Construction and Civil Engineering Issue 123 January 2016

www.ccemagazine.com

ISSUE 123 JANUARY

The age of Brick remains vital to the construction industry, and this traditional material is adapting to changing tastes and methods of construction See page 22

New eco home Efficient house design includes using the ‘tea cosy’ effect

Skills shortages

Recruitment problems felt in construction sector could be spreading

Billion-dollar project Significant contract win on new freeway project in Las Vegas

22 Cover story

NOW

Visi

ww t our new LIVE w.cc ema website: contents gaZi ne.c om

Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Libbie Hammond

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

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Art Editor Gerard Roadley-Battin Advertising Design Fleur Daniels

FEATURES

Staff Writers Jo Cooper Andrew Dann Ben Clark

2 Apprentices As skills shortages are starting to bite in the construction sector, Libbie Hammond talked to Alasdair Waddell of Network Rail, about the lessons that can be learned from its highly successful apprenticeship scheme

Operations Director Philip Monument

6 Battersea Power Station

Research Manager Laura Thompson Editorial Researchers Nick Bochmann Mark Cowles Tarjinder Kaur D’Silva Keith Hope Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove

£8 billion of investment is creating a new community at Battersea Power Station

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@cce_magazine

© 2015 Schofield Publishing Ltd

11 Construction disputes

14 News

Production/ Office Manager Tracy Chynoweth

www.ccemagazine.com

The challenges and opportunities facing the UK painting and decorating There are some common types of construction disputes and this article highlights some of the methods that can help resolve them

Sales David King Mark Cawston

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

8 Painting and decorating

Updates and information from the construction and civil engineering market

78 company profiles 33 TMCA 35 A1 Flue Systems 38 ITA 41 Construction Materials Online 46 Joseph Ash Galvanizing 48 FUGMANN 51 Machine Mart 55 Fabric Architecture 57 Radley Engineering 60 Peter Duffy 65 Taylor and Braithwaite 67 Part AB 70 Express Glazing 73 Spencer Group 75 Marshall Construction 78 Concrete Valley

16 Heavy plant The performance of Europe’s construction industry means there is strong demand for used heavy equipment, and this is good news for IronPlanet

20 Waterproofing The importance of specifying a waterproofing membrane which is fit for purpose

22 Brick Brick remains the preferred building product for the construction sector

26 Digital Modelling How Building Information Modelling is changing the future of construction

28 Procurement Are learning and co-operation key to the delivery of a successful mega project?

30 Drainage A UV cured lining solution has been used to repair cracks and fractures in a concrete pipe

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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Images courtesy of Network Rail

apprentices

Ready to

learn As skills shortages are starting to bite in the construction sector, Libbie Hammond talked to Alasdair Waddell, recruitment specialist at Network Rail, about the lessons that can be learned from its highly successful apprenticeship scheme

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W

ith the Government’s plans to reach three million apprentices by 2020 and the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills stating a commitment to making England’s apprenticeship programme the best in the world, the overall issue of apprenticeships remains high on the agenda.

Apprenticeship schemes not only play a part in meeting objectives to boost skills and drive-up productivity for the country as a whole – they also widen access for young people to the professions and build the high level technical skills needed for the jobs of the future.

The last six months have seen quite a flurry of activity in this area, with the Prime Minister sharing his plans in August

With a growing railway that is getting busier every day, we need to ensure we attract and develop a pipeline of valuable talent into our workforce to help us maintain our 20,000 miles of track and keep people moving.

Today, more than 2000 apprentices have been through our scheme

to boost apprenticeships and transform training (including a controversial Apprenticeships Levy) and Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announcing an ambition to boost apprenticeships across the road and rail industry – pledging 30,000 apprenticeship places in the sector during the lifetime of this Parliament, with help from a transport strategy led by Terry Morgan, Chairman of Crossrail.

Indeed, the construction and rail sectors have long appreciated the value that apprentices bring to their businesses and many businesses already have sophisticated and highly regarded schemes in place. One such organisation is Network Rail, which prides itself on its very competitive and thorough apprenticeship programme, that offers candidates the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, in some cases up to degree level, while working and earning.

At the time of Patrick McLoughlin’s announcement, Mark Carne, Network Rail Chief Executive explained that the company needs a highly skilled workforce to enable it to deliver its multi-billion pound railway upgrade plan and a network fit for the 21st century. “That’s why we have a steadfast commitment to training and developing everyone from apprentices and graduates to up-skilling our 35,000-strong workforce and others across the industry with the latest digital, technical and engineering skills,” he said.

It is clear that the Network Rail Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme is a vital component of its recruitment strategy, and as Alasdair Waddell, recruitment specialist at Network Rail explained; it has been as such for a decade. “With a growing railway that is getting busier every day, we need to ensure we attract and develop a pipeline of valuable talent into our workforce to help us maintain our 20,000 miles of track and keep people moving. Today, more than 2000 apprentices have been through our scheme.”

Eighty-three per cent of these trained apprentices also still work for Network Rail, with many progressing onto senior positions within the company, proving again that its investment is being returned. “Our scheme has a retention rate well above the average, with a 95 per cent completion rate, more than 20 per cent ahead of the sector average of 74 per cent. This means that the young people we’re training are staying with the company and growing through our programme,” added Alasdair.

What also makes schemes such as this so important is the diversity of activities in which trainees can be involved. So at Network Rail for example, apprentices that complete the scheme can go on to develop their careers in a number of areas across the company. “The apprentices we have trained have progressed to become national aerial survey specialists, assistant track maintenance engineers, as well as team leaders and technical officers,” highlighted Alasdair.

“Some on our current programme are working on the government sponsored Thameslink Programme

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Images courtesy of Network Rail

apprentices

– one of our biggest construction projects as we rebuild London Bridge and the railway around it.”

Many of the skills learned can be transferred across departments, as well as in different companies and even across industries.

But as Alasdair noted, a high proportion of individuals remain with Network Rail once they’ve graduated, and today these people are working throughout the business in roles across signalling, telecoms, engineering and project management.

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“A couple of examples of graduated apprentices that have gone on to excel within our business include Reece Martin, a senior project engineer. He joined our Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme in 2006 and has gone on to become a senior project engineer overseeing national development projects across the country, he’s also been promoted to a senior management position and gained his Institution of Railway Signal Engineers license.

“Another great example is

Adam Fountain, now a scheme project manager, responsible for managing a £5 million maintenance project, which is crucial to keeping Britain’s railway moving. Adam has also been promoted four times since joining the scheme in 2006 and managed a number of large project teams along the way.”

While the scheme is obviously very successful, Network Rail is continually making improvements and appreciates that the benefits

of the approach are not all about business success but the human element as well. Therefore, as part of the Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme’s ten-year anniversary, the organisation commissioned an employee survey to capture their views on the value that apprentices bring to the organisation. “That survey looked at what the scheme offers our apprentices and we’re thrilled to see that the partnership works both ways. Forty-seven per cent

Above Mark Carne and 10 apprentices from 10 years of the scheme

of our apprentices achieved professional accreditation earlier than their peers who hadn’t taken part in an apprenticeship, while 62 per cent felt they made a direct impact on the company at an earlier stage.”

What also sets the scheme apart is its inclusive nature – Network Rail doesn’t set an upper age limit for applicants for example. “The minimum requirements for applicants are four A*- C GCSEs, including English, Maths and Science however it is a candidate’s personality and aspirations that we are most interested in,” emphasised Alasdair. “We are keen for candidates who enjoy a more practical working environment, who embrace problem-solving tasks and want to kick-start their career by getting into work rather than continuing in the classroom.”

It is easy to see why Network Rail’s scheme can be held up as an example to other businesses that might be weighing up the benefits of creating an apprenticeship programme, and Alasdair would encourage those considering it to go ahead. “We think it is a fantastic way to boost your workforce,” he stated.

“Apprentices have delivered fantastic results year-on-year for Network Rail and bring fresh thinking, a willingness to get stuck in and an eagerness to learn that really sets them apart.

“As a company we’re very proud of our apprenticeship scheme; it’s attracted a wide variety of talented people to our company who we’ve been able to nurture and develop. For anyone thinking about pursuing an apprenticeship, I would recommend strongly considering it. Apprenticeships give you the opportunity to learn in a hands-on fashion while getting paid, as well as gaining valuable life skills along the way – why not give it a shot!”

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battersea power station

A powerful

history

The foundations are being laid for a new community at Battersea Power Station, with £8 billion of investment creating a thriving, diverse neighbourhood. October 2015 witnessed a new milestone in the project

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he Grade II* listed Battersea Power Station, situated in the Nine Elms area on London’s South Bank, is the largest brick building in Europe and is notable for its original, lavish Art Deco interior fittings and decor. Having ceased generating power in 1983, numerous redevelopment plans were drawn up from successive site owners, but it

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wasn’t until 2012 that Knight Frank announced that administrators Ernst & Young had entered into an exclusivity agreement with Malaysia’s SP Setia and Sime Darby and were working towards a timely exchange and completion of the site and associated land. Completion of the £400 million sale took place in September 2012, and work finally commenced with Phase 1 on July 4th, 2013 - the 80th anniversary of this historic building.

This vast 42-acre former industrial brownfield site is going to be revitalised into a community of homes, shops, cafes, offices and 18 acres of public space.

Described as a ‘new town centre for London’, it will also be serviced by an extension to the Northern Line. The overall plans include the restoration of the art deco structure internally and externally, reconstruction of the chimneys,

and refurbishment of the historic cranes and jetty. Also included are 4000 homes of varying sizes, and sales of residential apartments in Phase 1 of the redevelopment began in January 2013 with around 75 per cent of townhouses and apartments being sold within four days. Construction work on Phase 1, called Circus West, is being undertaken by Carillion and commenced in 2013. The full redevelopment consists of seven main phases, some of which are planned to run concurrently.

Phase 1 is due to complete in 2016/17 with the Northern line extension and requisite new Battersea Power Station terminal anticipated to complete in 2020. The overall development is anticipated to be completed in 2025, with The Power Station itself expected to be open to the public for the first time in over 30 years in 2019.

Chimneys As mentioned above, reconstruction of the chimneys is part of the site plan, and in fact, is a significant part of the project, given that Battersea Power Station’s four chimneys are iconic structures that are instantly recognisable and a much-loved feature of London’s skyline.

However, following exhaustive surveys and testing by leading experts it was found that any refurbishment of the existing chimneys would only ever be a short-term fix and not actually prevent the chimneys from continuing to deteriorate.

Therefore, with the agreement of Historic England and the London Borough of Wandsworth, it was agreed that the chimneys would be dismantled and rebuilt, using the same techniques and materials, so that they will continue to dominate the skyline for generations to come.

Each new chimney will be visually identical to the original, the only difference being that the new chimneys will use a more modern pattern of steel reinforcement within the concrete.

Initially, work started on just the new South West chimney and October 2015 saw a major milestone reached in this aspect of the project, when it reached

a height of 25m above the highest point of the wash tower brickwork. This marked the halfway point, and meant that work could start to dismantle and rebuild the other three chimneys simultaneously.

Rob Tincknell, Chief Executive Officer at Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC), agreed: “Reaching the halfway point on the first chimney to be rebuilt is another significant milestone for everyone involved in the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station. We are very proud of this achievement and with work to start soon on the other three chimneys, I would like to offer the teams on site every best wish for the rest of the project.”

Cllr Ravi Govindia, Leader of Wandsworth Council, added: “These chimneys are a defining feature of the London skyline so as the local planning authority we have a profound duty of care to make sure the rebuilding process is a success. With each of these structures towering above the Power Station’s brickwork we also have to recognise that this is a truly unique engineering challenge.”

The rebuild process is to pour concrete into a set of wooden shutters measuring 1.22 metres in height. The concrete section or ‘lift’ as it is known is left to set for 24 hours and then the shutters are removed unveiling the new chimney surface. In total, running vertically through the concrete sections will be approximately 70 tonnes of steel reinforcement bars that are set into the concrete in two concentric rings.

With another 10m of new chimney lying inside the brick washtower, the South West chimney will be restored to its full height of 50m before the end of 2015. The rebuild programme that uses the same construction principles to ensure the new chimneys are rebuilt to be visually identical to the originals will conclude late summer 2016. Once

the rebuild work is completed, all four chimneys will then be painted. Until then the chimneys will remain in their grey concrete– fluted form as they did when they were first built. Paint scrapings have been taken to ensure that the new chimneys will then be repainted in the same original colour. Whilst the colour will look brighter initially, this is simply because the surface will not have weathered yet, which will affect the eventual shade.

The rebuild programme has been undertaken by a group of specialist contractors including construction managers Skanska, Beroa Bierrum and Buro Happold Engineering. BPSDC is working with Historic England and LBW throughout the process of redeveloping the Grade II* listed Power Station to open it up to the public.

Nigel Barker, Planning Group Director for London at Historic England concluded: “We are excited to see the delivery of this milestone stage. Our Historic Buildings Inspectors and Engineers have provided expert advice throughout the rebuild process so that the new chimneys match the originals as closely as possible. This demonstrates BPSDC’s commitment to the redevelopment of the Power Station which will safeguard its distinctive profile for the enjoyment of future generations of Londoners.”

For more information, visit

www.batterseapowerstation. co.uk/chimneys

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painting and decorating

The changing

landscape Jamie Barber discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the UK painting and decorating sector

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he first ever Skills Spending Index released this year confirmed that British consumers are collectively spending more than £72bn each year on skilled tradespeople. A major proportion of that spend includes residential decorating jobs that are serviced

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by the professional painter and decorator sector. However visit any DIY multiple around the nation on a weekend and chances are you will see that Britons’ penchant for DIY has not quite resulted in the slow death of DIY that some analysts have suggested. The tills are still very much ringing in the DIY sector.

But while the DIY market continues to be fairly static, trade has become increasingly brisk over 2015 in the ‘do it for me’ (DFM) market. Evidence suggests that time-poor individuals will certainly look to professionals for larger scale residential jobs or for specific projects that require professional application

and a high standard of finish.

Getting professional painters and decorators in to do a job is often seen as quicker and hassle-free.

Consumers are also keen to follow interior design, colour and painting trends such as the ombré inspired paint effect, which Dulux Trade forecast as a key look for 2016. Consequently, the trends indicate that Brits are leaving complex specialist interior paint techniques to a professional.

The professional paint market has seen significant growth in 2015 - driven by both domestic and commercial markets and growing to an output of 174.9 million litres. The commercial market in particular has benefited from sales in the house building industry, for which a broad breadth of colour and superior opacity is crucial within the paint ranges specified. Similarly, growth in the commercial market has also been fuelled by the education sector as specifiers for schools, colleges and universities tend

to choose high performance durable products to cope with the demands of high traffic. But rather interestingly, we have also seen an increasing blurring of lines between the domestic and trade paint markets as consumers who would traditionally purchase from retail channels are purchasing trade paints from specialist merchants. This is due in part to the quality of trade products, increased consumer decorating knowledge as well as a much better in-store customer experience and service, provided by merchants. Post-recession, the commercial paints market has cautiously regained its sense of confidence, reflected by activity in the construction industry rising for the tenth consecutive quarter in Q3, 2015 . Vigour in the housebuilding market has also fuelled double digit growth of ‘2nd quality emulsion’ segment, which in our case represents our lower quality paints that offer less durability, cover and opacity.

The painting and decorating industry is also seeing an increasing demand for value add services, which is reflected by a general trend throughout the construction industry and other sectors. Manufacturers are incentivising their customers with services that not only help their customers but ultimately the end user. Services increasingly being offered by brands such as Dulux Trade range from design services for both commercial and residential customers, project

management and consultancy to the creation of digital platforms that connect an approved decorator to consumer or commercial customers. These value added services offer efficient methods that not only help to further professionalise the industry and add weight to our customers’ businesses but enable our customers whether commercial or retail to transform their environments into beautiful living spaces.

All of this good news however does not hide the fact that the painting and decorating industry, like other critical sectors including the housebuilding industry, is facing a profound skills shortage with a lack of

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painting and decorating

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newly skilled trainees coming into the decorating profession. A growing number of large suppliers to the construction industry are vocalising their alarm at the shortage and depletion of skills - recent analysis of the situation suggests a shortage of 33,000 tradesmen in London and the south-east alone, while two thirds of construction firms claim they have turned down work because of a lack of resources. We are one of a few large companies who are taking the initiative to help prevent a situation where demand outstrips supply. We recognise

contractors and professional decorators who have traditionally used solvent-based paints to water-based products. There are encouraging signs that the nontraditionalists are bought into environmentally friendlier high performance products, reflecting consumers’ increasingly green consciousness. Lack of odour, the speed at which waterbased products dries and their durability are key attributes of water based products. The finished results from using water based products are as good as solvent based products including

that a shortage of skilled and professional decorators could exacerbate the UK’s housing shortage. So, we have opened a new academy in Slough, which will not only train those new to the industry but also develop and enhance the skills of established painters and decorators, in an attempt to reverse the reduction in the number of quality tradesmen in Britain.

One of the painting and decorating industry’s challenges is to transition building

the high level of gloss that can be achieved without the brush marks symptomatic of some solvent-based paints. We are hopeful that the painting and decorating industry will embrace the trend for water-based products, reflecting our desire to push the sustainability agenda even further forward.

