25 years of Premier Galvanizing

The year 2025 sees us approach the 25 year anniversary of the incorporation of Premier Galvanizing Ltd. We take a look back on the history of the company, from its origins in Hull through to where we are in the present day.

History of Premier Galvanizing

Premier Galvanizing Hull

Premier Galvanizing’s first site was built in Hull, East Yorkshire. The plant opened back in the year 2000, not long after the turn of the new millennium. Premier Galvanizing Hull proudly serviced the hot dip galvanizing needs of steel fabricators in the North East, Teesside, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire, East Yorkshire and Humberside.

Premier Galvanizing Corby

Two years later, in July 2002, Premier Galvanizing opened up a second plant based in Corby, Northamptonshire following rapid business growth. Premier Galvanizing Corby is in a region of England historically tied to the growth and development of steel and ironworks during the Industrial Revolution. 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 20^th century until the closure of the steelworks in the 1980s.

Acquisition of Premier Galvanizing and present day

In 2015, Premier Galvanizing Limited was acquired by Joseph Ash Limited, joining the Joseph Ash Galvanizing Group of companies. The acquisition allowed Premier Galvanizing to offer high quality and galvanizing services to areas of England where Joseph Ash was not previously present, and vice versa.

What are the capacities of Premier Galvanizing sites today?

Premier Galvanizing has offered high quality hot dip galvanizing services for the past 25 years. We can also offer spin galvanizing, powder coating and shot blasting services through our connection of sister plants at Joseph Ash Galvanizing.

If you have any questions about treating metals or our processes, our Technical Support team is always on hand. We’re experts in galvanizing and are here to make the process easier for our customers.

We can’t wait to see what the next 25 years bring!

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Christmas is fast approaching, which means our sites will soon be shutting for the holidays.

To help you stay prepared, we’ve listed below the dates and times that our sites will be shutting, as well as the dates and times that our sites will be reopening in the new year.

Site	Closing schedule
Corby	Close: Monday 22nd December Open: Friday 5th January
Hull	Close: Monday 22nd December Open: Monday 5th January, 6:00am

If you have any steel that needs coating before the new year, book a collection or get a quote from us today to avoid disappointment.

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A bicentennial anniversary is no common occurrence, so it made sense to celebrate Hill & Smith PLC‘s 200 year anniversary.

Premier Galvanizing has been part of Hill & Smith PLC since joining Joseph Ash Galvanizing back in 2015 – just a fraction of the time since Hill & Smith was started back in 1824.

All companies across the Hill & Smith Group were able to celebrate the landmark occasion with activities of their choice. Premier Galvanizing decided to take advantage of the (mostly) warm month by arranging for fish and chip and ice cream vans to visit the sites.

Activities weren’t just limited to us at Premier Galvanizing, as the sites across Joseph Ash Galvanizing and Widnes Galvanising also took part in their own anniversary celebrations. Take a look here for the full list of activities taking place across the Joseph Ash Group!

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As part of Hill & Smith PLC, the teams at Premier Galvanizing took part in Sustainability Week – a week to reflect on all things sustainability. It was a fun-filled week where colleagues were encouraged to take part in a number of activities (or come up with their own) to boost green credentials and have some fun in the process.

Best Birdbox Competition

The original idea for the energy saving treasure hunt was developed in 1999 by Toyota, and is a great activity for all companies to conduct, regardless of industry.

Plant pots

Team also took the time to plant their own plant pots and add a bit of colour to the grey weather that was had in the week.

Extra competitions

Prizes are also due to awarded across the Group for a number of categories, including “Most Engaged Site”, “Most Improved Site”, and “Most Sustainable Site”. Winners will be calculated based on their efforts throughout the week, both in terms of effort and in outcomes achieved.

You can find out more about the full list of activities across the week here.

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The Joseph Ash Group takes immense pride in its expansive network of nine plants spanning the United Kingdom, from the northern Yorkshire region to southern county of Kent. This month, we turn our attention to our facility in Yorkshire, Premier Galvanizing Hull, to showcase its exceptional capabilities and modern amenities.

