A North East manufacturer revolutionising the homebuilding sector has secured another major capital city contract, as more developers embrace the concept of Core.
Apex Core designs, develops and manufactures prefabricated utility cupboards – a central hub for a home’s heating, ventilation, electrical, communication and metering services – and has delivered 75 units for an exciting regeneration project in the heart of London.
R8 King’s Cross is a mixed-use development in centre of the city. Designed by Piercy & Co, the building boasts offices and homes in two, 13-storey blocks that are linked by a two-storey podium with a landscaped roof garden.
It is a major win for the firm, which was launched three years ago, with Apex Wiring Solutions owners, Dave and Mike Lewis, investing over £500,000 to create the UK’s largest utility cupboard manufacturing facility at the firm’s HQ in Durham City.
To date, the firm has delivered over 6,400 units to sites, as the construction sector embraces the benefits that modular units, constructed off-site and delivered ready to install, offer.
Apex Core Sales Director, Paul Hopps, said: “Modular solutions offer so much to an industry still catching up after the impact of the pandemic. They’re faster to install, promote distanced working, arrive ready to simply “plug in” and offer the simplicity most tradesmen crave.
“R8 Kings Cross is an exciting project, but it’s happening in a very busy, very congested part of one of the busiest and most congested cities in the world. Apex Core arrives on site with minimal packaging, ready to fit and, as such, causes very little on-site disruption.
“Apex rolled the dice when investing in the Core business in 2020, as the country found itself in the teeth of a pandemic, but we recognised there was an appetite for products that helped evolve the construction industry and it is certainly doing that. Two years ago, we had a team in single figures working in a corner of our factory – it now fill over a third of our 60,000sqft plant in Durham, employing over 50 people.”
The project will create 72 apartments, as well as some retail, office and leisure space.
Apex Core were appointed by MEP specialist Designer Group. Pre-Construction Director, Mike Sharples, said “As a company, we believe in the use of offsite prefabrication. It offers us a way to ensure we deliver genuine quality, meet the challenging programmes modern construction demands and utilise less manhours, which means tradesmen have less time on site and more time to work on other projects.”
Apex Wiring Solutions Managing Director, Dave Lewis, said: “The market for this innovative kit is growing rapidly and we’re proud that our Durham HQ is at the forefront of its growth.
“As we bounce back economically, these Core units meet the absolute fundamental need that constructors are currently demanding: they save time, manpower, reduce waste and increase safety. We build them to the exacting specifications of clients, sometimes even housing washing machines, dishwashers…anything the customer requires.”
The Apex Group of businesses are based in Durham. With over four decades in business, the Group is made up of Apex Wiring Solutions, Apex IDC and Apex Core, employing over 100 people.