Finley Structures has secured a contract to build the steel framework for a multiple unit development on the outskirts of London.

The Aycliffe fabrication firm has been awarded the 616-tonne project at Navigation Park in Enfield, North-East London, from West Midlands-based building and civil engineering contractors A&H Construction, on behalf of multi-national Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) SEGRO.

The development is made up of three units totalling 173,000 sq ft gross external area, including industrial units and office accommodation.

Finley Structures has almost finished construction of the steel frame.

Operations manager Jim Graham says this debut contract with A&H Construction shows how the family-run business is growing into new areas.

“This is the first time we’ve worked with both A&H Construction, as the main contractor, and SEGRO as the end user,” said Mr Graham.

“It shows that we’re not just a regional business and we have the capability of working nationally and competing with steel fabricators of all sizes.

“SEGRO is a major European buisness which targets the Southern UK corridor as a major growth area, and this project at Navigation Park is a typical signature project.

A&H Construction, based in Halesowen, just South of Birmingham, offers turnkey packages to the retail, commercial, industrial and leisure sectors.

Mr Graham added: “It’s another new client for us – we now have new targets and new areas to focus on.

“We are actively seeking out new opportunities, and being more selective about our client base and project selection.”

Finley Structures is also currently working on a 432-tonne building at Workington Academy, in Cumbria, for Sir Robert McAlpine.

Mr Graham said: “We have a long-established relationship with McAlpine, but we still secured that contract under stiff competition. It wasn’t handed to us on a plate.

“Working further afield in different areas of the country does bring new challenges, such as transportation, supervision and management.

“But we’re continually looking for efficiency gains in our processes to make us as competitive as we can be, and it’s work which is paying off in the contracts we’re winning on a regular basis.

“Our average weekly tonnage has continued growth and the business continues to grow from strength-to-strength as we explore these new markets and continue to secure major projects.”

Finley Structures last year announced it saw turnover climb £3.1m to £16.4m after a string of major contract wins, while the firm also took on eight new employees – boosting staff numbers to 68.

Finley is still currently working on a major project at the Victoria Gate shopping centre in Leeds – a deal worth close to £4m – while last year it also completed a 500-tonne project for Teesside University and a 620-tonne contract for the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing and Research Centre (AMRC), as well as several school new builds for Galliford Try.

The family firm has also won a number of other new contracts, including a 600-tonne contract for McLaughlin & Harvey at Heathrow and a 600-tonne contract for BAM Construction at Lincoln University and a 270-tonne project for Interserve at York University’s Biomed Building.

Finley Structures has been boosted by a new record year for its steel construction division.

Finley saw turnover jump to £16.4m by the end of March this year – up £3.1m on 2014.

During that time, the steel fabrication firm has also taken on eight new employees – boosting staff numbers to 68 – while working on high-profile contracts across the region.

Finley Structures fabricated and erected 2,000 tonnes of steel which makes up the frame for Hitachi Rail Europe’s new £82m train-assembling factory on Aycliffe Business Park.

Finley has also worked on a 2,300-tonne project at the Victoria Gate shopping centre in Leeds – a deal worth close to £4m.

And during the 2014-15 financial year, the Aycliffe outfit also built Nissan’s new Leaf factory, a 1,400-tonne project, the 500-tonne Sports Village in Middlesbrough and a 300-tonne frame for the £38m National Biologics Centre in Darlington, which opened recently.

In addition, Finley Structures completed a 500-tonne project for Teesside University and a 620-tonne contract for the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing and Research Centre (AMRC) to round-up a busy year.

It comes as its sister company, nearby SCH Site Services which employs 36 people, continues to perform strongly, while Finley’s also launched the ROF 59 activity centre this summer, a new leisure venue built on one of the former Royal Ordnance Factories at Aycliffe Business Park which employs another 15 full-time and 15 part-time staff.

Joint managing director Julie Finley says it’s been a hugely positive and progressive period for family firm, which was formed by her father, John, in 2000.

