News: Macalloy planning expansion into India

Macalloy, the Rotherham-based manufacturer of tensioning bars, tie rods and cable systems, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, is planning to expand its operations in India.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe.

The company spotted the opportunity to join the India Growth Champion Scheme, run by Sheffield City Region in conjunction with UKIBC (UK India Business Council), as it wanted to increase its connections with India and secure new opportunities with infrastructure partners.

With over 40 years’ trading history in India, the company’s ‘Macalloy Bar’ is renowned as the industry standard for post tensioning bars for bridges, roads and railways in India. Advisors at the India Growth Champions Scheme carried out an in-depth research project and have been able to provide Macalloy with a database of India’s architects, consulting engineers and construction companies. Macalloy is planning to make meetings with key contacts at this year’s Trade Mission to India.

Macalloy currently has an Indian distributor based in Chennai. Through the India Growth Champion Scheme Macalloy also plans to appoint a new Indian agent and to potentially create a full time sales agent position there, to further expand its market.

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Peter Hoy, Managing Director at Macalloy, said: “India is a key market for us and one where we see huge growth potential because of the major infrastructure projects planned here in the next few years. The India Growth Champion Scheme should help us to open more doors and to get in front of the right people to secure a greater number of product specifications for the Macalloy Bar.

“We manufacture everything we sell at our factory in Dinnington and currently around 85% of our product is exported. We are really excited about the possibilities to extend our market further in India and to maximise on the major bridge building projects there.”

Macalloy products have been used on many high-profile projects including the Royal Jubilee Bridge in London, Bangalore Airport, The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and a number of other bridges across India. Macalloy has also supplied to metro projects across India.

Sir Nigel Knowles, International Advisor to Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region: “Macalloy already has a proven track record in India and has won some prestigious contracts here. As a forward-thinking business, Macalloy has recognised the great opportunity to extend its market presence in India. With the support and extra resource of our business advisors with expertise in the Indian market, we expect that Macalloy and other similar companies can benefit from new connections to grow in this rapidly developing economy.”

Katarzyna Paciorek, Area Sales Manager for Macalloy, said: “British brands are very strong in India, and UK companies have a great leverage when looking at developing their brand visibility there. Our main goal this year is to tap into market opportunities via buyers, specifiers and consultants.

"We know it’s very important to nurture existing relationships with our Indian partners. It proves to be quite difficult during a pandemic when it’s impossible to mark our presence on the ground in person. We’re doing our best with the help of WhatsApp or Teams Calls. We’re hoping that the India Growth Champion Scheme will help us connect with many new partners who we can cooperate successfully with in the future.”

Kevin McCole, Managing Director, UK India Business Council, said: “There are fantastic opportunities in India for advanced manufacturing and engineering businesses and we are really looking forward to supporting Macalloy further in their expansion into India. Our Trade Mission will be a fantastic opportunity for Macalloy to get face to face with some key contacts to set them on path to future growth in this market.”

Macalloy website
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News: Macalloy's crowning glory for Sydney's skyline

A unique addition to the skyline of Sydney, Australia has been made possible by steel products made in Rotherham by Macalloy.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe. Approximately 80% of the company's turnover is from export.

Described as a "centerpiece and architectural statement," the $250m (£137m) Arc by Crown development is almost complete in Sydney's Central Business District (CBD).

The 25-story development includes residential apartments, serviced apartments, multiple levels of basement carparking, two levels of retail and a rooftop terrace.

Architecture firm Koichi Takada produced a striking design incorporating heritage-inspired lower brick levels transitioning to a modern glass-and-steel tower, capped with a sleek public rooftop that will feature daybeds, a water feature and a bar. The eye-catching roof includes a number of steel arches.

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Macalloy has made these arches a reality. Over 300 Macalloy Stainless 520 M42 Tendons have been used to help support the roof. The arched metal fins that cantilever and curve over the rooftop lounge are connected with the tension bars.

Koichi Takada, architect on the project, said last year: "If you ask a child about the Sydney skyline, they draw the Opera House or Harbour Bridge. We wanted to respond to that, we wanted to create something with that quality, something a child could recognise and draw."

Super strong and aesthetically pleasing, Macalloy products are the choice for architects around the globe. The thread is rolled, rather than cut. This gives rise to the use of smaller diameter bars for a given metric thread, resulting in material cost saving.

Innovative products from Macalloy are used to provide strength in bridges, airports, stadia and buildings including the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai and the Marina Bay Sands development in Singapore.

Macalloy moved to the former Rotherham colliery site at Dinnington from Sheffield in November 2006 as part of their continued expansion.

Macalloy website

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News: World Cup hat trick for Macalloy

Few English teams have the consistent levels of success in World Cups like the team at Macalloy in Rotherham who are once again on the world stage for Russia 2018.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe. Approximately 80% of the company's turnover is from export.

Macalloy products are used throughout the construction industry and have been featured in many prestigious global projects. Rotherham-made products can be found inside four of the venues used at the 2018 World Cup, currently taking place across Russia.

