Review of Branch Meetings 2001-2002
September Wednesday 5th Wine Tasting Evening at
"The Bosted Onion" Buffet included
By Paul Brener.
Wines by "Wines 2U"
Wine tasting evening
North Staffs Branch started its 2001-2002 programme with a Wine tasting evening held on Wednesday 5th September at the Bosted Onion restaurant, High Street, Halmerend, 20 members and guest attended the highly enjoyable evening with plenty of wines to taste.
The proprietor of the Bosted Onion, Mr Paul Breuer, hosted the evening. Paul opened the restaurant as a result of his hobby, which is cooking old recipes. Whilst enjoying the various types of wines, Paul entertained us with many old time stories of the area. What a character!
Mike Gould the newly elected North Staffs Chairman, called on Edward Whitfield to give a vote of thanks on behalf of the branch.
Dave Cooper
October Wednesday 17th
Cladding - A talk by Adrian Lukie, manager of
Eternits cladding division
Cladding in the 21st Century
North Staffs Branch held its October meeting on the evening of Wednesday 17th
at the North Staffs Medical Institute, Hartsill. 14 members and guests attended the meeting to hear the guest speaker for the evening, Mr Adrian Lukic of Eternit Building Materials Cladding Division. After the preliminaries, branch chairman Mike Gould invited Adrian to present his paper entitled ‘Cladding in the 21st Century’.
Adrian gave an excellent illustrated talk on the design, development and supply of lightweight cladding solutions using fibre cement, high pressure laminate and aggregate faced panels. After plenty of questions and answers, Mike Gould called upon Mr Bernard Picken to give a vote of thanks to Adrian for giving us a very interesting talk. The evening concluded with the usual delicious buffet sponsored by Eternit Building Materials.
Dave Cooper
November 5-7th
ICT National Seminar talk
"Sustainable Future"
Britannia Stadium
December Wednesday 5th Visit to Steelite International, Middleport. Buffet Included
Steelite International Visit
On the evening of Wednesday December 5th at 7.00pm North Staffs branch met for a site visit to a local pottery company, Steelite International at Middleport, Stoke-on-Trent. 23 members and guests attended the visit and warmly welcomed by the companies management team, John Alcock,Kiln Manager, Paul Wallace Assistant Kiln Manager, Tom Derrington Industrial Engineer, and Chris Sawyer Process Development Manager.
Before going on the tour Chris Sawyer gave a brief talk on the history of Steelite International, formally named Dunn Bennett & Co, which was formed in 1875 by Mr Thomas Wood Bennett. Mr Bennett was a keen traveller and visited many parts of the world, staying in many hotels. He noticed what a lot of chipped plates were brought to his table, and devised a reinforced edge on plates, and patented the idea. Neither the wholesale nor the retail pottery trade would look at this plate, so he decided to sell direct to the hotel trade from the factory.
The company never looked back and went from strength to strength. But he didn’t give up with the wholesaler and retailers, exhibiting at every catering exhibition both at home and abroad, winning numerous awards. In 1911 the company equipped Scott’s ill-fated expedition to the South Pole. The ware was supplied free of charge provided the company could advertise the fact that the products had been chosen for their durability and toughness. Thomas died in 1928 and was succeeded by his son.
Members of the Bennett family continued to run the company board up until 1972 when business was transferred to Doulton & Co. This formed the Hotelware Division of Royal Dolton. then in March 1983, Mr David Johnson purchased the Hotelware Business and formed Steelite International plc.
The company today employs 750 people and has an annual turnover of £36 million. Split into groups of four, the tour started from the raw materials of Fine Clays, White firing silica sands, flux and a significant quantity of alumina are mixed to exact specifications. The mix of raw material is suspended in water to ensure all ingredients are evenly dispersed. Once mixed, this clay suspension known as slip, is fed through hydraulic filter presses to remove excess water from it. The clay is then fed into pug machines, which removes any air pockets and produces rolls of clay. The rolls of clay are then distributed to various departments, flatware (plates and saucers) and cup making.
The products are produced in high volume on very impressive multi functional machines producing a staggering 40,000 cups per day. Once the items are dried they are fired through fast firing kilns at temperatures reaching 1295c. After firing the item known as biscuit ware is taken for decoration lithograph application, screen-printing, and colour spraying. Ware can also be glazed, either by spraying or dipping.
