Haddonstone's USA Customers Love Traditional English Architecture

Here Chris Doyle, Vice President of Haddonstone's Commercial Operations in the USA, talks about the American operation in Pueblo, Colorado, and gives us an insight into the American customer base.

Can you give us a short biography on you?

I hail from Doncaster in South Yorkshire and have worked for Haddonstone Group for 15 years. I joined whilst still at university (it is the only ‘proper' job I have had!).  In terms of education, I have a Bachelor's degree in business management from the University of Hull along with Master's degree in Senior Leadership from Sheffield Hallam University (Haddonstone also sponsored and supported me to carry out my Master's).  

I joined the Haddonstone group in 2010 working for Pennine Stone as a graduate trainee and worked my way up to Commercial Manager after learning all aspects of the business processes.  I was then asked to move to the US operation in November 2021 as Commercial Manager and now hold the title of Vice President of Commercial Operations. Regarding family, I have an amazing wife and seven-year-old son who are enjoying a new life in the USA; we have been here nearly 3 years now! In my spare time, I enjoy playing golf and exploring the Colorado mountains with my family.

What is your title and role at Haddonstone? Can you describe the role and what it entails?

As VP of Commercial Operations, I oversee all aspects of the company's commercial operations including sales processes, contract management, and pricing strategies.  I am tasked with ensuring the efficient performance of all sales activities and operational performance.

Where do you find inspiration?

Great question! I get a lot of inspiration from people.  Interacting with people from all walks of life, especially those from diverse backgrounds who have admiring stories to share, gives me new ideas and insights.  I also get a lot of inspiration from personal experiences (both positive and challenging). 

Projects - most proud of and why?

Two projects spring to mind.  One was a project called Yuki Hospital in Japan; this was the first large project I was involved in when I moved to the US.  This is now a huge private Nursing Home in Ibaraki (about 70 miles North of Tokyo).  Our client was based in Seattle and I had multiple visits there to fully understand the requirements.  This was also a UK collaboration with the products being manufactured in Northamptonshire.

(https://www.haddonstone.com/en-us/case-studies/yuki-hospital-ibaraki-japan/)

Yuki Hospital, Japan

The second project was a local one in Evergreen Colorado (which is about two hours north of our office and manufacturing plant in Pueblo).  Our client was an inspirational man called Charles Bluth who is a very successful self-made property developer.  Charles took his vision and passion for classical architecture and wanted to produce a property designed with the look of the palace of Versailles. We manufactured the façade stonework for this property on its own private mountain 30 miles from Colorado's capital of Denver.

(https://www.haddonstone.com/en-us/case-studies/private-residence-evergreen-colorado/).

Chateau V in Evergeen, Colorado

What size is the facility you look after and how many people work there?  What is the capacity product-wise? For example, "how many units per week" is a good statistic.

We have a three-acre site in Pueblo Colorado, and we employ 25 people.  We manufacture, on average, 35,000lbs of product a week and, depending on the size of products, this would be roughly 200-300 products. 

How many employees are you responsible for?

I am responsible for four employees in the front office, and I also help the factory of 21 individuals on some operational practices.

Haddonstone is known for continual investment in the factory - what is the next addition/development in US?

Our next addition to the factory will hopefully be the custom-made manufacturing arms that have been installed in the UK for a couple of years now.  These were designed by our in-house steel fabricator, Andy Holt, and these produce a more compact product; they also reduce the hand arm vibration that our casters experience with a routine hammer.

Haddonstone's site in Pueblo, Colorado

Where in the world do your products go - just USA?

We ship to the US, Canada, Korea and the Caribbean Islands.

What are favourite products/design trends the USA loves?

I think the USA market really appreciates our classical and more traditional architectural and landscape products.  They give them a feel of having an English-inspired design in their space.  Americans are also proud to receive products that are made in their own country so our balance of English designs that are manufactured in America really goes well with our clientele.

Does the US operation differ from the UK one? If so, what are the differences?

Overall, the manufacturing operations are very similar. However, one big difference is the logistical challenges of moving product around such a large country.  Commercially, it makes no sense to have our own fleet of vehicles, like we have in the UK; we rely on trusting and developing relationships with America's largest freight carriers to get our products to customer safely.