“The construction industry continues to have its challenges but it has been an exceptional year for the Finley group,” she said.

“Finley Structures’ financial performance for the year end March 2015 has been largely down to the two large, high-profile contracts in Hitachi for Shepherd Construction and Victoria Gate for Sir Robert McAlpine.

“During the timescale of the Hitachi contract alone we took on eight new staff – four in the office and four on the shop floor – to cope with the amount of extra work, which means we’re up to record employee levels.

“SCH continues to do very well and ROF 59 is an exciting new development for the company which has seen our combined staff numbers reach almost 130.”

Earlier this year, Finley Structures won a multi-million-pound contract to build new schools across the region with major contractor Galliford Try, a national firm which has offices across the UK including Washington, Tyne and Wear.

The contracts, which vary from 380 to 400 tonnes apiece, include Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough, Longbenton Community College in Newcastle, Duchess Secondary School in Alnwick, Bedlingtonshire Community School in Bedlington, Northumberland, and Hetton School in Hetton Le Hole.

It’s the first time Finley Structures has worked with Galliford Try, a FTSE 250 housebuilding and construction group which employs around 5,000 staff nationally.

The family firm has also won a number of other new contracts, including a 270-tonne project for Interserve at York University’s Biomed Building, a 600-tonne contract at Navigation Park in Enfield for A&H Construction and a 430-tonne job for Sir Robert McAlpine at Workington Academy in Cumbria – which are all currently on site.

“There’s a lot going on and we’re now working on more and more contracts outside of the North East region,” added Julie.

“We’re especially delighted to be working on projects with new clients as we continue to strengthen the excellent relationships we already have with all the major contractors. It certainly continues to be a hugely positive time for the company.”

Founded by John Finley in 2000, Finley Structures has three sites on Aycliffe Business Park – its head office and main factory on Whinbank Road, its SCH site on Beaumont Way and its new ROF 59 site on Durham Way South.

Finley Structures has been awarded a multi-million pound deal to help construct a £650m shopping development in Leeds.

The family construction firm, which has recently completed steelwork on Hitachi Rail Europe’s train-building site for Shepherd Construction, was handed a 2,300-tonne job to construct a major part of Victoria Gate, in Leeds city centre.

Victoria Gate is an exciting addition to the vibrant shopping scene in Leeds, which will include the Victoria Gate arcade, currently being constructed by Finley Structures.

It will include stores, restaurants, cafes and leisure space in an elegantly designed two-street arcade linking Victoria Quarter to the John Lewis store.

The development is expected to deliver up to 1,000 retail and hospitality jobs and 1,000 construction employment opportunities.

Finley Structures was awarded a 20-week contract from Sir Robert McAlpine’s Manchester office, to fabricate and erect 2,300 tonnes of steel, after being recommended for the job by the firm’s Newcastle office following the successful completion of Nissan’s new car plant in Washington.

The work is being done on behalf of national retail developer Hammerson Property, which boasts a real estate portfolio of around £7.7billion, with investments in 22 major shopping centres and 22 retail parks, providing a total of 1.7million sq m of retail space.

Finley Structures operations manager Jim Graham said: “This is a very prestigious contract for us and we’re delighted to be doing this work for Sir Robert McAlpine on behalf of Hammerson.

“Retail is fairly new to us, but is an area we’ve been looking to explore for some time now, and to get on to Hammerson’s supply chain is a major coup for the company.

“It’s a very high maintenance job. In retail there tends to be a lot of alterations and you have to react very quickly to change, which we’ve been doing very well to date and we’re currently on programme.

“It’s another indication of how far Finley Structures has come in the last three-to-four years, with large-scale projects like this now becoming run-of-the-mill stuff to us.”

McAlpine has praised Finley Structures for its “exceptional” safety performance on the Victoria Gate contract.

The firm’s North West regional manager Simon Trevor said: “Not only are Finley Structures the only company to have scored a KPI for Health and Safety and over 80% during the month of February, but they are the first and only to have achieved this in our region within the last 12 months.

