News: Laing O'Rourke acquires Dinnington construction specialist
Rotherham-based Glass Reinforced Concrete (UK) (GRC UK) has been acquired by Laing O'Rourke, the multinational construction company.
Based at Redwood Court in Dinnington, Rotherham, GRC UK are a specialist manufacturer and supplier of Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC) construction products for use in architectural dressing, cladding, and rain screen applications.
Laing O'Rourke became the UK's largest privately owned construction company following the acquisition of the construction arm of John Laing Plc by R O'Rourke & Son in 2001. It operates various engineering activities including concrete products, joinery and specialist services companies.
The acquisition is expected to further strengthen Laing O' Rourke's manufacturing portfolio, allowing the group to deliver specialist engineering contracts that require complex spray process glass reinforced concrete to meet the demanding quality and performance characteristics on large building and infrastructure projects.
GRC is used by many of the world's leading building designers with internationally renowned architects such as Fosters & Partners and Zaha Hadid regularly specifying the material. In the UK, the Olympic Village has featured extensive use of GRC (GRC UK manufactured 5,500 elements for one apartment block, pictured) and the material will feature on all the new stations being constructed as part of the massive Crossrail development. It has significant benefits over traditional pre-cast concrete including reduction in dead load weight, more environmentally friendly to manufacture and transport, faster and easier to install, and greater design optionality.
Russell Kellett, head of manufacturing at Laing O'Rourke, said: "The addition of GRCUK is a step forward in our Design for Manufacture and Assembly approach, giving Laing O’Rourke a well structured and financed organisation that is positioned strongly in the UK market to secure a large proportion of the GRC-specified work currently being tendered and awarded.
"As an established business with a proven record, a good order book, fully equipped factory with great transport links, and a committed workforce, I believe this acquisition will enable us to tap into new areas of the market to develop a lightweight cladding product. With the financial resources of the Laing O’Rourke Group behind it, there is considerable scope for increasing the profitability of the business through the significant operating synergies we see with our core construction and infrastructure delivery business units."
GRC UK employs 38 full-time staff at its facility in Dinnington. All staff will transfer with the acquisition and be retained in the business.
GRC UK website
Laing O'Rourke website
Images: GRC UK
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Based at Redwood Court in Dinnington, Rotherham, GRC UK are a specialist manufacturer and supplier of Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC) construction products for use in architectural dressing, cladding, and rain screen applications.
Laing O'Rourke became the UK's largest privately owned construction company following the acquisition of the construction arm of John Laing Plc by R O'Rourke & Son in 2001. It operates various engineering activities including concrete products, joinery and specialist services companies.
The acquisition is expected to further strengthen Laing O' Rourke's manufacturing portfolio, allowing the group to deliver specialist engineering contracts that require complex spray process glass reinforced concrete to meet the demanding quality and performance characteristics on large building and infrastructure projects.
GRC is used by many of the world's leading building designers with internationally renowned architects such as Fosters & Partners and Zaha Hadid regularly specifying the material. In the UK, the Olympic Village has featured extensive use of GRC (GRC UK manufactured 5,500 elements for one apartment block, pictured) and the material will feature on all the new stations being constructed as part of the massive Crossrail development. It has significant benefits over traditional pre-cast concrete including reduction in dead load weight, more environmentally friendly to manufacture and transport, faster and easier to install, and greater design optionality.
Russell Kellett, head of manufacturing at Laing O'Rourke, said: "The addition of GRCUK is a step forward in our Design for Manufacture and Assembly approach, giving Laing O’Rourke a well structured and financed organisation that is positioned strongly in the UK market to secure a large proportion of the GRC-specified work currently being tendered and awarded.
"As an established business with a proven record, a good order book, fully equipped factory with great transport links, and a committed workforce, I believe this acquisition will enable us to tap into new areas of the market to develop a lightweight cladding product. With the financial resources of the Laing O’Rourke Group behind it, there is considerable scope for increasing the profitability of the business through the significant operating synergies we see with our core construction and infrastructure delivery business units."
GRC UK employs 38 full-time staff at its facility in Dinnington. All staff will transfer with the acquisition and be retained in the business.
GRC UK website
Laing O'Rourke website
Images: GRC UK
Rotherham
