Construction & Civil Engineering Issue 200 June 2022

www.ccemagazine.com 200 JUNE

Leaving a green legacy Thakeham Group, a strategic land promoter, house builder and partnership contract builder, constantly strives to push boundaries, drive better solutions, and come up with innovative services in order to stand out from the competition See page 52

New building for Helsinki: Sponda to build energy efficient and flexible offices for Valmet F Key role secured: Mott MacDonald appointed to South Yorkshire Supertram renewal project F

www.ccemagazine.com 200 JUNE

Chairman Andrew Schofield

EDITOR

Group COO Joe Woolsgrove

Leaving a green legacy

Editor Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.com Staff Writers - Daniel Baksi, Alex Caesari, Danielle Champ, Jessica Olley

Thakeham Group, a strategic land promoter, house builder and partnership contract builder, constantly strives to push boundaries, drive better solutions, and come up with innovative services in order to stand out from the competition See page 52

F F

New building for Helsinki: Sponda to build energy efficient and flexible offices for Valmet Key role secured: Mott MacDonald appointed to South Yorkshire Supertram renewal project

Editorial Administrator Amy Gilks Managing Art Editor Fleur Daniels Art Editor - David Howard Art Editor - Paul Gillings Artwork Administrator Rochelle Broderick-White Sales Director Alasdair Gamble Business Development Director Philip Monument Head of Global Media Programs Mark Cawston mcawston@schofieldpublishing.com Operations Manager Adam Blanch Research Managers Natalie Griffiths, Jo-Ann Jeffery, Ben Richell Editorial Researchers Mark Cowles, Jeff Goldenberg, James Page, Wendy Russell, Richard Saunders, Kieran Shukri Advertising Sales Johanna Bailey, Jessica Eglington, Will Gwyther, Alex Hartley, Sam Surrell Digital Sales Mike Psimis Subscriptions i.kidd@schofieldpublishing.com Administration Natalie Fletcher, Rory Gallacher, Ibby Mundhir

Construction & Civil Engineering Magazine @CCE_magazine

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ello and welcome to the June issue of Construction & Civil Engineering. John Rodgman’s piece on highway failures struck a bit of a chord this month, likely because the area around our office has been victim to a glut of recent road repairs. Faced with what seem like endless closures and random diversions, with one main route out of action with a collapsed bridge, it does bring home how easily a road system is snarled and how essential it is to ensure that the surfaces are safe and wellmaintained.

The weather is of course implicated in some road issues, and that brings me to another of our features, which looks at stormwater management.

Discussing SuDS, Martin Lambley highlights the benefits that the right system can bring.

We also look an issue that is particularly relevant as materials prices continue to increase and shortages abound. Is there an option to renegotiate a fixed price contract? The answer is get professional advice as there could be a strategy, but the right approach is key.

Finally, we visit late payments, which I feel is a topic with a long history in construction indeed, our author says that many consider ‘late or delayed payments as part and parcel of the sector’. Surely in 2022, it’s time that changed?

Until the next issue.

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Libbie Hammond Editor

Please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, and correct at time of writing, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher.

All rights reserved. The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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REGULAR FEATURES 4

CONTRACTS

As construction costs skyrocket, and materials shortages continue, is it possible for firms to renegotiate fixed-price

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contracts?

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DRAINAGE

Sustainable drainage systems could be crucial to urban resilience as global temperatures rise and intense rainfall increases

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ROAD-BUILDING

Highway failures are caused by a variety of issues, but it is essential that they are dealt with quickly and in a safe manner for road users

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Red7Marine

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PAYMENTS

A historic tendency for late payments still plagues the construction sector – does technology hold the answer to the problem?

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SINTEC Holdings

NEWS

Updates and information from the construction and civil engineering market

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CASE STUDY

The award-winning Magdalene College Library in Cambridge,

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featuring WoodEx Florian European Oak, has been hailed as an outstanding building

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NET ZERO

To achieve the Government’s plans for all UK new build homes to be ‘zero carbon ready’ by 2025 is going to require a massive effort from every area of the construction industry

20 BIM The evolution of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has coincided with the tightening of building regulations and the technology can play a role in keeping people safe

Daiwa House Modular Europe

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22 LOGISTICS CONSTRUCTION Consolidation centres are playing a role in getting materials where they need to be, as well as co-ordinate logistics during the ongoing operation of a building

Stonbury 2

CONTENTS COMPANY PROFILES

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Riwal

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COVER STORY

Salboy

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Thakeham Group

TSK Group

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SRL Traffic Systems Ltd

King Lifting

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Traditional Brick and Stone

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Sudlows 3

CONTRACTS

Facing the increase Can a fixed price contract be renegotiated?

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onstruction cost inflation in 2021/2022 is unprecedented, and after decades of price stability in the supply of materials, labour and plant, construction costs have skyrocketed together with shortages of all resources.

Construction cost increases and shortages bring two problems; firstly, trading losses as contracts become underpriced, and secondly, costly

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delays to the works. That inevitably leads to demands for more money, which might be ignored, and walkouts by contractors, which is repudiatory breach of contract, and it follows a liability to crippling damages.

Most construction contracts are fixed price ones with no provision for price increases; indeed standard forms have optional clauses such as the JCT fluctuations clause, which is an option only and rarely used.

How can a claim be made when faced with a strict fixed price commitment to a contract that is no longer tenable on price?

Each case will have different circumstances and merits, an analysis of the case will hopefully reveal a strategy. That outcome might be a claim for loss and expense if the payer is culpable for delays or there may be an opportunity to recover losses in the valuation of variations. There might also be a case for price

unenforceable and the agreement set aside. It might be that certain normal materials are in short supply with a long lead time, the threat of walkout and no hope of engaging others for months might leave the payer with no choice but to agree to the price increase. Again, this could be held as economic duress.

So, what amounts to economic duress?

adjustment based on an argument on mistaken contract intention.

However, the easiest solution is to renegotiate contract prices and get an amicable outcome, but any financial pressure must not amount to economic duress as this will make any price increase void.

Renegotiation is not likely to be straightforward if an alternative contractor can be found easily after walkout/repudiation or a refusal to continue. The payee should also beware of any ‘supplement the labour’ clause, which is legal and likely to be fatal to any profits. If the works are specialised, where there is no choice but to continue with the contractor, that might amount to economic duress, which if held will mean the price increases will be

One of the most familiar situations is Carillion Construction Ltd v Felix (UK) Ltd (2000). Felix were a cladding subcontractor engaged in the design, manufacture, and supply of cladding for an offices construction project. Disputes arose in the contract on the prices for the works and variations. Felix proceeded to refuse to make deliveries until an agreement was reached. Carillion were worried about significant liability for liquidated damages that could result from the delay. Carillion valued the work as £2.75m, after Felix’s demands the parties agreed the sum of £3.2m in full and final terms. On completion, Carillion reverted to their original figures. Felix brought an action to enforce the settlement agreement and it was held that it was unenforceable as the pressure applied by Felix was illegitimate and without justification.

However, now consider the case of Williams v Roffey Bros & Nicholls (Contractors) Ltd (1990), where a carpentry subcontractor under-priced the works, part way through the work, the subcontractor ran into financial difficulties and threatened to stop work unless an increase in price was agreed.

The main contractor considered that engaging a replacement would cost considerably more so there was an agreement to pay the extra. The contractor then

reneged on the agreement, proceedings were issued, but this time the Court held that the agreement was enforceable as the contractor had derived a benefit by avoiding paying more to finish the work. In this case it is financial pressure but not economic duress.

The principle in this case is important where an alternative can be obtained and it would cost more to complete.

Each case thus turns on the facts and merits involved. In summary, financial pressure leading into a negotiated price increase agreement must be illegitimate to be void, meaning where the paying party has no choice nor a practicable alternative but to submit to the financial pressure.

What are the options if you are affected by construction cost inflation?

Faced with a seriously under-priced contract due to the unprecedented construction cost inflation, the payee should not walk out or put their business at risk without professional consultation. If the payer has not been approached yet, there are politics involved or the payer has refused to negotiate there will be a strategy. If the payee has not been progressing the works and suffered threats to engage others or others have been engaged, the payee needs to act quickly to check on the options and to see if there is a repudiatory breach of contract. Employing others without a ‘supplement the labour’ clause is normally repudiation. If there is repudiation by the payer, the payee will be entitled to the sums due for all work done to that point in time, plus all retention and damages for losses and expenses incurred, including loss of profit.

Arbicon are a Construction Claims Consultancy with a team of highly qualified Chartered Quantity Surveyors and experts in construction contracts, claims, payment issues and adjudication. As construction claims consultants specialising in dispute resolution, we provide personal, individual and tailored expert advice on a wide range of contractual issues to both help set up your construction project to identify, assess, and avoid commercial disaster, and also manage and resolve construction claims quickly, effectively, and commercially should they arise, typically through adjudication and Expert Witness services.

For more information please see: www.arbicon.co.uk

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DRAINAGE

Managing the storm Future-proofing our urban environments

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ecessity is the mother of invention’. This phrase has never been more relevant as we experience the growing impacts of climate change. Global temperatures are rising and as a result, intense rainfall is becoming more frequent and extreme. Without widespread intervention, the results may prove to be catastrophic, particularly for our urban infrastructure.

Therefore, embracing innovations in stormwater management are crucial to the resilience of our towns and cities. Here, Martin Lambley looks at how sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) will help.

This country is building at an impressive pace. Latest ONS figures1 show that construction output rose in the three months to February 2022, but with that comes a need to ensure that the growth results in health, sustainable environments for everyone. That means renewed

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focus on rainwater management.

In a country which is struggling to combat flash flooding, developers and civil engineers must give priority to SuDS, as they can help relieve the pressure from increased rainfall, while offering a host of other benefits.

The approach to integrating SuDS into urban environments has evolved over time and works at an optimum level when they combine naturally occurring filtration systems with artificial mass water systems. A holistic SuDS solution will recreate the process of soil percolation to keep negative environmental impacts to a minimum, and we would always suggest the most effective system is one which includes both natural and artificial elements.

SuDS: What you need to know Traditional rainwater management solutions in the UK have historically consisted of a network of rigid pipes that channel large

volumes of surface water from storms of floods into our rivers or sewers. While this might have worked at the point of installation, they are simply no longer fit for purpose – especially with the rapid growth our towns and cities have seen over the past two centuries, and the greater level of rainfall we’re experiencing.

With more pressure on our ageing infrastructure and rapidly changing weather patterns, SuDS offer a lifeline for urban infrastructure. Natural landscaping, such as ponds, swales, and soakaways, offer a decent level of protection, but in order to make SuDS most effective, we advise installing below ground solutions as well, such as attenuation tanks. These innovative storage tanks release water back into the surrounding environment at a controlled rate and can work out of sight and out of mind, slotting nicely underneath the green landscape and wider infrastructure.

The nature of these below ground systems means they aren’t just for new developments, they work well as retrofitted installations too. Space comes at a premium within our urban centres, but SuDS offer planners a way to effectively utilise space beneath the surface to help protect against flash flooding, as integrated systems can also sit below parks, pavements and even roads.

Permeable paving can be used alongside them to drain captured rainfall into the tanks below ground, and other innovations, tree tanks, can further control the flow of water into surrounding networks, whilst positively contributing to the local ecosystem.

Added benefits of SuDS

where SuDS can support, as a full holistic system with natural elements like ponds, basins and swales, help provide and enhance habitats that allow local ecosystems to flourish. It isn’t just habitat creation where SuDS can lend a hand either, as their ability to improve water quality in the surrounding environment gives an added boost, and the green components can even help to support better air quality and combat urban heat, too. This is especially important in busy towns and cities where pollution is a real problem.

Ultimately, SuDS offer urban developments better stormwater management, that also help to improve the local environment, making them a must when addressing the growing impacts of climate change. Now is the

Recent findings from London’s Natural History Museum suggest that up to 50 percent of the UK’s biodiversity has been lost over the last 100 years. This is

time to act. Architects, engineers and contractors need to implement holistic SuDS systems where they can that will stand the test of time.

With more pressure on our ageing infrastructure and rapidly changing weather patterns, SuDS offer a lifeline for urban infrastructure https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/ constructionindustry/bulletins/ constructionoutputingreatbritain/february2022 1

Martin Lambley is Wavin Product Manager for Stormwater Management, North West Europe, UK, and Ireland. Wavin is an innovative solution provider for the building and infrastructure industry across multiple continents. Backed up by 60+ years of expertise, it is geared up to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges around: water supply, sanitation, climateresilient cities and building performance.

Wavin is part of Orbia, a community of companies bound together by a shared purpose: to advance life around the world.

For more information please see: www.wavin.co.uk

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ROAD BUILDING

The road to the future Dealing with highway failures: advice from the experts

John Rodgman

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ighways are fundamental parts of society, connecting people and businesses across the nation, bringing families together and functioning as key enablers to many important events in a person’s life. At best, highway failures extend journeys, cause congestion and irritate road users, but at worst, they can

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be extremely dangerous. That’s why, in responding to them, it is essential they are corrected quickly, efficiently, and safely.

John Rodgman shares his insight into exactly how these potential failures can be dealt with now, and prevented in the future.

stress from the moment they are constructed, not only from excessive load, but also due to poor construction and maintenance, extreme weather events, ageing and improper materials.

What exactly is a highway failure?

Depending on the severity of the highway failure, the effect on both road users and others can vary. Less severe issues, such as potholes and road tear, can still financially damage road users; having to repair the damage done to their vehicles because of these failures. Larger cracks can add hours to travel times through road congestion, increasing the cost of transport for businesses and potentially cause delays to travellers and deliveries.

Highway failures can also cause environmental and economic damage to the areas associated with them. High carbon emissions caused from increased

A general definition of highway failures are instances that damage the structure of the road. These can vary in severity, ranging from cracking and shallow potholes to impassable cracks along the carriageway. If left unchecked and unrectified, these small annoyances can soon become larger, more threatening issues, not only to drivers, but to pedestrians and cyclists, as well.

But how exactly do highway failures originate? What causes the potholes and cracks to appear down the street? Well, highways are under constant

Effects of highway failures

Preventing highway failure Whilst it is, of course, important to quickly respond to and repair any highway failures that arise, it is equally important to prevent further damage from occurring long-term to our roads. Whilst causes of failure, such as extreme weather, can’t always be predicted, steps can be taken to limit the damage caused to the structure of the highways.

Technology and long-term monitoring Technology is a part of everyone’s life. No matter the occupation, sector or lifestyle, chances are that technology is involved in some manner. Highway maintenance and monitoring is no exception. By utilising smart monitoring, maintenance teams can efficiently keep on top of potential problems and existing projects, enabling quick responses before any major issues occur. Prevention is the best cure, so by identifying failures before they happen, financial resources can be saved, livelihoods can be

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improved, and lives can, potentially, be saved.

Updated codes of conduct

congestion can severely damage the surrounding environment and areas associated with high rates of highway failure often experience negative GDP. Smaller, rural areas are at a larger risk of this occurring, as roads plagued with potholes and cracks tend to be avoided, limiting the number of visitors and investment into the town or village. With only a few roads leading into rural areas, this can effectively isolate them, should these failures remain unchecked.

Whilst all these effects mainly cause annoyance and frustration for road users, the risk of fatalities occurring must always be considered. The causes of these fatalities can emerge from almost anything, with failures being as simple as a pothole bursting a car’s tire and causing an accident. This is not to mention the damage that can be caused on high, narrow, or steep roads, should they be improperly maintained.

