In his new role, Callow will work with manufacturing members of the association, which represents the UK’s concrete and aircrete block manufacturers, alongside the wider supply chain to provide guidance and evidence of the credentials for masonry homes and structures.
He will also act as MPA Masonry’s lead spokesperson, representing the organisation in trade, local and national media and succeeds Stephen Wharton, who took up a position with Herefordshire County Council.
Callow’s main activities in the position will involve representing the membership to external stakeholders, including housing developers, housing associations, architects and engineers.
Working closely with MPA Masonry’s marketing, health and safety, sustainability, engineering, architecture and technical experts, he will assist in the development of housebuilding-specific policy and thought leadership.
Callow has over 25 years of experience within the building products and construction sector. Starting in procurement, where he worked for a number of big-name contractors, including Carillion, Mowlem & Morgan Sindall, he has spent the past 15 years in Precast. Specialising in sales and purchasing, he has worked with Milbury Systems, Eleco PLC, CPM Group, F P McCann and, most recently, Marshalls PLC.
He is also the owner of SME developer Bluebell Homes, giving him direct experience with masonry construction, while his hands-on experience gives him a strong understanding of blockwork’s performance benefits.
Commenting on the new appointment, Phil Cox, director of MPA Masonry and MPA Precast, said: “Steve’s unique front-foot approach, and a background covering the breadth of concrete construction, made him the ideal candidate for the role of Housing Manager. His experience as a developer will also be invaluable in helping to create a stronger dialogue between members and stakeholders.
“He also has a clear strategic vision and a motivation to support MPA’s members during a particularly challenging time in the housebuilding sector, helping to ensure they maintain and grow their share of the building products market.”
Commenting on this appointment, Callow said: “Although we face some challenging times, due to an unusual set of socioeconomic events, it presents an opportunity for MPA Masonry to clearly define the value and benefits of its members’ products. I am excited to play a part in the journey, and hope I can add to the process with my previous experience in the precast industry and as a developer. One of my core objectives in this position is to ensure UK housebuilders have a robust understanding of the myriad benefits of concrete and aircrete blocks for residential construction, from their unrivalled thermal performance qualities to their low-carbon credentials.
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