THE KNOWLEDGE NEWSLETTER | WINTER 2020
04 ISSUE NO.
Welcome to our home for regular updates about Mackenzie Construction. Our team are at the heart of our success and this newsletter aims to ensure we celebrate our achievements and keep you informed of everything you need to know. #SafeInTheKnowledge
Contents
Message from Andy Dalrymple
Director’s message
02
Happy 40th messages
04 | 05
Glasgow Warriors sponsorship 06 The Falkirk Wheel
07
RoSPA award
08
Integrated industry partners
09
Scottish Water Horizons
10 | 11
Scott Meenagh interview
12 | 13
Digitalising the water industry
14
Beyond net zero update
15
Foundations for the future
16 | 17
Drew Nelson retirement
18 | 19
Raising money 20 | 21 for brilliant causes A lifetime of service: 22 | 23 Sharon Scotland Project spotlight: 24 Garscube Bridge at the Claypits Promotions news
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As mentioned in our Spring newsletter, Mackenzie Construction has always shown resilience and determination and we were positive that we would overcome the challenges the pandemic would create, together - as a team. Almost nine months later, I am incredibly proud of the way the team have supported one another throughout this time. From initially having our head office staff working safely from home, through to sites reopening with completely new procedures to follow, I have been impressed time and time again at our positive attitude and resilience in tackling this head on. It was always our priority to ensure the safety of our people and their families, whilst staying connected and retaining our brilliant culture. Through our team quizzes, group WhatsApps and home challenge videos that were supported by Glasgow Warriors and Scott Meenagh, we all shared some much-needed positivity and laughter. Keeping our team well informed was also our focus, and we were delighted to have received 100% yes to the question “have you been provided enough information to safely return to work” in our summer staff survey.
iew | 12 nagh interv Scott Mee
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Throughout this year, we have still managed to deliver key projects for our clients. Initially working through lockdown to keep crucial infrastructure maintained, we operated as essential workers during the strictest levels of restrictions. When construction sites started to reopen, we resumed our operations and have achieved some fantastic milestones including our work to restore the Falkirk Wheel and the opening of the new Garscube Bridge for pedestrians at the Claypits Local Nature Reserve in Glasgow. This year also saw the opening of our in-house training academy. Talent development and promotion from within has always been part of the foundation of our success, and I am delighted to congratulate many of our team members who were recently promoted into new positions. When we started planning at the end of last year for our 40th anniversary celebrations, nobody anticipated the challenges we would come up against in 2020. With face to face contact limited and large gatherings prohibited, we have not been able to celebrate this monumental milestone in the way we had hoped. However, I want to thank all of the team, past and present, for playing their part in taking Mackenzie Construction to where it is today. One thing that we can be sure of, is that we will always remember our 40th year!
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Andy Dalrymple Managing Director
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Happy 40th Anniversary to Mackenzie Construction In celebrating our 40th anniversary I would like to recognise those that came before us who laid the foundations of Mackenzie Construction on which we continue to build for the future. Andy Dalrymple, Managing Director Circa 1999
Congratulations to the team on reaching our 40th anniversary. I would like to make special mention to the Foremen and Operatives whose input to the business has been crucial in driving the business to where it is today. Mark Wilson, Contracts Director
Circa 2001
Congratulations Mackenzie on our 40th anniversary! 36 of them with me! Sharon Scotland, Valuations Manager
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Circa 2002
Happy 40th anniversary Mackenzie Construction here’s to another 40! Jonathan Gilmour, Foreman Bricklayer
Thriving at 40… Happy Anniversary Mackenzie! Here’s to another 40 years of great work.
Happy Big 40 and massive congrats to Mackenzie and all whom developed such a great company to be part off! Here is to a bright future and hopefully many more successful years ahead!
Pamela Strathern, HR Advisor
Gavin Chesney, Contracts Manager
Congratulations to Mackenzie Construction on reaching the milestone 40th anniversary. Here’s to the next 40 years of success.
Congratulations on the 40th anniversary!
Colin McEachnie, Project Manager
Steven Ross, Site Agent
Happy anniversary Mackenzie Construction. The last seven years working for the company have been great and the team love working here as well! Ryan Gourlay, Foreman
Congratulations on reaching a milestone of 40 years in business. Keep up the good work everyone and good luck for the next 40 years! David Hepburn, Contracts Manager
Mackenzie Construction launches Glasgow Warriors sponsorship for 2020/2021 Mackenzie Construction is delighted to announce its sponsorship of Glasgow Warriors rugby team for the 2020/2021 season having become members of the Glasgow Warriors family of Sponsors and Partners in 2018. The partnership between the business and the Warriors has gone from strength to strength in the past three years, having developed a strong connection between all parties from players and coaches to Mackenzie’s people ambassador, Scott Meenagh.
Andy Dalrymple, Managing Director said:
Glasgow Warriors centre, Kyle Steyn, said:
“After the many ups and downs of 2020 so far, we are celebrating our 40th year and remain hugely excited to be sponsoring the Glasgow Warriors this season. The energy, passion and an unwavering focus on giving back to local communities make the Glasgow Warriors and Mackenzie Construction a perfect match and we’re proud to be a part of the Warriors family for the next year.”