Growing professionalisation and the development of new technologies that enable painters, decorators and building contractors to meet customer

demand quickly, cost-effectively without compromising quality mean that this group are reviewing their jobs through a more commercial lens. It is up to the industry to pull together and the responsibility of individual manufacturers to help the industry along, particularly to meet the challenges of a skills shortage. We are optimistic however that the challenges can be met head on and remain absolutely committed to doing our bit to help the industry continue to be fit for the future.

Jamie Barber is Senior Marketing Manager at Dulux Trade. One of the UK’s leading paint brands in the professional market and a champion of colour, Dulux Trade offers a comprehensive range of premium quality decorative finishes, exterior and specialist products. The company is committed to delivering brighter futures for its customers and industry by offering a range of innovative products and integrated design and specification services.

For more information, visit

www.duluxtradepaintexpert.co.uk

construction disputes

In

agreement Common causes of construction disputes and how to resolve them By Lorna Carter and Umran Kadir

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he construction industry is well known for its fair share of disagreements and disputes. There are some common types of construction disputes and this article highlights them, as well as the methods that can be adopted to resolve these with minimal fuss.

Types of construction dispute Payments The most typical construction dispute is about money; in particular not being paid. Payment terms relating to commercial construction contracts are subject to the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration

Act 1996 as amended by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2011 (known as the Construction Act). The Construction Act creates an entitlement to staged payments and prohibits pay-when-paid clauses. Non-payers must carefully follow the Construction Act’s requirements to provide formal notices known as ‘pay less’ notices allowing them to hold back payment on valid grounds. Failing to provide these notices on time gives the party requiring payment a relatively straightforward case in adjudication.

delays are not the fault of any party, such as inclement weather, but, in principle, damages would be recoverable from parties responsible for non-excusable delays. Sometimes these are preestimated and agreed in advance - these are known as liquidated and ascertained damages (LADs).

However, there are often disputes about the cause of the delay and who is responsible. Complex legal analysis and establishing what, if any, damages are payable will be required for concurrent delays.

These are delays, which run sideby-side for whom different parties are responsible.

Delays

Extensions of time

Delays are relatively common in construction projects. Some

Where there is a delay for which the Employer is responsible a

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construction disputes

contractor is entitled to apply for an extension of time avoiding LADs, subject to the terms of the contract. Care must be taken to comply with the contract terms in providing notice of the delaying event and such information is required by the contract in order to obtain the required extension.

later. Most construction contracts allow a contractor to return on site and rectify any defects during an agreed rectification period. Failure to allow the contractor to return during the rectification period could result in the Employer’s right to recover damages being significantly reduced.

Defects

Professional Negligence

Defective works can range in severity from pure snagging items to undetected structural issues that may only be discovered years

Professional negligence claims usually arise where an Employer is alleging that a consultant or contractor involved in a project

has carried out their design without due skill and care. In contracts for services where the professional is acting in the course of a business, if not expressly dealt with in the contract, it will be implied by the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 that their services will be carried out with reasonable skill and care, within a reasonable time and for a reasonable fee. It is possible to exclude or limit these duties, for example through net contribution clauses. We acted for the consumers in the first case on the enforceability of such clauses against consumers West v Ian Finlay & Associates (2014).

How to resolve?

Meetings It is often useful for the parties to meet in order to talk frankly about the dispute. It is important that those with sufficient knowledge and the necessary authority

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settle the dispute attend and, if a settlement is reached, the terms of agreement should be recorded in writing and signed by the parties to try to avoid misunderstandings. It is helpful for such meetings to be held on a ‘without prejudice’ basis so that the parties are free to make comments that may not be referred to in Court if a deal is not struck.

Mediation This is a confidential and nonadversarial form of dispute resolution. The mediator attempts to facilitate negotiation of the dispute to reach a resolution.

Parties will generally bear their own costs and share the mediator’s fees. Again, it is important that those with sufficient knowledge and the necessary authority to settle the dispute attend. If settlement is reached, the terms of agreement will be recorded in writing and the decision will be binding. Even

where a settlement is not reached, mediations tend to narrow the issues and the parties may well achieve a settlement later.

Adjudication Adjudication is a quick and confidential process. It is automatically available at any time for disputes where there is a ‘construction contract’ as defined by the Construction Act. The adjudicator must issue his decision in 28 days although this may be extended by agreement.

The successful party can seek a Court order to enforce the decision. In relation to costs, the parties pay their own but the adjudicator decides who is to pay his fees. Due to the fast nature of adjudication it is important to seek legal advice early on.

Court Action Court action can be a long and expensive process and, if not managed properly, the costs

can end up dwarfing the sum in dispute. There is a Pre-Action Protocol for Construction and Engineering disputes which means that the parties should exchange correspondence in a specified format and also meet on a without prejudice basis before issuing Court proceedings.

Court action is commenced once a claim form is served on the defendant. The dispute is then classified according to the sum claimed. For small claims (under £10,000), legal costs are not recoverable from the other side so parties tend to represent themselves. Reasonable legal costs are recoverable on fast and multi track claims but the Court will not usually award more than 70 per cent of costs to the successful party. Court action is a last resort.

Arbitration Sometimes the nominated dispute resolution procedure in a contract is arbitration. In our opinion this is best employed on large complex disputes where the parties intend to continue with their commercial relationship, as it provides a confidential procedure with an arbitrator who is generally a construction specialist. Again this should be seen as a last resort.

Lorna Carter and Umran Kadir work at law firm Hewitsons LLP. Hewitsons is an ambitious law firm that advises businesses, individuals, and institutions such as charities, educational bodies and parts of the public sector.

For more information about Hewitsons and its range of legal services for the construction sector visit:

www.hewitsons.com

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news

Tall buildings challenge

Highly efficient homes A new eco home model launched by housing group Hastoe is promising utility bills that are 90 per cent lower than in a standard new build home. The Vivohaus - now available at Hastoe’s new homes development in Wimbish near Saffron Walden, Essex - is based on Passivhaus technology, a form of highly energy efficient house construction that results in much lower energy bills. A family living in a 70m2 (750 sq ft) Vivohaus with gas heating could find that they are only paying £130 on energy per year.

The Vivohaus design incorporates high levels of insulation, as well as creating a ‘tea cosy’ effect eliminating all thermal bridges through which heat can escape, while retaining all of the heat generated by solar gain, occupants and appliances.

This means the interior stays warm in winter with very little additional heating required and cool in the summer, while minimising dust and draughts. The system provides a constant supply of fresh filtered air to the house creating a healthy and ventilated environment and incorporates a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery system that is 92 per cent efficient at transferring heat from stale air back into the incoming air.

Driving more success Temporary works specialist Mabey Hire has added a trio of new Auger drills to its vast product catalogue. The new Auger range offers a safer and faster way of driving sheet piles into difficult conditions than is currently offered by traditional piling methods, breaking up earth to effectively turn cohesive into noncohesive soil.

The Auger is fitted in exactly the same way as the Excavator Mounted Vibrator (EMV), and utilises the same excavator. This significantly reduces the cost of transport in piling projects, and lessens the need for crane equipment, offering a substantial saving in time, cost and other resources.

Stevie Smillie, Piling Attachment Services Division Manager, said: “Nine times out of ten, when a customer uses our EMVs, the trench sheets go in easily. But if our customer has drilled a bore hole and knows the ground is really hard two to three metres down, we would recommend they take an Auger.”

Among the key benefits of the new Auger offering is its versatility. With a range of models to choose between, the drills can provide solutions for several different excavator sizes – ranging from five to 45 tonnes and an extension bar can also be easily attached for greater drilling depth.

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The hundreds of tall building developments planned for London will present significant challenges for M&E specialists when it comes to maintaining water pressure and supply, suggested the debate at a special event organised

by Dutypoint, a leading manufacturer of water pressure and conditioning systems.

“It was an interesting topic as the proliferation of tall buildings in London has been the cause of much debate, both positive and negative, over the last couple of years,” says Robert Freeman, Director at Dutypoint. “It’s clearly a trend that’s set to stay given limited land supply and housing targets that need to be met.”

The event was organised to mark the opening of Dutypoint’s new London offices, and featured key speakers from property consultants GL Hearn, who also co-author the annual London Tall Buildings Survey, and engineering consultants Mech2O.

Invest in skills Peace Recruitment is warning that the skills shortage that has engulfed the construction industry is now spreading. The company maintains that there is a lack of skilled-candidates across the board in the UK currently and that companies need to invest in young, ambitious and hungry talent now to prevent this problem from escalating in the future.

Says Chris Peace, Managing Director of Peace Recruitment: “The majority of firms stopped investing in graduates during the recession, and we are all feeling the effects of this now.”

$1.5 billion project As design lead on the team led by Kiewit Infrastructure West, Atkins is going to manage all design and engineering services for Nevada Department of Transportation’s (NDOT) Project NEON - a freeway project that will boost safety, mobility, and accessibility in Las Vegas.

Project NEON is the most significant win for Atkins in North America and will involve the development of a 3.7 mile corridor through the heart of Las Vegas, an area currently seeing 300,000 vehicle movements every day.

The construction project will be phased over three years starting in 2016 and connect high occupancy vehicle lanes on US 95

Capturing compliance

to I-15 express lanes with a flyover bridge, creating direct access carpool lanes and a new ‘Neon Gateway’ interchange.

“Project NEON addresses a multitude of corridor deficiencies related to congestion, crash rates, operations, and system linkages,” said NDOT Director Rudy Malfabon. “It will dramatically improve traffic congestion in Southern Nevada, while also creating 4000 high-paying, quality jobs.”

Greenest building winner The Midas Group is celebrating one of its flagship build projects being honoured with the title of the greenest building in what is already recognised as one of Europe’s greenest cities. The £12 million Filwood Green Business Park was named Eco Green Building of the year at the Bristol green capital awards in November.

Built by Midas Construction for Bristol City Council to mark Bristol’s status as European Green Capital 2015, the 40,000 sq ft of workshop and office space was created to provide a new sustainable home for small and medium sized businesses in the City.

The building produces 20 per cent of its own energy using photovoltaics, A+ Rated materials and planted roofs externally, however its sustainable ethos runs even deeper. Designed with high performance building materials and on-site energy generation, the building achieves a 40 per cent CO2 reduction, saving and estimated 46 tonnes of CO2 annually, the equivalent of 276 double decker buses.

The project has also financially contributed to Bristol’s Tree Pips initiative to involve primary school children in learning about and planting 36,000 new trees across the City.

Carillion is improving communications and workflow management for BT Openreach with the help of a new mobile data capture solution, WorkMobile Construction.

Carillion has adopted the cloud service application to help manage the hundreds of subcontractors and companies that are carrying out the work involved in delivering nationwide civil engineering support to Openreach, such as the trenching and installation of ducts and erecting of telegraph poles. The app, which allows workers to capture data in real-time through mobile forms, can be accessed via the users’ smartphones, tablets, laptops or PCs. Aimed specifically at the construction sector, the mobile form and data capture application helps businesses eliminate paperwork and capture information such as data, signatures, videos and photographs onto mobile devices. Mobile workers can also easily collect, monitor and share all manner of data on the move, and update back-office systems at the touch of a button.

Colin Yates, business programmes director at WorkMobile, said: “When Carillion signed a seven-year £1 billion support service contract to roll out BT’s Openreach, it faced a huge challenge when it came to managing the hundreds of subcontractors and companies that would be carrying out the work.

“We’ve provided them with the WorkMobile Construction app which is the perfect tool to provide an audit trail of evidence demonstrating all works are being carried out in a compliant fashion.”

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heavy plant

Equipped for

success

With an encouraging pattern of growth in the European construction market during 2015 so far, IronPlanet has been capitalising on an increasing demand for used heavy equipment through a number of initiatives. We spoke to IronPlanet’s Vice President of European Sales, Felipe Fernández-Urrutia Massó, to find out more

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A

wave of strategic developments in 2015 so far mean that IronPlanet, the world’s leading auction marketplace for the buying and selling of used heavy equipment and trucks, has seen a significant rise in its European activity – a pattern that is set to continue throughout the rest of

the year and into 2016.

The combination of an increased demand for both the buying and selling of used heavy equipment, as well as the pursuit of new business opportunities as part of a carefully crafted global expansion strategy, means that there are exciting times ahead for both the company and its customers in Europe and beyond.

“The strongest markets in Europe are still Germany, the United Kingdom – which is flying at the moment – and France,” explained Felipe FernándezUrrutia Massó, Vice President of European Sales at IronPlanet.

“The Netherlands has picked up and has now surpassed Spain and Italy, and Belgium and Poland are showing promising signs too. The reality is that these economies are not yet close to a level experienced before the global economic crisis, but there has been a definite improvement.

“The performance of Europe’s construction industry in these key economic regions means that there is currently a strong demand for a number of machine types,” he continued. “For example, medium and small sized construction machines are working particularly well, such as mini excavators, wheel loaders, telehandlers and backhoe loaders.”

The nature of the construction industry means it is often an excellent means of gauging the state of a country’s economy.

As such, IronPlanet is in a prime position to monitor how and where to focus its attention, which ultimately benefits its huge volume of buying and selling customers. “We are a used marketplace selling used equipment. We have a 1.3 millionstrong user database and that is what drives the participation that drives the prices,” he continued.

“But if we feel that specific countries have a strong market at any given time – for example Poland, where we have a lot of

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heavy plant

good buyers at the moment – we invest our resources into these countries accordingly. It means we can help our sellers to find the right buyers from the right locations.”

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But whilst fluctuating market trends dictate how IronPlanet’s core marketplace business operates, the organisation has spent 2015 implementing innovative strategies to take advantage of new demand opportunities: “Our most important strategic developments in 2015 have been IronPlanet’s merger with Caterpillar Auction Services and our activity as the equipment disposition partner for the United States Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) here in Europe.” explained Felipe.

“Caterpillar Auction Services (CAS) was an independent company in the United States set up by a number of large Caterpillar dealers,” he added.

“IronPlanet has merged with CAS and we will be using that brand to help our user-base participate in high-scale, onsite Caterpillar auctions via our own online auction facilities.

Many international Caterpillar dealers have already decided to participate, and it is now something that we are confident of replicating here in Europe.”

The partnership puts IronPlanet in the unique position of being directly and deeply integrated with one of the most renowned construction equipment manufacturers in the world.

In addition to the CAS merger, IronPlanet forged an agreement with the United States Department of Defense and its Defense Logistics Agency to act as its equipment disposition partner both in the U.S and Europe. The partnership means that IronPlanet will offer registered auction participants

with the opportunity to purchase used U.S. equipment from an American military base in Germany. “We hosted the inaugural DLA auction in Europe in July and the audience has been huge – over 40,000 attendees, from military equipment enthusiasts to construction companies. It was extremely impressive and obviously the DLA is very happy. That is why we will soon be selling equipment out of more U.S. bases across Europe, including in the UK and additional bases across Germany.”

Felipe is confident that the early promise of this first auction will help IronPlanet to attain similar partnerships in Europe in the near future: “The success at this early stage will be very helpful for us because organisations will begin to appreciate just how big an audience we can attract and how much demand there is for this kind of equipment,” he said.

“It means the operation will not just be limited to the U.S. military – other militaries will be motivated to work with us as a disposition partner, but also organisations like the U.N and even from the public sector. That is what we are working on in the coming months and we are looking forward to achieving some great results.”

In addition to these latest developments, Felipe is keen to emphasise that a strong focus will continue to be placed on the development of IronPlanet’s relationships with some of the largest contracting and rental companies that operate on the continent, including Vinci and Bouygues: “The services we can offer are fantastic for these types of seller,” he said. “We have different platforms and different routes to the market, be it through our monthly feature auctions or our reserve-auction Daily Marketplace. This combined with the special marketing campaigns we can offer makes IronPlanet

The partnership puts IronPlanet in the unique position of being directly and deeply integrated with one of the most renowned construction equipment manufacturers in the world

an extremely attractive equipment disposition option for these larger companies.”

For IronPlanet so far in 2015, ambitious expectations have been met with exceptional application and the business looks certain to continue its evolution in Europe and beyond. “As a business we have been working extremely hard, but all of these developments and initiatives mean that IronPlanet is an exciting company to be involved with right now,” concluded Felipe. “However the real winners here will be our customers. They are the ones who will be able to experience an unrivalled level of all round opportunity and service in both the buying and disposition of used equipment.”

IronPlanet is the leading online marketplace for used heavy equipment and an innovative participant in the multi-billion dollar heavy equipment auction market. Since 2000, IronPlanet has sold over $4 billion of used equipment online and has built a database of more than 1.3 million registered users worldwide.

For more information please visit:

www.ironplanet.com

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waterproofing

Preservation and

protection

Faced with a number of location challenges, a new museum in Marseille has benefitted from highly innovative waterproofing membrane technology

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ith a greater number of buildings now constructed close to bodies of water such as the sea, lakes and rivers, developers must carefully consider the exposure conditions and how these will adversely influence the use, watertightness and durability of the entire structure.

As the high water table, aggressive soil conditions and the corrosive effects of seawater will pose unique risks to the building, a proven and reliable waterproofing membrane has fast become one of the most important specifications at every construction project.

A high performance waterproofing membrane improves the concrete’s structural performance and durability by providing constant protection from sulphate, chloride and water ingress. The selection of the right material solutions early on in the design stage of any project is important, as it is difficult and costly to do something about concrete cracks and water leakages later. By getting the

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specification right first time, you can prevent water ingress – and the many causes of concrete corrosion – with one relatively simple application.

