Laing O’Rourke is the largest privately owned engineer- ing and construction company in the UK, employing over 10,000 people across Europe, the Middle East, and Australia, with a diverse portfolio spanning multiple sectors. In 2009, the company set up Explore Manufacturing, a cutting-edge precast factory located in the East Midlands. Built on the site of a former brickworks and colliery, the factory was designed to enhance the company’s offsite manufacturing capabilities, enabling the production of high-quality precast elements in a controlled environment. This innovation facilitates the rapid assembly of structures for construction projects across the UK.