“A massive thank you to our Official Civil Engineering partner Mackenzie Construction who have renewed their partnership with Glasgow Warriors for another two years. Mackenzie Construction are passionate about the community as we are very passionate about our community. We’re really grateful for the partnership and want to congratulate everyone at Mackenzie Construction on their 40th anniversary this year.”
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Restoring an iconic local landmark
The Falkirk Wheel The Falkirk Wheel is the world’s first, and only, rotating boat lift built to connect the Forth & Clyde Canal with the Union Canal in Central Scotland. Opened in 2002 by her Majesty The Queen, the Wheel reconnected the two canals for the first time since the 1930s and has become one of Scotland’s most iconic examples of 21st century engineering. Maintained and operated by Mackenzie Construction’s client, Scottish Canals, the Falkirk Wheel has seen more than 5.5 million visitors since it opened 18 years ago. As a Scottish Canals trusted framework supplier, Mackenzie Construction recently carried out painting and coating upgrade works on the wheel. This was the first time since its inception the wheel has had been fully re-coated, future-proofing the landmark for at least 15 years. With over 15,000 bolts and standing at 35 metres high this was no mean feat. With the Wheel exposed to the elements, a specialised three coat application was used, increasing the lifespan of the structure. When inspected upon
project completion, the paintwork passed all tests and even exceeded the expected specification. Working within COVID-19 guidelines, the team was granted close proximity permits by our HSE team to ensure safe practices whilst working on the lifts. The project ran for six weeks throughout July and August, during exceptionally good weather, enabling the project to finish safely and on-time. Working on the project as Senior Contracts Engineer was Danny Brown, recently promoted to Site Agent after joining Mackenzie Construction as a Trainee Engineer seven years ago. He shared his thoughts on the project:
“Since completing the job we’ve had great feedback from Scottish Canals and the public, so it’s nice to have played a part in restoring a popular landmark to its former glory.” Gavin Chesney, Contracts Manager at Mackenzie Construction, said: “Danny and the team’s excellent work on the Falkirk Wheel is testament to their capabilities and Danny’s recent promotion is well-deserved. Having worked with him throughout since he first joined Makenzie Construction, it’s fantastic to see his hard work, commitment to quality and delivering results for our clients recognised and rewarded.”
“The project came up in June, so we had to ensure all of the necessary measures were put in place to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines. We had one week of day shift when the Wheel was offline and then five weeks of working through the night when canal navigation re-opened, where the team worked solidly to get the job finished to a high standard.
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Mackenzie Construction awarded renowned RoSPA Award for 12th year running Mackenzie Construction has been awarded its twelfth consecutive RoSPA Award, receiving the President’s Award (11-15 consecutive awards) for demonstrating high health and safety standards. The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest running of its kind in the United Kingdom and is a globally recognised accreditation. This year’s award recognised health and safety practices throughout 2019. During this period, dedicated HSEQ training sessions at all levels within the business included our Foremen Training Course which addresses the skills gap in our industry whilst developing the skills and knowledge of our long serving employees, enabling them to manage, lead and share their experience with our younger staff. There were also essential safety sessions for staff at our Annual Christmas Training Day, which involved breakout sessions and speakers such
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as Eddie Woods of Karrdale. Eddie’s keynote session was focused on community and the importance of maintaining the safety of all within it. In the course of 2019 Mackenzie Construction was one of the first civil engineering organisations in Scotland to successfully migrate from OHSAS 18:001: 2007 to ISO 45001: 2018 accreditation, meeting the strict health and safety standards for construction of civil works, industrial and commercial buildings, including refurbishment and structural repairs.
Andy Dalrymple, Managing Director, said: “At Mackenzie Construction, safety is ingrained in who we are, what we do and how we do it. We are delighted to have achieved our 12th consecutive award from RoSPA, which is testament to the commitment of our staff, partners and supply chain in ensuring safety is always our number one priority.”
