Celcon Blocks High Strength Grade were chosen for their lightweight properties and fire resistance as part of an ambitious £440 million refurbishment of Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2, one of the most complex live-airport construction projects undertaken in the UK in recent years.
The refurbishment of the original Terminal 2 building represents the final phase of Manchester Airport’s wider £1.3 billion, 10-year transformation programme, designed to modernise the airport and significantly increase its capacity.
McCrory Construction Group Ltd was appointed to deliver the builders’ work package. The scope included delivering over 1,000m² of blockwork across a wide range of locations in the terminal, all carried out in a live, high-security environment.
Product specification
Celcon Blocks High Strength Grade were specified for the project. The blocks were used across a range of applications, including extending and altering existing internal walls, infilling former doorway and window openings, extending two lift shafts, and constructing new internal blockwork walls.
Billy Douglas, Head of Operations at McCrory Construction, explains why Celcon Blocks High Strength Grade were the right choice:
“We were working inside a 40-year-old building, altering and extending existing walls, so keeping weight down was a key structural consideration. The aircrete blocks were specified because they’re robust but also lightweight – approximately two-thirds of the weight of a standard dense concrete block – which was essential for reducing the load on the existing floor slabs and structure.
“On top of that, the airport is a high-security environment with stringent fire safety requirements, and the A1 non-combustible classification of the Celcon Blocks fitted the brief.”
Manchester Airport Terminal 2 is a compelling example of the benefits Celcon Blocks can bring to demanding non-residential applications. Lightweight enough to meet stringent structural requirements, strong enough for a high-traffic airport environment, the blocks provided McCrory Construction with a reliable, high-performing solution for a complex, high-profile project.
To find out more about H+H aircrete products, visit https://www.hhcelcon.co.uk/