One of the North East’s leading integrated welding and engineering specialists – QA Weld Tech – has successfully achieved the highly sought-after Fit for Nuclear (F4N) status after passing a series of rigorous measures to be recognised as a reputable provider in the nuclear supply chain.
Based in Middlesbrough, the firm was awarded the status by the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC) which helps UK manufacturers to win work in the nuclear sector.
The F4N standard was established to create an industry benchmark allowing manufacturers to measure their operations against the required standards to operate in a complex sector and close any gaps to do so.
Speaking about achieving F4N, Charles Tighe, Managing Director at QA Weld Tech said: “Securing the coveted F4N status will open the doors for QA Weld Tech and establish the business in this growing sector as we commit to supporting the UK’s nuclear decommissioning program.”
“As a sector naturally driven by demanding safety standards, securing this status very much highlights our core capabilities to deliver our services to the very highest industry standards, and as such, QA Weld Tech will be recognised as a highly credible supplier by nuclear buyers.”
And this comes on the back of the company having recently transitioned their Quality Management System to both ISO 9001:2015 and 14001:2015 accreditation, reflecting the latest trends, with increased importance given to managing risk within the organisation.
The company delivers full turnkey solutions and prides itself on its ability to work with difficult materials and engineer innovative solutions to complex problems. It has developed over 650 recognised and fully approved welding procedures for a wide range of applications.
From the company’s extensive facilities – comprising nine workshops – it delivers a range of services from shot blasting, clean condition welding and weld overlay cladding right through to fabrication, CNC machining and pressure testing.
Charles said: “Historically QA Weld Tech has primarily worked in the oil and gas sector and over the past year we have ambitiously entered into new markets including nuclear, power generation, renewables and petrochemical. As such, we have transferred our extensive knowledge and core capabilities to new projects and we plan to carve a strong reputation within these sectors.”
Established in 1980 QA Weld Tech is a leading provider of integrated welding and engineering services delivering a full turnkey service from initial consultation right through to project management, inspection and testing. The company will be entering into seven new sectors including petrochemical, valves and pumps, rail, marine, nuclear and power generation.