Most family discussions are centered around food, babies, birthdays and the weather. My family discussions are centered around this: scaffolding! When you are like me, a third-generation family member in the industry, and still surrounded by those who have spent their lives building, designing and manufacturing it, you indulge! My father, Geoff Mules, and both his brothers, Graham and Andy, are all pioneers in scaffolding, internationally playing a wide variety of roles in management, training, product development, product design and scaffold manufacturing. So he was only following tradition when he taught me, my brother and my sister the scaffold business.
It started in 1913, when two brothers by the names of Daniel Palmer-Jones and David Henry-Jones were commissioned to do much-needed repair work to Buckingham Palace. During this reconstruction, Palmer- Jones (Major Jones), "The Grandfather of Scaffolding," masterminded and introduced the first steel scaffold coupler, ultimately revolutionizing tubular steel scaffold construction. With the advancements of metals and tubing in the early 20th century, Major Jones developed and patented the "Scaffixer." In 1919, he registered a patent for this "Universal Coupler" that quickly became the industry standard. Along with his brother, he incorporated the first scaffold and manufacturing company, Scaffolding Great Britain (SGB). He had invented a totally new product for an ancient industry. Steel scaffold was predictable; it could be tested and engineered to a standard and reused for many years.
Scaffold products continued to be developed and introduced in the 60s and 70s. "System scaffold," a product that had the couplers welded at set intervals on the scaffold components themselves, would take out the guesswork. It would prove an even more predictable product, needing less skill to erect.
Traditionally, an access scaffold's biggest challenge is its own planked or decked weight. Wind and snow can easily quadruple weight loads. When a scaffold is used to support bleachers full of active people, the live load becomes critical. "The Wave" in the 90s frightened more than a few scaffold designers.
Training for scaffold builders has improved over the years. Engineering by scaffold specialists has also made a major contribution to predictability and safety. In the U.S., training standards have been introduced and implemented, as have several high-quality training courses.
Today, there is an extreme focus on continuous improvement in all areas of our business, and AT-PAC products are at the forefront of this core value. Our Product Development Department focuses on the overall safety, quality, usability, weight, strength and cost of our products, thereby increasing the overall efficiency and value to customers. AT-PAC has the technical and manufacturing capability and will continue to broaden our product offering to better service different end markets. We are committed to staying at the forefront of scaffold design and technology.
Since 1995, AT-PAC has offered complete scaffolding solutions to clients throughout the world, matching our expertise to the specific needs of our customers. AT-PAC comes with 20 years of experience in the industrial market and specializes in oil and gas, chemicals, power and energy, and mining and refining projects. AT-PAC prides itself on building long-term and sustainable relationships with both our customers and team members, and we distribute only the highest-quality products by ensuring our production process adheres to rigorous quality control and assurance programs.
AT-PAC has set itself apart in the industrial scaffolding market and is why I now call this family home. From my grandfather to my father, his brothers, my siblings and most of my cousins, my family has followed this tradition. I am proud to say that our family's knowledge and experience, rooted by Major Jones, led to this fascinating family journey of 100 years. He unknowingly established modern- day scaffolding, and it's up to us to carry that forward -- 100 years strong!
For more information, visit www. at-pac.com or call (800) 263-0444.