A sugar factory began operating at Bury St Edmunds in 1924. In 1972 Laing were awarded the contract to build four sugar silos and a new beet handling plant for the British Sugar Corporation at Bury St Edmunds. The new silos made the factory the largest of its kind in Europe. The original construction period for the project was reduced by a third due to the need to retain storage and access to the silos and factory during the sugar beet campaign, which ran between September and February. New methods of construction, however, reduced manpower requirements and had the potential to increase speed. These new methods included the use of a crane with a revolving jib to hoist and distribute concrete, which replaced the use of a monorail on the working platform at the top of the silo. Construction of the first silo began in February 1973, and the elevator tower in March. The second silo, shown on the left of this photograph, was started on 7th May and was completed on 12th May.
This image was catalogued as part of the Breaking New Ground Project in partnership with the John Laing Charitable Trust in 2019-20.
This is part of the Series: JLP01/10 John Laing Photographic Collection Colour Negatives and Transparencies; within the Collection: JLP01 John Laing Photographic Collection
© Historic England Archive. John Laing Photographic Collection
Late 20th Century Sugar Silo, Construction
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