Ancient and modern mean business for Darlington firm
Stone Technical Services is reaping the rewards of its investment in its diverse skills base as it secures over £100,000 worth of new contracts ranging from refurbishments of historic structures to repairs on modern council-run buildings.
In Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Stone's specialist restoration team has completed a programme of repairs for Redcar and Cleveland Council on Victorian canopies. Stone's experts carefully shot-blasted iron columns and carried out intricate repairs on the finely-detailed ironwork on the canopies which overhang streets and businesses in the historic seaside town.
Stone has also been working on another project on an old landmark in St. Neots in Cambridgeshire. The company's specialist masonry repair division carried out a range of repairs to 18th Century pillars and completely overhauled and refurbished steel gates of a similar age at Church View in St Neots.
However, Stone, which has grown to be one of County Durham's most successful family run businesses, not only works on historic buildings and structures. In Darlington, the company has been working alongside Darlington Council to repair and maintain window sill and jambs at Heathfield School.
Stone Technical Services, run by brothers Dave and Graham Stone on Kellaw Road in Darlington, has continued to grow at both its headquarters in Darlington and also at its offices in Middlesex and central London. The company now employs a team of 28 with plans in place to grow this number and open new regional offices throughout 2011.
Stone specialises in a range of repair, refurbishment and maintenance services including high level maintenance, steeplejack services, restoration and masonry refurbishment projects on churches, museums, clock towers, castles, spires and historic buildings and also lightning protection.
The company works all over the UK on a diverse range of buildings such as St Paul's Cathedral and the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Grainger Market in Newcastle and the University of York, and for organisations such as English Heritage and the National Trust as well as for well known industrial clients such as INEOS Plant Utilities and Teesside Power Station.
Managing director, Dave Stone said: "We've spent the last 18 months investing in our team to make sure we have a diverse skills base so that we are able to offer the highest standards of service for a wide variety of projects. This is now starting to reap rewards for us as we're winning contracts to work on a diverse range of buildings and structures- everything from the Victorian ironworks in Saltburn to repairing windows at a local school. It's this diversity which makes us different and will contribute further to our growth in 2011."
