Plant & Civil Engineer Dec 22-Jan 23

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Plant & Civil Engineer is the journal for plant, quarrying, municipal and civil engineering management. It is circulated on a controlled basis to managers in the following industries; access equipment, agricultural contracting, building, civil engineering and highways contractors, civil engineering practices, commercial vehicle distributors, concrete production, municipal and government authorities, plant dealers and operators, plant hire companies, plant manufacturers, quarrying, scrap processors, spare parts suppliers and Recycling. For those outside the terms of control, Plant & Civil Engineer is available this year at £30 per annum subscription.

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Welcome to the last issue of Plant & Civil Engineer for 2022, bringing you all the very latest news from the industry, including a comprehensive report on all the winners at our recent Construction, Quarrying & Recycling Awards, and what a night it turned out to be! Thank you all for your terrific support – and if you weren’t among the winners this time, there’s always 2023.

As we look forward to the New Year ahead, there are still some challenges to meet. While business seems to be steady at the moment, there are concerns for 2023. As you will read in Gordon Best’s regular pages, the ongoing difficulties recruiting suitable staff look likely to continue into 2023, with firms still held back by skills shortages – and the continued lack of an Assembly and NI Executive is frustrating many simply wanting to get on with business.

On another subject, we all know that when it comes to industries that encounter hazards day to day, construction comes out on top. Research from HSE found that a quarter of the fatal injuries to workers in the UK occurred in the construction industry across 2021/22. This shows that there’s still work the UK must do to improve safety for construction workers, which brings us to Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority’s Annual Review of Workplace Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities. While a 30% reduction in workrelated fatalities in 2021 is to be welcomed, the fact remains that 38 people lost their lives last year in work-related incidents. This is compared to 54 in 2020 and represents the lowest figure recorded since the Authority was established over 30 years ago. In other news, we look back at the recent Bauma exhibition in Germany. A total of around 3,200 exhibitors from 60 countries and more than 495,000 visitors from over 200 countries came to Munich, exceeding all expectations, and we have a number of reports on the latest product launches, as well as all our regular features. Well, that’s it for now, but in the meantime, you can keep up to date with all the industry news 24/7 by logging on to our website at www.plantandcivilengineer. com Of course, you should also be getting our weekly newsletter which is emailed out every Tuesday; if not, do subscribe on

DONAL RICE MANAGING DIRECTOR, RK TRUCKS

Tributes have been pouring in after the passing of one of the industry’s best known, long established and loved stalwarts, Donal Rice, Managing Director of RK Trucks. He was 74.

Donal was instrumental in establishing RK Trucks more than 40 years ago and when he took on the MAN franchise in 1993, he raised the leading manufacturer’s profile in Northern Ireland from 12 truck registrations a year to well over 100, opening depots in Carryduff and Dungannon.

As a young boy Donal helped his father on the farm after school, but he soon realised farming wasn’t for him. His career in business began at the age of 14 when smart phones, laptops and tablets were the things of science fiction; his first job was as a messenger boy on a bicycle. He later served his time as a mechanic, before progressing into sales, reaching manager level and in due time went out on his own, taking on franchises from several leading truck manufacturers making a success of everything he got involved in. There was never a weekend that he wasn’t out on the family farm fixing fences, chopping wood or repairing one of the many tractors, some of which were his own fathers and others he acquired over the years. Restoring those vintage tractors was one of the loves of his life outside of family and work.

In recent years he should have been taking it easy and handing the reins over to his daughters Claire and Nicola while he was able, but he just couldn’t retire. Rarely had he a day off from work – always first into the office in the morning and last one out at night. Like many of us, his past was not without its trials and challenges. Tragedy struck the family in March 2018 when his beloved son Donal Barry Rice succumbed to oesophageal cancer at the age of 47 – a sad loss to the family circle and to the motor industry,having played a significant role in support of his father, in developing the two MAN truck dealerships.

In 2018 Donal’s dedication didn’t go unnoticed and his contribution to the transport and logistics industry was deservedly awarded by Export and Freight, receiving the Transport Personality of the Year.

Donal was also a very well regarded member of the local community offering support and sponsorship to many local events and initiatives. For many years until recently he was trustee of Drumaness

Club after playing for the club as a child and young adult. Away from work Donal loved spending time with his family and especially enjoyed spoiling his grandchildren - on one recent occasion, taking them all on the holiday of a lifetime to Florida making some unforgettable memories that they will never forget.

Donal, who is survived by his partner for more than 30 years, Iris, and daughters Nicola and

Claire, leaves behind a legacy of kindness and generosity; the tributes that have flowed in from friends and work colleagues are a huge testimony to the high esteem in which he was held. His funeral from his late home in Ballynahinch took place on Sunday 20th November to Christ the King Church in Drumaness for Requiem Mass before burial at Holy Family Cemetery, Teconnaught.

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Hutchinson Engineering creates 39 jobs as part of strategic £2.2m investment

Kilrea based Hutchinson Engineering, which specialises in sub-contract engineering and metal fabrication for a range of sectors including transport, materials handling and construction, is creating 39 jobs as part of a £2.2million investment to grow the business in a number of international markets.

Established in 1971 by the late Creighton Hutchinson, the business is now led by his sons, Mark and Richard.

CEO Mark Hutchinson said: “Our growth plans to date have focused on investing in new technologies to drive our business forward through innovation.

“We purchased cutting-edge technology such as Flatbed Fibre Lasers with support from Invest Northern Ireland’s COVID-19 Productive Investment Capital Grant. We’re already seeing significant time and energy savings, creating a more sustainable working model. With this in place, we’re now in the position to further expand our operations across the coach building, agriculture, and recycling sectors.

“Creating 39 jobs to increase our capacity will ensure that we can maximise opportunities in the marketplace, such as in Republic of Ireland and Great Britain, and can take full advantage of the efficiencies of our new technologies.

Our new expanded team will play a large part in driving our innovation so that we can continue our development of a world-class Industry 4.0 manufacturing environment.”

Job opportunities include sales, production, fabrication and welder roles at all levels, including apprenticeships. Recruitment is underway with nine roles in place.

George McKinney, Director of Technology, Services & Scaling, Invest NI, said: “Following

Hutchinson Engineering’s participation on our Leader Programme, our Scaling team has been working closely with the company to support its growth trajectory.

“Our support so far has given the company the ability and confidence to invest in further business growth, and I’m pleased to see it continuing to scale at pace.

“Increasing innovation to deliver high value jobs in the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector is a key part of The Department for the Economy’s 10X Economic Vision, to position Northern Ireland amongst the most competitive small advanced economies in the world.

