According to judges Eurocell sets ‘an example for others to follow’. Investment in its PVC-U recycling facility paid off and the firm can now process up to 12,000 window frames per week

Manufacturer of the year

Sponsored by Ecobuild

Eurocell

Over 2011 Eurocell cemented its reputation as a leading manufacturer of sustainable building products continuing a record of 10 years of consecutive growth. With a £3m investment in a PVC-U recycling facility in Derbyshire, the firm now has the capacity to process up to 12,000 end-of-life PVC-U window frames per week. This, the largest such facility in the UK, allows the firm to use recycled material to manufacture energy efficient window products. The firm also established a collection and depositing service for PVC-U window frames, diverting the material from landfill. The judges were unanimous in awarding Eurocell manufacturer of the year, praising the firm as setting “an example for others to follow”.

Runners up

Elements Europe

Elements Europe was formed in 2005 in response to the government’s drive to promote off-site methods of construction and has invested in product design and development since. The firm’s wide product range sets it apart and its turnover trebled from 2010 to 2011.

EOS

A leading light gauge steel manufacturer, EOS manufactures and supplies off-site products that are used across a range of sectors including health and education. Formed in 2006, the firm has doubled its turnover in the past three years and broken into international markets.

Jablite

A manufacturer of expanded polystyrene products, Jablite supplies products to the construction, civil engineering, ground engineering and DIY sectors. The firm’s largest range is insulation and its Jablite Flat Roof Inverted design saw a 300% increase in sales over 2011.

Kingspan Insulated Panels

A manufacturer that takes its commitment to sustainability seriously, Kingspan has invested heavily in its Holywell manufacturing site, introducing renewable technologies to generate clean power and establishing the facility as a zero waste to landfill site.

Knauf Insulation

The world’s third largest insulation manufacturer Knauf Insulation has made sustainability a priority. It has demonstrated to the retrofit market that simple systems can enable the mass installation upgrades required to deliver on the government’s energy efficiency ambitions.