Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

November 2018

CONSTRUCTIONMAGUK.CO.UK

CLOUDCELLCONNECT

Sorting the wheat from the chaff when connecting construction sites

COMANSA

DIGITAL, DIVERSITY AND DISCUSSION AT UK CONSTRUCTION WEEK

CRANES BUILD A LUXURY RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX IN NIGERIA

RAP INTERIORS

Celebrates 30th Birthday with Kentish Cruise

WILLMOTT DIXON

MICK GEORGE KICK START NEW £4.75M FACILITY TO TRAIN CONSTRUCTION STAFF

EksoVest Trial & Robotics in Construction

Contents November 2018

05

E-learning programme launched by Considerate Constructors Scheme

08

Winners of the 2018 Hertfordshire Building Futures Awards announced

10

COMANSA cranes build a luxury residential complex in Nigeria

14

Mick George Kick Start New ÂŁ4.75m Facility to Train Construction Staff

16

Work under way on ÂŁ8 million Oxfordshire Advanced Skills Centre

18

Focus on Landmark Buildings Leads to Significant Growth for Gilbert-Ash

26

Green light for new industrial drone training

30

Creatomus Solutions explores online customisation for home design

32

Willmott Dixon EksoVest Trial & Robotics in Construction

40

Bloomberg wins RIBA Stirling Prize 2018

48

China Resources Land Suhewan project breaks ground in Shanghai

54

100% buy and build funding for 25 homes in Mistley, Essex

56

Digital, diversity and discussion at UK Construction Week

59

Alpha Rail employees clock up 240 years

05 08 14

16

10

18

30

32

40

48

54

56

59

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Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 03

Latest News

Legal ruling highlights importance of preparation Preparation is crucial when taking a construction dispute to court, a new legal ruling has underlined.

Construction consultancy MPG says the High Court decision should also serve as a reminder to contractors that they need effective programmes in place before commencing a contract in case there is a dispute in future.

The claimants in Clutterbuck and another v Cleghan lost because they failed to call an important witness, and the court refused to allow them to plug gaps in expert evidence at the last minute.

Michael Gallucci, managing director of MPG, said: “This is a wake-up call for anyone contemplating legal action, and their litigation team, that you must be fully prepared before you walk up the steps of the court building.”

Mr Gallucci, who advises leading construction companies and speaks internationally on contract law, said contractors must also prepare to protect themselves in the event of a dispute before even beginning work on a project.

“Programmes are absolutely vital when claiming for delays or combating counterclaims,” he said.

“They become yardsticks against which to measure the effects of delays, which are a frequent cause of disputes.”

An RICS accredited mediator, Mr Gallucci said too many

property and construction disputes end up in court.

“Instead of rushing headlong into what should be the last resort, the parties in a dispute should seek to resolve their problems through mediation, which is quicker and less expensive,” he said.

“The Clutterbuck trial lasted 11 days in the High Court, no doubt racking up a big legal bill for the claimants who in the end walked away emptyhanded. There is no way of knowing if they would have had a better outcome if they had settled by mediation, but in most cases, it is a better and less painful way to reach a conclusion.”

The Clutterbuck trial lasted 11 days in the High Court, no doubt racking up a big legal bill for the claimants who in the end walked away empty-handed. There is no way of knowing if they would have had a better outcome if they had settled by mediation, but in most cases, it is a better and less painful way to reach a conclusion He added: “Settling out of court with the help of a qualified mediator can even mean that the parties don’t fall out irrevocably and can work together again. That’s rarely the case after an acrimonious court battle.”

NFB: Lead by example before you lead small businesses If the labour Party wants to offer meaningful loans and advice to SMEs, it needs to first understand the environment in which they operate.

Shadow Business Minister Bill Esterson MP has spoken to The House magazine about setting up an agency which will offer loans and advice to small and medium-sized (SME) businesses to help them expand.

Inspired by a US system set up by President Eisenhower, Labour hopes it will shake off its image as an anti-business party.

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) welcomes the focus on SMEs and is encouraged to see more politicians attuned to understanding the key role of SMEs in fuelling the local and national economy.

SMEs account for 99% of Britain’s businesses and employ 60% of the private sector’s workforce. With a fifth of them operating in construction, SMEs are the lifeblood of the regional and national economy.

In the construction industry, 66% of apprentices are trained and retained

by SMEs who normally operate within 15 miles of their head offices. However, large companies remain frontrunners in securing procurement contracts and getting planning permission for new homes.

If the Labour Party wants to offer meaningful loans and advice to SMEs, it needs to first understand the environment in which they operate.

For example, SME house builders often struggle

04 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

to secure a pipeline of work and they identify the planning process as their number one barrier to growth. Planning reform is too often left off the agenda for change, with access to finance cited as a solution despite being predicated on obtaining planning permission.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “This is a positive contribution to the debate on the housing crisis and we welcome both its ambition and focus. SMEs underpin the regional and national economy by sustaining employment and productivity.”

If the Labour Party is serious about helping SMEs expand, they must first understand the settings in which they operate.

They could immediately bring this about in construction, where a fifth of all SMEs operate, by delivering and sharing best practice models for plan making and planning.

“If the Labour Party is serious about helping SMEs expand, they must first understand the settings in which they operate. They could immediately bring this about in construction, where a fifth of all SMEs operate, by delivering and sharing best practice models for plan making and planning. With planning devolved to local government and the Welsh assembly, Labour already has a chance to lead by example.”

Latest News

National e-learning programme launched by Considerate Constructors Scheme targeting drugs and alcohol The Considerate Constructors Scheme is helping to address the sobering issue of drugs and alcohol on the UK and Irish construction industries.

The Scheme’s new ‘Drugs and Alcohol e-learning’ course focuses on how contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and clients can take practical and effective measures to safeguard and protect the workforce in relation to drugs and alcohol.

The online course is now available on the Scheme’s Best Practice Hub, a free, go-to industry resource, which has received over 2.6 million views since its launch.

The misuse of drugs and alcohol is a serious workplace issue, particularly for the construction industry, where a safe and healthy workforce is of paramount importance.

The effects of drugs and alcohol abuse include impaired awareness, reduced concentration, loss of muscle function, reduced stamina, diminished judgement and loss of coordination. Any of these side-effects can be incredibly dangerous in the construction industry where working at height and operating vehicles and heavy machinery are commonplace.

Drugs and Alcohol e-learning follows on from the Scheme’s ‘Spotlight on…drugs and alcohol’ campaign, its subsequent update to the campaign, and its handy drugs and alcohol policy template – all available on the Best Practice Hub. These resources have proved a huge success in raising awareness and understanding of

the issue, having already been viewed over 26,000 times since their introduction in 2016.

The e-learning course compliments the Scheme focus on this issue to date by providing a platform for the industry to educate themselves about the issue, risks and methods to manage those risks and to support those who need it.

Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive Edward Hardy said: “The impact of drugs and alcohol on the construction industry is an extremely serious issue and one which the industry is working hard to address.

“We all know that our industry is only as strong as our workforce and it is therefore essential to ensure that everyone in our workforce is well looked after, both physically and mentally.

“As drugs and alcohol has a huge impact on both the physical and mental wellbeing of everyone, we see our Drugs and Alcohol e-learning as an essential way of extending the Scheme’s reach to help educate and further raise awareness to help address this issue.”

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 05

Latest News

Balfour Beatty sets out a series of recommendations to evolve and improve the Apprenticeship Levy Following the Prime Minister’s announcement that Government is set to reform the Apprenticeship Levy, Balfour Beatty today publishes its latest paper “Building the future: Reshaping the Apprenticeship Levy”.

With a looming skills shortage, coupled with a growing pipeline of critical infrastructure projects, it is vital that the Apprenticeship Levy is improved to ensure it is delivering the large number of high-quality apprentices the industry needs.

In its paper, Balfour Beatty outlines a series of key points and recommendations which

must be considered if the Apprenticeship Levy is to achieve its aims of recruiting a new generation of construction professionals and upskilling the current workforce.

Balfour Beatty believes that changing focus from the number of apprenticeship starts to completions combined with approving the relevant Apprenticeship standards to allow for the recruitment of engineering and technical apprentices, will ensure the industry has the high-calibre, skilled, domestic workforce required for future success.

Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty Group Chief Executive, said: “As a member of The 5% Club, Balfour Beatty considers skills and training the lifeblood of our business.

Apprenticeships are essential to address the skills gap which our industry – and many others – face for the future, particularly in the technical disciplines. We can all see that the Apprenticeship Levy is not encouraging the creation and uptake of the apprenticeships we must have, to drive the UK economy and help people build meaningful careers. The Government’s decision to take action by reforming the Levy therefore has our full support.”

HBA: warmly welcomes abolition of cap on what councils can borrow to build houses Lifting the borrowing cap for councils will diversify the housing market, stimulate industry capacity and help councils more easily meet their affordable homes requirements.

that the Government is helping tackle the crippling house crisis, by listening to the industry and finally addressing concerns which the HBA has lobbied on for quite some time.

The Prime Minister Theresa May has shown her commitment to help fix the housing crisis by announcing the abolition of cap on what councils can borrow to build houses, in her keynote Conservative party conference speech.

The HBA has had the cap on local authority borrowing for new housebuilding as a measure in all of its past manifestoes and the entire supply chain has worked hard towards achieving this. Lifting councils’ house building cap will now help small and medium-sized (SME) builders and councils to work together to deliver the Governments’ target of delivering 300,000 homes a year.

The Housing Builders Association (HBA), the house building division of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), is delighted

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “The NFB congratulates the prime minister for recognising a substantial barrier preventing the Government from meeting its target to build 300,000 new homes a year.

“Lifting the borrowing cap for councils will diversify the housing market, stimulate industry capacity and help councils more easily meet their affordable homes requirements. The entire housing supply chain should be very proud of their collective campaigning on this issue.”

Britain must retain and build a skilled workforce The NFB warns that shortage occupation lists must be responsive and visas for self-employed workers need to be clear and comprehensible.

• Retaining and revaluating the Immigration Skills Charge; • Abolishing the cap on the number of migrants under Tier 2 (General) visas.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has released its Government-commissioned study, “EEA migration in the UK: Final Report”. The report set out to establish the current and likely future patterns of EEA migration.

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) welcomes the report, which highlights the value of migration to small and medium-sized (SMEs) builders and the construction industry. However, the NFB warned that shortage occupation lists must be responsive and visas for selfemployed workers need to be clear and comprehensible.

Key recommendations include: • No preference for EU citizens, assuming that immigration will not be part of the UK-EU withdrawal agreement; • Reviewing how the sponsor licensing system works for SMEs; • Maintaining existing salary thresholds and extending Tier 2 (General) visas to all jobs at RFQ (Regulated Framework of Qualifications) Level 3 and above; • Reviewing the shortage occupation list;

Focussing on enabling higher-skilled migration while restricting lower-skilled migration, the report does not recommend separate, employer-led sector based routes, for low skilled migrants, with the possible exception of seasonal agricultural workers.

06 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

The MAC also states that 40% of selfemployed workers are concentrated in three construction sectors and would typically qualify for a Tier 1 visa. However, due to complexities with the existing scheme, the MAC is unable to make recommendations on how it should be changed.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “A lack of skilled workers stifles industry growth and the capacity to build more homes. We welcome the report’s recommendations, including a review into the shortage occupation list and the sponsor licensing system for SMEs.” “Abolishing the cap of migrants under Tier 2 visas and reviewing shortage occupation lists would signal a positive step but, with the MAC avoiding any recommendation for self-employed workers, the Government must provide clarity to a vital part of the construction industry.”

University Hospital Galway selects Formica® laminate in €18 million development As part of a newly completed 75-bed ward block, Formica® laminate has been selected for the interior door facings, fitted furniture and integrated panel systems (IPS) of University Hospital Galway.

Moloney O’Beirne Architects were commissioned to work on the hospital’s €18 million development and specified Formica laminate due to its performance credentials. The impact resistant qualities of the surfacing material, its ease of maintenance and availability in a wide range of decors being primary factors.

Laminate is often favoured for high traffic areas such as hospitals due to its hygienic qualities. Cleanliness is vital to ensuring high quality patient care and failure to meet required standards can lead to the spread of infections, the closing of wards and impact the health of patients and staff. Since Formica laminate is inert and does not support microbial growth, it is ideal for applications where cleanliness and hygiene are of paramount importance.

As a completely sealed surface, Formica laminate is impervious to liquids and easy to clean and maintain. In a sector where budgets are often tight and the maintenance cost of material come under scrutiny, surfacing that offers value for money without compromising on functionality is understandably favoured by architects and facility managers.

In the instance of University Hospital Galway, Formica laminate in the colours of Seed, Thistle and Sandstone have been applied to fitted furniture and to over 400 door facings. Delivering seamless design integration to the IPS panels is Formica laminate in the grey tone of Folkstone. The colours chosen for the project were selected for their soothing attributes in order to help calm patients and reduce stress.

Formica laminate’s durable surfacing assists in the design of environments where a high level of hygiene is essential. In a wider context the material also enables hospitals to look better for longer with the minimum of effort while offering aesthetic options to potentially complement recovery.

Steel screens for stylish interior spaces While steel doors and windows are synonymous with rugged performance and slim sightlines, the distinctive frames offered by members of the Steel Window Association (SWA) are also increasingly being chosen to help create stylish interior spaces for locations such as restaurants, hotels and residential properties.

