Yesterday we visited the Telling GRC Factory in Wolverhampton with the University of Birmingham, Mace, Willmott Dixon and Alucraft. Telling are in the process of manufacturing the first batch of cladding panels for the façade of the School of Engineering, currently under construction on the university’s Edgbaston campus; with the first floor concrete pour well underway.

The use of the prefabricated panels supports local manufacturing in the West Midlands and contributes to our commitment to reducing the construction industry’s carbon footprint. The panels are constructed in the Wolverhampton-based factory and transported directly to site, a total distance of just 21.5 miles from door to door. Most of the cladding on the School of Engineering is being supplied by local manufacturers in the region, bolstering our local supplier links.

In addition to the local links, our reasons for this method of manufacture are the huge four metre, 900kg panels are constructed in a controlled environment, ensuring higher quality products and are subject to thorough checks in the factory before shipping. They use less material that traditional brick construction and result in reduced construction time on site and less disruption with no need for scaffolding; highly beneficial to the client and to the construction team.