Blog
Notes from our team on precast concrete, materials, and industry practice.
Blogs

Why lithium battery fires are becoming the biggest threat to UK waste recycling facilities
Lithium-ion batteries are powering everything from phones to EVs.They are also becoming one of the fastest-growing causes of fires.

Why Concrete Is the Best Material for Battery Fire Containment Walling
Battery energy storage systems are vital to modern energy infrastructure, but storing large amounts of energy makes fire safety critical. If a battery fire occurs, surrounding infrastructure must help contain it, protect nearby equipment and limit fire spread. Choosing the right containment wall material is therefore essential. Concrete offers a compelling combination of fire performance, durability and structural resilience, says Owen Batham, Core Precast Director at Elite Precast Concrete.

The smart foundation for EV infrastructure: Why choose Elite Precast charging bases
Our precast electric vehicle charging bases are engineered to deliver speed, durability, and long-term value.

Transforming water infrastructure with precast concrete drainage solutions
Precast concrete drainage products are rapidly becoming the gold standard for modern water infrastructure and for good reason.

How Elite Precast chicken ramps improve bird safety and welfare
Many poultry keepers underestimate the importance of a well-designed ramp. Chickens are not built for jumping.

Cobblestone or Liscio Stone – Choosing the right Retainer-Rock® face for your UK project
We offer our Retainer-Rock® retaining wall system in two distinctive finishes, Cobblestone Face and Liscio Stone Face.

Why fencing contractors and stockists are choosing concrete posts and gravel boards
More fencing contractors and stockists are turning to Elite Precast’s concrete fence posts and gravel boards.

Interlocking Concrete Blocks: A sustainable, cost-effective solution for modern construction
Our Legato® and Duo™ interlocking concrete blocks provide a practical & durable alternative to traditional construction methods.

Solid foundations: How scaffold blocks are raising the bar on site safety and efficiency
For scaffolding contractors across the UK the widespread use of precast scaffold ballast blocks from Elite Precast Concrete is crucial.

Setting the standard for fencing: Elite Precast Concrete Fence Posts and Gravel Boards
Our precast concrete fence posts and gravel boards are designed to help contractors, landscapers, developers, and homeowners.

From winter to peak production: Tackling spring quarry challenges
Elite Precast Concrete provides practical, reliable solutions that help quarries stay productive, safe and prepared for peak demand.

Elite Precast apprenticeships are helping career and personal development
Wlite Precast hear from Jessica Doody on how her apprenticeship is helping her career and personal development.

Life as an engineering apprentice at Elite Precast Concrete
Continuing our spotlight on Apprenticeships, today we find out about Agy Serafin who is taking part in our Engineering Apprenticeship.

Operations success for apprentice Matt
The apprenticeship is delivered through Derby University in conjunction with the Mineral Products Association, of which Elite are members.

The Essential Guide to Silo Base Foundation Slabs: Strength, Stability and Long-Term Performance
Elite Precast Concrete understand how critical a well-designed, well-built foundation slab is for maintaining the structural integrity.

Strengthening UK defence with durable and rapid-deploy precast concrete systems
At Elite Precast, we’re proud to support defence projects across the UK with a wide range of precast solutions trusted for their performance.

How Elite is supporting the build and security of modern data centres
Elite’s role in helping data centre developers and contractors build faster, strengthen site security, and futureproof their infrastructure.

Experience you can build on: Celebrating the Elite Precast Concrete Team
At Elite Precast Concrete it starts with people - the skill, dedication, and integrity of the team behind the products are our foundations.

How Elite Precast Concrete helps you stay ahead of risk
Whether it’s custom height bollards, branded barriers or accelerated delivery for urgent deployments, Elite Precast can help.

How Legato® walling blocks help stop the spread of fire in modern quarry management
One solution rising in importance is the use of Legato® interlocking wall blocks as part of a proactive fire-mitigation design.

Elite Precast Concrete’s Minion-Bollards – Safety Meets Charm
Elite Precast Concrete has built its reputation on delivering cost-effective, innovative, high-performance precast solutions.

Bespoke Manhole Cover Slabs from Elite Precast Concrete
Demand is growing for durable and regulation-ready infrastructure products - Which is why Elite Precast Concrete make Bespoke Manhole Cover Slabs

Keeping Road Workers Safe: How Elite Precast Concrete Barriers Protect People, Plant and the Public
Every day, thousands of road workers across the UK face real danger. At Elite Precast Concrete, we take that responsibility seriously.

How Elite Precast helps small waste operators meet new fire-protection rules
Elite Precast’s Legato® and Duo™ blocks are a practical, cost-effective way to meet new fire-protection rules.

Weatherproof Poultry Protection
Elite Precast Concrete shelter sets – a proven, durable solution for keeping chickens safe, comfortable, and productive all year round.

