Ollerton firm celebrates after steam rises from power station

An Ollerton company is full of pride after seeing steam rise from one of the iconic chimneys at Battersea Power Station in London for the first time in more than 35 years.

In February 2019, A1 Flue Systems announced that it had secured a multi-million pound contract to manufacture British-made chimney systems to be installed inside two of the four iconic 101-metre tall wash towers and chimneys at the grade two listed building.

Now that the chimney sections that link the Southwest chimney to the satellite energy centre have been installed by the company – which is the UK market leader in the design, manufacture and installation of commercial and industrial chimney, flue and exhaust systems – all commissioning and steam tests have been conducted on the system, which has resulted in a small plume rising from the chimney on the London skyline.

A1 Flue Systems managing director John Hamnett said that steam rising from the wash tower is the culmination of nearly ten years’ work for the company, which employs 140 people.

He said: “Battersea Power Station has been a huge project for A1 Flue Systems – one that has been a decade in development – so to see steam finally coming out of the top of the wash tower is a very proud moment for us.

“It’s the result of a lot of hard work by our dedicated teams of engineers, manufacturers and installers at A1, who have worked hand in hand to produce a modular chimney system that could be built in sections at our factory in Ollerton and then craned into position on site.”

The chimneys were refurbished and rebuilt as part of the redevelopment of the decommissioned coal-fired power station on the south bank of the River Thames into residential properties, shops, restaurants and office space – and A1 was challenged to design a flue system that could fit inside the structures.

Mr Hamnett added: “It’s amazing to think that from humble beginnings, we’ve grown to become an award-winning business in North Nottinghamshire that is the UK’s centre of excellence in flue and chimney design.”