Market focus on Supersheds

An IKEA development by Billington Structures

Clear signs that the growing importance of sheds to the rapidly changing UK economy is gaining wider recognition comes from the two-day Sheds conference and exhibition taking place this month at which Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne will make the keynote address. The Steel Construction Institute Supersheds Group was to use the event to launch the new sheds guide – Single Storey Buildings: Best Practice Guidance for Developers, Owners, Designers and Constructors (click here to see article).

Corus Director of Construction Martin Howell was to take part in a forum on the Future of Manufacturing. Other speakers were to include key clients such as ProLogis and Gazeley. SCI’s Senior Construction Technology Manager Graham Raven said: “This is an excellent opportunity to launch the new guide. Almost all of the leading clients will be there and as it is a networking event so will many of those involved in supplying and using sheds.”

Sheds are a major steel construction success story with a market share of over 95%, and the frames industry is now worth some £1,000M a year. In addition, some £1,500M is spent on the building envelopes.

The event organisers say that sheds have come of age, with industrial owner-occupied and investment property in the UK worth £75,000M today, compared to only £50,000M in 1990. Speakers were lined up to address a Future Sheds Convention on issues such as market trends, where projects will be located, where finance will come from, what types of buildings occupiers will demand and who are the key players in the rapidly evolving sheds market.

Over 550 people, mostly from clients, funders and occupiers of sheds, had booked to attend the event on February 8-9 at the Celtic Manor Resort near Newport, South Wales.