Looking back to ‘normal trading conditions’ pre-war in Ukraine, pre pandemic, and pre Brexit, these last half dozen years have taught us all is that the UK & Irish construction industry is resilient, robust, agile, and adaptable.

Reflecting these unpredictable, inconsistent trading conditions, we saw a strong start to 2022, then an obvious cooling in certain areas and markets. Keylite witnessed record sales and exceptional demand in Q1, then a slow Q2. House building remained strong and consistent, up 3.9% on a year ago, while RMI was down 6.5%*, as homeowners took much needed holidays or kept their money in their pocket.

Doom and gloom! But we remain optimistic. While global geopolitical issues continue to make trading and recruitment more difficult (nearly 300,000 left the industry over the past three years, with EU nationals leaving due to Brexit concerns and others retiring early during the pandemic), and changes to building requirements, there are positives. Prices are starting to level off, and as an industry we’re become more adept at managing the supply chain and these wider challenges. Keylite, for example, invested in experienced specialists to improve our cross-border supply chain, shortening some and developing these closer to Europe, and increased our stock holding in the UK. Automation has increased capacity at our Polish manufacturing facility.

Within the UK, housing is at a premium, and while many first time buyers, and homeowners looking to move and improve, consider their household spending, investments in new builds and improvements will continue. Employment will remain strong and pay levels and cost of living will find a balance.

We innovate, we improve, and we adapt.

None of us, especially not the politicians, know whether we will again see a period of normal trading within the next few years or whether we, as an industry, continue to demonstrate our agility and innovation during further changing conditions and positively adapt to the challenges ahead, I for one believe in the latter.

*figures from the CPA.