Plant focus: Spotlight on Hull
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!
Next pageThe Joseph Ash Group takes pride in its extensive network of nine plants across the UK, from Medway in the South to Hull in the North. This month’s newsletter highlights our Northamptonshire facility, Premier Galvanizing Corby. We’re putting a spotlight on Corby to showcase its remarkable capabilities and state-of-the-art amenities.
As we celebrate Premier Galvanizing Corby’s achievements, we are delighted to announce that next month marks a special occasion for the plant. Read on to find out more!
History
Premier Galvanizing Corby is in a region of England historically tied to the growth and development of steel and ironworks during the Industrial Revolution. And where there’s steel, there’s galvanizing.
Galvanizing became essential as the steel industry grew in Corby. It was particularly crucial for the construction sector, where steel structures and components were exposed to the elements. Galvanized steel offers superior durability and resistance to rust. This makes it ideal for a wide range of applications, including bridges, buildings, and infrastructure.
In recent years, Corby has experienced a resurgence in its steel industry. This has been driven by investments and the growth of new businesses. Galvanizing remains vital in the town’s steel sector, ensuring the longevity and corrosion resistance of steel products manufactured there.
Today, galvanizing companies in Corby continue to employ advanced techniques and technologies to provide high-quality galvanized steel coatings. Premier Galvanizing caters to various industries: construction, automotive, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Location
Premier Galvanizing Corby is located on the Willowbrook Industrial Estate. With its extensive fleet of vehicles, it covers customers’ galvanizing needs from London, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, as well as the Midlands.
What is galvanized at Premier Galvanizing Corby?
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 the first time, on time, and every time to meet the varied needs of our customers.
Bath size
The bath dipping size at Premier Galvanizing Corby is 7.5m x 1.3m x 3.0m, and the team can dip 4.8 tonnes.
Additional services
As well as core services, Premier Galvanizing Corby offers the following customer amenities:
Collection and delivery service: Wherever you are or wherever the end destination for your fabrications is, Premier Galvanizing can transport your steel. We operate a fleet of four articulated vehicles capable of carrying 22 tonnes each. Plus eight rigids which can also carry up to 10 tonnes.
Full technical support: Providing customers with comprehensive technical support, offering guidance and assistance at every stage.
Packing and bundling: We can bundle, pack, and label your steel at your request. Let us know your requirements. Especially if you want us to deliver your items to the end user or prepare them for export or containerisation. Certificates of conformity can be issued upon request, and all work is conducted following BS EN ISO 1461.
On-site storage: Premier Galvanizing Corby offers ample on-site storage capacity, allowing customers to store materials conveniently before and after galvanizing.
Shot blasting and powder coating: Through an external subcontractor.
Flexibility
Recognising the importance of meeting customers’ time-sensitive demands, the team at Corby fully understands the significance of strict deadlines. We have extended opening hours for drop-offs and collections to provide the best assistance. Moreover, Corby offers expedited turnaround times, including overnight and within 24 hours, through prior arrangements, ensuring prompt and efficient service.
Committed to excellence and compliance
Premier Galvanizing Corby prioritises excellence in everything it does, including maintaining the highest occupational health and safety standards, quality management, and environmental management. Certifications include BS EN ISO 1461, ISO 45001, NQA ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001.
People
At Corby, we have a dedicated team of individuals with a wealth of knowledge and a sincere passion for their roles. From skilled shop floor operatives to transport and truck drivers, meticulous health and safety experts to the efficient administrative team, we work collaboratively to ensure that our valued customers receive the utmost service and see us as part of their team.
The Divisional Manager at Corby is David Prattis, and the Commercial Manager is Paul Martin. Contact Paul today to book your projects.
Finally, Corby comes of age!
As we celebrate the achievements of Premier Galvanizing Corby, we are delighted to announce an upcoming special occasion. The plant opened its doors in Corby in July 2002, so next month, it turns 21!
When the plant first opened, it had 13 team members. Now it has 44.
Happy 21st birthday to the team at Corby!
Next page
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).
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 page
As the steel construction industry moves to net-zero carbon by 2050, embracing the ideals expressed at COP26, Premier Galvanizing is playing its part.
Some of our decarbonisation initiatives include minimising energy usage, reusing waste heat to warm pre-treatment tanks, and improving burner efficiency. Plant emissions are also carefully controlled to ensure neighbouring communities are not adversely affected.
Our latest carbon reduction project has changed the lighting at all plants and our Head Office to be more energy efficient.
In late 2021 we engaged MODO to replace all the high-powered traditional lighting at three sites (Hull, Chesterfield and Head office) with LED fittings and motion sensors.
For example, at our sister plant in Chesterfield, MODO replaced over 300 light fittings. The company also installed motion sensors in low traffic areas, which power the lights on immediately when motion is detected, dimming down when the site is inactive and then powering off.
The switch to Modo LED also reduced the CO2 emissions by a massive 117 metric tonnes, equivalent to the average car driving 286,867 miles!
Please get in touch to find out more about carbon efficiency projects at Premier Galvanizing.
