ONE of Barry’s biggest employers has begun preparing for its annual maintenance shutdown, starting on Monday, June 1.

The shutdown will see the site stop a significant proportion of its processes so that its annual inspection can be carried out over the summer.

Machinery and equipment on the 160-acre site will be emptied, cleaned and thoroughly inspected as part of the company’s commitment to safety, which has seen the Barry site win six consecutive gold awards from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) in recent years.

The work at Dow Corning, in Barry, which supplies silicone materials to Europe and Asia, is expected to last around five weeks with all production units fully operational and running again by Friday, July 3.

Dow Corning Barry site manager, Margaret Matthews said: “The shutdown is an essential part of our on-going safety programme at Dow Corning and ensures that all our machinery and equipment are as safe as possible for our employees and our community.

“It is a big job and our neighbours are likely to see an increase in traffic and activity on the site during the shutdown. As we will be using lights and cranes to help remove and replace equipment, the site will look very different during this time, but there is no need for concern.”

She said from Saturday, June 6 until Thursday, June 25 people in the neighbourhood may hear an increase in noise.

She said: “This is because essential cleaning and modifications will be happening that will improve safety and efficiency. We will of course endeavour to keep noise to a minimum but we do apologise in advance for any inconvenience it might cause.

“If anyone in the community has any questions about the shutdown, we would encourage them to get in touch with us. We aim to complete the maintenance as quickly as we can but safety is a top priority for the business so we want to ensure all work is completed to the highest standard possible.”