“Our supply chain represents 80% of our business, therefore it is the collective effort which counts on trying o change cultures to effect positive outcomes, so I congratulate Finley Structures on their exceptional safety performance.”

The Victoria Gate contract comes after Finley Structures, founded by John Finley in 2000, was given a 2,000-tonne contract to fabricate and erect the steel frame for Hitachi’s factory on Aycliffe Business Park last year.

During a busy 2014, the family firm, which employs 60 full-time staff, also completed a 1,400-tonne project for Nissan, constructing the steel frame for the Japanese car manufacturer’s new facility in Washington, as well as a 300-tonne contract for the National Biologics Centre in Darlington for contractors Interserve.

In addition, Finley Structures worked on Middlesbrough Council’s state-of-the-art Sports Village, erecting 500 tonnes of steel for main contractor Willmott Dixon, while also completing a 500-tonne contract for Bam Construction at Teesside University as well as two 280-tonne projects for the Poniel Warehouses in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, for Muir Construction.

Finley Structures started on site at Leeds in February and expect to complete the structural steelwork in June.

Victoria Gate, formerly known as Eastgate Quarters and the Harewood and Eastgate Quarters, is a £650m development which is planned to open in late 2016.

Finley Structures has won a multi-million-pound contract to build new schools across the region.

The family-run company has secured the deal with major contractor Galliford Try, a national firm which has offices across the UK including Washington, Tyne and Wear.

Finley has been contracted to supply, deliver and erect steel for five comprehensive schools in the North East, varying from 380 to 400 tonnes apiece.

The include Lawrence Jackson School in Guisborough, Longbenton Community College in Newcastle, Duchess Secondary School in Alnwick, Bedlingtonshire Community School in Bedlington, Northumberland, and Hetton School in Hetton Le Hole.

Finley Operations Manager Jim Graham said: “This is the first time we’ve worked with Galliford Try and we’re delighted.

“Galliford is known to have a very tight supply chain in the industry, so this deal represents a fantastic opportunity for us.

“We need to perform and be user-friendly, but we’re confident we’ll impress as we do with all our contracts.”

Galliford Try is a FTSE 250 housebuilding and construction group delivering industry-leading performance in the constructing sector.

The group employs around 5,000 staff and benefits from a strong client base and integrated supply chain, spanning both industries in which it operates.

This latest deal for Finley Structures after it was awarded a 2,600-tonne job to construct a major part of Victoria Gate, in Leeds city centre, earlier this year.

Finley Structures was awarded a 20-week contract from Sir Robert McAlpine’s Manchester office, to fabricate and erect 2,300 tonnes of steel, after being recommended for the job by the firm’s Newcastle office following the successful completion of Nissan’s new car plant in Washington.

The steel firm has also completed a 620-tonne contract for Interserve at the AMRC Factory in Sheffield and is also currently working on a 140-tonne warehouse contract for neighbouring Stiller Warehousing and Distribution in Newton Aycliffe.

Other contracts include a 170-tonne job for Britcon at the AMP Technology Centre in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, and another school contract for Bowmer and Kirkland at Allestree in Derby.

A team of councillors were wowed by plans to create a permanent memorial to the Aycliffe Angels at one of the Royal Ordnance Factories on Aycliffe Business Park.

Six of Newton Aycliffe’s Durham County Councillors – Jed Hillary, John Clare, Kate Hopper, Eddy Adam, Joan Gray and Mike Dixon – visited the former Presswork Metals factory, which is being turned into a mixed-use leisure facility by local family construction firm Finley Structures.

The company’s Managing Director Julie Finley showed them ambitious plans to preserve the heritage and memory of the Aycliffe Angels, who worked at the ROF during World War II.

As we approach the 70th anniversary of the end of hostilities, Finley Structures has revealed it wants to name the complex ROF 59, standing for Royal Ordnance Factory 59 – the original name of the group of Aycliffe factories built in the early 1940s which created the New Town of Aycliffe.

