THE GRC CENTRE is a wholly owned subsidiary of PBS Synergies
For over 30 years we’ve been at the forefront of the UK’s cast stone and GRC industries.
During this time we’ve established 3 manufacturing companies, all of whom have become market leaders through an uncompromising attitude to both innovation and attaining the highest level of quality and compliance.
To give anyone interested in working together with us some background, below is a brief overview of who we are and our history over the last three decades.
1993-2002
Our parent company Pennine Building Solutions t/a PBS Synergies was formed in 1993 as a company providing investment and management services to manufacturers of concrete building products.
Over the next fourteen years we developed a new start up, NBS Pennine to become one of the UK’s leading producers of artificial cast stone products supplying most of the countries leading housebuilders.
It was during this time that our relationship with both Glass Fibre Reinforced Concrete (GRC) as a material and the operation of a customer service driven logistics fleet began.
2002-2008
In 2002 we had the opportunity to become involved with another new start up Pennine Stone.
With significant investment from the majority shareholder Haddonstone Group a new factory was commissioned in Carcroft near Doncaster to produce cast stone architectural dressings along with developing the potential GRC could possibly bring to the housebuilding sector.
The period from 2002-2008 saw us establish the company as the dominant force in the sector with an innovative production and logistics strategy. This included becoming the first such company to have a manufacturing process accredited by the BBA. We also oversaw the first commercial production of GRC products
In 2008 we made the decision to move the business away from cast stone and concentrate purely on GRC manufacturing. At this time the company was renamed from it’s original Bob Faulding Management Services to Pennine Building Solutions.
2009-2014
2009 saw PBS form a subsidiary company Glass Reinforced Concrete UK Ltd (GRCUK). This company soon made it’s mark as a major manufacturer and supplier of architectural GRC.
Over the next six years additional investors were brought on board as the company expanded in not what was then an embryonic industry operating in the challenges of a global recession.
These difficult challenges made all the stakeholders decide to sell the GRCUK business allowing access to the significant funding required to fully capitalise on the company’s growth. In early 2014 the entire share capital of the business was sold to the Laing O’Rourke Group who still operate it today.
During our ownership and management GRCUK manufactured and supplied high quality GRC to many prestigious projects including the Olympic Village, Tollcross International Swimming Centre and the RIBA award winning University of Greenwich Stockwell St library amongst many others.
2014-2018
Following it’s established businesses model of operating through subsidiary companies PBS formed a new business GRC Synergies and expanded its activities into specialist GRC consultancy.
Between 2014-2018 the company was involved in several major projects throughout the UK, Europe and USA including Crossrail and Shard developments in London and Karla Tower in Gothenburg which when completed will be the tallest building in Scandinavia.
GRC Synergies was also appointed as the quality assessment partner of the International Glassfibre Reinforced Concrete Association (GRCA) providing in-depth quality audits of it’s Full Members as well as becoming the first laboratory in Europe to become accredited to ISO 17025 standards for testing GRC.
2018-2021
In 2018 the company decided to form two more businesses. Synergies Moulds produced moulds for both GRC and precast concrete manufacturers.
GRC Synergies (Technical Services) was originally established to carry out research and development work supporting our consultancy operations however soon once again turned to manufacturing to assist consultancy clients.
To reflect the group structure a new name was introduced PBS Synergies Group which is the trading name we still use today.
Between 2018-2021 the manufacturing business not only supplied GRC products to various projects but also supported main contractors who were experiencing problems with defective GRC facades. Over major projects worth several million pounds were undertaken removing and replacing defective GRC claddings.
These projects presented significant challenges in relation to site logistics and installation. However these aspects also allowed the group to be it’s most creative resulting in a decision to move exclusively into providing these services. In 2021 PBS Synergies sold it’s manufacturing operations to concentrate on it’s site installation and consultancy activities.
Today
PBS Synergies now specialises in providing turnkey design, supply and fit sub-contract services to major GRC projects across the UK.
To support this we have created THE GRC CENTRE providing a unique consultancy providing 3rd party quality and compliance expertise to anyone procuring GRC.
Using our skills and experience we complement manufacturers own quality processes and procedures ensuring our clients can be confident that the GRC products on the buildings they are constructing meet compliance standards appropriate to the consequence of failure risk.
Our services include developing project specific inspection and testing plans, carrying out capability assessments of supply chain participants, conducting periodic Factory Production Control inspections and conducting validation testing on manufactured products
Visit PBS Synergies web siteContact us
If you are involved with any aspect of the GRC supply chain we believe we can help you.