Wrekin posts growth despite construction slowdown

Wrekin posts growth despite construction slowdown

Civil engineering supplier Wrekin grows despite downturn in UK construction. The Lichfield-based manufacturer reported a 12% increase in turnover during 2025, supported by infrastructure contracts and productivity gains across its workforce, even as UK housebuilding fell roughly 8% amid high interest rates and inflation.


Civil engineering product manufacturer Wrekin has reported a year of growth despite a difficult market for the wider UK construction sector, recording more than one million product sales during 2025.

The Lichfield-based business said turnover increased by 12% over the year, a period in which national housebuilding activity declined by around 8% as developers faced rising borrowing costs and persistent inflation.

Growth was supported by a series of contracts with utilities providers, including new and renewed framework agreements with BT, Severn Trent Water, and Thames Water. The company said revenue from its water, telecoms, and energy product ranges expanded significantly during the year.

Operational performance also improved across the business. Wrekin reported a 25% increase in workforce productivity, with warehouse picking output rising from 19 tonnes per person per day to 24 tonnes. The company also recruited 13 new employees across Wrekin and its geosynthetics division, Geoworks, increasing production capacity.

Simon Turner, managing director at Wrekin, said: “In the past year we’re proud to have bucked the trend despite an overall market decline, so we’re entering 2026 with a real sense of momentum. We’ve been able to improve our service levels, and the systems upon which our business runs are stronger than ever. Most importantly, while we have grown, we have kept to our priorities of leading the market in quality, safety and sustainability.”

He added: “We’re confident in the depth of our technical expertise and experience, and well-chosen additions to our team last year have only bolstered our ability to support customers in the future.”

Alongside commercial growth, the company said it maintained progress against environmental targets. Wrekin ranked within the top 15% of companies assessed by sustainability ratings organisation EcoVadis, retaining its Silver rating while targeting Gold status in 2026. The company also holds a Gold accreditation from the Supply Chain Sustainability School.

Wrekin plans to publish its first formal sustainability report in 2026, outlining its carbon footprint and detailing measures intended to strengthen its environmental, social, and governance performance.

The business also continued expanding its use of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which measure the lifecycle environmental impact of construction materials. According to the company, Wrekin remains the only supplier offering full cradle-to-grave EPDs across its ductile iron product range.

Geoworks, the group’s geosynthetics division, also reported growth during the year despite increased competition in its segment. Total product weight sold increased by 10%, supported by demand for its MultiTrack 1000 geotextile product, which recorded a 17% rise in sales.

During 2025 the division launched TerraTrack Lite, a highly permeable mini-roll geotextile product, and introduced new application guides covering geotextiles and geopaving systems aimed at architects and construction specifiers.

Geoworks also expanded its industry visibility through participation in trade exhibitions including GroundsFest and FutureScape, and joined the product specification platform SpecifiedBy to connect with architects and design professionals.

Turner said: “2025 has been a bumper year in which we have strengthened Wrekin’s position as the UK’s leading ironwork supplier and bespoke steel specialist. As scrutiny falls ever more heavily on infrastructure, we are committed to delivering solutions that work well, and work for a long time, while safeguarding the environment.”

He added that the company raised more than £10,000 for charities during the year through fundraising initiatives and volunteering programmes.



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