Elite Precast Electric Vehicle Charging Blocks
Elite Precast Electric Vehicle Charging Blocks come into their own by transforming how EV charging points are deployed across the UK.

Ground-Mounted Concrete Solar Ballast Blocks for UK Solar Farms
As the UK accelerates its transition to renewable energy, solar farms are becoming a familiar feature of the countryside.

The case for Minion-Bollards® within modern canal management
Traditional bollards have served this purpose for decades, but the emergence of Minion-Bollards® have changed the game.

How precast concrete scaffold blocks are enhancing health & safety for scaffolders
In the high-risk world of scaffolding, safety is paramount. Scaffolders face daily challenges that require skill and focus.

Secure, Efficient, Elite – The Concrete Advantage for Security within Agriculture
Elite Precast Concrete is ideally placed to address the challenges faced by modern farms, particularly in safeguarding assets.

Benefits of reducing water logging in material storage and water management within the UK Quarrying Industry
Owen Batham from Elite is ideally placed to look at how reducing water logging in material storage can offer several significant benefits.

Precast Concrete Scaffold Blocks: A Game-Changer in Construction Safety
In the ever-evolving world of construction, precast concrete scaffold blocks have emerged as a vital innovation.

The Minion-Bollard® – A Concrete Hero (without a cape)
Elite Precast’s Minion-Bollard® is facilitating maintenance and access in parks, according to Business Development Director, Paul Cartwright.

Providing solutions for track safety during maintenance
Keeping people safe is a key factor at Elite Precast, both within our premises and on-site.

The importance of silo bases within farms for feed storage
Made from precast concrete, silo base foundation slabs serve as the foundation for feed and storage silos.

Reliable storage bay solutions and the cost-saving benefits
By effectively protecting materials from water exposure, these storage bay solutions offer numerous advantages.

Meet The Minion – the Groundkeepers new best friend
Elite Precast Concrete’s latest innovation, the Minion-bollard®, is revolutionising urban security and landscaping management.

How precast concrete gully covers can tick all your boxes
By installing concrete gully covers instead of brickwork, you can create a more secure, efficient and long-lasting drainage system.

Flood Protection with interlocking blocks
Interlocking concrete blocks can offer several advantages when used for flood defence schemes, keeping people and infrastructure safe.

How do special access cover slabs contribute to reducing material waste on-site
Here at Elite Precast we believe that bespoke access concrete cover slabs can significantly improve project safety and efficiency.

Making life easier and safer with special access cover slabs
Here at Elite Precast we believe that bespoke access concrete cover slabs can significantly improve project safety and efficiency.

Thinking of changing your agricultural land to solar, read on…
Changing your agricultural land to solar? Here are some key points to consider if you’re contemplating changing your land use for solar energy

How marker blocks help to keep utility workers safe on site
Marker blocks pay a crucial role in enhancing the safety of utility workers in several ways. Marker blocks help utility workers.

How do concrete slabs protect gas mains
Utility protection slabs play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of high-pressure gas mains in several ways, these include:

The cost-saving benefits of reliable storage bay solutions
A well-designed, dependable storage bay is more than just a place to keep materials – it’s a strategic asset that can significantly reduce costs.

Making life easy with utility protection markers
We introduced precast concrete cable protection covers, indicator posts and marker blocks to make locating subterranean utilities simpler.

A hidden drainage system that keeps us safe
Precast concrete drainage is not something that springs to mind as a superhero, but with the increase of extreme weather events, our UK surface water and foul water sewers are overworked and under maintained.

Why precast concrete drainage is the best option for your project needs
Rainfall events are becoming more frequent, more intense and lasting for longer, putting more pressure on existing drainage systems.

Secure signage barriers that are perfect for platforms
With secure fastenings and the capacity to secure electric cables within the unit, the new Jersey-Lite™ barrier is proving perfect for rail platforms.

Electric Vehicle Car Parking
The damage to vehicles from electric fires (EV) within carpark and parking bays

Waste and Recycling Fires
Spread from waste, skip and recycling fires can be prevented or delayed by using A1 rated concrete blocks

Building safe areas for damaged Electric Vehicle (EV) storage
The sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have increased year on year since their introduction into the UK. However, so has the need for being able to safely repair or store a damaged vehicle. With this in mind, the Government has issued guidance to all stakeholders involved, including car repair

Safety first on the rail network
The dangers associated with working with the rail lines open to traffic can not be underestimated and should only be embarked upon in accordance with the principles of prevention included in the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 (“HSWA”) and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (“MHSWR”).Adjacent Line OpenTo minimise