Example of highway failure When faced with highway failure, Borehole Solutions is always quickly on hand. The team was called out to Yorkshire in response to a tension crack, resulting from rotational failures in the structure of the highway. Rotational failures occur when unsecure soil under the highway is unable to support the weight and pressure applied to the highway. This required immediate repairs, as the failure could become life threatening to road users if left unchecked.

To understand the failure, sonic drilling rigs were used to acquire soil data and install inclinometers for continual movement monitoring. This helps to monitor the road over time to identify any worsening to the highway’s structure long-term. These tools allow the team to quickly respond and deal with any issues that may arise in the future, preventing any major damage and risk to life from occurring again.

Continually updated and reviewed codes of conduct are a requirement to ensure consistency amongst highway structure and responses to highway failures. More often than not, highways in major cities are responded to quickly and repaired without issue, whereas more rural areas are left to fend for themselves. Be it because of a lack of resources of quality labour, substandard attempts are made to repair these roads. Half-filled potholes and painted over cracks fail to address the problem sufficiently, causing more damage to both the roads and its users. Wherever the highway may be, it should be maintained to a consistent standard, maximising road user experience and minimising any potential dangers that could occur.

John Rodgman is managing director of the geotechnical drilling company, Borehole Solutions, a leading provider of geotechnical drilling solutions across the United Kingdom, with over two decades’ worth of experience.

Whatever the site investigation needs - whether it be the smallest of city basements or a large stadium project - Borehole Solutions will provide the bespoke and tailored service that you require. Borehole Solutions is a proud member of various prestigious industry bodies – the British Drilling Association, CHAS, RISQS and Construction Line, to name but a few.

For more information please see: https://www.boreholesolutions.co.uk

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PAYMENTS

The payment problem Is more legislation helping or hampering the payment sector of the construction industry?

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n the construction industry, delayed payments have a widespread knock-on effect. Beyond impacting an individual business, its employees or customers, the consequences of legislation tend to be on show throughout the whole economy.

With changes and strengthening to the muchmaligned Prompt Payment Code having taken into effect in July 2021, are we finally seeing an end to poor payment practices, or is more regulation needed?

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Why are payment delays an issue?

The construction sector is one of the most prominent players in the global economy, employing millions and contributing even more financially. With high demands, swift turnarounds and tight schedules to meet, the industry can be a melting pot of tension, nerves and pressure. So, when late or missing payments get factored in, problems may not be far away.

Whilst many consider late or delayed payments as part and

parcel of the sector, they can prove incredibly problematic.

The most notable effect of late payments is that they have the potential to delay - or derail - an entire project. However, it can go beyond that too.

Relationships can get strained, reputations may deteriorate, and credibility can dwindle.

All of these are the best-case scenarios too. Too many late payments can force businesses to shut their doors for good - as shown in the prominent Carillion collapse of 2018.

doesn’t align with terms, is the code sufficient or is reworked legislation needed?

There is no doubting that initiatives - such as the PPC - are launched with the best intentions but at present, it appears to be far from the finished article. 2022’s changes mean that companies can only bid for government contracts over £5m if they pay 90 percent of their invoices within 60 days. In due course, the target will rise to 95 percent.

It’s fair to say there’s work to be done before it can be considered sufficient enough to stem the institutionalised trend of late payments.

The impact on SMEs

What steps have already been taken?

The Prompt Payment Code (PPC) launched in 2008 and has seen frequent updates to try and help the sector, with some implemented as recently as April 2022.

Introduced to stem the tide of slower payments and bring about a fresh attitude to the industry, the scheme is a voluntary initiative with around 3,000 signatories.

However, there is a general consensus that still not enough is being done. Think-pieces, articles and word of mouth from those in

the sector reveal that the code still leaves a lot to be desired, whilst the aforementioned collapse of Carillion took place a decade after PPC’s implementation.

Equally, a Google search shows companies such as Tesco, Unilever and Diageo have voiced concern over changes to the PPC - with the latter two seeing recent expulsion from the scheme.

As such, questions will remain.

Namely: how effective is the code when conglomerates can choose not to adhere to the terms? Or, if an organisation works in a way that

Since the inception of the PPC, changes have continued to come into effect in an attempt to curb tardiness and reshape the industry into a space where prompter payments are at the very core.

Logically, the reasons for doing so make sense. Laborious payment terms and late payments rank alongside some of the more prominent issues for businesses in the SME space, where consistent cash flow is crucial to stay operational. Such factors mean that legislation’s role cannot be overstated - even if it continues to have critics.

It may be considered difficult to measure how effective 2021’s changes - and indeed this year’s changes - will be, as external factors such as Covid have wreaked havoc on almost every industry imaginable.

Despite remaining operational when many other sectors ground to a halt, research has shown that two-thirds of contractors in the construction industry dealt with slower payments since the pandemic started.

On top of that, some organisations are still facing material shortages and soaring prices - factors that have already contributed to lengthy delays across the last year.

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XXXXX

What’s next?

Technology, not bureaucracy

SMEs can form the backbone of local communities, especially within the construction sector. Because of this, protecting them so they can remain operational should be of the utmost importance to all in the industry.

Whilst it may remain to be seen if more legislation will arrive - and if so, if it can eradicate late payments forever - or indeed if the PPC in its 2022 form is now fit for purpose.

One thing is for certain, however.

Transparency is quickly becoming a new method of forcing prompter payments. Those who don’t adhere

Above all else, firms can take a moral obligation to do more without waiting for legislation to pass or come to fruition. Actions include setting out clear payment terms before work commences, having processes for collecting late payments and increasing your reliance on technology.

Often, the root of the industry’s lax approach to payments is nothing more than an outdated way of working. Dealing with the financial aspect - and adhering to relevant legislation can be extraordinarily time-consuming.

A growing consensus is that technology - and not legislation - can hold the key to solving the payment problem.

to the PPC’s terms are named and shamed, whilst the threat of fines for larger businesses may prove to be a monetary deterrent from poor practices.

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Adopting new technologies can ensure deadlines are met, payment reminders are automatically issued, and transparency is afforded to all stakeholders. Equally, if new legislation launches, worries about adherence are removed - such systems are designed to keep you operational and compliant.

By stepping into the future, organisations could break the habits of a lifetime and reshape the industry on their own accord - without waiting for red tape to dictate their practices.

For a list of the sources used in this article, please contact the editor.

Payapps is an online solution that standardises and simplifies the end-to-end payment management of construction applications for payment, variations and document compliance.

Payapps connects contractors with their supply chains for reduced assessment and response times, ensuring compliance and providing payment process transparency.

Contractors like Bouygues UK, Stepnell, BW and TClarke use Payapps’ digitised approval workflows to meet payment notice deadlines and to streamline a typically labour-intensive process where information sits across spreadsheets and emails. The risk of supply chain disputes is reduced while visibility and reporting of cash flow, projected final account, payment and liabilities are improved.

For more information please see: https://uk.payapps.com

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NEWS

College extension project

Network expansion

Work on a two-storey extension at New College Durham’s Framwellgate Moor Campus is set to commence following Esh Construction being appointed as design and build contractor. The £8.9 million development will be constructed as an extension to the College’s modern state-of-the-art-facilities.

The appointment of Durham-based Esh Construction will provide a wealth of benefits for the area through the employment of a local workforce and procurement of a local supply chain. As Esh’s Pre-Construction Director, Chris Hale noted the business is passionate about delivering social value within its local communities.

“Throughout the scheme we have committed to employing local apprentices, offering work experience for T-Level placements, and arranging tailored site visits to allow construction students to use the live site as part of their studies,” he said.

Designed by Ryder Architecture, the building will include adaptable spaces and technologies making it more flexible for different educational delivery needs. A glazed central atrium will form the ‘heart of the building’, with work and breakout zones to encourage interaction and creativity. Specialist spaces for healthcare qualifications, and digital and science labs will also feature across the two floors.

amBX has welcomed a new Danish partner into its network - IoT Simplified. amBX’s smart lighting and building software, SmartCore, enables key stakeholders in the supply chain to add extra value to their proposition. IoT Simplified is a commissioning engineering company that integrates ventilation, lighting, access control, meeting booking and several other systems under one single solution.

The Danish installer was seeking a flexible, openarchitecture platform that

New building for Helsinki Sponda Ltd, one of Finland’s leading real estate asset management companies, is to build a new office building of approximately 16,000 square metres at Lauri Korpisen katu 9 in Tikkurila, Vantaa. Valmet, the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries will be the principal tenant, and over 700 people will work in the new building. Construction is set to begin in the latter part of 2022, with completion scheduled for late 2024.

The building’s design prioritises the flexibility of rooms, lighting in the open workspaces and energy efficiency. The office premises have been divided into separate zones that create natural meeting places and reduce the sound levels between the zones.

The property is aiming to achieve a class A energy performance rating (EPC) and a platinum-rated LEED environmental certificate. It will produce renewable energy for its own use, as well as prioritising indoor air quality. The development will also aim to comply with EU taxonomy requirements.

The office building, which will be developed mainly for Valmet’s use, still has 3,600 square metres of vacant office space available for rent, as well as approximately 2,400 square metres of leasable retail space.

would allow it to simply link multiple systems, aggregate data and converge it all into a single source. This requires a system that can communicate in multiple languages or protocols simultaneously. amBX designs and develops software solutions for smart buildings and smart lighting with the aim to improve the smart building industry with interoperable solutions. It is passionate about partnerships and collaborations, providing key users with the very best smart, sustainable solutions for both new and old buildings – driving positive change globally.

As a partner of amBX, IoT Simplified will be able to add additional value to its solutions, completing installations faster and saving them money. The solution also helps it overcome data visualisation and technical challenges through bespoke integration. The ability to offer customers a custom UI is an added bonus; having a userfriendly front-end enables data that is captured to be viewed in real-time, interacted with and made useful.

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Key role secured The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has appointed Mott MacDonald to provide the technical support in the evaluation of options for improving the Supertram system.

The newly established SYMCA is looking to transform the South Yorkshire region, achieving significant economic growth, new jobs and reducing income inequality, while moving the city region to net zero carbon emissions by 2040. The Supertram light rail system, launched in 1995, has and will continue to play a vital part in meeting these ambitions, with its renewal integral to the region’s transport strategy.

Mott MacDonald has been appointed to develop a renewal

strategy and accompanying business case that will deliver a mass transit network fit for the future for the benefit of local people and the economy.

The project will utilise Moata, Mott MacDonald’s digital solutions platform that is able to unlock social, economic and environmental value. It hosts solutions that use the power of data to solve pressing infrastructure problems. It is open, secure, scalable and adaptable, delivering predictive power in a geospatial context

through advanced analytics and machine learning. Mott MacDonald’s Buildings and Cities team will use multiple relevant digital offerings including Moata Inspect, Moata Land Management, Moata Carbon Portal and Moata Geospatial.

Locking in carbon

Innovative move Beard Construction has bought 180 acres of stunning woodland near Bristol in a ground-breaking move to offset its environmental impact with carbon sequestration.

Biological carbon sequestration takes place when carbon is stored in natural environments. The process sees carbon dioxide binding to plants during photosynthesis, where it is purified and converted to oxygen. Woodland is considered one of the best forms of sequestration as it stores twice as much carbon as it emits.

Early calculations suggest that the vast area – the size of more than 102 football pitches - could offset Beard’s entire annual carbon footprint.

Known as Wrington Warren, the woodland is a rolling expanse of trees, bowers and pastures which nestles under the Mendip hills. Beard is investigating the possibility of using it as a peaceful environment for staff and company activities, as well as a space for ‘wilding’ activities for schoolchildren as part of the company’s on-going commitment to corporate social responsibility and community engagement.

Shell Bitumen CarbonSink, a new bio-component binder that locks carbon within roads instead of releasing it back into the atmosphere, has been launched. The binder locks carbon into asphalt and bitumen, turning roads into technical ‘carbon sinks’. As the asphalt is recyclable, most of this carbon will not re-enter the atmosphere, even at the end of its life. High levels of asphalt recycling ensure that carbon is kept within a circular economy and stored within other applications.

“This solution is a great example of how innovation can help decarbonise construction and improve circularity at the same time,” said Raman Ojha, Vice President, Shell Construction and Road.

As well as removing and storing carbon, Shell Bitumen CarbonSink also helps construction companies to improve the sustainability of their operations by reducing the need for non-renewable resources in asphalt pavement construction.

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CASE STUDY

An oak legacy An award-winning new library at Magdalene College, Cambridge, features WoodEx® Florian European Oak thanks to a recommendation from James Latham Ltd

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inner of both the Gold Award and the Education and Public Sector category of the Wood Awards 2021, Magdalene College Library in Cambridge is a striking example of sympathetic design, beautiful materials and careful craftmanship.

Built alongside the Grade I listed Pepys Library, it is the first substantial addition to the main site in over 50 years. The library design is based upon an arrangement of simple brick volumes with timber windows and pitched roofs echoing the gabled architecture of the existing college.

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Inside, the building’s structure is clear to see. Glulam beams support cross-laminated timber floor slabs which are supported on load-bearing brick piers. The architect’s intention was for all the key features to appear as an interwoven set of elements.

Cambridge-based bespoke joinery firm Wedd Joinery was commissioned to manufacture all the furniture within the library including bookcases, desks and various other pieces. The specification was for solid timber much to the joinery company’s delight with Magdalene College wanting to build something for the future generation.

Wedd chose to work with WoodEx® Florian European

Oak on the advice of timber and materials supplier James Latham (Lathams). The team recommended the product due to its high-quality finish and strong performance.

Lathams’ extensive network and key supplier relationships provided a further advantage, as they were able to fulfil the specification and meet the demand for such a large order.

In his summation of the project, Jim Greaves, Chair of Buildings Judges, Wood Awards 2021 said: “The Gold Award winner this year, Magdalene College Library, is a tour de force of architectural design and achievement.

Experienced sequentially as they lead one through the building, the

different spaces and forms of the reading rooms are quite beautiful.

The brick, timber and stone have been designed exquisitely with a thorough understanding of their intrinsic qualities. A truly outstanding building.”

“We love working hand in hand with our customers, to help them to find the materials that are the right fit for their projects,” said Adrian Roker at Lathams. “It has been amazing to watch this project come to life, with one of our highest performing products being used to such an exceptional standard.”

Simon Lock, commercial director, Wedd Joinery said: “We have worked with Lathams for over 50 years. They will always

be one of the companies we go to at the early stage of a project involving solid timber. At the end, it came down to the important balance of service, quality and price.

“I genuinely believe that a solid oak project on this scale is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we are delighted to have been involved in it. The fact that we were part of the team that was recognised so highly for that work really is the icing on the cake.”

Exclusive to James Latham, WoodEx® is a versatile, premium quality, engineered hardwood timber product made from either European Oak, Sapele or Red Grandis. Combining high performance with aesthetic appeal, WoodEx® is often used for applications such as windows and doors because it provides a better thermal performance than solid wood and is highly stable and resistant to warping, hugely reducing the need for maintenance. And, while its appearance is akin to solid timber,

it has the advantage that the visual face and two sides are clear of defects making it ideal for joinery projects.

The timber was provided by Italian-headquartered hardwood sawmilling and wood product manufacturer Florian. The familyowned group has operations across Italy, France, Croatia and Hungary and supplies customers in 78 countries.

