Construction & Civil Engineering Issue 196 February 2022

www.ccemagazine.com 196 FEBRUARY

Retrofit for the future Building services and facilities management company Aston Group champions sustainability and is growing its reputation for green solutions See page 30

Cool in Paris: A new cooling solution for the Eiffel Tower has been supplied by Honeywell F Platform for growth: Nordic rental company Jalo&Jalo adds 104-metre S104HLA aerial platform to its fleet F

EDITOR

www.ccemagazine.com 196 FEBRUARY

Chairman Andrew Schofield Managing Director Joe Woolsgrove Editor Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.com

Retrofit for the future Building services and facilities management company Aston Group champions sustainability and is growing its reputation for green solutions See page 30

Cool in Paris: A new cooling solution for the Eiffel Tower has been supplied by Honeywell F Platform for growth: Nordic rental company Jalo&Jalo adds 104-metre S104HLA aerial platform to its fleet F

Assistant Editor Will Daynes

Keep safe

Staff Writers - Daniel Baksi, Danielle Champ, Jessica Olley Managing Art Editor Fleur Daniels Art Editor David Howard Art Editor Paul Gillings Sales Director Alasdair Gamble Business Development Director Philip Monument Research Managers Natalie Griffiths, Jo-Ann Jeffery, Ben Richell Editorial Researchers Adam Blanch, Mark Cowles, Jeff Goldenberg, James Page, Wendy Russell, Richard Saunders, Kieran Shukri Advertising Sales Johanna Bailey, Jessica Eglington, Alex Hartley, Theresa McDonald, Sam Surrell Digital Sales Mike Psimis

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ello and welcome to the February issue of Construction & Civil Engineering. In this issue we cover a range of topics – from minimising programme risk to digital transformation and site safety. This latter features focuses on vehicle safety – with

construction sites being some of the most dangerous locations to work , vehicle safety systems have had a huge impact on enhancing safety, helping

Subscriptions i.kidd@schofieldpublishing.com

to eliminate vehicle blind spots and alerting groundworkers to moving

Administration Rory Gallacher, Ibby Mundhir

interested to see that research has revealed multi-frequency alarms using

Accounts Rachael Leftley

vehicles. The article, on page 10, highlights the options available and I was a ‘ssh-ssh’ sound are far quicker for pedestrians and ground workers to pinpoint, particularly when wearing hearing protection or when working in difficult and noisy conditions. Long may clever researchers continue to discover such creative solutions to protect construction staff on site.

Construction & Civil Engineering Magazine @CCE_magazine

PS: Don’t forget that CCE also comes out in print – if you don’t receive your hard copy, then do get in touch!

Until the next issue.

© 2022 Schofield Publishing Ltd Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. Tel: +44 (0)1603 274130 www.ccemagazine.com

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

MATERIALS

A shortage of materials and labour is increasing risks on ongoing and current projects; NEC4 contracts can help manage these

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COVER STORY

risks and improve communication

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DIGITISATION

At its core, digital transformation is all about increasing productivity and efficiency, and this brings so much potential for applications throughout the construction sector

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SAFETY

Construction sites are dangerous places - vehicle safety systems have made a huge impact on enhancing safety, whether that is

Aston Group

through camera monitors or warning alarms

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SUPPLY CHAIN

As well as forecasting ahead, there are other steps that can help ease the burden of pressure caused by recent supply chain disruptions

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20 HUMAN RESOURCES It’s not easy for construction companies to attract and retain new talent – here are some tips to assist in the search for the right staff

22 SMART HOMES & BUILDING AUTOMATION As demands for sustainability increase, buildings could become energy independent as well as manage the energy they do use in a smarter way

Cold Clad

24 SUSTAINABILITY The entire industry needs to focus on mitigating emissions even more so than it is now, and that requires international government support and financial backing

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NEWS

Updates and information from the construction and civil engineering market

12 Toolstation Europe 2

CONTENTS

COMPANY PROFILES

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Rainton Construction

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Darlaston Builders Merchants Ltd

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MCD Group

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Dawsongroup Sweepers

The Thompsons Group 3

MATERIALS

Communication is key Dealing with the construction materials shortage: NEC and management systems to minimise programme risk

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veryone understands the reasons risk management is important – both within construction and elsewhere – but at a time of great pressure to ‘build back better’ and rebuild the economy, it’s more vital than ever to manage risk smoothly and efficiently. Here, Dr Stuart Kings examines how the introduction of the Early Warning Register within

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NEC4 works closely with cloudbased contract management systems to communicate and effectively manage potential risks, while minimising further impact elsewhere.

The construction industry is currently facing a whole host of challenges that present risk to ongoing and upcoming projects, with the risks primarily being driven by a shortage of both materials and labour within construction – all

set against the background of postpandemic recovery.

In 2021, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) warned that a fair approach was needed towards supply of materials, going as far as suggesting rationing to make sure smaller firms get their fair share of dwindling supplies. Several months later, the demand for supplies both in the UK and globally continues to dramatically outstrip supply.

the financial pressure, especially on smaller businesses.

Another big issue causing potential risk to construction schemes is a shortage of hauliers to get supplies to where they are needed. Brexit has led to the loss of some 15,000 European drivers, and the remaining drivers are having to undertake Covid tests and self-isolate where necessary, further exacerbating the shortage.

The global shipping industry is also struggling in its postpandemic recovery, facing congested shipping routes, container cancellations and higher costs, which continue to impact global supply chains – including construction materials.

It is crucial that builders and

Record sales of building materials are putting enormous pressure on supply chains, which are still in the process of recovery from the pandemic – and there is no indication of shortages improving over the coming months. This of course presents construction schemes with the risk of not being able to acquire supplies critical to their completion, paying much higher prices that squeeze budgets

further, or having to alter designs and source alternative products.

Indeed, surge in demand will impact smaller companies in greater ways, with SMEs unable to purchase key materials off the shelves, or even afford them. Some may be forced to delay starting schemes on site altogether until they have certainty on product availability in order to keep risks as low as possible – but all of this ramps up

contractors maintain open communications with their customers regarding lead times, possible product substitutions and early notice of price increases – which is where excellent project and contract management systems will become incredibly important. But, how best to manage this risk assessment and communication?

NEC contracts have a clear and simple, yet centrally important process for early warnings, whereby the Contractor and Project Manager must notify each other of any matter that could affect the cost, completion, progress or quality of the project.

The move from NEC3 to NEC4 was labelled as an ‘evolution, not a revolution’, building on and improving what we were already working with. The updates were about the key principles of being risk-focused, planned and transparent. As well as mitigating any impairment on a project, the focus is to safeguard timelines, objectives and change the procedure of risk reporting, and therefore mirror the principles of good project management.

With regards to early warnings, in NEC4 the ‘Risk Register’ was renamed to the ‘Early Warning

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MATERIALS XXX

Register’ to help separate it from the project risk register, which is often used as a wider project management tool. Default periods for early warning meetings have been set to allow the Project Manager and project team to mitigate any risks quickly and efficiently.

There were shortcomings in the previous iteration, including the fact that the Project Manager did not convene meetings and did not put together a first Risk Register. Additionally, early warning meetings were held sporadically and not always with the involvement of the supply chain.

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Following the changes, there is a clear mandate that the Project Manager issues an Early Warning Register to the Contractor within one week of the starting date.

Secondly, the Project Manager convenes a first early warning meeting within two weeks of the starting date and thereafter imposes regular meetings – at the interval states in the Contract Data – to initiate a better ethos and culture of risk under the Engineering and Construction Contract.

These key changes appear under clause 15.2 to promote a better management of risk,

and so the role of the Project Manager becomes much clearer and proactive in managing the process.

The early warning process is simple in principle and critical to the success of NEC contracts and facilitating the spirit of mutual trust and cooperation required by clause 10.1 of the contract. The contract administrator must give the process, and the associated risk, the attention it deserves and develop and use their soft skills to get the best out of risk reduction meetings.

Any software system for contract management should

facilitate this using a cloudbased – and therefore paperless – process. This is easy to implement under NEC4, which states that ‘if the Scope specifies the use of a communication system, a communication has effect when it is communicated through that system specified in the Scope’ – meaning that the communication has effect only when it takes place through the system.

With a cloud-based system, the Project Manager and Contractor can seamlessly manage risk ‘on the go’ from any handheld device – with the digital approach

creating one central point of truth, minimising the risks of miscommunication that could exacerbate any issues further.

Considering the pressures facing the industry at the moment presenting more risk than ever, the implementation of systems that improve transparency, efficiency, information exchange and the all-important element of risk management will ensure that we keep projects on track, building back better and delivering the high-quality schemes the construction industry is known for.

Dr Stuart Kings is a director at Sypro and NEC4 co-author. From project and contract management to compliance and asset management, Sypro’s software solutions are renowned for being easy to implement and use. The range of services includes awardwinning construction management software tool – Contract Manager – which takes the complexities out of construction projects and helps to manage the full suite of contracts including NEC, JCT and FIDIC.

For more information, pease see: www.sypro.co.uk

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DIGITISATION

Unlocking productivity Digital transformation can mean many things. Perhaps, the most obvious is its ability to boost productivity. This is the benefit most touted and championed by Rob Clifton. Here he explains why digital transformation shows great potential to boost efficiency throughout the construction industry

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igital transformation can mean many different things to different people.

Yet, at its core, digital transformation is all about increasing productivity and efficiency.

It’s not just a buzzword for business, but it applies to how we live our normal lives. With technology, we are able to digitally transform the way we do things.

Start with the example of how most of us have moved from a paper map to a smart, online one (Citymapper), or how we order food or bank via an app. Monzo is another brilliant example of a user-friendly interface that makes our lives easier.

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In fact, the whole premise of digital transformation is to simplify and streamline tasks.

So, when we think of complex construction processes, the potential impact of digital solutions is huge.

Overcoming scepticism in construction Based on experience, many of us in the industry believe digital transformation shows great potential for construction. This belief is reinforced by numerous papers that have been published by bodies around the globe, most notably by the global management consultancy, McKinsey.

However, as many of us are aware, a huge hurdle is the construction industry’s reticence to embrace this big change that digital could bring to the industry.

This scepticism has meant construction hasn’t been able to fully reap the benefits, even though digital could open up a new frontier for the industry. By comparison, the manufacturing sector has become hugely digitised over the years and is witnessing the benefits because of it.

For example, I experienced the inefficiencies of analogue working in the early stage of my career.

I was required to carry lots of paper sign-off documents to and from a site office. I remember saying to myself: There must be a more efficient way of doing this!

The likes of information management systems are streamlining this inefficiency.

One of the most compelling technologies in this respect is a Common Data Environment (CDE). A CDE is about having one place where built environment data is held. Users

can subsequently access it based on their security roles. This is just one branch of the digital transformation tree – there is so much available for the taking.

Putting the end-user first As the digital transformation process evolves, companies are using data extensively to boost productivity. Yet, there are obstacles to overcome for digital transformation to reach its full potential.

Right now, the challenge is to connect the ideals of technologists with construction personnel. There’s so much construction tech at our disposal, but the deployment and use are still low in comparison to other industries.

To advance digital transformation, deployment must be a key focus going forward.

Implementation can’t just be within the remit of a company’s technical directors and CIO, as these people already know how to use digital solutions. It needs to be filtered down and out across the industry’s horizon.

Otherwise, if it isn’t deployed correctly, progress will be slow and the full benefits will never be obtained.

A key focus here is the enduser. The end-user should be able to digest data in a way that is easy for their job, which is a narrative we should promote. An example would be a site engineer who is setting out a piece of work. They need to be able to consume the data in a way that will help them complete a task, having the information they require at hand without the need to search and dig for it.

To a degree, tech companies will have to assume some level of responsibility in order to facilitate this. To achieve this, it is important to understand each person’s needs to see how the technology can improve the way they work. At Asite, we draw

on user stories to inform every feature we build. Going into this level of granularity ensures the technology fits the person and process.

What does the future hold?

Let’s face it, the construction industry is fast-paced. When you work in construction, you are constantly going from one project to another project.

This can make things very decentralised. It also doesn’t leave a lot of time for reflection and learning, as there is pressure to move to the next job.

It is interesting to note that the pandemic has given many in the industry time to slow down and embrace learning new technologies. Many companies have used this gap to think about what they are doing and where they want to go. Whilst this won’t lead to immediate deployment, it has certainly got a lot of companies thinking about their digital transformation.

Looking to the future, the next step is maximising the penetration of technology and enabling digital transformation across the industry.

For true digital transformation, we can’t just focus on a few companies; everyone – from the field to the back-office – needs to be brought along the way. If the tech isn’t easy to consume, we can’t expect large-scale adoption. What’s critical is to make sure the technology is desirable. If not, I fear successful deployment will exist only as an ideology.

Rob Clifton is Asite’s Chief Operating Officer.

Asite’s open, cloud-based platform makes it easier to build better. It helps organisations working on capital projects to come together so they can plan, design, and share information across their entire supply chain. With a single source of truth, Asite believes dispersed teams can reduce project chaos and risk.

