Applebridge NEWS - October 2022

It gives me great pleasure to introduce our latest internal newsletter with this edition focusing on our utility department.

Our newsletters have been well received amongst staff since their introduction. They give a great insight into the latest news and developments of our sister companies within the Family.

Over the last three and half years, our utility division has journeyed from inception to a fully accredited multi-utility provider and Tier 1 telecommunications contractor, a fantastic achievement in such a short time and a testament to our staff’s hard work. As we look to the future with optimism, we aim to continue going from strength to strength with our multi-utility (MU) and telecommunications arms.

Our unique selling point on our MU service is delivering our packages alongside our civil contracts. This provides many benefits to our clients and our own site teams, having more control to drive efficiency, quality and productivity. Alongside our joint sites, we still offer and carry out standalone MU packages similar to traditional MU providers.

In October 2021, works commenced on our Virgin Media 02 contract, where Applebridge Utilities are operating as our client’s Tier 1 delivery partner. This is a significant contract award with potentially up to 10 years of work as Virgin Media 02 aims to deliver high-speed broadband to thousands of homes. Initially, we will provide 20,000 homes in year one of the contract with works taking place in Spennymoor and Peterlee in County Durham.

These contract awards have seen the utility team expand rapidly over the last six months, filling many new positions. To cater to the team’s growing needs, Applebridge Building Services completed the construction of our new utility office and meeting room as part of their office refurb works at Hughes House. They’ve done a fantastic job. This also highlights an example of our intercompany benefit within the Family.

Alongside the opening of our new office, we have had a further investment with new plant and vans which give us a professional image be very proud of. This also demonstrates a commitment to the company’s long-term vision and goal of achieving high standards. Further to this investment, at Imperial Avenue, a storage facility has been constructed to support our MU and comms works.

There are additional plans now to press ahead with the construction of our multi-purpose training area at Imperial Avenue, which will benefit the utility team and the entire family group. This will enable us to continue facilitating our employees’ personal development and progress. It will also tie in with our already very successful trainee programme as we look to bring the next generation of operatives, engineers, operators and managers into the Family.

Our utility division has grown and delivered in no small part due to the shared experience and knowledge from within the Applebridge Family. As we move forward, the next part of our journey will see the utility division launch as a standalone company. We know that adopting the ethos already present within the Group will help deliver long-term success and continue to sustain our delivery into the future.

Tomás McGleenan Utilities Director

MEET THE TEAM

TOMÁS MCGLEENAN Utilities Director

PIA TEAM

DAVID BOANAS Contracts Manager

ANDY WHITTET Head of Commercial

CRAIG CORFIELD Project Manager

MATT MCHUGH Project Manager

CHRISTOPHER CHAPMAN Project Manager

MU TEAM

Ben Gibson, John Moir, Ethan Watson

FTTP TEAM

Jake Richardson, Kelly Thomas, Waqas Hamid, Michael White, Bogdan Trandifr

Luke Hinde, Daniel Boyle, Nichola Ramsden, John Wrightson

CASE STUDY

KIRBYMOORSIDE

PROPERTIES

THEIR CHALLENGE:

To provide a comprehensive multi-utility package within a fast-paced programme and to ensure Applebridge get design approvals and solutions to meet the client’s deadlines.

OUR SOLUTION:

To reduce the mobilisation period to the site, the team incorporated ‘design and build’ alongside an early low-voltage interim connection to guarantee plot connections and hand-over dates, ensuring the client could achieve sales ahead of the substation going live.

With a combined civils and multi-utility package, the team could coordinate utility works in tandem with the 278 works, roads and sewers construction and tarmacking teams, maximising efficiency on-site and minimising disruption.

SCOPE OF WORK:

Applebridge Utilities was appointed to complete the following packages of work:

• Installation of new water, gas, high voltage and low voltage electric mains

• Installation of services and meters for water, gas, and electric

• BT and Virgin Media new network installation

• Supply, erection and connection of street lighting

• Temporary supplies for the site compound, welfare and office areas

• Construction of brick housing substation

THE RESULTS:

The project greatly benefitted from a fully integrated utility and civils package. The combined works resulted in improved efficiency, less disruption on site and improved use of plant, labour and materials.

