Welcome to Churchill Steeplejacks Newsletter and Links

The financial year ending April 2005 saw Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd turnover £2.1 million, an increase of £700k on the previous years turnover. The main thrust behind this increase in turnover is attributed in the main to the rapidly expanding lightning protection and earthing sector of the business.

Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd are proud to announce the additional employment of 9no full time and 1no part time staff in the year ending April 2005 and take this opportunity to thank all our employees for their efforts throughout the year.

The year commencing April 1st 2005 sees Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd with a current order book in excess of £750k, which is unprecedented in the ten year history of Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd

In March 2005 Churchill’s were awarded funding in the amount of £10k by the Nottingham TransAct scheme. This provided funding for the purchase of satellite navigation units for use in company vehicles and hardware including lap top computers for remote working. In April 2005 Churchill’s were awarded funding by Nottingham Business Link S.I.G.N for development and marketing of their new web site.

Current Projects

e.on energy

Following the successful completion of the survey and repair of the external surfaces of cooling tower 1B during the latter quarter of 2004, Churchill’s were pleased to be awarded the next cooling tower to be surveyed and repaired at Ratcliffe power station.

The month of April 2005 saw Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd commence and complete site establishment and the erection of access equipment and scaffold platforms to 3b cooling tower.

Towards the end of the month of April Churchill’s are well underway with the survey and repair of the external surfaces of the tower that is anticipated will be over a 15-20 week period with 12 operatives employed full time on the tower for the duration of the contract.

e.on energy

The month of April also saw the commencement of the outage of brick flue unit no4 housed within the 198m concrete chimney at Ratcliffe on Soar power station.
Churchill’s commenced with the installation of access scaffolds at the summit of the 198m tall chimney and continued with the inspection of the brick lining that had been isolated for this outage.
As part of this contract the cast capping arrangement at the summit of the flue was removed and replaced with new cast sections.
This contract is anticipated to progress for a period of 5-6 weeks with 5 operatives employed full time throughout the duration of the contract.

Wates Construction Ltd

Site establishment and the erection of scaffold access throughout the height of the 35m tall structure was completed in the month of April.

The contract includes the removal and building back of the uppermost 10m of the chimney that is anticipated to take approximately 20 weeks with a team of up to 5 full time operatives being in attendance.

A requirement of the contract is that every single brick removed is to be replaced back in its original position to ensure the original profile of the chimney is maintained.

As part of our contract Churchill’s are to supply, manufacture and install new stainless steel chimneys to be inserted within the 35m brick structure.

Brown & Mason Ltd

On April 22nd Churchill’s successfully completed the demolition of the reinforced concrete chimney at Purfleet on behalf of Brown & Mason Ltd one week behind programme having encountered delays due to adverse weather conditions and the extreme thickness of the concrete windshield wall.

This contract involved the removal of a 2.2m diameter steel flue liner that was housed within the concrete windshield, the removal of the steel flue was completed prior to the demolition of the windshield using a 400t mobile crane with Churchill’s undertaking the role of Appointed Person.

At the terminating height of the demolition, approx 65ft above ground level, Churchill’s were faced with cutting through a concrete wall thickness of 600mm (24") which is approaching the maximum thickness of wall Churchill’s system is capable of achieving.

University Of Central England

Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd were initially directly employed by the University of Central England in Birmingham to carry out a thorough and comprehensive test and inspection of the existing lightning protection and earthing systems to all faculty and accommodation buildings.

The results of the survey confirmed that all of the systems were in need of both extensive repairs and up-grading to current standards. The University then employed an independent mechanical and electrical firm of consultants Messrs Bob Costello and Associates to oversee the projected works.

In early February of 2005 the order was awarded and following the receipt and acceptance of all relevant health & safety documentation, risk assessments, method statements and programme of works, the project began. It was paramount that all procedures were strictly adhered to, in order to cause minimal disruption to tutorials and inhabitants on the campus.

The major level of works was completed within the original programme projection of 15 weeks and all parties concerned expressed their thanks for “ A thoroughly professional job carried out under strict conditions.”

The University, the structure/s, its contents, the students and lecturers are now comprehensively protected from the effects of a lightning strike by the systems designed and installed by Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd