Mayor discusses firm's growth strategy

Brownhills-based GJF, which opened in 1988, designs and manufactures steel Hooklift containers, compactors and skips – with clients including leading national waste and recycling collection, disposal and treatment companies, and local authorities.

Mr Street met with managing director, Dougie Craig, to discuss GJF’s plans to expand its workforce at Chase Link, Lichfield Road, and increase its share of the container market.

The Mayor was also joined by Aldridge-Brownhills MP Wendy Morton and given a tour of the production line to get an insight of how the containers are made, particularly the use of robots and use of jigs to allow a safer and more comfortable welding method for its employees.

He said: “I very much enjoyed being given a tour of GJF Fabrications and commend the firm on their 40 years of trading - supplying the waste industry with containers and making a valuable contribution to the circular economy.

“It was interesting to see first-hand how the containers are actually made and I congratulate the GJF team on their track record as a real Black Country business success story.”

Mrs Morton added: “I was pleased that Mayor Andy Street was back in Aldridge-Brownhills last week visiting GJF Fabrications in Brownhills.

“Manufacturing remains an important sector across the West Midlands Region and here in my Aldridge-Brownhills constituency and that is why I am so pleased Mayor Andy Street recognises its importance.”

Mr Craig thanked both Andy Street and Mrs Morton for the visit and said: “It was a great pleasure to welcome Andy Street to our site in Brownhills t show him our production processes for our manufacture of containers for Waste Recycling Industry.

“It was fantastic that Wendy Morton was able to return once again as part of this visit. It was an opportunity to showcase our green initiatives and for our employees to speak with Andy and Wendy whilst they toured.”