In a series celebrating the Building Awards finalists, we look at the Manufacturer of the Year shortlist
Earlier this year Building announced the names of all the firms that made it onto the shortlists for our prestigious annual Building Awards.
Now we are shining the spotlight on each category in turn and publishing a selection of the images that impressed the judges.
Today’s shortlist is for Manufacturer of the Year.
ACS Stainless Steel Fixings
ACS Stainless Steel Fixings combines more than 40 years’ facade expertise with early engagement, technical innovation and a strong focus on compliance to help deliver safer, more efficient and buildable buildings. Designing and manufacturing in Leeds, ACS supports projects from RIBA stage 2, helping reduce redesign, site clashes and programme risk.
Its response to the Building Safety Act includes a structured gateway 2 service, competence framework and ACS Assured accreditation. ACS is currently supporting 37 projects through gateway 2, with 15 approved to date and a 100% success rate.
Innovation is driving significant project benefits. Its Certus™ modular brick facade system moves complex brickwork into a controlled factory environment, improving quality, safety and programme certainty. At Hallsville Quarter Phase 4, delivery was reduced from around 42 to 25 weeks, while at Leven Road, facade loading was cut from around 1,000kg/m² to under 50kg/m².
Gripple
Gripple combines employee ownership, manufacturing expertise and innovation to deliver practical solutions to some of construction’s most pressing challenges. Operating across 85 countries with more than 950 employees, the business manufactures 85% of its products in-house and continues to invest heavily in innovation, with 20% of turnover targeted from products launched within the last five years.
Its lightweight, pre-engineered systems are delivering measurable gains in productivity, safety and sustainability. In 2025, Gripple wire rope suspension systems enabled contractors to save more than 432,000 labour hours, while reducing embodied carbon by 82.8% and material weight by 82.8% compared with traditional methods.
Customer collaboration is central to product development, supported by dedicated technical teams, project take-offs and industry CPDs. Between April 2025 and April 2026, Gripple launched 11 products, including HangPro and Angel ZT. With rapid prototyping and vertically integrated manufacturing, Gripple is turning real-world challenges into scalable innovations that make construction faster, safer and more sustainable.
Internorm
Internorm combines architectural design, technical performance and long-term durability to deliver high-performance triple-glazed windows and doors for demanding projects across the UK and Europe. Its collaborative approach supports specifiers, developers and contractors from early design, balancing performance, compliance, cost and programme requirements.
A specialist in Passivhaus and low-energy construction, Internorm provides tailored solutions for thermal insulation, airtightness, acoustic performance, solar gain and Part O compliance. At Leicester Cathedral’s Heritage & Learning Centre, its triple-glazed composite windows met rigorous Passivhaus requirements while delivering concealed installation and slim sightlines within a sensitive heritage setting. At Mount Pleasant Halls student accommodation in Cambridge, an innovative timber-aluminium sliding system helped resolve airtightness and spatial constraints while maximising daylight.
Internorm’s systems can achieve sound reduction values of up to 48dB, helping unlock challenging urban residential sites without compromising comfort or design. Its technical support extends to PHPP (Passive House Planning Package) modelling, installation management and training, while accredited CPDs have equipped thousands of construction professionals with greater understanding of high-performance building envelopes.
Join us for the 2026 edition of the Building Awards
This year’s event will take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 3 November.
There are 19 awards being handed out, so make sure you are in the room for construction’s night of nights and to celebrate excellence.
Tickets are selling fast, so secure your place today.
Quickslide Windows & Doors
Quickslide Windows & Doors is a family-owned West Yorkshire manufacturer combining long-term customer relationships with product innovation to respond to changing regulatory and market demands. Its latest development addresses a longstanding challenge for heritage-style uPVC sash windows: meeting modern ventilation requirements without compromising traditional aesthetics.
Following the 2022 changes to Approved Document F, Quickslide developed a modular trickle vent to achieve compliance, including demanding Scottish requirements. Customer feedback then drove further innovation, resulting in a concealed vent developed, tested and launched between April 2025 and April 2026.
The solution provides compliant background ventilation while preserving authentic heritage aesthetics, opening opportunities across new-build, refurbishment and conservation projects. It has already been specified across five developments for one customer, representing around 750 windows and £37,500 in incremental sales. With sash window sales rising 25% in the latest six-month period, annual demand for concealed vents could reach 3,150 units, worth around £157,500.
Siderise Group
Siderise responded to a challenging 2025 by investing in technical capability, innovation and closer supply chain collaboration, strengthening its position as a trusted partner in passive fire protection. As regulatory bottlenecks affected the UK high-rise market, it moved beyond a transactional supplier model, engaging earlier in design and supporting customers through delivery and installation.
Investment in digital tools and technical services has delivered a 38% increase in technical service demand and a 323% rise in site inspections. Salesforce now provides a single source of project information, supporting co-ordination and traceability.
International expansion has strengthened resilience, with a new Dubai manufacturing facility and investment in North America and Australia helping exports grow 12.3% to £10m across 36 countries. Customer confidence also rose, with global NPS reaching 72 in Q4 2025.
Alongside R&D, industry collaboration and a 550% increase in product installation training, Siderise continues to raise standards and contribute to safer buildings.
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