UK: Lafarge Tarmac has marked the official launch of its new headquarters, Portland House in Solihull, by welcoming Caroline Spelman, MP for Meriden, to the facility.

More than 100 employees joined Spelman for a celebratory lunch at Portland House before being briefed on the company's plans and its contribution to the region's economy, as well as its importance to UK construction, by Lafarge Tarmac's chief executive officer, Cyrille Ragoucy.

"This is a big day for us and we were delighted to welcome Caroline to Portland House to mark this special occasion. It was good to meet her and provide her with an overview of our business. She was extremely interested to meet our colleagues and hear about the important contribution that we are making to the regional and national economies and the role that our innovative products are making to the future of UK construction," said Ragoucy.

Spelman said she felt privileged to have been invited to inaugurate the building and visit such an exceptional site. "It's great to see that a business based in the heart of the UK with fantastic transport links is developing products which are making a positive contribution to the sustainability of the built environment,' she said.

Portland House, the company's new low-energy headquarters near Birmingham International Airport, has undergone a major internal refurbishment to allow the offices to accommodate up to 500 Lafarge Tarmac employees. The state-of-the-art sustainable building, which was originally constructed in 2007 using the company's materials, reduces the need for heating and cooling thanks to its innovative concrete design.