HMP Bullingdon - offsite manufactured Kit-of-Parts
PCE has been appointed by Kier to assist in the expansion of the UK Prison Estate using their HybriDfMA Secure Prison system. This system, previously employed in the construction of HMP Five Wells, HMP Millsike, HMP Fosse Way, and the expansions of HMP Fosse Way and HMP Elmley, will now be used to expand HMP Bullingdon.
The Category B male prison in Kent will gain a new T60 houseblock, adding approximately 240 new prison places. To achieve this, over 1,800 components will be manufactured by 6 selected offsite specialists and assembled on-site by PCE. This expansion is part of the Government’s Accelerated Houseblock Development Programme (AHDP), which forms the wider New Prison Programme (NPP), and continues the successful collaboration between PCE and Kier across custodial delivery.
Kit of Parts
The T60 is comprised of standardised components that are pre-engineered and manufactured offsite.
Through its platform-DfMA methodology, PCE’s Secure Prison system’s ‘kit-of-parts’ is optimised for quality, efficiency, and repeatability. Bespoke moulds ensure predictable precision, meaning components are not only more sustainable, using 12% lower embodied carbon concrete mixes, they maintain a consistent high-quality finish throughout. This not only looks good and performs well, it enables direct direction, negating the need for excess materials such as plasterboard.
The repeatable ‘kit of parts’ include precast floor/ceiling units, sandwich panels with integrated windows, corridor walls with cast-in cell door frames, internal walls, columns, stairs, landings, parapets, and laser cut reinforced steel beams. Components have constituent parts integrated throughout production, including structural ties, builders-work openings, and encased M&E sub-assemblies.
PCE ensures excellent standards across manufacturing through various methods. Leveraging its unique supply chain model, the company has the flexibility to select the most suitable suppliers from across the UK and Europe, ensuring that components are tailored for each project based on structural requirements, aesthetics, and sustainability goals. Quality standards are established through collaborative benchmarking and maintained through Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), with PCE quality controllers strategically positioned throughout the supply chain to oversee and support component production. The platform-DfMA methodology ensures standardized repeatability, optimizing quality, efficiency, and sustainability. Components are precision-manufactured offsite, with bespoke moulds ensuring consistency and accuracy in production.
Digital Delivery
Digital delivery is pivotal, facilitating efficient coordination of large-scale operations and real-time capture of performance and quality metrics. Utilizing advanced automated digital twin technology from Ynomia, PCE visualizes project progress through interactive 3D models, shaping manufacturing strategies for precise just-in-time delivery.
Social Values
Sustainability is integral to PCE’s HybriDfMA system build approach. The company has implemented an improved concrete mix, identified through the Decarbonising Precast Concrete study, resulting in a 12% reduction in embodied carbon without compromising quality. This optimization extends from design to manufacture, laying the groundwork for a swift, safe, and high-quality assembly process.
Furthermore, PCE's commitment to rehabilitation and reducing reoffending is evident in its workshop program at HMP Fosse Way. Prisoners nearing release are trained in a manufacturing environment, contributing to the production of riser upstands for the T60 assembly. In collaboration with the MoJ and Serco, this initiative aims to promote rehabilitation and equip individuals with valuable skills for successful reintegration into society.
