Meet the team at Hull
It’s always good to put a face to a name… With this in mind we thought we’d introduce some of the team at Premier Galvanizing Hull* (one of our sister companies)
From left to right we have: Steve East (Production Manager), Conner Harman (Business Support Officer), Alex Camp (General Manager), Chris Young (Commercial Support Officer) and Andrew Tweddle (Commercial Manager).
Steve East, Conner Harman and Chris Young oversee the production and transport side of the operation at Hull. Always willing and able to assist with any collection and delivery needs, keeping customers up to date with the progress of their work. The team are available from 5am to 5pm Monday to Friday and can be reached on 01482 587587.
Alex Camp – General Manager
Alex has worked for Premier Galvanizing for over 12 years and has a wealth of knowledge in galvanizing. He always takes service to the next level and ensures that all customers are at the heart of the business. Most recently he has been overseeing a significant overhaul of the plant including the installation of new automated systems to further the growth and efficiency of Premier Galvanizing Hull. Alex is available to assist with any technical queries and quotes.
Andrew Tweddle – Commercial Manager
For any enquiries or quotes for galvanizing work, or for any technical questions, contact Andrew on 07776 592008. Andrew is out and about visiting customers on a daily basis ensuring service levels are at their best and customers are happy with the work we produce for them.
*Premier Galvanizing is part of the Joseph Ash Group
To the external eye these photos may simply look like a vast expanse of concrete… To us however, they’re a thing of beauty as they represent a safer, more comfortable loading and unloading environment for our team members and customers. Welcome to the new yard at Joseph Ash Walsall!
2018 was an extremely busy year for Joseph Ash Walsall, and the yard was beginning to look tired, in poor condition, with pot holes appearing at regular intervals. With concerns that the holes were going to be a safety hazard we decided to use the excellent services of TG Beighton to re-concrete the 1,000 Squares metres of yard.
TG Beighton are external contractors, based in Chesterfield, who previously worked on our plant extension, and we knew they’d have the skills, experience and safety standards to provide a quality service, whilst being able to stick to a very tight deadline of just three weeks.
Three weeks in and the project was a success, and we now have more space in the yard, as well as a safer environment.
Investment in our Joseph Ash plants is crucial to maintaining our position as a leader in the UK galvanizing industry, so the replacement of the concrete was a good chance to improve other aspects of the Walsall plant at the same time:
- We also installed improved lighting around the yard, as well as new crash barriers and fencing throughout the perimeter for added security and protection.
- We added a new drainage system to prevent standing water, and improved drainage in and around the area, with a chamber being installed around the yard for underground electrical cables.
Finally, with the addition of a new galvanizing bath in late 2018 too, we have a plant we can feel very proud of.
With the first quarter of 2019 well underway, the investment we’ve made has allowed us to work even safer than before, allowing safe access and egress from the area at all times. Our employees and customers also benefit from the extra safety and security when either working on or visiting the plant. We also believe we have increased the capacity of this site which is also beneficial for storing fabrications and completing even more work in 2019.
Joseph Ash Walsall has recently had a new galvanizing bath installed at the plant to replace the previous kettle.
The new Pillings Kettle bath is 60mm in thickness – 10mm thicker than the previous bath – which should give the plant an extra 2-3 years on top of its normal longevity.
A new kettle is a large investment, so it’s good to be able to demonstrate our commitment to our employees, to show that we’re in this business for the long-haul, thereby providing the job security they deserve, as well as confirming that we are able to make the necessary investments to ensure a safe, lasting operation for years to come.
The installation
Whilst all Joseph Ash Galvanizing plants normally close down at Christmas to give team members a well-earned break during the festive period, Joseph Ash Walsall employees continued to work to manage the installation of the new bath. Team members – including the Walsall team, Protherm, Zinco and Julian Cox – worked tirelessly throughout the Christmas break to ensure the project was a success.
Charlie Singh, Walsall Divisional Manager said: “The timescale was short and demanding for all concerned, but with all the necessary logistical efforts being planned down to a tee, the team were able to ensure that project was completed on time, and the plant was able to open for business as usual on 2nd January. This lives up to our values, promises and commitment to our customers, demonstrating that we can provide a service all year round!”
