Sealocrete is the UK's leading independent manufacturer of lightside building materials, chemicals and construction products.

Established in 1934 the company's innovative waterproofing, dustproofing and coloured concrete admixtures played a major role in construction in the Second World War and in rebuilding postwar Britain. Sealocrete produces over 90% of its products in-house so that it can maintain quality control and offer superior customer service.

Sealocrete products include concrete admixtures, adhesives, decorating products, floorings, wall coatings and concrete repair products. Sealocrete products are available through Builders Merchants across the UK.

From Small Beginnings
Sealocrete was founded in Middlesex by Mr Eric Haes in 1934. At the outset there were just two full time staff and a part time assistant, and the product range comprised of just three materials – one of which was the forerunner of today’s highly successful Sealocrete Double Strength Premix. By 1937 the name of Sealocrete was already established in the building industry.

Innovative Products To Aid The War Effort
In 1939 Sealocrete moved to larger factory and office premises in London. Between 1939 – 1945 many of Sealocrete’s products were used to assist with the War Effort. For example, Sealocrete was the first to supply admixtures to enable concreting work to be carried out successfully during frosty weather. This enabled a concrete roof to be constructed on an army camp in Richmond Park during the icy 1940 winter. Sealocrete products were used to dustproof and waterproof aircraft, arnament factories and Ordinance depots. The concrete passage floors under Whitehall, which connected the wartime offices of the late Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill and his staff were also dustproofed by Sealocrete.

Sealocrete Waterbar and Sealocrete Double Strength Premix were used as waterproofers in the construction of the Mulberry Harbour, which played an important part in the landing of Allied troops in France in 1944. Sealocrete Double Strength Premix was also used to waterproof concrete rafts and the internal renderings and mortar joints of storage tanks built to provide water for fire fighting during the blitz. Then, as now, Sealocrete provided full technical support for these innovative projects.

Rebuilding Britain
Sealocrete also played an important part in the rebuilding of post war Britain. Sealocrete’s Sealotone Cement Colours were widely used to create the coloured concrete floors specified by the Government for the council homes built in the post war period. The demand for Sealotone was high and Builders Merchants throughout the country began to stock the product. This was the start of the close links with the Merchant trade, which Sealocrete continues to maintain.

Shortly after the Diamond Jubilee of Sealocrete in 1984, Mr Haes died and Sealocrete was the subject of a Management Buyout. In 1988, control of the company was bought by the Nullfire Group based in Coventry.

A Period of Expansion
Meanwhile, in 1971 Mr Michael Kelly founded PLA Products in Rochdale, where six products were produced for sale to Builders Merchants. In 1974 the number of products manufactured and the number of Builders Merchants customers supplied by PLA Products increased so much that the company moved to a 12,000 square foot factory at Norden, Rochdale. This was later expanded to include a 15,000 square foot warehouse.

During the next ten years, PLA Products’ continued to grow. Glazing and DIY products and Sealants were added to the product range, and the Builders Merchants product range was also extended. By 1984 the company outgrew its 27,000 square foot facility and acquired 60,000 square foot premises on four acres, which it currently occupies.

In 1992 PLA Products purchased Sealocrete from the Nullfire Group creating the existing company. Sealocrete’s operations were moved to Rochdale and a 17,500 square foot distribution centre was purchased.

In March 1998 Sealocrete decided to add paint to its product range to enhance the offering to its customers. As the company has a policy of manufacturing its products in-house Sealocrete purchased a paint manufacturing business in Wrexham.

Evironmental matters are a prime duty of management and an area where every employee has a contribution to make and the company trains and encourages staff to operate in an environmentally responsible manner. The company does everything practicable to:

• Meet or exceed the requirements of all relevant environmental laws and regulations and will adopt responsible standards where no regulations exist. It will seek to continually improve environmental performance.
  
  
• Carry out environmental audits and measure against set targets.
  
  
• Have and develop products and processes that are intrinsically safe and do not cause environmental damage. New products and processes will be assessed for environmental impact at an early stage of development; they will also be assessed for efficient use of natural resources and energy and for the safe and responsible disposal of residual wastes.
  
  
• Communicate with employees, the public, customers, distributors and contractors on environmental matters including actual and potential hazards of processes, products or wastes and will seek to work with industry, academic and official bodies to gain and spread relevant knowledge.
  
  
• Run its business in such a manner as to minimise incidents and emergencies but will in any case maintain and develop procedures to respond quickly and effectively if and when these occur.