Jun 22 2007
An innovative tensile and fabric structure company has won the 2007 BEX Innovation competition for its commitment to developing new and sustainable construction products.
Welsh company Architen Landrell received the award today at the Building Exchange event which is being held in Valencia, Spain.
Organised by UK Trade & Investment, the competition was aimed at uncovering the UK's most innovative construction companies. The competition finalists including Hambleside Danelaw, Secure Energy Solutions Group and Packexe Ltd were given the opportunity to exhibit at the BEX conference which attracts industry leaders from across the globe.
UK Trade & Investment Chief Executive, Andrew Cahn congratulated the winning company, Architen Landrell and said innovation was vital to the future of the construction industry.
"The UK construction industy provides more than £7billion worth of exports every year and has an international reputation for being a leader in intelligent buildings and sustainable design and construction," Mr Cahn said.
"It is essential that we continue to support forward thinking companies who are helping make our living and working environments more sustainable, efficient and cost effective."
Once a small sailmaking business, Architen Landrell has developed into a technologically advanced and highly skilled manufacturer of fabric structures through constant modernisation and improvement.
The company specialises in tensile fabric structures including tensioned sails, fabric screens, sculptures and ceilings and is recognised worldwide for its innovative designs.
Architen Landrell Managing Director Lance Rowell, said tensile architecture is a relatively new industry and there is constant opportunity for research, development and innovation.
"The products we design, manufacture and install are all tailor-made making each product an innovation in its own right. Each project requires original design and engineering before being tested and installed," Mr Rowell said.
Based in Chepstow, the company also has an in-house testing laboratory where it develops new ways of using materials and tests their strength and performance in extreme environmental settings.
"We have created a number of ground breaking innovations, the most recent, and most important being the development of insulated but lightweight fabric membranes. Through testing and improvement we discovered that by combining three layers of fabric and insulation material it could create a roof canopy capable of insulating as successfully as any other roofing system," Mr Rowell said.
Mr Rowell said winning the 2007 BEX competition had given the company the chance to attract the attention of up and coming industry leaders in the construction industry.
"Through UK Trade & Investment we've been able to extensively promote Architen Landrell's expertise in the design, manufacture and installation of tensile fabric structures to industry leaders and have been given opportunities to discuss exiting new business partnerships and opportunities."
UK Trade & Investment organised the competition in conjunction with Building on Business, Construction Products Association and British Expertise.