News

Armstrongs isn’t just big at heart, but we’re big at reaching customers as well. Our blog this week is all about Armstrongs and how big our reach is, across the world. We provide to customers across the globe and take pride in our huge audience and what we do. This is Armstrongs to the world.

Armstrongs produce many different types of stone, used in a wide variety of projects. We produce different aggregate products such as mortar, rock armour and rip raps. Along side aggregates, we also produce ready mix concrete and cut stone. Our cut stone is made perfection for your needs. Our pink shap granite is beautiful and unique and used in many different products.

We have customers all over Europe, branching as far as sunny Barcelona in Spain. Here we love that we can reach so many people and be apart of so many different projects. We believe that every time a customer uses our products, a little bit of our soul is used as well.

Our products across the UK and Ireland

Many buildings and construction jobs consist of using our products. the Midland Hotel, which is based in Manchester is also made up of some of our products. This classic and iconic building is made from the pink Shap granite which we produce from our Shap quarry. The Midland Hotel has been a big part of Manchester for many years since 1903, and is a place of timeless elegance.

We have also provided stone to the great dock walls down in Southampton, and the St Pauls Cathedral. The St Pauls Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral, based at the highest point in the City of London, Ludgate Hill.  We send stone all over the United Kingdom and Ireland and can serve almost every need. Architects greatly use our stone and we pride ourselves knowing that we are second to none.

Armstrongs to the World: La Sagrada Familia

As well as close to home, we produce stone internationally to the amazing La Sagrada Familia. The La Sagrada Familia is an unfinished church in Barcelona, and is something we at Armstrongs hold very close to our hearts. The construction of the church has been ongoing for over 100 years. After running out of the original stone used in the church, they turned to looking all over to discover a similar stone which could be used. After discovering the perfect stone at Brinscall, completion of the church is due to take place between 2026 and 2032. Ever since 201, we have been the sole provider of the unique stone in England. If you wish to find out more about the La Sagrada Familia, read our blog about the beautiful church HERE!

It’s a pleasure to know that we play a huge part to so many people and projects across the world. We can’t wait to expand our reach even more so that we can help shape the landscapes of the future.

If you want to keep up with the latest news about Armstrongs and some behind the scenes! Check out our social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Here at Armstrongs, we’re all about family. That’s why the blog this week is all about the family behind the Armstrongs Group. You’ve met our staff and now it’s time to meet the Armstrongs Family.

My name is Tom and I am here at Armstrongs on work experience as part of my business course at college. I am writing this blog as part of my training as a Digital Marketing Assistant. Whilst I have been here at Armstrongs, I have had the pleasure of being involved with their social media and their community.

The Family Behind Armstrongs Group

David and Emma met when Emma’s father needed trucks to move material from his pit. He ended up calling David Armstrong, who had two tipper trucks at that time. It was at this point, Emma grabbed David’s attention when he heard that she was the one loading his tippers with an O&K RH9 excavator.

My Experience with Sam

Fast forward a few years, Sam, who is the daughter of the two, became the Armstrongs Group Transport Manager. Sam is a hard worker, but knows how to have a laugh and crack a joke or two.

The family at Montcliffe

When Sam took me to Montcliffe quarry, so we could capture some photos, it was easy to see that she was in her element.  Sam knew everybody, from people in the office to those in the machinery down in the quarry. Everybody waved and she would always wave back with a big smile and a ‘how do you do?’ Sam was always telling me about the enormous equipment and the scale of the work which the workers in the quarries do.

The Family And Mayson

I witnessed a lot of the machinery from the ‘Meet Our Fleet’ blog in action. She would also tell me where to not stand or I’d go falling on my backside! Whilst we were at Montcliffe, some of the pictures which we took of Sam were with our huge V8 R Series truck, Mayson. Mayson is named after a racehorse which Sam and her sister raised when the young foal lost his mother. Previously we have done a blog all about Mayson and why he’s such an important part of Armstrongs.

Sam’s wisdom on the variety of machinery and equipment was outstanding. Almost as outstanding as when I found out she also put crisps in her pot noodle as well!

Her knowledge of the aggregates industry is second to non. Explaining in great detail what each machine did, what it produces and what it is used for. Our aggregates are used all over the world in a variety of products from sea defence to ready mix concrete.

Spending time with Sam on site taught me a lot about the scale of which Armstrongs work on. There was also a few laughs along the way. I witnessed the bond between both Sam and the people she works with. A true bond with the business that the Armstrong family is passionate about.

My Experience with Emma

Emma has always been involved with heavy machinery. She would always join her father on weekends and help repair different caterpillar vehicles. This is a trade that Emma knows and has been doing for years, it is clear this is her passion.

