Member Article

New Barnsley laser cutting commission to appear in hundreds of pubs

A Yorkshire laser cutting company has created a stunning new range of wooden beer pump clips which will be displayed in hundreds of pubs throughout Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Cutting Technologies, based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, was asked to come on board with a Halifax micro-brewery to create 500 beer clips from wood.

Stod Fold Brewing Company, set up by Paul Harris and Angus Wood, brews a selection of ales including traditional gold and amber beer along with more modern blondes and pils.

The brewery uses cutting edge techniques and equipment to give their beer a flawless quality, constituency and taste so wanted something more imaginative than the usual plastic beer clip to advertise the ale when it reached pubs.

Angus helped to create the design and even chopped down the trees before handing the wood over to Cutting Technologies which then used precision laser engraving to create the intricate pump clips.

Angus said: “I cut down the trees myself, which were ash ones and destined to be chopped because they were unloved due to the dieback disease spreading through them.

“Ash holds its bark very well and has a good intricate cross-section which is why we chose it. We cut them to shape at Stod Fold and sent them to Cutting Technologies for laser engraving with our design work.

“Initially we made 500, which can be seen in pubs and bars around Yorkshire and Lancashire. Ultimately we produce a quality beer and wanted to have a quality brand with a quality feel. You won’t find plastic pretenders on our beer.”

Cutting Technologies works on a broad spectrum of projects, from manufacturing engineering equipment to decorative artwork and sculptures with top designers but beer clips was a new venture for the company.

Jane Robinson, director of Cutting Technologies, said: “We can work with a very wide range of materials but we’re really impressed with the finished effect of the wooden clips.

“The wood allowed us to engrave an intricate design which has created a stunning effect and the fact that Angus actually chopped down the trees himself has meant it’s been a close-knit project between us and Stod Fold.

“The clips are 100 per cent natural and environmentally friendly. They’ll stand out from the row of usual plastic clips on a pub bar and it’s nice to think we might spot our handicraft when we next have a pint.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mark Lane .