Integrated industry partners Having recently announced our integrated industry partnership with Enisca Ltd, we caught up with its Managing Director, Conor King, to find out more about this exciting news. Tell us about the partnership between Mackenzie Construction/Enisca Ltd and how it began The relationship between Enisca and Mackenzie Construction began in 2015. Though the joint bid we developed at the time, alongside another company who is no longer in business, wasn’t to be, Andy and myself have kept in touch ever since. Over the years we’ve built a really strong relationship and have remained keen to find ways that we could develop a partnership which adds value to our businesses, clients and the wider industry. What can your clients expect from this partnership? By far the best thing about this partnership for our clients is that the whole of our collective offering is greater than the sum of its parts. Not only do our services complement one another, with Mackenzie’s civil engineering experience alongside our MEICA capabilities creating a complete turnkey solution, we can also each benefit from one another’s processes, experience, people and relationships. Additionally, our integrated team is fully committed to reducing the impact we have on our natural environment. We understand the drive to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions cannot be achieved as a lone entity, but by working in close collaboration to improve the environmental performance of our products and services. What synergies are there between Mackenzie Construction and Enisca Ltd? We’re likeminded people and we have a similar management style and setup, with approaches to both our client relationships and the way we build and deliver our projects. At both Enisca and Mackenzie Construction, our people are the most important asset and the culture we cultivate is open, friendly and fair. We invest in the development and careful management of skills and expertise across our team and supply chain to offer a safe and innovative environment for those we work with and for. What does the partnership offer to your teams? With Enisca and Mackenzie co-locating in Glasgow, our teams can expect to learn, innovate and grow together. We will continually strive to build a partnership that provides growth, fosters innovation and creates development opportunities across our team, driving us all to be even better tomorrow than we were today. We want our team to feel
part of something bigger, as one team who are clear on their roles, contributions and added value to our clients. What are your focus areas for this partnership moving forward? First and foremost, we are both relationship contractors, working hard to build authentic and trusted relationships with our clients. Moving forwards, our key focus is on offering a long-term partnership solution which offers continuity of service to our clients in the water industry, and beyond. What added value do you see this partnership offering to your clients? The fact that our partnership offers a single point of access to a turnkey solution which covers a broad range of specialist services. From Enisca’s MEICA, MCC and DfMA capabilities to Mackenzie’s Civil Engineering, we have our client needs covered. In addition, we both have an established approach to developing relationships within the industry and work hard to maintain long- term client and strategic partner relationships based on mutual respect, honesty and trust. Our clear focus on safety, customer needs, and project delivery efficiency, supports their key objective of ensuring long-term customer satisfaction.
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Client spotlight: Scottish Water Horizons For the last 40 years, our clients have been at the core of everything Mackenzie Construction does. One of our longstanding client relationships is with Scottish Water Horizons, who we have worked with collaboratively for over 10 years. Scottish Water Horizons is a commercial subsidiary of Scottish Water, and our work with them falls under its current framework for Infrastructure Delivery, focusing on the development and subsequent construction of Design and Build Contracts that have ranged from £5,000 to £3.7M in value. We spoke with Steven Greenhill, Senior Project Manager at Scottish Water Horizons to discuss the relationship between the two businesses and how we align to bring value to our shared stakeholders, and the communities in which we work.
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How would you describe Mackenzie Construction as a business and how does this align with Scottish Water Horizons? My initial response would be collaborative. They operate very much in partnership with us and integrate closely with our team, working effectively with our project managers. Both businesses have a similar ethos and are keen on an inclusive approach to contracting, so we maintain a close interface throughout design, development and delivery.
Both Scottish Water Horizons and Mackenzie Construction are also very focused on how they train, manage and reward their people. You can see that from Mackenzie Construction’s recent investment in its in-house Training Academy which will drive forward health and safety performance, as well as technical skills development for its staff.
How does Mackenzie Construction work with you to bring about value for your clients and the communities where you work? The nature of our work and the changing demands and timescales of construction projects often makes it very difficult to forecast and this is one of our key challenges. Mackenzie Construction is very aware of this and appreciates the environment we are operating in. As a result, the team are very flexible so that when jobs do come online, we can respond quickly and minimise lead times for our clients. There’s also a shared sense of responsibility for the communities in which we work and operate, with both businesses valuing their reputation in the public eye. I very much view Mackenzie Construction as a responsible pair of hands – we form part of Scottish Water and its reputation is of the upmost importance to us. I can rely on the Mackenzie team to be sensitive to local residents in the way it manages its operations in the community, or with private landowners. Do you have any standout moments from working on projects with Mackenzie Construction? Recently, we encountered one of our biggest challenges to date on a construction project with Mackenzie Construction, at Barrhead. Due to the geology and rock types on site, we had to re-evaluate our drilling methods and utilise a specialist drilling rig to tunnel through notoriously hard granite. Mackenzie Construction took on this challenge, in addition to the safe management of evolving COVID-19 guidelines and has
still managed to meet pre-pandemic output rates. How do you feel Makenzie Construction has responded to the challenges this year has brought? This has been a very tough year for the construction industry, through site shutdowns, lockdown and adapting our processes and procedures when we returned to work to ensure safe working operations. Mackenzie Construction’s response to this, from my perspective, has been excellent. Firstly, the way in which they shut down our sites was tidy, safe and secure. Many of the sites were in the public domain and could have posed a risk had this not been managed properly. However, Mackenzie Construction’s proactive, pragmatic and stringent pandemic response really has set the benchmark.
you can see from its use of new technology. For example, 3D scanning to facilitate decision making and planning in the current remote working environment, which we know we may be dealing with for some time. You can see that the team are working hard to think outside of the box. From how it trains staff through to its carbon reduction strategies, it is clear that Mackenzie Construction is planning ahead and adapting in order to better the future of the industry. Do you have any words for Mackenzie Construction on reaching their 40th anniversary year? It’s great to see Mackenzie Construction celebrating 40 years in business – it’s always been a pleasure to work with them and let’s hope for another 40 years of success!
