The last 12 months have brought unprecedented disruption across roofing, construction and the economy more generally.
The impacts of Brexit and coronavirus have created a perfect storm of materials shortages, price rises and difficulties around transportation and shipping – not helped by the obstruction of the Suez Canal in March.
But at SSQ, the 40-year old natural slate specialists whose products are sought after all over the world, they’re managing to maintain consistent supply despite the ongoing challenges in the supply chain.
As well as owning the quarry in Argentina that supplies its celebrated Riverstone phyllite, the company has depots around Britain that allow it to hold large amounts of stock.
With thousands of pallets of Riverstone already in the UK, SSQ has been able to maintain lead times of just 3-5 days.
“Like virtually every business in the country, we’ve obviously been impacted by coronavirus, and the huge disruption that’s followed in its wake,” comments SSQ founder and Managing Director Ahmed El-Helw.
“However, some strategic decisions we’ve taken over the last four decades have meant we’ve not been as seriously affected as some in our industry.
“From the very beginning of the life of the business, I knew I wanted us to have a reliable supply of quality material. In the case of our Riverstone phyllite, that meant acquiring the Argentinian quarry that produces it.
“It also meant investing in depots around the UK that would allow us to maintain high levels of stock, and be able to guarantee quick delivery to customers wherever they are in the country.
“Thanks to this, and the dedication and professionalism of our staff, I’m delighted to say that while our Spanish slate supply has been somewhat disrupted, we’re still able to deliver Riverstone within 3-5 days across the whole country.
“If you need a consistent supply of quality natural slate products, backed with four decades of expertise and fast lead times, don’t hesitate to get in touch with SSQ.”
For more information, please contact us here.
