Yesturday, I had the pleasure of joining the BOPAS team and industry peers for a behind-the-scenes tour of Laing O’Rourke’s world-class MMC facility at Worksop. Hosted as part of the BOPAS Forum, the visit was an eye-opening dive into the future of construction—one that’s systemised, sustainable, and genuinely transformative.
🏭 A Glimpse Inside One of the UK’s Most Advanced Modern Methods of Construction Offsite Manufacturing Sites
Walking through Laing O’Rourke’s Explore Industrial Park felt like stepping into the future. Purpose-built to support modern methods of construction (MMC) at scale, the facility combines the precision of advanced manufacturing with the ambitions of large-scale infrastructure delivery.
This wasn’t just a factory tour—it was a live demonstration of what’s possible when design, manufacturing, and construction operate under one roof. A great example of DfMA.
🧱 Focus Topic: PBSA and Social Infrastructure – Innovation on Display
The panel session focused on Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) and broader social infrastructure, a timely conversation as both sectors face pressure to deliver faster, greener, and smarter buildings.
Key themes explored included:
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🏫 PBSA delivery: Standardisation without compromising on design flexibility. Offsite solutions are enabling projects to scale efficiently while meeting diverse accommodation needs.
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🏗️ Social infrastructure: Hospitals, schools, and civic buildings demand both quality and speed—and Laing O’Rourke’s systemised approach is delivering exactly that.
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♻️ Sustainability crossovers: Lessons from other sectors are helping break silos. Automotive-level precision and data-led decision-making are becoming the norm in construction.
🔧 Real-World Examples of Modern Methods of Construction in Action
We were shown compelling examples of how MMC is improving productivity and predictability while dramatically reducing time on site. What struck me most was the attention to quality control—an environment where buildings are “assembled,” not “built,” with full traceability.
The forum also tackled some of the barriers to adoption, including:
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Misunderstandings in procurement routes
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Outdated policy frameworks
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A continued shortfall in MMC-specific skills
But these challenges were matched with equally strong opportunities: improved building performance, sustainability credentials, and consistency in delivery.
🔍 My Takeaways
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MMC is not the future—it’s already here, and Laing O’Rourke is proving it can deliver on both commercial and social outcomes.
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The factory setting shows just how far we’ve come from traditional on-site construction. Controlled environments mean safer working conditions, less waste, and better buildings.
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Forums like this are crucial. Collaboration across sectors—PBSA, healthcare, housing—is where real change happens. It was encouraging to see openness to innovation and a willingness to challenge long-standing norms.
🙌 Final Thoughts
A huge thank you to @BOPAS for organising and to the team at Laing O’Rourke for such an informative and inspiring tour. Seeing the Explore Industrial Park in action is a reminder that the industry doesn’t need to wait for innovation—we just need to adopt it.—
📩 If you’d like to discuss how modular and offsite systems like the Bio-SIP™ can support MMC objectives, feel free to reach out.
