Northern Star – Stone UK

Stone UK is a Lancashire-based specialist business supplying sustainable stone, tile and timber to commercial and residential projects across the UK, whose clients include Sandringham estate, Blenheim Palace and Lancaster Castle.

With a focus on reclaiming centuries-old British stone and bringing it new life, founder David Evans has a passion for innovation and sustainability, committed to futureproofing the construction industry and minimising its impact. 

Stone: “It’s like a fine wine”

Working in a traditional industry like this, it can be hard for businesses to stand out. That’s why we’ve always been very focused on the deeper level of what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. 

We view stone like fine wine. Just as a wine connoisseur knows exactly what differentiates each wine and can tell their profiles apart in great detail, we can do the same for stone. Our purpose is all about working out where the materials come from, understanding their qualities and capabilities, uncovering their original purpose, while also discovering their potential in the next chapter.

It’s through this commitment to innovation, sustainability, purpose, and storytelling that we're able to cut through and expand as a business.

Our work with stone goes deeper – that’s what sets us apart and opens doors that might otherwise have been closed. You don’t get the opportunity to supply materials to famous, prestigious places like Sandringham Castle and Blenheim Palace without being committed and prepared to travel, learn, and offer additional layers of insight, rather than just saying “here is some stone and this is the price”!

Like any business, we’ve made many mistakes over the years, but we’ve always just taken it one step at a time, staying true to our purpose. We believe the best is still to come and we're very excited about that. 

Reclaiming stone: a sustainable practice

Our trade is undoubtedly traditional. What’s not, is our ethos. At Stone UK, we are committed to preserving the historic traditions of the UK’s stone industry by bringing new opportunities to future-proof it. We look at all of the materials we use through the lens of innovation, sustainability, and design and think: how can we get the best from this? 

Stone is unfortunately in short supply and has been for the past decade––posing significant challenges for construction, architecture, and conservation. That is why we’ve made it our mission to focus on sustainable practices, procurement, and design––optimising usage of high-quality, old materials. Typically we aim to use stone from Victorian-era buildings or renovation projects––reclaiming it, repurposing it, redesigning it for a specific purpose, and bringing it to life in a low carbon way. Specifically, by keeping it in the UK while reducing manufacturing output or importing from elsewhere.

Beyond sustainability, we're also indirectly tackling other issues like rising costs and skills gaps. By recalibrating stone, it’s easier and cheaper to manipulate than solid pieces––enabling those with no experience in construction to get involved and upskill, while also reducing shipping costs by fitting materials more efficiently into containers. 

Connecting the dots

A problem that we previously faced in achieving our mission was that it is often tricky to find these materials before they go to landfill. As a result, we needed a way to connect and align with as many of the right people––developers, contractors, government, local councils––as far upstream in the demolition process as possible. 

This is where our Ethical Asset Assessment Scheme comes in––connecting the dots between all these moving parts from day one. This scheme enables us to get involved with projects that have what we call ‘ethical assets’––stone, brick, timber, steel––right at the beginning of the journey. 

By forging partnerships with those that share our values across the pre-project  pipeline, we’re able to highlight where sustainable and low impact opportunities lie to reduce waste and upcycle materials into new projects, products or installations in the local vicinity and beyond, auditing where they go next and what they’re used for.

This scheme is about joining forces at all levels. We have a system that can help and we're happy to share it for free. This is a win-win for everyone: We come in, we share our expertise, we evaluate the assets, we offer insight on their potential, and we bring visibility to their journey afterwards –– sparking our own business growth journey in return. 

Our advice to other purpose-led businesses

• Keep telling your story and never quit. Do what you’re passionate about, make that your thing and don’t stop. You want to be the biggest advocate for your product or service, so keep your belief, your enthusiasm and your purpose. It will take you far.

   

• Stay connected. Join a network. Get amongst people. Those connections are so critical in moving you forward. Build strong bonds with people who can help support you and offer advice, because business can be a lonely place.

   

• Keep your eye on the numbers. Business isn’t always plain sailing––you can lose sight of where you are. Getting that visibility and quantitative view of your business is paramount. Keep things lean. Keep your eye on the numbers. Keep them under control. And if you’re not good with numbers, don’t worry – just explore your network to find somebody that can help you.

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True North is all about celebrating purpose-driven businesses like Stone UK that are committed to shaping the future of the North. Explore more inspiring stories and discover how you can be part of the network here.