Florian’s sales to the UK are worth approximately 20m euros, and nearly half of that is sold through Lathams. For the Magdelene College Library project, Lathams supplied over £300,000 of WoodEx® Florian European Oak. James Latham is one of the UK’s largest independent distributors of timber, panels and decorative surfaces. It supplies products to a broad range of customers, from contractors and merchants, through to designers and makers.

For more information please see: www.lathamtimber.co.uk

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NET ZERO

Getting greener Lee Hatwell has been looking at ways the construction industry is shifting towards a greener outlook and analysing areas in need of improvement. Here, he discusses how the industry can contribute to the UK hitting its ‘low carbon’ target in 2025 of all energy-related carbon dioxide emissions stem from the construction industry. How best, then, can the sector improve in this regard and help the Government reach its optimistic target?

Accept the reality check

I

t’s been over a year since the government announced its plans for all UK new build homes to be ‘zero carbon ready’ by 2025. Whilst this is an incredibly admirable and worthwhile goal to strive for, just how viable is it? New buildings would, after all, need to produce a staggering 80 percent fewer carbon emissions compared to their current levels and, historically, the construction sector has been one of the worst offenders when it comes to climate change contributions.

In fact, a recent UN report found that a whopping 38 percent

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To get anywhere close to achieving these targets, every area of the industry – from clients to contractors – need to accept the reality check. There will be no one part or party involved in construction who can make this shift alone; the whole sector must learn very quickly how to play better as a team. Collaborating with greater thought towards costs and a sustained effort that holds true to the greater cause.

There are the usual popular options and approaches at a granular level, as set out below.

These, and many related, issues were discussed at RICS 2021

‘World Built Environment Forum’.

These ideals have been discussed for decades now and emerging generations must make better sense of them to develop their own objectives as technology advances. They will need to fully exploit their ease of access to global support from like-minded peers, so that the evolution of a ‘global mindset’ addresses equalities/equity and establishes the essential level of momentum.

Source local materials When considering emissions – especially in terms of residential buildings – we tend, societally, to think of energy-based emissions.

Those produced from lighting and heating, for instance. Our minds rarely wander, however, to the emissions produced in sourcing the materials used in the construction of said homes.

An eco-friendly house, for instance – packed to the rafters

Minimising waste

Resilience of products/materials/components

with energy-saving technologies – doesn’t count for much if the materials it’s built from have had to be flown in from the other side of the world. Though an extreme example, perhaps, the point remains – in order for the construction industry to truly ‘go green’, it needs to source materials as locally as possible, to reduce emissions stemming from transport.

Use prefabricated materials, wherever possible Once all the rage, then fervently detested; people are now coming back around to prefabricated materials again, and with good reason. Whether an entirely prefabricated home or simply a traditional build making use of more prefabricated materials, prefab construction (in which the materials used are produced off-site to a highly-detailed specification) produces far less waste on builds which, in turn, means far less embodied carbon is being produced over the course of a build.

What’s embodied carbon?

The easiest way of looking at it is the amount of carbon dioxide emitted in the production of materials. Reducing embodied carbon within the construction industry has, in fact, been cited as one of the key priorities in the sector’s goal to operate in a more environmentally-friendly manner.

Accurately gauge your new build project’s environmental performance Even with the best intentions in the world, it can be difficult to accurately gauge just how well (or not-so-well) your projects are performing from an environmental perspective.

The number of variables and moving parts that need factoring in makes it a tricky task for even the most seasoned professionals.

Decline in operational carbon emissions

Decline in embodied carbon emissions

Adapting buildings to the effects of climate change

Minimising water consumption

Impact on biodiversity % of respondents 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70 Source: RICS

Figure 7 Important sustainability factors in construction projects globally

That’s where BREEAM can come in. The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method is an internationally recognised framework, enabling thirdparty certification of a project’s sustainability performance. Having been first established over three decades ago, BREEAM is now the benchmark for a building’s environmental performance.

Another benefit from going down the BREEAM route is that you’re not just getting performance indicators in terms of emissions, but for a whole raft of sustainability metrics.

Sustainability in every sense of the word, including transport impacts, ecotoxicity, compliance issues and life cycle assessments.

Actively seek out more sustainable suppliers Sourcing your project’s materials locally is just one part of the problem when it comes to sustainable procurement. The other aspect is how the materials, themselves, are produced. You might have found a nearby cement plant that offers fantastic value for money, but if its production methods are particularly energy or emissionsintensive, then it counts for very little.

Once a project is underway, it becomes more difficult to keep tabs on all the suppliers, in terms of which emissions are stemming

from where. Much easier is to make sustainability a priority from the offset; selecting suppliers based on their sustainability/ environmental policies. The best way to determine whether a product/material has been sourced sustainably is to check the list of suppliers certified through BES 6001 – BREEAM’s Framework Standard for Responsible Sourcing.

There’s been a massively increased emphasis in recent years on producing more sustainable building materials.

Amongst the most sustainable building materials are recycled plastic cladding, bamboo (widely cited by environmental construction specialists as being one of the most sustainable and effective building materials), socalled ‘green’ cement and wood fibre insulation.

Lee Hatwell is a Chartered Surveyor and director at Munday + Cramer, a multidisciplinary practice that works across a range of sectors, advising private and public sector clients on maintenance and improvement of their estates. It has over 30 years of experience in delivering a range of professional services within the built environment and excels in a range of services, from conceptual architectural design, procurement and project management through to day-to-day facilities and property management and beyond.

For more information please see: http://mcessex.co.uk

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BIM

Unlocking the golden thread Paul Thompson discusses BIM software and how it is the key to the golden thread between door design, construction, and compliance

A

wareness and usage of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has accelerated dramatically in recent years. Research shows that the adoption of BIM has risen from 13 percent in 2011 to 71 percent in 20211, with another quarter planning to implement it within the next five years.

BIM is revolutionising the way we build, providing the tools needed for more efficient planning, design and building processes. As adoption has increased, the technology has also developed to support the evolving needs of the industry, with platforms now more sophisticated than ever before.

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The evolution of BIM technology has coincided with the tightening of building regulations, with emphasis placed on the ‘golden thread’ approach outlined by Dame Judith Hackett in her report, ‘Building a safer future’.

She recommends the introduction of a ‘golden thread’ as a tool to manage buildings as holistic systems, and allow people to use information to safely and effectively design, construct and operate their buildings.

Essentially, the ‘golden thread’ is both the information that allows you to understand a building, and the steps needed to keep both the building and people safe, now and in the future.

The third and latest update to the ‘Building a safer future’ report evaluated the progress made

by the built environment industry towards achieving positive changes in culture. It concluded that meaningful, lasting change requires visible leadership and collaboration, with transparency and responsibility central to all decision-making.

BIM has the ability to create greater transparency and produce this ‘golden thread’ of information, allowing building elements such as doorsets to be managed through a single platform - from specification to installation and ongoing inspection.

BIM applications also help to lock in positive behaviours from the very start of a project and support an increase in trust and confidence that safety is paramount throughout a building’s specification, construction and maintenance.

aesthetics plus presented as 3D views that can be fully reintegrated into the overall project design.

With linked internal systems, ASSA ABLOY use this final schedule of information to manufacture the complete doorset solution including the leaf, frame and all specified hardware.

This is a unique collaborative tool for all project stakeholders, helping to minimise costs and streamline the data sharing process throughout the entire project lifecycle – from the initial design, right through to construction, delivery, asset management and beyond.

Safety and culture change are everyone’s responsibility, and in order to combat the fragmented landscape we have at the moment, we need to implement more collaborative ways of working, and BIM could certainly be the key.

A holistic solution

BIM integration with design software With this in mind, ASSA ABLOY’s Openings Studio™ BIM application integrates with design software to create and visualise openings for complete door, frame and hardware schedules and specifications.

This enables seamless extraction of door design intent and all relevant interfaces to assist fabricators to seamlessly develop complete door requirements that meet building regulations.

Product information, performance data and budget information are captured within the BIM design environment, and through real time, collaborative working, these designs can be validated for compliance, functional performance, and

An extension to Openings Studio™ has recently been developed, which offers a mobile app that directly accesses this data for use during the door installation process, ensuring full validity of the finished product prior to project completion.

Finally, the app offers an easy to use ‘check box’ system to carry out and capture detailed inspections based on the specific details of each door included in the schedule.

This report validates if a door has remained compliant, or identifies what elements need to be corrected or replaced to return the product to the standard required, providing full traceability and ownership of all changes at all stages.

This means the doorset is managed as a holistic compliant solution - meeting the expectations outlined by Dame Judith Hackett. Most importantly, it connects all components of the doorset through a single platform, and eliminates the risk that doors are pieced together as an assembly of parts from various sources or maintained and repaired as a collection of individual parts.

NBS Digital Construction Report 2021 - www.thenbs.com/digitalconstruction-report-2021 1

Paul Thompson is BIM Manager for ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions. The Project Specification Group, a unit of ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, supports architects, property developers and designled contractors at every stage of a building project. Working across all major vertical sectors, it has a tailored range of solutions, combined with design capability and market knowledge to support clients from conception to completion.

For more information please see: www.assaabloyopeningsolutions. co.uk/specification.

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LOGISTICS CONSTRUCTION

Delivering the goods As pressure mounts to make construction projects more environmentally sustainable, the use of consolidation centres is an effective way to lower carbon emissions, reduce excessive traffic flow in urban areas and ensure just in time delivery. Meg Reed explains the role of consolidation centres in helping to achieve organisations’ sustainability goals and create a high value logistics experience 22

impact on the environment. This means looking at smarter ways of working, pushing the boundaries of productivity and driving greater efficiencies through process.

According to the European Commission, construction materials account for 30-40 per cent of goods moved around modern cities. This leads to massively increased levels of traffic and congestion, which has a negative impact on air quality, boosts noise levels, increases wear and tear on road surfaces, and compromises the safety of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

Meanwhile, vehicles often travel half empty to site and empty from site, leading to carbon emissions out of proportion to goods handled.

In addition, localised problems can occur where inappropriately large vehicles are used, or inconsiderate loading blocks roads or pavements, which is why there is a realisation of the need to streamline logistics related activity through the use of specialist consolidation centres.

It should come as little surprise that a growing number of local authorities are stipulating their use as a prerequisite when giving projects approval.

Defining moment

T

he need to reduce carbon emissions within construction has come into sharp focus in recent years and action taken by the sector will make a real difference to whether or not the UK is able to bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. The scale of the task is immense as, according to the UK Green Building Council, around ten per cent of the nation’s

carbon emissions are directly associated with construction.

Deep impact Sustainability is now a key objective for many construction companies and infrastructure developers. They are both actively seeking innovative ways to ensure that it is not just the end product that is sustainable but that the building process itself is carried out in a way that has minimal

A consolidation centre is a strategically located distribution facility through which material deliveries from various parts of the supply chain are channelled to construction sites using as few journeys as possible. They are a proven solution to the freight and delivery challenges of new developments within busy cities, and help companies meet their sustainability based commitments.

After receiving deliveries from different suppliers on behalf of a client to a dedicated consolidation facility, the operator makes up consolidated loads

23

LOGISTICS CONSTRUCTION

and delivers them on a just-intime basis using environmentally friendly modes of transport such as electric vehicles or, where possible, rail or waterways.

The environmental benefits of reducing construction traffic are obvious and the utilisation of reverse logistics ensures that once the consolidated delivery has been made to a site, the return journey can be used for waste removal, as well as the return of excess material and packaging for reuse and recycling; facilitating a closed loop approach and helping to move towards a circular economy.

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Bringing it all together The consolidation process provides a seamless logistics experience that ensures the right items get delivered to the right place at the right time. As well as environmental advantages, users of consolidation centres are able to reduce delivery costs and enjoy greater buying power through collective or collaborative procurement.

Through the use of its own state-of-the-art consolidation centres, Wilson James estimates that it is able to provide a reduction of CO2 emissions by up to 75 percent, while decreasing

supplier journey times by an average of two hours. Delivery performance is also highly accurate, with 97 percent of goods delivered right first time, with a waste reduction of 40 percent. This also has a knockon effect throughout the entire construction process, with onsite logistics teams increasing productivity by up to 47 percent.

Knowledge is power It is widely accepted that achieving economic prosperity requires a flexible, reliable and robust supply chain. This can be enhanced through the use of

thus avoiding delays to complex build programmes. In addition, some leading consolidation centre operators offer facilities for off-site prefabrication, enabling elements of building infrastructure such as electrical and heating and ventilation to be assembled and commissioned prior to delivery.

Although primarily used during the construction phase, consolidation centres are also increasingly being utilised postcompletion to co-ordinate logistics during the on-going operation of a building. For example, in a city centre multitenant building comprising retail and office space, deliveries such as stationery and reprographics orders, stock and equipment are sent to a consolidation centre to be collated and delivered at once, offering a fully integrated and efficient delivery system that helps to achieve a development’s sustainability objectives.

Role-play

environmental data and reporting that, in turn, can be used to further improve sustainability efforts and lower Scope 3 emissions.

Combining a consolidation centre with data captured on a cloud-based software platform enables more effective planning, control and coordination of a supply chain, with all deliveries linked and cross-referenced to ensure the process runs smoothly by allocating delivery slots. This not only provides materials as part of a just in time service, but means that vehicles can be tracked on their way to site, providing an extra layer of insight. It can also

be used to track onsite material movements to make sure they get to the right locations as efficiently as possible, report where waste originates from, and identify ways to eliminate it.

Single point of contact As the construction sector remains under pressure, with no quick fix solution to current global supply chain issues, consolidation centres are now being co-located with mediumterm storage facilities. This enables orders for materials to be made well in advance, collated and delivered to site all at once,

As the construction industry takes greater steps to reduce the carbon emissions and waste it generates, consolidation centres offer a sustainable way to ensure that materials get to where they need to be. Through sustainable logistics, users also benefit from greater delivery certainty, reduced complexity, lower journey miles and, ultimately, reduced costs, increased efficiency, and a route to a greener future.

Meg Reed is Client Development Manager at Construction at Wilson James. For over 30 years, Wilson James has been a leading provider across three core service lines: Security, Construction Logistics and Aviation.

As one of the UK’s leading construction logistics providers, it provides flexible solutions and support services that enable its clients to concentrate on their core project objectives.

For more information please see: https://wilsonjames.co.uk/ construction-logistics

25

PROFILE: RED7MARINE

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A capable partner For over a decade, Red7Marine has assembled a worldleading fleet of jack-up barges, and is now ideally positioned to deliver major construction projects across the UK

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PROFILE: RED7MARINE

N

ick Offord founded Red7Marine in 2008, following the decision to merge his pre-existing marine construction company with a partner diving business, owned and run by one of his good friends.

Nick had purchased his first jack-up two years prior, in 2006, but the new company quickly set about expanding its fleet, adding three modular Haven Sea Jacks from UKbased energy company Carillion in 2009. A fourth Sea Jack arrived a year later, followed by the addition of four Haven Searisers between 2011–2014, before a Haven Seaseven in 2015. Needless to say, business at Red7Marine was thriving.

Today, the company has established itself as the UK market leader in marine access solutions, and operates its 12-strong fleet of jack-up, stabilised, and flat-top barges around Europe, along with modular floats and equipment.

Red7Marine is the largest jack-up supplier to the UK construction industry, offering a blend of

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project work and contract barge hire. Despite the unsettling impact of Brexit, the company regularly delivers multi-million-pound projects across the UK, work that it continued throughout the pandemic.

The most recent addition to Red7Marine’s jack-up fleet came in 2021, with the company’s purchase of the Haven SeaChallenger, a 1000-tonne monohull jack-up.