“Hutchinson Engineering’s growth project will continue to enhance and improve its productivity and competitiveness, helping the business to go grow in its new key markets and increase global sales. Once in place, the jobs will contribute over £1million additional annual salaries to the economy - great news for the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area.”

In recognition of Hutchinson Engineering’s commitment to innovation, it has been awarded a Platinum Level Innovator Certificate from Innovate NI.

Site-seeing construction students from South West College

A

One of these students is Aaron Harkness from Cookstown.

Aaron shares his thoughts on achieving his own CSR card.

“It was interesting to go out to a large site and see how a building is constructed and it’s really beneficial to get a CSR card as part of our course. It will be very useful in the future when I get into work in the construction sector.”

CSR is an industry recognised health and safety standard and is a mandatory requirement for construction workers on sites across the UK and Ireland. The students put their CSR cards to good use and spent the day on an interesting site visit to a

live construction site at Little Victoria Street in Belfast.

The city-centre project involves the construction of a 15-storey purpose-built student accommodation scheme delivering 271 selfcontained studio apartments with extensive breakout, social and study areas throughout the building.

The educational visit focused on teamwork, resilience, management, technology, health and safety, sustainability and

was facilitated by leading Design & Build Contractor McAleer & Rushe and guided by a past student of South West CollegeSenior Engineer, Kevin Hughes. Kevin’s career was kicked off thanks to his choice of study at SWC. ‘I studied the BTEC Level 3 Construction course at SWC Dungannon, which helped me immensely in my chosen career in construction.’

Vanessa O’Keeffe, Head of School for the Natural and Built

Environment at SWC, explained the benefits of studying at the college and the strong links with industry. “South West College is uniquely placed with its extensive list of Industrial contacts. Site Visits and guest speakers take place regularly and help embed knowledge, skills and behaviours taught in the classroom.”

SWC students have the option to Study full time BTEC Extended Diploma in Construction or Civil Engineering (equivalent to 3 A levels) or Study a parttime Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering employed at a local Civil Engineering company and attend SWC one day per week (equivalent to 2 A levels) These are just a few of the many options to get on a career path towards the vibrant construction sector with options from level 3 up to level 6 courses available. Visit www. swc.ac.uk and use the course search feature with the word ‘construction’ to get started.

(L-R) Mark Hutchinson, CEO of Hutchinson Engineering and George McKinney, Invest NI Director of Technology, Services & Scaling.

group of Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment and Civil Engineering students from South West College recently received their Construction Skills Register cards as part of their qualification.

NI Water Completes £5m Improvement Scheme at River Faughan Station

NI Water has completed a £5million Improvement Scheme at the River Faughan Water Pumping Station (WPS) in Campsie.

GRAHAM was the main contractor for this project, delivering the project scope, including all permanent and temporary works associated with the detailed design, construction, installation and commissioning of the remedial works at the pumping station. Capita Real Estate& Infrastructure provided technical and project management support for the project.

The project involved the upgrade of the existing pumping station by replacing ageing assets to ensure a reliable water supply to Carmoney Water Treatment Works, including the replacement of the station’s weir gates to provide extra security and resilience.

Martin Gillen,Head of Water Capital Delivery at NI Water said: “I would like to thank the wider NI Water project team including GRAHAM and Capita Real Estate& Infrastructure, who have successfully delivered this essential improvement project, whilst working closely with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure the scheme was delivered on schedule.”

TRAILERTEK SET FOR FURTHER GROWTH IN 2023

Trailertek have grown from strength to strength in 2022 with ambitious plans to develop further in 2023.

Managing Director Clive Latimer comments: “We have had an exceptionally busy year developing our business. We have focussed heavily on our trailer servicing department

and have seen phenomenal growth in this field.

“As a result of this demand for parts and accessories has increased rapidly and to build on this we have invested in a new website with an online shop stocked with trailer parts and accessories. We have also developed our retail outlet in Lurgan and have

seen a significant increase in footfall here also.”

He adds: “I am also pleased to announce we have recently become FCA accredited and are partnering with Northridge Finance to offer funding options on new and used trailers, this is a significant development for our business.”

The current range of commercial trailers in the Brian James Trailers line-up includes The Digger Plant for heavy duty machinery, General Plant which is a highly configurable general purpose trailer, Tipper 2, a sturdy configurable tipper trailer and the recently revised Connect which is a highly configurable flatbed trailer available in 8 lengths and 5 widths.

Trailertek also offers trailer rental with a fleet of Brian James trailers available to hire for short or long term to keep your business on the move.

Pictured here (Front row) are Deputy Mayor of Derry City & Strabane District Council Councillor Angela Dobbins and Martin Gillen NI Water. (Back row, L-R) are Gary McFadden NI Water, Rosie Griffin Capita, Ricky Van der Putt NI Water, Damien McKevitt, Gerald Skelton (both NI Water), Martin Boyd GRAHAM, Shaun Kelly NI Water and Damien Sweeney – SES MEICA Manager.

Lurgan trailer experts

Contractor Purchases First JCB

245XR in Northern Ireland

A leading contractor has purchased the first JCB 245XR tracked excavator in Northern Ireland.

Ballynahinch-based Ryan Rogan Contracts Ltd was so impressed by a demonstration machine that it purchased a brand new 245XR tracked excavator and is delighted with how it is performing.

Supplied by dealer Dennison JCB, the JCB 245XR will be used by Ryan Rogan Contract Ltd’s customers on a range of water mains and sewage works projects across Northern Ireland.

Ryan Rogan Contracts Ltd

Owner Ryan Rogan said: “We were looking about for a new excavator, after previously having had a JCB 140X. We usually use a competitor brand but we’re always happy to take a chance on a different manufacturer for the right machine.

CARROLL

“We read about the JCB 245XR and thought it was a nice-looking digger. We had a successful demonstration and took the decision to buy. The machine is good value for money and we are impressed with what it can do.

“We offer self-drive hire so value for money is important to us when putting a machine out for hire. Our customers do

a lot of work with water mains and sewage works so the zero tailswing and flexibility of the machine is very helpful for their type of work. The machine is performing well and doing what our customers need it to do so we’re very happy.”

The JCB 245XR tracked excavators are powered by a highly efficient EU Stage V compliant JCB

Dieselmax 448 diesel engine, delivering 129kW (173hp). The 4.8-litre engine uses a Selective Catalytic Reduction Filter (SCR-F) that comprises a combined SCR, Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) with a large ash holding capacity. The new machine features full size, one-metre wide cab, which is the largest in the sector. It delivers exceptional stability for maximum lifting capacity while quality hydraulic components deliver smooth, precise operation. Easy access to all service and maintenance points also boost uptime.

