Twenty staff from engineering company Mabey Bridge, who combined have given over 400 years’ service to the company, were recognised and rewarded together with their partners at a Long Service Celebration at Chepstow Racecourse last night (Tuesday 14th May).

A major employer in the Chepstow and Lydney areas, Mabey Bridge has a heritage that can be traced back to 1849, when the original business was set up to help Isambard Kingdom Brunel build the Wye Railway Bridge. Over 600 people are employed by the company, which prides itself on the level of support it gives to its staff, and its value to the local communities of South East Wales.

Mabey Bridge has been shortlisted for the Wales Responsible Large Company of the Year Award at the prestigious Business in the Community  Awards 2013.

Visit the Mabey Bridge Facebook page for more pictures from the night >

The Lydney RFC Under-10s team has been sponsored for a second year by Mabey Bridge with a donation of £500 for the team’s new kit for the 2013-2014 season. The contribution has coincided with the team retaining the title of Gloucestershire RFU County Champions.

With a heritage stretching back to 1849, Mabey Bridge is a global leader in bridging and steelwork and employs over 600 people at its three manufacturing sites in Chepstow and Lydney.

The cheque for £500 was presented to team coach Gareth Williams by Kevin Rees of Mabey Bridge as the team was in training and preparation for their title defence.

Team coach Gareth Williams said “We are grateful to Mabey Bridge for its ongoing sponsorship of the team. The company has been a major employer in the area for many years and we are pleased the team has attracted such illustrious support.”

Lydney RFC Under-10s retained the title of Gloucestershire RFU County Champions with an emphatic 10-5 win over Cirencester on Sunday 7^th April

Mabey Bridge – the UK leading wind turbine tower manufacturer and international bridge builder – has appointed Gerry Voller as Sales Director – Tubular Products.

The company – which employs 600 people in the UK and internationally with a turnover exceeding £80m per annum – is expanding and investing in sales leadership as it widens its reach into marine and tidal energy infrastructure projects.

The news of Gerry’s appointment follows hard on the heels of another senior hire by Mabey Bridge earlier this month with Claus Poulsen joining the company as “Sales Director – Renewables”. Claus will focus on the onshore renewables market. Gerry will be based in Newhouse, Chepstow, in South Wales. He will report directly to Chris Droogan, CEO Mabey Bridge.

Gerry said: “I’ve tracked the success of Mabey Bridge in establishing itself as a major player in the renewables market in just two years. From a standing start the company has become the leading UK indigenous manufacturer of wind turbine towers.

“My ambition over the coming months is to demonstrate how we can identify and penetrate further new business streams in associated markets.

”Parent company Mabey Group has invested £38m, without bank borrowing, in a new state of the art 30,000 square metres wind turbine tower and tubular structures manufacturing facility which opened in May 2011.

The company has since manufactured and delivered wind turbine towers for companies such as Siemens, REpower, EWT and Nordex. It has already diversified into installing wind turbines as well as building monopiles and offshore sub-components such as drill conductors.

Last year Mabey Bridge completed a major offshore renewables project when it delivered a 55m steel monopile and topside for offshore design and installation contractor Fugro Seacore.

It was manufactured and delivered to E.ON to be used as the foundation for a met mast for the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, 13km off the coast of Sussex.

Claus Poulsen has been appointed as ‘Sales Director – Renewables’ charged with developing new business opportunities in the renewables market.

Mabey Bridge has hired the industry leader as it bids to widen its renewables product and services offering.

Claus will focus on Mabey Bridge’s renewables division based in Newhouse, Chepstow, in South Wales. He will report directly to Chris Droogan, CEO Mabey Bridge.

Parent company Mabey Group has invested £38m without bank borrowing in a new state of the art 30,000 square metres wind turbine tower manufacturing facility which opened in May 2011.

The company has since manufactured and delivered wind turbine towers for companies such as Siemens, REpower, EWT and Nordex. It has already diversified into installing wind turbines as well as building monopiles and offshore sub-components such as drill conductors.

CEO Chris Droogan said: “Claus’s appointment will strengthen our leadership team at Mabey Bridge. Claus joins us with more than 15 years’ experience across the renewables sector, having worked in logistics, manufacturing and sales and business development within the industry.

“Claus has considerable knowledge and experience across the wind turbine supply chain sector and wider European wind turbine market. He has held senior positions across leading suppliers in the renewables sector.”

Claus said: “This is a company that has come from a standing start to become the leading UK indigenous manufacturer of wind turbine towers in two years.

“My ambition over the coming months is to demonstrate how we can leverage more value from this position and identify new business streams. Watch this space.”

Claus is from Aarhus in Denmark. He will split his time between Chepstow and mainland Europe, where he will be closer to the major renewables industry European procurement teams.