High water tables cause hydrostatic pressure to be exerted beneath basement floors and against the substructure walls. This forces water into the building through cracks, joints and any porous substrates and can contribute to mould, corrosion and other moisture related problems – which in turn can lead to major structural damage. So it’s vitally important to choose a waterproofing system that is resistant to chemical attack, mechanical damage and hydrostatic pressure.

The most suitable solution is to utilise an impermeable barrier that not only restricts moisture or water movement into the building, but stops water migration between the waterproofing membrane and the building itself. Utilising over 50 years of experience as innovators in the waterproofing industry, Grace Construction Products developed the market-leading Preprufe®

system to combat the harmful effects of water migration and prevent concrete deterioration before it starts.

Causes for concern Whether directly or indirectly exposed to below ground water, the waterproofing system is faced with aggressive climatic conditions, sulphate attack and chloride induced corrosion. In particular, seawater is made up of a complex array of chemicals that will increase the concrete’s permeability and make it more susceptible to further attack whilst also reducing its protection from the additional sources of deterioration.

Following an initial stage of deterioration, the compromised concrete will then provide additional paths of contamination – in the form of cracks and fractures. No matter how small these penetrations, contaminant ingress will be further accelerated to jeopardise the concrete’s integrity and dramatically reduce its service life.

With traditional basement waterproofing the key requirement is to keep water out. However, with a dry internal environment and the external environment remaining wet, the risk of sulphate attack is increased. Due to groundwater sulphates refreshing the reactionary process, concrete composition and microstructure changes cause extensive cracking, expansion and loss of bond between the cement paste and aggregate, leading to an overall loss of concrete strength.

Although continuous developments and innovations in concrete production have created an improved resistance to aggressive ground conditions, without a waterproofing solution the concrete will never be immune from its harmful effects. Concrete can only be fully protected if water infiltration is prevented entirely – with the waterproofing

membrane stopping corrosion before it can begin.

A proven solution Designed with synthetic adhesive layers combined with a robust HDPE film, Grace Construction Products’ Preprufe provides a permanent physical barrier that protects the concrete from the salt and sulfates found in the sea, ground and environment on coastline locations. Unlike other waterproofing solutions, Preprufe ensures the structure remains unaffected by salt and sulfate attack even if the concentration changes over time.

Preprufe also eliminates the issue of water migration – water tracking between the membrane and structure – a problem well recognised by industry experts.

Once a conventional membrane is breached the whole structure is vulnerable, so when a leak becomes visible it is often a considerable distance from the actual source. This makes leak remediation haphazard and expensive, when a simple Preprufe application would have prevented and cured the problem in one.

Conventional membranes are often sealed to the wrong surface such as mudslabs or blinding slabs and then covered with a protective layer that separates it from the structure, providing paths for water migration as a result of membrane discontinuity.

Grace’s patented Advanced Bond Technology™ needs no protective layer and enables concrete to aggressively adhere to Preprufe, forming a unique and continuous intimate seal which prevents any water migration between the waterproofing and the structure and substantially reduces the risk of leaks.

Workmanship is another major factor in obtaining good quality and durable structures and the need for concreting and membrane installation to be supervised by qualified and experienced personnel is of

primary importance. Preprufe has been specifically designed to ensure that the structure is enveloped with a continuous layer of protection, isolating the structure from the highly aggressive below ground environment. Installation risk is minimised by using a single layer application with simple and efficient detailing that relies less on human skills, saving time and supervision cost compared to traditional low value systems with poor site productivity.

A watertight base Built on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the new £100 million Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (MuCEM) in Marseille has been designed to deliver exceptional resistance to the challenging and aggressive coastal conditions.

Faced with salt water exposure, high water tables and fluctuating temperatures, over 5,000m2 of Grace Construction Products’ Preprufe waterproofing membrane proved the perfect solution to provide watertight protection from below the ground up.

Designed by architects Rudy Ricciotti and Roland Carta, and built by Dumez Sud (VINCI Construction France), MuCEM sits on reclaimed land at the entrance to Marseille’s historical harbour – between a 17th century fort and former cruise terminal.

A spectacular 15,000m2 cube covered with a latticework reinforced concrete shell, it is the first national museum exclusively located outside the French capital and marks the year of Marseille as the European Capital of Culture.

Due to its coastal proximity, structural engineers SICA and Lamoureux & Riciotti required a comprehensive waterproofing system which would protect the slab from water ingress, provide protection from salt and sulphates in the ground and preserve the lifespan of the structure.

Preventing water penetration and

migration around the foundations, the application of Preprufe will protect the development and its collection of over 800,000 photographs, prints and pieces of artwork for many years to come.

To complete the project’s comprehensive waterproofing specification, Grace supplied its Bituthene® LM asphalt-modified liquid membrane to provide a continuous waterproofing barrier system between the concrete slab and diaphragm walls.

No other system on the market better protects a substructure from the harmful effects of water, vapour and gas than Preprufe. It can also be applied on wet concrete and is immediately trafficable after installation without protective layers, which makes for fast and easy installation. In fact, when compared to traditional loose-laid PVC systems, Preprufe is more than five times quicker – with approximately 500m2 laid in one day compared to 60-100m2 of PVC over the same time period.

Preserving and protecting cultural buildings is essential for future generations which is why the successful application of Preprufe perfectly demonstrates the importance of specifying a waterproofing membrane which is fit for purpose, economically and environmentally sustainable and delivers waterproofing performance like no other system on the market.

Grace is a leading global supplier of catalysts; engineered and packaging materials; and specialty construction chemicals and building materials. The company’s three industryleading business segments - Grace Catalysts Technologies, Grace Materials Technologies, and Grace Construction Products - provide innovative products, technologies, and services that improve the products and processes of its customer partners in over 155 countries around the world.

For more information, please see

www.grace.com

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brick

The age of Andrew Halstead-Smith takes a look at brick – still the most popular product for the building market

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rick has never been more popular.

It remains the preferred building product for the construction sector, which is currently experiencing increased building activity levels, according to recent reports from Markit and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS).

Brick’s proven long-term performance and its undoubted wide-ranging aesthetic appeal, are the foundations of its continued attraction. Such characteristics,

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as well as superior sustainability credentials, underpin the role of brick as the anchor construction product for many of the nation’s most visually impactful and award-winning commercial buildings and homes.

However, to keep pace with a fast changing construction environment and increased market demands, the brick industry must continue to innovate in all areas.

This includes ensuring production and supply levels are maintained, product options are enhanced and sustainability credentials remain

production sites such as Ibstock’s £22 million redeveloped Chesterton factory, has seen an impressive response from the sector to meet the welcome signs of increasing market demand.

Brick availability is not an issue.

Changing tastes and speedier construction

an important consideration when specifying a product.

Meeting demand Statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) demonstrate that brick production has risen by seven per cent and brick manufacturers have created one billion bricks over the past six months. While demand for brick hit the headlines last year, updated production figures released by the industry, as well as ongoing investment in operationally-efficient brick

Like all building products, taste in brick colours changes over time. While timeless classics will always remain popular, there has been noticeable increased market demand for more vibrant colours, design options and alternative finishes.

The growth in interest for glazed finished products indicates a market demand for exploring alternative solutions to deliver highly attractive building façades.

Portfolios of real ceramic glazed finishes in a huge variety of colours, sizes and finishes including frosted, gloss and satin - are being developed to satisfy demand for brick solutions offering striking designs.

In addition, as the name suggests, the Everyday Specials range is a portfolio of unique shapes you might commonly use all the time – or every day – to help create effortless brickwork design. The range is supported by an innovative quotation and ordering system, the ‘Everyday Easy Order System’ that enables immediate and instantaneous quotations and the ability to order with despatch in 48 hours so you can keep products can be kept in stock. The secure online system provides access to full product information, while quote generation and ordering take just a few easy steps. This

modern process helps speed-up the procurement process for busy contractors looking to keep on track of build timescales.

As well as support services designed to speed-up construction, the sector is also seeking faster and more efficient methods to incorporate brick into projects. This has led to the development of a number of technical solutions at a time when construction projects are experiencing sustained pressure to complete on time and in budget. These include: Arches – A traditional feature of brickwork over openings, varying from simple flat arch details to highly decorative solutions. The availability of traditionally built arches or large scale precast arches or drive throughs can reduce complexity on site and quicken construction. The selection of fully structural onepiece arch systems with stainless steel bearing plates to aid simple installation is proving popular.

Underslung soffits – Deep reveals and soffits are an increasingly popular design feature. To create the effects, the surrounding brickwork bond is carried over the openings while still maintaining an exposed brick soffit without the need for unsightly exposed supporting steelwork. An effective solution in the form of underslung soffits can be a great answer for instances where unusually shaped and long openings need to be overcome, or where there is restricted access or little or no bearing surfaces available.

Faststack - An ideal answer as a pre-fabricated real brick slip chimney. With changes in planning

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brick

criteria reintroducing a number of requirements for chimneystacks, the fact that Faststack has gained British Board of Agrement (BBA) accreditation ensures builders can be satisfied the product will deliver in terms of quality, performance and regulatory scrutiny. It enables the easy installation of both working and decorative chimneys and offers cost effectiveness benefits. From a choice perspective, its wide range of designs and flue options

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for all roof locations, and the fact it is clad in real brick slips, means it can be matched with new or existing buildings without issue.

Fastwall – Similarly to Faststack, Fastwall is an innovative and extremely quick method to clad, infill or build a wall with real brick slips. A precision-engineered composite of 20mm brick slips bonded to patented backing and featuring a unique interlocking system, it can shave significant time from build

gain verification under the BRE Global’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) scheme. This ensures its environmental impact can be effectively measured in comparison to other materials.

Brick is a natural product that has very little added to its mixture.

Unlike many other building materials, it has low toxicity and does not use preservatives. It also lacks the volatile organic compounds commonly found in the formulation of plastic and synthetic materials. As well as longevity, once used, brick also produces very little in terms of wastage through the manufacturing process and has excellent energy efficiency credentials.

Planning is key With production meeting demand, ever-increasing design options and a continued focus on delivering sustainable credentials, brick is set to remain as vital to the UK’s construction industry as it has always been.

As demand for brick products is predicted to continue as the construction sector hits an 11-year activity high, all stakeholders must ensure they plan ahead on construction projects. This will ensure brick production and supply continues to meet demand for this ever-popular construction material. projects. It is constructed off site and can replicate the aesthetics of traditional brickwork with ease.

Fixing is straightforward.

Adopting some of the methods outlined here can help reduce construction timescales.

Demand for sustainable answers When Ibstock questioned stakeholders in the construction industry about attitudes to sustainability, just over a third

(36 per cent) said that clients or customers had requested sustainable solutions on projects.

While this percentage is fairly low at the moment, architects told us that the issue is going to become more important in the future.

Ibstock takes sustainability extremely seriously and supports the view that it is a vitally important issue for the future of construction. That is why we were delighted to see brick become the first construction product to

Andrew Halstead-Smith is Group Marketing Manager at Ibstock, the UK’s largest brick maker. Ibstock invests heavily in ensuring a more sustainable future through its manufacturing, its communities and its products - over £100 million since 2003. The company offers an unrivalled choice of over 500 different bricks in its extensive range, which includes prefabricated brickwork components, rainscreens and a diverse selection of special shaped bricks and pavers.

For more information, please see

www.ibstock.com

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digital modelling

Turning visions into

reality Richard Allen looks at how Building Information Modelling (BIM) is changing the future of construction

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IM is no longer considered as the up and coming force in construction and building design, it is now the present and the future. The Government’s 2011 BIM strategy announced its intention to require mandatory collaborative 3D BIM on all central government funded projects by 2016, now just six months away - yet some parts of the industry are still getting to grips with certain aspects of the legislation.

So why does the Government see this as so important? Ultimately, BIM is driven by a desire to improve efficiency within the industry and provide a universal modelling system that improves both construction and the management of buildings.

What is BIM? As a concept that was first invented way back in 19701 as a way of pooling and sharing

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information between contractors - BIM is finally benefitting from the modern technology required to catch up with the original idea. BIM enables architects and contractors to go far beyond the previous two-dimensional drawings that formed a project.

Now, elements such as design, time, manufacturing and cost can all be factored into the building information model - meaning that BIM represents not just geometry, but conjures a projected reality that is shared with the different professionals and disciplines involved in a construction project.

From a project planning perspective, BIM has become remarkably useful. Similarly, the model of information created can be shared, amended and updated from the design team to contractor, subcontractor and operator - ensuring that no aspect of design and planning can be overlooked, as well as providing a system of ensuring that all team members are working to the same standards as one another.

UK on track?

As the BIM 2016 deadline draws ever closer, there have been increasing doubts amongst construction professionals over whether the UK will be able to meet the government target. A

recent survey found that 71 per cent2 of respondents believed that the industry would not be BIM ready by 2016. The main reason for this is believed to be the lack of understanding of BIM throughout the entire supply chain, causing a non-collaborative approach.

According to the 2014 NBS National BIM Report3, 54 per cent of UK construction professionals used BIM on at least one of their projects, whilst 93 per cent of those who know about BIM believe they will be using it in three years’ time. As the awareness of BIM is now widely spread, the challenge is for the whole industry to get up to speed on the BIM learning curve, and really understand what BIM can do for them. Challenges

functional properties to ensure we deliver engineered solutions for the main contractor through accuracy and zero-waste. The UK construction industry is large and complex and many see it as slow in adopting change. Many of the principles of BIM are already being implemented in projects across the building industry, but to set a consistent standard for project delivery and operational performance, it must be utilised by the entire industry to ensure we’re all working to the same high standards.

1. http://www.archdaily.com/302490/ a-brief-history-of-bim/ 2. http://www.out-law.com/en/ articles/2015/may/industry-doubtsover-uk-government-meeting-2016-bimtarget-increasing--survey/ 3. h ttp://www.thenbs.com/topics/ BIM/articles/nbs-national-bim-report2014.asp

so far have mainly been due to the absence of collaboration in the construction team and its supply chain – something that, at voestalpine Metsec, we’re proud to have lead with a collaborative approach for over 20 years.

In order to meet the 2016 deadline, it is important that software vendors and data providers work to encourage every strand of the construction industry to work together to make BIM happen ensuring that easy to use software is being created.

However, it is also important to remember that BIM is not purely about the software - it’s a cultural change within the construction industry. At voestalpine Metsec, we’re committed to working together with every aspect of the construction process to ensure that the BIM process can be applied as transparently as possible. BIM has grown to become an integral part of the ‘Metsec’ service offering and we make use of its cross

Richard Allen, Marketing and Business Development Director at voestalpine Metsec plc, the UK’s largest specialist cold roll-forming company, that provides products for the construction and manufacturing industries.

The company focuses on adding value through expert design, precision manufacturing and on time in full product delivery.

For more information, please see

www.metsec.com

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procurement

Go beyond the

traditional Procuring complex capital projects: are learning and co-operation key to delivery of a mega project? By Gerard Chick

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hy is it that mega projects tend to be overdue, over budget and often fail to meet the client’s original specification?

Plans to spend £24.5 billion building Britain’s first new nuclear power station in two decades should come to fruition now the final go-ahead for Hinkley Point C in Somerset has been given.

The project, which is being partly funded by China, is underwritten by £2 billion of Government loan guarantees while the huge cost of the plant will ultimately be paid for by consumers in their bills.

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When it comes to something of this scope and nature, one wonders is there really such a thing as a formal procurement strategy? Or will its completion be driven by a process which goes beyond the customary make versus buy decision; does a project of this nature need to be driven by something else, some kind of innovative contracting and relationship strategy?

The opportunity presented to those charged with delivering a project of this nature, to think beyond the traditional procurement approach, is especially challenging as we work in increasingly volatile and unpredictable market conditions.

Hinkley C is expensive because it is very big and very complex. For more than a decade, EDF, the stateowned French energy giant, has been building two similar reactors, one in France and one in Finland,

both of which are running late and neither of which has generated a single watt of electricity.

EDF won the Hinkley contract partly because of the Treasury’s preoccupation with not spending public money, and it is struggling to raise the private finance. That is one reason why George Osborne is ‘cosying-up’ to the Chinese with potentially costly blandishments.

For a while, there was resignation about the project’s cost. It was a price that had to be paid to keep the lights on and the smart phones charging. But in the past few years, it has looked less and less like the next generation in clean energy and more and more like a rerun of previous debacles.

But why should this be?

Why can’t we learn from those who have seen this type of project through to a successful conclusion? There have been previous successful projects for the construction of mega infrastructure. Perhaps one forgotten success story, which reflects how a mega-project can be successfully managed, is BAA’s delivery of T5. Those working on

the project faced the challenge of developing and implementing a radically new approach to project management in an industry notoriously resistant to innovation and change and often reluctant to embrace new ideas from other industrial sectors.

If one casts a cursory glance to the oil and gas industry, where several core project management approaches frequently used by those working in it are analogous to the T5 undertaking we can see how these projects can be successfully delivered. Practices such as client risk bearing, integrated project teams and pre-assembly techniques, all of which were first developed by the oil and gas sector in the 1980’s; have been successfully deployed to avoid the high cost of delays associated with the construction of offshore platforms.

