While medals and awards are important, perhaps the best tribute anyone can pay to a wine is to buy a second – and then a third – bottle of it. Repeat business is the goal, and that is as true for building companies as it is for winemakers, which makes Keith Stoner and Forma an impressive, must-buy vintage.
Forma is regularly asked to return and carry out second and even third projects for satisfied customers, while his growing reputation amongst winemakers is such that the company has completed nine steel-framed buildings at vineyards in the South East of England in the past three years.
As he arrived to meet Vineyard at one of Forma’s current projects, Henners Vineyard at Herstmonceux, Keith revealed that he had just finished a sign-off meeting for a general purpose and livestock barn and another general-purpose barn, complete with all the groundworks, at Honeywood Farm, near Burgess Hill in Sussex.
“As soon as we had finished signing off that project, the landowner started talking about another new building that he needs us to erect,” he added.
While wineries and related buildings make up a large part of Forma’s order book, the company also builds everything from grain stores and storage buildings to wineries, classic vehicle storage buildings and cold stores, all to a high standard that reflect Keith’s several decades of building experience.
Forma’s fully galvanised, steel-framed buildings are just part of the story. “We aim to make life easy for growers by taking on the whole project, from groundworks through to the electrical fit out, drainage, driveways and power-floated floors – and anything else that might be required,” said Keith.
“Vineyards are often relatively new businesses, and owners have enough to do without trying to manage complex projects and deal with different trades and sub-contractors, even if they have the skillset needed. We take that headache away.”
One new vineyard that turned to Forma for help with a new facility was the Newick Wine Estate in East Sussex, where Keith’s team erected a new general-purpose building as the vineyard was being established. The estate is expecting its first harvest this autumn and the launch of its first still wine in spring 2026.
Forma’s support for Beacon Down Vineyard at Cross in Hand near Heathfield in East Sussex included the groundworks for a new shop and café as well as a 30m x 16m winery building with power floated floor slab, electrical fit out, storage and septic tanks, drainage, landscaping and access track.
The project at Henners also represents repeat business. “Four years ago, we built a winery at the top of the site, including a mezzanine, a tasting room, staff facilities and a shop,” Keith explained. “We also built an outside seating area for tastings, along with a pond, parking and drainage.”
Now Forma has returned to build a second winery on the lower part of the site, complete with storage and office space and trackways that will link the two buildings within the site.
The galvanised steel frame, 30m by 18m and 6.5m to the eaves, is being clad with composite insulated panels to help keep the building’s temperature constant. White on the inside, the panels’ olive green box profile exterior will help the building blend with the landscape.
Forma is also delivering the drainage, electrical fit out, doors, windows and insulated roller shutter doors, while a new terrace and tarmac paths will complete the project. The company is also installing a self-contained klargester septic tank.
Always looking for ways to add efficiencies, Forma has installed an innovative diverter system into the drainage so that any acidic washoff during the harvest period can be safely stored in a
20,000 litre storage tank and then pumped out and disposed of safely. At other times, the relatively clean wash off water is allowed to go into the drainage system.
Keith’s approach is straightforward. “We like follow-on work, so we always make sure we do a first-class job. We have a transparent pricing structure, we only take on two or three jobs at a time so that we can give them the attention they deserve, and we never compromise on materials.
“We promise to provide a quotation for work within seven days of being briefed and we provide elevation drawings free of charge. That’s usually all a planning department will need in the case of a 28-day permitted development application and it saves the client an extra expense.
“It’s all about making life as easy as possible for the grower.”
