Merseyside Galvanizing has been called upon by Wigan-based HBS Steel Doors and Fabrications to provide its galvanizing service to 43 tonnes of steel used to create louvre shutters for 16 tower blocks, 9 storeys high, in and around Leeds city centre.

The company, which is part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, helped ensure the replacement shutters on the tower blocks were effectively protected in the long-term due to their positions and being more vulnerable to excessive weather conditions.

Nicki Woods, Business Development Manager at HBS Steel Doors and Fabrications Ltd, explained: "We were commissioned on behalf of Mears to design, manufacture and install brand new louvre shutters to replace the existing ones, and were responsible for ensuring that they would be long-lasting and aesthetically-pleasing for years to come. We subsequently called upon the Merseyside Galvanizing team to galvanize them for us so that they would be protected against weathering and rust , particularly with them being installed so high and so open to the elements.


"With such a deadline-driven project, we had to work closely with the galvanizing team to meet our exact timescales, which included Merseyside Galvanizing having to coordinate their collection, the processing of them at its galvanizing plant, and delivery to the powder-coating plant, before being returned to us and scheduled for installation. We're all extremely impressed with the quality, speed and efficiency of the Merseyside Galvanizing team, it was the crucial timings of the project which were important, and it was a real success."

The two companies have worked together on other projects, with Merseyside Galvanizing providing its services to HBS Steel Doors and Fabrications on a wide range of its gates to withstand demanding environments.

"Thanks to Nicki and the HBS Steel Doors and Fabrications team for involving us in this large project," said Richard Smetham, Sales Manager at Merseyside Galvanizing. "Each party involved worked together really efficiently, and we're pleased that the finished shutters are in situ and are looking great."

HBS Steel Doors and Fabrications Ltd undertook the work for Leeds City Council, and the final shutters were powder-coated on top of the galvanized finish.

(LM)