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CEF CALLS FOR URGENT BUDGETARY Harvey Group acquires Solmatix as part of 5 year ALLOCATION TOand NI WATER growth plan in UK Ireland. In a letter to the Head of the Service, John NICivil M&E services Armstrong from the Newtownabbey-based Construction Employers M&E serviceshas company, Federation called Harvey Group, has Northern acquired on the 2019/20 Ireland Bill, NorthernBudget Ireland renewable which expected to be energy is specialists, Solmatix tabled at Westminster Renewables in a move the given the continued companies say will transform absence of a Northern the renewable energy sector Ireland Executive, to in Northern Ireland and act include additional as a springboard for further capital expenditure for expansion Ireland into the multiNorthern Water tomillion deal pound with UK urgent and Ireland capacity at renewable issues energy markets. Wastewater Treatment The acquisition, for an Works (WwTW) which, undisclosed sum, will bring to 110 unless dealt with, are the number of people employed threatening to halt directly by the Harvey Group in development across Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Northern Ireland. With a turnover of £30 million andelements over 80ofstaff, Group Key theHarvey letter included: • Although tenyears’ WwTW with capacity has over 30 experience investment drivers are to be upgraded in the design, installation and during PC15 (2015 to 2021) this maintenance of building services will barely scratch the surface with within every conceivable kind of respect to the 59 WwTW where building throughout there is notype further capacity NI, andGB the and RoI, including Pharmaceutical/ 21 which are heading that direction. Cleanrooms,the Laboratories, Furthermore, wastewater system Education, Government capacity issues being facedand in Belfast e.g. at the Duncrue WwTW and in Healthcare . Richard and Norahsub catchments such as East Belfast, Anne Bell founded Solmatix require significant investment. Thethen Renewables in 2008, and since Living With Water Programme led by DfI estimates an investment of at least £750m is urgently required to address these issues.
company acquires renewable energy specialists the company has grown to achieve a turnover of £6 million, with 30 staff operating from its Nutt’s Corner premises. As a result of the deal, Solmatix will continue to operate as an autonomous and independent company within Harvey Group Brian Harvey, managing director of Harvey Group, said there was a perfect fit between the two organisations. “We have been planning to grow our renewables involvement for some time, either organically or through the acquisition of an established player. Having worked with Solmatix Renewables on a number of contracts, we’d always been impressed with their engineering rigour and professionalism. In fact, there seemed to be a natural synergy between our two companies in terms of what we do and how we do it. I approached Richard Bell about a year ago to float the idea of our companies together, but only to projects coming that made no substantive ifconstruction there was aprogress good fit.during After careful 2018/19. consideration both agreed While the CEFwe fully accepts that the projects must be delivered and that this would indeed be mutually that the lack of progress on several of them during 2018/19 had little if anything to do with the decisions taken by senior officials, they believe that the government must be realistic in the budget for 2019/20 with respect to the Flagships. Even allowing for the additional clarity production of Randox’s pioneering provided for by the Northern Ireland medical diagnostic products and willof (Executive Formation and Exercise also includeAct associated administrative Functions) 2018, it is likely that: functions. The works are the first • No construction activity will phase of a major capital expenditure commence on the A5 until roughly project by Randox to develop the 12 monthsMassereene from now Army Barracks former
Celebrating the acquisition (from left) Norah-Anne Bell, Richard Bell, Brian Harvey, Gareth Booth (Financial Controller, Harvey Group).
beneficial. From my perspective, having Solmatix as part of Harvey Group gives us a level of expertise that would have taken us years to acquire otherwise. “Harvey Group and Solmatix share similar values, by which I mean our commitment to professionalism, our desire to deliver our services to the very highest standards, and the importance we place on treating our customers, our suppliers and our staff with courtesyand andcompleted consideration.” be awarded Richard Bell, the founder and and the tender process for the managing director Solmatix main works not yetofstarted, it is unlikely that significant Renewables described the acquisition capex will be expended on this scheme until late in 2019
as great news for Solmatix, its customers, suppliers and staff. “In many respects, it’s a case of ‘business as usual’. However, in real terms, being part of this larger organisation will give us access to enhanced technical skills, financial resources and purchasing power. Ultimately I believe this will lead to greater growth and investment within our operations, as well as more jobs and job security. It’s a win-win relationship that’s good for our whole organisation, as well as the economy of Northern Ireland. “
• Separately, on themajor nonLisburn firm TAL awarded the first construction Flagship York Street Interchange • The further deterioration of this scheme, it could be another 12 contract Randox Science Park situation will result in a haltat to months before construction development across large swathes of Northern Ireland • The risks of halting development on such a scale will impact the deliverability of much needed new housing, public sector works and commercial development. It would also slow the recovery of the construction sector in uncertain economic times and make it nigh on impossible for any of the WItH reputation for the 11 local acouncils to deliver economic aspirations within thehigh local excellence in constructing development planstAL that they are quality projects, Limited working on.awarded a significant has been contract (£3.1m) by global Looking to the Executive Flagship medical diagnostics projects the CEF notes company that, at this Randox. point last year, significant CapEx This initial contract iswas forallocated the (Capital Expenditure) construction of a new facility for
into ‘Randox Science Park’ – a • With a PQQ for the Mother and futuristic and manufacturing Children’sR&D Hospital due to be issued in facility. Theitaward-winning, the spring, is unlikely the subsequent international biotechnology firm, to tender process will have moved contract its award in 2019 unveiled plansuntil for late an innovative (albeit aresite enabling hub onthat the there 43 acre earlierworks this ongoing) year. Welcoming thepermission announcement, • With planning not as Damien Hughes, Director TAL yet granted for the Belfast of Transport Limited “Wepackage are Hub, thecommented: enabling works to delighted to have been awarded
would begin this contract with Randox, one of Director at Randox commented: “The “The CEF believes the budget Northern Ireland’s most dynamic development of Randox Science allocations for these projects and businesses a local Park is core to our plans to create mustexciting be in line with the on realistic and global level. Through innovative diagnostics, to improve programme laid out above,the ” quality saidour John Armstrong, of work and the President dedication and manufacturing efficiency to export of the CEF. “In the context professionalism of our teamof TAL has high-value healthcare capabilities to there being an over overall steadily grown thepot lastof34 years world markets. This state-of-the-art £1.5bn in capex available to and this contract award reinforces premises will become a centre of spend in 2019/20, we believe the strength of our expertise in the cutting-edge research, development additional capex could be made healthcare ” and diagnostic manufacture, covering available tosector. Northern Ireland The project willofbe conditions such as cancer, stroke and Water for some thedelivered WwTW John Armstrong issues have to BIMwe level 2 indetailed. partnership heart disease. We will also provide a “These difficult decisions with theare design team Ostick and significant boost to the local economy on existing WwTW right across to take and the civil Rainey service & Best, Williams Architects, through job creation. We very Northernnew Ireland, it is critical that has been placed in an intolerable Doran Consulting, Delap & Waller much look forward to working with the 2019/20 Budget Bill presented position not of its making. However, in Consulting Engineers and Charles TAL on this initial contract to deliver to Parliament seeks to deal with the light of the risk to development of all challenges that confront us.” we Hutchison the high quality infrastructure forms nowConsulting. posed by the limitations Dr Peter FitzGerald, Managing require.”
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