Management – Finley Structures
managing director Julie Raistrick.
STEEL
YOURSELF
F
ew will realise the impact a local steel
fabrication firm is having on the Wear
region’s skyline.
But using locally fabricated steel, and
supporting local jobs, award-winning Finley
Structures has helped to build a surprisingly
large number of well-known structures
across the North-East region.
Notable recent contracts include
the 550-tonne contract at the IAMP in
Washington for GMI Construction, a
600-tonne project on the Vaux site in
Sunderland and an 1,100-tonne job for Sir
Robert McAlpine at the much-celebrated
Riverwalk development in Durham city.
The family-run firm has also previously
worked on a number of high-profile
contracts across the region, including
Nissan’s 1,400-tonne Leaf factory and
a 750-tonne press shop for the car
manufacturer, an 800-tonne factory for
Unipres in Washington followed by an
800-tonne extension and a 530-tonne
project for BAM Construction at Sunderland
College, while they also built the steel frame
for Sunderland Software Centre.
Further afield, Finley Structures is well-
known for constructing Hitachi’s train-
assembling facility in Newton Aycliffe, the
Victoria Gate shopping centre in Leeds and
the Advanced Manufacturing and Research
Centre (AMRC) in Sheffield. They’ve also
built schools on the Isle of Wight.
The list goes on.
Formed by John Finley in 2000, Finley
Structures prides itself on safety, quality and
attention to detail.
Employing 60 people – although the
Finley group of companies employs about
150 in total – it’s now run by John’s daughter,
Julie Raistrick.
As the firm approaches its 20th
36
Family-run steel fabrication
firm is shaping our skyline
Steel deal – Finley Structures
completed an 800-tonne factory
for Unipress in Washington
followed by an 800-tonne
extension
Julie, is down to solid foundations and
traditional family values.
And they head into 2020 with a healthy
order book involving more than 8,000
tonnes of steel for clients BAM, Bowmer
& Kirkland, Galliford Try, Kier, Tolent
Construction and Sir Robert McAlpine.
“We’re very much looking forward to
what will be a very exciting 2020 for Finley
Structures,” adds Julie.
“It’s also a special time for the company, as
we go into our 20th year. The business was
formed by my father in 2000. Perhaps even
he might not have envisaged at the time –
when he acquired our site from British Steel
by a chance encounter when driving past one
day – that we’d grow into the company we’re
so very proud of today.
“The fact we’ve not only survived but
thrived in such a volatile industry is
testament to John, the family and our hard-
working, dedicated staff.
“Our 20th anniversary is a milestone we
can all be incredibly proud of, and should be
celebrated.”
Find out more about Finley Structures at
finleystructures.co.uk
anniversary, Finley Structures recorded a
record turnover of £17.6m in 2019.
“We’ve come a very long way over the
years,” says Julie.
“The company was formed nearly 20 years
ago, and for a number of years we’ve been
competing nationally and working with all
major main contractors.
“Winning high-profile projects like
Hitachi and Nissan are great, but they’re
just a small part of what we do, year in, year
out. So many of our projects don’t get all the
headlines.”
It’s Finley’s education contracts, in
particular, that go largely under the radar.
But the firm has worked on 90 in the last
decade – ranging from Walker Technology
College back in 2009 to the recently-
completed Bradford
College, to other schools
and colleges in the
Wear region, Newcastle,
Gateshead, London,
Lincoln, Hull, York,
Scarborough, Cumbria,
Doncaster and Leeds,
Nissan – Finley Structures has worked on
among others.
two projects for the car manufacturer.
The firm’s success, says