One of the industry’s most recognisable names has a new identity.
If it’s packed cement and aggregates you’re after, then Hanson UK has always been able to supply it, with the largest range of products in a bag the market has to offer. They are solutions that generations of tradespeople have come to trust and now they’re being supplied under a new name.
Hanson UK has been part of the Heidelberg Materials Group since 2007 but from October of this year the UK business has rebranded, joining its parent company. Steve Morton, Marketing & Communications Manager, explains the change: “Having a single brand name and identity sends a clear and consistent message to our increasingly global customers and fosters collaboration.”
One key driver for the unified identity is the unprecedented period of change that building materials manufacturers are experiencing. Companies need to adapt to the new realities – and do it quickly. “Heidelberg Materials has been digitising its business for some time,” continues Steve. “The result is a suite of market-leading digital tools for the end user that are constantly being improved and expanded upon. The OnSite app, for instance, provides real-time tracking of concrete deliveries. Developing these is a much easier proposition when the company has the same identity around the world. The company can react to what the market wants, and needs, more rapidly and support its customers faster.”
Diverse range
To anyone familiar with the solutions available, the name HeidelbergCement has also become something of a misnomer – because it is most certainly not all about cement. Indeed, the multinational firm has been very strong in ready-mixed concrete, aggregates and asphalt for some years and that makes Heidelberg Materials a much better description. Whatever the product, of course, sustainability is now the guiding principle. “In addition to digitalisation, we’re doing a lot of work around decarbonisation and the circular economy,” Steve adds. “With the new branding we will be able to make it clear that those are values that will be applied throughout the business and our entire portfolio.”
So, what’s the future for the packed products? Tradespeople are nothing if not creatures of habit and that’s why the design of the new packaging – although clearly communicating the new Heidelberg Materials identity – is broadly in line with what came before. That includes the product name, the colours, and style of bag. “The ambition is for a smooth transition where builders are confident that the performance they’ve come to expect will not change,” adds Andrew Simpson, Heidelberg Materials Packed Products Director in the UK. “The people, the products, the quality and the service will remain consistent. Moreover, extensive point of sale material will be able to direct end users to exactly what they want and, with the level of investment involved, if anything the bags will look even better than they did before.”
New products
It’s not just about aesthetics either, because builders can expect new products in 2024 some of which will continue the theme of the circular economy through an enhanced level of recycled content. “Heidelberg Materials already makes use of Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS) in its high strength 40N Concrete as a cement replacement and that’s a trend that will continue,” Andrew reveals.
“Currently that GGBS content is labelled on the packaging as Regen, which is our brand name for this material. That doesn’t actually mean very much to the merchant customer, in truth, so we will be taking the opportunity to spell that out. There’s always a danger that we’ll take it for granted that the builder knows about our products and what they’re made of. The rebrand is the chance to educate tradespeople on just how sustainable our solutions actually are.”
As the largest manufacturer of GGBS in the UK, Heidelberg Materials is well placed to make use of its carbon saving potential. As almost white in colour, it is aesthetically satisfying, and you can add more of it to cement-based products than you can alternatives, such as Pulverised Fly Ash (PFA), without any detriment to performance.
Heidelberg Materials is committed to making its business net carbon zero by 2050. It is one of 40 members of the HyNet consortium, an industrial decarbonisation project. The company is exploring carbon capture and storage solutions, including the first net zero cement works at its Padeswood site in North Wales, which should be a reality by 2028. The manufacturer has also successfully trialled hydrogen as a fuel source for its Ribblesdale Works’ cement kiln in Clitheroe.
“This is where the possibilities in becoming Heidelberg Materials are very exciting”, enthuses Andrew. “The focus of the whole group is on decarbonisation, and there are a multitude of large-scale projects going on around the world under that name which we are now associated with. Now that we are visibly a part of that, our customers can see we are sharing in that ambition. We are stronger together.”
For further information on Heidelberg Materials and its range of products visit Heidelberg Materials UK | Sustainable construction materials.
