Building and Facilities News Issue 967

7 Fridgenius 8 Goelst UK

Accessible ethos with Lyfthaus

Specialist engineers and designers at Lyfthaus were first approached by architects for tailor made disabled access platform lifts almost a decade ago.

Their reputation as custom producers of lifts for the industrial sector had reached a select group of city architects who hoped to stretch the engineer’s skill set into this new, exciting area. Planning and architectural restrictions meant that settings such as listed and ancient churches, cathedrals, castles, stately homes, and many fine heritage buildings struggled to provide access appropriate for their architectural landscape.

Since this time, the need for disabled access platform lifts that complement and indeed enhance the built environment has been the Lyfthaus cornerstone. The foundations on which Lyfthaus has developed and become the UK’s go-to company for bespoke, architectural platform lifts for buildings of special heritage importance.

Today the Lyfthaus accessible ethos continues. To create individual platform lifts that are as unique as the buildings in which they are installed. Integrated solutions that are safe and easy to use by all but are inspired by their surrounding architecture, interior styling, and landscape. Lyfthaus design and manufacture platform lifts in a huge choice of styles, configurations, finishes and materials.

Timber, bronze, brass, glass and cast metals to name a few. They match design accents taken from site; each lift must dissolve into its historic architectural backdrop. www.lyfthaus.com

11 Clockwork IT 19 Quality Fixing Supplies

Construction utilises new platform

Cadline’s platform DynamicAIM is addressing a major crisis for building and asset owners, and in turn it is providing the ‘golden thread’ required in the construction and housing industry.

The first of its kind, DynamicAIM is an all-in-one solution for digitising build details including BIM, survey and asset information. It enables property owners and managers to securely preserve and access vital information when it is needed. Local authorities, housing, developers and manufacturing sites are amongst the first to adopt DynamicAIM, including associations such as Peabody and Wolverhampton Council.

A spokesperson for Peabody said, “As our go-to 3D survey and BIM supplier, Cadline’s DynamicAIM helps us digitise our stock and centralise data whilst working towards conforming to the Hackitt report and new government guideline.”

Asset owners are facing a critical point for building safety as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has just revealed new guidance on which types of properties require additional inspections. This means asset owners need to be prepared to hand over vital information at any time, as outlined in the Hackitt report.

Where build details, drawings, measurements, certifications and manuals would traditionally

Adveco reduces the global warming potential of FPi heat pumps by 80%

Commercial hot water and heating specialist Adveco, introduces the FPi32 range of monobloc air to water heat pumps designed for use with domestic hot water applications. The three models, available in 6, 9 and 12kW variants provide a low carbon source of hot water in a more compact, quieter, more efficient and easier to install unit.

Requiring almost a kilo less refrigerant to operate compared to the first generation FPi units, and with the gains from using R-32, the FPi32 range has just 20% of the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of its predecessor.

With an above average coefficient of performance (COP) up to 5.23 and a high Seasonal COP of up to 4.74, FPi32 ASHPs can make a real difference to a property’s

energy consumption. Even with ambient air temperatures as low as -25°C the FPi32 can still provide hot water up to 55°C. This makes them ideal for integration into existing DHW distribution systems with higher thermal requirements. When combined with either a gas or electric water heater and controls, such as in Adveco’s packaged plant rooms, the FPi32 helps reduce emissions and increases efficiency without compromising reliability or performance.

T 01252 551540

sales@adveco.co

www.adveco.co/products/ renewables

be produced manually and stored separately, the ability to digitally store and view all details in one platform means asset managers are able to more effectively and safely maintain buildings and facilities. DynamicAIM is enabling firms to comply with the Building Safety Bill − which is likely to require a digital version of residential buildings above 18 metres.

Matt Lees, Head of Engineering at Cadline, said, “It is a building owner’s responsibility to preserve asset information in order to have the means to appropriately maintain the building and its contents. The failings in this regard are well documented throughout the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry and while property managers struggle to search for historical data that is either outdated, inaccurate, or no longer exists.”

T 01784 419922 sales@cadline.co.uk www.cadline.co.uk

SageGlass® takes control of tinting with FIN Framework

To create variable tint zones in a single pane of glass, a set of windows, or an entire building façade requires very smart technology. Electrochromic glass created by SageGlass, a SaintGobain company, controls the amount of light or heat gain that enters a space as the angle of the sun changes or the clouds break.

To integrate all the sensors required for automatic tinting and allow manual changes to the tinting zones, SageGlass worked with J2 Innovations’ FIN Framework to develop the SageGlass Maestro® management software. SageGlass Maestro takes interior and exterior input, such as rooftop sky sensors, window size, time of day/season, building orientation, façade sensors, and sun angle to provide the ultimate in user comfort and energy savings.

Alex Rohweder, CEO of J2 Innovations, commented, “While FIN Framework is used across the globe for many HVAC and smart building applications, the J2 team have shown how flexible the framework is by applying it to an impressively innovative smart building technology with a host of customisations. We are looking forward to continuing to work with SageGlass, supporting them on their glass revolution.”

Contact www.j2inn.com

Editor Recommends

New appointment at APT Skidata

APT Skidata, the UK’s leading parking solutions business, has appointed Ben Sullivan (pictured) as a new Strategic Business Development Manager to support the business’ drive to promote flexible, affordable and intelligent parking solutions.

Ben has spent the past decade in the parking industry working in car park operations, most recently as Head of Business Development at NCP, the UK’s largest private parking operator. He started his parking career with Secure Parking which was acquired by NCP in 2019.

Adam Stout, APT Skidata’s Head of Sales, says that Ben’s first-hand experience adds a new dimension to the business development team, “We are very pleased to have Ben on board. He joins us with fantastic experience in the parking industry, having previously led business development teams and delivered new sites under leasehold and management agreements. His first-hand experience of working for operators, and his appreciation for what car park owners want and need, is a powerful combination.”

Ben’s appointment comes following a number of key launches for APT Skidata including its parking app – PATH, and its ecommerce platform – reserve –which allows car park operators to offer and manage reservations in one single ecosystem.

T +44 (0)20 8421 2211 enquiries@aptskidata.co.uk

Thinking Big: Timbermark

launches new range of handheld inkjet printers

Timbermark ID Systems has launched a new range of handheld thermal inkjet (TIJ) printers which can print high resolution logos and text up to 10cm high.

The new range is from China’s Zhuhai Bentsai Printing Technology. Exciting new features include the size of the print head, which at 2.54cm/1 inch high is twice the height of the classic HP ½” product. With the new larger print capability, designs have far greater impact, and visibility from a greater distance.

Timbermark sees great potential for these new products, particularly from pallet and case making businesses.

Pallet manufacturers can use the 1”, B30 model to print stacks of assembled pallets, using the hand printer and guide rail. The printer can produce an ISPM HT mark that is super-sharp, sized 25mm high by 50-60mm long, and can be applied in around 1 second.

Packing case manufacturers can use the B80 model, which has a market-leading, 100mm/4 inch high print effect. This is achieved by stacking 4 of the 1” heads and synchronising the printing through a contact encoder wheel to keep the print heads in registration.

The B80 can print perfect shipping logos onto plywood and OSB. Customer logos can be printed to exact specifications, often for designs that would be impossible to achieve with a stencil or rubber stamp.

T +44 (0)870 803 1877

sales@timbermark.co.uk

www.timbermark.co.uk

Supermarket first from Stanley and Asda

To help further improve the efficiency of its grocery home shopping service, Asda has become the first UK supermarket to introduce a powered stair climber, in collaboration with materials handling specialist, Stanley.

Following a successful trial of Stanley’s ultra-lightweight stair climber, Asda has introduced 270 machines as part of its urban delivery fleet. These will work alongside conventional trollies and reduce the need for manual handling when making deliveries to properties with stairs.

Weighing 13.5kg with the capacity to carry up to 85kg, the stair climber’s caterpillar tracks enable Asda colleagues to deliver groceries safely and quickly to customers living in

flats and properties where access is difficult.

This is expected to result in a reduction in time spent at the doorstep, while improving the overall customer experience and reducing the risk of manual handling injuries.

Asda has invested in its fleet and delivery vans due to the growth in demand for its home shopping service, which has seen the supermarket increase capacity from 400,000 to 850,000 slots per week since the start of the pandemic.

Contact

T 0800 298 2980 www.stanleyhandling.co.uk

Barnsley’s future vision is water-tight, with the help of StructureCare!

Structural maintenance, car park surfaces and flat roof specialist, StructureCare has successfully overcome the elements and challenges of installing MMA deck coatings in cold weather conditions in Barnsley. Due to lockdown restrictions, the project was pushed into the colder months.

Top deck coatings consisting of a total of 2,514m2 and internal deck coatings consisting of 15,089m2 were installed during the period July 2020 to May 2021 at The Glass Works –Barnsley Council's flagship retail, leisure and community development that is transforming Barnsley town centre. Barnsley is a large traditional market and college town in South Yorkshire, England.

StructureCare was appointed as a specialist sub-contractor by Henry Boot Construction to install specialist deck coatings and movement joints throughout the new multi-storey car park, which has space for over 500 vehicles. The selected system is locally-reinforced incorporating a fleece to accommodate the dynamic movement and cracking in higher risk areas leading to a completely durable

solution. StructureCare also installed specially-designed stainless steel ACO drainage as an integral part of the deck waterproofing system.

Mat Clarke, Contracts Manager, Henry Boot Construction explained that the car park deck coatings installation was pushed into the colder months, partly because of COVID-19 restrictions, so there was a change of specification on the lower decks of The Glass Works car park from a system incorporating PU technology to an alternative market leading MMA based product. The methyl methacrylate (MMAs) were used because they have lower working temperatures than polyurethane (PU) systems.

www.structurecare.com

Doors & Windows News

Yeoman Rainguard’s new Squareline Aluminium

fascia & soffits

Squareline is the new range of stunning Aluminium fascia and soffits from Yeoman Rainguard, whose XL and SL Aluminium gutters and downpipes are already a firm favourite with the housebuilding & renovating sector.

Manufactured from 2mm thick Aluminium with a polyester powder coating, the Squareline range is both lightweight and incredibly durable providing a maintenance-free lifecycle of 30+ years. As with all products from Yeoman Rainguard’s Aluminium range, these items are sustainable and recyclable offering an eco-friendlier option.

Supplied in black as standard, Squareline can also be manufactured in any RAL or BS colour as well as colour matching to on trend ranges such as Little Greene and Farrow & Ball, allowing the coordination with doors and window systems.

To help you decide which of the new Squareline products are best suited to your project, Yeoman Rainguard expert teams can carry out a COVIDsecure, free site survey on your property.

Yeoman Rainguard Squareline fascia and soffit products are manufactured to order with delivery time being between 7 and 10 working days from order confirmation.

For more information about Yeoman Rainguard’s Squareline fascia and soffits, go to: www.rainguard.co.uk or call 0113 279 5854.

The only joinery manufacturer you need

If you’re looking for quality, custom-made joinery, look no further than Bluerun Ltd. As a small, familyowned joinery manufacturer, Bluerun boasts an extremely loyal team of experts who manufacture everything to the highest quality. Bluerun’s staircases are widely considered works of art, all of which are designed in-house. On top of this, Bluerun can create bespoke items, from bookcases and window frames to countertops and door sets.

Whether you need a one-off item or a production run of doors & windows for a housing development, a new interior for your premises or a bespoke shop front, Bluerun is perfectly placed to deliver exactly what you need. Instead of producing speculative items for stock, Bluerun only produces purpose made joinery to fit clients’ drawings and specifications.

The majority of Bluerun’s production is for commercial builders and manufacturing, and it can provide all types of commercial joinery products. In addition to commercial projects, Bluerun can also produce high quality joinery to meet the specific standards of conservation areas or heritage sites. This includes shopfronts in sensitive conservation areas, and a 10 metre high oak hardwood catapult for Stansted Mountfitchet Castle.

With such a wide scope of services and the skills and expertise to support them, Bluerun is the only quality joinery manufacturer you need for your project.

T 01799 599995

dee@bluerunltd.co.uk

www.facebook.com/bluerunltd

www.instagram.com/bluerun_joinery

www.linkedin.com/company/bluerun-ltd

Nationwide Louvre Company

Nationwide Louvre Company for high quality aluminium Louvres, Louvred Doors, Louvred Plant Screens, Acoustic louvres, Aluminium & Timber Brise Soleil/Solar Shading manufactured in our factories in Aldridge in the West Midlands. Nationwide Louvre Company offers a full supply and installation service to its customers throughout the UK and has carried out a number of projects in the channel isles and Europe.

The business has over 40 years of experience in supplying and installing high quality products on residential, commercial and construction projects.

Nationwide Louvre Company uses in-house highly trained installation engineers with many years’ experience and specialises in louvred plant screening

and Brise Soleil with a number of our projects having been recently submitted for design awards. Our Brise Soleil projects are backed up with computer simulation software to assess the effectiveness of our products in reducing the effects of solar gain on buildings.

Brise Soleil not only enhances the appearance of a building but if designed correctly will provide a much better living or working environment for the building’s occupants, with the added benefit of reducing glare to help with computer work and will reduce the running costs of mechanical ventilation and air conditioning.

T 01922 457204 sales@nlc-louvres.co.uk

GEZE wins NHS contract

GEZE UK has been successful in securing a five year contract in conjunction with NHS UK Property Services.

The collaboration between NHS UK Property Services and GEZE UK is believed to be one of the largest contracts of its kind. Providing a service to more than 1,000 sites and 5,000 assets, GEZE UK is the industry choice to deliver a first class service to the NHS.

The majority of sites provide regional healthcare and fall into one of the following categories: Health centres and

GP surgeries; Hospitals and hospitalrelated properties; and Offices.

GEZE Service has recently launched a recruitment drive to provide the necessary support for a contract of this magnitude and is recruiting for Key Account Managers, Account Administrators and Service Technicians for automatic and industrial doors.

Said service director, Adam Presdee, “GEZE Service is delighted to be given the opportunity to work on such a prestigious project, we are confident that this contract will provide job

security and opportunity for years to come. An exciting relationship ahead, GEZE is looking forward to working with the NHS in maintaining and improving the publics’ experiences and prolonging the life cycles of its assets.”

The total NHS Property Services portfolio consists of more than 3,000 sites – worth over 3 billion pounds.

To find out more about GEZE Service, email: info.uk@geze.com or to find out

Build your bespoke PAS24

FD60 door

about GEZE UK’s comprehensive range of automatic and manual door closers, visit: www.geze.co.uk

Enfield Speciality Doors is now offering custom-built high-security 1 hour fire doorsets.

The PAS24 FD60 internal entrance doors are certified for fire and security and are ideal for apartments for social housing, students or private landlords.

Enfield’s new entrance doors meet BS 476 for fire resistance and smoke control, as well as PAS24 for enhanced security, which is required for the policebacked Secured by Design certification. Thirtyminute fire door options are also available with PAS24 certification. Single doorsets in this range come with up to 33dB acoustic performance.

The high-security fire doorsets are all built to order, with a variety of finishes and veneers to choose from. They incorporate a severe-duty core with a hardwood frame and a range of high-quality ironmongery available in satin or polished stainless steel. Options include anti-snap letterplates, lift-off hinges, lever handles and push on escutcheons plus a choice of surface-mounted and concealed door closers. A Fortress 3* thumbturn cylinder with hardened pins for anti-drill, anti-pick and anti-bump resistance offers ultimate peace of mind.

