Modern Masonry Alliance
– increased capacity to
deliver more housing
Concrete block, aircrete, brick and concrete roof tile manufacturers are now investing
in the future. The country needs more housing, and concrete manufacturers are
increasing production capacities.
The Modern Masonry Alliance
response to the government
housing white paper makes
the case for the performance
benefits of masonry
construction and the capacity of
the industry to deliver.
Manufacturers are reporting
a doubling of block output to
meet the forecast increase in
housing starts and that spare
capacity remains in the system.
Throughout the UK there was
significant investment in 2016,
and there has been further
investment in 2017. This is in
the form of replacement of old
plant to increase production
rates or new additional
production lines. Members also
continue to extend working
hours and bring mothballed
production lines into operation
to meet increasing demand, and
they report that further spare
capacity can be brought online
as and when demand increases
further.
Where is investment
increasing?
Tarmac’s Building Products
division is increasing its Durox
aerated block manufacturing
capacity. It is well positioned to
continue to meet high customer
demand for quality block
products. The second of two
existing factories in Essex, is
due to open late this year.
Thomas Armstrong is another
company increasing block
production with a new plant
in Leeds. This latest factory
development advocates the
government’s aims of creating
a Northern Powerhouse,
addressing the issues of an
unbalanced economy.
Besblock is also working to
accommodate the increased
housing demand. The firm,
formed in 1972 announced
in 2016 an investment of
£1m including further plans
to invest in technology and
environmentally friendly
vehicles.
And it is not only blocks,
but bricks as well. Ibstock
is boosting capacity having
recently invested £54 million
into a new factory.
This move will increase the
production of bricks to deliver
an extra 15,000 homes annually
from the end of 2017.
And finally, investing nearly
£8 million to expand capacity
at its Leighton Buzzard
factory, Forticrete is increasing
the volume and quality of
concrete roofing materials. The
company’s bespoke new tile
line has been purpose built, to
produce two brand new large
format tiles which will deliver
cost and time savings.
With the government’s pledge
to build one million houses
before 2020, the efforts already
made by UK block, aircrete,
brick and concrete roof tile
manufacturers are a step in the
right direction in meeting this
ambitious target.
Skills
Masonry construction, even
with a 50% increase in housing
starts in the last 6 years, still
represents the vast majority of
housing being built.
This is testament to a large
and widely spread resource
of skilled operatives. These
skills are well known so that
projects can be delivered with
a high level of performance.
With the dynamic nature of
the construction industry,
skills shortages are often
reported across all parts of
the industry including office
based professionals and site
operatives. The ubiquitous
nature of the brick laying skill
makes it as responsive as any of
the construction skills we need.