Historical background

The galvanizing industry in Yorkshire flourished during the 19th century, driven by the region’s industrialisation. Hull experienced significant growth in the galvanizing sector thanks to its thriving maritime trade. Situated on the River Humber with a bustling port, Hull became a central hub for importing and exporting goods. Galvanizing was pivotal in safeguarding metal components used in ships, including anchor chains, fittings, and various marine equipment.

Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the galvanizing industry in Hull continued to thrive. Several galvanizing companies emerged to meet the growing construction, engineering, and agriculture demand. Technological advancements and modernisation in the latter half of the 20th century transformed the galvanizing process, propelling the industry forward.

In 2000, Premier Galvanizing opened its first plant in Yorkshire. Today, the galvanizing industry in Hull remains a vital sector, serving diverse industries both locally and globally.

Location

Premier Galvanizing Hull is located within the Stoneferry Business Park in the East Ridings of Yorkshire. With an extensive fleet of vehicles, we cater to galvanizing needs in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Teeside, and the Northeast, ensuring timely service for our valued customers.

Galvanizing services at Premier Galvanizing Hull

Whether fabricators require a small amount of steel galvanized for a sculpture or 100 tonnes for a new bridge, Premier Galvanizing Hull is here to assist.

Bath size

Premier Galvanizing Hull’s bath dipping size measures 7.0m x 1.2m x 3.2m, with a maximum dip weight capacity of 4 tonnes.

Additional services

In addition to our core services, Premier Galvanizing Hull offers the following amenities to our customers:

Collection and delivery service: Regardless of your location or the destination for your fabrications, we provide efficient steel transportation. Our fleet includes xx articulated vehicles capable of carrying 22 tonnes each and rigid vehicles that can accommodate up to 10 tonnes.

Full technical support: Our comprehensive technical support ensures customers receive guidance and assistance at every stage, guaranteeing a smooth galvanizing process.

Packing and bundling: We can bundle, pack, and label your steel per your requirements. We can accommodate your needs if you need items delivered to the end user or prepared for export or containerisation. Upon request, we can issue certificates of conformity, and all work is conducted following BS EN ISO 1461 standards.

On-site storage: With ample on-site storage capacity, Premier Galvanizing Hull allows customers to conveniently store materials before and after the galvanizing process.

Shot blasting and powder coating: These services are available through our trusted external subcontractors.

Flexibility

At Premier Galvanizing Hull, we fully understand the value of meeting time-sensitive demands and adhering to strict deadlines. We have extended opening hours for drop-offs and collections to ensure optimal customer assistance. Additionally, we provide expedited turnaround times, such as overnight or within 24 hours (by prior arrangements). We aim to deliver prompt and efficient service, catering to your specific requirements.

Committed to excellence and compliance

At Premier Galvanizing Hull, we prioritise excellence in all aspects of our operations. This includes maintaining the highest occupational health and safety standards, quality management, and environmental management. Our certifications include BS EN ISO 1461, ISO 45001, NQA ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001.

Dedicated team

The Hull team comprises dedicated individuals with extensive knowledge and experience in their roles. We strive to provide our customers with the highest level of service. We also consider ourselves an integral part of your team, ensuring your needs are met with utmost care and professionalism.

Key personnel at Hull

Andrew Tweddle serves as the Divisional Manager at Hull, while Chris Young oversees the Transport and Production Manager role.

Contact us

To book your projects with us or for any enquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact the Premier Galvanizing Hull team today!

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Friday 28 May is World Day for Safety and Health at Work, set up by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2003. The national initiative encourages and supports the need for organisations, labour unions, employers, and governments to create safe and healthy work environments to reduce accidents, illness and death for all visitors and employees.

As a Company that prioritises health and safety at work, we proudly promote this day.

At Premier Galvanizing, our commitment to ensuring our plants are safe places to work and visit is 100%. Obviously, health and safety in any workplace are essential, but they’re critical in an industrial galvanizing plant.