A paramount example of this efficiency can be seen in the installation of the MU mains, whereby the track was Rammax compacted, and the telecom ducting was directly installed afterwards into the trench before final backfilling. This process saved on double handling of materials, reduced wastage and spoil creation, and improved overall quality.

These processes have helped build a strong relationship with the client, and the team has now won four sites (to date) where MU packages are being installed alongside civils on Countryside Properties sites.

LATEST PROJECTS

REMEMBERING LEE RAMSHAW

It was with great sadness and sorrow we learnt of the untimely passing of dear friend Lee Ramshaw at Christmas past. Lee was an operative with our telecoms division and had worked with us from the early days of Applebridge Utilities. During this time Lee had become an integral part of our team and was very highly thought of by all his co-workers and our clients alike.

Lee worked along with his dad and brother, Bill and Will, with our grab support teams and from here had progressed to work in a civils team along with Darren Donnelly and Eddie Connolly working on our Virgin Media 02 contract in Peterlee which started in October last year.

Recently, two of Lee`s colleagues, Gavin and Charlie Ellidge, participated in a boxing fundraiser, with Charlie winning and Gavin picking up a draw, with monies raised going towards LD North East which is the charity Lee’s family have asked everyone to support in his memory. If anyone would like to make a donation you can do so by visiting https://ldne.org.uk

Lee always had a smile on his face, was at the centre of all the ‘craic’ on site, was liked by all and had a great work ethic. More importantly, he was a great person which is a great credit and testament to his family. He is truly missed and is in our thoughts every day.

Lee undertaking his Virgin Media induction alongside his father Bill Ramshaw and friends Darren Donnelly and Eddie Connelly

Gavin & Charlie who raised money for Lee’s chosen charity in a boxing event

Lee with brother Will Ramshaw

CHARITY MATTERS

Our 5th annual charity golf day took place at the beautiful Wynyard Golf Club on Friday 22nd July.

Despite the drizzly start, the sunshine broke through, and the day was a great success!

Twenty teams comprising of clients, suppliers and staff took part in the event with all proceeds going to the Applebridge Charity of the Year.

Through a combination of donations and raffle sales, the event raised a total of £2661! All of this goes to ‘The Ellen Timney Foundation’, a registered charity set up to help support underprivileged children in the North East.

The foundation was amazed by the contributions and generosity of the day.

“We are totally overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity of others. ‘Thank you’ just never seems enough!” said Jane Morgan, daughter of Ellen Timney.

The day saw an interesting mix of golfing ‘skills’, ranging from the semi-professional (Team Countryside Properties displaying some epic talent and taking home the gold) to the somewhat questionable (...we won’t name names). Regardless of proficiency level, a great day was had by all.

Thank you to all our clients, suppliers and staff, without whom none of the day’s success would have been possible.

Wynyard event room filling up

Bob Hardy, Tony Timney - Ellen Timney Foundation

TV raffle prize winner Chris Blair

Applebridge’s Nick Bastow teeing off

CASE STUDY

BARTON STREET

T MANNERS

THEIR CHALLENGE:

To deliver a multi-utility package whilst maintaining a tight programme and navigating the difficult confines of the project site.

OUR SOLUTION:

Due to the tight confines on the site with numerous sub-contractors working in close proximity, the team worked closely with the client enacting a solid communication plan, meeting up to discuss progress and problem-solve issues on a regular basis.

The team adhered to a meticulous schedule, carrying out works on weekends to keep ahead of the programme and minimise disruption on site. Additional scope was added to the site with mains ducting crossings installation and service ducting for all plot works. The package also added temporary supplies to facilitate the site compound, welfare and office areas.

