UKCSA "Excellence in the use of Cast Stone" competition

The UKCSA 2016 “Excellence in the use of Cast Stone” competition is open to entries from cast stone manufacturing Full Members of the UK Cast Stone Association, for projects that have used the Members’ own cast stone. Further details on the project entries, and further images, may be seen on the Projects pages of the UKCSA web site.

Everyone, apart from the UKCSA Full Members, can vote for their favourite project in each of the Six Awards Categories, but may only vote on one occasion. Any subsequent votes will be discounted. All voters will be entered into a prize draw to win champagne to celebrate the Association's 25th Anniversary with us.
All votes must be submitted by 5.30pm on Thursday 31st March 2016, and votes must be submitted on the official UKCSA form at www.ukcsa.co.uk/projects/UKCSA-awards-2016.php.

All Winners will be announced at the UKCSA 25th Anniversary AGM, to be held on Wednesday 13th April 2016, at the Kilworth Springs Golf Club, North Kilworth, Leicestershire LE17 6HJ.

Cast Stone at Tate Britain

Inspired by a Barbara Hepworth textile design, the concept for this unique modular design comes from Rosie Irving, who involved United Kingdom Cast Stone Association member Haddonstone to transformed the design into a three dimensional cast stone form for use initially as part of the Chelsea Fringe, before being moved to a permanent display at Tate Britain.

The modular shapes have been cast by Haddonstone in their Portland and Slate TecStone cast stone colour finishes to create the contrasting black and white colours displayed in the original Barbara Hepworth textile design.
See the UKCSA web site projects pages for more details.

UKCSA Membership

As the United Kingdom Cast Stone Association approaches its 25th anniversary representing the leading UK cast stone manufacturers and as the guardian of quality for cast stone in the UK, it also continues to expand its range of quality companies who are involved in trades associated with the cast stone industry.
The Association is pleased to welcome to its ranks the latest UKCSA Associate Members, including:

cast stone installers and repairers Stone Synergy Ltd

material testing and UKAS accredited laboratory KIWA CMT Testing

and cast stone installers and repairers Surrey Stone Solutions Ltd

If you would like to find out about the benefits of being an UKCSA member and to join the United Kingdom Cast Stone Association, then please email UKCSA for further details and an application form.

New Telephone Number for UKCSA

0330 111 8876 is the new telephone number for the United Kingdom Cast Stone Association (UKCSA).  Please contact UKCSA if you require any information about cast stone or about the Members of the Cast Stone Association who produce quality cast stone to British Standard BS 1217 and the more onerous requirements of their membership of UKCSA. Alternatively, you can send UKCSA an email

Is your Cast Stone supplier still in business?

The latest eNewsletter from the UK Cast Stone Association features the stability of UKCSA manufacturing members in what has been a difficult time for UK business recently.  This is particularly relevent when apparently established cast stone manufacturing companies, who were not UKCSA members, have gone under recently.
     Was your cast stone supplier one of them?

Not if you purchase cast stone from an UKCSA member as UKCSA is not only the "Guardian of Quality" for cast stone, acting as the reference point for the industry, but its membership also consists of long established cast stone businesses that can survive financially whilst delivering exceptional customer service and product quality. The UKCSA members are quite simply the right sort of companies to do business with to protect your business' reputation and credibility.  Read the full article ...
Sign up to the regular UKCSA eNewsletter ...     Find UKCSA Members ...

CE Marking of Cast Stone

The UK is currently in a transition period from the Construction Products Directive (CPD) into the full introduction of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) which becomes fully effective from 1st July 2013. At that time CE marking becomes mandatory for certain construction products which are covered by harmonised European standards.

The nature of cast stone products means there is absolutely no requirement for cast stone items to be CE marked. Indeed, it is impossible for cast stone products manufactured to BS 1217 to be CE marked under the CPR, and it would be illegal to do so under the current regulations.  Read more.....

House Building Changes

A recent EU consultation document proposal to introduce the 20% VAT rate on new build homes would be a disaster for the fragile UK housing market.

Thankfully, in response to the document a spokesman for the UK Treasury said: “The UK Government will not change the VAT zero-rating of new-build homes”.

Only about 130,000 homes were built across Britain last year – a historic low.  Any reduction in numbers would exacerbate the country’s housing crisis and damage the house building industry, and must be strongly resisted by the Government and the UK housing industry.