Are US customers different to UK customers? If so, how?

Overall, I think customers have some similarities. However, I think US customers are just so devoted to a product or service once they have received or experienced something they like! They love us and love telling everyone. 

Who are your customers?

We have a wide range of customers such as private homeowners, architects, landscape designers, general contractors and governing bodies.  We have a very loyal customer base; particularly, architects and landscape architects who continue to specify our products for appropriate projects.

What is the best thing about working for Haddonstone?

The best thing about working for Haddonstone must be the family history behind the business.  Although we are a relatively small business, our employee retention in both countries speaks for itself and I truly believe this is down to everyone having value and respect for one another which I think has been instilled right from the start of the founding of the business over 50 years ago.

 For further information, call 01604 770711 or visit www.haddonstone.com

Urban Art With Heart: HIMACS Powers Stuart Melrose And Kev Munday’s Colourful Tribute To Reading

How do you celebrate the spirit of a town in a high-profile work of public art? This was the challenge presented to designer Stuart Melrose and artist Kev Munday when they were commissioned to create a stunning backlit mural made from HIMACS solid surface for the new £850million Station Hill development in Reading.  

A key feature of a £1.5 million series of artworks, devised by cultural placemaking agency Futurecity, and commissioned and funded by Lincoln MGT JV, the mural is part of a public realm art trail across the two acres linking the station with the town centre, and is intended to both reflect and enhance the area’s cultural legacy.  

Having local connections, plus experience of the kind of material that could both capture the essence of the design and withstand the demands of an outdoor, high-traffic public installation, Melrose and Munday began the process by working with an advisory committee that included historians, local art groups and school children.  

“The experience was both inspiring and highly enjoyable,” says Stuart, “and it soon became clear there was fantastic scope for embodying Reading’s heritage and personality in a really vibrant, fun and distinctive way. Bringing artist Kev Munday on board was a no-brainer, his joyful, graffiti style work is unmistakable and absolutely ideal for this project.” 

Welcoming arrivals to Reading from the train station, the mural marks an important pedestrian gateway to the town and frames the new underpass while being visible from a ‘pocket park’ opposite – the perfect vantage point from which to enjoy this spectacular installation. Considering its location, the mural needed to be formed of a material that could go the distance in terms of withstanding weather, a constant stream of passersby, and any damage it might incur.  

“HIMACS was the obvious choice of materials from which to fabricate the mural,” confirms Stuart, “It has incredible design flexibility combined with the requisite toughness, it’s compatible with all the complex lighting and electronics, plus it’s non-porous, resistant and easy to clean, but can also be repaired, if necessary. The choice of Opal from the Lucent collection was the ideal way to get the eye-catching yet diffuse translucency we were after.” 

Paying artistic homage to a vibrant town, with help from its children 

Aptly named “Royals, Residents & a Rock Festival”, the project acknowledges the area’s cultural heritage including famous faces associated with the town, such as Kate Winslet, Ricky Gervais, Kate Middleton (now HRH The Princess of Wales) and Marianne Faithfull, alongside local figures such as businesswoman Tutu Melaku, scientist Dr Ethelwynn Trewavas and table tennis champion Matthew Syed. Reading landmarks such as the Hexagon Theatre, the Oracle and ONE Station Hill – and of course the town’s globally renowned rock festival – are also depicted. 

It’s clear by the delighted and fascinated reactions of passersby, day or night, that the installation is a popular and captivating success, which works beautifully as an urban regeneration project to engage townspeople and visitors alike – a worthy landmark for this important transport and economic hub and gateway to the west of England.  

"This hugely impressive public space is now effectively the town’s new front door. The creation of an attractive green space and accompanying public square, complete with seating, sculptures and artwork, will quickly become a destination in its own right," says Councillor Liz Terry, leader of Reading Borough Council of the Station Hill project. 

