Galvanizing, the essential part of our process is you – our customers. We hear your requests and treat your steel according to your needs. Whether you need hot dip galvanizing at a certain level of microns, or a duplex coating with a particular colour and finish, we will help. We’ve been in business since 1857 because you have trusted and kept us here.
Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is found in mineral deposits along with other base metals, such as copper and lead.
The galvanizing process coats steel in zinc, which acts as a protective barrier against water, the leading cause of rust. The zinc in a galvanizing bath is molten at 450°C. Once the steel has reached this temperature, it is ready to be lifted from the bath.
Stephanie Harding has joined the Joseph Ash Group as our new Commercial Manager for the Chesterfield plant.
Stephanie brings a strong background in manufacturing, having worked 10 years in the plastics recycling industry for Regain Polymers Ltd and Preston Plastics Ltd.
Holding Head of Purchasing, Commercial Manager and Group Executive Manager roles at these companies, Stephanie honed her buying, sales, forecasting, management, people development, and customer relationship management skills. The perfect skillset for this new role.
At Joseph Ash, Stephanie will be responsible for the commercial activity at Chesterfield, reporting to Martin Hall (Divisional Manager) to help deliver the plant’s five-year strategy. She will also lead the Commercial team (six people).
When asked why she joined the Joseph Ash Group, Stephanie said, “Lots of reasons! Firstly, I like the company’s ethos: it’s forward-thinking and has the right values. I like the environment, too, as people seem to have drive, passion and focus. I also enjoyed meeting Martin and felt we were on the same wavelength regarding how to grow a business.”
In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys family time and trying new activities such as paddle boarding and indoor skydiving. She also loves to travel.
In the next few months, she plans to visit many customers and the eight other Joseph Ash Group plants.
Please join us in welcoming Stephanie to the company! You can reach her on 07827 078 881 or at stephanieh@josephash.co.uk.
Next page
Welcome to our October 2022 newsletter.
This month we’re talking BSI Standards, London Build 2022, Open Days, and SSDA 2022 winners. We’ve also acquired Widnes Galvanising Ltd this month, which has been exciting as we continue to grow the Joseph Ash Group.
To read a copy click here.
To receive a copy of the newsletter in your inbox each month please
subscribe.
Simply scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the ‘Newsletter
Sign-Up’ button.