These internal partitions are normally fabricated using the W20 sections, rather than the higher energy performing W30 or W40 systems favoured for exterior openings. Whilst the majority of screens installed are single glazed, some clients still often select double glazed screens - featuring 16mm Krypton filled units.

This enables spaces like wine stores to be kept chilled, while diners enjoy warmer ambient temperatures. And the same glass spec’ is also able to cut sound transmission where steel partitions are chosen to create meeting rooms within offices.

Then there is a choice of door types which can be utilised. Side hinged remains the most common, but sliding doors are increasingly popular with customers being able to choose between recessed or face mounted rails; various styles of sliding mechanism are offered to suit the designers preferred aesthetic.

For many situations, fire performance is an important consideration, to which the SWA has now responded by developing a half-hour fire door. Independent testing has been carried out on both single and double leaf doorsets glazed with 7.2mm Pilkington Pyrodur glass.

Another recent development has been the introduction of pivot hinges which enables larger and heavier door leafs to be installed; improving pedestrian access and offering an airier aspect once open.

All doors and most partitions will be glazed with toughened or laminated glass for safety, while enhanced locking can be fitted to offer the same security as for exterior applications.

The Steel Window Association’s members are able to offer a full selection of options for new-build and replica refurbishment, as well as historic projects; including W20, W30, W40 and W50 frames able to comply with the requirements of Part L to the Building Regulations. Choosing an SWA member to manufacture and install your steel windows and doors ensures that you are receiving the highest standard of fabrication, installation and customer service.

Website: www.formica.com Email: samples.uk@formica.com Tel: +44 191 259 3512

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Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 07

Awards News

Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Hertfordshire Building Futures Awards Cassiobury Park Hub Building in Watford, St Albans Museum & Gallery and Garden Avenue / Furzen Crescent in Hatfield are the winners at this year’s Hertfordshire Building Futures Awards.

Cassiobury Park Hub Building in Watford has won the Most Sustainable Construction and Project of the Year Award in this year’s Hertfordshire Building Futures Awards. St Albans Museum & Gallery has won the Retrofit for the Future Award, also scooping a Highly Commended Award in the Project of the Year category, and Garden Avenue / Furzen Crescent in Hatfield has won the Design Excellence Award. The Awards were held on Thursday 4th October at Knebworth House and are sponsored by Hertfordshire Building Control.

Cassiobury Park Hub Building, Watford.

Knox Bhavan Architects worked with Watford Borough Council to create the new multi-purpose Cassiobury Park Hub Building. A single storey steel frame building which sits on a concrete podium, this elegant, central destination point has been designed to have minimal energy consumption. The judges were highly impressed, awarding it both the Most Sustainable Construction Award and the Project of the Year Award. Judges commented, “This is an outstanding example of how modern sustainable construction can be provided simply and can fit into a classic parkland landscape, while managing to produce a significant amount of renewable energy. People love it. Good design and some clever thinking have created a distinct character for the park.”

St Albans Museum & Gallery (Right) John McAslan & Partners architects worked with St Albans City & District Council to undertake an extensive refurbishment and redevelopment of the St Albans Museum & Gallery. The functionality of the building was maximised and energy usage was significantly reduced, all whilst retaining and enhancing the building’s historic features. The Grade II* Listed building now boasts extra space and annual energy savings of 19,500 kWH, resulting in a world-class cultural hub. Judges were pleased with this transformative project and commented, “The rescue and restoration of this landmark Grade II* building has been carried out impressively, cleverly increasing the usable space while retaining the original features. Superb attention to detail has resulted in the sensitive refurbishment of this important historic building. The vision and energy of a highly motivated group of individuals and an outstanding contractor, has enabled the building to be resurrected as a major community asset, which the City and residents of St Albans can, justifiably, be very proud”.

Councillor Julian Daly, Portfolio Holder for Commercial and Development, comments: “The conversion of the Town Hall into a new museum and gallery is one of the boldest and most challenging projects ever undertaken by the Council. It is very satisfying that the efforts of everyone involved have been given recognised with

Adrien Waite, Development Manager Section Head at Watford Borough Council, said “We are absolutely delighted that Cassiobury Park Hub/Paddling Pool has won two categories at the 2018 Hertfordshire Building Futures Awards.

Thank you to all involved for their hard work in creating such an innovative and elegant building which is being used and enjoyed by many residents and visitors to Watford. To be recognised on such a scale is truly wonderful and we are very proud to have created a sustainable legacy for Watford.”

08 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

this award. The judges could see that a great deal of thought and care went into ensuring we created a highly-modern museum and gallery while retaining the essential character of the building.”

Garden Avenue and Furzen Crescent, Hatfield.

Rock Townsend Architects worked with Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council to redevelop council owned garage sites into 22 new flats and 7 new houses at Garden Avenue and Furzen Crescent, as part of

Awards News

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the first Council Housing scheme in the borough for 25 years. Judges were highly impressed by the energy efficient housing development, commenting “The quality of design and thought sets a precedent for Council development, showing what a pared down functional play on traditional forms can achieve. Small is beautiful.”

Cllr Tony Kingsbury, Executive Member for Housing and Communities, said: “To receive such high praise from the judges is further recognition that we are leading the way in providing local people with quality affordable homes. The developments are simply outstanding and I’d like to thank everyone involved for their continued hard work.”

Now in its tenth year, these biennial Awards, hosted by the Building Futures Partnership, celebrate sustainability, innovation and design excellence in Hertfordshire. Alongside the winners, there were projects who were highly commended in each of the four award categories of Project of the Year, Design Excellence, Retrofit for the Future and Most Sustainable Construction.

• Highly Commended – St Albans Museum & Gallery.

• Special Conservation Award – St Albans Cathedral.

The winners and highly commended projects for each category are: Project of the Year • Winner – Cassiobury Park Hub, Watford.

Most Sustainable Construction • Winner – Cassiobury Park Hub Building, Watford.

• Highly Commended – University of

Design Excellence • Winner – Garden Avenue / Furzen Crescent, Hatfield.

• Highly Commended – 29 Firs Walk, Tewin and The Reserve, Waltham Cross.

Hertfordshire, New Science Building, Hatfield.

Retrofit for the Future • Winner – St Albans Museum & Gallery.

• Highly Commended – Apple Tree Farmhouse, Chorleywood Common.

Alongside the Awards, Hertfordshire Building Futures coordinates a Design Review Panel, providing independent review of projects during the planning process, and has developed a Sustainable Design Toolkit, which details guidance and regulations relevant to all types of buildings.

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 09

Project

COMANSA cranes build a luxury residential complex in Nigeria Contractor ITB Nigeria is using 6 COMANSA cranes for the construction of the “Azuri Peninsula” apartments, developed by Eko Development Company in a brand new city on reclaimed land in Lagos.

The keys of the 244 luxury apartments of the “Azuri Penisnula” complex will be amongst the first couple to be handed over of the entire Eko Atlantic project, a spectacular business and residential city under construction on an artificial peninsula in Lagos, the Financial Capital of Nigeria.

The State of Lagos and the Chagoury Group are leading this ambitious project that will allow Africa’s most populated country to gain around 10 square kilometres of land that was lost to the Atlantic Ocean, hoping to create an important business hub for the entire continent.

“Azuri Peninsula” is being built at the Marina District, one of the new ten districts of this city and the one that will concentrate most of its leisure opportunities. There are six COMANSA cranes working in this project all which belong to the fleet of the turnkey contractor ITB Nigeria FZE. The machines, all with flat-top design and maximum load capacity of 18 and 20 tonnes, are taking on

10 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Project

the construction of the three towers that form the complex, of more than 140 metres in height and up to 32 floors.

Among the six cranes, two are model 21LC550, one is a 21LC335 model and the remaining three are 21LC290 model.

All of them were erected initially with low heights, but the team from ITB Nigeria used the hydraulic jacking cages in different occasions to jack-up the machines as the buildings were growing taller. The cranes are now working at their maximum height, reaching the tallest up to 163.5 metres.

All COMANSA cranes at the “Azuri Peninsula” project were equipped with

the Effi-Plus system, which increases significantly the hoisting speeds with light loads. “Due to the height of the buildings, it has been essential to rely on cranes with high hoist speeds”, says Paul Kattar, Tower Crane Manager at ITB Nigeria. “The work cycles of the COMANSA cranes on site are very short, which increase its productivity, and helps us to also shorten work times”, adds Kattar.

COMANSA’s PowerLift System, which improves the load diagram of the crane by 10%, was significantly used as well.

According to Kattar, “The podium of the

building is formed mainly by precast elements from 6 to 8 tonnes and concrete beams of different sizes with maximum weights up to 13 tonnes. For its construction, the PowerLift System had to assist us many times in certain operations in which we required a 10% extra capacity”.

The cranes are working 24 hours a day, lifting steel structures during the daytime and helping with the concrete works during the night. Many weekends, the tower crane team had to move and fix the collars and jack the cranes up to leave them ready before Monday morning.

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 11

Rap Interiors Celebrates 30th Birthday with Kentish Cruise Rap Interiors recently celebrated a successful 30 years in the fit out sector with a boat party in Maidstone.

Everyone boarded the Kentish Lady Boat and set sail for an exclusive cruise down the river Medway between Maidstone and Allington Lock, passing the lovely Kent countryside as they went.

All the guests, including clients and contractors, thoroughly enjoyed the delicious fish and chip supper and numerous trips to the fully licensed bar!

Rap was founded in 1988 by Director Rick Anderson, who initially carried out partitioning and ceiling works. The company has grown considerably and now specialises in large scale office, commercial and education fit out projects across the South East.

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Project News Mick George Kick Start New £4.75m Facility to Train Construction Staff A project aimed at addressing the skills deficiencies threatening to hit the construction industry in Northamptonshire is set to get underway, with a brand-new state-of-the-art facility to be built at the Booth Lane Campus of Northampton College.

Scheduled for completion Q3, 2019, the location will facilitate training of the next generation of builders, plumbers and decorators, as well as pioneering new techniques aimed at equipping the workforce of the future with the very latest skills.

Local construction specialist Mick George Ltd is due to complete Earthworks on behalf of Kier Construction Ltd for the £4.75million Advanced Construction Engineering (ACE) Centre.

Alongside courses which focus on craft skills, there will also be courses at Level 3 for those looking for supervisory, technician or management careers in the sector, such as Civil Engineering,

Building Services Engineering, or Project Management.

It is hoped that the ACE Centre, will provide a pipeline of ‘highly-skilled, workready’ staff with the appropriate technical knowledge likely to benefit multiple local employers in the sector. Forecasts are estimating between 600-700 new learners each year by 2025/26.

The project has been supported by £2.25million funding from SEMLEP’s through its Skills Capital Fund.

Michael George, Contracting Director at Mick George Ltd commented: ‘’As employers of more than 1,100 employees, we recognise that the construction industry and its labour model are at a critical juncture in terms of its long-term sustainability. Addressing both the skills shortages and the ageing workforce demographic is seen as a top priority within leading construction companies, so it’s a credit to Northampton College for responding so pro‐actively to provide solutions for the sector, helping to deliver a high calibre of new recruits to the industry.”

Smith Brothers races on with high-voltage upgrade works at Owlerton Greyhound Stadium Yorkshire power contractor Smith Brothers has been appointed by WMA Architects to undertake high-voltage upgrade works at Sheffield’s Owlerton Stadium.

As Yorkshire’s premier greyhound track, the stadium hosts races almost every day of the week. The wider redevelopment project being conducted by WMA Architects, will see significant updates made across the venue – including a new hospitality suite and general upgrade works.

Contracted to overhaul the existing highvoltage electrical infrastructure, Smith Brothers has been tasked with delivering this aspect of the project by December 2018 – subject to Northern Powergrid’s own works – to ensure the wider upgrades can begin on schedule.

14 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Project News

Hardies appointed to project manage rescue of domed roof at Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth Hardies Property & Construction Consultants has been appointed to project manage the rescue of the iconic domed roof at the landmark Bell’s Sports Centre at Perth’s North Inch as part of an ambitious £600,000 project.

The work has been planned by the council’s arms-length body, Live Active Leisure, As the existing roof structure covering was nearing the end of its useful life and ongoing repairs were becoming a more regular occurrence, preventing Live Active from delivering its offer. The decision was made to invest in overlaying the existing roof structure with a rigid insulation board

With work having commenced in September, the Elland-based contractor will be responsible for the design, supply and installation of an 11kV ring main unit. This entails the establishment of three package substations, including 800kVA transformers – with close coupled ring main units and three low-voltage switchboards – plus associated high and low-voltage cabling.

Kelvin Fallow, technical director at WMA Architects, explained why they chose Smith Brothers for the upgrade works: “Smith Brothers’ experience in this type of project gave us the confidence that the team

and apply a single ply membrane over the insulation. This solution is the most cost effective, which also enables the sports venue to continue to function as the works are being carried out. The new cover will provide improved insulation and ventilation, which aims to enhance the venue’s performance and efficiency.

more commonly known to be used in the renewable industry for scaling wind turbines to enable maintenance and repairs.

The angle of the dome varies from steep to shallow and, accordingly, has proved a challenge to Principal Contractor, Aim Developments, which is now well underway with the works.”