These techniques give those working in the construction sector an alternative approach; rather than using the traditional prime contractor methodology, integrated project teams can be created. These can be made up of

people from the client organisation as well as various contracting and engineering teams. More importantly the management of contracts and their integration with key aspects of the relationships established for completion of the project can be leveraged to maximum effect. To deploy such a strategy, the key issues for consideration when working with the complexity associated with mega projects include:  The

need for early engagement of commercial resources;  The

importance of focus and definition of goals, objectives and a clear understanding of their relative importance;  The

imperative for stakeholder inclusion and engagement;  The

need for risk management to be integrated into performance management and the development of a practical and structured approach to handling risks; and  The

importance of engaging the right people, with the right attitudes at the right time.

The chances of project failure are likely to increase if the parties simply rely on some vague notion of ‘the relationship’. Today’s business environment demands a far more realistic definition of performance and governance techniques. Consequently informal, relationship structures such as frequent meetings or the use of phone and email, just don’t work. Similarly face-to-face meetings with little or no purpose or definition can often be an excuse for a lack of discipline – and are therefore often associated with unsuccessful projects.

On the other hand success factors include robust and welldefined contracts, which offer defined approaches to goals, their oversight and governance. They are also linked to a well thought out contract management plans, where well-trained contract management professionals are

deployed and are engaged early in the project. Performance measures must be few in number and relevant in form. Technology also plays a growing role – in fact many of the out-dated procurement systems typically used in mega projects have little or no relevance to project success since they are too mechanistic and generate little or no relevant data or analysis.

Ultimately it is the perseverance of those leading these mega projects to break with tradition and to reinforce team-based behaviours and foster a culture of learning among and between the partners on the project who will succeed. Their behaviours, based on so called ‘soft’ skills associated with elements of trust and co-operation require all parties to work constructively, rather than the more traditional modus of contracting based on a commercial estimation of risk and making claims when problems arise.

The recognition that a different procurement approach to different types of capital projects works is one thing. However the real test for those charged with delivering major capital projects such as Hinkley Point C will be to enforce the change beyond a single project and ensure the application of nontraditional techniques more widely.

Whether this can happen remains to be seen.

Gerard Chick is Chief Knowledge Officer at Optimum Procurement Group, a leading procurement outsourcing and consulting company, which supports clients in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and North America.

Optimum currently manages over $1bn of annualised client spend across more than 200 categories of expenditure, with specialist service lines operating in vehicle fleet management (Optimum Fleet) and energy procurement (Optimum E-Switch).

For more information, please see

www.optimumprocurement.co.uk/index

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drainage

cure The perfect

When cracks and fractures were found in concrete pipe, a UV cured lining solution was installed in just one day – the open cut option would have taken seven

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ALROD (UK) Ltd is a specialist drainage services contractor that covers areas of the UK from North London to Newcastle. Recently the company ventured into new pipe lining territory using, for the first time, UV cured lining on a project for client Peterborough City Council (PCC). The project known as Baxters Bridge was located near Newborough, a small hamlet and civil parish in the Peterborough district, in Cambridgeshire, UK. Newborough is situated about 4.6 miles (7.5 km) north of Peterborough. A crossroad near the village, adjacent to Crowland Main Dyke, was a site where a deteriorated 600 mm diameter, under-road culvert required rehabilitation over a length of about 20 m.

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The culvert carries land drainage run-off waters between dykes that control the water levels in the local fenlands. The road route at the site of the culvert is a busy ‘rat-run’, particularly during rush hour and used by commuter traffic, heavy goods and farm vehicles.

Inspection of the culvert by PCC showed that, due to its position with its crown at just 2 m below the road surface, the structural integrity of the concrete pipe construction was compromised by multiple fractures, cracks and other defects. Had the culvert not been rehabilitated or replaced there was a significant possibility of collapse and damage to the road above.

Limited options Having decided that the culvert was in need of repair, various

options were investigated including the use of open cut techniques to replace the culvert length beneath the road or to rehabilitate the culvert to reinstate its structural integrity.

Consulting with PCC project’s main framework contractor Skanska, the open cut option was relatively quickly dismissed due to a number of factors. To complete the project in open cut would have required a complete road closure over some seven working days, which in turn would have led to the large volumes of traffic using a diversion route of a minimum three to five miles (five to eight km) around the works.

There would also have been a need for significant numbers of works vehicles to and from the site over this time.

Given the very rural aspect of the area, the diversion route would also have required the use of several minor roads which often have steep embankment sides to bring the road level up above the level of the surrounding fens, which would have potentially led to significant traffic handling difficulties.

With the potential also existing for a high carbon footprint on the project using open cut, it was decided to investigate the rehabilitation options.

Looking at the rehabilitation options meant selecting a lining technique that would ‘fit the bill’.

Given the experience of many contractors in the field of lining works, the project was put out to competitive tender. However, many lining options such as hot water cure and epoxy resin use do have significant leachate from the liner during the lining process and subsequent to the liner installation. As the site was handing land drainage this was not seen as an option that could be utilised.

The remaining option was the use of an Ultra Violet (UV) cured lining that does not have the

environmental disadvantages of other systems. Ultimately, DALROD’s Cambridge franchisee (under the leadership of Mike Pollard) was selected as the preferred bidder for the works using a UV cure system, even though the company had not previously utilised UV cure on other operations. However, it was understood that the company’s experience on other lining works, as well as the fact that DALROD was very familiar with prevailing conditions in this part of the country, stood it in good stead for this operation.

inflated against the inner culvert wall. The UV light train was pulled through the liner in accordance with the manufacturer’s specification at a speed that would fully cure the eight mm thick liner. On this project the cure time for the 19 m run was just about 45 minutes. Once the light train had completed its run, the ends of the liner were opened up to retrieve the light unit and the liner ends were sealed at either end of the culvert. The CCTV camera was again passed through the culvert to record the completed liner for client records.

The whole lining operation was completed from arrival on site, through set-up, culvert cleaning, CCTV survey, lining and final survey in just one working day on 13 October 2015, as opposed to the seven working days that would have been required for any open cut operation. The other advantage of being able to complete the works in just the one day is that overall the cost of the project was significantly less than could have been achieved using open cut replacement techniques. The carbon footprint of the project as a whole was also considerably lower.

Lining works One of the other advantages of the UV lining option, over and above the environmental ones in terms of non-contamination of the ground water run-off, was that there would be no need to have a complete road closure, as the works could be completed using a four-way traffic control system at the crossroad where the culvert was located, so eliminating the major disruptive diversion route.

So, having established the works site over the culvert entrance, first the culvert was thoroughly cleaned to ensure that there was nothing within it that could impede the lining operation.

The culvert was then checked and surveyed using a CCTV camera.

The UV liner was then prepared for insertion. Supplied by RSM Lining Supplies of Doncaster, UK, the reinforced UV liner was delivered to site pre-impregnated with the UV sensitive resin. To install the liner a winch was set-up on the downstream end of the culvert and a winch line was passed through. Initially a pre-liner was winched into the culvert, which helps to prevent any external friction wear on the final liner during its insertion. The winch was then used to pull the main liner through the culvert into position inside the pre-liner.

Once in place, the whole liner assembly was then attached to a compressor/air blower unit and inflated to ensure the liner fitted correctly. A reinforced liner system was utilised to ensure the long-term integrity of the culvert, which once rehabilitated would continue to carry significant traffic loadings into the future.

In the meantime the UV light train was set-up and connected to a towing line that ran through the liner. The light train was then placed into the liner, the ends were sealed using special fittings that allowed the light train to be pulled freely through the liner whilst maintaining it in its inflated state so as to achieve the curing process. The liner was then fully

DALROD (UK) Ltd is a specialist drainage services contractor that covers areas of the UK from North London to Newcastle. This family run company has over 30 years’ drainage maintenance experience that includes: • 24 hr/365day emergency call-out service for unblocking Drains & Sewers • Cleaning pipes by High Pressure Water Jetting • CCTV Surveying of underground assets • Sewer & Drainage Rehabilitation (Specialising in the installation of hot water cured epoxy lining systems) • Removal of Roots/ Concrete/ Intruding connections by specialist remotely controlled robotic machines • Civil Engineering For more information, please see

www.dal-rod.co.uk

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Traffic Safety Officer Services Ltd 12a Westpoint Enterprise Park Clarence Avenue Trafford Park Manchester M17 1QS Mobile: 0771 4015821 Phone: 08456 801 802 Fax: 0161 848 9299 Email: info@tsoservices.uk.com

Traffic Safety Services Ltd was established in March 2012. Since its inception, we have grown our client base on a foundation of reliable service and highly experienced operatives of all grades.

These range from Traffic Safety and Control Officers to LANTRA qualified one day operatives.

The company has grown year on year to be one of the most recognised traffic management recruitment companies in the industry. We have been striving to bring on board new clients each year and currently provide operatives on a national scale from Southampton to Newcastle.

Our comany has been working on its new induction and vetting process for the labour provided to the industry. This will ensure full compliance is achieved with all new health and safety requirements requested, from some of the leading traffic management companies we support. The new process will be implemented in the New Year with all current workforce completed as part of their annual review.

We have been working over the past two years on a bespoke automated online booking system called TOAST. TOAST was rolled out in october 2014 and has received excellent reviews from all our clients that use the system. There have been a number of of developments with the system in the first year to keep it well ahead of its competition. The system holds all of the workers qualifications which can be accessed by any supervisor or auditor, at any time, from any smart device or via the TOAST App. It holds all shifts worked on a calender, so the working patterns of the operatives can be interrogated, assessed and monitored. The system searches for the best qualified operatives for the roles uploaded to the system, highlights them to the operators in seconds, and with thier availability already preloaded into the system by each candidate, positions can be filled in seconds rather than hours. The TOAST system has all the business rules built into the search parameters, so it will not allow any double shifting across clients, contracts or shifts (days & nights). The system also has a very clever “Flag� system which can archive any operative and remove them from the search parameters for a variety of reasons and timescales for such things as failing to attend site on a regular basis, Bad working attitude, Expired qualifications or failed drug and alcohol test, which will enroll the operative in our rehabilitation programme. We also have a number of new developments that will be released in the New Year to agian keep the system far out in front.

We are now also developing our fully accredited Lantra training centre. Our growing number of assessors have been busy looking at all of the operatives assiciated with our company for development prospects. This is allowing us to assist people to move up through the grades, and assist in supplying a larger number of the higher skill grades required in the industry as it expands, thus assisting with our client’s ever growing needs. In the coming year we hope that we will be able to assist our clients with the training of their own employees as the demand for more qualified and versatile workforce presents itself.

32

profile: TMCA

Safety

first The TMCA continues to play a leading role as the traffic management industry looks towards a future of zero accidents

F

ormed in 1989 with the encouragement and support of the DfT, the Traffic Management Contractors Association (TMCA) has spent the last two decades working closely with its industry to overcome the challenges of maintaining high safety standards for workers and the general public at major traffic management sites. Sharing Highways England’s ‘zero accidents’ goal, health and safety informs the main activities of the TMCA and over the years the organisation has been instrumental in driving improved safety throughout the industry.

Whilst the organisation only has 13 members, they account for 90 per cent of the major works carried out on the Highways England

Above This no longer happens on the carriageways

network.

“We’ve been going now for 26 years and over that time we have built up a level of trust and encouragement with the industry and have always been at the forefront of the practices that have been introduced,” begins long-serving Chairman and now Secretary of the TMCA, Richard Pearson. “Just over a decade ago the ‘roadworks’ industry was going through a very bad time and there were 11 deaths in one year. This resulted in an industrywide crackdown from the HSE, and since then a number of safety forums have been set up, many of which have covered traffic, to which we have had a major input, with a goal to improve these figures.”

As such, the general trend for these figures has been positive and in 2014 only two worker fatalities occurred on UK’s roads, neither of which involved traffic management operatives. In fact in 2007 and 2011, no deaths were reported. “The introduction of these new safety forums changed the industry beyond

recognition,” continues Richard.

“The IPVs (Impact Protection Vehicles) that you see on the roads now, for instance, weren’t in existence back then. It is a fact that working on the highways is dangerous and some things are easier to safeguard than others when operators are working within a few feet of live traffic.

The slightest thing can go wrong to put workers at risk and we continue to do everything we can to minimise these risks as much as possible through various initiatives.”

One such initiative that Richard points out as being highly effective is the removal of central reservation traffic management signage for overnight ‘relaxed’ works. “It was only very recently that operatives were still crossing carriageways on foot to put out signs on the central reservations,” he says. “We have now helped implement a change in procedure that eliminates the need for anybody to cross. This is part of the wider strategy that no operative is to be on the carriageway on foot at all, unless

33

profile: TMCA

protected by an IPV. We are also now in the process of removing road danger lamps so that workers don’t have to be placing lamps right next to the traffic.

There are initiatives like this being trialled by various TMCA member contractors at present.”

One other area where the TMCA has been keenly focused at present is on labour. “We have been setting up a system to record the testing and results of drug and alcohol tests,” outlines Richard.

“Unfortunately, we identified a steady rate of failures month on month so this is a problem we are working to improve.” One solution currently being supported by the association is the introduction of a worker’s passport, similar to the type of system operated in the rail industry, whereby a worker’s training, testing and work is recorded.

As Richard points out: “At present an operative can fail a drugs test one day and then go to work on the roads for another company the next. However with this system if they fail a test, it is recorded and that keeps them from going back on the road. This

34

isn’t in our hands as it is ultimately the decision of Highways England, but we are keen to support it as it will be a big step forward for the industry as a whole.”

Another initiative being managed by the TMCA to protect the safety and rights of labour is its Labour Agency Charter, which came into affect on 1st October 2015, and requires all members to use only the approved agencies that have signed the charter.

The charter lays out 11 points to be followed by a labour agency covering everything from training, development and employee rights, to equal opportunities, drug use and disciplinary procedures. So far, the TMCA has 39 agencies signed up to the charter and Richard is keen to bring more on board in order to provide a wide network of support and protection for both employees and employers.

Over its time in the industry TMCA has consistently proven itself to play a prominent role in representing its members and ensuring safety is continually driven throughout the country, and its vision for the future is

unfaltering in this approach.

“It’s about making sure there is a better, well-trained workforce out there, and ensuring the procedures are there to protect them whilst working on the roads,” says Richard. “Safety and best practice in the industry are what the TMCA is all about and this will continue well into the future.” Highways England currently aims to achieve a target of a 40 per cent reduction in the number of KSIs (those killed or seriously injured) on its network by 2020 with a vision to cut this to as close to zero as possible by 2040. In such an unpredictable and risk-laden working environment this is a big challenge, and the dedication of the industry, illustrated by the TMCAs commitments, will be key to achieving this.

Traffic Management Contractors Association www.tmca.org.uk Services: Association supporting safety and best practice within the traffic management industry

profile: A1 Flue Systems

Road to

success Occupying a leading position in the commercial and industrial segments, A1 Flue Systems has amassed a portfolio of iconic projects and now sets its sights on the domestic market

W

ith 42 years of successful trading behind it, familyowned, multiaward winning A1 Flue Systems has grown to become a true leader in its field.

Employing a dedicated team of 134 people, the company specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of tailor made flue systems, and has established an unrivalled project portfolio of high profile projects across the UK. “We cover a wide range of projects from small, local projects of values as little as £6000 and supply right up to the top end at about £250,000,” highlights Contract and Manufacturing Director, John Hamnett. “In 2014 alone we completed just over 5000 projects, with up to 400 live contracts running at any one time.”

Predominantly a manufacturing business, the company employs a team of 45 manufacturing and 20 engineering staff to cope with this demand, and deploys 16 of its own install teams across the company to deliver the systems to a high specification. “With this team behind us our strength is in the fact that we only offer bespoke solutions,” John continues. “We manufacture and tailor make every system to meet every client’s needs and the specific site requirements. Whilst many of our European competitors try to fit standard systems into buildings, we have established a reputation for doing the opposite – designing around the buildings.”

Amongst its growing list of projects, A1 has supplied systems to many of the iconic London structures including the Shard, where the company successfully installed a fleet of seven flue structures serving three boilers, two generators and two CHP systems, whilst ensuring longevity and ease of access. The Leadenhall building, 20 Fenchurch Street, most buildings on the Canary Wharf

complex, Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament also feature, as well as a number of ongoing developments across the capital. Elsewhere, the company has supplied to the recently completed Birmingham New Street Station redevelopment and Glasgow Law Courts projects.

Presently, the company is involved in the ongoing development of London’s iconic Battersea Power Station. “We have been linked to this project since 2008 and whilst the programme has been knocked back a number of times, we have continued to maintain our involvement,” explains John.

“As a result we were recently awarded a contract to provide some temporary flues whilst the

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profile: A1 Flue Systems

chimneys are being rebuilt as well as designing and putting a specification together for the permanent system.”

Complementing A1’s offering is its specialism in flue dilution systems, for which it has demonstrated a leading capability to deliver across Europe. “We have successfully won and completed a number of large projects that are of a scale and design complexity that our competitors haven’t been able to rival,” notes John. “For example, we worked on a very big fan dilution system on Twickenham stadium, which we were awarded because we were the only company that put forward a compatible quotation.

Likewise, we have just completed a large dilution system in the Grand Egyptian Museum in Egypt. Again, despite tendering across Europe, we came out as the only compliant tenderer that put forward a suitable and viable option for them to go with.”

In its bid to diversify and maintain its position at the top of the industry, A1 Flue Systems has recently made some significant strategic moves to expand and enhance its offering to the market. Firstly is a partnership with natural ventilation providers, Monodraught. John explains: “We worked as a supplier to Monodraught a number of years ago when they offered flue systems as well as natural ventilation but as they moved away from flues the relationship

Monodraught Monodraught and A1 Flue Systems have signed a partnership agreement in a bid to increase the use of natural daylight and natural ventilation systems in schools, offices, hotels and public buildings across England and Wales.