The outcome is an excellent durable product which is sold worldwide. The evening concluded with a delicious buffet kindly provided by Steelite International. Bernard Picken gave a vote of thanks for a very enjoyable and fascinating visit
Dave Cooper
North Staffordshire Branch : Annual Dinner
Thursday 24th,
Moat House Hotel
50th Aniversary Dinner
North Staffs branch celebrated its 50th anniversary dinner and the venue for this special evening, Thursday 24th January, was the Moat House Hotel, Hanley.
Excellent attendance of 220 members and associates enjoyed a meal of Cream of Courgette and Cumin Soup, Supreme of Poached Salmon with Creamy White Wine and Dill Sauce garnished with fresh leek and carrot strips, and ending with Profiteroles served with cream and rich hot Chocolate sauce and Coffee.
In celebration of our 50th anniversary a commemorative pen was at each placing to take away, with the compliments of Fast Fire.
The toast master for the evening, Mr Edward Whitfield then announced the top table and introduced the North staffs branch Chairman, Mr Mike Gould,
Mike gave a warm welcome to our distinguished guests Mr John Sanford, our National president, Mr Keith Shankland, our National Chairman, Mr Peter Ellam, our National Treasurer, Mike also thanked the North staffs branch committee and a special thanks to Penny Reid for all her hard work throughout the year, also
thanks to the toastmaster Edward Whitfield and especially to all the sponsors.
The chairman’s appeal for this year was for the Bionic Trust who are based locally in Hartsill and whose work involves orthopedic research and equipment for people with spinal problems or other movement disabilities, Mike invited Dr Aziz Ramatala Director of Bionic Trust and Mr John Dove a Trustee who gave us a brief explanation of the trust.
After welcoming his guests, the branch Chairman took great pleasure in introducing the chief guest for the evening top class Black Country comedian Lee Wilson; Lee was excellent very funny and entertaining bringing rumour into every day events, also as part of the evenings entertainment, an internationally renowned table magician, Mr Jimmy Carlo who is acknowledged as one of the best close up entertainer in the U.K., worked his way around the tables during dinner, brilliant card tricks.
This year Mr Richard Evans of Castle Colours has kindly donated the grand sum of £1000, as the top prize for the raffle, there were also many other prizes kindly donated by Eternit Building Materials, Churchill Laboratories, Fast Fire, and others.
For this year only a change from the normal format of envelopes on the table. Three delectable young ladies sold raffle tickets limited to 2 tickets per person during the desert. Later in the proceedings, in order to add an element of suspense to the draw, the first ticket drawn was the £1000 winner. This was drawn by the oldest surviving ex chairman, Mr George Edwards of Castle Colours; the ticket was then placed in a sealed envelope and pinned to the cheque. The winner’s identity was not revealed until all other prizes had been drawn.
The winner of the £1000 was Mrs Debra Flecther of Recruitment Link. The cheque was presented by Mr Richard Evans.
The money raised on the evening by the sale of raffle tickets to our delight had exceeded any amount we have raised before a staggering £2100, North staffs branch Chairman, Mr Mike Gould presented the cheque to Dr Aziz Ramatala Director of Bionic Trust and Mr John Dove who where very delighted and thanked everyone for there generosity.
This concluded an excellent 50th anniversary dinner.
Dave Cooper
February Wednesday 20th
Visit to Ibstock Parkhouse Works
Bi/tipartite 4.30pm.
Buffet kindly provided by Ibstock
Ibstock Parkhouse Visit
On Wednesday 20th February the North Staffs Branch met with West Midlands Branch for a site visit to Ibstock Parkhouse Works, 25 members and guests warmly welcomed by works manager Mr Tony Fullagar, Foreman Mr Ian Evans, Works Engineer Mr Jed Wilson. Parkhouse built in 1984 producing 50million-facing bricks per year, with a workforce of 55, working 7days. We started the tour from the clay preparation where 300tons of clay is milled through a wet pan, high speed and medium rollers and a number of double shafted mixers before being pressed by the de-boer, after 42hours drying, the bricks are automatically set onto kiln cars, 9600 bricks per car, fully automated, the cars then go through a kiln a quarter of a mile long reaching temperatures of 1105c to 1180c on a 44hr cycle. After firing the facing bricks are selected. The outcome is an excellent durable product.
The tour concluded with a delicious buffet kindly provided by Ibstock Brick
Mike Gould gave a vote of thanks for a very enjoyable and fascinating visit.
Dave Cooper
March Tuesday 19
Joint Meeting with Pottery Managers
Talk on Robotics by Mike Topping 7.30 pm
April Wednesday 24th
Visit to A Dyson / Acme Marls
7:00 pm Buffet included
May Wednesday 29th
Talk on Forensic Science by
Lee Wilson 7:30 pm