For more information, pease see: www.asite.com

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SAFETY

Safe on site

Emily Hardy discusses the most appropriate safety devices and what to consider when choosing vehicle safety technology for off-road vehicles safety for these industries, helping to eliminate vehicle blind spots and alert groundworkers to moving vehicles.

Camera monitor systems

Emily Hardy

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orksites can be dangerous places. The potential for deaths and injuries caused by moving plant machinery and equipment should not be underestimated. According to the World Health Organization, construction, agriculture, and mining are among some of the highest-risk work populations in the world with many injuries and fatalities caused by moving vehicles or machinery.

Vehicle safety systems have made a huge impact on enhancing

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All vehicles have blind spots – areas around the vehicle that are obscured by bodywork, load, or attachments. When manoeuvring, these blind spots present a significant danger to anything or anyone in the vehicle’s path and inhibit the driver’s ability to operate the vehicle safely.

While mirrors and single-view cameras help to address blind spots, they do not eliminate them completely. Research shows that in the time it takes to scan four mirrors/a monitor, assess and then react to hazards, even at speeds as low as 3mph, a vehicle can travel as far as 33 feet.

However, 360-degree camera monitor systems, like Brigade’s Backeye®360, can solve this problem.

The four-camera technology is designed to eliminate vehicle blind spots and assist safe manoeuvring in challenging situations by providing the driver

with a complete 360-degree view of their vehicle in a single image.

The system combines images from four ultra-wide-angle cameras, providing a real-time view on the operator’s monitor. The result is a ‘bird’s-eye-view’ of the vehicle and surrounding area.

Shutter cameras Working in difficult conditions, such as dusty worksites, can mean visibility from camera monitors is compromised. Dirt can very quickly cover any rear-view camera lens, making it difficult for drivers to see what is behind them. Shutter cameras feature an automatic shutter to protect the camera while it’s not in use. The shutter is only triggered to open when a vehicle enters reverse gear, meaning the camera lens remains clean and the life of the camera is increased.

Back up and warning alarms Rear blind spots are a huge problem, with reversing incidents accounting for a quarter of deaths in the workplace. Reversing alarms provide an audible warning for

anyone in a vehicle or machine’s path when it is reversing.

While ‘beep beep’ reversing alarms are still widely used across the globe, multi-frequency alarms using broadband technology, such as Brigade’s bbs-tek®, are considered to be much safer due to their locatable ‘ssh-ssh’ sound that not only eliminates noise complaints but more importantly is far quicker for pedestrians and ground workers to pinpoint, particularly when wearing hearing protection or when working in difficult and noisy conditions.

Radar obstacle detection Camera monitor systems will help to eliminate blind spots in most scenarios. However, when visibility is poor, drivers and operators need additional assistance. This is where radar obstacle detection comes in.

Industries such as mining, quarrying, and construction regularly operate in harsh terrains and difficult conditions, such as fog, dust, and darkness, which further decreases visibility for drivers of plant machinery. Radar obstacle detection can detect stationary and moving objects,

even in the toughest conditions, providing operators with in-cab visual and audible warnings and immediately alerting them to potential hazards. This is critical, especially in busy work sites, to alert the operator of a nearby person or obstacle.

Vehicle CCTV Vehicle CCTV is playing an important role in helping to improve safety and security. It provides irrefutable evidence in the event of an incident or fraudulent insurance claim and helps protect drivers from false accusations and to improve operator performance.

Incidents involving vehicles can be extremely time consuming and costly to resolve. A lack of solid evidence can often mean companies accept liability or operators are unfairly blamed, leading to increased costs for businesses and stress for operators. Vehicle-mounted cameras capture footage, providing an accurate account of events and important proof in the event of a dispute.

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

Emily Hardy is a vehicle safety expert at Brigade Electronics, a worldwide marketleading provider of safety devices and solutions for commercial vehicles and machinery.

Brigade’s products work to reduce the risk of collisions and protect vulnerable road users by minimising vehicle blind spots and assisting drivers to manoeuvre safely.

Brigade’s product portfolio includes 360-degree camera systems, camera monitor systems, White Sound® reversing alarms, obstacle detection sensors, obstacle detection radar and digital recorders.

For more information, please see: https://brigade-electronics.com

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NEWS

Cool in Paris

Welcome to Estonia

Honeywell has announced that its ultra-low-global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerant technology is supporting a new cooling system at the Eiffel Tower. The installation, which uses Honeywell’s Solstice® ze (R-1234ze) refrigerant, provides the tower’s west pillar with an energy efficient and cost-effective solution that reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The pillar is home to the Eiffel Tower Visitor Information Centre as well as a souvenir shop and a hydraulic lift that ascends 300 meters to sweeping views over the city of Paris.

The Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), which operates the tower, replaced its aging system run with higher-GWP refrigerant R-407C with a contemporary system incorporating Honeywell’s solution and equipment provided by component manufacturer AF Energy and French refrigeration specialist ALM Froid.

“Solstice ze provides a long-term, environmentally preferable and cost-effective solution to tourist landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, helping them to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions,” said Julien Soulet, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Fluorine Products Europe. “Globally, demand is growing for solutions like Solstice ze and Honeywell’s other Solstice solutions, which have been chosen to cool major structures, including the Eurotunnel, because of the benefits they provide for companies to meet sustainability goals.”

Located in the biggest port authority in Estonia, the Port of Tallinn has opened the most modern and multifunctional terminal in the region.

Beautifully designed to reduce its negative impact on the environment, the sustainable cruise terminal can operate outside of cruise season, making the capital more accessible whilst reducing its environmental footprint. A striking feature of the terminal – designed by Salto Architects – is the remarkable use of Kebony, a global leader in the production of sustainable wood, which was selected for the expansive decking and to clad the building’s exterior.

The vast scale of the project allows for the terminal to be used to host events, such as concerts and conferences, accommodating up to 2,000 people. The generous size also means that, even during the peak cruise season, some level of social distancing will be possible if required due to Covid-19.

The new facility is also distinguished by a 850-metrelong promenade, designed to connect the port’s ten million plus passengers each year to the new leisure areas. Featuring tiered outdoor seating, visitors can enjoy the scenic ocean views at the highest point of the terminal.

Nina Landbø, International Sales Manager commented: “We are delighted that Kebony was chosen for the exterior cladding and decking of this flagship cruise terminal in Estonia, and hope it can be used to inspire the development of many more sustainable projects for the cruise-ship industry worldwide.”

Platform for growth Nordic rental company Jalo&Jalo has added a brand new 104-metre S104HLA aerial platform to its fleet. “We are extremely busy at the moment. All our current aerials are deployed and we are recruiting 11 new operators. This S104HLA will help us in not only windfarms, but in facade and construction worksites as well,” says Sami Jalo, CEO, Jalo&Jalo.

The S104HLA is mounted on a Volvo 12x4/*8 chassis, which allows compact configuration that is easy to drive in worksite conditions, but also in regular traffic. The gross vehicle weight is 63.5 metric tons and importantly, the axle weight does not exceed 12 tons. This is highly beneficial when operating in Sweden, as you don’t need an escort vehicle, which again reduces the operational costs. This also opens the door to Norway, as the older S104HLA’s were too heavy to drive on Norwegian roads.

“The new unit will be deployed immediately. It will start with a large construction worksite in Finland and then take off to Sweden to continue serving our customer base there through our local branch, Svenska Höjdliftare,” adds Sami.

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£130m investment Pension Insurance Corporation plc (PIC) has completed a £130 million investment in Wirral Waters One (WWO), the cornerstone residential scheme for the broader development of Peel L&P’s Wirral Waters, a 500-acre brownfield site and former dockland. Regeneration specialists Peel L&P has launched a 30-year strategy which will see the site become the largest regeneration project in the UK, creating up to 20,000 permanent jobs. Wirral Waters is supported by central Government as a key part of its levelling up strategy.

Commenting on the investment, Hayley Rees, Head of Investment Strategy at Pension Insurance Corporation, said: “Our investment in WWO is another step in the development of our purposeful investment strategy and ultimately is a model for how long-term investors can play a key role in the levelling up agenda.

We need secure long-term cashflows to back the pensions

(WMBC), PIC is the sole investor for the development of a Build-

of our 300,000 policyholders and so seek to invest in assets with a high degree of social value, because what makes sense for society helps us achieve our purpose over decades.”

Working in close partnership with Peel L&P and Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

to-Rent scheme, comprising 500 one- and two-bedroom apartments, with an affordable housing component of 100 homes. Rents on the affordable units will be a maximum of 80 percent of open market value, delivering significant social impact.

What lies beneath

Carbon net zero build McDonald’s in Market Drayton, Shropshire, has become the first restaurant in the UK to be verified as net zero emissions for construction using the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC’s) net zero carbon buildings framework. Being carbon net-zero means that the wind turbine and solar panel-powered restaurant will produce as much energy as it uses over the course of a year and there are only a small number of highly efficient buildings in the UK that meet this criterion.

Elliott was an integral part of the project delivery team, utilising its modular solution which features a large number of incremental improvements that combine to make a huge difference in overall performance. The restaurant was 80 percent completed in the Elliott factory before being transported to site, minimising waste and maximising quality control, efficiency and speed of construction. Once on-site, the modules were connected to services and underwent final fitout ready for handover.

HOCHTIEF UK has been awarded a £207m power supply tunnel project by National Grid in Wales. The project is part of the Visual Impact Provision project in the Snowdonia National Park near Porthmadog in the north of the country.

This seven-year project will see the construction of two shafts and 3.4 kilometres of tunnel to carry electricity under the Dwyryd Estuary. The project has been developed to reduce the visual impact of National Grid’s overhead line across the estuary.

This is HOCHTIEF’s second tunnelling project for National Grid. The Group is currently in joint venture for the delivery of the 32 kilometres of tunnels for the supply of electricity in London. HOCHTIEF has a strong track record delivering tunnel projects in the UK. In Sweden, the Group is currently building a 14-kilometers power supply tunnel below the city of Stockholm.

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SUPPLY CHAIN

Looking for balance

Images: Arno Senoner

How construction and manufacturing businesses can overcome the current supply chain disruptions. By Craig Sanders

T

he way we purchase

has changed over the last 18 months. Traditional methods are no longer an option. Stocks at the

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manufacturers and wholesalers used to be plentiful. There were also no issues with the pipelines.

That was until Covid-19 hit in the first quarter of 2020, of course.

What we’ve been left with is those pipelines clogged up and congested, while broad materials are scarce across multiple industries. Because of the pandemic, factories closed

for long periods of time. A combination of that and Brexit has meant catching up has proven to be incredibly difficult during 2021 - to the point that it has been estimated that construction won’t

see a complete recovery back to pre-crisis 2019 levels until 2023.

Sticking with that theme of purchasing, though, I’m sure many businesses, and particularly buyers, in the construction and

manufacturing industries will recognise how difficult it has been over the last twelve months.

A good example of products that have been caught up in the supply chain disruption is PPE.

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SUPPLY CHAIN

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That shortage led to another issue: price hikes, which are up 70 per cent on what they were prior to the pandemic.

That equipment wasn’t alone.

Numerous products have seen the same increase and forced many businesses with a decision to make on whether to purchase a product for an inflated price in big volumes, in the hope that it sells through before prices could fall again. That issue is still ongoing now and has made purchasing incredibly difficult.

Here at Protrade, we have been no different, but we have pivoted accordingly. We learned that we have to forecast far further ahead than we have had to before, especially with our larger suppliers. We’re placing orders for the next year or 18 months, scheduling the products so we know when we’re going to receive them.

Rather than placing weekly £10,000 orders to top-up stock levels, we’re now having to place £500,000 to £600,000 orders to ensure we’re covered over a set period of time. That does mitigate

the issue but it certainly doesn’t solve it, because there are still some products and materials that we cannot get into our depots until mid-2022.

As well as forecasting ahead, there are other steps that businesses can take right now to ease the heavy burden of pressure being caused by this supply chain disruption.

Put your money where your mouth is I referenced the importance of forecasting earlier in this article, but it is also necessary to recognise the financial implications of taking such an approach.

In short, business leaders in the construction and manufacturing sectors need to be able to confidently put their money where their mouth is if they are to avoid being left behind.

When the pandemic arrived, a lot of businesses were, naturally, cautious in their approach. There was a reluctance to speculate and place orders of big volumes because no one was really sure

what was around the corner.

Purchasing levels initially dipped when Covid-19 arrived in the UK, but, according to the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) back in May 2021, that has since picked up and gone beyond the level they were prior to the first lockdown.

By taking a leap of faith and securing significant volumes of stock, we have managed to maintain supplies across the majority of our product portfolio.

We’re merchants within the construction and manufacturing industries, and if we haven’t got stock on the shelf, we have a big problem.

Being flexible with your stockholding is key At Protrade, our stockholding, prior to the pandemic, was £1.8 million.

That has since grown to £3.5 million as we continue to manage the supply chain disruption we’re facing. Our approach is if we can get a product through the door, we will get it in and manage the holding accordingly.

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SUPPLY CHAIN

Although we have almost doubled our investment in stock, which invariably impacts cash flow, it has stood us in great stead especially as prices continue to rise in the marketplace.

