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In unprecedented times, RTU continued manufacturing for a significant Belfast project - the Lagan Gateway The Lagan Gateway forms a critical element of the long-term regeneration of the Lagan and aims to open the navigation from Belfast to Lisburn, then to Lough Neagh. The scheme will revitalise the River Lagan, provide beautiful public spaces and provide a long-term legacy for generations. The supply of RTU Ready Mixed Concrete and Exposa® Decorative Concrete to the £5.2 million Lagan Gateway is a unique case study, remarkable in its economic and societal benefits and the completion of phase one during the Covid-19 Pandemic. This project exemplifies green infrastructure that ensures public green spaces are easily accessible and biodiversity is maintained and protected. RTU Concrete was used in the structural improvements and development work of a navigation lock, an iconic foot and a cycle bridge. Exposa® Decorative Concrete was used for the highquality landscaping and new path connections as part of an outdoor experience that is safe and durable and achieves a stunning aesthetic in keeping with the natural richness of the river and its surroundings. These features are crucial in the long-term regeneration of the Lagan Navigation and the vision
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of its funders. Civil Engineering specialist, Charles Brand, led the overall project on behalf of Belfast City Council, which invested 50% through the Belfast Investment Fund. Other partners were Ulster Garden Villages (£1m investment), Department for Communities, Department for Infrastructure, DfI Rivers and the Lagan Navigation Trust. Work was underway at the Lagan Gateway when the first lockdown was announced in March 2020. Due to the critical stage of the project, it was commercially and environmentally essential for work to continue while adhering to Government guidelines. RTU immediately started communicating
with the broader project team working together to safeguard everyone involved and developing solutions to mitigate disruption during these unprecedented times.
Covid-19 is unique in its global impact, altering the economic landscape and creating unpredictable market environments. It was essential to minimise disruption from the COVID19 pandemic despite major upheavals and severe implications for production networks and the supply chains that underpin operations. As a modern and progressive organisation, RTU’s ‘business as usual’ policies, in place to manage the challenges of unforeseen events, were called into action. Frontline manufacturing staff can’t
MPANI 2022 | 2023
