Many locals know them best for their seasonal window displays and unique tin man mascot, but it’s their fine metalwork skills that have kept Jenkins & Puddicombe Sheet Metal in operation for over 40 years. Founded by an experienced craftsman and his future son-in-law, the sheet metal manufacturing company has grown into a long-time family affair. Still owned by one of the original business partners and their family, Jenkins & Puddicombe continues to have fun with its craft.

Cutting into business

Jenkins & Puddicombe Sheet Metal was founded by two business partners, Arthur Jenkins and Robert Puddicombe, in 1983 in St. John’s, N.L. Jenkins was already experienced in working with metal, while Puddicombe was new to the trade. As he learned the craft from his business partner, Puddicombe attributes Jenkins for helping him discover a passion for metalwork.

Together, they grew a business that primarily serves the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) industry. Making and installing stainless steel vents, countertops, air conditioners and other components for commercial kitchens, breweries, healthcare labs and ship cookrooms quickly became their specialty. However, no job is too big or too small. Jenkins & Puddicombe also take on smaller-scale custom work, like crafting a range hood for a household kitchen.

Welded together

When starting the business, Robert Puddicombe was dating Jenkins’ daughter, Miranda, and soon after, his brother Bert began dating Jenkins’ second daughter, Janice. Both couples eventually married, and the Puddicombe’s other brother, John, also joined the business. All members of the family have distinct roles in customer service, health and safety, fabrication, and project pricing. Jenkins & Puddicombe is a family business through and through.

In the early days, everything was made by hand in Jenkins & Puddicombe’s shop. While technological advancements have allowed many jobs to be handled by machinery, the team still has the skills to work the old-fashioned way (by hand) for certain projects.

While it has a reputation for quality metalwork, Jenkins & Puddicombe is also well known in the community for its unique window displays and tin man mascot. The tradition started when Bert Puddicombe attended George Street’s first Mardi Gras Halloween event in the ‘90s and made a custom tin man outfit for the costume contest (and won). Inspired by the window displays of other local businesses, for the holidays, Janice set the tin man in a chair in their store’s large window with a copy of The Night Before Christmas. The scene was complete with a Christmas tree and other decor. It was a major hit. The tin man was then added to the company’s logo, and new window displays were created seasonally year-round. Now, instead of the large tin man, John Puddicombe handcrafts miniature versions by hand for each theme. While many express interest, these tin characters are for display only and not for sale.

Forged strong

Today, Jenkins & Puddicombe Sheet Metal continues to operate from its shop on Hamilton Street near downtown St. John’s. According to a CBC article posted in 2023, one of the original founders, Robert Puddicombe, remains an active owner of the business and works alongside his two brothers, wife and sister-in-law, along with about half a dozen other employees.

Note: A representative of Jenkins & Puddicombe Sheet Metal was unavailable for an interview; the above article is based on third-party research.

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