Suffolk-based pre-cast concrete products specialist Poundfield has helped the UK Atomic Energy Authority fill a very important gap.

In 2012, Poundfield supplied 16 blocks to form one of the walls around the main vacuum vessel at the Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST) facility in Oxfordshire where the authority fusion tests.

Following a recent replacement of the vessel it was found that an additional block was required ? and urgently.

Tim Evans, director of bespoke products at Poundfield, which is based at Creeting St Peter, near Stowmarket, said: “The key issues here were both accuracy in manufacturing the additional block to ensure compliance with those previously supplied and a swift turnaround given its vital importance to UKAEA. I’m pleased to say that we scored highly on both.”

James Treadgold, MAST’s buildings and infrastructure project manager, said: “Filling this wall could have been done a number of ways but the precast blocks from Poundfield Products have made it much easier and allow us the possibility to remove them in the future if we need to.”

He added: “The blocks are a complex chevron shape to ensure there are no radiation shine paths and were precision cast to precisely fill the gap”.

“Overall, the quality of the blocks is good and coupled with their responsiveness, Poundfield are a pleasure to work with.”

Matt Moss, Poundfield’s commercial director, added: “The research work being conducted by UKAEA is of national and indeed international importance in terms of future energy sources. I’m proud that we continue to have a supporting role in this project.”