The Estate - Bevendean History Project
Brighton Sheet Metal Company at Bevendean continued 4
Other Companies in the Group
Ranalah Gates – This was a company based at Newhaven which
produced thousands of garden and garage gates, of all shapes and sizes.
One of the jobs in the toolroom was to often manufacture the scroll
making machines. The scrolls were all manufactured by hand, and the
actual scroll formers were made using a hardened steel, but which often
fractured. The company was quite large and employed a large number of
people. During the 1990’s it was decided to purchase a couple of
robot machines and to move the gate making division to Malmesbury. BSM
did manufacture a number of new style jigs for this enterprise, and
maintained the tools for the gate latches and other metal items for
quite a while. The Newhaven factory eventually closed down and the
Malmsesbury division was sold off to another company as the gate
industry changed with the number of cheap foreign imports affecting
sales.
Ranalah Moulds – This was a factory that produced many types of steel moulds for other industries. One of the major customers was Costain Concrete and their railway sleeper moulds,. These became a major product of the Ranalah Group and it was then that some of the work was passed over to Brighton Sheetmetal. It was at this factory that over a number of years they helped with the construction and manufacture of a concrete yacht, which was the brain child of Phillip Layfield, and did actually sail around the seas somewhere, possibly even to the Mediterranean. Although Ranalah Moulds in no longer there, the factory which was adjacent to the Ranalah Gates factory is still standing.
Engineers Suppliers – This was a small company located along Franklin Road, Porslade. It was a depot for most steels and angle iron and was a supplier to many of the small engineering factories and plants around Sussex. They would cut off steel bars and angles to order and supply. They supplied most of the bright mild steel for the BSM tool room. The manager was a guy called Eric and his assistant Lukie, who I think, who left under a cloud. After it closed Parker Steel became the main supplier for Bright Mild steel with other sheet metal companies supplying mild steel sheet, aluminium sheet and copper.
Brouralay Tools – was a separate company created for the tooling section. The name derives from R.L.Oura, Charlie Brown and John Layfield. It never made any money, or so we were told, but the company have had some tax usage.
Brighton Sheetmetal Ltd went into administration on 5th March 2018.
Ranalah Moulds – This was a factory that produced many types of steel moulds for other industries. One of the major customers was Costain Concrete and their railway sleeper moulds,. These became a major product of the Ranalah Group and it was then that some of the work was passed over to Brighton Sheetmetal. It was at this factory that over a number of years they helped with the construction and manufacture of a concrete yacht, which was the brain child of Phillip Layfield, and did actually sail around the seas somewhere, possibly even to the Mediterranean. Although Ranalah Moulds in no longer there, the factory which was adjacent to the Ranalah Gates factory is still standing.
Engineers Suppliers – This was a small company located along Franklin Road, Porslade. It was a depot for most steels and angle iron and was a supplier to many of the small engineering factories and plants around Sussex. They would cut off steel bars and angles to order and supply. They supplied most of the bright mild steel for the BSM tool room. The manager was a guy called Eric and his assistant Lukie, who I think, who left under a cloud. After it closed Parker Steel became the main supplier for Bright Mild steel with other sheet metal companies supplying mild steel sheet, aluminium sheet and copper.
Brouralay Tools – was a separate company created for the tooling section. The name derives from R.L.Oura, Charlie Brown and John Layfield. It never made any money, or so we were told, but the company have had some tax usage.
Brighton Sheetmetal Ltd went into administration on 5th March 2018.
John Funnell 5th June 2018
Additional information from Phil Clark
A few names: you mentioned Ron Hill, it was Ken, Ranalah Gates Jack Curtis was director. Jim Charles was the clocking in and out man.
Maintenance Nick Stone, later to become Production Manager.
Dave Fitchie, welder, then welding foreman then production manager with Nick.
Customers De La Rue, Atlas Copco and a British company too but I can't remember their name, Printronics.
September 2020A few names: you mentioned Ron Hill, it was Ken, Ranalah Gates Jack Curtis was director. Jim Charles was the clocking in and out man.
Maintenance Nick Stone, later to become Production Manager.
Dave Fitchie, welder, then welding foreman then production manager with Nick.
Customers De La Rue, Atlas Copco and a British company too but I can't remember their name, Printronics.
Notes about BSM from Jane Young BSM Company Secretary
Brighton Sheet Metal COMPANY HISTORY
"Over 100 years of manufacturing in Brighton"
Originally
working from premises in the St James' Street/Devonshire Place area of
Brighton they existed in a variety of guises before moving to Lower
Bevendean in the early sixties and are now one of the leading UK
specialists in precision, CNC forming and fabrications for such diverse
industries as computer, electronic, telecom, medical, compressors and
generators.
Employing in the region of 100 staff they once owned a series of well-known local companies including Ranalah Gates, Ranalah Steel Moulds, Engineer's Supplies, Brouralay Tools, Ranalah Architectural Metalwork and at one time employed more than 300 people in premises in Brighton, Hollingbury, Portslade, Newhaven and Wiltshire. Products have included wrought iron gates & balustrading, the Ranalah Wheeling machine, parts for the Isetta "bubble" car, mud guards for tanks, a range of space heaters, the Nippy rotary dryer.
Changing tastes and technologies resulted in several major restructuring particularly in the late 1980s and again in the mid 90's when the company concentrated its efforts on fabrication work at its Lower Bevendean site, expanding into the old Harrimond factory in 1997.