Well done to the team at Walsall for making this happen. An amazing effort!
Here are some photos of the bath installation. You can see more on our Facebook account.
We’re pleased to announce that Joseph Ash Galvanizing’s Medway plant has again met the bronze level requirements of the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme.
Medway’s accreditation with FORS has just been renewed.
The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is a voluntary scheme that covers all aspects of vehicle emissions, fuel efficiency, economical operations and safety.
It provides peace of mind to vehicle operators that legislative requirements are being met. It also enables vehicle operators to know they are helping to increase efficiency, win work, and reduce costs.
Finally, it enables operators to know they are becoming safer and greener.
Thank you to the FORS team for assessing us. Thank you also to the team at Joseph Ash Medway who worked hard to receive the award.
A few weeks before Christmas our Joseph Ash Bilston plant played host to a group of six students – aged 17 and 18 – from a local technical college, the Ormiston SWB Academy.
As students at the Academy are currently learning about metal surface finishes, including hot dip galvanizing, Daniel Brittle (the Director of D&T at the school) requested the visit, knowing it would be beneficial for them to see some of the treatments in action. We couldn’t agree more!
On December 13, the students and teacher visited us and were shown around the plant by Rob Nelson (Divisional Manager). They were able to see the galvanizing process in action and hear about some of the procedures we go through to ensure a good, clean finish for steel. Rob also explained the importance of health and safety at galvanizing plants because of the heavy machinery and lifting equipment, as well as the molten hot zinc used to galvanize the steel.
After the visit Daniel Brittle commented: “It was fantastic to see the plant in action, specifically the processes you go through and the types of products you galvanize. The students gained a great deal from the visit.”
Rob Nelson said “It was enjoyable showing the students around the plant. Galvanizing is used to protect steel for street lights to motorway barriers, bridges to railway infrastructure, flooring to fencing, and buildings to agricultural structures, so it’s great to highlight its importance and show the types of steel products we treat. We were also pleased to help the students increase their knowledge by turning the things they might read about in textbooks to reality.”
Ormiston SWB Academy: thank you for visiting us. It was a pleasure!
Joseph Ash Medway has a new General Manager. Meet Tim Palmer!
We’re pleased to announce that Joseph Ash Galvanizing has recently recruited a new General Manager for our Kent-based plant. Tim Palmer joined us in May 2018 and will run Joseph Ash Medway.
Tim has a long history in manufacturing, working for companies such as ParkerSteel, dhm Plastics, Firth Rixson, Corus and ATI Allvac. His recent roles have included Group Operations Director and UK Manufacturing Director and his experience covers concrete, plastics, metals, and building construction products. Tim has even notched-up experience working in Japan learning lean manufacturing techniques as part of a Manufacturing Technology Fellowship Programme.
Having settled into the role at Medway in the last few months, Tim has already identified changes that he’d like to make which centre around investing in new technologies and ensuring all team members on the shop floor and back office have the skills, training and equipment they need to perform their jobs well. Tim believes the right training and tools, as well as ensuring everyone feels they have a voice, ultimately leads to an excellent service and quality of product for Joseph Ash Medway customers.
We welcome Tim into the Joseph Ash Galvanizing family and look forward to seeing the plant and Medway team members thrive and seize new opportunities under his leadership.
You can find out more about Tim through his Linkedin profile. Or if you have any questions about Joseph Ash Medway or the plant’s processes, please feel free to get in touch at 01795 479489.
Safety culture at Joseph Ash leads to machinery innovations
As a five-time winner of the RoSPA Gold Award for health and safety in the workplace, Joseph Ash Galvanizing is always looking at ways to protect employees, customers and visitors to our plants. A recent health and safety initiative that we are proud of involves a new crane invention.
Osmond Crosdale is our Maintenance Manager at Joseph Ash Galvanizing, who has been working with the Walsall maintenance team to develop a new motorised crane hook safety catch system, with the aim of preventing accidental hook detachment in slack rope situations.
