NGF Europe, a subsidiary of Japanese firm, NSG Group with a sizable base in St Helens, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of glass fibre products. The company’s base in Lea Green had wanted to return the manufacturing of glass fibre chord to the heart of the operation and in so doing become the only plant in the UK actually manufacturing the chord from is raw material, or batch.

There were two phases to this project, the first phase related to the installation of a small extension to the main factory building to accommodate a hoist for winching the raw material up to the top floor of the building. The second phase would meet the company’s requirement for a new building to accommodate the storage of the raw material and house the machinery required for its mixing. In addition to the batch mixing machinery and storage or raw materials, the building would need to accommodate a welfare facility for factory operatives accommodating a kitchen area, disabled WC, clean clothes storage and changing room and dirty clothes storage and changing area for work overalls used within the main floor area of the building.

The batch mixing building was a simple portal frame building that would occupy an empty corner of the site. The eaves of the building is orientated parallel to the main factory building with the main vehicular access to the building within the gable elevation. The batch mixing building is separated from the main factory building by the main vehicular access way around the site. The building has ultimately made the processing of the raw material and its transformation into glass fibre chord possible making the site at Lea Green, the only plant in the UK where this work is undertaken. The building itself has proved popular with operatives whom were pleased with a facilities afforded by the new welfare facility.