LCA Celebrates 40 Years of Best Practice in Leadwork
The Lead Contractors Association (LCA) celebrates its 40th anniversary, and Midland Lead is proud to be an Associate Member.
Established in 1984, the LCA is owned and run by its members who dedicate their time and expertise to upholding quality standards in leadwork. As the only independent trade association of its kind, it was formed by contractors to maintain and endorse standards within the lead workers industry.
Midland Lead became Associate Members of the LCA in January 2023, and both organisations are committed to promoting lead as the most reusable, versatile, and sustainable product in construction. As the only independent manufacturer offering BBA-certified machine cast lead sheet with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), Midland Lead was recently honoured with The King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development 2024. They share many of the same values as the LCA including being advocates for the use of 100% recyclable lead and promoting best practice in lead usage.
Tim Acland, General Manager of the LCA, said: “We are excited to be celebrating 40 years of promoting lead, and our anniversary is testament to the commitment of our members and elected Council of Members, who ensure we strive at every opportunity to promote best practice.
“The lead industry has evolved over time, and it is essential that manufacturers like Midland Lead support the contractors and encourage a future talent pool.
“We regularly meet our members in person and explore why particular details were used when our vetting officers visit sites and inspect projects that our LCA members are working on. This gives us the opportunity to ensure members are always working to the highest standards that we insist on, and it’s always great to see the diverse projects that are underway, further establishing lead’s versatility.”
The LCA’s annual Murdoch Awards, sponsored by Midland Lead, are set to take place later this year and entries are open to LCA Member companies demonstrating the highest standards of craftsmanship in lead roofing. Professionals who work with lead are invited to submit their projects for evaluation by judges and their peers.
Kyle Hazeldine, Sales and Marketing Manager at Midland Lead said: “As a manufacturer of lead products, we actively promote lead as a sustainable roofing and construction material. When applied by skilled professionals, lead can last for hundreds of years and can be recycled and reused an unlimited number of times. We congratulate the LCA on 40 years of building an organisation dedicated to investing in training and skills to develop the roofers of the future while championing the use of lead.
“The LCA and the Murdoch Awards play a vital role in showcasing the remarkable craftsmanship of professional lead workers. As proud members of the LCA, we also view this as a seal of approval from a prestigious and established organisation.”
The Murdoch Awards have long been recognised as a symbol of excellence for those engaged in the leadwork industry. There are three categories this year;
- The Murdoch Award: A project of excellence of over 5 tonnes, in lead installed with skill and precision.
- The Murdoch Sponsors Award: A project of excellence of under 5 tonnes, (e.g., bay window, small flat roof) in lead installed with skill and precision.
- The Murdoch Ornamental Award: A new outstanding project of excellence in lead using moulding, casting or bossing skills (e.g., statue, fountain, roof decoration) demonstrating innovation in design and construction.
The awards were created by the LCA in 1996 in honour of Dick Murdoch, nicknamed ‘Mr. Lead,’ upon his retirement. They were founded to mark his success in raising quality standards in lead work, which was part of the inspiration behind the founding of the LCA in 1984.
Celebrating both smaller installations that use less than five tonnes of lead sheet and the more demanding skills required for larger, eye-catching projects, the awards attract many high-calibre entries. For the past 28 years since the first award was presented, these prestigious awards reflect ongoing progress and help recruit new talent to the industry.
The judging of this year’s entries will take place over the coming months by a panel of highly respected professionals in the sector. The winners will be announced at a gala dinner on 26th September where the finalists will be showcased to peers and judges.
Entries are invited by LCA Members only and the deadline for entering this year’s awards is 30th June.
For more information, please visit the LCA website: https://leadcontractors.co.uk/
