'Excited' Hartlepool firm takes on six new apprentices

The Expanded Metal Company, which is based on the town’s Longhill Industrial Estate, says the new staff are part of an ongoing commitment to workforce development – and providing jobs in the local community

The company supplies a range of high quality expanded metal mesh products for sectors including construction, filtration, engineering, transport, utilities, automotive, aerospace and architecture.

The new apprentices will all completing their qualifications at East Durham College, where they will continue to attend classes alongside their hands-on training at firm.

The apprentices are Sam Arnell, 18, Jadyn Bates, 17, Holly Appleby, 19, Rob Miller, 17, and Max Rowbotham, 17, who are all from Hartlepool along with Rob Jinks, 22, who is from Middlesbrough.

Philip Astley, managing director of The Expanded Metal Company, said: “As a pioneer in the manufacture of expanded mesh in the North East, and with more than 130 years experience, I’m excited to be welcoming the next generation of apprentices to the company.

“In the short time they have been with us, they have all shown a great enthusiasm to learn. Our apprenticeship programme has been running for a number of years and I’m delighted we can continue to provide opportunities for people in in the community to learn specialist manufacturing skills.

“The apprenticeship programme is a vital component in our workforce development strategy and is helping us to build for the future.

“In addition, I am pleased that we have been able to navigate through the challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic and are able to offer a number of full-time opportunities for people to join our manufacturing operations in Hartlepool.”

The Expanded Metal Company has a heritage dating back to 1889 and was founded by John French Golding, the inventor and patentee of expanded metal.

It works closely with contractors and end users to create bespoke solutions for their projects, drawing on its extensive design and manufacturing expertise, and high-class production capabilities.

It stocks and supplies a wide range of high-quality expanded metal mesh products and offers specialist capabilities in metal work, such as cutting, welding, drilling, punching, shearing and roll forming.