Construction and Civil Engineering Issue 116 June 2015

ISSUE 116/JUNE

Goingmobile Mobile apps are transforming the way in which business tasks are undertaken and the construction industry, more than any other, can really benefit See page 12

Warming warning

Award winner

Clapham One, an Why the construction ÂŁ80m mixed-use industry needs a regeneration scheme, long-term, sustainable has transformed energy efficiency leisure services across delivery plan two sites in London

Be prepared

There is no technical silver bullet to preventing floods, but there are a variety of ways to appropriately cope

contents

Chairman Andrew Schofield Director Mike Tulloch Editor Libbie Hammond

FEATURES

12Cover story

2 Flooding When it comes to flooding, there is plenty to be done to create better, safer and more sustainable and resilient communities

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

4 Equipment How ‘building a sustainable future’ is a key aspect in today’s construction industry and the part insulation plays in this

Art Editor Gerard Roadley-Battin Advertising Design Fleur Daniels

7, 10, 11 News

Staff Writers Jo Cooper Andrew Dann Ben Clark

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Head of Research Philip Monument Research Managers Laura Watling Steve Spurgeon

8 Case study Clapham One, a mixed-use regeneration scheme, replaced a handful of rundown buildings with beautiful new public facilities

12 Information technology The rise of mobile apps in the construction sector and how they can help save time and cut costs

Editorial Researchers Emily Claxton Tony Wright Nick Bochmann Mark Cowles Tarjinder Kaur D’Silva Keith Hope Business Development Director David Garner

Updates and information from the construction and civil engineering market

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Sales David King Mark Cawston Production/ Office Manager Tracy Chynoweth

Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. Tel: +44 (0)1603 274130 Fax: +44 (0)1603 274131

© 2015 Schofield Publishing Ltd

company profiles 15 Deborah Services 22 Origin 25 Lignacite 28 Sibelco 30 Kendrick Homes 35 Howarth Timber Windows

and Doors 37 Toureen Group

40 Swisspearl 42 Europa Components 44 Vector Foiltec 46 Jarvis 48 Premier Interlink

(Waco UK Ltd) 50 Specialist Coatings 53 Ramboll 57 MEP Solutions

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, 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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flooding

Beprepared Hamish Hall takes a look at how we can use water more wisely

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o far the first few months of 2015 have seen nearly the entire country spared from the disastrous scenes of last year’s flooding crisis. There have been pockets of small incidents, but rolling coverage of people travelling in dinghies from their newly moated houses have thankfully not been filling our newsfeeds. However, floods on the scale we saw last year could potentially happen again. This isn’t scaremongering; floods are the most common and widespread natural disaster in the UK, which is the 7th most economically exposed country to flooding in the world (according to http://www.businessgreen.com/ bg/analysis/2329570/floodinguk-economy-among-the-worldsmost-vulnerable).

Climate change is happening:

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Increasing temperatures and sea levels combined with changing rainfall patterns mean that we need to increase our understanding of our exposure to flooding and also develop successful strategies to live with and adapt to a heightened risk of flooding.

As with many problems of this nature there is unfortunately no technical silver bullet to preventing floods, but there are a variety of ways to appropriately cope with floods. Each flood is different - last year different solutions were required for three of the worst hit areas, Cornwall’s coast, the Somerset Levels, and the Thames.

The right solution Recently I have been working with communities in tropical Africa’s west coast. In one new community in particular there is

an area that is subject to regular and severe flooding and so needs to be planned with that in mind.

What was immediately apparent was that using modern ‘Western’ techniques such as piped systems just weren’t suitable, not least because of a lack of local expertise to properly install and maintain it.

Instead we implemented a plan that maximised the existing assets such as flood plains and water channels, but also used the road systems for conveyance so that in times of severe flood the roads can literally become rivers, guiding excess water directly to the sea.

Using roads over pipes provided infrastructure that was cheaper to build and maintain whilst creating a better ecology for the region.

The trick is therefore not to follow a formulaic response. If there should be one consistency it is collaboration, which is perhaps

an overused term, but from my experience the most successful projects are those where the authorities, communities and industry work together. For example, on one project to protect a section of a rail line on the south coast of England WSP is working with charities, NGOs, government departments, contractors, rail firms, marinas and the local population. This is the singular most important factor in ensuring the right solution is found.

In the tight-budget, urbanising times that we operate in it is also important to understand how even small changes can make a big impact. A classic example is lining streets with trees, which help drain rainwater and slow its flow. On houses we can create larger eaves (the part of the roof that overhangs the building) that still allow for sunlight whilst slowing the flow of water and easing run off. This also means there is no need for clogged up gutters. A further positive knock-on effect for communities with larger eaves and more trees would be an increase in bird wildlife habitation as there will be more nesting opportunities, increasing an area’s biodiversity and liveability.

Prepare for, rather than respond to, flooding It is also, of course, more cost effective to prepare for flooding now then having to deal with it after the event. There are schemes that could be implemented in England such as lazy rivers, which hold backwater in upper catchments first, throttling flow and controlling it in times of high flow. Although not usually called reservoirs, that is what they are functioning as.

Dredging, a highly debated topic in last year’s media, is also worth revisiting. Dredging does increase conveyance in the river, meaning that waters will travel downstream faster towards the sea/ocean however, this can

There are schemes that could be implemented in England such as lazy rivers, which hold backwater in upper catchments first, throttling flow and controlling it in times of high flow lead to ‘passing the buck’ from one community to the next downstream, affecting established ecologies and putting pressure on ageing assets.

In some places such as Somerset we may need to look at using fields that do not currently suffer from flooding to act as flood storage areas for the benefit of the wider community. A recent National Trust experiment near Minehead has involved farmers allowing their land to be flooded once river levels rise to reduce the amount of water passing downstream. This would be controversial without government subsidy to farmers, but is a debate worth having.

New technologies Advances in technology are also beginning to positively impact how we manage water levels across catchment levels. A new ‘smart’ system developed by PyTerra with WSP and Imperial College London can automatically catch, store and release rainwater throughout the year using a computerised network of water

control devices which respond to weather forecasts. A series of underground pipes would connect the various ponds, streams and wetlands in a catchment or subcatchment and hydraulic devices, such as a valve, would control the flow. Small transmitters in the field would receive signals sent from the central system, and open or close the valves as needed. Such systems use weather forecast data as well as real-time ‘big data’ from hi-tech water sensors and satellites to work out where and when capacity is needed.

Rewarding resilience Whatever the strategy implemented, the best outcomes are achieved when tangible benefits can be demonstrated and therefore become the end goal. In all instances not suffering from flooding is outcome number one. After that resilience can be rewarded in many ways. For example, a seaside town that properly protects itself can benefit from increased tourism, which means investment, economic stability and improved prospects for the town. This in turn can lead to an increase in house prices, employment and ultimately make the town a better place to live.

The next problem will be to then maintain good practice as our population continues to grow.

Returning to the start, we have not suffered last year’s fate yet.

But there is plenty to be done now to create better, safer and more sustainable and resilient communities. There is no time to be complacent.

Hamish Hall is WSP senior technical director for water. WSP is a leading professional services firm in the UK, providing consultancy services to all aspects of the built and natural environment working with governments, planners, developers and architects. The firm has been involved in many high profile UK projects including the Shard, Crossrail, New South Glasgow Hospital, the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham and the redevelopment of London Bridge station.

www.wspgroup.co.uk

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equipment

Warming

warning In an interview with Steve Nash, NIA chief executive Neil Marshall discusses how ‘Building a sustainable future’ is a key aspect in today’s construction industry

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s schemes previously supported by the Government are either non-existent or too volatile in the current climate the insulation industry has responded by diversifying into multiple measures and different sectors within both new build and commercial. Following legislation changes in 2014 the insulation industry began to invest heavily in gearing up for the new energy company obligation (ECO) and Green Deal, which were fundamentally different and far

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more complex than the previous CERT and CESP schemes, as well as the new Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF).

“The impact of the cuts to ECO and lack of uptake of the Green Deal combined with the start/ stop nature of the GDHIF means companies are now reviewing their current business strategies and it will undoubtedly impact negatively on investor and stakeholder confidence going forward,” says National Insulation Association (NIA) chief executive Neil Marshall.

The NIA is the lead trade

body for insulation in the UK, covering all of the main insulation measures including cavity wall, external wall, internal wall, loft and roof insulation and draught proofing. In providing a full service to its members the association represents the industry’s views; offering advice and information to aid business planning; promoting the benefits of insulation and using NIA members to carry out the work and the provision of business support services.

Through its strong relations and close working relationship with the Government, political parties’ energy companies and other key stakeholder groups it is able to provide a ‘one stop shop’ for advice and information to specifiers and consumers.

“Many customers will undoubtedly have been very

unhappy about recent cuts, but equally, many will be hoping to benefit from the schemes when further funding is released,” says Neil. The NIA recently changed its approach to suit variations in the construction industry, and although as an organisation it covers all market sectors, NIA has tended to focus more on the domestic retrofit market where there are still millions of uninsulated properties. “As a result of the significant downturn and volatility in the retrofit market under the ECO and Green Deal we are now focusing more attention on supporting our members in accessing opportunities in other areas including the new build, commercial and small businesses markets. As part of this work we have established a new ‘Market and Business Development

Working Group’ within the NIA,” he continues.

Its commitment to helping its members maximise business opportunities sees NIA ensuring the provision of information and advice on opportunities in different market sectors, whilst promoting the benefits of insulation to householders, funders and specifiers in the domestic, new build and commercial markets. NIA has around 100,000 hits on its website each year from people looking for companies to carry out work.

“Furthermore, we are introducing a new quality and service charter for NIA members to clearly differentiate them from nonmembers and provide competitive advantage when quoting or tendering for work. Working in partnership with housing providers, builders, framework operators and other specifiers we are able to encourage them to request NIA membership to work on projects.

“Through our ‘Solid Wall Insulation Technical and Training Group’ we are currently undertaking a major initiative to create a new quality assurance framework for the installation of external and internal wall insulation which will ensure consistent, high quality installations and position our members as the preferred choice to carry out works. Additionally we will continue to work very closely with the government to help in shaping the various state and energy company funded grants and schemes to maximum effect,” explains Neil.

With energy saving set to become a national priority in the future and more emphasis required on the importance of this and how it can be reduced, one technique to be implemented is educating the next generation on why energy consumption should be reduced. In order to bring this about Neil points out his belief

that a fundamental change in thinking and policy framework is needed: “To date the government has focused on short term policies and schemes with the associated peaks and troughs and lack of stability in the market to provide industry and householders with the confidence to invest. What we now require is a long term, sustainable energy efficiency delivery plan.

“To this end, a coalition of 20 leading environmental groups, charities, membership organisations and trade associations came together to launch a major new campaign ‘A housing stock fit for the future – making home energy efficiency a national infrastructure priority’.

This calls for Energy Efficiency Retrofit of the UK Housing Stock to be reclassified by Government as a National Infrastructure Priority backed up by a capital investment of around £3bn£4bn per year. The campaign has attracted a lot of attention and

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equipment

support to date, with the Liberal Democrats announcing plans to introduce a new Green Homes Bill, aiming to insulate ten million homes by 2025 through a mixture of regulations and incentives.”

Whilst support from individual political parties is welcomed, for an ambitious plan of this nature to come to fruition there will be a requirement for cross party support and a commitment to this new approach. “Energy efficiency interventions provide the best long term solution to reduce energy bills and tackle fuel poverty, and are also the most cost effective way to reduce carbon emissions,” highlights Neil.

Following the significant reduction in insulation activity under the ECO and the rapid closure of the SWI funding in the GDHIF, it is vital to consider the stop/start nature of schemes and incentives.

“The Government really needs to put in place a long-term plan and funding mechanism if we are to insulate the UK housing stock in a timely manner.

“With over seven million homes having inadequate loft insulation, over five million that require cavity wall insulation and almost eight million homes that need solid wall insulation we need to significantly strengthen energy efficiency policies and programmes,” adds Neil. As the organisation continues to work hard to support members

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Insulation technologies are ever improving, and NIA’s system designers and manufacturer members are constantly working on research and development to ensure the best products possible are available to treat all property types; such as timber framed properties and non-standard houses such as park homes. “Our members have to meet our robust membership criteria and sign up to a strict Code of Professional Practice which provides specifiers and consumers with added peace of mind. We have seen an increase in insulation companies joining the association in the last year to benefit from the support we can provide to help them maximise business opportunities.

Membership of the NIA is much more than simply obtaining a logo that companies can place on their marketing materials. It’s about receiving good quality information, advice and support in accessing business opportunities and being regarded as the preferred choice by consumers and specifiers to carry out insulation works,” concludes Neil. in accessing new business opportunities in a variety of market sectors, of clear importance are the concerns about the ECO scheme. “Whilst this has been extended by Government to the end of March 2017, modelling undertaken within the industry suggests that the target for the period April 2015 to the end of March 2017 could be completed in Q1 2016 due to the cuts Government has made to the target,” points out Neil. Worrying for both householders as well as the industry, the result could be a 12-month gap in funding and work causing a major hiatus, something that the business is working hard to be in a position to rectify after the election.

The NIA has now introduced of a new Code of Professional Practice (CoPP) specifically for installer members working in the New Build and Commercial sectors. The new CoPP has been designed to give additional reassurance and peace of mind to specifiers, developers, architects and builders and to highlight the quality, standards and professionalism they can expect from an NIA member. Therefore, NIA Members should be the preferred choice for their upcoming projects.

Any organisation interested in NIA membership or its expressions of interest service please contact Bev Coombe at the NIA

email bev.coombe@nia-uk.org or call 01525 383313.

news

Learning through building

Social media butterflies?

The brainchild of a Chartered Surveyor who saw a need for an effective learning tool in building and construction has been brought to life by a plastic injection moulding company and received enthusiastic praise from those offering training, qualifications and apprenticeships in the industry.

Richard Winson’s invention, ‘Bimbrix’, is a precision engineered, plastic ‘active learning’ tool, consisting of 1:5 scale building components designed to teach a variety of elements of construction technology including setting-out; estimating and tendering; construction programming and sequencing; facade detailing; centre-line calculations; and space planning.

“The idea is to help students understand the concepts of 3D design and introduce them to BIM (Building Information Modelling),’ explains Richard, whose passion in education for construction has led to invitations to lecture at a number of colleges and universities across the UK. Bimbrix was created by Amey Plastics, a plastic injection moulding company in Hampshire owned and run by brothers Ken and Phil Scott who planned and designed the tool making equipment needed for the individual components.

Having already received orders from respected education centres such as Highbury College in Hampshire and Chichester College in West Sussex, Bimbrix is now attracting great attention from those in the building and construction industry and people interested in manufacture of the plastic components.

A study carried by www. constructaquote.com has revealed that 42 per cent of self-employed workers within the construction industry rely heavily on social media sites when it comes to advertising themselves and scouting for new business. ‘Carpentry’, ‘Plumbing’ and ‘Painting-decorating’ emerged as the trades most likely to advertise their services successfully over social media.

Lyndon Wood, CEO and creator of constructaquote.com, commented: “As a self-employed individual, using social media pages is an effective means of marketing. It is cost-effective in terms of set up, and can also prove to be a great way to showcase your skills.

“The fact that three fifths of those polled in our study are not yet using social media could highlight that some are wary of how business pages on Facebook and Twitter work.

I would hazard a guess that if those respondents started advertising on social media, they would never look back!”

£100 million data centre Detailed consent has been granted for phase one of the country’s largest green data centre developments, located in Fife Scotland.

Plans are now in place for two cloud hosting facilities at Queensway Park in Glenrothes, the first of which will cover an area of over 90,000 sq ft and is hoped to be ready for occupation towards the end of 2016. Once completed, Queensway Park will be the largest co-location data centre campus in Scotland with a development value approaching £100 million.

In addition to state-of-the-art data halls for high performance computer racks, the development will include grade A office accommodation with a security centre, client space and facilities management operation. Built towards BREEAM outstanding standards the facility will target a PUE (power usage efficiency) rating of under 1.15 making it one of the most efficient in the world.

The company behind the development, Queensway Park data Centres Ltd, is a joint venture between AOC Group and County Properties Group who are one of Scotland longest established private property companies run by Edinburgh based Ronnie Urquhart. They have worked closely with the Invest in Fife team and say this is the next generation in data centre technology that will help Scotland compete globally as more of the data we use every day moves to the cloud.

Top target for taxman Construction firms are the favourite targets for winding up orders by HMRC and other creditors, according to new figures released by the Insolvency Service.

The figures show that 578 construction businesses were subject to compulsory liquidation in 2014, the highest of any sector. While the number has fallen since 2009 when 1366 firms were wound up, Ashley Business Finance, which provides funding to pay HMRC debts says many construction firms are still struggling with tax bills built up over the past year or more.

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case study

Award winner

Joint venture developers Cathedral Group and United House have transformed a handful of run-down public buildings into a scheme that benefited the council, developers and the public

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he architecturally significant Clapham One straddles Clapham High Street, with a 12-storey Library Building at its centre, and comprises a 9,000sq ft, state-ofthe-art public library, alongside a new medical centre, and 134 apartments perched on top.

Over the road is the 52,000sq ft., highly sustainable Clapham Leisure Centre (complete with 25m pool), and Bicycle Mews: two apartment blocks of private, shared ownership and social housing, delivered by Notting Hill

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Housing Group.

Built by joint venture partners United House and Cathedral Group, the £80m mixed-use regeneration scheme has transformed leisure services across two sites in Clapham town centre, south west London. The Public Private Partnership deal meant that in the teeth of the recession, Cathedral Group was able to secure £35m funding for this hugely important project (including loan funding from the Homes and Communities Agency’s kickstart programme), pre-sell £46m of the development

and guarantee the London Borough of Lambeth a brand new library and leisure centre funded entirely from the sale of the private sector element of the development.

The former Mary Seacole House on Clapham High Street has been replaced by The Library Building, designed by Studio Egret West.

The new public library on the ground and basement is based around an audacious spiral design, connecting to the new health centre, a café, performance space and community rooms, reinforcing the community spirit of the

completed in August 2012.

The new facilities were returned to the local authority as public property and the developers’ profit was capped, with ‘overage’ shared alongside Lambeth council.

The council could have flogged its run-down offices to the highest bidder. Instead, it had its cake and ate it, replacing a handful of existing, rundown buildings with beautiful new public facilities at no cost to the taxpayer.

development.

The Mary Seacole Health centre opened in March 2012 and the library opened to the public in July 2012. Cathedral Group enlisted renowned artist Andrew Logan to create the public art for the project which was unveiled at the celebratory event in July 2012. Seven big, beautiful letters that spell ‘Library’ stand on the pavement right outside the building in his signature mirror mosaic and covered with mementos donated by the community of Clapham.

The old Clapham Swimming

Pool on Clapham Manor Street has been replaced with a brand new sustainable leisure centre designed by specialists LA Architects. Facilities include a six-lane, 25m swimming pool, a much larger fitness suite, a fourcourt sports hall, climbing wall and community rooms. The leisure centre opened to the public in December 2011.

Cathedral Group also built and sold the first two phases of apartments at Clapham One. The Manor Building (19 private homes) and 4 Bicycle Mews (44 affordable homes in partnership with Notting Hill Housing Group) were completed in July/August 2011.

The final phase of apartments at The Library Building were

The Library Building has won the following awards: Best Apartment Building, The Sunday Times British Homes Awards Culture and Community Winner, Clapham Library, New London Architecture Awards 2012 Best Overall Marketing Campaign (Residential), Property Marketing Awards 2012 Highly Commended – Community Investor of Year, The MJ Awards 2012 Highly Commended – Public Private Partnership, The MJ Awards 2012 Shortlisted for Housing Project of the Year, Building Awards 2012 Best Mixed-Use Development, International Property Awards 2011 Highly Commended – Public Services Development, International Property Awards 2011 Best Housing Project, The Daily Telegraph British Homes Awards 2011 Project Winner, Housing Design Award 2010

www.cathedralgroup.com

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NEWS

Amazing result The UK’s greenest commercial building, The Enterprise Centre at the University of East Anglia, has passed its first airtightness tests with flying colours. The Centre, which has been developed by the Adapt Low Carbon Group and delivered by construction, infrastructure and design company Morgan Sindall plc, with architects and Passivhaus designers Architype, has passed its first test with an amazingly low score of 0.31 ACH @ 50 Pa almost half the requisite level of air leakage to achieve Passivhaus.

This level of airtightness is almost unheard of for a commercial building and only usually achieved anywhere after several testing sessions have taken place.

The rigorous tests measure how much air escapes from, or enters into, a building every

Landmark HQ

hour. In order to be a Passivhaus development, a building can only lose or gain 0.6 per cent of its internal air volume in that period.

The project team’s primary aim is to ensure that any potential gaps in the building are sealed and that it is as airtight as possible.

Billion dollar project WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff has been appointed to provide engineering consultancy for the next stages of The Royal Atlantis Resort and Residences in Dubai by Kerzner International. WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff has been involved in the earlier concept and schematic design stages of the project, and this subsequent appointment involves design development, construction documentation and tender support.

Located on the crescent of The Palm and adjacent to the existing Atlantis, The Royal Atlantis Resort will stand 46 storeys tall and feature spectacular views of the ocean, The Palm itself and the Dubai city skyline.

The design of the building’s complex structure requires an innovative engineering approach that utilises a hybrid of concrete, steel, and ‘post tension concrete construction’ techniques.

Jason Brooks, Integrated Design Director for the project, added: “The unique nature of the Royal Atlantis project has enabled WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff to demonstrate our ability and dexterity to deliver a team of experts from selected locations around the globe to perfectly match the requirements of Kerzner and the wider team, with key consultancy services from the UAE, USA and UK.”

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Stephen Brock at the UK’s greenest commercial building, the UEA Enterprise Centre

Turner & Townsend, the global programme management and construction consultancy, has successfully delivered the first phase of the innovative Aberdeen International Business Park (AIBP) development.

With a total project value in excess of £80 million, Turner & Townsend’s remit for the first phase of the 335,000ft2 development included project management, cost and construction design management. The project has achieved a BREEAM 2011 ‘Excellent’ Rating, along with an EPC ‘A’ Rating – the highest specification of any office in Aberdeen.

Set to be the headquarters for Aker Solutions, the Grade A office accommodation offers numerous catering options, a gym and sports hall, two squash courts, a nursery, medical facility and retail unit.

Turner & Townsend was appointed to the project

by Abstract Securities, the developer behind the 170,000ft2 St. Vincent Plaza office development in the heart of Glasgow.

Commenting on the completion of AIBP’s first phase, Turner & Townsend director, Andy Outram, said: “AIBP promises to revolutionise the parameters of working environments in Scotland, and be a beacon for international businesses seeking a base in Aberdeen.

“Our close relationship with Abstract Securities has been built on trust and successful collaboration, and our focus on their specific needs has helped us to deliver exceptional results for them in projects across the UK.”

New opportunities Kelkay, the market-leading manufacturer and distributor of aggregates, paving, fountains and garden features, has become a supplier member of the National Merchant Buying Society (NMBS).

The NMBS is a centralised buying society for independent builders and timber, hardware, plumbing and heating merchants.

With over 1000 members and 3000 branches, its buying power exceeds £1.2 billion. The NMBS is non-profit retaining and owned by its members.

Kelkay joins a supplier portfolio of over 600 businesses in the society, having finalised a twoyear trading agreement.

Speaking of the development, Antony Harker, managing director

Prime site

at Kelkay said: “NMBS is the most successful buying group in the UK and we are very proud to become members. It is a very exciting development of the business and we have already seen an increase in enquiries, the membership will offer Kelkay a range of fantastic opportunities.”

Landmark restoration project Left £17m restoration of Auckland Castle in County Durham Photo courtesy Purcell

Planning permission has been granted for the £17m restoration of Auckland Castle in County Durham. This announcement by Durham County Council is a key step in the wider £60m renovation of one of Britain’s most important historical sites, which will be developed by Auckland Castle Trust as a new heritage destination. The Castle will welcome 120,000 visitors each year, creating over 100 full-time jobs and generating £3m of annual revenue in an ambitious heritage-led social regeneration initiative for the North East of England.

Conservation specialists Purcell will restore to their former palatial grandeur the Castle’s State entrance, Gentleman’s Hall, State Rooms, private apartments and St. Peter’s Chapel, built as a 12th century Banqueting Hall, consecrated in 1665 and now the largest private chapel in Europe.

A dramatic two-storey extension and remodelling of the 16th century Scotland Wing, sympathetically designed by Niall McLaughlin Architects reflects Auckland Castle’s religious roots, echoing wooden Anglo Saxon churches of the 6th and 7th centuries. Durham County Council has granted further planning consent for a striking £2.5m Welcome Building, also designed by Niall McLaughlin Architects.

Work on the multi-million pound scheme is expected to start in the spring of 2016 and be completed by 2018.

Cordea Savills Prime London Residential Development Fund I is working with Unbranded on a second development.

The fund is already the major investment partner with Unbranded at 145 Kensington Church Street, an exciting 14,000 sq ft new build scheme consisting of 8000 sq ft of residential space on the upper floors and 6000 sq ft of offices on the lower floors. It has now teamed up with Unbranded on Hereford Square.

The Hereford Square development is a complete rebuild of three classic houses with contemporary interiors in this South Kensington garden square.

