We’re hiring at Joseph Ash Galvanizing

We’re looking for additional hot dip galvanizing operatives for our Bilston, Bridgend, Chesterfield, Corby, Hull, Medway, Telford and Walsall plants. Are you interested?

We’re searching for reliable, flexible, self-motivated and hardworking individuals, to be employed on a full-time basis (after successful completion of a probationary period).

The plants operate 24 hours with team members working on a rotating shift system (including some weekends) to meet customer demand.

The role ensures the safe and efficient processing of work, from receipt through to the galvanizing process to finished product ready for despatch.

We offer a structured training programme for all team members.

Applicants must be physically fit and work well in a team within a fast moving production environment, where excellent customer service and high product quality is the key to our continued success. An excellent attitude towards health and safety is a pre-requisite of the role.

For further information please email:

Rob Nelson (Divisional Manager at Joseph Ash Bilston)
Kevin Williams (Divisional Manager at Joseph Ash Bridgend)
Mark Payne (Divisional Manager at Joseph Ash Chesterfield)
David Prattis (Divisional Manager at Premier Galvanizing Corby)
Alex Camp (General Manager at Premier Galvanizing Hull)
Tim Palmer (General Manager at Joseph Ash Medway) or Joel Fletcher
Stuart Cobourne (Divisional Manager Joseph Ash Telford)
Charlie Singh (Divisional Manager at Joseph Ash Walsall)

Discretion assured. No agencies please.

Galvanized steel is an integral part of everyday life and is all around us. But how does its prevalence today affect the environment of the future? How sustainable is it? What role does it play in the circular economy? And is the galvanizing process itself environmentally friendly?

Steel is essential for housing, infrastructure, transport, manufacturing, and agriculture. Used as frames for our buildings, safety on our roads, and support for the bridges we cross, we must never waste the resources used to produce it by throwing it away when the original function is no longer valid. Instead, we must repurpose steel, especially if the world wants to move away from traditional business models of use-throw-away-remake to a more environmentally friendly, sustainable circular economy that aims to eliminate waste and repurpose resources.

What is a circular economy, and how can galvanizing play a part?

(Image from ‘Galvanized Steel and Sustainable Construction: Solutions for a Circular Economy’ by the EGGA)

A circular economy encourages materials to be made, used, reused, remade, and recycled.

Hot dip galvanizing fits perfectly into a circular economy because it optimises the durability of steel (enabling it to be used again) and facilitates the ease of reuse. It can be recycled if there’s no immediate need to repurpose it. Here’s how:

Optimising durability

When steel is galvanized, it is immersed in a bath of molten zinc, where it alloys with the iron in the steel to form zinc/iron alloy layers. These layers form the basis of the coating, which is covered with free zinc as the steel lifts from the galvanizing bath. The result is a robust, durable, corrosion-protective finish that will last many years.

Without a galvanized coating, steel corrodes rapidly, leading to a short lifespan. However, with a galvanized coating, steel can last for decades before the base steel is exposed, giving long term protection. This means that steel can be used for the original purpose for which it was fabricated, and – once the project is dismantled – the steel is still good enough to be used elsewhere.

Facilitating ease of reuse

Once a structure – such as a house or fencing – reaches its end of life, the steel can easily be repurposed if it has been hot dip galvanized. The galvanized coating protects the steel from impact and abrasion when disassembled and reassembled.

Recycling

Finally, hot dip galvanized steel fits nicely into a circular economy because it can be melted and used repeatedly without losing quality if there is no immediate need for repurposing.

The zinc coating can also be reused. Zinc and steel are recycled in well-established steel recycling processes. The zinc particulates are returned, without loss of properties, to zinc production plants, where they are incorporated into zinc ingots and reused in the galvanizing process.

How else does the galvanizing process enhance sustainability?

A hot dip galvanized finish gives steel a long life and durability. In addition, it creates a maintenance-free finish, which lessens the carbon emissions usually associated with the upkeep of non-galvanized steel.

