Total Concrete discusses supplying concrete in London

To successfully supply concrete in London, concrete suppliers have to meet the needs of a demanding construction market. Different mixes need to be batched and delivered across the region, each one tailored to the needs of the project and each one supplied promptly.

In London, a concrete supplier needs to be able to supply a large amount of concrete quickly. For Total Concrete — a Woking-based firm operating in London and Surrey — the key to this is a state-of-the-art batching plant.

Serving a construction hotspot

Concrete trucks are a common part of the London backdrop. Construction across London is constant, and concrete is the most common building material used within the industry. So to serve such a bustling area, suppliers need to coordinate and deliver on orders as efficiently as possible.

Ready mix concrete — concrete mixed off-site then delivered, ready to pour — is mixed at a supplier’s concrete batching plant. An order comes through for a specific quantity and type of concrete, which is then mixed at the plant before being delivered in a drum mixer.

The batching plant is the heart of the supplier’s entire business, so it needs to be able to meet modern construction requirements. By upgrading their batching plant, Total Concrete have positioned themselves to meet a much greater variety of building needs.

More concrete, faster

The main benefit of an upgraded batching plant is the ability to produce a greater volume of concrete at a much faster rate. From a business perspective, this has obvious advantages — namely, the ability to serve more customers than ever before.

From the customer perspective, seeing concrete suppliers making such a technological improvement is a reassuring sign. They know that, whatever the size or scale of the project, they can receive the right concrete when they need it.

Specialty concrete mixes

Some construction jobs require specialty concrete mixes to overcome specific conditions — often geographical. An ultra-modern batching plant has allowed Total Concrete to widen the range of concrete mixes available, including a range of specialty mixes. Concrete mixes — such as sulphate-resistant, reinforced and waterproof concrete — which were not possible before, can now be mixed to order. This means that more demanding jobs which would have otherwise been impossible to serve, can now be served just like any other.

This presents a huge opportunity. For a company which has been operating since 1999, this investment means an entirely new client base is available to them.

Trevor Brooks, owner of Total Concrete, recognises this and anticipates that the company will meet any new demand with ease: “Upgrading our plant means we’re in place to handle much bigger jobs than ever before. If a large commercial client needs a specific mix for a job with a tight deadline, there’s no reason for us to say no. We’ve future-proofed our supply so we can cover more clients with a higher level of service than ever”.

Concrete development is a natural part of urban construction. Customer demand will only increase, so it’s up to concrete suppliers to look ahead with this in mind. By investing in more modern, efficient batching plants, concrete supply can be standardised to a higher level, improving concrete delivery and construction rates for London, which will be a dream come true for many in the industry.