HISTORY
METALWORKING SINCE 1996
The History of MJAllen Metalwork
Our team has been working together for almost thirty years and, in that time, we’ve grown from a small team working out of a shipping container to our purpose-built £1.1million premises and over 50 staff on the books.
We have achieved multiple ISO accreditations and EN1090 executions, welcomed millions of pounds of work from new and existing clients and continued our excellent industry record for health and safety and environmental awareness.
1996
Mather and Smith purchased by the MJAllen Group
Architectural iron and metalwork specialists, dating back to 1675, the Mather and Smith metalworking company was close to collapse when it was saved and bought as a going concern by Directors of the MJAllen Group, interested in expanding their foundry and fabrication services into a dedicated metalwork business.
1996
Michael Allen takes the reigns
The new business is led by Michael Allen Junior as he looks to improve upon the existing manufacture of street furniture, railings and architectural iron work done so far. Even the railings around the Tower of London were installed by this team.
1996
Work commences out of a single shipping container
The early days of Mather and Smith's new ownership were orchestrated from a single shipping container to provide low-cost and no-nonsense housing for the small but dedicated workforce.
2006
Site offices grow to fill four shipping containers
Barely ten years later and the workforce and requirement for space have quadrupled, thanks to dedicated craftsmen and a customer-focussed team of support staff.
2009
Turnover hits £1million
All the hard work is definitely paying off as the business reaches the happy milestone of £1million turnover for the first time - moving the company from collapse to a million pounds within thirteen years.
2010
New 1600 square foot workshop space
To celebrate the recent £1million turnover milestone, and to ensure company security is confirmed, the business invests further in itself and its team by building a brand new workshop covering 1,600 square feet of the current site.
June 2013
Relocation to new and current site
The new 1,600 square foot workshop proved to be too small for our ambitions and a new site was located. Remaining in our hometown of Ashford, the business was relocated to Hothfield and now operated from a suite of four units totalling 9,500 square feet of metalworking prowess.
July 2014
Accredited to EN1090 Execution Class 2
New premises meant a new focus and the business committed to improving its official accreditations and certifications across the board. First, was the EN1090 Execution Class 2 formal accreditation.
April 2016
New steel erection and parking site
The local planning team were hugely impressed with the ambitions and growth plans of the business and we were granted permission for the erection of our new steel fabrication and parking area.
August 2019
Mather and Smith becomes MJAllen Metalwork
August of 2019 saw the now transformed Mather and Smith officially change its name to become the now renowned MJAllen Metalwork. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of the MJAllen Group, it began the first step towards new avenues of growth and full immersion into the established and financially strong Group of engineering companies.
August 2020
Upgraded EN1090 Execution to Class 3
Just a year later, the company's EN1090 Execution Class 2 is officially upgraded to become a Class 3, with all the benefits this brings to both client and customer.
December 2020
Accredited to BS EN ISO 3834-2:2005
More professional standards are formalised as we receive the BS EN ISO 3834-2:2005 accreditation and can be proud of our officially recognised and comprehensive quality standards in fusion welding of metallic materials both in our workshops and at field installation sites.
June 2021
Business is completely rebranded
As part of a Group-wide initiative, the MJAllen Metalwork branding is reimagined to bring a new and modern identity to the continuously high-standard of work leaving the workshops every day.
August 2021
Local business extension assets acquired
As if retracing the original steps that brought it to the MJAllen Group, MJA Metalwork professionally handles the asset acquisition of another Kent-based business - Kent Metal Developments Ltd. This brought exciting new opportunities to the MJA Metalwork service list and also safe-guarded the livelihoods of over a dozen local, British metalworkers.
November 2021
£1.1 million building is officially opened
Representing a significant investment in the future, the new MJAllen Metalwork headquarters are officially opened at the Hothfield site. This new building offers over 20,000 square feet of workshop and office space and was designed and built by our very own team. The building was officially opened by VIP guests Damian Green, MP for Ashford, and Jo James OBE, Chief Executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce.
December 2021
New workshops and offices are completely overhauled
Continuing the exciting new acquisition, MJA Metalwork's newest premises are completely overhauled and brought up to the MJAllen standard with the new, second site now giving 6,500 square feet of professional workshop and office space, bringing the company's total operating space to almost 27,000 square feet and almost 50 staff.