Birley Manufacturing is anticipating a boost for its rail business after completing a £300,000 contract to make under-frame skirts for First Great Western.
The Sheffield company is best known as an interior designer and shop fitter and includes top supermarket groups, leading high street banks, leisure companies and the health and education sector among its clients.
Some years ago it turned its sheet metal making skills to producing the skirts that protect electrical and ancillary equipment carried under trains from flying debris, which safety requirements dictate have to be maded by skilled coded welders.
The Birley Vale Avenue company is now the UK’s largest manufacturer of under-frame skirts, which need to be replaced on a fairly regular basis.
Birley first supplied under-carriage skirts to First Great Western’s high speed intercity fleet in the 1990s when it made around 400 units.
Some of these skirts are now in need of replacement and Birley has high hopes of securing further orders after winning the initial tender to fabricate 25 skirts.
Birley Manufacturing’s commercial manager, Tony Beckett, said: “We were pleased to be involved with the FGW fleet right from the beginning.
“To be awarded the contract to replace these 25 skirts signifies that Birley continues to have the expertise and capability to meet the exacting industry standards and that we can provide a service that is competitive and second to none. We look forward to continuing our service to First Great Western in the future.”
n Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer, RBS, Barclays and HSBC are among the leading high street names that Birley includes among its customers. The company was also responsible for refurbishing the Oasis food court at Meadowhall.
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