Macalloy has provided specialist products for one of the tournament's most striking venues, the Mordovia Arena in Saransk, which is hosting four games.

Macalloy has provided galvanised M48 tension bars, turnbuckles and connection discs to help support the roof.

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On the bank of the Insar river, the stadium will have a capacity of 41,685 for the tournament and following this, some of the stadium's temporary structures will be demolished, bringing the capacity down to 25,000. This will make the arena more effective in the future, with the space vacated being used for indoor volleyball, basketball and tennis courts, as well as fitness centres. The stadium will be home to FC Mordovia.

The design uses a blend of orange, red and white, a colour scheme that reflects the traditional folk art of the native Mordvin peoples. FIFA's stadium guide explains: "The walls and the roof form a solid shell of perforated steel panels, painted in bright colours. This shell is elevated above the basement, creating the impression of lightness, a hovering effect. At a distance, the building resembles an air balloon, ready to take off. The architects had meant the shape and coloration of the shell of Mordovia Arena to evoke warmth, the sun, hospitality, and a warm welcome."

At the Kaliningrad Stadium, with its orthogonal facades, Macalloy has provided galvanised M30 Tension Rods with fork pin lockcovers and turnbuckles. The five-level stadium building has three tiers of outdoor stalls and is shaped as a rectangle with rounded edges.

Built specifically for Russia 2018 on Oktyabrsky Island, right in the heart of Kaliningrad, the 33,973 capacity multi-purpose venue is hosting four games at the tournament including England's final group game against Belgium.

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Macalloy, which moved into purpose built facilities on the site of the former Dinnington Colliery in 2006, has a history with the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world having supplied its threaded bar and cable systems to the Soccer City Stadium, the centrepiece to the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and the venue for the final.

The Olympia Stadion in Berlin, the venue for the 2006 World Cup final, used approximately 100t of galvanised Macalloy 460 tie rods to act as bracing within the steel work supporting the main membrane roof structure.

The growing firm is already planning ahead to 2022 and Qatar.

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News: Business awards for exporting experts

Pricecheck and Macalloy, two Rotherham-based companies, have been recognised at the recent Sheffield Business Awards.

The presitigious awards are free to enter and open to any Sheffield Chamber member or business based within a "S" postcode. The award ceremony took place last week at Ponds Forge in Sheffield, with the room packed full of the region's most inspirational business leaders and hosted by Harry Gration MBE.

International wholesale and distribution business, Pricecheck, was named winner of the High Growth Business of the Year Award.

Pricecheck is a leading supplier of international branded consumer goods and specialises in excess inventory and fast-moving consumer goods.

The firm won the Queen's Award for International Trade 2015 for continuous and cumulative overseas export earnings growth of 283% over six years. In 2016, it officially opened new 115,000 sq ft premises at Beighton Link Business Park in Rotherham.

The recent award win recognises Pricecheck's exceptional growth in sales from £40m to £55m in the last two years. During this period staff numbers grew from 80 to 130 and export sales increased by 69%.

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Mark Lythe, joint managing director at Pricecheck, said: "We are very proud of our recent performance and the success continues. Sales are 35% up this year and our aim is to reach £200m by 2025."

Debbie Harrison, joint managing director at Pricecheck, added: "We're absolutely delighted to receive this recognition from the Sheffield Business Awards.

"To be part of such a prestigious event among some other great finalists was an honour in itself and a fitting tribute to the hard work of our excellent team. Our congratulations also go to our fellow winners on the night!"

Pricecheck was shortlisted for the Exporter of the Year Award at the 2017 Lloyd's Bank National Business Awards, as well as being finalists for the award of Export Champion of the Year at the Amazon Growing Business Awards last month.

Also at the Sheffield Business Awards, the Excellence in International Trade Award was won by Macalloy, the world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe.

Recommended reading: Rotherham's Gambling Industry Sees Growth Amidst Economic Challenges: Legiano Casino

Macalloy is headquartered in Dinnington, Rotherham, having outgrown its Sheffield base and moved to purpose built facilities on the former colliery site in 2006. Macalloy products are used throughout the construction industry and have been featured in many prestigious global projects including five of the upcoming Russian World Cup Stadiums, the Burj Al-Arab Hotel in Dubai, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and Jubilee Bridge in London.

Pricecheck website
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News: Macalloy on export trail in Poland

Rotherham manufacturer, Macalloy, is one of a number of firms from the Sheffield city region that are heading to Poland this week as part of a Department for International Trade Northern Powerhouse trade mission.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe. Approximately 80% of the company's turnover is from export.

Barclays has provided both term debt and working capital to Macalloy, which employs over 90 staff, in a bid to further boost exports. Turnover for the current year is expected to exceed £11m.

The trip to Warsaw will highlight the key opportunities for businesses in the advanced manufacturing sector, while also showcasing Northern expertise in Poland.

Given the city region's specialisms in advanced manufacturing and engineering, Poland is an important target market, as well as being a gateway to the broader Eastern and Central European region.