“We’re also happy to source different design options if required,” comments Nigel Sill, Chairman of Enfield Speciality Doors. “Our helpful and expert team are on hand to guide facilities managers, maintenance contractors and other specifiers on the best options for their projects.”

For more information on specialist fire, security and acoustic doors, email: sales@enfielddoors.co.uk or call 020 8805 6662 or visit: www.enfielddoors.co.uk

High Speed at Hörmann UK

Hörmann UK has launched a new high speed industrial sectional door, the Series 60 which has been designed and developed to provide the Hörmann guarantee of quality construction, high security, and easy installation. When fitted with the new WA 500 FU operator, the Series 60 can achieve an impressive door opening speed of up to 1m/s making it the fastest sectional door on the market.

Not only does the Series 60 door offer an exceptional opening speed, but optimised track radii and enlarged rollers result in up to 5dB(A) quieter door operation together with improved stability, leading to low wear and smoother door travel. Easy fitting and maintenance are aided by reduced components and the provision of pressfitted screws, whilst transition sleeves provide a precise fitting of the track and radius. The door is delivered factory set to the optimum speed but can be easily adjusted and the speed varied to suit individual operational requirements.

For added security anti-lift kits are fitted on both sides of the bottom section of the door as standard, and optional RC 2 security measures are available according to DIN/TS 18194. Operator safety is enhanced by the inclusion of an in-line light grill which automatically stops the door if an obstruction occurs whilst the door is closing.

To find your local Hörmann, please visit Industrial Sectional Doors Industrial Doors from Hörmann at: www.hormann.co.uk or call 01530 516868.

Granada Secondary Glazing unveils new website

Granada Secondary Glazing has launched its new, state-of-the-art website www. granadaglazing.com to improve and simplify the online journey for homeowners, trade customers and commercial partners alike.

Featuring an increased emphasis on functionality and navigation, the completely redesigned website allows users to access the information they need as quickly and easily as possible.

The secondary glazing specialist’s site also delivers a better cross-device user experience, whether it is accessed via a desktop, laptop, mobile or tablet.

Clearly defined sections for homeowners and industry professionals contain appropriate information and imagery on Granada’s secondary glazing products and services, all tailored specifically to the needs of the user.

“Anyone who accesses the site will be able to find what they need with no fuss,” says Lewis Hartley, Granada’s Marketing Manager.

“Video has also been effectively integrated into the site to demonstrate the acoustic benefits of secondary glazing in cutting out external noise.”

A further helpful improvement is the streamlined enquiry form, which is now much more user friendly. There is no lengthy quotation process; users are able to submit an enquiry in just a few clicks.

Zoe Grafton, Trade Sales Manager at Granada Secondary Glazing, says, “We’ve been working incredibly hard on the new website for a number of months now and are delighted to finally be able to launch it to homeowners and trade partners alike. We’re set to embark on a comprehensive digital marketing strategy over the next 12 months and recognised the importance of having a website that matched our lofty ambitions. From a technical perspective, the new website performs better, more efficiently and quicker than its predecessor, seeing us well placed to capitalise on an increase in traffic. This really marks the start of our commitment to an aggressive digital marketing approach.”

Mike Latham, Commercial Director at Granada Secondary Glazing, adds, “We consulted and engaged with a number of architects and specifiers throughout the development of the new site. From a commercial perspective our goal was simple, to display the hugely impressive work we’ve carried out on projects

Cleaning & Hygiene News

across the UK and to outline the value of secondary glazing.

“We’ve been blown away by the response so far and look forward to seeing the new site continue to grow and develop over the coming

Jangro helps shape the future of sustainability

Jangro, the UK & Ireland’s largest network of independent janitorial and cleaning distributors, is delighted to be part of the CHSA’s (Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association) new sustainability committee, which was recently formed to focus on how the sector can adopt more environmentally friendly processes and systems.

A roadmap towards sustainability is essential for the long term future of the cleaning and hygiene

Crossover vehicles

SafeGroup is investing in innovative hybrid cleaning and waste collection vehicles in a drive to make its services more responsive and sustainable for customers.

The new service crossover vans combine a rigid 14yd3 tipping container for waste collection and disposal with two separate storage pods for cleaning equipment and materials. The configuration is helping emergency soft FM and waste collection specialist SafeGroup to deliver all its main waste and cleaning services from one vehicle. The innovation is part of a wider modernisation programme that has seen SafeGroup invest over £300,000 in 2021, so far, as it also renews its fleet of specialist cleaning vans.

SafeGroup has added hybrid vans with both IVEC and ISISU 3.5t chassis to its fleet. The company has selected British-made Vauxhall Vivaro panel vans for its bespoke specialist cleaning fleet. The new hybrid vans will operate across SafeGroup's national depot, with technicians first undergoing independent driving and technical training, in line with SafeGroup's high health and safety standards.

All the vehicles are fitted with the latest vehicle tracking systems to support safe driving and allow SafeGroup to provide customers with real-time information on service delivery. www.thesafegroup.co.uk

industry. Together, with representatives from all areas of the CHSA membership, Jangro will work to define the way forward. Ultimately, this will help all businesses to achieve the minimum standards and progress on their journey. The initiative covers product, packaging, transportation, wellbeing and ethics, as well as a corporate approach to emissions, waste & water. The intention is to provide CHSA’s wide range of members with practical advice, guidance & examples of good practice to encourage their businesses and supply

chains to have a balanced approach to sustainability as well as supporting continuous, identifiable improvements over the long term.

Joining the CHSA’s sustainability committee is just one of the steps Jangro has taken to demonstrate its responsibility to this matter. It offers a catalogue purely dedicated to eco-friendly supplies and its popular Enviro range of concentrated cleaning and sanitising products has been designed with a sensible, lifecycle

months.”

For more information about the Granada Secondary Glazing range, please call on 01909 499899 or visit: www.gsecg.com or email: info@granadaglazing.com

approach to the environment in mind. In addition, it works closely with its supply chain to develop innovations & products, which offer an effective & a more sustainable offering, helping its customers to make informed, responsible decisions. www.jangro.net

Cladding Safety Company of the Month

Intelligent, lifesaving, façade fire detection and alert system

In this issue of Building and Facilities News, we have selected Intelliclad as our Cladding Safety Company of the Month.

Intelliclad was established in the wake of the Grenfell tower disaster, by Darron Brough of Metalline (Services) Ltd and Mohammed Zulfiquar of Datatecnics Ltd. The basis of its incorporation was to try and prevent anything like Grenfell from happening again, through the use of smart technology in cladding.

From the company’s location in Cannock, Staffordshire and a satellite office in Birmingham City Centre, the main role of the company is to provide intelligent cladding safety solutions.

“We are currently rolling out our new façade fire detection and alert system Intelliclad, which aims to mitigate the risk to the lives of residents currently living in dangerously clad buildings,” said Ryan Brough, Head of Operations.

Intelliclad is an innovative alarm system which uses smoke and heat sensors in the façade, to detect a fire at the earliest opportunity. Activating an alert using its own sounders, Intelliclad rapidly alerts residents to a fire and also features the ability to alert residents via a smartphone app. The system can also be linked to a pre-existing building management system which enables Intelliclad to be able to activate the main fire alarm within the building. Moreover, this smart alarm system can automatically alert the fire department to ensure an efficient and rapid response.

“We are the only system currently offering fire detection in the external cladding system, making sure that residents are alerted as soon as possible of a façade fire which have proven to be catastrophic. We have also had our system tested at the Fire Protection Association and we have had a full technical report written

by Francis Maria Peacock, a Renowned Fire Engineer,” stated Ryan.

The Intelliclad sensors were subjected to and completed, response time testing carried out by the Fire Protection Association. The report found that the application of Intelliclad sensors to the cavity of a combustible external façade, was highly effective for safeguarding residents living in high-risk residential buildings. From the test, the results suggested that if smoke from a fire enters the cavity from a window, vent or external fire source, that Intelliclad sensors in the cavity can detect it and alert first responders within minutes, before the combustible material starts to catch fire and spread across the building. Ultimately, the Fire Protection Association determined that this rapid and reliable response for alerting residents to a fire and assisting them with simultaneous evacuation, could be crucial in saving lives.

Intelliclad is currently focusing on the housing associations, managing agents, residents, contractors and building owners which employ a waking watch and who are looking for alternative interim safety measures while waiting for their building's dangerous façade to be remediated.

In terms of the company’s future plans, the future most definitely looks bright for Intelliclad who plans to continue to raise awareness of its life saving system. Ryan stated, “We have big plans regarding building safety and smart buildings of the future, but we are focusing on the here and now at the moment, as there are many residents struggling with the current UK cladding crisis.”

For more information, please see details below.

T 01543 223998

www.intelliclad.co.uk

Pumps & Valves News

Industry Excellence

Innovating the Industry

In this issue of Building and Facilities News we are proud to announce that we have selected Goelst UK as the recipient of our Industry Excellence Award.

Established by Rolf E Goelst in 1979, Goelst started out as a sole trader supplying interior products to the Dutch healthcare market. Goelst UK was created in partnership with Chris Smith during 1991 in Harrogate. The company has expanded significantly since its inception, gaining an outstanding reputation within the industry.

Operating globally, Goelst maintains its headquarters and distribution base in Ede, Holland. From here products are distributed worldwide to the global contract market, supplying an expansive range of high quality curtain rail systems. Providing fixing options for most surface finishes, Goelst offers an abundance of solutions to meet customer’s requirements including pre-formed options to accommodate the customer’s specific requirements and needs.

and hospitality sectors, but also provides products for residential use, particularly top end residential through its contract customer base.

“We are firmly at the quality end of our market.” Mark continued, “We offer a great level of service. Not only with the quick turnaround of quotes and orders, but also with technical support. We’re happy to support our customers on site in pre-contract meetings with their clients, building contractors, AV integrators and electrical contractors. We provide a level of support that gives our customers the confidence to turn their design specification into a deliverable solution.”

positions, curtain protection systems, numerous switching modes and speed options, tandem motor systems, and a variety of input voltages. Notably, through the variety of protocols G-Motion motors contain, the product is easily integrated with virtually any home automation system available today.

The G-Motion range is flexible, adaptable and compatible to use with Goelst’s existing high quality curtain tracks and accessories. It also features strong impact resistant synthetics and aluminium rail profiles which are powder coated to a very high standard, allowing them to be curved yet still deliver silent and smooth operation. Due to G-Motion’s adaptability; custom options are available with features such as bending the rail to various radii plus custom colours and finishes for made to measure projects. Sourcing the highest quality materials, such as Teflon allows the internal components of the G-motion system to be hard wearing, Self-lubricating and UV-resistant.

“We manufacture and supply curtain rail and blind systems to the UK contract market. We offer manual, cord drawn or electrically operated curtain rails and manual or electrically operated (including battery) roller blind and roman blind systems. Our products can be bought fully assembled, ready to install or in component form by our contract customers, who prefer to carry their own stock. We offer excellent technical support which includes on-site support where required, and comprehensive advice to ensure the client gets the right product for their project,” stated Mark Reeves, Director at Goelst UK.

Goelst maintains its own dedicated Research and Development department, enabling the company to create intelligent and creative solutions. Boasting numerous patents and design protections, Goelst is well equipped in creating revolutionary products, pushing the boundaries of quality standards across the industry. Serving multiple industry sectors, Goelst predominantly supplies to the healthcare

Goelst products are complemented by the company’s outstanding customer service and a five year manufacturer’s warranty on its products. The company is also environmentally responsible, priding itself on being conscious of its carbon footprint. Goelst only use aluminium from ASI certified plants in their products.

A noteworthy recent development for the company, Goelst has further developed its already successful G-Motion electric curtain track range.

G-Motion’s modular design ensures that the system has an unrivalled set of standard functionalities including: self-setting end

“Our G-motion, electrically operated curtain track continues to evolve. We now have integrated RF remote control and also made the system operable via a phone-based app,” stated Mark.

Now more efficient, simple to connect and to operate, the integrated Goelst CAN-BUS system allows users to connect and operate multiple electrical curtain track systems, operated from a single remote control or app.

After the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many industries have felt the impact from things such as lockdowns, delays in product supply and reductions in capacity. Understanding and responding to the new needs of the market has been essential for companies to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. Seeing the closure of some of its key markets, Goelst evaluated its products and services, changing and adapting to suit market and customer needs.

Mark explained that, “COVID-19 has had an impact on everyone and everything. Some of our key markets closed completely following the initial outbreak and they are still not fully operational yet. During 2020 we diversified, offering products such as free standing and ceiling suspended COVID barrier screens, which helped to offset the revenue lost in day-today business. We have remained operational throughout the two periods of lockdown, with admin and sales functions being carried out off site, while production ran at reduced staffing levels. After the last 18 months, it would be great just to see some normality return. Not just on a business level, it’s also been emotionally difficult for many families during the pandemic.”

Able to maintain its operations and responding productively to the COVID-19 pandemic, Goelst has been happy to maintain its services and plans to continue developing and expanding.

“We’re very fortunate in that we have an incredibly solid foundation. Moving forward, we plan to invest in new machinery and equipment plus expand our production capabilities with new staff,” said Mark.

Indeed, after the COVID-19 pandemic many industries, companies and people are looking forward to a brighter future. As Goelst continues with its future plans, Mark reflected on the company’s latest achievements and told us how the company felt upon being recognised for its achievements with this award. He told us that, “We’re all thrilled. It was a fantastic surprise to hear that we were going to receive this award.”

For any further information, please see the details featured below.

T +44 (0)1423 873002 www.goelst.co.uk

Mark Reeves, Director, Goelst UK, accepts the Industry Excellence Award

Facilities & Estate Management News

Complete ‘end to end’ Field Service Management Software

To introduce ourselves, Clockwork IT was founded in 2003 and has a long history of helping businesses become more efficient, saving time and money, and ultimately opening the door to greater productivity. Our Software solution was designed and built around Service Maintenance, Scheduling, Planned Maintenance, Ad Hoc Incident Logging, Asset Management and Fieldbased Software.

A typical client for us would be anybody with field-based operatives and an eagerness to work as efficiently as possible. Whatever the specific

challenges your business encounters, we strive to address them in a friendly and professional manner. Our considerable knowledge and expertise is utilised in helping businesses to solve problems just like yours. We have considerable expertise helping companies of all sizes and structures, whether you work through everything on Excel sheets, have multiple Software packages for different functions or even have a system in place already; we are able to properly understand your immediate and long-term requirements with our simple fourstep process.

Consultation

It all begins with a meeting where you outline your vision of what the perfect company is. Together, we can then analyse where improvements can be made and select the right modules for you from our range of powerful business optimisation tools.

Demo Next, we will show you what the Software can

do. This is an interactive process with the use of Microsoft Teams or Zoom (or even in person!) where we really let you put our programs through their paces.

Planning & Quality Assurance

Once your mind is made up, we’ll work with you to put a plan in place as to how the Software can be rolled out and used across your business. We’ll also walk you through our various guarantees and put your mind at ease that the Software you’re working with is truly of the highest professional standard.

