Unitised Façades from Shackerley
Unitised façades enable modern methods of construction – or MMC – to achieve a faster and more consistent build process on site while benefitting from factory prefabricated unitised façade modules.
At Shackerley we have wide ranging experience of manufacturing unitised façades for projects of all sizes and complexity. All of our façade materials, including porcelain stone, SureStone®️, limestone, granite, and BrickClad®️ brick cladding are suitable for specification as unitised façades for MMC projects.
Working with you to develop the façade design, we ensure cost management and buildability are engineered into your plans. At our ISO 9001 certified façade factories in Lancashire, we have the technical expertise, specialist machinery and in-house manufacturing capabilities to provide an end-to-end unitised façade solution.
What is a unitised façade?
A unitised façade is a building envelope cladding system that involves pre-assembly of façade panels and details in a unitised façade module. The unitised façade modules are lifted into position and secured to the building envelope, providing faster and more consistent installation of the building façade. This MMC approach to façade installation delivers buildability and quality assurance benefits for the project, along with speed of project delivery advantages.
Each Shackerley unitised façade module is prefabricated in controlled, ISO 9001 certified factory conditions, and consists of a metal frame and cladding material, such as ceramic or stone. The unitised façade modules may also include complex pre-assembled details. This modern method of construction allows for faster and more efficient build programmes with improved consistency and quality.
What are the main benefits of unitised façades?
There are many benefits to adopting modern methods of construction by specifying unitised façades. Shackerley’s experience, along with our advanced machinery and ISO 9001 certified factories can help you fully realise all the benefits of unitised façades, including:
- Efficiency - faster installation reduces on-site labour requirements and unitised façades minimise construction time for the building envelope.
- Quality control – because our unitised façades are pre-assembled in our ISO 9001 factories your façade will benefit from our QA processes for higher precision and consistent quality.
- Reduced on-site disruption – prefabrication of the unitised façade modules offsite minimises on site noise and construction activities.
- Health & safety – prefabrication of the unitised façade modules in our factories reduces site installation times, thereby lowering the risks associated with working at height.
- Weather protection – offsite prefabrication of unitised façade modules in our controlled factory environments means that they are assembled without any exposure to adverse weather conditions.
- Sustainability – our advanced and efficient manufacturing processes mean that we can reduce waste with unitised façades.
Some examples of unitised façades manufactured by Shackerley
Shackerley’s unitised façades expertise
Following significant investment, Shackerley's factories have been especially equipped to enable efficient and accurate assembly of façade frames and prefabricated unitised façade modules.
Our unitised façades ensure your project benefits from the attention to detail and quality assurance of pre-fabricated modules manufactured to exacting tolerances in our ISO 9001 certified UK factories. This not only reduces installation time for the cladding on site, but also enhances the quality, consistency and aesthetics of the finished façade. Moreover, reduced site time and installation complexity also reduces site-based health and safety risk.
The buildability provided by our unitised façades not only benefits the site schedule; it also reduces the potential for installation errors. This is particularly important for complex and large scale façades requiring multiple details. Prefabrication of details as unitised façade modules enables precision replication across the façade for improved façade integrity and appearance.
Working with us
Our in-house façade design and manufacturing capabilities allow us to complete your own unitised façade frames, or we can manufacture the complete unitised façade module from start to finish, including the frame, façade panels, and fixings. We focus on cost management and buildability in our plans, providing an end-to-end unitised façade solution.
Quality assured dispatch for your unitised façades
We pack the assembled unitised façade modules for dispatch as part of our ISO 9001 quality assured manufacturing procedures in our specially designed packing crates. Our digitised systems generate a unique barcoded label for every consignment, allowing each crate of unitised façade modules to be called to your site as and when required, aligned to the façade installation sequence.
Seamless bonding for unitised façades
Shackerley’s manufacturing expertise, and the combination of advanced machinery and skilled hand finishing offered by our UK factories means that we can provide bonded corners, returns, and details with a completely seamless aesthetic.
Frames and fixings for unitised façades
We work flexibly with project design and delivery partners, which means we can manufacture the complete unitised façade frame and cladding as a turnkey solution, or fabricate the façade modules using your frame and our façade materials.
Our experts will work with you to advise on the most cost-efficient and robust design for your unitised façade. This includes advising on the fixing locations and providing design and fabrication of any bespoke brackets or fixings that may be required to install your unitised façade.
The façade materials for our unitised façades are precision cut and drilled at the fixing points, with the cladding fixed firmly to the frame using undercut anchors inserted into the drilled apertures.
Unitised façades for any requirement
At Shackerley, we have the expertise and experience to answer any unitised façade requirement. If it can be done, we can do it. Recent examples of unitised façade details we have manufactured include integrated bird boxes, vented panels produced with water-jet cutting, and bonded corners. Talk to our team about your bespoke unitised façade requirements.
