Engineers with a cutting edge mark diamond anniversary

Company celebrates 60 years and plans to grow

Delighted staff at a metal fabrications company in Peterborough have been celebrating the company’s 60th anniversary.

Roan Fabrication was founded by Bob Roan in 1957 after he constructed a set of metal gates for use in Eastfield Road, Peterborough, for just £20.

Today, the company is run by his son, Rob Roan, with eight staff in 20,000sqft premises in Holkham Road, Orton Southgate, equipped with state of the art machinery and with plans to grow.

Rob said: “We are very proud of the company’s achievements - it is due to our staff who do an excellent job.

He added: “One of my most memorable days was coming into our current premises to quote the then owner for window bars and I ended up buying the unit.

“We have since then taken over the factory next door bringing us up to 20,000sqft.”

Over the years the firm has been involved with a number of remarkable projects.

Rob said: “We’ve just completed a contract for rain water hoppers for Westminster Abbey. These will only overflow if the downpipes get blocked and provide a warning there’s a problem to the site management. We’re very proud to have been involved in such a prestigious project.

“We were recently entrusted with a high value order where one plate of high nickel content was worth over £6,000.”

The company has also created a new business, Clipper Lighting to make industrial lighting using a solution it devised for its own lighting problems.

Rob said: “We’ve never been busier - we are even having to turn some work away.”

Bob and Mavis Roan, who started the company, with their son Rob Roan, left, who now runs the firm, with guests at their 60 years celebration.

Simon Holdich, Rob Roan and Richard Peerie, directors of the newly created Clipper Lighting.