On my first week here at Armstrongs, I was taken on a tour of the main site by Emma. When driving in and out of the huge old locomotive factories, it seemed Emma’s knowledge of the company, and the history of the land was endless. Horwich is an old train manufacturing town, and Armstrongs use the old buildings for their own work. This keeps them in use, years on from the time of the Second World War, when they were also used for the manufacture of tanks.

Whilst being at Armstrongs, everything I have learnt from Sam, Emma and the rest of the team here is eye opening. Not only the way Armstrongs do business but the drive and passion behind it as well.

If you want to find out more about our Armstrong’s family, make sure to follow us on all our social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date with all our latest content. You can also get in touch by calling 01204 668021 or our website HERE!

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Over the last few months you may have noticed that we have started to show you more of the internal workings of our business. This is because we want to have an open door policy with our clients, audience and local community. You have met our fleet, read about our ethos and seen where our stone goes, now its time to meet our staff.

Our business is built of local people who work tirelessly for us and for their communities too, as a result of this we feel like we can offer higher levels of customer service.

Every great business and community has a solid base, using a pun that relates very well to our business, you need a concrete foundation to build on. From our office staff through to our drivers and plant operators we feel like we have the perfect blend of staff to provide top quality service and products.

In this blog we will introduce you to some of our staff and tell you why they are so important to us.

To run a fast paced Aggregate, Cut Stone and Ready Mix Concrete business across 5 quarries requires brilliant people to make operations as smooth as possible. Here are some of those people at our head office. Meet Our Staff.

Meet Our Staff

Let’s start with our Directors. We have company Director Emma Armstrong, Financial Director Sue and Sales & Operations Director John. Our directors are hands on throughout the entire business and lead by example to the rest of the team.

In our Transport office you will find John and his team, alongside John is our Senior Development and Operations Manager Tony. Our friendly sales team are also based in the Transport office, with many of you will have had the pleasure of speaking to Gary in our sales team on a number of occasions. Our Transport manager Sam Armstrong is also based here- as well as at many of our other sights too!

At our head office you will also find our HR manager Lesley- She deals with all our recruitment and much more!

Also based at our Head office are our accounts team. Deb, Tracy, Louise and Emma are constantly working tirelessly to make sure things are ticking over and they are the people you usually get through to on the phone. We also have our Web content manager Daniel based at our head office too.

 

 

Our Amix subsidiary is also based at our head office, General Manager Barry is based in our office whilst the batching plant is down in our yard.

Here at Armstrongs we have over 170 employees across our five sites and thus it is difficult to name them all individually. From our drivers, to our plant operators, quarry managers to cleaners and everyone at Armstrongs we thank you for making our business what it is today!

You will find more of our staff in focus across our social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To find out how you can join our ever growing team you can find our recruitment opportunities HERE.

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This coming Remembrance Sunday marks the 100^th year since the end of the First World War. This week our staff have been using this is an opportunity to pay our respects to family members, members of our local communities and everyone who fought so bravely throughout both World War One and Two.

From everyone at Armstrongs Group, across our six sites and AMIX Ready Mix Concrete, we thank every soldier and every member of military organisations, past, present and future, for the ultimate sacrifice for our futures and freedoms.

Our Wagons and Remembrance Sunday

If you happen to come across our wagons transporting our aggregates whilst out and about you will notice they are adorned with a poppy on the cab. We are proud that all of our 70 Scania wagons and drivers are paying their respects to all those lost at war, and to all those who have sacrificed so much for our futures.

Gallipoli

The Gallipoli Campaign was a campaign of the First World War that took place on the Gallipoli peninsula. It took place between 19 February 1915 and 9 January 1916. Intending to secure it Britain and France launched a naval attack followed by an amphibious landing on the peninsula. The aim was to capture the Ottoman capital of Constantinople (modern Istanbul). The naval attack was repelled. As a result, after eight months’ fighting, the campaign was abandoned and the invasion force was withdrawn.

In 2015 Armstrongs Group were delighted to build and donate a lasting memorial to the brave Bolton residents who lost their lives at Gallipoli in 1915. The memorial is a 6 metre high sandstone obelisk with a brass plaque detailing the names of the 236 soldiers from the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers who fell in battle.

The memorial was unveiled by civic dignitaries in a special commemoration service. Emma Armstrong said “We are proud to support such a prestigious memorial remembering the fallen in our local community. We hope that many people will visit the memorial and enjoy a fulfilling and uplifting experience”

De Havilland

For those who are familiar with Horwich, you will know that one of the main roads of the town is De Havilland Way. Above all, It was named after the aircraft factory that was based in the town.

De Havilland Aircraft Company Limited was a British aviation manufacturer established in late 1920.