What do you see the future of the industry looking like and how do you think businesses like Mackenzie Construction can contribute towards this? We’ve seen some excellent progress recently towards carbon reduction. For example, at our site in South Queensferry, minor alterations to design were suggested by the Mackenzie Construction team to incorporate the use of products which reduced the carbon impact of the project. You can see that Mackenzie Construction is proactively challenging industry standards in order to bring about positive change and innovation. Another major trend in the industry at the moment, is digitalisation. Mackenzie Construction has been embracing this opportunity, which
Steven Greenhill, Scottish Water Horizons
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An interview with Paralympian and Mackenzie Construction People Ambassador, Scott Meenagh We caught up with our People Ambassador, Scott Meenagh to see what he got up to through lockdown and how he’s staying focused through these challenging times. What has been going on in your world for the past few months? In terms of my sports training, the initial lockdown actually created a good opportunity to do some really focused sessions over the Spring and Summer. The start of the season tends to look like that anyway with long hours on your own, working on building endurance. So, from a training point of view at least, it couldn’t have come at a better time. As travel restrictions eased slightly, we were able to take part in team training
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camps. I’ve done two land-based training camps and I am just back from Germany. Hopefully we will get on actual snow soon and are hoping to get to Norway soon for training, dependent on new Covid-19 restrictions. What impact has the current situation had on your training? The impact of lockdown for me, has given me more time to focus and make the most of training opportunities close to home. This involves a lot of time spent training along the Forth and Clyde Canal,
l where I regularly bump into some of the Mackenzie Construction team. One of the hardest things to manage though, is the lack of team time with coaches and the other athletes, as its mentally tougher to get through the hard solo sessions. What does a typical day at a training camp look like for you? Both land and snow camps tend to follow a similar pattern. They usually involve training twice a day – one morning session which is more physical, in terms of intensity, and then usually something more technical focused in the afternoon, like weight training or shooting practice for the biathlon. In between sessions, there’s a three-to-fourhour break. This may seem like a lot but we need to include active recovery and mobilisation work in our programme, as well as eating and ensuring the body is fuelled and prepped for sessions.
What support services do you receive as part of your programme and which sporting bodies support your sporting journey? We have technical skills coaches, physiotherapists, a physiologist and sports psychologist so we’re really supported with the full package. Our Governing Body is GB Snowsport which is the National Governing Body for ski and snowboard disciplines in the UK. We also receive support through the sportscotland institute of sport. What motivates you during tough training sessions? One of the big things that has helped when I’ve got to go out and do a hard session on my own is to think of all the other athletes in the world that are doing the same thing right now. Being able to get through the dark, lonely mornings at this time of year is a challenge but I pride myself on doing the right thing when nobody else is watching and this helps pull me through the tough sessions. What do you do to relax during your downtime? One of the biggest things sport has taught me, is how important it is to have something I can do to switch off. I spend a lot of time with my dog and have been playing golf which is also a great way to catch up with friends. Usually, I have a few
weeks off between training camps, which gives me a chance to do other active pursuits, like climbing. Often this time gives me a chance to engage with my friends and watch rugby which is a huge passion of mine – it’s always great to catch up with the players at the Glasgow Warriors too. What do you enjoy the most about being Mackenzie Construction’s People Ambassador? What I enjoy the most is the family feel of the business. From the top, all the way through to being on-site there’s a real camaraderie amongst the workforce. I enjoy connecting with the team - they’re all personable, open people and are receptive to new ideas and change, which I’ve been really impressed with. Through lockdown I felt a big pull together from Mackenzie Construction, who embraced innovative ways of keeping in touch with the community and making sure
people who were isolated were able to be kept in the loop. Another area I’ve been impressed with, is their emphasis on mental health and wellbeing. When attending the Foremen’s Training Course last year, I heard the way the team opened up to voice and share their own experiences which is quite rare, especially in male dominated environments and something they should be very proud of. Andy and Mark really make a point of getting in amongst the team and do a fantastic job of leading by example. If you had one piece of advice for the Mackenzie Construction team right now what would it be? The big one for me is keeping a sense of perspective and understanding it’s a very different world we’re living in – we must adapt and keep our eyes open to it. With this, there’s always going to be down periods but it’s a collective experience we’re all going through, so lean on each other and the team around you to try and thrive through it. One thing the team at Mackenzie Construction have been phenomenal at is forging the new normal and grabbing it by the horns rather than waiting for it to come along and hit them. My one piece of advice would be to embrace the change.
