PRECAST concrete specialist FP McCann has announced extensions to several of its factories and the introduction of new product lines.
The £90 million investment programme is designed to support the industry as it responds to new material demands which will come with the introduction of the Future Homes Standard in 2025.
FP McCann is investing in a new factory to produce Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Blocks and Panels (AAC). These offer an alternative to traditional dense and medium-dense blocks, making compliance with Part L more achievable. Further new products will come through the development of another bagging line, which will be operational later this year and will bolster the company’s growth in bagged products, incorporating its specialist mortars and grouts.
In addition, a natural decorative paving range will be available from September 2024 to complement FP McCann’s precast concrete building products. This new paving portfolio includes a ‘premium’ choice of riven and sawn Indian sandstone and porcelain paving slabs.
The investment has also facilitated the development of a new product range which complements FP McCann’s below-ground precast concrete solutions for drainage, water management and utility infrastructure. A new factory is planned to manufacture HDPE twin wall and PVC-u storm and foul sewer drainage pipes and utility ducting.
Buoyed by ‘positive’ 2024 half-year sales, FP McCann revealed the investment will create approximately 100 new jobs and represents another step in the company’s push to maintain and grow its range of ‘high-quality, sustainable’ products. The range offers solutions for applications including building structures, power generation, major infrastructure, roofing, drainage, fencing and general construction.
The new funding builds on FP McCann’s recent investments, which have seen the introduction of quality assessment processes at a number of its 12 UK manufacturing facilities. This includes introducing AI quality-checking technology and full traceability across the product range.
A spokesperson for the company stated, “We constantly take on board customer feedback, and the investment in these new products and services is driven by the needs of our customers. As an example, FP McCann’s unique multi-product load offering has been a fantastic success. Builders’ merchants no longer have to coordinate multiple deliveries of single product loads, each often carrying a part-load surcharge.
“With the introduction of our new decorative paving range, we can now offer up to eight different products on a single load, and as more products come online, we will expand this service further.”
