Amber Valley Stone were appointed by main contractor Gilbert‑Ash to manufacture and supply a full package of bespoke precast concrete elements as part of the transformational Young’s Court development at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. The scheme, designed by Stanton Williams, introduces exemplary new residential, study and social facilities within the historic collegiate setting.

Client: Emmanuel College

Architect: Stanton Williams

Contractor: Gilbert Ash

Photography: Jack Hobhouse

Project: Emmanuel College, Cambridge, UK

Materials: Wet Cast

Colour: Ivory with Medium Acid Etched Finish

“We are proud to contribute to such a prestigious and carefully considered development. Working collaboratively with Gilbert‑Ash, Stanton Williams, and the College allowed us to ensure that every precast element supported the architectural intent and upheld the quality expected within a historic Cambridge setting.”

Joe Wheatcroft, Business Development Director, Amber Valley Stone

Conclusion

The completed precast package delivers both functional performance and architectural refinement, helping to realise the project team’s vision for a modern collegiate environment that respects Emmanuel College’s 400‑year legacy.

Amber Valley Stone is proud to be working in partnership with the University of Derby to advance innovation and improve production efficiencies in cast stone manufacturing. This collaboration reflects our commitment to continuous improvement and sustainable growth, aligning with our long-term vision for smarter manufacturing.

With support from the Green Entrepreneurs Programme (GEP) and Invest to Grow (ITG), we’ve developed a process that allows us to explore new methods for streamlining production. This initiative has enabled us to train staff, refine our processes, and showcase how modern techniques can enhance consistency and quality across our product range.

Nic Thompson – Senior Project Manager from the University of Derby shared his thoughts on the partnership:

“We are delighted to be supporting Amber Valley Stone with their exciting and innovative growth plans, which will significantly enhance their operational capabilities and manufacturing capacity in Alfreton.

The funding support provided under the Invest to Grow and Green Entrepreneurs programmes towards this capital expenditure has been a catalyst for enabling Amber Valley Stone to invest in and finalise a new game-changing solution for their sector. Not only will this help safeguard the future of the business and semi-dry cast manufacturing in the region, it will also support the creation of new jobs and decarbonisation activity.

The University of Derby is looking forward to furthering its relationship with Amber Valley Stone over the coming years.”

We’re excited about the future of this partnership and the opportunities it presents. By working closely with research institutions and investing in smarter ways of working, we’re helping to shape a more efficient and environmentally conscious future for construction materials.

We’re proud to announce that Amber Valley Stone has officially achieved ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification — a significant milestone that reflects our commitment to quality, sustainability, and continuous improvement.

What Are ISO 9001 and ISO 14001?

ISO 14001 is the international standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS). It demonstrates our commitment to managing our environmental responsibilities in a systematic way, helping us reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and minimise our environmental impact.

ISO 9001 is the international standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS). It ensures that our processes consistently meet customer and regulatory requirements, and that we are continually improving our operations to deliver the highest standards of service and product quality.

Why These Certifications Matter

Achieving these accreditations is more than a box-ticking exercise – it’s a reflection of our values and our vision for the future:

🤝 Trust & Transparency: Certification by an independent body reinforces our credibility and commitment to doing things the right way.

✅ Customer Confidence: ISO 9001 assures our clients that we have robust systems in place to deliver consistent, high-quality products and services.

🌍 Environmental Responsibility: ISO 14001 shows our dedication to sustainability and responsible business practices – something increasingly important to our customers.

🔧 Operational Excellence: These standards help us streamline processes, reduce inefficiencies, and foster a culture of continuous improvement across the business.

What This Means for You

Whether you’re a long-standing customer or new to us, you can be confident that Amber Valley Stone is operating to internationally recognised standards – delivering quality you can trust, and doing so with care for the environment.

We’re excited about what this means for our future and look forward to continuing to serve our customers with excellence and integrity.

Amber Valley Stone was commissioned to manufacture and supply bespoke red precast coloured concrete units for the Forest Road project in Walthamstow. This project, designed by Gort Scott, aimed to provide 90 affordable one-bedroom homes for local first-time buyers. The development is situated on a prominent site opposite Lloyd Park and the William Morris Gallery.

Client: Pocket Living

Architect: Gort Scott

Contractor: Legendre UK

Photography: Jack Hobhouse

Project: Pocket Living, Forest Road, Walthamstow

Materials: Wet Cast

Colour: Bespoke Red with Acid Etched Finish

“We, at Legendre UK, would like to express our sincere gratitude to Amber Valley Stone (AVS) for their support in the delivery of the very complex Forest Road project.

