Last year, the Manufacturing Today team spoke with Managing Director, Lee O\u2019Donnell who told us about\u00a0Arkoni\u2019s\u00a0involvement in the world\u2019s first iron-framed building, Shrewsbury\u00a0Flaxmill\u00a0Maltings. This specialist project saw\u00a0Arkoni\u00a0manufacture 111\u00a0state-of-the-art\u00a0thermally broken steel windows to replicate the original window style, while preserving its history and offering strength, security, elegance,\u00a0insulation\u00a0and protection from damaging ultraviolet light. He also previously mentioned a collaboration with repeat client Aldi UK, with plans to supply and install internal fire-rated door sets for Aldi\u2019s expansive new distribution\u00a0center\u00a0in Leicestershire, England.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve\u00a0also partnered with one of our valued clients, the Warwick Group, delivering specialist pressed metalwork for the V&A Museum in Stratford. While our core focus is designing and manufacturing steel fire-rated glazing systems,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0able to offer a much broader range of metalwork – even if we\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0actively market it yet.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOur third major venture is a curtain-wall project at London Road Fire Station in Manchester. These three significant projects are all underway, and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0an incredibly exciting time for us.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alongside its active projects,\u00a0Arkoni\u00a0has also invested in new CNC machinery – a move that Lee says has expanded the company\u2019s capacity, accuracy, and overall quality. \u201cIt has also helped bridge the national skills gap. We were struggling to find people with that specific\u00a0expertise,\u201d he explains. \u201cFortunately, we have apprentices here, and the new equipment is creating opportunities for them as well. Previously, their work was focused\u00a0mainly on\u00a0welding, but now\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0learning to program the machines, which introduces a completely new learning curve.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This investment positions\u00a0Arkoni\u00a0for long-term growth and enables the business to take on larger, more complex projects. \u201cBefore, there was a bottleneck in material preparation because we had reached our absolute limit. The new machinery\u00a0eliminates\u00a0those bottlenecks much more quickly.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0far more\u00a0accurate,\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0significantly less\u00a0room for error, and\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0now programming using computers instead of relying solely on manual dexterity,\u201d Lee adds.<\/span> As an ISO 14001-certified company,\u00a0Arkoni\u00a0is continually working to enhance its sustainability efforts and strengthen its environmental responsibility. \u201cWe\u2019re currently running an internal campaign to explore more sustainable packaging options, and we\u2019ve also introduced electric vehicles and solar panels into the business,\u201d Lee explains. \u201cAdditionally, we work closely with our system houses, Forster and\u00a0Schuco, which supply the profiles we use, to try achieving closed loop recycling where possible.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/manufacturing-today.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/12\/Arkoni-243-body-image-1.jpg\")
MT recently caught up with Lee, who revealed more about the company\u2019s developments: \u201cWe completed the Aldi UK project, and we now have three more innovative projects on our books.\u00a0We\u2019re\u00a0carrying out a project with Gilbert Ash, the main contractor working on the reimagining of the Tate Liverpool gallery on the Royal Albert Dock –\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0huge and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0currently in the design phase. We were appointed to deliver steel heritage-style windows for the redevelopment of the gallery, which is housed in a former 19th-century warehouse and closed in 2023 to begin a comprehensive overhaul. The transformation aims to reimagine the gallery for the 21st century: exposing original brickwork, reconfiguring galleries, adding light and riverside views, and creating new public \u2018Art Hall\u2019,\u00a0caf\u00e9\u00a0and social spaces. Our\u00a0expertise\u00a0means we can deliver high-quality steel glazing that respects the building\u2019s heritage character while meeting modern performance standards – including structural integrity, glazing spans, thermal performance, and aesthetic subtlety.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"he](\"https:\/\/manufacturing-today.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/12\/Arkoni-243-body-image-2.jpg\")
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