Gordon Butt, Consultant Partner, Hardies Property & Construction Consultants, said: “We are delighted to be involved with this challenging project, which is being re-roofed in a unique way where the operatives are working from fixed safety lines attached to a limpet system,

Ian Tervit, Technical Services and Project Manager at Live Active Leisure said: “We are delighted with the progress being made on site and that the works are progressing all in accordance with the programme for completion before the onset of winter.”

could not only complete the infrastructure installation, but also manage the transfer of the various existing supplies onto the new network.”

“As ever, our dedicated team will be working hard to meet all set deadlines and keep the project on track. We are thrilled to be welcoming WMA Architects into our growing client portfolio and also to be working at one of Sheffield’s leading entertainment venues.”

Commenting on the project, Smith Brothers’ project manager Emma Charlesworth added: “For any upgrade to a venue such as this one, minimising disruption is key.

Given the work we are doing is part of a more comprehensive overhaul of Owlerton Stadium, strict deadlines are in place to ensure the wider project can commence on time.

Smith Brothers is a high-voltage power engineering contractor and accredited Independent Connection Provider (ICP) specialising in delivering turnkey network connection packages across an array of sectors – including renewable energy, utilities, industrial and commercial.

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 15

Project News

Work under way on £8 million Oxfordshire Advanced Skills Centre Work is under way on a £8 million new high-tech apprenticeship centre near Oxford which will provide 125 highly skilled technicians a year.

The Oxfordshire Advanced Skills (OAS) new training academy, at the Culham Science Centre, near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, is being built by Midas Construction, part of the Midas Group, on behalf of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

The 4,000 sq m training facility will help tackle the skills shortages facing high technology and engineering companies in Oxfordshire by raising the quality and standard of local apprenticeships.

Midas was commissioned through the Southern Construction framework to carry out the project which is due to be completed in summer 2019.

Derek Quinn, Executive Director at Midas Construction, said: “Midas Construction is delighted to have been appointed to such a prestigious project with far-reaching positive benefits for key high-tech industries in the Oxford area.

“We look forward to working with the UK Atomic Energy Authority, and the OAS Phase 2 Training Provider to deliver a high-quality training facility which will provide an important resource for local employers and apprentices of the future.”

UKAEA’s Chief Operating Officer David Martin, who is Oxfordshire Advanced Skills’ project sponsor, said: “Starting the construction phase is hugely exciting for the project team as it marks the culmination of the efforts of many people. Built on the successful UKAEA and STFC apprenticeship schemes, the high quality, high-tech employer-led skills training that is unique in this area will supply a steady stream of muchneeded technicians to the local and wider economy. We are on schedule for the opening in 2019 and look forward to working with Midas to get the new facility ready.”

The OAS Centre project continues Midas’ strong track record in the education, further and higher education sectors – including work commissioned through the Southern Construction Framework - with the Group having delivered over 40 education projects worth in excess of

We look forward to working with the UK Atomic Energy Authority, and the OAS Phase 2 Training Provider to deliver a high-quality training facility which will provide an important resource for local employers and apprentices of the future.

16 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

£200 million in the last three years alone.

Recent highlights include the completion earlier this year of the multi-awardwinning National College for Nuclear (NCfN) Southern Hub, at Bridgwater & Taunton College’s Cannington Centre in Somerset; the regeneration of Westonsuper-Mare’s historic Winter Gardens to create a new Law and Professional Services Academy for Weston College; and the start of work in April 2018 on a new Hi-Tech and Digital Centre at South Devon College, in Paignton.

Midas Construction was also appointed in November 2017 to the £8 billion Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Framework, which is set to drive major investment in schools and other education facilities over the next two years, providing the potential for further activity in the sector for Midas in the South West, South East and the Midlands.

Midas is one of the UK’s largest independent construction and property services providers. The company’s strategy is to become the contractor of choice in the areas in which it operates, by developing long-term relationships through the delivery of its vision to be leaders in customer service and performance. It is a strategy which is already showing success with more than 75% of the Group’s projects being carried out on a repeat business basis.

People on the move Balfour Beatty appoints Managing Director to lead its regional construction business in the South of England Balfour Beatty today announces the appointment of Dave Smith as Managing Director of its regional construction business in the South of England.

Dave joins Balfour Beatty from the McLaren Group where he was Managing Director of its construction business.

Previously he spent 32 years at Wates in a range of senior positions, latterly as Construction Managing Director and Group Chief Operating Officer.

A qualified Quantity Surveyor, Dave has a wide range of experience across the UK construction market and an extensive project delivery background, overseeing a mix of public and private sector frameworks.

Dean Banks, Chief Executive Officer of Balfour Beatty’s UK Construction Services business, said: “I am delighted to welcome Dave to the Balfour Beatty team. This appointment will support Balfour Beatty’s

Build to Last goals of Lean, Expert, Trusted and Safe; utilising Dave’s expert capability and deep specialist knowledge to drive future profitable growth in the region.”

Balfour Beatty’s regional business in

the South of England spans numerous sectors including aviation, buildings and defence infrastructure. Most recently, the company was awarded a £43 million contract by Wapping Wharf Living to deliver the second phase of Bristol’s Wapping Wharf regeneration project.

Paco Hevia becomes Amey’s MD of Waste Treatment Amey is announcing today the appointment of Paco Hevia as Managing Director of Waste Treatment.

Paco will be responsible for the operations of Amey’s three energy from waste facilities in Allerton in West Yorkshire, Milton Keynes and the Isle of Wight. These facilities use state-of-theart technologies to reduce the amount of household waste going to landfill and generate energy for the local community.

He will also oversee the operations of Waterbeach Waste Management Park near Cambridge, which provides a range of waste services including materials recycling, composting and mechanical biological treatment.

Paco joined Amey ten years ago, from parent company Ferrovial. He has been at the centre of developing the environmental and waste side of

Amey during his career here and brings a strong track record in delivery and technical capability that will support the development and effective management of this part of the business.

Commenting on his appointment, Amey’s Chief Executive Andy Milner said: “Paco has been instrumental in developing our waste treatment operations at Amey.

He has a deep understanding of how our facilities operate and will be driving our business plans forward as he takes the role of Managing Director.”

Paco Hevia said: “This is an exciting time for our waste treatment operations as local authorities increasingly are looking to limit landfill and address the UK’s energy gap. I look forward to working with senior management team and fellow Amey Executives to run our existing facilities and explore future opportunities in this sector.”

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 17

Company News Focus on Landmark Buildings Leads to Significant Growth for Gilbert-Ash Leading UK construction, refurbishment and fit out contractor, Gilbert-Ash today announced its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2017.

The results confirm a 50% increase in pre-tax profits to reach over £2m, up from £1.4m in 2016. Additionally, the contractor reported an overall turnover of £165.5m, an increase from £148m in the previous year.

Gilbert-Ash has worked on several landmark buildings in the UK across a range of niche sectors, driving turnover and growth. Prestigious works include the £19.5m Cambridge Mosque project, the £21.5 million build of the AC Marriott Hotel in Belfast, as well as the awardwinning City of London Freemen’s School swimming pool and the £20.5m new build of the renowned Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts with Dame Judi Dench at the helm as President.

The company is a trusted partner and strong client relationships have led to significant repeat business. This includes a relationship with Foreign and Commonwealth Office spanning over 20 years and 43 countries, including work in France, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Hungary in 2017.

Ray Hutchinson, Managing Director, Gilbert-Ash commented: “Whilst market conditions remain highly competitive, the results emphasise the continued success of our strategy to focus on our strengths and invest in national and international markets to deliver landmark buildings.

“Gilbert-Ash is an employee owned company which certainly leads to a unique working culture and family environment, and the results are in no small part down to this environment and ‘can do’ attitude of our dedicated team.

“We have had the privilege of working with excellent clients, partners and suppliers, and we really do work as one to deliver innovative, bespoke buildings across the landscape.”

Along with strong financial results, Gilbert-Ash has also been recognised within its industry as it was recently awarded the coveted ‘Contractor of the Year’ title in the UK Construction News Awards.

The company has 174 employees at offices in London and Belfast. With standout projects currently underway such as the prestigious Royal College of Music in London, and the continued work with hotel group Whitbread in delivering its next generation Premier Inn hub hotels,

18 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Gilbert-Ash is firmly establishing its position within the top UK contractors.

It has completed a broad portfolio of successful construction projects across sectors including arts and culture, workplace, hotels and leisure, science and technology, retail and residential.

Developing risk professionals

Risk Management for Infrastructure An IRM training course delivered in conjunction with

Learn to apply risk management principles to infrastructure projects with the IRM’s latest training course. The Risk Management for Infrastructure one day course will teach you how to develop a functioning risk management strategy tailored to the infrastructure industry.

Sign up now for our first London session, 13 November 2018 Find out more at www.theirm.org/infrastructure We also offer a Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management “The risk management field is gaining in prominence within the Infrastructure industry and clients have developed a very high expectation of the risk management function. IRM qualifications are a necessary quality benchmark.”

Companies we have worked with:

Vinay Shrivastava, Group Chair of the IRM Infrastructure SIG Director, Turner & Townsend Infrastructure

“In business you are surrounded by professional people with qualifications in their specialisms and having a formal qualification in risk management reinforces that it is a vital component of successful business.”

Phil Parratt, CIRM Risk Manager, Kier Group

Keep up with the IRM’s work in the infrastructure sector by joining our dedicated Special Interest Group www.theirm.org/infrastructureSIG

Box Profile Aluminium Gutter Now in Stock

Geophysical Survey Business For Sale

Rainclear Systems, the UK’s leading stockist and online retailer of metal rainwater systems is now stocking the contemporary, pressed aluminium, ‘Box’ profile gutter in matt black for next day delivery to mainland UK.

Small Ltd. survey business with 35 years trading.

Large range of clients and business opportunities to access in this field. Much scope for expansion if required by the new owners to take the business to the next level. Current location Warwickshire but business is all of UK and overseas.

Complimented by either swaged round or square downpipe; for any contemporary residential or commercial building, the ‘Box’ range offers a long life, low maintenance and, unlike plastic, accommodates thermal expansion and is 100% recyclable.

The generous 125x100mm size is listed on the Rainclear website www.rainclear.co.uk in 8 popular colours for delivery in 10 days. Sizes 150 x 100mm, 150 x 150mm, and 200 x 150mm and other standard RAL colours are also available to order by phone on 0800 644 44 26.

Asking Price IRO £75000.

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A proven management tool to help keep track, allocate and improve efficiency

• Easily keep track of current & future projects • Manage resources more efficiently • Improve the efficiency of your department • Standard or tailor made

tel 01732 871 417 web www.tcardsdirect.com

20 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Make your product search simpler with the Wienerberger mobile app Wienerberger, leading supplier of wall, roof and landscaping innovations, is delighted to announce the upgrade of the Wienerberger mobile app.

As finding the right product can be difficult, this user-friendly mobile app is the ideal way for users to find the right building materials for their projects in just a few clicks. The app includes Wienerberger’s entire portfolio of bricks, roof tiles and pavers, as well as the revolutionary Porotherm clay block wall system.

Compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android mobile devices, the app’s search function is an incredibly useful tool that can filter through Wienerberger’s hundreds of products to narrow down the user’s selection. A unique feature of this app is that it allows users to find an equivalent Wienerberger product match when they enter the name of a brick, roof tile or paver from another manufacturer in the search field.

We know how getting quick access to the right product information is essential for contractors, builders merchants, architects, developers and their clients. This is why we’ve developed the Wienerberger app, to make the search for the ideal product as simple as possible when using a mobile device Users are now able share products via email and social media, as well as request samples directly from the app. The app also features inspirational case studies with video content, product images, technical information and a local stockist directory.

Annette Forster, Wienerberger’s Marketing Director commented, “With so many building products on offer, finding the right one can be a challenge, especially when you’re on the go. We know how getting quick access to the right product information is essential for contractors, builders merchants, architects, developers and their clients. This is why we’ve developed the Wienerberger app, to make the search for the ideal product as simple as possible when using a mobile device.”

The Wienerberger app is available to download now from the App Store and Google Play Store. For existing users of the Wienerberger app, please download the update to use the latest version. To find out more about the app’s search function, watch the animated video at https://wienerberger.co.uk/apps For more information on Wienerberger please visit http://www.wienerberger.co.uk/.

Follow Wienerberger on Twitter at https://twitter.com/wienerbergeruk.

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 21

Company News

OSO HOTWATER WINNER DONATES CYLINDER TO HEROES OF HEAT When Darren Bairstow of LMB Mechanical Services, found he had won an OSO Hotwater cylinder in a recent Twitter competition, rather than pocket the prize himself, he selflessly decided to donate it to plumbing charity, Heroes of Heat.

Darren scooped the top prize of an award-winning Delta Coil DC cylinder in June, and had no hesitation in offering it to the Heroes of Heat to use in one of its forthcoming schemes.

Heroes of Heat aims to reduce the impact of fuel poverty and is manned nationwide by volunteers from across the heating industry, carrying out projects in their own time. As the Delta is the only indirect cylinder to be A-rated from 120lt right through to 300lt, whichever model is chosen it will have a positive impact on the efficiency of the project.

Darren commented: “I decided to donate the prize to Heroes of Heat as they do such a fantastic job.

With all the time and product they give as part of their installs, I think it is important that people should try and give back when they can. I look forward to seeing where this Delta ends up.”

