Telford concrete company set for major expansion
A manufacturer of concrete blocks for the building industry is to more than double in size and take on new staff after enjoying a sevenfold increase in turnover last year.
Elite Precast Concrete Ltd, which is based on the Halesfield industrial estate in Telford, currently employs a team of 28 and manufactures and supplies a range of interlocking precast concrete blocks, which are used by local authorities and recycling businesses to create robust, free-standing storage bays to hold waste.
The firm is now celebrating the start of its fifth year in business, and has marked the anniversary by announcing plans to grow its team and expand into significantly larger premises.
Sales and marketing director Owen Batham said: "Richard Doody and Alan Johnson, the company's founders, had decades of experience working within the construction materials sector before they decided to create a company that would do things differently than the industry norm.
"Launching at the start of the recession was certainly a brave move, they struggled to secure bank finance, but they were so passionate about their plans that they remortgaged their houses to obtain the necessary working capital. That belief has paid off, and the company is now in a fantastic position to capitalise on such strong foundations."
After launching in January 2008, the company moved to Telford from its original base in Much Wenlock during the summer of 2010, and is now to more than double its storage and production capacity in the town from 25,000 sq ft over the coming months to keep up with increased demand, a move which is also likely to see at least four new members of staff come on board.
That will allow the firm to move into new markets which it had not previously approached with its products.
The blocks are proving popular in sectors such as outdoor hospitality and construction, where they are easily used as temporary counterweights to hold scaffolding, security fencing and marquees in place.
In addition to consolidating its position in the waste management and recycling sectors, where it counts a number of local authorities and waste management companies as clients, Elite Precast Concrete Ltd is also aiming to expand into a variety of other markets, both in the UK and internationally, over the coming months.
Mr Batham added: "The energy-from-waste sector offers huge potential, as our blocks are ideal for storing fuel at anaerobic digestion facilities.
"We are also looking to expand our operations in the healthcare sector, where the 'V' Interlocking concrete blocks can be used to build radiation units in cancer treatment facilities – we have already been involved in a project like this in Saudi Arabia – while the rail industry is also another massive untapped market, as our blocks can easily be installed on embankments during improvement and maintenance work."