Built by Japanese manufacturer Nippon, and formerly known as the Fugro 1200, it’s more than double the size of Red7Marine’s previous largest jack-up. Ahead of its purchase, Red7Marine had worked alongside the Haven Sea Challenger during the construction of a jetty at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station back in 2017.

“The Haven SeaChallenger incorporates a number of exciting features,” explains Nick, now Founder and CEO of Red7Marine.

“With a conventional jacking system, the legs have to be

lowered onto the bed, which requires you to hold the barge on station. This new barge utilises a DeLong jacking system, which allows you to free-fall the legs, even while moving slowly. Added to that, it gives us a 1000-tonne capacity, on which you can place a 600-tonne crane, providing us with the capability to work on even greater projects in the UK, Europe, and around the world.”

One such project, is the £3.8m port construction at Portland Harbour, located on the Isle of Portland, in the English Channel – Red7Marine’s biggest job to-date.

“The SeaChallenger has a job to do at Ramsgate first, before we head down to Portland,” Nick says.

“We’re putting in a series of tubes there to build the new quay, so we plan to use the jack-up’s bull rail as a gating system. The barge itself can provide accommodation for 24 people, with all the watermaking and sewage systems necessary. The cabins will be installed, should we wish to take it to a wind farm or offshore

renewable energy project, as is our plan for January 2023.”

The Portland project is Red7Marine’s most significant contract, but it’s by no means the only job currently underway.

Working with Belgian contractor Jan De Nul Group, the company is installing a set of four cables at the port city of Ijmuiden, situated close to Amsterdam. The purpose of the cables is to deliver power to the Dutch mainland from the North Sea offshore wind farms Hollandse Kust Noord and West Alpha.

JD Lifting Ltd JD Lifting have worked closely alongside Red7 Marine for the last 14 years, providing them with lifting equipment sales, repairs and LOLER examinations to all types of lifting equipment, ensuring that the equipment being used is both safe and compliant.

Our team of skilled and knowledgeable engineers regularly travel across the UK carrying out inspection contracts, ensuring you, the owner/user, comply with the LOLER regulations, whilst maintaining safe and serviceable lifting gear.

We offer color coding, full registers, on-time reminders and uploading of certificates to a member’s section on our website, where you have access to search and print copies.

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PROFILE: RED7MARINE

“We’ve created a full cantilever platform down one side of the barge, enabling Jan De Nul to install the relevant cable tensioning equipment,” Nick indicates. “To achieve that, the cables are pulled to the barge from the cable lay ship, and then the barge sits

on station as a tensioner as the cable is pulled through to shore.”

Red7Marine is not new to these projects: the company is the largest jack-up supplier to the UK nearshore industry, but securing work in the competitive Dutch market is nonetheless a significant step.

In the UK, work is also underway at the harbour town of Ipswich, where Red7Marine has completed a number of small cabling and transfer projects for ABP, along with further refurbishment projects in nearby Lowestoft.

“Two of our Searisers will shortly be on their way to Uig, a port on Scotland’s Isle of Skye,” Nick adds.

“That’s a nine-month hire for the first barge, and a six-month hire for the second, to facilitate the new port construction.”

Despite the challenges of the last few years, business at Red7Marine is going strong, with an order book of around £8m.

For Nick, a key contributor to this is the company’s broad set of capabilities. “We do everything in-house,” he says. “We design, we perform fabrication at our yard in Ipswich, and we build whatever’s needed for our jobs, always to a very high standard.

We have our own operators and dedicated mobilisation teams.

In addition we have our own emergency response team, so should an accident or incident occur somewhere in the industry, people can contact us, and we’ll take charge of the situation.”

Providing the foundation for this breadth is a rigorous emphasis on training, and a culture that prioritises health and safety. “We train our own barge masters – a rarity among companies in the UK, and something of which we’re very proud. Where employees have issues, we’re also very supportive. All those who join the company receive a dedicated mentor, distinct from their line manager, with whom they can discuss anything they need.”

Such initiatives go a long way in the construction industry, which has a rate of employee suicide over three times the national average. “We recently partnered with a charity called Mates in Mind, through which we’ve provided six people within the business with training to identify

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mental health issues,” Nick reveals.

“If we can pick up any early signs, it will help us to get vital help and treatment to those who need it.

To reinforce that, we’ve developed two slogans: ‘Your 7 Mentor’, and ‘Safer 7 Minds’, through which we’re hoping to lower those numbers.”

Beyond his role at Red7Marine, Nick also plays an important role as Chairman of the International Jack-Up Barge Operators Association (IJUBOA). Formed in 2008, the association emerged out of the lack of regulatory body for the operation of jackup barges. The IJUBOA has since introduced a number of certificated training courses, which are now seen as the international standard in the training of operators and managers for work on jack-ups and barges.

The association was unfortunate to lose its founding Chairman, John Howard, in September 2020. As a founding member of the IJUBOA, Nick assumed the role later that year. “Since appointment, my strategy has been to widen our membership base,” he tells us. “We’ve expanded our membership categories, and introduced a tiering system to indicate which members are working to which standards.

“In order to provide a proper road map for training, we’ve also introduced an online app capable of taking new trainees through all the steps you need to get on a barge and start learning: working at heights, first aid, and more,” he continues.

“That’s evolved into a threeyear programme, which we’ve registered with the Institute of Apprentices. The Nautical Institute has also become involved, offering training courses ahead of an exam, through which trainees can qualify as a Barge Master.”

For Red7Marine, the focus moving forward is to continue exploring new opportunities. “I see our capability as a contracting business continuing to grow,” Nick concludes. “There’s the potential for more work in Europe, along the French coast and into the Mediterranean. We’ll also certainly be doing more work in the renewable energy sector, building on our great track record of working on Sizewell, Bradwell,

Oldbury, Hinkley and other nuclear power stations. Our key is our management team. We’ll keep that strong, not over chase, not over pitch, and slowly we’ll build into a bigger and stronger organisation.”

Red7Marine https://red7marine.co.uk Services: Jack-up barge rental and construction

50 years spent supporting the UK’s marine industry A family business built upon a foundation of family values, we provide a range of towage and workboat services which add immense value to some of the world’s largest and most recognisable marine organisations.

0151 327 8018 tugs@carmet.co.uk carmettugs.co.uk

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Carmet Tug Company West Bank Canal Road, Wirral, CH62 0BB

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PROFILE: RIWAL

Doing business in four continents, offices in 16 countries, 2500 employees, 70 depots, and 20,000 machines worldwide – the numbers seem to speak for themselves, but Riwal is keen to prove these are just the beginning

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Rising above the rest

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PROFILE: RIWAL

T

he story of Riwal is built into its name. Originally established in 1968 as the Dutch division of a UK crane rental firm, Richards & Wallington, the company became private in 1986 – and, taking its name from the initial letters of its progenitors, Riwal was born.

Instead of becoming a jack-ofall trades and a master-of-none, the burgeoning business chose to specialise in one particular niche: aerial work platforms. Over the next decade or so, Riwal expanded abroad, laying roots in Europe, Kazakhstan, India, and the Middle East.

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One of the most significant developments to follow was the formation of the Riwal Way in 2013. The Lean programme was created to help fulfil the company’s overarching ambition of providing the best customer experience in the industry through the application of numerous best practices.

By identifying and applying these key markers of standardised Lean performance, Riwal has set itself apart from the competition, refining its processes to become as efficient and effective as possible. Last year, the company created the Riwal Way 2.0,

cultivating its operations further to ensure and deliver consistency and best practice across its myriad partner countries.

“With the Riwal Way 2.0 we entered a new era,” explains Riwal CEO Pedro Torres. “After years of optimizing our internal processes, it was now time to focus more on our customers, providing them with easy and smart solutions.

“We are really revitalising the Riwal Way processes with an operational focus and with a strong commercial mindset, aiming to improve all processes where we interact with our customers,” he adds. “This is a

and telescopic boom lifts, crawler

huge step and addition to the Riwal Way as we knew it. We are putting more efforts on providing top notch service and making our customer’s live as easy as possible.

“To achieve this, we invest heavily in our people, our greatest asset. Everything we do should be customer-centric, this mindset is a crucial part of the Riwal Way 2.0.

The customer always comes first!”

Over the years Riwal has

lifts, and truck-mounted lifts), telehandlers, and forklifts. As part of our discussion, Pedro breaks down the company’s four core services.

“First, and most important, is our rental service,” he begins. “We have a fleet of more than 20,000 units and conduct ourselves internationally through another firm called Riwal International Rental. There, we attend to the needs of our European customers that operate in multiple countries; however, we also complete longterm rentals in countries wherein we don’t currently operate.

“Second, we have our sales division,” he continues. “We’re a special company because, unlike many others, we don’t operate under a pure rental model – we sell new and used products, too. Our maintenance and parts workshop comes third on the list, allowing us to conduct third-party maintenance through traditional means, but also host an online shop for spares called My Riwal Parts. We’re growing fast, and we’ve really ambitious plans for the e-commerce side

become the one-stop shop concerning powered access equipment. Among its market leading products are aerial platforms (for example, articulated

of the business. Finally, the fourth part is our training sector.

For this component, we’ve been recognised as the first globally certified operator of the

International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) outside of the UK.” But the core of this holistic approach to powered access equipment is, ultimately, the people that make up Riwal: its employees and its customers.

Surrounding that core, are numerous pillars upon which the Riwal Way is built.

“We have a logo underpinning our entire operation,” explains Pedro. “The centre is customercentric, including internal projects we’ve completed in the past.

The second pillar is to be a great place to work for our people, which is really our primary goal and also part of the seven United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to which we are contributing. We employ numerous strategies to improve the health and wellbeing of our people, including diverse countryby-country programmes and comprehensive training courses.

Currently, we’re investigating Riwal’s internal work environment through bi-yearly surveys, measuring how our people are feeling, whether they are motivated, and finding new ways to make Riwal an even greater place to work.”

The third pillar is innovation and the fourth is sustainability,

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PROFILE: RIWAL

explains Pedro, but we’ll come to those shortly. First, let’s turn to Covid-19 and how observe how Riwal dealt with a crisis that put people at the forefront.

“The Covid-19 pandemic was a very difficult time for us, and 2020 was particularly tough,” admits Pedro. “We operate in places like France, Spain, and the UK, where

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people were severely affected by the pandemic. Moreover, our operations in Qatar and Kazakhstan were really affected.

Across the Middle East, we had two crises to deal with: Covid-19 and the issues surrounding oil, causing many difficulties and delays for our team in terms of construction.

“But we’ve also learned valuable lessons from the pandemic,” he adds.

“We learned to move faster, react quicker, and be even more creative and flexible. Technology has been advancing quickly since the crisis: you must adapt, or you will fall behind.

Thankfully, the Riwal Way encourages adaptation, flexibility, and consistency through best practice.”

More recently, as the company moves into a new phase of its post-pandemic operations, Riwal has keenly grasped new and exciting opportunities all over the world. “We were fortunate to be part of the World’s Greatest Show Expo in Dubai earlier this year,” says Pedro. “Manlift, our partner brand in the UAE, Qatar, and India, was awarded an exclusive partnership with the Dubai Expo following a very strict evaluation.

In the end, I believe it was the Riwal Way – our values, expertise, and Lean programmes – that won us the partnership.

“After more than a year of planning, set up, rehearsals, and construction, we provided the service required with around 120 machines, allowing people to safely work at height across a number of the Expo’s pavilions,” he continues. “Another example of our recent endeavours is data centres. More and more, we’re providing our services to European customers to help build infrastructure of this kind.”

Riwal hasn’t limited itself to the type of projects it will undertake. Lately, for instance, it has established contracts with

airlines and airports like KLM and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, organising the delivery of more than 100 machines for the latter over the last ten years.

However, let’s now turn to the first of Riwal’s final two pillars – innovation and sustainability – by thinking about why enormous events like the 2022 Dubai Expo and international companies like KLM keep choosing Riwal as a partner for powered access equipment solutions.

“We’ve always been innovators,” explains Pedro. “After the Riwal Way, our new ERP & CRM system

BRAVI PLATFORMS Available in a dual indoor/outdoor version, weighing only 560 kg, BRAVI PLATFORMS’ Leonardo HD lift is conceived to be the perfect fit to a wide and diversified range of applications in the low-level segment. Thanks to the perfect combo between ultra-compact footprint, 87mm ground clearance, spacious platform with dual extendable decks and superior robustness, Leonardo HD is extremely high performance, especially in all those projects where spaces are often too congested to allow the use of scissors, but, at the same time, too dispersive to rely on non-powered solutions. A high degree of customizability combined with a careful selection of top-quality components, make the Leonardo HD an unparalleled solution in the low-level access scenario.

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PROFILE: RIWAL

is the most important event of recent years. More specifically, through our global enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, we’re developing expert solutions for customers to deliver a comprehensive series of key performance indicators (KPIs) for fuel consumption, machine usage, CO2 emissions, and other operational information through a depot-by-depot

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tracking system. This will all be integrated with platforms like the My Riwal App & customer platform, improving the overall accessibility of these important KPIs and delivering easy solutions for all our customers.

The whole digitisation process is really powerful, and I don’t know if there is any other rental company, at least in Europe, working this way.”

The final pillar of the Riwal Way – sustainability – ties most into the company’s future. In fact, Riwal has already aligned its activities with numerous SDGs, setting additional global targets to provide even more positive contributions to the environments of its 16 active countries. For these efforts, the company has been recognized by the International Awards for Powered Access

(IAPA), winning its 2022 Award for Sustainability.

“We won that award as part of our wider contribution to the UN’s 2030 agenda,” asserts Pedro. “That means creating products, services, and initiatives that align with seven core SDGs. It’s certainly working; we’re returning to pre-pandemic commercial levels, passing a value of 300 million euros, which is ten percent up from last year.

“As we look towards the future, then, Riwal intends to track and report its sustainability data, making sure that it’s still conforming to key SDGs,” he concludes. “Our rental model is certainly part of this – renting out equipment will always be less carbon intensive than just selling new machines. As it stands, 65 percent of our Riwal fleet is electric; however, by 2025, we want that

figure to reach 75 percent in Europe.

Looking further ahead, we want to keep growing in the countries we’re in, but we also want to continue expanding, always having an eye out for new companies to acquire and new places to explore.”

Riwal www.riwal.com Services: Powered access equipment 41

PROFILE: SALBOY

Committed to growth

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As a nationwide property funder and developer for the UK, Salboy has a proven track record of delivering leading developments and first-class service without compromise

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PROFILE: SALBOY

S

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alboy is a property company known for constructing quality projects that leave a positive impact on residents, investors, and the surrounding community. To date, the business has delivered over 2500 homes in the UK, and it continues to build residential accommodation of an exemplary standard.

“We started primarily as a development funder, however we’ve organically become developers in our own right, which led to the creation of a dedicated construction partner: Domis Construction,” says Simon

it delivers schemes within budget and on time. “We started developing high amenity residential developments in Greater Manchester, and we continue to do so, particularly in the city centre, where we have delivered about six developments together over the past five years, now set to expand in London, Cornwall and into commercial development. Right now, we have £750 million worth of property under construction and just over £1 billion in the development pipeline,” adds Simon.

Simon goes on to explain that Salboy’s speciality is in bespoke projects, as the company

great example. The project is different because it is a gated development of 35 luxury new build apartments, with a commercial ground floor and parking spaces, which is pretty much unheard of in that location, and we took the project on because we believed we could bring a different perspective to its execution, and our expertise in these sorts of projects would be able to complete the job effectively,” he divulges.