It’s not as simple as just stocking up though; many scarce products that have experienced significant price increases over the last few months could potentially settle in the near future, possibly leading to costs going in the other direction.

There are also products with shelf lives to consider, so it’s a fine balance between selecting the right type of stock and avoiding pitfalls. The biggest

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impact taking this approach has had on our business is that we have got plenty of stock for immediate delivery.

Certainly, within the construction industry, there’s a reliance on having the materials on-site when they’re required, so having it on the shelves and readily available is paramount.

Scanning the market is fine, but consider how short-term decisions could impact your business in the long-term An obvious tip to alleviate supply chain issues is switching to alternative comparable brands or types.

In many situations, this can work but there will often be circumstances where rigorous safety or performance testing has taken place that determines a specific product has to be used.

If one ingredient in the product mix changes, the whole testing process becomes null and void.

Brand loyalty can also come into play; changing a product that customers have used with no issues for years, can potentially lead to disappointment and even conflict.

In a manufacturing or production environment, there is a need for companies to communicate regularly and closely with their chosen supply partners.

box dimensions slightly, we have managed to fit another 18 per cent worth of product inside a single container.

With a global shortage of shipping containers, this has not only eased pressure on the supply chain but has also helped mitigate the spiralling cost of shipping.

The world is changing and we need to be ready for it Another issue actually has nothing to do with the pandemic or Brexit at all. It surrounds how the world is changing.

Battery cells are a good example of this, the ones traditionally used in cordless power tools within our industry.

The demand for these products is now coming from all angles with manufacturers prioritising accordingly. With the rise of electric vehicles across the world, battery cell producers are selling in huge volumes to car manufacturers and that, in turn, is driving the price up for other industries.

The supply chain is being exhausted by how the world is changing and where the demand is coming from.

It’s conceivable that solutions are readily available, once discussed. Companies have sometimes been reluctant to enter into contractual agreements, but price stability and continuation of supply far outweigh any potential risks or concerns.

How reviewing your packaging can improve your orders A final tip for businesses importing containers into the UK would be to look at the packaging.

Protrade imports multiple containers of professional wood screws per year. By changing the

Pause projects where necessary Let’s talk about freight for a moment.

We have been liaising with a business recently about producing our own brand for a particular product. However, the freight cost to be able to get the items shipped to us has multiplied by six. This resulted in a 41 per cent increase in the cost of the product.

We have made a decision to kick the idea into the long grass for now, until freight costs settle down again. In the meantime, we will continue to purchase an alternative existing brand that has products available, further down the supply chain.

Final thoughts The supply chain issues for the last year and a half have caused havoc, yes, but it isn’t to the point that it can’t be navigated or managed.

However, it does require business leaders to show a degree of bravery and make decisions and changes that have never had to be made before.

Take the bull by the horns, so to speak. By throwing caution to the wind with purchasing, forecasting ahead, and increasing stockholding, we have been able to mitigate - not overcome - the series of issues that have reared their heads throughout 2021 and likely to continue into 2022.

The situations we’re facing are not going to be here forever, but product and material is king, as is managing those supplier relationships that have been in place for a long time.

If a balance can be struck, both in terms of short and long-term capital thinking, businesses can still continue to thrive and release some of the heavy pressure that is weighing down on the shoulders of buyers up and down the country.

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

Craig Sanders is Managing Director at Protrade, a family-owned national company that prides itself on delivering #BestValueNoMessin to the professional trade right across the UK. Its product portfolio is tailored for joinery, fit-out, drylining, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and all other construction-related industries – specialising in offsite modular manufacturing.

Protrade Depots offer a sales and repair facility, while its Group Distribution Centre has over 10,000 product lines electronically processed to ensure the highest level of accuracy is achieved in fulfilling its customer’s requirements.

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

19

HUMAN RESOURCES

Search for a star Looking to find new dedicated and passionate employees?

In this article, Kelly Friel shares her advice for construction companies looking to attract and retain new talent

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hile many industries have suffered from catastrophic disruption as a result of the pandemic, the construction industry is one of the lucky few that looks set to make a speedy recovery. In fact, the Construction Industry Training Board has predicted that the sector will reach 2019 levels of output by the end of next year, with their report predicting strong growth in 2022.

While this is great news for construction businesses, it also

additional 217,000 new workers by 2025 to meet this demand.

This means that companies need to work on not just employing new staff, but retaining the talented workers they already have.

The good news is that hiring and keeping hard-working employees doesn’t have to be a challenge, as long as you know what steps to take. Read on to discover the most important tips for attracting and retaining construction workers to help your business thrive.

If you’re looking to hire hardworking and dedicated staff, you

first. While it’s always beneficial to post on popular job boards, such as Indeed, Glassdoor, and Reed, it’s also a good idea to expand your job advertisements by using a range of other methods.

One great way to attract employees interested in these types of roles is to post the advertisement on a jobsite specific to construction. There are a number of these websites about to explore, such as Careers in Construction and Construction Job Board. Not only are these sites great places to find workers who already have experience, but they’re more likely to be passionate about the industry too, which is always a bonus.

Another great way to find

means they have to act fast to be able to keep up with demand.

In fact, the same CITB report estimates that businesses in the industry will need to recruit an

Know where to look for staff

have to know where to find them

hard-working employees is

Stand out from the rest with employee perks When given a choice of the same role at two companies, workers are always going to go with the business which they feel is going to treat them the best. And one of the best ways to show employees that you care is by giving them extra perks. In fact, a study has found that 69 percent of employees would be more loyal to the company they work for if they had a wider array of employee perks (Compt).

The good news for both you and your employees is that there are a number of perks your business could try out, ranging in size and cost. If you’re looking for some inspiration, try giving one of the following a go: • A shorter work week to give your staff more time to spend with their loved ones. If a whole day off a week seems too much, you could consider doing half days off instead.

• Wellness initiatives to help employees look after both their mental and physical health.

• The opportunity to earn extra paid time off with a job well done.

• Regular work socials paid for by the company to help your employees bond. simply by word of mouth. Get in touch with other people you know in the industry and see if they know any hard-working construction workers looking for a role. Not only is this a way to find experienced employees, but you’ll be able to find out more about their talents from someone who’s seen them work first-hand.

You could also find future staff by attending school careers fairs and showing young people the benefits of a career in construction. Not only will this be beneficial for attracting new school-leavers, but it can also inspire younger students to consider a career in construction, so there will be new talented and passionate workers in the future, too.

Give workers the best resources To make your employees feel respected and valued, it’s important to provide them with highest quality tools and safety gear. As well as giving your staff the confidence they need to complete their work by keeping them safe, high-quality tools will also give them the opportunity to do their best work, which is a win for both you and your staff.

When buying construction equipment and PPE, always go for the highest quality you can.

You want durable tools that your employees will be able to use both safely and confidently. And make sure you buy your products from a reputable retailer with an

excellent customer service team who will be there to help if any issues arise.

Ask your staff for their opinions If you do all of the above and you still have trouble retaining staff, there may be an issue that needs to be addressed. So, to keep staff content, take the time to talk with them about how they’re feeling in their roles, and ask them what can be done to improve their working experience. Not only is this a great way to make your staff feel valued and heard, but you may discover issues that you had no idea were there.

There are many ways you can ask your staff for feedback. Firstly, make it clear to all employees that your door is always open for feedback, and that all criticism and complaints will be taken seriously.

However, your staff may find it difficult to discuss issues with management face to face. If this is the case, open up a suggestion box (or use an online platform to do this) and supply staff with feedback forms to allow them to submit criticism anonymously.

Attracting new staff and retaining the talented employees you have can sometimes seem like a challenge. If you use the tips above, you should be able to find new construction workers and cement a passionate and dedicated team in no time.

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

Kelly Friel works at Zoro, an industrial tool supplier that helps companies make workplace safety a priority by providing reliable tools and PPE for a competitive price. The company has high-quality resources for every industry, offering everything from office supplies to power tools. It takes pride in offering exceptionally speedy delivery and superior customer service.

Zoro stocks over 400,000 products, from some of the most loved brands.

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

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SMART HOMES & BUILDING AUTOMATION

Working in harmony Frank Bakker takes a look at how buildings could become energy independent as well as manage the energy they do use in a smarter way

Frank Bakker - Product Manager

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uildings are an integral part of our lives. They do not just board and shelter us, they are an expression of our culture.

As the world is moving towards sustainability and energy independence, so too is building architecture beginning to change to incorporate these values. More frequently we are seeing net-zero buildings and green building rating systems, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). In parallel, commercial buildings and homes are becoming smarter. This has opened the way towards managing energy in a more efficient manner.

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One of the ways to better manage energy is to design buildings that require less energy, for example by using passive ventilation techniques, passive solar energy, double/triple pane glass and thermal mass material so that the requirement for HVAC units is reduced and sometimes even eliminated. There are many other areas in which building designs can decrease the energy requirements of a building, from energy-efficient lighting, passive lighting, water conservation, and more. Yet, no matter how much a home or a commercial building is able to reduce its energy requirements, it is nearly impossible to completely eliminate energy demand.

However, the building can become its own energy generator.

One of the most promising aspects of solar energy, versus other types of renewable energy, is that it is designed to be a distributed power source. Almost anybody with a roof has the potential to install their very own

energy generation system. It truly places power into the hands of the people. For commercial buildings with large rooftops, as well as homes, adding a photovoltaic (PV) system can be an excellent way to produce the amount of energy that is consumed on-site. However, for high-rise office buildings and apartment buildings this can be more difficult.

For instance, the University of Technology Vienna (TU Wien), as part of its green building initiative, renovated its former chemistry building with the goal of becoming the first energyplus commercial high-rise building. This was a lofty goal as high-rises are particularly challenging for PV to meet energy demand since roof space is limited compared to energy consumption. To overcome this challenge, innovative design planning was required, and a building-integrated system was conceived. Leveraging SolarEdge’s design flexibility was

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Main Image: SolarEdge’s design flexibility enabled TU Wien to create what is believed to be the first energy-plus commercial high-rise building

PV Generation

Excess PV Energy

Typical Residential PV Production with Battery With Device Control Suite Morning

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fundamental in increasing system production and size by allowing the entire building’s surface to be covered in solar modules, while also optimising each individual panel. At the time of completion, the system was thought to be Austria’s largest Integrated PV site and the direct environmental benefits of the PV system were calculated to be equal to >54,000 kg of CO2 emissions saved, which is the equivalent of nearly 200 trees planted or nearly 420,000 lightbulbs powered for a day.

Adding solar energy to a building’s energy mix is a crucial aspect in making a building more energy independent; however, it is only the first step.

The next step is improving the management of that energy in order to increase selfconsumption. This is because energy usage does not always align with the energy generation of a PV system. As such, there are two ways that the energy can be managed to overcome this inconsistency. The first technique is energy storage and the second is consumption shifting. Energy storage is an essential part of smart energy management as it stores energy when it is produced for consumption at a later time instead of either limiting energy production or feeding it into the grid. With PV plus storage systems, the inverter is responsible for managing battery charge and discharge patterns to meet consumption needs and reduce the amount of power purchased from the grid.

The graph to the right shows how energy storage is able to increase self-consumption and energy independence.

Self Consumption

Noon

Without Device Control Suite Evening

Self Consumption

Morning

Shifted Self Consumption

Noon

PV Generation

Evening

Excess PV Energy

Shifting energy consumption is another form of energy management that can also increase self-consumption. This technique combines the technology of smart buildings with PV energy. By merging these two technologies, smart energy management solutions can automatically use a PV system’s excess power to increase solar energy usage, help lower electricity bills, increase energy independence, and provide greater convenience.

Devices and appliances, such as immersion heaters, lighting, fans, and pool pumps, can be controlled by smart energy management solutions that include AC switches with a meter and plug-in sockets with a meter, and dry contact switches. With the immersion heater, excess PV energy can be directed towards water heating, which is a low-cost form of energy storage. While the other devices allow appliances, such as pool pumps, fans, coldstorage, thermostats, and lighting, to be remotely controlled and utilized during high PV production for increased self-consumption.

Typical Residential PV Production and Energy Consumption Morning

Noon

Consumption

Evening

Self Consumption

Morning

PV Generation

Noon

Evening

Excess PV Energy

In addition to increasing energy independence, smart energy management allows for a simple user experience when combined into one integrated energy management and monitoring platform. This enables a more streamlined smart energy and building management process With to reduce operation and maintenance costs. As the technology Without Device Control Suite Device Control Suite advances, we will continue to see more opportunities to further integrate it into making Evening Morning buildings Morning more energyNoon efficient. For example, weather and irradianceNoon forecastingEvening integrated into energy management systems can help ensure more efficient planning of building heating, or personalized profiles and thermostat controls that can help increase comfort without additional resources. Combining these types of technology with architectural designs can help our buildings exist in better harmony within their surroundings and environment.

