Stacey Temprell, Marketing Director British Gypsum is BMBI’s Expert for Drylining Systems.

2020 was a rollercoaster but with clear guidance from the government, we’ve been able to keep our mining and production facilities open since the end of April, carrying out rigorous reviews of health and safety procedures to evolve and ensure compliance with the latest COVID guidelines. We’ve adapted well to the new normal, proud to be playing our part in helping the economy to recover from the impact of the pandemic, and we ended the year with a strong performance.

A Brexit deal was finally signed, but there were no last-minute negotiations for us. We’d spent three years preparing so there is minimal disruption to the supply of raw materials and drylining system accessories. We also carry additional stocks of production equipment typically imported in the event of machinery malfunctioning. We’ve taken steps to ensure our business remains robust, focussing on three key areas: product availability, customs clearance and product legislative compliance.

To overcome customs delays, we have an automatic clearance system to ensure the movement of materials and other goods is as seamless as possible. All our materials and products are compliant with current EU regulation. As UK specific guidance develops, we will adhere to all UK legal requirements.

In response to the Hackitt review, the government announced a new national construction products regulator to ensure homes are built from safe materials. The Construction Products Association (CPA) launched an industry-wide consultation into its proposals for a new Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) to establish a benchmark for how product information is presented and marketed. The consultation is open from February 1st to 31st March. Click here to find out more.

We were part of the CPA’s Marketing Integrity Group (MIG) that helped to develop the proposed code and would urge all construction product manufacturers to review and respond to this consultation. Ensuring construction product information is clear, accurate, up-to-date, accessible and unambiguous is a fundamental step forward in ensuring the safety of buildings.

As the roll out of the COVID vaccination programme gathers pace, with construction workers set to receive the vaccine by late Spring, there is cause for optimism for 2021.