Article as appeared in the June edition of the RCi  (national roofing magazine)

Founded almost 30 years ago, Chesterfelt is membrane manufacturer that is going from strength to strength, culminating in a £4 million investment programme.

Competitive

Managing director Peter Holland said: “Here at Chesterfelt, we have gained a reputation for providing excellent customer care, developing innovative products and supporting the UK economy.”

The roofing industry is highly competitive.  There are many competitors out there, and it helps to stay ahead of the game mixing experience with innovative products.

Founded in the late 1970s by engineer Richard Garth Rendle, Chesterfelt is based in Sheepbridge, Chesterfield, which provides good transport links to the whole of the UK.

Chesterfelt’s product portfolio includes bituminous products pour and roll applications, high- performance torch-applied systems, and underslating membranes.

For instance, nine million square-metres of the BS747 1F product has been applied since the company was founded – almost enough to cover Birmingham.  The company has also developed a whole range of breathable and non-breathable membranes to ensure that, via its distribution channels, Chesterfelt products continue to thrive within the UK housing stock.

There is also a great emphasis placed on continually driving forward products and taking advantage of the latest developments in technology:  high performance APP/SBS torch-ons, self adhesive systems, single ply membranes and a cold applied monolithic seamless roofing system (shortly to be launched).

Investment

Chesterfelt has just completed a £4 million investment in a range of projects, including new storage facilities for raw and finished materials, plant, packaging processes and IT equipment.

The company’s products are also manufactured to British standards and have BBA accreditation.  Products are specially designed and manufactured to meet the needs of the UK’s diverse weather conditions.

UK sourced materials are ‘greener’ in that reduced mileage reduces the impact on the environment, together with overcoming stock problems which can occur with port blockages, etc ultimately giving better stock control levels.

It also means improved quality control.  If there are issues with quality of locally sourced materials, problems can be resolved in a much quicker timeframe, ensuring that there is no loss of productivity.