During the Second World war De Havilland built and supplied aircraft such as the de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito. The DH.98 Mosquito was a British twin-engine shoulder-winged multi-role combat aircraft. However, It was one of few operational front-line aircraft of the era whose frame was constructed almost entirely of wood. As a result, it should be no surprise that it was  nicknamed The Wooden Wonder.

De Havilland Way is located less than a mile away from our head office. It is a frequent route our wagons take on a daily basis.

Like many of us, you will have ancestors who were involved in both World Wars. For instance, Tracy in our accounts office is no different. Her family grew up around the area our head office is located. They lived opposite the then Horwich Loco Works, the current site of our office. Her grandfather worked tirelessly in the De Havilland factory building light aircraft for the war. Because of this on Remembrance Sunday we remember, thank and pay our respects to him and many more that served armed forces during the war. Past, present, and future.

You can find out more about us paying our respects on Remembrance Sunday and more across our social platforms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For general enquiries you can email us on: enquiries@armstrongsgroup.com.

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Bespoke stone fireplaces can really bring a room together as a centrepiece. In this short blog we will teach you how to care for your stone fireplace.

Armstrongs Group offers a wide range of bespoke cut stone products that are tailored to your every need. We use stone from our five quarries to produce the highest quality product. Sandstone from Waddington Fell being most popular and prominent in production.

Waddington Fell Quarry covers 66 acres near the town of Clitheroe, and has been operational since the 1960’s.

The quarry offers a range of sandstones, variable in strength and colour and has been worked in the traditional method of crushing and screening following blasting to produce aggregate materials. The stone from Waddington fell also forms excellent cut products such as fireplaces, lintels, and even complete houses.

How To Clean Your Fireplace

There are a number of ways to clean your fireplace depending on what type of stone the fireplace is made from.

The fireplaces we produce are made from sandstone and thus are porous and easily scratched. We recommend that to clean sandstone fire places you do NOT use any chemical cleaners of any kind. Chemical cleaners may remove stains and marks but they also damage the stone. Clean warm water is the best way to clean a sandstone fireplace.

To remove ash and other dirt from a sandstone fireplace we also recommend that you use a brush with natural bristles- like horsehair. A simple microfiber cloth can also damage sandstone so gentle and smooth motions with a horsehair brush are ideal to clean the stone up.

If your fireplace is made up of other forms of stone material such as granite or marble then there is a different method to cleaning. Using warm water, a sponge and a household cleaning product, wash the fireplace until clean. Let the stone dry naturally before polishing. It is worth noting here that different types of stone react differently to cleaning products so always read the label before application. A neutral PH cleaner designed for stone will be available from most large hardware stores.

A vacuum cleaner also provides a quick and easy solution to cleaning those hard to get dust and ash spots.  To avoid staining it is recommended sealing your stone fireplace.

Sealing Your Stone Fireplace

Depending on the type of stone your fireplace is made out of will dictate what type of sealant you need. It is important to fully clean and dry your fireplace before adding a sealant. Stone is porous and ash, dust, dirt and debris can find its way under the surface out of reach of any deep cleaning.

Choosing The Right Sealant

Fireplaces can be made from a variety of stone. It is important to find the right sealant for your fireplace. Granite, Marble and Sandstone are all common materials in fireplaces and all have different densities. Sealants can come in water or silicone bases and it is vital you use a sealer designed for the stone you have. In general Silicone based sealants will seal better than water based sealants. For porous stones, like our sandstone from Waddington Fell, sealers that reach below the surface such as silicone sealants are necessary to fill all porous holes. Granite and marble are denser than sandstone. They can use a more water bases sealant to achieve protection from debris and stains.

How to apply a sealant

Once the stone is fully dried- you will know it is fully dried when the stone returns to its natural colour- you can apply the sealant. Using a soft foam brush you can apply the sealant to the fireplace. It is recommended that you overlap each stroke to avoid missing any area.

Once the fireplace is completely covered allow the sealant to settle into the pores of the stone for 10-20 minutes before wiping any excess using a soft cloth. Apply additional coats if required before wiping away remaining excess.

Reapplying The Sealant

Granite, marble and sandstone all require resealing with time. To determine when a fireplace needs resealing it is worth doing a simple visual check. Sprinkle a little water on the surface of your fireplace. The water should pool up on the surface of the stone. If the water is soaked up by the stone or changes the colour of the stone (to a darker damper colour) then the fireplace will need a new coat of sealant. Brush away any dirt, clean the fireplace as highlighted above and reapply the sealant coat. We recommend doing a visual check once a month for the first year. This will allow you to better determine when your fireplace needs resealing in future. For more information about our Cut Stone products you can visit the product page on our website.

To discuss how we can work with you to create bespoke stone fireplaces for your home or workplace get in touch with us today. Alternatively you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see behind the scenes of our cut stone projects.

 

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