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How Hard Is It To Get Into Aluminium?
Towards the end of last year, the Insight Data State of the Industry Report showed many fabricators adding aluminium options to their existing PVC-U...
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In It Together
Aluminium fabricator Hepworth Framework is big in its community. It recently welcomed customers, suppliers, prospects and the local Mayor to an open day – and The Fabricator was there too.
The Mayor of Calderdale is Councillor Angie Gallagher. Hepworth Framework has expanded its manufacturing facility in Brighouse, West Yorkshire.
The open day was a celebration of Hepworth’s recent £1m+ investment in its purpose-built aluminium manufacturing plant which has resulted in a bigger workforce, increased output, an expansion to its window and door system offering and a new showroom.
Standards
Managing director Richard Steckles told The Fabricator that Hepworth has a precision operation: “We don’t just make windows,” he said. “Everything we do is fabricated to our own detailed standard.”
Hepwoth’s R&D manager establishes the procedure for making every product, window or door. These are followed in the factory by the fabricators. “It means,” he told The Fabricator, “that anyone here can work on every stage of manufacture and we rotate the workers so that nobody is constantly doing the same job.
“It means that people concentrate on what they are doing better and gives us flexibility when it comes to covering holidays or absence through sickness.”
Customer service
In addition to supplying fabricators and installers (mostly in the North), Hepworth’s customer base includes architects and specifiers who are looking for that something different. The company has been a customer of Senior Architectural Systems for 30 years and recently added Cortizo to its product range.
Steckles said: “The precision we bring to manufacturing is passed on to our customers. Every door we make is installed into our jig to make sure it works correctly. If we do have complaint, we will always send our technical person out to look at it.
Nine time out of ten times he will find it has been installed out of square. But our customer service means that we will always go and inspect and help put it right. We have sent someone as far as Cornwall only to find it was an installation problem.”
Local employer
The new facility was formally declared open by Mayor Gallagher. Following a tour of the facility she commented on the importance of Hepworth as a significant local employer and supplier to the region.
Representatives of local foodbank, Brighouse Central Foodbank, were also there to receive a cheque and a box of food supplies in support of the work they do for the local community.
Steckles said: “Hepworth has a loyal customer base in the North and we want to help to those who are struggling locally during the cost of living crisis. We’ve been here for years, and we plan to be here for years to come.
“We aim to be the supply partner that people working in aluminium turn to. We have the knowledge, the skills, the team and the capacity. Our business is about building relationships.
“Our investment plans for this site are not over yet, though and a trade counter is scheduled to open later in the year.”
Picture: On the tour of Hepworth Framework’s expanded facility and a cheque presentation to Brighouse Central Foodbank.
Article written by John Roper
17th July 2023