Frank Bakker is Product Manager - Shifted Smart Energy Management at SolarEdge a Consumption Self Consumption Self Consumption PV Generation Excess PV Energy global leader in smart energy technology. By leveraging world-class engineering capabilities and with a relentless focus on innovation, SolarEdge creates smart energy solutions that power our lives and drive future progress. SolarEdge developed an intelligent inverter solution that changed the way power is harvested and managed in photovoltaic (PV) systems. The SolarEdge DC optimised inverter seeks to maximize power generation while lowering the cost of energy produced by the PV system. Continuing to advance smart energy, SolarEdge addresses a broad range of energy market segments through its PV, storage, EV charging, batteries, UPS, and grid services solutions.

For more information please see: www.solaredge.com

23

SUSTAINABILITY

Under focus Dan Jestico discusses the issue of sustainability – what is needed to be green?

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s the dust settles on the rhetoric of COP26, where significant announcements were made by international leaders in trying to tackle climate change, the real estate industry is continuing to explore the issues and potential solutions. This is being driven by a combination of policy, innovation and new ways of thinking.

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Research released by Savills in the lead up to COP26 demonstrated the scale of the existing problem. 1.4bn ft2 of the UK’s retail stock will need to be improved to meet proposed EPC targets, despite retail having the most torrid couple of years in living memory. Eighty-seven per cent of the UK’s office stock will also need upgrading. However, institutional investors are reaping the benefits of revitalising old

stock by developing longerterm decarbonisation pathways to ensure their assets are futureproofed and compliant with corporate ESG targets.

The residential sector presents a more complex picture. Although the government recently announced a significant package of grant funding to retrofit homes, the £5,000 per heat pump at 30,000 heat pumps per year will only scratch the surface. And

ourselves difficult questions about local conservation vs global conservation? Surely there will come a point where we need to start looking at the ongoing emissions from historic buildings as part of our net zero commitments and addressing them regardless of the building’s heritage status.

For new build, the picture is clearer. We know how to design buildings that will be ready for the net zero carbon economy.

We can design in fossil fuel free heating systems, passivhaus levels of insulation and employ rooftop PV to reduce operational energy consumption dramatically.

However, more and more people are now asking questions about

what about insulation? If the government really intends to bring every residential property up to EPC B and C by 2035, we’ll need to see some serious incentives, especially for the 11.7m UK homes that are mortgaged or owned outright with EPCs below C. At the moment, heat pumps cost more, the installations are intrusive and additional works will usually be needed to upgrade the insulation of the house. With

payback periods in excess of 14 years and up to 36 years, it’s hard to see anyone but ardent enthusiasts proactively seeking to decarbonise their homes.

Buildings with historic or heritage status are even more problematic. Preserving the heritage character of the building currently trumps the need to decarbonise these often very inefficient buildings. At what point do we start asking

the embodied carbon in new construction projects. How much energy, and therefore carbon, does it take to extract raw materials, process them into building products, transport them to site and then assemble into a building? The big ticket items here are steel and concrete, but the industry is innovating to develop solutions. Low cement concrete is now being trialled for a range of civil and structural engineering projects, and steel’s impact on the environment is being mitigated by designing for deconstruction and reuse.

In late November 2021, the world’s first full demountable football stadium was unveiled for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Made from 974 shipping containers, Stadium 974 can simply be packed up once the world cup is over and shipped off to the next venue, or split up into Lego-sized chunks for reassembly in a range of different configurations.

The challenges for new build really relate to longevity and adaptability. Are we designing buildings that are flexible enough to adapt to the changing climate, changing lifestyles and changing technologies? The long life, loose fit, low energy concept, first

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SUSTAINABILITY

coined by Sir Alex Gordon way back in 1972, has never been so apt to the industry.

Our attendance at COP26 marked a moment of awareness for the sector, proving the need to collaborate with governments around the world to make sure that the industry’s actions are

26

matched by government support.

Whilst we continue to develop low energy, fossil fuel free buildings we need to be supported by a government dedicated to decarbonising the electricity grid.

The UK government has pledged to achieve this by 2035, but without global commitment to

leave existing fossil fuel reserves in the ground and focus on developing renewable sources of energy, efforts to reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will founder as low and middle income countries continue to develop more carbon intensive lifestyles.

air quality. The concept also has benefits for health, wellbeing and community cohesion, as you’re much more likely to chat to your neighbours doing the school run on foot, rather than in a car.

We are often asked to summarise solutions to the climate crisis and our answer is always that there’s no silver bullet that will holistically and harmoniously alleviate our environmental impacts. It’s clear that the entire industry will need to focus on mitigating emissions even more so than it is now, and we need international government support and financial backing to deploy the necessary solutions at scale. When the Covid-19 virus emerged from Wuhan in late 2019, governments around the world recognised the threat to health and the economy and immediately deployed resources, collaboratively and at scale, to develop vaccines and treatments.

The climate emergency is no less critical and needs to be treated as such.

The emissions from how we live our lives day-to-day are also coming under increasing focus.

The role of the built environment in tackling the emissions that result from people’s behaviour is now a key part of our philosophy.

Whilst we can design systems and technology into buildings to make

them more efficient, we can also design developments to reduce our lifestyle emissions. The 15 minute city concept, created by Parisian mayor Anne Hidalgo, aims to locate essential community facilities within a 15 minute walk or bike ride, minimising vehicle use to cut emissions and improve

Dan Jestico is sustainable design director at Savills Earth. Savills is a leading multisector global property adviser with an international network of more than 39,000 professionals across over 600 offices and associates throughout UK, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and the Americas.

We know that real estate decisions depend on accurate insight. With a strong client focus, commitment to our people, and unrivalled market insight and expertise, we will provide you with the highest-quality advice and competitive advantage to help you make well informed, insightful decisions. Commercial, residential or rural; local, national or global, we have more than 160 years of history to help with your future.

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

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PROFILE: ASTON GROUP

Retrofit for the future Fresh from the recent success of its Greenleaf Project, Aston Group is setting new standards when it comes to sustainable building management

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he winter of 196263 lives long in the memory. As early as December, powerlines were downed and

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lakes and rivers froze over as the UK experienced plummeting temperatures. In some places, gale force winds brought snow more than six feet deep, blocking roads

and railways, and leaving entire villages stranded. It was not until 6 March that the country reported a morning without frost, nearly three months after the initial snowfall.

Later referred to as the ‘Big Freeze’, it was in the wake of those devastating winter months that Aston Group was first established, one year later in

March 1964. Its founders were Evan Ivey Sr, his brother-in-law Brian Durrant and Frank Dalton.

Engineers first and foremost, all three recognised the need to

provide people with a properly designed heating system using proven, quality components.

Then trading as Aston Heating, these components were fitted

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PROFILE: ASTON GROUP

by the company’s experienced professionals and backed by a no-nonsense guarantee, with maintenance engineers on call to keep the system running at all times.

Now a leading building services and facilities management company for both residential and commercial clients, Aston Group has been setting standards for efficiency, innovation and quality ever since. “Our ethos and expectation is that we will go the extra mile to ensure service delivery and satisfaction,” explains Aston Group Managing Director Alan Thomas. “Aston Group was founded on the core values of trust, quality, respect, and working together. It’s our commitment to those values that we believe sets us apart from our competitors.”

Central to Aston Group’s longterm business plan is a mission to provide a quality and socially responsible service. “We have a holistic approach to managing

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projects across our mechanical, electrical and construction divisions,” Alan explains. “Over the past ten years, Aston Group has been quick to adapt to changing demands in the market. As part of our growth we’ve increased our facilities management, construction, electrical services and renewable technologies, of which building safety and sustainability sits at the very core.

By being agile and adapting early to the changes required to create more modern sustainable housing, we’ve positioned ourselves at the forefront of this exciting phase in our industry. Working alongside our clients and partners, using modern techniques and technology, we create sustainable solutions that help deliver energyefficient housing, reduce carbon emissions and realise net zero targets.”

In November 2021, Aston Group was nominated for the Partnership and Collaboration

of the Year Award at the edie Sustainability Leaders Awards in recognition of its work on the Greenleaf Project. A partnership with Waltham Forest Council, the project involved the retroconversion of a semi-detached Edwardian terrace house on Walthamstow’s Greenleaf Road.

Built on the advent on the 20th Century, shortly after the death of Queen Victoria, the four-bedroom property typifies much of the area’s outdated housing stock, with an Energy Performance Certificate rating far-beneath the national average.

Enter Aston Group. “As part of our work on Greenleaf, we retrofitted the property with the latest environmental technology,” Alan says. “We conducted thermal upgrades to the walls, roof, windows, and added underfloor insulation with the intent of reducing heat loss through the floor by up to 74 percent. We combined that with a series

of service upgrades, such as the addition of a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery, designed to deliver fresh air throughout the indoor areas of the property. We also replaced the pre-existing gas boiler with an air-source heat pump, installed LED lighting and added PV solar capable of generating approximately 2850 kWh of electricity per year. As a result, this unassuming Edwardian terrace has been transformed into a state-ofthe-art green home of the future, taking it from an EPC E to an A.”

HPS Heating Plumbing Supplies HPS Heating Plumbing Supplies are the leading independent plumbing and heating merchant across the South with 39 branches.

Please visit www.hpsmerchant.co.uk to see the one nearest to you.

Stockists of all major brands of plumbing, heating and bathroom materials.

Why not come and give us a try.

Alan Thomas, Managing Director The Greenleaf Project serves as a showcase for how technological improvements can revitalise our much-loved homes, reduce emissions and save money for householders, and its success shows a direction for councils

and boroughs nationwide as they look to achieve their net zero targets. “Over the years we have always championed sustainability, from servicing, maintaining and installing solar panels on council properties to designing energy

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PROFILE: ASTON GROUP

properties. That being the case, it was our responsibility to provide our staff with everything they might need to continue doing their jobs safely. Thankfully, with strong systems in place, we’ve still been able to carry out 100 percent compliance for gas services throughout the pandemic. It’s a huge achievement of which we’re very proud, and marks our tenth year of 100 percent gas compliance with Waltham Forest Council.”

Alan remains fully aware that the issue of Covid-19 hasn’t gone away. “We continue to be cautious, with all our staff still following the same procedures,” he says. “We have to be mindful

efficient lighting solutions for Local Authorities,” Alan continues. “It wasn’t new to us, but in our deepening climate emergency, our industry and the services we provide have been brought to the fore. The Greenleaf Project is a positive story for us, one that’s given us a platform to help educate and inform others about how best to install energy efficient measures, and helping to place Aston Group as a leader in the drive to make housing stock across the country more sustainable.”

For Aston Group, it’s an achievement that would not have been possible were it not for the positive culture that exists among its more than 140

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employees. “We pride ourselves on looking after our people,” Alan admits. “We understand that without our people we wouldn’t be here, and we know how important it is to keep good communication with them, respect each other and work together as a single team.

“With the emergence of Covid-19, this has been challenging, and hasn’t enabled us to be together as much as we might want,” Alan admits. “Many of our staff were understandably nervous to go out to work in other peoples’ homes, but the services we provide can’t be put on hold. We had to continue visiting homes, servicing boilers and maintaining residents’

and respect each resident, recognising that each one has their own needs, and we do our best to make sure that this ethos filters down through all our staff, all the way to our apprentices.”

As dawn breaks on 2022, Aston Group is looking to bolster its growing reputation within sustainable development.

The company has secured approximately £4 million worth of contracts to undertake further decarbonisation projects for Waltham Forest Council, the largest of which is the Southfield Court Project, intended to reduce emissions at the 40bed Southfield Court hostel, situated in nearby Leytonstone.

A ‘fabric first’ project, Aston Group will be upgrading the thermal efficiency of the hostel through the deployment of fabric improvements, alongside the utilisation of heat pumps, solar PV and heat recovery ventilation.

The project will coincide with a further contract to upgrade insulation and incorporate renewable technologies across another 100 properties throughout the London borough, with Aston Group’s initial surveys already underway.

From this strong foundation, Aston Group now hopes to kick

Stroma Establishing building insulation levels.

Involved in the Greenleaf Road Retrofit Home project, Stroma provided valued expertise in energy modelling, air testing, and thermal envelope testing to aid the dwelling improvements and illustrate the energy efficiency gains.

We provided relevant thermal performance recommendations on reducing the property’s energy usage and carbon emissions, thereby improving the EPC from band E to A. As a fully integrated service provider, we’ll partner with you to help deliver safe, sustainable and compliant buildings.

Contact Stroma Built Environment: T: 01924 237500 E: sales-wakefield@stroma.com W: stroma.com/built-environment

on as businesses and clients stage their post-pandemic recovery. “We hope the situation with Covid-19 will improve over time, and we look forward to continuing to grow the business and our client base,” Alan says. “Long term, the goal for Aston Group is to be part of a retrofitting future. We’re excited about the opportunity to tackle this issue, and will continue to develop the skills and competencies across all of our divisions to deliver our work to a high standard.”