SCOPE OF WORK:

Applebridge Utilities was appointed to complete the following packages of work:

• Installation of new water, gas, high voltage and low voltage electric mains

• Installation of services and meters for water, gas, and electric

• Mains and service ducting installation for road crossing

• BT and Virgin Media new network installation

• Supply, erection, and connections of street lighting columns

THE RESULTS:

By implementing a clear communication strategy, deadlines were met and challenges on site swiftly overcame. The project’s success has resulted in the client providing repeat business with further projects being undertaken at St Godric’s Close and King James Academy in County Durham.

TESTIMONIAL:

Following completion of our Barton Street project in Darlington, I would like to say that letting the works as we did through Applebridge rather than the individual utility companies assisted greatly with the management of the project and its delivery. We hope to continue our relationship on upcoming projects.

T. Manners Construction Director, Wayne Harris

VIRGIN MEDIA O2

It is with great pride and honour that we can announce that Applebridge Construction Utilities division has been awarded a Tier 1 contract to be a delivery partner in the North East of England with Virgin Media O2.

The contract will see Applebridge work on the project lightning build (FTTP, fibre to the property) and also on the PIA (physical infrastructure access) works. The FTTP build is essentially a traditional civils installation whilst the PIA works utilise existing duct networks to serve customers.

We have been able to put ourselves in a position to win this contract through successfully working as a Tier 2 contractor on the Newcastle Upon Tyne, Brunton Park Virgin Media project delivering high-speed fibre to thousands of homes. During this project the team demonstrated capabilities to meet the demands of the client, working closely with the local authority, engaging with the local community and working through the Covid pandemic to ensure residents had the availability of a much improved high-speed fibre network which was greatly needed to support people during the lockdown.

As part of Applebridge’s contract award, in the first 12 months we will aim to deliver 12,000 homes in Peterlee and 8,000 homes in Spennymoor. This also demonstrates Virgin Media O2’s great investment into the County Durham area.

These are exciting times for our utilities division and this contract working closely with Virgin Media O2 should deliver a long and successful partnership that will result in many thousands of people being able to access high-speed, high-quality broadband to their homes, which can support working from home and education in the household.

Over the last six months, we have been working very hard behind the scenes to mobilise the contract. This has seen large investment into new vans, diggers, plant and tools. However, more importantly, we have continued to invest in the people in our utility division through increased training, offering more apprenticeships and recruiting several new team members.

Colin Brown, Director of Build Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East at Virgin Media O2, said:

As part of our Project Lightning network expansion programme, Applebridge will support Virgin Media O2’s plans to increase our network to bring ultra-fast broadband, TV and phone services to more residents and small businesses in the North East.

“We’re delighted to partner with Applebridge to continue our expansion of the UK’s fastest available broadband network in the North East.”

ACADEMY

The Applebridge Family and Academy are delighted to announce that Applebridge Construction Ltd has been ranked 4th in the country, in the new list of Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employers

The rankings recognise employers for their commitment to employing apprentices, their creation of new apprenticeships, the diversity of their new apprentices, and the number of apprentices who completed their apprenticeships and progress further with the employer.

The goal of the Applebridge Academy is to work across the Family group to recruit, educate and support the development of new and existing staff members to provide a facility and support structure to recruit the next generation of Applebridge.

The Applebridge Family invests heavily in apprenticeships across the group and we would like to thank our very own Applebridge Academy for supporting the development of new and existing staff, our college and training providers, and university partners who we work alongside on achieving such great recognition. Applebridge is ‘engineering the foundations of tomorrow, today.’

CUSTOMER CARE DIVISION

We are pleased to announce the launch of our dedicated customer care team. Headed up by Ashleigh Allman and supported by a team of four, the customer care team is responsible for providing a direct line of contact should there be any issues with a project once Applebridge teams leave a site.

Creating strong customer relations is paramount to the Applebridge mission. The purpose of setting up our customer care team is to provide further customer confidence in our services, showing that we provide full accountability throughout the customer journey.

Andy Ray, Group Operations Director

Over the next months, the team will be visiting all of our customers to introduce themselves.