Jonathon Hallam, from the Heroes of Heat, added: “Our project relies on the support of the industry, and we are extremely grateful to receive the hot water cylinder from Darren. We know it will make a real difference to someone once it is installed.”

Stuart Elsy, Managing Director of OSO Hotwater, added: “This is a wonderful gesture by Darren and we are thrilled to see the cylinder going to such a worthy cause. It will be great to see the project get underway in the near future.”

Heroes of Heat is awaiting a suitable project to receive the cylinder and will announce this as soon as it is available.

WELBILT UK LAUNCH AN EASY PAYMENT OPTION TO ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO SPREAD SERVICE COSTS MONTHLY Welbilt has launched a simple monthly payment option through which customers can now pay for their annual service contracts via direct debit.

Up until now, methods of payment available to Welbilt customers such as BACS, credit/debit card and cheque relied on customers being able pay in full, ahead of the cover period. Whilst these payment options are often preferable for many larger facilities and chains, it can cause an issue for smaller or new customers where cash flow is likely to be tight.

Colin Lacey, Vice President of KitchenCare, Welbilt EMEA is delighted to be able to offer such a flexible solution: “Service contracts always pay for themselves in the long run, but we appreciate that paying up front can deter independent customers or those with limited cash flow to get the full benefit.

“By introducing a monthly direct debit option, we hope that all our customers can take advantage of an annual service plan, which can quite often add years to the working life of catering equipment.”

In a bid to provide all clients with the very best options for their business, Welbilt will continue to offer their previous payment methods alongside the recently launched direct debit option.

22 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Customers can also specify a day for their automatic monthly payments to be taken out, allowing businesses further control of their cash flow.

Company News

VISTA ENGINEERING GROUP ACQUIRES BPC BUILDING PRODUCTS Wakefield-based manufacturer of steel construction connectors, BPC Building Products Ltd, has joined Vista Engineering, in a move which sees the group strengthen its position in the UK market and significantly enhance the product range offered to its customers.

for both sets of customers,” explains BPC Managing Director, Gareth Simister.

“This is great news for customers of both businesses. The acquisition will allow access to a wider range of products together with improved technical support and customer service levels.”

“There is a tremendous amount of synergy between BPC and Vista, and bringing the two companies closer together will generate additional benefits

“We’re delighted to welcome BPC as part of the expanding Vista group,” adds Vista managing director, Phil Travis. “We have worked together as distribution

partners for many years, and look forward to strengthening the relationship we’ve already established.

“Vista is a proudly British company which offers high quality products. We combine the best quality raw materials and state-of-the-art technology with over 40 years of experience, and would only ever consider forging a closer relationship with a company like BPC which shares our high standards and aims for the future.”

Insulation specialist Actis welcomes Theresa May’s £2 billion social housing boost Theresa May’s announcement this week that housing associations would be given an extra £2 billion to fund projects until 2029 have been welcomed by insulation specialist Actis.

The cash injection, which comes on top of £9 billion of funding promised last year, and offered at this week’s National Housing Federation conference, will help pay for 40,000 new homes – a combination of social housing and affordable homes.

Actis, a staunch advocate of offsite construction, says it hopes many of these new homes will be of a timber frame construction – because they are both faster to build and require fewer skilled man hours to construct.

Regional sales director Jemma Harris from Actis, whose Hybrid insulation, vapour control layer and breather membrane system is a popular choice for timber frame

manufacturers, explained: “Building homes as quickly as possible – without losing quality or thermal efficiency - is vital to help us create much needed homes as soon as we can. Building a timber frame house is around 30% faster than making one from brick and block. With a shrinking workforce and the likelihood that this situation will worsen in the light of Brexit, the offsite option is a sensible way forward. Elements such as wiring, plumbing and insulation take place in the factory - our insulation systems take between 25 and 50% less time to install than traditional alternatives – which all helps to speed up the process.”

Theresa May said the long timeframe for the funding would enable housing associations to feel secure in planning ahead, help them leverage private finance to build even more homes, and take the lead in major developments rather than acquiring a proportion of the properties built by commercial developers.

She famously added that people shouldn’t feel stigmatised by living in social housing – and suggested new homes should be no different from those created for the private sector.

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 23

Interview

Graduate construction apprentice, Emily Burridge, speaks about her journey as one of only four girls on the Hanson LEAD Programme EMILY BURRIDGE - 22 “After finishing my A levels, I knew I didn’t want to go onto University as I was scared of getting in debt. However, my sixth form offered no advice or help to anyone wanting to do anything other than go to University.

An apprenticeship had always appealed to me because of being paid to do a job whilst learning at the same time.

I was applying for marketing and graphic design apprenticeships on the Government’s website when I came across the LEAD programme with Hanson.

My dad is a car mechanic and my grandparents were farmers, so I’ve never been afraid of working outside or getting my hands dirty, which is what made me decide to go for the apprenticeship.

Many of my friends had gone to University and others expressed their regret of not researching into apprenticeships before getting into University. Many can’t believe how much you are able to earn whilst getting a similar qualification as them and the experience gained from the program is considered invaluable when applying for jobs.

I did the 3 year Foundation course and although I am one of only 4 females to ever go through the Hanson LEAD programme, I was made to feel incredibly welcome and it was a wonderful, supportive atmosphere.

You only get the occasional customer who comments on you being a woman – but this doesn’t bother me! The course is over a 40 hr working week and you undertake your university studies online whilst working onsite and have quarterly lectures at the Enterprise centre in Derby.

The amount of people you meet and learn from is incredible and you really build up contacts within the industry. When I applied for my role in Birmingham it was with someone I had previously worked with, this made the interview process much easier and relaxed as I knew he was already confident of my ability.

There is also a sense of accomplishment working within the industry; seeing high profile structures transforming from large open spaces to towering skyscrapers or enormous windfarms that you can say you worked on, helps you realise what a vital

role we as individuals play in the overall construction industry.

Since completing the LEAD programme, I have started working as a Concrete Technical Production Manager where I manage 24 concrete plants in the West Midlands and 4 employees.

When I go to the hairdressers or other places and tell people I’m a “Concrete Technician” they are really surprised. I would really encourage people to look into apprenticeships like with Hanson as it is fantastic what you learn whilst getting the hands-on experience.”

24 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

There is also a sense of accomplishment working within the industry; seeing high profile structures transforming from large open spaces to towering skyscrapers or enormous windfarms that you can say you worked on, helps you realise what a vital role we as individuals play in the overall construction industry.

The VELUX Group to acquire JETGroup from Egeria The agreement is subject to approval by German and Austrian competition authorities VELUX A/S and Dutch investment firm Egeria have reached an agreement concerning the sale of JET-Group to the VELUX Group. The decision to acquire JET-Group, a European leader in industrial roof light systems, is in line with the VELUX Group’s growth strategy and specifically the desire to grow its business in the non-residential market for daylighting solutions. The acquisition of JETGroup is the second by the VELUX Group this year, with Wasco Products Inc., a US skylight manufacturer, announced in April.

The VELUX Group has been the market leader in the residential market for roof windows for more than 75 years. The VELUX Group’s first step into the commercial (non-residential) market was in 2012 when it launched the VELUX Modular Skylight (VMS) system. Today, the strategy is to develop a leading position in this business area through organic growth and acquisitions.

“We have had a very positive dialogue with Egeria and the JET-Group. We immediately felt that the ambitions and cultures of the JETGroup and our company complement each other nicely. Through the acquisition of JETGroup, we will strengthen our foothold within the commercial market in several countries and add several new product categories to

our commercial offering in Europe,” says David Briggs, CEO of the VELUX Group.

The commercial market consists of two main segments: • An architectural glazing segment, which has a greater focus on design, with architects playing a significant role in selecting glass or acrylic glazing solutions, and • An industrial flat roof segment, which consists almost entirely of acrylic solutions, such as domes or continuous roof lights (CRLs).

The two segments vary significantly in their target customer groups and sales processes.

The VELUX VMS business has a strong presence in the architectural glazing segment while JET has a leading market position in the industrial flat roof segment.

“We look forward to becoming part of the VELUX Group and we see a lot of growth potential and possibilities to strengthen our European business to the benefit of our customers and employees,” says Ralf Dahmer, CEO of JET-Group.

Mark Wetzels, Partner at Egeria, is also pleased about the transaction: “I am impressed by the VELUX Group and confident this combination will be good for both companies, their employees and their offering to the market.”

“With the acquisition of JET-Group we immediately become one of the leading players in the commercial market in Europe and will begin to merge our VMS operations with the JET-Group to build a new commercial division, which can drive further growth in this market. We also see opportunities to improve JET’s wholesale business by selling some products through the VELUX distribution network, which will also bring more business to our dealer partners. VELUX has always focused on providing daylight and fresh air to create better living and working environments, and the acquisition of JET helps us gain scale and extend our business into a whole new market segment,” says David Briggs, CEO of the VELUX Group.

The acquisition must be approved by the competition authorities in Germany and Austria before it can be completed.

The companies will not disclose further information about the agreement until final approval is granted.

Pending approval and subject to completion of the acquisition of JET-Group, JET products will continue to be sold under the JET brand and through the existing organisation, while VELUX will continue to sell VMS products until customers are familiar with the change of ownership and a structured transition to the VELUX brand can be made and communicated to the market. Synergies are expected from developing common functions and key accounts across the two organisations, which will form the basis for a new VELUX commercial division.

VELUX has been assisted in the transaction

by EY Corporate Finance and Dentons and Egeria has had Houlihan Lokey and Allen & Overy as advisors.

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 25

Technology

Green light for new industrial drone training Drone pilots working on industrial sites can earn their wings by undertaking a programme of structured training and technical testing, which has been given the green light by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB).

The new Industrial Drone Operations Training Standard, developed by the ECITB along with employers and experts, will assess drone operators against industry-approved requirements. This new standard is designed to build upon the current Civil Aviation Authority

scheme, delivering the specialist skills and knowledge to ensure operators can undertake drone activities safely in and around industrial process sites that have specific operational hazards and constraints.

The initial off the job training commences with a theory phase followed by practical flight training on rotary and fixed wing drones of up to 20kgs. Following successful completion of the training, and after a period of work-based consolidation, candidates will undertake a vigorous technical assessment, which involves testing pre-flight preparations based on complex industrial scenarios, performing flight manoeuvres within set parameters and responding to emergency scenarios.

Chris Claydon, Chief Executive of the ECITB, said: “Drones are becoming increasingly common across engineering construction sites from monitoring and surveying sites to checking wear and tear on installations, such as offshore platforms and wind turbines. They reduce the need for people to carry out hazardous inspections and make these essential processes quicker and cheaper.

“There’s no doubt we are on the cusp of a major shift in work practices with clear practical and financial benefits that

26 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Technology means the use of drones will become the norm across the engineering construction industry. This is a trend the ECITB has identified, and why we’ve delivered this rigorous new technical training standard that is recognised and valued by employers.”

Thousands of drones could soon be flying above the UK’s engineering construction sites and critical infrastructure, just one of a host of fourth industrial revolution technologies set to transform how the engineering construction industry works. A recent report by PwC – Skies without limits – puts the value of drone technology to the UK’s wider construction and manufacturing sector at up to £3.5bn and forecasts by 2030 there will be more than 76,000 operator-controlled drones in regular use.

The Industrial Drone Operations Training Standard is suitable for anyone that has passed the CAA Permission for Commercial Operations (PfCO) training and can meet the course pre-requisites. Successful candidates completing the technical test will be awarded an ECITB technical test certificate, which is valid for three years.

The future construction workforce - what will it look like?

By Kevin Lyons, Director of Lyons O’Neill

In construction, as in many industries, when we think about the future all talk is of technology. It’s true that technological advancement is transforming all areas of the industry, at the design, engineering and construction stages and increasing projects’ scope and scale. But the means of production shouldn’t be our only focus - we need to modernise our teams as well as our tools.

The future of construction will have many unique challenges to face.

As demand for housing and infrastructure increases with a growing population, and sustainable practice becomes a prerequisite not just a preference, we’ll need a workforce which is creative, resourceful and innovative. Old methods and ways of working won’t cut it if we’re to respond to these new pressures and opportunities.

So, what will this modern construction workforce look like?

It will be collaborative At the heart of the new workforce we’ll need a truly collaborative approach. A project is the physical representation of a network of ideas and effort and it’s thinking as a whole, rather than in isolated tasks, which will help us create the advanced and intricate buildings of the future. As clients and consumers expect more from architecture’s style and services we’ll need the teams of tomorrow to work closely with the supply chain and communicate their designs in a multitude of formats. What is needed are teams with

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 27

Technology a modern mindset, who think and work beyond the neat boxes of their job titles. It’s more than teamwork, it’s recognising that tasks and roles flow into each other and one team’s problem is yours too.

This collaboration depends upon clear and effective communication. This is greatly facilitated by technology – think BIM apps which can be downloaded onto iPads and iPhones and used onsite – but technology doesn’t create it. The latest technology is nothing if teams and members of the supply chain don’t embrace the improved communication flows that they create and leverage them to foster greater collaboration, innovation and insight.

It will be creative Part of modernising the future construction workforce involves modernising the way we think about the construction industry as a whole. It’s not an industry the general public associates with creativity and innovation, beyond perhaps the architect’s initial design, but those in the sector know these are the essence of what we do.