Lee Fearnhead, director of construction for UK & Europe at Lincoln Property Company, and on behalf of the Lincoln MGT JV, adds: "This newly landscaped area was previously a derelict, inaccessible site for the best part of 20 years. We have transformed it into a series of attractive open spaces which everyone in Reading can enjoy." 

How the mural was made: 

“The installation is a kind of giant, complicated light box,” explains Stuart Melrose. “The outer shell and the black lines that stencil the front of the piece and represent Kev’s original artwork are made of powder coated aluminium. The real magic in the piece from a design perspective – which also makes it the first of its kind at this scale globally – is the way the rich and even LED colours fill the space between these lines, and glow from pastel tones to deeper shades as it gets darker outside.” 

To achieve this effect an extensive, programmable system for over 100,000 individually addressable LEDs was devised, together with something Stuart describes as a “cookie-cutter” style channel to guide the light, and crucially, choosing “the best diffuser we could find.” This came in the form of HIMACS, a material capable of diffusing the illumination to optimal effect, spreading the light evenly and allowing for clarity of colour.  

“What’s more,” as Stuart explains, “being the front-facing surface to an outdoor, 50m-long mural, it needed to be structurally strong enough and durable enough to withstand life in a public space and an extremely high traffic area. But we also needed something that could be repaired should any damage, accidental or deliberate, occur. Ultimately, there was only one solution to make our vision possible and that was class-leading, tough, translucent HIMACS.”  

To span the extensive wall that frames the new underpass, ramp and steps, 54 sheets of HIMACS and the ‘lightbox’ frame were fabricated and fitted by façade specialists AGS System Ltd, with lighting supplied by Earlsmann and programmed by Lee Savage.  

“The design demanded the HIMACS panels to be milled to precise dimensions,” adds Stuart, “So they could be put together like a giant puzzle that follows the aluminium lines at the front.” It was also essential that the panels could be removed for access to the electronics, while having expansion gaps between them.   

Kev Munday, described by The Daily Mail as “the new Banksy”, is delighted with the result, and seeing his artwork come alive at such scale and luminosity. The collaboration with the schoolchildren resulted in a series of charming drawings which could then be adapted to his signature style. The black stencil lines needed to be drawn in such a way that every line and curve touches another, so that the “puzzle pieces” of the HIMACS elements could be fitted neatly into each aperture of the interconnected frame.  

The Lighting programme also allows for animated effects, from the eyes of the characters often giving a cheeky wink here and there, to full scale colour changes and movements in which special effects such as fireworks or wording can move across the mural. In fact, Stuart even managed to surprise and delight his wife by having the mural declare a “Happy Valentine's Day” when he gave her a sneak preview of the work!  

Stuart Melrose bio: 

Multifaceted design studio Stuart Melrose has worked with major global brands and won several awards, while gaining a large following on social media and the attention of the international design press. Stuart Melrose has been commissioned for special pieces at exhibitions such Grand Designs Live, The Ideal Home of the Future, the Chelsea Flower show and George Clark’s Amazing Spaces.  

He has worked with architects Zaha Hadid and Foster + Partners plus clients such as Disney, Microsoft, BAA, The Discovery Chanel, Reading Borough Council, Hampshire County council, and many others. He has designed and produced items from large sculptures and public art through to world record-breaking lighting installations and a widely acclaimed furniture collection. Pushing the boundaries with materials and technology, Stuart enjoys an experimental and cutting-edge approach to design. 

Kev Munday bio: 

Kev Munday crafts vibrant, utopian worlds and invites viewers to step inside and explore. Inspired by the energy of everyday life and people, his work celebrates the beauty in the ordinary, transforming it into something extraordinary. His art speaks to all ages and his signature style of bold black outlines and vivid block colours creates an electrifying visual impact. Perhaps best known for his iconic crowd paintings, his work is a vibrant tribute to diversity and community. 

Munday’s journey began in the early 2000s as a teenage graffiti artist and these accessible and engaging roots remain integral to his art today, whether adorning gallery walls or revitalising public spaces. Kev has collaborated with brands including IKEA and Nescafe Azera and his work has been exhibited in The Royal Academy of Arts, The Arnolfini and The Hayward Gallery. His work also extends beyond traditional art spaces and is often studied in schools – reinforcing his belief that art is not just to be observed but to be interacted with, explored and brought to life. 

