Jason Hemingway has been a part of the construction industry for 34 years, with 10 of those years spent in various roles at the SIG Group. Currently, he serves as the Construction Accessories UK Sales Director focused on Major Projects & Infrastructure, where his enthusiasm for the scale and opportunities within this sector is evident. We asked him to explain the sector and what makes it different from other areas of the industry he has worked within…
Infrastructure projects are a crucial part of any government agenda, and we regularly hear updates about progress on the major projects, in the national news. These projects cover important areas such as nuclear and power stations, sustainable energy projects (both onshore and offshore), rail, highways, defence & MOD, airport regeneration, ports and harbours, and water and utility, including sewer systems and flood defences. Nowadays, all infrastructure projects have a strong environmental focus as the country aims for net-zero emissions and works to address the significant challenge of climate change.
The National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline (NICP), published on the government website, clearly outlines the planned UK investment in this sector over the next decade. In total the pipeline is worth over £700 billion, the 2023 pipeline includes £379 billion of planned investment, £164 billion of which is scheduled to occur by 2025. These are huge numbers representing large-scale projects that will all take many years to complete.
For instance, the Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station, which is the largest infrastructure project in the UK, is scheduled to begin in October 2024. Located in Suffolk on the east coast, it will be a 3.2-gigawatt power station, providing low-carbon electricity for around 6 million homes. A replica of Hinkley Point C in Somerset, the projected value of Sizewell is an impressive £34.8 billion, showcasing the significant opportunities it offers to the construction industry, including product supply and skills training.
The ripple effect of these large-scale projects is huge. The area has to cater for all the on-site workers, and an estimated 6,500 contractors are currently working on the Hinkley Point site. Therefore, accommodation, road and rail networks, and local services all have to be considered.

Businesses involved in supplying this infrastructure sector who have studied the NICP, as we have, will have analysed the layers of details, calculated their potential involvement, and begun to forecast what they need to do to best meet the project’s needs. Discussions with the largest UK contractors (known as ‘Tier 1’) begin early, specifications are assessed, product designs and extensions are aligned, tenders are submitted, and logistics are geared up to provide a timely supply to these sites in volume. Product specialists and project managers play key roles as some suppliers have staff that literally work on-site for years to ensure installation standards are adhered to for each element of the job, and that’s why in our ‘Construction Accessories’ division, we are building a major projects & infrastructure team to focus exclusively on this massive opportunity.
SIG Construction Accessories has been supplying the Hinkley Point Power Station, which is being developed by EDF Energy, since its construction began in 2017. However, the aboveground construction of Hinkley has only recently begun, and it is not expected to be completed until 2031. The project is estimated to have around 10,000 construction workers on-site, and the scheduled material deliveries are compared to a military operation due to their large scale and operational challenges. These infrastructure projects require a significant amount of advanced planning and spending. For instance, SIG is currently rebuilding its Norwich branch primarily to potentially support the hosting and supply of materials to Sizewell C, which is set to begin construction in October 2024 and is projected to take between nine and twelve years to complete. Whilst work on this project may be scheduled to start in October, earthworks have started, and the tendering process is virtually complete, with preliminary works around the area already starting to roll out.
The appeal of this market is our national network of branches that can be aligned to support different infrastructure projects. As a business, we specialise in the logistics of getting materials to the site in volume or small call-offs, and we have all the certificates of approval, driver packs, and delivery mandates required to service these specialist sites. Our ‘Construction Accessories’ division is involved in the early stages of any major project determined by the type of products it supplies. As the project develops, other divisions of the SIG Group become involved. Currently, we supply Geotechnical, Waterproofing, Reinforcement, Formwork, Specialist fixings, and building entry management systems to protect utility assets, but it is a constant process of review as there are always new product areas to consider to fill the gaps in our product arsenal.

Upfront planning for infrastructure projects may take years to yield results, but once the supply begins and service levels and quality standards are maintained, the income gain can be secured for decades, as opposed to the shorter timeline of a housebuilding or commercial construction project. This longevity provides stability and futureproofs a business like SIG, allowing for further investments to be made that benefit all sectors. Unlike the fluctuations seen in house building or home improvements, which are affected by consumer confidence, high interest rates, energy costs, and general cost of living issues, the infrastructure market remains relatively stable. This stability creates long-term customers and brings many advantages to a business, especially as our infrastructure sales represent only around 25% of our overall ‘Construction Accessories’ business.
The government, despite a new one being in place, will want to continue with these major infrastructure projects if they have any chance of hitting their targets for net zero emissions. They need to improve energy and water supply and better connect cities, and that’s the exciting part. The infrastructure projects will continue, and even if half the quoted pipeline of £700 billion is postponed or cancelled, it is still a huge market to be involved in. Some projects, such as the Northern Arm of HS2, may be cancelled, but there are still numerous infrastructure and major projects that will proceed. These include large-scale solar farms, tidal defences, and investments in connecting northern cities by rail, such as Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR). In April 2025, AMP8 (Asset Management Period 8) (£96b) will commence, marking a significant milestone for the UK water and utility contractors industry. Set by industry regulator Ofwat, it establishes a framework for how water companies manage their assets, improve water quality, deliver services to customers, and invest in infrastructure over a five-year period.

The key for companies like ourselves is to ensure that they get involved in projects at an early stage and have specialists and knowledgeable experts on the ground talking to everyone involved. The longer they are involved, the more contacts they gain and the more they can prove the value they can add to these connections. Any supplier servicing these projects needs to maintain a close working relationship with Tier 1 contractors and major sub-contractors. It’s important to understand any potential joint ventures, too, as alliances between major UK contractors are often required to deliver projects on such a big scale.
The fascinating bit to me is the scale of the infrastructure projects in focus right now, and the thought that probably over 75% of them will still be on site and being developed long after I have retired, which is mindblowing….