The company is also planning to take a higher visibility position in the market under the leadership of new managing director Ian Loughnane.

Mr Loughnane told TTJ the Gloucester factory, opened in 2007, was finally dispensed with at the start of 2013, having been mothballed in the second quarter of last year. Machinery, including Weinmann technology, has been moved to Preston.

"When the Gloucester factory came on stream it gave us big capacity," he said. "But then the market died."

The Preston and Gloucester (Quedgeley) factories had been able to support a combined annual turnover of £50m.

"This recession has caught a lot of commentators by surprise in terms of its depth and longevity," said Mr Loughnane.

"But things are stable. We are not going to see any sudden surge in demand soon but it will be bumping along the bottom with some growth at the back end of the year.

"We are still part of the premier league [of timber frame manufacturing] but everyone who has the option of controlling costs will take it."

Mr Loughnane said Prestoplan’s consultative approach and practical value engineering experience was helping its clients to win contracts.

Its added-value panel systems, including PresRoof and Urban Advantage, form part of its drive to become the off-site manufacturing partner of choice.

The Urban Advantage closed insulated panel is sheathed internally and externally with 9mm Multi-Pro XS magnesium non-combustible board with an additional 15mm plasterboard applied on site to meet Building Regulations.

Prestoplan said the system is proving popular in the student accommodation sector, due to its ability to economically provide fire resistance during the construction phase and meet sound transmission targets in service.

Mr Loughnane said Prestoplan plans to grow its public profile.

"We want to see Prestoplan more visible in the market place," he said. "Our ethos is about a service as much as a product."
One of its latest projects is a £1.7m 529-bed student accommodation development in Leeds for Gleeson Building Solutions.