“We have several other schemes underway. One that we are currently on site for is The Garrick, in St Ives. This project consists of 20 over-

Ismail, MD. Since its formation, Domis Construction has enabled the group to gain greater control within the company to ensure

attempts to fulfil contracts that are considered to be unique designs within the construction industry. “One Cluny Mews, in Chelsea, Kensington, is a

55s apartments in an elevated position, with stunning views and a few amenities as well. We are looking to deliver the first units in the first quarter of next year.”

brought up around that area and it has become hugely successful in terms of opening greater opportunities for us. We are extremely proud of what we have achieved there, and we are just now moving into phase three,” he shares.

scheme consisting of a 40-storey tower. This major scheme has required us to punch through Grade II listed viaducts and build over the service yard of the city’s most active conference centre Manchester Central Conference Complex, which is required

Another project that illustrates Salboy’s expertise involves a mixed-use development known as Viadux. “Viadux is an ambitious

to remain fully operational throughout the entirety of the build. Adding to the complexity of the build, our 250,000 square foot

“Then, we are also in contract to purchase another housing site in St Ives, where we are hoping to create 170 homes, subject to planning. Then there’s our 1st major housing site in Tuckingmill, Cornwall. This is on an incredibly old industrial brownfield site making it an extremely difficult engineering and construction project, but it has plans for 290 units. As I mentioned, we love taking on these very challenging schemes,” he shares.

Simon also gave some details on a project that is particularly significant to the team. “We are in the middle of a 500home development site being developed just outside Salford city centre, in a place called Castle Irwell, and it is a location that is extremely close to our hearts. The whole team knows it, we were all

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PROFILE: SALBOY

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office building will span an active metro-line in the centre of one of Manchester’s busiest transit hubs.

It’s an engineering master class, and without a doubt the most

and make sure there is absolutely no weight whatsoever on top of those arches, so that the columns can go through them. I believe our expertise and experience will be

difficult scheme in Manchester city centre at the moment, and while lots of other developers looked at it, nobody else has been able to deliver the project.

“We took on that project because it excited us,” he continues. “We have done about 18 months so far, working under the arches, and putting in thousands of tonnes of concrete to be able to support the towers that go above it. We then had to punch through the listed arches

incredibly beneficial to ensuring that this project is a success.”

Across all areas of its development works, Salboy always aims to build high quality houses for long term residents, which is why across its operations, the team is uncompromising on both service and the finished product. Furthermore, the group has worked to diversify its development pipeline. Simon notes that when Salboy first began, it considered retaining

the properties to become an institutional landlord but committed to selling the properties on the open market.

“We put so much time and effort into creating these great places to live in,” he confirms.

“We decided to commit to creating a community that was a blend of long-term renters, and homeowners. While a lot of initial project sales were primarily to investors, now that we have a portfolio of completed developments and a strong track record, the vast majority of our sales in the last two years have come from owner occupiers.

Today, all six of our completed projects in the North-west are operating at almost 100 percent occupancy and are fully sold out.”

Having discussed projects and the new approach at Salboy, we then direct our conversation towards the future. For Simon, the company’s five-year plan is to continue pushing the boundaries in terms of its developments, prioritising projects that are exciting and innovative, as the company helps to relieve the UK’s current housing crisis. “We are going to make sure that we do something for local communities in all the areas in which we work, because it is extremely important

to our core values and what we believe in as a construction business.

“In addition to that, we would like to continue strengthening the business’ lending aspect for the efficiency and ease of our customers. Tying in with that, we have some fantastic products that are doing well.

One that comes to mind is the Salboy Build Partner, which has been operating for just over three years. It’s a 100-percent lending product, in which we partner up with the developer contractors across local areas, and we offer them all the support they need. Once they progress and have more of a track record with us, we then move into a partnership with them. We then give them a £50 million facility within a certain radius of their

local area for a five-year term. At the moment, we have six clients within this product now, and we are keen to give another four, to give us ten country-wide.”

Beyond those plans, Simon is determined to see the company expand its international footprint.

To achieve this, he plans to open up a few more offices and increase the size of his team. “We are vehemently focused on our growth strategy,” he concludes.

“We are literally at the coalface of dealing with the challenges in different areas, including rising costs in the construction industry, and we feel we can add a lot of value to our partners whether they be from lending or construction. We just want to continue to do that and make sure we excel in all areas of the business.”

Simon Ismail

Salboy https://salboy.co.uk Services: Construction developer

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PROFILE: SINTEC HOLDING

Conveying brilliance

As it looks to expand into the Middle East and North Africa, SINTEC Holding sits down to share the strategy behind its impressive evolution

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E

stablished in 2006, SINTEC Holding (SINTEC) provides an expanse of services, which range in scope from electrical and mechanical engineering to the design and installation of quality assured conveyor and automation products. In 2008, a subsidiary opened in the US thanks to strong market performance in the region. But that was just the start of SINTEC’s growth – next came medium-to-large sized projects including in Brazil and Australia, and in 2015 it opened its European division with an office in Riga, Latvia.

Operating out of those three key bases in the UK, Europe, and the US, has afforded SINTEC a perfect opportunity to expand internally, improving mechanical services on offer and adding to its growing workforce, and provided it with a strong competitive advantage within

the electrical and mechanical installation market. With over 200 global projects under its belt, SINTEC employs 250 highly skilled workers in numerous countries, all of whom share the company’s focus on the efficient procurement and expert installation of multiple system types – including power supply, communication, security, and automation – in industrial and commercial facilities.

However, the success that seemingly follows the company wherever it goes does not do so by chance. As Dimitri Roman, Group CEO informs us, it is merely a byproduct of hard work.

“We’ve not invented nor found a formula for success in intelligence or any sort of natural ability,” he begins. “We have simply committed ourselves to the right disciplines over an extended period of time. In the construction industry, suppliers are only as good as their last project.

“Although customer satisfaction does not necessarily guarantee customer loyalty and future work, long-term client relationships remain paramount,” he continues. “That means never overpromising, always being flexible, and frequently reviewing and responding to feedback.

Customer service, in its traditional sense, no longer produces the best result. We want to go further: we accept difficult projects because the customer needs help, and we go to distant locations because the customer relies on us.

At the end of the day, SINTEC’s sole purpose is to solve issues that the customers cannot solve on their own.”

The new approach SINTEC champions is certainly paying dividends. Most of SINTEC’s clients are instantly recognisable and highly reputable European and American manufacturers that utilise vast material handling systems, including conveyors and

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PROFILE: SINTEC HOLDING

related components, as part of their industrial processes.

For example, SINTEC has worked for e-commerce giants like Amazon, retail icons like Marks & Spencer, global delivery leaders like Evri (formally Hermes), and automotive titans like Aston Martin, McLaren, and Mercedes-Benz.

“All projects are different.

However, one thing that they all share is the intrinsic challenge involved. From cross-border conundrums to delayed deliveries, SINTEC will always finish projects on-time to the level of quality we have come to be known for. In 2011, we were awarded installation rights to McLaren’s paint shop facility in Woking, UK. High attention to detail coupled with very specific demands made that project a truly fantastic experience for the company.

Overcoming challenges always gives us joy!”

One of SINTEC’s more recent projects was in partnership with the TGW Logistics Group, its primary account, for the Dutch online supermarket, Picnic. The project presented its own unique challenges. Once more, SINTEC conquered them. “The project challenges were due to the facility being spread over four mezzanine levels of low-height clearance, each with interconnecting conveyor loops built between them,” Dimitri notes. “This meant we had very limited space for resource allocation and, therefore, it was nearly impossible to accelerate the timetable. Despite these myriad of challenges, TGW was thoroughly impressed with the end result and has since indicated its interest in working together on a similar project.”

In any industry, adaptation is fundamental. You have to roll with the times, keep up-to-date with trends, and constantly seek improvement from within.

“That’s a crucial element of our company’s culture,” Dimitri adds.

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“At SINTEC, we understand that the companies which are around the longest are the ones who build the strongest communities.

That’s why we’ve made it our mission to possess a strong sense of identity, commit to constant learning, and maintain an acute sensitivity to the world around us. This all stems from adaptation: people are capable of continuity and renewal; they are not rendered empty or spent after they are used. They grow and adapt. So do companies.

With this in mind, SINTEC tries to make work purposeful rather than just a job.”

Adaptation and commercial resilience have never been so important. When Covid-19 came bulldozing in, the construction and civil engineering industries were forced to adapt. Those who didn’t, collapsed.

“SINTEC has certainly been affected by the pandemic. In the simplest terms, we faced project delays and had to pause others.

After a few months, however, most projects resumed. It wasn’t easy to move teams across borders. Quarantine and testing added more costs. But luckily, thanks to our customers and project management team, we were able to adapt and overcome challenges, quickly resuming our operations to fulfil all of our contractual responsibilities.”

As mentioned previously, in 2015, SINTEC expanded the

There’s no doubt that SINTEC has a healthy year ahead. Growth is definitely on the agenda. “We’re always expanding our service portfolio,” he continues. “By moving the business into new geographical areas, we are supporting our ‘Follow Your Client’ approach, finding areas of interest and acquiring brands within them. Currently, we’re working to establish SINTEC MENA, which will be based in Dubai and serve Middle East and North Africa markets.”

It’s really motivating to hear the great strides SINTEC is making to train and retain its valued employee base, as well as its imminent expansion into new regions. As it weighs up the merits and timing of a potential initial public offering, the belief is that the company will take even greater strides in its ongoing upwards trajectory.

SINTEC Holding https://sintec.uk.com/ Services: Mechanical and electrical contracting

outreach of its services with a new office in Riga, Latvia. As part of the company’s ‘Train and Retain’ initiative, it’s currently adding training facilities to the office. “The company strongly believes that this investment will enhance our training program and facilitate our retention of key technical personnel,” he emphasizes. “It also highlights SINTEC’s short- and mediumterm goal of continuous learning coupled with the identification of new development opportunities.”

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PROFILE: THAKEHAM GROUP

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Leaving a green legacy For Thakeham Group, houses aren’t so much dwellings as they are individual pieces of a wider unsolved puzzle – but this UK-based house builder might just have found the solution

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PROFILE: THAKEHAM GROUP

T

hakeham is three things,” begins Rob Boughton, CEO at Thakeham Group.

“We’re a strategic land promoter, we’re a house builder, and we’re a partnership contract builder.” By the end of our conversation, however, it becomes evident that Thakeham Group (Thakeham) is so much more.

In terms of strategic land promotion, Thakeham currently has 52 sites – consisting of more than 60,000 plots and 6000 acres of land – under its control throughout the south of England,

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across the Thames Valley, and in Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Coupling the house and partnership building side of the business, Thakeham builds highquality private homes in soughtafter areas and affordable social housing, the latter being built exclusively for councils, housing associations, and institutionalised investors.

Thakeham’s contemporary partner brand, Alphium, also creates twenty-first century homes for the modern individual.

In total, the group delivers more than 1000 housing units per year.

That’s certainly impressive –

and we’re not the only ones to think so. Recently, Thakeham was awarded five-star builder status from the Home Builders Federation, a trade association representing private sector home builders in England and Wales, for the third year running. “Again and again, we’re rated as a five-star builder,” says Rob. “We’ve only participated for three years, and for three years in a row we’ve been awarded full marks. That’s because Thakeham’s focus on quality has always been at the heart of what we do. To that end, we’ve always worked with a separate quality inspection

good as its people,” explains Rob. “Employees, partners, consultants, suppliers, subcontractors – everybody who is part of the wider Thakeham community makes us who we are as a company. So, for us, its hugely important that we treat people with respect, and that means creating an environment where people come to work, enjoy it, and also feel part of the decision-making process.

“When we first started, we made sure that every member of staff had private healthcare and

access to a medical every year,” he adds. “Now we also provide counselling services because, in this day and age, and particularly after Covid-19, it’s essential – but it’s not the norm. Neither are we: our staff are provided with free days out for the family, you will often see ice cream and pizza vans turning up at the office or to our sites during the summer, and subcontractors will be regularly treated to a good breakfast.

That’s our way of saying thank you. Very few of our competitors do anything like that. It’s hugely

department and carried out rigorous inspection tests to maintain impeccable standards.”

Alongside that, Best Companies has recently recognised Thakeham for its high employee satisfaction rate. This year, for instance, it retained its spot as the best construction and engineering company to work for in the UK. Furthermore, in the ‘Best Large Companies to Work for in the UK’ and ‘Best Companies to Work for in the Southeast’ categories, Thakeham placed eleventh and fourth respectively.

“Fundamentally, it’s our belief that Thakeham is only as

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PROFILE: THAKEHAM GROUP

important, and it’s fantastic to have Best Companies recognise us for such.”

Internal value is certainly being generated at Thakeham; however, the construction company is also delivering strong social value to the communities in which it operates. “We started this journey with a focus on what we deliver and how we deliver it,” says Rob. “A few years ago, we were part of the NHS’ Healthy New Towns programme, which forced us to really consider the immense impact we have on the places and people we build homes for. That made us realise that – first and foremost – we’re a community creator. We’re not just building homes, we’re creating communities where people can come together, raise their families, and enjoy each other’s company in a safe and secure place.

“We’re intent on doing our job the right way,” he adds. “To

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do so, we’re leaving a legacy for landowners and families, and establishing standards of quality in not only the homes we build, but the wider communities we create.

For instance, we have a partnership with the Plunkett Foundation, a UK-based charity which has been active for over a century.

They are the primary provider for communities that have, say, lost a pub or a shop. They will come in, enable the local community to raise funds, buy that lost facility back, and get it going again as a community-owned business. We work with the Plunkett Foundation to build facilities, kit them out, and then gift them to the community.

Members of the community will then run the facilities, making money for the local area. The entire process helps to create and then bind a community together.

That’s a very different approach to house building, but it’s one we’re immensely proud of.”

Communities are defined by their joint purpose and shared public spirit. Therefore, it’s worth mentioning, and Rob does, that Thakeham has only delivered policy compliant affordable housing schemes and they are tenure blind. In layman’s terms, that means the integration of local authority housing with private residential properties is seamless; the internals and externals are the same, and they are mixed up within a development. “By doing so, we’re preventing the creation of affordable housing parcels on the edge of a development,” explains Rob. “These parcels of homes are often built with cheaper front doors and windows, signalling to those living in them that they are somehow different. For these places, we aim to create a cohesive society at the micro level.”

Zooming out to the macro level, Thakeham is also keen to deliver positive changes to wider society, especially when it comes to the company’s impact upon the environment. “Over the last few years, we have become a leader in the industry’s sustainability arena,” observes Rob. “Back in January 2020, we pledged to the outside world that, by 2025, all the houses built by Thakeham will be Net Zero in terms of lifetime use, meaning that the end user – the homeowner or the person living in that home – will effectively have no energy bills relating to heating their home.”

Thakeham hasn’t stopped there.

It has also taken on the mammoth task of establishing a carbon neutral house building process by reducing the footprint of each property as much as possible, and then offsetting any remaining carbon positivity through tree planting and other initiatives. “We want to be a Net Zero business,” asserts Rob. “We’re achieving that, and we’re exceeding expectations.

For example, the government insists that building schemes should enrich their surrounding environments by an additional ten percent once completed;

however, we will not be delivering a scheme with under a 20 percent enrichment rate.