Mick Jackson from Joseph Ash Galvanizing says: “Imagine a bridge made from non-galvanized steel. It would need maintenance every year to protect it from rust and corrosion. It would also need repainting at regular intervals. This requires paint, a workforce, transport for the workers and a means to protect the land or water below from paint contamination. This maintenance is not required if the same bridge is made from galvanized steel, therefore carbon emissions are greatly lessened.”

Is the galvanizing process environmentally friendly?

Galvanizing plants are self-contained, with steel going in at one end and the final product coming out at the other.

Modern galvanizing plants also use zinc very efficiently throughout the galvanizing process. For example, excess metal from the dipping process deposits back into the galvanizing bath. Zinc that oxidises on the surface is removed as ash and recycled, and dross from the bottom of the bath is routinely removed and has a high recycling value.

Other process consumables, such as hydrochloric acid and flux solutions, have important recycling or regeneration routes. Spent hydrochloric acid solutions are used to produce iron chloride for treating municipal wastewater, for example. Closed-loop flux recycling is also used in many plants, and improved monitoring and maintenance of flux tanks reduce the volume of solids for disposal. Compared to other coating technologies galvanizing uses low volumes of water, with plants rarely discharging wastewater. Any wastewater generated can be treated and reused, with only small volumes of stable solids requiring external disposal.

While not considered a particularly energy-intensive sector, the galvanizing industry also has set targets for energy efficiency and improved energy management. New technology has seen improvements in burner efficiency, bath lid efficiency, and reuse of waste heat to warm pre-treatment tanks. Plant emissions are also carefully controlled to ensure neighbouring communities are not adversely affected.

A strong commitment to the circular economy

The Managing Director at Joseph Ash Galvanizing, said: “We count ourselves fortunate to be involved with such a sustainable product, playing, as it does, a critical role in extending the life of steel structures by decades. In addition, reducing our environmental impact has been close to our hearts for many years, hence our heavy investment in fume capture and recycling by-products.”

We firmly believe in a circular economy, where the needs of present-day society are met, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

Get in touch to find out more about hot dip galvanized steel or the sustainability processes at Joseph Ash.

You can view the new EGGA guide – ‘Galvanized Steel and Sustainable Construction: Solutions for a Circular Economy’ here.

As Spring has sprung and it feels like a newly invigorated year, we’re pleased to announce the delivery of some new trucks at Joseph Ash Medway.

The new trucks arrived recently, and they have been part of a transport overhaul initiative by Rob Haynes, the Transport Manager at our Kent plant.

Since Rob joined Joseph Ash Medway three years ago, he has streamlined the fleet of lorries from 16 11 x 18ton Rigid’s, 1 x 7.5ton and four Artics) down to 12, (8 x 18 tonne Rigid and four x Artics). The purpose of the streamlining was to utilise all available space on each vehicle rather than running ‘half empty’ vehicles, maximising the number of deliveries and collections each vehicle can achieve, without compromising service.

Safety has also been a key goal for Rob. In November 2019 the plant received four new Mercedes Benz Actros tractor units, with the latest mirror cam technology and additional safety features, including intelligent breaking systems and lane control. The dash and driver controls are all touch screen for ease of use and hi-spec CCTV was fitted. Left turn and reverse audible warning systems were also added, and Rob is currently looking to add live cameras to view the rear of the vehicles.

In February 2021 Medway received the first of their new Mercedes Benz Antos rigid vehicles, to replace the 2016 fleet. These have the same specification, including the same safety features fitted, as the new tractor units.

Between now and April the plant will also be replacing two more of the Rigids. A further three will be replaced in November.

Finally, not only is health and safety important for our drivers, but ease of use. To this end Rob re-designed the rear of the trucks with lighter side doors, more durable hinges and catches, stronger posts and access doors either side, with drop down steps and grab rails.

He is currently in talks with Herrings Trailers, to replace Medway’s existing trailers, due for renewal in November 2021. These will be built to the same specification as the rear of the rigid vehicles.

For more information about the transport initiatives at Medway, please get in touch with Rob Haynes on Mob: 07734 875249 or Email: robh@josephash.co.uk. You can also email: transport@medgalv.co.uk.

