Business booms at Besblock
Shropshire firm Besblock today reported orders were ‘flying through the roof’ as the easing of lockdown restrictions boosted the housebuilding sector.
Founded in 1972, the family firm has been supplying its iconic concrete blocks throughout the pandemic but has seen a significant increase in sales since the Government restrictions eased a couple of weeks ago.
“Demand is through the roof right now,” said managing director Andrew Huxley. “The industry as a whole is performing well but we’ve never seen orders like it.
“Housing developers seem to be building more homes than ever before and at a faster pace and that has a ripple effect on all the industries involved.”
Andrew said orders are up 25% from where they normally would be this time of year and up 33% compared to last month.
“It’s obviously great for us as a business and means our teams are constantly busy but we are noticing a serious supply-and-demand issue among the big developers.
“There’s shortages on everything from bricks and timber to fridges and work surfaces so it looks like all of us are in the same position.”
Andrew believes the spike in house sales is for a number of reasons.
“Of course there’s the stamp duty extension which is encouraging people to buy, but also more and more people have evaluated their situations in lockdown and realised they want to move areas, or move to bigger houses.
“People need spaces for home offices now and have more money to spend after saving throughout the pandemic.”
In recent years Besblock has invested millions across all of its departments to expand the business and enable block deliveries to go further afield, currently, the firm’s fleet of lorries travel more than 840,000 kms during their deliveries, unloading an average of 1,261 tonnes a day.
The firm has recently invested in a state-of-the-art sustainable wood burner which will be up and running in the next couple of months.
