The UK Construction Leadership Council has confirmed this month that cement, aggregates and plastic products have been added to the growing list of essential items in short supply which already includes tiles, bricks, timber and steel.
The Builders Merchants Federation and Construction Products Association both warned high demand for construction products combined with supply issues mean challenges will get worse in the short term. A shortage of raw materials was cited as part of the problem.
Following these warnings, the Sheehan Group says it is therefore appealing to the construction industry to adopt sustainable recycled materials to reduce the strain on natural resources. The Oxford-based company is encouraging contractors to source local recycled products and supplies to reduce the UK’s over reliance on global supply chains, improve the environment and support local jobs.
Tara Sheehan, finance director at the Sheehan Group, said: “This is the latest challenge the UK construction industry has been hit with due to an over-reliance on the global supply chain. It is leading to contractors struggling to obtain materials and hampering our economy at a time when the country needs to bounce back."
She added that the Circular Driven Economy is key to long term sustainability for the construction industry and the environment. Sheehan said that if more construction companies embraced its core principle of keeping resources in use for as long as possible it would help make the UK market more self-sufficient, protect the environment and jobs.
“The UK is over reliant on raw materials and imported products," she said. "But we can take greater control by using recycled materials. We produce recycled aggregate, sand, concrete and blocks which are used in construction projects and have seen the benefits first-hand.”
The Sheehan Group has a water treatment facility which is used to wash construction and demolition waste, destined for landfill, turning it into reusable aggregate and other products. Half of the recycled material is used in its own construction projects and the rest is sold to contractors.
