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Report - - William Rowland Metal Finishing, Sheffield, South Yorks, September 2023 | Industrial Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - William Rowland Metal Finishing, Sheffield, South Yorks, September 2023

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HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
1. The History
Based in Sheffield, South Yorks, William Rowland Metal Finishing have been offering chemical (Metal) finishing processes to a variety of industries since 1940.

Their history can be traced as far back as 1840, when they became the first company to import Swedish iron into Sheffield for use in the city’s cutlery production. Sheffield is well known for steel manufacturing and metallurgy from the 18th century onwards. Going from strength-to-strength, they became internationally recognised as suppliers of high-quality metals, expanding to cover distribution of metals across the world, manufacturing alloys and solders in-house at their foundry in Birmingham. In recent years, they have made a name for themselves in a variety of finishing processes including pickling, macro etching, passivating, phosphating and chemical machining on a wide range of materials, including stainless steel, nickel alloys, titanium and mild steel.

They moved out of their Meadow Street premises in 2020 to relocate to a bigger site in Barnsley which they moved into in March of that year.

2. The Explore
First report for a while, while I've been dealing with what life has been throwing at me recently. Not too much to say here. Big thank you to @tarkovsky for the head’s up on this place. It was an easy in and relaxed explore. The place was pretty much stripped as the site is due for demolition. As reported in Tarkovsky’s report, the iconic clocks that used to sit high up on the front of the building and were taken down and stored in the factory have long been removed.

3. The Pictures

Front Shot:

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Door detail:

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And we’re in!

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Empty but photogenic factory space:

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One of the few things left behind:

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Weighing station:

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Crane-age:

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More factory space:

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Store room:

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Not quite the Tardis:

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Old signage:

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Lockers:

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Time for tea:

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Clocking in:

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Good advice!

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Goods lift:

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Old paperwork:

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JaffaTB

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
great explore this, i liked the part behind the front doors very old fashioned feel to it, good report :thumb
 

TalkingMask

Professional Twat
28DL Full Member
CONTINUED:

The modern-style offices:

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Nothing to get too excited about:

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Document safe:

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Aerial shot:

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Metal mags!

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That’s all folks:

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Really gonna have to try this one before it goes, trying to do a big Sheffield trip in summer so hopefully I won’t miss it!
 

aitch_87

28DL Member
28DL Member
Hi @HughieD

Just a quick note. Your post is confusing William Rowland, and William Rowland Metal Finishing, which are 2 separate companies at 2 locations. The images you posted are of the old William Rowland site before they moved to their Barnsley site. William Rowland Metal Finishing is based in Attercliffe, and was bought by William Rowland circa 2020, which was previously E F Westaway. Metal Finishing is the Chem finishing site, and William Rowland is the metals recyclers/producers/traders site. The description you've written is pulling from both histories of the companies.
 
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