The UK’s Haddonstone, which is exhibiting for the fourth time at the Big 5 show, will put on display of its unique cast limestone designs that include balustrading and landscape ornaments.

“Though our participation at one of the leading construction exhibitions of the region, we are showing our commitment to the region – a commitment that has resulted in much work in the Gulf,” says a company spokesman.
The company’s standard designs range from fountains and obelisks to balustrading and columns, which are described as being ideal for use in projects as diverse as private residences and prestigious hotels. The company will also offer a 172-page full colour catalogue to the visitors at the exhibition.
“With designs ranging from urns, troughs, fountains and statuary to balustrading, porticos, pavilions and chimney pieces, the Haddonstone Collection is renowned throughout the world,” says the spokesman. “In addition, the company has expanded its product range with the inclusion of the Arcadian Garden Features and Haddoncraft Forge.”
Set up in 1971 at the Manor at East Haddon, the company has been on a road of expansion ever since. By 1987 the company had moved its manufactory to a purpose-built complex in Brixworth, Northamptonshire. The five-acre site, which included a studio and mould shop complex together an extensive stockyard and loading area, was later extended to provide some of the most advanced manufacturing and mould-making facilities in the country, complete with laboratory and vapour-curing facilities.
The demand for classical elements – both in landscape and architecture – has fuelled Haddonstone’s continuing expansion and it now has offices on the East and the West coast of the US, across North America, Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and Australasia.
In addition, the company has well-established export and Pacific Rim sales departments to provide dedicated technical assistance to customers and to support the company’s worldwide activities.

The material
Haddonstone is a special form of reconstructed limestone with a surface texture similar to Portland stone that is available in three different colours – Portland 01, Bath 02 and Terracotta 04. Complementing the surface finish of its renowned dry-cast product is Haddon-Tecstone (otherwise known as Tecstone), a denser material with a smoother finish to meet new and exacting design and performance criteria, says the spokesman.
“The nature of these materials enable them to be moulded to almost any shape, faithfully reproducing new designs and producing replicas that are virtually indistinguishable from the original,” says the spokesman. “Both materials comply with the requirements of BS (British Standards) and exceed the minimum cube compressive strengths demanded by the UK Cast Stone Association, of which Haddonstone is a founder member.
“Furthermore, as part of our quality assurance procedure,  the materials are regularly tested both in our own laboratory and by a recognised independent laboratory. Thus, our customers may have the confidence that the quality and durability of both Haddonstone and Tecstone will meet their needs.”

Haddoncraft Forge
Haddoncraft Forge offers a comprehensive range of high-quality decorative wrought ironwork, handcrafted using a coke-fired forge and anvil. Traditional skills are combined with modern processes such as zinc coating, powder coating and protective painting to ensure a durable yet highly attractive finished product.
Haddoncraft Forge offers a bespoke service – interpreting and developing customers’ ideas – to provide handcrafted architectural wrought ironwork to precise requirements. In addition, Haddoncraft Forge has developed a range of standard products and designs including:
• Garden furniture;
• Landscape structures;
• Gates and railings;
• Fire baskets; and
• Candelabra.
The product has already been applied on various projects ranging from stately homes, national trust properties and local authorities to private houses and gardens of every size and description, says the spokesman.

Arcadian garden features
Arcadian garden features offers a wide range of water features that are described as being affordable, stylish and easy-to-install in three standard colours – Coade, Limestone and Slate.
All Arcadian’s designs are exclusive to the company and have a timeless, contemporary flavour – making them ideal for today’s gardens, says spokesman.
They include: an amazing array of centrepieces in pebble bowls or on pebble pools; pool surrounds and liners; self-contained fountains and wall-mounted fountains; as well as innovative table-top and paving water features.
These fountains can be used in practically any location from conservatories and garden rooms to patios, terraces and gardens of every size and description.

Quality
Renowned for fine landscape ornaments and architectural stonework, Haddonstone has put its materials through a rigorous series of tests to ensure their suitability for the extreme climate in the Gulf region – and has passed with flying colours, performing better than many natural stones, he says.
The tests were carried out by the renowned BRE laboratories, the UK’s leading centre of excellence for research based testing. Both Haddonstone and Tecstone materials were subjected to salt crystallisation and water absorption tests as these were seen as key indicators if any material is to be confidently specified and used in the Gulf.