On the 11th of February, GEMX facilitated a CPD visit to FastHouse in Limavady, which offered a fantastic opportunity to enhance industry knowledge, explore innovative manufacturing and design practices, and strengthen collaboration with key partners across the sector.
The session opened with a presentation delivered by the Manufacturing Manager, Joel, who was very informative about processes from initial conversations with architects right through to installation of the timber construction frames. Their main goal is to address the current housing crisis here in the North West and beyond. The appeal of utilising hybrid system kits in home construction is to do with speed; a pair of semi-detached houses can be weather-tight in just 2.5 days.
The company has grown tremendously over the past 7 years, increasing yearly builds from 200 to 1700. Because of this growth, they are constantly recruiting more staff to aid with the manufacturing process.
The company has grown tremendously over the past 7 years, increasing yearly builds from 200 to 1700. Because of this growth, they are constantly recruiting more staff to aid with the manufacturing process.
As it is difficult to find new-hires with experience in this niche field, a lot of emphasis is placed on on-the-job training, stating a lot of their current employees had zero experience when they first joined. Retention of staff is a main priority for FastHouse. Many staff have been employed with the company since 2015.
After learning more about their company, attendees were provided with PPE and taken down to the factory floor for a closer look at the manufacturing process and an in-depth tour of their site.
Attendees saw the different work stations and stages of the building process and engaged in interesting discussion with employees. The state-of-the-art premises stretch over an impressive 260,000 sq ft, making it one of the largest manufacturing facilities in the North West. With over 150 employees following LEAN Manufacturing protocols, they are able to keep up with demand and continue expanding their business.
With 2 production lines and consistent quality check routine, FastHouse ensures each frame is built and handled with care and precision.
Thank you FastHouse for hosting such an enlightening and informative session!