Aston Group astongroup.co.uk Services: Building services, facilities management, fire safety and renewable energy

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PROFILE: RAINTON CONSTRUCTION

Communitydriven construction Family values continue to drive longevity for one of the region’s most successful civil engineering and road surfacing companies, Rainton Construction. The Durham-based contractor is part of MGL Group, a proud local business which celebrated 50 years of trading in 2021

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R

ainton Construction has come a long way since its inception in 1992 and attributes its success to the high-quality workmanship it provides when delivering a broad scope of construction services throughout the North East of England.

“We currently self-deliver works as a principal contractor for government and local authorities as well as supporting Tier 1 contractors through partnership agreements and places on frameworks. For specific projects we are able to draw on our group capabilities to provide a holistic delivery model and add more value,” summarises Dave Elliott, Managing Director of Rainton Construction.

“The industry continues to evolve and as the region’s construction requirements change, we have expanded our in-house delivery so we can offer a flexible single service or end-toend solutions,” he adds.

The business’s hard work and dedication to a sustainable, efficient, and high-quality service has recently been met with official industry recognition in the form of five awards from the Civil Engineering Contractors

Association. This is something Dave is extremely proud of: “Our success at the CECA Awards was a fantastic achievement for both our business and the people involved. The recognition for the individuals is invaluable and very well deserved.

“We were awarded the Civil Engineering Project of the Year and Subcontractor of the Year for our work on the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Launch Ramp at the Wilton Polyhalite Processing Facility in Teesside. This really highlights the diverse capabilities of our business as well as demonstrating the importance of having the right skillsets in house to carry out the works to the highest possible standard.”

The business worked as a partner for global construction company, STRABAG, which is delivering a £5bn polyhalite mine in North Yorkshire for Anglo American. Rainton Construction

Working collaboratively with STRABAG

A commitment to partnering is also what sets the business apart as it continues to thrive, collaborating with a variety of public and private sector clients.

This client focused ethos is embedded into all aspects of Rainton Construction’s day-today activities and core values.

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PROFILE: RAINTON CONSTRUCTION

Two rising stars were crowned winners of the Trainee Quantity Surveyor of the Year and Apprentice of the Year categories at the CECA Awards 2021

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was awarded a significant civil engineering works package and played a critical role in the project, undertaking initial works for the 37km transportation tunnel which enabled the TBM to commence its journey from the Wilton site towards the mine at Whitby.

“We began by constructing the TBM Launch Ramp and Port Hole at the Wilton processing site. The tunnel runs to Whitby then under the sea to where the polyhalite is located. Once mined, the polyhalite is then transported via a conveyor to the Wilton facility for processing,” Dave explains.

Due to the extremely tight tolerances required in the construction of the Launch Ramp, incredible accuracy had to be maintained in a highly pressured environment and under strict time restraints. He reiterates that the skillset of his team was crucial to scheme’s success: “The project team understood exactly what was required.

They worked collaboratively to find solutions to challenging technical requirements and shape the design and construction processes which enabled us to deliver the works on time and exceed client expectations.”

Celebrating staff success is something Dave actively encourages: “For me the highlight of the awards was the recognition of two of our rising stars who were crowned winners of the Apprentice of the Year and Trainee Quantity Surveyor of the Year categories.

As a business we focus on giving all our people the opportunity to be the best. It was great for these up-and-coming individuals to be recognised so early in their careers for what they have achieved so far.”

A fundamental understanding

Rainton Construction carried out tunnel enabling works

the top down. We are a proud local employer and recognise that our people play a key part in driving our business forward.

We invest a lot of time in training and bringing on new staff, ensuring that everyone is given the opportunity to thrive.”

of the importance of people in running a successful business is at the core of the company culture, as Dave confirms: “Our working culture is delivered from

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PROFILE: RAINTON CONSTRUCTION

This focus on investment in people extends beyond those within the company itself and MGL Group works hard to reinvest in its local communities through philanthropic work. In 2016, the group founded its charity arm the MGL Foundation Trust to drive social value and support worthwhile causes with the core business and staff making contributions into the trust and

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backed up by internal fundraising activities.

“We make a significant impact on the local economy through employment, education and engagement opportunities. Our vibrant social value programme creates outcomes that are relevant and beneficial to local people,” said Dave.

“Across the business our employees are keen to get

involved. From fundraising and charity events, to dress down Friday with all donations being matched by the company, making a positive difference is something everyone is committed to.”

Another key element of the company culture is the drive for a more environmentally conscious industry and this is something Dave is passionate about: “We also won the award

We source our feedstock waste mainly from local recycling companies to obtain both end of use plastic and tyre wastes, saving it going to local landfill or incineration

Renewing a large section of dual carriageway on the A689 in County Durham

for Environmental Company of the Year which demonstrates our commitment to addressing environmental and sustainability issues now and in the future.

“Innovation plays a big part in our approach, working with our sister company Tynedale Roadstone, we are focused on recycling and reducing our environmental footprint. We recycle locally sourced, end-of-use

plastic and tyre waste which we then put into our asphalt products and lay on local road networks.

We do a lot of these works through our regional framework contracts as sustainable practice is very important in the public sector.”

The business undertakes all its own cold milling works as well as the surfacing operations on principal, non-principal, and unclassified roads for several local authorities. Rainton Construction also self-delivers a variety of asphalt products including its innovative surfacing solution Plastipave.

As part of a resurfacing scheme on one of its regional frameworks, the company renewed a large section of dual carriageway on the A689 in County Durham. By using Plastipave materials on this scheme over 6.5 tonnes of waste plastic was saved through re-use, which is the equivalent to over 230,000 plastic shopping bags going to landfill.

“Our Plastipave products provide a long-term, costeffective, and sustainable asphalt solution for end of use waste streams and contribute to a circular economy as those materials are then fed back into the local road network,” explains Dave.

“We source our feedstock waste mainly from local recycling companies to obtain both end of use plastic and tyre wastes, saving it going to local landfill or incineration. We are constantly promoting the use of our Plastipave products in the marketplace as we see it as a sustainable solution for these end of use wastes.”

Being a responsible business is all about continuous improvement and addressing some of society’s biggest issues. The company remains dedicated to its family-owned origins: “One thing we never forget is that, despite our continued sustainable growth we are a proud family business, driven by our founding ethos of high-quality workmanship and developing strong partnerships with our clients and local supply chains,” asserts Dave.

He concludes: “It’s been another challenging year, but the resilience of our teams means that we have completed our projects safely and on time.

We are continually adapting to meet the changing market and customer needs, while retaining the core morals and ethics which are the foundations of the business.”

MGL Group – Rainton Construction https://www.mglgroup.co.uk/rainton-construction/ Services: Civil engineering and surfacing 41

PROFILE: COLD CLAD LTD

Work you can trust Cold Clad Ltd - the UK’s industry leader in building envelope systems, temperature controlled environments and firewall solutions - prides itself on passionate service

S

ince being founded

by Jon Pitman in 2007, Cold Clad Ltd has grown

and developed considerably over the last 16 years.

Initially Jon started out Project Managing large scale construction projects but within just 12 months

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he had expanded the operation to include direct specialist installation services on these projects.

A hallmark of Jon’s leadership is his dedication for the business to diversify and evolve to meet the continued demands of its established client base. As a result, Cold Clad now operates

four divisions offering design, installation and management services to businesses operating in a wide variety of sectors including Temperature Controlled environments, Fire Rated construction, Data Centre projects and external Roofing & Cladding.

These four business segments

installations teams on construction projects across the UK. Then in 2011 Colin Baker came on board as Sales Director to grow our client base and expand our supply chain network.” This strategic recruitment policy has continued, with the appointment of a new Managing Director Tony Harrold as recently as 2020. “Tony has over 20 years’ experience in the construction industry working for market leading manufacturers of composite panel and door solutions and adds another layer of skills to the business. It is our diverse skill set that enables us to grow in multiple sectors,” added Jon. Continuing the topic of people, Jon emphasised that everyone in the business has a voice and

service work across sectors ranging from food production facilities to high end shopping centres and are supported by an in-house fabrication facility, a full technical design department, a professional installation team and an experienced management team.

This latter aspect has been carefully managed over many years and Jon began by giving CCE an overview on two early and one more recent key appointment: “In 2008, Gareth Pitman joined Cold Clad as Contracts Director.

Gareth played an instrumental part in building and developing our

acknowledged the essential role each member of the team plays in delivering the required level of customer service. “We understand that our success depends on the success of our clients. We believe that no matter how good our service has been in the past, it is the level of service we provide today that matters most.” Clearly this is successful - the majority of Cold Clad’s business is generated through repeat custom thanks to its quality of service.

To support its team in the delivery of these exemplary standards, Cold Clad provides a well-supported operating structure, with the reassurance of independent certified approvals where necessary. One such step was achieved in 2012, when the Fire Rated construction division became LPS1500 and LPS1531 approved. These schemes involve a full office audit of processes and record keeping along with detailed site inspections. These are vital qualifications to ensure quality and specification compliant fire rated installations. Alongside these, Cold Clad is also backed by SafeContractor, Constructionline (Silver) and Avetta accreditations, plus it is a member of CEBA, CFF and BFFF.

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PROFILE: COLD CLAD LTD

Combined with certifications, Cold Clad also works hard to provide the right equipment and facilities in preparation for on-site activity. Nowhere is this more important than its in-house fabrication division where it manufactures bespoke metal profiles. The steel and sheet steel fabrication plant in Tewkesbury features high specification machinery to cut, punch and fold all types of profiles to use within its design and build schemes.

“Working closely with our supply chain and key manufacturing partners such as Kingspan Controlled Environments, Euroclad Group and Trimo, we can select the best quality insulated and fire rated composite sandwich panels to construct our projects,” said Jon. “Many of the construction projects we build require specific materials to meet demanding project specifications.

“Our goal has always been to build a business that people want to work with,” he continued. “We see ourselves as an extension of our client’s team. Early engagement with clients enables us to design and deliver the most cost-effective solutions and thanks to our diversity we can support clients with multiple construction packages.”

While Jon had to exercise due care and attention when discussing projects because of client NDAs, he was able to share that the company recently had been contracted on a large-scale facility in South Wales for a new TVR factory. “We supplied and installed over 40,000m2 of new insulated building envelope walls and roof systems as well as undertaking a complete refurbishment of the existing steel structure and internal fire separation walls.”

Cold Clad’s services were also called upon to assist in the fight against Covid-19. “During the pandemic we undertook critical construction works on Covid test facilities in the UK, as well

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as supported clients to deliver urgent data infrastructure works in Portugal. Delivering these projects successfully was the result of the early steps the business took as soon as the first lockdown was announced.” Working from home was set up, Covid measures were introduced on sites and employees were kept as safe as possible.

However, during this challenging time the business was even able undertake a successful divisional re-structure and a significant investment in a new IT system and process to automate financial reporting and project cost control!

Securiclad With over four decades of technical experience, quality assurance and innovation, our team of experts advise and guide our customers through the purchase, from design and project management to the installation process.

Securiclad have worked alongside Cold Clad on several prestigious client sites to ensure project alignment, a precise certified installation which in turn has delivered an industry leading security solution to the end user.

Our modular panel range not only facilitates security infrastructure to LPS1175 SR5, but provides fire-resistance, thermal and acoustic benefits plus reduced carbon emissions on site.

Securiclad

The power to secure

A modular panel system with Government-approved protection for high risk areas.

Securiclad creates secure environments, providing an effective, cost-efficient means of safeguarding high-risk areas.

We work across a broad spectrum of sectors, specialising in data centres, Government infrastructure, airports, healthcare facilities, universities, banks, cargo facilities and private residential clients, all requiring a security solution for high value assets ranging from currencies, hazardous materials, pharmaceutical products, IT infrastructure and much more.

Our manufacturing facility in Monmouth, South Wales, delivers the capability to distribute on both a national and international level.

www.securiclad.co.uk

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PROFILE: COLD CLAD LTD

It has been the prompt and thorough actions taken during the pandemic that demonstrate the lengths that Cold Clad will go to protect its employees. This caring attitude permeates through all its operations and overall corporate and social responsibility (CSR) programme. As part of its green agenda, Cold Clad has upgraded its manufacturing facilities with energy efficient LED lighting to reduce power

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consumption, started to change many of its company vehicles to electric and established a regional team and office near London to reduce the travel times from the Tewkesbury Head Office. “We have installed solar panels to our Group Office to help be more sustainable and we are constantly seeking ways of improving our environmental impact as a business,” Jon highlighted. “Of course, we take that approach in

our construction projects, too, and we are committed to finding the best solutions to construct the most energy efficient buildings and support our clients’ goals to achieve Net Zero.”

The high quality of the projects delivered by Cold Clad have not gone unnoticed and recognition of its performance came in 2021 when it won the prestigious Cold Storage Contractor of the Year Award at the TCS&D awards. A

further indicator of continued and sustained success is that the 2022 business order book is already looking very healthy, with an unprecedented rise in the number of new project enquiries across all of divisions.

“The construction industry as a whole is very buoyant, and we see no signs of it slowing down,” said Jon. “Many of our projects have been two to three years in the planning and design stages and

as a business we have significant opportunities to grow in all our sectors. 2022 will see more significant investment in our plant and construction machinery fleet and we are fully committed to continually developing ourselves, refining our processes and operational standards to be as efficient as possible.

