Ecocem, Europe’s leading provider of low carbon solutions for the cement and construction industries, and Taylor Woodrow, a leading player in the delivery of complex UK infrastructure projects, have conducted their first pour of Exegy® ultra-low carbon concrete in the UK. Developed over four years by Ecocem and VINCI Construction,
Successful closing: binderholz Group completes the acquisition of the largest British sawmill group, making it Europe’s largest company in the sawmill and solid wood processing industry On 05.01.2022, the acquisition of the British BSW Timber Ltd, based in Earlston, Scotland, by Binderholz UK Holding GmbH, a subsidiary of the Austrian
The need for new homes continues to rise, with an average 200,000 new houses being built each year. This increase has resulted in added pressure being placed on construction companies, and their supply chains, to keep up with demand. One solution which is aiding the industry and enabling houses to
Ibstock plc, a leading UK manufacturer of clay bricks and concrete products, is pleased to announce ambitious new carbon reduction commitments, including a target for the business to be net zero by 2040. Having substantially achieved their existing goal of a 15% reduction in CO2 per tonne of production, the
A unique residential Pocket Living development recently completed in Barking features highly effective thermal performance and an attractive appearance thanks to an integrated package of insulation and exterior façade products provided by Sto. The company’s StoTherm Mineral external wall insulation system, with Sto-Rotofix Plus fixings and Sto Resin Brick Slip
Recticel Insulation’s innovative insulation board, which has a tongue and groove joint on all four sides to ensure an airtight fit and improved thermal performance, was selected for a desirable new housing scheme built beside one of England’s eminent waterways. The Magenta Court development in Apsley, Hemel Hempstead is a
Keystone Lintels, the UK’s leading manufacturer of steel lintels, is delighted to have been awarded ‘Heavyside Supplier of the Year’ at the Builders Merchant Journal Awards 2021 in recognition of its outstanding customer service. The glittering event took place on November 26th at the Park Plaza London Riverbank. The awards
An extension to the British Board of Agrément’s ISO 45001 scope to include base and fabricated metal products will benefit its clients by bringing different approval processes under the remit of a single certification body. The BBA has been accredited by UKAS to extend its scope for ISO 45001 Occupational
Sheppard Robson’s third visit to Brunel is marked with Kawneer glazing systems. Aluminium glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were “fundamental” in achieving the environmental performance and architectural vision for Sheppard Robson’s second revisiting of a key building at Brunel University London. Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain wall, AA®540 vents, and
Leading paving and building manufacturer AG has ramped up its production capacity by 50% following increased demand for facing brick and paving products from throughout the UK and Ireland. The family-run business has been at the leading edge of hard landscaping and building solutions for more than 60 years, providing world class
Ecocem, Europe’s leading provider of low carbon solutions for the cement and construction industries, and Taylor Woodrow, a leading player in the delivery of complex UK infrastructure projects, have conducted their first pour of Exegy® ultra-low carbon concrete in the UK. Developed over four years by Ecocem and VINCI Construction, a world leader in buildings, civil works and infrastructure, the technology – Ecocem Ultra – forms part of VINCI Construction’s Exegy® ultra-low carbon concrete range, and is already being used on a pilot site of the Grand Paris Express and in the construction of the Athletes’ Village in Paris for summer 2024. Significantly reducing the CO2 footprint of any project on which it is used, Ecocem Ultra provides an alternative to the traditional cement manufacturing process. The pour took place on EcoPark South, the first phase in North London Waste Authority’s plans to create a £1.2 billion sustainable waste management hub and Energy Recovery Facility at the existing Edmonton EcoPark. The mix used on the project reduces the carbon footprint by up to 70 per cent when compared to traditional concrete. Taylor Woodrow is building a new flagship Resource Recovery Facility, public Reuse and Recycling Centre, temporary bulky waste facility and new visitor, community, and