This year at Hewas Water we’re celebrating 75 years of engineering, and to mark the occasion, we were delighted to be featured in the September edition of Business Cornwall Magazine.

Business Cornwall features the county’s biggest and most exciting companies, and connect key industries and personalities, here’s what they had to say about Hewas Water Engineering…

Still Engineering the future after 75 years

Originally set up to provide engineering services to the agriculture and China clay industries, Hewas Water has, over the years, diversified into construction through a programme of steady expansion, both via the physical expansion of the workshop area and the sectors it works in.

Now in its 75th year, recent additions including CNC plasma & press brake machines, an upgraded CNC saw/drill line, stainless steel shop and expansion of existing shot-blast and paint facilities, see Hewas Water in a stronger position than ever to deliver continued excellent service to its many loyal customers.

General manager and director, John Dennehy, explains: “Whether we are re-painting an old tractor for a local farmer or building a new 200 tonne school for a large contractor, every customer is given equal attention. Customer service and retention are core values of the business.

“Our workforce, some of whom have been with us for decades, understand that philosophy, which is why we enjoy high levels of staff retention and loyalty.

“The saying ‘every day is different’ may be somewhat of a cliché, but it really does apply here and I know that our staff appreciate the sheer variety of projects that pass through the workshops.”

Although Hewas Water still maintains good relationships with customers in the China clay and agriculture sectors, (it has recently exported sand grinders to France and China), the decision in the early 90’s by current owner Mike James to invest heavily in automation focused on structural steel fabrication, has proven to be a very prudent one

Around the same time, Hewas Water Scaffolding was formed to further add to the list of services offered. In the ensuing period, Hewas Water has steadily developed a large customer base of local, regional and national main contractors, resulting in a string of projects for Western Power Distribution, South West Water and Cornwall Council, coupled with numerous prestigious private sector projects such as Bodmin Jail, Hall for Cornwall and Penzance Heliport.

While the focus remains on the Cornwall and Devon market, the company has recently completed the new Exeter Bus Depot & Leisure Centre as well as residential developments in Tiverton and Bristol.

“Whilst work on health and education public sector projects has increased considerably in the last decade, we have seen the private residential sector as an area of particular growth,” says John.

“Not only have we seen a lot of additional work come in through customer and design team referrals, I think that customers really like the fact that the can get not only all of their steelwork but also their metal balustrades, staircases, stainless steel/glass balconies from a single supplier. They really enjoy that point of difference.”

As one of over a thousand manufacturers in Cornwall, Hewas Water is a long-standing member of Cornwall Manufacturers Group. With over 10% of Cornwall’s economic output coming from the manufacturing sector and the same coming from construction, Hewas Water sees education and promotion of these sectors as crucial to securing a vibrant future skilled workforce. CMG members alone have over 100 current vacancies between them. Many of them skilled jobs.

Given that average earnings in the manufacturing, engineering and construction sectors are around £30k per year, you could be forgiven for thinking there wouldn’t be a problem to fill these vacancies. However, challenges remain.

John explains: “The lack of available housing is hampering efforts to recruit from outside of the Duchy, coupled with a system that continues to tell our young people ‘you must leave Cornwall and go to university if you want to get on – there are no good jobs or opportunities in Cornwall’.

“We see it as our duty to help change those outdated attitudes. If we, along with all employers, not just in manufacturing but across all sectors of business, can each do our bit to change these views, we might just end up with a workforce that allows us to prevail for another 75 years.”

Thank you to Business Cornwall Magazine for recognising our 75 years of engineering. To see this month’s edition of the magazine, or to learn more about the publication, click the links below.

Business Cornwall September – www.issuu.com/businesscornwall/docs/bc_sept22

Business Cornwall Website – www.businesscornwall.co.uk