Expamet
Expamet is a UK building products manufacturer (founded 1889) producing expanded metal mesh, builders metalwork, plasterers accessories, wall ties, and Hy-Rib permanent formwork for builders, contractors, architects, and specifiers via a national builders' merchants network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1889
- HeadquartersBirtley, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Expamet does
Expamet is a UK-based designer and manufacturer of building products, established in 1889 and operating as a brand division of Birtley Group (which is itself wholly owned by Hill & Smith PLC, listed on the London Stock Exchange under ticker HLS). The company operates from manufacturing facilities at Greatham Street, Longhill Industrial Estate (North), Hartlepool, and shares its headquarters address at Mary Avenue, Birtley, County Durham with the Birtley Group. Its product portfolio is organised into five core categories: Builders Metalwork (straps, fixings, angles, brackets, joist hangers, restraint straps, timber connectors); Plasterers Accessories (arch formers, beads in coated or galvanized metal, stainless steel and uPVC, lath, mesh); Wall Ties (bed joint reinforcement, frame cramps, cavity ties, movement ties, wallstarter systems); Expanded Metal Mesh (raised, flattened, security, and walkway mesh in aluminium, stainless steel and mild steel); and Hy-Rib Permanent Formwork for slab stopends, construction joints, thick walls, permanent slab soffits, and thin walls placed vertically. Manufacturing inputs are galvanized steel, stainless steel, and uPVC. The Brickstrength Masonry Reinforcement product range offers 3.5mm or 4mm diameter stainless steel main wires for crack control applications.
Expamet generates revenue through hardware sales of its branded building products, distributed across the UK via a network of builders' merchants and stockists. Custom-engineered items including windposts and masonry support are sold through direct technical sales engagement, with bespoke site-specific drawings and structural calculations priced on a quote basis. The customer base is horizontal across UK construction: builders and contractors consume the core metalwork and plasterers ranges; builders' merchants and stockists act as distribution partners; and architects and specifiers access products through NBS Plus specification integration for inclusion in project documentation. The Expamet Construction sub-brand, launched in February 2020, focuses on structural products for larger commercial projects — masonry support systems, windposts, and brick slip solutions — led by a National Key Account Manager. Free technical support (telephone and email), product training for merchant customers, NBS specification, structural calculations for Building Regulations approval, and detailed site-specific drawings differentiate the offering. Quality and environmental management systems are certified to BS EN ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, and Bowater Doors (another Birtley Group brand) completed BM TRADA FireShield FD30S audits in 2023 with no non-conformances.
Expamet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Expamet
- Legal name
- Expamet
- Website
- https://expamet.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1889
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Expamet is a UK building products manufacturer (founded 1889) producing expanded metal mesh, builders metalwork, plasterers accessories, wall ties, and Hy-Rib permanent formwork for builders, contractors, architects, and specifiers via a national builders' merchants network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Expamet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Products and Construction Materials
- NAICS
- Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing (3323), Plate Work and Fabricated Structural Product Manufacturing (33231), Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing (332322)
- SIC
- Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440), Sheet Metal Work (3444)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural & Miscellaneous Metals (Stairs, Railings, Ladders) (IMADACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Metal Cladding, Soffits & Trim (Non-Panel Components) (IMADACAM), Cold-Formed Steel Framing & Studs (IMADACAF), Rebar Fabrication & Reinforcing Products (IMADACAH)
Keywords
Where Expamet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birtley
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Expamet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Building Products Manufacturing and Sales: Expamet designs, manufactures and supplies a comprehensive range of building products including builders metalwork, plasterers accessories, wall ties, expanded metal mesh, and Hy-Rib permanent formwork. Products are sold through distributors and stockists to construction professionals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard building products through stockists |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Expamet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Expamet designs, manufactures and supplies a comprehensive range of metal and uPVC building products including builders metalwork (straps, fixings, angles, brackets, joist hangers), plasterers accessories (arch formers, beads, lath, mesh), wall ties, expanded metal mesh, and Hy-Rib permanent formwork. Products are manufactured from galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminium, mild steel and uPVC in the North East of England and sold through a UK network of builders' merchants and stockists to construction professionals.
