Wedge Group Galvanizing
Wedge Group is a British Galvanising Company that operates 14 facilities in the UK, and has several other interests internationally.
It operates the largest Zinc bath in Britain and is one of the largest Galvanising companies in the UK. The company has been active since the 1850s. It currently services approximately 35% of the UK steel industry
c.1896 John Wedge, a publican, began galvanising in Willenhall as early as 1869 and the business was established on its present site in 1876
1881 John's eldest son Enoch (b. 1850) was a "Galvanizer Master" who employed two men and six boys.
1910 Bertram Eugene Wedge (the eldest son of Enoch), of Gower Street, Willenhall, died aged 28. It is Bertram whom B.E. Wedge is named after. Bertram’s younger brothers John Henry (then 18) and Enoch Latimer (17) carried on the galvanizing business
1930s The business had two elements. John Henry ran the galvanizing operation and Enoch Latimer ran a vehicle repair garage called J. H. Wedge and Co.
John Henry bought Edward Howell and Co, which was then located in Birmingham, specialising in galvanizing nails. (It's now called Edward Howell Galvanizers Ltd, is based in Wednesfield).
1932 John Henry’s son Peter Wedge (b. 1915) joined the business from school.
1935 The relationship between the 2 brothers, by all accounts, was a difficult one and the partnership was dissolved in 1935.
WWII Captain Peter Wedge was ordered by the British Government to construct and take out to North Africa all the plant, equipment and consumables required to build a galvanizing plant. He selected a band of men from the business to go with him. The "No 1 Galvanizing Section Royal Engineers" was born and existed until August 15, 1945.
1945 John Henry Wedge died - Peter was subsequently released from military duty to return to the business.
Steady progress, including some important diversification, had already begun, but it was not until Peter’s spell as Chairman (1945-1987) that the business interests grew nationally.
1953 Wedge Zinc Coatings Ltd was incorporated
1965 Jeremy Woolridge (b. 1944), nephew of Peter Wedge, joined the company, becoming Managing Director in 1974 and Chairman in 1987.
The company spread its interests into both Italy and Germany.
1971 Owned 9 percent of Pillar-Wedge when it was incorporated[1].
B.E. Wedge Holdings Ltd expanded, both in the UK and abroad, while maintaining a steady level of investment in its existing galvanizing plants. It also owned Hasco-Thermic Ltd – a leading UK-based international designer, manufacturer and supplier of advanced-technology galvanizing equipment.
1996 Caradon sold its engineering businesses including Pillar-Wedge[2]. By 1997 Pillar-Wedge was a subsidiary of B. E. Wedge Holdings[3]
1996 Jeremy’s daughter Angela Curtis (b. 1975) joined sister company Hasco Thermic, becoming Managing Director in 2006.
1997 Name of B. E. Wedge Ltd was changed to Wedge Group Galvanizing Ltd
2000, B.E. Wedge Holdings Ltd invested in South Atlantic Galvanizers – a group of galvanizing companies in the USA and, in 2004, it became a wholly-owned subsidiary.
2002 Jeremy’s son Chris Woolridge (b. 1980) joined the company and became Managing Director in 2014.
Wedge Group Galvanizing Ltd has expanded, establishing a nationwide network of 14 strategically-sited galvanizing plants. As a result, it is the first truly national hot-dip galvanizing group. The company actively continues to explore potential opportunities for further business development in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. It remains a family-controlled company which has a strong, well-established reputation in the European steel galvanizing sector and a growing international presence.