The company has been formed by amalgamating W. M. Churchill Consultant and Castle Testing Services to provide a more comprehensive service to our customers. At the same time the former Castle Testing Services laboratory facilities have been expanded and re-equipped to undertake a wider range of testing than has hitherto been possible.

Initially the laboratory will be concentrating on chemical and physical testing of ceramic raw materials and products. Already processed and refined materials can easily be accommodated within the laboratory's testing capabilities but equipment is also available to take as-dug materials and sample and prepare them for whatever test or programme of testing is required. For example test pieces can be moulded, pressed, extruded and extruded de-aired on the laboratory scale.

Churchill Laboratories will also be offering upon request technical advice and support to customers allowing them access to the extensive scientific, testing and industrial experience and knowledge of the personnel within the company to supplement their own within-house expertise. Co-operation with manufacturers in development projects in our fields of expertise will be encouraged and undertaken.

Equipment has been installed and commissioned which will enable the testing of ceramic materials in compression up to 3000kN, and under three point loading between 4 and 100kN, determine dimensions and dimensional tolerances, and water absorptions. There are also facilities to test clay bricks, pavers and roofing tiles for their resistance to damage due to the effects of repeated freezing and thawing.

New kilns have been installed for the firing of ceramics to customer specified schedules up to 1250 C to enable trials to be undertaken on a laboratory scale. The pieces produced can then be assessed both objectively by further testing and subjectively by experienced staff in order to produce comprehensive reports for the customer.

Traditional and instrumental methods of chemical analysis are also available.

Confidentiality and rapid response to the customers and their requirements will be maintained. Accuracy, reproducibility and reliability of the test results will be guaranteed. The laboratory management system and organisation has been set up so that UKAS Accreditation is maintained for a range of tests and it is intended to extend our scope of accreditation to cover all tests.

Former customers of the founding companies of Churchill Laboratories Ltd. are thanked for their previous business and support and the new company looks forward to a continuation of the relationship. New customers will be encouraged and treated with the same attention and courtesy as everyone else.

Thomas Stuart Bridge

In 1989 Stuart joined the Castle Claysales Group as the ceramic chemist to set up Castle Testing Services. He expanded the testing services offered to include chemical testing of ceramic raw materials and initiated and developed the quality system for the Group. In 1993 he became Technical Director of Castle Testing Services and is now a director of this company.

He is a chemistry graduate of Durham University and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials. His working life started in the sanitary-ware industry as an analytical chemist where at the same time he trained in all aspects of sanitary-ware production and he rose to become laboratory supervisor.

When the company expanded by building a new larger factory, he set up the laboratory there to service all the technical aspects of production including the design and running of three liquid effluent treatment plants.

He has worked in close liaison with production engineering staff on the design of many new production techniques ensuring that the necessary controls were in place for successful plant operation. Quality management systems both in the laboratory and in the factory were installed by him.

He rose to the position of Group Technical Manager with responsibility for ceramic and non-ceramic materials used in modern sanitary-ware products. In the course of his work he was routinely involved in technical exchanges and travel abroad.

Stuart has always maintained links with academia and industry through his activities in the Institute of Materials and the British Pottery Managers Association.

William Michael Churchill

Mike is a geology graduate of London University and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials. He has had 36 years experience in research and consultancy in the field of heavy claywares production and product performance. This latter work has involved the production of experts reports, statements of evidence and appearing as expert witness in litigation proceedings. Most of his working life was spent at what is now Ceram Research where he rose to become deputy head of Ceram Building Technology division with overall responsibility for the operation of  UKAS Accredited testing services in the division.

His experience in the application of research to industry has been mainly in the U.K. but consultative projects have been undertaken in Egypt, Yemen and Ghana. In addition study tours covering the heavy clay and associated industries have been undertaken in seven European countries and the U.S.A.. Mike was project leader of an international research programme with Ireland and The Netherlands on the reduction of fluoride emissions from heavy clay industry kilns.

He has served on British Standard committees and published papers on a variety of topics covering aspects from processing to product performance in use.

He is currently Honorary General Secretary of the Institute of Clay Technology and a past President of that organisation too. He too is a director of this company.

Both directors and their staff look forward to your enquiries by email, mail, telephone or fax and are always available, by appointment, to discuss testing programmes and technical projects with existing and new clients.

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Last modified: August 22, 2000