Marley investment allows for major expansion

31 August 2006

Marley Plumbing and Drainage is investing in its Head Office and manufacturing site in Lenham, Kent, expanding facilities and improving the environment for staff and the surrounding community.

Chris Nunn, Managing Director of Marley Plumbing & Drainage comments, "We're beginning with a great deal of demolition work that will free up valuable space. The eradication of the old manufacturing building that was once used for producing foam components will enable us to use 9000m² more space for external pipe storage."

The picture shows Chris helping the demolition process along. Part of the renovation of the site has included a re-organisation of the existing extrusions hall to accommodate high-speed lines and the creation of a hall for new lines and future expansion. The warehousing operations are now consolidated into one area, instead of spread around Kent. In the future Marley intends to install two new injection-moulding machines to manufacture large components, further develop the warehousing operation, introduce narrow aisles to make better use of the space and replace their fleet of delivery vehicles based at Lenham. Marley has been at the Lenham site since the first roof tile production began in 1924. The site grew in the 1950’s with the start up of plastic pipe manufacture and in the 1960’s Marley began making foam components such as dashboards for cars. When foam production moved off site Marley Plumbing and Drainage began the process of expanding its operation to the buildings previously occupied by foam production. The recent expansion and improvements of the Lenham site will not only allow Marley Plumbing and Drainage to have all operations on one site (with the exception of the Company’s distribution depot near Glasgow), but will also enable the company to grow further in the future.