It was originally acquired by the fund with De Candole Residential as the development partner.

Amounting to just over 12,000 square feet in all, the three houses will be available for sale at the end of 2015.

Andrew De Candole explained that his company was seeking to raise additional equity for another development opportunity and that by stepping down from their position in this joint venture it enabled them to complete their fund raising.

Brian D’Arcy Clark, head of residential acquisitions at Cordea Savills said: “This exercise suits both parties.

De Candole Residential have now raised the funds they sought and we have brought in a developer we are already working with, on a basis that is beneficial to the investors without incurring any delays.”

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information technology

Going mobile Adam Dalnoki looks at the rise of mobile apps in the construction sector and how they can save time, cut costs and improve accuracy throughout the project timeline

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s Bill Gates famously said, ‘we always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten.’ And nowhere is this more true than in the world of mobile based apps.

Who could have predicted when Apple launched its App Store in 2008 that within five years there would be nearly one million apps and around 100 billion downloads in an industry worth more than £8 billion per year?1 Crucially, despite

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the domination of consumer apps when it comes to download figures, it is the business world which can reap the biggest rewards from the mobile revolution.

Mobile apps are transforming the way in which business tasks are undertaken and the construction industry, more than any other, can really benefit. Estimates show that over £16.5 billion was spent on apps

stringent safety regulations and large numbers of field based staff, construction companies are well placed to take advantage.

Moving paper based processes to a mobile platform can improve accuracy, save time and cut costs, which is why developers now offer a whole host of individual mobile based apps aimed at various audiences within the

by businesses and professional users in 2013 and the figure is set to grow to more than £34 billion by 2016.2 With multiple roles and disciplines, complex purchasing models,

construction industry. They range from calculators and design tools through to guidance books – all available to use on mobile phones or tablets, whether in the office

bile workflow Mobilengine’s mo osting efficiency bo dy ea alr is solution for McGee Group and saving time

Mobile workflow solutions can cut costs and improve efficiency for construction companies or on site. And it goes without saying that the most valuable are those that can encompass all the relevant processes.

Improving workflows Mobile workflow solutions like the Mobilengine platform give construction companies the opportunity to transfer all paperbased processes onto an accurate, quick and cost-effective mobile app used by site managers via an Android tablet. For some companies, this could mean hundreds of individual tasks

spanning daily resource allocation, HR tasks, stock management, safety checks, permits and much more.

Proven in a host of sectors including healthcare, retail and logistics, the use of mobile workflow solutions in the construction industry is rapidly increasing as more companies switch on to the benefits. They can turn complicated, unstructured and inefficient field workflows into one simple solution with instant reporting and real time communication between construction site and HQ administration. More importantly, they can improve efficiency, increase accuracy and make all processes more visible.

Let’s take just one example of site inductions. Using conventional paper based methods, each individual induction would need to be filled out, checked, filed and a copy made and sent to HR. Inevitably there is a risk that forms could get lost or damaged throughout the process – not to mention incorrectly completed. It’s an inefficient process with lots of

Despite the domination of consumer apps when it comes to download figures, it is the business world which can reap the biggest rewards from the mobile revolution room for error.

With a mobile workflow solution such as Mobilengine, site staff complete the induction form through the app on a mobile phone or tablet, which automatically gets verified and sent to HR in seconds with no need for site staff to file paper.

Of course, site inductions is just one example. Construction companies are using mobile apps to streamline everything from H&S assessments to site diaries, improving efficiencies throughout the project timeline and changing the way site staff complete everyday tasks for the better. If you’ve not already jumped on board, it’s time to join the mobile revolution.

1. The European App Ecomony (Vision Mobile/Plum) – September 2013 2. Business and Productivity Apps (Vision Mobile/Box March 2014 Adam Dalnoki is CEO of Mobilengine, the leading mobile enterprise workflow solution.

It helps companies automate field work, make the company paperless, therefore boosting efficiency and management transparency for field worker divisions, that work outside the office such as logistics, maintenance, sales, engineering, healthcare, construction, merchandising, etc.

For more information visit:

www.mobilengine.com.

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profile: Deborah Services

future

Boss tower

Securing its

With the UK construction industry growing, DSL is establishing a renewed investment programme to serve the expanding markets both on the ground and online

Roger Hastie Managing Director Hire & Sales

F

ounded in 1967 by Joe Whitlam and named after his daughter, Deborah Services (DSL) has grown to become one of the UK’s leading providers of access solutions, scaffolding and specialist site services. Serving the petro-chemical, power generation, nuclear power, offshore, civil engineering and building sectors, 1650 employees across 50 locations set out to provide innovative solutions from the same source. The company is split into two pillars: Industrial Services, which provides access solutions, insulation, asbestos removal, protective coatings and passive fire protection, and Hire and Sales, which supplies temporary fencing, groundwork/shoring equipment, scaffolding, light access and temporary roofing.

In 2008, DSL was acquired

by Dublin based Siteserv PLC, forming the company’s industrial services division. With around 3300 employees and a collective history of over 40 years, the group of companies has been involved in some of the largest and most complex projects across a range of offerings to a number of industries across Ireland, the UK and the Caribbean. With a goal to continue expanding through strategic acquisitions, the Siteserv group supports DSL with a financial stability and scalability that helps it meet its customers’ ever-changing needs on a daily basis.

“DSL’s Hire and Sales division is now market leader in providing non-mechanical construction equipment supplying its solutions from across 29 branches across the UK and Ireland,” explains Roger Hastie, MD of Hire and Sales. “Branch managers and staff within the Hire and Sales division recognise the importance of supporting customers locally.

Their product knowledge, coupled with the ability to offer helpful

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profile: Deborah Services

Everup Scaffolding Company Everup Scaffolding Company Ltd have been a supplier to Deborah Services for six years, their professional staff have all ways embraced our range of quality products, understanding that our industry needs quality so they can deliver the solution to wide variety of applications in a safe, cost effective manner. This together with their wide network of branches gives us great confidence in Deborah Services’ desire to continue to be a market leader. technical advice and responsive service ensures that customers come back time and time again.”

DSL’s hire and sales division is equipped to supply a range of different clients from national accounts to smaller enterprises and individual consumers. “Hire companies, builders and selfbuilders, painters and decorators, and roofers are just a few of the industries we supply,” says Roger. It is in its extensive branch coverage and large employee base from which the main strengths of DSL’s Hire and Sales division are born. Roger continues: “Undoubtedly, the collective experience and knowledge of our team solves customer’s problems on a daily basis, from simply choosing the right

Temporary fencing coupler platform to erecting a complex decking system. This is why we’re continually investing in training and professional development.

Secondly, the breadth and depth of our UK branch network sets us apart from competitors. We’re constantly monitoring our client base for opportunities in new ways in which we can serve them

by investing appropriately.”

Demonstrating this focused investment programme is the company’s response to recent increases in demand across the UK market. “We are seeing significant improvements in market conditions as the building and construction industry picks up,” highlights Roger.

“Momentum should build though the summer months as DIY and home improvements increase.”

This follows a record year for the company as it turned over £50 million. He adds: “This recent increase in demand has allowed Deborah Services to invest in the opening of four new branches in Maidstone, Cardiff, Nottingham and Birmingham to increase accessibility of equipment.

“We are constantly looking for locations to expand our Hire and Sales branch network. Most recently, we detected demand for supply in Aylesford, Kent and our Birmingham branch is to become our flagship branch, moving to more impressive facilities opening on the 1st June. However, we are not only investing in new locations to make our service more geographically desirable to customers, but also investing in renovating and growing existing branches. The Birmingham expansion, for example, will not only allow an increased range of equipment to be held in store but also allows for additional training facilities and boardrooms on site. These new facilities allow a more polished environment, not only for clients but also for team members.”

To accompany this expansion of the branch network, the company has also recognised the need to continue developing its product offering. “To improve the convenience of our service, the range of equipment will become more comprehensive,” outlines Roger. “Many product lines are now available to self-builders and

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profile: Deborah Services

Traffic separators DIYers for the first time.

“Additionally, as a new initiative, we recently created an e-commerce site, dsl-direct.co.uk, which gives customers an online service 24 hours a day. DIYers, self-builders and small to medium sized businesses can now order the equipment they need and have it delivered to their door within 48 hours or can click and collect same day from one of our branches. We have become more aware of how important the online market is when considering suitable platforms to meet the demand of our customers.

Tapping into the e-commerce market to supply a new realm of customer required significant investment, which will continue as our e-commerce business expands.”

By continuing to work collaboratively with manufacturers DSL looks to extend its online offering from the current 250

product ranges to 2500 by the end of the year. The move is a significant step towards DSL increasing its leading presence within what can be a competitive and challenging market.

One area in which DSL regards itself with great pride is in its attitude towards health and safety. “We pride ourselves on a

strong health and safety culture across all disciplines and parts of the company as we pursue a zero harm policy to mitigate workplace accidents and incidents. No other company will care about health and safety more than we do,” expresses Roger. “Our commitment goes well beyond a priority or a policy, safety is

Temporary fencing

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profile: Deborah Services

Rhino Load Deck System a value for us rather than just a priority. Priorities tend to change, values don’t. Only zero harm will do and even then we won’t rest, as it will be just as difficult maintaining a zero record as achieving it. Employees who are diligent in their health and safety practice are rewarded.”

As such, it is not just employees that are rewarded by a strong health and safety practice. The collective efforts of all staff at DSL resulted in the company being awarded the prestigious RoSPA Gold award in 2014 for its strong commitment and competent culture. It was also the winner of the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation’s Health and Safety award in 2013.

As part of its initiatives to promote the importance of health and safety within the company, DSL has developed and implemented the ‘Me and My Pal’ scheme. “This ensures that individuals are not only vigilant

about protecting themselves from harm but also look out for their colleagues too,” notes Roger. “We have also recently appointed a new SHEQ director, Sal Lack, who is working hard to integrate health and safety policies across all of Deborah Services’ divisions. This is allowing all employees to work to the same standards, alleviating any risks to wellbeing.”

Aside from health and safety, environmental issues also play a major role in the company’s operations. It has a full set of policies and procedures in place, which are externally audited according to the ISO 14001 standards and as with its health and safety focus, fully commits to continuous improvement to ensure that it meets and exceeds the required standards where possible. The programme splits into two separate systems; firstly to ensure that its own operations are conducted in a way that reduces its impact

on the environment, and secondly to work with its clients, customers and suppliers to manage and reduce waste by promoting a culture to reduce, reuse and recycle.

The construction and civil engineering industry in the UK is one that is highly susceptible to economic fluctuations, and by extension, companies like DSL are also impacted. However, with the market currently experiencing positive growth, DSL’s strength and experience is allowing it to thrive. “It’s well known that DSL has the largest depot network in the UK and as a consequence is able to provide a rapid response to any client requests, be it the small builder or one of our national account customers,” explains Roger. “Late planning of workloads in the construction industry creates pressures on suppliers like DSL so having the right stock in the right place is often challenging. Never resting on our laurels, we have plans to relocate a number of our existing branches to larger locations and open brand new branches in parts of the UK where we anticipate future economic growth.”

Deborah Services Limited www.deborahservices.co.uk Services: Access solutions, scaffolding and specialist site services 21

profile: Origin

Original

thinking

Quality, service and a strong team is central to Origin’s offerings, but it is the company’s ability to respond to the market that has provided the driving force

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hen cousins Neil Ginger and Victoria Brocklesby couldn’t find the doors they wanted for family building projects in 2002, they recognised a gap in the market for high quality bi-folding doors. Deciding to act upon the recognition the two set about designing and manufacturing the doors to the highest quality in the UK, with a defined focus on customer service. Success ensued with extraordinary levels of growth throughout the recession and in December last year the company manufactured its 100,000th bi-folding door.

With a commitment to growth and expansion the company now offers windows and blinds, has a sales operation in Dubai and has moved into the United States. Achieving ISO 9001 in 2014, quality sits at the heart of everything Origin does. Spot that this is married to an unparalleled level of service and it is clear to see why the company has achieved the rapid success it has.

Commenting upon what has warranted the business such

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success, managing director Andy Halsall explains: “We were fortunate to start at a time when the products was just becoming noticed, and we have benefitted from the market growth. We were also able to find some good people in the key areas of sales, marketing, production, IT and accounts to help make the business a success.

Ultimately, we have an edge on customer service and supply chain management, as well as a huge ongoing commitment to the quality of the product and the fabrication.” The company operates according to a ‘your lead time, not ours’ philosophy that allows the customer to specify their own lead time. As a result, Origin recently set a record lead time within the glass and glazing industry, of 48 hours from order to delivery for its most popular colours.

Part of being able to achieve this is its approach to continuous improvement and lean manufacturing. Within its manufacturing sites at High Wycombe, the company operates a flow line manufacturing system, which designates each factory

worker a defined role in the production process. The aim of the system is to streamline work and improve efficiency levels by breaking down each task. The result is a high quality product with extraordinary lead times.

