VIEWPOINT BACK ON THE BLOCK


The Concrete Block Association’s Chris Stanley on construction’s slow and steady recovery from Covid-19.


COVID-19 HAS HAD a major impact on the construction sector, from the contractors and housebuilders right through to building product manufacturers and builders’ merchants. Of course, whilst the industry is starting to pick up again, we’re still not out of the woods yet However, I believe we’ll bounce back quickly thanks to a number of factors, including strategic decisions taken early on in the pandemic, robust safety procedures put in place and the ability to maintain healthy stock levels throughout. It is this winning combination and one which has ensured the concrete block (and wider masonry products) industry remained resilient.


I’m confident that measures our members have taken will allow them to respond rapidly to the already increasing demand for blocks from UK builders’ merchants, delivering required stock without delay. Here I want to take the


opportunity to look a little closer, showing how we’ve emerged from the COVID-19 lockdown well equipped to meet the needs and requirements of the builders’ merchant’s community.


Perfect Planning Many of our members, with whom the CBA has liaised with closely through the lockdown, had put robust contingency plans in place when the first signs of a lockdown emerged.


Members ensured their yards were well stocked with months’ worth of blocks. This guaranteed a strong supply chain and the ready availability of materials, crucial for the rapidly increasing demand since the lockdown lifted in May. As any manufacturer will know, maintaining a healthy cache of surplus stock is good business practice in normal times, in this unusual situation it proved essential.


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Safety First Approach Of course, worker safety was a primary concern for our members and in some cases production needed to continue to service a handful of urgent construction project still operating during the lockdown.


Before any production could continue, concrete block manufacturers needed to ensure their facilities were equipped with the latest safety protocol according to PHE and HSE guidance.


Aside from the installation of physical signage and the application of clear demarcations to encourage social distancing, PPE was provided for staff to ensure they received the maximum protection.


This also applied when shipping materials to merchants. Our members worked closely with merchants and hauliers to create safe conditions for loading and unloading deliveries, without compromising the safety of any staff involved.


Rigorous health and safety procedures extended beyond plant, encompassing all aspects of business including call centres and regional HQs. Office spaces were adapted to allow a limited number of staff to maintain business as usual in a safe environment. Long-term investment in innovation also limited levels of disruption, the production of concrete blocks is now mainly automated. This meant


manufacturers could quickly limit the amount of people required in the factory at any one time. Sales have moved online with new apps allowing housebuilders to instantly call off more stock. Harnessing the power of the Internet of Things, new technology means that these


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meant we were able to process new stock and have it delivered efficiently when demand spiked. It’s estimated that any builders’ merchant within the UK is, only 40 miles from a concrete block manufacturer. This is one of the main reasons our members were able to rebound so quickly and efficiently respond to orders from merchants, both large and small. Furthermore, the raw


constituents for UK-manufactured blocks are regionally excavated or sourced local to manufacturing facilities. This means that our members were not dependent on imported materials, which significantly affected stock levels


Any builders merchant in the UK is only 40 miles from a concrete block manufacturer.This is one of the main reasons our members were able to rebound so quickly.


orders can be sent directly to the manufacturer who can deliver the required number of blocks. The situation precipitated by the COVID-19 lockdown tested our members’ technological capabilities and for the most part they remained resilient. No doubt the experience will encourage block manufacturers to analyse current capabilities and potentially improve efficiency and safety in the production process. Of course, it will be important to work with our various audiences, especially builders merchants, to develop solutions tailored to their needs. The local nature of concrete blocks and small supply chain


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for a number of other building product categories.


Ongoing Dialogue During times of uncertainty, the importance of maintaining ongoing customer and supplier relationships cannot be understated. Specifically, our members highlighted how regular dialogue with their clients gets underneath the skin of the problems arising from COVID-19. Working flexibly and


empathetically, our members have been able to support builders’ merchants across the country, ensuring this essential service returns to pre-COVID-19 levels of output as soon as possible. BMJ


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net September 2020


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