NEWS
PAVING AND BUILDING PRODUCTS MANUFACTURER GEARS UP FOR FURTHER GROWTH
AG has reported a 12% increase in sales in 2023, including a 20% boost in trade with GB, driven by rising demand for its brick and paving products. Headquartered in Filemiletown, the business recently invested £5m in its operations, including the purchase of new machinery to boost performance
L-R: Mark Patterson, Account Executive, ICW; Sandra McCullough, New Homes Co-Ordinator, Lotus Homes; and Philip Quinn, Director of Surveying Services, ICW.
SHOWCASE AWARDS RECOGNISE REGION’S STANDOUT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Six Northern Ireland construction companies have been named category winners in building warranty and control provider ICW Group’s Showcase Awards. The awards recognised excellence in UK-wide projects developed by builders and developers registered with the Belfast-based business. Rodgers Construction picked up overall House of the Year for Riverside Park in Newcastle, Lotus Homes in the Large category for Edenbrook in Banbridge, and Kevin Watson Construction in the Medium category for Beechmount Village in Strabane. The Small category, meanwhile, generated three winners - Glenturas Construction for Woodlands
Avenue in Derry/Londonderry, Armagh Construction for Suffolk Road in Belfast, and Osborne Developments for Ashgrove Heights in Portadown. The awards spanned four categories in eight regions of the UK, across Small (1-50 units), Medium (51- 250 units), Large (250+ units) and High Rise (valued at £20m+) projects, as well as House of the Year and innovation and technology accolades. Nominations were put forward for each region by ICW surveyors on a monthly basis. ICW surveyors scored sites based on surveys and site visits before judging by the firm’s regional managers. www.i-c-w.co.uk
James Jack has been promoted to a new role of GB Sales Director.
efficiency and improve health and safety standards. Setting its sights on a 32% uplift in sales in 2024, the third-generation family firm has created several new jobs including the promotion of James Jack to GB Sales Director. Stephen Acheson, CEO, said, “We predict this exceptional demand will continue to grow over the next 12 months, placing considerable pressure on building merchants. “In response, we have introduced new processes enabling us to significantly increase production input and massively reducing our lead times. “We have greater stock levels of some of our most popular products which can be easily called off at short notice, and lead times on some made to order items is as little as four weeks.” www.ag.uk.com
MORE OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK FORECAST FOR CONSTRUCTION SECTOR IN NI
Construction was the only one of four sectors not to experience a pick-up in new orders in February, according to the latest Ulster Bank Northern Ireland Business Activity Index. While representing a 32nd month of declining demand, the industry expects business to pick up again in 12 months’ time with the Northern Ireland Executive back up and running. The construction sector has also largely escaped a return of inflationary pressures and supply chain disruption due to the
Red Sea crisis, reporting a shortening in supplier delivery times and input costs to its lowest rate in 44 months. Richard Ramsey, Chief Economist Northern Ireland, Ulster Bank, said, “The return of a Stormont Executive has undoubtedly boosted business confidence, with Northern Ireland’s private sector its most optimistic about future activity in 33 months. “Some survey respondents said that an unblocking of previously delayed work is helping to build a pipeline of new activity.
Even the beleaguered construction industry is now relatively optimistic about
output in 12 months’ time.” www.ulstereconomix.com
24 | NI BUILDER
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