Wheelabrator team returns after 20 years

Steel fabricator Billington Structures is set to double output at its Bristol factory after Wheelabrator Group helped to relocate a shot blast machine it supplied and installed 20 years ago

Billington, based in the city's Badminton Road, wanted to increase production capacity by revising its factory layout, to accommodate extra craneage and materials handing equipment.

Relocating the Wheelabrator machine will enable the company to increase output to over 300 pieces of steel a day, compared with half this figure previously.

The project was carried out by the employees who installed the machine originally.

Now called Wheelabrator Plus, this is the company's aftermarket support and service division.

Roger Hale, Factory Manager at Billington Structures, said: "When we decided to move the shot blast machine, we contacted a number of different companies, but Wheelabrator stood out for their experienced loyal and committed workforce".

"It was reassuring to know they still employed some of the people who were here all those years ago".

"They could remember the machine being installed, so were familiar with its configuration and knew how to dismantle, move and rebuild it".

"We knew we were in safe hands".

Billington Structures manufactures over 500 tonnes of steelwork a week for the construction industry from its Bristol and Barnsley factories, to demanding just in time programmes.

Hale said: "The move has been a great success, allowing us to increase throughput to cope with extra demand".

"We were particularly impressed that Wheelabrator Plus moved the machine with the minimum of downtime and disruption, critical issues for any manufacturer".

"Wheelabrator Plus provided us with a cost effective solution and did an outstanding job".

Wheelabrator Plus provides a dedicated team of experts, offering servicing, parts and consumables provision, modernisation programmes and training.

It has service centres in Ossett, near Wakefield, Altrincham and Slough.

Benefits of using the Wheelabrator Plus service include the use of correct media, improved machine use and performance, lower running costs, increased output, minimised reworking and downtime elimination, saving customers money and ensuring maintenance staff are free to concentrate on other tasks.

Wheelabrator Plus also stocks and supplies a wide range of parts, including those for non Wheelabrator equipment.

Ray Parsons, UK General Sales Manager at Wheelabrator Plus, said: "We're delighted Billington are happy with the job we did and their production levels will double, following the relocation of the machine".

"This project demonstrates that it is not just what equipment you have, but how you use it".

Wheelabrator Group owns, designs, manufactures and provides wheelblast, airblast and mass finishing equipment for surface preparation and cleaning, and serves a range of sectors.

Its equipment, which ranges from simple to highly sophisticated, is used for the pre treating, conditioning, preparing, finishing and post manufacture finessing of mainly metal components.

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