With a strong team, excellent service and quality product Origin has demonstrated its refined ability to respond positively to market conditions. “With a lot of high quality home improvement going on the product is ideally suited for helping people with their dreams of a happier home,” highlights Andy. “The market for these products is currently enjoying a strong growth as the product is extremely popular.” As a result of this responsiveness, the company has been able to expand into new, related products. A particular example of this is its range of window solutions, which launched last year. “Our customers wanted a window supplied with the same service and attention to quality as we supply our doors. Therefore, we were pressured externally to provide a window solution,” he adds. A similar approach has been applied to its electric blinds to dress the doors and windows to

offer a more complete range of fenestration products.

Using aluminium in the construction of its products has many benefits. The strength of aluminium combined with its light weight, allows for greater freedom in the creation of frames, thus facilitating the bespoke service Origin offers to its customers. The strength of aluminium also allows for slimmer frames, increasing the window surface and therefore improving aesthetics and view – resulting in Origin’s goal of providing a happier home. Using 100 per cent recycled aluminium with durable powder coatings in a range of colours means that the frames have guaranteed longevity and are thermally efficient.

Making the most of the benefits provided by the materials, Origin implements a stringent quality process to assure the highest quality frames. Such is this quality the company is able to offer a 20-year guarantee, something that is unprecedented within the UK market.

With the view to becoming a

giving all our customers and their customers a more pleasant and simple experiences is the core.” Remaining focused and reactive to the market conditions is also essential to the company’s continued success: “Our main challenges are to keep pace

with the potential in the market and to keep our products ‘vital’ in changing and demanding markets,” he concludes.

Only 12 years into existence, Origin has experienced extraordinary growth to get to where it is today. Whilst maintaining quality standards and service ensures this growth continues, its ability to respond to the market is the key and the company is fully aware of this. By remaining so, Origin looks set to enjoy a long and successful future as it grows into new markets.

Origin www.origin-global.com Services: Manufacture bespoke aluminium bi-fold doors, windows and blinds

global company, Origin has set up a sales operation in Dubai to serve the Middle Eastern market, and in 2014 set up a factory in Florida to break into the US market. Andy outlines the company’s strategy: “Our vision is to become the first choice brand for customers when considering aluminium fenestration products. This will involve a serious commitment to investing in our staff, our continuous manufacturing process and our products. Essentially,

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profile: Lignacite

block Block by

Lignacite’s commitment to sustainable innovation supplemented by quality product and service has ensured its successful history, and looks set to secure more of the same in the future

F

amily owned and founded in 1947, Suffolk based Lignacite has developed a strong reputation for quality, innovation and sustainability, with blocks present in high profile projects such as the Gherkin, the Olympic site, the Shard and Heathrow Airport. With a focus on sustainability the company produces a full range of blocks, from grey concrete commodity blocks to architectural facing masonry made from limestone, granite, glass and other recyclable materials. Making the company’s products stand out as unique is the use of wood as a component to create a sustainable material.

Indicating the central importance wood has in the company is the name Lignacite, which comes from the Latin for wood, ‘lignum’.

“Sustainability is key for us,”

explains chairman and grandson of the original founder, Giles de Lotbiniere. “Both in terms of the impact we make on the environment and what we put into our blocks.” Lignacite’s main plant in Brandon, Suffolk includes its main quarry, which reduces the need for major lorry movement. Giles estimates that this has eliminated 38,000 lorry

movements over the last ten years. The company also uses recyclable material wherever possible, and makes the point of recycling all of its own waste.

In terms of its products, all of Lignacite’s blocks contain at least 30 per cent recycled materials.

At the top end is the ‘Waste Not Warrior’ block that comprises of 92 per cent recycled material,

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profile: Lignacite

with the cement being the only component that isn’t recycled.

Reinforcing the company’s position as a leader in sustainable innovation is a block called ‘Carbon Buster’. “It is the first genuinely carbon negative block in the UK, and we think the world,” highlights Giles. “This comes from a combination of the use of wood and another material. Wood locks up an enormous amount of carbon dioxide, a cubic metre locks up 800kg.” Lignacite has been working with a company called Carbon8, which takes the pollutant waste from domestic burners and locks it up with liquid carbon dioxide collected from sugar beet processing to produce a lightweight, inert, aggregate pellet. “We put these pellets into the blocks with the wood and produce this unique block. We can transport the blocks up to 100 miles and they are still carbon neutral,” says Giles.

Innovation, however, extends beyond sustainability. “We are very keen to work closely

with architects and engineers to develop products for most projects,” emphasises Giles. “Most of the interesting projects that we have worked on have come as a result of collaboration and working closely together with our clients.” The recently completed Tower of Love on Blackpool’s seafront makes use of innovative Lignacite Blocks. Giles explains: “dRRM architects not only specified a glass block, but they wanted luminescent, powdercoated glass. We made a block

Columbia Vibration Technology Another state-of-the-art Columbia block plant @ Lignacite.

Columbia have been a proud partner of Lignacite for over 30 years. In 2015, we have delivered another block plant to Lignacite's North London factory and they now run a total of four fully automatic Columbia block plants. Columbia Vibration Technology (CVT) is key to the production of the most accurate and consistent blocks in the market and this allows Lignacite to manufacture architectural facing masonry to very tight tolerances, with consistent product density and highly accurate height control. Quality advantages using Columbia's CVT have kept Lignacite at the forefront of innovation in sustainable masonry. We look forward to our next 30 years of partnership!

Aalborg Portland As the leading producer of white cement, Aalborg Portland operates globally. With a considerable production capacity at plants in Denmark, Egypt, China and Malaysia, Aalborg white cement is available throughout the world.

For several years Aalborg Portland and Lignacite have had a fruitful relationship contributing to Lignacite’s innovative solutions for concrete blocks. Good examples are the white facing masonry blocks from Lignacite with Aalborg white cement used in the Olympic Velodrome in London, and decorative concrete blocks containing recycled glass used for the Olympic village in London. Aalborg Portland's white cement was an integral part of these block constructions meeting all requirements. with this glass, which warms up during the day and glows at night.” In a similar demonstration of its willingness to create bespoke blocks is its work on the Athlete’s village on the London 2012 Olympic site. “The architects wanted green glass, but at the time we were having difficulty getting hold of this glass,” he adds. “So we got all of our staff to save all their beer and wine bottles to smash up and put in the blocks.”

Following the recession many of Lignacite’s customers were forced to close plants, opening up a significant opportunity for the company to take advantage of renewed demand.

To accommodate this it has recently invested £2.5 million in to its second plant in Nazeing, Essex. “Last year we put in a completely new batching plant for handling the aggregate, and at the beginning of this year we had a new Columbia block machine installed,” notes Giles. “This has more than doubled our capacity at the plant. We have also built additional ovens giving us 75 per cent more capacity there. This means that the blocks can go in for longer and use even less OPC to cure.”

The extension at Nazeing has been critical for the company to react to the changing market conditions and taking advantage of this expansion defines part of Lignacite’s future. “We are very keen to consolidate the additional market share that we have won from other companies closing down their plants,” says Giles. With ongoing projects for Crossrail and Battersea Powerstation illustrating a strong footing as it moves forward, the company is also focused on maintaining its reputation for innovation. “There are opportunities to continue discovering new and attractive recycled materials to put into our products,” he continues. “Over the next three to five years we hope to secure some more raw material supplies and find some new sources of these materials.”

Despite industry challenges from increasing legislation and transport regulations, Giles is confident about the future of Lignacite. He points out the desire to explore the idea of a third site, which only serves to prove how committed the company is to expanding. Lignacite has very much been ahead of the game in terms of producing sustainable building materials, and in light of the current trend towards that very issue the company is well placed to continue its success.

Lignacite Ltd www.lignacite.co.uk Services: Produce sustainable facing masonry and commodity blocks 27

profile: Sibelco

Mineral

O

riginally founded in 1872 supplying silica sand from Flanders to the Belgian glass industry, Sibelco has grown into a global company with a portfolio of minerals to serve most applications in most industries.

Strategically growing through acquisition, the company works towards the ultimate goal of being the worldwide market leader with a full mineral portfolio. With innovation forming the basis of Sibelco’s continued success, it is able to serve a range of applications including agriculture, metallurgy, glass, construction, coatings and polymers, energy, ceramics, environmental and sports turf. In the early 2000’s Sibelco acquired SP Minerals in Finland, rebranding it Sibelco Nordic Oy AB. “The Finnish subsidiary serves a mix of export and domestic markets with particular demand from Europe and Russia,” says Sibelco Nordic MD, Kim Michelsson.

“We are also

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With an extensive portfolio of minerals and long history behind it, Sibelco Nordic Oy AB remains true to its core values and looks set to capitalise on important opportunities able to import a lot of Sibelco products into the domestic markets as traded goods.” With such a large global portfolio behind it, the company is able to serve most mineral needs for most applications across the world. Sibelco in Finland is spread across five sites, enabling it to supply a range of minerals.

“We have Nilsia, a quartz quarry and enrichment plant; Kimito, a Feldspar plant with several quarries and enrichment plant; Nakkila, which processes slag for abrasive products; the Kristinastad plant has a Bentonite milling plant, and then we have Karvian, which is based on natural sand for different applications like biofuel and paints,” explains Kim. Two areas where Sibelco Nordic is a specialist are in silica and feldspar. With glass serving as the main industry for silica minerals there is a large demand for it.

Sibleco produces the crystalline forms of silica, quartz and Cristobalite, as both sands and flours. As a hard, chemically inert mineral with a high melting

point, silica is a valuable material with uses in a range of industries and applications. The Finnish reserve of feldspar is only one of four sites for Sibelco across Europe, and forming the basis of most ceramic everyday items, it is a crucial part of the Finnish activities. With both alkaline and alumina content, feldspars are valuable within a range of industrial processes acting as fluxing agents in ceramics and glass production. Functionally, the minerals are used as fillers in paint, plastic, rubber and adhesive industries.

On a group level, Sibelco has a strong environmental responsibility policy that involves careful management of the natural resources it serves to the market but also demonstrating awareness and responsibility for the surrounding area. Kim highlights a particular project the company is involved in within Finland: “We have just started a big environmental project where we are supplying Bentonite for a very big slag dump site. It’s a big two-year construction project and we have sold out of Bentonite at the moment.”

expresses Kim. “In general we see the Russian market as having a lot of potential going forward and we also see a big opportunity in biofuel production as this is a very important growing market.”

Ultimately, by staying true to the company’s values, Sibelco has a good attitude towards capitalising on these potential opportunities.

By continuing to listen and develop its mineral portfolio, and maintaining its robust supply chain management the company as a whole is on the right course towards realising its goal to be a world leading mineral supplier.

Operating on such a large scale across the world, with over 10,500 people operating across 200 production sites and 26 technical centres in 41 countries, Sibelco has taken care to define and adhere to its core values. The first is a commitment to deliver – with such an expansive supply chain the company utilises its infrastructure to ensure all customers are served to the right specification wherever they are. Following this, Sibleco is able to combine its specialist expertise with local customer service to ensure that customers are supported in order to get the best out of their minerals. Playing a major part in the mineral industry’s leadership the group then makes an effort to listen and develop on a continual basis. By developing strong local relationships, Sibelco is able to identify specific challenges and work with its portfolio and expertise to develop pioneering solutions. Following current market trends, the company has a major focus on energy reduction and efficient raw material use.

Confirming this commitment to continuous development, Kim says: “We have a lot of plans going on at a group level with some very interesting development projects for innovative products ongoing.

We hope to start marketing some of these in the near future.”

With a long history and

extensive group support behind it, Sibelco Nordic in Finland has a positive outlook on the future.

“In Europe we feel that business is improving all the time right across many of our markets,”

Sibelco www.sibelco.eu Services: Mineral supplier

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profile: Kendrick Homes

With a unique approach to the market coupled to a personal commitment to quality and service, Kendrick Homes is performing well in a growing housing market

An exclusive

development

E

stablished 135 years ago by William Kendrick, Kendrick Homes has developed over the years to be a prominent player in the West Midlands house building market.

Still owned by members of the Kendrick family, the company builds an average of 75 units a year with the view to reach 100 across nine sites over the next two years. Its house prices range from £99,000 to £750,000, averaging at £325,000. “We do everything

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from land purchase up to sales,” outlines managing director, James Rennison. “We have a land buying department, an architectural and engineering department, our own quantity surveyors, contracts managers, a marketing manager and a sales team, so we can be completely autonomous. Most sites we manage from purchase to point of sales.” With the housing market currently growing out of the economic downturn, Kendrick Homes is experiencing a period of growth buoyed by a positive

approach to quality and service, and the Help-to-Buy scheme.

