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On the road to recovery, one brick at a time

The construction industry has been through some tough times in recent years. Hit hard by the recession, builders and developers have had to contend with difficult markets and a drop in work.

Thankfully, there does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel, with the Office for National Statistics reporting a 1.4% growth in construction output in Q2 of 2013.
These green shoots of recovery are great news for everyone involved in the construction industry, which is in fact one of the UK’s largest industry employers.

In particular, house building is especially buoyant, with the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply confirming it is rising at a rate not seen since mid-2010.

With a flurry of new build activity happening or planned, sourcing the right materials is essential. Here at Jewson we able to ensure consistent supply of a wide range of products, including Aircrete blocks, thanks to our long-term relationships with suppliers.

Each year Jewson supplies a staggering 250 million bricks to construction projects around the UK, These bricks are used to build everything from schools, to homes to places of work, in short; our local communities.

The bricks we supply are sourced from leading manufacturers, including Hanson, Ibstock and Weinerberger, who produce one of our most popular bricks; the Class B Engineering brick.

Class B Engineering bricks are ideal when the project requires a strong brick with low-level water absorption. Also popular is clay-facing bricks, we supply bricks by both Hanson and Ibstock, and they are available in an array of colours and textures.

With buildable land becoming ever harder to find and developers having to build on smaller plots amid existing developments, the colour and finish of built properties has become increasingly more important in order to satisfy building regulations. With this is mind, Jewson’s brick centres are an ideal place to source bricks in a range of colours, tones and textures. Through the 600–strong branch network, bricks can readily be sourced and delivered or collected from any local branch.

As you’d expect from Jewson, we not only supply the bricks you need but the ancillary products also, including aggregates, sand, cement and brick cleaner; perfect for restoring used bricks.

While the construction market is still smaller than its pre-recession days, it does seem the industry has turned a corner. With Jewson on hand to offer help, advice and supply quality materials and equipment, construction firms everywhere may finally have something to smile about in 2014.