Project Deployment

Once everything’s agreed, we’ll set it all up for you, teach your staff how to use it and make sure that you’re setup and ready to go. Further, we’ll oversee the entire rollout, and only step back once you’re comfortable with what you’re doing.

Our Software has grown over the years by

working closely with all of our customers, which keeps our solution packed with up-to-date, industry specific, workflow processes.

Features such as Quick Quote allows companies to send ‘on-the-fly’ quotes both in the office and remotely. Our Proposal Builder allows our customers to build a much more in-depth and impressive quote proposal to send to their customers; giving them an impressive edge over the competition.

Both Quick Quote and Proposal Builder have the added capability of being completely paperless, having a built-in digital document signing feature, meaning you have the power to send and receive every single quote at the click of a button, resulting in greater speed and more importantly ‘hassle free’.

Contact Luke at: sales@clockworkit.co.uk or call 03300 577170 for further information.

Warehouse & Storage News

Facilities & Estate Management News

SFP completes sale of business

Nationwide insolvency practitioner SFP has successfully completed the sale of Northamptonshire-based Construction and Management Training Limited after the business was placed into administration.

Construction and Management Training's troubles started pre-pandemic as a result of a fall in demand for the company’s NVQ training. While costs were reduced to protect the future of the business, cashflow problems persisted and, following redundancies, only two employees remained with the business.

The company was incorporated in October 2009 to provide training and assessment solutions to the construction industry. It initially provided training for other training providers on a contractual basis as well as to a local agricultural college. As the business grew, it was engaged by various leading UK Construction companies and by 2012 it had won a major contract to provide NVQ training for the plant operators of a major company. It expanded its workforce and established a bespoke training facility in Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire.

By 2017/18 its workforce peaked at 12 staff, with a turnover of c£1.2 million – but in 2019/2020 turnover halved, and the business sought financial advice, entering a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA). Unable to meet the terms of the CVA, the Directors engaged SFP. David Kemp and Richard Hunt, of SFP, were appointed as Joint Administrators on 6 May 2021. SFP subsequently achieved a sale of the business to CMT Commercial Services Limited on 14 May with the two employees transferring to the new company. The training facility infrastructure was also sold to an independent third party. enquiries@sfpgroup.com

Over 10,000 new Leafield bins at Cardiff University

Leafield Environmental, a leading manufacturer, designer and supplier of plastic recycling bins are proud to have installed over 10,000 recycling bins at Cardiff University in March 2021 aimed at increasing university recycling rates in line with the Welsh Government recycling targets of 70% by 2025.

Leafield Environmental were awarded the recycling project by Cardiff University and started to manufacture over 10,000 recycling bins in January 2021 at the start of the third national COVID-19 lockdown and installed the units by mid-March 2021. Leafield’s Envirobin Midi recycling bins were installed alongside their AquaPod unit for liquids in academic and administration buildings. Each Envirobin Midi 82 litre unit formed part of a recycling station featuring clear signage and WRAP compliant colour coded labels and lids. Leafield’s EnviroStack stacking bins were installed in halls of residence kitchens achieving a reduced footprint and flexibility to recycle either 32 or 52 litres of segregated waste, consistent with the bins installed in academic and administration buildings. The new Envirobank 310 litre unit is the latest new addition to the Envirobank collection and was designed for Cardiff University for their external environments. The 310 litre unit features a dual aperture to collect segregated waste streams in its two 155 litre wheeled bins.

For more information on Leafield’s recycling bin range, call Leafield Environmental on 01225 816541 or email: recycle@leafieldenv.com or visit: www.leafieldrecycle.com

Mainteno: Facilities maintenance software

Mainteno is advanced award-winning facilities maintenance and management software that streamlines every aspect of maintenance management processes. “We provide online software and have provided online maintenance management software for the past eight years.” David continued, “Our software is extremely diverse and adaptable for many industries and has been used to manage many different types of facilities by companies including The Dogs Trust, DPD, funeral homes, schools and care homes.”

All accessed through one easy to use platform, Mainteno is a CMMS (Computerised Maintenance Management System) which provides a CAFM (Computer Aided Facilities Management) solution for organisations. Designed with an easy to use dashboard,

Mainteno provides all the relevant data in one central system enabling the user to access all aspects of facilities managements through its functions including managing maintenance, scheduling maintenance, creating fault repair reports, asset tracking, general task

management, creating checklists, invoicing, enquiring and managing quotes and tendering of contractors and supporting contractors.

With a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction, Redro ensures its software is beneficial for its clients and provides a comprehensive service from consultation to after sales services.

View a detailed explanatory video of Mainteno here: https://vimeo.com/425488696 or above or for any further information, please see details below: T 0208 798 3713 sales@redro.co.uk www.Mainteno.com www.redro.co.uk

Wireless emergency lighting system from Tridonic

Tridonic offers easy testing and maintenance of existing systems

Tridonic’s emergency wireless system combines Casambi-ready basicDIM Wireless control technology with sceneCOM DALI-based lighting control. Using basicDIM as the backbone provides wireless connectivity for emergency luminaires via a fail-safe mesh network without additional cabling or structural changes, ideal for retrofitting into existing installations.

Existing DALI emergency luminaires with a PRO emergency lighting unit are integrated into the wireless network using basicDIM wireless G2 module. The luminaires are set up via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). In new installations, cost savings are achieved as less time and effort is needed for planning and commissioning, and material costs are reduced.

Luminaires are centrally monitored and automatically tested.

External access is via any internet-enabled device, and the dashboard provides information about the real-time status of the system, latest test results and data on each luminaire, including the condition of the battery and the status of the LEDs and associated electronics. At the touch of a button, the system also automatically creates a standard-compliant log book with all the relevant information for downloading as a PDF or XML file.

Contact

T 01256 374300 www.tridonic.com

Facilities & Estate Management News

Telensa’s smart lighting controls selected for stateof-the art campus at the University of Leicester

Telensa has announced that its smart lighting control system for external lighting has been selected by the University of Leicester as part of the university’s initiative to reduce energy consumption and light pollution. Telensa’s smart lighting solution will enable the university to manage and control its external lighting estate, remotely, from a secure online portal delivering a range of new operational and energy saving efficiencies.

The smart lighting system over time will control all external lighting across the entire university estate.

Thanks to funding from the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the University of Leicester is in the process of upgrading existing campus lighting that is nearing the end of its life to more energy efficient LED lighting. The introduction of Telensa’s wireless lighting control system, PLANet®, as part of the LED upgrade, will further help to reduce the university’s energy consumption and associated bills through more sophisticated control of operating hours and illumination levels. PLANet also makes it possible for the university to measure precisely the amount of energy the external lighting is consuming.

Although used by local authorities, including Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council, the University of Leicester is believed to be the first university in the UK to adopt such a system. The feature-rich set of diagnostic tools and graphical interfaces within the PLANet® application will dramatically improve the way the university is able to manage and maintain its lighting assets and help it to create new efficiencies in this area.

Contact www.telensa.com

ACCO UK presents its products at Facilities Show Connect 2021

ACCO UK, parent company of the everpopular office products brands Rexel, Leitz, GBC, and Kensington, delivered a Tech Talk and demonstrated a range of useful products for facilities management at the Facilities Show Connect 2021 in June.

ACCO UK and its family of brands have long been a staple of office life, offering popular products in stationary, office furniture, shredding, visual communication, and more. Over the past year, the company has continually adapted to provide customers with a range of solutions for maintaining health and safety, offering products ranging

from social distancing screens to automatic, low-contact shredders and laminators.

At the Facilities Show, ACCO showed its latest solution for safety in the new normal: the Kensington UVStand™. This desktop monitor stand has a built-in sanitation compartment complete with fully-contained UV LEDs that safely sanitise keyboards, mice, trackballs and mobile phones. When in use, the UV-C technology is able to eliminate up to 99.9% of bacteria and viruses within just 10 minutes and without the use of chemicals, liquids or wipes. This makes it quick and easy for organisations to maintain

Retail security dilemmas solved with ShopShield

This summer, countless retail, hospitality and entertainment properties across the whole country are standing closed and forlorn as a consequence of lockdown destroying their business one way or another. And, no matter what it says in their lease, tenants who have run out of the wherewithal to pay rent, arrears and monthly outgoings, won’t worry about security for their abandoned premises. The responsibility, therefore, inevitably falls back on the sometimes-beleaguered landlord who has his own finance issues to deal with. Unfortunately, these empty units are like an open invitation to thieves, vandals, arsonists or squatters, even fly-tippers if there is an inviting forecourt to dump on. Landlords can

well live without all this in terms of time and further cost.

Commercial security specialists, Clearway, have stepped into the breach with exactly what’s needed to stop both criminals and mindless vandals: ShopShield One, a fixedprice, retail security solution that is simple, affordable and ticks all the necessary boxes to keep the premises safe and secure until new tenants can move in.

Like an easy to understand and buy, onestop-shop solution, ShopShield One will cover replacement locks, a temporary letterbox seal, Key safe and flammable waste

cleanliness in the office environment. This product complements some of the brand’s other sanitation-focused products born from the pandemic, including their range of washable keyboards and computer mice.

T +44 (0)1296 397444 www.accobrands.com

Vacant Retail Property £399 Cleared & Secured for

removal. A comprehensive risk assessment is also carried out to highlight any other issues, for which a set of bolt-on services is available to provide additional security measures tailored to the individual needs of your premises.

Contact www.clearway.co.uk/shopshield T 01322 479652 enquiries@clearway.co.uk

The

Van Insurer

reveals customers’ Top 10 Vans

2020 was a year like no other, but for many van drivers working on the front line, their vans proved an indispensable means of keeping the wheels of industry turning.

While there are many different makes and models on the market to choose from, The Van Insurer is committed to finding the most competitive insurance quote for each and every customer, regardless of how they use their vehicle.

And there’s more good news for van drivers; last year saw insurance premiums drop for every van that hit The Van Insurer’s Top 10 Vans of 2020.

Once again, the online insurance price comparison specialist has crunched its quote data from the last 12 months to find the most popular vans among those looking for insurance cover – read on to see whether your motor hit the Top 10...

The Van Insurer’s Top 10 Vans of 2020 1. Ford Transit 2. Vauxhall Vivaro

3. Ford Transit Connect 4. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 5. Ford Transit Custom 6. Volkswagen Transporter 7. Renault Trafic

8. Volkswagen Caddy

9. Citroen Berlingo

10. Vauxhall Combo

The Top 10 list comprises the vans for which The Van Insurer received the most quote requests from January to December 2020.

T 0330 022 3972 www.thevaninsurer.co.uk

Facilities & Estate Management News

Stalling the EV evolution

Electric Spinach, one of the UK’s first completely impartial EV charging solutions provider wholly focused on the built environment, has launched. Around a fifth of all charge points currently installed in UK commercial buildings will need to be reversed as they won’t be fit for purpose by 2025. In response to this concerning industry issue, which is slowing the EV evolution, Electric Spinach aims to create a more fair and free market, offering landlords, developers and businesses straight forward and sustainable advice on EV charging strategies for the built environment.

End of trip EV charging has become a highly critical issue for developers and landlords, looking to attract and retain EV drivers who have been identified as being the likely decision makers on office space occupancy. As EV charging technology and commercial requirements evolve, it is essential to put a bespoke, long-term and scalable EV charging solution in place to bolster environmental accreditations. This is Electric Spinach’s point of difference; every brief received by Electric Spinach is treated individually by experts who scour the market for the very best in EV charging technologies for that specific project. Recommendations are given based on best fit, rather than manufacturer affiliations and partnerships. Electric Spinach spans the entire market, comparing

Aero Healthcare’s

Launching the only natural fibre, biodegradable wipe that is enclosed in 100% recyclable packaging; Aero Healthcare are once again leading the way for safety and the environment. First to solve a real–world need, the eco-friendly hand and surface wipes provide 99.99% protection against bacteria and viruses, including Coronavirus; while also enabling full ecofriendly disposal of both the wipe and packaging.

innovation

and contrasting options with our clients before building an intricate and bespoke strategy for them that will set them apart.

After a decade spent working with commercial landlords, councils and planning departments, the Electric Spinach team have an in-depth and unique understanding of their opportunities and challenges and have used this knowledge and experience to help shape the ‘Electric Spinach methodology’.

Visit: www.electricspinach.co.uk to book or to learn more.

Waterblade: Unique combination

Waterblade offers the unique combination of great handwashing with low water consumption. Now fitted to tens of thousands of taps in the UK.

▲ Saving Water – Typically halving water consumption (5,200 Litres/Tap/Year)

▲ Saving Energy – Reducing water heating requirement (240 Kwh/Tap/Year)

▲ Under 6 Months Payback – Compatible with most washroom taps, fitted in minutes

▲ Quality, ISO 9001, UK manufactured to high environmental standard, ISO 14001

▲ WRAS approved

Easy to assess for yourself, just ask us for a free (If you have 10+ basins) sample to fit. Happy to share savings/monitored trial information. nigel@thewaterblade.com www.thewaterblade.com

Hard Landscaping Company of the Month

Made from compostable biodegradable fibres, Aero Healthcare’s biodegradable wipes are tested to European Standard efficacies. Covering bactericidal, virucidal, fungicidal, chemical disinfectants and antiseptic abilities; the wipes provide a cost-effective single solution for protecting employees and helping the environment, while not compromising on safety.

The new antimicrobial wipes are gently fragranced and impregnated with anti-bacterial and virucidal lotion to give exceptional and comprehensive protection. And with a yearly estimate of 11 billion wipes being used in the UK prior to the COVID-19 pandemic; the market need has increased exponentially in the past months.

The antibacterial and anti-viral hand and surface wipe is keenly priced, durable for wide-range use,

and environmentally friendly; with Aero Healthcare combining their renowned quality with cost effective packages for all. Further purchase incentives are also evident, with the ecologically sound wipes enabling ethical business practices to adhere to their corporate social responsibility pledges and recycling goals.

For information on Aero Healthcare’s biodegradable wipes go to https://marketing.aerohealthcare.co.uk/ biodegradable-wipes-0 or email: sales@areohealthcare.co.uk or call 0845 604 8280.

Fourth energy payment option

With bad debt risk spiralling for energy providers, and economic uncertainty for customers, both groups are seeking a new way to settle their energy bills. Siemens has taken its pioneering Managed Credit solution and combined it with payment technology from global IT services firm CGI, and Open Banking innovator Ordo. The solution presents a compelling case for a fourth payment option. Building on existing smart metering technology, Managed Credit delivers prepayment energy without the cost, operating credit energy features without the risk.

In a new technical whitepaper Siemens makes the case for the use of Managed Credit among energy retailers, serving as a fourth payment option with lower operational costs than direct debit customers and all the risk-free benefits of prepayment.

Head of Managed Credit Siemens, Nick Jones, said, "Our Managed Credit technology has been used over the last 7 years to help a prominent challenger brand

grow a new sub-brand. Managed Credit has a lower cost to serve than traditional smart prepayment, and with this open banking partnership it could make Managed Credit a cheaper option than Direct Debit."

The white paper can be found at: www.siemens.co.uk/managed-credit-whitepaper

Azpects: Making hard landscaping EASY

Building and Facilities News is proud to announce Azpects as its Hard Landscaping Company of the Month.

