Creative use of aluminium

Melvyn Rowberry Welding Services Ltd won the Architects' Journal award for the Best Use of Aluminium in an International Building outside the UK , for their successful housing project in Holland.

"The whole prize was about the imaginative use of aluminium in a building," said Chris Pomphrey, managing director of the company.

"This particular project was on residential property in the town of Ypenburg."

The company, based in Blackpole, was brought in to install aluminium on the interfaces between the roof and wall of the building. This creates the impression that a single aluminium sheet runs from ground to roof whilst at the same time ensuring a water-tight seal.

Mr Pomphrey said the firm, which last year had a turnover of £4m, is delighted to have won the award, presented during a ceremony at the Marriott Hotel in London on Thursday, because it meant recognition from the industry.

"We were the only manufacturer there to win an award," he said afterwards. "The other winners were consultants, architects and sub contractors.

"We were up against major manufacturers like Corus."

The company, which has been trading for 25 years and employs 62 full and part-time workers, has won contracts for other major building works in Europe.

"We are involved in projects throughout Europe and the UK. We have just come back from Greece where we carried out work on the building to be used for the weight lifting events at next year's Olympic Games."

He added that the company is due to carry out further welding work in Greece on the cycling arena.

Last week, Melvyn Rowberry Welding Services won a contract to produce roof access grillage for the walk way system at Heathrow Airport's new terminal five building.

In 1998, the firm also won a contract worth almost £400,000 to supply guttering for the Millennium Dome.

It was employed to build 24 hoppers to collect rainwater from the roof of the building, which was then used for the on-site toilets.