The Polycor Group, which operate more than 80 quarries and 24 processing plants across the US, Canada and France, have completed their acquisition of French company Rocamat, known for their limestone.

Founded in 1853, Rocamat employ 160 people and operate 30 quarries and four processing plants in France, supplying natural stone for major construction companies, public works and historical monuments in France and overseas. 

The takeover proposal was announced in February this year (read about that here). Polycor have been a minority shareholder in Rocamat since 2018, operating four of Rocamat's quarries. Their markets include the UK and Polycor are a member of Stone Federation Great Britain. 

On the acquisition, Polycor's president and chief executive officer, Patrick Perus, said: "We are delighted to welcome Rocamat into the Polycor family. They are an esteemed flagship of our industry whose stones grace some of the most prestigious buildings in the world. 

"Acquiring Rocamat not only allows us to inherit the exceptional expertise and know-how of its employees but also bolsters our mission of restoring natural stone to its former glory, which is the driving force behind everything we do."

The takeover is being heralded as paving the way for more sustainable construction in France with Polycor using the acquisition to collaborate with French group Verrecchia.

Verrecchia have more than 30 years' experience in new build cut stone construction, establishing themselves in France as prominent developers committed to environmentally friendly, mixed-use construction.

Patrick Perus: “The buildings of the future demand a departure from short-lived and environmentally harmful materials, prioritising the longevity of infrastructures. Natural stone, owing to its exceptional durability and low carbon footprint, rightfully emerges as a central component in eco-conscious and sustainable construction – an area where Verrecchia have already established a strong presence.”

Stone Italiana, represented by Italian Luxury Surfaces in the UK, has published its third sustainability report. It details the company's commitment to its green, digital, welfare and social responsibilities by maintaining the level of recycled raw materials used at 11%, increasing the recycling of its own waste to 83 per cent, the introduction of new welfare facilities for their staff and an investment in cyber security and digitalisation.

Stone Italiana has its own internal initiative known as Green Vision and has promoted its own recycled material, Cosmolite since 2020 which comes which comes in slab format. It is produced using inert materials that are 100% recycled pre-consumer minerals and, other than quartz and the resin part of the polymeric, the binder originates from renewable vegetable sources obtained from non-Genetically Modified (non-GM) and Identity-Preserved (IP) plants.

This Green Vision has also driven the company to continually innovate and focus on increasing the levels of recycled materials across its portfolio with products that are low VOC and safe for foodpreparation, and on reducing the company’s overall carbon footprint through the installation of photovoltaics and grid economisers installed at their manufacturing sites.

The Design Museum in London has opened a new exhibition called How to Build a Low-Carbon Home with a focus on three key sustainable materials – natural stone, straw and wood.

Running until March 2024, it will showcase how these three ancient low-carbon materials can enable to  the UK to address the housing crisis while also meeting climate pledges. The display will show how these three resources are being championed through the work of a new generation of architects, who have been pioneering their use in ambitious and innovative construction projects across the UK and includes contributions from Amin Taha of Groupworks Architects and Steve Webb of Webb Yates Engineers among others.

How to Build a Low-Carbon Home was initiated by the Design Museum’s Future Observatory, a national design research programme for the green transition and is led by architect Dr Ruth Lang, includes a broad programme of activities to engage the UK construction industry in more sustainable approaches. Future Observatory was launched in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The display explores the urgent need to rethink the way we build our towns and cities, to respond to both the housing and climate crises. Materials commonly used in construction, such as steel and concrete, contribute to nearly 10 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions. Each section is dedicated to one of the three resources, tracing its journey from raw material to building material to architecture. 

The prominence of stone in construction dwindled with the advent of reinforced concrete and steel in the nineteenth century, and its use today is largely decorative. Unlike these materials, however, stone is an abundant resource found in the earth’s crust. It can be three times stronger than concrete, and requires much less energy to produce. The display highlights new stone architecture, as well as the tools and craftsmanship of Lincolnshire stonemasons who handshape blocks for sustainable construction.

To find out more, visit the Design Museum's website.

Waters Group has become the official distributor for the CleanSpace range of Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR) in the UK stone industry.

CleanSpace Technology was established in Australia in 2019 and has its own UK-based technical team who can provide full, free of charge training to Waters Group customers who purchase the PAPR. 

Bradyn Mirabelle, UK & Ireland Sales Manager for CleanSpace said: "CleanSpace Respirators offers the next generation of innovative respiratory protection with P3 HEPA filters, coupled with positive air protection and a comfortable design. The newest range of respirators – CST Pro and CST Ultra - are the lightest PAPRs on the market, under 500g, making it easy for users to wear and able to do their job without unnecessary bulk and weight. They are Bluetooth-enabled for connectivity with the CleanSpace Smart App allowing access to respirator data regarding battery charge, filter status and wearer protection.
 
