A fourth-generation Coventry manufacturer supplying copper into some of the UK’s most critical infrastructure projects has begun work on a new headquarters that will more than double its operational capacity.
Lawton Tubes has officially broken ground on a £20m, state-of-the-art facility in Coventry, marking the next phase of growth for the family-owned business as demand rises across construction, energy and emerging sectors.
The new development, located directly opposite the company’s existing headquarters completed in 2019, is expected to open next year and will significantly expand Lawton Tubes’ manufacturing, storage and office capabilities. Once complete, the site will cover the equivalent of around 40 tennis courts, making it double the size of the current headquarters, which will remain fully operational.
The development will include a 107,768 sq ft warehouse, 17,220 sq ft of office and welfare space, and a 40-metre service yard. Designed as a solar-powered facility, the new premises will house manufacturing and storage operations incorporating automated technologies, alongside modern office and collaborative spaces intended to support productivity and attract the next generation of engineering professionals.
The expansion comes at a time of sustained demand for copper products across traditional markets such as plumbing, heating and air conditioning, as well as fast-growing sectors including data centres and renewable energy.
Founded 107 years ago by Albert Lawton, the business has remained rooted in Coventry ever since, with the founding family continuing to operate the company today. Since the First World War, its copper tube products have played a largely unseen but essential role in carrying heat, water and energy into homes, hospitals and cities across the UK.
Lawton Tubes has also supplied copper products for the ongoing maintenance of some of the country’s most recognisable landmarks, including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, The Shard, and Wembley Stadium. Today, the company generates an annual turnover of £230m, with £204m linked to projects supporting British infrastructure, from the NHS through to the Ministry of Defence.
The business currently employs 140 people across its sites in Coventry, Redditch and Poole, with further job creation expected as the new headquarters becomes operational. Alongside its established markets, the company is expanding into new sectors as demand for copper continues to grow.
Speaking at the site to mark the start of construction, Giles Lawton, managing director of operations, said the investment reflected a long-term commitment to UK manufacturing.
“Our new headquarters is about doubling down on what has defined our success for more than a century: backing UK manufacturing,” he said. “Our copper tube and fittings are one of the hidden foundations that keep Britain moving, whether that’s carrying oxygen into NHS hospitals or supporting national energy and transport networks.”
He added that rising demand across a growing range of sectors had made the investment a strategic necessity, with the new facility enabling the business to continue innovating and pursue its ambition to become the number one supplier of fittings in the UK by 2030.
The first dig on site was marked by representatives from across the region, including the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, Coventry City Council and principal contractor Interclass. Local leaders described the project as a strong vote of confidence in Coventry as a base for advanced manufacturing.
As Lawton Tubes prepares for its second major headquarters investment in under a decade, the new site represents more than additional space. It signals confidence in the long-term future of UK manufacturing, the growing importance of copper across established and emerging industries, and the value of maintaining strong regional roots while competing nationally.
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