“Being registered for Help-toBuy has helped with 35 per cent of our sales over the last year,” explains James as he discusses the successful levels of sales the company has recently achieved.

“The end of our financial year is in June and we’ve already achieved our sales targets for this year. In terms of next year, we already have forward sales on approximately 20 units, which is very promising considering we

have a target of 85 units. So we’re happy with the market in general at the moment.”

There are number of strengths that put Kendrick Homes in a competitive position within the market, not least is its commitment to delivering high quality product and service.

“We’re a personal company,” notes James. “I can probably tell you most customers’ names and what plot they live in. Our staff continuity gives customers confidence that they’re working

with the same person for the term of their purchase. We also sell our houses fully equipped, what a customer sees in a show home is what they get and I don’t think I’ve ever heard an adverse comment on our specification.” Product quality is assured by thorough management throughout the build process, plus a stringent handover procedure that involves individual inspections from the site manager, a director and a quality surveyor.

Perhaps even more unique for a house builder is its approach to exclusivity. Kendrick Homes

makes sure that on any site there is a range of building types used, with any duplications taking on aesthetic differences to make them unique. “I’d like to think that a customer is buying a one off home,” emphasises James. “Some of our houses are completely one off, because we’ve made that house bespoke to the site.

I think people like the idea of that nowadays, it’s one short of a self-build.” Possessing its own in-house design department greatly facilitates this approach to house building, but as James explains: “It requires far more resource intensity than normal house building.”

Kendrick Homes recently completed a site of nine units in the Worcestershire village of Inkberrow. The site consists of five £700,000 houses, some with paddocks, two affordable housing units for a housing association and two that were sold to the Addington Trust. “We had a gentleman’s agreement, with the late farmer from whom we purchased the land, that we would sell these two properties at cost to the Addington Trust for people who work in agriculture but can’t afford to live in the area. A young trainee vet is living in one of those.” A recently commenced site in Bromsgrove, which consists of 24 units, also includes four that will be sold to a housing association. Commenting on Kendrick’s involvement with housing associations, James adds: “All of our housing association houses are built with the same external materials as all our other houses. You would struggle to spot which are affordable and which are for private sale, as we make a big effort with them.”

Despite strong market conditions and a positive performance, Kendrick Homes still faces a number of challenges.

A recovering supply chain has been causing problems regarding project programming for a

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profile: Kendrick Homes

number of months, and the brick supply is still causing issues.

James points out that to try and get around this the company has been ordering bricks during the planning phase to cover long lead times on bricks. New building regulations introduced this year regarding window and

insulation standards have also been creating upward pressure on the company’s costs. A tightening criteria and lengthening lead times within the planning process have also compounded general challenges within the industry.

However, James is confident that its strong sales performance

helps reduce the impact of many challenges. As the company looks ahead, he highlights its objectives. “In real terms, we want to see a growth of around ten per cent a year. We have done seven sites this year, will do eight next and nine the next. We grow organically, so we rely very little on bank finance, so our bank balance very much supports our development.” Ultimately, it is Kendrick’s attitude to delivering quality product and service to its customers that will secure its future success. Summing this attitude up James says: “Our acid test on any of our house, or any of our sites is, ‘Would we live there ourselves?’ If the answer’s no, we don’t buy the site.”

Kendrick Homes www.kendrickhomes.co.uk Services: Housebuilders and developers

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profile: Howarth Timber Windows and Doors

grow A view to

A reputation for quality and sustainability means that as the market grows, so too can timber manufacturer Howarth Timber Windows and Doors

I

n its 175th year, the Howarth Timber group has established itself as a leading and preferred supplier of timber products to the UK construction industry. Today operating all over the country, the group turns over £170 million.

Founded in 1985 was the group’s windows and doors division, which currently contributes approaching £9 million in turnover to the group. Based in North Lincolnshire, the division primarily serves the new build sector with a variety of products, with clients ranging from the largescale house builders to one off personal buyers. The scope of its experience means that the company’s projects range in contract value up to £500,000 and beyond, supplying single plot to 200 plot sites.

“We have a product range that covers most customers needs,” explains general manager, Alan Shearer. “We’re generally able to cover most customers’ requests and requirements in the timber market. We are also fairly competitive – we’re neither the

cheapest nor the most expensive in the market.” In terms of products, the core of the business surrounds the timber windows.

The STORVIK range comes in both double and triple glaze configurations, and demonstrates a secure and practical design with achievable ultralow u-values of 1.2W/m3K and 0.7W/m3K respectively. Further along the range is the Stormproof window, which is arguably the most common style of window used in the UK. In addition, the company also offers sliding sash windows, which brings modern energy performance to a traditional

design, and feature windows.

In terms of doors, the company offers a range of styles again all adhering to the Howarth ethos of good quality and security. Both standard and bi-fold maxiview doors complete the product offering. Supporting the product beyond the point of sale is a range of guarantees from five to 30 years covering different finishes and fittings.

All products manufactured

by Howarth are done so according to the UK Police Initiative, ‘Secured by Design’, a crime prevention scheme that focuses on incorporating security in the design stage of

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profile: Howarth Timber Windows and Doors

new house building. All Howarth products are built to meet the new requirements of Approved Document Q that will come into effect in October 2015.

Further enhancing the company’s close attention to quality is the potential lifetime engineered into the timber windows. A study commissioned by the Wood Window Alliance, undertaken in accordance with BS ISO 15686-8, shows that windows manufactured under the Wood Window Alliance guidelines, will achieve a minimum estimated service life of 60 years.

In sheltered locations and with average maintenance levels, this is predicted to extend to 87 years.

In manufacturing from European Redwood timber the company is engaging directly with the environment, and its approach to sustainability is exemplary. “Trees are one of the most sustainable materials you can use,” expresses Alan. “We ensure that all our timber comes from managed forests, so if a tree is cut down a new one is replanted. Young trees take more carbon out of the atmosphere than older ones, so we want to encourage managed forests that are constantly changing old trees for new.” Further supporting the use for timber within the windows and doors industry

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is the fact that 17 per cent less energy is required to turn raw timber into a useable product, than in plastic framed products.

Testifying to the company’s responsible approach to managed forests is the possession of FSC accreditation and Chain of Custody. Chain of Custody was awarded to Howarth Timber in 2006 and is a mechanism that allows for the tracking of certified material from the forest to the final product, ensuring all wood can be traced back to certified forests. Ultimately, Howarth’s customers can be sure that they are buying responsibly sourced, well-managed timber products.

Having established itself over 30 years with a name that maintains its utmost commitment to quality and sustainability, Howarth Windows and Doors is experiencing a strong level of growth in the market. “The general market is good, growing last year,” says Alan. “New house registrations in the first quarter were up by 26 per cent in the private sector so there is a general uplift in the market that appears to be continuing.” In order to facilitate the growth the company has just received planning permission to carry out an extension on its current site, with construction due to start soon for a completion target of the end of 2015. “The factory at the moment is split into two separate units, which is not ideal,” outlines Alan.

“We’re bringing the elements onto

one site and increasing capacity.

We’re hoping over the next three to four years to increase by 35 per cent. Obviously this will be a gradual process as we have to bring in more labour.”

Commenting on what the market growth means to the company, Alan is optimistic.

“It represents both a major opportunity and a challenge,” he says. “The challenge is looking at how we are going to manage the current growth, hence we are making this investment. However, it means we will be recruiting new people, which is good news for the local economy. It’s certainly better than the challenge that we faced with the recession though.”

With new space to grow and a strong market open to Howarth, the next few years look set to be rewarding. “The strategic vision is to maintain ourselves in the market place,” concludes Alan.

“However, we also want to grow our market share so that we are operating closer to £12 million turnover than the current nine.

Ideally we’ll be looking at about 35 per cent growth over the next three years. For the moment, we continue to enjoy the financial security afforded to us by being part of a large group.”

Howarth Timber Windows and Doors www.howarth-timber.co.uk Services: Manufactures a range of timber windows and doors

profile: Toureen Group

Building

in all

directions With a strong workforce behind it Toureen Group has established itself as a leading construction and civil engineering company having worked on some of the most high-profile and prestigious projects in the UK

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ounded in 1991 by Denis Nolan, the Toureen Group has experienced a wealth of successful growth as it has established itself in the construction and civil engineering industry and expanded through acquisitions into a company with a range of expertise. Today, based on a foundation of strong employee engagement, the group occupies a leading position in the market, instilling an attitude in its people that radiates out in the service it offers its clients.

With a number of high profile and complex contracts under its belt,

Denis Nolan Founder of the Toureen Group

the group has developed a proven track record in its chosen sectors and looks set to continue this as it undergoes a companywide rebranding programme.

In 2001, the company made its first acquisition of petroleum company Mangan Bros, rebranding it to Toureen Mangan – a petroleum and groundworks expert. The move enabled the group to become one of the UK’s largest forecourt construction companies. Now rebranded to Toureen Retail, the division specialises in nationwide store fit out, conversions, refurbishment and design and build for

petroleum and wider retail sectors, with clients including major oil companies, retail chains and independent traders.

Six years later the group made its next expansion move by forming City Basements, a dedicated resource of in-house engineers and specialist staff that support multilevel basement design and construction. The company has amassed a portfolio of experience fulfilling the underground spatial requirements of some of London’s most high-net-worth individuals. City Basements operates a unique top-down technique, which means it has the capacity to pick up a building and put it on new foundations without damaging it.

This means work can be carried out both under and over ground simultaneously, saving on project timelines.

Finally, in 2010 Toureen completed its current line-up by acquiring Tilley and Barrett.

With a history stretching back to 1951, Tilley and Barrett has been responsible for carrying out major demolition projects on landmark

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profile: Toureen Group

buildings such as Wembley Stadium, New Scotland Yard and Alexandra Palace, and has been a member of the prestigious National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) since 1971.

Bringing the four companies together means that Toureen can now deliver seamless civil engineering solutions all supported by in-house geologists, structural engineers, a FORS gold accredited fleet and award winning Health and Safety department. This core group of services is then supplemented by an in-house plant hire division, which was set up in 2007 and has just undergone a 12 month period of investment to update all plant technology, and training centre to ensure staff are best equipped with the latest knowledge to offer the best possible customer service. Last year the group underwent a complete rebrand, which is currently being rolled out across all signage, vehicles, equipment, marketing material and website.

Innovation sits firmly at the heart of the Toureen group, as it relishes the challenging projects that require complex and creative solutions. One particular example of this innovation is its dust suppression unit. The unit was conceived, designed and developed as the most unique system for dust suppression by Tilley and Barrett. Taking up as little space as possible, it works by creating a fine mist spray that instantly captures all dust during demolition projects. Alongside this the company developed the demolition curtain to be used when scaffolding cannot be used to protect surrounding buildings.

Exemplifying the effectiveness of such innovative equipment, it was successfully used during the demolition of an eightstorey building with multi-storey basement, attached to a live student accommodation building.

However, innovation is not

just confined to the demolition sector and a number of iconic projects aptly demonstrate Toureen’s wide service offering.

Based in the centre of London, the company is undertaking a project to create a purpose built underground gallery for Victoria and Albert museum exhibitions, plus a courtyard space and new Exhibition Road entrance. The Grade II listed building, being a large-scale project, throws up a number of complex challenges being surrounded by protected buildings within a heavily pedestrianised and built up area, with construction work required in confined spaces. In addition, City Basements is currently working on the UK’s most expensive residential project converting a central London property into two separate houses with a multistorey basement for parking and leisure facilities.

Demonstrating its civil engineering capabilities Toureen recently delivered a full package of drainage installation, RC, flood defences, process building, steel frame, office fit-out, landscaping and section 278 works. The project was for a client that designs, builds, owns and operates anaerobic digestion plants on a commercial scale for the processing of food waste to renewable energy and bio-fertiliser. Contributing its skills to the Olympic Village, the company was involved in a number of RC frame structures and earth tubing demands. Finally, Tilley and Barrett has further established its reputation recently with the decommissioning and construction of an existing building with a live power station in a city, which involved the dismantling of two 360 tonne engines, a one million litre tank and 160 tonne gas compressors, all whilst working within strict local vibration system restrictions.

Toureen has now been positioned in the top 50 of

The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For, for the third time, ranking 47th for 2015.

With 91 per cent of employees announcing that their MD, Denis Nolan inspires them, and 93 per cent putting their faith in him, employee engagement sourced from strong leadership is part of the reason why Toureen has reached such a leading position in the UK construction industry.

Commenting on the award Denis said: “It is a fantastic achievement to have again been named on of the best companies to work for. Our ethos is very simple.

Deliver what clients want while working to the highest possible standards. You cannot achieve this without having talented and motivated staff and I am very proud of and grateful to them.”