Based at the Applebridge Middlesbrough head office, the team can be contacted on: 01642 233400 or email customercare@applebridge.com

“In the past customers have had issues with knowing who to contact after Applebridge teams have left the site. We wanted to provide a quality service that could support customers even after the concluding stages of a project.”

UTILITIES TRANSFORMATION

As you are aware, we went through a massive rebranding operation in May of 2020 which has been very well received by our staff and clients. It demonstrates the relationship between the companies within our Family, which was one of the key objectives set out, as well as giving us a sense of identity and unity.

As part of the transition the utility division has gone through since its inception, the utility logos have changed and followed the lead of our sister companies. Applebridge Utilities has always sat as a division within the construction arm of the Group. However, with a long-term framework now agreed with Virgin Media 02 and a significant increase in multi-utility packages being awarded, the division will now branch out as its own company in the not-too-distant future. This is a tried and proven pathway with ABS and ZTL having followed similar journeys to now become successful, standalone businesses within their own right.

We are very proud and happy to announce that as part of the next step of the Applebridge Utilities journey, we will be rolling out our new logo, which will appear on our vans, plant, PPE, website and social media content. This represents a significant move forward for us and is a reflection of the recent growth and expansion of the division including our new offices at HQ and storage area at Imperial Avenue. This is testament to all our staff’s hard work and commitment over the last three and half years, without them none of this would be possible. It marks another transition period as we move forward into the future with great optimism and hope with the aim of further sustainable growth and delivery.

SPOTLIGHT ON : ANDY WOOD MU SERVICE GANG & JOINTER

What does your current role entail?

I work in a gang of three, sometimes four, depending on the amount of work scheduled on Utilities. This includes digging out onto newly installed mains (gas, water electric) and installing the service to new-build homes. So, ultimately we ‘give the new house life!’ as, when we are done, on each property it will be live on gas, water and electricity.

What do you like most about working at Applebridge?

Various things really, I love working outside, and I’m with a great bunch of boys in our gang. As we (the gang) aren’t just stuck on any particular site for a great length of time and we travel to work on different sites, I get to meet many different people, see how they work and make new friends.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I like to follow the football, have a dabble on the football coupons, to drop into the club for a pint and a catch-up, to potter about in my garden, but mostly, to spend time with my family; daughter, stepdaughter, stepsons and especially my granddaughters: May, Layla, Liberty, and Lainey Anne.

What are your top three favourite projects?

None stand out especially, but knowing our gang has installed water, gas and electric feeds to new houses and knowing that families are waiting to move into their new homes warms my heart.

What was your most challenging project and why?

Well it has to be at Ambition 4, when the really bad snow hit with freezing cold and bad traffic conditions. Myself and my pal (Andy Browell) managed to get to the site and there was only Darron Malone there.

Because of the weather, we had to finish off getting two high-voltage cables into substations. Not the best conditions, but we persevered and prevailed! To say we were over the moon is an understatement!

What advice would you give to our current trainees?

The advice I would give to them is to just take it, don’t be shy to ask questions and just try your best.

Tell us something we don’t know about you.

Well, I’m involved with a friend of mine’s charity and often help out, packing food parcels for the underprivileged and, at Christmas, I adorn the legendary ‘Magical Santa Suit’, and do house deliveries to struggling families with kids. We also organise Christmas parties for the Down’s Syndrome centre. The charity is called Hebburn Helps. It has been going around for years and recently achieved the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

For donations & information about ‘Hebburn Helps’ please visit hebburnhelps.co.uk

“Knowing that families are waiting to move into their new homes warms my heart.”

GOT A GOOD IDEA?

At Applebridge we believe that great ideas can come from anyone, but that the best ideas come from our own people. This is why we’ve launched Applebridge Ideas, a competition exclusively for Applebridge Family staff.

If you have a great idea for a new tool, design or process that we could use in our business, we want to know about

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

looking for ideas

new tools, designs

processes which are commercially valuable or which will help us improve efficiency or reduce costs.

each

TERMS

CONDITIONS

under

not

be

it is progressed to

terms and conditions are at