In December 2020 (including throughout the Christmas period), the Joseph Ash Chesterfield plant underwent a series of major improvements that has helped the plant to get off to a flying start in 2021. The following works took place which will provide huge improvements to Joseph Ash employees and customers alike:

The 40 year old concrete in the road at the main gate was replaced, making the surface smoother for visitors
A new entrance and exit gate was installed to improve traffic flow around the site
We also installed two new overhead cranes
We carried out a series of total preventative maintenance projects to keep the site running smoothly and efficiently
Finally, the whole of the inside of the plant was repainted, making it clean and fresh for the New Year!

If you’re a regular customer of our Chesterfield plant, we hope you find these improvements beneficial to the services we provide to you. Do let us know if you have any feedback, or you think there are any other improvements we could make that could make your lives easier when you visit the plant.

We’re pleased to announce FORS renewal for Joseph Ash Medway, having once again met the bronze level requirements of the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS).

The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is a voluntary scheme that covers all aspects of vehicle emissions, fuel efficiency, economical operations and safety.

FORS enables vehicle operators to know they are helping to increase efficiency, win work, and reduce costs. It also provides peace of mind to vehicle operators that legislative requirements are being met. Finally, it enables operators to know they are becoming safer and greener.

Joseph Ash Galvanizing Medway was first awarded the bronze certificate for FORS in 2016.

Thank you to FORS for assessing us. Thank you also to the team at Medway who worked hard to receive the award.

Season's Greetings from Joseph Ash Galvanizing!

Dear Customers,

It’s the end of the year… Where did 2020 go to? It seems to have been non-stop, with a huge amount more to think about and manage than normal.

As you might know, in the Joseph Ash Group we made the decision early in the Pandemic not to allow the situation to impact our customers, but nor could we allow our employees to be put at risk. So we worked hard as one big team across all eight plants to quickly develop our protection systems and order extra sanitising gels and PPE as quickly as possible. The Furlough Scheme allowed us to reduce concentrations of staff (although we’re pleased to say we are able to repay it in line with the decision of our parent group, Hill & Smith Holdings PLC). Alterations to shift start and finish times helped as well.

Hot dip galvanizing at Joseph Ash Galvanizing

What pleased us the most, however, were the messages of support from several customers who also stayed open and who said they would have been in difficulty without their “last production process partner”. We were also delighted to have the opportunity to showcase our abilities to many new customers who knocked on our door for the first time during the Spring lock-down, and have elected to keep us as their production partners ever since.

It also pleased us to be able to help the national pandemic effort by processing steel for much-needed facilities such as the NHS Nightingale Hospitals, an extension to an oxygen tank facility at St. Thomas’s Hospital in London, and equipment such as clinical waste bins and trucks, and crash trolleys.

Galvanized steel at Joseph Ash Galvanizing

I guess it should be no surprise to anyone if I say that April and May were tough months. However, we seemed to regain some equilibrium by the last week of May and volumes thereafter increased each week by several percentage points, until today we find ourselves extremely busy. This is in no small part due to our excellent Sales teams who were not furloughed and spent their time working very hard and effectively from their kitchen tables – with no office conversations about football or TV to distract them!

We have had two significant challenges to deal with in 2020 – I guess no different to many of you:

As we “employ” around 70 agency workers in our group, mostly on a temp-to-perm basis, they were inevitably furloughed by their agency employers and many became lost to us;
Whilst the incidence of Covid diagnoses in the Joseph Ash Group has been well below the national average (I have probably driven our people mad with constant nagging about hand-washing!), we have still temporarily lost the services of dozens, isolating due to family members testing positive. I have also been surprised how many partners of our employees are facing danger every day in the NHS and Care sectors – God Bless them all.

So, maintaining capacity has been a challenge at times, but we have been saved by the reasonable distances between our plants and a very cooperative desire by them to help their sisters. Now, we are well on the way to rebuilding our teams, with the last tranche (or recruits) set to join us in the New Year.

Galvanizing Bath at Joseph Ash Galvanizing

In all, whilst 2020 has been grim in many respects, it has given the people of the Joseph Ash Group the chance to really show their mettle and I am inordinately proud of every one of them. I believe that, whilst our profits might be down, in more ways than one this has been the finest year of our 150-year history.