“As one final word, I really want to extend a big ‘well done’ to the team at Cold Clad. We have had

an incredible journey in recent years, our business continues to grow, improve and diversify and this is all thanks to our fantastic team, which is committed to building our reputation based on ‘work you can trust’.”

Cold Clad Ltd https://www.coldclad.com/ Services: Cladding, insulation, fire and installation services 47

PROFILE: DARLASTON BUILDERS MERCHANTS LTD

Built to last

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Darlaston Builders Merchants Ltd is proud of its heritage; the company’s longstanding history is fuelling its ambition to continue to grow, and be a leader in the construction industry

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PROFILE: DARLASTON BUILDERS MERCHANTS LTD

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ne of the largest independent and leading suppliers of building, landscaping, civil and DIY materials is determined to be a household name across the UK. As a conglomerate of four sister companies that include BrickExpress, 4Bathrooms, DBMcivils and GreyShire Homes, Darlaston Builders Merchants Ltd’s (DBM) long-term goal is to be the go-to independent merchant and civils supplier in the West Midlands.

Construction and Civil Engineering magazine speaks with Ricky Jutla, the company’s Director, about the developments currently underway at DBM, and the prospects of the business’s future as it rivals its competition on price, quality, and customer service.

“We operate a total of six branches around the Midlands, including Birmingham and the Black Country, and employ around 90 employees,” Ricky begins. “Our well-earned reputation stretches across a 35year history, which has allowed us to refine our expertise, and provide the best customer service possible, including high quality materials at very competitive prices.”

The company has grown impressively during its tenure.

Since its first depot was established in Darlaston, it has expanded substantially across the West Midlands to include sites in Wednesbury, West Bromwich, and Birmingham, in addition to the well-established plumbing outlet in its home town.

Despite becoming a dependable name, DBM is continually looking for ways to up its game, and recently underwent a rebranding to uphold its marketing edge. “As a company, we believed it was time to take DBM to the next level. Rebranding has allowed us to widen our target audience and hopefully appeal to a wider demographic. We felt our image had become outdated and by repositioning ourselves, we can truly stand out in the marketplace.

The opening of the new super depot in Walsall meant this was the perfect opportunity,” shares Ricky.

Ricky was proud to announce that DBM welcomed a super depot to the company’s infrastructure. “In November of 2021, we opened our new

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All of which means that with Polypipe, every job is covered.

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PROFILE: DARLASTON BUILDERS MERCHANTS LTD

15,000 square foot depot in Walsall, and in 2022, we will open an additional super depot in central Birmingham,” he shares. “Work on the next site in central Birmingham has already commenced, and I believe it will allow the regeneration of an overgrown and disused scrap yard, providing DBM with a 27,000 square foot site. In addition to that, we also have plans in the pipeline to open a further two sites within the West Midland region,” he says.

Undertaking an expansion of this size requires strategic thinking, and calculated actions.

“As a company, we looked at

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our long-term growth strategy and our present resources to evolve. Choosing our sites has been carefully decided in order to widen our parameters enough and establish new clientele, whilst continuing to ensure we remained linked to our present sites,” Ricky expresses.

He continues to share that DBM works methodically. Behind each milestone in the company’s history is years of learning from customer feedback to provide quality products and services. So, what have been some of the core specialisms that have brought the company the success that it enjoys today? Well, Ricky pins this

down to the expansive catalogue that enables DBM to be a onestop shop for its clients. “We have a wide range of materials on offer. Among our selection, we are proud to specialise in the areas of building materials, garden & landscaping, plumbing, bathrooms, timber and civil materials.

“Having been part of the community for over three decades, local people are familiar with the Darlaston brand in this area, which is why we are confident that they wouldn’t have experienced a merchant like us before. DBM has a winning combination of choice, quality,

and value. Even during Covid-19, when others were struggling to obtain supplies, DBM was able to continue supplying for our customers, and this was all as a result of the great relationships we’ve built with our supply chain network,” he says.

For Ricky, a successful business is about providing the right products at the right price when customers need them, while ensuring that this is done in a professional, friendly, and welcoming manner. “We believe

that DBM offers the perfect environment to serve the needs of the local community; whatever the size, or type of project they are working on, our branches provide a one-stop shop for all building products.”

With a typical clientele that varies from national house builders to your everyday DIY enthusiast, DBM takes pride in a company culture that looks after its people. This, according to Ricky, is rooted in values that stem back to the business’s

origins. “DBM is deeply connected to its humble beginnings,” he says, “when we started as a small family-oriented business, with good community spirit. As the Company as evolved and expanded over the last 35 years, we have never lost sight of our family values, and have strived to ensure this remains part of our core, and of our collaborative culture. From my time working here, I have seen this come to fruition in the hard work that our team invests into the success

R & J Aggregates R & J Aggregates Ltd was incorporated in 1992 supplying bagged and loose materials to businesses in the Midlands and surrounding area.

The success of the business is due in part to the strong family ethos, with the owners two sons and his daughter together with her husband managing daily production.

To maximise performance the business has a fleet of ten lorries being fed from two mobile poly machines plus four bulk bagging plants.

The family are proud to have been given the opportunity to supply Darlaston Builders Merchants Ltd with their aggregates as they are aware that it was a major leap of faith by their management to change from bagging in-house to trusting another supplier to handle such a critical part of their supply chain.

R&J Ltd looks forward to supporting Darlaston Builders Merchants Ltd in all their future success.

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PROFILE: DARLASTON BUILDERS MERCHANTS LTD

of the business, and this then manifests in maintaining a loyal customer base. I believe that our culture is a fantastic tool for ensuring our partnerships last.”

Tying in with this sentiment, DBM also considers the importance of sustaining excellent working relationships with its supply chain. Ricky shares more

O’Reilly Group Formed in 1939, the O’Reilly Group are experts in the field of precast concrete, paving and environmental treatment systems. The O’Reilly Group are made up of four companies: O’Reilly Concrete, Barleystone Paving, O’Reilly Oakstown Environmental and our newest addition, O’Reilly Precast in the UK. O’Reilly Concrete are leading manufacturers of precast products. Manufactured in Ireland, this efficient way of modular building has helped streamline the construction process. Our rapid build system is utilised in a range of construction activities, ranging from residential house and office blocks to sports arenas and transport projects. These modern methods of construction have proved innovative and time saving, whilst always maintaining high standards in quality.

Barleystone Paving offer a wide range of paving for ‘The Perfect Finish’. We are committed to offering superior quality products, trusted technical advice and on-time delivery service. Barleystone can transform your driveway or garden into a stunning area for a homeowner to be proud of.

Oakstown Environmental provide a range of environmental solutions including Wastewater Treatment Systems, Septic Tanks and Rainwater Harvesting Systems for homes, schools, hotels, business, and agriculture. Over the years we have grown from supplying Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems to providing a full bespoke design and installation service for large Commercial Treatment Plants for Hotels, Schools, Nursing Homes, Bars/Restaurants, Office Blocks, Factories, Petrol Stations, Sports Centres etc. As environmental awareness increases, O’Reilly Oakstown intend to keep providing innovative solutions to environmental problems whenever and wherever they may arise.

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details on this topic as it is one that echoes the essence of the company’s ethos. “There are several key elements that we abide by when establishing and retaining strong relationships with our customers, suppliers, partners, and employees. We pride ourselves on our ability to treat everyone with mutual respect.

Clear communication with a good flow of information helps us to connect effectively, building trust and understanding. Problem solving and facing challenges are dealt with as a team, with excellent leadership, solutions and good decisions encompass our working relationships.

“Pure hard work, a strong workforce and a focus on our clients’ needs have been paramount from the beginning to guarantee DBM’s success. Since the start, our primary focus has

not only been our customer’s needs, but we have also worked closely with our supply network to plan accordingly throughout the year regarding supply and demand,” he says, hinting at the

Kilsaran Paving Kilsaran Paving have worked side by side with Darlaston Builders Merchants for several years and are proud to be a key supplier to them of our Paving Flag and Paving Block ranges.

We are delighted to see our range of paving products displayed in the new Darlaston store and wish them the very best with their new venture.

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PROFILE: DARLASTON BUILDERS MERCHANTS LTD

supply chain issues that have arisen as a consequence of Covid-19 restrictions.

“We have strived to meet the needs of our customers by providing a wide-ranging variety of high-quality materials, sourced from a broad spectrum of carefully selected suppliers to provide both quality and affordability. In the unprecedented previous couple of years, we provided accessibility to quality materials for our customer base and ensured strong working relationships with both suppliers and customers,” he says.

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This approach to its relationships allowed the company to stand itself in good stead during the past two years when businesses across the world faced a multitude of challenges.

Fortunately, DBM was able to continue its operations, while ensuring that its staff remained safe and healthy. “The pandemic meant operating in conditions of radical uncertainty. Classed as an essential business, we were one of the lucky sectors where demand for our materials increased. However, this brought other significant obstacles.

During the first lockdown, several of our suppliers ceased their manufacturing, and materials were in high demand. This, of course, had a severe impact on the economics for the business.

As a company, we had to look at other supply avenues to meet the demand that continued to grow.

And so, with sheer determination, teamwork and effective communication between both suppliers and customers, we were able to meet the demand, and keep DBM operational,” says Ricky.

Although we may not yet be rid of the pandemic, Ricky is keen to

see DBM move forward with the same level of determination that kick-started the business. Looking towards the future, he shares that the company is preparing itself for an exciting time of growth and expansive developments.

“As a new year brings an end to some long-running issues and many more uncertainties are set to remain, DBM will focus on changing workplace relations and the resurgent pandemic.

“2020 saw the next phase for DBM, where the business stepped up to a substantial buying group to allow us to

compete effectively with the nationals, and put us on a more substantial footing with the major suppliers. Going forward, this will ensure that we grow our business further, particularly with two new branch openings we have planned. Joining a new buying group means we are already impressed with the remarkable scope of deals that have opened up to us, and given us access to more new, innovative and profitable product ranges,” he expresses.

Ricky concludes his thoughts by sharing that 2022 will see

the opening of DBM’s new site in Birmingham, creating 20 new jobs, while also continuing to focus on the marketing of its new site in Walsall. “Further to this, we will be concentrating on meeting new expectations whilst servicing current demands, the speed of change in consumer behaviour, and identifying customers’ needs from our brand.”

Darlaston Builders Merchants Ltd https://www.dbmdiy.com Services: Building material suppliers

JSR Construction JSR Construction was delighted to work closely with Darlaston Builders Merchants to help deliver this project. Our work began internally by installing the ground gas protection blanket, prior to casting the internal floor slab. After liaising with the structural engineer, we cast the high tolerance floor slab. JSR also concreted approximately three acres in total external yard areas. One main thing that stood out about this project was our strong working relationship with the client, the development of these relationships is something we pride ourselves on.

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PROFILE: MCD GROUP

Can-do construction 58

As a specialist contractor in many of London and the South East’s cultural hubs, the MCD Group takes a collaborative approach to construction, delivering unique and ambitious projects that not only inspire but leave a lasting legacy

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ow entering its 30th year of trading, MCD Group has used the last two years of uncertainty to review how it can better serve its clients, its supply chain and the people it employs.

Rather than saving for a rainy day, the MCD Board chose to invest in a restructure that involved a new website, office refurbishment (with gym and football pitch) and a separation of the business into specialist sectors (Heritage, Exhibitions and New Build & Refurbishment - both residential and commercial). Some will see this as a high-risk strategy, whilst others will see positivity, excitement and a new way of working better suited to a post pandemic world… but in a time when the construction industry is evolving, becoming greener and more energy efficient, could companies such as MCD be the answer that clients are looking for?

CCE spent some time with Dan Corley (MCIOB) - one of the three owners of MCD - to discuss what

the next 30 years may look like, lessons that have been learnt and what it takes to deliver high quality projects for clients. He begins with some history. “It all started in 1991 when, working as a subcontractor at the Tate Britain, we were asked to step in and finish a contract when the main contractor went into receivership.

Having known the Tate for many years prior, original company founder Michael Falzon (Senior), took the initiative to start a new business that still delivers for the Tate today.

“This can-do determination to support our clients is key to the success of our business,” he continues. “We find it hard to say ‘no’ to our customers and will do all that we can to help solve their problems. Our aim is to become a ‘Trusted Partner’, which allows us to be more strategic.

When we understand a client’s business case, funding structure and approval process, we can tailor our approach to slot in and complement, rather than hinder what can be quite a complex process of preconstruction and delivery.”

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PROFILE: MCD GROUP

This strategy was fully stress tested during the pandemic when a client Dan has known for 15 years fell into financial hardship mid-way through a construction project. “This client’s business model centred around hotels and restaurants – two sectors that were heavily affected by the

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pandemic,” Dan explains. “We had two options. The first was to stop, ride out the storm and restart when the client had the money, or the second was to continue and help finance the project. We chose option two as we felt that it was our duty to help a client in need. A one-sided relationship

never lasts, be it in life or in business. By helping when we didn’t need to, we have fostered a stronger connection and we now have additional projects being discussed.”