If you’re looking to procure products that make creating and maintaining hard landscaping easy, Azpects is the company for you. Azpects manufacture and distribute a comprehensive range of joint fillers, surface cleaners, protectors and other ancillary products through building merchants, landscape supply outlets and garden centres. Designed to make the professional’s and DIYer’s job of installing and maintaining hard landscape materials easier, quicker and more effective, Azpects products are guaranteed to deliver assured results in less time with less effort.

Established in 2009, by Paul Taylor and Michael Downing, Azpects was created with a simple mission to produce products that would revolutionise the hard landscaping industry. Headquartered in Ipswich, Suffolk, Azpects also has an international office in Texas which was opened in 2016.

With innovation at the forefront of every product design, Azpects is always looking to introduce new solutions for the challenges hard-working landscapers, builders and gardener’s encounter. Not afraid to push the boundaries, Azpects has recently designed a revolutionary synthetic sub-base system called EASYClickBase (ECB). The traditional methods of laying paving and driveways require substantial excavation and subsequent costly disposal of residual materials, plus the import of expensive aggregates. ECB significantly reduces all these requirements while maintaining the integrity of the project.

We managed to speak to Paul who explained the product further, he stated, “ECB has further

environmental credentials in that it is made from recycled plastic (and is recyclable). It is lightweight and easy to transport and solves the landscaper's nightmare problem of working in areas with restricted access for plant and machinery. The use of ECB means much less digging out, less backfill and less waste. Without the aid of mechanical apparatus, it would have to be done laboriously by hand. It saves time, money and reduces the environmental impact of patio and driveway projects.”

Azpects cater its products to both stockists and suppliers. Delivering support through traditional and modern methods, its in-house team of professional marketers offer tailored marketing

support to all clients. As an industry leader, its service and support to its customers is second to none. “We provide dedicated Account Managers to service the customer on a very regular basis, delivering specialist training on our products and general support for the enduser,” explains Paul.

Its dedicated and bespoke-designed products are also aimed directly at consumers who use the products in the field. Through its website, Azpects provide a comprehensive catalogue of support videos of detailed usage and product support guides.

Following on from an increase in brand awareness created by its strong social media platform, Azpects launched a retail-friendly product range aimed towards garden centres and more traditional retail outlets. As an already established market leader amongst professional landscapers and builders, Azpects has seen an increase in interest from other professions such as gardeners and DIYers.

COVID-19 saw the company take a flexible approach, allowing for home-working environments and investments into video conferencing, enabling Azpects to grow the business despite the challenges.

“Demand for certain products actually increased during the lockdowns as consumers began to focus on improving their own outdoor spaces rather than holidaying abroad. We're proud to supply alternative products such as EASYJoint

and EASYClickbase, that enable landscapers to get on with their jobs, despite shortages of cement and aggregate,” mentions Paul.

Continuing its growth, Azpects has big plans for the future. “Our R&D team continue to refine our existing range and seek new solutions to challenges met every day by landscapers and gardeners. We have a number of innovative products planned for launch throughout 2021 and beyond.”

T 01473 760777 info@azpects.co.uk www.azpects.co.uk

BBL Batteries

As BBL Batteries approaches its 50th year, it remains as a leading UK battery specialist, embracing the latest technology and helping businesses make the most of a great opportunity.

BBL Batteries is a leading, multi branch, UK-based, battery business that is increasingly focused on the development, introduction and distribution of new and improved battery technologies to today’s market.

Founded in 1972 and proud to remain one of the few fully independent family enterprises in the aftermarket, BBL Batteries understands that being successful in an ever increasingly competitive market is down to a number of core competences. These include experience, expertise

and unrivalled, superior customer service as well as the desire to solve problems and advise on solutions that work for our customers.

We source our batteries from across the globe and have long standing relationships with the world’s leading manufacturers. This enables us to ensure a consistent stock holding and onwards supply of premium quality batteries at fantastic value. We have a dedicated, in house team that assemble both bespoke and ‘off the shelf’ battery packs which can be delivered the next day. For further information, advice or to order, please do contact us on 0117 955 0535 or email: sales@bblbatteries.co.uk

Lighting & Electrical News

Tickling the SPD nerve

“With Surge Protection Devices (SPD) becoming increasingly common in installations, it is surely time that there was an accepted test to confirm their efficacy,” says Brendan Beaver, manager of Metrel UK, a manufacturer of innovative test solutions.

“The manufacturers say that they are 100% tested before they leave the factory, but it is not hugely reassuring to the installer whose insurance take on liability once they supply and install the SPD.

“Metrel multi-function testers have for more than 10 years offered a ramp facility on the insulation test which gives the ability to test varistors and some SPDs in the field.

“Maybe it is time that the powers that be recommend a test protocol which could be incorporated in all multi-function testers.”

T 01924 245000

Brendan.beaver@metrel.co.uk

www.metrel.co.uk

Industry leaders in cable management solutions

As one of the leading companies for cable management, Cable Trail offers temporary and permanent solutions for your project. The company’s original solution was derived from an innovative project that was developed to solve a specific problem, and since then the company has created a portfolio of problem-solving products on top of its ability to create fast and efficient solutions tailored to a particular asset or cable management problem.

In terms of its cable management solution, Cable Trail’s innovative and patented system (Cable Track) is ideal for the management of temporary and semi-permanent cable solutions. The product’s unique reverse hook arrangement allows cables to be quickly and easily loaded and locked into a row and held tight between two cable tracks spaced up to three metres apart. This excellent innovation replaces traditional trunking and works at a fraction of the cost. The cable tracks can be attached using screws, magnets or cable ties, with additional advanced features such as RFID chip location. Cable Trail also offers asset management tags, the leading choice for many companies in search of bespoke identification tags. Whether it is a single piece of equipment to identify for your own register, or as part of a more sophisticated asset management program using unique electronic coding, Cable Trail’s innovative systems are sure to meet and exceed your requirements.

T 01423 611610

office@cabletrail.com www.cabletrail.co.uk

Landscaping, External Works & Drainage News

Sewage problems? Allerton is your answer

Allerton UK is a leading off mains drainage company, covering sales, servicing, commissioning and repairs of all types of septic tanks, sewage treatment plants, sewage pump stations and soakaways. Working across the East Midlands and beyond, Allerton boasts a team of dedicated and experienced workers, all trained with British Water to ensure they are in the best position to properly assess a situation and correct it.

Established in 1974 by Jon Allerton, the company was originally concerned with draining farmers’ fields, after the government provided grants to farmers with the aim to get the country drained. Once this was completed in the late 1980s, Allerton needed a new direction, and so began its work in off mains drainage.

Accredited engineers is included in the package. Not only does Allerton install high quality units, the company also focuses on continual service of the equipment. This means that units Allerton has made and installed, of which there are over 1,200, are all still working efficiently across the country. Indeed, Allerton often receives regular customer feedback which emphasises how happy they are with the service they have received.

unit and then constantly improving it becomes second nature to everything we do. Now, we use WPL, one of the top two or three manufacturers of sewage plants, and they listen to us when we suggest improvements,” Jon explained.

In line with its ongoing expansion, Allerton has been taking on more staff and training them all to British Water standards. “I’m 78 soon, and the company has been recently restructured and is now Allerton Bradley Ltd. Jason Bradley has been a large shareholder for several years, and has worked for the company for most of his life. His knowledge of all things sewage is vast, and at 36, he ensures the company can look forward to another 50 years of good service, and pleasing people!”

As well as its sewage treatment plants and sewage pump stations which are made on the premises, Allerton also makes the ConSept. This converts septic tanks into sewage treatment plants, and can be fitted without excavations, apart from the shallow cable and air pipe trenches. This means customers can save around £3,000+VAT by avoiding excavators on site. What’s more, because the ConSept lifts the treated water to the surface, disposing of the treated effluent is a lot better than other methods.

The ConSept uses the existing septic tank, removing the need to install a heavy plant or new tank, and it is quick to install to save time, money and disruption. The tank has no moving parts inside, and it maintains the water at the correct level, keeping your drains clear right up to the house. Moreover, it is manufactured using high grade composite materials and non-ferrous components, meaning the ConSept does not corrode, offering a long and trouble-free life.

Installation inside your existing septic tank also means that the ConSept cannot be seen or heard, and the air blower remains outside the tank for easy maintenance. The equipment also has low maintenance costs, requiring servicing just once a year and desludging and emptying once every two years. While the local desludger can empty the tank or sewage plant, Allerton will of course service and maintain all their own equipment and that all other manufactures units too, in fact servicing, repairs and surveys of sewage treatment plants is a major part of their work. The final effluent is discharged into a watercourse or soakaway, and installation and commissioning by Allerton’s British Water

“In particular, we make sure everything is explained to the customer from the beginning and throughout the process, and we always do what we say we will,” said Jon Allerton, Director.

“Minor problems are sorted out by engineers on site, and all the initial customer worries are dealt with in advance. We offer initial onsite advice, help with all paperwork such as planning and Environmental Agency permits, installation and ongoing servicing, including repairs. Every aspect of what we do is to please the customer.

“We used to manufacture our own sewage treatment plants, until the EU decided they needed to be tested for two years in Germany. However, the experience we have of making a

Indeed, despite the current setbacks caused by the COVID19 pandemic, Allerton is continuing to expand, thanks to the real and immediate need of the company’s services. Whether it’s a school, hospital, factory or housing estate, Allerton’s capabilities are helping people across the country save money, maintain their compliance with regulators, and ultimately protect the environment.

If you would like to find out more information on everything Allerton does, head to the website or get in touch using the contact details below.

T 0800 328 5492

T 01529 305757 www.allertonuk.com

Is using recycled plastic in construction the answer?

The sad truth about plastic waste is that, for far too long now, it is still largely burnt, landfilled, or scattered into our landscapes and oceans. It is estimated that in western industrialised countries, every person generates around 37 kilos of plastic waste each year. However, HAHN Plastics has been battling this waste for over 25 years now, through the development of high-quality recycled plastic products created with our own unique raw material that lasts a lifetime – hanit®

Last year alone, HAHN Plastics produced around 55 million kilos of recycled plastic products from plastic waste that is collected from bins.

Made out of that same super strong hanit®, our

Foundation Pads are re-useable, weatherproof, and entirely recyclable. They’re ideal for supporting or

levelling shipping containers, temporary offices, mobile homes and other structures.

hanit® Foundation Pads can take heavy loads, survive on-site drops and scrapes, and can be easily stored anywhere. Produced for secure and easy stacking, they can be used as single pads or securely stacked and reinforced with rods. They’re virtually unbreakable and available to hire or purchase.

Lighter than concrete and more durable than wood –choosing hanit® is a no-brainer!

For more information on HAHN Plastics’ foundation pads, contact 0161 850 1965 or visit: www.foundationpads.com

New ‘super’ tax relief being missed by many

Businesses in are being urged not to miss out on a new temporary tax relief initiative by the UK government, which allows them to claim back 130% of the cost of waste equipment like balers and compactors.

The new capital allowance for new plant equipment and machinery runs from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2023 offering the ‘super deduction’, compared to the usual 18%, to businesses paying corporation tax. The initiative aims to encourage UK businesses to invest in equipment that improves production and waste management, as well as reducing costs and their impact on the environment.

Jason Smith, Managing Director of phs Wastekit, which is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of balers and compactors, said, “Many businesses aren’t aware of this super deduction, which is already available to them. Understandably, lots of companies are currently concentrating on recovery, business development and meeting government guidelines, so it’s easy to miss. It is a fantastic, one-off opportunity to gain significant tax relief on equipment that can save huge amounts of money and even generate a new revenue stream for them.”

Using a compactor reduces the volume of waste produced by a business, saving it money on the collection and processing of its waste. Many businesses can save up to 90% of their waste costs by compacting their non-recyclable waste.

For more information, contact phs Wastekit at: www.phswastekit.co.uk

Making the move to an electric vehicle fleet

Investing in an electric vehicle fleet is a big commitment.

Dan Lee, Managing Director of phs

Compliance, a leading provider of workplace compliance and building engineering services, says businesses need to ensure they have the right infrastructure and compliance procedures in place early on to ensure a smooth transition.

“Businesses also need to consider on-going maintenance and their compliance obligations as part of their planning,” he advises.

“A key consideration is your electric vehicle charging points and the type of EV points you’ll need. This will vary depending on the business and what vehicles you choose. A specialist like phs Compliance can advise you on this. We can also advise you on what ongoing tests and inspections will be required by law.

“Always ensure you use an installer who has been fully approved and accredited by the UK’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, also known as the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), to install an EV charging point.

“Now is a good time to plan and start making the investments needed as the government’s Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is providing businesses with vouchers that contribute up to 75% of the up-front costs of purchasing and installing electric vehicle charging points – up to the value of £350 per socket for a maximum of 40 sockets – if you use an OLEV approved installer like phs Compliance.”

T 0333 005 0456 info@phscompliance.co.uk www.phscompliance.co.uk

Building Products & Services News

Starting your business safely, every day

Do you need to carry out site inspections, pre-use inspections on plant and equipment or just need to gather data on the go? Then look no further than StartSafe.

StartSafe provides a live, paperless, minimal touchpoint tool increasing productivity by identifying issues and risks in a simple and quick format. The software provides full audit checks on any aspect of a business, overseen by an interactive dashboard. This gives managers (from SMEs to PLCs) a complete and immediate overview of issues, the ability to confirm checks have been undertaken and, ultimately, confidence that employees and business processes are operating safely and effectively.

Health and safety checks become part of the daily process flow with an easy to use, instant reporting tool that reduces administration requirements and streamlines issues to be flagged instantly without the need for a paper audit trail. Already equipped with a solid foundation of auditing expertise, ongoing development has introduced new features including an offline working mode, geolocating, timed audits, dynamic template builder and exception reporting.

Allowing you to create your own work rules, the Exception Reporting tool can automatically warn a user that a specific fault has occurred, saving the issue as an open fault until it has been resolved. Open faults are collated and easily viewed enabling you to manage resolutions.

The diverse and flexible StartSafe system will allow you to create-inspect-report-analyse what you need through the intuitive and user-friendly system. Get in touch on 0330 223 6260 to discuss how we can help take your business to the next level of auditing, quality control and compliance.

adambreathwick@startsafe.tech

www.startsafe.tech

Leading importer distributor of tarpaulins, cotton dust sheets, painting supplies, and refuse sacks

If you are looking for a wholesale distributer for supplies of tarpaulins, dustsheets, decorating items and a large range of refuse sack, Tristar is here to answer your needs.

Established in 1992 in Stevenage, Tristar is a family owned business, sourcing its products from Europe, India and the Far East to supply them through wholesale and multiple outlets across the UK. The company’s wide range of tarpaulins, dust sheets, painting equipment, carpet protectors, sacks and bags, and much more, ensures you have everything you need for your next project.

With many years’ experience in the field, Tristar has earned an enviable reputation for prompt delivery, premiums quality goods and competitive prices. You will find Tristar a company worth getting to know.

For further information on Tristar’s products or to request a quote, please give them a call or send them an email.

