ILKE HOMES
BUILDING THE FUTURE
ILKE HOMES
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ILKE HOMES
WE CATCH UP WITH ILKE HOMES AND FIND OUT HOW THEY ARE CONTINUING TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS EVEN IN THE FACE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
BUILDING THE FUTURE PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVE GARNER
ilke Homes are a manufacturer of modular homes for the British market, working with local authorities, housebuilders and developers to increase the quality and speed at which new homes can be delivered to development sites. Since the company was founded in 2017 it has dedicated itself to the task of creating aspirational and accessible homes for a range of customers, tenures and price points.
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Dave Sheridan Executive Chairman, ilke Homes
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lthough the company itself is relatively young, it stands on the foundation of the longstanding house building heritage of its offsite manufacturer, Elliot and the UK’s leading partnership homebuilder, Keepmoat Homes. When we spoke with them last year, the company was enjoying a strong pipeline of work, boasted a clear investment strategy and had access to one of the world’s largest manufacturing networks. Indeed, they had set themselves the goal of becoming a top ten housebuilder within the next ten years. When we spoke to Dave Sheridan, Executive Chairman of ilke Homes, last year, he had clear plans for the company’s future, telling us, “We have a fairly structured plan,” Sheridan
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says. “We want to get to 3,000 units in three to five years based on the current pipeline, then 5,000, then 10,000. We know the market’s there and with the right investment, we will reach that target. During that process we are looking at launching the next factory in 18 months, replicating what we have already achieved on a similar scale. We will invest in prototyping and assembly units to become more akin to car manufacturing. We have massive ambitions in terms of volume.”
WHERE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURING MEET
Since we had that conversation ilke Homes has made a lot of progress. “It’s been going fine. We have got new technology installed and we have got
projects coming to fruition. COVID interrupted a lot of what we’re doing, but we’re keeping on track,” Sheridan says. When ilke Homes first set up shop, the company faced a great deal of scepticism, having introduced what was in many
“CLIENTS AND CUSTOMERS NOW BELIEVE IN THE PRODUCT, THAT IS OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT. WE’VE GONE FROM A GREAT CONCEPT WITH LOTS OF PLAUDITS TO A WIDELY ACCEPTED PRODUCT.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
MODULAR MOVEMENTS LTD PROVIDING SPECIALIST MODULAR MOVEMENTS LTD PROVIDING SPECIALIST LOGISTICS AND SUPPORTING ILKE HOMES LOGISTICS AND SUPPORTING ILKE HOMES We are a specialist logistics company providing transportation to the modular We are a specialist logistics company providing transportation to the modular construction industry. Our management team draw on 45 years experience in the construction industry. Our management team draw on 45 years experience in the transportation of abnormal loads. transportation of abnormal loads.
Operating one of the largest specialist fleets in the industry, with almost 300 bespoke vehicles Operating one of the largest specialist fleets in the industry, with almost 300 bespoke vehicles including trailers, flats, single and extending low loaders, wafer decks and Hiabs. including trailers, flats, single and extending low loaders, wafer decks and Hiabs. Modular Movements own and operate the equipment you require, directly employing a well trained, Modular Movements own and operate the equipment you require, directly employing a well trained, professional and experienced team. professional and experienced team. Additional services include project management, site and route surveys, applications for road closures Additional services include project management, site and route surveys, applications for road closures and removal of street furniture, storage, pilot vehicles and appointed persons for lifting operations. and removal of street furniture, storage, pilot vehicles and appointed persons for lifting operations.
Contact: 01482 635440 Contact: 01482 635440 enquires@modularmovements.com enquires@modularmovements.com
www.modularmovements.com www.modularmovements.com Modular Movements Ltd, Brickyard Lane, Melton, Hull HU14 3HD Modular Movements Ltd, Brickyard Lane, Melton, Hull HU14 3HD
Euramax manufactures uPVC windows and doors and composite doors for the modular, new build, holiday home and home improvement markets. Celebrating its 70th year in 2020, Euramax has grown from a small, local supplier, to a trusted, national manufacturer of innovative products that meet customer needs. Our end-to-end offering means we can supply what you want, when you want it, and by servicing both the commercial and residential sectors, we understand the unique needs of our customers. Learn how Euramax can help supply your next project, whether it’s for a modular build or home renovation, but visiting euramaxuk.com Euramax Solutions Ashroyd Business Park, Ashroyds Way, Platts Common, Barnsley, S74 9SB, United Kingdom Tel: 0330 1340290 Fax: 01226 740844 Email Address: info@euramaxuk.com
www.euramaxuk.com
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EURAMAX Whether you love or loath IKEA, there’s no denying the thrill of picking out furniture and seeing it in your home on the same day. House builders are taking a leaf out of IKEA’s book and constructing houses using modular build practices. While the method won’t cause homes to spring up in a matter of hours, it will considerably reduce the wait. That’s just one benefit of a pre-fabricated approach, as Nick Cowley, managing director of uPVC windows and doors expert, Euramax, explains more. The overall cost of the build can be reduced by up to 30 per cent by using modular practices. Shorter build times save money on reduced labour costs and on-site equipment hire costs. The cost of construction materials will also be reduced as the pre-fabricator can buy materials in larger quantities for multiple projects, rather than on an ad-hoc basis. Modular construction also means that any installed elements, like windows and doors, or practical elements such as kitchens, can be delivered and installed at once. Expert suppliers like Euramax can deliver equipment either to the pre-fabrication facility, or directly on site. Traditional building designs are often restricted by how much work can be done to the local area and land. However, modular builds can be designed to adapt to any restrictions. As each modular build is tailored to the individual user’s needs, and can be designed to exact space, budget and design requirements. While IKEA’s cookie-cutter style furniture can be cost effective, modular builds open up a much wider range of opportunity to reduce costs, speed up projects and create a unique look.