Latest figures available show that, in 2015, Sheffield City Region exported £71m worth of goods to Poland. This was the city region's 13th largest export market for goods but, given existing international connections via Doncaster Sheffield Airport – which flies to six Polish cities – and a strong Polish community resident in the city region, there is potential to trade significantly more.

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Sir Nigel Knowles, chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: "In Sheffield City Region we grab each opportunity and make the most of it, whatever the size of the company, whatever its sector and whatever its ambition.

"We do this daily with domestic and international business partners alike, and the level of Sheffield City Region involvement in this trade mission is testament to that. We have a strong business ethic and our approach is simple, straightforward and pragmatic.

"With everyone pulling together, and a significant sense of community, we are achieving transformational change and building a thriving, super-connected and successful economy. This is helping to attract, retain and develop skills in the region which are so important for the SCR's sustainable growth."

Marian Sudbury, director of exports & investment for the Northern Powerhouse, added: "As an international economic department, our global export promotion activity allows us to identify the sector-market combinations that present the greatest opportunities for business. Naturally, advanced manufacturing features highly in this area.

"Trade missions allow us to showcase Northern expertise and encourage companies to develop business overseas in a structured and supportive environment. The mission to Poland will give delegates insight into the Polish market and facilitate networking opportunities to help businesses to reach their export potential."

A total of five Sheffield City Region-based companies will participate in the 18-company mission, and they will be supported by delegates of the Sheffield City Region Executive Team.

Heading to Poland alongside Macalloy are Sheffield-based Numill Ltd, Straaltechniek Ltd which has a site close to the M1 motorway in Shiregreen, Dronfield-based Armeg Ltd and Cerex Ltd, based in Nether Edge, Sheffield.

Macalloy tension rods are used as hangers for the steel arch Warta Bridge in Gorzow, Poland and Macalloy tension bars are used to suspend the bridge deck from the steel arch at John Paul II bridge in Pulawy, Poland (pictured).

Both Macalloy tie rods and and Macalloy PT post tensioning bars are used in the KL8 footbridge in Poznan, Poland. Macalloy PT bars are used as anchor bolts to hold down either end of the steel arch. The Macalloy tie rods are use to support the bridge deck.

At the Stadion Zagłębia Lubin, the stayed roof structure is suspended with Macalloy tie rods and anchored back to the ground over steel pylons which double up as anchor points for the floodlights. The floodlights were also tied back to the steel pylons using Macalloy tension bars.

Macalloy website
SCR website

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News: Rotherham-based Macalloy back at the FIFA World Cup

Rotherham manufacturer, Macalloy is heading back to the FIFA World Cup, working on stadium projects for tournament hosts, Russia and Qatar.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe. Approximately 80% of the company's turnover is from export.

Barclays has provided both term debt and working capital to Macalloy, which employs over 90 staff, in a bid to further boost exports. Turnover for the current year is expected to exceed £11m.

Peter Hoy, chief executive officer of Macalloy, said: "We've been trading successfully overseas for some time now but we're always looking for new projects and the funding from Barclays has enabled us to finalise an exciting deal working on Russia stadia in time for the World Cup 2018.

"We are delighted to be involved with five of the Stadia and we are now planning ahead to 2022 and Qatar. We have already completed the refurbishment of the Al Khalifa stadium where we were first involved with the renovation in 2006 and the Asian games.

"We are now seeing enquiries for the remaining stadia both refurbishments and new builds and are hoping that our experience working on the 2018 stadia will be an excellent reference for future work."

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Macalloy has a history with the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world having supplied its threaded bar and cable systems to the Soccer City Stadium, the centrepiece to the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and the venue for the final. The Olympia Stadion in Berlin, the venue for the 2006 World Cup final, used approximately 100t of galvanised Macalloy 460 tie rods to act as bracing within the steel work supporting the main membrane roof structure.

Often selected by architects for there aesthetic appeal, innovative products from Macalloy are used to provide strength in bridges, airports and buildings including the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai and the Marina Bay Sands development in Singapore.

Other stadia strengthened by Macalloy include the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, the redeveloped Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida and the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

Neil Bradburne, Barclays relationship director, said: "With the recent exchange rate movement, UK manufacturers now have a worldwide appeal and it's good to see a local company taking advantage of market conditions and expanding for the future.

"This deal is pivotal for the business and I hope we see more South Yorkshire businesses taking advantage of overseas trading, expanding for the future which in turn will benefit the economy and create more jobs locally."

Macalloy moved to the former Rotherham colliery site at Dinnington from Sheffield in November 2006 as part of their continued expansion.

Macalloy website
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News: Macalloy deliver at Boxpark

Super strength stainless steel bars manufactured by Macalloy in Rotherham are helping to keep things together at a new eating and drinking venue constructed of refitted shipping containers.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe. Its products are often called upon to provide the stability when innovative designs from leading architects are made into reality.

Entirely constructed out of 96 refitted shipping containers, Boxpark has recently opened as part of the mixed-use Ruskin Square development next to East Croydon station. It has created a unique dining experience focusing on small independent traders, transforming the quality of the leisure offer in Croydon.

