Ibstock to invest £50m in a new factory in Leicestershire

Housing and Planning Minister, Alok Sharma has welcomed plans by Ibstock to invest £50m in a new factory in Leicestershire.

Speaking at the Builders Merchants Federation’s Members Day, Alok emphasised the vital role builders merchants play in getting more homes built in this country.

He welcomed the success of the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) as a major representative of the sector and commended the resilient performance of builder’s merchants throughout 2017, supporting housebuilding and building repair and refurbishment across the UK.

The Housing and Planning Minister also highlighted the need for the Government and sector to work together to improve fairness across the housing market, bridging the skills gap and encouraging the development of well-designed and good quality homes.

Alok Sharma said: “Delivering more homes is a key priority for this Government. Builders merchants have an absolutely vital role to play in this, supplying the essential materials we need to get our country building faster.
“Ibstock’s major investment at their Leicestershire site is fantastic news for the building materials industry, demonstrating continuing confidence in this sector and growing consumer demand.

Wayne Sheppard, Chief Executive Officer of Ibstock, said of their £50m investment: “We’re incredibly proud to be making such a significant investment in our Leicestershire site. Brick is the number one construction material of choice, and we are increasing our production capacity in order to meet growing demand from our customers that is being driven by growth in housebuilding.

“We welcome the Housing Minister’s positive comments about Ibstock’s investment, and we are pleased to see the Government recognise the important role that the building materials supply chain plays in providing essential materials to support housing growth and growing the economy across the country”.