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Digitalising the water industry with intelligent systems With the water industry striving to digitise its operations across the board, leading Civil Engineering firm and framework suppliers, Mackenzie Construction, approached Scottish Water with a new and exciting innovation; a geomembrane leak detection system to improve and support smooth management and monitoring of their clean water tanks. Working with its subcontractors, the team developed a strategy and sought out the most appropriate technology, installing the protective membrane to a Scottish Water clean water tank as part of an ongoing structural repairs project. The first of its kind on Scottish Water tanks, the intelligent membrane is positioned over the tank to protect the treated water inside. Made up of layers of metallic fleece and impervious plasticised PVC, and encompassing a network of sensors wired to an automated fault-finding system, the membrane’s monitoring system is programmed to send an email alert as soon as any damage is detected, as well as sounding an audible buzzer at the control panel on-site. With this type of longstanding, reinforced concrete tanks, often damage can occur as a result of weather, corrosion, age or trespassing, and any ingress within the tank risks contaminants entering clean, treated water. Tank integrity is most often validated using flood testing; where a controlled amount of water is temporarily retained over a surface to determine the effectiveness of the waterproofing system. This is feasible when tanks are offline and empty, however, waiting for downtime to inspect tanks for damage can greatly increase risk to the asset and the network as a whole. With the solution provided by Mackenzie Construction and its subcontractors, the intelligent membrane provides constant feedback on the membrane’s integrity, even when tanks are live,
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to create a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to asset integrity. This type of reactive monitoring allows for localised repairs to be carried out rather than far more significant scopes of works which often involve the large-scale removal of overburden to identify and repair the issues. With a drive on reducing our carbon footprint and helping our clients achieve their net zero targets, the vast reduction in size and scope of repair works has significant advantages. Mark Brown, Contracts Manager at Mackenzie Construction said of the project, “At Mackenzie Construction, we are committed to continuous improvement, both as a business and in the service we offer to our clients. The priority of our client is to manage and maintain the quality of water being held within the structure. This treated water is supplied into homes, hospitals and businesses, so having this system in place gives the client confidence that there is no immediate risk to the asset and the water contained within. They are immediately made aware of any integrity issues before it becomes a problem and this allows de-risking of their vital assets. In a perfect world, every tank would have this kind of innovation to support tank monitoring and we’re delighted to be part of this step forward in the management of clean water assets for our clients.”
Beyond net zero Update from HSE Advisor, and in-house Carbon Champion, Ryan Taggart As part of our ongoing commitment to carbon reduction and our net zero by 2040 target, we are consistently investigating ways in which we can reach our environmental goals. Over the past few months we have made fantastic progress and continue to learn about carbon reduction and the climate emergency. We are in discussions with Zero Waste Scotland about available grants to contribute towards funding a carbon calculator. We are looking to develop a bespoke user-friendly system that would integrate with stages of our planning and build process, for seamless emissions monitoring. We realise the role that an effective carbon monitoring system has in reaching our targets and this will be a key focus of our digitalisation strategy going forward. In addition, we are having encouraging conversations with our clients regarding traffic management and how the environmental impact of this can be reduced. This will be part of ongoing conversations over the coming months and we will be able to provide further updates as it progresses. On-site we are starting to use hydrogen powered CCTV and lights as well as a green welfare unit which runs on solar power. We are also investigating the use of low carbon cement and which circumstances it could be used and there is a trial being lined up on one of our sites in the near future. 
The amount of paper being used on-site has reduced dramatically and most documents are becoming digitised. We have been trialling with our foremen the use of a tablet on site to remove the need for a paper-based folder. With current restrictions, all staff are working from home where possible and I see agile working continuing in the future. This brings a whole host of carbon savings from travel to electricity which will all help towards our goals.
We have also been focusing on materials recycling. At some of our concrete repair sites the teams have been cleaning and reusing the stone removed from tanks. This works out at a similar price point when comparing to the traditional method of sending to landfill and buying in new aggregate but has a far greater carbon saving. At our site in East Kilbride, we recycled earth that had been transferred from another site to build up an embankment area. This was a great bit of thinking and highlights the focus that the teams have on waste reduction. And at our site at Glasgow’s Claypits, there was zero waste with any spoil being used elsewhere on the site.
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Foundations for the future: 40 years of attracting and retaining the industry’s best talent Mackenzie Construction has a long history of developing talent from within. Our Contracts Director, Mark Wilson, started with us when he was just 16 and worked his way up, to play an integral role in building the business to where it is today. We believe that supporting and empowering our talent is essential to creating a passionate, focused team who strive to exceed standards and deliver safe, high quality and efficient projects which drive our business forward.
In-house focus From the early days of Mackenzie Construction, we have been committed to giving opportunities to young people from our local communities and providing them with the training and mentoring that they require to develop their career with us. Our team of foremen have over 1000 years’ service between them and have been invaluable in passing on their knowledge and experience to the younger generation. Last year, this group were put through a bespoke Foreman Training Course to equip them with the appropriate tools and techniques to coach and mentor our younger workforce. More recently we opened our in-house Mackenzie Construction Training Academy to encourage the sharing of team experience and build core technical skills amongst the younger generations. Sessions to date have offered technical skills training on several critical service areas applicable to the water sector, focusing on areas such as structural concrete repairs service strike avoidance. To lead the initial training, the team turned to seasoned Structural Foreman, Mark Keegan, who has worked at Mackenzie Construction for 15 years, delivering projects for a broad range of clients, such as Scottish Water, Aberdeen City Council and Edinburgh City Council.
