Why is a concrete innovation developed a decade ago experiencing unprecedented growth since the recovery?
The rise of thin leading edge concrete slates is helping specifers to meet the budgetary and aesthetic demands of today’s private housing market.
Thin leading edge interlocking concrete tiles, made to replicate the look of natural slate on a budget, are not a new invention. In fact, one of the first products launched into the market was our own Edgemere slate, over a decade ago. While sales have grown steadily since it was launched, we have seen sudden unprecedented demand since the recovery, particularly in the last year.
With the wider financial recovery and schemes such as Help to Buy giving a significant boost to house building, it is really no surprise that demand for all roofing products has grown significantly in the past couple of years.
"However, we have noticed that sales of our thin leading edge concrete slates are disproportionately high," says Gavin White, product manager at Marley. "Since the start of 2012, demand has more than doubled and we have seen a 46% increase in the last year alone. The biggest increase has been in private housing development, while it still remains popular for both social housing new builds and refurbishment.
So, what is driving this growth in specification for a product that has been around for ten years? "Getting a premium aesthetic for a small budget is the driving force behind the surge in specification for thin leading edge concrete slates," adds Gavin. "Not only are they a cost effective alternative to natural slate but they are also an affordable upgrade to standard concrete interlocking tiles.
"One particular trend we have noticed is the use of our Edgemere slates on new private housing developments seeking to differentiate themselves with a contemporary exterior and high internal specification. Using a concrete interlocking slate over a standard tile gives specifiers the chance to elevate the exterior aesthetic, giving a premium slate look without much additional cost, enabling them to maximise the external look on a budget and in turn, spend more on internal specifications.
"There has clearly been an aesthetic shift in private housing, where specifers seek a sleeker slate look.
"Fifteen years ago, it would have been fairly common practice for a development of four bedroom houses to all be roofed in traditional interlocking concrete tiles. However, these days a development like this often has thin concrete or fibre cement slates to give a more contemporary aesthetic.
"New innovations over the past couple of years have also made these slate effect tiles even more convincing. For example, we launched a riven version of Edgemere, which has proved popular with specifiers looking for a closer match to natural slate to meet planning requirements."
In addition, the added environmental value they bring is a key factor in their specification. Independent carbon certification, the ability to achieve an A+ rating in the BRE’s Green Guide to Specification and certification to the BES 6001 standard for Responsible Sourcing, means they can help to achieve extra material credits under one of the current UK environmental assessment methods.
With the ability to help specifiers meet the budgetary, sustainability and aesthetic challenges of today’s competitive market, Marley expects that thin leading edge concrete slates will increasingly become the standard specification for new housing.