Member Article

Substantial rail standard opens doors for Salamander’s national and European focus

Salamander Fabrications has become one of 21 manufacturers in the UK to be listed on the European Committee for Welding of Railway Vehicles’ online register following EN15085 CL2 certification.

The Yorkshire-based sheet metal business joins leading firms – including Bombardier Transportation and Transcal Engineering – on the exclusive portal to further bolster its rail product offering.

To assist in achieving the CL2 standard, Huddersfield-headquartered Salamander had already recruited quality engineer, and responsible welding coordinator, Mohammed Zubair. A further new recruit – who is an experienced rail consultant – is also set to be announced shortly.

The certification means Salamander can provide new parts for railway vehicles throughout the UK and Europe. It can also be considered for high-profile projects including HS2, Transport for London and The Underground – all of which use certified-only companies.

The audit – carried out by TUV NORD (Germany), with additional support from experienced independent consultant Zoe Gallagher – has been nine months in the making for the Slaithwaite-based business and was originally set to take place in April 2020. However, it had to be postponed because of the Coronavirus outbreak.

“Salamander has significantly adapted and adopted the intense requirements to be certified. The team should be very proud of everything it has achieved,” said Zoe.

“I found the organisation’s systems to be some of the best I’ve ever worked with. It was refreshing to see everything linked up – from the client’s initial enquiry to the final project.”

Michael Haskell, managing director for Salamander Fabrications, added: “This should further evidence that we’re not afraid to make large investments in how we vastly expand our high-quality offering for customers.

“We’re incredibly proud to have achieved EN15085 status and be part of a select group of specialists that have access to some of the most globally recognised rail projects. This certification plays a pivotal role in our company growth plans and commitment to developing our workforce’s expertise.”

Salamander Fabrications – which has more than 50 years’ experience in the sheet metal industry – has an existing portfolio in the rail sector having supplied thousands of component parts to one of the UK’s leading railway engineering companies.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Katie Mallinson .