Suffolk Precast Manufacturer Flourishes Under New Direction

Founded in 1999, Poundfield Precast of Creeting St. Peter near Ipswich has become well-established as a designer and manufacturer of reinforced precast concrete retaining wall systems.

Since 2013, when managing director Mark Jardine and chairman John Alston were able to regain full ownership of the business, the company has undergone a major restructuring programme including the appointment of Matt Moss as financial director – now also chairman of the Bury St. Edmunds Chamber of Commerce.

This extensive investment programme involved a doubling in size of the manufacturing facilities using an existing large storage area adjacent to the company’s original site. Production has also been streamlined by the introduction of a variety of automated processes.

The company has been through a redesign of it’s website, which is more relevant and up to date with the company’s activities. In addition a new product brochure was developed containing the full product range and comprehensive detail on each product. Other marketing activities have increased via social media and a monthly newsletter.

As a result of this investment, Poundfield Precast has enjoyed rapid growth over recent years with a turnover last year topping £6.5M with an 11% return.

The company’s popular retaining wall products are sold nationwide for use in a wide variety of agricultural and recycling  applications such as the recently commissioned Suffolk ‘energy from waste’ plant at Great Blakenham where Poundfield supplied some 330 linear metres of its 5 m high Shuttabloc product for storing ash.

Poundfield has also seen a rising demand for products produced by both its flooring and bespoke divisions and recently negotiated its largest-ever single order with Hall Construction of Co. Durham. This £2.2M contract covers the production of 1075 capping beams and nearly 3000 decorative concrete panels incorporating glass fibre reinforcement which will be used on a 5 year contract to construct a new sea defence wall at Hartlepool.

Commenting on the company’s strong growth since 2013, Mr. Jardine said: “Despite the use of automation in some areas of production, the demand for our ever increasing variety of concrete products has seen the full-time workforce increase to a current total of 60, many of whom have been with us for many years.”