Finley Stuctures have recently completed work on a £350,000 contract with Bam Construction.

Work started on the new £10m Software Centre, a centrepiece for Sunderland’s growing software industry, earlier in the year.

Finley were awarded the £350,000 contract to supply, fabricate and erect the structural steelwork, completing the 300-tonne job in five weeks, which included landing the decking packs and pre cast concrete stair installation.

Managing director John Finley said: “From receiving the order to delivering it, everything went extremely well and according to plan.

“It’s the first time we’ve worked with BAM Construction, but they’re delighted with our work and we’d hope it’s just the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership.”

BAM’s senior project surveyor David Coe said: “This is the first time BAM have worked with Finley Structures, and we would certainly be more than happy to do so again.

“We found all members of Finley Structures to be extremely helpful and competent. Tenders were returned swiftly, design works were produced in accordance with our requested programme, and the site installation was completed around two weeks ahead of programme.”

The Software Centre, which is due to open next year, aims to bring 140 jobs to Sunderland and will continue cementing the city’s and the North East’s reputation as a centre for hi-tech businesses.

The 53,000 sq ft development will have state-of-the-art accommodation for 60 software businesses, as well as exhibition space, showing visitors in a fun and interactive way, the role software plays in their lives.

Finley Stuctures were on hand to give a Terminator-like robot a helping hand at a popular science fun day in the region last week.

More than 1,000 people visited the Brainwave event at North East Technology Park (NETPark) in Sedgefield last Saturday, to take part in a variety of workshops and experiences.

Families across County Durham were able to witness science and technology brought to life in a fun and interactive way.

The three-day event, organised by County Durham Development Company, which manages NETPark on behalf of Durham County Council, was held last week.

Local schoolchildren enjoyed special day visits before it was open to the general public last Saturday.

One of the star attractions was Skeletron, a man-made robot built out of scrap metal, which wowed visitors by climbing a 50ft rope, which was hanging from a crane supplied free of charge Newton Aycliffe firm Finley Structures.

“We’re always keen to assist with local community events wherever possible,” said the firm’s managing director John Finley.

“Although this was probably one of the more unusual requests we get, we were more than happy to help and, despite the bad weather, the Brainwave event was well attended.”

Other attractions at Brainwave included hands-on workshops and activities, demonstrations, engineering sessions with the Army, tours of NETPark, fun and engaging educational sessions and wacky group lectures.

Article published in the Northern Echo, April 27, 2011

Family firm Finley Structures underlined its commitment to Newton Aycliffe this year by supplying steel free of charge to build a stand for the town’s football club.

The gesture ensured the club had the facilities required to confirm its promotion to the Northern League first division.

The stand bears the name of William Finley, the father of Finley Structures’ current managing director John who, along with his wife, Valerie, son, Gary and daughter, Julie, is building on the company’s solid foundations.

Like its rival firms in the construction sector, Finley has faced a very tough time in recent years. The decision three years ago to invest £1m in new machinery almost backfired. As the recession began to bite, the orders slowed down, staff were made redundant and vans taken off the road.

But when the business began to recover, the investment in the plant proved to be a shrewd move that has helped the company secure prestigious contracts to supply such as Nissan, car parts supplier Nifco and Sunderland Software Centre.

John Finley said: “When the downturn hit we were slack for about three months as contracts went on hold.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a worrying time for everyone. We dropped from having 65 to about 50 staff. Thankfully, the work came back on stream and we haven’t stopped since. It was a scary time, but the investment in the factory has made us a more competitive force in the long run.”

The workforce is now 74 strong and set to grow further as plans are in place to extend operations into a 39,000sq ft secondary steelwork facility adjacent to the current site.

The new Nifco plant in Stockton and supporting the construction of Nissan’s electric battery plant has secured more than £1.75mworth of business and helped to underpin Finley’s strong recovery.

Mr Finley said: “We are now going for contracts that we may not have got in the past. Bids have to be keenly priced because it’s a very competitive market, the margins are tight, but the key thing is that we are on an upward curve.

“We are winning business because I’d like to think we give our customers great service. It is also important is that we employ our own steel erectors, we have our own cranes, so that makes us self-contained, whereas most other fabricators sub-let. We can do everything.

“Aycliffe is the perfect location for our business. You can draw on a good workforce from the surrounding towns like Shildon, Spennymoor, Bishop Auckland and Sedgefield. Road and rail links are great, we have Durham Tees Valley Airport on the doorstep so keeping that all important face-to-face contact with our clients is pretty straightforward.”

