A West Cumbrian company, started by three colleagues in 2000, is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
West Coast Thermal, in Workington, was founded by Neil Murray, Barry Graham and John Boughey, who initially met while working at West Cumberland Insulation in Maryport.
When the opportunity arose for the trio to start their own industrial insulation firm, they set up West Coast Thermal Ltd with the policy of never turning down any work.
This approach and their hands-on attitude saw them working long hours up and down the country, with early projects including applying insulation to piping, ductwork and associated equipment at Lakes College in Lillyhall, built in 2001.
“It wasn’t uncommon that you’d be driving home from one job down in the south and you’d get a call to go to another somewhere else and you’d be off and staying somewhere else for a few days to get it done,” John said.
“It was extremely hard work but we were completely dedicated to establishing the business and its reputation to ensure it was a success.”
As the company grew they obtained an Asbestos Removal Licence and then made a natural progression from thermal insulation to installing passive fire protection, becoming full members of the Fire Industry Accreditation Scheme.
Twenty-five years later, the company has grown to employ 40 people with a turnover of £2.8m.
It is one of the few businesses in the North West which offers the combined services of thermal and acoustic insulation, asbestos removal and fire protection.
It also carries out asbestos surveys under the banner of West Coast Surveys Ltd.
Industrial pipe insulation serves a number of purposes, including providing an insulating safety barrier for hot metalwork, preserving the longevity of the pipe infrastructure, maintaining a steady internal temperature and increasing efficiency to meet environmental targets.
“It’s essential to have an eye to detail and the skills, team, experience and training to provide the quality that is required,” John said.
“Our constant repeat work with customers all over the country reflects what good, reliable and collaborative relationships we have built over the last 25 years.”
Nowhere is West Coast Thermal’s attention to detail more apparent than in its approach to accurately surveying and removing asbestos, about 50 per cent of which it carries out at the Sellafield nuclear site.
Neil added: “Obviously this industry is very specialised.
“We are audited at regular intervals by the Health and Safety Executive, which requires gold standard procedures from training, document control and site presence.”
Major projects the company has worked on have included installing 12 kilometres of pipe insulation in the extension to West Cumberland Hospital, in Whitehaven, and two years’ work at BAE Systems Maritime’s Devonshire Dock Hall, in Barrow.
In addition to working with local clients, including Holmen Iggesund, in Workington, the National Trust, BAE Systems in Barrow, and Innovia Films and Futamura, in Wigton, West Coast Thermal is also a well established supplier to the nuclear industry.
Under the Programme and Project Partners procurement model at the Sellafield site, West Coast Thermal is acting as a key delivery partner on projects including the SIXEP Continuity Plant – which manages radioactive effluent – and the Product and Residue Store Retreatment Plant, which will retreat and repackage the UK’s stockpile of civil plutonium.
The company has a satellite office at West Lakes Science Park,near Whitehaven, which it uses to engage and network with clients within the Sellafield supply chain and also for use by members of staff who require some time to purely concentrate on specific tasks.
“We have a large number of clients based at West Lakes, and in the surrounding area, so it’s important to be able to speak to them face to face, as well as to network and carry out site visits,” John said.
In the coming years the company is focused on continuous growth of both its team and its premises on Workington’s Derwent Howe Industrial Estate.
The planned growth and investment plans are in part due to the emerging work from the PPP Key Delivery Partners at Sellafield.
West Coast Thermal is currently finalising long term frameworks with Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick, March and NG Bailey.
Securing work with these tier one contractors helps give West Coast Thermal confidence to grow and invest for the future.
Neil said: “We have just about exhausted the room we’ve got here, especially in the office, so there is potential to extend.
“Then there’s recruitment and getting the specialist staff that we need for the growing workload that’s forecast.”
The company has a regular intake of apprentices on the thermal insulation side of the business and currently employs five.
They undertake a four-year programme with a placement at the purpose-built Thermal Insulation Contractors Association’s National Training Centre, in Darlington.
Some who started as 16-year-olds are now supervisors with the company with one going on to become a divisional director.
Neil said: “We pride ourselves in taking on good people and keeping them on and building a steady workforce. We’re very proud of the fact that all our people are from the local area.”
Alongside the apprenticeship programme, the company is also engaged in consistent training and development for all its team members.
Barry added: “We take pride in training people up properly and investing time and money in getting all the necessary equipment and skills they need. It is in our interests to look after them to keep them on for as long as we can.”
Level two thermal insulation apprentice Gareth Niemand, 18, of Broughton Moor, is one of those currently working with West Coast Thermal and has been gaining experience in the light gauge metal fabrication required for encasing insulation.
He said: “I like hands-on work and fabrication is quite interesting because it’s varied and metal is quite fascinating to work with.
“In an apprenticeship you get to experience real work and go on site and it’s more realistic than college. I really like being here, everyone is really friendly and supportive.”
West Coast Thermal’s commitment to community also goes beyond employing and upskilling local people to supporting groups, charities and sports teams.
These include the Bransty, Grassroot Sharks and Dearham junior football teams, Workington Town Rugby League teams, Ewanrigg School in Maryport, and Workington RNLI.
Its staff have also been part of the volunteer effort to renovate and revitalise the historic Distington Walled Garden.
Other activities have included raising around £1,200 for West Cumbrian autism support charity Bee Unique through a sponsored walk.
In another team bonding charity event, staff pulled a company vehicle eight miles along the Lillyhall to Whitehaven bypass, raising a substantial amount of money for Macmillan.
John added: “It’s just the way we were brought up and we’ve always done what we can to support the local community. If you can help someone out then you should.”