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Though Mark has always been generous in passing on his considerable knowledge and expertise with his teams, this opportunity offers a new avenue for his passion for learning and sharing skills with a wider audience at the training centre. Speaking about the sessions so far, Mark said “Although we’re just getting started at the Mackenzie Construction Training Academy, it’s been a real pleasure being able to share my experience, methods and systems of work with a group of keen staff, who have the needs of our clients in mind. It’s brilliant to be a part of developing the tremendous talent in our business and with some great feedback from the team already, I can’t wait to see their confidence and skillsets grow as we deliver further sessions over the coming months.”
Award-winning talent At the end of every year, we recognise our team with the Mackenzie Warriors award ceremony, presented by players from the Glasgow Warriors, where categories span ‘Team of the Year’ through to ‘Young Person of the Year’. Many of our young people received awards this year, highlighting their skills, commitment to the business and delivering results for our clients.
Taking the next step This focus on training and development has seen a number of recent promotions amongst our young workforce. Site Engineer, James McClure started with Mackenzie Construction four years ago as a Trainee Engineer and was recently promoted upon completion of his HNC in Civil Engineering. James has also undergone training in First Aid and the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) which is endorsed by Build UK for all supervisors working on Build UK sites and provides an understanding of health, safety, welfare and environmental issues. “Mackenzie Construction really stands out for me because of how they treat their workforce – especially their trainees. Not just in terms of wages but also in the levels of trust and respect you are given; they really are a great bunch of people to work for and it makes my job really enjoyable.” James McClure, Site Engineer Another of our young engineers taking a step up is Danny Brown, who was recently promoted from Senior Contracts Engineer to Site Agent. Danny started as a Trainee Engineer seven years ago and has quickly moved through the ranks. He has experience in a range of Civil Engineering specialisms, having worked on a variety of projects for key framework clients like Scottish Canals, Scottish Water and Landmarc. Danny told us that he still learns every day, not just through structured training but also from informal mentoring through his Contracts Manager, Gavin Chesney and the Site Foremen. He now works with some of our younger trainees and enjoys helping them to develop, having experienced it all himself. This is really testament to Mackenzie Construction’s family culture and knowledge being passed through the generations.
Site Engineer, Keir Adrian, was awarded last year for going the extra mile in 2019. Keir worked on our project at Highlands and Islands Airport, volunteering to station himself in Inverness. His control of subcontractors on site was outstanding as well as demonstrating effective communication with the client which was essential in this environment. Keir started with Mackenzie Construction through our apprenticeship scheme in 2015 and has gone from strength to strength, working on projects spanning Environmental, Clean Water and, more recently, Defence. “We’re committed to Mackenzie Construction because the business is committed to us and you really see this through the number of long service employees. The opening of the new Training Academy shows how invested the team is in the future of the business and moving forward with the times. It’s motivating to see colleagues who have moved into roles like Site Agent and are now leading big projects. I’m loyal to Mackenzie Construction and I’ve got aspirations to go all the way.” Keir Adrain, Site Engineer And it’s not just internally that our talent is recognised. Kristina King, who was recently promoted to Senior Contracts Engineer, won the first ever Emerging Talent Award at the 2019 Concrete Repair Association dinner in London. Originally employed as a Graduate Site Engineer, Kristina has proven time after time her ability to deliver completed Concrete Repair and Refurbishment projects to a high standard, on time and within budget. This award was testament to her fantastic work and commitment to our business, clients and key focuses on safety, innovation and sustainability. We acknowledge the challenges our industry faces from an ageing workforce and the importance of safeguarding the future of our business. With strategic focuses in digitalisation, sustainability and net zero targets, we realise the essential role our young workforce has in achieving our ambitions and are committed to attracting, nurturing and retaining the industry’s best young talent.
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Drew Nelson: Building a legacy, brick by brick In 1987 Mackenzie Construction employed a Bricklayer, initially for a 3-week project in Irvine, working with Ricky Bennett and Hugh ‘Shug’ McGuigan. The inimitable Drew Nelson was employed for three weeks initially but he chose to stay with Mackenzie Construction for 33 years and progressed to Foreman, before officially retiring in the summer of 2020. Having worked for the business for so many years, Drew has countless well-told tales and stories about the people, places and projects that kept him engaged and happy in his career. Though many of his famous anecdotes would be best left out of print, he is always happy to spend a few minutes sharing his stories with any who care to ask. This in itself hints at the larger-than-life character whom so many of the Mackenzie Construction team have come to know and love. Drew has always taken talent development seriously and has taught countless apprentices throughout his career such as Mark Blades and Jonathan Gilmore. Jonathan, who began working with Mackenzie Construction 21 years ago, aged 16 as Trainee Bricklayer, is now a Foreman himself. He remembers his first few months working as an apprentice under Drew as anything but easy. “We didn’t always see eye to eye at the start of our relationship, which is probably fairly normal given I was a teenager getting into the world of work and trying to learn, but I can definitely say now that Drew is a great teacher. He’s a big guy, so I was a bit scared of him at first and it didn’t help that I was pretty hopeless when I started. Over the years, we built up a great working relationship. He taught me everything I know.” Considering this dedication to talent development, Drew said “When I began working in construction all those years ago, it was a very different environment. The building trade has always had an element of sharing knowledge and passing on your skills to ensure that we all do things the right way – that’s the way I was taught! One of the biggest lessons is, if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right. When I think back to teaching Jonathan, he was always excellent. Mark Blades was definitely harder work at first… but look at him now!
