When he first started in the industry, Rob Munns, Head of Sales & Business Development at BFT Mastclimbing, spent the first 6 months out on sites asking questions and learning why certain decisions were being made. During this time, Rob noticed a recurring theme – “Brickwork contractors 'hate' mast climbers” …
This narrative (or myth as we later discovered) has left him curious and wanting to learn more about the trade. The Associate of Brickwork Contractors (AofBC) offers a great platform for engagement and understanding within the industry.
That is why BFT decided to join forces with the Association of Brickwork Contractors – to establish more effective lines of communication with brickwork contractors and gain insights into their scepticism towards mast climbers.
Read on to find out the reason behind our collaboration with the AofBC and the significance this partnership holds for brickwork contractors, ourselves, and, most importantly, the advancement of safety standards within the construction industry.
Gaining Access to the Brickwork Community
Connecting with leading brickwork contractors can be a transformative force in reshaping industry perspectives. The Association of Brickwork Contractors stands as a formidable gateway to these industry experts and an invaluable platform for effective communication and collaboration.
The Association of Brickwork Contractors facilitates opportunities for us to engage with the brickwork community and leaders of the trade through direct interactions like presentations, where we can share and discuss the value of mast climbing technology. Importantly, the engagement isn't a one-sided sales pitch; it gives us the chance to have open feedback sessions with people who work most intimately with brickwork and are involved in the decision-making processes.
The partnership with AofBC offers us a deeper understanding of the challenges, preferences and needs of brickwork contractors in relation to access solutions, with a goal to ensure that the voices and expertise of brickwork contractors are not only heard but also actively integrated into the development of access strategies.
Do Bricklayers Really Hate Mast Climbers?
The myth that 'brickwork contractors hate mast climbers' often masks the true issue at hand — the lack of informed participation in access strategy decisions.
What brickwork contractors genuinely resent is being left out of discussions when main contractors set the access strategy for a project. Through numerous conversations with brickworkers, we’ve noticed a significant portion of the scepticism arises from the fact that main contractors often dictate access strategies without seeking input from brickwork contractors themselves.
Interested in learning more about bricklayers' genuine perspectives on adopting mast climbers versus scaffolding in brickwork construction? Hear it from this bricklaying expert in an exclusive interview.
It may come as a surprise, but even brickwork companies with their own scaffolding divisions have started incorporating mast climbers, like double-stacked mast climbers for high-rise constructions, into their access solutions. Through our partnership with AofBC, we’ve been able to convey the knowledge and experience of these industry experts to our design and planning teams responsible for major projects. In doing so, it allows us to effectively demonstrate the value that mast climbers can bring to their projects. We will continue to collaborate closely with AofBC to increase safety on as many construction sites as possible going forward.
As the construction industry increasingly focuses on value engineering and still predominantly designs projects with scaffolding as the default access solution, mast climbing is becoming an increasingly popular way of saving time and money. However, early engagement is still the key to successful implementations of mast climbers into a project.
Mast Climbers in Modern Brickwork Projects
Mast climbers have reshaped the way brickwork projects are planned and executed by providing more cost-effective and time-efficient access solutions, and they have become a popular scaffolding alternative among companies and brickworkers for the advantages they bring, including heightened safety, increased productivity, and improved overall project efficiency from their height adjustability.
Start Enjoying The Benefits Of MCWPs Today
Through open dialogue and knowledge sharing, construction professionals can gain a deeper understanding of mast climbers and the substantial advantages they bring to the table. The increased awareness and confidence could help them make informed choices that work best for their program.
By incorporating mast climbing solutions from project inception, construction teams and brickwork contractors on site can enjoy the remarkable benefits of safety, productivity, and cost-effectiveness, making mast climbers a valuable investment to optimise your brickwork projects.
With over 1,600 machines in our rapidly expanding fleet, BFT holds the UK's largest mast climber collection. All BFT mast climbers comply with Work at Height, Manual Handling, and Health & Safety regulations, ready to deploy from two national distribution centres in Bedfordshire and Manchester.
Have a project at hand? Speak with one of our MCWP experts today and find out how mast climbers can help with your next project.