Both A1 Flue Systems and Monodraught have high hopes for the partnership and have identified opportunities that could result in more than £500,000 of orders in the coming months.

fizzled out. Then, recently they approached us because they could see an opportunity where we could open up each other’s channels and offer a complete heating and ventilation package to the market by working together.

There are a lot of synergies to be had here and we hope to see some positive development as we move forward.”

In addition to this, in October 2015, A1 announced the launch of its new, standalone business, A1 Expo Ltd, in partnership with Italian stainless steel giant, Expo Inox. Specialising in flue systems from 125mm to 200mm for installers of small-scale chimney systems and wood-burning stove retailers, A1 Expo is the company’s first foray into the domestic market.

“A1 Flue Systems is firmly established as the UK market leader in the design, manufacture and installation of commercial and industrial chimney, flue and exhaust systems – but we have long harboured ambitions of being equally dominant in the domestic market,” highlights A1 Director, TJ Duncan-Moir. “To make a success of it, we needed to partner with an industry heavyweight, and Expo Inox fitted the bill perfectly.” Supplying a range of products from twin and single-wall flue systems, cowls and chimney fans, to core vents, stove fans and carbon monoxide detectors, the venture has ambitions of joining its parent

companies as a market leader.

The market for A1 has been challenging over the past 18 months as the economy still recovers from a long recession and John notes that during this period the company faced tough competition from cheaper, European suppliers. “This appears to be bouncing back now,” he comments. “Whilst we never really dropped the amount of work during the period, we were facing more cost pressure, which has alleviated now that we are winning more quotedvalue contracts.” Securing the company’s continued success is its ability to stand apart from the competition and offer highly technical, cutting edge solutions, which appear to be favoured in a market that is recovering from a period of cost-sensitivity.

With new market opportunities opening up as a result of careful strategic planning, allowing A1 Flue Systems to make inroads to new customer bases, and recovering market conditions, John is clear that the company is still as focused as ever on its core industries. “Looking ahead we are keen to carry on with more of the same,” he says. “We know where we come from and we know what we’re good at. We have established a reputation for the large, bespoke projects so we will be securing more of these, but at the same time we will continue with our smaller jobs, as these are vital to the business’s continued success on a day-to-day basis.

We believe that we are leaders in what we do, but being leaders and staying leaders are two different things so we have to focus on maintaining this position.”

A1 Flue Systems www.a1flues.co.uk Services: Leading specialists in the design and manufacture of bespoke flue systems 37

profile: ITA

Beneath

the

surface

The ITA plays a crucial role in supporting the global tunnelling industry as demand for subsurface projects continues to grow at an unprecedented pace

T

he International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA) was first established back in 1974 with 19 countries.

Since then the organisation has grown considerably and today it represents 73 Member Nations, with hundreds of affiliate members and 17 prime sponsors from various sectors within the global tunnelling industry.

Amongst those attending the annual conferences and represented by the ITA, many are owners, planners, suppliers, consultants and contractors, all of whom are directly or indirectly involved in the ever-increasing number of underground projects taking place around the world.

“When I joined as president three years ago part of my strategy was to strengthen the relationships with our member nations and therefore grow our family,” begins current President of the ITA, Søren Degn Eskesen.

“As such, a lot of our growth has occurred during the last five years and we are constantly

38

looking to work closely with our members and bring new members into our group.”

Part of this growth has come from the rapidly growing number of underground construction projects that have been completed across the globe.

“Over the last ten years the European and American markets have approximately doubled, but it’s in Asia where the industry has really boomed being 15 times larger than it was before that period,” highlights Søren.

“Much of this is coming from China where there has been, and continues to be, a huge number of infrastructure projects going into place. South America is also a booming market at present with lots of projects and plans being implemented in Mexico and Brazil. Africa will be an exciting market over the next 10-15 years as well with lots of developing economies emerging there. So we hope to see some new members coming from these regions.”

The association’s mission statement is to promote the use of tunnels and underground space

through knowledge sharing and the application of technology, and it carries this out in a number of key ways. Firstly is its annual general assembly conference, of which it has so far held 41. These provide a unique opportunity for many of the industry’s leading members to network, share knowledge and best practice and discuss the burning issues within the global market. Throughout the rest of the year, the ITA’s four Committees and 13 Working Groups produce a number of guideline and best practice documents surrounding the issues of education and training, use of underground space, safety and technology. So far in 2015, eight of these documents have been issued, forming a key and upto-date network of knowledge sharing. Over the last five years it has also run a number of training sessions, which have proven to be successful with 4000 people currently signed up on different courses. “We are such a farreaching, global network that in ITA we will always find someone who is an expert in specific items,” says Søren. “In this way we can create the world’s best source of learning within the industry.”

Another part of ITA’s responsibility is to promote the use of underground space as a viable solution to many of the world’s economic and environmental challenges. “The organisation drives a need for increased used of subsurface areas especially for metro systems and other infrastructure, but also in environmental applications,” explains Søren. “Flood protection and water diversion can all be delivered through underground spaces as we face global climate change issues. I think awareness is starting to emerge as to the need of such projects, especially with things like COP21 and we work closely with the UN to propose solutions. Also by moving things underground it is possible to free

up space on the surface, so we try to show people the benefits of underground space for storage solutions and so on. One thing we try to push in this respect is an underground planning committee in large cities, where existing underground spaces can be better utilised, such as is demonstrated in Helsinki and Singapore.”

Keen to promote the industry on a wider scale and attract attention to its services, in November 2015 the ITA held its inaugural international tunnelling awards in Switzerland. These awards cover everything from safety and environmental successes to projects of different sizes and young tunnelling engineer of the year. This last one Søren picks out as being particularly important in today’s market: “I think it is

really important because as we see the industry grow we need to attract more people to the industry,” he says. “Globally, we are seeing a labour shortage in our industry and there is a lot of competition for these young, talented engineers from other industries. We try to bring these young engineers into our network with our training sessions and communication channels, and have a young members group to achieve this.”

As far as the future is concerned the ITA will be closely focused on continuing the positive work that has defined its progress as it helps the industry respond to societies’ growing demand for more and more underground space and tunnelling projects, in a safe and sustainable way. “We will continue working with young

tunnellers, and reaching out to city planners to promote the benefits of the underground to provide sustainable solutions and we will be working with the United Nations to react to the reduce the impact from the climate change,” details Søren more specifically. “We will be having our next general meeting and World Tunnel Conference next year in San Francisco and I am sure that this will key to the industry’s continuous growth for years to come.”

ITA (International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association) www.ita-aites.org Services: International association supporting and encouraging the tunnelling industry and promoting underground space

39

profile: Construction Materials Online

A new

venture Construction Materials Online, has in a relatively short period of time, shown the success that can be achieved by presenting their business online rather than taking the traditional route to market

F

ounded in 2008, Construction Materials Online (CMO) was the concept of the four directors whose combined experience in the roofing sector stretches back over 30 years. Having established strong partnerships through traditional routes to market, both in their own ventures and prior to this working for major

national companies, the team established the first solely onlinebased merchant targeting the construction sector. Its first foray into e-commerce was Roofing Superstore™, the company’s leading brand. Since its launch Roofing Superstore™ has grown to provide an unrivalled offering of materials and is now the UK’s largest online roofing merchant. Still adapting to the unique mechanics of online trade, CMO has since launched Drainage Superstore™ in 2014 and Insulation Superstore™ in 2015.

“The initial concept was to give trade and DIY customers the same sort of experience that they got if they went to a specialist traditional merchant, whilst reaching out to them through new channels,” begins Rob Kavanagh, MD of CMO. “We were the first to do this in the construction industry and we are quite unique in that most of our competitors still have a traditional base. We have a large customer service team and hold a minimal amount

of stock, very different from traditional setups.”

With their experience in the traditional merchant industry, the management at CMO immediately saw the advantages of online commerce. “Because of our unique business model we are able to offer a far broader range of products to the customer than a traditional merchant,” Rob explains. “We don’t have access to any products that other merchants are unable to buy, but without the constraints of imposed stock levels (we only stock items that the manufacturers are unwilling to split, the rest being delivered direct) we are able to offer 100 per cent of any manufacturers product range rather than just five to ten per cent. This offers a far great choice to the consumer depending on their own preference and drivers rather than what is in the warehouse.”

Rob also points out that the suppliers, who were previously looking to join the online market

41

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profile: Construction Materials Online

but couldn’t gain access directly without affecting relationships with its merchant suppliers, have generally welcomed this model. “It’s more stable for them, as traditional merchants show no brand loyalty. For them it all comes down to price. The customer led environment of the online platform offers a level playing field for manufacturers,” he highlights. “Some manufacturers have really grasped the opportunity that we present and with their partnership our business has grown phenomenally.

Some have even adapted their own business to suit our model.”

At the top of CMO’s priorities lies customer service and Rob

is keen to point out that this is key not only to a merchant in the construction industry, but also key for any internet business. “In an e-commerce environment, customers don’t always expect to be able to pick up the phone and get solid technical advice but here at CMO they can. Our customer service team all undergo training and can deal with any enquiry.

Customers are always impressed by this,” he says. “Whilst pricing is important to customers, it is not the most important thing. It is often the hook to get people in, but it’s the service that keeps them coming back. Our unique business model allows us to keep our overheads low, thereby retaining a competitive edge whilst still providing a quality service.”

Exemplifying this level of service, at the time of writing Roofing Superstore™ has a rating of 9.3/10 from of over 4000

reviews on the independent Trust Pilot platform. “We were very nervous about using this service at first as we were unsure about how it would be utilised, but it is used in a very positive way,” Rob comments. “Nobody is infallible and we do of course get negative comments on there from time to time. We always react to these with the appropriate response, making sure we resolve any issues arising. We want to show people that we care and we believe this will secure our success in the future, more than aggressive pricing strategies.”

As Rob explains there are an abundance of opportunities online, to the point where CMO has to carefully prioritise which ones to pursue. New brands such as Drainage Superstore™ and Insulation Superstore™ are born out of new synergies with existing suppliers keen to broaden their online presence with the company.

43

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profile: Construction Materials Online

“The challenge is convincing new suppliers of the opportunities presented by e-commerce, and how we manage those opportunities in partnership,” explains Rob. “There is an element of trust that goes both ways; they have to trust that we deliver what we promise, and we have to trust that they will deliver the service that we require. As this trust grows, so too does our business and our relationships with those suppliers.”

opportunities facing us and lots of ideas to make the most of them.”

Exciting times lie ahead for CMO and by being pioneers in the construction market as far as e-commerce is concerned; the company has proven its

viability through the success it has achieved. With a particular focus on improving the customer experience and accelerating growth; something that will be helped by the recent acquisition of digital media agency DV8 Media; the company has a positive outlook as it plans to expand its online presence over the coming years. CMO is also currently investing in a major expansion and re-modelling of its offices in order to accommodate its growing customer service team and maintain its high levels of customer satisfaction.

Construction Materials Online Ltd www.constructionmaterialsonline. co.uk Services: Online builder’s merchant

CMO is always looking at new opportunities in the construction sector. “Our vision looking ahead is to continue developing our existing brands as much as possible, as well as building the relationships and gaining the support to launch new brands,” concludes Rob. “We have lots of

45

profile: Joseph Ash Galvanizing

Galvanized

growth

B

ehind Joseph Ash Galvanizing (JA) sits a long and successful history of partnering with steel goods manufacturers, which stretches back to the middle of the 19th century. Set up in Birmingham, JA responded to the rise of companies manufacturing products such as corrugated iron sheeting and agricultural feeders in the city, all of which needed galvanizing to perform in their field. Today the company operates from eight sites in the UK, with a coverage that includes much of the country’s major industrial areas and has become a leader in galvanizing, as well as providing specialist services in powder coating.

“We have a wide range of customers from a number of market sectors,” begins Steven Hopkins, Managing Director at JA. “These include construction, so structural steel, balconies, industrial flooring and walkways; security - fencing and CCTV poles; infrastructure - everything from highway barriers, lighting columns and bridge parapets to rail

46

Joseph Ash Galvanizing offers an unparalleled level of service to a range of customers in the UK and has recently taken positive steps towards cementing its leading position in the industry

electrification gantries and masts; and agriculture, including barns, feeders, stalls and gates.”

From its eight sites, the company offers a range of services that is unrivalled in the UK. For instance, in Chesterfield, JA has a 16.5 metre long bath making it perfect for most structural steel lengths and lighting columns. In Telford, it has the widest bath in the country, alongside a spin facility for small components, and in Bilston it has the deepest bath in the UK providing a highly efficient way of galvanizing fencing and barrier sections. The site in Medway serves an area from Kent to Hampshire, Berkshire and Essex with 15 lorries and is the only Akzo Nobel approved galvanizer and applicator for powder coating in England. Two additional JA sites are in Walsall, covering the West Midlands from Bristol to Staffordshire, and Bridgend, which serves the Welsh market.

Despite vast coverage being achieved through these six sites, a significant portion of the country east of the M1 was being missed

out, prompting the acquisition of Hull-based Premier Galvanizing.

“There was a major gap in our coverage in an area too remote from any of our existing plants to be effectively covered given that we pride ourselves on collecting and returning our customers’ materials on a one to two day cycle,” explains Steven. “Premier’s two plants in Hull and Corby, sit centrally in this area and have a fantastic reputation for service that we could not hope to match from afar, so its acquisition was the only logical route to entering this market.”

Aside from simply opening the doors to new geographies for JA, the acquisition of Premier also represents significant benefits for both parties, as Steven goes on to outline: “The other benefit of this strong reputation is the safeness of our investment in the company and this has influenced our decision to allow the business to run independently of JA in order to ensure that its service values and identity continue to be managed by the successful local teams that have built them.

Customers should therefore have no doubts about ongoing excellent service that they will continue to receive from these two great businesses. What JA can offer indirectly is some technical support and the financial security of a larger group, and directly we will be able to offer them the ability to process much longer or wider fabrications.”

Offering a highly technical and specialist service is fundamental to JA’s business plan and one particular accolade that demonstrates this commitment is its Akzo Nobel approval. Under normal conditions a galvanized coating can be expected to last between 25 and 100 years, but this can be extended by a polyester powder coating (PPC), which also opens up a range of colour options for the process.

“Applying PPC to galvanizing however is a job for an expert and to do so properly requires nine different stages in the chemical processes prior to electrostatic application of the powder and curing in an oven,” highlights Steven. “Although one or two galvanisers in the UK offer a PPC product, our Medway site is the only one in England that can do the job to Akzo’s exacting standards, which include a rigorous sample testing regime every single day.”

Core to JA’s strength within the market is its dedication to service and safety. With a fleet of over 70

vehicles helping it to perform to its collect and deliver service on a national scale, the firm is currently seeking FORS recognition to meet rising demand in London and other high-profile construction sites with its unrivalled breadth of services. “As well as this, safety is always at the top of the list for us and with only a few days to go we have our fingers crossed that we will achieve JA’s first ever year with zero reportable accidents in 2015,” comments Steven. “With 500 people handling millions of often heavy and awkward items annually, we regard this as a major achievement.”

With a market that suffered painfully during the economic downturn and has only started recovering in the last couple of years, JA’s robust offering to the

market is critical to its ongoing success. Steven comments that maintaining this unique safety record, which it has worked towards for ten long, hard years, as well as taking advantage of the wealth of knowledge sharing opportunities that the new Premier acquisitions presents, will be the business’s major focus over the coming years. Doing so, whilst continuing to offer such a wide range of services and depth of customer service, will be key to JA securing its future as a leader within the UK industry.

Joseph Ash Galvanizing www.josephash.co.uk Services: One of the UK’s leading providers of steel finishing services

47

profile: Fugmann AS

Sparkling

innovation With a vast history behind it, Fugmann continues to deliver complex, cutting-edge solutions in a market that is currently experiencing a technological revolution

B

ased in Copenhagen, FUGMANN was officially founded in 1961 by Vilhelm Fugmann, who began his career as an electrician in 1915. Now in its third-generation of ownership under Henrik Fugmann, the company has grown to become one of Copenhagen’s leading and most innovative electrical installation companies.

With over 100 highly trained and experienced employees, including

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20 apprentices, FUGMANN has established a strong reputation in the national market for delivering high profile and complex projects, and this year is set to turn over close to 13 million euros.

“We have been contractors on a number of large projects including new builds, renovations, hospitals, education facilities and infrastructure developments,” begins Henrik. “At present our special focus is on building automation and intelligent

solutions into sites, with the primary aim of reducing energy consumption, ensuring efficiency and improving the working conditions of our customers’ projects.” Where FUGMANN has excelled over the years is in its ability to listen carefully to its customers and understand the specific needs within the market.

As such, the company has been able to develop the best solutions for the current demands.

“The main strength on top

of this is the highly specialised workforce that we maintain here,” says Henrik. “We operate a programme of continuous training and development to ensure that our staff are key to the continuity we deliver to the market in terms of increasingly complex systems.

As a result of this many of our employees have stayed with us for many years, and likewise we have developed long-lasting relationships with our customers, some of whom we have worked

with for many decades. The combination of these gives us a really good market position.”

