AKELA Ground Engineering is targeting further use of its ABeam precast foundation system in 2025 after being thrilled by feedback from Scottish housebuilders who have been early adopters of the innovative solution.
ABeam is designed to offer significant speed and performance benefits and features a special mechanical pinned joint. The patented system allows for prefabricated ground beams to be installed onsite within a matter of hours.
So confident is Akela in the product’s potential that the business has constructed a new fabrication facility at its Thornliebank HQ in East Renfrewshire, where the beams are produced.
Major names in the housebuilding industry including Bellway, AS Homes, Cala Homes and Dawn Homes are among those who have so far utilised the system on Scottish sites – with hugely positive outcomes.
Akela claims that by combining offsite fabrication, alignment and interlocking sections with secure fastening, the joint design ensures a ‘robust, reliable and efficient’ way to connect precast ground beams.
The beams are designed to be connected in a certain sequence, with most of the work done upfront to maximise efficiency and speed on site. Everything is bespoke to the individual plot and site.
“We’re trying to future-proof our business and also help the clients,” Will Payne, MD of Akela Ground Engineering told Project Scotland following a tour of the new facility.
“Around four years has passed from initial concept to testing, design, and certification to ensure everything was rigorously tested before taking the product to the market. There are similar precast systems, but they involve wet concrete and almost take away the modular side of it. We’re drilling our system straight into the piles and achieving tighter tolerances.”
A major milestone was achieved recently when the system was awarded the prestigious NHBC Accepts certification and the UKCA mark for its production facility. This offers housebuilders the confidence that the system has been rigorously assessed and provides a fast-track route for acceptance for the system for use in homes covered by NHBC warranty and insurance policies.
ABeam has so far been rolled out on several Scottish housebuilding sites including Bellway developments in Ruchill and Braehead, Dawn Homes in Bellshill, AS Homes sites in Carntyne and Newmains, alongside the fast-growing village of Winchburgh in West Lothian for Cala Homes.
Early testimonials from housebuilders have described the system as ‘game-changing’.
Ciara Johnstone, quantity surveyor for Akela Ground Engineering, explained that the speed and simplicity of the system has proved a pleasant surprise for clients in an industry where it can be challenging to persuade firms to adopt new approaches.
“It lands on site, it’s on the ground within the day, and it’s finished,” Ciara added. “Everyone is very receptive to ABeam once you demonstrate the system and its capabilities.”
The new fabrication facility where ABeam is being produced has been described as ‘at the forefront of innovation’. The modern factory has sustainability at its heart, with features including a ground source heat pump and brand-new equipment.
Most of the employees based there were internal appointments from within the group. Six experienced Akela Group workers, who were excited by the prospect of being involved with something new, have transitioned over, while an apprentice has also been recruited, highlighting the organisation’s commitment to alleviating sector skills shortages and providing opportunities for the next generation of construction workers.
Despite representing a significant financial investment, Will and Ciara revealed it wasn’t a difficult decision to build the facility, as due diligence had been carried out and the group was hugely confident in the ABeam solution.
“We couldn’t have the ABeam produced anywhere else, by anyone else,” Ciara added. “To control it and ensure the quality, it had to be manufactured by us, and to our standard.”
Will believes it’s ‘only a matter of time’ before the factory expands further, once the benefits of ABeam become more widely recognised. For the short-term though, the focus is on supplying the system onto more sites and more clients.
“We want to keep developing the system and seeing what other benefits we can bring, not just for the residential market, but other sectors, whether that’s renewable or industrial.
“Already this year (2024) we have delivered more than 200 house plots using ABeam and have built up a healthy pipeline of work for 2025 and beyond. We are delighted to have introduced this innovative solution which is already making a huge impact on the housebuilding industry.”
