UK modular housebuilder TopHat has announced an exclusive partnership with Nexity, France’s largest house builder, to accelerate the development of off-site construction in France.
TopHat will contribute its expertise in modular construction, while Nexity will provide its experience in French off-site construction and development programmes designed for off-site construction within France.
The initiative is in line with Nexity's Imagine 2026 strategy of offering quality, affordable, and low-carbon housing. The French firm aims to have 10% of its housing production completed in factories by 2028. The company is France’s largest housebuilder, having delivered over 18,000 homes last year.
By partnering with a leader in modular construction, Nexity aims to accelerate housing delivery times, offer the highest environmental standards to its customers, and develop affordable and energy-efficient products.
TopHat, which in April closed a £70 mlnfundraise, is currently building Europe’s largest modular housing factory in Corby, Northamptonshire. In addition to its current output of up to 800 homes a year from its first factory in Derby, it will begin production from its cutting-edge 650,000 ft2 manufacturing facility in Corby, Northampton in 2024.
Jordan Rosenhaus, CEO and founder of TopHat, said: 'Today’s announcement marks TopHat’s expansion into Europe, where we plan on applying and deploying the same precision manufacturing techniques that have helped us address the UK’s housing crisis. In partnering with Nexity, France’s leading residential development, we will benefit from Nexity’s tremendous local market experience, which will combine with TopHat’s best in class platform to speed up the delivery of affordable, high-quality, energy-efficient homes.'
Veronique Bedague, CEO of Nexity, said: 'Low carbon and industrialization are two key drivers of our Imagine 2026 strategy, enabling us to better meet our customers' expectations, affirm our low-carbon leadership, and control construction costs. Our partnership with a leading industrial player in Europe, combined with our experience in low-carbon off-site construction, allows us to confidently envision the acceleration of this new industrial sector in France and actively contribute to the ecological transition.'
Benoit Mainguy, director of construction at Nexity, said: 'Nexity has delivered over 2,000 off-site prefabricated timber frame homes and possesses real expertise. We are delighted to collaborate with a committed expert in construction industrialization to develop high-quality, innovative, and efficient homes that significantly improve our delivery times and costs. This is the beginning of an exciting adventure.'
TopHat is a privately owned business. The business was founded in 2016 by CEO Jordan Rosenhaus and architect and Chief Design Officer Krishan Pattni. In a recent interview with PropertyEU, the firm said it was entering a period of growth while admitting that planning remains a major hurdle for the modular business.
‘Our number one hurdle is planning at the moment,’ said managing director Andrew Shepherd. ‘One of the key challenges is keeping continuity in the factory, where it is important that you get to scale very quickly.’
The full interview is available here