There’s already been a shift within engineering towards embracing its creative nature, with teaching moving away from a preoccupation with analytical technique and focusing more on conceptual design.

Engineering is equal parts design and analysis so modern engineering teams will need to strike this 50:50 balance if they want to continue to innovate. Building in emphasis on creativity from the start, in our construction education, will mean the future workforce is properly equipped for the challenges ahead.

But creativity is also fundamental in the implementation of engineering as well as in its design. Increasingly ambitious builds and refurbishments throw up challenges which require teams who are quick thinking and

creative to find solutions which work for the client and their deadlines. Every job is unique, emphasising a different set of skills and experiences so the modern worker needs to be resourceful and imaginative to keep pace with our rapidly developing technology and expectations.

It will have a changed outlook Another shift in engineering within the construction industry has been in its outlook and relationship between the built and natural environments. The industry is now positioning itself as working with, rather than against, natural features and conditions. This is more than checking the sustainable tickbox and meeting a set of standardised rules and regulations - it’s about seeing construction and design as responding to the environment. There’s an increasing use of digital technology to map a landscape and then run analysis to determine which designs best fit specific

environmental conditions. Using the latest tools to help us better understand impacts and influences will allow us to build innovatively and durably.

This shifted outlook means a practical shift too, such as in the types of materials that are being used on projects. For example, attention is turning to the use of CrossLaminated Timber (CLT), which has the ability to reduce construction programme by as much as 30% due to its fast onsite construction and, as a renewable source and carbon store, it helps towards a project’s sustainability goals. Allowing a change of thinking to inform construction decisions is the way our industry will keep pace with developing needs and conditions.

It will encompass more As new technology is invented and applied in the industry, we’ll also see a workforce which encompasses more, both in terms of skills and types of jobs. The rapid advance of technology means there are now roles and tasks that didn’t exist five or ten years before with new and unique responsibilities and we’ll need to rethink traditional roles.

Sophisticated modelling systems require greater IT knowledge and teams must be trained in the latest programmes, so an engineers’ toolkit will need to expand. But the scope for technology in construction extends beyond BIM. Across the whole of engineering AI is being incorporated into work and no doubt it will come to play a transformative role in construction too.

Construction and engineering have a bright and exciting future, but we’ll need a modern workforce if we want to get there. This will be a workforce which works collaboratively and creatively, shifts its outlook and embraces change. Although it’s the projects which attract attention, we should never forget innovation begins with the people.

28 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD

Sorting the wheat from the chaff when connecting construction sites.

With some construction site broadband providers making performance claims “up to” a theoretical maximum speed, a practice the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority has branded misleading for consumers, building firms should look at characteristics beyond headline speed when choosing the right connectivity platform for their construction site and sales offices: Built for construction environments: A construction site is no place to leave connectivity to chance, balanced precariously on a window ledge, or with wires creating a trip hazard. The on-site equipment must be packaged to withstand the rigours of a construction site, forming the based of a solid connection, regardless of whether mains power is available.

Enterprise grade: A simple mobile broadband connection may be useful for some sites.

However larger firms require a connectivity platform that provides a secure, reliable connection to their head office network, either through a physical VPN end-point or a cloud-based VPN solution, enabling them to optimise investment in cloud infrastructure.

Scalable: The right connectivity platform, incorporating SDWAN technology, will be able to scale: • across single or multiple construction sites, in any location; • from one to many hundreds of users as a site evolves over time; • provide increased speeds, through bonding of multiple WAN connections, for construction sites where this is essential; • and cost-effectively replace expensive dedicated MPLS links, whilst maintaining business continuity Reliable: The right connectivity platform must provide a stable connection even in the most remote locations, using suitable highpowered external antennas. It will also utilise

network failover technology, configurable across a range of parameters, including connection failure, and speed and latency thresholds.

Rapid deployment: On occasion construction site connectivity is required in less than two days. Unnecessary delay is not acceptable.

However, just because connectivity is required at short notice, this does not mean building firms should be locked-in to a single WAN technology.

Flexible: As a construction site evolves through its various stages, the connectivity platform must support a range of WAN technologies (including 4G, 4G+, DSL, and even satellite) exploiting them as they become available.

For example, while a site may initially only have 4G coverage, when DSL becomes available the platform should be able to exploit its availability, providing a prioritised cascade between the available WAN technologies.

Local network provision: In addition to providing connectivity to the outside world, the platform should also enable a secure Wi-

Fi or wired network for the remote site and provide guest network capabilities for visitors.

Single support interface: The right platform must also provide a single support interface, so that existing IT helpdesk staff have instant access to diagnostics and performance insights for every site and gives them the ability to remotely configure connectivity, without the need for expensive site visits.

In the event an issue needs to be escalated, building firms must ensure their platform provider has suitable contracts in place with all their suppliers, including their network partners, to enable full end-to-end support.

The CloudcellConnect platform enables construction sites of any size, anywhere, to connect to a corporate network or the internet, in under 48 hours. This enterprise grade connectivity platform, from Cloudcell Technologies, provides connectivity plus on-site networking and a business telephone solution, managed through a single support interface.

For more information visit cloudcellconnect.com/gold

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 29

Technology ©Source - NU living

Creatomus Solutions explores online customisation for home design Estonia-based company Creatomus Solutions has developed an interactive online 3D house configurator inviting buyers to visualise their future homes via web browser.

Software by Creatomus Solutions, architectural design by Pollard Thomas Edwards, ©Source - NU living

This smart combination of architectural and computational design, planning, 3D modelling and web technology permits developers to offer a wide range of pre-designed layouts, building products and material choices. Buyers pick the most suitable solution and immediately visualise it in 3D alongside a real-time update of the total cost.

“We believe that houses, like cars or shoes, can be bought and sold online. The one-size-fits-all ethos is no longer valid for the housing industry.

Now, houses can be customised to suit buyers’ needs and budgets” – says Renee Puusepp, Creatomus Solutions’ CEO. Creatomus Solutions’ latest house configurator software has been created for the NU living’s Beechwood housing development of 251 units in Basildon (UK) . The two to four bedroom, 85 to 130 square-metre homes are made of CLT (Cross Laminated Timber). This highly sustainable construction material is formed of at least three bonded single-layer panels of massive wood.

30 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Technology

Willmott Dixon trials industry first high-tech robotic vest that could revolutionise construction Willmott Dixon has teamed up with robotics firm, Eksobionics, to trial a hightech exoskeleton vest to protect supply chain partners working on a new school development in Cardiff.

Willmott Dixon is the first company in the construction industry to trial ‘Eksovest’ – an upper body exoskeleton vest that supports the arms during heavy lifting.

Funded by Eureka, Willmott Dixon’s central research and development fund, the vest, which costs approximately £5,650, is being used on the Cardiff West Community High School site. The company will then demonstrate Eksovest at other sites across the country before introducing as standard depending on how the trials perform.

In Cardiff, the vest is assisting those working at the Cardiff West Community High School, a £31m project which will provide a new school for 1,200 secondary students as well a new home for more than 300 sixth-formers. It also holds the coveted “Ultra Site” status from the CCS (Considerate Constructors Scheme).

The site was chosen to trial the newly developed technology due to the range of technical activities required to complete the build.

Neal Stephens, managing director for Willmott Dixon Wales and South West, says: “Innovation is in our DNA and this could revolutionise the ability of our people on site to lift heavier objects. The wellbeing of our people and supply chain is always our

Five different residential Architectural design by Pollard Thomas Edwards, ©Source - NU living typologies have been designed by architectural practice Pollard Thomas Edwards for the Beechwood project (Park Corner House, Avenue House, Lane House, Terrace House and Fryth House). The general size is set, but each buyer can customise specific geometrical parameters, from window size to roof pitch, interior and exterior cladding paradigm shift towards a technologymaterials to safety installation systems driven do-it-yourself philosophy within and building products. Options can be the decision making process is evolving saved and budgeted, to give customers the architect’s role designer of outputs the clearest possible preview before (houses) towards system designer. contacting the suppliers.

In an age when customisation and The spectrum of design choices, which would be impossible to reproduce using conventional CAD applications, is conceptually organised into complex decision graphs and carefully studied

by Creatomus Solutions inventors. The modelling is performed using Rhinoceros 3D software, while the decision graph is woven together online through a content management system.

Empowered with new digital tools, architects are now able to offer automated choices to customers. This

online shopping have become part of everyday life, the building industry is moving towards a new, customer-centric environment.

CREDITS Project name: Beechwood house configurators Housing development location: Beechwood, Basildon, UK Software developer: Creatomus Solutions Client: NU living Architect: Pollard Thomas Edwards

number one priority and the more we can use technology to support this, the better.

“The Eksovest technology should lead to teams on site feeling less exerted, meaning improved wellbeing and productivity.

This investment also demonstrates the development of our new Eureka fund in supporting technology and innovation that will drive change in our construction industry into the 21st century.”

Architectural design by Pollard Thomas Edwards, ©Source - NU living

Design phase: June 2017 – July 2018 Completion: July 2018 GFA: 85-130 sqm per house (251 houses) Costs: 345.000 - 510.000 £ Construction material: CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) These activities take place in the framework of a programme by the Estonian Centre for Architecture and are funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 31

Technology

Willmott Dixon EksoVest Trial & Robotics in Construction Widely regarded as one of the major emerging technologies set to change the industry, Eksoskeletons have the potential to revolutionise the way that people work by reducing strain and exertion associated with unavoidable manual tasks. As part of our centrally funded ‘Eureka!’ initiative, Willmott Dixon have purchased an EksoVest from Ekso Bionics in California for trials across our sites, a UK construction industry first which exemplifies our commitment to both Health & Safety and Technology. Developed by our National Product Team, ‘Eureka!’ is aimed towards promoting innovation within the company and has been put in place to turn ideas into reality by providing funding and resources to support them.

Chris Townsend MCIAT – Design Manager – Willmott Dixon, Wales & West

The EksoVest is optimised to support the weight of the operative’s arms when working overhead, safely transferring loads associated with these tasks through a ‘secondary’ skeletal system down to the upper legs. It’s already been adopted by the

32 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Ford Motor Company who, following their own trials, have rolled the vests out to 15 of their manufacturing plants across the world to help protect workers that may be prone to RSI associated with their specific tasks. The vest, whilst innovative, works off a spring based assistance system that when activated will provide 5-15lbs of lift assistance per arm; it’s relatively simple technology utilised in a smart way.

Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t strictly a robot despite the cyborg type appearance donned by its users. The Eksovest is purely human controlled and contains absolutely no electronics although it could signify the advent of advanced robot technology in construction and a new and long overdue era in its methods and practices.

It’s no secret that the industry needs to change and modernise if it’s going to survive as part of the heralded 4th industrial revolution. There needs to be a greater focus on behaviours and new

Technology technologies with robotics likely to play a fundamental part in this. Rather than challenge and disrupt the status quo, the construction industry is renowned for following the path of least resistance which can ultimately lead to the same mistakes and inefficiencies being made time and time again. The industry is fairly unique in this regard and needs to start adopting a more forward thinking and progressive approach, similar to that taken by the automotive and manufacturing industries, if it is to endure and grow in a way that is fit for the 21st Century and ensures its longevity.

Whether the advent of robotics will change

Rather than challenge and disrupt the status quo, the construction industry is renowned for following the path of least resistance which can ultimately lead to the same mistakes and inefficiencies being made time and time again. construction, particularly for the better, remains to be seen. It has certainly been effective in other sectors however within construction there will always be the

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 33

Technology

ubiquitous ‘Rise of the Machines’ fear, particularly when it has historically been so intrinsically reliant on the skills of the human workforce. In this instance, the EksoVest is a form of robotics (in the loosest sense) that works with humans rather than replacing them. It augments with their natural physical ability to take stresses and strains associated with unavoidable manual tasks away from the key elements of the body. The theory being that in the short term they feel less exerted at the end of the day whilst in the long term it may be able to extend their working life, something that is important when industry retention figures are declining. Conversely, we need to be looking towards future generations and ways to entice them into a rewarding career in construction, something that isn’t always appreciated from first impressions. The allure of modern technology and robotics is hopefully a way of superficially drawing their interest.

It’s difficult to say what the future of robotics in construction will be. There are already examples of brick laying robots and mechanised manual handling suits (evoking visions of the exo-suit in Aliens) on sites in the US. The shift is already happening although it’s still early days so real-world benefits are difficult to determine. Whilst

it’s exciting to see sci-fi becoming a reality when being utilised in this way, it’s more reassuring if its primary function is to reduce human risk and protect worker welfare rather than just replace people outright. For these technologies to be embraced by such a physical, labour led industry it needs show synergy with humans; if roles are lost to robots then new ones should be created as a direct result.

For instance, the loss of a physical brick laying job could be replaced by that of a ‘brick laying robot engineer’, this may also have the added benefit of helping to attract new, tech savvy, entrants into construction.

It’s difficult to say what the future of robotics in construction will be. There are already examples of brick laying robots and mechanised manual handling suits (evoking visions of the exo-suit in Aliens) on sites in the US. The ultimate vision could be that of the fully autonomous construction site; essentially one that is operated entirely via robots with the human interface typically limited to remote input and management.

34 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Realistically this is likely to be some way off and whilst it may be initially met with caution and scepticism, we do need to be prepared to embrace this level of change so that robotics are regarded not as a threat but as something that is positive, ultimately leading to a more resilient, efficient and safer industry renowned for embracing cutting-edge technology.