You can also see how we are committed to preventing pollution and minimising environmental impacts by viewing our Green Plan interactive infographic, newly published on our website.
Next pageIf you can make it – we can galvanise it!
For the last two years, Godbold Blacksmiths has been exclusively sending projects to Premier Galvanizing for steel finishing.
Our Hull plant has been the lucky recipient and it’s been an honour and a privilege to protect the steel produced by this amazing team of artists and makers.
About Godbold Blacksmiths Limited
Godbold Blacksmiths was set up in 1985 by James Godbold. Based in Whitby, North Yorkshire, it began with a few commissions and grew from there.
Fast forward 36 years and the Blacksmiths has a large workshop employing nine people, trained in both traditional skills and modern techniques.
The Company now produces everything from gates, railings, candlesticks, staircases, signs and sculptures – pieces which have often been inspired by the local scenery: the Yorkshire Moors and the rugged coastline. Hear more about this from James himself.
Hot dip galvanizing
As Godbold’s works with iron and steel, and metals need to be protected from the elements (to prevent against rust and corrosion), the Company sends their projects to Premier Galvanizing Hull for hot dip galvanizing.
Hot dip galvanizing is important because it provides a long-life, low-maintenance corrosion protection which safeguards steel from atmospheric attack.
Works of art
Over the last couple of years, the team at Hull have been proud to hot dip galvanize sculptures, gates, railings, benches and even door handles on behalf of Godbold’s. We also treated the steel for the now famous Godbold Fin the Fish sculpture, which was used as an environmental awareness campaign by Yorkshire Water, Scarborough Council and the University of Hull in 2019.
Long may this partnership continue.
Here’s a snapshot of some of the projects we have worked on:
‘If you can draw it – we can make it’
When Godbold Blacksmiths receives a commission from a new customer, no job is too big or too small. In fact, their motto is ‘If you can draw it – we can make it’.
Because we are proud to hot dip galvanize for this talented team, our response is: ‘If you can make it – we can galvanize it.’
Find out more:
To find out more about Godbold Blacksmiths, visit their website or view their social profiles (Instagram and facebook).
Next page
Happy Birthday to Premier Galvanizing Corby – celebrating their 15th year!
The end of July marks the 15th anniversary of Premier Galvanizing Corby. 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!
Next page
Due to the ongoing increase in demand for the reliable ‘on time’ service provided by Premier Galvanizing we are pleased to announce that we have expanded our production operation at our Corby site.
As of the 1 February 2015 our production department began operating on a 24 hour basis in order to continue providing our customers with the reliable service that they have become accustomed to.
Our aim is to ensure that the varied needs and requirements of our valued customers are maintained at all times, so therefore, to compliment our service, we have also invested in additional transport and recruitment.
We have increased our transport fleet and been successful in recruiting and training additional production personnel.
Our goal is to get it right first time, on time, every time! The development at our Corby site is instrumental to us delivering a great service that meets the demands of our customer base.
Next page
Premier Galvanizing were recently successful in securing the contract for hot dip galvanizing the steelwork, internal steelwork and the security fencing for the new rhino enclosure at Woburn Safari Park.
Following negotiations with Barretts of Aspley, Premier Galvanizing secured the contract because of the reliability and trust built up between the two companies over a number of years.
Prior to commencement on the project a member of the Premier Galvanizing team visited the drawing office to discuss ventilation and drainage points. Of upmost importance to the client was the need for clean surfaces as any sharp edges may damage the animals.
Premier Galvanizing offered the full package, material was collected from Bedford, hot dip galvanized and delivered onwards to site. Despite the tight turnaround and schedule of works, Premier Galvanizing hit every delivery date without fail.
By listening to the advice from Premier Galvanizing Corby, the customer received a top class product, fit for the magnificent animals that will be housed within their new home and their outside fenced off area.
Next pagePremier Galvanizing has recently rewarded a loyal supplier with a long term contract to supply lorries and drivers for our galvanizing operation based in Corby, Northamptonshire.
Premier Galvanizing and Bowring Transport have been working together successfully for many years, transporting hot dip galvanizing throughout the country.
By placing a commitnment with Bowring Transport the fleet at Corby has been replaced with the shiny new vehicles. See if you can spot them on the UK roads!
The drivers are representives of Premier Galvanizing and are the first point of contact between ourselves and our customers, which is why it is essential to have a stable driver network. Despite Premier Galvanzing Corby subcontracting the transport to another company the drivers remain the same, building relationships with customers and understanding their needs.
Premier Galvaning Corby are specialist hot dip galvanizers who offer a collection and delivery service for steel fabricators in the Midlands and South East of England.
Next pagePremier Galvanizing Corby have shown their commitment to a loyal Nottinghamshire supplier – Bowring Transport – by agreeing a long term contract for the supply of vehicles and drivers.
Premier Galvanizing Corby specialises in hot dip galvanizing, collecting and delivering throughout the Midlands and South East.
Building relationships with our customers is very important to us and the drivers are an important first line of contact between ourselves and our customers, it is essential that we have a stable and friendly driver network who get on well with our customers. Committing to Bowring Transport ensures this will continue to happen.
Next page