As local as it gets!

‘Sourced in Yorkshire, fabricated in Yorkshire, installed in Yorkshire’

Scaling up for success

Hangfast in Crossflatts supply traverse climbing walls, bouldering walls, roped climbing walls, artificial caving systems, rope courses (all to EN 12752) and lighting gantries all over the world. Their customers include Centre Parcs, Legoland, and Hilton Hotels, Dubai. In the UK, their gantries can be seen supporting replay screens at Headingley and Royal Ascot and they are currently supplying a climbing wall and adventure tower for Lancaster Council and an assault course in Burley in Wharfdale.

Employing 40 staff, Hangfast was trading from one small unit in Crossflatts. The business began to grow exponentially and the managing director, John Beers realised that they were very quickly running out of space.

LEP grant made move possible

Hangfast, with the help of West & North Yorkshire Chamber, applied for and received a Business Growth Programme grant from Leeds City LEP. This enabled them to purchase two large units on the same industrial estate to give them the extended production and office space they so badly needed for the on-going business expansion.

Keen on using local suppliers, a long standing relationship with a freight company on the same estate was helpful in transferring stock to the new premises and even the building signs were ordered from a display company just two doors down from the new units.

Having bought two units and renting a third, it was decided that Hangfast finally needed larger office space. Rather than use up precious production space, a 300 SQ. metre mezzanine floor was planned to raise the office above the production area.

New floor with help from Chamber member

John Beers turned to Chamber member, Chris Wilson of Racks Industries Ltd, on the same industrial estate.

Chris sits on the steering group of Bradford and Airedale Manufacturing Alliance.

Formed in 1995 and having just celebrated 20 successful years, Racks Industries employs 33 people and produces cantilever racking systems which have been installed in companies in the UK, Russia and China whilst sister company Mezzanine Industries Ltd established in 2005 has installed mezzanine floors for many blue chip companies across the UK & Europe

On this project, the work was designed by Mezzanine Industries Ltd. under the watchful eye of Allan Miles-Turner the project manager and fabricated by Racks Industries.

Local businesses made project easy to manage

The mezzanine was constructed of certificated steel to EN1090 execution class II and all of it was sourced locally. Hot rolled steel was sourced from Thirsk, cold rolled steel came from Brighouse, all the fixings came from Guiseley, the steps were powder coated in Bradford and the whole structure was painted and fabricated in-house with the project calling on the talents of 12 people over a four week period.

The floor was then constructed in Hangfast’s site by its own construction team using the in-depth plans supplied by Mezzanine Industries.

Chris Wilson said: “Because it was such a local project, it was fantastically easy to oversee.”

John Beers added: “It was great, if I had any queries, I only had to walk down the road to discuss any issues with the project!”

Even companies trading internationally recognise the benefit of a truly local supply chain.

 

This article was published by West & North Yorkshire Chamber.