Product overview
Expamet designs, manufactures and supplies a comprehensive range of building products trusted by generations of construction professionals since 1889. The product portfolio consists of core product categories: Builders Metalwork (straps, fixings, angles, brackets, joist hangers, timber connectors), Plasterers Accessories (arch formers, beads, lath, mesh), Wall Ties (bed joint reinforcement, frame cramps, ties, wallstarters), Expanded Metal Mesh (flattened, raised, security, walkway), and Hy-Rib Permanent Formwork. The company also operates Expamet Construction as a sub-brand focusing on structural products (masonry support, windposts, brick slip solutions). Technical support services include guidance, training, NBS specifications, structural calculations, and bespoke design services for windposts and masonry support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Expamet Construction: A sub-brand focusing on key structural products such as masonry support, windposts and brick slip solutions
Products and services
- Builders Metalwork
Companies that use Expamet
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Expamet technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Expamet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- NBS (National Building Specification)coreExpamet joined NBS Plus, the preferred specification system for the construction industry. UK-based architects using NBS Plus can now easily access Expamet products and instantly add them into project specifications.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Expamet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Catnic (Tata Steel): Catnic manufactures steel lintels, wall ties, and structural building products in the UK, overlapping with Expamet's core builders metalwork and windpost/structural product portfolio.
- Birtley Lintels: Birtley Lintels is Expamet's sister brand within Birtley Group, manufacturing steel and galvanized lintels. The two share a parent company, manufacturing footprint, and UK builders' merchant channel, making them a directly comparable peer.
- Ancon (Leviat): Ancon, part of Leviat (CRH), manufactures masonry reinforcement, wall ties, windposts, and structural fixings for the UK construction market. It is directly comparable to Expamet's wall ties, Brickstrength reinforcement, and Expamet Construction windpost/masonry support lines.
- Hadley Group: Hadley Group manufactures cold-formed steel sections, profiles, and framing components for construction, comparable to Expamet's cold-formed steel framing accessories and structural metalwork.
- IG Lintels: IG Lintels is a UK manufacturer of steel lintels and structural building components, directly comparable to Expamet's builders metalwork and masonry support products within the same builders' merchant channel.
- Keystone Lintels: Keystone Lintels manufactures steel lintels and associated structural building products for UK and Irish construction, directly comparable to Expamet's metalwork and structural product lines.
- Simpson Strong-Tie: Simpson Strong-Tie produces structural connectors, joist hangers, straps, and fixings for UK and European construction, directly comparable to Expamet's straps, brackets, joist hangers, and timber connectors.
Emerging players
- Cellecta: Cellecta manufactures insulation-based permanent formwork and acoustic flooring systems, with partial overlap to Expamet's Hy-Rib permanent formwork line in modern methods of construction.
Broad incumbents
- Voestalpine Metsec: Voestalpine Metsec is a major UK producer of structural steel sections, purlins, and platform flooring systems, a broader incumbent that overlaps with Expamet's structural metalwork categories.
- Hilti (Great Britain): Hilti supplies fastening, anchoring, and structural connection systems to UK construction professionals, overlapping with Expamet's fixings, brackets, and strap ranges at the broader product-portfolio level.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Expamet social profiles
Digital presenceExpamet compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Expamet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Expamet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Expamet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Expamet M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Expamet
What does Expamet do?
Expamet designs, manufactures and supplies a comprehensive range of metal and uPVC building products including builders metalwork (straps, fixings, angles, brackets, joist hangers), plasterers accessories (arch formers, beads, lath, mesh), wall ties, expanded metal mesh, and Hy-Rib permanent formwork. Products are manufactured from galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminium, mild steel and uPVC in the North East of England and sold through a UK network of builders' merchants and stockists to construction professionals.
Is Expamet a public or private company?
Expamet is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Expamet founded?
Expamet was founded in 1889. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Expamet based?
Expamet is headquartered in Birtley, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Expamet make money?
One revenue line is on record: building Products Manufacturing and Sales.
Who are Expamet's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Catnic (Tata Steel), Birtley Lintels, Ancon (Leviat), Hadley Group, IG Lintels, Keystone Lintels and Simpson Strong-Tie. Cellecta is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Voestalpine Metsec and Hilti (Great Britain).
Does Expamet have an API?
No public API is recorded for Expamet.
What industry is Expamet in?
Expamet's product category is Building Products and Construction Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADACAE, Architectural & Miscellaneous Metals (Stairs, Railings, Ladders), with a secondary code of IMADACAM, Metal Cladding, Soffits & Trim (Non-Panel Components). Its NAICS code is 3323 and its SIC code is 3440.