Category: News

On Thursday 28^th September 2023, Straaltechniek UK Limited had the pleasure welcoming The Master Cutler, Dame Julie Kenny DBE DL to view our facilities here in Sheffield.

To coincide with the announcement of a record £1.5 Million of Equipment Orders during the second quarter of 2023 it was a great opportunity to showcase Straaltechniek UK and the products and services we provide as a company.

The Master Cutler had a tour of the Works, Office Block, CNC Machine Shop, Spare Parts Stores, Painting Hall and finally the Showroom just in time to see two new table shot blast machines ready to be delivered to one of our valued customers and one ready to go on the stand at the Surface World Live Exhibition 2023.

A presentation was also delivered in the Straaltechniek UK Boardroom to The Master Cutler & Husband Ian by the Chairman of Straaltechniek Graham Ward, Sales Director Jay Dorling, UK Sales Manager James Lees, and Key Accounts and Marketing Manager Rebecca Beever.

With an ever expanding customer base throughout the UK and overseas, Straaltechniek UK Ltd have been able to generate a healthy number of enquiries for equipment by having the capability to offer both ‘New’ and ‘Refurbished’ shot blast machines (Shot Blasting Machines For Sale – Straaltechniek) Whilst our day to day shot blasting servicing and spares business goes from strength to strength, we have been able to capitalise on opportunities to assist our customers with their  requirements such as refurbishing and upgrading their existing shot blast equipment, supply refurbished equipment from stock, and build new equipment within our factory.

With an ever increasing order book based on the success of converting these enquires to orders the factory has been as busy as ever and this year is looking to be the most successful in Straaltechniek’s 26 Year History.

Straaltechniek UK Limited are now an official UK agent of Lauds Foundry Equipment GmbH.

Lauds Foundry Equipment designs, manufactures and supplies original equipment in the foundry industry.

Lauds Foundry Equipment has manufacturing operations in South Africa, Germany and Slovenia.

Within these operations Lauds support all projects from conceptual through to actual design and manufacture for their client base in Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Belgium, Germany, Turkey, USA, South Africa and now the UK.

Product range:

Continuous Sand Mixers (Portable, Pivotal, Screw Articulate, Belt Articulate, Dual Head Variable Height, Control Panel, Pump Sets, Lauds Autoblend 3000, Lauds Autocalibrate, Auto Calibration)

Mould Handling (A Frame Manipulators, Compaction Table Static, Compaction Table Manual and Auto, Casting and Cooling Line, – Rotary Moulding 6 Station Carousel, Rollover Draw, Loop-line Animation)

Sand Reclamation (Primary and Secondary)

Core Machines (Core Jobber, Front Slide Ejection Machine, Rotary 3000, Production Unit 2006).

For any enquiries on any foundry equipment please contact us on 0114 257 1077 / [email protected].

On the 12th September, our Sales Director Jay Dorling was proudly inducted as a Freeman of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire.

The Master Cutler, Mr James Tear, welcomed 21 new Freeman to their Welcome and Induction Ceremony at Cutlers’ Hall. The Master Cutler explained how The Cutlers’ Company work to promote and support modern engineering and manufacturing in South Yorkshire and he went on to say new Freeman are the lifeblood of the Company, keeping it live and relevant in the 21st century.

He presented each new Freeman, with a tie, the book; Mesters to Masters, on the history of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire; a certificate (which sadly had to be reprinted on Friday to change the wording to King Charles III) and a beautiful sterling silver lapel pin.

As its National Apprentice Week, we are really pleased to highlight the story of Reece who is currently our CNC Machining Apprentice at Straaltechniek.

Reece joined Straaltechniek as a CNC Machining Apprentice in December 2020. During this short time Reece has gone from strength to strength and is doing extremely well. Reece always shows positive attitude and enthusiasm to learn about machining, whilst also offering suggestions to various tasks in the machine shop, asking questions to help better his knowledge and has contributed to the great success stories that Straaltechniek have achieved so far.

Reece is also involved with the Engineering and Design award scheme which is jointly by the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire and the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers. Reece is into the next stage and is due to have an interview with the Master Cutler of London and Sheffield next week. This award scheme is to help students, junior engineers, and apprentices like Reece, to fund an activity or project, which will expand their knowledge and experience in their chosen area of engineering and manufacturing and may also be of value to their employer or academic establishment.

Reece said ‘Being an apprentice is very hands on and gives me a good sense of responsibility. I am also finding that being an apprentice is very rewarding by learning new skills. It is a good starting path for the adult working life and I am making new friends in the workplace.’

The recent success rate at Straaltechniek is not just down to luck, it is down to the hard work of all the staff here at Straaltechniek including Reece, who all contribute to our companies’ achievements.

We are incredibly proud of Reece’s progression so far, and we are sure this will continue throughout his apprenticeship until it is complete in 2025 and his career with Straaltechniek thereafter.

