WARRINGTON’S last surviving wire company, the Locker Group, is helping fight the coronavirus pandemic with production of ventilator filters for a number of manufacturers including the new Dyson ventilator.
The wire company has remained open since the lockdown with a skeleton crew focussed on critical components including production of Nickel wirecloth filters utilised in essential sensors for ventilators including Dyson.
Other critical supplies during COVID-19 include mesh used to create faraday cages to protect equipment at Great Ormond Street hospital.
CEO Andrew Campbell and other colleagues drove with a car full of parts to deliver to both companies, amongst other critical customers.
The company has a skeleton crew still working to make Heatshields for essential global oil and gas developments.
The business is also continuing online with a skeleton crew during these times of increased trading via the internet, including mesh to protect from RFI shielding including 4G and 5G radio wave blocking.
The Wire industry was once the largest employer in the town, which led to Warrington Rugby League Club being nicknamed The Wire.
Locker Group Chirman Howard Platt says wire drawing is no longer done in Warrington, with raw materials imported from around the world.
“It was once the biggest industry in Warrington but now there is just us,” he said. “We’ve had to think with our heads and discover new uses for wire. There are now more people employed working in the office on technical things than on the factory floor.
“We have bucked the trend by still being here and the corornavirus pandemic is our next big test but I am sure we will get through it.”
The company is now producing around 20,000 air filters a fortnight to be used in the ventilators.
4 Comments
It’s not the last wire company,metwire on long lane been there 50 years and lve been there 10.we make conveyor belts by hand for many food companys round the world.keep up the good work.
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Where the work being completed is admirable and no one will argue on that point, the headline does detract from that point!
There are many other Warrington Wire companies still thriving, this type of headline is damaging and upsetting to the workforce who will also be facing difficult times
“It was once the biggest industry in Warrington but now there is just us,”
I suggest the journalist re thinks this article, there are STILL many wire companies in Warrington, that are STILL open for business during this time, that are also manufacturing for critical supplies.