Global modular building specialist, Volumetric Building Companies (VBC) will be coming to the UK, having announced ambitious expansion plans
VBC is coming to the UK, with plans to target the UK build-to-rent, affordable housing, student accommodation, and hotel sectors.
Due to become a $1bn modular construction company over the next three years, VBC recently merged with Polish modular manufacturer Polcom earlier this year to extend its reach into Europe.
VBC specialise in sustainable offsite solutions
Headquartered in Philadelphia, VBC offers advanced steel-framed modular and innovative timber construction technologies. Both solutions have significantly less environmental impact that in-situ construction and are often more cost-effective to boot.
VBC uses a technology-enabled design and engineering model and precision manufacturing to deliver sustainable offsite building solutions which reduce build programmes by up to 50 per cent.
This approach is helping to address the chronic undersupply of housing globally.
Offsite manufacturing could be the answer to the housing crisis
Andy Smith, UK director of VBC, “Residential – both build-to-rent and affordable housing – is one of the fastest growing segments of the offsite sector, driven by the high cost of private rental, the lack of affordable housing, and changing demographics. There is a critical need to increase the housing stock in high density urban areas and to radically improve the productivity of UK construction.”
“We now have a dedicated management team in place in the UK and there are plans to have an offsite manufacturing facility for VBC here, in addition to our existing and extensive modular production resources in mainland Europe.”
Designing in-house components creates a more cohesive construction lifecycle
“VBC has the resource and proven expertise in the industrialisation of construction, using a Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) approach and data intelligence to drive continuous improvement. We have dominated the hospitality and affordable housing spaces in other countries with our innovative timber volumetric and steel-framed offsite solutions.
“We also manufacture ‘components’ inhouse – such as bathrooms and cabinets for kitchens and bedrooms – giving us complete control and security of supply for fixtures, fittings and finishes from design to manufacture, installation and handover.”
VBC is coming to the UK with target sectors in BTR and affordable housing amongst others
“Our aim in the next three years is to secure a strong order pipeline in our target sectors in the UK – student accommodation, build-to-rent, affordable housing, defence, custodial, and hotels – and to raise the profile of VBC here, ahead of our expansion into Western Europe. We are already in advanced discussions with a number of hotel groups, private developers, major contractors, and social housing providers.”