The design by architects at BDP creates a pared down raw aesthetic which integrates into the core Boxpark design language and, with graphic designers Filthy Media and retail designers Brinkworth, a very strong graphic and visual identity which is applied rigorously throughout the scheme.

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Gavin Elliott, architect director at BDP, said: "Our design creates a semi-enclosed market hall – like Covent Garden or La Boqueria in Barcelona – so it has a central focus to the scheme with the units arranged around it, as well as outdoor terrace spaces. The change of level between the station entrance and Dingwall Road means people enter from multiple entrances and levels which adds spatial interest and animation.

"Shipping containers are an intrinsic component of the Boxpark brand. There's something quite magical about taking this mundane and ubiquitous object and turning it into something desirable and transformational. We're using 96 containers in total and only four of them are unaltered. The whole assembly is like a giant 3D jigsaw puzzle but the finished result looks deceptively simple.

"Boxpark Croydon is a place for people. The design comes alive now it's occupied. It was incredible to see it over the opening weekend, at dusk, with the lights on and the music pumping. Rammed with people all having a brilliant time."

The steel containers are stacked two-high to form ground and first floor levels, with an eating courtyard in the centre. The main contractor for the £3m scheme was Randall Developments with TSI Structures the steelwork contractor.

Jonathan Pye, civil and structural engineer director at BDP, said: "The roof structure, which measures approximately 20m x 20m has been designed as a sway frame to ensure rigidity, while a series of Macalloy cross bracings located between the primary columns adds some extra lateral stability."

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News: Macalloy reach amazing new heights

High strength steel bars manufactured by Macalloy in Rotherham have been used in an architectural wonder that offers visitors an intense sensation of walking in the clouds.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe. Approximately 80% of the company's turnover is from export.

The Sky Walk near Dolni Movara, a ski and activity resort in the Czech Republic, is a 55 metre tall observation tower, built mostly by hand on the top of a mountain.

Designed by local studio franek architects, there are various attractions including a 101 metre long slide, nets and nests in the building for those who seek adventure or entertainment. The entrance building is of a slightly oval shape much like a rowboat.

Its construction is made of glued wooden beams set into a wooden grid supported by columns. The architectural approach was for the building to blend with it's unique surrounding rather then to disturb it. This was the reason for using wood for the major part of the construction, and making the rails and mounts as subtle as possible.

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To make the architect's vision a reality, construction firm, Taros Nova, selected Maccalloy products. Macalloy has supplied 460 grade galvanised tension rods in M30, M36 and M42 with turnbuckles. Overall, the unique structure includes 550 cubic metres of timber, nearly 400 tonnes of steel and over 40,000 pins, clamps and bolts. Construction completed at the end of 2015.

Zdenik Fránek, lead architect on the project, said: "It is rare to use timber on a construction of this magnitude. It also creates a new kind of experience where people realise how small they are in the bosom of nature. I don't know of any other timber construction with steel elements of a similar size and purpose. There are constructions of a similar size but ours takes on an abstract form that suggests the flight of a nocturnal butterfly whose path is seemingly chaotic."

Radek Ondruch, executive director Taros Nova, added: "The construction was a unique experience that required us to follow a path of courage and self-knowledge. We found ourselves in a completely different situation from what we're used to – having to build so high above sea level in difficult terrain with changeable weather, where all of the materials and equipment had to be transported. It was astonishing and chilling at the same time.

"It was like when the first New York skyscrapers were built. Images of the Empire State Building being built came to mind."

Macalloy website

Images: Taros Nova / franek architects

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News: Macalloy continues to span the globe

Super strength stainless steel bars manufactured by Macalloy in Rotherham are being used to create the railway bridge with the largest reinforced concrete arch span in the world.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe. Approximately 80% of the company's turnover is from export.

Work is well underway to build Spain's 996m long Almonte Viaduct to carry the AVE high speed railway over the Alcantara reservoir, on the Madrid to Extremadura route. The bridge, designed by Spanish engineering firm Arenas y Asociados, is part of a high-speed rail line proposed to connect the two European capitals of Madrid, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal.

Once complete, the bridge will also be the largest high-speed railway arch bridge and third largest concrete arch bridge in the world.

Macalloy 1030 bars in 75mm and 40mm have been used as part of the anchorage system to anchor/tension the stay cables which provide provisional support to the arch of Almonte Bridge.

FCC are constructing the bridge using eight groups of stay cables – four for pulling and four for retaining operations – all are assembled on the ground and lifted into position using cranes. Before the segments of the arch are concreted, the stay cables are stressed in a synchronised sequence, applying force to the pulling and retaining cables at the same time.

Macalloy bars have also been used to create the "Solhjulet" (Sun-wheel) sculpture in Denmark, a 12 m high wheel located an the centre of a roundabout in Give.

Designed by artist Bo Karberg, it is now the new symbol of the town having opened earlier this year. The outer ring is made of steel, covered with a fibreglass shell, and the inner grid consists of prestressed Macalloy 460 Stainless Steel bars. Glass plates are integrated into the grid structure, similar to the glass pyramid of the Louvre in Paris.