Founded in 2002, Ryan Rogan Contracts Ltd offers contracting work and plant hire from its base in Ballynahinch. The company specialises in water mains projects with contracts spanning across County Down, County Antrim and County Armagh.

PLANT & CIVIL

Comfort & Performance See David Boylan Turn to Volvo Trucks

Owner operator David Boylan has taken delivery of a flagship Volvo FH 540 Globetrotter 6x4 tractor unit, specified to combine the highest levels of driver safety and comfort while improving operational efficiency.

Supplied by Jim Bergin, New Truck Sales Executive at Irish Commercials, the new FH boasts a striking silver and blue livery and will operate with a Schmitz Cargobull tri-axle tipping trailer delivering sand, pebbles and crushed stone while also offering site clearance services.

“Getting the best bang for your buck is vital in today’s climate, so when it came to ordering a new truck, Volvo was the number one choice,” says Boylan. “The FH is already putting in strong performances day-to-day and the fuel economy gains we’ve seen versus the older truck it replaced have certainly helped our bottom line; I couldn’t be happier.”

Boylan left no stone unturned in refining his new truck’s specification, selecting numerous Volvo option packages to create a supremely comfortable working environment with a build fine-tuned for safety and driveability.

Features

This sees the FH’s spacious Globetrotter cab benefit from Volvo’s top-tier Drive++ package, which includes desirable extras

such as an electrically operated interior sun visor, extended leather upholstery and fully electronic air-conditioning with an air quality sensor and carbon filter.

The addition of twin armrests on both the driver and passenger seats, together with the Media package with navigation, ensures a premium onboard experience.

Power is provided by Volvo’s D13K 540 hp Euro-6 Step E engine, capable of producing a maximum 2,600 Nm of torque, which is driven through an intelligent 12-speed automated I-Shift gearbox. This constantly

evaluates information such as speed, weight, road grade and torque demand to perfectly time every shift, which in turn helps to deliver improved driveability and efficiency without compromising vehicle performance. Other features include the Volvo Engine Brake, which boosts safety and reduces brake wear, together with both reverse and passenger side cameras. Volvo’s Visibility+ pack completes the build, adding distinctive V-shaped LED headlights, which automatically adapt to ambient light conditions, rain sensing windscreen wipers and electrically heated rear view mirrors.

“The environments the truck is expected to perform in can be very difficult to navigate safely so ensuring maximum visibility was a top priority when it came to settling on a final specification,” adds Boylan.

“The Globetrotter cab was a must-have for that very reason. It’s spacious, and affords the driver great visibility, which helps take a huge weight off their shoulders, while the additional intelligent safety technology on board adds another vital layer of protection.”

Operating from Blessington in County Wicklow since 1994, David Boylan expects his new acquisition to cover 120,000 kilometres annually working to a six-day schedule across the Leinster area.

TRIAGG CHARGES AHEAD WITH ALL-ELECTRIC eVITO FROM MBNI TRUCK & VAN

Asphalt surfacing and groundwork construction specialist TriAgg has joined the race towards electrified transport by commissioning its first battery-powered Mercedes-Benz eVito from MBNI Truck & Van.

The eVito has joined a fleet of 20 MercedesBenz vans – comprising Citan, Vito and Sprinter models – the vast majority of which were delivered by the same dealer in the last couple of years. Although TriAgg is based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Managing Director Dave Dawe sees nothing unusual about choosing to source his vehicles from the official MercedesBenz agent for Northern Ireland.

“I bought my first van from MBNI shortly after we set up the business in 2020, and have stuck with them ever since,” he said.

“Initially I contacted the dealer because I’d seen an online advertisement for a vehicle for sale from stock, which was exactly what I was looking for. Sales Executive Chris Boyd was extremely helpful throughout the purchase process – he was always available and happy to talk whenever I called.

“He stayed in touch even after the van was delivered so as soon as I was ready to order our second vehicle, I knew there was no need to look any further. Chris and the MBNI team have continued to look after us courteously and efficiently ever since. When you find someone who’s willing to go the extra mile you stick with them, which is exactly what we’ve done. “So, when we decided to invest in our first electric vehicle, I knew I could trust Chris to give me all the right advice and would not have considered going anywhere else.

In fact, I’ve since recommended MBNI to a friend who has since taken delivery of

his own new vans and is delighted to be enjoying the same excellent service.”

TriAgg has remained loyal to MercedesBenz vans too, thanks to Dave Dawe’s experience of running a vehicle fleet as Managing Director of a national surfacing company before launching the new business venture with partners Andrew Maidment, David Foster and Thomas Bell.

“I was responsible for more than 40 vans, and the experience taught me that MercedesBenz vehicles are the safest and most reliable on the market,” he recalled. “The Sprinter and Vito models for which I was responsible never gave me any problems. It was also remarkable that despite several vans being involved in road accidents, their occupants invariably escaped with only the most minor injuries. When I started building my own fleet, therefore, I was only ever going to choose vans with a three-pointed star on the front.”

RACE TRACK DUTIES

The new eVito arrived at TriAgg just in time to take on a new and prestigious job as its first assignment – the van was on duty at the recent UK round of the FIA Formula E World Championship for electric racing cars, held at London’s ExCel centre. TriAgg was contracted to install the temporary surfaces, crash barriers and debris fencing for the race circuit, and the eVito was on call across the race meeting to deal with any emergency track repairs.

“It’s a crucial role but repairs are only required in the event of an accident or other problem, so the eVito’s services were not required.

We thought it only right, though, to use an electric vehicle for such a high-profile showcase of battery power,” said Dave.

“Now, though, we’re looking forward to gaining a deeper understanding of how an electric van will fit into our day-to-day work patterns – and the signs are extremely promising. It’s shown it can cover 160 miles before needing a recharge and is very smooth, quiet and comfortable to drive. In all other practical aspects it’s just like any other Mercedes-Benz Vito, which from me is high praise indeed, but with zero tailpipe emissions. Engineer Michael Elgar, who drives the eVito, is highly impressed already.”

TriAgg provides a range of asphalt and resin surfacing and line marking services, as well as related civil engineering and surveying, for commercial and private clients across the country. Most of its work is in the South-East of England but teams have been despatched as far afield as Cornwall, Scotland and Wales. Increasingly, its contracts include laying and marking dedicated parking bays for electric vehicle charging points.