“In addition, we’re an industry leader in terms of zero carbon placemaking, which is the way we lay communities out while initially designing them,” he says.

“This will dictate, in essence, how people interact, how they utilise facilities, and how they move within and outside the area with regards to transport. We’re trying to drive away from a car-based society, and that means building walkways and cycle paths, as well as integrating green transport

Joyce Groundwork Joyce Groundwork are a market leader in residential construction, carrying out projects across the home counties. Our reputation is built on the skill and innovation of our groundworkers, who have had years of experience working with us. This in-depth knowledge and experience, coupled with a unique in-house resource of specialist staff, plant and equipment, means you can trust Joyce Groundwork to be forward-thinking and professional, constantly adapting to the latest construction industry requirements. Our record of achieving quality, budgetary and program targets and holding safety at paramount importance means that we form strong, trusting and enduring bonds with our clients.

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PROFILE: THAKEHAM GROUP

Professionalism. Excellence. Reliability.

For more than 30 years VDW Landscapes Limited has been delivering high quality soft landscaping services to property developers across Southern England. Our team of landscaping professionals excel in all aspects of delivering best in class soft landscaping for many of the country’s largest property developers. By managing projects with the skill and experience our clients have come to expect from VDW Landscapes, on time delivery is at the heart of our business. VDW Landscapes takes pride in the presentation of the development and never loses sight of the objective; to present developments people want to call home. VDW Landscapes understands we have two customers to satisfy; the developer and the home buyer, which is why open communication channels for the duration of each project is vital to VDW Landscapes.

Proud to work with Thakeham Homes

Spring Field Park , Bognor Road, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 1EJ

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e. info@vdwlandscapes.com t. 01243 531700 www.vdwlandscapesltd.com

links. Indeed, for the last couple of years, our standard product has been 33 percent more efficient than the building regulations which we will be soon required to adopt in June of this year.”

Quite evidently, Thakeham is ahead of the game. With the rise we are currently seeing in energy and gas prices, energy-efficient and affordable homes have never been so important. “As a member of the Future Homes Hub, a partnership forged between the Home Builders Federation and the British government, we’re really trying to drive the industry forward,” explains Rob. “But we’re also focused on enacting real, physical change. If communities haven’t got schools, then we build schools and gift them to the community. Everyone knows that there’s a need for new

housing in the southeast, but there’s also a need for facilities and infrastructure to support people living in those new homes.

Our flagship project, Pease Pottage, has been immense: it has delivered around 200 units per annum and has seen the creation of schools, village greens, shops, and cafés for the local community.”

As the company looks forward, it intends on growing and continuing to shape the world as part of its new ten-year plan.

“Our major focus is working towards our status as Net Zero before the beginning of 2025,” comments Rob. “As a result, we’re constantly exploring how we can improve; for instance, we’ve begun to install solar panels across commercial and residential properties, and we’re aiming to

start introducing battery parks for these developments to make them operate as efficiently as possible.

“To that end, we’re constantly striving to not sit back and do what everyone else does, but instead push boundaries, drive better solutions, and come up with innovative services,” he concludes. “In the future, then, we aim to realize our overwhelming ambition of becoming a disruptive innovator within the construction industry, constantly producing the best possible results for our people and for the planet as a whole.”

Thakeham Group https://thakeham.com Services: Strategic land promoter and home builder

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PROFILE: TSK GROUP

Workplaces of the future

Acutely observing post-pandemic changes in attitudes to work and the spaces in which its conducted, the TSK Group is proudly leading what it aptly identifies as a workplace (r)evolution

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n 2020, many offices were forced to close all around the world. Things changed. People had to readily adapt to new

ways of working. The anagram WFH (work from home) became ubiquitous.

Now, the global shift experienced as a result of the

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pandemic, including a rapid advancement and uptake of new technologies, has brought about new questions over what a workplace should be.

What should a workplace look like? How should it feel?

What amenities and facilities should it have? What should

it offer employees in terms of wellbeing and mental health?

What is its purpose? What impact should it have on the wider world, particularly in terms of sustainability?

With many organisations now viewing hybrid working as an exemplary – if not revolutionary

– model that offers numerous competitive advantages, it’s now even more important that companies engage with their employees through the physical conduit of the space in which they work. Indeed, new and innovative ways of working, developed during the Covid-19 crisis, now

demand new and innovative approaches to workspaces themselves. That’s where the TSK Group (TSK) comes in.

With nearly 90 employees and over 300 trusted subcontractors, the TSK team is quickly becoming the go-to design and build specialist for high-end conceptual

office space and workplace solutions. Mainly working with large private organisations on innovative, multi-functional, and flexible spaces, TSK has helped some of the world’s leading brands unlock their readily available but as yet untapped potential by understanding and analysing each stage of the workplace cycle.

The proof is in the numbers: the group expects turnover to exceed £50 million this year, which is a significant increase from figures of £20 million just five years ago.

Indeed, the Manchester-based innovator has secured a strong reputation across the UK for its full-service turnkey solutions.

Bolstered by a broad team of principal designers, architects, and interior kit-out contractors, TSK has the unique ability to translate grand designs into strategy-based, human-centred workplaces. The company operates extensively throughout the UK and Ireland, chiefly working in major metropolitan areas, and offers seamless and risk-free delivery for its extensive client list. Partners see the British workspace pioneer as a trusted advisor, guiding the design and build process to create new and interesting approaches to what is perceived to be as an historically limited and clinical setting: the office.

TSK wants to push the limit of what’s possible; to create healthier and more sustainable working environments, it must. To that end, the company’s in-house experts aptly balance human, economic, and environmental needs to ensure that solutions enhance wellbeing of office occupants, preserve the natural environment and its resources, and encourage engagement across a more proactive workforce.

Though TSK starts with an open dialogue to closer understand customer needs, the whole process begins in earnest during

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PROFILE: TSK GROUP

the design stage. Here, unique industry insights are paired with a discernible roadmap for success, leading to the design of a space in which people can be the best versions of themselves and do their greatest work.

From consultation to completion, TSK’s expert team of designers, builders, planners, and furniture specialists work with customers to refine every aspect of the project. But designs evolve and people’s needs change.

TSK knows this, applying a meticulous attention to detail and streamlining the entire process to enhance flexibility. That way, the company ensures an outstanding, innovative result that’s not only fit for purpose but also delivered on time.

Moving onto the building stage, TSK is proud to boast accreditation with the following associations: British Safety Council, Considerate Constructors

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Scheme, Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

Its comprehensive construction and delivery service incorporates project management, services management, and specialist procurement – all of which stems from its knowledgeable and professional in-house team.

Throughout this stage, TSK also offers a range of visualisation activities for clients, enabling them to see the project come to life ahead of schedule. For instance, techniques like film production, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) are used to immerse people in the building process and get them excited about the final product.

One example that illustrates the design and build process in action is TSK’s impressive partnership with Adidas. TSK joined Adidas to design and build the sportswear

giant’s new 72,000-squarefoot Manchester headquarters, creating a unique, performanceenhancing space that managed to reflect its deep-rooted connection with and love of sport, health, and wellbeing.

For the mammoth project, employees were considered the central focus, and TSK were tasked with energising and inspiring Adidas’ 460-strong team.

To do achieve that, TSK developed a rich, detailed understanding of its client’s motivations and values. It engaged with Adidas employees throughout the entire design process to ensure the new workspace would be fully designed around the people who actually use it every day, offering them a competitive edge.

As well as quiet places for focused work and open areas for creativity and collaboration, TSK created a central arena for informal meetings, breakouts, and

open dialogues. Anticipation of the final result grew by the day.

An iconic transformation for an iconic brand meant that, once finished, staff began to enjoy the benefits right away.

Once a project is finished, you might expect TSK to forget about it and move on. You’d be wrong. TSK understands that, as a business evolves, so too does the needs of the space in which it operates.

That’s why the Manchesterbased firm offers a follow-up series of health checks, reengagement, and enhancement services to ensure that each individual workplace remains in top shape and is fit for purpose.

By utilising in-occupancy review tools and techniques, TSK tests the current needs of businesses against the suitability of its

office space, offering a simple and clear assessment alongside recommendations for possible improvements.

The holistic and best-in-class nature of its services surely indicates that TSK is leading the space-as-a-service workplace (r)evolution. Moving forward, then, away from the pandemic and life in lockdown, opportunities to explore and push limits of what was once defined as a

workplace will be abundant. They will stimulate the creation of exciting new projects for major organisations, changing the work landscape for the better – and you can expect the name TSK to go hand-in-hand with them.

TSK Group https://tskgroup.co.uk Services: Workplace design and build specialists

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PROFILE: DAIWA HOUSE MODULAR EUROPE

The perfect solution

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With significant investments supporting its ambitious growth plans, the next five years should prove to be very exciting for Dutch modular construction company Daiwa House Modular Europe

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PROFILE: DAIWA HOUSE MODULAR EUROPE

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he past six decades have witnessed the evolution of what is now known as Daiwa House Modular Europe. Beginning life as Jan Snel, the business developed from transporting milk churns to becoming the Benelux market leader in modular construction, and so it is a company well used to change, development and growth.

The past five years have actually seen some of the most significant changes within the business, with the Snel family selling 70 percent of their shares to private equity firm Parcom in 2017, who subsequently sold its shares in 2020 (plus

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another ten percent from the family) to Daiwa House, the biggest industrial builder in the world.

Daiwa House Modular Europe (the combination of Daiwa House and Jan Snel) opened an office in Germany three-to-four years ago, and 18 months ago, a UK office was opened. The last year has seen growth of 20 percent and turnover of more than 200 million euros, and as Richard Brinkman, Chief Financial Officer reveals to Construction & Civil Engineering (CCE), continued advancement and increased capacity are key to the organisation’s future plans. He notes that to deliver on these ambitions requires facility

expansions and large investments in the latest technology. “We needed a bigger factory and so we have almost doubled our capacity in the Netherlands, creating extra halls and fully automated solutions that feature robotics and industrialisation,” he says.

“We are also setting up a big partnership with an alternative investment manager called Capital Bay in Germany, and together we want to build more than 10,000to-20,000 modules a year. To deliver this, we are about to start and set up a very big factory in Germany, with a capacity that could be up to 50,000 modules a

year and we are working on that as we speak.

“At the same time, we are looking for opportunities where we could set up a factory in the UK because that is somewhere I see as the next step – overall, we want to be able to cover the three areas of Benelux, Germany, and the UK. I foresee our turnover at least tripling towards 600 million euros or more over the next threeto-five years, but with the new factory in Germany, it could even be close to a billion.”

Richard’s predictions for growth are based on the back of strong demand for modular buildings in the market, and the

PART OF THE COPIAM GROUP

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PROFILE: DAIWA HOUSE MODULAR EUROPE

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delivery of these is where Daiwa House Modular Europe excels.

“Everyone is requesting modular solutions and there is a shortage of these in these geographical areas,” he notes, before giving a few more details on how the organisation currently delivers its offerings. “We have three brand names – Daiwa House Modular Europe in the UK, Germany, and The Netherlands for housing construction, Jan Snel for our short-term rental business in The Netherlands and Belgium, and Medexs, which covers all our modular, medical solutions.”

Manufacturing all the major components of its solutions under controlled conditions in its own production facilities, Daiwa House Modular Europe then assembles these at the project site, going beyond prefab construction

into the realm of industrialised modular construction. This means that, for example, entire residential modules combine to form a single building. Richard describes the process as ‘a kind of Lego’! “We produce it all in the factory – the frame, floor, walls, bathroom and kitchen, and we transport the complete 3D module to the building site.

“We can do everything as part of a contract as the main contractor, from the initial design and the groundwork to the foundations and the modules.

Personally, I prefer to be the main contractor for the whole project and be involved from the start, designing with the customer and the architect. That way we can align the design with our modular solution. Sometimes we are subcontractor, with a main

contractor doing the foundations and then we deliver our modules to the site. My preference is always that we do 100 percent of the project ourselves.

“Constructing as little as possible on the building site itself gives huge advantages on quality assurance, including from how we monitor and manage production flow through the factory to making it easier for staff to manufacture and construct.”

The sustainability of modular buildings is also important, as Richard points out. “The use of materials is crucial, and our carbon dioxide footprint is 50 percent less than a traditional build because we use a lot less.”

Emissions are reduced too, as the finished module is only transported to the building site once. “Steel frames and concrete

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PROFILE: DAIWA HOUSE MODULAR EUROPE

floors are currently the best solution,” adds Richard, “but I foresee a time where we will be producing modules that are made completely from timber, and I see a growing market for that.”

Further adding to the company’s green credentials is the ability to reuse the modules, which is particularly useful for clients that are looking for nonpermanent solutions. “Sometimes permits in the Netherlands only last for ten to 15 years, and once that expires, we can take it all away and reuse the modules and the building again, which is not something traditional builders can do,” highlights Richard. “If the permit does become permanent, they can just keep the building at that site because we build everything according to the required regulations, so it can stay for 75 years.

“In The Netherlands there is a lot of pressure on the housing market and getting temporary permits is much faster than permanent ones. This is great for us, as we can promote to investors that after ten-to-15

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years, they can move the modules to a different place, reuse them and still have a great building that they can rent out.” Social housing is often delivered this way in The Netherlands, and Daiwa House Modular Europe has family houses, apartments, and student apartments on the order books, too.

Continuing with details on some significant projects that he and his team have delivered, Richard highlights an international school in Brussels, which was built in nine months, and a scheme of its own that is nearly complete (at time of writing). “We are now designing and developing a hospital near Amsterdam, which will be ready in 2024,” he adds. “In Bochum, Germany, we have also almost finished a 12-storey building containing 737 micro apartments.

We are usually running around ten projects, but we will be scaling up with the addition of our German factory, and we will be able to accept orders for boarding houses, student housing, homes for the elderly, apartments for families, and hotel rooms.”

Add a UK factory to the mix, and Richard predicts even more success, as he states: “That is a very attractive market, which is keen to build in a modular way.

We are very well positioned to get a good share of that, with our offices in Swansea and Manchester. For now, we are keen to have one to three projects that

of our experience in delivering high-quality housing solutions,” concludes Richard. “The big projects we have completed in the Netherlands and Germany have given us the credibility needed to prove we can successfully deliver modular solutions into residential markets. Now that we’re combined with the name Daiwa House and its long tradition in industrial building, our customers feel they have a partner that is financially

strong, has a lot of knowledge and has the capability to be the main contractor and see a project through from start to the finish.

I don’t think there are many companies that have the track record that we do.”

Daiwa House Modular Europe www.daiwahousemodular.eu Services: Specialist in permanent and semi-permanent modular buildings

we deliver from The Netherlands, leading to our own factory in the UK, with a view to reaching a turnover of 100 million euros by 2026.”

Looking to the future, it’s clear that Daiwa House Modular Europe has very ambitious plans for development and a determination to elevate the standing of modular building both in Europe and further afield. “We are about to sign a contract in the US in Boston, which is worth more than 80 million euros, and that is because

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PROFILE: KING LIFTING

Lifting expectations

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With 40 years of experience in the construction and civil engineering industries, King Lifting provides clients with a high-quality portfolio of cranes, skilled labour, and heavy lifting equipment throughout the United Kingdom and Europe

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PROFILE: KING LIFTING

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s a family owned and operated business, King Lifting has seen incredible growth since being founded in 1981. The company was established with the vision of creating an independent crane company that could provide customers with excellent service and the highest standards of health and safety in the industry. Over three decades, King Lifting has expanded across the UK and Europe, and through continual investment in the latest equipment is today classed as one of the market leaders.

