FEATURE: MADE IN BRITAIN
BUILDING BRITAIN: IBSTOCK READY TO PLAY ITS PART IN GETTING BRITAIN BUILDING AGAIN
In response to the recent King’s Speech, in which Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves’ plans to overhaul the planning system to get Britain building more homes again were confirmed, Ibstock, a leading UK manufacturer of a diverse range of building products and solutions has issued a response, outlining how it stands poised to support house-builders meet these targets.
A
fter Labour’s landslide win in July’s General Election, incumbent Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel
Reeves – the first woman to hold that office – has set out an ambitious programme of activity.
Among the key take-outs from Reeves’ was a pledge to build 1.5 million new homes across the next five years – supercharging house building to levels not seen in the UK since the 1950s. To facilitate this building boom, Reeves has further outlined plans to totally overhaul the current planning regulations, including reintroducing mandatory house-building targets, reviewing greenbelt boundaries and employing 300 more planning officers across local authorities nationwide.
A welcome sign Jo Hodge, Director for Culture, Sustainability and Social for the leading building products manufacturer Ibstock, has welcomed the pledges. She says: “The construction sector is the
Above: Jo Hodge, Director for Culture, Sustainability and Social for the leading building products manufacturer Ibstock
beating heart of the UK economy, with the performance of the industry indelibly tied to the wider economic health of the country. “The policies outlined in Rachel Reeves’ first address as Chancellor of the Exchequer is a welcome sign that the construction industry is being placed at the heart of the new government’s agenda. And that they are committed to ensuring Britain gets back to building. “This is music to our ears here at Ibstock, as we are more than ready to help the UK’s construction sector meet these targets.
“Central to that is our continued
investment in UK manufacturing, across our nationwide network of facilities. Thanks to our extensive network, we are proud that our customers are never too far away from one of our factories – wherever they’re based in the country. Our factories are staffed with skilled local people, who use locally sourced materials to manufacture building products that go on to build local communities.
“As part of this, we have made significant investment into our estate, including
major upgrades to two of our factories in the West Midlands – our Aldridge and Atlas brick factories. Through this investment, we have identified Atlas as our pathfinder facility, meaning it will play a leading role in Ibstock’s journey to net zero. Upon completion, Atlas will produce our lowest carbon bricks, circa 50% lower than the previous factory. And not only that, we are proud to be bringing our first Carbon Neutral certified bricks to market as part of the range. “Further north, we are also invested heavily in redeveloping our Nostell factory, in Yorkshire focusing on brick slips. Here, we’re
installing technology that is the first of its kind for the UK, ensuring we can supply the country’s fast growing need for more modern methods of construction which complement traditional methods. This investment will prove crucial in helping meet the target for 1.5m homes across the next five years. “Ultimately, we believe it’s an exciting time to be a part of UK construction and we are ready to play our part in getting Britain building again.”
About Ibstock
Ibstock Plc (‘Ibstock’) is a leading UK manufacturer of a diverse range of building products and solutions. The Group’s eight core product categories are all backed up by design and technical services. The Group comprises two core business divisions: Ibstock Clay and Ibstock Concrete. Ibstock Futures was more recently established to accelerate growth in new, fast developing segments of the UK construction market and, while it remains in its initial growth phase, Ibstock Futures forms part of the Clay division for accounting purposes. Further information at
www.ibstock.co.uk
UKRADIATORS.COM SHORTLISTED FOR GREAT BRITISH ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
Colchester-based
UKRadiators.com, one of the UK’s leading online radiator suppliers, has been shortlisted for the ‘Purpose Entrepreneur of The Year (East of England)’ award at the
prestigious Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2024. The nomination recognises
UKRadiators.com’s commitment to ethical business practices, sustainability, and customer empowerment. A key factor in the nomination was their ground-breaking ‘Lies’ campaign, which exposed how many radiators sold online are falsely labelled with incorrect heat outputs, costing
www.diyweek.net
consumers millions of pounds. Rob Nezard, Managing Director, said: “We’re
incredibly proud to be shortlisted for this award. Our ‘Lies’ campaign was a direct response to the misleading information rife within the radiator industry. We believe in empowering customers to make informed choices, and this campaign shone a light on a critical issue affecting British homeowners.” Judges were also impressed by UKRadiators.
com’s commitment to innovation and sustainability. Their Radsizer app helps customers determine the exact size and specification of radiator they need, ensuring optimal heating efficiency and cost savings. Additionally, the company is an ethy- verified business that pays a living wage to all staff,
uses renewable energy to power its operations, and plants a tree for every radiator sold. The Great British Entrepreneur Awards, often
referred to as the “Grammys of Entrepreneurship”, celebrate the UK’s most dynamic and innovative businesses. This year’s shortlist features companies with a combined turnover of nearly £2.9 billion, highlighting their significant contribution to the UK economy. The awards ceremony will be held on 18th November at London’s prestigious Grosvenor House.
UKRadiators.com is a family-run business with over 30 years’ experience in supplying high-quality radiators and valves throughout the UK. They offer a wide range of traditional and contemporary designs, all manufactured to meet UK regulations.
SEPTEMBER 2024 DIY WEEK 25
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