The battery-powered Mercedes-Benz eVito has sliding load doors on both sides as well as rear doors that provide access, in the case of TriAgg’s L2 variant, to up to 6.0m3 of cargo area. The 66 kWh battery is securely mounted in a protective housing beneath the floor, so does not impinge on the available space. The vehicle offers an average range on a single charge of up to 162 miles (WLTP combined), with rapid charging up to 80% power in as little as 35 minutes (subject to power available and factors including temperature and cable type used).

Like all Mercedes-Benz vans, the eVito comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty and MobiloVan, which provides free emergency roadside assistance, including ‘out of charge’ cover. The battery is guaranteed for eight years/160,000 km.

Carved by a lifetime of hard work, Rokbak articulated haulers are built to perform. Day after day. Decade after decade. From the heat of the desert to the cold of the arctic, you can rely on Rokbak. rokbak.com

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THE STORY BEHIND THE ROKBAK REBRANDING

Ever wondered what goes into launching a new brand? Jacqueline Reid, who led the team behind the award-winning Rokbak rebranding project, reflects on a successful first year and tells all about the renaming process – from how it came about to why it was needed. It’s been just over a year since the strong, modern Rokbak brand entered the market – but it was about three years earlier that the team started working on the project.

“In 2018, we did market research with current and previous customers, in markets where we were doing well and in those where we weren’t so successful,” says Jacqueline Reid, Global Director of Marketing Communications & Product Management. “We discovered that some legacy issues had left a few unpleasant memories with customers. They no longer thought of Terex Trucks as a brand for today, so it was clear we had to do something.”

Jumping forward to the AED show in January 2022 –just over four months after the launch – and everything had changed. “That was a real highlight for us,” says Jacqueline. “Dealers were approaching us excitedly to represent Rokbak. For them to come to us and be so positive was a massive endorsement.”

Existing dealers had expressed similar sentiments right from the September 2021 brand launch, which produced lots of positive coverage in both the construction press and on social media. Pride and engagement rocketed back home in Motherwell, Scotland, too. “I think legacy problems had left some of our team feeling a bit flat,” explains Jacqueline. “One of the sales team hadn’t been 100% convinced on the rebrand but, after we launched, he could barely contain his excitement about all the emails and calls he was getting. He said, ‘I feel so proud standing behind the product!’ –that was amazing for me to hear. Another highlight

was the positive feedback we received from dealers, customers, visitors and other manufacturers at Hillhead– everyone was saying that our haulers were the bestlooking pieces of equipment on site!”

HUGE INVESTMENT

Of course, it takes much more than a new look to achieve this level of success. The rebrand followed huge investments and technological improvements after Volvo Construction Equipment’s (Volvo CE’s) acquisition in 2014. In fact, reviving a Volvo Group legacy brand, or joining another brand’s portfolio, was an initial consideration when it came to renaming the company. But ultimately it was decided to use a new name, with something that would reflect the legacy of both companies being the initial angle. “We thought about our heritage, Volvo’s core values and reflecting what we stand for,” continues Jacqueline. “We came up with 250 potential names, many from Scottish Gaelic and Scandinavian sources to

new brand

reflect our roots. We narrowed that down to 52 words, and then got a historian involved to provide more detail on each word before it came down to 12 and then the final five.

“We put an image board behind each name to see how we could make them work – for instance, SKOT, reflecting both the Scottish and Scandinavian elements, was all about black stallions. But there’s a company with a similar name, so we decided against it. Then there was STARK, like in the Iron Man films – that would have changed perceptions, but wouldn’t be ideal for search engine optimisation (SEO) purposes and, as an English word, it obviously has a meaning behind it.”

One of the other final options had no such disadvantages – ‘Rokbak’ came entirely free of legal baggage and was a completely clean slate in terms of SEO too. Workshopped alongside images of strength and true grit, such as rocks and strong backbone, the brand’s direction soon became clear for all to see.

“I was passionate about the name Rokbak – it was a strong, rugged word that represented our company,” says Jacqueline. “I could

imagine how it would look and feel and what the merchandise would look like.”

UNIQUE COLOUR

Finding a new colour scheme to reflect the new brand was another challenge. Many people appreciated the Terex Trucks white paintwork for its uniqueness in a sea of yellow and orange competition. The team were keen to maintain this differentiation by avoiding some of the industry standard colour palettes, originally looking at variations of greens, oranges and blues, before the Sand suggestion gained traction.

“We worked with Volvo’s product design team to come up with the Sand-colour,” says Jacqueline. “The first time I saw it on the iron I was blown away – it really came to life. It’s not a huge jump from white, but it’s distinctive, clean and modern, with great gloss levels.”

There was also a lot of administration work required for the rebrand. “We had to be mindful of legal requirements from IP to contracts, and carefully align timings – much of this was done while working from home due to Covid lockdowns,” continues Jacqueline.

Inevitably, the pandemic impacted the launch event too, which had to be held online.

“With the launch being digital, I was worried people might not tune in,” admits Jacqueline. Those fears proved groundless, of course, with 600 invited guests in 22 countries watching the launch and feedback throughout the past 12 months providing more than enough proof that the years of research and testing were well worth the effort.

“People recognised we’d needed to embrace a strong, modern brand to reflect everything that had changed over the previous seven years, but our heritage is a massive element that we mustn’t lose,” concludes Jacqueline. “There’s a long line of experience within the team, and that reflects the huge amount of passion and pride that was at the heart of this. I am exceptionally proud of what we’ve achieved together.”

The rebranding team’s hard work was officially recognised by those outside of the construction equipment industry throughout the year. First came the CeeD Industry Awards in February, then the company took home five Marketing Society Star Awards – which included Jacqueline being named Inspirational Marketing Leader of the Year.

PATRICK O’CONNOR

BREEDON IRELAND

The quarry industry in Northern Ireland has lost one of its stalwarts. Patrick O’Connor died suddenly at home at Lurganare Cross near Newry; he was manager at Breedon Ireland’s Ballystockart Quarry outside Newtownards.

The high esteem in which he was held was not only demonstrated at his funeral mass, but also at the recent Plant & Civil Engineer annual awards when he was presented with a ‘Special Recognition’ award for his long service to the industry.

Having spent some time working in England, Patrick, who was Chairman of The Institute of Quarrying NI Branch, returned to Northern Ireland after getting married and worked Monday to Friday as an HGV driver for the T.H.Moore quarry, owned by Gibson Bros, in Newtownhamilton. His love of the job was well illustrated when he would spend his Saturdays at the quarry, armed with a long tailed shovel to clean away excess material which had accumulated under the conveyor belts at the quarry. When Gibson Bros sought to recruit a new quarry foreman, Pat put his name forward and he was successful, and so began his ‘career’ in the quarry sector. Not long afterwards, he was promoted to quarry manager in charge of production. He subsequently became manager at Breedon Ireland’s Ballystockart Quarry, located near Newtownards in County Down where his responsibilities were varied and ranged from production and quality control to health & safety and biodiversity; it was a job he loved.

