Offsite Construction: A Franco-British Venture
In a significant move to boost the development of offsite construction in France, UK-based modular housebuilder TopHat has entered into a strategic partnership with French housebuilder Nexity. Nexity, which delivered over 18,000 homes in 2022, aims to have 10% of its homes manufactured in factories by 2028.
The partnership will leverage TopHat’s expertise in modular construction and Nexity’s deep understanding of the French offsite construction market. TopHat, one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of modular prefabricated houses, raised £70m in April from new and existing shareholders, including major UK housebuilder Persimmon, to further its development of modular homes. The company, which currently produces around 800 homes annually at its Derby factory, is building a new factory in Corby, Northamptonshire, set to commence production next year.
Veronique Bedague, Nexity’s Chief Executive Officer, commented on the partnership, stating, “Low-carbon and industrialisation are two key drivers of our ‘Imagine 2026′ strategy, enabling us to better meet our customers’ expectations, affirm our low-carbon leadership, and control construction costs. Our partnership with a leading industrial player in Europe, combined with our experience in low-carbon off-site construction, allows us to confidently envision the acceleration of this new industrial sector in France and actively contribute to the ecological transition.”
Benoit Mainguy, Nexity’s Construction Director, expressed his excitement about the collaboration, saying, “We are delighted to collaborate with a committed expert in construction industrialisation to develop high-quality, innovative, and efficient homes that significantly improve our delivery times and costs. This is the beginning of an exciting adventure.”
TopHat’s founder and CEO, Jordan Rosenhaus, also shared his enthusiasm, stating, “In partnering with Nexity, France’s leading residential development, we will benefit from Nexity’s tremendous local market experience, which will combine with TopHat’s best-in-class platform to speed up the delivery of affordable, high-quality, energy-efficient homes.”