T 01438 880178

T 01438 221009 sales@tristarltd.co.uk www.tristarltd.co.uk

SprayCork from Corksol reduces walls’ heat loss

New research from Corksol UK has confirmed its innovative SprayCork solution is proven to reduce heat loss through walls by more than 30%, making it the ultimate choice for properties old and new. A high performance, sustainable solution, SprayCork offers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional render systems and other coatings. Breathable and weather resistant, SprayCork delivers excellent insulation properties, and now thanks to this latest research, it is proven to reduce heat loss making it an outstanding solution when looking for ways to combat the problems caused by thermal bridges and poor insulation. The

test was conducted on a 1890s solid walled, Yorkshire stone detached cottage that suffers from a lack of wall insulation. This style of property was chosen as it totals

Landscaping, External Works & Drainage

almost 7.8 million of the UK built environment. Less than than 10% of these properties have any form of wall insulation and are notorious for harvesting damp spots and mould. Armed with a U-value monitoring kit and an Infrared (IR) camera funded by Corksol’s Innovate UK R&D grant, the team set out to assess SprayCork’s thermal wall insulation performance, seeing outstanding results with the porous nature of SprayCork well suited to old properties, whose walls were designed to breathe.

T 01484 442420

www.corksoluk.com

News

Building Products & Services News

Long term timber protection from Wethertex®

For the transformation of timber with long term protection, Wethertex® have the perfect solution in their OT25 Wood-Flex Timber Paint. Recently refreshed with a great new 24 shade standard colour range, OT25 is ideal for fencing, doors, windows and outdoor wooden buildings, any type of exterior timber. With a beautiful satin finish and excellent opaque coverage, it is quick drying and simple to apply with brush, roller, or spray.

The inclusion of Optilife™ Silicone Technology in the design of Wethertex OT25 Wood-Flex Timber Paint provides a host of benefits including excellent waterproofing capabilities to protect your timber long-term against the weather, and high levels of water vapour permeability allowing the substrate to breathe naturally and avoid any issues caused by

water build-up under the coating. With its market leading 12 year durability, the incorporation of OT25 into cyclical painting

programmes can reduce time and money significantly compared with traditional timber coatings, making it a cost-effective alternative.

The entire Wethertex® range is available from stockists nationwide with some offering online purchasing and in-house colour tinting. Samples are available on request via our online request form at: www.wethertex.co.uk

Based in North Yorkshire, Wethertex® is part of the Wetherby Laroc Group of companies and is a family-owned business that has manufactured paints, coatings and renders in the UK for over 45 years.

T 01845 578555 info@wetherbygroup.com

West Fraser knows that from little acorns big trees grow!

West Fraser, formerly known as Norbord UK, is a company with a proud history of investing in its workforce and a

commitment to providing employment and training opportunities for young people is an integral part of this ethos. For over 40 years, West Fraser has been giving local 16+ year old school leavers the opportunity to complete apprenticeships at the Inverness, Cowie and South Molton sites.

As is common with apprenticeships, the new starters can expect on-the-job training combined with day release to a local college. At West Fraser, apprentices train for mechanical and electrical engineering roles.

At Cowie, West Fraser's apprentices complete a 26 week programme of intensive hands-on practical training at MetTECH in Grangemouth. This is designed to give them solid broad-based engineering skills in preparation to embark on planned periods of on-the-job training at West Fraser. The apprentices also attend Forth Valley College one day per week to complete a National Certificate (NC) in mechanical or electrical engineering before going on to gaining their HNC in third and fourth years.

Inverness also started nine new apprentices in November.

After completing the four-year apprenticeship and obtaining satisfactory examination results, the majority are employed on permanent contracts. In fact, 11% of the current workforce at the Cowie facility started their careers as a West Fraser apprentice.

For further information on the apprenticeships on offer at West Fraser, please contact: Cowie: ashley.mitchell@norbord.net

Inverness: niki.cole@norbord.net

South Molton: tess.cleaver@norbord.net

Screwshop

Quality Fixing Supplies Ltd

Unit 26, Wyndham Street, Argyle Street Industrial Estate, Hull HU3 1HD

We are proud to announce that we have become the UK distributor of the DynaPlus screw range.

Quality Fixing Supplies Ltd was formed in 1999 and quickly built up a reputation for supplying quality products at the right price – a one stop shop for the essential products that trade professionals rely on every day.

The company has grown by giving customers flexibility, offering:

1. Bin stock systems

2. Consignment stock

3. Packing in kit form

4. Cutting facilities

5. Specials manufactured to drawings

6. A nationwide delivery service (usually next day delivery)

The best screw for outside –in 2006 DynaPlus launched the universal screw with an anti-rusting coating C4 as an alternative for stainless steel A2. DynaPlus outdoor screws are made of hardened carbon steel and are therefore twice as strong as stainless steel screws.

The DynaPlus AR-coating has an excellent corrosion resistance and meets the highest standard for corrosion resistance: C4.

For an up to date catalogue, do not hesitate to contact us on 01482 210635 or email: lee.harding@qfshull.co.uk or check out our website at: www.qfshull.co.uk

With over 35 years’ experience specialising in screws, bolts, and fixings for the DIY, hardware, building, joinery and furniture manufacturing sectors, Screwshop has evolved from its established sister company, NE Fasteners and has also proven a huge success with its online shop. Situated in Cradley Heath in the West Midlands, it prides itself with offering expertise, competitive prices, imported bespoke products and off the shelf products with a nationwide next day delivery.

Our versatile approach to providing a wide range of finishes, including zinc, electro brass, black chrome, satin chrome, bronze and nickel and packaging options, ensure that many buyers consider Screwshop to be a key and valued supplier.

We also offer builders metalwork, ironmongery, silicones, sealants and are specialists in kitting and coating. Go to our on line shop at:

www.screwshop.co.uk and enter June5 for a 5% discount, or message for one of our catalogues. If you can’t find a certain product, get in touch and we’ll try and source it for you. We will give you our best attention and prices at all times.

sales@screwshop.co.uk

www.screwshop.co.uk

Material Handling Specialist of the Month

Your material handling partner

Building and Facilities News is proud to announce Davison Forklift Ltd has been chosen as its Material Handling Specialist of the Month. For the past 42 years, Davison Forklift Ltd has prided itself in supplying a prompt, reliable and helpful service to its clients. Founded by John Davison, Davison Forklift Ltd was born out of Johns frustration of not being able to find a suitable forklift for his planting business. Based in Shifnal, Shropshire, over time the company grew under John’s guidance and became a limited company in 1977.

Davison Forklift Ltd are not only firmly established in the material handling sector but also in the plant hire industry. The company offers a wide range of services including hire, sales, repairs, service, lease purchase and lease rental. Offering new and used forklifts, clients can choose from a wide selection of highquality forklift trucks to suit any requirement and budget. Furthermore, the option to hire or rent a forklift truck is also available for both long- and short-term requirements.

of electric, diesel and gas forklifts and handling equipment can be hired from as little as £15 a week.

Its list of machinery is extensive and is emblematic of the company motto ‘Your material handling specialist’. From pallet trucks, access equipment, cherry pickers, agricultural machinery, side loaders, reach trucks to boom lifts, order pickers, pedestrian stackers, heavy duty forklift trucks and electric, diesel and gas forklift trucks, Davison Forklift Ltd really do provide.

One of Davison Forklift Ltd’s notable services is the upsell of forklift trucks. The company offers a huge selection of over 30 new and used diesel, gas and electric forklift trucks which are ready for dispatch across the UK. If you’re looking to hire a forklift or in need of specialist machinery, hire availability can be for one day, week, month or year and can be available to pick up the next working day. Again, its range

Additionally, alongside its outstanding range of services and products, a key component of Davison Forklift Ltd’s brand identity is that it is the official UK distributor for Clark and Haulotte and Ausa forklifts. What’s more, Davison Forklift Ltd is also part stockists for Clark, Hyster, Samsung, Doosan, Linde, Lansing, Ausa and many others. As part stockists for the above, Davison Forklift Ltd has a fully equipped workshop based in Wolverhampton enabling the company to provide high standards of refurbishment as well as major overhauls and off-site repairs as an additional service.

Not only does Davison Forklift Ltd’s portfolio of products overflow with the abundance of services it offers, but it is truly ahead of its competitors on many levels. Being the official forklift service and forklift repair specialist agents for leading forklift manufacturers, the company’s experienced engineers offer a wide range of maintenance services and have an extensive range of forklift parts for all manufacturers available.

Some of these services include spare parts, health checks, repairs, LOLER examinations, all of which are offered at competitive rates.

Davison Forklift Ltd offer an abundance of benefits with its services as it only deals with world renowned suppliers, all its products are backed up by its first-class service. For its main product line, Davison Forklift Ltd deal in the warehousing, logistics, construction and manufacturing industries.

Clients can also receive thorough examinations, as all Davison Forklift Ltd engineers are fully qualified to deliver LOLER Inspections for lifting equipment. It is a legal requirement that is carried out periodically on all forklift trucks through Davison Forklift Ltd’s examination procedure. These examinations are required every year and depending on the type of truck and the environment in which it is used, the frequency could be greater. Each one of Davison Forklift Ltd’s experienced engineers are able to advise on the best option.

In line with its continued expansion is the introduction of tractors and telehandlers into its hire fleet. The New Holland T7.210 tracker has a power range of 140 to 210 HP with a rated engine speed of 2,200rpm. Its wheel base is 2,734mm, tractor width 2,446mm and holds a permissible weight of up to 10,500kg. This is now available for hire in Wolverhampton and Telford. The Ausa T144H Telehandler is an ultra-compact machine that allows you to tackle difficult projects with ease. Some of

its main features include a load capacity of 1,350kg, a max height if 3,990ft and a max speed of 18.3km/h. It is the only telehandler in its class that can be placed on a traditional trailer, making it easier to transport, thus reducing operating costs. It is the best solution for handling and transporting materials in small spaces, especially on steep limited access terrain and gives a spacious and functional cab with a 360° view.

Some recent changes to the company see a location move to Yew Tree Lane in Shifnal, Shropshire, where it continues to offer the same great service to its clients. Davison Forklift Ltd has also recently become one of the first to be awarded the Certificate of Accreditation by the UK’s foremost authority materials handling: the Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA).

Noticing a remarkable bounce back from the industry as a whole since the effects of COVID19, Davison Forklift Ltd is feeling positive for what’s to come. In terms of future plans, the company is looking to expanding its workforce with both sales staff and engineers. It will continue its five-star service to all clients and look to continue its well established and prestigious service for many years to come.

If you would like some more information on Davison Forklift Ltd, head to the website or get in touch using the details below.

T Wolverhampton 01902 420123

T Telford 01952 915060 sales@davison-forklift.co.uk www.davison-forklift.co.uk

Environmentally friendly living: Simple solutions to reduce water consumption and cost

Although the financial cost of supplying and cleaning water is relatively low, to some householders it is still a significant expenditure. In addition, the environmental impact is considerable – up to 40gm of carbon for each 1m3, whether that’s making it ready for consumption or to return it to the environment. Implementing water conservation measures in properties can save tenants money and help the water industry achieve its ‘Net Zero 2050’ target.

As our climate changes, our population increases and our lifestyles become more leisure orientated, there is an ever-increasing demand for water. The Department of the Environment* has recognised that while the water companies have a responsibility to reduce leakage, the general public will have to develop a greater awareness of the value of this limited resource. A twin track approach of reducing leakage and demand management has been recognised as the only viable option.

Water meters – supporting behavioural change

The national average consumption is 141 litres of water per day, which needs to be reduced by around one third. On average people reduce consumption by around 33 litres per day if on a water meter – a long way towards the target. For those on a budget consider the impact of reducing water consumption by over 20%, and the resulting impact on water bills.

Many properties have architectural or water supply structures that make traditional metering options impractical. Groundbreaker is an insulated, surface mounted enclosure for a secure water management system and smart water meter. This point of entry location makes it the perfect solution for installation in existing properties with shared supply or challenging architecture means. Its location on the building also means no street furniture or liability in the highway.

The main advantages of the surface mounted system are the single joint free connection and the above ground location of the meter housing. Compliance with no joint policies has been shown to contribute to minimising leakage, in particular customer side leakage, which can cause issues to both the landlord and water provider.

In addition, the surface mounted meter housing is ideal for future ultra-smart (5G) two-way metering and ‘internet of things’ (IOT) technologies due to the stronger communications signal strength relative to underground meter installation.

Controlled flow – unconscious consumption reduction

‘Time controlled’ usage, eg. cleaning teeth, taking a shower, or running a hose pipe, can use excessive water. The simple measure of

regulating the flow and pressure of the water supply to a particular outlet has been shown to significantly impact household usage.

Single outlet flow restrictors can impact on this use, and low flow shower heads or aerators for taps are widely available. However, not all householders are happy with the limited supply and individual attachments can be replaced.

Our water companies are regulated to provide a minimum level of water, but in many areas due to network structure and gravity fed systems, supply is much greater. So run a hose for five minutes at the bottom of the hill, and your lawn will be greener than the gardener that does the

same at the top. These ‘time controlled’ uses could be standardised down if all households received the same acceptable, ‘minimum’ supply. It’s estimated that this simple measure can reduce household usage by 2-3%.

Groundbreaker’s NRv2 Check Valve system can help modulate the level of flow entering domestic premises – regardless of network pressure, meaning a reduction in the level of water used by customers when ‘variable use’ appliances (ie. showers, taps, hosepipes). As

the flow of water into the premises is limited, then the amount used by the customer is also limited – but without providing a degradation of service, and more importantly not requiring any intervention or behavioural change on the part of the customer, leading to ‘natural’ reduction in per capital consumption.

The NRv2 can be easily and simply retrofitted to any meter installation, or meter exchange when upgrading or remediating underground meter chambers, allowing water demand management with little or no impact on consumers and at minimal cost.

In partnership with water providers These two simple measures could reduce your tenants’ water consumption by up to 25%. Not only is it possible to implement these changes on existing properties, but they can also be installed in new developments – whether using traditional or new modular construction techniques. Water companies are keen to work with developers to provide low consumption options, and in some cases can provide discounted infrastructure charges for new developments demonstrating significant water conversation interventions.

Groundbreaker has been an innovator in the water industry for over 20 years and its products have a proven track record. Groundbreaker has always worked with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of the industry through its products and manufacturing methods.

Steve Leigh FIWater, Managing Director Richard Leigh B.Eng, C.Eng, MICE,

Business Development Manager

Groundbreaker Systems won the HBF’s ‘Utility of the Year’ in 2018.

Full instructions, including training videos of surface mounted meter housings, can be found at: www.groundbreaker.co.uk

*https://assets.publishing.service.gov. uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/873100/National_ Framework_for_water_resources_summary.pdf

Building Services Solution Provider of the Year

Industry leading building services solutions

Within this issue of Building and Facilities News, we have selected Reflex Winkelmann GmbH as our Building Services Solution Provider of the Year, for its ongoing commitment to the building services sector.

Reflex Winkelmann was established in 1898 by Heinrich Winkelmann and Casper Pannhoff. From the beginning the company has been located in Ahlen, where it continues to maintain its head office. The company also has a selection of production facilities in different countries such as Germany, Poland and Turkey which provides a selection of subsidiaries throughout the globe, including the UK, based in Manchester. The Winkelmann Group is split into three divisions: Automotive, MSR technology, and Reflex Winkelmann’s focus; building and industry.

