I recently visited Thorp Precast Limited, one of our major manufacturing firms here in Newcastle, located on Apedale Road in Chesterton. Thorp Precast designs, manufactures and installs concrete cast panels for high-density new constructions, finished in brick or stone. With a workforce of 250 individuals drawn from the local area, the company plays a significant role in the community.
Thorp Precast is a major player in the construction industry, boasting an impressive portfolio of projects nationwide. Notably, they contributed to the construction of the Catalyst Building at Staffordshire University, showcasing their expertise and capabilities.
Harvey Thorp, the Managing Director, showed me round their 20-acre site where hundreds of panels that they have made are waiting to be dispatched to building projects around the country. I spoke with some of the dedicated staff who clearly love their roles at the company.
One notable aspect of Thorp's panels is their weight, being half that of comparable panels manufactured by competitors, giving the company a competitive edge and helping to reduce carbon emissions. It's great to see innovation and efficiency happening right here in Newcastle-under-Lyme.