Hudson Bros launch new EnviroScreed product

Well-known sand and gravel company Hudson Brothers Ltd have developed their new EnviroScreed product at their concrete laboratory in Co. Wicklow. And company director Peter Hudson is confident that it will prove a hit with builders up and down the country.

The recession has brought many businesses to their knees, but one company that certainly can’t be accused of standing still is Hudson Brothers Ltd in Blessington, Co. Wicklow.

Established nearly 40 years ago to supply sand and gravel to the civil and construction industry, this family-run concern has grown into one of the most successful companies of its kind in Ireland. The development of their own distribution fleet of three, four and six-axle trucks has enabled Hudson’s to meet even the most demanding of delivery schedules.

Hudson Brothers was founded in 1971 by brothers Peter, Jack and Paddy Hudson and they have since been joined in the business by their sons Peter Jnr, Devin, John and Tommy. Over the past four decades, the company has played a pivotal role in the infrastructural development of the greater Dublin area through the supply of quality sand, gravel, drainage materials, crushed rock of all grades and sizes, and other associated products from its 300-acre quarry at Phillipstown in Blessington.

“We’re still going strong I’m pleased to say, despite the recession,” Peter Hudson Jnr says.

“We’re holding our own and still have 50 staff on our books. It’s tough out there at the moment, but we have managed to retain many of our best customers and we’re always looking at ways to improve and better our business. We set up a readymix concrete division in August 2007 and that has led to us developing our new EnviroScreed product, which we are very happy with.”

EnviroScreed is different to traditional screeds in that it is cheaper, easier to apply, dries quicker, won’t crack, shrink or curl and does not require reinforcement. It is particularly resistant to the effects under-floor heating can have on conventional sand cement products.

It has taken off well for us,” Peter enthuses.

The production of materials at Hudson’s Phillipstown quarry is state-of-the-art, which incorporates two large grading and washing plants for the production of sands and limestone peeble. These are renowned for their quality throughout the industry. There is also a static rock crushing plant on-site that is used to produce graded materials from a sandstone source, as well as numerous grading and crushing mobile plant.

The capacity and diversity of Hudson’s is testament to their foresight and dedication to serving their customers with the highest quality materials when they require them.

Since entering the readymix concrete business two years ago, Hudson’s have substantially increased their client base. They are currently supplying materials to a new apartment block in Tallaght, which is being developed by MDY Construction, a new Lidl supermarket in Newbridge and the new M50 and M3 roadways.

The company operates a fleet of 20 Hino mixer bottle trucks, the majority of which were purchased from Harris Commercials on Dublin’s Naas Road. The fleet is maintained by Hudson’s themselves. The success of the concrete division has led to the purchase of further plant which has increased the division’s capacity.

The quality assurance division of Hudson Brothers is centred on the on-site testing laboratory at Phillipstown. The laboratory is equipped with some of the most modern equipment available to ensure the quality of products meets their requirements of their clients.

Concrete and aggregate testing is carried out on a daily basis to ensure compliance with EN 206:2002 for concrete, NRA specifications and EN12343 for hydraulically bound materials and other standards. In-house production of computer software modelling for the development of grading and data tracking ensures a consistent guarantee of quality.

Hudson’s believe that ongoing research and development is key to the company’s future success. Research into new methods of design, new admixture chemicals available to the market and blending techniques are constantly under review.

With a view to assisting their clients in whatever they can, Hudson’s are awaiting delivery of mobile temperature matching equipment, which is the first of its kind in Europe. This will assist clients by reducing the stripping times of form works, which will allow for greater productivity over the working week.

Hudson’s are in the enviable position of being able to supply all of the aggregate requirements for the production of their high-quality concrete from their own quarrying facility in Blessington. The concrete staff employed by the company are well recognised and respected operatives who have a rich background in the industry. They have brought with them the best methods, experience and efficient work practices to be found in the concrete industry.

Hudson’s extract two types of material through two very different methods at their Phillipstown quarry. At the base of the quarry, there is a vain of solid grey wackey that is blasted to extract the material which is then crushed to varying sizes and graded for use in roads, general and civil construction etc as rock armour, gabion material, hardcore and surface blinding.

Sandstone pebble and sands exist naturally within the quarry. The materials are extracted via the use of many of the company’s excavators and are transported to two on-site washing plants where they are washed and graded for stockpiling and transport to customers.

The Hudson fleet, which includes six-wheel, eight-wheel and articulated trucks, is manned by an experienced team of drivers.

“Many of them have been driving for us for 20 years,” Peter explains.

“They know all of our customers, the sites and our customers’ requirements. They are excellent at what they do.”

For more information about Hudson Brothers Ltd and their new EnviroScreed product, telephone 045-865880 or fax 01-6335770.

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