The company also achieved Best Companies highest Three Star Accreditation for extraordinary levels of engagement with high levels of value, challenge and confidence being identified by its employees. Making the award more prestigious is the fact that only 18 per cent of companies entered into the award actually achieve the three stars.

The future for Toureen is very much defined by a continued commitment to its staff as profits are reinvested in to the business with a focus on the development, training and up-skilling of its people. Continued innovation and investment into new plant, and a retention of its commitment to environmental and sustainability improvement will also contribute to the company’s continuous improvement. The product of this combined strategy is the service delivered to the customer, and adherence to it looks set to secure a successful future for Toureen.

Toureen Group www.toureengroup.co.uk Services: Construction and engineering contractors 39

profile: Swisspearl® Science Pyramid/JC Buck, Denver

last Designed to

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art of the one billion CHF turnover Swisspor Group, Swisspearl® manufactures through-coloured cementitious panels for façade cladding.

Founded in 1903, the company established itself to be the first to move into producing throughcoloured panels and has a leading position in the market. Located in Niederurnen, Switzerland the company distributes through a global network of more than 60 distributors in over 50 countries, with its main target customers being high profile architects.

The major product lines for the company are LARGO and LINEARIS. LARGO are largeformat cement composite panels that come with a choice of surface textures, joints and fastenings, giving a vast range of possibilities for any façade. LINEARIS are ready-made LARGO strips that can be used to cover a range of façade shapes. LARGO panels also have available customisation options including perforations and engravings. To accompany the two lines are three major colour families, CARAT, XPRESSIV and REFLEX, all possessing individual aesthetic characteristics and offering 170 standard and more than 2100 customised colours.

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With current global trends favouring original design, material longevity and sustainability, Swisspearl® is well placed to achieve world wide success

With such a vast range of choices available the company employs a team of experienced technical advisors to assist in choosing the best and most practical solutions. Along side the modern and distinctive character awarded to any building cladded with Swisspearl® panels, Robert Wirichs, head of exports, explains why the panels are well suited to current market demands: “There is an increasing need for long lasting building and energy saving,” he explains. “These are both fulfilled with a Swisspearl® panel in combination with the rear ventilated façade.”

Swisspearl® is a highly innovative company with quality, sustainability and design sitting as central pillars to the business plan. Regarding quality, the panels are designed to last over 40 years without fading in colour or texture, providing long term protection to the façades they cover. They also offer high resistance against fire and UV, and the option of the company’s HR coating can enhance this protection. “HR stands for High Resistance,” highlights Robert.

“They are more resistant against scratches and graffiti can be removed easily numerous times with a standard acetone product without leaving stains.” In terms

of design, Swisspearl® prides itself on providing inspiration to great designers and firms such as Max Bill, Le Corbusier, Haefeli Moser Steiger, Herzog and de Meuron, Rafael Viñoly and Morphosis. By working with such designers, the high-end quality and flexibility of the company’s panels is exemplified.

The panels therefore provide both aesthetic and functional advantages, yet it is sustainability that comes across as the most important factor for the company. Ninety-five per cent of a Swisspearl® panel is made up of natural raw materials from the Swiss mountains. With environmental awareness ensuring all resources have effective protection, the panels are mainly made from cement, pulverised limestone, water and air. The manufacturing process is based on a closed water cycle and a slow natural 28-day curing time requiring very little energy, and the company adheres to tight environmental restrictions with high levels of recycling. The result is a 100 per cent environmentally friendly panel since neither the raw materials used, nor the production process contains any harmful substances, and far less energy is consumed compared to the manufacture of most other

STAR Center/Steve Wanke, Warren

building materials.

Even more significant is the fact that this sustainable focus continues beyond the manufacturing process and is passed onto the customer, as all of Swisspearl’s® panels are rear ventilated. Robert explains: “The panels are not fastened directly onto the façade. A subframe made from aluminium, stainless steel or wood, is used in between the structural wall and the panels. As a result you have an air gap between the two layers and air is able to circulate freely. The major effects of this are: substantial cooling down of the building, no moisture, better interior climate and lower energy consumption. With energy saving and sustainability a major global trend at the moment, we are providing the right solution at the right time.”

Swisspearl® has been involved in a number of striking building projects across the world, where sustainability and architectural innovation have been central.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for performing arts in Beverly Hills, USA, required 2320 square metres of the company’s panels for both internal and external cladding. The contemporary style of the panels helps the design pull together the 21st Century architecture and the original 1930’s building that still stands as part of the new construction. Representing the first project in China, Swisspearl® worked with US architects Morphosis to build the stunning corporate headquarters for Giant Interactive Group in Shanghai.

Eight thousand square metres of dark grey, black and white panels were required to cover external, internal and roof façades.

Testament to the panel’s design versatility is its ability to modernise ageing buildings. The company’s most recent project has involved cladding an existing CERN building built in the seventies.

Sustainability has been at the heart of two other projects in the US. The ‘Science Pyramid’ at Denver Botanic Gardens is becoming well known for its incredibly green design, a recognition achieved partly due to the use of Swisspearl’s® four foot wide hexagonal rear ventilated panels. Similarly, installation of panels at the recently completed STAR Center in Tacoma helped the center to achieve LEED Gold

“The ongoing financial crisis has put many projects on hold, and the crisis in Ukraine has lead to a collapse of business in CIS countries.” However, despite these challenges, the opportunities are still in the company’s favour; by sticking to its core values of design, quality and sustainability it is in a strong position to serve current global trends concerning all three. The next years for Swisspearl® are defined by further expansion of the distribution network and the launch of further product innovations facilitated by participation in leading tradeshows like AIA Atlanta and Big5 Dubai. By continuing this strong approach to the market, Swisspearl® looks set to achieve its goal of being the global leader of premium façade panels.

Giant Interactive/Roland Halbe, Stuttgart

certification of sustainability.

Looking forward, Swisspearl® appears confident, yet remain aware of the challenges facing the company in the current market. “The strong Swiss Franc is making products more expensive,” Robert outlines.

Swisspearl® www.swisspearl.com Services: Manufacture cement composite panels for exterior and interior cladding 41

profile: Europa components

Supplying

demand Electricals supplier Europa Components proves that there is still a place for traditional service in today’s market

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uropa Components can trace its roots back to 1936 when current managing director, David Sheridan’s father started making instruments for the capacitance industry under the name of British Physical Laboratories.

Over its history the company has manufactured meters for standard test equipment within the electronics industry, established strong trade partnerships in the Far East and formed supplier relationships with RS Components and Farnells, which still exist today. Now under the leadership of David, the company has an increasing range of electrical control gear systems, and a clear guiding principle to serve the needs of its customers in the best

way possible. Europa currently has 3500 catalogue lines, 5500 lines in stock and 10,000 on its system, indicating the strength and availability of its offerings.

“Our customer is the electrician doing industrial or residential work, but our conduit is exclusively with the electrical wholesalers. We have a very good reason for doing this, we believe that the customer gets the best service that way,” expresses David. “The relationship between a customer and a wholesaler is already well established, and a customer will always need more than just Europa control gear when they go to the wholesaler.

So having one source for the customer is very important and we want to support that.” Rather uniquely, despite operating through wholesaler distribution, Europa offers a delivery-to-site service in conjunction. This means that in the event of an emergency Europa can deliver products next day straight to the site, making its customers’ lives easier.

The strengths of Europa lay in its original customer focused approach. “We are flexible,” explains David. “If a customer asks for something we don’t stock, we will try our best to find it, we don’t say no. If we can provide it, we will do it and I think this is appreciated in the market.” This service extends to its back up as well. Irregular for a distribution company, Europa has a direct technical helpline manned by employed engineers and taking hundreds of calls a month, giving the end user peace of mind when using the service. “What we are finding, and what we are reacting to, is that our customers want complete solutions in one box, but they also want the engineering support behind it should they need assistance,” adds David.

Its direct to site service, a low minimum order of £20, and soon to have a same day dispatch service for orders up to five in

the afternoon, all put Europa in a strong position to serve a demanding and competitive market. “We are a straight forward company to do business with,” notes David.

These strengths and the company’s ability to react to the market are clearly working.

“Europa is experiencing incredible growth,” emphasises David.

“Over the last five years we have more than doubled the business, and that was done through a heavy recession.” Testament to its increasing success, RS, which before catalogued Europa components under its own brand, have now included Europa as its own entity. “They see the brand as being on the up and they want to be associated with it,” he says.

Working for the customer and meeting the demands in the market are key parts of the company’s business plan. Eighteen months ago Europa launched the new Safe Switch range of isolator, changeover switch and fuse switch units operating up to 1000 amps, in its trend towards providing more complete solutions. Not only is the solution offering quality switchgear in a more efficient larger container, eliminating the need for extension boxes, but it is also satisfying a large demand in the industry.

“Because we assemble the units on site, people have been amazed with the availability we offer,” explains David. “In the next catalogue we will be indicating that we go up to 6300 amps if necessary. It’s really meeting the demand.”

Europa is also a well-regarded supplier of fuses, isolators and enclosures in the UK, being at the forefront of the industry in all cases. Since January this year, it has also become the national distributor for German box manufacturer Fibox. David notes: “I think the reason they chose us is because we are already an embedded supplier within the UK with relationships with all the significant wholesalers.

The relationship with Fibox is important because it means that we can provide to the customer their complete requirement of control gear.”

The future for Europa is very much focused on continuing to deliver quality products to satisfy customer demand. “I consider this to be a very exciting time for the company,” says David. “We expect to organically double our business again over the next five years by moving more and more towards complete solutions – a complete box with one part number. There is an incredible opportunity for us to continue our growth by listening to the customers and doing what they want.” In terms of products, the company has a work programme for new ideas that covers the next three years.

“We’re not the sort of people who see a good idea and put it in the catalogue, we do a lot of research into the supplier and do the testing in-house – we’re not the fastest, but people know that a Europa-backed product is reliable and good quality.”

Summarising the company’s attitude David concludes: “The ethics of how we run this business, some people think it is very old fashioned, but I make no apologies for it – our word is our bond, and we stick behind our products and we stick behind our customers to solve problems.”

Europa Components www.europacomponents.com Services: Supplier and distributor of electrical components

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profile: Vector Foiltec

icons Building the

Responsible for some of the most iconic structures around the world, leading ETFE cladding specialist Vector Foiltec is committed to offering more for less

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n 1982, Dr Stefan Lehnert developed a technique capable of welding large sheets of ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) and the market for building cladding systems opened up. “The company basically invented a way of cladding buildings with ETFE,” explains founding partner and managing director, Ben Morris. “Essentially it is a clear polymer that doesn’t degrade under ultraviolet light – it’s quite an unusual technology but we hold the world’s expertise in it, having developed all the major innovations.” With a strong technological background driving the company forward, it was the Eden Project work in 2001 that catapulted Vector Foiltec and ETFE technology onto the global stage. Now, with innovation at its core, the company has been involved in some of the world’s most iconic buildings including The Watercube on Beijing’s Olympic park and the world’s largest spanning dome over Singapore’s national stadium.

The case for ETFE technology is in its versatility and cost

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effectiveness. “The technology comprises of two or more layers of this UV stable, clear polymer,” outlines Ben, “and we inflate the gaps between them with air, thus creating a insulated duvet keeping the building warm, or cool as required. We can treat any of the skins with printed radiation treatments, so you can essentially design the cladding to perform whatever function you want. For instance you can keep the sun out, you can keep the heat in, keep IR or UV out – you can manipulate its performance. By printing on more than one layer, and then moving the layers towards or away from each other with air you can create a skin that reacts and changes to climate. So on a shady day it will let in more light and on a sunny day it can provide some shading.”

Parallel to this are the advantages of using the material as an alternative to other building

materials. Ben continues: “The nice thing about what we do is that we can deliver a higher performance than similar technologies, like a glazed roof for instance, for less money. When you build anything you are using a limited amount of resources and what is good about this technology is you can cover huge areas with cladding that is less than a millimetre thick in total, so you’re using very little material to achieve a huge amount of work. Quite often we can reduce the amount of steel that has been designed into the scheme by sometimes as much as 50 per cent. The technology enables one to spread building movement across the skin rather than concentrating movement joints at cladding panel perimeters. This has enabled us to develop the concept of the soft skin, which spreads building movement across the entire envelope load sharing rather than having to engineer for point loads.

This enables the whole surface to load share which can dramatically decrease the amount of steel structure that is needed to keep a building up.”

One particularly successful market for Vector Foiltec is in stadiums. “It is a very interesting market because they are very big national, and often international, icons,” highlights Ben. The business has a presence at most major sporting venues across the world including Beijing and Sochi Olympic parks, Baku’s European Games 2015 stadium and Singapore National Stadium.

The latter highlights a particular innovation for the company as it incorporates televisual technology into the cladding by enabling vast images to be projected onto the material. “It creates a vast visual experience, which is what you want with a big crowd of people and it very much enhances the atmosphere in the stadium,” Ben adds.