www.euramaxuk.com
The leading designer and manufacturer of modular truss solutions in the UK We are the approved designers and manufacturers of the patented Moduroof/ Moduloft System for ILKE HOMES, supplying them with truss kit packages for their factory and providing them with a full design backup for all their roof requirements. We are pleased to support Dave Sheridan and the Team at ILKE HOMES
0113 265 2655 sales@protechtimber.co.uk | protechtimber.co.uk
WETHERBY Wetherby Building Systems Ltd are the UK’s market leader in the design and supply of a wide range of solid wall insulation (SWI) systems, decorative render and brick slip finishes for the modular and offsite construction market. Wetherby’s innovative systems are compatible with a wide range of modern methods of construction, offering attractive, yet environmentally sympathetic façade solutions that have been successfully installed on many new build schemes, including domestic homes, commercial buildings and educational establishments for over 20 years. Their technically approved and certified Modular EWI systems have been specially designed to be applied in factory-controlled environments, using materials that aid the speed of production whilst maintaining a highly energy efficient and aesthetically pleasing solution. One of the recent projects featured includes Royal Drive in Egremont, Cumbria, which involved Wetherby supplying the external wall system of 26 brand new modular houses for Ilke Homes. The project seen the replacement of flats with two- and three-bedroom homes which will be available as affordable rental properties. The Modular EWI systems include a high impact unique clay Brick Slip finish, available in a range of finishes and thicknesses enabling a traditional brick appearance. The range also includes a flexible thin coat finish which allows properties to be seamlessly rendered with perfect colour consistency. Visit www.wbs-ltd.co.uk for more information.
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ILKE HOMES
ways an entirely new approach to housing construction. When we speak to Sheridan today, however, it is clear ilke’s reputation has had a great deal of consolidation “The biggest achievement has got to be what our workforce has achieved over the last two years,” Sheridan says. “Clients and customers now believe in the product, that is our biggest achievement. We’ve gone from a great concept with lots of plaudits to a widely accepted product.” That said, Sheridan readily acknowledges the work is ongoing. “Getting the warranty for the product has been our biggest challenge. We’re doing something that revolutionises how you build houses, so the challenge has always been bringing people along the journey,” he admits. “Getting the supply chain to accept that the way we build houses requires new specifications in terms of bulk deliveries, logistics, and
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education. We’ve been learning as we’ve been going, building that cultural fit between the construction and manufacturing sectors, trying to get people to span both sectors.” Finding and developing people with that skill set was a big task, but one ilke Homes was more than up to. “We employ people experienced in the field with a wider vision and skill set to match us,” Sheridan says. “If someone is from the manufacturing or construction side, we get them to understand and appreciate each other’s disciplines and how one impacts the other. We’re getting them to work together.”
BUILDING THROUGH COVID
Of course, one thing ilke Homes’ plans never accounted for was a once-in-a-century global pandemic, but when the COVID crisis hit, the company responded swiftly. “There had been messages from the government about
shutdowns and lockdowns so we took the decision before the announcement on the 23rd of March to temporarily stop operations, but keep doing onsite work,” Sheridan explains. “The supply chain shut down so we couldn’t’ make anything, and the workforce was isolating, kids were off school and a whole host of other challenges. So, at the start of the COVID crisis, the impact on the UK was about not understanding the challenge and people just being frightened. But we worked through it. We restarted in April using the time to polish up designs, work through operating procedures, keeping
“WHEN YOU DO HAVE TIME TO HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON YOU CAN FIND MORE EFFICIENT WAYS TO DO THINGS.”
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ILKE HOMES
staff busy and learning the art of working from home with Teams and Zoom.” Despite delays, ilke Homes soon adapted to the new status quo. “We lost four months of our program and stuff slipped back further as people are headed back to work now,” Sheridan says. “We now have over 300 people back in the factory, but it
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has slowed us down instigating safe working distances, all the health and safety challenges of getting 400 workers to toprate health and safety with appropriate PPE.” Indeed, Sheridan believes that in a lot of ways ilke Homes has come out of the other side of this crisis stronger than before. “We’ve found with our design team we can be more efficient with people working three days at home and two at work. We can be more adaptable with working plans. When you do have time to hit the pause button you can find more efficient ways to do things. We’ve learned how to process with the same output and refresh and rethink how we go about our business,” Sheridan says. “The days of travelling for hours for a meeting need to
be reviewed because we’ve learned efficient ways of working remotely and will rethink how often we meet in person. It’s made us think, ‘Do we need to spend that much time travelling going forward?’” If anything, COVID has been an opportunity for the company to reaffirm its goals and values, with their unique combination of fabrication and construction proving to be a strength. “We’ve reviewed our processing standards. We’ve not been as badly impacted as those with live construction sites because we can build our homes in a controlled factory environment and can control the individual workforce,” Sheridan says. “It’s convinced us we’re on the right track and has let us engage with our supply chain in a lot more detail.”
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