South West Galvanizers goes back to school

South West Galvanizers, part of Wedge Group, went 'back to school' to complete its latest steel galvanizing project.

South West Galvanizers , of Lords Meadow Industrial Estate, Crediton - part of Wedge Group, the UK's largest independent galvanizing group - went 'back to school' to complete its latest steel galvanizing project.

The Devon-based company was contracted by award-winning architectural metalwork specialists, Taunton Fabrications , to galvanize 80 tonnes of steel for a central walkway, internal and external staircases, an entrance structure and fire-escapes for Fairfield School, a new 1000-pupil secondary school in Bristol.

The galvanizing process provides the ultimate anti-corrosion protection from the elements for external and structural steel and gives a maintenance-free life to steel components for 50 years or more.

The steel sections for the new school site on the north side of Bristol, were galvanized by the 'hot dip' process using molten zinc and carried out in South West Galvanizers 's fully-enclosed galvanizing bath, which measures 7.5m x 1.1m x 2.5m and meets all current environment protection regulations.

David Phelps, Commercial Director of Taunton Fabrications , of Galmington Trading Estate, Taunton, which won the 2005 West of England 'Small Business of the Year Award', said: "Although this was a particularly difficult site, with limited space for the crane and powered access to operate, everything went very smoothly".

"We were particularly impressed with the quality of galvanizing to the perforated infill panels - there was no distortion at all which can often be a problem when galvanizing light plate sections".

The principal construction company for the £15 million school site is the Cowlin Construction Group of Bristol.

Fairfield School is due to open later this year.

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