The CleanSpace CST Ultra also delivers CleanSpace Smart Insights – a report which is ideal for larger worksites where respiratory compliance programmes are part of workplace operations. It is water tolerant with an IP rating of 65 making it perfect for workers who are wet cutting stone or concrete. Programmed with enhanced battery management, it retains a battery charge in storage up to a year."

PAPR products can be purchased via the Waters Group website.
 

Four new courses are to be made available to Stone Federation members as part of its Stone Academy. Devised in response to member feedback, they comprise: 

• The Use of Stone for Interiors, Tuesday 19 September at The Building Society, 55 Whitfield St, London W1T 4AH and online. £200 + VAT (in person), £150 + VAT (online).
• Natural Stone: An Introduction to the Material and the Industry, Thursday 26 October at The Building Society, 55 Whitfield St, London W1T 4AH and online. £100 + VAT (in person), £75 + VAT (online)
• Stone in Construction: Design & Installation, 6-10 November (the course content is 3 hours but will be available to watch all week). Online only. £75 + VAT
• Bathrooms, Shower Enclosures & Wet Rooms & BS 8298 – Part 5,
  Wednesday 22 November at The Building Society, 55 Whitfield St, London W1T 4AH and online. £200 + VAT (in person), £150 + VAT (online)

Member exclusive discounts are available for multiple bookings. 
2-4 bookings – 15% discount.
5 or more bookings – 25% discount
(All bookings must be made at the same time and on the same booking form to qualify for the discount).

To book, email sara@stonefed.org.uk

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will begin site inspections focusing on moving and handling construction materials from September onwards. As part of these inspections, the organisation will be ensuring that both employers and workers know the risks, plan work and use appropriate methods to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

A recent statement from HSE read: "these injuries can have a serious impact on workers’ ability to perform tasks; their quality of life; and in some cases, their ability to stay in work and earn a living."
 
This latest initiative is supported by the 'Work Right Construction: Your Health Your Future' campaign to improve the long-term health of those working in construction and free resources can be downloaded from the Work Right website.

The Cathedrals' Workshop Fellowship has received £500,000 from the Hamish Ogston Foundation as part of an ongoing partnership programme that began in 2022 and will continue until 2025. Throughout this period £2.3m of funds will be made available to secure the future of cathedrals and the people who care for them. 

This latest grant will be used to fund students as they undertake CWF’s comprehensive training programme, the Hamish Ogston Foundation Craft Training Programme. As part of this, five stonemasonry students will be entered onto Improver Level 3, which will allow them to move onto the CWF’s Foundation degree course in 2025, as well as enabling the recruitment of an additional eleven Level 2 students in both joinery and stonemasonry. Funding will also ensure that six developing and recently qualified stonemasonry students will be able to remain at their home cathedrals and continue to develop their skills.

Since its establishment in 2019, the Hamish Ogston Foundation has pledged nearly £44m towards heritage skills training and is the largest single private donor to heritage skills in the UK.

Frances Cambrook, Executive Director at the CWF, said: “We are enormously grateful to the Hamish Ogston Foundation for this generous grant. There is no doubt that the last few years have been exceptionally challenging due to the lasting impact of the pandemic and the subsequent cost of living crisis, but the support of the Hamish Ogston Foundation has enabled us to continue to deliver a wide-ranging education of the highest possible standard. The results achieved by this year’s cohort are testament to that, and we are proud of each and every student for all that they have achieved. We are excited to enter into this new phase of the project with The Hamish Ogston Foundation, which is vital to ensure the sustainability of the heritage craft skills needed to care for the buildings that we love.” 
 

The Duke of Gloucester Awards 2023 for excellence in the craft of stonemasonry are now open for applications. These biennial awards are supported by the Masons' Livery Company with a view to encouraging high standards in the craft.

They are free to enter – and entrants do not have to be part of the Livery.

There are two categories – one for masons with between two and 10 years' experience post-qualification and another for individual masons or small teams with no time limit on experience.

The deadline for nominations is 29 September 2023.

Nominations can be made by individuals, employers or professionals. Each award winner will receive a certificate and the three top prize winners get £500, £300 and £200. The awards will be presented on 6 December 2023 at the Mercers' Hall in the City of London.

For more information or to obtain an entry form, email clerk@masonslivery.org.

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has created a podcast to highlight the dangers of dust in the construction industry as part of its Dust Kills campaign.

Hosted by former BBC journalist Mick Ord, the discussion features Duncan Smith of HSE and Abigail Bainbridge from Persimmon Homes.

Listeners of the podcast will hear why dust management is a key focus for HSE and how businesses can reduce the risks of dust exposure. 

To listen to the podcast, follow this link. 

Further materials on the subject of dust, including factsheets, can be found on HSE's website.