S+A Fabrications

Geoff Simpson
www.roundhouseltd.co.uk

"The Enterprise Agency continues to excel in its support of businesses in Teesdale and Wear Valley. The award ceremony is a wonderful way to celebrate and showcase companies that have been able to ‘buck the trend’. The evening was a thoroughly enjoyable success"

S+A Fabrications was established by Geoff Simpson and John Allison and is a steel fabrications business manufacturing steel framed buildings since 1978.

The company says that the only major change in manufacturing agricultural buildings since the1950s has been that they have tended to be larger. However this changed with the recent invention of the Roundhouse by Geoff and John.

The Roundhouse challenges conventional thinking on the operating cost benefits of a round building instead of the traditional rectangular building for agricultural useage.

Roundhouse Building Solutions has been established as a wholly owned subsidiary of Simpson and Allinson. To protect the concept and ensure any future development of this type of building remains with the founders a European Patent has now been granted.

The concept is a deceptively simple one with round buildings dating back to the Bronze Age and utilising natural forces. Roundhouse Building Solutions have developed the design using modern technology and materials to create a unique building which not only optimises animal welfare but significantly reduces operational and building costs with erection times slashed, producing significant savings in terms of labour.

The company claims that additional benefits include the fact that movement of livestock inside the building becomes virtually stress free as animals are soon familiarised with the handling facilities passing through the race and crush or between different pens with ease. The animals are also able to see each other and the interior of the Roundhouse makes a very calm and relaxed environment.

To reduce maintenance and to increase longevity the building frame is galvanised and designed to be permanent. However it could be dismantled and relocated if required. The roof is made from a tensile PVC coated polyester fabric of incredibly high strength and durability, commonly used on prestigious and complex architectural feature roofs and previously considered prohibitively expensive to use on livestock housing. And at the end of life the whole building is 100% recyclable.

The last 18 months has seen the company win a clutch of prestigious awards including Best New Building in the Rural Building Awards and a silver medal (which at that time was the most they could win) by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Show.

The company has expanded with another two highly experienced staff, one to provide a sales and marketing function and the company has already completed orders in the UK and internationally.

As well as investing in team members to spearhead the growth of the Roundhouse concept, the founders are also planning to embark on further research and development to innovate further in terms of building design and production through the Roundhouse company.