Breedon Ireland says when Pat joined the team at Ballystockart Quarry in 2017, operating then under the name Whitemountain Quarries, he immediately made an impact and developed firm friendships. “Not only did Pat strive to bring improvements to our business he also reached outside our business with involvement in the local community and in the Institute of Quarrying.

“It was a great sense of pride to us all when Pat was elected Chairman of the institute this year. We know that Pat gained great satisfaction in the significant amounts of money raised for local charities through Institute events. Pat’s involvement in any activity or project was always marked with an energy and good humour that was unique to him and made him a pleasure to work with.

“Pat will be sorely missed by all at Breedon and by his many friends throughout the Quarry sector. We extend our deepest sympathy to his wife Ann and the entire family circle.”

Pat, who spent more than 20 years in the industry, was a great believer and motivator in allowing his operatives to reach out and expand their skills and career prospects. To be a good quarry manager, he once told us, you have to listen to other people’s suggestions and ideas, working with them closely on a daily basis, following through on any good ideas, to the benefit of the business – and that’s what he always strived to do. Always keen to promote the industry at every opportunity, he regularly invited visitors to enjoy a guided tour around the quarry, especially local school children who had the opportunity to learn about sustainability initiatives undertaken by him and his team

at the Ballystockart Quarry. He also took a keen interest in biodiversity and sustainability at the quarry, overseeing the planting of trees, shrubs and flowers, as well as the installation of a number of beehives.

He regarded his appointment earlier in 2022 as Chairman of the NI Branch of the Institute of Quarrying, succeeding ConExpo’s John Moore, as one of the highlights of his career. It was, he said, a real privilege that he never thought he would ever achieve.

Pat, who is survived by his wife Ann, was laid to rest at St Mary’s Barr Cemetery in Newry following a funeral mass at St John the Evangelist Church in nearby Glenn.

John Paul Construction Looks to Future with Investment in AEC Education

John Paul Construction has publicly announced a strategic partnership with Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), which began in 2019 to develop Design + Construct, a centre for collaborative, multidisciplinary education that will drive performance in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector through talent and technology.

The leading international construction specialists have donated €150,000 in support of the University’s inaugural Capital Campaign Transforming Tomorrow, a €30m fundraising initiative.

Building on a century of delivering applied and practical education for the AEC sector, Design + Construct will leverage TU Dublin’s expertise to address the key challenges of 21st-century construction, including building performance, energy-efficient design and the digitisation of the construction process. The announcement follows a range of John Paul Construction initiatives to encourage future talent, including creating a Graduate Development Programme to help new recruits build the right blend of personal, professional and technical skills required to reach their full potential.

The company also recently became the first building contractor to be awarded the Retain, Invest, Sustain, Engage (RISE)Corporate Support Scheme badge by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and holds the Engineers Ireland CPD Accredited Employer standard.

Commenting on the campaign, Liam Kenny, Managing Director of John Paul Construction, said, “I am delighted to announce our continued support of the TU Dublin Transforming Tomorrow initiative. We have been involved in this initiative since 2019, and it has significantly increased our understanding of the incredible work undertaken by TU Dublin in developing the next generation of talent for the Irish and international construction sectors. As a contractor, our success is totally a function of the skillset, knowledge and experience of the professionals working for us. I have no doubt that investing in this excellent TU Dublin initiative will yield significant results for both John Paul Construction and the construction industry generally, well into the future.”

Transforming Tomorrow

Welcoming John Paul Construction’s support, the

President of Technological University Dublin, Professor David FitzPatrick, said, “I am delighted to have this opportunity to thank John Paul Construction for this very generous support of our Transforming Tomorrow philanthropic campaign and Design + Construct, which will provide education and research facilities critical to the next generation of AEC graduates. Today’s announcement builds on the introduction of the John Paul Construction Student Excellence Award in 2020, which recognises the student with the highest academic result from Year 2 of Quantity Surveying and Construction Economics. On a personal note, particularly because the company was founded in 1949 by my grandfather, John Paul, I am very proud to be able to count John Paul Construction as a key supporter of our Transforming Tomorrow campaign.”

According to Orna Hanly, Design + Construct Project Lead, the centre is a new way of teaching for the AEC sector, requiring a new type of space. “With the support of our partners, TU Dublin will deliver a flexible, adaptable facility that can be changed and altered to meet the sector’s needs. The types of activities planned require large unencumbered floor space, triple-height, clear span, and wide openings for easy RIRO (roll in, roll out) of equipment and to allow for the construction of large learning environments. The building will be a ‘living’ AEC laboratory, an exemplar for the sector encompassing best practices in sustainable design and construction.”

Broombridge Campus

TU Dublin purchased a 3.25-hectare site at Broombridge in 2011 to complement the Grangegorman and Bolton Street facilities. The site is located immediately adjacent to the new Luas cross-city terminus at Broombridge, just two stops from the Grangegorman campus, and currently accommodates a fullsize all-weather, floodlit sports pitch. The site at Broombridge also includes a large-scale, derelict warehouse to be repurposed, offering 6,200m2 of high-tech, flexible and adaptable space upon completion.

The facility will be a collaborative, multidisciplinary learning resource for students across all levels and disciplines, from apprenticeship to doctoral research, as well as providing research facilities critical to the next generation of AEC graduates in technologies such as off-site and modular construction, near zero energy building, and robotic construction.

Dates announced for Hillhead 2024

The next edition of the iconic quarrying, construction and recycling exhibition will take place from 25-27 June 2024 at Hillhead Quarry, Buxton.

Hillhead returned with a bang earlier this year as The QMJ Group celebrated the show’s 40th anniversary over three gloriously sunny days in June. Exhibitors and visitors took the opportunity to reconnect with their industry peers, marvel at the plethora

of live machinery action taking place, discover the latest product launches, and explore the latest technology and innovations driving digitalization and decarbonization across the sector.

With 18,500 unique visitors in attendance and more than 600 of the world’s leading equipment manufacturers, suppliers and service providers taking part, this year’s Hillhead exhibition was a record breaker, cementing its

status as the world’s biggest working quarry event for the mineral products, construction, and recycling sectors. With the dates now confirmed, demand for the 2024 show is expected to be very high and new enquiries to exhibit should be directed to Event Manager, Harvey Sugden on +44 (0)115 945 4377 or harvey.sugden@qmj.co.uk

All enquiries will be contacted next spring with an update of the latest availability.

