Suppliers of: Celcon concrete blocks lightweight concrete blocks concrete thin joint system
H+H UK LTD manufacture a wide range of aircrete blocks (AAC), a lightweight Concrete Blocks to suit all types of wall construction.
Useful Resources:
- BIM files available on BPi
- H+H Academy: Online training and resources Click here
H+H is the UK’s largest manufacturer of aircrete products. We manufacture the market leading range of Celcon Blocks, including Foundation Blocks, Plus Blocks and Vertical Wall Panels.
H+H aircrete products offer a complete building material that meets the requirements of the Building Regulations, with the flexibility to offer solutions to hospitals, schools, offices, industrial warehouses and housing (social and private).
Used in partition, separating and external walls (solid or cavity), firewalls and as an infill to framed construction, our products provide durability and fire resistance as well as superb thermal and sound insulation.
Main Product Ranges:
Celcon Blocks
Celcon Blocks in Solar, Standard, High Strength and Super Strength Grades are the most commonly used aircrete block in the H+H range. All Celcon Blocks are BBA certified, are fire resistant (100mm walls, up to 4 hours, 2 hours if loadbearing) and have been classified 0 surface spread of flame and non-combustible to Class A1 (the highest class).
Celcon Block Solar Grade
Celcon Blocks Solar Grade is principally used where enhanced thermal performance is required. With superior thermal conductivity Solar Grade Celcon Blocks are suitably loadbearing for two storey buildings and can be used below DPC.
Celcon Block Standard Grade
Celcon Blocks Standard Grade is BBA certified and has a compressive strength of 3.6N/mm2. Due to its all-round performance, it is possible for a 100mm Standard grade Celcon Block to be used throughout a build, eliminating on-site confusion.
Celcon Block High Strength & Super Strength Grade
H+H’s Celcon Blocks High Strength Grade (7.3N/mm2) and Super Strength Grade (8.7N/mm2) are used principally where higher compressive strengths are required such as in the foundations and lower storeys of three storey buildings, piers under high vertical loads and in multi-storey buildings.
Celcon Vertical Wall Panels
Are the new generation of mechanically handled aircrete products that builds on the efficiency of thin-layer construction. These products offer all the benefits of aircrete material with proven site productivity.
Developed to enhance the key benefits of our thin-joint system; speed and quality of build with reduced waste. H+H UK’s Vertical Wall Panels offer all the attributes of aircrete as a building material whilst offering additional value to the project.
H+H Vertical Wall Panels are made to extremely tight manufacturing dimensional tolerances, supplied specifically for use with a combination of ancillary products and bonded using H+H’s proprietary element mortar to provide a nominal 3mm joint. This ensures a quality and quick build with little or no site wastage.
Celcon Plus Blocks
Celcon Plus Blocks are an alternative to the 440 x 215mm face format block and are suitable for the same applications. They are longer at 630mm long and come in a variety of thicknesses.
Celcon Foundation Blocks
Available in Standard Grade (3.6N/mm²) and High Strength Grade (7.3N/mm²), Foundation Blocks can be used to support 3 storey constructions. They are suitable for the support of solid or cavity walls, framed construction or suspended floors, including beam and block.
Jumbo Bloks
Jumbo Bloks are produced with the latest technology, offering a high degree of dimensional accuracy with sharp arises, which make them ideal for use with Celfix mortar.
Celcon Block Coursing Units
Coursing Units are produced from the same material as all H+H aircrete and are suitable for the same applications as conventional size Celcon Blocks, allowing consistency within the building fabric.
Celfix Mortar
Celfix Mortar is cement based and supplied as a dry, pre-mixed powder in 25kg bags. It has been designed to replace the traditional sand:cement mortar and is used with building with our Thin-Joint System. Celfix Mortar starts to set within 10 minutes of application and approaches full design strength in just 1 to 2 hours.
H+H UK Ltd joins Made in Britain
H+H UK Ltd has been manufacturing aircrete blocks in the UK for over seventy years. The company has now joined Made in Britain to highlight the benefits of keeping manufacturing local.
Aircrete is an essential element in UK housebuilding, being used in around 75% of all new homes built today. Local sourcing reduces risk for the industry, with short supply chains that are less affected by global economic and geopolitical volatility.
With three British factories, H+H employs over 200 people, and, like many UK companies, invests in its people – putting the health and welfare of its staff at the top of every agenda.
The organisation Made in Britain was launched in 2013, supported by companies who were keen to promote their investment in and commitment to British manufacturing. It’s a very simply premise – use of the Made in Britain logo makes it easy for purchasers to identify British-made goods and to make a positive choice to support local industry.
