A SITE VISIT ALWAYS NAILS IT

We always encourage our PR clients to invite journalists on site - whether it’s to see products being manufactured, a product in practice or to take part in any training offered to the trade. Recently, I took assistant editor Lynn Sencicle of Builders Merchants’ News along to Jewson in Barking - to take part in a session run by ITW for both customers and staff - in the safe use of its gas nailers.

Jewson Barking is an impressive site so it was a great branch to take an editor to. We were taken upstairs to the training room, while the ITW sales representative Ben Basset set-up the demonstration tools. In attendance were three of Jewson’s own staff, and also three builders from two nearby building contractors that the branch manager had advertised the course to.

Myself and Lynn observed as Ben talked through how the gas nailer works and how it can benefit tradesmen on site. Most of the guys already owned or had worked with Paslode or Spit tools and were keen to ask questions, chat through how the tools work in practice and get some practical tips.

Health and safety was an important part of the talk, with an interesting anecdote of a guy in America who had got into a spot of bother when he nailed into himself rather than the substrate - which created a few sniggers and chuckles around the room but served to remind everyone of the importance of training and being safe on site.

Lynn and I then followed the group outside to the back of the branch for the practical part of the session. I think it’s fair to say that everyone there was itching to get their hands on the nailers after talking about them. Ben oversaw as the group took turns firing different tools into timber and concrete. Always keen to take part - Lynn rolled up her sleeves and had a go with a Paslode nailer as well.

The final report from the day is about to appear in BMN as a stand alone piece talking about the benefits of training - for both merchants and staff, along with some exceptional pictures of the day taken by myself. Mike Couchman beware.