Northumberland-headquartered offsite engineering and construction specialist in ‘technically complex, zero-carbon emissions buildings’, Merit, has announced a 4000m² factory expansion at its Cramlington site in Northumberland, to accommodate its plans for continued growth.
The business reportedly already has one of UK’s the largest construction manufacturing facilities – at 270,000 ft² (25,084 m²) – and is now extending its factory space to address increasing demand and to better meet customers’ needs. In line with its growth plans, Merit has doubled its workforce in the last two years, and expects the factory expansion to add over 50 new jobs. The extended high-bay facility will accommodate two new manufacturing lines for Merit’s UltraPOD+ product – an expandable full building solution, and will enable the pre-assembly and testing of two modules vertically stacked. Additional equipment, such as two 50 tonne gantry cranes and a module lifting frame, will also be included. The new facility is expected to be operational by April this year.
Merit claims that its ‘vertically integrated and innovative product-based’ approach ‘greatly reduces project lead times, maximises material efficiency, lowers capital and revenue costs, and significantly reduces external professional consultant fees’. CEO, Tony Wells, said: “Merit’s strategic objective is to deliver a step change in productivity within the construction industry and to show that investment in R&D and leveraging innovative approaches, such as advanced 4D BIM modelling technology, can lead to significant improvements. Our factory expansion will enable us to further optimise our way of working and better serve our customers.”
Headquartered in Northumberland, Merit currently employs 300 people in the UK, and owns further facilities in London and Scotland.