A huge £168m plasterboard factory has opened near Bristol Port. European building materials giant Etex said the facility, next to its existing plant in Portbury in North Somerset, would boost UK supply and was its largest-ever investment.
The Belgium-headquartered business has operated in the UK for more than 30 years and supplies the UK and Irish markets from its two plasterboard plants in Bristol and Ferrybridge, in West Yorkshire.
The new factory is a zero-waste-to-landfill plant and will produce plasterboard for the Siniat brand. It will mean Etex is able to produce more than 98% of its portfolio of boards for the UK and Ireland from Bristol, the company said.
It is understood that around 50 people are based on the new line, most of whom have been redeployed from other areas of the facility. According to Etex, as market demand increases it will look to hire more staff.
John Sinfield, UK and Ireland country manager, said the new Bristol plant expansion was “proof” of Etex’s strong footprint in Europe and its commitment to continually investing in innovation.
“This investment will give our UK customers additional confidence that we are ready for market recovery and able respond to any increases in demand, in line with wider governmental drives,” he said. “As a pioneer in lightweight construction, we strive to deliver better products and construction methods, ultimately making construction time and processes easier, cheaper and more sustainable.”
Etex operates more than 160 sites across 45 countries and employs 13,500 people worldwide.
Bernard Delvaux, chief executive of Etex, said: “At the core of our business is our partnerships with customers. Through our complementary portfolio of brands, we are able to take our relationships with customers beyond simply being a supplier and instead work in true collaboration.
“This is thanks to our solution-first approach, focusing more and more on delivering full solutions and technical expertise to customers, rather than simply supplying individual products.”
Like this story? Why not sign up to get the latest South West business news straight to your inbox.