Watch the video. 

PROJECT INFORMATION 

Location: Reading, UK  

Design: Stuart Melrose www.stuartmelrose.com │x.com/Stuart Melrose 

Art: Kev Munday www.kevmunday.co.uk │ @Kevmunday 

Client: Lincoln MGT www.stationhill.co.uk  

Curated by: Futurecity www.futurecity.co.uk 

HIMACS Supplier: James Latham www.lathamtimber.co.uk │@lathamsltd Fabricator: AGS System Ltd  www.agssystem.co.uk 

Material: HIMACS Opal S302 │ @himacseurope  

Lighting supply and Installation: Earlsmann Lighting  www.earlsmann.co.uk 

Lighting programmer: Lee Savage   

Photo credits: Marcus Peel Photography │ @marcuspeelphotography 

Sculpting Excellence: A Look Inside The Haddonstone Design Studio With Simon Helm

Here Simon Helm, Studio Manager at Haddonstone, gives an insight into the traditional design and sculpting methods used to create the company’s bespoke architectural and garden stonework products.

How long have you worked at Haddonstone?

I joined the company in 1988. I studied art and design at university and decided I wanted to focus on sculpting after working on a restoration project at Lamport Hall. I saw Haddonstone as a good company which could develop my sculpting skills; and to earn money too was a bonus!  I worked on the factory floor for a couple of years learning the processes and then moved into the design studio.  I’ve now been managing the design studio for over 25 years.

How would sum up your role?

I design, sculpt and create bespoke pieces that will be cast in stone.  Once the design is completed, photographs are sent to the client for approval before we make the production moulds. I sculpt smaller, more intricate projects in modelling clay then make the mould from the model, whereas larger, architectural pieces are modelled in wood or plaster which are then used to make the fibreglass moulds. I like to use traditional methods when I design – no AI or 3D printer sculpting here! 

What is your favourite part of the job?

I love designing and sculpting the original model and realising the 3D design. It’s good to see the finished result and know that it will still be around many years after I’m gone!

Do you work with clients directly on projects?

Clients occasionally visit the studio, but it is more normal for the client to liaise with the sales team. 

What’s the most unusual piece of work a client has requested?

We were asked to scale up a traditional lion finial for the entrance to a grand property in the Middle East. We were presented with an original that was about 28 to 30 inches high, and the client wanted it to be recreated as a seven-foot statue.  We didn’t have the machinery to do it on site, so we worked with a company with a huge CNC machine. The rubber jacket alone weighed 70 kilos!  We saw photographs of the finished statue in situ, and it actually looked quite small!

How long does it take to make a new mould?

That depends on the project. A small simple mould can be made in a few hours, whereas on the other end of the spectrum it can be 12 weeks. One project was to recreate a replacement for a damaged griffin statue. The client had two, so we created a mould from the undamaged one, taking 12 weeks. It’s really important when making moulds for poured pieces not to trap any air, so we use different types of rubber depending on the piece.

How many moulds are in the archive?

We hold 1000s of moulds in the archive. These include many hundreds of masters and, for commonly produced pieces such as balusters, we keep multiples of these. As space is limited, we tend to keep moulds for bespoke pieces for up to six months.

How many times can a mould be re-used?

That depends on the mould. The fibreglass cases we create to hold the rubber mould for the stone to be poured into last for about ten years. On a complicated mould, the rubber will normally last 18 – 24 months. We replace commonly used moulds for features, such as balusters, every eight to ten years.

How many people work in the mould shop?

At the moment, there are three. This has varied over the years depending on what projects we are working on. The tendency at the moment is for more contemporary architectural pieces rather than more intricate stonework. Before our operation in the USA set up a mould shop, we were also making moulds for the team there.

How long does it take to train a new member of the team?

To learn the basics takes six months to a year but, in this job, you never stop learning. Decent pattern makers and model makers are in short supply in the industry, so we are lucky to have long-serving, well trained members of our team.

For further information, call 01604 770711 or visit www.haddonstone.com