The intricate design and advanced engineering requirements presented significant challenges, especially given the large number of bespoke mould/shapes, the significant size and weight of each element and our very tight program.

AVS rose to the occasion, demonstrating their extensive knowledge and expertise in stone supply to meet our project’s unique demands and high-quality expectation.

We appreciate their collaboration and dedication, which have significantly contributed to the successful delivery of the project.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with AVS on future projects and highly recommend their services.”

Pierre Pellerin, Operations Director, Legendre UK

“This project showcased our ability to deliver bespoke solutions tailored to the client’s needs.

The acid-etched red precast concrete units added a distinctive character to the development, aligning perfectly with the architectural vision.” 

Ian Woollen, Project Manager, Amber Valley Stone

Conclusion

The Forest Road project stands as a testament to Amber Valley Stone’s expertise in delivering high-quality, bespoke precast concrete solutions. Our collaboration with Gort Scott and Legendre UK resulted in a development that is both functional and visually striking, providing much-needed affordable housing in Walthamstow.

Due to continued growth and market demand, we are pleased to announce the exciting expansion of our current production capabilities to now include a new 22,000 square foot facility less than 100m from our current head office and production facility located at West Way, Somercotes, Derbyshire.

The new unit, is now open and fully operational, housing our Goods In, Mould Storage and Recycling, GRC Production, Wet Cast Rack Work Production and Steel Reinforcement Fabrication team.

This investment in production facilities not only allows AVS to meet the growing demands of our customers for fast and efficient order production and fulfillment in the most cost-effective manner, ensuring maximum productivity and efficiency. It also allows AVS to progress their ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability by way of continually improving systems across the business to minimise the impact on the environment.

Google Map Data Copyright 2024

Goods In
Mould Production
Wet Cast Rack Work Production
Steel Cage Fabrication

Mould Storage and Recycling

At Amber Valley Stone, we recognise the need to care for and protect our planet, so we are committed to reducing the impact that our company has on the environment. An integral part of our business strategy is the continuous improvement in our environmental performance.

A significant part of our mould library can be reused or recycled. Moulds use a lot of wood and steel fixings, both of which are reusable. Additionally, moulds can be dismantled and their parts repurposed. Lacquered side panels can be cut down to form the side for a smaller mould and exterior struts can simply be reused. All of which works towards our ongoing commitment to reduce and minimise the impact on the environment from manufacturing.

GRC Production

Our new GRC production facility provides three times more space than our previous one. The addition of a twin mixer, supplied and installed by Power Sprays, (part of Fibre Technologies International) allows for the doubling up of  mixtures or alternatively having a mix running whilst pouring from the other. A dispensing unit allows for the accurate measurement of mixture without having to hand measure.

The new unit also had a dedicated area with two new bespoke ‘curing chambers’ ensuring all required conditions are met throughout the curing process.

A high quality Duchy of Cornwall project called Kew An Lergh (Cornish for Way Close) delivering a range of community benefits including a nursery school, offices, shops and restaurant in three Arts and Crafts style buildings grouped around a landscaped courtyard.

Client: Duchy of Cornwall

Architect: ADAM Architecture & ALA Architecture

Project: Kew An Lergh, Nansleden, Newquay

Materials: Wet Cast

Colour: Bathstone with Medium Etch Finish

Approx. tonnes of stone supplied: 34

Start: Sept 2021 | May: 2023

“From the outset we found AVS to be helpful and honest about production and delivery periods and they did not let us down after committing to the very tight timescales required of our project programme.

AVS were able to offer a design service which managed the stone weights and unit sizes for delivery and installation. They guided us
through the process of coordinating fixing designs and worked with our wider design team to find a means for achieving the detailing required for the buildings’ period features. The AVS engineers designed stone reinforcement and fixing locations such that they could be feathered into our own project engineers’ overall structural designs. The experience and management that AVS brought to our design
stage became further evident later with the seamless installation of their product in the construction phase.

We were able to schedule deliveries to suit our build programme and AVS’s interest in our project did not stop once the deliveries had been made to site. We enjoyed helpful after sales service and advice when needed and AVS’s pride in their work and the contribution it made to the end result on site is still evident even after the buildings have been handed over and occupied.

We are likely to have similar feature stone work on future phases of our development and we will be approaching AVS to discuss the possibilities of working together with them again.“
Mark Wheeler, Design Manager, Project Team

Situated in 7.5 acres of landscaped grounds, Jephson House is a period property, carefully restored by Spitfire Homes to create a series of exclusive and unique one and two-bedroom apartments. Built around the 1850’s and one of the first country houses to be built in the area on the back of Leamington’s continuing golden age as a spa town.