Galvanizing plants can pose considerable risks to workers if proper safety measures are not in place. This is due to heavy machinery, hazardous materials, chemicals, fumes, and baths of molten zinc at temperatures of 450°C.

By implementing health and safety policies, procedures, and systems into our culture, ensuring all directors, managers, and supervisors hold formal health and safety qualifications, and introducing an occupational health scheme to protect and maintain a healthy workforce, we have an industry-leading safety record.

We also hold OHSAS certification for exceptional health and safety standards at all plants and head office. And we’ve been awarded the RoSPA Gold Award for six consecutive years.

Find out more about the World Day for Safety and Health at Work.

See our Health and Safety Statement and our Epidemic Health and Safety Policy.

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About the ILO

The ILO is a United Nations agency for the world of work. Since 1919 it has brought together “governments, employers and workers of 187 Member States , to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.”

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We’re pleased to announce the recent installation of a new galvanizing kettle at our 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).

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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.

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Following World Environment Day at the weekend, the Joseph Ash Group has designated the first week of June to be ‘ESG Week’. During this week, we’re raising awareness of the environment and social and governance issues affecting our colleagues, clients, and suppliers.

This is the first year for our new annual event, and so far this week, we’ve delivered presentations on ‘What is ESG?’. We’ve also provided resources (posters and links to activities) to team members to help them understand some of the terminology used (e.g. ‘Carbon Neutral’, ‘Net Zero’, ‘Carbon Offsetting’). Plus, we’ve shared advice on being more energy, waste and water conscious both at work and at home.

Later this week, we’ll be conducting safety tours to reinforce the importance of health and safety in the workplace.

Here are some of the important topics we’re covering:

Environment

• Compliance with all environmental legislation

• Minimise all negative environmental impacts from our operations – emissions to air, water and land

• Minimise our resource usage and support a circular economy

• Reduce our carbon emissions and work towards achieving Net Zero carbon emissions.

Social

• Managing the risks to the health, safety & wellbeing of our colleagues and other stakeholders

• Improve the talent and diversity of our colleagues and create a value-based culture within the business

• Positively engage with our local community by providing support to local initiatives and charities

• Supporting apprenticeships.

Governance

• Effectively identifying, mitigating, and controlling business risk

• Operating in compliance with all applicable legislation

• Ethically conducting business and working with integrity

• Using reputable suppliers and working with customers that support our values

• Ensuring all decision-making is carried out with our values, strategy and impacts considered.

If you want to know more about ESG across the Joseph Ash Group (Premier Galvanizing and Joseph Ash Galvanizing), please get in touch. We’d love to tell you all about it!

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When using steel in construction, hot dip galvanizing is an essential part of the project to protect the longevity of the metal. You carefully design your steel to fit the overall build of the construction project. But sufficient care and attention are also required when you design your steel for galvanization. A good design will prevent any processing problems at the galvanizing plant and will also ensure you get the best steel coating possible.

Here’s some key design pointers to enable your steelwork to be processed safely whilst giving you the best quality coating.

When sending steel to a galvanizing plant, you will have several goals in mind:

1. Fast turnaround
2. Premium quality coating
3. Excellent service
4. Good value for money.

Ensuring steelwork is suitably designed for hot dip galvanizing helps achieve these goals and ensures the steel is safe to be galvanized. Poor design can result in poor coating quality, additional costs, low production rates, and failure to meet delivery dates. Poor design can also pose serious health and safety risks for the people carrying out the galvanizing.

What does good design look like?

The importance of venting and drainage

When steel is immersed in the galvanizing bath, add vent and drain holes to sealed hollow sections or cavities to ensure superheated air can escape all internal spaces and the molten zinc can flow freely over all surfaces, external and internal. Failure to adequately vent would result in trapped air causing an explosion and endangering galvanizing workers. It would also cause zinc build-up where the excess zinc cannot drain properly.

The sizing and location of vent holes are just as important as the provision of these holes. As a guide, make the venting holes as large as the steelwork can manage (but talk to your galvanizer for the best advice for your fabrications). The hole locations will be determined by how the steelwork is hung on the jigs at the galvanizing plant.