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“The apprentices I’ve had in recent years are no different. We work on the technical skills they need to learn, as well as on the right attitude to working in a site environment. Of course, they need to be sure they’re working safely and using the skills correctly and apprentices not only contribute to the work on site, they are the future of the industry.” A respected member of the team, having played the roles of foreman, manager, trainer and mentor for the duration of his career, Drew has decided to continue his passion for developing people into his retirement, passing on his knowledge, skill and technical experience to the next generation of workers through the Mackenzie Training Academy. Speaking on Drew’s retirement and his role within the Training Academy, Jonathan laughed, “I don’t really feel like he has retired as I still speak to him most days! He’ll be great working in the Academy and continuing to develop our team. His positivity makes learning enjoyable and he is always laughing about something. They’ll be entertained, as much as benefitting from his skills and experience, and that’s a great way for people to learn.”
When asked to share some of his highlights in his career, Drew said “I couldn’t pick a highlight of working at Mackenzie Construction – I’ve been happy at work for 33 years! I remember being asked to a meeting, and some of the team were talking about what has inspired them throughout their lives. Mark Wilson mentioned his grandad who had inspired him - both as a youngster and as an adult. Andy Dalrymple mentioned our previous MD, Brian Lamb, as he’d learned a lot from him. It came to my turn and I simply said ‘Mary Docherty’, at which point everyone laughed, before Andy intervened and suggested we move on to the next person. It’s moments like that I will always remember – it’s people and connections that matter most. In 2006, I had two heart attacks and was off work for eight months. In that time, the senior team kept in regular contact with myself and my wife, and they protected my job whilst I recovered. That was pretty inspirational to me.”
He continued, “Mackenzie Construction has always been good to me and it is a great company to work for. They listen to staff and always encourage the team to try new ideas to improve the way we work. They take our thoughts and opinions into consideration and that is something I’ve always thought was brilliant. “I’m glad to be retired, of course, but I am equally happy to be able to give back to the team and the business that has given so much to me over the years. I hope that I can continue to add value through my role as Trainer with the Training Academy for many years to come.”
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Photography by George Munro
Raising money for brilliant causes Colin McEachnie’s marathon challenge Throughout the month of November, Project Manager, Colin McEachnie ran a marathon over each week for two charities close to his heart, and to the wider Mackenzie Construction family – the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Man On! Inverclyde. My Name’5 Doddie foundation is Mackenzie Construction’s nominated 2020 charity. It aims to raise funds for the research into causes of Motor Neurone Disease and investigate potential cures whilst making sure that sufferers of MND are granted the funds that enable them to live their life to the fullest.
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Man On! Inverclyde is a peer support network focused on men’s mental health and provides a safe space to meet, chat and share reminding local men they are not alone. Colin has been open and honest with his own mental health struggles, having found solace in fitness and running following a breakdown last year. November also marks men’s mental health month making it a fitting time to take on the challenge. Also getting on board with the challenge was our Contracts Director, Mark Wilson, who also took on the 26.2 miles each week to support Colin with his efforts. Together they have managed to raise a fantastic amount for the two charities. Well done boys!
Mackenzie Construction 2020 Scavenger Hunt This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions we have been limited in our ability to get together and raise funds for our nominated charity the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. Taking all restrictions into consideration, we created the Mackenzie Construction 2020 Scavenger Hunt for all to get involved either with their household or as an individual to raise funds for this amazing charity. With prizes up for grabs we are delighted to announce the following winners The best team name: The Wily Wylies
The best hat: The Scruffy Scavengers
The best nature picture: From our Marketing Partner
The most unusual find: What’s the Race
Thank you to everyone who got involved from scavenging to donating, we are delighted to have raised £300 for My Name’5 Doddie.
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A lifetime of service: Interview with our Valuations Manager, Sharon Scotland
Tell us a bit about your career at Mackenzie Construction.
What do you enjoy the most about working at Mackenzie Construction?
I started just before my 18th birthday in 1984 as an office junior (part of an office of six). In my first week I remember being left to tend the phone when a call came in about a puncture on the JCB, which I had to help solve. I was thrown in at the deep end but learned so much from being part of the small team we were back then. The office then was in Carmunnock and I remember sometimes if we’d been working late, the directors would take us for a few drinks at The Busby Hotel afterwards to make up for it.