Originally specialising in metal forming, Reflex Winkelmann GmbH has seen significant growth since its inception and is now a well-established leading manufacturer of solutions for the building services sector and is one of the leading international solutions providers for the development and maintenance of water-bearing systems for building and supply technology.

“Reflex Winkelmann GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers of solutions for the building services sector with a substantial portfolio of innovative products designed for an ever changing market,“ said Tim Williams, Country Manager for UK and Ireland.

Reflex Winkelmann has provided building solutions for a varied range of customers and maintains an impressive portfolio of solutions for residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

“We consider the Reflex Winkelmann brand as more than component manufacturers and, using the RSP tool, hope to bring the benefits of ‘Thinking Solutions’ to almost every business sector including residential, commercial and industrial applications,” said Tim.

After what many have perceived as an extremely difficult and challenging 12 months, we caught up with Tim and asked him about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the company.

“Honestly speaking, the past 12 months have been extremely challenging for the business having to deal with both the COVID19 pandemic and Brexit disruptions.” Tim continued, “We did however, manage to keep all production facilities operational throughout and like every other business, adapted the way in which we work in order to keep the business moving forward.”

Rising to the challenges in front them, the business took the opportunity very early on in the pandemic to accelerate a number of projects in order to strengthen the business in the future again.

Tim explained, “This proved really valuable for my team’s motivation as they all brought additional value to the business during extremely challenging times. One of the projects was the launch of the new Reflex Solutions Pro (RSP) which is an online selection tool for every Reflex product. Other projects included the successful implementation of SAP in all our production facilities and a number of new product developments.”

Reflex Solutions Pro (RSP) has proven to be a huge success which helps the user to select the correct solution for their application. RSP is the first available solution that can be used to design and combine all Reflex product groups. With flexibility to suit all project sizes, RSP provides solutions from single-family homes to residential construction and the industrial sector. With an easy to use and accessed via. the following link, RSP quickly and accurately determines the appropriate configuration. RSP then provides all relative information including product data, tender texts and BIM data, which can then be downloaded.

“Access to RSP is via the following link and is free to register using either the reflex website at: www. reflex-winkelmann.com/ en/ or https://rsp.reflex.de/ en. We are even carrying out a number of live webinars in

order for new users to increase their knowledge on the RSP system. Spaces are available and can be booked directly via the Reflex4Experts section on the Reflex website,” mentioned Tim. Maintaining a strong stance on constant improvement, Reflex Winkelmann has made a great deal of investment into improving its processes, skill set of its employees and product development, which the company considers essential to the future of the business.

“SAP has been implemented in all the Winkelmann production facilities and the efficiency of this is already being realised. Serious investment in the Reflex Training Centre (RTC) was made in 2019 and the result is a state of the art training facility which is open to all of our customers & colleagues.” Tim explained, “‘Reflex4Experts’ has been created for our customers and colleagues and, due to the current restrictions, host a number of webinars on a variety of subjects; all of which can be arranged via the website.”

With many exciting new developments lined up, the company has consistently listened and responded to the needs of its customers, employees and market. Reflex Winkelmann also have two (soon to be three) CIBSE approved CPDs which have proven to be a hit over the past 18 months.

In terms of the company’s future, Reflex Winkelmann will continue its product development for an ever changing market and is placing an emphasis on looking at improving the energy efficiency of every building. In addition to product development, the company is also focusing on the changes in customers behaviour with a growing appetite for knowledge.

“Reflex4Experts will surely evolve into a fully interactive platform however, in the meantime, digitalisation of the company and product data is already freely available and QR codes on products are starting to appear, making it easier for the end user to access information easily,” Tim explained.

After a challenging year, Reflex Winkelmann has demonstrated its wealth of expertise and industry leading solutions, making the company, indeed a worthy recipient of our Company of the Year Award.

We asked Tim about how the company feels about being selected. He stated that, “We feel that the platform Building and Facilities News gives manufacturers such as Reflex Winkelmann is really important and are extremely grateful to Building and Facilities News for this award.”

For any further information, please see the details below.

Contact T 0161 266 1043

sales@reflexuk.co.uk www.reflex-winkelmann.com

Plant Nursery & Landscape Contractor of the Month

Enhance your outdoors with Tendercare Nurseries

In this issue of Building and Facilities News we are proud to announce that we have selected Tendercare Nurseries as our Plant Nursery & Landscape Contractor of the Month.

Established in 1989 by current business owners, Andrew and Angela Halksworth, Tendercare is the UK's leading specimen plant nursery and design resource centre, situated in Denham on the west edge of London and another site is positioned seven miles to the west, at Beaconsfield.

“We sell and install mature trees and plants as well as provide advice on selection and design, landscape and horticultural aspects. These include living walls for which we are exclusive distributors and installers of two systems, as well as also UK distributors of an acoustic sound barrier and fencing system that supports and sustains plants to provide green walls reducing sound transmission by up to 42dBA,” said Andrew Halksworth.

Tendercare Nurseries is an award-winning specialist plant nursery with an impressive and vast range of mature and specimen trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants to create immediate impact at planting. Providing a turnkey service, Tendercare Nurseries projects range from supply only through to technical specification, design and value engineering. With unrivalled experience, Tendercare nurseries has demonstrated its strength and excellence in the industry, affirming its status as Britain’s leading horticultural resource centre.

“Our plants are generally more mature than many of our competitors and have been grown or held in the UK for months/years. We have expertise in depth from over 30 years of trading and well-qualified staff,” said Andrew.

As Tendercare Nurseries maintains such a vast range, its also contains an equally varied customer base, consisting of local authorities, property developers, architects and designers, public and private estates, private individuals wanting consultation on the application and individual users of its products, plants & services.

Not only does Tendercare Nurseries offer more than 100,000 mature plants, specimen trees, shrubs & herbaceous perennials at its 17 acre site situated in Denham, it also provides consultation, design and garden installation services. With a team of highly experience and qualified staff, the knowledge within the company is extensive on horticultural matters with professionally educated staff in many areas. Andrew is also a Fellow of the Landscape Institute.

“We contract-grow plants for prestigious projects at our nurseries. We prepare the plants to the required specification and in the quantities required perhaps for several phases of supply. Such projects have included the Privy Garden refurbishment of Hampton Court Palace in 1995, more than fifty McDonalds DriveThru restaurants, which were built over a three year period and recently, for a large number of street planters for the greening of Oxford Street in London’s West End,” stated Andrew.

In terms of recent developments, Tendercare Nurseries has been significantly developing & broadening its scope of products for the greening of buildings. One of these developments is living walls, available in various designs which are used in several countries. Enhancing buildings with greenery, Tendercare Nurseries is the sole UK supplier of the Vertiss Modular Plant Concept. The system provides solutions as part of sustainable development architecture which features natural design, Carbon Sequestration Potential, low water consumption, thermal & acoustic properties.

Another greening of building solution is the climber cladding of buildings. Tendercare

green screen-walls on several iconic buildings including the IMAX Cinema, Waterloo and the new stand at the Oval (cricket ground of Surrey CC). In fact, Tendercare also provided consultancy advice on the new stadium for Tottenham Hotspur, grow plants on contract for the Lawn Tennis Association for the Wimbledon Championships and has undertaken many prestigious projects for substantial events, projects and establishments.

Andrew added, “Our plants can be seen in many prominent and public places – city centres, town squares, pedestrian areas, relief roads/gyratory systems in all the counties of the UK. This includes many royal palaces and castles and most notably, in Westminster Abbey for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton as well as in the display gardens, the Duchess of Cambridge designed for children at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2019, Hampton

Court Flowers Show, later that year and then at RHS Wisley as a permanent garden.”

With an emphasis on constant development, Tendercare Nurseries has been developing and advancing on its living walls, embracing new styles and equipment to bring better systems, reliability and lower maintenance costs to the market. A new display area is currently being built at the company’s Denham location, to be able to demonstrate the various methods and products.

Reacting to the needs of its market after facing new challenges presented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tendercare Nurseries has seen a shift in focus and increased demand from the domestic/homeowner market. Demonstrating the noticeable, social increase of demand for an enjoyable outdoor space, especially during lockdown, gardens have again become of importance for providing a source of freedom and entertainment for many during such unprecedented times. This restored love of outdoor spaces has led to a surge of homeowners searching ways to improve and enhance their outdoors. This in turn, has created a rise in demand for Tendercare Nurseries’ services, to improve its customers’ lifestyles and private amenity by upgrading and renovating gardens and providing evergreen screening to provide greater privacy, reducing the possibility to be overlooked by neighbours.

Speaking of the company’s plans, Tendercare Nurseries has many exciting things lined up. Andrew expanded, “We are awaiting the outcome of a planning application to upgrade and extend some of the facilities at the main location that will further add to the experience of visiting the nursery for ideas, inspiration and the selection of products and plants to specify and use in projects.”

For any further information or to view Tendercare Nurseries range of products and services, please see the details below.

T 01895 835544

www.tendercare.co.uk

Nurseries has carried out the installation of

An aerial view of the 16 acre nursery at Denham

A living wall installation in the members’ enclosure at LTA Wimbledon

Ornate planters and topiary plants on a housing development

Erecting a sound attenuating barrier

A courtyard landscape at a well-known public school

IMAX Cinema (street level)

Espalier trained semi-mature apple trees

Plants recently grown for planters in Oxford Street

Living screen at The Oval cricket ground (inside view)

IMAX Cinema Waterloo (lower street level)

Five generations of timber trading

Building and Facilities News is proud to announce that Vandecasteele Houtimport has been selected as our Timber Traders of the Month, for its specialist services in the importation, distribution and stocking of sustainable certified timber.

Family run business in fifth generation Vandecasteele Houtimport is a fifth-generation family run business that imports timber and timber products from over 45 countries worldwide. Its facilities are located in Kortrijk, Aalbeke, Belgium, where the company specialises in the import, trading and export of tropical hardwood from Africa, Southeast Asia and South America. The company also provide Scandinavian and Russian Softwood, Siberian Larch, North American Soft and Hardwood and European Hardwood.

and wholesalers, the company is able to deliver stock that is difficult to source within days using its own fleet of 18 vehicles. Its impressive set up allows its storage facility which is situated on 39.5 acres of land to accommodate more than 120,000m³ of sawn timber products.

In a matter of days, Vandecasteele

Houtimport has the resources and ability to adapt and bridge the gap between sources of supply in Africa, Far East, South America and North America to Europe.

This makes the company the first choice with many importers and merchants. Utilising its vast and impressive stockholding of hardwoods and softwoods coupled with its strong environmental credentials.

its newest addition of stock that is certified European Beech and Oak in Joinery, Prime, Super Prime grades and flooring. The variety of stock from the company embellishes the company’s taglines of ‘Choose Life, Choose Wood’ and ‘Using timber is good, using certified timber is wonderful!’ Vandecasteele Houtimport really do love what they do and have a strong passion to grow within the industry.

One way in which the company is making growth take place is its reaction to how BREXIT has & will change the industry. To combat new rules and importation structures, Vandecasteele Houtimport has set up a company in the UK –Vandecasteele Timber Ltd – which will facilitate the trade to all UK partners.

A further challenge Vandecasteele Houtimport has had to overcome is the barriers created by COVID-19.

most ecological and sustainable material. And its future plans only echo the company’s approach to sustainability within the industry.

Vandecasteele Houtimport has a dedicated team to ensure all due diligence is up to date and in addition to the strict process, the company has invested in a forest engineer in Brazil to ensure full control on the CoC of the Brazilian timbers purchased. This makes Vandecasteele Houtimport the biggest stockholder of certified tropical timbers in Europe.

Circularity

Vandecasteele Houtimport are passionate about timber being used for sustainable building and construction material. Every step the company make boasts several ecological advantages showcasing the use of timber compared to traditional materials. With a low embodied energy and minimal carbon impact, timber really is the most sustainable material. It has an ecological, recyclable and biodegradable nature which is why Vandecasteele Houtimport is implementing a strict sustainability policy in all of its future actions and activities.

Established in 1883 by Louis Vandecasteele, the company has been passed down through the generations to its current owner Stefaan Vandecasteele. Stefaan took over the running of the company in 2000 and together with his son Louis & daughter Margaux, keep the company’s family spirit alive. Constantly seeking to promote cordial relations with customers and suppliers alike, the heart of the company runs off mutual trust from all parties involved.

Having the ability to adapt and react to the ever changing, fast-paced industry, Vandecasteele Houtimport always puts the customer’s demands at the forefront of its service. Working alongside timber importers, timber merchants

Vandecasteele Houtimport not only care about nature and certified wood, but it guarantees to its customer, the commitment to only trade timber that comes from well-managed certified forests. With trust and reliability being an integral part of Vandecasteele Houtimport’s DNA, it also holds the validation of many certificates from well-known organisations.

Aligns with the 17 sustainable development goals

Vandecasteele Houtimport has set a challenging goal to stock 100% certified timbers from 2025. Currently, 100% of the softwoods the company stock is already certified and over 50% of the tropical hardwood. This number is continuously growing.

Currently stocking over 140 timber species, Vandecasteele Houtimport now provides

The business model of Vandecasteele Houtimport is to hold and keep all stock of over 140 different timber species. 18 months later, gaps have started to appear. Due to its extensive range of timber species that the company has invested in for a long time, now allows for lesser-known certified timber species to be promoted to its customers.

The company take great pride in its work, with a mission to continuously invest in the best performing traceability and certification procedures, the highest quality organisational process and the permanent training of its employees. Vandecasteele Houtimport endeavour to show that timber is the world’s

Long-term vision

Every step Vandecasteele Houtimport take, succinctly reveals the dedication and passion of the company and its future goals. As the company strive to be the European market leader in the trading of the richest assortment of certified timber, exclusively sourced from well-managed certified forests it is not going to be an easy journey, but it will most certainly be rewarding. With the goal of maximising the social, economic and environmental value of timber, now and for future generations, Vandecasteele Houtimport is creating economical sustainable change in a world that needs it most.

For more information on Vandecasteele Houtimport and the products or services it provides, please see below.

T +32 56 43 33 00

www.vandecasteele.be

Student heating under control

Adrian Barber looks at how a university has overcome lockdown to forge ahead with updating the control of a heating system in its student village, resulting in annual savings of up to £75,000.

The University of the West of England has updated the heating system at its Student Village accommodation with the help of a new control system.

The university has introduced its ‘Strategy 2030 – Transforming Futures’ programme that outlines their ambition to be carbon neutral with net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2030 along with achieving ISO14001 to set clear targets to reduce water and energy use.

The Student Village was built in 2006, on Frenchay Campus, and is home to 2,000 students. The original heating system was becoming tired and inefficient to manage. Each room needed to be visited to programme the control with a handset, and the heater panels needed replacing. Kirsti Norris, energy manager, explained, “As panels failed, there was a risk of them getting replaced on an ad hoc basis with integrated control heaters, but we had always wanted a better way of controlling the heating and, having to enter students’ rooms, even before COVID, was not great. We had a hotch potch of settings in rooms all over the place and no way to re-set them all at once.”

Norris and Melissa Clarke, energy projects officer, attended the Association of University Engineers conference in 2019 and stepped onto the Prefect Controls stand. Clarke stated, “When we saw the Prefect offering we thought that this is what we need. It offered more control, shorter running times and reduced energy consumption.”

