05/06/08

Huge increase in use of factory-produced mortar

Use of factory-produced mortar in the UK has increased dramatically over the last decade says the Mortar Industry Association.

In 1997, according to the association’s figures, 2.0 million tonnes of factory-produced mortar was being produced, some 46% of total mortar usage. In 2007, output increased to 2.8 million tonnes or 78% of total usage.

‘End-users, big and small, now see the wide benefits available from using factory-produced mortars,’ said chairman of the MIA marketing committee, Dave Stewart.

‘As demands for quality in construction have grown so has the use of factory-produced mortar. It’s produced to specification with accurate cement content, offers excellent strength and colour consistency and avoids the vagaries of site mixing implicit with batching based on a shovel and a concrete mixer. What’s more you avoid problems of pilferage and wastage simply because you don’t need big cement and sand stocks on site.

‘There’s no doubt the biggest users such as the large housing contractors specify factory-produced mortars because of their inherent product safety. We’re now working on the outstanding 20% of non-users – mainly, we think, made up of the spec builder or ground worker who thinks factory-produced mortar is only for big users. We’ve worked on that as an industry and MIA members can now deliver volumes from 0.25 cubic metres upwards. It’s a flexibility that comes about through delivery options that include plastic bags, wet mortar in tubs and dry mortar in silos.’

Further information or access to any photographs contact Brian James at Brian.James@mineralproducts.org or call 020 7963 8000.

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