A look at the company’s recent and ongoing projects gives a good sense of FUGMANN’s ability to deliver highly technical and complex solutions to a range of sectors. Its major highlight of 2015 is completing the electrical and security installations for its first skyscraper project. Requiring complex intelligent installations and numerous automation systems, FUGMANN successfully delivered the work to the 21storey Copenhagen Towers development, which was designed by world-renowned architect, Norman Foster. “We have worked on several very modern nursing homes,” continues Henrik. “This is an important market for us as the buildings can be very technical – they are essentially a combination of home and hospital so a lot of electrical infrastructure has to be built in. In addition to this we have just started a project to renew the fibre and data cabling in the main part of the Copenhagen hospital sector, and will be installing security features such as protection and video surveillance in the city’s new 15,000 capacity Royal Arena.”

With the state of the construction and technology

markets moving as they are, integrated technology and user interface systems are set to play a much more prominent role in the industry over the coming years.

Indeed, Henrik points out that more and more these days, the value of a property is becoming more reliant on the technology that is within it. He sees this as being where significant value lays, and as such the company is readying itself to take advantage.

“We have invested into new intelligent solutions and increased the number of staff in this sector, because we see how significant

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profile: Fugmann AS

it will become in the very near future,” he says. “We have also invested into a sister company, called ProReact, in order to develop innovative solutions for user interface touch screens for a range of sectors and applications, such as healthcare, retail and education. For instance we are looking at a large pin board-type touch screen module, which could be used for a number of user interface applications.”

Diversifying in this way is critical for FUGMANN to remain competitive in an economy that is starting to emerge from the European financial crisis, is now looking to invest heavily into its housing and infrastructure, and is attracting international competitors. “We have already established a lot of skills and

a good reputation within the Danish market so I am quite confident about our position at the moment,” explains Henrik.

“However, it is important that we are seen to bring something different to the market in order to distinguish ourselves. For a long time our main offering has always been hidden behind a wall, but this is starting to change as intelligent solutions become integrated within public and private spaces.”

With this in mind it is no surprise that FUGMANN’s future

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railway and metro systems will present significant opportunities to the company, as will the growing demand for cutting-edge technology. “The wider vision is to continue improving our skills in installing and delivering automation and intelligent solutions,” concludes Henrik. “We will also continue bringing on and investing in our staff, who are very important to us. We take particular pride in educating the young people to be the future electricians and technicians, not just for FUGMANN, but for the industry as a whole.” will be defined by continuing to take on numerous complex challenges in both the public and private sectors. Major infrastructure investments into

FUGMANN AS www.fugmann.dk Services: Specialist in electrical installation

profile: Machine Mart

The unmatched With one of the widest ranges of equipment available in one place, Machine Mart founds its success on the robust service it provides to customers

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prominent player on the UK market for over 30 years now, Machine Mart is arguably Britain’s biggest specialist supplier of tools and machinery. With over 7000 products on display and a further 10,000 available online, the company prides itself on the extensive range and depth of its offering, which remains unmatched by any competitor.

“We are considered the Aladdin’s Cave of tools and machinery,” says Advertising Manager, David Barnes. “We have a huge range of items out on display, not just in a storeroom or listed in a catalogue.

So when a customer comes into one of our superstores they can see everything in front of them.”

Headquartered in Nottingham, Machine Mart currently has stores in over 65 locations across the country, serving markets relating to everything from construction all the way through to the automotive sector, targeted to both the DIY enthusiast and industrial user alike. Mainstream brands supplied from the company include Clarke, DeWalt, Makita, Ryobi and Bosch amongst many more. “Unlike many of

our competitors, who may only stock a selection of models from a particular category, we will have up to 10 or 20 models on display for the customer to select from,” continues David. “We then have a very knowledgeable and dedicated workforce on hand to discuss the particular requirements of each individual and advise on the best and most appropriate product accordingly.”

With such an extensive range on offer, well-trained and experienced staff are key to delivering the strong service Machine Mart has become known for. “We recruit on the basis that the person has experience and a particular interest in the products that we are providing,” adds David. “Many of them will come from the industries we serve, or will be running their own DIY projects at home, so understand the types of challenges faced by customers and have developed a specialist knowledge of the best solutions available to them.

Underlying all of this is a passion for the products and the industry, and this goes a long way in

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profile: Machine Mart

serving our customers.”

With this in mind, it is clear that having such a large and widereaching product offering is not the sole focus of Machine Mart and that service is just as highly ranked. “We of course ensure that we provide this technical and support service during the sales process, but we also make sure to continue these well into the aftersales service,” explains David.

“We have a full range of spares and additional equipment in stock to support the products that we sell, something that is particularly celebrated considering some of the highly specialist and unique tools that we provide. We then have a team of fully trained engineers who can provide repairs and service products to prolong operational lifetimes on equipment that sees heavy use day-in and day-out.”

Keen to offer as wide a range as possible, Machine Mart has established strong channels beyond its physical stores with a widely distributed and wellreceived catalogue, a thriving mail order department and successful website. “Our catalogue is updated and published twice a year with each product selection and page design crafted to suit the needs of our customers in the best way possible,” explains David.

“This is a valued and well received part of our business and is a great way to engage with the customer base – we become very busy over these catalogue launch periods.”

Whilst listing all equipment available in store, Machine Mart’s website makes available a much wider range of highly specialised, and sometimes exclusive, products through its Machine Mart Xtra section. Displaying everything from material handling solutions and protective clothing, to industrial furniture and 3D printing systems, this website is an essential source of equipment for any construction or industrial need. The company’s excellent reputation for service successfully crosses the bridge into this sphere as well, with a 24-hour order service and the ability to export worldwide. Illustrating this level of service, Machine Mart currently

holds an independent Trust Pilot rating of 9.2 from a total of nearly 10,000 reviews.

“Combining all of these elements is where our core strength comes from,” David says.

“It’s the vast range and depth of our products, including the specialist items, combined with an unrivalled service across all our channels that gives us an edge in the market.” With such a solid foundation beneath it, Machine Mart is currently enjoying continued success from the UK’s buoyant housing market, and is also experiencing positive trends in other markets such as classic car restoration.

Supported by strong and long-standing supplier relationships with many of the industry leaders and specialists, Machine Mart has successfully built up a robust and reputable position within the market over the last four decades. By continuing to remain committed to the core values of product range and customer service that have been key to earning such success, the company looks forward to a long future of further expansion and growth.

Machine Mart www.machinemart.co.uk Services: Leading UK supplier of power tools, machinery and workshop equipment 53

MEMBRANES OF TIMELESS DESIGN

www.mehler-texnologies.com construction and civil engineering magazine _2015-12.indd 1

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profile: Fabric Architecture

Raise the

roof A provider of canopies since 1982, Fabric Architecture leads the way when it comes to installing tensile fabric structures for customers across the globe. Known for the innovative approach it takes when it comes to finding solutions for clients, the company also offers expertise, knowledge and a range of optimum quality, high value designs

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aving completed thousands of projects since its inception, the UK headquartered company, which also has divisions in North America and the Middle East, is able to deliver ground-breaking solutions for large-scale international tensile projects. Dedicated to improving the world of fabric architecture, the company stands firm on its commitment to never compromise when offering value

for money and quality. Renowned for creating unique and inspired design solutions, the innovative firm pushes its materials further to find the best, most efficient result for every client.

Benefiting from in-house design, engineering and materials expertise, the company’s competent and knowledgeable team strive to exceed expectations by challenging the status quo. By remaining flexible and innovative and focusing on integrated design-thinking, the

company is able to deliver an insightful service and tailored, ontime solutions.

With thousands of installations around the world, the company also offers 37 pre-engineered designs in an array of sizes. Within Fabric Architecture’s portfolio is the iconic Pagoda, a truly modular canopy that can be extended in infinite directions; viewed as the ultimate definition of ‘flexible,’ the Pagoda can be used as shelter for any application and has been installed more than 3000 times

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profile: Fabric Architecture

MEHLER TEXNOLOGIES High performance coated textile products used in a wide variety of highly demanding applications. Mehler Texnologies, one of the leading international companies in this market, produces and sells more than 53 million square meters of material each year under the brand names VALMEX®, POLYMAR® and AIRTEX®. Customers are companies from the processing industries.

The demand of high-tech membranes for textile architecture like the O2 Arena Skywalk (London), Konya Stadium (Turkey) or Schalke Stadium (Germany), is continuously growing. Established applications are as well, textiles for solar protection and tents.

Over 60 years of development and production experience represents the basis for Mehler’s sophisticated products. Permanent research and development improve the available composite materials and open up new areas of application. A machinery park, which is always up-to-date with the current status of technology, ensures the high and consistent quality of products. An active dialogue with planners, producers and processors are proof of a close and trusting co-operation. across the world.

When specifying material to use in its projects, Fabric Architecture always selects appropriate fabrics for the application in which a structure is used. PVC coated polyester has a lifespan of 20 years, offers 100 per cent protection from harmful sunrays, offers light transmission of up to 20 per cent and is waterproof.

Meanwhile, Fabric Architecture’s silicone glass weave has a lifespan of 30 years, filters UVB and UVC and allows UVA to enable plant growth; it has a light transmission of up to 40 per cent, is waterproof and fully recyclable. The final option available to customers is shade cloth, which has a lifespan of ten years, offers 80 to 90 per cent protection from harmful sunrays, offers light transmission of up to 35 per cent and is showerproof; unlike the other two options, the shade cloth is not recyclable.

From start to finish, Fabric Architecture offers its customers a turnkey service, leaving them with the challenge of choosing a structure out of its stunning and diverse range. Once the decision has been made, the company is proud to run a tight ship that ensures a prompt, efficient service with minimum disruption.

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This way of working guarantees the structure will be installed within ten weeks of the order being placed and also provides customers with confidence in the ISO 9001 accredited company’s integrity.

Proud to deliver the best possible solution to each customer’s requirements, Fabric Architecture’s efforts have not gone unnoticed in the industry, with the award winning company receiving accolades from the British Design Award to IFAI’s International Achievement Award.

Being held in such high regard has naturally led to an increase in demand for its superior services, with the company recently working on major projects such as Westfield Shopping Centre, Dubai Leisure Complex, Dublin Gateshead Stadium Roof and the FIFA Fan Zone; the latter of which was constructed in Doha Qatar for the 2014 Brazil World Cup. Holding crowds of up to 2000 people at a time, the purposebuilt FIFA Fan Zone featured a commanding fabric retractable roof system that was designed, engineered and constructed by Fabric Architecture. With outside temperatures reaching up to 45 degrees Celsius, the design had to respond to local climate

challenges while also ensuring spectators were comfortable; to find a solution to this challenge, the company created a largescale retractable roof system with integrated climate control alongside project engineers at Arup and SCX Special Projects.

Manufactured off-site, the 112 tonne roof was then lifted onto its four columns in a perfectly synchronised operation through the use of four 250 tonne cranes. Thanks to a successful collaboration and the innovative design philosophies of Fabric Architecture, a new type of construction that could be cooled from 45 degrees Celsius to 26 degrees Celsius was taken from idea to reality.

Having provided innovative shelter solutions to people across the globe, Fabric Architecture has built a strong name for itself in a wide range of markets around the world. With a long list of satisfied clients behind it, the quality focused, customer-centric company will be looking to the future with confidence.

Fabric Architecture www.fabricarchitecture.com Services: Innovators in tensile fabric structures

profile: Radley Engineering

Engineering

brilliance

As demand rises for Radley Engineering’s world-class services, the company is investing heavily to cater for a wider range of specialist needs and systems

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ounded in 1972 by Brothers John and Thomas Radley in Dungarvan, Ireland, Radley Engineering today employs 255 people and is now one of Europe’s leading specialists in the manufacture, fabrication, and installation of steel solutions.

With a strong reputation for quality, flexibility and personable service, the company is active in a global capacity within the manufacturing, mechanical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and dairy industries amongst many others.

“The main strength of the company lies with its people,” begins Technical Director, Greg Conaty. “We have a highly skilled management team of project managers and engineers, alongside a robust team of craftsmen and apprentices, of which we currently employ 22.

Many of our staff have been with the company for a long time and people tend to stay with us, developing and deploying their skills to compliment the

company’s strengths within the industries we serve. We see providing opportunities through our apprenticeship scheme as crucial for the company’s future.”

Market conditions for Radley Engineering are positive as major international companies are starting to invest heavily into upgrading or building new factories within the Irish pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Export activities for the country’s dairy products have also increased. This results in increased business for the engineering firm, and combined with a focused expansion strategy in the petrochemical sector, Radley is going through a strong period of growth.

“We’re doing a lot of work for Cameron at present, one of the major suppliers to the oil and gas industry,” Greg explains.

“We have now secured several subsea welding contracts for 2015. The tubes, which are free issued to Radley Engineering by the pipe manufacturer, are welded under a tightly monitored and controlled environment. The

tube material grades are highly specified chrome martensitic F22 and 4130, both manufactured to client’s specification and working to extremely high pressures on the seabed. Radley’s are the first of any company in Ireland to achieve this welding approval. All weld procedures are completed by our highly qualified and experienced coded welders.”

Radley Engineering is committed to future investment into new equipment and machinery for the production of the units and will hope to expand its client base in the oil and gas market. Existing clients include ConocoPhillips, Shell, Statoil and Worley Parsons.

The company has also upgraded its painting facilities with specialist heating, ventilation and humidity controls to meet the high demands of the oil and gas industry.

Beyond the petrochemical industry, Greg continues to outline some of the additional investments that have been significant to Radley’s current growth. “We’re really focusing on the fabrication side of the

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profile: Radley Engineering

business, so we’ve done lots of work in instrumentation welding.

A number of years ago, Radley invested in a high purity pipework facility. This is a dedicated 2000 square metre cleanroom to ISO class 10/1000/10,000, servicing pharmaceutical, bio pharmaceutical and medical sectors. We are also in the middle of extending our existing workshops with a further 600 square metres of undercover space to cater for the growing volume of work that is coming in at the moment. Overall then, there is a lot of work going on at Radley.”

Design and documentation Radley is the industry leader in computerised vessel design and modelling using both 2D and 3D applications including Auto Desk Product Design Suite (Inventor and Autocad), Autodesk Plant Design Suite, PV Elite and Finglow.

This allows the company to design vessels to ASME VIII, PD 5500,

EN13445, AP1650 and TEMA standards. It operates a quality management system certified by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) under ISO 9001.

Radley’s commitment to quality, inspection documentation and design standards ensure that client’s specification requirements are continually met in full.

However, its commitment to

delivering this quality in an open manner goes beyond this. “A lot of our customers, such as Cameron and Alstom, carry out their own periodic audits,” says Greg. “As do many of the consultants and project management companies that we work for, like Jacobs. It is vital that we maintain full visibility with the type of work that we do and we have to make sure we continue manufacturing to these standards across all our products.”

Going hand-in-hand with quality management is the company’s commitment to health and safety, for which both its site and factory teams were recently accredited with a safety award. “We employ safety managers and officers with the main objective of making sure all our staff work safely and go home every evening unharmed,” highlights Greg. “This is delivered through regular training programmes that focus on different topics and safety issues that may occur in the workplace.

Essentially, it’s about making everyone aware of what’s going on around them – looking out for themselves and their fellow workers.”

Radley has established a reputation on a global scale with work successfully completed in markets as far as Dubai, and

capitalising on this is will be the company’s primary focus as it moves forward. Large projects at present for BMS in Dublin and Sanofi in the UK will be the major focus for the site division over the next year, as will continuing to tender and win new mechanical installation contracts. Greg concludes: “As the company looks to the future, we will continue to maintain our excellent relationships with the existing supply chain from client, EPCM and contractor in our current market sectors. We will forge ahead to develop new relationships within the subsea oil and gas markets as well as the UK nuclear power market. This is an exciting time to be working at Radley and with our next generation now in key positions within the company the future looks bright. Our vision is to be a leading global provider to specialised engineering solutions that will bring value to our clients.”

Radley Engineering www.radleyeng.ie Services: Specialists in design, manufacture, fabrication and site installation of high quality stainless steel, carbon steel and other exotic materials 59

profile: Peter Duffy

A steady

flow Peter Duffy’s extensive civil engineering expertise is being put to good use as it looks to expand its market footprint

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ow under secondgeneration family management, Peter Duffy Ltd was first established back in 1972 and has spent its time since providing general civil engineering solutions to a range of clients up and down the country. Over its history the business has undertaken groundwork and general civil engineering activities, roads, concrete structures and drainage. Over the last few years a strong performance from Peter Duffy Limited has secured it a

number of accolades including the Safety Innovation award from Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, and being named in the LSE’s Top 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain list for 2015, following three consecutive years of continual demonstrable growth and profit.

One of Peter Duffy Limited’s major strengths is its specialism in drainage solutions and as a result in 2001 the company set up the DrainsAid brand, through which it provides repair and sewer rehabilitation services to a range of clients. “Although the company

has provided drainage solutions since its formation, this division was established to identify the specific service that we offer to the sector and it has been a great success,” explains MD, Peter Duffy. “We provide 24/7 service to private and commercial clients as well as the sewerage and water industry, and we have invested heavily in innovative solutions to offer them. There are few competitors in the UK who offer the range of technical solutions that DrainsAid does and we are gaining a growing reputation for

quality, reliability and technical solutions as a result. Drain and sewer rehabilitation is a dynamic sector with innovative solutions regularly being developed and introduced into the field, we see a lot of potential in these being brought to our clients.”

