Walsall-based Lichtgitter UK has been at the forefront of grating production and innovation for over 20 years. It started out as the UK arm of the Lichtgitter Group of companies, one of Europe’s largest grating manufacturers and was originally founded as a supplier of standard panels to the steel stockholding trade, but as its customers’ needs grew the business has expanded and developed to provide a ready made facility of finished gratings and stair treads to all business sectors including warehousing and logistics operations, which are a major growth area.
Recent high profile jobs include gratings for Terminal 5 Heathrow, walkways to the Centre Court Roof at Wimbledon and gratings for the new Olympic Stadium, as well as numerous projects for leading industrial concerns, but large or small clients alike can be sure their project will receive the same focused attention to care and detail.
Lichtgitter’s wide level of expertise, together with its state of the art automated CAD/CAM technology, has enabled it to become recognised as the market leader in the design and manufacture of both standard and specialised gratings, including steel mesh for second floor mezzanines and heavy duty storage racks. Its range of forge-welded gratings, pressed-in gratings and perforated metal planks conform to British and European standards and the company’s level of expertise is widely recognised by architects and consultants on many prestigious contracts for blue chip clients.
Projects for storage and distribution warehouses are the fastest expanding part of the company’s business, as Alec Grice, Managing Director of Lichtgitter UK explained to Warehouse & Logistics News.
Warehouse & Logistics News – First of all, Alec, what does your job as MD entail day to day?
My role in the company is varied.
Having been involved in the evolution of the business I have experience in all parts of the operation from sales through to production, despatch and more recently the numbers area.
Although I get involved in most of the commercial aspects, I thoroughly enjoy the sales side. I thrive on working on new projects and working with our excellent sales team to target new markets that Lichtgitter haven’t explored previously.
WLN – Do you get personally involved with developing grating solutions for customers? Who else is in the senior management team with you?
Yes, we are occasionally asked for best solutions for warehousing and shelving installations with either 35 or 20mm ball proof grating for walkways or heavy duty loading calculations for racking installations.
We have a sales team with over 150 years’ experience, who are all familiar with the different grating types we produce. Rob Murray, Works Director, looks after the production and planning to ensure client satisfaction.
I work with the design team to help create new and innovative products with the experience and knowledge that I have established over the years.
We are able to problem solve where there are projects that require a little more attention to detail.
WLN – How long have you been in this role?
I have worked for Lichtgitter for 25 years. My father started the company in 1990 and I was initially in Sales, then appointed to Director 10 years ago. My father retired three years ago and I took over as MD.
WLN – For the uninitiated, how big is Lichtgitter UK?
Employing 30 people, Lichtgitter UK has a production facility of 2,000 m2, producing approximately 8,000m2 of fabricated grating per month, as well as standard products supplied to trade customers.
WLN – What do you think makes Lichtgitter different from other grating suppliers? Why come to you for this equipment?
Lichtgitter offers the full package of gratings from Forge Welded, Pressure Locked, Perforated Metal Planks and Glass Reinforced Plastic in both standard sheets and fabricated to customer drawings. We hold a wide range of stock and with our in house fabrication, our customers always get a fast turnaround on products.
WLN – Where are you based? Do you cover the whole UK?
Lichtgitter is based in Walsall with close links to the major road networks, which gives us access to whole of the UK.
WLN – Where do you produce the gratings you supply to UK customers?
We import some of the specialist gratings from our Head Office in Germany, who have developed automated machinery producing grating for the storage industry. We manufacture most of the mezzanine platforms in the UK to comply with British and European standards.
WLN – Which of your products are particularly popular with warehousing and logistics customers?
All our steel products have their own advantages for all storage and mezzanine installations, the forge welded grating is the most robust grating, pressed in grating is the most economical solution for storage racks and the planking type is a general solution with high strength to weight ratio.
WLN – How do you work with makers of mezzanine floors and storage racks? Do you have ongoing relationships with them?
We offer a full design service for mezzanine floors, walkways and storage racks, taking into account all the client’s requirements and complying with industry standards, offering a full declaration of performance backed up with loading calculations to make sure the client gets the best and most economical solution.
WLN – What sizes of operation are your typical industrial customers?
What industry sectors are they in? Our client base covers a wide range of companies, from a few square metres of gratings and steps for access stairs to large warehousing installations of tens of thousands of square metres.
WLN – Which of these industry sectors do you see as the biggest potential users of your solutions, in the future?
The warehouse and storage industry is the fastest growing sector of our business since the increase in Internet shopping and we have a strong forward order book.
WLN – Which are your biggest selling standard products?
Our largest standard product business is forge welded panels in 6m x 1m sheets, which we supply to smaller fabricators to produce platforms and walkways of all types.
WLN – What online quoting and ordering services do you offer customers for standard products?
All our quotations are handled individually by our trained staff, to make sure the client is getting the right product.
WLN – How do you go about the process of evaluating customers’ requirements for specialist grating products?
Our clients generally give us a scope to work to. We then look at which grating will best suit the application at the most economical rates to meet on site deadlines.
WLN – What are your lead times like for tailor made products?
General lead times for forge welded products are two to three weeks from drawing approvals. The lead time for the pressure locked grating and planking is closer to five weeks, as it is made to size in Germany.
WLN – Who should potential customers contact to find out more about tailor made products?
The majority of our enquiries are received by email as drawings are often attached. It is best to send the enquiries to our email address sales@lichtgitter.co.uk and we will internally distribute them to make sure they are assessed properly, however we would appreciate calls to our sales team if clients wish to go through any technical or special requirements.
WLN – What external factors do you see as driving demand for your solutions going forward?
We are increasing our technical capabilities with 3D drawing and aim to be Level 2 B.I.M in the coming months. This will enable us to be involved in the design and detail of the building from an early stage, rather than last minute.
Tel: 01922 711 611
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