When it comes to aircrete the case is particularly persuasive. 90% of the constituent materials used in its production are available locally and, with plants in both the South and North of England, transport distances are minimal. An increasing focus on the vulnerability of international supply chains and concern over the CO2 emissions associated with international imports, local manufacturing has to be a positive solution.
“Housebuilding is a vital local industry and is well served by a supply chain based right here, with an intimate understanding of how the sector operates and what housebuilders and houseowners are looking for,” summarises Jenny Smith-Andrews, Head of Marketing, H+H UK Ltd.
“We are proud to be a British manufacturer and will be displaying the Made in Britain logo prominently, ensuring our commitment to local production and local communities is recognised and celebrated.”
H+H What are Modern Methods of Construction?
Modern Methods of Construction or MMC are building processes that aim to make construction faster and more efficient than using traditional techniques. They often include some element of offsite construction. Modern Methods of Construction range from ‘modular construction’, where whole units are manufactured in a factory and delivered to site on the back of a lorry, to traditional building products that have been modified to require less labour on site.
What are the benefits of MMC?
The housebuilding industry is currently dealing with a perfect storm of issues: an ambitious housebuilding target set by the government to alleviate the housing crisis, combined with an acute labour shortage and a growing skills gap. The benefit of Modern Methods of Construction is that they can provide a more efficient way of building.
The main benefits of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) are:
• Speed of build
• Fewer workers required on site
• Reduced waste
• Improved quality control
• Predictability of build
If used effectively MMC can deliver a faster build while requiring less labour, without compromising on the quality of the finished homes.
What’s the history of MMC?
The first real appearance of Modern Methods of Construction in the UK came after the Second World War to address a severe housing shortage. Prefabricated houses were made in factories and speedily erected as part of the “Homes Fit for Heroes” initiative, providing a quick, affordable solution to meet the huge demand for new homes.
Although intended as a temporary fix, many of these homes are still standing today. Designed to last just 10 years, they have often been lived in for decades, leading to widespread issues as materials degraded. This has left the term ‘prefabricated’ - or ‘prefab’ – with negative connotations, often associated with damp, unhealthy living conditions.
How is MMC used in construction today?
The quality of MMC systems has advanced dramatically since the post-war era. Today, with the UK in the midst of a ‘housing crisis’, there is growing demand for fast, affordable housing. MMC returned to the spotlight in 2016 with Mark Farmer’s Modernise or Die report, the outcome of an independent review into the construction industry’s labour model, commissioned by the government.
Farmer’s report identified key failings in the UK construction industry and urged it to embrace new working practices. He championed Modern Methods of Construction as a key driver to increasing housing delivery despite the looming labour shortage.
What types of MMC are there?
Following Mark Farmer’s report, the government launched a task force which developed a new categorised definition framework for different forms of innovative construction methodologies.
There isn’t a single answer to the question: what are modern methods of construction? In fact, there are 7 MMC categories:
• Category 1 – Pre-Manufacturing - 3D primary structural systems
• Category 2 – Pre-Manufacturing - 2D primary structural systems
• Category 3 – Pre-Manufacturing - Non systemised structural components
• Category 4 – Pre-Manufacturing - Additive Manufacturing
• Category 5 – Pre-Manufacturing – Non-structural assemblies and sub-assemblies
• Category 6 – Traditional building product led site labour reduction/productivity improvements
• Category 7 – Site process led labour reduction/productivity improvements
This is worth noting as there is a common misconception that Modern Methods of Construction and modular construction are the same thing. In reality, modular construction - also known as ‘volumetric modular construction’ - is just one type of MMC, falling under Category 1.
It is important to realise the distinction, particularly as modular construction has faced some widely publicised challenges in the UK over the last few years. These issues have resulted in many companies, some with government funding, going out of business, raising questions as to whether modular construction is the right fit for the UK housebuilding industry.
Does H+H offer any MMC solutions?
H+H manufactures Vertical Wall Panels which are MMC Categories 2, 3 and 6 compliant. Vertical Wall Panels (VWPs) are storey-height panels of aircrete which are craned into place onto standard foundations and can build a house shell from DPC to roof in just five days.
When used as part of a housebuilding package, with prefabricated timber floors and roofing system, VWPs offer a Category 2 MMC solution.
VWPs offer a fast build masonry alternative to timber frame MMC systems, offering all the benefits that come with using a tried and tested masonry material in addition to the construction advantages of an MMC solution. EPDs are available for Celcon Vertical Wall Panels.
Homes built with aircrete offer many benefits including excellent fire resistance, excellent thermal properties and acoustic insulation, resistance to damp and mould, and robustness for a long lasting build.
Modern Methods of Construction have come a long way since the post-war prefabs, offering a smarter, faster way to build. With proven solutions like H+H’s Vertical Wall Panels, MMC is helping to meet today’s housing challenges without compromising on quality or durability.
