Leading pitched roof tile manufacturer, Russell Roof Tiles, has invested over £3 million in the last two years in projects at its Lochmaben site that aim to increase its operational efficiencies, with a new ridge tile plant becoming the latest investment.

The £750,000 major upgrade is taking place at the firm’s Scottish site, located in Lochmaben, Dumfries, and is one of the biggest upgrades the site has seen since its operations began back in 1986. 

This significant investment, which aims to improve its efficiencies and speed up manufacturing will also see a new and better-insulated curing chamber with a modern and improved heating system being installed. This heating system will provide the capacity to cure more ridge tiles in the chamber in a more time-efficient manner.

The new announcement is a follow-on from the substantial £2.5 million investment which was made last year by Russell Roof Tiles. The money was used to assist with equipment and machinery upgrades as well as a total revamp of its utility line, which was unveiled towards the end of 2022 after two years of planning and preparation.

The utility line investment at its 11-acre site at Lochmaben, has already improved production speeds, efficiencies and futureproofs the facility for the next 20 years, after the installation of its first robotic packer from Vortex Hydra – who have been successfully designing, assembling and installing concrete tile production plants globally for the past 50 years. 

The investments made over the past two years at its Lochmaben site now take the firm’s total to £3.25 million, highlighting its ongoing dedication to offering housebuilders and developers high-quality products and UPCV accessories. 

Bruce Laidlaw, Operations Director at Russell Roof Tiles, comments: “As part of the Russell Roof Tiles sustainability mission, we’re keen to invest in the business, upgrading our plants where necessary to ensure we are operating at a more energy-efficient capacity. The latest project falls in line with our sustainability strategy and we’re confident that it will result in lower carbon emissions. 

We’re just beginning the second stage of the project which will see us installing the new curing chambers, and we expect to see the project complete and running smoothly by the end of June.” 

Andrew Hayward, Managing Director at Russell Roof Tiles said: “This is another huge milestone in our long-term capital improvement plan to further enhance quality across the business and utilise the latest innovations in manufacturing.”

The investment also aligns with the company’s objective of reaching net zero by 2040, as they have considered environmentally friendly upgrades that will lessen the carbon footprint of the plant.

In 2022 Russell Roof Tiles announced plans to become a Net Zero business by 2040. The manufacturer works hard to source materials locally and were the first British roof tile manufacturer to have achieved an “Excellent” rating for responsible supplier sourcing. 

Russell Roof Tiles is a leading independent pitched roof tile manufacturer supplying products for the top housebuilders and high-profile social housing and commercial projects.  

The company produces thousands of tiles every week that are used on roofs across the country, by premier housebuilders and developers. 

Manufacturing & Engineering Magazine | The Home of Manufacturing Industry News