Pictured (L-R) are Orna Hanly, Design + Construct Project Lead, TU Dublin, Gintare Geraltauskaite, Quantity Surveying and Construction Economics Student, Professor David FitzPatrick, President of TU Dublin, Liam Kenny, Managing Director of John Paul Construction and Emily Conroy, HR Manager, John Paul Construction.

FROM THE DESK OF: DAVID MULLAN, HEAD OF TRANSPORT

REGULATION UNIT

GOODS VEHICLE OPERATOR LICENSING

If you operate goods vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes, which carry goods as part of a trade or business, you need to have a goods vehicle operator’s licence. This also applies to light goods vehicles between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes which are used to carry goods in the EU where you business includes hire & reward. There are 3 different types of operator’s licence for goods vehicles. The licence you need depends on where you transport goods to and from, and who you do it for.

Standard (national) licences are for those who carry their own goods or materials for their trade or business and/ or carry goods for hire or reward. This licence covers all transport operations in the UK. Someone in, or employed by, the company must hold a transport manager Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification.

A standard international licence means you can carry your own goods, and other people’s goods, both in the UK and on international journeys, while restricted licences are for those who carry their own goods or materials in connection with their trade or business but not other people’s goods. This licence covers transport operations across the UK.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A LICENCE

Vehicle operator licensing application process is a digitalonly function. You’ll need to create an account to apply for a licence or make major variations to an existing licence. You’ll also need to:

• advertise your application for a licence

• advertise your proposed operating centre(s)

• nominate a transport manager if you’re applying for a standard licence not required if applying for a restricted licence

• provide information about your financial situation

• draw up a maintenance contract with a garage or agent to do safety inspections and repair vehicles if you do not do this yourself

COST OF A LICENCE

If you apply for a new licence, you must pay a one-off £254.00 application fee. If your licence application is successful, you will then have to pay a licensing fee of £449.00 which covers a period of five years. A fee of £449.00 is also payable at the end of the five year period if you wish to continue your existing licence. All fees are non-refundable. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) aim to process applications and get a decision to you within 40 days, but it can take longer.

OTHER VALUABLE INFORMATION

For restricted licence holders, getting the required level of compliance may be a challenge

due to a lack of knowledge of transport and fleet related matters. For those that see transport as a necessary evil within your main line of business, getting to the right level of compliance is just as important as those who are completely involved in the transport business. The Department will expect all operator licence holders to remain compliant with the current requirements and one way to obtain that knowledge and capacity may be through engaging a transport consultant, or industry body to assist you. They can provide you with support and systems to do tachograph analysis, train your drivers and audit your transport and fleet management procedures to ensure they are fit for purpose and meet the current requirements.

With regard to maintenance, our first indicator of failing systems is a poor first time pass rate for your vehicles at annual roadworthiness testing. The current first time pass rate for goods vehicles is 79% which means that one in every five vehicles fail

the test, for which they are supposed to be fully prepared.

Once a first time pass rate falls below 65% we start to get concerned and generally, if there are no other issues then we would send a warning letter to the operator to be aware and improve. If we see no improvement or the failure rate is lower, we may request the DVA to carry out an audit to check whether your systems and procedures are appropriate. If that audit is marked unsatisfactory then you will be called to a hearing to explain why, and more importantly, what you are doing to improve. Failure to improve may cost you your licence.

So what can you do to ensure good maintenance? The Department publishes the Driver & Vehicle Agency’s Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness which will provide you with all of the information that you require including sample records.

Ensure that drivers are carrying out daily walk round checks, and that these are being recorded and that any defects are actioned and recorded. Ensure that all vehicles are receiving their safety inspections and that they are being carried out at the required intervals, if you are unsure there is a guide to intervals in the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness. https://www.infrastructureni.gov.uk/publications/ driver-vehicle-agency-guidemaintaining-roadworthiness

Ensure that vehicles are regularly serviced and that records are kept, this also applies to tachograph calibration.

Regular brake efficiency checks should also take place and the Department would recommend at least 4, laden, roller brake tests per year with one of those being at the annual test. When you are having a brake test

David Mullan, TRU

undertaken ensure that you get a copy of the result and that it records braking efficiency, these should be stored in the vehicle file and be readily accessible. If you contract maintenance out then ensure you have access to all the maintenance records at your establishment address.

You may need to revise the safety inspection intervals during the life of the licence depending on several factors, such as the age of vehicles, changes to annual mileage, and the type of terrain on which the vehicles are driven.

The DVA’s Guide to maintaining roadworthiness explains the responsibilities and systems involved in maintaining vehicles in a roadworthy condition and is a good reference tool for deciding the appropriate safety inspection interval for vehicles and trailers.

If you are authorised to pull trailers, but do not own your own, you must still declare the safety inspection interval that the trailers will be given by the third party. It is still the operator’s responsibility to ensure that

any trailers it uses under the licence are properly maintained.

VEHICLE CHANGES

To add or remove a vehicle from your licence you need to log into your online self-service account at www.gov.uk/managevehicle-operator-licence.

Vehicle changes are made in the vehicle section of your record; you do not need to create a variation application to add or remove a vehicle. Creating an application can slow down the issuing of a vehicle disc.

If you make the change in the vehicle section, the change is effective immediately. Vehicle discs will be issued automatically to the correspondence address on our records. Please ensure your contact details are correct in the ‘addresses’ section of your online account.

It is important to keep this information on your licensing record up to date. Check that the information we hold is correct by logging into your online account. If you have

not yet registered to use the online service, please create an account at https://www.gov.uk/ manage-vehicle-operator-licence. If any of the arrangements have changed, update the record online. Any changes to this information, as with any change affecting the licence, must be notified to the Department within 28 days of the change. Failure to do so risks regulatory action being taken against the licence, including revocation.

COMMUNICATION

Communication with the Department is essential. TRU has observed how more operators are less compliant with communication, which results in an increase of investigations of their businesses and potential regulatory action against those licences.

Communicating with the Department in a timely and effective manner is of the essence when it comes to effectively managing an operators’ licence. Whether it is

notifying infringements, a change of directors in the company holding the licence, responding to requests for information letters sent by the Department or even providing the required information and documentation to process an application, communication is key for any operator’s licence holder. If you’re not sure whether you need to respond to a letter or how to respond to a request for information, contact us. If something changes within your business, let us know. You can contact TRU on regulatory matters via TRU@infrastructure-ni.gov. uk or NICLO on applications via NICLO@dvsa.gov.uk.

