Powering Up: Production Begins In Our New Factory

Posted by Nick Franks

Tags: Building Materials building supplies Concrete Blocks construction construction industry factory Lignacite manufacturing Manufacturing plant Sustainable Manufacturing

After months of meticulous design work, followed by an intricate build and set up, we were thrilled to see the first blocks come off the production line at our new Brandon factory this month.

The first products to work their way down Line 1 were from our dense Lignacrete range, and their excellent quality is a testament to the new machinery and processes involved.

Designed for success

This state-of-the-art facility has been designed from the ground up to maximise efficiency and productivity, while also moving us towards our 2030 net zero goals.

Downtime will be reduced thanks to new manufacturing processes, which enable one production line to continue running while the other is closed for repair or recalibration. This will reduce the risk of delays to our customers and ensure more continuous production.

Enhanced monitoring will also ensure that the production lines run as efficiently as possible. Base points have been set for all of the new equipment, which will enable our maintenance engineers to track the deterioration of parts. This means that maintenance can be carried out at the optimum moment, further reducing the risk of needless inactivity.

In addition, this monitoring will feed into our processes for greater energy efficiency, which are designed to meet the requirements of ISO 50001.

Energy efficiency is further bolstered by the factory’s low-energy light system and power factor correction. Solar panels, highly efficient inverters and heavily insulated curing chambers have also been installed to help us meet our energy goals.

Attention has paid to maintaining the standard of our blocks, too. Thanks to market-leading new machinery and processes, the products from our new factory are of excellent quality. New innovations include slower shelf movement, which ensures that blocks are not shaken during manufacturing, cutting the risk of damage. In addition to providing our customers with even higher-quality products, this will also reduce the likelihood of wastage.

Nearing completion

With Line 1 now live, focus has shifted to completing Line 2. When production is fully up and running, each line will be capable of producing nine blocks every 9.5 seconds. Both lines will also be able to make our full range of products.

Commenting on the project, Chief Engineer Rick Rodgers said: “This factory has been built with better understanding of processes and efficiency, which will lead to better production. Wastage will be reduced to less than 1% and the factory has been fitted with equipment produced by leaders in the market to give us the best possible quality. A big thank you has to go to all of our suppliers, who have gone above and beyond to help us get this huge project off the ground.”