ACS Industry Insights – Why We Need to Bring the Supply Chain in Earlier
David Brook, Technical Director, Hawkins\Brown
One of the biggest lessons from working under the new Building Safety regime is this: we need to bring key members of the supply chain into projects much earlier.
At Hawkins\Brown, we’ve learned that early collaboration isn’t just helpful — it’s essential. That’s especially true when it comes to suppliers with deep technical knowledge, like ACS.
ACS have been a standout partner for us on several schemes such as Victoria Riverside in Manchester – not just because their systems are robust and tested, but because they engage in the design thinking early. They are one of our many go to suppliers, and when we bring them in at the outset, they help solve the hard problems, not just the obvious ones. That’s crucial in a post-Grenfell landscape where details and decisions need to stand up to the highest levels of scrutiny.
Early Collaboration
We’re no longer in a world where you can retroactively bolt compliance onto a design. Whether it’s cavity barriers, fixings, or interface details, these elements are central to how we approach every scheme. By engaging safety critical suppliers like ACS earlier, we can make informed, confident choices that stand up to Gateway 2 and beyond.
Yes, it adds cost upfront, and not every developer can afford to front-load the supply chain. But increasingly, it’s proving to be more efficient in the long run, both in terms of approval timelines and buildability.
With the gateway system as slow and complex as it is, early collaboration is one of the most powerful tools we’ve got. That’s why, for us, working closely with suppliers like ACS is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s how we work.
Read David’s first blog with us: Designing for Safety and Collaboration: Embracing the New Era of Building Regulations
Click HereArticle originally published on 30th July 2025