It’s with deep regret and sorrow, we have to inform you that our Service and Quality Director Ray Parsons has sadly passed away. Ray has been with our company for over 11 years and during this period has helped in making our company grow from strength to strength.

Ray started in the shotblasting industry at 16 years old after leaving school and gained over 55 years of experience and knowledge to which he gladly shared with our workforce.

He will be sadly missed by us all at Straaltechniek and our thoughts are with his wife Christine and their family at this very sad time.

Straaltechniek UK Ltd are pleased to announce that this year’s Recertification ISO 9001/2015 Audit has been successfully completed.

The audit was passed with no Observation/Opportunity for Improvement or Non-Conformances for the 3^rd year running.

After performing a thorough examination of every aspect of implementation the auditor congratulated the business on how well the team had done considering the difficult circumstances the company has been trading under in light of the Covid-19 Pandemic whilst also not forgetting Brexit.

On completion of the successful audit Andy Allen (Managing Director) sent a message to all the staff after a fantastic team effort stating “A big personal thank you from myself to you all for all your hard work during these tough times”

Industrial paint sprayer required.

Must be able to clean, prep and paint shot blast machines.

45 hours per week .

Overtime to be worked as and when required.

FLT/Overhead Crane License advantageous.

Pay – to be discussed.

Immediate start available for the right candidate.

For further information please call Nick Redwood 01142571077 or email your CV to [email protected].

Straaltechniek UK a leading manufacturer of Surface Preparation Machinery have announced record equipment orders of over £2.0 million since September 2017.

Sales Director Jay Dorling  commented that ‘The flexibility of the products and service range we offer means we can operate in wide range of industries who require Automatic Shot Blasting, Shot Peening and De-greasing Equipment for their own processes and products. We can also offer Equipment Modernisation Programs on older equipment if new investment is not available as well as Spare Parts, Specialist Service Contracts, 24 Hour Emergency Response and general routine maintenance of our customer’s existing equipment.

Andy Allen Managing Director went on to say ‘The continued success we are enjoying has not been down to just luck but is testament to the hard work, experience and skills of the Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing & Service teams we have at Straaltechniek UK and in our industry, post Brexit, this success is a massive vote of confidence not only in us, but the local economy in general and particularly the heavy engineering, aerospace and manufacturing sector we operate in’.

Straaltechniek UK Ltd has become one of only a handful of organisations in the Sheffield City Region that has been granted ISO 9001 2015 Quality Standard Certification.

Although Companies with the 9001 2008 accreditation had until September 2018 to implement the new 9001 2015 standard, Andy Allen (MD of Straaltechniek) said ”we didn’t want to wait that long. For me, if there is a new quality level out there that enables us to run our business more effectively and give our customers increased confidence, then why would we want to wait to improve our standards? I spoke to our quality consultant about time frames involved and we decided that we would make the transition to the new system and launch it on 1st December 2016. Through a lot of hard work and interaction with all department managers, this was achieved. We started to gather evidence and after carrying out several management review meetings and some internal audits we put in for an external audit from TUV. I’m pleased to say after 2 days of internal auditing of all our systems and documented processes and procedures we were awarded the new standard.”

ISO 9001 is the International standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS). Straaltechniek uses the standard to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.

In 1996 Straaltechniek UK started a miraculous 20-year journey from converted cow sheds on North Farm, Gildingwells owned by Graham Ward Now Chairman of the UK Group to a modern 20,000sq ft. Factory & Offices headed up by Andrew Allen Managing Director.

Continued growth in the Surface preparation industry forced a move in 2002 to North Anston Trading Estate near Sheffield and within 2 years Straaltechniek purchased a 5000-sq. ft. Unit at Valley Works Sheffield. The unit at Valley Works added craneage facilities to allow the refurbishment of Shot Blast machines as well as the manufacture of spare parts.

As demand for Straaltechniek products and services increased along with their first one-million-pound order from Marshalls Building Products PLC units 8 & 9 boasting 22,000 sq. ft. were added to the factory portfolio in 2006 to allow the company to manufacture NEW standard and large heavy duty machines.

The company started to outgrow its existing office facilities and in 2013 The Master Cutler of Sheffield opened a 2-story office block adjacent to the factory to house increased Engineering Applications, Sales, Finance, Production & Logistics personnel in a comfortable modern office environment.

2013 Two Storey Office Block Opened

The next and latest piece of the Straaltechniek UK ‘jig-saw’ is an additional 6000 sq. ft. building again opened in December 2016 by The Master Cutler of Sheffield along with Managing Director Andy Allen which now includes a new equipment Show Room, Meeting & Training Room, High Definition Plasma Cutting Bay, Painting Hall, Logistics Office & Consumable Stores.

December 2016 New Showroom  / Demo Facilities Including Stores, Painting Hall & High Definition Plasma Bay

Andy Allen (MD Straaltechniek UK) & Master Cutler 2016 Richard Edwards