Despite the Government cuts signalling the death knell of the national schools building programme, Finley has continued to pick up a solid body of work from the education sector.

Projects in Easington and Sedgefield are to be followed by school building work in Hull.

MrFinley said: “Schools have been our bread and butter work and it looks like they will keep ticking over for the foreseeable future.

“Nissan was a godsend. We lost out for the main build, but we picked up all of the secondary steelwork on the project. It kicked off at about £200,000-worth of work that went up to about £1m.

“We have faced a really hard spell, but we fought back and are now starting to get the rewards.”

Pictured above (L-R): MD John Finley, director Valerie, company secretary Julie and director Gary.

A group of County Durham children were treated to an afternoon of science with a difference at Finley Structures.

The year six pupils from Fishburn Primary School took time out of the classroom to visit our Newton Aycliffe site, to see the process of raw steel being made into a full structure.

The youngsters were first given a 3D demonstration by a structural engineer, showing them a virtual construction on screen, before going on to the shop floor to see the steel being fabricated by the most advanced computer numerically controlled (CNC) machinery available.

They then went on-site to see the steel being erected at Durham County Council’s £10m North East Technology Park (NETPark) development, near Sedgefield.

Their teacher Danny Eason said: “The whole afternoon covered maths, science and art originally, but it also demonstrated team skills and people working together, so it was hugely beneficial for the children and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

“The fascination for them was seeing the steel being prepared at Finley Structures first, how the structural engineer designed it then going on to the shop floor to see it being put together.

“They then visited the site at NETPark to see it being erected so they’ve seen the whole process from start to almost the finish and they found that very interesting.

“The children will produce a short film about their visit for their social media site, so the whole trip was invaluable.”

The children’s visit was a joint-venture by Willmott Dixon, the firm responsible for building the science park at NETPark, and one of their major sub-contractors Finley Structures.

John Finley, managing director of the family-run Aycliffe-based firm, said: “Both Finley and Willmott Dixon are committed to involving the community on our projects and this was a fantastic reflection of that.

“The children enjoyed a very informative and practical lesson, both in our factory and on-site, and they were extremely responsive and inquisitive.

“We hope they got a lot out of the afternoon and we look forward to welcoming more children on future projects as we continually look to involve our local community.”

NETPark houses businesses in the science and technology sector. Its new development near Sedgefield, which comprises two units all together, will provide premises for firms that have developed its incubator facilities.

Finley Structures was formed in 2000, and the family-owned company moved to its current location at Aycliffe Business Park in 2003. The company provides structural steelwork to the construction industry, and in 2008 invested more than £1m in its production facility to manufacture in excess of 200 tonnes of steel per week.

Finley Structures have stepped in to back a local football club by supplying thousands of pounds worth of steel free of charge.

The family-run company, based on Aycliffe Business Park in County Durham, have supplied the fabricated steel frame for a new stand to make Newton Aycliffe eligible for promotion to the Northern League first division this season.

The club has agreed to name the new stand in memory of William Finley, the father of Finley Structures managing director John, who is pictured with Aycliffe media manager Martin Walker.

John said: “We knew about Aycliffe’s promising league position and the situation with the new stand and we were approached by a good friend of mine, Charlie Fielding, who’s a trustee of Aycliffe Sports Club.

“Charlie and I go back a lot of years and I know he’s keen to see the Sports Club promote its sections’ activities. He’s calling on professional friendships from various old contacts of his to get this stand up and we wanted to do our bit.

“We’re absolutely delighted the club have agreed to name the stand in memory of my father, who passed away in 1995. As a footballer himself, he’d be very proud.”

William Finley played for various clubs at Northern League level in the 1940s and 50s, including Black Hall, Lancester, Bishop, Ushaw Moor, Brandon and Esh Winning Albion, winning 19 trophies.

Martin Walker said: “We’re over the moon Finley Structures have stepped in to help out like this, as well as the hard work and expertise of Charlie, and it would be our pleasure to name the new stand in honour of William Finley.

“Getting the stand up before the March 31 deadline will help to relieve a major burden for the football club and will enable us to focus on trying to make sure we finish in the top three of the second division.”

Aycliffe have won the Northern League second division title this season and, thanks to the William Finley Stand, their ground has passed a league inspection to ensure their promotion to the first division.

Year 10 students at South Shields Community School travelled down to Finley Structures’ steel fabrication plant in Newton Aycliffe to write their initials on the steel column.

Janet Burdon, head of support services at the school which is currently based in McAnany Avenue, said: “Each of the students chalked their initials onto one of the giant steel columns, which will hold up the roof of the new building.