Product availability and supply improved rapidly during Q2, and demand has remained strong across the three principal sectors with which drylining systems are typically aligned (Residential, Commercial and RMI/ Change of use).

The project pipeline remains strong, but concerns are developing around high inflation and labour availability across the economy, which is subduing short to medium-term confidence and demand.

The latest CLC report predicted that recruitment and retention will become the most important challenges facing construction in 2023, and some smaller building companies have become reluctant to take on new projects as they cannot access the skilled tradespeople necessary to complete them.

Effectively meeting the skills challenge necessitates an industry-wide approach, with all parties across the sector collaborating to ensure a sufficient pool of skilled and motivated tradespeople, committed to a long-term career in construction.

British Gypsum have recently launched our new training offering following a significant investment in people, digital and physical infrastructure. Our training is specifically designed to help construction sector partners upskill their workforces to ensure quality builds are achieved every time. In response to the changing needs of those working on site and to help reduce the amount of time installers spend away from site, we have developed new training pathways, and launched an interactive and immersive training prospectus and e-learning platform.

With the acceleration of interest rate rises and forecasts that the UK economy is heading for a challenging 12-18 months, the sector’s resilience will be tested once again. However, we are a critical part of the UK economy. As such, we have a responsibility not just for our own businesses but also to the broader construction industry which supports so many jobs, to ensure we approach the coming months with a positive mind-set, seeking every opportunity for growth. Fundamentally, the underlying demand for new or improved buildings is there – and we have a critical role to play in the UK’s decarbonisation strategy.

As such I remain optimistic about the industry’s medium- to long-term future. Despite the many challenges, the sector has demonstrated strong resilience. We and our partners remain ready to support the needs of the construction sector with high-quality products and unrivalled service