SUBSECTION RELATING TO THE WILLMOTT DIXON VEST TRIAL Starting at our Cardiff West Community High School site in late September, we will be trialling the vest across the country with the aim of gathering tangible feedback that we can analyse with both our Health & Safety team and Ekso Bionics. Initial impressions from the guys in the field are universally positive save for some recommendations for subtle improvements, such as adding a toolbelt!

We can’t say categorically at this stage that the vests will become a common feature on our sites as it’s still early days and in essence an R&D project for Willmott Dixon.

It is however part of our mission to disrupt and challenge the norm to understand if new technology, such as robotics, can enhance current processes and tasks on the UK’s constructions sites.

Latest News

BUDGET 2018: ACE CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNISE IMPORTANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND POSITIVELY RESPOND TO NIA In advance of the Autumn Budget 2018, the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has written to the Chancellor on behalf of its members outlining its views for infrastructure and the industry.

In its submission to HM Treasury, ACE has highlighted that the government should: • Recognise that investment in infrastructure and housing creates jobs, raises incomes and is an important tool for rebalancing the economy – construction is estimated to produce £2.84 of economic activity for every £1 spent. Alongside this we need longer term commitments to solving the housing crisis and a positive response to the ambitions of the National Infrastructure Assessment as a foundation for future growth.

• Promote greater transparency and understanding between funding infrastructure investment and the ultimate end-users, members of

the public. Despite housing and infrastructure both being high on their agenda, there is no connection between public perceptions on investment and the benefits which result from it.

Greater transparency would mean that local communities could argue for a fairer distribution of funding for local infrastructure.

• Apply the same principle of transparency on a national level to road users through the introduction of Dynamic Road User charging rather, than the current emissions-based system where revenues will decline to a soon to be unsustainable level for the maintenance of the national road networks.

• Publish the updated Government Construction Strategy and allocate the remainder of Construction Sector Deal funding. This would help the industry work towards government aims outlined in the sector deal and respond to the findings of their Transforming Infrastructure Performance Report.

Commenting on ACE’s submission, chief executive Hannah Vickers said: “We have outlined a number of areas which would not only be wins for our industry but wins for society. Infrastructure is vital to economic growth and the Chancellor should recognise this by taking positive immediate steps on firstly, the implementation of the recommendations of the National Infrastructure Assessment, and secondly, allocating the remainder of the Construction Sector Deal funding.”

“We have also argued that more clarity is required when it comes to infrastructure spending. Increased transparency would help the public to make a connection between investment and infrastructure benefits. It would ensure communities could argue for a fairer distribution of funding for local infrastructure. Finally, it would go some way to fixing the emissionsbased funding mechanism for our road network which ultimately isn’t sustainable as more electric and hybrid vehicles come on to our roads.”

41% of businesses admit outdated equipment hinders their working ability New research conducted by Atomik Research on behalf of Shire Leasing has found that, for UK businesses, many hours of work each week are being lost due to equipment-related inefficiency, with 41% of workers within the agriculture, construction and mining sectors claiming that outdated or a lack of equipment hinders their ability to work on a weekly basis.

The survey asked 250 employees with purchasing responsibility for equipment about how frequently this equipment is being used, the proportion of which is outdated, and the effects of this on their productivity and business growth.

UK companies - including those in farming - own an estimated £93,800 worth of equipment that is used infrequently, with 3 in 10 employees reporting that their business owns equipment that does not work at all. This equates to almost £90,800 worth of broken equipment.

According to the survey, this is causing major issues with productivity. 85% of employees surveyed said that having to use outdated equipment - or even

lacking the necessary equipment entirely - hindered their working ability. More worryingly, 13% said that this problem hampers their working ability on most days of the week.

In certain industries, only a relatively small proportion of equipment that a business owns is being used regularly. Across the agriculture, construction and mining sectors, respondents reported that only 29% of business equipment owned is used frequently.

With 49% of employees stating that a lack of funds for equipment has prevented their business from scaling up, there is more that needs to be done to address the gaps in awareness around available funding and alternative options for managing cash flow.

In terms of equipment finance, businesses across all sectors are most likely to pay upfront using company funds for new equipment (39%), with only 16% of those surveyed reporting that they lease or rent equipment. Leasing - and other forms of equipment finance - could alleviate some of the frustrations being reported, such

as by spreading costs, allowing more flexibility when equipment needs to be upgraded or replaced, and fixing interest rates.

Simple return or upgrade options also minimises businesses having to store obsolete equipment over the oncoming years, and fixing the interest payable in these times of rising interest rates is good plain business sense Mark Picken, Shire Leasing’s CEO, remarks: “SMEs often overlook the alternative finance options that are available. Through leasing, businesses can affordably pay for equipment as they use it, and in some cases, the single direct debit payment can also include the maintenance and service offered by the supplier.”

“Simple return or upgrade options also minimises businesses having to store obsolete equipment over the oncoming years, and fixing the interest payable in these times of rising interest rates is good plain business sense.”

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 37

People on the move

WSP makes trio of appointments to transport and infrastructure team WSP’s 2,500-strong transport and infrastructure business has welcomed three new directors to its team as part of a recruitment drive to ensure the business is best placed to secure and deliver the growing pipeline of strategic rail and highways contracts across the public and private sector.

Andrew Dodds has been appointed to WSP’s rail team as Deputy Group Director of Rail Engineering Services for the south of the UK. Joining from Network Rail, Andrew brings over 27 years of experience in the industry. He has worked in client, design and construction organisations to deliver major projects such as the West Coast Route Modernisation and East West Rail.

Based in Birmingham, Andrew will draw on his expertise to drive business excellence and build engineering resilience across the rail team. His contribution will help the business secure new opportunities and continue delivering successfully on key projects like HS2’s Birmingham Curzon Street Station and Old Oak Common Station.

Andrew Dodds said: “It’s an exciting time to join WSP as they have a remarkable track-record for delivering some of the UK’s largest rail projects. Working closely with colleagues across the business, I will support the delivery of WSP’s rail strategy by growing capability, strengthening client and contractor relationships and developing opportunities as more projects in the UK’s infrastructure pipeline kick-off.”

Steve Burrows will take on the role of WSP’s Deputy Group Director for Rail Engineering

Gleeds hires top talent to continue growth in Shanghai International property and construction consultancy, Gleeds, has continued the expansion of its operation in China with the appointment of Michael Yang as a director, based out of its Shanghai office.

Michael brings with him over 26 years’ experience in the industry and re-joins Gleeds after a 16 year absence, during which he rose to the position of regional director at Faithful + Gould in charge of its project and cost management business in China. Managing a team of 55, he oversaw the delivery of complex projects across a range of sectors and for clients as diverse as IKEA, Far East, Dow, Borg Warner and Motorola, amongst others.

In his new role Michael will utilise his local knowledge to identify and maximise opportunities for Gleeds in Shanghai and

Services, in the north of the UK. Steve has more than 20 years of experience in the industry working on the design and build of successful projects across the UK, Australia and Singapore. In his previous role he was an associate in the rail leadership team at Arup, leading their digital transformation portfolio.

Based in Manchester, Steve will be focused on creating a more dynamic business environment, enhancing WSP’s service offerings and growing the consultancy’s international project pipeline.

Steve Burrows said: “WSP has one of the largest consultancy transport teams in the UK. I look forward to joining a business that is collaborating with major contractors and architects on iconic rail projects in the UK and across the globe. ” Iain Salisbury has been named WSP Design and Build Director in the highways team based in Glasgow.

He has more than 30-years of industry experience and joins from CH2M (now Jacobs), where he worked as a Project Director delivering schemes such as the 58km bypass for Aberdeen and a section of the M60 widening in Manchester.

Iain Salisbury said: “I wanted to join WSP because it is a future thinking company with a transport and infrastructure team that is delivering major projects across the UK and Ireland, including a growing number of design and build schemes. In addition to its developing design and build portfolio, WSP is launching a new local authority discipline to its transport and infrastructure strategic

beyond. He will be responsible for delivering best practice project management services across China, leading business development and strengthening the company’s project management offering across the board.

Michael will play a fundamental role in Gleeds China cementing its position as market leader by both reputation and capability.

business unit. I will be able to contribute to a wide range of strategic projects, delivering a safe, efficient and sustainable road network for future generations.” complement our existing capabilities and I have no doubt he will make an invaluable contribution to the business, opening up new opportunities both here and throughout Gleeds’ four other offices in the country”.

Commenting on his appointment, Michael said: “I am delighted to be back with Gleeds, having first joined the company as a project manager in 2000. Both the business and China’s construction industry have undergone huge changes in the 16 years since I left and I am excited to be able to play an integral part in shaping Gleeds’ future it as it continues to expand”.

Ray Chisnall, regional director for Gleeds’ Asia Pacific division, added: “With an increasingly buoyant local market and a rise in demand for our services, Michael’s extensive experience and proven track record make him the ideal addition to our Shanghai team. His skillset will perfectly

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 39

Awards News

Bloomberg wins RIBA Stirling Prize 2018 Bloomberg’s new European headquarters, located in the heart of the City of London, has been awarded the Stirling Prize 2018. At the televised award ceremony in London, the judges called the building a “once-in-ageneration project”, that has “not just raised the bar for office design and city planning but smashed the ceiling.”

The spirit of innovation and collaboration that underpins the building was led by the vision of Mike Bloomberg, owner and CEO Bloomberg LP, who said: “When we embarked on this project, we wanted to create a cutting-edge design that would push the boundaries of what an office building could be, which meant setting new standards for openness and sustainability. At the same time, we wanted to honor London’s history and contribute to its vitality. We knew that if we could achieve both objectives, we’d have a building that would inspire everyone who set foot inside it. This prize indicates that -- thanks to the brilliant Norman Foster -- we succeeded. And we’re grateful to everyone who worked so hard to bring it to life.”

Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman Foster + Partners, added: “From our first discussions to the final details of the project, Mike Bloomberg and I had a ‘meeting of minds’ on every

40 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Awards News

MARTIN-BROOKS VYING FOR DOUBLE AWARD SUCCESS Sheffield-based Martin-Brooks is being recognised for its domestic and commercial roofing expertise at a national award ceremony celebrating contractor excellence.

The firm has been shortlisted in two categories at the inaugural Pitched Roofing Awards for its work on specialist projects that rise above day-to-day roofing applications.

The domestic property in Sprotborough was noted for its steeply pitched octagonal tower that is built into a curved roof.

Redland Rosemary clay tiles were used to repair and re-cover certain areas, including the spire, which required the creation of a number of bespoke details to overcome design issues.

Martin-Brooks director, Nick Brooks,

said: “We love the challenges that unusual buildings present and having the opportunity to contribute to these unique projects was a real pleasure. Having our workmanship and technical expertise recognised by an impartial panel of experts is testament to the skill of our roofers and their dedication to producing an outstanding finish. We look forward to the winners being revealed next month.”

Martin-Brooks is in the running for awards for ‘best use of cedar shingles application’ for its work on Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre and ‘domestic property application using roof tiles’ for the repair and partial reroof of an unusual home in Sprotborough, Doncaster. The winners will be announced at a gala lunch on November 30 at the Midland Hotel in Manchester.

Working with main contractor, Woodhead Construction, Martin-Brooks clad the exterior of the new build visitor centre at Sherwood Forest in cedar shingles, to minimise its impact on the area, which holds the highest protected status in the UK. As 95% of the walls were curved, this was a labour-intensive undertaking, requiring constant adjustment to the timber frame and supporting brackets to allow the shingles to sweep with the curves.

Behind every good building is a great client and Bloomberg is a testament to what is possible when the visions of client and architect align. We were continually supported and inspired by Mike Bloomberg and his team, who shared our values on innovation, sustainability and wellbeing to develop a pioneering new workplace for the future. aspect of the project – its sustainable focus, commitment to innovation and drive to create the best workplace for Bloomberg employees. It is due to his enlightened patronage and the hands-on role that he played throughout the design process, that has made Bloomberg a resounding success. He is one of those rare individuals who truly ‘practice what they preach’, marrying the sustainable vision for Bloomberg with his own personal convictions, laid out so succinctly in his book – The Climate of Hope. The Stirling Prize is a testament to the incredible collaborative spirit that has underpinned the entire project from start to finish, and to Mike’s pioneering vision.”

Michael Jones, Senior Partner and Lead Architect, Foster + Partners, commented: “Behind every good building is a great

client and Bloomberg is a testament to what is possible when the visions of client and architect align. We were continually supported and inspired by Mike Bloomberg and his team, who shared our values on innovation, sustainability and wellbeing to develop a pioneering new workplace for the future. We are delighted that Bloomberg has been awarded the Stirling Prize, as recognition of not only this

special partnership, but also the immense collaboration by the entire team that underpinned and delivered the project.”

Foster + Partners also gains the distinction of being the first practice to have been awarded the Stirling Prize three times, having won it previously in 1998 for the American Air Museum in Duxford, and in 2004 for 30 St Mary Axe.

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 41

“ We puchased a Bay-Lynx mixer because it had the best quality of all the mixers we looked at. In addition their support and follow up are second to none. �

-Dominic Avelli, Avelli Construction

Made with either steel or aluminum, Bay-Lynx volumetric concrete mixers are tested and proven to be able to withstand all the physical tolls of working on a concrete job-site.

