How Hampsey Limited (Hampsey) has become one of Britian’s premiere concrete subcontractors
A specialist in reinforced concrete subcontracting, Hampsey was founded in 2007 by brothers and namesakes Greg and Brian Hampsey. Since its early beginnings, the company has gone on to become one of the UK’s leading providers of reinforced concrete solutions.
Thanks to an extensive track record of delivering large scale, complex projects to the highest quality within tight deadlines, Hampsey has established a strong reputation across the industry. From traditional groundworks including project pre-delivery to more complex concrete frames, Hampsey promises to deliver excellent results, on time and on budget. For example, Hampsey has recently completed a £36 million project for the biggest monopile company in the world in just 36 weeks. The company has also recently completed a £20 million project on the Liverpool Gateway, and a large-scale student housing project in Scotland, which provides 551 student beds as well as a gym, gaming arcade, dining spaces, and social areas. In partnership with Graham Construction (Graham), Hampsey completed three 36 metre cores in less than eight weeks.
Another significant project for Hampsey was a part of the £300 million regeneration of Candleriggs Square in the historic Merchant City Quarter in Glasgow. Working in partnership with Graham, Hampsey provided concrete and groundworks to the project. Upon completion, the site, which has been derelict for more than a decade, will house a 17-storey building. Constituting the final part of the Merchant City regeneration, Candleriggs Square provides 346 build-to-rent apartments featuring studio, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments along with six duplex penthouses. The block will also include a community dining space, gym, business lounge, and a games room. At ground level, retail and commercial units will contribute to creating a vibrant public realm. A first-floor landscaped courtyard and rooftop terraces will consolidate Candlerigg’s position as one of the most exciting new developments in Glasgow.
What unites these examples is Hampsey’s extensive range of services and skills, which are thanks to its expert team and years of experience. Furthermore, Hampsey has made significant investments in the latest reinforced concrete frame technology, enabling the most efficient construction solution to be proposed and safely delivered to the highest quality. By embracing innovation and continuous investment, the company has been able to take on more unique and challenging projects, such as the Islington Pumping Station in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. The new pumping station on the bank of the Great Ouse River is complete with a flood defence system as well as upgrades that have increased the station’s capacity from 2800 litres per second to 16,000 litres per second. The pumps and concrete casing have been rigorously tested to ensure that they are future-proof and therefore able to protect the 6000 hectares of land they are shielding for decades to come. As the structure is mainly concrete, Hampsey constructed most of the building, as well as providing concrete walls and slabs, including casing for the pumps.
The project was significantly more complex compared to typical urban areas. Having to overcome all the challenges that mother nature throws at it, an environmental infrastructure project such as this has unique requirements that can have critical consequences in the event of failure. However, Hampsey demonstrated that the complex engineering and practical challenges of building on riverbanks were solvable thanks to its depth of knowledge, experience, and skills.
With an impressive portfolio of high-rise builds for a diverse range of clients that have ranged in value from £50,000 to £10 million, Hampsey has gained extensive knowledge across a variety of concrete solutions. Such expertise sees Hampsey provide feasible, economic options to help clients ensure the solution fits their design requirements.
People centred approach
A popular technique that Hampsey employs is slip form concrete pouring. Traditionally used to construct large storage silos and other industrial installations, the method is increasingly being utilised in high-rise construction for service cores. The technique offers particular advantages, such as up to 80 percent time savings time saving in terms of floor cycles. Although the initial set up can be labour intensive, slip form requires less labour over the course of a project, leading to significant cost reductions. With rigs being enclosed by monoflex, slip form is also one of the safest methods of construction, providing workers with a safe environment by preventing an operative, as well as any objects, falling from the rig.
Another area of specialism for Hampsey is post tension constructions. Structures made using this technique offer many advantages over traditional reinforced concrete methods, as their design allows the steel reinforcing bar normally present in a structure to be replaced with post tensioned strand. The shape of the strand laid within the slab enables compressive stress to be introduced into areas where tensile stresses develop under load. This results in a reduction in the amount of reinforcement required, as well as minimising the amount of cracking that occurs in the concrete.
Having reviewed its operations and capabilities, it is clear that Hampsey’s evolution has been the result of a willingness to embrace new approaches and take on challenging projects. However, a major part of Hampsey’s continued success emanates from its community and people centred approach. The company is dedicated to supporting its employees and maintains an active relationship with broader community by supporting several initiatives, such as local football teams like the Heysham Blue Stars under 13 team. Creating a workplace and environment that is supportive and enjoyable is a critical factor for standing out from the competition, particularly considering the skills shortage facing the UK’s construction sector.
With multiple projects approaching completion and many more in the pipeline, the company’s growth shows no sign of slowing. Hampsey has built its steadfast reputation and solid client relationships through the delivery of complex projects in an efficient, high quality, and cost-effective manner. Its highly skilled and experienced technical workforce supports clients through every stage of the construction process. Working across a range of sectors throughout the UK including energy, highways, rail, and civil engineering, Hampsey has developed the necessary resources to overcome even the most challenging projects.