It is inspired by 5,000 year old disc wheels from the late Neolithic period, which were found in Pilkmosen near Give in 1948. They are now classified as the oldest known wheel, and is on display at the National Museum.

Macalloy website

Images: FCC / http://solhjul.dk/

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News: Manufacturer fined after worker fatally injured

Rotherham construction experts, Macalloy, has been fined £200,000 after a worker was pulled into a machine and killed.

Based in Dinnington, Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe.

Alan Gerrard, 47, from Rotherham, suffered fatal crush injuries when his clothing got caught in a machine which was used to apply adhesive tape to bars to stop corrosion.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that the father-of-two was an agency worker who had been working for the McCalls Special Products Limited, in Sheffield, for only three weeks when the incident occurred in January 2013.

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McCalls Special Products Limited (trading as Macalloys), pleaded guilty to breaches of Section 2 and Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974 and was fined a total of £200,000. It must also pay £16,804 in costs.

Alan Gerrard's wife, Debra, said: "I am completely devastated at losing Alan. He was my soul mate and we had been together for 25 years. We shared everything and had a very happy life. I miss him in all kinds of ways. He was my world."

Denise Fotheringham, inspector at the Health and Safety Executive who investigated and prosecuted this case, said: "The law requires that employers take all reasonable steps to guard against access to such dangerous parts of machinery. This risk associated with this machine should have been assessed by the company – and it was not. It should have been adequately guarded – and it was not. Simple safety precautions would have prevented this awful incident happening."

The company moved to Rotherham in 2006 where they provide employment to 80 people and enjoy a turnover of £12m. Macalloy systems support impressive projects around the world including the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, Dubai International Airport, the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai and close to home, Clifton Park in Rotherham.

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News: Macalloy strengthens position as world leader

Super strength stainless steel bars manufactured by Macalloy in Rotherham are being used in the Izmit Bay Bridge, set to be one of the longest suspension bridges in the world.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe. Approximately 80% of the company's turnover is from export.

The suspension bridge over Izmit Bay in Turkey is an extremely complex project with a free span of 1,550 metres between its pylons and a total length of about three kilometres. The pylons will be made of steel and have a height of 250 metres. It has been designed by Danish architects, Dissing+Weitling.

At a total project cost of €800m, the overall construction will require some 85,000 tonnes of steel and about 125,000 cubic metres of concrete. It is being constructed by Japanese contractor IHI, with COWI serving as consultant, and is scheduled to be completed in only three years.

The bridge is being built in one of most seismically active areas in the world, which places additional demands on the bridge's design. It will be made earthquake-resistant by building its pylons on a concrete foundation that rests on a large gravel bed the pylons can slide on in the event of a major earthquake.

Fully threaded 40mm and 50mm Stainless Macalloy Bar will be used to hold down the bridge's towers in the sea.

Macalloy was the first company in the world to develop a post tensioning bar system in the 1940's and the product has evolved to include a unique fatigue resistant thread form that provides low lock off losses on stressing. Macalloy's system is used in holding down bolts, ground anchors, external post-tensioning, hangers, lifting rods, pile testing and stressed connections. Macalloy S1030 is a martensitic nickel-chrome alloy steel, hardened during manufacture to attain the specified properties.


Macalloy systems are already used in the impressive Millau Viaduct in France and the Navia River Viaduct in Spain.

When completed in 2017, the Izmit Bay Bridge will be the fourth largest suspension bridge in the world just pipping the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Macalloy website

Images: Dissing+Weitling

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News: Macalloy spans the globe

Super strength tension rods manufactured by Macalloy in Rotherham have made the pioneering ideas of engineers and designers a reality, as the innovative Troja Bridge opens in the Czech Republic, a structure believed to be the world's largest "network arch."

Based in Dinnington, Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe.

The £30m Troja Bridge spans the River Vltava using an innovative network arch method that is dramatically stronger than more traditional bridge designs. The 200m long, 34m wide bridge is now in full operation, carrying a four lane dual carriageway and twin tram tracks along with pedestrian and cycle paths, on what is a key crossing for the important Prague ring road.

Conventional bowstring arch designs use vertical hangers to stiffen the structure but on the Troja Bridge the hangers are arranged diagonally, creating a criss-cross "network." It was built with a welded box section steel arch, prestressed concrete deck, cantilevered steel side platforms and criss-crossed steel hangers that brace the bridge like a steel web.

Macalloy supplied its 520 tension rods system to be used as the bridge hangers. Macalloy also designed a unique fatigue resistant thread form for the project which was tested in accordance with high standards for fatigue connections in bridges. The steel tension rods were tensioned using Macalloy's Techno-Tensioner device – a device that enables on-site stressing of tension rods using a turnbuckle connection.

Mott MacDonald's innovative design has reduced the height of the bridge by 60% – from 50m to 20m at its highest point, and the lower, shorter arch and shorter hangers offered potential materials savings of 40%.

