Widnes Galvanising launches new environmentally-friendly passivation process

Widnes Galvanising, the latest addition to the Joseph Ash Group, has just launched their new environmentally-friendly passivation process!

An alternative to hexavalent chrome passivation, Widnes Galvanising Ltd’s (also known as Joseph Ash Widnes) non-chrome 6 passivation is a fantastic step towards keeping the galvanizing process environmentally friendly, as well as making sure we deliver only the best quality finish for our customers.

What is passivation?

After hot dip galvanizing has taken place, items (on request) are “passivated”. Passivation causes a chemical reaction to occur, where a thin transparent layer of metal oxide coats the galvanized steel to help reduce the effects of wet storage stain and cool the items so they can be handled safely.

Our new passivation process does not use hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) compounds within the process. Instead, it relies on compounds which are considered less toxic and more environmentally friendly. Our new method of passivating is a safer alternative to traditional Cr(VI) passivation, while delivering only the highest-quality finish for our customers.

Benefits of non-chrome 6 passivation

The main difference between hexavalent chrome passivation and our new non-chrome 6 passivation is its environmental impact; Joseph Ash Widnes’ passivation process is more environmentally-friendly than traditional Cr(VI) passivation. At Joseph Ash we’re dedicated to protecting the environment, so this is a fantastic change for our Widnes site.

Other benefits of passivation include:

• Increased corrosion resistance: Passivation significantly improves the corrosion resistance of zinc-coated steel. This is particularly important in outdoor and industrial environments where exposure to moisture, chemicals, and pollutants is common.
• Aesthetic appeal: Passivation can enhance the appearance of the galvanized surface by providing a smoother and more aesthetically pleasing finish.
• Extended lifespan: Galvanized products with passivation tend to have a longer service life, reducing maintenance and replacement costs.
• Improved adhesion: Passivation can improve the adhesion of paints and coatings to the galvanized surface, making it easier to apply and more durable.

Contact Widnes Galvanising today to discuss your hot dip galvanizing and passivation requirements.

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Just days after our Meet the Team interview with him, we’re proud to announce that David Hull has been promoted to UK Head of Health and Safety for Hill & Smith PLC (Joseph Ash Group’s parent company).

Before, David was Head of Health and Safety for the Joseph Ash Group, operating from our Head Office. David’s promotion means he will now work directly for Hill & Smith PLC. He will be looking after the health and safety for Hill & Smith’s UK companies (as well as in India and Australia). Therefore, David will still play a large role in Joseph Ash Group’s health and safety management.

David has significant experience in Health and Safety leadership in a variety of sectors. Needless to say, this promotion is well-deserved.

David begins the transition into his new role from June 1st 2023.

Congratulations David!

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Widnes Galvanising, a leading provider of galvanizing services within the Joseph Ash Group, can now bring shot blasting and powder coating services to their customers. These new offerings bring Widnes Galvanising, which was acquired by the Joseph Ash Group in 2022, up to speed with other plants within the Group. Customers in the North West now have access to a wider range of finishing options, and can expect to save time and money on transportation and service fees.

Shot blasting is a highly effective process for removing rust, paint, and other contaminants from metal surfaces. It is essential for maximising the effectiveness of galvanizing and powder coating. Widnes’ other new offering, powder coating is a popular coating technique that provides a durable finish. It allows metal to be coated in a range of colours and textures while retaining the strength of galvanizing. Widnes Galvanising’s new offerings are perfect for making their customers’ steel fabrications stand out from the crowd.

Widnes Galvanising is committed to delivering the highest quality steel treatment services. With their new shot blasting and powder coating capabilities, the company is well-positioned to maintain its reputation as a leading service provider within the Joseph Ash Group. If you’re near the North West area, Widnes Galvanising is ready to strengthen your steel.

For more information about Widnes Galvanising and its services, please visit the company’s website at www.widnesgalvanising.co.uk or contact Gavin Jones at gavinj@widnesgalvanising.co.uk.

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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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2023 is the year of incredible long service milestones, as Dalit Singh recently celebrated 45 years at the Company! It was only last month on Valentine’s Day that Mick Jackson celebrated 40 years at Joseph Ash Galvanizing. Now, Dalit from Joseph Ash Walsall has his long service recognised.

Dalit started working for Joseph Ash in March 1978. He has worked through every role in the Walsall galvanizing plant, including Shift Supervisor for over 12 years.

Dalit first started his job with a company called Walker Brothers Galvanizing. The company was later taken over by Hill & Smith, Joseph Ash Galvanizing’s parent company. His first job was in Jigging Materials, and he then moved to become a Pot Man before his aforementioned Shift Supervisor role.

Amy Leachman from Joseph Ash Walsall commented on Dalit’s 45 years:

“Through his time, he has been a fantastic employee, with vast experience in our industry and someone that the division has been able to rely on. I personally have learned from Dalit’s expertise during my time spent with the production team and can see just how important a role he has played!”

Thank you for all your years of service, Dalit!

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As the UK is experiencing high levels of inflation and energy and food price hikes, low-income families have been hit the hardest and more people are turning to food banks for help.

With Easter fast approaching, most of us look forward to our chocolate fix. However, many families can’t afford the food they need, let alone the luxury of a chocolate egg.

With this in mind, Charlie Singh (Divisional Manager) and his team at Joseph Ash Walsall are trying to raise as much money as possible to support Breaking Bread, a food bank in the Midlands by providing them with Easter Eggs and other food products to ensure many more families can enjoy the things most of us take for granted over the Easter period.

Please help us make a real difference by visiting the Just Giving page and donating. No matter how small, any amount will be appreciated, and you can donate anonymously (if you prefer).

Further information is on the Just Giving page.

Alternatively, it is quick and easy to donate simply by scanning the QR code.

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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).

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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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We’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!

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