The team have designed and launched a wireless system which is integrated into an automated process (thus eliminating human elements), which automatically closes prior to the picking up of a load carrier (or jig) and opens only when ready for unhooking in a safe manner as prescribed by the automated sequencing.
A short video of the crane hook safety catch system can be seen on our YouTube channel.
This is a perfect example of a creative solution with safety at its core, and it is a great achievement by Joseph Ash Walsall.
We look forward to carrying this initiative through to our other plants in due course.
New tractor units at Chesterfield and Walsall drive environmental initiatives for Joseph Ash Galvanizing.
We’re pleased to report that our Walsall and Chesterfield plants have recently taken delivery of new Scania and DAF tractor units to upgrade our collection and delivery fleet.
The two new units at Joseph Ash Walsall are Scania Next Generation R Highline models, with 13 litre 450 horsepower engines and autoboxes. They have been equipped with all the latest technology, such as advanced breaking capabilities and lane departure warnings, which helps them to be more environmentally friendly.
The new tractor unit at Chesterfield is a DAF, a truck manufacturer which is setting new standards in transport efficiency (including a lower weight for increased payloads), and driver comfort.
Do you need us to collect or deliver your steel?
At Joseph Ash, we’re not only pleased to be able to offer improved customer logistics and service, but we’re also proud to have trucks that are better for the environment. Wherever you are, or wherever your steel fabrications need to be, we can collect and deliver it for you using our vast fleet of specially equipped lorries. Contact us today for more information!
We’re pleased to report a number of promotions and staff changes at Joseph Ash Bilston over the last few months. Please join us in congratulating Robert Nelson, the new Divisional Manager, who has been promoted from the position of Senior Technical Manager. Robert has taken over the role from Fred Haycock, who is retiring in April.
We also congratulate Lucy Foster-Bowen who became Bilston’s new Customer Service Manager in December.
Michael Worth was also promoted from Technical Manager to Senior Technical Manager; and finally Daniel Durn was promoted from Operational Support Manager at Bilston to the new Technical Manager for the whole of the Joseph Ash Group. Well done all!
Fred, we wish you well for your retirement after many, many years at Joseph Ash Galvanizing, and we’ll be sad to see you go. Best wishes for this next chapter!
Happy Birthday to Premier Galvanizing Corby – celebrating their 15th year!
The end of July marks the 15th anniversary of Premier Galvanizing Corby – a division of Joseph Ash Galvanizing. The plant opened its doors in 2002 to become the second plant for Premier Galvanizing, which already had a plant in Hull.
When the business opened its doors, it had 13 staff. It now has 33, with the majority living in the local community. The original management team members are still working there as well as two of the initial workforce; Daren Stevens and Stuart Tailby. Daren is the Galvanizing Manager and Stuart is the Yard Supervisor which goes to show that a career in galvanizing is a real prospect at Premier Galvanizing.
The plant is managed by Robert Mohan, the Technical and Development Director who says: “Our Corby plant is a great place to work, full of hard-working, team-spirited colleagues who strive for the best, constantly meeting the exacting demands of our loyal customer base.”
Premier Galvanizing Corby and its extensive fleet of vehicles cover customers’ galvanizing needs from London, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, as well as the Midlands.
Whether a fabricator needs a small amount of steel galvanized for a gate or railings, or 100 tonnes of steel for a new building development, Premier Galvanizing Corby can help. We pride ourselves on getting it right first time, on time, every time to meet the varied needs of our customers.
Premier Galvanizing Corby has a bath size of 7.6m x 1.4m x 3.2m, with a lifting capability of 6.0 tonnes. It provides a comprehensive galvanizing service and can also arrange shot-blasting, powder coating, as well as storage, bundling and packing. With a fleet of Lorries to suit the customer needs, delivery to UK sites can be easily arranged.
Corby, in Northamptonshire is an apt place for a Galvanizing plant processing steel because of the town’s heritage. Corby was once best known for its iron and steel industry, which shaped the growth of the town and influenced all aspects of life from the turn of the 20th century until the closure of the steelworks in the 1980s.
Happy 15th birthday to the team at Corby! Here’s to the next 15!