Challenge:
Neo-Gothic in style, with limestone mullion windows contrasting with red brick, Spitfire Homes vision was to restore this once fine country house back to its former glory sympathetically into nine luxury apartments together with eleven new build houses. AVS was tasked with supplying the stonework to seamlessly blend with the existing.

Solution:
AVS visited the site to review the profiles and colour of the existing Jephson House Stone. Working with the architect details and survey notes, AVS produced full working drawings for the new stone elements. Once approved, our skilled joiners were able to manufacture the stone units required to complete the restoration.

Result:
The collaboration between Amber Valley Stone, the architects, and the contractors resulted in a successful project completion with high-quality cast stone units. These new stone elements have provided a timeless look to the exterior of the building and are in keeping with the building aesthetics.

Client: Spitfire Homes

Architect: Thrive Architects

Project: Luxury Apartments, Jephson House

Materials: Semi Dry & GRC

Colour: Bathstone

Approx. tonnes of stone supplied: 20

Start: March 2022 | Completion: 2023

“Amber Valley Stone have helped us greatly with the specification and detailing of many architectural stone components, suited to both the new build and conversion elements at our Jephson Portfolio project near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

Most components were supplied semi-dry cast although we did opt for a GRC design to a couple of entrance door surrounds for a pair of new build townhouses. Amber Valley assisted us greatly in both the detailing and installation of the latter, with GRC being a relatively new product to Spitfire.

Overall, we are delighted with the end result and the blend of original natural stone detailing with new components has perfectly harmonised in-line with our original vision for the development.”
Adrian Clift, Head of Department – Spitfire Homes

As part of our continual improvement program, as well as our firm dedication to manufacturing quality products to the construction industry, we have renewed our full membership to UKCSA for 2023.

Belonging to UKCSA assures our customers that the quality of our products and services conform to the highest standards.

What is UKSCA?

The UK Cast Stone Association (UKCSA) is the ‘Guardian of Quality for Cast Stone and represents the UK’s leading manufacturers. 

Setting high performance standards and supported by rigorous testing and quality control, members of UKCSA must demonstrate their continuing adhesion to the UKCSA Standard.

UKCSA Standards are used by architects and contractors alike when specifying and using cast stone to complete projects.

As a company, we continue to place great emphasis on producing long lasting, quality units across our cast stone, precast and GRC ranges.

For complete peace of mind, when choosing your next cast stone, precast or GRC supplier, choose Amber Valley Stone for assured quality and service.

For further information or to forward your enquiry please contact us on 01773 540707 or info@ambervalleystone.co.uk  

Amber Valley Stone recently commissioned Mist-Air to supply and install the latest technology in effective dust suppression systems in both its indoor and outdoor production areas to improve the working environment for staff by significantly reducing airborne dust and odours without wetting floors, stock, personnel or machinery.

The system was customised to control dust in our entire indoor production area, by dispersing a micro fine fog that suppresses airborne dust resulting in improved visibility and working environment. It was then adapted for installation into our outdoor area where the cement silos and stored aggregates are housed and transited which, by their very nature, generate dust daily.  In addition, varying weather conditions can often increase the spread of dust or make it more difficult to manage and clean up without creating more dust. These varying outdoor factors can now be managed by the dust suppression system with its independent timer function that allows for either automatic operation or operation set at pre-determined levels.

The system works by producing large quantities of microfine fog from a small amount of water which then floats in the air without falling to the ground, keeping materials, floors, machinery and personnel dry, leaving the environment dust free and replacing it with safe dry fog.

An example of how ultra fine the fog is can be compared to that of an aerosol which sprays fifty microns, the fog created by the dust suppression system is as low as five microns or 5000^th of a millimetre when dispersed making it physically undetectable.

Andy Bush, AVS Site Manager, commented, in the short time since its installation he has already seen significant benefits for the production staff.

“In the recent extreme heat we have experienced, production staff have not had to come in extra early to ‘beat’ the heat of the day, in fact, we are seeing increased productivity because of cooler dust free working conditions. What we now have is a cleaner working environment together with the added benefit of delayed moisture loss in our cast stone, making the investment into this non-invasive, zero maintenance system a ‘win-win’ all round for staff, health and safety and the production of our cast stone.”

Andy Bush – Site Manager, Amber Valley Stone