Bay-Lynx mixers are extremely precise for mix design with accuracy unparalleled in the industry. Controlling your concrete has never been easier.

Unlike other mixers, we are the only manufacturer to offer the Ultralite mixer with an aluminum aggregate bin that provides weight savings, improved aerodynamics, and will not rust.

Combining the Ultralite advantages with the mechanically linked cement metering system, the Bay-Lynx volumetric mixer will transform your business.

Contact our UK office to find out how we can provide the right solution for your business.

www.BayLynx.co.uk Phone: 0161-403-0003 Unit 6 Aragon Court Manor Park Industrial Estate Runcorn, Halton, WA7 1SP United Kingdom

THE EXACT RIGHT MIX

Why successful businesses focus on the cost not just price Often the terms are interchanged and relate to the final figure on the invoice but when looking for services and products we should be focusing on the cost to our business rather than just the price. In many markets manufactures and retailers will fight it out to offer the lowest price to consumers and any new products to market will again be trying to offer a cheaper solution. Unfortunately, this situation often means quality, service or both are compromised. We have all been victim of a cheap product costing us more in the long run.

JCS Hi-Torque ltd are the UKs leading supplier of worm drive hose clamps.

Producing over 25 million clamps a year at their factory in Suffolk they have a reputation for providing only the highest quality products. Tom Allen of JCS explains how focusing on cost rather than price has been beneficial to the business: “Come to our factory and you will see machinery ranging from 30days to 30 years old, we are continually looking for new ways to produce our clamps

more efficiently without compromising on quality. Over 60 years’ experience producing clamps has proven time and time again buying quality machinery from the start and maintaining it properly saves the company much more money in the long run than the initial difference in purchase price.

All the material we use is from European suppliers, mainly Germany, we have in the past looked further afield but found the consistency of the metal was not sufficient and caused problems with the machinery and clamps failing prematurely.

None of these inferior clamps made it to market as we conduct a huge number

of tests before taking on a supplier and continue to monitor them once in production.

For our customers overall cost to the business is more important than price, especially when it’s just the price difference you need to consider. A clamp failure could mean simply replacing it on the production line or it could mean a warranty claim for a broken down superyacht in the middle of the ocean. Either way a failure is an added cost to your business and remember the customer doesn’t blame the hose clamp they blame your product or installation.”

JCS have released a new banding product for the HVAC market. With a unique double headed connector, the system is quick and efficient to use with no training or specialist tools required. With no loose parts the system is also safe for use at height.

“Rather than making the product to a low price we tried to reduce the overall cost to installers by reducing wastage and labor.

We listened to installers problems with existing systems and overcome them with JCS banding”.

The Hoover Effect Just like Hoover has become a synonymous name for vacuum cleaning “Jubilee Clip” is synonymous with the type of hose clamp JCS manufacture.

Phone: 01787 888031 Email: info@jcshi@torque.co.uk Website: www.jcshi-torque.co.uk

44 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

A FASTER FIXING SYSTEM

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Call us now on 01787 888031 or email info@jcshi-torque.co.uk for details of your local stockist or specialist distributor.

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The electric drill inventor keeps fuelling its cordless revolution Having launched new cordless grinders, and a hammer drill earlier in the year, FEIN is extending its 18 V product range with the ASCM 18 QSW 4-speed cordless drill/ driver. This is an alternate version of the 12 and 18 volt ASCM machine, already popular within the community but with two new benefits. Firstly the Multi-Volt feature allows the machine to be powered by a 12 to 18 V lithium-ion battery, and secondly the body is lighter and more compact, weighing just 1.7kg.

Tradesman value professional tools – and Dieter Zimmermann is one such person. His surname (which means “carpenter” in English) is spot-on, because he undertakes a lot of renovation work and takes pleasure from doing so, even using the tools at home. “I’ve renovated my apartment’s two floors, and will do the bathroom next year.” In addition, the 39-year-old has helped many of his friends, some, like him, have also purchased apartments in old buildings or houses from the 1960s and 1970s. “Some of them had to be completely renovated.” To tackle such work, Dieter Zimmermann relies on FEIN. His latest acquisition is the ABH 18 rotary hammer, with which he recently punched slots in concrete for routing electric cables, and drilled holes for electrical outlet sockets

in a kitchen. “There was nothing it couldn’t do; without it we wouldn’t have finished the job. It really felt like the batteries maintained their charge right to the end. And, the battery’s charge lasted an extremely long time, which frankly surprised me – in a positive way.” In addition to its powerful performance, he finds the FEIN battery system highly practical. “Once the rotary hammer’s battery was flat, I just plugged in the one from my MultiMaster. Then I got back to work.”

Professionals in particular need high-quality power tools that they can depend on to do the job, are easy to use and can be used for a variety of tasks. The issue of time is also an important factor for professionals because they often only have a small time window to install the kitchen in the customer’s premises or to complete interior work in general. To make this possible it is key that all the drills are supported by what is referred to as the FEIN QuickIN interface, meaning the end-user can change over accessories tool free, with a large

compliment that helps turn a drill into one universal tool for numerous applications.

We now have the SKE drill chuck, an automatically re-tensioning drill chuck from Röhm that prevents drill bits and taps from slipping. Even in reverse running, the drill chuck is stable and remains reliably closed. Other new additions include tapping collets, which can be changed just as easily without the need for tools. The collets transmit the torque to the square surface of the tap, which prevents slippage. The big news though is that following numerous requests by community members FEIN has now launched an angle head, which enables users to work around corners, even in tight spaces. This product development is one of many that will occur in response to ideas and tooling requests by British tradesman within the FEIN UK community.

For more information on Fein’s cordless revolution please go to https://fein.com/ en_uk/ or contact FEIN directly on 01327 308730.

46 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

FEIN: serving British trades for 30 years

The FEIN cordless range:

FEIN blades and accessories

Trade tools...made portable

For more information visit www.fein-uk.co.uk

Project News

China Resources Land Suhewan project breaks ground in Shanghai The first office tower to be built in the newly regenerated Suhewan area of Shanghai broke ground in September.

The 200-metre signature tower for China Resources Land forms the centrepiece of the Suhewan East Urban Complex, which aims to introduce a richer mix of functions to the predominantly residential area of the city. The development is part of the city’s 2020 vision of drawing development towards the eastern quarter of Shanghai.

The 42-storey building is situated alongside a new Suhewan Park and an underground retail complex, with excellent connections to metro stations nearby, acting as a catalyst for bringing new businesses to the area. The tower has been designed as an animated backdrop to the park, with scenic lifts that rise to the rooftop. The lower levels capture views of the park to the east, and as the building rises above the surrounding

low-rise residential fabric it opens up to stunning 360-degree panoramic views of Pudong, the historic Bund and the Huangpu River to the west.

Gerard Evenden, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, said: “China Resources Land Suhewan project occupies a pivotal position in the city, as a rapidly growing area for new businesses. In consonance with the city’s future vision for the area, our focus has been to provide a modern landmark inspired by its rich history and industrial past.”

The expressed structure of the tower draws on the industrial aesthetic of the nearby bridges and buildings. The building’s dark glazing reduces the reflective glare, while contrasting with the stainless steel structural frame, which has been pulled away from the corners to maximise views out. The flexible office

floorplates have been designed to suit a variety of layouts from single to multiple tenancies. The middle sections of the building along the western façade is recessed in the middle to allow natural light to flood the deep plan office spaces.

This effectively splits the tower into two wings, giving the tower its elegant, slender proportions.

“We have designed the building in the most flexible way possible to accommodate the changing nature of the workplace. The floorplates have been designed to enhance collaboration and communication, with special emphasis on natural daylight, as organisations look towards healthier and more open spaces to work,” added Evenden.

48 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

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Events News

Modular homes, offsite construction and future trends key to this year’s event Over 2,000 people turned out for the UK’s first ever National Construction Summit with modular homes, future trends and off-site construction remaining top of the agenda.

As the UK’s first ever National construction summit we are pleased to say the event was effective in terms of highling key challenges and trends emerging within the construction industry. Today’s event reinforced the importance of construction to the UK and how much it contributes to the wider economy

rsted Square, d, East Sussex, TN22 1QG orsted Square, Square, d, East Sussex, TN22 1QG re, uare, tex, Sussex, TN22 1QG TN22 1QG ssex, TN22 1QG ‘Solid Foundation- Stronger Future’ was the key theme of this year’s event alongside other hot topics including Brexit, Foreign Direct Investment, Jobs, Skills, Training, Infrastructural Investment and Public & Private Housing.

Speakers included:

• Katrine Sporle, Property Ombudsman, discussing consumer protection in the new build sector.

• David Johnson, MD of Off Site Construction Advice Ltd., discussing whether off site construction is the answer to the housing crisis.

AECOM, on best practice FM, ensuring your maintenance strategy underpins your strategic asset management approach.

• Gerald Kelly, general manager of the Confederation of Construction Specialists, discussing how to empower yourself and train through construction contracts • Robert Driscoll, deputy director of Business Policy and Practice ECA, on the future of procurement payment and contracts in the digital age.

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Seminars were given on technology, sustainability, and innovation.

Speaking about the inaugural event, Colin Murphy, Exhibition Organiser and Publisher said ‘As the UK’s first ever National construction summit we are pleased to say the event was effective in terms of highling key challenges and trends emerging within the construction industry. Today’s event reinforced the importance of construction to the UK and how much it contributes to the wider economy.’

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• Michael Williams, asset manager of Procurement for Housing UK, discussing whether value for money is a race to the bottom.

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50 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

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People on the move

ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING CONSULTANCY ANNOUNCES RAFT OF PROMOTIONS BE DESIGN, the multi-disciplinary architecture and engineering practice, has announced four new promotions across its technical team.

With 40 years’ combined experience, Dan Edwards, Rhys Bevins, Shawn Loo and Rafail Tsartsaris will now support the senior team directly with project design and client management whilst mentoring and developing the next generation of engineers and architects at BE Design.

Shawn is looking forward to helping to develop junior members of the team and enhancing client satisfaction as BE Design’s newly appointed associate.

Dan has been part of the BE Design family for almost five years and has now

been promoted to senior engineering coordinator and, during which time he worked on transforming a car park used during the London 2012 Olympic Games into an impressive structure.

Rhys studied at Nottingham Trent University and, following a placement year at BE Design, returned to work there full time four years ago and is now the practice’s newest senior architectural technologist. Rafail is experienced in Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Revit and Building Information Modelling (BIM) and is proud to see his work influencing others within BE Design in his new role as senior engineering BIM coordinator.

“We’re a close family at BE Design – and

one which supports one another and rewards hard work and dedication,” said Stephen Oakden, director at BE Design.

“Dan, Rhys, Shawn and Rafail have all worked incredibly hard to get to where they are – showing enthusiasm, passion and technical expertise across every project they’ve designed and delivered.

I’m proud to announce their promotions and wish them all the best of luck in their new roles,” continued Stephen.

BE Design celebrated its fifth anniversary this year and works across numerous sectors – from retail and leisure to residential and industrial – designing projects across the UK and Europe.

Kranlyft Group Welcomes Jonas Gadolin as Technical Director Kranlyft Group continues with their expansion and are pleased to announce that Jonas Gadolin has joined the company as Technical Director. Jonas has many years’ involvement in after sales and technical development markets from both research & development and from a dealer perspective.

Jonas comes with 20 years of experience in the after sales business within the Volvo Group.

He has held positions such as Area Service Manager for Africa and the Middle East, then as After Sales Director and lately as Director within Technology and Service Development.

Jonas has served and lived abroad in Dubai and Taiwan for more than 7 years and during these years gained much International business experience. Jonas started on 17th September as Technical Director for the Kranlyft Group.

We wish him a warm welcome.

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 51

Croft Filters Ltd – Not just a Filter Specialists Croft Filters Ltd have been supplying custom filtration solutions for over 30 years. Over this time Croft has supplied industries such as: Oil and Gas, Pharmaceutical, Aerospace, Waste Water and the Food and Beverage industry amongst others. Croft has developed a reputation for their quality, bespoke service through manufacturing a variety of products for specific requirements.

These products have included: Filtration Cones, Baskets and Screens, Disc Filters and Filtration housings and are made with Wire Mesh, Wedge Wire and Perforated Plate, depending on the product’s design and a range of different materials.

Throughout their 32 years trading, Croft has also expanded their in-house capabilities, investing heavily into advanced manufacturing machinery and even developing their own in-house tooling to aid with their bespoke services.

Today Croft’s capabilities include: • • • •

Punching Press Machines, Laser Welders, Custom Seam Welders, Metal 3D printing.

All of which help with the supply of bespoke filtration solutions.

Croft’s Anchor Mesh Sleeves - Case Study Being an SME allows Croft to quickly respond to Customer’s bespoke requests, to do this Croft utilises their experience and in-house capabilities to tailor the products,

sometimes going beyond previous capabilities. An example of this is Croft’s ability to supply custom, quality mesh sleeves to the construction industry.

Commonly referred to as ‘Bonded Anchor Mesh Sleeves’ these mesh sleeves provide

a solution for adhesive anchoring bolts and screws into hollow walls and brickwork within the Fixings and Fastenings marketplace. The mesh is inserted into a drilled hole before an adhesive resin is injected into the wall followed by a Bolt or Screw.