NIDirect provides information about Goods Vehicle Operator Licensing on their webpage here: https://www.nidirect. gov.uk/articles/goods-vehicleoperator-licensing-licenceapplications, and by telephone on 0300 200 7831 between the hours of 09:00 and 17:00.

from the cab

FUEL EFFICIENT DOOSANS IMPRESS TMCL & SONS

Well-known civil engineering company TMcL & Sons has added another new Doosan excavator to its growing fleet to help cater for extra work on new sites, as Chris McCullough has been finding out.

Based at Londonderry, the company has recently purchased a new Doosan DX225LC-7 tracked excavator and is already putting it through the paces in Portrush.

Three Doosan excavators from L’Derry based TMcL & Sons are now working side by side on the site near the Royal Portrush Golf Club where a new boutique hotel is being constructed.

This latest purchase marks a long term loyalty of over 30 years to the Doosan brand by the company who still have a Doosan 180 tracked excavator in the yard that has completed over 26,000 dedicated hours of service.

TMcL & Sons was started back in 1965 by the late Terry McLaughlin and is now run by his four sons, Brian, Terence, Colum and John.

Staying with the Doosan brand for all these years is a testament to the superior service the machines give, as Colum, who is operating the new Doosan DX225LC-7 in Portrush, explained.

“We took delivery of the new Doosan DX225LC-7 at the end of November and put it to work straight away,” said Colum. “We are working at the site of a new

five-star boutique hotel with 35 rooms beside the Royal Portrush Golf Club.

“The main reason we went for another Doosan is the superb fuel economy from the 225, which is critically important in these times when fuels costs are very high.

“This is the fourth Doosan excavator I have run over the years and I have to say this one is really top quality. It is very easy to

Northern Excavators had the privilege to be the first company to bring Daewoo machines into Europe in 1987; pictured here was only the second Daewoo 180 machine sold in Europe at that time. Now over 30 years old, it is still going strong.

operate with plenty of vision from the cab, boosted by cameras on the side and rear.

COMFORTABLE CAB

“The cab working environment is very quiet, is very comfortable and is well laid out. Good lights positioned around the cab allow longer working times during these darker winter evenings as well,” he said.

Doosan’s new generationDX225LC-7 is a 23 tonnes medium-sized Stage V compliant excavator and is the first excavator of this size to feature Doosan’s innovative D-Ecopower virtual bleed off (VBO) technology. This provides operators with higher productivity and around seven percent lower fuel consumption per hour than the previous Stage IV model. It is powered by the six-cylinder Doosan DL06V engine rated at 174hp. The arm length is 2.4m to 3.5m and the boom length is 5.7m to 5.85m. Another aspect of the machine that Colum likes is the cab’s locking system which makes the Doosan DX225LC-7 more secure.

“The excavator is actually button entry, which means it won’t start without the key fob being present,” Colum said. “This increases the security when locking it down after use and makes it more difficult to steal the machine.

PLENTY OF POWER

“I also must add that this Doosan 225 has plenty of power for all the jobs we ask it to do and is very smooth to operate in terms of controls and movements,” he said. “The brand seems to be very strong and are good wearing machines.”

Northern Excavators Ltd based at Hillsborough supplied TMcL & Sons with the new Doosan and have enjoyed a long working relationship with the company.

view from the cab

“We have been working with Northern Excavators since 1980's and find them very easy to work with,” Colum said. “Northern Excavators used to be the distributors for Ford rubber wheeled diggers and we also had a few of them in the fleet over the years.

“Their backup service is very good. We didn’t even have to wait for the machine when we bought it as the company had one available at the dealership.”

As mentioned, the McLaughlins have been very loyal to the Doosan brand and even own a Doosan 180 excavator that is over 30 years old. “That was dad’s machine,” Colum said. “He bought it almost new and was the one that operated it. It has serial number four and really was my father’s pride and joy.

“There must be around 26,000 hours on her and sits in the yard to load top soil or other smaller jobs. We believe it was the first 180 to be sold in Europe.

“Since that purchase we have become really used to the Doosan brand and the reliability and fuel efficiency the machines offer us,” said Colum.

Company founder the late Terry McLaughlin Snr.

PATRICK McCAFFREY & SONS SET FOR MORE G ROWTH IN 2023

As every good windsurfer knows, catch the crest of a wave and, suddenly, you’ll notice how life really does take on a new dimension.

Though, it is likely they didn’t realise it at the time, when Donegal quarry owners established their Patrick McCaffrey & Sons business, they too were about to ride the crest of a wave.

That was 1949, five years after WW11 had ended, when life on both sides of the border was beginning to look up and a new era was imminent, one that would stretch forward right up to the present time, except for an odd bump or two that arose along the way.

Like numerous other businesses established around then, Patrick McCaffrey & Sons had spotted opportunity that, in the intervening years, has seen the company grow and prosper far beyond anything that its founders might have imagined at the time.

From its base, a quarry situated at Ballymagroarty, near Ballintra - on the N15 road from Ballyshannon to Donegal town – the familyrun company pursued a path of measured growth, expanding into a multifaceted enterprise now serving an extensive client base in Donegal and across the North West.

Driving their expansion was a growth in demand for more and better housing as the domestic economy improved and emigration declined. In tandem came an urgency amongst the public to see our roads upgraded and transport links improved. So too did the necessity to enhance infrastructure become apparent, and a pressure to provide better schools, medical and community services and recreational amenities. With that, too, came a growth in retailing as shopping centres began to appear. Across the country, hotels were constructed to

accommodate a new category of resident – the tourist.

All along, one amongst many companies best placed to ride the wave of change that these demands brought was that fledgling Donegal quarry operator, Patrick McCaffrey & Sons. With skilful management, it has emerged as a multi-product, multi-dimensional, full-service company operating under the allembracing title of ‘Quarry Owners & Civil Engineering Contractors’.

From modest beginnings, its field of operations has expanded into a range of products and services that now includes crushed stone and aggregates production varying in sizes from 6mm to 150mm; tarmacadam and road building; ready mix concrete, produced using an automated and computerised mixing system to allow for traceability; and the manufacture of concrete blocks produced to IS EN 771 standard. A market leader in road surfacing and road maintenance, the company has the additional

attribute of being a noted national roads contractor in the northwest.