Why use concrete blocks for storage bays
The top priority of the farming and agricultural industries for concrete block storage bays includes being hardwearing and durable, as they need to withstand harsh and aggressive environments, with constant use of heavy machinery. Elite Precast has a range to fast to install, highly durable, concrete block walls that are commonly used in farmyards, storage areas,

The importance of farm security
With the NFU Mutual reporting an increase in rural crime hitting yet another year high in the UK, securing your farm has never been so important. Made up of sole traders and family partnerships, our rural and agricultural sector accounts for approximately 64% of the food we eat and according to the Office of National Statistics,

Martyn’s Law – what you need to know
Unfortunately, the need to protect people and critical infrastructure has increased over the last 50 years. Currently there is no legal requirement for businesses to employ security measures to protect against the risk of terrorism. In addition to the numerous terrorist plots that have been foiled and according to the Government, there have been 3,416 terrorism-related

Made in Britain
According to a recent Made In Britain survey, 58% of British consumers and 47% of businesses prefer UK-made goods. Buying British made products supports our UK economy, securing local jobs and communities and lowers our carbon footprint, with a reduction in mileage and fuel emissions. It often offers customers shorter lead times and

The dangers of using recycled aggregates in concrete
Recycling Given the ever-increasing awareness of the environmental impact of construction and the desire to preserve the world’s resources, there is an onus on manufacturers to ensure their products can be recycled where possible when they reach the stage where they are no longer usable in their current form, known as end of life. The use of

The importance of quality concrete in interlocking blocks
What is concrete? For every person on Earth, three tonnes of concrete are used every year. This makes it one of the most consumed materials in the world, second only to water1. Concrete is comprised of three elements – cement, water and aggregates – with the first two forming a paste which hardens and binds the

Elite Precast hit out about the use of leaded glass in interlocking concrete blocks
In 2014, numerous UK companies raised the issue of leaded glass from cathode ray tube (CRT) screens being exported to the Netherlands, where it was being used by a company called 'A Jansen BV' to make concrete blocks which were then sold back to the UK in their thousands. Calling on the Environment Agency to intervene,

How to create the perfect on-site storage facility
Whether you own/operate a commercial, agricultural or an industrial building you will be familiar with the need to maximise your investment by making sure you make best us of the space. To do this you’ll need to assess your storage strategy and choose the right solution to help segregate or stockpile your stock – be

Specifier’s guide to precast concrete seating rings (adjusting rings) and gully risers (gully cover slabs)
Precast concrete seating rings (adjusting rings) & gully risers (gully cover slabs) are a practical & economical alternative to engineering brick coursing.

Precast Concrete Utility Protection Slabs
Precast Concrete Utility Protection Slabs are widely recognised as the most cost effective and robust method of protecting vital utility services from potential damage caused by mobile construction equipment. Underground gas mains, high pressure water or sewerage pipelines and high voltage cables are just some of the buried services that can be protected by laying

Separating fact from fiction – your guide to specifying and buying precast concrete firewalls
Following the well-publicised spate of fires within the waste and wood recycling sectors in the last few years the Environment Agency (EA) have been changing their regulatory approach to licence holders. The EA has been insisting companies implement increasingly stringent measures involving reducing stockpile sizes as a way of reducing the risk that a fire

Kentledge for above ground fencing / hoarding
The word kentledge might sound a little obscure with its origins going back to the 16th century. The original definition is ‘’Weights (often scrap or pig iron) used as permanent ballast on ships’’ however, kentledge is now playing a crucial role in some of the most technologically advanced and ambitious projects of modern times. For many

The Structure of Buildings and the impact on insurance premiums
Investing in new commercial premises is a major financial decision for any business however all too often little or no thought is given to effect that the choice of building materials can have on insurance premiums. Precast concrete has a well proven track record of being the building material of choice where fire risk is a

The Annual Investment Allowance (AIA)
What is the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA)? The AIA is the type of capital allowance that offers a 100% allowance on qualifying capital expenditure in the year of purchase. It is available to businesses regardless of their size. Why has it changed? In his budget statement of the 19th March 2014, the Chancellor announced that the AIA limit

Great news for farmers
Elite precast concrete are always on the lookout for anything that can save our clients’ money – so the latest tax relief for UK farmers building concrete structures is great news. We all know tax can be ‘’taxing’’ to explain but here are the basics (you may need advice from a qualified tax expert before committing) Overview For

Securing your land and premises against unwanted visitors
Valuable real estate is often targeted by unwanted visitors or thieves when it’s left empty for even the shortest of periods. The damage and disruption caused can run into many £1000’s, even undermining the long term value of the property or land as your un-wanted guests often return time after time – leaving only temporarily

Interlocking Concrete blocks for retaining wall structures
For many years the options for engineers specifying retaining wall structures have been limited to time consuming and often expensive solutions such as gabion baskets or crib-wall systems. However, over the last few years more and more retaining wall projects are being completed in record times and below forecast costs by choosing

