South West firm Kernow Fixings has been supplying the HPC project with products and solutions since early 2016. The company is a specialist supplier of fixings, fasteners, supports and advice to the mechanical and electrical sectors, as well as the wider construction industry.
As a leading UK distributor to the industry, Kernow Fixings provides everything needed to install pipe and cable, whatever the application or challenge! This includes containment, strut, pipe supports, bracketry, fixings and a vast range of ancillary products such as site equipment and consumables. In addition, they offer design services, load calculations and other technical support.
Kernow also provides off-site fabrication services to enable quick, safe and cost-effective solutions tailored to customer requirements. This includes pre-cut lengths, H-frames, trapeze frames, support brackets and modules.
At HPC, Kernow Fixings works closely with several of the Tier One contractors, as well as many of their sub-contractors. This includes contractors working directly on the reactor buildings, the surrounding buildings, tunnels and off-site manufacturing plant. They have also supplied projects supporting HPC, such as the new accommodation block and infrastructure developments.
Being a dependable link of the supply chain for the main contractors, Kernow Fixings’ skilled quotations and customer service teams are contacted daily to provide 
quotations and orders for a range of items required on site.
With over 30 years of knowledge and experience, Kernow Fixings pride themselves on having the ‘Kernow-How’ to support building services and construction projects from inception to completion.
Whether it’s assistance with a fixing challenge, a quote request, full take-off and technical support (including installation site checks and pull tests) or support with the contractor’s fixings strategy (e.g. help adhering to regulations such ETA Approved Anchors: BS 8539:2012).
Daniel Furse, Kernow Fixings Sales Director, said: “Our goal is to provide exceptional customer service. We care about fulfilling orders quickly and accurately and providing that personal touch throughout the whole journey”.
“We take care of orders from point of receipt right through to delivery, personally delivering goods with our own vehicles and drivers who get to know our customers and their requirements very well. They’re friendly and available to deal with any immediate queries.
“We’re proud to have been involved with HPC at the design stage with key UK manufacturers for the mechanical and electrical installation on the HBS Building, a brand-new state of the art simulator training centre that will allow EDF’s operatives to learn how to control and maintain nuclear reactors in a virtual environment.
“Having supplied HPC for several years now, we are certainly accustomed to dealing with the secure and controlled logistical requirements on-site.”
Based in Cornwall, Kernow Fixings is a local supplier and, therefore, able to service HPC daily with its own delivery vehicles and drivers. Staff are trained specifically to deal with HPC’s logistical procedures and work closely and proactively with the Delivery Management System to facilitate a smooth order and delivery process. Their technical sales personnel are on site every week meeting with clients.
A spokesman for Tier 1 contractor Kier BAM said: “Kernow has served us well at Hinkley Point C, which has been greatly appreciated. We wouldn’t hesitate in recommending them as a competitive and reliable supplier, who go the extra mile and are a pleasure to deal with.”
Services at HPC have included meeting at sub-contractor’s offices, consultations at design stage, coordinating and escorting site visits for manufacturers, providing designs, load calculations and other technical support.
“We have supplied HPC directly with a range of products, such as the direct supply of fixings, bracketry, containment, tools and site consumables / equipment to Tier 1 contractors and sub-contractors.
“With the huge MEH phase of the Hinkley Point C project now underway, Kernow is looking forward to increased involvement as we support and supply contractors appointed to carry out mechanical and engineering work across the site,” Daniel said.
The Hinkley Supply Chain team has worked with Kernow Fixings to highlight opportunities at site and Daniel was full of praise for the service received: “We would fully recommend other companies wishing to get involved with the project to use the Hinkley Supply Chain for guidance and advice.
“The team is extremely helpful with putting you in touch with the right people for your business and providing information so you can understand the background and wider picture of the project.
“They have been fantastic and are a great team of people who genuinely want to help you get involved with the project.”
He said the company was extremely proud to be part of the supply chain building HPC and credited Kernow Fixings’ flexibility as being the key to winning work and delivering tailor-made solutions for customers.
“This can be anything from a small standard order to ongoing support for large projects with pre-fabricated systems and call off orders. When contractors are really under pressure we are always on-hand to provide bespoke, fast-track solutions.
“At Kernow Fixings it’s all about making life easier for our customers. Yes, we offer a vast range of products and solutions but this comes with phenomenal service. It’s based on decades of knowledge and experience of supporting a variety of projects and customers. We call it ‘Kernow-How,” he added.
And his advice for other companies hoping to win work at HPC?
“Serving Hinkley Point C can be logistically tricky but we’ve built proficiency over the years. We’ve made some positive changes within the company – like fine-tuning certain internal processes to provide a faultless order journey.
“We’ve invested in HPC specific staff training and attended inductions, stocked up on HPC specified products, such as Unistrut, and ensured our drivers have permits to 
access and deliver to site daily without issue. All of which has been beneficial to Kernow.
“HPC is a very important project to us, particularly as we’re based in the region. We’re in a great position to serve Hinkley Point C with our delivery network in place, stocks of required products plus the outstanding customer care required for such a secure and controlled project.
“We look forward to further developing partnerships within the supply chain and continuing to be a reliable and supportive arm of it for several years to come,” Daniel said.