Access via internet portal

Irus is a centrally controlled system, accessed via an internet portal. It enables energy

managers to set temperatures/times for the three-stage student profile. Setback mode is the default setting (typically 18°C), but if the student requires more heat, they simply tap the ‘up’ button triggering boost mode (commonly 23°C). Boost runs for a pre-set time (45 minutes) before reverting to setback. If the student leaves the room during boost, the PIR detects their absence and reverts to Setback, likewise if windows are opened heat input is reduced by a programmed percentage. If rooms are vacant for longer periods (typically 12 hours), Frost mode is activated, maintaining at least 5°C. Irus also monitors humidity, light and decibel levels and there is an option for CO2 monitoring too. “The accommodation team are very keen on the decibel monitoring feature,” Clarke added. “When they receive antisocial noise complaints, they will be able to determine exactly when and where the noise occurred.”

Being a centrally controlled internet system, universal adjustments can be made from anywhere. Clarke explained, “We are really keen on a reset button for the end of the year so that when students return to site in September all rooms will be back to the standard profile and we won't have various different settings throughout blocks. The main drivers for considering Irus were energy, carbon, and of course cost reduction.”

After a survey was commissioned, savings calculated, and quotations submitted. Norris had to convince colleagues that disruption during installation would be minimal. “The biggest fear we had for this whole project was from the accommodation team,” she said “Considering we were planning the install around conference bookings they were really anxious about disruption to residents. No matter how good the product is, it was the installation that could have blown the whole thing. To have the reassurances we received from Bangor and Bristol universities, who have worked with Prefect before, helped to get the accommodation team on board. That good reputation went beyond the product.”

Will Mills, project manager at Prefect, commented, “It all happened very quickly, and everything was slotting nicely into place. We were just about to embark on our biggest Irus project – then COVID struck!”

“The project stalled in February last year and, of course, budgets were frozen,” added Clarke. “It was very frustrating because we saw all

S&P UK expands product range for fresh air circulation in buildings

Ventilation specialists S&P UK has expanded its range of high efficiency heat recovery units to include the RHE 15000, offering the highest rate of air flow designed for large spaces – a significant upgrade in capabilities for the range.

It comes at a time when there is a huge importance for delivering fresh air into buildings, such as colleges, offices and hospitals. The RHE range uses a Thermal Wheel Heat Recovery to gain the optimum thermal efficacy with a sophisticated control system. With an increase in demand for fresh air, the RHE 15000 can deliver 4m³ per second, making it highly

suitable for schools and colleges, commercial offices and retail. The unit can be supplied as a standard part or customised to meet specific application requirements.

S&P UK most recently supplied an RHE 15000 as a custom order to include an electric heater to City College Norwich, where the unit was craned four storeys high onto the roof of a major £9.1 million extension under construction.

The RHE air handling series is designed for internal and external siting and, as with all S&P products, the units come with a two year warranty. The custom made RHE units can be manufactured by S&P with a lead time of around three weeks from order to shipment.

Contact www.solerpalau.com/en-uk

Panasonic nanoe™ X safeguards dental patients

A network of 27 dental practices operating mainly in Yorkshire and the North East has started a programme to install Panasonic’s nanoe™ X technology to enhance protection for patients and staff whenever new air-conditioning units are required or where units need to be replaced.

nanoe™ X is a technology that is helping to improve protection and inhibit the growth of certain viruses –including SARS-CoV-2.

Riverdale Healthcare was established in 2018, acquiring Alpha Dental Group which has a long-standing relationship with Sub-Zero Climate Control, who have installed and maintained air conditioning through the dental practice network. Through discussions with Craig Brooke, Managing Director of Sub-Zero,

Riverdale Healthcare took the step of updating two of its practices with enhanced air conditioning and plan to expand this throughout their dental network.

Sub Zero came to the rescue by recommending the Etherea range of air conditioners which come with Panasonic’s proven nanoe™

X technology built in. nanoe™ X technology collects invisible moisture in the air and applies a high voltage to it to generate hydroxyl radicals contained in water. Hydroxyl radicals (nature’s detergent) inhibit the growth of certain viruses, bacteria and allergens. Contained in tiny water particles, nanoe™ X generates particles that have a long lifespan and can spread over long distances.

Recent, independent testing shows that nanoe™ X can inhibit certain types of bacteria and viruses, meaning the new air conditioning system can help protect patients and staff alike while in the dentist practice.

Contact uk-aircon@eu.panasonic.com www.aircon.panasonic.eu

these buildings that were empty. Usually in the summer we have conferences and we felt this was a real missed opportunity to get on with the job – the quicker we make the projects happen, the quicker we make the financial savings. We are conservatively estimating saving 20-30% – that's over £75,000 per year!”

Mills added, “After lockdown and a return to the office, the university contacted us to say that they had the money, and want to try and do it this summer. So, we rebooted the project and had six weeks to install as many rooms as possible. We managed 75%, the rest have been completed during 2021.”

So, what was the COVID-effect? “COVID hasn't really affected the installation process too much,” said Clarke. “We have been working in empty blocks, but had to make a lot of considerations for safe-working. Everything that is being done just requires an extra line of thought.”

One hidden benefit of the system that Norris has identified, was never even considered in her business case, “If we have students isolating and they have a problem with their heating we can deal with it without even entering the building, which is an added bonus in these COVID-times.”

T 01787 320604

www.prefectcontrols.com

The next generation of SmartLane access

Automatic Systems, a world leader in the automation of secure access control for pedestrians and vehicles, is releasing the next generation of its SmartLane speed gate. Its new design takes up the latest stylistic and architectural trends, while its high detection capacities further improve throughput. The user experience has also been overhauled by bringing in dynamic lighting for its signage.

The new SmartLane speed gate is based on the core features that have made its predecessor so successful for over 10 years. The iconic and easily recognisable style of the SmartLane has been updated to reflect the latest architectural trends. With a wide range of applications, SmartLane is particularly suitable for securing entrances to offices, banks, public institutions, data centres, sensitive sites, schools and universities.

Heras’ new Saros traffic barrier

Business of the Year

The high capacity and robustness that is part and parcel of the SmartLane DNA have been retained, offering high performance with throughput of up to 60 people per minute and a fast opening time of only 0.3 seconds. With 12mm thick tempered glass obstacles and a height of up to 2,000mm, this extremely robust structure offers a walkway of 600mm or 900mm for disable person or service access, depending on the chosen configuration. And its service life is almost limitless, with no fewer than 10 million MCBFs (Mean Cycle Before Failure).

www.automatic-systems.com

Heras – which is Europe's leading end-to-end supplier of permanent and mobile perimeter protection solutions – has launched Saros, a new electro-mechanical traffic barrier. Suitable for sites with controlled vehicle entry (such as commercial car parks and industrial site entrances), Saros is a best-in-class product that has been designed and developed by Heras to meet all marketled functionality and safety requirements and thus offers a highly functional, reliable and affordable barrier option.

Saros can withstand harsh external conditions, making it especially suitable for areas such as coastal regions or other places that are prone to strong winds, as rigorous testing, analysis and calculations has confirmed. The 4m model – even with the arm in a raised position – can withstand wind class 3, which is categorised as a violent storm with wind speeds more than 70mph. And, the 6m version can withstand wind class 2, which is categorised as a storm with wind speeds approaching 60mph. Saros is an electro-mechanical barrier with a fast and efficient operation,

making it a great addition to the current offering of electrohydraulic traffic barriers B411, B420 and 94x Series. This further adds to the portfolio of entrance control products manufactured and produced by Heras, which has its UK head office in Doncaster.

Heras Product Manager, Jonathan Broughton, said that the Saros traffic control system has great longevity, operating reliably over long periods, meaning there is no limitation to the number of operations it can perform. This makes it an ideal barrier for busy locations. Also complying with the latest safety standards, the barrier can provide a plug & play solution that is safe, robust and reliable.

www.heras.co.uk/products/ entrance-control/barriers/barriersaros

West Midlands-based UK top 30 security provider MAN Commercial Protection Ltd has been named ‘Business of the Year’ by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) at the annual British Security Awards, held online due to current restrictions, on 30th June 2021.

This award selects the best from the UK security sector’s large corporations, with the winner chosen as a company which has “demonstrated how a business working within the professional security industry operates in the 21st Century” – taken from awards entry criteria.

In being named winners in 2021, MAN Commercial Protection has been recognised for its passionate ambition, professionalism and enthusiasm within the industry, along with its robust approach during the global pandemic which as a result has seen business thrive. Iain McCallister, CEO, said, “The past year has brought many challenges to businesses, and I am proud of how we reacted to the unprecedented situation and continued to deliver an outstanding and uninterrupted service for our clients. During this time, we continued to win additional clients and contracts and have been able to create many new jobs across the UK as a result of this. To be recognised for our success and as an industry leader is a fantastic achievement.”

For more information about the services offered by MAN Commercial Protection Ltd, please visit: www.mancommercialprotection.co.uk

Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning News

New air purifiers launched by S&P to improve indoor air quality as lockdown eases

Ventilation specialists S&P UK has launched a new range of highly-efficient air purifiers to help minimise the spread of airborne infections amid growing concerns over the long-term impact of indoor air quality as the pandemic eases.

To help businesses prevent the spread of viruses & improve confidence of returning to the workplace and attracting customers, S&P UK has developed a new range of portable HEPA filter air purifiers which have a filtration efficiency of up to 99.5%.

Excellence in electric

With stricter hygiene measures likely to remain for the foreseeable future, S&P’s Airpur range is a low-cost and efficient solution to help organisations reopen in line with the government’s roadmap.

The products are suitable for any building use including schools, care homes, offices, hospitals, retail and other indoor environments.

Every unit undergoes rigorous testing to meet the EN standard to provide

“additional peace of mind” for customers, S&P said.

Air purifiers are widely viewed as ideal for premises that do not have adequate ventilation systems, or companies with facilities or spaces that lack advanced ventilation systems. The units continuously scrub the air and remove any harmful particles through constant filtration.

www.solerpalau.com/en-uk

Solution Fires is a new generation of highly efficient, authentic and stylish electric fires. The focus of your living space, these fires have been designed and manufactured with optimal controllability of heat, light and sound as the critical elements.

Controllable from your handset, via Alexa or through the app on your smart phone or watch, you can customise your fireplace to suit your individual taste. No electric fire, currently on the market, has the level of product features or attention to detail that solution fires have as standard, supported by a high level of genuine customer service.

Top reasons to choose a Solution luxury fire:

▲ Ultra realistic, contoured flame effect technology

▲ ‘1 box solution’ for front, corner or panoramic views

▲ 6 preset illumination settings & one custom setting

▲ Nine independent flame colours with adjustable brightness*

▲ Nine independent fuel bed colours with adjustable brightness*

▲ 9 independent downlight colours with pulse effect*

▲ High quality, hand decorated ceramic log fuel bed

▲ Crackling fire audio with volume control

▲ Customisable fuel bed set-up

▲ Fade in – ON, Fade out – OFF, flame effect feature

▲ Supplied with infrared remote control as standard

▲ App control for most smartphones, tablets & watches

▲ Alexa voice control

▲ Optional Scene lighting LED kit available

▲ Optional Anti Reflective Glass available

▲ Thermostatically controlled with ultra-quiet fan heater

▲ Seven day, twice daily, program settings

▲ Fully ErP Compliant & low energy LED flame effect

▲ Plugs into a standard 13-amp 3 pin socket

▲ Optional 5 year warranty for added peace of mind

*The above applies to the SLE75, 100, 150 & 200 fires with use of Solution App

For more information about our products, please visit: www.solutionfires.co.uk

Fire Safety, Health, Safety & Security

How to stop thieves & protect your van from criminal damage & your contents from theft

We talked to Mike Horsfall, a self employed plumbing and heating engineer from Leeds, who has suffered his own fair share of vehicle crime In his 30 year career. He was so disillusioned with van manufacturers, the police and authorities failure to address the problem of van crime and tool theft, and at the lack of affordable and effective alarm systems on the market, he designed and developed his own unique alarm system – VANGUARDIAN.

We asked Mike how it all came about?

“Well at first I looked at the problem of van crime from my own experience,” explains Mike. “I recognised as a plumbing and heating engineer an unalarmed pipe carrier provided no deterrent, and drew the wrong kind of attention to my van in the first place from thieves looking to steal copper pipe. So initially I designed VANGUARDIAN as an alarm solution to protect a pipe carrier and stop copper pipe theft. “And after realising factory-fitted van alarms were only activating AFTER the doors were open. leaving locks and doors damaged and my tools still vulnerable to theft, I began testing and developing VANGUARDIAN as a credible pre-emptive alarm solution that activated on first contact. That would deter thieves BEFORE criminal damage was done and BEFORE the doors were open, protecting my tools inside.”

So, after submitting his design patent and taking two years to further develop, and then navigate the manufacturing process, Michael has finally released VANGUARDIAN for sale to help other tradesmen and women protect their own vehicles and assets. He describes it as a multipoint, flexible, zonal alarm system that provides security for everything from the roof rack and pipe carrier down to the cargo area of the van.

It is truly an all-round system to combat criminal damage before it happens and prevents door tampering, lock damage, and door peeling. It can protect ladders on a roof rack, stop copper pipe theft

from a pipe carrier and prevent thieves breaking in to steal tools and assets.

Targeted protection

The system is fully remote controlled from one master remote for convenience and is quick and simple to install by the end user with no additional installation costs – maintaining Mike’s vision of an affordable solution for everyone. It boasts a simple no tools, drilling or wiring installation process.

How does it work?

Once armed, VANGUARDIAN protects by sensing contact through triaxial sensors from anywhere within its designated zonal area, activating an alarm response.

And where do you fit it?

VANGUARDIAN’s unique patent applied concept and installation position on the exterior of the vehicle provides a visible deterrent to thieves before they even approach, and a 110db alarm awaits should

the warning be ignored!

So how is it attached if there is no drilling?

VANGUARDIAN is attached simply but securely with a 3M waterproof high-bond contact adhesive tape to create a strong, long lasting, waterproof and secure bond to your vehicle. Once VANGUARDIAN is armed, any unauthorised attempted removal of it will trigger a two second alarm warning. If contact continues within 10 seconds, the alarm will activate for 30 seconds before resetting itself, effectively providing its own self-defence against unsolicited, attempted removal.

An early warning!

“Factory-fitted alarms and devices that fit inside the vehicle only activate after the doors have been forced open. AFTER the damage has been done,” explains Michael. VANGUARDIAN activates immediately upon first contact. This gives van owners an early warning and forces thieves to retreat BEFORE damage is done.

So how do people get hold of VANGUARDIAN?

VANGUARDIAN is available to order online on our dedicated website where you can find lots more detail. We offer free delivery and great value with all of our products and strive to keep costs affordable for everyone to help beat van crime.

We encourage people to sign up to our newsletter to keep informed of events and trade days where you can get free installation and servicing of an existing alarm on the day, and to build a community of like-minded people intent on stamping out van crime. Plus there are other great perks soon to be announced, so remember to sign up!

For more information, please see the details below.

M 07768 644080

www.vanguardian.co.uk

New Acoustic, Smoke & Fire Seal brochure from Lorient

Lorient – leading manufacturer of highperformance sealing systems – is proud to unveil the latest edition of its popular: Acoustic, Smoke & Fire seals for Door Assemblies brochure. Founded in 1979, Lorient was responsible for introducing intumescent technology for fire doors to the UK and this new brochure showcases its extensive product portfolio of intumescent seals.

