Excellence in Galvanizing
Edward Howell’s expertise has helped in the creation of a brand new educational facility at an historic site in the heart of the West Midlands.
The Wednesfield-based business, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, galvanized plate cladding used by Cheslyn Hay-based Traditional Structures to develop the Education Centre in the grounds of the 700 year-old ruins of Weoley Castle in Birmingham.
The centre, a joint Birmingham City Council/Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage funded project, whose main contractor was Linford-Bridgeman Ltd, has been created to provide a valuable resource for local children, as well as visitors to the area, to find out all about the castle’s history and its significance for the region.
Ken Moseley, Quality & Purchasing Director at Traditional Structures, said: “This was a very unusual project in terms of its design, with the steelwork used to construct the building required to be completely exposed rather than sealed, meaning that the steel plates had to remain both totally flat and intact throughout the whole process.
“It is for this reason that galvanizing was selected as the most appropriate finish for the project, and one which we specifically appointed Edward Howell for, due to the company’s specialist knowledge and experience. We are delighted with the end result.”
The education centre forms part of an overall £1.14million restoration of the castle ruins. The project has also included repairing the gate house entrance walls and drawbridge, a new viewing area, and the installation of a high-tech CCTV system.
Jim Lindsay, Sales Manager at Edward Howell, commented: “This was a fantastic project to be involved with, particularly as the site is of such historical importance to both the area and the population of Birmingham.”
“It was a challenging project due to the size and thickness of the steel panels involved, but the end result is extremely impressive and the galvanizing of the building’s exterior means that it will be protected from the elements for a lifetime,” he concluded.