Another significant market for the company is dealing in hot, harsh climates in the Middle East and South East Asia. “These are places where people often don’t go outside and there isn’t really a public realm like we have in Europe because it’s so hot and dusty,” says Ben. “We’ve been building some very big shopping centres which are more like total towns with cafes, bars, playgrounds, restaurants, cinemas and so on. We’re beginning to see the rise of the enclosed city in hostile climates. We’ve built four now around the world including the big cable net structure of the Khan Shatyr entertainment centre in Kazakhstan, Parkview Green Fang Cao Di in Beijing and The Avenues in Kuwait.”

Vector Foiltec currently undertakes around 90 per cent of all ETFE projects in the world, but competition is intensifying making trading conditions tough.

However, as Ben points out: “We’ve dealt with it by becoming more and more efficient. We make our own machinery and welding equipment, and have got by far the most efficient factory in the industry. Also, because we’re

processing so much material we can always beat a competitor on price.” With such an international presence, the recent economic downturn in Europe and the USA did not have an impact on the company’s activities, yet it still made an effort to improve efficiencies to meet client demands and deliver projects

more quickly.

Looking forward Ben remains keenly aware that the market is largely unsaturated, and therefore there is a huge amount of opportunity. “It’s really a case of getting the message out and making sure people are aware of what we can do,” he concludes.

“The vision is simply to continue our growth, and continue to give exceptionally high levels of service and performance to our clients. They are the heart of this business, and our commitment to them has meant that we have earned a lot of loyalty.”

Vector Foiltec www.vector-foiltec.com Services: Leading ETFE cladding technology company

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profile: Jarvis

A

Group effort

With over a century’s experience, Jarvis Group has developed a robust, fully integrated service offering to ensure it remains successful in an everchanging market

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ounded in 1905

by Ernest Charles Jarvis, Harpenden based Jarvis Group is a privately owned multi-disciplined construction group offering a one-stopshop service from development contracting, through mechanical and engineering (M&E), and environmental services to bespoke joinery. Today the company approaches a turnover of over £60 million, consistently delivering in excess of 250 private and affordable dwellings per annum in the last ten years. As well as this it has constructed new schools, healthcare facilities and community projects along with lower value projects delivered by its special works department.

With its services spread across Jarvis Contracting, Jarvis M&E, Jarvis Commercial and Jarvis Homes, the company has grown to become a well-established and well-respected construction business within the UK industry.

The company also has a strong retail offering, building new stores and internal fit-outs for some of the UK’s largest retailers.

Mark Doyle, CEO of Jarvis, comments on the market’s current supply demands: “With supply

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not currently meeting demand, supply costs are spiralling, and this has sadly resulted in casualties in the construction market where contractors have secured contracts on historic rates that they simply cannot deliver on.” He goes on to explain what has enabled Jarvis to thrive in the current market. “We are fortunate that we are not as exposed to the chronic shortages that are being experienced, as we have the ability to self-deliver much of our work using our direct labour force and in-house service offerings, providing some insulation from the volatility of market pricing. Our strategy was also not to secure lengthy contracts and we therefore do not have the legacy issues that some of our peers are burdened with.

This places Jarvis in a very positive position to service the client base and with our breadth of expertise, we believe that we can provide our clients with a truly holistic experience.”

Beyond this, the strengths of Jarvis lay in quality, its people and the service it provides.

“Every contractor boasts about the level of quality it achieves,” notes Mark. “But Jarvis genuinely delivers time and time again and it is the biggest area of feedback

that we receive commenting on the high standards that our site teams deliver and this is largely a result of the high levels of control that we can achieve using in-house resources, coupled with a stable and high quality supply chain.” This focus on quality also translates into a focus on people, as Jarvis places significant value on its highly trained and loyal workforce. Importantly, it has developed a tried and tested supplier network, which is vetted for its health and safety, and quality performance, to draw on supplier skills to supplement its own trade staff.

The result of this is a keen and trusted workforce, which allows excellent service standards to permeate throughout the company at every level. “People like working with Jarvis,” adds Mark.

Testament to Jarvis’s strengths and ability to offer a fully integrated, one-stop service is a number of projects in and around the company’s home Harpenden area. “The Glen Eagles Manor project is a great example of what the company can achieve by utilising all parts of the group,” highlights Mark.

Further illustrating Jarvis’s strong current position, it has

recently secured contracts such as the new Phase II facility for local children’s charity, The Pace Centre, a commercialto-residential conversion in Hemel Hempstead, and the new Richmond Hill SEN School in Luton. An initial appointment to design and build a very unique five bedroom zero carbon home in Bovingdon also serves to prove

the company’s competency in environmental construction.

Something that Mark is keen to express: “We have a separate green energy division providing cost-effective propositions within our M&E services,” he emphasises. “With the green agenda in most organisations’ strategies, our experts can provide practical propositions to help not only make our clients more environmentally efficient by reduction in carbon but this generally provides significant commercial benefits because of the government support that is often available and our teams can provide guidance on access to finance and funding.”

Looking forward, the next 12 months are very much defined by investment. “It is important that we do not become complacent

and continually strive to better our service,” Mark explains. Investment plans will contribute to M&E expansion, enhanced by IT systems and expanding BIM (Building Information Modelling) capability.

Staff also occupy a position of investment focus as Jarvis is keen to provide opportunities for the next generation of construction professionals through staff development, apprenticeships and training opportunities. Long term, Jarvis’s strategy is to build on what it has already achieved. “We will do this through careful expansion of our regular client base and our traditional geographical area,” concludes Mark.

Jarvis Group Ltd www.jarvisgroupltd.co.uk Services: Construction group

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profile: Premier Interlink (Waco UK Ltd)

A modular

approach

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art of the Waco International Group, Premier Interlink can trace its trading roots back almost 60 years. After the merger between the Premier Transline and Interlink brands in 2004 and the acquisition of the IP of Britspace in 2011, the company has now positioned itself as one of the leading modular construction companies in the UK. Construction and Civil Engineering last featured Premier Interlink in October 2014 when divisional director, David Harris discussed the recent growth the company had experienced due to its focus on innovation. A little over six months later the positivity remains,

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Occupying a leading position in the UK modular construction industry, Premier Interlink is focused solidly on growth

and Premier Interlink is very much focused on growing its business in all sectors.

“From a general business point of view, the company has continued to grow quite strongly over the last six months,” David says. “Over this period there has definitely been some real buoyancy in the market,” he adds.

“I think the initial impact for us is in our Hire Business because as bigger developments move forward we are providing the temporary accommodation. One of the key advantages we have is that our hire fleet is completely interchangeable – we deliberately have one focused fleet, where all the units can be sited together, so we can utilise them very well. We have spent capital expenditure up to 300 units in the last six months and we’re currently waiting for Group Board approval to do the same again. That has been a strong, self-funded investment into the business.”

Ultimately, Premier Interlink has established a reputation as a quality brand in the market, something it is committed to maintaining by being selective of its projects, competing for quality and longevity. Aside from this the core strengths of the business

lay in the unique and innovative approach the company takes towards both its products and its operations. “You can see we are a very innovative business from some of the products that we have launched to the market,” comments David. “We are not just a modular building company, we are very much focused on delivering a solution, so we try and look at schemes and work out the best way to deliver that solution rather than just seeing how we can make it fit modular.

We’ve developed unique solutions for the MoD, education, housing and retail markets.” In terms of operations David explains: “We employ manufacturing people to run the factories and we employ construction people to run the sites. It’s the skill of blending those two together that gives us a competitive edge.”

In the last feature David concluded by expressing the company’s desire to break into the housing sector and over the last six months the business has made significant progress in this market, with its first project for the Goodwin Trust in Hull well underway. “We initially started talking to Goodwin two years ago, the work we did with them

then was one of the key drivers for going into the housing market, it was then that we realised its potential. We have developed a housing product to suit the needs of the social housing sector. The project consists of code five homes, so they’re environmentally friendly, very sustainable and aesthetically very modern. From our point of view we really believe it will be a springboard into a number of other housing projects.”

In November last year, the company held a three-day launch event, inviting 150 people from the industry to visit its factory and view the demonstrationhousing product. “From that we have generated huge interest in the product. We’ve actually got a pipeline of well into the hundreds of millions of potential social housing opportunities. Now we’re trying to work with the right opportunities, we want to pick a few sites of 20 to 30 houses and really demonstrate our abilities,” explains David.

Other sectors, which are proving strong for Premier Interlink, are education, student accommodation and healthcare.

“Our biggest sector over the last 12 months has continued to be the education sector,” notes David.

“We’re either in the process of, or have completed, over the last two months, eight different schools in London. I think the interesting part is that they’re all quite complex and niche products.” It has also just completed its second student accommodation contract, a 240-bed, five-storey building for Northumbria University. “This sector is really ideal for us as it includes a lot of repetition so we can drive efficiencies through the factory, manufacturing around 25 units a week.” The company has also made a strong return to the healthcare sector with two contracts won for Pilgrim Hospital in Boston and Springfield Hospital in Chelmsford.

As Premier Interlink continues

to grow it does face a number of challenges, including employing the right people for the construction, commercial and design sides of the business, and continuing to attract capital expenditure into the business.

Despite this David is still very much focused on what the business needs to do to maintain its growth, and has his eye

trained on other sectors where opportunities exist. “The next 12 months for us are about investing into our Hire Business, driving the housing product launch further and also implementing a push into the retail sector,” he concludes.

“I think our strategic vision is clear that we want to become the premier modular and offsite builder in the UK and it’s very focused on the growth areas.

Ultimately, we intend to continue trading in each of our chosen construction sectors because we believe the products have benefits in all of them.”

Premier Interlink (Waco UK Ltd) www.waco.co.uk, 0800 316 0888 Services: Construction of modular building structures

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profile: Specialist Coatings

bases Covering all

With comprehensive accreditation from across the industry, Specialist Coatings is attracting more customers, and is moving sites to accommodate increased demand

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amily-owned, Darlingtonbased Specialist Coatings, part of the Almit group, was established in 1981 to serve among others the architectural powder coating needs of the UK construction industry. Today it is at the forefront of the industry as it moves into one of the biggest sites of its kind and offers a unique service unrivalled by its competitors. Although its operations are anchored to its own site, the company has been involved in coating components

used in high profile projects ranging from the England football training ground and Heathrow Airport, to office buildings and supermarkets. Across the business’s scope of offerings it provides specialist powder coating, wet spray painting, Goliath gutter coating systems and on-site remedial spray

painting to a range of industries around the UK, and in some cases, the world.

Director, and one of the three owning brothers, Mark Mitchell explains what sets the company apart in the competitive market: “Quality is a big thing for us, both in terms of service and product.

We also offer very fast turnaround

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profile: Specialist Coatings

times and are competitively priced.

In terms of the coatings, we get the product from a range of suppliers, but it’s in our service where we are able to differentiate from other companies in the market. We have designed our own pre-treatment line, of which we have two. Quite a few of our competitors can only coat thin items, but our own designed lines can coat items with much wider girths.”

Aside from this Specialist Coatings is keen to highlight its accreditation within the industry.

The company works with all of the main architectural powder coating suppliers such as Syntha

Axalta Powder Coatings UK Axalta Powder Coatings UK Ltd is a global leader in the provision of architectural powder coatings, which are the most popular coating solution for aluminium or galvanized steel building components as varied as cladding, doors and windows.

Axalta offers a range of products with excellent mechanical and weathering resistance characteristics, which are supported by a 25 year guarantee when applied by one of Axalta Coatings Systems' network of approved applicators such as Specialist Coatings.

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Pulvin, Akzo Nobel, Axalta, Tiger and IGP, and as Mark expresses: “We are approved by all the powder manufacturers, and also external powder coating bodies, for instance Qualicoat, to apply the powder coating to work. We also have ISO 9001.” With this accreditation behind the company, it is able to offer full guarantees to all its work, ensuring a high standard of quality is delivered and maintained.

Commenting on the current performance of the company and the market Mark notes: “It’s all going pretty well at the moment.

The market is performing well generally and it’s very busy for us. Part of this is because of our accreditation, so we are attracting business from a lot of different customers.” With the company expanding and demand within the industry increasing, Specialist Coatings has to be able to manage its supply chain in order to deliver when a customer requires. “We work very closely with our suppliers who tend to be the big multinational companies,” says Mark. “I need to speak with them almost on a daily basis to ensure we have the right products in and the right level of stock ready for whatever a customer’s needs are.”

