GOING
STRONG
Staff at Newton Aycliffe steel structural specialists Finley Structures have been praised by company bosses . Picture by Chris Booth .
Steel firm shows mettle during pandemic
BY MARTIN WALKER
Newton Aycliffe construction specialists Finley Structures is confident about the future after enjoying a raft of contract wins since the first lockdown .
The family-run firm won seven new contracts – totalling 2,000 tonnes of steel – since the Covid-19 pandemic took hold earlier this year .
Finley Structures is also currently working on its largest contract to date , fabricating and erecting a 3,200-tonne structure for the huge Milburngate development in Durham city centre , which it started before the outbreak .
Managing director Julie Raistrick has paid tribute to her staff for helping to guide the company , founded by her father John Finley 20 years ago , through unchartered territories .
Finley Structures celebrated its 20th anniversary in August this year .
And Julie said : “ Our 20th celebration has been clouded by Covid-19 and the only question I ’ ve been asked in recent months is how our business has been affected by the pandemic .
“ Yes , we have been affected , but I am pleased to say that it ’ s not all negative . We have been fortunate enough to have work to carry us right through the pandemic and our sites remained open , so we continued to deliver .
“ We have taken all steps required to make sure our workplace is a safe place to work and the attitude of our staff has been first class .
“ Our production team have worked tirelessly during lockdown to keep steel going through the factory and to ensure we achieved site dates .
“ And our management team have also been hard at it – working on prospective projects and pricing up jobs .
“ During lockdown , we have won seven new contracts , and there are others pending for the new year , so it ’ s working out really well considering , and we remain very confident about the future .”
As well as the Milburngate development for national contractor Tolent , Finley Structures has also won the 1,070-tonne Spark project at the Helix development in Newcastle for Sir Robert McAlpine , an 800-tonne project at Hexham School for Galliford Try , a 500-tonne job at Leigh Academy in Rainham for Bowmer & Kirkland and was also awarded a 600-tonne contract for BAM Construction at Benton Park School in Leeds .
Julie added : “ The reason we ’ ve been able to move forward despite the pandemic is because we ’ ve established a solid customer base , a loyal workforce , and a reputation for quality and reliability .
“ In tough times , that ’ s where our resilience has come from – and it ’ s made me more determined than ever to build on what has been built before us .
“ I would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff at Finley Structures as I ’ m really proud of the way they ’ ve adapted and fought through this year .”
Finley Structures was formed by John Finley in 2000 and has since grown its reputation as one of the leading steel fabrication firms in the UK .
From its eight-acre site in Aycliffe , Finley Structures provides a wide range of structural solutions to the construction industry and offer a range of in-house services – including estimating , design and detailing , steel fabrication , painting and installation – enabling a cost-effective and efficient allround service to main contractors .
The company has worked in the past on notable local projects including Hitachi ’ s train assembling facility in Aycliffe , Nissan ’ s leaf battery plant in Washington and Teesside University ’ s award-winning Curve building , as well as several other high-profiles projects across the UK .
The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 29