Croft Filters Ltd – W: www.filters.co.uk P: 01925 766265 E: sales@filters.co.uk

52 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Croft Filters were approached by a company who required mesh anchoring sleeves however, the sleeves had to be 1 meter long, to allow the user to cut the mesh down to length, or to the depth of the hole, in preparation for the anchoring bolt / screw. Although Croft had supplied mesh sleeves before, they had not supplied them as long as 1 meter and to the required diameters. This was partly due to not being asked to before and also due to not being possible to on conventional seam welders.

Therefore to meet the Customer’s demands, Croft invested time and resources into developing a specialist seam welder capable of manufacturing the Sleeves to the required length. Since then Croft has supplied thousands of sleeves to multiple Customers, within the construction industry, who see the benefits of using Stainless Steel mesh for the anchoring sleeves over alternative materials. Benefits such as the Stainless Steel being both durable and reliable whilst allowing the adhesive to distribute evenly

within the wall / brickwork. The mesh also allows for marginal flexibility to allow the user to place firmly in the anchoring hole.

Custom Manufactured – Not only are Croft able to manufacture sleeves in sizes ranging from 6mm-32mm diameter, Croft can also manufacture sleeves to the customer’s exact specifications, offering any size with any crimping style to suit the Customers Needs Quality of both product and service has been the key to Croft’s success; the Company takes great pride in understanding their customer’s needs, quickly supplying them with a high quality product that exceeds Customer’s expectations.

For more information about Croft’s Anchor Mesh Sleeves or Croft’s custom filtration solutions:

Visit: www.filters.co.uk Call: 01925 766265 Croft Filters Ltd – W: www.filters.co.uk P: 01925 766265 E: sales@filters.co.uk

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 53

Case Study

100% buy and

build funding for 25 homes in Mistley, Essex An experienced developer approached Go Develop requesting complete funding for 25 new build homes in the picturesque waterside town of Mistley in Essex.

The properties are of varying design, although predominantly 3 bedroom and most have attached garages. They are just a short walk to the edge of the River Stour and positioned in a well-connected location, offering a desirable balance between town and countryside.

Go Develop could see the potential of the scheme immediately, and provided joint venture funding to cover everything from land and build to stamp duty and soft costs – no fees or deductions and not a penny in from the housebuilder.

A new ‘SPV’ was set up the same day to hold the project until it is finished and sold, with a profit share contract in place for both parties. On completion and sale of the property, the profit will be split in favour of the housebuilder.

In total £5,780,359 is to be funded over 15 months but Go Develop go above and

beyond funding. With shared interests, goals and commitment, Go Develop support their partners by providing a range of exceptional services.

Housebuilders are often stretched in terms of resources or time and that’s where Go Develop step in. They understand that a housebuilder’s time is precious and can take on the headache of administration, VAT returns, valuations and the chasing of solicitors and surveyors saving time and cost.

There is a whole team of dedicated and experienced property experts to draw on at Go Develop, from accounting and legals, to risk and due diligence, to sales and marketing, allowing the housebuilder to get on with what they do best.

In the Mistley project, Go Develop supported their partner with a full marketing suite, providing branding, brochures, and website design as well as hoardings, CGIs and drone footage. Plus, the funder proved flexible when ongoing ecological works caused a slight hold up. The delay has now been resolved and the project is on target to complete in early April 2019.

Working with Go Develop has been a fantastic experience. Not only have they provided tailor made funding but they have helped with risk analysis, due diligence, financial planning, marketing – the list goes on. In some ways this has been even more valuable, and we can take this knowledge on to our future projects.

- B. Mccouid, Housebuilder

Go Develop won’t abandon a project half way down the road, perform a U-Turn or make false promises. They are in it for the long haul with substantial resources to support their partners. If you believe you may have a scheme that is suitable you will find that the criteria is kept simple…

• Full planning permission needs to be in place • A project with a GDV of £2million£15million and timescale of up to 24 months • A multi-unit residential new build or conversion scheme outside the M25 • A margin of 25% on GDV pre-finance

With 92% of partners returning to Go Develop and over 1,100 units under construction nationwide, Go Develop are fast becoming known as the funder who make projects happen. Take a look at a selection of case studies on go-develop.co.uk

54 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

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UK Construction Week Review

Digital, diversity and discussion at UK Construction Week UK Construction Week (UKCW) 2018 has been heralded a huge success once again welcoming over 30,000 visitors during the three-day event at Birmingham’s NEC. The 650 exhibitors brought the future of construction with them and wowed attendees with their futuristic products and innovations. While the UKCW stage saw the discussions look to the future of the industry.

The future of construction The theme, ‘The Future of Construction,’ certainly pervaded the nine shows under one roof. 3D printing, robotics, AI, AR and modern methods of construction including the robocop-esque ExoSkeleton, which delighted the visitors who tried it on and felt the benefit of its structure and support when applied to working overhead.

One of the most realistic experiences was provided by Coventry University’s construction simulator, which gave a great insight into life as a site manager for students coming into the sector. VR was used to allow visitors to carry out a health and safety audit on a real construction site, and this was then followed up with actors coming into the site office and demanding answers and assistance.

Numerous new products were also launched including: Easy Trim Roofing’s all new Roto Roof window system; EcoVolt’s exclusive electric paint on heating system; Hikoki Power Tools previously Hitachi Power Tools launched its new name and brand; Magnum Heating’s revolutionary

Magnum Heatboard dry build electric system; and Styrene launched its Stylite inverted roof insulation system.

The big topics The UKCW stage saw all the big topics of the day discussed in detail. Brexit, affordable housing, skills shortages and more were discussed across the event, including:

(L-R) Barbara Res, Arleta Andreasik-Paton and Steph McGovern

affordable homes. Research shows that the UK needs 340,000 homes a year and that 90,000 of these homes need to be genuinely affordable”; and • Grenfell research carried out by UKCW also caused a frank discussion around the industry leading the way on fire safety whilst waiting on clarity from the Government.

• Digital hitting the headlines on day one with David Clark, head of manufacture and innovation at offsite specialists McAvoy, stating: “We are at a point of acceptance of BIM. We all want to take digital data and bring this to the front line of manufacturing. But we need a long-term pipeline coming through – a guaranteed demand which unlocks investment”;

On a lighter note Dr David Hancock, construction director, Infrastructure and Projects Authority Cabinet Office gave a preview into an extraordinary construction mission to Antarctica to build a new wharf for the RRS Sir David Attenborough, aka ‘Boaty McBoatface’.

• On the topic of the housing crisis, Ruth Davison, executive director of public impact at National Housing Federation, said: “To solve the housing crisis, 50% of land must be allocated to building

A strong theme running throughout UKCW this year was that of diversity, equality and inclusion. Partnering with the Considerate Construction Scheme was part of this strategic move alongside the new code of conduct, which was also introduced to ensure attendees were aware of the level of professionalism expected at an industry event.

The future of diversity

Barbara Res, the architect behind Trump Tower pulled in a huge crowd during her interview with Steph McGovern, BBC journalist and TV presenter. As a woman in construction back in the 1970s she faced discrimination and sexism, she now is an advocate for women in construction.

Barbara Res said: “My advice to women in construction; find a mentor or be a mentor.

Walk around with confidence, believe in yourself. You define your work; your work does not define you.”

To encourage young people from all walks of life into construction UKCW set up its Role Model campaign. Following the

56 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

UK Construction Week Review shortlisting of 36 professionals, the winner was chosen by Nottingham Academy for Girls and announced as, Arleta AndreasikPaton, a construction project manager at Aecom, who impressed the judges with her determination to strive within the construction industry.

Arleta Andreasik-Paton, Role Model of the Year said: “When Steph started talking and I realised I had won I got quite emotional. It means so much that the students chose me and could identify with my story. It’s a privilege to be able to become a role model for other talented young people who can find wonderful careers in construction.”

Essential feedback The feedback from exhibitors has been extremely positive with a rebooking up by 40% Ryan Hill, director at P1 Plaster Superstore said: “This is certainly the best show we have ever exhibited at. This year’s UK Construction Week can only be described as incredible. The footfall throughout the show was consistent and of a high quality, to the point, we made record sales throughout the show. Signing up for 2019 was an easy decision for us to make.”

James Birch, CEO at Solecco Solar said: “Everyone at Solecco always look forward to exhibiting at UK Construction Week as the place to showcase our solar tiles to key members of the industry, knowing they will see the best in construction innovation, technology and services. This year was no different and we were once again delighted with the people and connections that were met and made during the event.”

Until next year Nathan Garnett, UKCW event director sums it up: “This year was all about the future of construction and increasing the diversity of construction is important to the overall future of the industry. At this year’s show over 20% of UKCW delegates were women and considering the construction sector male/female split is 87/13, that is a strong statistic.

“We have had great feedback from exhibitors, speakers and visitors who enjoyed the event and were able to use it to drive business. We had over 34,000 visitors and a record level of rebooking, up by 40% year-on-year. This is a great testament to the strength of the event, we now need to try to step up another level for 2019.”

UKCW will take place next year at 8-10 October 2019 at Birmingham’s NEC. To book the event please click here.

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 57

Company News

CONTRACT SUCCESS SEES NORTH WEST EXPANSON FOR GMI This month Colin Moore became the latest employee from metal railings and gates manufacturer Alpha Rail to celebrate a milestone anniversary.

Colin, who is celebrating his 20 year anniversary, works in the Alpha Rail finishing department and joins a band of eight employees who over the last two years have been at Alpha Rail for 20 years or more.

me a chance to show my potential and the motivation to work alongside a great team.”

Alpha Rail Finance Mark Sipson added, “Colin continues to show his dedication 20 years later, preparing metalwork that has been manufactured to a high quality standard in order to impress.”

In total they have clocked up more than 240 years service.

In recognition of work anniversaries, Alpha Rail present everyone who reaches a 20th anniversary with a commemorative gift.

Colin chose to receive gift vouchers.

Reflecting on his time at the company Colin said, “I will always remember walking in to Alpha Rail and being given the opportunity of employment. This gave

Colin added, “I am very proud to be a part of Alpha Rail as the company continues to grow. I work with a fantastic group of colleagues who do their absolute best

every day of the week and we aim to carry on this attitude until we retire. We realise that our customers trust Alpha Rail to take care of their projects, no matter how complex they may be. The standard of metalwork manufactured by our skilled team of welders is extremely high and we are passionate about maintaining this standard when fettling and preparing for delivery.”

Alpha Rail has been manufacturing metal railings, gates and pedestrian guardrail for over 30 years, and is proud to be one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of bespoke metalwork. Local high-profile projects include the Highfields Park Restoration Project, and Forest Recreation Ground, venue of the infamous Goose Fair.

Prettys’ runners put their best foot forward for the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity During the recent Great East Run held on 16th September, a team of runners from Ipswich based law firm Prettys hit the road in aid of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity and raised almost £400 in the process.

58 Construction UK Magazine - November 2018

Company News

ALPHA RAIL EMPLOYEES CLOCK UP 240 YEARS This month Colin Moore became the latest employee from metal railings and gates manufacturer Alpha Rail to celebrate a milestone anniversary.

Colin, who is celebrating his 20 year anniversary, works in the Alpha Rail finishing department and joins a band of eight employees who over the last two years have been at Alpha Rail for 20 years or more.

me a chance to show my potential and the motivation to work alongside a great team.”

Alpha Rail Finance Mark Sipson added, “Colin continues to show his dedication 20 years later, preparing metalwork that has been manufactured to a high quality standard in order to impress.”

In total they have clocked up more than 240 years service.

In recognition of work anniversaries, Alpha Rail present everyone who reaches a 20th anniversary with a commemorative gift.

Colin chose to receive gift vouchers.

Reflecting on his time at the company Colin said, “I will always remember walking in to Alpha Rail and being given the opportunity of employment. This gave

Colin added, “I am very proud to be a part of Alpha Rail as the company continues to grow. I work with a fantastic group of colleagues who do their absolute best

Partners Peter Blake and Matthew Cole, along with senior associate Louise Plant took on the gruelling 13.1 mile course to raise much needed funds for the charity that provides financial and emotional support to construction workers and their families.

Prettys’ construction team provides expert advice to the construction sector and decided to raise money for Lighthouse

because of the important work they do for people working in this industry.

Louise Plant commented on the challenge: “The Great East Run was indeed a great event. The outstanding support along the way really helped, especially with ‘that hill’! We are delighted we’ve been able to raise money that will go towards helping construction workers and their families when they need it most.”

every day of the week and we aim to carry on this attitude until we retire. We realise that our customers trust Alpha Rail to take care of their projects, no matter how complex they may be. The standard of metalwork manufactured by our skilled team of welders is extremely high and we are passionate about maintaining this standard when fettling and preparing for delivery.”

Alpha Rail has been manufacturing metal railings, gates and pedestrian guardrail for over 30 years, and is proud to be one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of bespoke metalwork. Local high-profile projects include the Highfields Park Restoration Project, and Forest Recreation Ground, venue of the infamous Goose Fair.

Bill Hill CEO of the Lighthouse Club Charity said, “Without support from organisations such as Prettys we would be unable to provide a vital lifeline to our construction workers in need.

“With two construction workers taking their own life every working day, we desperately need to make a difference and Prettys have contributed to that huge effort. Well done team, what a great achievement”.

Construction UK Magazine - November 2018 59