The Covid-19 lockdown period of 2020 actually proved a busy time for the business, when it

worked hard refurbishing and making safe the galleries and museums of London. “Our work has allowed people to go into the

and see the exhibitions literally the moment restrictions were eased.

I think it was a sign of the times that people found themselves

museums and enjoy themselves whilst having the facilities to socially distance. We still had to work to tight deadlines, because so many people wanted to come

breaking away, and moving into cultural spaces that helped them think differently. The spaces we built and maintained during the lockdowns now help people enjoy

themselves in a safe environment, and we take great pride in that,” Dan asserts.

For Dan, the pandemic illustrates a significant shift in the industry, and the ways that different businesses can work together, as he describes: “For me, something really positive to have come out of the last few years is the understanding of how everyone from client through to supply chain are all intrinsically linked and cannot operate without the support of the other. It’s changed the way I will think about business moving forward. I want to be more collaborative with clients; I want to understand more about their business needs, put the contract in the drawer, and start dealing with people on a human level.”

The somewhat unique approach that Dan and the team are developing at MCD should only help to increase its workload, and encourage an already impressive client list to return for additional projects. “We do get to work with a lot of interesting people,” Dan confirms, when asked about MCD’s customers. “One of our most notable clients is the Royal Household, who we have been working with for seven years now.

Our work in that area is a very good accolade, although there’s not much we can say publicly about our projects.

“Much of work our work is with museums, working closely with the V&A, the Tate, British Museum, Somerset House and the Imperial War Museum. Our heritage division covers those projects, as the buildings are Grade Two listed,” he notes.

Given the significant nature of some of their work, having complete control over all of its sites, including the most intricate and ambitious projects, is a top priority for MCD. It is able to ensure delivery thanks to its team of skilled in-house staff covering trades such a decoration,

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PROFILE: MCD GROUP

carpentry, plastering, gilding and stone repairs. Employing upwards of 20 different trades, MCD provides clients with the confidence that their projects will be delivered on time, on budget and to a very high standard.

Dan goes on to say: “In MCD’s mind there is no such thing as 12 months defects, if there is a problem we will always return as

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we see the building as our own.

By employing our own in-house team of trades we can react to any issues quickly whilst having greater control over what is happening in the market.”

Alongside heritage work, Dan highlights that many of their projects involving high-security also require in-house teams and he gives an example of this in

action – this project also illustrates the success of the MCD cando, partnership methodology.

“We have just completed a £6.5 million office-block construction project with DEFRA; it was a very challenging project that others in the industry had said was too ambitious and difficult to deliver… To MCD we simply saw this as a challenge that given the right time and focus could be solved. By working seven days a week, extended working days we delivered four new office blocks, two-storeys high and 75 metres long all within a 15 week construction period.

“I am particularly proud of the DEFRA project because to build four office blocks in such a short timeframe sounded impossible and even saying it now, having completed the project, it still sounds impossible, but through a combination of structure, strategy and a little luck we achieved our ambitions. Success could only be attained through a shared endeavour, a team that believed and understood the mission, all operating within a no blame culture,” Dan states.

So, what is next for MCD Group? “We are well positioned to meet the demands of the next 30 years with continued focus on developing the team, collaboration and quality, all of which are cultural standards set

by Michael Falzon (Senior) back in 1991,” Dan continues. “Clients are looking for partnerships with trusted partners that not only understand their business models but actively support their cash flow and strategic targets. Repeat procurement is a measure of success for MCD.” Having mentioned his extensive career history in the industry, Dan took the opportunity to share some of the main lessons he has learned over the past three decades. “You always need to adapt your business to suit your clients’ needs, and keep that

Michael, Charlie & Dan: MCD Owners

can-do attitude even in the face of adversity,” he says. “Also, it’s so important to look after your supply chain – without these partners you have no business.

Selective recruitment is key and I always say be careful who you employ – staff must all embrace your culture and be on the same page. Finally – don’t be afraid to think creatively – what got you here may not keep you here!”

Dan’s experience also gives him a position where he can name some industry changes that would enhance the sector and improve conditions for all market players. “I would like procurement rules to be made easier for SMEs and a move away from lowest price to project bank

collaborative approach, as the business works to achieve further diversification, and investment in people, over the next few years.

“We are likely to be hitting £35 million turnover in 2022, which is really good for the business.

It’s in line with our five-year plan, which we thought would have taken a bit of a knock because of Covid, but instead it has probably accelerated our growth.

“Overall, I would say that there will be plenty of growth from a business point of view in 2022.

Our client base will continue to see that MCD is a safe pair of hands that can lead a project from the complicated preconstruction stages, right the way through to an amazing end result,” he concludes.

MCD Group www.mcdgroupltd.co.uk Services: Heritage, exhibition and commercial construction

accounts,” he shares. “Partnering contracts with shared profits for all parties (including the supply chain) would be a big advance, as would greater support for the employment of apprentices and out of work individuals.

Finally, I would love to see new funding structures to suit new technologies.”

It was fascinating to hear some of Dan’s knowledge and experience, and it comes as no surprise that as we enter 2022, he has an ambitious strategy designed to build on MCD’s

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PROFILE: TOOLSTATION EUROPE

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Taking over

Toolstation Europe, a leading multi-channel retailer of tools and building materials, is continuing to excel throughout its European territory

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PROFILE: TOOLSTATION EUROPE

T

oolstation is one of Britain’s fastest growing suppliers of tools, accessories and building supplies to the trade, home improvers and selfbuilders. With a multi-channel offering, Toolstation customers can buy online, at over 500 branches across the UK and through a dedicated UK call centre.

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Founded by Mark GoddardWatts in the early 2000s, Toolstation was later sold to Travis Perkins (TP) in 2012, with TP taking a 30 percent shareholding in 2008, and the remaining 70 percent in 2012.

In Europe, Toolstation started in 2006 in The Netherlands, and was also taken over by TP in 2012. Online models existed in Belgium from 2008 and France in 2015, with the first shops being

established in France in 2017 and Belgium in 2019. At time of writing, there are 75 shops in The Netherlands, 37 in France, and 11 in Belgium.

Darrin Murray is the Managing Director of Toolstation Europe, and he notes that the business has no intention of slowing down this impressive growth rate. Across the three European territories, Toolstation Europe plans to open at least another 50 shops per year

for the next few years. He explains a bit more about the business’ operations. “Toolstation is a pure omni-channel model that allows the customer to shop in the store, order via click and collect or have the product delivered with various options,” he says. “There are approximately 12,000 products available in store and this is complemented by an online only range of about 5000 products at this stage. We are a trusted name

for brands such as Milwaukee, DeWalt, Bosch, Makita, Uponor, Schneider Electric and Spax, for example.

“I think the simplicity of the proposition - a very good range of products with high availability in all channels at a good price- is what makes us successful and stand out from the competition.”

Customers return time and again not just to access the wide product range and exemplary

customer service (all countries have their own customer service teams) but also for convenience, as the business has a very fast click and collect offer. “Customers can order and collect within ten minutes, which is extremely valuable to trade customers as time is money,” agrees Darrin. “This is enabled by unique technology, efficient operating procedures and our shops are a small format (on average 400-500m2).

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PROFILE: TOOLSTATION EUROPE

To ensure that the stores’ stock is always at maximum availability, Toolstation Europe is investing in a new 20,000m2 dedicated shop replenishment warehouse, which will be operational by July 2022. Based in The Netherlands, it will have the capacity to service 250 shops in the Benelux. “The existing 10,000m2 warehouse will then focus on all of the online business,” says Darrin. “Having a new, dedicated warehouse will improve efficiency, and as it is within one kilometre of the existing warehouse it will also provide synergy benefits.”

Another exciting development on the agenda for Toolstation Europe is the launch of a new App, scheduled for Q1 of 2022. “This is going to provide customers with a much improved customer journey and more capability,” Darrin notes. “It will be complemented by digital onboarding for trade/business customers (PRO Card).”

This latter benefit, the PRO Card, is a credit service for business customers, which allows

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them to buy from Toolstation Europe quickly and easily.

Invoices are taken automatically 14 days after the end of the month, while the user receives a practical overview of all invoices each month to make it easier to report. They can also take advantage of special promotions and gain access to the Toolstation PRO community. “Extended services to the PRO Card offer are in the pipeline,” Darrin reveals, “as well as improvements to the instore experience.”

Clearly, IT and digital development are very important aspects of the Toolstation Europe strategy, but Darrin highlights what he considers to be utterly pivotal to the business’ ongoing success – people. “We started as a family-type, entrepreneurial business and we have worked hard to keep a lot of those values and behaviours in the business. The business grows very fast, even in difficult economic times, and this helps with motivation and providing career opportunities for staff.

As the number of employees grow rapidly, getting the right communication tools in place is also important to keep everyone updated and engaged.”

He went on to discuss how Toolstation Europe had to carefully balance prioritising staff welfare while also addressing the increased demand for DIY materials during the first Covid-19 lockdown. “The shops and warehouse had the biggest challenges to deal with. In the first lockdown periods our volume of business increased, click and collect more than doubled (a very safe and convenient way for customers to purchase) and we had to work in different ways that was less productive. In addition to higher sickness levels, this put a lot of pressure on operations. One of our key values is teamwork and this really shone through in a difficult period where we were under pressure. We continued to provide a good service to customers and keep employees safe.

“In the office and customer service we could quickly move to 70-80 percent of staff working at home. We have a relatively new office, which was not fully occupied so those that had to work in the office had a very safe environment to work in.”

Despite the continuing challenges of coronavirus across Europe, Darrin and his team are maintaining their push for growth and as Toolstation Europe enters 2022, it has plans for further development. “The Netherlands business is further ahead in the journey than France and Belgium.

We will be one of the leading suppliers of tool products to the trade. We are determined to maintain the growth momentum to ensure we have the largest shop network for trade customers and ensure a convenient service that our customers feel that they can depend on. We also want our digital developments to accelerate but that goes for a lot of businesses and industry segments,” he says.

For Toolstation, a number of environmental developments are also on the agenda. “We are working very hard on re-cycling, across all areas of the business,” Darrin continues. “This is especially true with the amount of incoming packaging we have. On the energy front we have completed a project where our warehouse has solar panels on the roof and now nearly 50 per cent of our company cars are hybrid or full electric.”

With a desire to remain one of the leading tool omni-channel retailers for the construction industry, we look forward to catching up again with Darrin in the near future, to hear about how Toolstation Europe has continued to grow its footprint across Europe.

Toolstation Europe www.toolstation.com Services: Tool and equipment supplier 69

PROFILE: SSI SCHAEFER

Lifelong logistics SSI SCHAEFER, the world’s leading material handling provider, works closely with Toolstation Europe, and other major partners, to develop the most agile, adaptable, and effective solutions on the market

S

SI SCHAEFER started in 1937 as a storage and shelving solutions provider.

The company currently holds an extensive product portfolio of manual, semi-automated and automated intralogistics solutions, and advanced warehouse management software. The company has worked closely with Toolstation Europe since 2005, helping it develop over 500 stores across the UK, and more than 80 stores and two warehouses in the Netherlands. We talk to Sam Davis, Account Manager UK, and Jessica Pronk, Account Manager the Netherlands, both responsible for Toolstation at SSI SCHAEFER. “We understand that the business and operations face challenges that vary depending on the industry and always try to use an individual approach. Afterall, the most efficient solutions are based on a customer’s business needs. Toolstation has been growing at a very rapid pace in terms of product choice and store network. We aim to be as dynamic as we can for our customers.

With the use of our large based warehouse and stock projections,

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a large holding of reserved stock, and our dedicated team for Toolstation, we can meet very tight delivery deadlines to ensure our customer can complete projects rapidly, efficiently and on time,” shares Sam. The company’s flexibility, expertise and support played a significant role in building loyal and trusting relationships with customers across the UK and Europe. “We have equipped nearly 83 stores in the UK, as well as several stores and a warehouse in the Netherlands in 2021. We were able to customise the solution to perfectly fit within Toolstation’s requests and provide them with the most dynamic and efficient systems,” adds Jessica.

These strong, transparent relationships with customers are central to SSI SCHAEFER’s success. As Jessica explains: “We work with a great degree of standardisation. Therefore, we can jump into action quickly when a customer request comes through. At the same time, we have extensive experience when it comes to adapting to the customer’s own standardised products and solutions. We also dedicated a great deal of time and

effort to form an excellent team of project managers, engineers and assembly mechanics so that we can offer highly accurate and rapid solutions. This is our added value and our way of relieving our customers.”

As it moves confidently into 2022, SSI SCHAEFER has plans to work on numerous new projects with many of its existing customers. “It’s going to be our busiest year yet, especially when it comes to our cooperation with Toolstation.

Apart from great plans on adding the new customer’s stores and distribution centres to our portfolio, there is an upcoming collaboration with Toolstation’s parent company, Travis Perkins.

We have truly great expectations of these collaboration plans.

With our combined experience and knowledge, we can further develop and strengthen their store and warehouse networks in the UK and Europe,” Sam concludes.

