185 million
bricks can be made per annum by the new Forterra factory at Desford
Mel Stride MP talks skills agenda with Bradfords
Training and employee development were high on the agenda when Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride MP visited Bradfords Building Supplies’ Moretonhampstead branch last month.
The MP for Central Devon
learned how the builder’s merchant continues to invest in and develop its people, having first started operating as an employer in the South West more than 250 years ago. This included the value
merchants bring locally through job creation and serving the regional economy, as well as the vocational training Bradfords provides, including its hugely successful apprenticeship programme and FastTrack management scheme. Mel Stride MP and Bradfords’ Head of Sustainability, Giles Bradford, discussed the need to support constituents in making environmentally responsible choices for their building projects and enabling the wider
Forterra dispatches first bricks from new Desford factory
Leicestershire, the biggest and most efficient manufacturing plant in Europe.
The company has invested £95 million into future-proofing the factory to achieve outstanding overall equipment effectiveness while upgrading production capacity to 185 million bricks per year.
Brick maker Forterra has dispatched the first load of brinks from its new Desford factory in
Situated just two miles from the M1, new Desford will offer a range of red and buff bricks
Alsford Timber invests for the future
Alsford Timber has announced a major investment in its branding, which includes a new logo, website address, marketing materials plus fleet and service updates. The investment in their 19-branch estate, and production mill at their Erith Head Office, reflects the company’s commitment to providing high-quality products and services across the South East. The rebranding follows a period of significant growth and success for Alsford.
“Today marks an exciting milestone for Alsford as we announce our new branding.
This investment reflects our commitment to delivering excellence in everything we do, and we believe our new branding reflects this,” said Alsford managing director, Neil Fuller. “We are confident that this change will help us to better connect with our customers and strengthen our position as a leading timber and builder’s merchant across the South East”.
“We are incredibly proud of our heritage and the reputation we have built over the years,” added commercial director, Louise Polston, “And we believe that it’s
May 2023
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
9%fall in construction output
for 2023, forecast by the CPA
construction industry to embrace the opportunities presented by the Government’s national retrofit strategy. The issue of phosphate pollution and the impact it is having on the construction industry in the South West was also addressed. Stride was welcomed by Giles
Bradford, the BMF’s Head of Policy Brett Amphlett, general manager of the Moretonhampstead branch Daniel Mullin, and deputy branch manager Mark Bailey. He said: “With skills being key
to growing the economy, I was interested to hear about Bradfords’ long-standing commitment to supporting career development at all levels in the company and to witness the enthusiasm of its
designed to meet the demands of UK housebuilders.
For Desford’s first despatch, 23,740 Cheshire Red Multibricks were packed onto trucks from Forterra’s Euro 6 fleet, which uses the ultra-fuel-efficient i-save engine to reduce emissions, and delivered to housebuilder Taylor Wimpey.
Incorporating state-of-the-art innovations with sustainability mechanisms, robotics hardware and advanced packaging solutions, the factory upgrade is set to emit approximately 25% less carbon dioxide per brick than the old factory.
Moretonhampstead team. I also enjoyed visiting a long-standing family business, and learning more about its ongoing efforts to support our local construction sector, including their work to help builders and renovators prepare for the requirements – and opportunities - of a more sustainable construction sector as we move towards Net Zero.”
Government water plan “misguided” says UWLA
The Government’s Plan for Water is misguided and could waste a huge amount of government money. That’s according to Unified Water Label Association managing director Yvonne Orgill, after the launch of the plan by environment secretary Therese Coffey and water minister Rebecca Pow. Orgill said: “These proposals will adversely restrict the market and without education and a robust audit system they will fail. Government is misguided in spending time and money developing a label when there is a recognised and existing scheme developed by the industry, that they could utilise, at much less cost and more effectively.
important to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of our customers. Our new branding is a reflection of this, and we are confident that it will help us to continue to grow and succeed in the years ahead, with branches refreshed, and our specialist milling, engineered wood products and service teams all supported through this investment.”
“It is clear that the government does not understand the industry or fully appreciate the need to educate on how to use water. Achieving the reduction target with a mandatory label and product banning without education that influences behaviour is not going to achieve change. Product restrictions will limit choice and be open to abuse. “We are urging the government to take its time to listen to industry.. It would be beneficial to all to get this right first time.”
5
6%rebound in mortar sales for Q1 2023,
according to the Mineral Products Association
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