Marconi's old town still builds electronics
Invest Chelmsford says the advanced manufacturing sector is led by Teledyne and BAE Systems. Teledyne e2v's Waterhouse Lane site is reported as the city's largest commercial employer, and BAE's Great Baddow site is the former Marconi Research Centre. Essex more widely lists Ford, CNH, Gardner Aerospace and Raytheon among its engineering firms, with Global Marine in subsea cable work. That gives the town a steady, specification-driven demand for fabricated steel.
Electronics, defence and subsea firms rarely need huge fabrications, but they do need precise supporting steel: frames, plant platforms, test-bay structures, enclosures and access stairs. We work to your drawing with coded welders, including TIG on stainless steel and aluminium, and BS EN 1090 control on structural items. Quotes are itemised, written and back within 24 hours in the working week. Commercial and trade only. Invoices go against your PO.
What Chelmsford's industries order
- Electronics and semiconductor makers Plant-heavy production sites order equipment frames, utility platforms, stainless parts and enclosures. Stainless work is coded-welded in its own area, away from carbon steel.
- Defence and aerospace suppliers Firms in the defence and aerospace supply chain order fixtures, rigs, test-bay frames and guarding to drawing, in batches where the design is settled and the finish named.
- Subsea cable and marine engineering Cable and marine firms need handling frames, reel stands, lifting frames and walkways. We make them under BS EN 1090 control where structural, to the drawing supplied.
- Distribution and trade tenants Operators at Dukes Park and Springfield order yard stores, canopy frames and modified containers for stores, welfare or plant, plus stairs and walkways for new units.
The size of job that fits Chelmsford
Typical larger Chelmsford orders include a set of utility platforms and stairs for a manufacturing bay, a run of test-rig frames in a single finish, or enclosures for plant at an electronics or marine site. A subsea or defence supplier might want a batch of handling frames or fixtures. Plasma cutting and bending are in-house, laser-cut parts come from suppliers, and we arrange hot-dip galvanising, powder coat or wet spray in the RAL colour you name.
Containers for Essex yards and construction sites
Builders and logistics yards around Chelmsford use containers for tools, welfare, site offices and plant stores. We frame structural openings into the rails, fit doors, windows and roller shutters, link or stack units, and handle cut-downs, repairs and repaints. You can supply the units or we source them. Recent units have run from about £3,400 to £6,800 each net of VAT, depending on scope. See container repairs.
Precision supporting steel for Chelmsford sites
Chelmsford suits detailed work: structural steel under BS EN 1090 factory production control, UKCA or CE marked, plus enclosures for plant, generator and switchgear equipment. We also make skids, machine bases and lifting frames, and supply-only stairs, fire escapes, walkways and handrails for your installer. Stainless and aluminium parts are coded-welded in a separate area. See steel frames and skids. Lead time is confirmed in writing.
Springfield, Dukes Park and Chelmsford's employment areas
Chelmsford City Council's employment area map lists Chelmsford Business Park, Springfield Business Park, Dukes Park Industrial Estate, Westway, Waterhouse Business Park and Bilton Road. Springfield Business Park is a 65 acre site with consent for 850,000 sq ft of office, warehouse and production space, while Dukes Park is described as the premier location for warehousing. Further out are Widford, Great Baddow, Galleywood, Boreham and the South Woodham Ferrers estates.
Why a Bedford workshop can cost Chelmsford less
Cutting, welding, finishing and checking all happen in our own 12,000 sq ft workshop, so no stage is passed to a subcontractor with its own margin. Delivery to Chelmsford goes through our logistics partners and shows as its own line on the quote. Put the two together and the total often comes in below a local fabricator, which is easy to check: send us the same drawing you've sent them.
Delivery and site visits in Chelmsford
Chelmsford is 73 road miles from Marston Moretaine, about 85 minutes by car via the M1, A414, M25 and A12. We organise delivery through our logistics partners, and the arrival day is agreed with you. A loaded lorry takes longer, and the M25 and A12 can slow it at peak times. Making everything in-house often brings our price in under local fabricators.
Chelmsford's business parks have good access, but secure manufacturing sites often use gate booking and escorted delivery. Our engineers will ask for the site rules, gate dimensions and offloading point when they visit. Tell us what lifting there is and we agree the drop with you. Your installer fits the steel. We do not install on site.
How a job runs
- 01.Send the drawing
PDF or CAD, a dimensioned sketch, or a photo of the old part. Quantities and the site postcode help.
- 02.Itemised quote in 24 hours
Material, fabrication, finish and haulage broken out line by line, with the lead time confirmed in writing.
- 03.Agree spec and finish
Sections, tolerances, weld spec and finish confirmed before anything is cut.
- 04.Fabricated inside our unit
Cut, welded and assembled by coded welders in our 12,000 sq ft Marston Moretaine workshop.
- 05.Check and paperwork
Dimensionally checked before dispatch; welder qualification and mill certificates on request.
- 06.Delivered to site
We organise delivery to your site through our logistics partners, or you can collect from the yard if that suits. One-offs and batches both welcome.
Work we take on
- Container modifications: conversions and modifications to drawing, single units or batches
- Structural openings: side openings, doors, roller shutters, linking and cut-downs
- Container repairs: panel, door and rail repairs and repaints for depots and fleets
- Steel enclosures: generator, acoustic, plant and battery housings
- Skids and frames: skids, machine bases, lifting frames and supports
- Commercial fabrication: fabrication to drawing, structural steelwork, one-offs and batches
- Stairs and fire escapes: supplied ready for your installer to fit
- Walkways and railings: handrails, platforms and ladders, supplied to fit
Frequently asked questions
Will you deliver to our Chelmsford site?
Yes. After our engineers have visited and measured up, we organise delivery by road, about 73 miles on the M1, A414, M25 and A12. Gate booking and the drop point are agreed with you beforehand.
Can you fabricate stainless frames for a Chelmsford electronics site?
Yes. Coded TIG welding on stainless steel and aluminium is done in its own area, apart from carbon steel. Give the grade and surface finish in the enquiry and each is priced on the itemised quote.
Will you price a batch of fixtures for a Chelmsford defence supplier?
Yes. Send drawings at the current revision with quantities. The itemised written quote comes back within 24 hours in the working week, with the lead time confirmed in writing.
Can structural steel for a Springfield Business Park fit-out be CE marked?
Yes. Structural steelwork can be supplied UKCA or CE marked under our BS EN 1090 factory production control. Tell us the execution class your engineer has specified.
Who fits the steelwork once it reaches Chelmsford?
Your installer or contractor does. DRST supplies the fabrication or modified container and does not install on site. Fixing details can go with the order.
Nearby areas
We also quote for firms in Basildon, Harlow, Tilbury, Colchester, Ipswich and Felixstowe. See every town on the areas we serve page.