But none of the above would have been possible without you, our excellent customers. You too have faced adversity, come through it and supported us in our endeavours to keep going and maintain our standards of service. What a great partnership! I thank you most sincerely for your efforts and our relationship.

On behalf of everybody at Joseph Ash, I wish you and your loved ones a happy, peaceful and healthy Christmas, and a far better New Year!

Kindest regards,

Steven Hopkins
Managing Director
Joseph Ash Group

Joseph Ash Bilston
Will close on Tuesday 22 December 2020.
Deliveries to be received by midday.
Will re-open on Monday 4 January 2021.

Joseph Ash Bridgend
Will close on Thursday 18 December 2020.
Deliveries to be received by Wednesday 17 December.
Will re-open on Monday 4 January 2021.

Joseph Ash Chesterfield
Will close on Tuesday 22 December 2020.
(Last production day is 21 December 2020.)
Will re-open on Saturday 2 January 2021.

Premier Galvanizing Corby
Will close on Wednesday 23 December 2020, 3.00pm.
Will re-open on Monday 4 January 2021, 7.30am.

Premier Galvanizing Hull
Will close on Tuesday 22 December 2020, 6.00pm.
Will re-open on Monday 4 January 2021, 6.00am.

Joseph Ash Medway
Will close for deliveries and collections at 2pm on Wednesday 23 December. (We will be available to make deliveries and collections up to and including Wednesday 23 December.)
Will re-open on Monday 4 January 2021, 6.00am.

Joseph Ash Telford
Will finish galvanizing at 6.00am on Wednesday 23 December 2020. Deliveries to be received by 11.00am.
Will re-open on Monday 4 January 2021, 6.00am. Deliveries can be received from 8.00am.

Joseph Ash Walsall
Will finish galvanizing at 6.00am on Monday 21 December 2020.
Deliveries to be received by 2.00pm.
Will re-open on Monday 4 January 2021, 7.00am.

We wish to employ additional hot dip galvanizing operatives for our Corby plant. Are you interested?

We’re looking for reliable, flexible, self-motivated and hardworking individuals, to be employed on a full-time basis (after successful completion of a probationary period) within a rotating shift pattern.

We offer a structured training programme for team members to become multi-skilled in all areas of the production process.

Applicants must be physically fit and work well in a team within a fast moving production environment, where excellent customer service and high product quality is the key to our continued success. Manual handling and fork-lift truck experience is desirable but not essential as full training will be given.

Direct message David Prattis at Corby for further details. Discretion assured. No agencies please.

We’re pleased to announce that all our Safety Officers across Joseph Ash Galvanizing and Premier Galvanizing have recently completed a ‘Safe Return to Work’ City & Guilds online course about COVID-19 safety.

The course covers correct hand hygiene, safe working practices, social responsibility, use of PPE and demonstrates that the holders understand the importance of safety practices and the methods used to control COVID-19 transmission in the workplace.

It’s great to continue to advance our knowledge about maintaining a safe working environment for all personnel and everyone who visits our plants.

Health and safety has always been important to Joseph Ash Galvanizing and Premier Galvanizing, and this is especially the case during these COVID times. Since the Coronavirus pandemic began to affect the UK, Joseph Ash Galvanizing and Premier Galvanizing plants have remained opened, but we have been working safely, staying Covid-19 secure.

To help customers and suppliers feel secure whilst working with us (either when meeting with our delivery drivers, or when visiting our plants), we have put extra measures in place in place in each plant to comply with the Government’s guidance on managing the risk of COVID-19. For example:

We have cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures in line with guidance.
We have taken all reasonable steps to help people work from home.
We have taken all reasonable steps to maintain a 2m distance in the workplace.
Where people cannot be 2m apart, we have done everything practical to manage the risk of transmission.

Each Joseph Ash Galvanizing and Premier Galvanizing plant has recently been assessed against the guidelines, and has been issued with a certificate to show compliance.

For further information about how we’re managing risk during this epidemic, please also read our Epidemic Health and Safety Policy.