The Use of Cathode Ray Tube Glass Waste in Concrete
Introduction Evidence has been presented by a member of British Precast that imported precast concrete from a Dutch supplier contains Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) glass waste utilised as an aggregate in the manufacture of the precast units. CRTs are classed as hazardous waste due to the metals they contain, this briefing note is intended to alert

Interlocking blocks – versatile and durable
There are an almost unlimited number of uses for high quality interlocking blocks – provided the manufacturer is not using recycled materials and is manufacturing the blocks to a recognised standard. Some of these uses are discussed below – Push walls Interlocking ‘’lego’’ type blocks are generally cast at least 600mm thick and provided they are made with

Keeping solar panels secure
Ground‐mounted solar power systems are being installed in commercial and residential applications throughout the UK in increasing numbers. Whether the solar power system utilizes Photovoltaic (PV) technologies such as fixed tilt, single axis, or dual axis trackers, or a Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) system, such as the parabolic trough, there is one thing that each

The importance of a good mould supplier
Photo courtesy of M & P Engineering (Midlands) Ltd – mould fabrication engineers for Elite Precast Concrete Ensuring good quality precast concrete involves keeping close control of many factors including raw material supplies, the production process, the testing of cubes for strength and other characteristics, training of staff etc however one the elements that often doesn’t

Concrete Marker Posts for a life-time of Utilities Identification
Marker posts and blocks are an excellent way to provide clear and long-lasting identification for utility services lines and junctions. Utility services such as electric cables, gas & water pipes are obviously an essential part of modern life; so too are access points to the services lines. But access in itself is not enough, the services

A buyer’s guide to Kentledge blocks
The term ‘’kentledge’ was first coined in early as 1607 and originally referred to pig iron or scrap metal used as ballast for ships. The word’s use has widened in recent years and the term kentledge is now widely used to describe any form of counterweight or ballast weight. Precast concrete blocks are ideal ‘kentledge’

Understanding your customers
Creating Value Companies like Aggregate Industries, that wish to move from merely selling their products to selling solutions, need to transform their core selling activities to focus more on value creation and less on value communication. We must continue to be less focused on pushing products and more focused on helping customers buy and

Fires in sewers, combustible pipes and pipeline integrity – is it worth the risk?
On 28th September 2014 fire-fighters were called to a fire at a building site at Cargo Fleet Lane, Middlesbrough after reports that 20 large plastic sewerage pipes had deliberately been set alight. The blaze resulted in the streets surrounding the site having to be cordoned off after the area was blanketed in a

A Buyer’s Guide to Precast Concrete Interlocking Blocks
Interlocking precast concrete blocks have a huge range of uses, from creating push / retaining walls suitable for storing compost, materials for recycling, salt and wood chip, through to kentledge counterweight blocks for perimeter fencing or hoarding, as well as various civil engineering projects. Given the popularity of these blocks, there are now a number of

Five questions to ask about your Fire Risk Management Strategy
With an increasing number of fires occurring at waste and recycling facilities across the UK, there’s a growing need for firms to take a more proactive approach to their fire risk management and to develop more sophisticated disaster recovery plans. To help, here are five questions to ask yourself… 1. Does the Current Best Practice Work for

Advantages of Precast Concrete Barriers
Precast concrete barriers have a wide range of uses and benefits, from keeping your workforce safe to preventing common nuisances. Here are our top four reasons for using precast concrete barriers: Managing Site Traffic Safety is at the forefront of all site management teams’ minds, so it pays to know that precast concrete barriers are ideal for managing

Concrete firm on starting blocks for Olympic effort
A Telford firm is winning its own race against time to ensure a prestigious Olympic contract is successfully completed well ahead of the upcoming London sporting extravaganza. Halesfield-based Elite Precast Concrete is supplying more than 21,000 of its precast concrete blocks to the official Olympic organisers LOCOG, who are using them as sturdy counterweights to help

Elite Precast Concrete expands on fantastic foundations
Elite Precast Concrete celebrated the official opening of its new state-of-the-art facility by welcoming an MP and industry Chief Executive. The Member of Parliament for Telford, David Wright, and British Precast Concrete Federation Executive, Martin Clarke were on hand to unveil the Telford-based concrete company’s new 23,000 square feet of manufacturing, workshop, and office space, giving

TVCBs added to innovative product range
We’ve recently added a new range of product to our Security Barriers range – the Temporary Vertical Concrete Barriers (TVCBs). The barriers have a huge range of uses, from traffic control, and pedestrian and workforce safety, right through to site security, kentledge, flood defence, and anti-terrorist functions. They’re also ideal for use in conjunction with
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