When adequately sized and correctly located, vent and drainage holes will:

• Significantly reduce the risk of injury to galvanizers.
• Allow faster immersion and withdrawal speeds which will help to minimise excessive coating build-up and reduce the risk of distortion by minimising temperature differentials.
• Virtually eliminate the risk of damage to product, plant and equipment caused by the explosive vaporisation of entrapped moisture or air.
• Improve the characteristics of the galvanized coating by restricting the effects of zinc solidification during drainage and reducing the mass of zinc required to achieve a good finish.

Size, weight, and shape matter

To ensure a good hot dip galvanizing finish, size, weight, and shape really do matter. A fabrication design should ideally incorporate easily handled components or fabrications which can be single dipped or subsequently assembled by bolting with galvanized fastenings. Double dipping is a possible alternative. Seek advice from your galvanizer before proceeding.

Suspension holes or lifting lugs may be needed if there are no suitable points for locating hooks or wires. Once again, lifting points should be positioned to maximise venting and drainage.

Minimising distortion

You will not want your steelwork to become distorted during the galvanizing process. To minimise distortion, fabrications should ideally be symmetrical, suitable for single dipping, and incorporate sections of as near equal thickness as possible at the joints. Components should also fit perfectly to avoid force or restraint during joining. Use continuously welded joints with balanced welding techniques to reduce uneven thermal stresses and the largest possible radii on all curved members.

Design is just part of the story. It’s also essential to choose your galvanizer wisely

As well as following the rules of good design for pre-galvanized steel, take care when choosing your galvanizer.

Health and safety standards

Look for a plant with exemplary health and safety standards. One where the plant managers work hard to keep all colleagues and visitors safe with up-to-date equipment, sufficient PPE, good air quality, and clear-to-follow rigorous shop floor processes. And one where team members work safely on every job by thoroughly inspecting steel from the point it is delivered and at key intervals of the galvanizing process to ensure projects will not pose health and safety risks.

Training

Look for a galvanizer that not only trains team members on all aspects of safety in galvanizing, but also teaches clients and the wider industry. At Premier Galvanizing for example, we issue ‘Safe Design for Hot Dip Galvanizing’ posters to our clients as reference guides for steel preparation. We’ve also published a ‘Design for Galvanizing’ video (available on our website and YouTube), and we run ‘Design for Galvanizing’ seminars onsite for client teams.

Technical help

A final piece of advice is to always look for a galvanizing company happy to be on hand to provide technical advice on all aspects of pre-galvanized steel preparation.

Premier Galvanizing has a Technical Support Team who will answer any steel fabrication questions from clients. The team members are also happy to visit fabrication shops and advise on venting requirements to ensure fabrication issues can be resolved before the steel reaches the galvanizing plant.

We hope you’ve found these pointers helpful. For more information, please get in touch with a member of our team. There is also lots of helpful information freely provided by the Galvanizers Association.

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We’re celebrating at Premier Galvanizing, after landing another RoSPA Gold Award – the internationally-recognised award for demonstrating high health and safety standards.

We have received the RoSPA Gold Health and Safety Award for working hard to ensure our team members, customers, clients, and contractors get home safely to their families at the end of every working day.

Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognised as being world-leaders in health and safety practice. Every year, nearly 2,000 entrants vie to achieve the highest possible accolade in what is the UK’s longest-running H&S industry awards.

The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, and receives entries from organisations across the globe.

Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, said: “This is a fantastic and well-deserved accomplishment. All our award entrants demonstrate their unwavering commitment and passion for keeping people safe at work. By receiving this recognition Joseph Ash Galvanizing joins like-minded businesses and organisations worldwide, who represent the very best in their approach to Health and Safety. I would like to add my personal thanks for all the work that it has taken to secure this well-deserved award – congratulations to all those involved, who champion and drive up Health and Safety standards every day. You are a fantastic example to others in your sector.”

For more information about the RoSPA Awards visit www.rospa.com/awards

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