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Originating in Bristol, King Lifting started out as a crane rental service before expanding into new territories and applications. As the company’s Managing Director, Tristan King, details: “When our chairman, Bob King, established King Lifting, it was focused on mobile crane hire. Once that started to gain some traction, we went on to buy some new cranes and opened a second branch in Swindon.

“The company grew from there, with our geographical coverage extending along the M4 corridor towards Newbury, and up to

Northampton. We also established a presence in South Wales, which naturally grew into Birmingham and the Midlands as well. Today, we have multiple depots across the country, which is predominately due to organic growth.

“In addition to the core mobile crane rental part of the business, we have built a number of specialist support divisions to further enhance our overall service offering to our clients, including plant and mechanical movement, heavy crane and engineering, heavy goods vehicles, and our training centre.

“Today the company trades throughout the UK, and into Europe.

We’ve reached a number of key milestones in terms of turnover over the last few years. For example, back in 2014, we reached a £16 million turnover, rising to around £30 million in 2019. We’ve managed to increase that even further over the last financial year, reaching £38 million in 2021.

“The business has seen substantial growth over the last 15 years. There have been some difficult times along the way, but the main business has grown exponentially and organically over that period.”

Now a multi-generational family business, King Lifting is managed and operated by experienced leaders in the construction and civil engineering sectors. “There are a lot of great people behind the King Lifting operation, and whilst the day to day running of the business is controlled by the King family, it is very clear that our continued success is due to the ongoing commitment and loyalty from our employees.

Working as a family means that the people within King Lifting all share a common goal. The

company is dedicated to serving its clients to the highest levels, as Tristan confirms: “Our business is very much focused and built on the customer service element of what we do. When we are given an opportunity, we always ensure to deliver a solution that meets our clients’ requirements.

Our staff across all divisions work consistently to exceed our client’s expectations, and that means when our loyal customers move onto their next project with a positive impression of King Lifting, we enjoy repeat business and further build relationships.

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PROFILE: KING LIFTING

“We have built a lot of relationships with our clients in the construction and civil engineering industries this way, and this has contributed to our success overall. We are very good at adapting to our clients’ changing requirements in a short time scale and have built the supporting operating systems to enable the business to communicate the changes whilst ensuring King Lifting delivers and exceeds our clients’ needs.

“We commit to a project and deliver reliable services every time. I really think that consistency is one of the things that sets us apart. We have an ethos that means we never say no and will always endeavour to find a workable solution. Our clients trust us and our ability to provide them with a reliable service whilst maintaining the highest levels of health and safety.”

Having such a strong working culture also means that King Lifting is able to offer a variety of services, from crane hire to engineering and design support.

“Our range of services extends from 1.5-ton spider cranes to mobile cranes up to 1000 tons.

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We operate 128 mobile cranes in our fleet across the UK, supported by our heavy transport fleet and contract lifting teams.

“We also offer a wide range of services through our plant and mechanical installation division, where we install packaged mechanical equipment, data centres, and heavy industrial presses, along with carrying out factory relocations.

“Additionally, our training division offers CPCS training both internally and externally, covering categories that are relevant to the fields in which we operate. By operating this department, this further helps the business with its commitment to train and develop existing employees whilst also allowing the business to support local communities with new employment.”

King Lifting also has a depth of knowledge in contract lifting, engineering, CAD bespoke software, design, and illustration.

“I think the depth of expertise is one of the things that makes us successful in today’s market, as clients engage with King Lifting due to our ability to offer the highest levels of technical support

whilst utilising the latest bespoke planning software, demonstrating how works will be completed safely. Being able to provide that back office, data-based support goes a long way in elevating the overall service that we provide,” Tristan discusses.

King Lifting is known for offering the most advanced, sustainable, and efficient equipment to its clients. The company works closely with specialist crane manufacturer, Liebherr Cranes, to ensure a consistent level of quality.

“We have had a strong working relationship with Liebherr Cranes since 2014. They are our preferred supplier of cranes, and the partnership has been very beneficial for both parties, as Liebherr is known for being the market leader in mobile crane technology.

“Our relationship with Liebherr supports our continual growth and development plan and our vision to operate the youngest fleet of cranes in the market. This further strengthens King Lifting’s environmental policy and its commitment to continually reduce its carbon footprint,” states Tristan.

King Lifting is known for offering the most advanced, sustainable, and efficient equipment to its clients

King Lifting will continue to make strategic and sustainable investments in both equipment and people, further enhancing its market position. As it continues to see success, the company will no doubt remain on its impressive trajectory.

“It’s an exciting time for King Lifting at the moment. We will be focusing on acquisitions in order to accelerate growth, and we will of course continue to foster

organic expansion alongside that.

Over the next few years we would like to grow the business further in Europe, and establish a greater geographical footprint overall in the UK,” Tristan concludes.

King Lifting www.kinglifting.co.uk Services: Crane hire, contract lifting, machinery and plant movement, transport services, and training

Roomex Ltd Like many companies, a crucial part of King Lifting’s success relies on employees being out on the road and working on multiple projects with varying timelines. Between finding suitable accommodation, budget considerations and the need to keep track of employees and expenses, managing employee travel has become an increasingly complex task for travel managers. With Roomex, these high-stress, time-consuming processes are eliminated with one convenient, centralised tool. Transform your travel process and gain control of and visibility into your travel spend with Roomex – the essential mobile workforce tool.

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PROFILE: SRL TRAFFIC SYSTEMS LTD

On the front line

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Standing as the largest manufacturer and hirer of traffic light equipment in Europe, SRL Traffic Systems Ltd (SRL) doesn’t just deliver products – it prides itself on a full 24/7 service

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PROFILE: SRL TRAFFIC SYSTEMS LTD

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s it celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2022, SRL Traffic Systems Ltd (SRL) can look

back with pride on a quarter of a century of growth and innovation.

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The business, which was formed to create an alternative to cable linked, generator-driven, temporary traffic lights, has always based its operations on

Construction & Civil Engineering (CCE) speaks to Alison Spooner, Commercial Director, and she explains how important it is to the business

this spirit of entrepreneurship and forward thinking.

to look at what the market needs and create solutions to

those problems. “We evolved from being predominantly a manufacturer and seller of portable traffic lights when we realised that as experts, we were ideally placed to supply, install and service them as well,”

she begins. “So, we began the process of opening depots, hiring staff and constantly building equipment to enable us to supply the traffic management companies and utility companies with their traffic lights.”

This decision proved inspired, as from that early start, SRL has opened 30 hire depots and created four divisions: Equipment Hire, Manufacturing/Technical, Urban 64 and Intelligent Transport Systems. Urban 64 is a true exemplar of SRL’s ability to look at what the market needs and supply around it. Involving the rental of semi-permanent traffic signals and created around seven years ago, this division can now deliver large scale and complex solutions to more than 50 live sites. Described as an ‘intelligent temporary system’, it is the first, and only, standalone temporary traffic light solution to feature permanent technology, enabling site bespoke layouts for the safe flow of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrian traffic during construction phases.

SRL’s team support schemes from initial concept to completion – offering bespoke layout designs to suit the temporary works, full installation, maintenance, 24/7 call out, decommissioning, inspections and site visits.

While the technology is impressive, it is this service offer that Alison highlights as setting SRL apart from the competition.

“We have a national reach, and a full-service provision, so a customer can obtain a product from us, and we will either deliver it to them or meet them on site and work under their umbrella to install the systems,” she comments. “We also complete free servicing for the customers in their yards and depots, so we will maintain the equipment for them.

“Some clients only ever want to hire, and therefore they have the newest technology, they can swap it in and out and that gives them flexibility to adapt to the peaks and troughs of their business flow. The unique thing about SRL is that we can top up their requirements as and when they need it. We can also deliver and configure it in their yard, or we can come onsite. Equipment is

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PROFILE: SRL TRAFFIC SYSTEMS LTD

a service, and that is who we are: we not only provide the box, but we also support it as well, and we can react quickly and deliver up and down the entire country. We will search all our depots to meet their needs and ensure that the customer request is met. That is quite distinctive really.”

As Alison notes, anything less than 100 percent is not an option for SRL. “How can you ask a customer to be loyal to you and use you as a single source as a lot of ours do, and then let them down? We will move heaven and earth to make sure we supply that person on that day, and work

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closely with them all the time to understand their needs.”

A recent development at the company that is helping SRL to demonstrate its capabilities to clients is its new site in Nottingham, which includes a Technology and Innovation Centre. There, customers can view and appreciate the operational capabilities of the equipment, and SRL can more efficiently plan and tailor jobs by renting them the optimum equipment package that they need. “We were finding that customers just weren’t aware of the full expanse of our offering, so at Nottingham

we have all our products on show downstairs, the whole journey of the business is detailed along the staircase and then upstairs we have 30 strong boardroom table, so we can invite people to come in and discuss their needs, we can demo products, as well as host promotions and launches, and generally spread the message about everything we are doing and are planning to do in the future.”

The clients that utilize the services from SRL range from councils to major contractors, and Alison gives some examples of its service provision in action, and

to children and can complete works all year round. We’re always thinking one step ahead of what the industry needs and really want to show what our capabilities are in these sorts of areas.”

Alison also mentions SRL’s work on HS2. “We supply to most of the contractors with our Temporary Haul Route Crossings, and that is thanks to our previous success on the Aberdeen bypass project, where our technology supported Central Traffic Management with their contract, the project included the requirement to exchange more than 300 fresh batteries a day!

So, when HS2 came around, the contractors knew our product was tried and tested, and we are now supplying a lot of systems, both purchased and hired.

“I don’t think we have scratched the surface of what HS2 is going to require as yet,” she adds. “For every system, there needs to be men and women to service them, and labour is something we are all short of, so I think smarter technology is probably going to be the way forward.”

In fact, smart tech is something that SRL is already exploring, and this brings Alison briefly onto the recent partnership with a business called SWARCO, and the purchase of 350 mobile Variable Message Signs (VMS). “We believe that their software MyCity will incorporate with Urban 64 as well as our fleet of VMS to manage and inform pollution levels going in and out of major cities. Everything is becoming a lot smarter now,” Alison explains.

how the business supplies not just products, but bespoke, thoughtful solutions that encompass efficiency and safety as well. “We provided a system to Aberdeen City Council about six months ago where there was a road closure, and their workers were getting abused. So, we supplied a barrier that took the man out of the equation, which saved labour and therefore cost.

“We’re also looking at bundled solutions that protect not just workers, but also pedestrians, and these are proving very popular during school holidays, as our clients can reduce risks

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PROFILE: SRL TRAFFIC SYSTEMS LTD

While smart technology is helping to address the situation with human resources, finding the right staff nevertheless maintains the top position on the agenda for SRL. “It’s the main topic of every board meeting we have,” Alison agrees. “Not only how do we attract the right people, but are we paying the right salaries to them, and can we retain them?

We want to be an above minimum wage employer, more towards and passing the living wage. We are investing in people, but we are a tough industry to be in. For us, it means looking at how we train our people and making sure they are safe, both physically and mentally.”

Alison also points out that for a company that prides itself on exceptional service levels, the right staff is a critical factor for delivering what is required. “The high quality of SRL’s products speaks for itself, but our service is what everyone talks about,” she says. “Creating personal relationships with our customers and actually caring about everybody is impossible without the right people on board.”

Overall, Alison and the SRL team remain committed to ensuring customer needs are met, price rises are made only when necessary and it is really listening to what the customers want. “We have to remain one step ahead of the competition and make sure we’re going in the right direction,” she concludes.

A quarter of a century in business is a massive achievement and SRL deserves to celebrate this anniversary and its successes, while looking forward to more growth, innovation, strategic partnerships and development. This will undoubtedly be enhanced by a new investment from 3i Infrastructure plc, which in December 2021 acquired a 92 percent controlling stake in SRL. This substantial investment will

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enable an exciting next phase of growth, with plans to double in size on the agenda. CCE looks forward to catching up with Alison again soon, and sharing the new developments that will certainly be underway at this growing and innovative business.

SRL Traffic Systems Ltd www.srl.co.uk Services: Europe’s largest traffic light equipment manufacturer and hirer Platinum International Limited Platinum International Limited (Platinum) has become the UK’s largest battery and lubricants distributor, with a customer commitment to find continual improvements and deliver the best quality products, brands and service.

As a worldwide supplier, and since being acquired by Alliance Automotive Group, the business has achieved sales of two million batteries per annum, compared to 1.2 million prior to the acquisition. The company also boasts over 100 delivery vehicles in its fleet to offer next-day delivery without any minimum order quantities carriage charges.

Platinum is proud to be associated with SRL, and looks forward to supporting their growth in the years to come.

For more information, please contact the Customer Services team on: 0161 971 5000.

or

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PROFILE: STONBURY

The sustainability specialist

With a determination to help the UK on its mission to net zero, Stonbury is using its expertise to redefine operations in the water industry

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PROFILE: STONBURY

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ith an intensified focus from international communities to minimise the impact of carbon emissions on the climate and biodiversity, many businesses have accepted the urgent need to prioritise sustainability, and it would be hard to find one as passionate about supporting this initiative as Stonbury.

The company has reassessed its purpose, vision, and strategic goals to put sustainability at the heart of its culture and operations. Currently holding 20 frameworks, Stonbury works with UK water companies and the Environment Agency to deliver high-value, low-carbon solutions across asset estates. Services include works on potable water, wastewater treatment centres and nature-based ‘green’, and ‘grey’ solutions that deliver smart, low carbon environmental engineering.

The specialist contractor for the water industry has been around since the early eighties,

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and over the years, it has refined its practices to become a dependable name in the UK. A conversation with the company’s COO, Ian Mellor, highlights the key factors that set Stonbury apart.

“Our biggest trait is repairing and maintaining assets rather than focusing entirely on building new. For us, the real focus is extending asset life, which is helping all our clients reach their Net Zero targets and remain on course to be more sustainably minded businesses,” he shares.

“I think other ways we stand out are our direct delivery to clients. While many companies employ a series of subcontractors, we employ directly and deliver ourselves to offer more efficient and speedy service. I think we’re the only national specialist to do this.”

Ian adds that the company specialises in treatment throughout the water cycle. “It’s not just clean water treatment and storage that we deal with; we work with wastewater and raw water assets as well, since several

projects often cross over. When a customer comes to us, we are equipped to tackle every issue regardless of the phase of the water cycle.”

When asked about recent projects or contracts that demonstrate these specialisms, Ian shares that, following a successful tender, Stonbury was contracted by the Environment Agency to complete the removal of a 70-metre-wide weir at Dovecliff – the largest project of its kind in the country. Now works are complete, the channel benefits from a more natural river bend, which allows normal sediment deposition and has improved spawning grounds and habitat. The removal of the weir has opened the Dove catchment for over 300 miles and enables the free passage of fish and other wildlife for the first time in almost 900 years.

“We are continually recruited to renew existing frameworks and we have been working on many of them for decades – which speaks abundantly into our reliability,” he expresses.

Projects aside, Ian is also immensely proud of the Stonbury team, without whom this work would not be possible. He believes that the company’s success is owed to its hardworking staff. “We see the importance of engaging with our staff at all levels to keep them motivated, and we have seen some great ideas come from all corners of the business.

“We also place great importance on our values to inform our decisions: passion, respect, integrity, quality, and innovation. To reinforce this, we have several reward schemes across the business based on our values and how we practice them daily.”

