CONCRETE ROOF TILE manufacturer Russell Roof Tiles (RRT) has announced an £18.5m investment in a new factory, doubling output at its Burton site.

The company supplies products for housebuilders and high-profile social housing and commercial projects. It produces thousands of concrete roof tiles and accessories tiles every week used on roofs across the country.

The expansion will help Russell Roof Tiles meet increasing demand for its products to satisfy the UK’s house building industry.

The project is a multi-national co-ordination of suppliers from Sweden, Denmark, Germany and British suppliers and is funded by the business. The investment will create 25-30 skilled and semi-skilled jobs in engineering and maintenance.

Ground works have already started in preparation for the new factory and line. Construction will start towards the end of 2023 with the new facilities completed and product output starting from mid July 2024. The current site will continue to manufacture whilst the new project is built.

This is the largest single investment since Russell Roof Tiles was acquired from Cemex in 2011 by Crown Global Equity, which manufactures concrete roof tiles in the US and Mexico.  Since then, the UK company has seen £17.3m invested in its three sites, increasing efficiency and capacity.

Concrete Roof Tile

The news of the new factory investment follows sustained reduction in the production, stocks and deliveries of concrete roof tiles since the pandemic, reported by BEIS.

This new investment at the 9 acre manufacturing site at Burton will deliver more manufacturing lines and a new 1600 sq m building which will house a state-of-the-art curing chamber (only the second of its type in the country) for the concrete tiles.

The new facility, a QUADRIX from Kraft Curing Systems GmbH, accelerates the curing process through the controlled addition of heat and humidity. This guarantees a continually uniform environment for curing, with high air volumes at a low flow rate. The new system improves the quality of the concrete roof tiles and is the most sustainable curing method available globally.

Andrew Hayward, Managing Director at Russell Roof Tiles said: “This is a major milestone for Russell Roof Tiles, marking the biggest ever single investment for our business. It is the culmination of 18 months of planning and will increase manufacturing efficiencies, using the latest innovations to reduce our environmental impact.”

“The latest project is an important part of our long-term growth as well as our sustainability strategy, using the best-in-class equipment to ensure we’re manufacturing products of the highest quality in the most efficient way.”

To mark the announcement, Kate Kniveton Member of Parliament (MP) for Burton and Uttoxeter visited the Burton site with Andrew Hayward.

>>Read more about Russell Roof Tiles in the news

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