The huge munitions factory employed some 17,000 workers, mostly women, between 1941 and 1945 and was an extremely important part of the country’s war effort.

The work was highly dangerous as the women filled bullets and bombs for the boys in the battlefield. There were a number of serious and fatal explosions, with eight women being killed in one blast.

Much of the original brickwork as well as some of the 1960s Presswork Metals building has been preserved, with the 21st Century steelwork creating a palimpsest effect of building through the ages.

Staff working at the new ROF 59 will wear overalls, like the Aycliffe Angels did when they risked their lives working there 70 years ago, while several other features will enable Aycliffe’s proud history of the munitions-making factories to live on.

Part of an old railway line, used to transport the munitions to the main railway line which was uncovered during foundation works, will be incorporated into other memorabilia features and archive photographs from back in the day.

Cllr Hillary revealed how his parents – Bob and Millie Hillary – met in Aycliffe after working there during hostilities.

“It’s really quite amazing,” he said. “My mother and father actually met in School Aycliffe during the war, my father was stationed here with the Army guarding the place and my Mum worked here in the Ordnance Factory.

“So I’ve always known about the ROF and the Aycliffe Angels, and to see – after such a long time – some kind of honorary tribute to them is a really positive step forward for Newton Aycliffe.

“Although it’s a new town, it has got a lot of history. We’re steeped in history. But this area, where the Royal Ordnance Factory was, is a really important place in the history of the country. It provided munitions during the whole of the Second World War and kept the troops fighting across the world, so to actually commemorate this is really important, and would be part of my family heritage.

“I don’t think people realise just how big a footprint the Royal Ordnance Factory had. There are still bunkers at the other end of where Hitachi is now, and some of the old munitions factories stretch down to St Cuthbert’s Way.

“The current industrial park was set up to occupy buildings when the ROF ceased to exist, which shows you just how vast it was.”

Cllr Clare, well known in Aycliffe as a former History teacher at Greenfield School, said: “Because I’m an historian I’m intrinsically excited about this.

“Just looking at the building you can see history growing before your very eyes, beginning with the roofline of the Royal Ordnance Factory walls. Above that you have a brick wall from the 50s or 60s and above that you have the 21st Century steelwork – is that not exciting?

“You’ve got the developing uses happening at the same time… it started off making bombs to protect Britain during the war, followed by your post-war new town aims and the Presswork Metals factory and now we’re turning it into a leisure factory.

“The scheme aims to integrate that history into the modern leisure function of the project. The history is going to be all around you and integrated into the project as you walk around, so you will be learning as you’re playing, which is just fantastic.

“Projects like this are integral to the success of Aycliffe Business Park, so it’s important as well as exciting.”

Almost £600,000 has been spent on constructing a new 70,000 square foot facility on the site, which has stood empty for more than six years.

A further £300,000 is to be invested in the fit out of the facility, including a trampoline park, cafe, restaurant and bar, and it will also include one of the biggest climbing walls in the country, standing at 20 metres tall, while Rock Antics are moving from the town centre to be incorporated into the project.

A former World War II munitions factory will become a permanent memorial to the Aycliffe Angels as part of an exciting development which will create up to 20 new jobs.

Newton Aycliffe construction firm Finley Structures acquired the old Presswork Metals factory on Aycliffe Business Park more than two years ago.

Almost £600,000 has been spent on constructing a new 70,000 square foot facility on the site, which has stood empty for more than six years.

A further £300,000 is to be invested in the fit out of the facility, including a trampoline park, cafe, restaurant and bar, and the facility will also include one of the biggest climbing walls in the country, standing at 20 metres tall, while Rockantics are moving from the town centre to be incorporated into the project.

Now, as we approach the 70th anniversary of the end of hostilities, Finley Structures has revealed exciting plans which will help to preserve the building’s war-time history.

The family firm wants to name the complex ROF 59, standing for Royal Ordnance Factory 59 – the original name of the group of Aycliffe factories built in the 1940s.