Radko Bucek, managing director for the Czech Republic at Mott MacDonald, said: "Troja Bridge represents a major step forward in structural efficiency. By reconfiguring the hangers of the classic bowstring arch from a conventional vertical arrangement to a diagonal one, we have dramatically improved the bridge's performance."

Macalloy products are exported around the world and used in a wide variety of construction projects including the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, the $5.5bn Marina Bay Sands development in Singapore and the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg and the Olympia Stadion in Berlin, both of which have hosted the World Cup final.

Macalloy website

Images: Mott MacDonald

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News: Macalloy strengthens plans to expand in the USA

To maintain its place as an innovator and market leader in the construction sector, Rotherham-based Macalloy is taking advantage of local business support to help boost exports and grow and expand its operations in the USA.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe. Approximately 80% of the company's turnover is from export and Macalloy has been supplying the North American market for over 20 years. The Chicago Arts Institute Building uses Macalloy tension bars in the roof structure and the science teaching and student services building at The University of Minnesota utilises both Macalloy compression struts and tension bars (tie rods).

To identify future export opportunities, support from RiDO's Soft Landing Zone project saw business development co-ordinator Nathan Woodcock carry out an extensive research project into the top twenty live civil engineering projects covering stadiums, sports arenas, bridges and airports in the USA.

This in-depth market research included providing Macalloy with contact details of architects, structural engineers and clients for a number of live projects. The research also included a competitor analysis and relevant information on exhibitions and associations in the USA.

RiDO collaborated with Enterprise Europe Network and UKTI to help Macalloy identify and target new agents in key locations such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Las Vegas, Pittsburg, Washington DC and Philadelphia.

Martin Dootsan, product manager at Macalloy (pictured top, left), said: "We have found the research carried out by RiDO to be extremely useful and will be using the findings to implement our plan to further expand in the USA over the next two years. The research gives a clear indication what projects are being carried out, the location, the key stakeholders we need to communicate with and the value, which is all vital information for us.

"We are already planning to attend a number of the exhibitions that were revealed in the research and are joining the recommended trade partnerships. It has been great having the support of RiDO and the research project is something we would not have had the internal resource to do. It has springboarded our plans to expand further into the USA and should lead to major potential growth opportunities."

Nathan Woodcock, business development co-ordinator for RiDO's Soft Landing Zone (pictured top, right), added: "This has been a very thorough and in-depth research project that has identified many exciting new opportunities for Macalloy. We are looking forward to seeing the company grow and expand its operations in the USA."

One of Macalloy's recent projects involved supplying tension rods in M56 and M90 diameter to be used as bracing on the steel frame structure in the reconstruction of the iconic Citrus Bowl stadium in Orlando, Florida (pictured) which reopens this weekend.

Rotherham Investment & Development Office's (RiDO's) Soft Landing Zone project attracted £842k investment from the European Regional Development Fund and aims to assist Rotherham companies in accessing international markets.

Macalloy website
RiDO website

Images: RiDO / Florida Citrus Sports / Facebook

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News: Macalloy on display at London arts fair

Often selected by architects for there aesthetic appeal, innovative products from Rotherham experts, Macalloy, have recently been used as part of an arts showcase to promote steel in industry in the Sheffield city region.

Based in Dinnington, Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe.

A key exhibition on London's arts calendar, the COLLECT International Art Fair for Contemporary Objects 2014 was held at the Saatchi Gallery and presents a select offering of museum-quality works from the very best international artists in ceramics, glass, jewellery, textiles, wood, furniture, silver and fine metal work.

Galvanize Sheffield and Yorkshire Artspace in collaboration with the Harley Gallery (UK) took seven artists to COLLECT. A partnership between local museums, trusts and academia, Galvanize Sheffield celebrates the region's metal skills and creativity and craftsmanship. Its funding partners include local firms such as Sheffield's Outukumpu Stainless Ltd and Rotherham's AESSEAL.

Macalloy tension rods formed part of the Galvanize Sheffield stand at the event. Showcasing works by local silversmiths and jewellers, the stand was supported with tension rods used as bracing with both Macalloy cross couplers and connection discs also used.

Neil MacDonald, chair of Galvanize Sheffield, said; "Being exhibited at COLLECT is an achievement in itself for our artists. They are being given a place on a prestigious international stage from which to showcase their talent, to sell their work and present Sheffield to the world."

Macalloy website
Galvanize Sheffield website

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News: Macalloy tie up US stadium contract

Rotherham construction experts, Macalloy, has supplied its innovative products to the reconstruction project taking place at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

Since it originally opened in 1936 with a capacity of 8,900, the Orlando stadium has expanded to accommodate more than 65,000 people, and has played host to World Cup football games, intense rivalry games between college teams, and music concerts including The Rolling Stones, Metallica and Guns N' Roses.

The Citrus Bowl is now undergoing a $162m reconstruction, featuring a new design by HNTB Corporation. It is part of local mayor, Buddy Dyer's, "Triple Crown for Downtown," a $1.1-billion plan to redo the Orlando Centroplex with a new $480m arena for the Orlando Magic, a new $375m performing arts centre and the reconstruction of the Citrus Bowl.

