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A Concrete Start at Cadeby

A Concrete Start at Cadeby

Lucie Carter Finds Out More From FP McCann’s Fencing Team

Twelve months on from it’s acquisition of Ennstone Concrete Products, FP McCann’s fencing division has firmly established itself as an integral part of the Company’s precast concrete business by delivering impressive results for 2009. “Our fencing operation at Cadeby near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, has surpassed all expectations in particularly difficult trading conditions” comments Andy Cooper, General Manager of FP McCann UK.

“Our commitment to future growth has been reinforced by the recent £1 million investment in a new Coote precast concrete line, increasing productivity by 30%. Additional to lowering our cost base, the added benefits of this new piece of equipment are improvements in finished product quality and a reduction in the requirement for on-site manual handling” states Andy.

Providing quality, value products is key to the further success of the fencing business, but FP McCann is also keen to expand its product range to accommodate the needs of the contractor customer base.

Fenn-Lite is one such product; a lightweight concrete fencing system that can be singularly installed but has all the strength and durability of conventional fencing posts and panels. By using a lightweight aggregate in the manufacturing process, each finished unit is up to 45% lighter. “With strict guidelines on manual handling, the emphasis is on the manufacturer to develop products that are easy to handle and install without sacrificing any of the benefits associated with traditional fencing systems”, comments Andy. “One further environmental advantage of the Fenn-Lite product is that transport costs are reduced by as much as 20% which in turn has a positive impact on carbon emissions, an area that FP McCann is actively contributing to across its product streams”.

The Fenn-Lite range is already extensive and the plan is to replicate all the standard products in lightweight alternatives, including heavy duty posts and panels.

From a relative standing start, FP McCann, previously unknown to many contractors and stockists, has quickly developed a strong market presence in the fencing sector. National Fencing Sales Manager, Katie McGorty tells
me, “As a new entrant to the market we have been warmly received by stockists and contractors alike. FP McCann has adhered to its family values and approach to customers throughout the recent rapid growth period. By maintaining the close link between operations and sales at Cadeby, we are able to quickly react to customer requests. This relationship extends to our network of local contract hauliers, as we recognise that in order to provide the best customer service, we have to treat them as part of our team and support them accordingly.”

“Our plan is to further extend our range of stockists throughout the UK. We realise that to do this we have to remain focused on supplying consistent, quality products at competitive prices. The Cadeby team is well positioned not only geographically, but now its bank of skills and knowledge gained from years of experience, is backed by a illingness to invest, ensuring FP McCann is synonymous with precast concrete fencing systems in years to come.” Katie concludes.

For product and sales enquiries contact our Cadeby office on 01455 290 780