IN THE FRAME: NOVEMBER 2025
⏱️ 2 min read
Welcome to IN THE FRAME, your source of construction industry insights and inspiration from Howick.
In this edition, we focus on the meeting of smart business models and smart technology. We look at how a Melbourne design-builder started a framing manufacturing company to control the supply chain for their projects, and how a luxury hotel in New Orleans was finished twice as fast as a traditional build using Howick roll-forming technology. Then we see how Wernick Buildings invested in their people and technology to go from a humble builder of chicken boxes in 1934, to Britain’s largest independent manufacturer of modular accommodation.
For more inspiration and insight, be sure to sign up to our SMART BUILD SPOTLIGHT YouTube channel, where we highlight some of the world’s most innovative construction businesses.
SMART BUILD SPOTLIGHT: From chicken box builder to £250 million turnover
In our latest SMART BUILD SPOTLIGHT, we follow Wernick Group from 1934 to today, tracking their growth from chicken box builder to a leading manufacturer of modular buildings, with 35 sites across the UK and turnover of £250 million.
If you are a traditional builder considering switching to steel framing, or a modular builder looking to grow, this is a must read. There are many valuable lessons in the way Wernick managed the transition from timber to wood, invested in their people and supercharged their growth with Howick roll-forming technology.
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Don’t just build. Build smarter.
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Every episode of SMART BUILD SPOTLIGHT gives you an inside look at the innovators shaping the construction industry today. We go behind the scenes with global trailblazers to unpack how they are using smarter systems, digital tools, and advanced offsite techniques to build faster and more accurately, leaner and with less waste.
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- Learn directly from top operators
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Luxury hotel delivered twice as fast, with 66% less labour
Few projects showcase the benefits of offsite construction and light gauge steel framing automation better than this five-story luxury hotel in New Orleans. It was built twice as fast as traditional methods in just three months, with 5-6 crew members.
Find out how SLS Building Systems did it, with an eye to considering how their super-efficient processes could benefit your own business.
How this design-build business gained control by starting a steel framing company
Mancini Made, a Melbourne design-build specialist grew from a two-man-band in 2011 to employing 30 staff today, with 180 residential builds completed. Starting their own framing company, aptly named Framed by Mancini Made, was a key driver of their growth, enabling them to take ownership of their supply chain, improving quality and ensuring on-time delivery.
If you are already manufacturing framing inhouse or considering it, this is an inspiring story worth reading.
Feeling inspired?
The construction industry is evolving rapidly, with forward thinking businesses constantly pushing the boundaries of automation, precision, and efficiency. Talk to us today about how Howick technology can help you be part of the evolution. Visit our website or email us to find out more.
