What are your thoughts on the current economy, and what similarities are there to past events? I first met Roger Stowell in 1959, around six months after he had started making concrete blocks in a field behind the family farm. Over the years, I became involved and have memories of advertising concrete blocks at especially low prices – obviously, a period of recession – over the years there have been multiple ups and downs but ‘we cut our garment according to our cloth’ so money was not wasted, enabling us to weather the bad times. Profits made were invested in expanding our range of products and being able to take advantage of opportunities. - Margaret Stowell These difficult market conditions seem to be going on for ever, it’s a bit like death from a thousand paper cuts, I preferred 2009, it was harsher and deeper but a lot shorter. - Vincent Stowell I was only 11 years old in 2009, so didn’t take much interest in the economy and how it was affecting Stowell Concrete, I remember “Dad being a bit scratchy”. This is therefore the first period of economic downturn that I have experienced during my working career, but I know it certainly won’t be the last. Business has slowed in recent years, certainly for us and it seems in the construction industry as awhole, that said, I believe in the resilience of the construction industry, just as we did in 2009, we will bounce back. Independent businesses like Stowell Concrete are built to weather difficult times. - Beth Stowell Dowe need to buildmore houses? Yes as the population increases so does demand for housing. - Margaret Stowell Yes, but they need to be resilient to climate change, I think aggregate block traditional buildings mitigate a lot of the challenges - a lot of houses are going to get built in flood plains, a tiny percentage will get flooded but masonry houses are easier to repair - summer temperatureswill be warmer but well-designed masonry houses because of their mass reduce the heating peaks (think about window orientation, cross flowventilation andoverhangs onSouth facing windows) - Vincent Stowell Yes, we need more houses, but they must be the right kind, new houses must be sustainable and built to last. Concrete as a building material is effective due to its durability and longevity, with a lifespan of over 100 years, building houses with concrete products is the most sustainable option when considering whole life carbon (WLC). WLC analysis encompasses the lifecycle emissions of manufacturing, installation, maintenance, replacement, and end-of-life processing. If WLC analysis is considered, house builders should prioritise the use of materials that are strong, durable, insulating and will last for generations, this not only reduces maintenance costs further down the line but lowers the ongoing cost of heating and cooling homes. This is because at a building level the passive thermal performance offered by concrete can reduce the energy demand for heating and cooling, not only does this lower household running costs, using less energy further enhances theWLCperformance of the home. - Beth Stowell Where do you see Stowell Concrete in the next 5 (or 10?) years? Who has a crystal ball? - Margaret Stowell Thriving, the last few quiet years have allowed us time to gain our BES EN 6001, sort out Occupation Health Surveillance for our employees, get our heads around apprenticeships and invest in renewables. We have continued to invest in our production capacity and increased our range of products, so we are well set up when demand increases. - Vincent Stowell I see Stowell Concrete bouncing back and flourishing. Whilst recent years have presented challenges, we have continued to reinvest in our future. Our ongoing investments in onsite renewables, employee training and efficient production techniques means we have the infrastructure and skills needed to react when the building, landscaping and civil engineering industries evidently bounce back. Looking ahead, I believe sustainable manufacturing will not only be popular, but essential. My hope is that Stowell Concrete will stand out as a business that genuinely prioritises environmental responsibility. I hope we lead by example, producing locally sourced, long-lasting and environmentally responsible products. - Beth Stowell Concrete as a building material is effective due to its durability and longevity Margaret Stowell Managing Director Vincent Stowell Managing Director Beth Stowell Accounts Manager 23
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