For more than a hundred years, the Blaenavon Ironworks, built in the late 1780’s, operated the second largest furnace in Wales. After its decline in the 1880’s, the works was abandoned but has now been refurbished as a World Heritage Site.

An important site in the industrial heritage of Wales it has been preserved for future generations with some innovative refurbishment techniques using products made by Stainless UK.

Throughout the site, contractors Cintec International have carried out various types of pinning, stitching and nailing work to stabilise masonry and the surrounding ground.

Strengthening a large retaining wall adjacent to the blast furnace was the most potentially difficult operation. It involved the use of rope access crews to install 7 meter long stainless steel hollow injection anchors made by Stainless UK. The load was spread through the walls by large pattress plates fabricated by Stainless UK to match the original adjoining plates.

By using hollow injection anchors specifically designed for applications of this type it was possible to drill and grout masonry in a single operation. Normally, this would involved a time consuming four stage process of coring out holes, installing anchors, grouting and extracting tubes.

Designed with ISO rope threads and sacrificial drill bits, hollow stainless steel injection anchors will fit standard drilling rigs without the need for special adaptors. They are manufactured in Grade 316 stainless steel.