Gaps around the four sides of a fire door leaf are essential – it’s the only way the door can open and close. But these gaps create a point of

ESG introduces Palm Tree Ethanol

For four decades, ethanol has been the fastest growing renewable fuel on the planet. It is an essential energy product.

Particularly since 2020, among its multiple uses, many ethanol production plants provide high grade ethanol for hand sanitisers and disinfectants.

As part of its growth strategy, and as a result of extensive R&D, Environmental Science Group Ltd (ESG) has added to its products portfolio a high-grade ethanol containing more than 95% alcohol content. Ethanol is an essential ingredient used in consumer products including alcoholic beverages, personal care products, hand sanitisers, cleaners and pharmaceuticals.

ESG, based in March, Cambridgeshire, is pleased to launch a new product line under its brand name ‘Palm Tree’. This is a premium-quality alcohol which is naturally sourced primarily for the pharmaceutical and medical/healthcare industries. This places Palm Tree ethanol among the most environmentally friendly premium grade alcohol products on the market.

Palm Tree ethanol is available in container sizes ranging from 100ml to 250L. Delivery of the ethanol can be completed within 72 hours of receiving an order and full payment.

T +44 (0)1354 653222 sales@envsciencegroup.com www.envsciencegroup.com

weakness, where fire can take hold and destroy the door, and lethal smoke can pass through.

Intumescent fire & smoke seals are designed to expand when exposed to heat and fill the gaps between the door leaf and frame; preventing the passage of smoke and fire to other parts or compartments of the building. This allows more time for people to escape – reducing the number of deaths and property damage.

The new Acoustic, Smoke & Fire Seals for Door Assemblies brochure features a wide range of intumescent seals and details their technical performance in a structured, clear format. Many of Lorient’s door seals are multi-

functional and can provide the highest standard of protection against sound (Approved Document E); smoke at all temperatures and fire (Approved Document B); while offering low frictional resistance for ease of door operation (Approved Document M). Finishing touches can make all the difference, at Lorient you have a choice of standard colours and a range of beautiful woodgrain finishes to complement any project.

To download the digital brochure, visit: www.lorientuk.com

Building Performance Company of the Year

The incremental rise of The Wetherby Group

combination of COVID-19 and Brexit, resulted in shortages, surcharges, and price increases in industrial action with some of its main raw material suppliers.

Building and Facilities News is proud to announce that The Wetherby Group has been chosen to receive our Building Performance Company of the Year Award.

Wetherby is a successful manufacturer of performance building products & systems for both its own brands and private label.

Founded by John Chalmers 45 years ago, Wetherby began as a small business in a factory in Wetherby. Since expanding to Ripon, it currently resides at a 15 acre site in Dalton. Wetherby Group compromises of two companies: Wetherby Stone Products and La Roc Building Solutions, both with the same common goal. “To supply products that customers love to use and never comprise on quality,” said Alex Chalmers, Managing Director.

For over a decade, Wetherby Group has been in the process of building its brands, team, and technology portfolio. It has made multimillion-pound investments in fully automated plant and machinery technology in preparation for upscaling the business for significant growth.

“We develop and manufacture building products and systems that contractors love to use and can trust, with this in mind and a national distribution model in place, our business is focused on our customers and contractors and developing a business that will become a market leader,” stated Alex.

Wetherby’s model is completely customer

focused to provide the best of UK innovation and technology in building products and systems. This allows Wetherby to provide the market with a sensible alternative to European technology which is locally sourced and manufactured from a UK business. This in combination with its unique waterproof packing means it is the market leader in innovation on multiple levels.

“Our product technologies are being seen as some of the most innovative and exciting building products and systems in the UKcoloured render and exterior paint and coatings market. Not only are we innovating products and systems, but we are also now inventing systems with European’s patent grants approved for systems that will ensure that we can become a very strong supply and innovation partner to our customers.” Alex continued, “This plan has been working very well with excellent growth being seen over recent years.”

confronting us. My goal was to stabilise their minds and advise on my plans to support and protect everyone, the best I possibly could,” said Alex Chalmers.

As competitors began to close their doors towards the end of March 2020, Wetherby were determined to remain open and because of this, they found a potential growth in the market as customers began panic buying. The order book in March was strong, so by pushing dispatch of all orders and depleting the stocks to convert into cash, made for a positive end of the month.

However, cutbacks were inevitable, therefore, on April the 1st 2020, Wetherby officially scaled back the business to a skeleton staff to produce anything that came in. The first week was quiet and the phones stopped ringing, however, after a week some orders came in allowing for more staff to come back to work. Wetherby also started a marketing campaign to communicate to the market that Wetherby were once again open for business.

Orders progressively increased, however with no stock of finished goods and limited staff, Wetherby was still fighting a battle and stress levels were increasingly rising. The summer months were generous and within 12 weeks, Wetherby’s sales had reached record highs. It invested in more sales managers, a new group technical manager, administrators, production, and warehouse staff off the back of an increased marketing budget.

“In the short term our 2021 plans are to push hard for continued growth and building, with further investments required. Cash reserves will help business growth and stabilisation, however, for the timing and type of investment needed due to the economic climate, it will have to be revised continuously,” mentions Alex.

Wetherby will continue its companywide focus on direct selling and building brands for the future. Its sales and brand foundations are beginning to take traction and to cope with the supply and demand of its customers, Wetherby will create a second manufacturing shift operating seven days a week.

Wetherby were forecast for vast improvements in its growth as a business at the start of 2020, however the inevitable emersion of COVID-19 became transparent by March 2020, leaving Wetherby and other companies alike with the potential challenges of an extreme market change and economic downfall. A frightening position for Wetherby as its growth trajectory and investment into the business and the UK manufacturing markets, were starting to bring in positive returns. What was set to be an exciting period for Wetherby, was starting to look ever so dim.

Establishing and manufacturing such a successful company from scratch for it only to potentially be left needing to start over again was a very hard pill to swallow. However, seeing the situation with potential and a positive vision, the company started to understand where the results of COVID-19 could potentially take the business, as it started to learn how to evolve with the times.

“After assessing potential scenarios to try and understand the impact that COVID-19 could have on the business, I started to interview every member of staff to understand their financial position, if they wanted to continue working or if they would prefer to be at home. We were all frightened of the situation

“2020 sales exceeded budget by over 10% and year on year sales were up over 35%. However, we must still be focused on the change that can happen at any moment. I am very happy with the overall outcome, however, still very nervous at the overall medium and long-term impacts of COVID-19 and its effect on the economy,” stated Alex.

With the recent developments in global problems, the USA market has created a tsunami of supply issues in the UK. A

“We are ready to make further multi-millionpound investments in a new distribution centre, further manufacturing facilities and new offices builds for our future growth,” Alex said.

In the long term, Wetherby’s model of investing in the future of its customers, employees and business is very clear. It will look to continue to grow and invest, and with a 15 acre site at 40% occupancy, it has significant scope to aid its developmental and growth plans.

“I am very proud that we have been selected for this award, this award represents the hard work from everyone in our business at every level. There is not only one part of the company that makes us successful, it is every part in combination working together that enables us to grow, not only as a business but also as people,” added Alex.

For any further information, please see the details below.

T 01845 578555 info@wetherbygroup.com www.wetherbygroup.com

Alex Chalmers, MD

John Chalmers, Founder

Safe and secure global remote monitoring

Building and Facilities News is proud to announce that Strand Technologies has been chosen as its Telematics Company of the Month.

In the interdisciplinary field that is telematics, Strand Technologies develops and manufactures technology-based solutions for safety, security and control of electromechanical operating systems.

Located in Walsall, West Midlands, Strand Technologies was founded by Simon Bowden, Catherine Franks and Paul Ryan. Strand Technologies is a sister company to Strand Hardware. Its primary goal is to develop technological products that can be used across a range of sectors and complement Strand Hardware’s product range for the doors and entrances market.

Established in April 2021, Strand Technologies aims to provide greater efficiency to the service sector. Its products can be used for on-site, remote monitoring or control and diagnostic management of applications. Some examples include automated pedestrian entrances, access control systems, industrial doors, gates and shutters, road signage and refrigeration.

Strand Technologies connective devices fall

within the IoT umbrella, meaning all its products are embedded with sensors, software and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the internet.

With the emergence of COVID-19, Strand Technologies quickly adapted its product range to respond to legal requirements for social distancing and occupancy control, specifically in retail settings. One vital product Strand Technologies produces is Virtual Usher. This is an intelligent traffic light people counting solution with an accuracy rate of up to 98%. It is suitable for all automatic and manual doors, with a simple and rapid setup. It assists records occupancy flow data, includes over-occupancy alerting, and much more.

A key product Strand Technologies has ingeniously designed is the iContact. It is a versatile, compact solution that specialises in remote asset management via GSM/GPRS. iContact enables real time monitoring, reporting and management of a range of security critical applications and access control systems.

iContact works with ‘Virtual Engineer’ and has an ‘AssistME’ function which instantly allows contact from the customer on-site to the service provider. Cutting out time, the application pinpoints the asset, saves fault-to-fix time via an instant diagnostic.

All products are UK made, cost effective and target a plethora of sectors such as facility managers building developers, public sector estate managers, traffic management, CCTV, security and retail just to name a few.

We caught up with Simon, who explained how COVID-19 has affected Strand Technologies. He stated that, “The pandemic has normalised the use of the Virtual Usher system, it’s a very popular product in public spaces. COVID-19 has allowed us to produce product-specific designs for our customers and end users as our products help implement measurements to ensure safety guidelines are met.”

Strand Technologies is leaps ahead of its competitors in terms of innovation and design. Its products are unique and can be universally connected to any brand product. There is nothing in the marketplace currently offering this. Using smart technology, Strand

Technologies can tweak, alter and customise any product to the clients’ specifications.

Strand Technologies works fast to produce products meeting the demands of its clients. It is a company growing at an exponential rate as it looks to focus more on its core products while also expanding on its current range. The Sentry Range will be its next development to launch into the security industry. Specific for lockdown environments, the system will create a threat alert through a virtual network and this will be specifically aimed towards the education authority industry.

T +44 (0)1922 332334

info@strandtech.co.uk www.strandtech.co.uk www.linkedin.com/company/75748586 www.twitter.com/StrandTechLtd

Social Value Solutions Company of the Month

Not just a government requirement, a shared social responsibility

In this issue of Building and Facilities News, we have selected whatimpact as our Social Value Solutions Company of the Month, for the company’s outstanding resources and AI-based matchmaking platform.

Established in 2017 by Tiia Sammallahti, whatimpact started from humble beginnings, and was created to provide a voice to charities of all sizes. By providing a platform that enabled charities to match with companies who shared their vision, whatimpact started to gain rapid growth and decided to expand its resources to include more organisations.

whatimpact now hosts a wide range of organisations on its AI matchmaking platform, catering to charities, social enterprises, companies, grant-makers and philanthropists as the key players delivering or supporting impactful work. By simply creating a profile, the platform works as a hub of resources helping charities, social enterprises and companies implement Company Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes and finding the right support they need from private and public sources. The platform allows users to list their goals, previous works, cofounding opportunities, resource requests and offers.

“We are very much about transparency and providing the best resources. We have our own kind of social impact goals which is to increase the kind of social value in our society in general. By using our platform, companies and decision makers save time and money, but also charities and social enterprises save time and money too because the partnerships are much easier and streamlined to formulate,” said Tiia Sammallahti, CEO and Founder.

whatimpact’s platform allows supporters such as companies and grant makers to post their resource offers including funds, products, services and skills on their profiles. Recipients which include organisations such as charities and social enterprises, are then able to view and compare these resources.

Working to the mutual benefit of both parties, whatimpact eliminates the stress and frustration of searching for resources. Using its matchmaking marketplace, the company enables charities and social enterprises to connect with donors fast and its innovative matching algorithm ensures that organisations, companies, and grant makers are allied with the right partner that shares in the same values.

“We help companies with our platform to really demonstrate the social kind of return of investment because every kind of resource given, is an investment for the society, so we help them to understand their social value.” Tiia continued, “We also help them to turn it into a return of investment because it is proven that the companies who invest in companies and also responsible activities, in time their value rises. This makes them work more efficiently because employees and stakeholders are more engaged and they gain a good reputation and we help this equation take place through using our platform.”

Connectivity is key for collaboration, and whatimpact provides this effortlessly. Facilitating strategic, informed and efficient partnerships, whatimpact harnesses the latest technology using AI to match companies and grant-makers with charities and social enterprises based on a varied selection of data including shared values, development goals and geographic requirements across the country. This enables companies to be able to streamline their donations to ensure they provide for the organisation that suit and require them most.

Boasting simplicity, efficiency and highly detailed reports, whatimpact’s application processes have made connecting with partners easier than ever and the platform provides impact reports to evidence users

impact. Providing an easy social impact report template, whatimpact provides precise, simple to understand and clear reports to produce the most transparent, reliable data to assist its users on understanding the difference and impact they have achieved. This in turn, allows users to identify potential new donors for future projects.

“We help organisations match and we provide dedicated impact reports which are crucial for informing them on the impact they have made. Everybody is interested in the result and our social impact reporting is aligned with the Procurement Policy Note PPN 06/20 which is a social value act enhancement,” stated Tiia. Inclusivity is of the utmost importance for creating a better social impact and this is something that whatimpact strives for. Offering free profiles for the smallest recipient organisation and nominal fees structure for the others, whatimpact ensures its platform is available for all sized organisations. With a tiered and affordable fee structure for supporters, whatimpact is well-positioned to assist organisations improve their CSR or grantmaking journey.

good stage and we’re expecting to see a sharp increase in people taking part on our platform. Tiia added, “It’s not just the public sector, charity sector or company sector; we are all in the same boat and we are all responsible for the well-being of our society.”

For any more information, please get in touch by the details below. Alternatively, to download further information on the company, please see the dedicated links or email Rick Bradley to book a demo at: rick@whatimpact.com

https://whatimpact.com/ https://whatimpact.com/podcast/ https://dl.whatimpact.com/download.html https://whatimpact.com/svg/social-valueguide-download.php

“I would just like to encourage companies to really look at things strategically and state that it doesn't matter what size you are you; everybody has something to give and whatever you give, should be given strategically. You should think what is the value you wish to deliver with the resources and that should be the guiding light.

“We offer a two week free trial and as part of the membership, when you buy it, first of all you get the public profile and you can start matching, allocating resources and obtaining impact reports. Secondly, we also give strategic advice, we have lots of resources regarding CSR, so we have all sorts of educational material including podcasts and videos for CSR,” stated Tiia.

After the implementation of The Procurement Policy Note that came into effect in January, the policy now requires all companies that bid for public contracts to produce a social value delivery plan which details and reports on their social value impact. This new policy has resulted in a rediscovered social responsibility for companies to provide proven, valued social impact which can be evidenced.

“Now is the time for any organisations to really step up with their CSR. It’s not only a government requirement for any company who is bidding for government tenders, it’s a powerful investment. The Procurement Policy Note ensures that companies are required by their stakeholders to perform well in delivering value and therefore I think we are in a very