The camaraderie – everyone feels like family, especially having worked here for so many years. I’ve known some of the team for over 30 years and you remember the history you’ve been through with them and the challenges you’ve overcome together. I’m completely at ease with the team as I’ve known them for so long and I think this feeling filters through to newer staff too. For me, it’s all about the people. I’ve built so much confidence over the years working at Mackenzie from the variety of experience I have gained and the team ethos within the business.
Over the years, as Secretary, then Office Administrator and Administration Manager, I’ve been exposed to all different departments and kinds of work. More recently, I have moved into the role of Valuations Manager. There’s been lots of change and lots of new people but it’s never boring and no day is the same – even 36 years on.
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How have you seen Mackenzie supporting and developing young talent through their career?
How would you describe the culture at Mackenzie Construction and how has it developed over the years? It’s definitely become more open with one of the biggest and best changes being the trust that’s instilled in everyone today. The hierarchy is different now and people are encouraged to be self-empowered and everyone’s opinion is valued. You’re given a feeling that the company is part of you and needs you to do well. They have also been very good to me. This motivates me and has made me very loyal over the years, always striving to get it right. Can you share any funny stories from your time here? Lots from Christmas nights out, though too many too mention them all. I remember the fancy dress party nights at Hampden where Mark Wilson was a Storm Trooper, Greg Deehan was Amy Winehouse and Alan Gaw was Chewbacca and us all dancing in a group together!
The managers here really nurture the younger staff. We’ve always taken on young trainees who have learned through experience and from being exposed to all different types of jobs, of varying sizes. They are put through college whether it’s HNCs or SVQs and I’ve seen so many of them move up through the business. It’s a great environment for nurturing talent. What do you see the future of the business being like for the next generation? I see it being very fast paced and the business is getting bigger, but I also see it becoming a lot more streamlined. Things are becoming more digitally focused with advances in IT and moving to more app-based systems. When we first got computers in Mackenzie Construction, we had to teach ourselves how to use them and it was really hard! With the next generation, it’s different - they’ve had all their training in IT and technology throughout school and will be able to embrace it. The business has the potential to grow and grow but I hope it will always retain and nurture the wonderful culture we have now.
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Project spotlight: Garscube Bridge at The Claypits We are so proud to see our work at Garscube Bridge now open to the public. The new pedestrian bridge, built for our client, Scottish Canals, at the Claypits Local Nature Reserve in Glasgow will act as a key link for the local communities of Firhill, Woodside and Maryhill. The construction of the bridge is part of a wider project at the nature reserve that will enhance the area and provide much needed greenspace for the 75,000 people living within a 20-minute walk of the Claypits. The joint-funded project aims to safeguard the future of the space and is part of the Glasgow Canal Project, a collaborative initiative to open up North Glasgow’s canal spaces to the wider community, placing local people and organisations at the heart of the project. The bridge design is innovative with the capability to open when passage is required by boaters, thus maintaining usage of the canal. Contracts Manager, Robbie MacLean said:
Did you know? The Claypits were originally the home of a clay quarry, used when the Forth & Clyde Canal was first built in the late 1700s, and has also been the site of a foundry, glassworks and boat-building yard. These industries are long gone but the historic canal buildings, the oldest in Scotland, still dot the banks.
“The design and build project at Garscube Bridge has been a focal point of our works at The Claypits, linking up communities within the north of Glasgow and providing important access for boats to reach Speirs Wharf in the centre of the city. I’d like to thank all of our staff, operatives and key sub-contractors who have worked on this project and successfully brought innovation to Glasgow’s historic canals.”
Congratulations to our recently promoted colleagues! Contract Staff
Site Team
John Hollocks - Senior Project Manager
Alan Boyle - Operative Level 2
Danny Brown - Site Agent Paul Dunne - Senior Contracts Engineer Kristina King - Senior Contracts Engineer Lewis Montgomery - Senior Contracts Engineer John McLaughlan - Contracts Engineer William Cairns - Contracts Engineer Thomas McGuigan - Contracts Engineer James McClure - Site Engineer Luke Summone - Student QS Stephen Coulter - Estimator
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Chris Morrison- Operative Level 2 Colin Gilluley - Foreman Level 2 Craig Keegan - Operative Level 2 David Brennan - Ganger Level 1 David McNiven - Ganger Level 1 Eddie Kelly - Operative Level 3 Gary McCann - Ganger Level 2 Gordon Stevenson - Foreman Level 2 Gordon Young - Foreman Level 4 Ian Haley - Ganger Level 2 James McNee - Operative Level 3
James Russell - Operative Level 1 Jonathon Gilmour - Foreman Bricklayer Joseph Short - Ganger Level 2 Kevin Wilson - Operative Level 1 Kieren King - Operative Level 2 Martyn Henry - Operative Level 2 Paul Woods - Ganger Level 2 Richard Robertson - Operative Level 1 Robert Keegan - Foreman Level 2 Robert McGlinchey - Operative Level 2 Steven MacDonald Snr - Ganger Level 1 Steven Stewart - Operative Level 3 Thomas O’Connor - Foreman Level 2