1864
Metalcraft started life in Chatteris High Street. The business moved to its current site in the late 1880’s – early 1890’s.
since 1864
1890
Now known as the Chatteris Engineering Works, the company specialised in making equipment for South African diamond and gold mining industries around Johannesburg and Pretoria. Production was severely affected during the Boer War between 1900-2, causing the firm to consider new markets.
1900
In the early 1900’s, Chatteris Engineering Works provided many forms of travelling cranes found in dock yards and railway depots. Three of the original cranes manufactured by the Chatteris Engineering Works are in use in our factory today; while other cranes have been spotted in locations including India, South Africa and the Isle of White.
1910
In 1910, Chatteris Engineering Works constructed a water tower on London Road in Chatteris.
1920
Chatteris Engineering Works started a football team in the 1920’s. By the 1950’s, new changing rooms were built on what is now the site of The Sportsman.
1914-1944
During both World Wars the business worked practically non-stop, night and day, to support the war effort.
1950s
Chatteris Engineering Works became Fairleede Engineering Company Ltd, manufacturing equipment including gear boxes for the aircraft lifts on HMS Ark Royal and HMS Bulwork.
1960s
Fairleede Engineering Company began manufacturing switch gear chambers for high voltage power distribution.
1963
Fairleede Engineering Company became Stainless Metalcraft.
1979
Stainless Metalcraft became involved with a new healthcare technology known as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), manufacturing the first equipment for this industry anywhere in the world.
The first prototype machines were dispatched in 1979 and were called Star and Fish.
1979
Metalcraft also started working in the nuclear industry, with notable projects including a Stillage Support Structure for Sellafield which, at its peak, employed 450 people at the Chatteris site.
2009
MRI industry growth drives growth at Metalcraft, peaking at an annual turnover of almost £25 million in 2009.
During the same period, the business diversified into a number of different markets with notable projects including pressure vessel hulls for submarine rescue, large pressure vessels for oil, gas and petrochemical projects, and vacuum vessels for Big Science research including parts of the CERN Large Hadron Collider experiment.
2015
Metalcraft secures a £47m contract to provide 3m3 intermediate level waste containers for Sellafield as part of its decommissioning programme.
2016
Metalcraft celebrates 100 years of apprentices at its Chatteris site.
2019
Her Royal Highness Princess Anne visits Metalcraft to find out more about its work and commitment to training the next generation of engineers.
2020
Metalcraft receives the Princess Royal Training Award, recognising its investment in developing the next generation of skilled engineers.
2020
Metalcraft is awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Promoting Opportunity, in recognition of its work creating rewarding, long-term careers in the sector. The team received the physical award in 2021, some 18 months after the Covid-19 pandemic delayed its presentation.
2023
On 23 November 2023, HRH Princess Anne officially opened the North Cambs Training Centre – a purpose-built facility on land owned by Metalcraft, providing state-of-the-art facilities to train the next generation of engineers.