As the company expands, so too has its facilities. Eighteen months ago it acquired a new larger site in Darlington, and work is currently underway to move the whole company into the

site. “Previously, on the powder coating side, we were working in a 40,000 square foot factory with only one line. We’ve now moved into a 200,000 square foot facility with two fully automated lines, and one manual one. All our yards are now inside as well, so there is nothing outside. Now there is a lot more room to work and expand into as needed,” discusses Mark. The site relocation is a strategic move for the whole company as it works to realise its goal of being a one-stop-shop for all surface-finishing needs. Across the company it also offers wet coating for the oil and gas, and precision engineering industries, as well as having an anodising and electroplating plant. Previously working from four separate sites, the move to Darlington will consolidate the work, bringing with it a range of logistical benefits and a more streamlined operation as the whole group moves forward.

“The work should all be finished within the next two years,” explains Mark, “and should give us one of the largest surface finishing sites in the UK. The idea is to accommodate any surface finishing requirements.

This will also mean investing in new equipment to develop new processes and offer a wider range of services to customers.”

One area the company is particularly looking to expand into is aluminium anodising, which it currently offers on a small scale, in order to serve the larger scale aluminium anodising requirements of the architectural industry. “We hope to keep on expanding where we are, thus filling the site. But ultimately, we just look to keep servicing the market to facilitate the work coming in,” Mark concludes.

Specialist Coatings www.almitgroup.co.uk Services: Architectural powder coatings

profile: Ramboll

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global consultant

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tanding on top of their university building looking out over the city of Copenhagen in 1945, engineering students Rambøll and Hannemann had one vision: to help rebuild the city after the second world war. “The company has quite humble origins,” says head of Ramboll’s tunnelling division, Alun Thomas. “Now it has grown to having 12,300 staff operating in 35 countries. A very large, global, multidisciplinary consultancy that has come from two engineers fresh out of university deciding they can help rebuild a better world.” To give a greater sense of the company’s size, it turned over more than one billion euros in 2014. Serving a whole range of industries including buildings, transport, urban design, water, environment and health, energy, oil and gas, and management consulting, Ramboll is a truly global company with an everincreasing footprint. Following the acquisition of American company Environ in 2014, Ramboll has shifted its balance from being a

With a growing global footprint and a buoyant infrastructure market, Ramboll’s tunnelling division is playing a role in some of the world’s most complex projects

Scandinavian based company to one with a much more expansive global operation and has brought on board an extra 1500 environment and health science specialists.

Despite this global shift within the company, Alun is keen to express the company’s commitment to its roots.

“Scandinavians tend to be very modest,” he explains, “and this approach permeates throughout the atmosphere in the company.

As an engineer, I find that attractive because it’s not about egos, we’re all problem solvers and we enjoy making things better – that’s what motivates us.” Some could argue that this is a challenge for the company, however, as Alun points out: “Not many people may know the name Ramboll yet we are designing major projects like the Queensferry Crossing project in Scotland, one of the largest bridge projects in Northern Europe and the most extensive construction project in Scotland and the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel linking Germany and Denmark.”

This attitude is very much the core strength of Ramboll. Alun continues: “What really makes us stand out from other businesses in our field is that we always have a deeply ethical standpoint, and integrity is a strongly rooted value in the company. We’re not machines. We’re not in the pockets of politicians, nor do we work on projects that show lack of respect for the environment.

Collectively, these values are what we call the human touch.”

Innovation also sits at the heart of Ramboll and its presence as an industry leader on an international stage is evident.

Not only does it run its own innovation competition within the company, but also some of its employees have been singled out as outstanding within their respective industries. For example the European Federation of Engineering Consultancy association awarded the Young Professional of the Year award to one of Ramboll’s bridge engineers, Anne Moloney, with her oil and gas colleague Francesca Del Din finishing as a

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16:28

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profile: Ramboll Bonar Construction Fibres runner up. Very soon, as chairman of the ITAtech Activity Group on Precast Fibre Reinforced Concrete Segments, Alun will also be launching the design guide, which will be available for free online for engineers who want to make use of fibre reinforcement for tunnel linings.

When completed in 2021, the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel will span 18km across the Fehmarn strait between Denmark and Germany, and will be the world’s longest road-rail tunnel. The immersed tube project represents one of Europe’s biggest ever infrastructure projects and the completed works will reduce travel time from Copenhagen to Hamburg by two and a half hours. “The project gained some fame because the client ran a competition between a bridge and a tunnel, and Ramboll was delighted that the tunnel team came out with the best solution for the client,” explains Alun. At present, the project is in its early stages with tendering in process and initial preparation works underway. “It will be a massive project,” he highlights. “Each of the units, for example, that make up the 18km is about the same size and weight as the Titanic, so it’s very complex but also very exciting.” The project is also being accompanied by a highspeed rail link from Copenhagen

Bonar is currently working alongside Alun Thomas, head of department tunnels, at Ramboll, in the ITAtech activity group to produce a design guidance document for fibre reinforced precast segmental linings. Both companies are showing significant commitment to the advancement of the industry by taking part in such groups and it is hoped that by doing so, we are able to further increase the impact of valuable technologies such as macro synthetic fibre in the tunnelling industry and to specifically, provide designers such as Alun and his colleagues with more materials options, which can only be of benefit to Ramboll’s clients in the long term. Bonar is the producer of Adfil construction fibres.

with Ramboll involved in various contracts as part of the Danish railways project.

A testament to the company’s expertise on a global stage is its role in Hong Kong metro’s North South Line project. Contract 1121 is a 1.4km immersed tube tunnel which will span the Victoria harbour and will carry two tracks for metro trains as part of the 17km Shatin to Central metro project. “Our role is to act as an expert reviewer for the government on the project,” says Alun. “It is fairly early stages at the moment and construction hasn’t actually begun, but the design is very well advanced.”

Amongst a robust portfolio of many projects Ramboll has also been involved in the the Øresund link between Denmark and Sweden, familiar to many from the Scandinavian TV series, ‘The Bridge’ and Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg. Ongoing projects also include the largest expansion to the Stockholm metro since it was first built, the Lanïsmetro in Helsinki and the revitalisation of the Nordhavn port area of Copenhagen, which will include a new road tunnel called Nordhavnstunnel.

“Infrastructure is very buoyant at the moment,” explains Alun. “If I look across the whole company at different projects in different places I can detect a level of energy and dynamism within the market.” With countries across the world currently investing heavily into their infrastructure Ramboll

is well placed to be on hand to fill a consultancy role. “As a tunneller it’s a great time to be in the industry,” he continues. “There are a lot of projects coming up in the UK, even as Crossrail winds down, HS2 for instance is going to be very interesting and similar iconic projects are present throughout the world. For example, the Doha bay crossing in Qatar has reawakened – it’s a very complex project that we are involved in pursuing. Scandinavia is very busy in terms of infrastructure and there are lots to get involved with in Singapore and India.

“What I think has changed in the last three years, particularly with the acquisition of Environ, is that we have a much greater footprint in the world and the style in which we work together is becoming a lot more integrated, and that opens up lots of opportunities.”

With the recent large move with Environ, Ramboll’s future focus is very much on ensuring this integration is managed to the best it can be. “There is a big strategic push on being stronger together,” Alun concludes. “We are trying to capitalise on the synergies that we get within the whole company between the disciplines. By doing this it means we can draw a lot of expertise into projects, and it also sparks new projects as we find new collaborations.”

Ramboll www.ramboll.dk Services: Engineering consultancy 55

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profile: MEP Solutions

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modules From design to supply, MEP surpasses in quality, technical support, and cost control to deliver best practice solutions by continually implementing proven technologies and innovations

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perating as part of the A-Belco Group, MEP Solutions is a market leading manufacturer and supplier of modular mechanical and electrical services, as well as a specialist in providing integrated prefabricated solutions to the construction and building industries. The organisation offers a complete pre-engineered solution and technical support from conception through to completion offering a flexible and practical approach for its clients.

With nearly a decade of experience in the construction industry, MEP Solutions has grown to become a market leader in the design, manufacture and installation of multi-service modules, incorporating pipework, ventilation ductwork and electrical containment systems.

Each unique module is designed from fully co-ordinated 3D models and manufactured under factorycontrolled conditions. Modules are then delivered to site on a just-in-time basis. This dedication

to offsite manufacturing, rather than traditional approach, offers a raft of advantages to clients, as it means that MEP can deliver a fully co-ordinated and pre-engineered solution, with more accurate cost and delivery estimates. It also offers multiple programme benefits, not only in terms of quality, but also with inherent improvements in health and safety and predictability, which bring less risk to the client. MEP believes that the off-site manufacture of building services modules represents the lowest risk method of delivery and installation of services to the construction site. This is illustrated when considering the cost of rectifying defects or making changes on-site, compared to in a controlled factory application.

Further benefits include the reduction of on-site personnel, reduced waste and improved installation efficiency.

The modular prefabrication concept employed by MEP has been applied to significant building projects including hospitals, schools, colleges,

hotels, office developments and residential buildings.

Prestigious projects completed to date include The Tate Modern, Piccadilly Place, St James Gate and Aldgate Tower. In 2015 the company will be working on multimillion dollar contracts in Europe, Dubai, the US and Kazakhstan.

In order to address the needs of the clients who are commissioning these incredible structures, MEP Solutions continuously improves its own processes and invests in new technologies. For example, its Building Information Modelling (BIM) Solutions Division has recently doubled in size in order to address customers’ needs, and this strategic decision also highlights the importance that technology holds to the business.

In fact, its core product modules are engineered from fully coordinated drawings that have been created by its team of CAD engineers and produced and tested under controlled conditions using the latest systems and materials.

The process is facilitated through MEP’s in-house

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profile: MEP Solutions

AutoModule software, which is based on the industry standard AutoCAD platform. This software is not available on the market and is used to calculate all manufacturing, pricing, resource and procurement data. AutoModule analyses client’s drawings and produces calculations of all materials, costs and installation times offering improved accuracy in the modularisation zone, enabling significant long-term cost and time savings.

AutoModule is driven by a database that carries physical and commercial properties of manufacturer’s parts. The software brings a whole host of benefits, from M&E drawings, through estimating to manufacturing drawings, and then onto material requirements planning (MRP). It even allows manufacturing time to be calculated more accurately and with enhanced planning control. MEP is also able to offer engineering and co-ordination expertise to provide fully coordinated 3D solutions to any project, including those to be installed in the traditional manner.

Thanks to AutoModule, MEP can provide a very flexible service, which addresses any service distribution requirement, from small or medium volume, to that of large complex prefabricated modules. Its modules enable clients to strategically consider modularisation across all projects, market sectors, and geographical areas, and the products on offer include 2D Modules, 3D Modules, Risers, HVAC and Electrical.

Another major benefit of MEP’s

In order to address the needs of the clients who are commissioning these incredible structures, MEP Solutions continuously improves its own processes and invests in new technologies

SIG Technical Insulation SIG Technical Insulation is a leading distributor in thermal insulation products. Part of the European materials group, SIG plc, its network of branches is strategically situated throughout the UK. SIG has worked in partnership with MEP Solutions on a number of major projects, including Enniskillen Hospital in Northern Ireland and the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, supplying BetaPlus Phenolic Insulation, while SIG’s Mechanical and Electrical business KEM Edwards provided the metalwork for these projects.

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approach is on the environmental side – the company is very committed to promoting the conservation and sustainable use of materials and energy to minimise the environmental impact of its operations. It also promotes the sustainability advantages of its products to clients, as by using offsite manufacture, they can reduce onsite material waste and the impact of site activity through reduced deliveries and working on site (noise and vehicle movements).

As a firm believer in working to recognised standards, and already credited to ISO 9001, MEP is currently working towards ISO 14001 for environmental management standards conformity. To this end, it is implementing a comprehensive framework of measurement, evaluation and auditing, in order to achieve ISO 14001 certification and therefore demonstrate that the company is actively fulfilling

its environmental and social responsibilities.

In addition to the host of advantages associated with offsite manufacture already discussed, MEP also believes that it brings wider benefits to the construction industry as a whole, especially regarding staff. The concept reacts to the current and future skills shortage in the industry and enables the employment of semiskilled and multi-skilled labour in more effective factory-based working conditions. This is a controlled and safer environment (with associated health and safety benefits) as well as saving significantly in costs of on-site labour.

In addition, MEP also commits to provide training to all of its personnel, to ensure they are fully conversant with its quality policy and have the necessary skills, competence, product knowledge and education to achieve its quality objectives.

It is clear that over the years it has been in business, MEP Solutions has been dedicated to proving that offsite engineering solutions are the way forward for the construction and building industries. The efficiency gains of this approach stretch from the initial order all the way through to delivery and installation and an integrated supply chain is a major part of this. Therefore, MEP encourages partnering through procurement and operates framework agreements with its key suppliers.

It is the view of the company that best practice and product excellence can only be achieved through effective supply chain partnering and its approach will always be to work with partners who share the same goals and visions.

MEP Solutions www.mepsolutions.com Services: Modular and electrical services

Editor Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales Team

+44 (0) 1603 274130 Schofield Publishing 10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU