50 Years of Building it Better

This year marks 50 years since Catnic was founded by Brian Robinson and Alfred Gooding with the aim of producing the first open back steel lintel for the construction sector. Over the last five decades Catnic has built on the success of that original innovation and repeatedly expanded its range to become a market leader in construction products. The product portfolio now includes a comprehensive range of lintels, builders metalwork, plasterbead & mesh and its most recent addition, Catnic Urban standing seam roofing and cladding.

Industry firsts

Throughout its history, Catnic has been at the forefront of product development, becoming the first to incorporate both damp-proof and anti-corrosion measures into its lintel range. As a manufacturer we have continually sought to ensure the highest levels of quality, gaining Agrément Board (later the BBA) Approval in 1974 and in 1982 were the first lintel manufacturer to achieve the BSI Kitemark to the BS 5977 standard. Catnic was also the first lintel manufacturer to achieve CE marking on its products – long before it was made compulsory for all structural steelwork in July 2014, together with BES 6001 for responsible sourcing.

Going global

From our base in south Wales, Catnic has grown significantly across Europe and around the world. Driven by the quality of our products and commitment to customer service, Catnic has been specified in over 40 countries including Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, China, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and across Scandinavia. The success of our plastering profiles products in Germany allowed Catnic to become the leading supplier in the country and led to the establishment of Catnic GmbH in Sinsheim. Starting with lintels 50 years ago, Catnic building components also continue to be used on high profile projects throughout the Middle East.

New innovations

The last 50 years of Catnic’s history has been characterised by a drive to move the industry forward. This is demonstrated by the 2016 launch of the Catnic Thermally Broken Lintel, which features a unique design that, unlike others on the market, provides a complete thermal break with no brackets connecting the inner and outer leafs. This results in a superior thermal performance and means it is the only lintel to provide a guaranteed linear thermal transmittance Psi values of 0.05 W/mK or less.

Despite changes in customer needs, updates to regulations and new building techniques Catnic’s core focus has not changed. We continues to strive to provide the highest quality building components and deliver the next wave of innovation.