A review of historic figures shows that the company has tracked the fate of British industry pretty closely a continuous cycle of boom followed by recession ((including a bankruptcy in 1947), the telecom crash of 2000, global competition. Employment, health and safety and environmental legislation all has been taken in their stride and they have responded to market needs and trends as required: Direct Line Feed, Just In Time, KanBan stocks, Lean Manufacturing etc. Providing work to world class companies has kept BSM on its toes in terms of innovation and those visiting cannot but be impressed by the skills and facilities demonstrated by what was once a "back street" business amongst the Victorian slums of east Brighton.
Now equipped with the latest automated cutting and forming equipment, BSM continues to weather the recent recession, global competition, increasing material costs. Their Managing Director, Bill Taylor believes the reason for their continuing success is a "... willingness to embrace change, a dedicated, skilled and loyal workforce and an ongoing investment programme aimed at lowering costs by increasing productivity, efficiency and skills...". He also noted that a "...deliberate policy of seeking customers from a wide spectrum of industries has offered a degree of protection in difficult times." Their nomination for a variety of awards in recent years including Manufacturer of the Year, Export Growth, Responsible Business, Business Growth demonstrates their constant strive for excellence in all aspects of the business. Having held ISO accreditation for many years, they achieved the ISO 9000:2008 Quality certification in early 2010.
BSM continues to train a multi-skilled workforce able to react to customers' varied demands and increasingly short lead times, and in 2010 took on three Engineering Apprentices, the first for many years. This will be a rolling programme reinforcing the need for a multi-skilled workforce able to respond quickly to the ever changing production demands that are part of synonymous with life at Brighton Sheet Metal.
The company prides itself on the number of long serving employees and over the years has employed many generations of the same local families. This year marks a milestone for their Technical Sales Director, Malcolm Holman who joined BSM as an Apprentice Toolmaker in late 1960 and therefore is celebrating 50 years with the company. Malcolm said "50 years have flown by, being a sub-contract company there is never a dull moment, and to see the company still thriving after all these years is very satisfying."
Brighton Sheet Metal is creating a historical record of the past 100 years and would welcome stories, photographs, old literature etc. from former employees and the general public. It is hoped to arrange a series of events to celebrate this milestone in the early summer. Any information would be welcomed and can be sent to Jane Young as follows:
By post to Brighton Sheet Metal Ltd., The Hyde Business Park, Auckland Drive, Brighton BN2 4JW
E mail to jane.young@brightonsheetmetal.co.uk
Telephone 01273 602216 Ext 222
Employing in the region of 100 staff they once owned a series of well-known local companies including Ranalah Gates, Ranalah Steel Moulds, Engineer's Supplies, Brouralay Tools, Ranalah Architectural Metalwork and at one time employed more than 300 people in premises in Brighton, Hollingbury, Portslade, Newhaven and Wiltshire. Products have included wrought iron gates & balustrading, the Ranalah Wheeling machine, parts for the Isetta "bubble" car, mud guards for tanks, a range of space heaters, the Nippy rotary dryer.
Changing tastes and technologies resulted in several major restructuring particularly in the late 1980s and again in the mid 90's when the company concentrated its efforts on fabrication work at its Lower Bevendean site, expanding into the old Harrimond factory in 1997.
A review of historic figures shows that the company has tracked the fate of British industry pretty closely a continuous cycle of boom followed by recession ((including a bankruptcy in 1947), the telecom crash of 2000, global competition. Employment, health and safety and environmental legislation all has been taken in their stride and they have responded to market needs and trends as required: Direct Line Feed, Just In Time, KanBan stocks, Lean Manufacturing etc. Providing work to world class companies has kept BSM on its toes in terms of innovation and those visiting cannot but be impressed by the skills and facilities demonstrated by what was once a "back street" business amongst the Victorian slums of east Brighton.
Now equipped with the latest automated cutting and forming equipment, BSM continues to weather the recent recession, global competition, increasing material costs. Their Managing Director, Bill Taylor believes the reason for their continuing success is a "... willingness to embrace change, a dedicated, skilled and loyal workforce and an ongoing investment programme aimed at lowering costs by increasing productivity, efficiency and skills...". He also noted that a "...deliberate policy of seeking customers from a wide spectrum of industries has offered a degree of protection in difficult times." Their nomination for a variety of awards in recent years including Manufacturer of the Year, Export Growth, Responsible Business, Business Growth demonstrates their constant strive for excellence in all aspects of the business. Having held ISO accreditation for many years, they achieved the ISO 9000:2008 Quality certification in early 2010.
BSM continues to train a multi-skilled workforce able to react to customers' varied demands and increasingly short lead times, and in 2010 took on three Engineering Apprentices, the first for many years. This will be a rolling programme reinforcing the need for a multi-skilled workforce able to respond quickly to the ever changing production demands that are part of synonymous with life at Brighton Sheet Metal.
The company prides itself on the number of long serving employees and over the years has employed many generations of the same local families. This year marks a milestone for their Technical Sales Director, Malcolm Holman who joined BSM as an Apprentice Toolmaker in late 1960 and therefore is celebrating 50 years with the company. Malcolm said "50 years have flown by, being a sub-contract company there is never a dull moment, and to see the company still thriving after all these years is very satisfying."
Brighton Sheet Metal is creating a historical record of the past 100 years and would welcome stories, photographs, old literature etc. from former employees and the general public. It is hoped to arrange a series of events to celebrate this milestone in the early summer. Any information would be welcomed and can be sent to Jane Young as follows:
By post to Brighton Sheet Metal Ltd., The Hyde Business Park, Auckland Drive, Brighton BN2 4JW
E mail to jane.young@brightonsheetmetal.co.uk
Telephone 01273 602216 Ext 222
