A former Ministry of Defence (MOD) building has been transformed into a new, large scale storage facility and has created three new full-time jobs.
Glamal Engineering has leased the Transit Shed, which is based in the Allens West business park in Eaglescliffe, to house its newly acquired pipe stock that it supplies to the oil, gas, petrochemical and water industries.
The Transit Shed, as it was formerly known, is one third of a mile long, and required extensive work and investment to be carried out by both Glamal and the management team of JG Eaglescliffe (Holdings) in order to make it suitable for pipe storage.
While Glamal has an existing storage facility at its base in Wynyard Park that holds 3,000t stock and a 500t capacity at its site in the north-west, the Transit Shed will enable the company to expand its pipe stockholding and create capacity for a further 4,000t once filled. The site at Allens West Eaglescliffe will be operated by four full-time storemen, three of whom have recently been appointed. They will be responsible for managing and maintaining optimum stock levels, scheduling manufacturing capacity and coordinating distribution.
Neil Pentland, managing director, Glamal Engineering, says: “Acquiring the facility at Eaglescliffe has maximized our potential to fulfill orders more effectively by enabling us to provide a broader product range with delivery across the country and further afield. Rather than create a purpose built facility, we were keen to find a suitable site locally that we could invest in and preserve and the uniqueness of the Transit Shed was the ideal solution.”
“As a result of our growth over the last couple of years and a forecast for further expansion, we believe it was vital that we increased our stockholding to compete with other providers globally. The north-east has long been associated with pioneering the development of heavy industry and in the current climate, we are keen to ensure that the region remains at the forefront and reaps the benefits,” he added.
The company is unique in that it supplies pipes, fittings and flanges in a range of materials, including carbon, stainless, duplex, super duplex, nickel alloy, copper nickel, 6MO and chrome molybdenum steels. As a result, it has carved out a niche reputation for itself not only in the region but internationally.
In addition to the selection of finished pipes that the new facility holds, Glamal also has a vast range of semi-finished items that can be modified in its in-house machine shop, which is operated by experienced technicians.