The huge munitions factory employed some 17,000 workers, mostly women, between 1941 and 1945 and was an extremely important part of the country’s war effort.

The work was highly dangerous as the women filled bullets and bombs for the boys in the battlefield. There were a number of serious and fatal explosions, with eight women being killed in one blast.

Staff working at ROF 59 will wear overalls, like the Aycliffe Angels did when they risked their lives working there 70 years ago, while several other features will enable Aycliffe’s proud history of the munitions-making factories to live on.

Part of an old railway line, used to transport the munitions to the main railway line which was uncovered during foundation works, will be incorporated into other memorabilia features including a model spitfire and archive photographs from back in the day.

Managing Director Julie Finley said: “We recognise the important historical significance of the factory and the Aycliffe Angels who used to work there, so we have deliberately retained much of the original brickwork and signage within the building.

“The plan is to create a permanent memorial, and help us to keep educating young people about this important piece of British history.

“Aycliffe Business Park probably wouldn’t exist today without the Royal Ordnance Factories, and we feel it’s important to preserve that heritage for many years to come.”

Consultant Kim Fryer (pictured, above, with Julie), of Newton Aycliffe-based KF Restaurant and Hospitality, has already been appointed by Finley Structures to manage the restaurant development, and the company is looking to recruit a bar manager, bar assistants, chefs, receptionists, cleaners and other members of staff in the coming weeks.

With over 20 years experience within the hospitality industry, Ms Fryer has a passion for quality food and service, having headed up the events team at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery for a number of years before relocating from the Midlands to the North East to manage Auckland Castle.

“This is a fantastic project to work on and I’m delighted to be involved,” she said.

“It’s important that we keep our heritage alive and educate our young people to appreciate and understand what the previous generation did for this country.

“But it will also be an attraction to both families from all over the region looking for a good day out as well as local businesspeople looking to entertain guests.

“We’ll be using locally-sourced, fresh produce and we’ll have some quirky food and drinks menus to cater for everyone.”

Anyone who’d like more information about the jobs at ROF 59 can email p.hadwin@finleystructures.co.uk

Finley Structures were winners in Woodham Academy’s third annual Apprenticeship Awareness Programme 2014.

Our team’s display was named the best presentation at this year’s final event, with Ebac winning the overall award.

Six high-profile businesses spent nine weeks taking part in the successful scheme, which is part-funded by the Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership (GAMP) and brings education and business together.

Us along with Shepherd Construction, Ebac, Gestamp Tallent, livin and Thorn Lighting took part in this year’s competition.

More than 100 year 9 students took part in a carousel of workshops, dubbed “speed networking”, when the companies involved gave the youngsters a short insight into what they do.

The tutor groups were then allocated one firm which they will visit and get to know more about them and Apprenticeship opportunities.

After visiting the firm, businesses made several return visits to Woodham to help young people put together a presentation, which were delivered during a special evening at the school, when our display came out top.

HR manager Pauline Hadwin said: “We’re delighted to have won best display.

“The Apprenticeship Awareness Programme is very important to us. It helps us to engage with local youngsters and give them an insight into our world and industry.

“It’s also good to give something back to the local community and working with Woodham Academy is always a pleasure.”

Woodham head teacher Christine Forsyth said: “It’s great that children have had the opportunity to go and see businesses first hand and find out what opportunities are out there.

“It’s also been a real pleasure to have local firms working with our young people. I think they’ve learned a lot about what schools do.”

We were delighted to have raised a brilliant £1,118.77 for the BBC Children In Need Appeal 2014.

Our fundraising activities included a raffle, with generous gifts donated by Newton Press, The County, Redworth Hall Hotel, Woodham Golf Course, Beanies, Lox of Love, The Bay Horse Heighington, Siesta Blinds, Gregg Little Testing and Glen Office Supplies Darlington.

The Bay Horse at Heighington also did a bucket collection as part of our fundraising and all together we raised £818.77, with Finley Structures adding £300 to the pot.

