B A P Steel Forging

Down on Benjamin Road at number 847, you’ll find us at B A P Steel Forging. It isn't a clean or quiet place like a shop. There is always the sound of metal hitting metal and the heat from the furnaces makes it sweat in here even when it’s cold outside. We spend our days working with heavy pieces of steel, shaping them into what the customers need. My hands are usually covered in some kind of grease or soot by lunchtime. It’s hard work and it wears you out, but there’s something good about seeing a finished piece of metal sitting on the floor. The walls are stained with smoke and we have tools scattered across the workbenches. It might look messy to someone else, but we know exactly where the hammers and tongs are. We don't have a fancy office or a secretary answering phones. If the phone rings, I just wipe my hands on a rag and pick it up myself. The trucks come and go on Benjamin Road, dropping off raw material and picking up the forged parts. It’s a lot of lifting and moving things around. We don't talk much while we work because of the noise, but we get the job done. It’s been our trade for a long time and the building has seen a lot of wear and tear. We just keep the machines running and the fire going as long as there is work to do.