As an example of DrainsAid’s competitive services, earlier this year the company completed a complex underwater sewer repair and rehabilitation project on a 200-metre section of cast iron 375mm diameter combined sewer, which is attached to the wall of the River Ouse in York. Working for client, Yorkshire Water, and by using divers and a specialist river vessel, the team worked to clear a potential concrete blockage, which had started to interrupt the flow and was becoming a pollution risk to the busy city centre, and complete subsequent relining work. Unpredictable and challenging weather conditions and complex access required the firm to deploy its propensity for innovation to successfully complete the work in five days.

Despite this high level of service to the water industry, earlier this year Peter Duffy Limited lost out competitively to Amey on a £20 million repair and maintenance contract for Yorkshire Water. “Following this we still offer the specialist drainage solution nationally, but the loss of this contract has forced us to look harder at opportunities in other sectors and increase our activities in different areas,” says Peter. “In particular, anticipating

the loss, over the past 18 months we have been developing our activities in rail and after a slow start we are now working with a number of framework contractors in CP5. We have even been successful with DrainsAid here, winning a drainage maintenance contract direct with Network Rail on the West Cost line.”

Demonstrating both the company’s breadth of services outside of drainage repair and its recent entry into the rail industry, Peter Duffy Limited recently completed the platform extension project at South Hampstead station, installing the Megatech EPS system. Network Rail and London Overground needed to look at reinstatement after stability issues on a 50-metre stretch of decommissioned platform had been rectified. “The challenge here was the extremely tight working window and having no impact on the network,” highlights Peter. “Due to massively tight possession availability – around three hours a night – most systems of reconstruction were not suitable, particularly when excavations within the track support zone were required for foundations. The Megatech EPS system was selected due to its ease of installation and limited excavation requirements.”

Other recent successes include Peter Duffy Limited’s first entry into the renewable sector, when it designed and installed the piled foundations for a wind turbine at the Knostrop WwTW treatment works. Alongside

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profile: Peter Duffy

this, the company also carried out associated access and site infrastructure works, all whilst having no impact on the operational site.

Health and safety is clearly a major focus for any civil engineering operator, and Peter Duffy Limited’s approach to ensuring this is as high as it can be is no exception. “We are working on an interdependent culture within our business and with our clients, where we collectively work together to improve health, safety and wellbeing,” says Peter.

“This has involved behavioural safety training where employees engage with scenarios to develop their confidence to discuss improvements with peers. The company has been recognised over the years by clients and industry bodies for its excellent

performance in health and safety. In 2014, after five years of successive RoSPA gold awards, Peter Duffy Limited received the RoSPA Gold Medal, which was reawarded again this year.”

As it looks ahead, maintaining this focus on health and safety will be key to the company’s success in achieving its ambitions.

“We will be focusing on building our business back up after the Yorkshire Water contract loss,” concludes Peter. “This will involve pushing harder for wider opportunities in civil engineering, developing the recent new market of rail and continuing providing innovative sewer rehabilitation solutions across the UK. The aim for the business over the next three years is to return to the level of turnover that we have seen in 2014/15, but at the same time to consider new markets and sectors where our current skills can be used and become more diverse within the construction sector.”

Peter Duffy Ltd www.peterduffyltd.com Services: Civil engineering and utility contractors specialising in drainage repair

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profile: Taylor and Braithwaite

Planting

seeds Taylor and Braithwaite proves that committing to its customer service strengths and responding to market demands is key to success in a market that is facing considerable growth as well as a number of industry-wide challenges

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hen Construction & Civil Engineering last spoke to Taylor and Braithwaite back in April this year Sales Director, Ian Burton was confident about the company’s future despite a slower year and clear challenges in the industry. Sales in 2014 were unprecedented within the company’s history jumping by 40 per cent from £10 million to £14 million, but Ian admits that this has not continued through into 2015 for a number of reasons. “It has been a harder year,” he says. “We will be down on turnover and volume on a level with 2013 again, but it has played out as I thought it would.

Generally the market is busy and the future looks optimistic with plenty to do in the housing industry as well as infrastructure.

However, the problem still lays in the shortage of skilled labour.”

When asked if he had seen any improvement in the labour shortage over the last year Ian noted that he hadn’t and that most of the customers he spoke to were keen to invest in more machinery but lacked the staff to operate them. “This is almost every office I go to,” he says. “It is clearly a big problem within the industry and there is a danger that some of the big companies who are winning big contracts may start to pay more and drain the industry of this labour even further. However, I do believe that in the medium term the future for the industry is positive and eventually this labour gap will be filled by apprentices that were brought on after the recession and will become qualified for these skills – so it should level itself out.”

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profile: Taylor and Braithwaite

However, despite these industry-wide challenges the supplier of new and used plant equipment and machinery has still had a successful year as it continues to develop its product offering and market share. In October the company brought on board experienced salesman, Jamie McGlinn, to focus on the crushing and screening side of the business, where it sees a lot of potential opportunities with its Maximus Crushers and Screeners franchise. “This has been a key part of our expansion and development plans and since taking this new salesman on we are starting to see some good results now,” highlights Ian. “Overall we have had a really good year on the heavy side of things with larger excavators in excess of 30 tonnes subject to strong demand. Much of this demand is coming from the large quarrying projects as more aggregates are being taken out and so on, so our foothold in this industry has really made progress. We have also had a lot of success with our new Wacker Neuson cabbed site dumper, which provides better comfort, health and safety and weather protection, and is proving popular to site operators in the UK.” With house building and infrastructure projects also taking off in the UK, the company has seen strong demand for its eight to 14 tonne products. However, growth in the 20 tonne sector, which had previously shown the strongest levels of demand, has dropped off according to Ian who again notes that this appears to be an industry-wide problem. It was also mentioned in the last feature that the forestry industry would be a particular point of focus for the business as it moves forward. Whilst its product range is well-suited to this market with a number of sales under its belt, many of Taylor and Braithwaite’s customers are anticipating grants that could contribute up to 40

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per cent of the cost of buying the machinery and therefore the firm is seeing a hold up in sales. “Again the demand is there and we know many of our customers are keen to invest but understandably they are sitting on their hands at the moment having applied for the grants,” Ian notes. “However, I am also confident that opportunities will start to materialise here in the near future.”

With a slower market to contend with, Taylor and Braithwaite’s position within it remains strong and the company has been proactive in using this time wisely to consolidate its position in the market and expand its resources. “We have just had plans approved for a new workshop facility so this construction should be getting started on over the coming months,” explains Ian. “The site as it is at present is okay but the guys working here could do with a better workshop and its important that we provide good working conditions for them and keep moving forward as a company. We have also been employing new sales staff and marketing staff to help promote the company further. As well as this the other director, Paul Taylor, has taken on the role of Workshop Manager, which is a major part of our customer service offering and is an incredibly challenging job dealing with many of our customers’ problems. I think him taking on this position demonstrates our commitment to our customers and they seem to appreciate that.”

Ian is confident that 2016 will be a stronger year and hopes to see 10 per cent growth. “Essentially, we will be focusing on carrying on with what we have been doing,” he says. “Focusing on excavator sales will always be at our core and expanding this to serve our customers with a more widespread portfolio is important to us. A few people have been

knocking on our doors with products like telehandlers and forestry chippers, so looking into new routes like this could uncover some potential opportunities.

Next year will also be exciting for our Hyundai offering, with its new HX series launching. These are new wheel loaders and they are once again proving how well Hyundai are progressing in terms of technology, with lots of new safety features, a bigger cab and other features like that. One of our long-standing customers, Thompsons Plant Hire in Maryport, will be taking the first delivery of this series from us for a 52-tonne HX520L– this will actually be the first of its type in the UK.” The company will also be taking its 500th Hyundai early next year, marking a significant milestone for the strong working relationship it shares with the manufacturer.

It is clear that Taylor and Braithwaite has faced a tough year in 2015 with many outside pressures posing challenges to Ian and his team. However, the company has established for itself a strong reputation in the market for serving its customers with excellent customer service and quality products. Continuing to do so will be a key part to maintaining the success it has enjoyed for so many years as it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2017. Prospects for 2016 look positive as well with a market that is growing busier every month and customers who are willing to invest in resources. By committing to serving this growing market with an ever expanding but consistently focused product range, Taylor and Braithwaite’s future looks set to secure further success over the coming years.

Taylor and Braithwaite www.t-and-b.co.uk Services: Services: Suppliers of new and used plant and machinery

profile: Part

Simplified success

Innovation, high quality and world-class manufacturing processes put Part at the top of its industry supplying simple, prefabricated bathrooms to a growing market

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n 1989, Nils Lundholm was managing Sangishus, a house builder in Northern Sweden.

Faced with the challenge to build a timber-framed house in three weeks complete with tiled bathroom, Nils and his company were up against extreme time pressures to complete the project. Foreseeing a problem tiling against the wooden frame of the building, the company struck upon a solution to install steel cassettes pre-coated in plaster and lined by tiles – effectively creating a pre-furnished bathroom ready to go. The idea stuck and Nils began supplying the concept to hotel chains across Sweden.

Significantly it proved to be key to the organisation’s survival when the financial crisis hit the country’s economy in the 90s when the house building industry collapsed but bathrooms maintained a steady course. The company shut down its house production and transformed its existing facilities into a bathroom factory – Part was born.

Soon moving to its current

premises in Kalix, the company implemented a production process similar to that of a car manufacturer and its unique concept became widely known.

The next stage of success came quickly at the start of the 1990s with the commissioning to kit out all nine of the new hotel complexes for the 1994 Winter Olympic Games, which was taking place in Norway. Further inroads had been made in Norway through a close relationship with hotel investor, Arthur Buchardt.

Today Part employs around 200 people at its facility in Kalix, turning over 310 million SEK a year by providing 6000 high quality prefabricated bathrooms to the construction and real estate industries annually. Born out of innovation, the company continues to explore new product developments and bringing unique concepts to market remains its key focal point. Nils Hotell, in Kalix, stands as an example for this. A simple, wellpriced yet high quality hotel – this concept is designed around the

modern guest with all booking, checking in and paying carried out online. This is supplemented by two of the Part Group’s subsidiaries, PartIT who manages the hotel and Space, a joinery company that specialises in hotel fittings and solutions.

This dedication to development is something that has always and will continue to define Part as it moves forward. It looks carefully at its production lines, materials and processes to see where it can constantly improve and much of the ability to do this comes from the strength of its skilled and highly experienced staff. Many of the firm’s technicians have been with Part since the beginning and have become integral parts of its continued success, sharing the same desire to improve and innovate. Facilitating this, much of the profit generated by the business is reinvested into new robotic assembly lines, equipment and innovation.

Part brings to market a simple and economically positive product that matches, or even exceeds, the quality and finish of a traditionally built bathroom.

High quality clearly sits at the top of the agenda, but its ability to adapt to the varying needs and space requirements of different sites from hotels and nursing homes to residential properties really sets the company apart in the market. With this, the customer is able to order to their own specification, and experience shorter construction periods, more reliable production and ultimately a better construction economy, all delivered through a single contractor. Produced in a weather-protected environment, quality and lead times are not affected during the process, saving both time and money compared to a traditional project.

The prefabricated elements themselves come complete with all fixtures and fittings, carefully

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profile: Part

designed around the utilities already in place. This includes polyester-coated steel ceilings, all electricity, water and sewer lines, a water distribution box, aluminiumzinc coated coffered steel walls, and steel-framed concrete flooring, complete with mounted drain floor. Upon installation it is simply a case of connecting the product to the electricity and water supply.

As an illustration of Part’s unrivalled offering to the market, last year it completed its biggest ever contract for Skanska Healthcare AB, on the huge New Karolinska Solna construction project. The project will eventually be home to the new state-of-theart Karolinska University Hospital and Part is supplying over 500 wet rooms adapted for people with reduced mobility. “This is our biggest deal ever and it feels like a real challenge to take on New Karolinska Solna and to be part of this huge project,” comments CEO, Anton Lundholm. “As usual, we will build all the wet rooms in Kalix and then deliver them fully completed to Solna. With this contract, we have positioned ourselves as one of northern Europe’s leading suppliers of bathrooms.”

Accompanying Part’s construction processes is its attention to sustainability. The company uses type-approved products and components and is accredited by several ecolabels to ensure it maintains its course towards responsible manufacturing. The materials used in the frame, for instance, are constantly under a process of review, evaluation and approval

by Byggvarubedömningen, the Swedish construction industry’s system for environmental assessment of construction products. It also became the first manufacturer of prefabricated bathrooms that has achieved certification of a type-approved product, holding certification from

SINTEF and SP SITAC. Looking ahead, Part remains focused on providing the market with innovative solutions that adhere to its core focal points of quality, cost effectiveness and logistical ease. However, using the experience it has developed over the past 26 years it is now looking at new markets to move into, particularly in expanding its product range to include kitchens. Speaking on the company’s 25th anniversary last year, Anton summed up Part’s forward-focused vision: “The company has gradually acquired an ever stronger foothold in the market and this is, of course, a development that has pleased us greatly. We now produce prefabricated bathrooms for delivery primarily to customers in

Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

But we are not content with this and continue to be on the lookout for opportunities to expand, to find new and interesting markets for our products. I believe very strongly that we will succeed in doing so.

“I am excited about our company’s future and foresee a development from now that will mean we should be able to produce 10,000 modules annually within a five-year period. It will be a real challenge, but at Part we like challenges.”

Part AB www.partab.nu Services: Producer of prefabricated bathrooms

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profile: Express Glazing Contractors

A clear

view E merging in the late 1970s, Express Glazing Contractors (EGC) has grown to become one of the largest and most prominent glazing contractors in the country.

Over this time the company has been successful at retaining many of its management and staff. It’s a success that means that there now exists an extensive wealth of experience and knowledge in the business – perfectly suiting it to the high demands put upon it. With many of its operations taking place within the M25, but also serving regular clients across the country, EGC has become a leading contractor, often delivering its services under the most extraordinary circumstances.

“It is this continuity of staff, combined with their extensive knowledge and experience of our products and services that really sets us apart in the market,” explains Chairman, Paul Rogers.

“This large pool of knowledge has been obtained over many years of trading and delivering

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With unrivalled levels of service and experience behind it, Express Glazing Contractors continues to deliver to complex and demanding contracts across London and the rest of the UK through economic highs and lows, storms, civil disturbances, terrorist attacks, as well as providing services to blue-chip clients from the top of the highest buildings to underground facilities. This has continually allowed the team to provide a current, professional and rapid service installing glass, glazing and applied window film to such a diverse range of commercial clients.”

With operatives ready to be deployed 24/7 throughout the year, EGC is able to respond to any demand whenever required.

Notably, its services were called upon during the August 2011 London riots in order to board-up glazing for protection as well as to replace glass from violencestruck areas. The company’s emergency response was carried out in parallel to normal operations, and was delivered to a range of properties from retail units to government buildings.

Accompanying this flexible, ‘express’ service, EGC also has a range of competencies including associated traffic management

works, the ability to work in high level, sensitive and secure locations with specialist access equipment and abseilers, and glaziers qualified to work both ‘airside’ and ‘trackside’.

Over its long history, EGC has delivered to a range of high profile clients and projects including hotels like the Savoy and Connaught, government and embassy buildings, including the Houses of Parliament, retail units, transport hubs and a full variety of commercial and industrial facilities. Recent contracts that perfectly demonstrate the depth of capabilities that exist in the business include the replacement of 2800mm by 1500mm, insulated double-glazed units as part of the atrium roof of the Department of Health building in London.

Following bird damage, the company was called to make-safe, survey, manufacture, supply and reglaze the 200kg panes, 120 feet above the ground.

In February this year the firm also completed an emergency job for one of its facility management

clients in Hatton Garden, London, to make safe a double-glazed unit. The job required the replacement of a panel that was 2000mm by 3650mm large and weighed over 250 kg, which was made particularly challenging by difficult access. Under tight time restrictions, EGC had a new unit manufactured by its supplier Pilkington Glass, whilst it put in place out-of-hours road management systems, specialist access scaffold and lifting equipment to carry out the work successfully.

As well as its commercial and industrial offerings, EGC has also amassed significant experience within the rail industry. “We have worked with this industry both on main rail and underground sites since the 1980s,” says Paul.

Over recent years the company has completed high security glass installations and large-scale window replacements for clients such as A. Edmonds, Vinci, Proteq and H A Marks at a number of key mainline and underground stations around London. This year EGC responded to an emergency problem to repair and replace a large tempered unit at Waterloo International Station.

Highly experienced glaziers with the correct rail certifications successfully installed the unit under complex and limited access circumstances, which measured approximately 1500mm by 3900mm. In September, the company also completed a large job to reglaze over 100 obscure glass panes at Harrow on the Hill Tube.

Working in such extreme and demanding environments, it is no surprise that health and safety features heavily in EGC’s agenda. “This always has to be the highest priority for us,” Paul emphasises. “In the early days of trading there was very little safety glass, so the company had to be very conscious of the need for safety in all its handling and glazing activities. This culture has developed continuously in

line with modern advancements across all areas of the business as it interacts with clients and the wider public on a daily basis.

Training, accreditation audits and trade networking at the GGF (Glass and Glazing Federation) make sure that we are continually conscious of the needs and developments in health and safety, as well as best practice.”

As demand for its services grows, EGC is presently going through a programme of investment to secure its future with skilled tradesmen, despite a shortage in the industry, by actively participating with the GGF and supporting the foundation of GGF Training Ltd for flat glazing industry training.