education facility as part of the project. Ecocem has always been a first mover. For more than 20 years, the company has led the development of technology that reduces the carbon footprint of the traditional cement manufacturing process by half. Its pipeline of technology continues to be industry leading, and the company was recently backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a coalition of private investors led by Bill Gates, supporting innovations that will lead the world to net zero emissions. VINCI Construction launched the global Exegy® brand in 2020 to position itself as a pioneer in the development, use, and deployment of low carbon concrete solutions worldwide. VINCI Construction has developed, jointly with Ecocem, the Exegy® ultra-low carbon concrete solutions, bringing its construction know-how and innovative mindset to support the Ecocem Ultra’s European Technical Evaluation granted on October 2021. Exegy® and Ecocem rely on a network of partner plants, such as the global building materials supplier, CEMEX, which produced the Exegy® Ultra-Low Carbon concrete for the pour. Micheál McKittrick, Managing Director, Northern Europe, Ecocem, said: “Our Ecocem Ultra technology is already being used at scale in France, and we’re excited to now see it being adopted in the UK. “The cement and construction industries are developing and deploying a range of emission reduction technologies to help the UK Government reduce emissions by 78 per cent by 2035, and reach net zero by 2050, and Ecocem will add a further dimension to these efforts.” Nerissa Patel and Alex Mitchell, Project Managers for Taylor Woodrow, said: “We are proud to have led the first use of Exegy® ultra-low carbon concrete in the UK. Ultra-low carbon concrete is a key factor in our journey towards carbon neutrality and this marks an exciting step towards achieving it.” Steve Crompton, Director of Quality and Product Technology for Materials West Europe, CEMEX, said: “CEMEX is committed to reducing the embodied carbon in our range of cementitious products and we have ambitious targets to lower CO2 levels in concrete, including a global commitment to produce net zero concrete for all our customers by 2050. “We have been working with VINCI and Ecocem in France to investigate how alternative cement technologies can accelerate the reduction in CO2 in readymix concrete and are delighted to be involved with the project at Edmonton EcoPark to demonstrate how this new technology can contribute to ultra-low carbon emissions in concrete.”
Successful closing: binderholz Group completes the acquisition of the largest British sawmill group, making it Europe’s largest company in the sawmill and solid wood processing industry On 05.01.2022, the acquisition of the British BSW Timber Ltd, based in Earlston, Scotland, by Binderholz UK Holding GmbH, a subsidiary of the Austrian binderholz Group, was successfully concluded with the closing of the transaction. BSW Timber Ltd. is the largest sawmill group in the UK in 2021, with a turnover of around £700 million and a production capacity of over 1.2 million m3 of sawn timber per year. In 2022, binderholz will become Europe’s largest group in the sawmill and solid wood processing industry segment, with a cumulative annual turnover of €2.6 billion and around 5,000 employees. The brand name BSW will be retained after integration into the binderholz Group, and the current management will continue to lead the company. Strong partnership with a focus on sustainability “With a strong focus on sustainability, binderholz and BSW pursue a forward-looking and at the same time, tradition-conscious corporate philosophy. The purchase of BSW is an essential component of our long-term expansion and sustainability strategy. BSW is active along the entire value chain of the sawmill industry, from sustainable forest management and maintenance – with capacity to plant up to 50 million high quality seedlings per year – to timber harvesting, sawmill operations, timber processing and distribution as well as biomass energy,” says Reinhard Binder, owner and CEO of binderholz. “This step strengthens binderholz’s positioning in the growing British market, which is characterised by high demand for sawn timber, solid wood, timber construction and DIY products. The Green Economy ideal is being actively lived in Great Britain, which has been reflected in the constant growth rates in CO2-neutral timber construction over the years. With our products, we optimally cover these market needs and plan investments that go further into depth of the value-added chain.”
The need for new homes continues to rise, with an average 200,000 new houses being built each year. This increase has resulted in added pressure being placed on construction companies, and their supply chains, to keep up with demand. One solution which is aiding the industry and enabling houses to be built more quickly is the off-site manufacture of prefabricated building component products. Andrew Almond, Marketing Manager at Stormking, a UK-based manufacturer of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) prefabricated products for the construction industry, explains how building off-site can benefit the new home construction supply chain and keep projects on track: “GRP building products are helping to revolutionise the way new homes are built. These products range from door canopies to chimney stacks and are manufactured off-site before being delivered to, and installed, onsite. They can be ‘dry-fit’ into place, which requires no specialist knowledge, training, or tools. “This ease of installation is saving construction companies both time and money – especially when compared to using traditional building materials and methods. However, this is only one advantage that is drawing the sector towards off-site manufactured products. “Safety, choice and – in our case – UK-based manufacturing, are all benefits cited by construction companies when opting for off-site manufactured components. “Firstly, safety. GRP products are substantially lighter than their conventional counterparts. This means they are easier to manoeuvre around site and at height, helping to reduce the potential for handling hazards. There is also no need for additional scaffolding or machinery, which again helps to mitigate against any associated dangers. “Secondly, choice. GRP component products can be produced in a wide variety of styles, colours, and textures. This allows for more creativity with regards to design and enables specifiers to easily source products required for specific planning requirements. Overall, GRP off-site manufactured products offer greater scope in terms of look and feel than traditional tile or brick. “Lastly, but definitely not least, is the ability to source these products from UK-based manufacturers. Here at Stormking we have over 500,000sq ft of manufacturing capacity spread over five sites in the Midlands. This, together with our 300 plus strong work force and fleet of over 20 delivery vehicles, means we can support the industry nationwide, from the Isle of Wight to Northern Scotland. Being based in the UK is also helping us to reduce our carbon footprint. “We understand that environmental credentials are now an important consideration for many companies when choosing a supplier. Here at Stormking, we believe that GRP products offer more environmental and sustainable benefits than traditional building materials. Transportation is reduced as components are delivered in one piece and from one supplier; less resources are required to install the products which reduces the need for more deliveries to site; and the products have a long lifespan, of over 35 years at present, so need replacing less frequently. In addition to this, and to further reduce our carbon footprint, we are working with fleet operators on testing electrical vehicles for our service teams. “So from cost efficiencies and safety, to ease of installation and sustainable credentials, it is clear to see why the construction industry is choosing to use more GPR prefabricated products to keep projects moving – and we believe this trend will continue to grow as more companies realise the many benefits off-site manufactured GRP products can offer.” Further information about Stormking and its GRP product offering can be found at www.stormking.co.uk or email your enquiry to sales@stormking.co.uk or call 01827 311 100 to discuss your next project.
Ibstock plc, a leading UK manufacturer of clay bricks and concrete products, is pleased to announce ambitious new carbon reduction commitments, including a target for the business to be net zero by 2040. Having substantially achieved their existing goal of a 15% reduction in CO2 per tonne of production, the Group has established new, more stretching targets to achieve a 40% reduction by 2030, and a commitment to become net carbon zero by 2040. This ambitious new net zero commitment will cover scope 1 & 2 emissions – including investment in more efficient production processes and in high quality environmental projects to offset residual carbon. A strategy to reduce indirect Scope 3 carbon emissions, which contribute less than 40% of the business impact, will be developed in 2022. These new targets build on the Group’s existing sustainability roadmap commitments, creating a framework of targets and critical milestones at the centre of a new 2030 sustainability strategy. Full details of the new sustainability strategy and net zero journey will be published in March 2022, as part of the Group’s 2021 results announcement. Pledging net zero by 2040 is yet another bold commitment from the Group – following significant announcements throughout 2021 – further demonstrating the Group’s active progress to address climate change and move the business into the low carbon economy. Just some of the 2021 announcements include: The launch of ‘Ibstock Futures’ a new business unit, directly addressing a number of exciting future growth markets – with sustainability and the industrialisation of traditional construction processes gathering pace Investment of over £115m committed to construct two state of the art, net zero factories within the existing footprint at Ibstock’s Atlas and Nostell sites Procurement of 100% of electricity from renewable sources The Group are also proud to have received multiple sustainability awards in reflection of both leadership and progress – following investment in new production capacity at multiple plants across the network over the last 20 years, reducing carbon intensity of the manufacturing process. Joe Hudson, Chief Executive Officer of Ibstock PLC, commented: “Whilst we know we have much more to do, I am delighted that we are making progress on our commitments and are able to announce further carbon reduction targets in such an ambitious timeframe. These new carbon commitments, including our pledge to be net zero by 2040, represent a bold step on our journey to address climate change and move the business into the low carbon economy. I am proud of our colleagues across the business who are driving forward our sustainability agenda and securing its place at the core of our purpose as a business and I look forward to presenting further details on our ambitions and targets in March 2022.’’
A unique residential Pocket Living development recently completed in Barking features highly effective thermal performance and an attractive appearance thanks to an integrated package of insulation and exterior façade products provided by Sto. The company’s StoTherm Mineral external wall insulation system, with Sto-Rotofix Plus fixings and Sto Resin Brick Slip façade finish, have all been installed on this town-centre project at Whiting Avenue. The development includes a pair of residential blocks, which are predominantly four-storey, but which rise to six floors at the centre of the site. These were built using off-site prefabrication methods in order to reduce disruption to the surrounding area during construction. “When it came to thermal performance, we wanted an insulation solution that would be non-combustible and compatible with the off-site approach,” comments Matt Watts of Reed Watts architects. “The quality of the system was also critical as the building had to meet a wide range of performance criteria, and the StoTherm Mineral external wall insulation system was able to satisfy this. “We worked with Sto to refine the texture and colour of the bricks. From a visual perspective this allowed us to tie in the development with neighbouring buildings, including an adjacent Victorian waterworks.” The BBA-certified StoTherm Mineral external wall insulation system incorporates extremely durable mineral-fibre boards which provide both outstanding thermal insulation and unrivalled fire protection. The boards are protected by a reinforcing mesh which increases their resistance to impact damage. “We installed these using the Sto-Rotofix Plus fixings,” adds Steve Beale of Sto authorized installation specialist, Alpine Finishing. “The off-site nature of the buildings’ construction meant that the boards were applied to a secondary lightweight steel frame, and the Rotofix system was perfectly suited to the task.” These unique Sto spiral fixings are compatible with many different types of substrate and can be adjusted after installation to accommodate any unevenness. This allows the insulation boards to be installed without the need for additional expansion joints, and to create a smooth and even exterior surface ready for finishing. The Sto resin brick slips used on this project are manufactured from synthetic render, and so provide durable, weatherproof protection against the elements, with a simulated but realistic brick appearance. Designed to be fully compatible with Sto external wall insulation systems these lightweight, vapour permeable brick slips offer the architect a virtually unlimited range of design, size and colour options, and are an approved finish in a BBA certificate, as a result of thorough R&D testing. The development has been designed around the Pocket Living concept and now provides 78 affordable one-bedroom flats intended for local, first-time buyers. It incorporates secluded courtyard gardens for residents, an allotment area and other outdoor social spaces. It also features a shared home-working space for use by the residents.
Recticel Insulation’s innovative insulation board, which has a tongue and groove joint on all four sides to ensure an airtight fit and improved thermal performance, was selected for a desirable new housing scheme built beside one of England’s eminent waterways. The Magenta Court development in Apsley, Hemel Hempstead is a multi-award nominated social housing project on behalf of Dacorum Borough Council. The £6.5 million scheme, which stands alongside the famous Grand Union Canal, comprises 29 one-and-two bedroom flats within four blocks. The buildings’ design was inspired by the surrounding wharf architecture present in a nearby listed cottage, papermill and Apsley Lock. Being delivered by main contractor Jarvis Contracting, working with architects RG+P, key to the programme’s success was achieving an energy-efficient building fabric. This led to the specification of Eurowall +, a high-performance PIR solution from Recticel. This flagship product helps to achieve a 0.18 U-value with a 90mm-thick panel in a 100mm cavity. The lightweight, easy-to-handle board features a tongue-and-groove joint on its four sides, allowing it to be used as full-fill cavity wall insulation with a 10mm clear cavity. The additional space makes for a rapid, more convenient fit for bricklayers when it comes to installation. “This was a tremendous project to be involved with. It’s a superb housing scheme in a great location. With the buildings’ overall thermal efficiency among the priorities, it’s the type of project Eurowall + was created for. Further, it enhanced the programme’s sustainable credentials by reducing on-site labour times, thanks to the additional space it affords installers,” said Simon Blackham, Recticel Technical Manager. Eurowall + is an exemplar of how high-performance materials can maximise a home’s thermal performance through a fabric-first approach. Its selection for the Magenta Court development was crucial to the creation of a number of desirable, energy-efficient affordable homes, whilst playing a part in ensuring the contractor remained on track to complete the project to the agreed timeframe.
Keystone Lintels, the UK’s leading manufacturer of steel lintels, is delighted to have been awarded ‘Heavyside Supplier of the Year’ at the Builders Merchant Journal Awards 2021 in recognition of its outstanding customer service. The glittering event took place on November 26th at the Park Plaza London Riverbank. The awards recognise brands, builders’ merchants and individuals that are making a difference to the sector and are chosen by the merchant industry professionals working within it. “This is a fantastic achievement and a great celebration of the robust and engaging partnership between the Keystone Lintels team and our merchant customers. We are delighted that our industry leading customer service has once again been recognised with this prestigious award. This is a great way to end the year and we are looking forward to continuing to set the standard for customer service in 2022,” commented on the Heavyside Supplier of the Year award, Chris Hemmington-Green, Sales Director for Keystone Lintels. Hosted by TV presenter Gabby Logan, the BMJ award winners were announced by the voice of the National Lottery and Strictly Come Dancing, Alan Dedicoat. Keystone is the largest supplier of steel lintels in the UK and Ireland and supports merchants with innovative ranges of products which solve problems for the builder and deliver more opportunity, added value and margin for merchants.
An extension to the British Board of Agrément’s ISO 45001 scope to include base and fabricated metal products will benefit its clients by bringing different approval processes under the remit of a single certification body. The BBA has been accredited by UKAS to extend its scope for ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems to cover IAF17 – Base metals and fabricated metal products following successful completion of a UKAS assessment. ISO 45001 aims to support organisations by improving occupational health and safety, reducing work-related accidents and risks and improving employee safety. The BBA is already a UKAS-accredited Management Systems Certification Body for ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 across a range of IAF product sectors. Karen Maplesden, Technical Lead for the BBA’s management system certification, said: “This is an important expansion of our areas of work. We are already active in the base metals sector for ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, as well as for Factory Production Control certificates and product approvals. This extension to scope allows clients to benefit by combining their different forms of approval under a single certification body.” The first two accredited ISO 45001 Certificates by BBA for IAF17 are in the process of being issued to Celsa Manufacturing (UK) and McEvoy Engineering.
Sheppard Robson’s third visit to Brunel is marked with Kawneer glazing systems. Aluminium glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were “fundamental” in achieving the environmental performance and architectural vision for Sheppard Robson’s second revisiting of a key building at Brunel University London. Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain wall, AA®540 vents, and series 190 and AA®720 doors were specified by the regular Kawneer users for the latest redevelopment of the Wilfred Brown Building at the university in Greater London. The mullion-drained capped and SSG (Structurally Silicone Glazed) curtain wall forms a new sawtooth façade to the first and second floors and is complemented by the AA®540 window vents which are top-hung and also Structurally Silicone Glazed, series 190 heavy-duty doors to the main entrance, and the thermally-superior AA®720 doors. Sheppard Robson had been working with Brunel since first master planning the campus in the early 1960s, designing the Wilfred Brown Building in 1968, and then adding a rooftop extension to the structure in the 1990s. This latest revisiting creates a new identity for the recently formed College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences and comprises the £13.8 million external and internal transformation of the 4,710m2 building to create a new gateway at the western boundary of the university. The primary driver in the development of the new Kawneer façade was the response to local environmental conditions – the west elevation employing the ‘sawtooth’ arrangement using clear glazed panels to the north west-facing elements, offering views out, and interstitial mesh to the west and south west-facing elements, to control solar gain. The building was originally designed to accommodate university administration facilities and as such was previously heavily cellularised, with a double row of central columns. It abuts, but previously did not engage with, the adjacent Michael Sterling building to the east and unsuccessfully linked to the adjacent double-height council chamber via a single-storey circulation link, previously cut off from the ground floor by a small courtyard space. Sheppard Robson Associate Neil Price said: “We specified Kawneer’s curtain wall as a simple and elegant response to renewing the Wilfred Brown Building. It forms most of the building envelope and the sawtooth façade arrangement to the west elevation in particular was key to achieving the architectural vision for the project. They were fundamental in achieving both the environmental performance and architectural vision for the project.” He added: “The glazed elements and their sawtooth arrangement to the west elevation are key to the architectural language of the Wilfred Brown Building, enabling the existing 1960s structure to be adapted and reused, whilst creating a distinct and modern identity for the scheme.” As part of the university’s Transformational Project (TxP) programme, and supported by the successful award of capital funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), Wilfred Brown has now been reinvented to create a new ‘front door’ for the college. Internally, the ground floor has been opened up and a new double-height atrium constructed to the north, infilling an existing, underused courtyard and connecting the buildings to create a STEM learning centre. This is a cutting-edge teaching facility aimed at engaging young learners through workshops with