With work getting underway earlier in the year, all stadium structures below the upper decks will be demolished and reconstructed with concrete and pre-cast concrete. The four corner ramps that serve the upper decks also will be demolished and replaced with two vertical circulation towers. A new lower and mid level seating bowl will be created.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe.

Macalloy has recently supplied tension rods in M56 and M90 diameter to be used as bracing on the steel frame structure that will house all of the new elevators, escalators and stair towers at the Florida venue. Manufactured from high strength steel bar, they are designed to be used as a lightweight, architectural product in situations where tension is required. They are often specified by architects based on the way they look in addition to the way they keep structures together.


Macalloy has been supplying the North American market for over 20 years. The Chicago Arts Institute Building uses Macalloy tension bars in the roof structure and the science teaching and student services building at The University of Minnesota utilises both Macalloy compression struts and tension bars (tie rods).

Stadiums that feature Macalloy products include the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg and the Olympia Stadion in Berlin, both of which have hosted the World Cup final. Others include the Etihad Stadium in Manchester and the Estadio de Luz in Lisbon.

Macalloy website

Images: HNTB / Macalloy

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News: New intake at AMRC Training Centre

14 new apprentices have begun their training at the state of the art AMRC Training Centre in Rotherham.

Part of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing, the AMRC Training Centre is a £20.5m centre on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham where the focus is on 250 students aged from 16 upwards, taken on paid apprenticeships with opportunities to progress on to postgraduate courses.

The centre delivers high-level training, concentrating on sectors such as aerospace, energy and Formula One. It also hosts part time CPD courses with the training schedule guided by industrial partners and participating companies.

The first batch of 150 advanced apprentices began their training in January and are sponsored by employers ranging from smaller manufacturing companies to major companies such as Rolls-Royce. The training is employer-led which ensures that the apprentices gain a tailored set of skills and hands on experience that employers require.

Supported by the Regional Growth Fund and European Regional Development Fund, 250 students a year, aged from 16 upwards, will be taken on paid apprenticeships with opportunities to progress on to postgraduate courses.

The new recruits have recently begun on either machining or maintenance pathways. They will be at the centre for between six to 12 months and will start with the basics, including health & safety, personal learning & thinking, engineering principles and so on. Rotherham firms supporting apprentices include Macalloy, Bennett Saws and Darron SBO.

Mick Fairman, trainer at the AMRC Training Centre said: "I'm impressed so far by the standard and calibre of the new apprentices. They are knuckling down and taking this opportunity seriously. We've got some good talent and I hope they keep it up."

The application window is now open for the September intake of apprentices with an open event taking place tomorrow, May 1 between 4pm-7pm. Trainers and current apprentices will be on hand to discuss life at the AMRC. Tours will be taking place of the facility that has been designed as a real manufacturing environment rather than a training environment.

The centre is expecting to fill 250 apprentice vacancies in September. To book a place on the event, visit the AMRC Training Centre website

Images: AMRC Training Centre

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News: Macalloy fly the flag in Singapore

Rotherham exporters, Macalloy will join a delegation of local business leaders and members of the Sheffield city region (SCR) Inward Investment team and travel together to Singapore next month. They will promote the region's excellence in advanced manufacturing, particularly in the aerospace, oil and gas sectors for which Singapore is the most important market hub in Asia.

The mission is timed to coincide with the Singapore Air Show to explore export opportunities in the sector capitalising on the regions strength in manufacturing aerospace components whilst selling the region as an inward investment proposition.

Based in Dinnington, Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe.

Macalloy 460 galvanised tie rods were supplied in a range of diameters to support the roof canopies along the bayfront of the $5.5bn Marina Bay Sands development in Singapore (pictured) that was constructed on land reclaimed from the sea.

Macalloy tie rods are also used to support the 35m high glass façade at the access to the MRT station at Singapore's Changi airport terminal.

William Beckett, MD of William Beckett Plastics and chairman of the South Yorkshire International Trade Forum (SYITF) and trade delegation lead said: "A major development in the city region has been the willingness of all the different trade support organisations to work together with the agreed aim of promoting the skills and expertise in the region and to focus on target market sectors having the greatest export growth potential.

"Singapore was identified as a perfect example of this strategy and in March last year I went there on behalf of the SYITF to explore the opportunities for both export trade and inward investment specifically in the aerospace, oil and gas sectors.

"Having subsequently conducted a significant market research exercise in mapping Singapore companies in these sectors, we are now able to match them with companies in the SCR.

"Companies on the mission will benefit from having this information, which will give them an excellent opportunity to increase their export trade to the region."

David Grey MBE and Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Board member overseeing Inward Investment, added: "The Singapore Airshow attracts decision makers in the aerospace sector, and we will hold pre-arranged meetings with companies who have expansion plans and are looking at the UK as a European base.

"The ability of the AMRC to design systems in order to machine aerospace components far faster and cheaper than is possible through traditional methods, has attracted world-wide attention.

"We want to capitalise on that and encourage companies to make the move and set up here, near that valued talent pool.