This will be accommodated by a move in 2016 to new larger and

more modern premises, providing increased capacity for growth.

As glass becomes increasingly technically complex and used more extensively in construction, the future for EGC, with its years of experience, will be positive.

Paul notes that opportunities exist as competitors shy away from challenging inner-city logistics, and is confident that as long as its focus remains on delivering a quality service alongside superior health and safety consideration, EGC will continue to grow and develop with more new contracts and clients.

Express Glazing Contractors www.expressglazingcontractors.co.uk Services: One of the oldest and largest glazing companies in the UK

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J.G. Services Norwich Ltd offers a first class mobile service for repairs, servicing and a lot more, for all types of machinery including quick hitches etc. We travel all over East Anglia; we also offer a 24/7 anywhere any time to help keep your downtime to a minimum.

We are main dealers for Yanmar and Amman, and can supply new and used machinery.

Hydraulic Hoses Our mobile Hydraulic hose repair service is focused on repairing all types of pipes, valves, rams etc, from the very large to very small pipes, on any type of Machinery.

J.G. Services Norwich, Unit 29D Newton Street, Newton St Faiths, Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 3AD U.K Tel: 01603 891004 jgservicesnorwich.co.uk

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profile: Spencer Group

High

climbers Already well established as an engineering specialist with a number of high profile bridge projects under its belt, Spencer Group continues to deliver quality, world-class solutions to compliment its robust reputation

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s one of the UK’s biggest privately owned multidisciplinary engineering businesses, Spencer Group has established itself a robust reputation for providing innovative engineering solutions for the transport, infrastructure, energy and industrial sectors. With a history of repeat work and collaborative relationships, the group has become renowned for its open and honest policy as well as its ability to drive innovation and high-quality into any project. From this history comes a unique expertise and breadth of experience that means Spencer’s team of industry leaders can provide solutions to clients at any stage of the project life cycle,

always looking for the best and most cost effective way to carry out a job.

What really gives Spencer a competitive edge in the market is its wide-reaching, in-house design skill set, which covers civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, control, instrumentation and rail systems competence. This offering is particularly strengthened when the company is able to mobilise multiple disciplines in one project and over the last year alone the company has successfully demonstrated its world leading ability to deliver complex projects on two of the most prestigious suspension bridges in the world.

Earlier this year Spencer successfully completed a critical project to maintain the structural

integrity of the Humber Bridge, which was the longest of its kind when opened 34 years ago. The £4 million project, which was vital to the long-term safety of the bridge, was a highly complex challenge to replace the four A-frames that connect the main span of the bridge to the towers at either end. Alongside design partners, Arup, the team first installed temporary load-bearing arms before transferring the load to a permanent pendel and wind shoe system, which is designed to protect the new installation from challenging wind pressures.

Significantly, all work was carried out whilst the bridge remained fully operational and its successful completion helps further cement Spencer’s reputation for delivering complex high-level bridge works.

“The delivery of this project gives the Humber Bridge security in its support bearing systems for many years to come,” explains Nick Cooper, Technical Director at Spencer. “It also highlighted the multi-disciplinary expertise within the business, as it required the ability to integrate different disciplines, from hydraulics, to mechanics, to structure, while working in a very confined space.”

Contract Project Manager, Daniel Smith, added: “It’s been very much a team effort, with lots

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of ideas coming forward from within the Spencer team and Arup colleagues to address the many complex issues this project posed.

People within the team have come up with ways to work efficiently and cost-effectively to deliver the best possible results.”

The importance of this project on the Humber Bridge has been widely recognised throughout the industry. As such the programme was awarded the Smeaton Award for projects between £500,000 and £5m at the Institution of Civil Engineer’s annual Yorkshire and Humber awards. It was also short-listed for the highly coveted UK Prime Minister’s Better Public Building Award at the British Construction Industry Awards 2015.

Further illustrating Spencer’s unrivalled abilities when it comes to highly complex bridge works, in October 2015 the company successfully completed the world’s largest bridge cables anticorrosion project on Denmark’s East Bridge. Part of the giant Great Belt network, which links the east and west parts of the country, the Eastern Bridge is currently the third largest suspension bridge in the world with a span of 1.6km. The 18month, £8 million project required

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RBC Lubron Bearings RBC Lubron Bearings designed and manufactured custom LUBRON TF spherical plain bearings and supplied them to Spencer Group for installation in the Humber Bridge. The bearings are self-lubricating and maintenance free. They allow for rotation and misalignment of the main span replacement A-frame’s. The LUBRON TF material within each bearing is able to withstand an extremely high load whilst providing a low coefficient of friction that allows the bearings to move easily, minimising the forces induced into the structure. RBC Lubron Bearings also tested the bearings to ensure the enhanced performance and quality that will provide for extended design life.

Spencer to once again deploy its broad expertise to install 105,000 metres of protective wrap to six kilometres of cable, each 83cm wide in diameter.

To achieve the project, Spencer had to mobilise its own innovative and trademarked Cable Crawler gantry platforms, a traversing system that enables the negotiation of the cable infrastructure without returning the gantries to the bridge deck, therefore eliminating the need for lane closures after initial installation and the subsequent removal. As such, the entire project was successfully delivered with zero accidents and without disruption to the bridge’s 31,000 daily vehicle crossings.

“Every bridge project has its own unique set of challenges,” highlights Project Manager, Andy Macdonald. “However, this was a major step up and on a different scale from any of those we have previously undertaken. Throughout the project we worked very closely and collaboratively with the client, who was highly supportive and understanding of the complexities and challenges involved.

Ultimately, it was a brilliant team effort, which demonstrated

the technical capability within the Spencer business and our commitment to deliver a painstaking project to exceptional levels of quality.” Lars Fuhr Pederson, Technical Director for A/S Storebælt, the client for the project, commended Spencer’s competence saying: “We have enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Spencer because of their diligent and committed approach and the high standard of their work.”

The complexities and challenges posed by such high level and safety critical projects only serves to demonstrate the world-class expertise Spencer retains within its business. Crucially, successful and safe completion of both helps the company secure its position amongst some of the world’s leading and most specialist engineering groups. With these two projects, plus a range of other high-level bridge works, behind it the company is now actively pursuing further bridge maintenance projects in the UK and across Europe.

Spencer Group www.thespencergroup.co.uk Services: Leading engineering specialist

profile: Marshall Construction

that last F Relationships

With a long history of successful projects behind it, Marshall Construction has positioned itself at the front of the Scottish construction industry by paying close attention to both the diversity of its offering and commitment to its clients and partners

ounded in 1983, Marshall Construction has quickly developed into one of Scotland’s leading independent building contractors. With a diverse customer base and wide reaching service offering, the company delivers jobs ranging from just £50 right up to £20 million. With every key trade represented within its staff force, the experience and competence of Marshall, combined with its unique commitment to employment and apprenticeships, provides the company its core strength. As such, the contractor has amassed an impressive project portfolio over its history in the industrial, commercial, retail, healthcare, education, sport and residential sectors. In order to cope with such a diverse offering, the company is split into a number of separate divisions: contracts, general building, plant and fleet,

scaffolding and homes.

At the heart of Marshall is its desire to deliver client satisfaction and quality throughout all aspects of the construction process from general advice to hand over. Developing strong relationships with its clients is key to the company’s success, both in terms of understanding and delivering to the precise needs of a client and also its own growth aspirations. This has been realised recently with the awarding of the company’s biggest win to date.

In October 2015 and at a value of £17.8 million, Marshall was awarded the contract from Chivas Brothers Ltd to build 14 warehouses on its site in Willowyard, Beith – a site the company is familiar with having delivered work there for more than a decade. Due to be expedited over a period of 120 weeks, the construction programme has been uniquely

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As a major supplier of timber, sheet material and joinery to the construction industry for over twenty years.

Thornbridge Sawmills Ltd are pleased to be associated with

Marshall Construction and wish them every success for the future.

Branches throughout Scotland

Head Office: Thornbridge Sawmills Ltd, Thornbridge Yard, Laurieston Rd Grangemouth, FK3 8XX Tel: (01324) 612121 | Fax: (01324) 612100 Email: mail@thornbridgesawmills.co.uk www.thornbridgesawmills.co.uk

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profile: Marshall Construction Thornbridge Sawmills Ltd designed to suit the client’s needs.

“We demonstrated an impressive approach to the projects, as we had a clear ability to address the challenges of the current site, resulting in the best cost and programme outcomes,” explains Contracts Manager, Stephen Walker. “Above all, we are excited about continuing our relationship with Chivas Brothers and Charles Scott and Partners.”

Robert Marshall, Managing Director at Marshall goes on to add: “We are thrilled to have been given the opportunity to work at Willowyard again.

When we started talking to Charles Scott and Partners following our tender submission it was clear that they shared the same belief that partnership working is the way forward in selecting the best skills for the job – this is what differentiates us in the marketplace. Marshall Construction continues to deliver first class projects even when up against stiff competition and we are delighted that this is our largest contract win to date.”

Another significant moment in the company’s growth was reached in September with the signing of a National Framework Agreement with Whitbread plc, owners of Premier Inn across the UK and Ireland. Initially allocated three extension projects for Premier Inn properties in Cambuslang, Stepps and East Kilbride, the opportunity of the framework for Marshall is tremendous. “The sheer scale and volume of work required by this framework means that a dedicated contract management team has been formed to ensure that each project is delivered to the agreed standard and programme of the client.”

Whilst demonstrating the company’s flexibility to deliver large-scale programmes, the framework once again reflects Marshall’s strength of forming successful working relationships with its clients. As Business

Thornbridge Sawmills Ltd is an independent Scottish company, established over 23 years ago and has been supplying Marshall Construction throughout this time. With a seven acre site based in Grangemouth and eight Trade Centres situated throughout Scotland, the business has grown and developed to become a major player in the Scottish Timber industry.

It is a first hand importer of sawn softwood and panel products from all corners of the globe and its on-site facilities include a Sawmill and Timber Treatment Plant which allows the company to provide a comprehensive service to the construction industry.

Development Manager, Gareth Bland, explains: “We are very proud to have been selected as a trusted construction partner by Whitbread and look forward to furthering our relationship over the next few years. As a business we always strive to achieve consistency in the service delivery and administration of our contracts, across all our operating divisions and we are confident that Whitbread will be happy with our work ethic and finished product.”

In July 2015, Marshall commenced work on another project that aptly demonstrates its diverse competencies and commitment to local communities.

The Dens Road development in Dundee, for client Hillcrest Housing Association, is for 21 one and two bedroom affordable (social and mid-market rent) apartments in the Hilltown regeneration area, close to the city centre. The project is expected to take 12 months, and is not the first time Marshall has worked with the client, therefore illustrating the strong reputation for quality and service, on which the company prides itself. “This is an exciting

new housing scheme, with a well thought out mix of homes that will cater to a wide range of needs.

The new homes are a further demonstration of our commitment to building neighbourhoods and creating thriving, empowered communities,” says Robert.

The success and growth gained by Marshall throughout 2015 only serves to confirm the reputation that it has earned over its three-decade establishment within the Scottish market. Years of delivering to all sectors with high quality product and service have culminated in a successful year of significant contracts that represent not only the company’s growth but also the commitment to its core values. Looking ahead, forging more of these long-lasting relationships and integrating its brand into local communities will undoubtedly play a major role and as such the success of Marshall looks set to continue.

Marshall Construction www.marshallconstruction.co.uk Services: One of Scotland’s foremost independent building contractors 77

profile: Concrete Valley

A new

mould

Innovation and bespoke delivery define Concrete Valley to its core, and with its sights set on market expansion, its vision of becoming a centre of concrete excellence is on course to be realised

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ocated on the west coast of Holland at Bergen op Zoom and based in an 80,000 square metre concrete production plant, Concrete Valley is a collective of innovative and highly specialist companies serving niche concrete demands within the construction and civil engineering industry. The story of Concrete Valley begins in 2009 with lightweight ferrocement element manufacturer microbeton’s first major project. “This was a very large contract for the Ministry of Defence in Holland, to produce seven kilometres of lightweight concrete awnings for their barracks at Kromhout Kazerne,” explains CEO at Concrete Valley,

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Pieter Nap. “After the growth that followed microbeton had to look for a new location in order to be able to meet the new market demand. In this search we found the perfect location and after moving in during 2012, we named it Concrete Valley.”

The sheer scale of the site isn’t understated and with the property came a whole host of production equipment and infrastructure, including cranes and rail access.

Reminiscent of California’s Silicon Valley, the Concrete Valley site’s aim is to attract other companies and specialists to set up shop within the facility. What results is a symbiotic hub of innovative companies providing highly creative and bespoke solutions to a range of projects. “It is essentially

an old factory that was originally designed for high capacity concrete production with huge storage areas,” continues Pieter.

“However, we are more interested in making more bespoke solutions, so everything is made to individual specification and therefore we have a lot of unused facilities creating a space that lends itself to this kind of hub.”

The site now houses two additional subsidiaries alongside microbeton, Waco and mbX, both of which also occupy specialised niches within the concrete market.

“What really forms the core strength of Concrete Valley is our ability to find these niches,” says Pieter. “We’re not interested in doing high volume, high turnover, grey concrete projects, and this

makes us incredibly flexible. This site used to do around 30 million euros in turnover, and we are happy at present with five million euros per company but this could easily be doubled if necessary and this flexibility makes us competitive.”

Perfectly demonstrating the unique offering Concrete Valley delivers to the market is its subsidiary, mbX. Focusing on the most extreme possibilities of state-of-the-art concrete technology, mbX is able to produce completely original and complex façade and roofing panels from ultra high performance, fibre reinforced concrete materials. The production of this concrete requires far less raw material

and energy consumption than traditional concrete products, yet due to its fibre construction is able to demonstrate far superior bending and tensile strength with increased resistance to challenging environmental conditions.

“Our most significant contract for mbX has been the innovatively designed and award wining train station in Arnhem, which is destined to be a key European transport hub now it has been re-opened,” highlights Pieter. “This was designed by UN Studio and the order was for 1500 panels, none of which were the same. We designed an innovative flexible modular mould that meant we could make a new mould every ten minutes and produce the

panels in an efficient and costeffective way. I think the reason we won the project was because of how we looked carefully at the processes and simplified the way they could be manufactured.

Traditional methods of producing individual moulds for each panel would have been far too costly and time consuming.” Continued success for mbX has been realised by a new project at Farringdon Station in London to produce wall and ceiling panels for 6500 square metres of surfaces.

The two other subsidiaries, microbeton and Waco, are also keenly focused on delivering to highly specialised projects in niche markets. microbeton specialises in lightweight, hollow concrete elements perfect for

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profile: Concrete Valley

retrofit balconies and awnings, which are 70 per cent lighter than normal concrete and have a very high surface finish. These are in high demand in Holland’s present construction trend of refurbishing old office blocks into living spaces. The company uses

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a patented installation system, which allows invisible mounting of the elements by sliding them onto steel profiles mounted on the façade during construction or onto consoles mounted against the out cavity wall skin. Its project to fit canopies to Kromhout

Kazerne was completed whilst keeping the building’s structure watertight via this method and it has also been applied to various other projects including hospital developments.

Other popular products developed by microbeton include raising systems, which are targeted to improve access for care homes, stairways, façade elements and tailor-made outdoor concept furniture. Recently microbeton has completed a stairway project for the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, a window frame and rooftop terrace project of VU Medisch Centrum in Amsterdam and the modernisation of three buildings in Veenendaal with balconies for the 240 apartments.

Waco, on the other hand,

is focused on producing heavyweight, precast fabricated elements in excess of 50 tonnes.

“We are currently seeing a lot of activity in the offshore petrochemical industry with Waco,” elaborates Pieter. “One particular project is in the wind power generation area where we created some turbine transition pieces for Siemens. Winning this contract was a big positive for us because this kind of solution is usually manufactured from steel.

However, because of various specification and access issues, the client wanted to investigate the tolerance and maintenance characteristics of a concrete option. As a result, we produced these three large elements here on site. They were too big to be transported via road, so we had them placed onto two pontoons at our waterside facility and taken out to be installed at sea.” Other key specialist products for Waco include bridges, tunnels, culverts, garages and innovative buildings.

The future for Concrete Valley and its subsidiary companies can be split into two separate streams. “The first is to continue what we have been doing successfully, whilst making the most of potential opportunities in the UK and Belgium. We have a good looking pipeline full of nice projects at present, and establishing ourselves further in London with more exposure and references will be key to us finding growth in a market, which isn’t actually that far away from us,” says Pieter. In order to achieve this continued growth trajectory within such niche markets, the company has in place a flexible strategy, whereby focused investments are made in line with project needs. With existing infrastructure already in place, such as rail access, cranes and other lifting equipment, this individual project-specific programme is proving effective in winning such specialist contracts.

he continues. “The idea of the site is to grow by adding more innovative and flexible companies to the group. There are lots of office spaces in cities where creative companies gather to network and share ideas and we think it is important to offer the same platform to the technical industry, especially to innovative start-ups that can make use of the extensive facilities and infrastructure already here.”

For instance, mbX invested heavily into the new moulding equipment and a new mixing plant for the unique concrete materials, in order to successfully complete the Arnhem Station contract.

“We also want to attract more people to Concrete Valley,”

Concrete Valley www.concretevalley.nl www.microbeton.nl www.waco.nl www.mbx.nl Services: A group of highly specialist concrete manufacturers

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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

www.ccemagazine.com