Jamestown is a leading manufacturer of plate girders, box girders, cellular beams, bridge beams and high quality heavy fabricated steel sections. Jamestown also provides an industry-specific steel processing service to the engineering, manufacturing and steel fabrication sectors.
Despite some difficult industry-wide conditions in recent years, Jamestown remains in the forefront of companies offering design, fabrication and fully-automated welding of plain and cellular plate girders. Jamestown also manufactures heavy components for sectors including highways, rail, construction, marine, port and crane, and machine building.
Standards of Excellence
Joining the British Constructional Steelwork Association several years ago, and becoming a Headline Sponsor of Steel for Life in 2016, have enabled Jamestown to demonstrate its continuing commitment to the promotion and development of the steel industry. Jamestown recognises the crucial role of standards, quality levels and accreditations to the industry. It was this recognition that led to Jamestown becoming an early adopter of CE marking, achieving Execution Class 4, NHSS 20, and BS EN 3834 compliance.
Unlimited Possibilities
Jamestown understands that it operates in an industry that needs to respond to constant technological advances and high customer expectations. As part of its commitment to growth and development, Jamestown has installed automatic welding technology on all three of its automatic plate girder lines. In 2015 production was moved to a large-scale 200,000 square feet production facility with 24, 15 and 20 tonne overhead cranes on a 17-acre site.
This new facility allows erection or trial assembly of bridge structures of up to 200 tonnes weight and 150 metres in length. Jamestown attributes its continuing success in this competitive sector to specialist knowledge in welding, welding processes, weld testing and weld design. Jamestown can produce beams on single- or double-shift across one, two or three machines.
Client Confidence
Jamestown clients need to know that their requirements will be met with total commitment as well as the necessary flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. Jamestown’s specialist knowledge and experience give clients the absolute confidence that they can meet the most demanding of project programmes, and can manufacture a quality assured product on time, every time. Jamestown believe that their investment in manufacturing capability, and design and management expertise, mean that they can offer an unrivalled degree of flexibility in design and manufacture. It is this flexibility which puts them in a unique position in meeting client needs.
Expansion into New Sectors
The sectors into which Jamestown has expanded its activities in recent years include the rail industry, where it has produced individual components weighing up to 100 tonnes in finished single pieces.
A recent successful project involved three rail bridges in the Chester area, including two on the important Manchester Airport railway line. The bridges needed to be worked on simultaneously, and the project required successful collaboration with multiple partners (concrete, waterproofing, craneage, haulage, painting, machining and others) in order to meet very tight deadlines. Time was saved, and accuracy assured, by a trial erection at the Jamestown site. Very large (19 metre) plates needed to be delivered and assembled on site. The project was completed on schedule, within a five-month timescale.
Innovative Construction Techniques
In more conventional steel construction, Jamestown has recently played a major role in a prestigious office development project in Aberdeen’s business district. The Silver Fin Building in Union Street is the largest building of its kind in the city, rising to thirteen storeys with a four-storey open atrium. The Jamestown contribution included 23 different beam types, with an average length of 9.7 metres. Jamestown used advanced computer design techniques to offer an alternative to the conventional ribbon cut beams which had been proposed; the cellular plate girders which were used instead produced significant cost savings, as well as a saving in construction time.
A different challenge was posed by a project in the East Village, the new London neighbourhood which was originally built as the Olympic Village of the 2012 London Games. Jamestown was contracted to deliver large steel components manufactured to a very high degree of accuracy, and with a tight delivery schedule. Careful planning of fabrication and welding, in consultation with the designers, was required to allow for high level weld testing, intricate design and very tight tolerances. The innovative construction method on this site was being used for the first time in the UK.
Building a Future Together
In a mature market, Jamestown envisions a future in which expanding the range of client options, and collaborating with clients to save on costs and eliminate waste, will be two of the most important factors in ensuring the company’s continuing success. As construction projects increase in scale and complexity, Jamestown’s ability to develop plate girders of 
virtually any length, height and width will be crucial in confirming its position as a leader in this field. The complex projects of the future will require high levels of trust and confidence among a range of collaborators. Jamestown’s reputation for customer service, attention to detail, skill and expertise, coupled with its ability to form effective working relationships, will be its foundation for the future.