Finally, Ian shares how another aspect that makes the Stonbury culture one of strength and unity is creating opportunities for career development. “We do encourage the career growth of our staff; a good number of directors and senior managers started at Stonbury on the shop floor, i.e., on-site, working on the tools.”

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PROFILE: STONBURY

He goes as far as to mention that even during the pandemic, the team demonstrated remarkable agility and with the help of hybrid working, the business was able to continue its operation with minimal impact.

“We made sure that all those going out into the field and doing the hard work were safe and working in bubbles of no more than three. We also introduced

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more on-site accommodation to ensure social distancing and comfort so they could perform at their best. This also helped us keep up to full capacity right through the pandemic, which was vital for our customers who needed us to deliver those projects,” he shares with us.

In terms of lessons learnt from the last two years of living with Covid-19, Ian notes that the

business has found that hybrid working is now a permanent fixture of the company’s model.

“We’ve not forced anybody back into the office who doesn’t want to be there, and, likewise, we haven’t discouraged anybody who wants to be in either. We’ve stayed incredibly flexible in that regard, and it seems to be making for an excellent and well-oiled team.”

“Another way to get involved is by reducing treatment chemicals, which is high on our agenda.

We’re encouraging avenues to buy alternatives to reduce electricity and pollutants entering the watercourse in the first place by bringing in nature-based solutions to water treatments,” Ian says.

Bringing the discussion to a close, Ian shares that the company will continue to ramp up its environmental efforts as part of the

Currently, the water industry is redirecting its gaze towards the importance of sustainability, and Stonbury is doing everything it can to be a part of this mission.

“Energy is always a focus for our line of work. As well as seeking wind and solar sources, we are involved in several projects platforming the generation of energy from farm waste, which I believe is the way forward.

country’s journey towards Net Zero.

“We hope to see a fully electrified vehicle fleet at the end of the coming five years, and we will push for ways in which we as a company can help refine the solutions in which we recycle and restore water and water assets in the UK.”

Stonbury https://www.stonbury.com/ Services: Water industry contractor

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©2022 Enterprise Flex-E-Rent. K04323 04.22 CB

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PROFILE: TRADITIONAL BRICK AND STONE

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Brickwork made bespoke

Having provided customers with unique brick options and specialist material blends for nearly 20 years, Traditional Brick and Stone now looks to increase its exposure into new territories across the UK and Ireland

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PROFILE: TRADITIONAL BRICK AND STONE

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ith its extensive and unique portfolio of building materials, including clay facing bricks and cast stone, Traditional Brick and Stone (TBS) has become a major supplier to the UK construction industry. The company partners with over a dozen brick manufacturers across Europe, to provide architects and contractors with a comprehensive range of product options, including entirely bespoke brick blends. Having recently extended its blending facilities in the UK, TBS now looks to further expand its reputation for high-quality, ontime service in to the Scottish and Irish construction markets.

Founded in 2002, TBS has always been driven by a desire to provide customers with a unique product. As Adam Robinson, the company’s Commercial Director, explains: “TBS was founded by Trevor Robinson and Daniel Sims.

The two had identified a gap in

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the UK construction market for more bespoke blends of brick, complimented by a precast stone offering, and so the founding ethos behind TBS was really a desire to fill that gap.

“The pair started working with factories across Europe, to develop more customised material blends, to fill the void left by the demise of several specialist brick plants in the UK. From there, TBS established connections with suppliers across Belgium, Holland and Spain, and started offering customers a wide range of brick alternatives, available in different colour and size options.

By focusing on being flexible, the company was able to address the shortfall in colour options that were no longer available and also compete with a number of brick factories in the UK, that could only offer a limited size options to prospective specifiers.

“Today, the company is operated out of its headquarters in Rugeley, Staffordshire. We have three important terminals into

mainland UK, which are at Tilbury, Harwich and Hull, and we also have distributors in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Using its network of ports and facilities, TBS can offer its services to customers anywhere in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.”

In recent years, the company has undergone significant changes, and established itself as a major industry player, despite the pressures Brexit placed on shipping and imports into the UK. As Adam discusses: “Over the last few years we have been handling the changing import regulations that came along with Britain leaving the EU. We have a lot of specialist people in place to deal with the additional paperwork, and we have managed to undergo the transition incredibly well.

We have a lot of new systems in place, and we pre-empted a lot of things ahead of time thanks to our specialists, so we were able to drive the business forward without any hiccups.”

Photo credit: Robert Greshoff

These were not the only challenges that TBS had to overcome. Following the outbreak of Covid-19, the company quickly bounced back, and even started expanding into new markets. As TBS’s Sales Director, Graham Boyd, reveals: “During the first few months of the pandemic we had to furlough a good portion of our team. We continued importing goods for the construction industry, because it was and is considered essential, but most of our major expansion plans were put on hold. When it came time

Steenfabriek Klinkers From the cradle to a fullgrown business and respectful partnership Steenfabriek Klinkers has been a partner of Traditional Brick & Stone (TBS) since the start of their company.

Together we have managed this partnership to grow and have completed a lot of beautiful projects and family houses in the UK. The TBS team works with their clients and architects and is continuously searching for new blends or tailor-made solutions to an existing build. This approach is a perfect match for us and we aim to continue this relationship with the TBS team and its founders for a long time.

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PROFILE: TRADITIONAL BRICK AND STONE

the customer what they need. Our blends open up new possibilities in terms of colour and texture, making it an incredibly popular service. As a result, we decided to invest in the blending operation, and expand the Tilbury site to meet increasing demand.”

The rising popularity of TBS’s blended materials is indicative of a wider industry trend. Contractors and architects are frequently looking to put a unique twist on traditional brickwork façade’s, and TBS provides a unique depth of knowledge in this area. As a result, the company has been able to work on a number of exciting bespoke builds over the past few months.

for people to return, we quickly regained that momentum, and launched a new multimedia marketing campaign. Our new online presence includes an updated website, and we also developed a brand-new brochure.

“We also wanted to revitalise the way that we presented our core products, so we changed our sample panels and the overall aesthetic of TBS’s brand.

These changes were necessary because the business was moving into new markets, and it was important that our marketing materials reflected this change.

We re-vamped everything, from marketing literature to samples and distribution.

“We have a very slick model now. As a potential customer, you would receive a sample panel within 48 hours. We can also build bespoke reference panels

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for customers looking to use something less conventional. Our import terminal at Tilbury keeps a large range of brick reference samples, so customers can see what their chosen materials would look like built up into a wall.”

Tilbury is also the primary site for TBS’s one-of-a-kind blending facility. The company strives to continue pushing the boundaries of bespoke architecture with its cutting-edge blending operation, as Graham enthuses: “TBS is all about offering something unique.

“Many of our customers are architects, and so they have a very specific vision for what they want the finished building to look like. Sometimes, standard materials being offered do not meet their specification, and in those instances, we can offer to blend two or three different bricks together, in order to give

“We have recently started working on a number of N/70 projects. These come from our Nelissen factory, and they are essentially a type of linear brick, approximately 240mm long with thickness options at 40 and 50 mm. One of our projects is in Hackney; the building design is quite complex and bespoke, so there is a lot of pre-casting and cutting involved. The architect requested a very unusual bond from us, and we have actually ended up cutting over 120 different lengths of brick to achieve the façade look that they wanted.

“The building is now starting to go up, which is very exciting.

We are also looking forward to the refurbishment of a theatre in Bristol, that we supplied N/70 format products for. It appears that this format is becoming more and more popular. Architects are still looking for the concept of brick, but they want to add something unique to it, and linear products seem to be very on-trend in that sense.

“We have also been involved in the recent project to construct the Northern Shakespeare Theatre in Prescot. The architect was looking for a unique product for the apex of the building so, in response, we

worked closely with one of our partners, Klinkers Steenfabrick, who produced a lovely white grain multi-brick named the Iced Grey Multi. This worked wonderfully with other elements of the theatre building,” Graham reveals.

Staying in-tune with contemporary architectural design trends has helped TBS continue to grow, despite a series of challenges over the past few years. As Graham asserts, this is just the beginning of an exciting journey for the company: “In the next 12 months we will be working to make TBS more visible. When we were first interviewed for Construction & Civil Engineering Magazine, we were a relatively small company, and now that we have grown, we want to extend our reach by getting the word out about what we can do.

“We will also be targeting trade shows and other industryspecific events, in order to better display our products. We want to highlight some of our unique abilities as a company, and also use our presence in the marketplace to build new

to be here in another 20 years, so we are always thinking ahead.

We have a very successful model, and we are well respected by our peers and customers, so the future is certainly looking bright,” he concludes.

partnerships with specifiers and end users.

“TBS has always been in this for the long haul, and we want

Traditional Brick and Stone www.traditionalbrickandstone.co.uk Services: Specialist brick supplier

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PROFILE: SUDLOWS

Critical service

T

he history of Sudlows is a success story for UK business. Formed in 1912 by the

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Sudlows family as A.E Sudlows & Co, the company became instrumental in the conversion of lamps throughout Manchester from gas to electric, experience

that led to the company’s status as a founding member of the Electric Contractors Association (ECA) in 1920. By then an established name, in

In operation for more than a century, infrastructure specialist Sudlows is capitalising on strong demand and robust client relationships as it continues its expansion around the globe

1938 the company was awarded a significant contract for the construction of the Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

Fast forward to the present, and it’s easy to see how far the company has come. Now a specialist in critical infrastructures, engineering services and

facilities management, Sudlows’ acquisition in 2006 was followed by the company’s selection as the Manchester Evening News Business of the Year in 2010.

Remarkably, it’s a feat that the company repeated four years later, during 12 months in which it also celebrated the opening of its first international office in Dubai. Arriving either side of the company’s 100th anniversary, in 2012, the timing couldn’t have been more apt.

Since then, the good news has come thick and fast, both domestically and abroad – beginning in 2016, with Sudlows’ relocation of its critical infrastructure to a new site at Oldham, followed by the opening of three further global locations: in Mumbai in 2020, and a year later, in both Dublin and Singapore.

The company is now excellently positioned to support its clients wherever they might reside.

One such client is Bet365.

Sudlows’ relationship with the online gambling specialist dates back several years, but a significant milestone was reached in 2015, when the company tasked Sudlows with providing various connectivity, power, and electrical works to its new, purposebuilt, 2400-seat offices on Staffordshire’s Media Way. Then, in 2021, Sudlows was successfully awarded the full CSA & MEP design and build of their brand new data centre and office facility in Stoke.

“As an existing customer, we’d provided Bet365 with a lot of connectivity work prior to the project,” explains Dave Goodwin, Director of Operations at Sudlows.

“For this new project, we were able to offer a complete turnkey solution.

“In our initial presentation, we demonstrated our ability and competence through a set of designs, visualisations, simulations, CFD models, and walk-throughs,” he continues. “We wanted Bet365

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PROFILE: SUDLOWS

to be able to see exactly how the sequencing and interface would work. It was a very handson, immersive insight into what we had to offer, which enabled the end users to clearly see and understand the end solution.”

Contrary to much of its field, Sudlows prides itself on a holistic approach to its projects.

“Traditionally, one contractor will build the building, and another will conduct the MEP work on the inside,” Dave comments. “We try to do things slightly differently,

drawing on the expertise we have in-house – from CSA project managers, to mechanical and electrical, design, MEP delivery managers, and commissioning engineers – in order to make sure that the building is the right size and capability to be able to ensure that the MEP requirements for the client and end-user are met.

“The Bet365 project has followed a deep understanding of the client’s output requirements: how they actually wanted to get into and around the building, how

much power and cooling they needed, where and what resilience they desired, and more,” Dave explains. “Meeting their needs on security, a robust and secure build model was created with Tier III principles of resilience applied to the M&E works, enabling concurrent maintainability at all times.

“The building has a bearing on how the internal MEP works,” he elaborates. “If we get it wrong, that will impact on the MEP. Getting the construction right from the off is therefore key, and that’s what we deliver.”

The merits of this approach are in evidence at another of Sudlows’ recent projects: the Ashton Old Baths. Located in Ashton-UnderLyme, the site is a contemporary office space for small- and medium-sized businesses, housed in a Grade II listed former Victorian public bath house. “We won a number of awards for the site,” Dave reveals. “Working closely with Oldham Council, we were able to transform the site into a new technical hub for the city, without affecting the building’s Grade II listing or any aesthetics.”

Given the complexity of the Ashton Old Baths project, for Dave, it’s impossible to praise Sudlows’ work without acknowledging the strength of the company’s employee base.

“We have a young, diverse, and dynamic team,” he confirms.

“We know that we can rely on our staff to put in the extra mile when needed, often out of hours, in order to help us meet clients’ requirements at short deadlines.

To that end, we need to keep them motivated, and make sure we engage with them on a social and personal level.

“We host BBQs and other functions in the Manchester city centre,” Dave indicates. “We’ve also run a few away days, such as bike rides and other team-building exercises. The aim is to create a

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Sudlows team bus atmosphere, with everyone on board, honking that Sudlows horn, and all doing it the Sudlows way.”

It’s partly thanks to the strength of that mentality that Sudlows was able to successfully navigate the challenges posed by Covid-19.

“The pandemic has been a very challenging period of time,” Dave concedes. “As a business, we functioned throughout, but it was very difficult to manage and motivate the staff, particularly with people working remotely from home.

“Like many others, we’ve embraced change and adopted new technologies, particularly in our approach to meetings and engagement,” he adds.

“Everyone’s experience of the period will differ – but from my own perspective, I found it to be

far more demanding. Whereas previously we might have had an impromptu meeting en-route to the canteen, with a short dialogue, out of which comes a clear output and possible beneficial solution, now everything has to be less impromptu and more structured or planned, with more meetings in the diary. Nevertheless, despite the challenge, our teams have done an excellent job. We’ve worked through projects all the same, and developed a Covid-19 strategy to enable us to function effectively.”

Now hoping to put the pandemic firmly in the past, attention at Sudlows is turning to the years ahead. “We’ve just opened a dedicated telecoms division within our critical infrastructure business, in response to the demand we’ve

seen for some of our clients in the telecoms sector,” Dave says.

“We have a strong pipeline and are expecting some larger scale multi-disciplined CSA & MEP projects with government bodies later this year. We try to work with new and speculative clients across local government and private investment, while also partnering with those within our existing client base.

“It’s often the case that the smallest project can turn into the biggest project reasonably quickly,” Dave reflects. “That’s why we have our own in-house FM team. Our ethos is that if we have a client, let’s not let go of them.

We want to provide support to that client throughout the lifetime of their build, be it a data centre or critical project. Ultimately, we recognise that challenges arise,

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so we’ll be at the other end of the phone, ready to respond.”

With expansion such a core component of Sudlows’ recent development, the question remains as to whether the trend is likely to continue. “We have to support our clients: that’s our principal driver,” Dave concludes. “Our expansion thus far, both through the Middle East and further to Asia, has been driven first and foremost by client demand.

If they come to us with a job in a new location, we won’t be restricted by geography. Looking ahead to five years’ time, our prospects look bright. It’s my hope that the growth continues, and we certainly do not foresee any dropping off within the data centre market in the short term. What we would like to do more of, is progress the rollout of apprenticeship schemes, and take a larger role in introducing young people to the industry. That’s a challenge facing everyone throughout the construction industry – and a challenge that can prove a rewarding one.”

Sudlows www.sudlows.com Services: Critical infrastructures, power, cooling, data centres, fibre and connectivity, and facilities management

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