London schools. ‘INSPIRE – The Brunel STEM Learning Centre’ aims to engage learners from key stages one to five in science, technology, engineering, the arts, maths and medicine – areas in which the UK economy is forecast as having a future skills shortage. The programme is delivered through a series of unique STEM workshops that are research inspired, curriculum linked and industry relevant – an innovation hub comprising part of the suite of technology-led learning spaces. Three storeys of modern, open-plan academic workspace are housed on the upper floors to support progressive ways of working for students and 141 members of staff, ranging from academics and lecturers to heads of department. At third floor, a large open-plan PhD research office is provided alongside communal staff facilities. Formerly housing the university’s senior leadership team, department of estates and facilities management services, the Wilfred Brown Building has been reinvented as a modern, vibrant, student-focused teaching and learning facility. Key learning spaces for the Department of Computer Science are delivered across all levels in the building, including a 60-seat IT laboratory, a digital technology workshop and two technology-rich digital economy laboratories, which are connected via a retractable wall. Several research labs are distributed across the upper floors, while a dedicated cyber security laboratory is created at third floor in support of current research projects. Initial appraisal of the existing building, alongside interrogation of the university’s aspirations for the project, quickly established the need to replace the previous envelope with a modern façade system. Crucial to this decision was the need to significantly upgrade the performance of the external fabric, coupled with the aspiration to deliver a ‘world class’ gateway building, marking the establishment of a new college and the strategic objective to enhance provision of STEM outreach facilities. The facade strategy was conceived as an environmentally driven design response to the building’s orientation and its influence on the required performance of the façade. The completed facade achieves a significant improvement in performance through the enhanced thermal properties of the envelope, exceeding current air tightness requirements, improving the efficiency of the building services installation, and addressing solar energy transmittance through the installation of high performance glazing in response to site conditions. Alongside the wider sustainability strategy, enhancement of the envelope contributes to an improvement of 31.8% over Building Regulations Part L requirements, while the improvement over a baseline case representing the existing building is estimated to be 49.7%. Central to the viability of the project was the retention and alteration of the existing structural frame. Being marginally larger in plan, the façade extending a metre outwards of the existing footprint to the west, and with the addition of an extra storey at roof level, the structural capacity of the existing frame was maximised, the existing frame containing very little redundancy in its original configuration. Through thoughtful reuse of the existing building
Leading paving and building manufacturer AG has ramped up its production capacity by 50% following increased demand for facing brick and paving products from throughout the UK and Ireland. The family-run business has been at the leading edge of hard landscaping and building solutions for more than 60 years, providing world class products and services to architects, specifiers, contractors and homeowners across the UK and Ireland. The past 12 months has seen unprecedent challenges hit the construction industry with firms across the sector facing supply chain interruptions, increased lead times and significant skills shortages. CEO, Stephen Acheson said: Covid-19’s impact on our business was instant, but innovation and resourcefulness – two key components of our corporate DNA – have enabled us to not only survive but thrive. By continuing to invest in research and development and harnessing technology we have been able to embrace these new challenges by adopting new processes and capabilities throughout the business.” The third-generation family business has also created a number of new jobs across its manufacturing plants in response to the heightened demand across the domestic and commercial sectors. Acheson said “AG employs more than 230 people across eight locations meaning we were well placed to react quickly when the pandemic caused a nationwide shortage of building products, subsequently increasing lead times to unprecedented levels. In response, we introduced additional shift patterns into our plants as well as adding even more talent to our fantastic team, enabling us to increase stocks of Country Cobble, Facing Brick and paving products. “The past year has seen us achieve some record-breaking sales in both the domestic and commercial sectors which is testament to the resilience and outstanding work of our team”. Acheson said that the company expects demand for building products to continue to grow in the coming months: “We predict this exceptional demand will continue to grow over the next 12 months, placing considerable pressure on building merchants. In response, we have introduced new processes enabling us to significantly increase production input and massively reducing our lead times. We have greater stock levels of some of our most popular products which can be easily called off at short notice and lead times on some made to order items is as little as four weeks, which will be satisfying news to our customers.” AG – which has built a solid reputation for innovation – launched its ground-breaking Enduur advanced concrete technology earlier this year, a factory-installed enhancement process that improves the environmental performance of its products. It also launched its new revolutionary Fiamma range – a reconstituted flagstone resembling flamed granite – that the firm regards as its most advanced product ever. Stephen Acheson commented “2021 has been a big year for us and as we look towards the new year, we remain committed to delivering the best products to our customers”.
