FEATURE PRECAST CONCRETE
Smart Precast Manufacturing Image 1: The M-System Evolution mesh welding plant in FP McCann’s Byley facility boosts operational efficiency
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At the forefront of the UK’s precast concrete sector, FP McCann has harnessed cutting-edge machinery and software from Progress Group to revolutionise production. This leveraging of automation and digitalisation enhances production efficiency and quality.
Image 2: In the profit software, cages and meshes can be designed easily and quickly with predefined templates in 2D and 3D, and then scheduled for production Image 3: Construction of the new production hall in Littleport, combines structural expertise and advanced reinforcement technology Image 4: The EBA stirrup bender enables the staff to work more efficiently, faster and more safely
across Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Enhancing operational efficiency with software solutions
and part of the family that has built the
and provides an extensive range of concrete
The ‘profit’ software from Progress Group
successful company, adds: “We like to build
solutions for the industrial, commercial,
has been a game-changer for FP McCann’s
relationships with the companies we buy
structural, and infrastructure markets. Six
reinforcement production. It provides real-
machinery and software from – we like to
of their plants now feature state-of-the-art
time visibility of production, helping teams
work with them for a long time. That would
reinforcement machinery and software
to optimise planning, manage resources and
have been the biggest selling point for me,
from Progress Group, enhancing their
maintain continuous flow. Andrew adds:
and of course, Progress Group is a well-known
production capabilities and setting new
“The software is the key part that holds
name. We bought the machine first and now
industry standards.
everything together. We will be using profit
have seen that the software elevates it.”
FP MCCANN operates 13 precast plants
Adam McCann, Engineer at FP McCann
in the new plant in Littleport and will then
State-of-the-art reinforcement machinery
roll it out across the rest of the business. If
Automation and digitalisation
we can automate and take away a lot of the
With automation and digitalisation, FP
The manufacturing facility at the Byley site
manual work in the background by using
McCann can stay at the forefront of precast
showcases the benefits of the integrated
the software, it makes it a lot more efficient
production in the UK. Andrew Slaven states
M-System Evolution. This mesh welding
for us.”
that the experience with Progress Group
The successful collaboration between
has been consistently positive since the
maintaining the highest level of work
FP McCann and Progress Group has been
start, emphasising that the support and
safety and keeping costs down. “One of the
instrumental in advancing their production
integration within the company works very
biggest benefits of the machinery is the
technology. “Working with Progress has
well. “The biggest benefit of automation
integration,” says Andrew Slaven, Design
been a positive experience over the last few
and digitalisation is time saving, more than
Support Manager for FP McCann. “It
years. Their machinery and software have
anything – being efficient as a business is
saves a significant amount of time to have
significantly enhanced our reinforcement
the priority.”
continuity across the design processes by
production capacity, adapting to the
using the same machines. But of course, also
growing demands of our customers,” said
the quality of the product is a key benefit.”
David Norry.
plant stands out for welding mesh, while
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Issue 49 September 2025
Find out more at: www.progress-psd.com www.progress-m.com www.fpmccann.co.uk
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