"The supply chain for the aerospace sector is well served by this City Region, and this is an added attraction to potential investors.

"The Inward Investment team will be making that compelling case in Singapore."

Macalloy website
SYITF website

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News: Macalloy invests in IT

Rotherham construction experts, Macalloy, has upgraded its business management systems in order to keep pace with its growing order book.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe.

The products are used in tension structures, façade engineering, ground engineering and post-tensioning/concrete engineering and can be found in the Burj Al Arab in Dubai; Munich Airport, Germany; and Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Macalloy met with Wharncliffe Business Systems, the Sage Strategic Partner for South and West Yorkshire based in Barnsley, to discuss the need to upgrade. After detailed presentations to the Macalloy team which included working through all conceivable quote-order-manufacture-deliver-install scenarios, an order was placed for the Sage 200 Suite including Financials, Commercials, Manufacturing, CRM and Configur8or.

Peter Hoy, managing director at Macalloy, said: "We needed an upgrade to modern, state-of-the-art web-based systems to assist our agents in the field and to process orders more quickly back at HQ. Business has been very brisk for us with an increasing number of exports, so we were clearly looking to improve all our business processes with an emphasis on CRM to deliver better support for our worldwide network."

The new system includes a build-to-order design interface so that customers can see at a glance how Macalloy's end products will look and work for them. Its unique "workflow wizard" functionality eliminates the potential for human errors, saving time and money for Macalloy and their global dealer network as only orders which are correctly configured and priced are received.

Peter added: "We were impressed with Wharncliffe's consultative pre-sales approach. Wharncliffe were keen to work with us to ensure that their finished proposal met our complex requirements. This means I'm confident that most of our 80 employees will see substantial benefits with streamlined quote-order-manufacture-delivery processing and a massive reduction in paperwork."

Macalloy website
Wharncliffe website

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News: Macalloy helps transform Denmark's House of Industry

Products manufactured by Rotherham construction experts, Macalloy, have helped to transform a major business building in the heart of Copenhagen, Denmark.

An export success, Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe.

The Confederation of Danish Industry's (DI's) home for over 30 years, the "Industriens Hus" (House of Industry), has undergone a large scale renovation and modernisation enabling them to expand and create a contemporary building that could satisfy a modern and forward-looking organisation.

Designed by TRANSFORM Architects, the three year project involved adding a new 9,000 sq m structural glazing façade, a 7,200 sq m "diagrid" façade, a 2,000 sq m atrium, and a 1,000 sq m street level façade.

Macalloy architectural compression struts have been used to support the glass façade which covers the exterior walls. The resulting new exterior part of the building consists of a great media façade and over 80,000 LEDs which can be programmed for different speeds, colours, and direction creating thousands of different expressions displayed at one of the most heavily trafficked intersections in Copenhagen (see above).

Macalloy tension bars are also used as bracing in the sloping atrium roof that slopes down towards the city's famous Tivoli Gardens. The building is in a horseshoe shape and the atrium covers the central plaza.

At the opening of the building earlier this year Karsten Dybvad, CEO of the Confederation of Danish Industry, said: "The building's unique shape with a large glass façade has been the subject of considerable media attention. I think it is a great building to look at and a great place to work."

Macalloy website

Images: kollision /Confederation of Danish Industry

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News: Macalloy on show at new Mariinsky Theatre

Products manufactured by Rotherham construction experts, Macalloy, have helped to create a stunning architectural feature at a recently opened development at the world famous Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia.

An export success, Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe.

Mariinsky II, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, is the new home of the acclaimed Mariinsky opera, ballet and orchestra. Alongside the historic building of the Mariinsky Theatre, built in 1860, and the Concert Hall which opened in 2006, the Mariinsky II will form part of the theatre and concert complex.

The new building, covering 79,114 sq m, is one of the largest theatre and concert venues in the world. The auditorium will seat up to 2,000 people at full capacity. The new theatre has seven storeys above ground and three below. There is the main stage; a rehearsal stage and backstage areas; rehearsal rooms; space for 1,000 members of staff; chamber premises in the foyer which can house educational projects for children and young people; a rooftop amphitheatre; and underground car parking.

At a cost of around £450m, the project has taken nearly ten years to complete. The facilities opened in May.

Macalloy's high strength 460 tension bars have been used to suspend the impressive staircase in the new building. The Macalloy tension bars, also commonly known as tie bars, provide high strength, lightweight, architectural solutions for major construction products. The dramatic 33 metre (108 ft) architectural glass staircase traverses the north side of the foyer, connecting every above-ground level of the building. The foyer is split into several individual spaces of various sizes.

Jack Diamond, principal with Diamond Schmitt Architects, said: "Mariinsky II embraces the themes and forms of St. Petersburg and contains a jewel of an auditorium that is based upon the successful configuration of past houses, and one in which the social aspects of attending opera or ballet performances have been enhanced for every member of the audience.

"Extensive public space with dramatic staircases connects multi-tiered lobbies that heighten the sense of occasion of attending the opera and ballet for spectators."

Macalloy website

Images: mariinsky.ru

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