Product category:
Roofing
News Release from: Marley Eternit | Subject: Marley Eternit and agricultural buildings
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 15 May 2007
Marley Eternit and agricultural
buildings
Research for Marley Eternit finds architects play catch up in agriculture.
Architects and contractors come a close third and fourth when it comes to who specifies materials for agricultural buildings although it is a GBP250million sector even in this day and age of dwindling farm subsidies, research for Marley Eternit has shown They are pipped to the post by agricultural frame or building manufacturers and even the farmers, only getting involved if it is a large or complex project or where planning permission is required
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 22 Jul 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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The research for Marley Eternit's profiled sheeting business, which dominates agriculture's fibre cement roofing sector, was carried out by Lychgate with a total of 80 frame manufacturers/steel fabricators, contractors, merchants/distributors and architects/consultants known to have worked in the agricultural sector.
To avoid their answers being biased, they were not aware until halfway through the 20-minute telephone interview that the study was being conducted for the company.
The research found market seasonality was driven by the drier weather in the summer but also in the quiet time between lambing and harvest when farmers had time to concentrate on their forthcoming requirements in terms of shelter and storage.
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But the market was also affected by individual farmers' finances and the general state of the agriculture industry.
Construction work in the agriculture sector between 1994 and 2004 peaked in 2003 at around GBP250million and is currently levelling out or even dropping off slightly although nowhere near the millennium trough of GBP150million.
It currently represents 0.04% of all new construction work in the commercial and industrial sectors (excluding housing and infrastructure).
When all of the audiences were asked who in their experience recommends the roofing material to be used for a medium or large-sized agricultural building, 45% said the frame or building manufacturer, 33% the farmer, and 25% and 23% respectively the architect and contractor.
The research also found that just over one third of specifications are changed although this is mostly on an occasional basis, with the farmer being the most likely party to change a specified brand, several commenting they would do this on cost grounds.
When selecting roofing, architects ranked out of brand, material, colour and surface finish, colour first, materials second and surface finish third, compared to contractors' brand, material then surface finish, and frame manufacturers' material, brand and colour.
Some 12% of respondents considered a specific manufacturer was more likely to be specified if an architect was involved in the project while architects specified roofing materials most widely based on building use and cost (both at 33%), then client preference and availability (both at 17%). Request a free brochure from Marley Eternit ...
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