We wish to thank all companies who made this worthy fundraising possible and, of course, our staff, friends and family for their generosity in order for this wonderful amount of money to be raised for such a great cause.

Pudsey sent a message saying: “Your donation will make a real difference to the lives of the most disadvantaged children and young people in the UK.

“From money generously donated by the public, BBC Children in Need is able to make grants to voluntary groups, community projects and registered charities who offer practical lasting support to children and young people to help them to have a childhood that is safe, happy and secure and always allows them the chance to reach their potential.

A once thriving industrial factory is back on the up after being stood derelict for six years thanks to Finley Structures.

The former Presswork Metals factory, along Durham Way South on Aycliffe Business Park, has been closed since 2008.

Now plans are in place to convert the building into a new leisure facility, with rock climbing being the main attraction.

The 70,000 square foot facility will include one of the biggest climbing walls in the country, standing at 20 metres tall, and will stage national tournaments. It will also be used by the British team for training.

We purchased the site two years ago and a mixed-use licence was granted by Durham County Council 18 months ago.

Now more than £600,000 is being spent on the facility, with 150 tonnes of steel currently being constructed by us for the frame.

It will be leased to local leisure firm Rockantics, which has been operating from Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre for the last 20 years.

A huge steel frame which will house the 20-metre climbing wall has already changed the skyline on Aycliffe Business Park, and it’s hoped the new Rockantics will be open in time for the 2015 Easter holidays.

The former Presswork Metals building is one of the original World War Two munitions factories that still exist on Aycliffe Business Park.

And during the re-construction process, we made a number of interesting historical discoveries.

Managing director John Finley said: “We wanted to preserve as many of the original walls as possible, and as we started scraping some of them back to the original brick we found a lot of old signage relating to the War effort.

“One wall had a sign saying ‘3.5 shells’ and another said ‘this is your air raid shelter’!

“We also discovered an old railway line when we were digging the bases out, and we’re assuming these would transport the ammunitions from the factory to the main national rail line.

“It’s really interesting stuff and we feel it’s important that we try to preserve this important piece of Aycliffe heritage, so we’re planning on creating some sort of permanent tribute to the munitions workers which would be incorporated within the leisure facility for visitors to enjoy.”

Joint Managing Directors John and Julie Finley attended an historic event to “top out” Hitachi Rail Europe’s train-building factory in County Durham.

The Japanese giants hosted the event at its Aycliffe Business Park facility in October to mark the completion of the building envelope.

The ceremony was hosted by Hitachi Managing Director Keith Jordan, Merchant Place Developments CEO Michael Chicken and Shepherd CEO Mark Perkins.

Finley Structures were handed a contract by Shepherd Construction to erect 2,000 tonnes of steel for the factory, which is expected to bring 750 direct jobs and thousands more in the supply chain.

Julie said: “It’s a fantastic building and we’ve very proud, as a local family firm, to say we played our part in the construction of it.

“It will be a factory which will become an emblem for County Durham and the Southern region of the North-East, very much like Nissan is for Wearside, and the long-term benefits in terms of employment and creating wealth in this area will last for decades.”

MP Phil Wilson, who also attended the event, said: “This is an £82m investment. They’re going to build trains for the East coast mainline and they’ve recently won a contract to build commuter trains for Scotland, and the long-term objective is to start exporting trains to the rest of Europe.

“95% of jobs here are going to be recruited from within a 50-mile radius of Newton Aycliffe, so the potential for local people is fantastic, especially with the University Technical College that’s going to be built, to ensure local young people can get Apprenticeships here – the next generation of technicians and engineers.”

Meanwhile, Geoff Hunton, director of Merchant Park Developments, says the arrival of Hitachi in Aycliffe is just the beginning for Aycliffe Business Park.

He says he wants to bring 4,500 new jobs to the area as part of the Merchant 2 development, which has already been backed by Government cash, followed by a third development.

And he wants to achieve it all within the next five years.