SSI SCHAEFER https://www.ssi-schaefer.com/en-gb Services: Logistics solutions and warehouse management software

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PROFILE: DAWSONGROUP SWEEPERS

Sweeping giants

D

awsongroup

sweepers might be mainly known for its sweeper hire business – that is, after all, where it all started -

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but investment in diversification has seen the group double in value in the last five years. Now, Dawsongroup operates more than 35,000 vehicles and spends more than £200 million a year on assets.

“This enabled us to grow by seven percent last year, even though the sweeper market contracted,” says Glen Carruthers, MD, of Dawsongroup sweepers. “If you speak to any of the sweeper

Diversification has been central to the growth of Dawsongroup sweepers over the last few years, according to MD Glen Carruthers. Despite the name, the group now operates one of the largest and most diverse hire fleets in the country and has seen business grow over the last year as pandemic-induced shifts in certain sectors has led to increased demand for hire vehicles

manufacturers, they will confirm that it is mainly Dawsons buying sweepers – they are our bread and butter.”

According to Glen, this success is down to having good

people in place – both on the sales and service side – and the backing from the group.

The group consists of eight different businesses, all run independently, but all answering

to the CEO, Steve Miller. The business originated in the 1930s and is still going strong. The third generation of the Dawson family still wholly owns the company, with no involvement of equity companies.

The increase in infrastructure projects such as HS2 has contributed to the company’s growth, one of the areas into which the group has expanded. Another is the gulley tanker sector. Dawsongroup’s diversification began in 2014 with the purchase of a Whale medium volume tanker, and this market has since proved particularly successful for the hire giant. In May 2020, Dawson handed a 50-truck order to Whale Tankers, which included medium volumes, KiloWhales, plus 18-tonne and 16-tonne wastewater trucks. The group has also ordered over 20 JHLs from Bucher, which are used mainly for deep sewage, another new area for the business.

“Within six years, we have established ourselves in this tanker market with a strong local authority base,” says Glen.

“Councils mainly buy the 18-tonne volume machines. The sewer treatment companies often choose this option and we supply to many contracts directly or indirectly, including Yorkshire Water and Thames Water. On the back of the 18-tonne tanker market, we are also expanding into the higher tonnage tankers, including 26 and 32 tonnes.”

Another new market is utilities, which covers gas, electricity, and water as well as high-speed internet cables. The increase in home working has seen been a major growth in demand for these services.

“We supply 32-tonne tippers, grabs and hot boxes to the utilities sector,” says Glen. “The demand for these vehicles has been off the charts – so we ordered another 60 from Thompsons.”

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PROFILE: DAWSONGROUP SWEEPERS

Strategy Dawsongroup might operate one of the largest specialist vehicle fleets in the UK, but it all started, says Glen, with sweepers. The group is mainly active in the public sector and has long-term contracts with Birmingham City Council, Glasgow City Council, Manchester City Council, Leeds Metropolitan Council, and Cardiff City Council, supplying them with compact sweepers.

“We were fortunate that we started with sweepers because these are difficult vehicles for local authorities to maintain. We built up our business and grew our sweeper fleet on the back of good service – it is as simple as that. Service reputation is everything in this industry.

“Our first-time fix rates are up at 90 percent. Our vehicles are back on the road within 24-hours. We

Dawsons operates 30 mobile service engineers across the country – this number is growing all the time

are even in the position where the manufacturers let us self-warranty on their behalf because they will turn up in five days, but we will be there within five hours. We negotiate with the manufacturers when we buy their machines because our customers don’t want to wait that long. They want the equipment able and functioning on the same day.”

Dawsons operates 30 mobile service engineers across the country – this number is growing all the time - supported by 20 workshop engineers. The engineering fleet is expanding as the complexity of the hire fleet increases, and

the group prides itself on prides in maintaining and servicing all types of vehicles the company supplies, employing specialist bespoke engineers for any kind of equipment it supplies.

“Some hire companies don’t supply sweepers because they are hard to maintain, and they don’t want to rely on the manufacturers to fix them,” Glen says. “This is why we employ highly trained engineers that specialise in each vehicle type.

We have national coverage for sweeper engineers and the most extensive part stock holding in the UK, apart from what Bucher keeps in stock.

Bucher Municipal Bucher Municipal are proud to support Dawsongroup Sweepers Bucher Municipal are delighted to have worked with Dawsongroup for over 15 years. The partnership has seen both businesses grow during this time, adapting with market trends and customer requirements.

Our partnership grows ever stronger; with the recent order of five of our MaxPowa V65e electric Truck Mounted Sweepers, Dawsongroup show their continued support for our latest technologies and products. This order highlights our joint concern for environmental measures, and the importance of moving towards green technology in the future - something both Bucher Municipal and Dawsongroup value highly.

We are grateful for their continued support and for the opportunity to see our partnership evolve. We look forward to growing our partnership well into the future and continually providing outstanding products and services to our joint customers.

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PROFILE: DAWSONGROUP SWEEPERS

“We also have specialist gully tanker engineers that fix our gulley kit. The large tankers are exceedingly complex, so they need highly trained specialists to maintain and repair them. We constantly aim to keep our service levels to the highest standards.

Our strategy of always buying premium-quality equipment has paid off. The average age of our fleet is under two and a half years – so they are all Euro VI.”

FORS Gold Dawson introduced its own telematics system, called Dawson

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| 0844 543 4575 |

sales@rsp-uk.co.uk

Track, in all vehicles the hire giant supplies. According to Glen, more operators want their own tracking solutions now, including in the sweepers, which the company supplies with Bucher connect – an OEM telematics and safety solution provided by CMS SupaTrak. The group is now going through the process of achieving FORS Gold in January 2022.

“Our entire hire fleet will have achieved FORS GOLD standard.

We are fortunate that the main percentage of our business is based on long-term hire – at

least 70-80 percent - so we need to maintain the highest standards for our clients and provide them with the latest technology backed up by excellent service.”

Glen is confident about the future. “The market is buoyant – there is no doubt about that. Anyone you speak to is extremely busy. We had a strong year in 2020. In times of uncertainty, people will hire, not buy. They want all their money in the bank to keep hold of their capital for if they have to react

to unprecedented circumstances, where they have to change business strategy.”

Glen is hinting at a significant change for 2022. “We are called Dawsongroup sweepers at the moment. Without giving too much away, we probably won’t be called the same in 18 months.

So, watch this space,” concludes Glen.

Dawsongroup Sweepers www.dawsongroupsweepers.co.uk Services: Sweepers

Isuzu Truck Ltd “Isuzu Truck (UK) Ltd have worked with Dawsongroup for several years, supplying a high volume of trucks into the group of companies, particularly their sweepers division. The relationship we have with Glen Carruthers and the team at Dawsongroup Sweepers has really begun to flourish as our N75.150 Easyshift Chassis Cab proved very popular for the various applications they require. The chassis cab’s versatility, robustness and payload capabilities were all positives for the team and the finished product of Tippers, Caged Tippers and Refuse vehicles. I am delighted to be a part of Dawsongroup’s journey, and I look forward to further success and growth as we head into 2022 and beyond.”

Lee Barwick, Fleet Sales Manager, Isuzu Truck (UK) Ltd.

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PROFILE: THE THOMPSONS GROUP

In tip-top shape Having produced over 30,000 tipper bodies since 1973, The Thompsons Group sees ongoing success as a leading manufacturer in the construction, waste and environmental industries

W

orking for over 50 years as an in-house UK manufacturer,

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The Thompsons Group (Thompsons UK) is known for its attention to detail, quality, and lifelong customer support.

With a network of ten factories

across Croydon, Blackburn and Edinburgh, Thompsons UK provides full body cover for a variety of commercial vehicles, ranging from 3.5 to 44 tonnes.

Now extending its range to include trailers, The Thompsons Group UK looks forward to entering new sectors, and making use of the most cutting

edge technology, as it steps confidently into 2022.

As a company with a long legacy, Thompsons UK found strength in its loyal workforce

and effective supply-chain infrastructures, as it worked through the unprecedented conditions of a global pandemic.

“Covid-19 made everyone

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PROFILE: THE THOMPSONS GROUP

“I also think we have done well with material supply. Due to our long-standing relationships with a couple of key material stockholders, we have at no point run out of material. They have worked hard to ensure that we have what we need, when we need it, so we owe a big thankyou to them as well,” discusses

faced by the entire industry over the last few years. “2021 was a challenging year for two reasons: Covid-19 and supply issues.

Covid has caused problems with the workforce, due to quarantining from track and trace, or after journeys abroad.

We have a lot of employees from Eastern Europe and their visits home all led to self-isolation upon their return, which in turn affects productivity.

“The second problem is with supply and costs. All of our steel has risen in costs by around 100 percent due to demand in Europe, and some of the high-

Neil Griffin, Group Engineering Director at Thompsons UK. Despite its ongoing success, The Thompsons Group has been subject to the same difficulties

performance steel has risen by 250 percent. Lead times on materials have gone out to months in some cases,” explains Neil.

I think one of the biggest highlights of the last year is retaining our full workforce, and being able to keep them busy, without additional factory shut-downs reconsider the way their business operated; and the changes we had to make have improved the company considerably.

“I think one of the biggest highlights of the last year is retaining our full workforce, and being able to keep them busy, without additional factory shutdowns. A lot of credit for this has to go to the sales team. It’s easy to get orders when there is plenty of work around, it is really difficult when work is scarce and everyone is competing for it.

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Even in the face of these challenges, The Thompsons Group has successfully fortified itself, and found new ways of succeeding under difficult circumstances. The company’s long-standing supplier relationships have proven themselves especially valuable, as Neil affirms: “Having good suppliers is critical.

“We have long standing relationships with our suppliers and this has allowed us to secure the material we need, whilst, at the same time, not having to compromise on what we put into a body.

“The purchasing department have also had to work especially hard in sourcing items and agreeing prices with suppliers; all

Supply chain issues have made the sourcing of materials more complex, and expensive, as Neil highlights: “We have continued giving quotes and have taken orders, but since then prices of steel have continued to rise. This, along with price increases on almost all other equipment, means our costs have risen by up to £2000 per vehicle, something that todate, we have not passed on to our customers.

“The other part of the supply problem is chassis availability; at the end of the day we need chassis’ to put the bodies onto, and the OEM’s have been suffering badly due to the shortage of semiconductors.

This has led to delays, and as a result fewer trucks are arriving.”

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PROFILE: THE THOMPSONS GROUP

of that has helped us to limit the effect of cost increases on the business. In some cases this has meant moving away from existing suppliers, which is a lot of work, but pays off in the end as you get a better service at a lower cost,” he adds.

Also ensuring the continued prosperity of The Thompsons Group is the company’s dedication to high-quality, reliable manufacturing. Almost all Thompsons UK bodies are manufactured using steel, in order to provide both the maximum operating versatility, and an optimal balance between strength, reliability and payload capacity.

The company’s flagship range of rigid bodies has produced over 20,000 units in the last 20 years.

To ensure consistent product quality, The Thompsons Group is committed to making use of the most cutting-edge manufacturing technology available.

“Our continued investment policy has seen the arrival of

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two new Bystronic presses at £500,000. One of these is in Croydon and one in Blackburn.

This means that all programs for the presses can now be written offline with the same capability at each site. These presses came with bending aids, to help lift parts whilst bending, and tool holders that relieve much of the effort in lifting the tools onto the press,” details Neil.

Emphasising the importance of technology, not only to the end product, but to Thompsons UK’s entire manufacturing process, he continues: “Both options were chosen to try and make the work less strenuous for the operators.

We also purchased some other equipment, including an additional paint booth in Blackburn, and a rumbling machine that is used to remove sharp edges on parts, and improve the overall paint finish as a result.”

The company is also involved in exciting new developments in electric vehicle technology, in

support of an industry-wide drive toward net zero. “I think one of the most exciting projects is the imminent arrival of a 27 tonne electric tipper vehicle. It is the first tipper in the UK that will be purely electric, so it is a bit of an unknown. We have been working with Volvo to try and ensure that the equipment going on the truck complements the electric nature of the vehicle and limits the power requirements,” Neil states.

As The Thompsons Group steps into its 52nd year of business, Neil ruminates on the exciting road ahead: “2022 will be a challenge.

At all the factories we have a full order book for many months, which is very good, and we are certainly going to be busy. We are also waiting on a number of new trucks to be manufactured.

It might be a challenge if there are delays, but, fortunately, the omen seems to be good, as we have started to get a number of vehicles coming in over the last two weeks.

“In the longer term, we are looking towards adding more technology into the factories. We are looking at manipulators, to be able to rotate bodies around, thus making welding quicker and easier, and we have also been looking into the addition of robot welding cells to produce smaller assemblies. These would allow our welders to concentrate on building the actual bodies, rather than being drawn off to make other necessary assemblies.

“With order books full, and many of our previous jobs now requiring a lot of extras to be fitted, it is always difficult to be find the man-power to finish everything on time. That being said, we are optimistic that we are up to the challenge,” he concludes.

The Thompsons Group http://thompsonsuk.com/ Services: Manufacturer of tipper bodies

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