Bespoke Welding Bay System

Halton, the global technology leader in demanding indoor air solutions, recently expanded its manufacturing capacity with a brand new facility in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, Wales. As part of this expansion, Halton required a tailored welding bay solution to support their in-house metalworking and fabrication processes.

We were approached to design and supply ten large welding bay systems for the site—critical infrastructure for ensuring a safe and efficient workspace.

The Challenge

• Size & Structure: The largest welding bay was five metres wide, with smaller bays measuring 3m x 3m and facing one another across the workspace.
• Track Support: In large-scale setups like this, track stability is a concern. Typically, we would recommend our premium 100mm box section stanchions for maximum rigidity. However, the client’s budget constraints meant this high-end option wasn’t feasible.

Our Solution

• Strategic Division: We introduced a central 50mm stanchion between facing bays to reduce the span of unsupported track. This allowed us to avoid track bowing, while maintaining structural integrity without resorting to more expensive 100mm box sections.
• Rigid, Cost-Effective Design: By effectively splitting the bays into smaller sections, we achieved a rigid and reliable track system while staying within the client’s budget.
• Flexible Curtain Fronts: Although we proposed integrated curtain doors for a clean and streamlined finish, Halton opted for a cost-saving alternative. They installed loose curtains with eyelets at the front of each bay, which can be secured to the corresponding stanchion only when welding is taking place. While not our recommended aesthetic choice, this flexible option served their purpose well and gave them additional cost savings.

The Result

The end result was a robust, visually effective, and cost-conscious welding bay solution tailored specifically to Halton’s requirements.

The welding bays now serve as a critical part of Halton’s new facility and are a testament to the power of smart, tailored engineering under budgetary constraints.

Client Feedback:

“The bays look fantastic. We were impressed by how well the solution balanced cost, strength, and function. The support from the first initial contact right through to delivery was absolutely fantastic. The team were helpful, responsive, and made the whole process seamless.”

— Craig Maggs, Halton