SECTORS SERVED

Sectors now serviced by the company include construction and farming, the domestic market, civil engineering, road building and maintenance. Amongst a distinguished portfolio of projects to which it has supplied materials, products and services are the highprofile Harveys Point and Solis Lough Eske hotels, the awardwinning Oakfield Park Demense in Raphoe, and the Sliabh Liag Cliffs and Visitor Centre at Teelin, west of Killybegs. A key feature of its development has been the commitment of management to invest well in the purchase of quality plant and machinery. A long-standing Komatsu buyer with a number of machines in operation, the company recently added to its fleet with their purchase of two additional new machines, one being Komatsu’s robust and popular WA470-8 wheel loader.

Other units in their fleet of Komatsu machines are a PC360 and PC240 excavators and another WA470 wheel loader, all supplied to them by Komatsu distributor, McHale Plant Sales of Birdhill and Rathcoole.

Speaking to Plant & Civil Engineer, managing director Gerard McCaffrey said: “given our broad range of services, the diversity of our customer requirements, and the demands that growth placed upon us, we took the decision to equip ourselves with plant that would be reliable and would meet our needs.

“Important for us was the requirement that plant could handle the rough and tumble that is so much a part if the work we do. For that reason, we opted for Komatsu, confident that we could bank on its reliability whilst allowing us to standardising operator training, parts and maintenance requirements. Looking back, it was the right decision.”

Patrick McCaffrey & Sons managing director, Gerard McCaffrey pictured taking delivery of their new Komatsu WA470-8 wheel loader at McHale Plant Sales’ premises in Rathcoole.

TOPCON INVESTS IN THE FUTURE OF CONSTRUCTION WITH DONATION TO TU DUBLIN

Topcon Positioning Systems has committed to making two significant donations to TU Dublin, Ireland’s first technological university, which will enhance students’ experience with education on the latest digital construction methods. The announcement marks another step in the longstanding relationship between the two organizations.

As a designer, manufacturer and distributor of precision measurement and workflow solutions, Topcon has a unique opportunity to support the university with an initial equipment donation worth €1.5 million in market value, which will be continually updated with the latest technology available. This approach is part of what Topcon terms its “Learn-Apply-Build” (LAB) initiative, helping universities keep

pace with the rapid changes in advanced technologies for hands-on training, equipping students with knowledge of the most current construction and geopositioning tools as they enter the workforce.

Additionally, Topcon has committed to be a TU Dublin Cornerstone Donor, providing a philanthropic donation of €500,000 over a period of five years. This funding will support the development of a new Design + Construct Centre at TU Dublin’s Broombridge site in Cabra, which will be a National Centre of Excellence for construction, engineering, and architectural education, and expand the university’s footprint in the Dublin 7 area.

The donation also includes two fully funded, four-year scholarships to the university, and the relationship will see students given the opportunity to take part in internships across the globe in Topcon locations.

Current estimations predict that the Irish construction sector will employ only 78,000 workers by 2025, but with the Irish government’s ambitious National Development Plan requiring 180,000 construction workers, a boost to the sector’s workforce is imperative. Topcon’s partnership with TU Dublin aims to address not only Ireland’s skills gap, but also strengthen the pipeline of highly skilled workers entering the sector across Europe.

To mark this philanthropic support, a visit to the Broombridge site was recently made by Topcon representatives. The group met with TU Dublin staff and students to see first-hand how valuable the investment will be for their education and future careers.

Topcon is driving digitalization and automation in the construction industry, with its advanced positioning technologies and digital

Topcon representatives and TU Dublin President David FitzPatrick and staff are pictured with students during the announcement at the Grangegorman campus.

construction workflows improving productivity and profitability on projects internationally.

Ivan Di Federico, executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Topcon Positioning Systems, said, “It is with great pride that we are able to enhance our relationship with TU Dublin and support the future of the construction industry. The university has historically provided Topcon with a fantastic pool of talent and many alumni now occupy senior positions throughout the business. We are excited to be able to provide the students with the latest technology to advance their education and support the next generation as they prepare to enter the workforce. It’s only by investing in the future that we can ensure continued success for a sector that supports the development and growth of the world around us.”

President of TU Dublin, Professor David Fitzpatrick, said, “I am thrilled to welcome Topcon to our campus at Grangegorman as we announce another phase of their extraordinary and ongoing support of the university. Responding to the needs of the sector, TU Dublin is developing the Design and Construct Centre for collaborative, multidisciplinary education that will drive growth and performance in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries,

through the development and deployment of talent and technology. Topcon’s incredible generosity will accelerate our vision to deliver first-class learning for students across all

levels and disciplines from apprenticeships to PhDs, as well as providing education and research facilities that will be critical to the next generation of graduates.”

From left: Mark Fagan, Business Manager, Topcon Positioning Northern Ireland & Republic of Ireland;OrnaHanly, TU Dublin Project Lead Design + Construct; Ron Oberlander, Topcon VP of Global Professional Services; Professor David FitzPatrick, President of TU Dublin, and Ivan Di Federico, Topcon Positioning Systems EVP and CSO.

A Topcon representative introduces equipment to new students at TU Dublin.

Self-employed construction contractors fined following workplace death

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland has successfully led a prosecution for breaches of health and safety legislation against two self-employed construction contractors from Lisburn and Dundrod following the death in 2020 of another contractor who fell from height during a re-roofing project.

Both of the accused had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges and were sentenced at Lisburn Magistrates’ Court where they were each fined £1000 in relation to health and safety failings.

Lee Dougan, an Inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team said: “All employers, including self-employed contractors, have a legal responsibility to plan and organise work to ensure it can be carried out safely. If work at height cannot be avoided, a safe means of access must be provided such as mobile elevated work platforms or suitably constructed scaffolding.”

The HSENI investigation established that all three men were working on the replacement of a shed roof at a farm in Hillsborough. During the construction work, the deceased fell approximately 4.4 metres from an unguarded platform and tragically died at the scene.

The platform consisted of three timber planks spanning an internal shed wall and a cage supported by a telescopic handler. There were no control measures in place to prevent falls from height during the construction work and the method of work employed was inherently unsafe.

Immediately following the incident, a health and safety inspector attended the scene and served enforcement notices prohibiting any further work at height activities from taking place until appropriate safety measures were put in place.

Worker broke his back in 2ft fall from forklift truck

A logistics company has been fined £400,000 after a worker broke his back when he fell from a forklift truck. The injured man was one of two employees who were loading a shipping container.

To reach the highest pallets inside the container, the man who was hurt had been lifted up on the forks of the forklift to stack boxes on top of an already wrapped pallet. He fell approximately two foot and landed on the corner of a pallet on the floor resulting in multiple spinal fractures. The company had a risk assessment for working at height, but it was not suitable or sufficient and did not correctly assess the working environment or correct control measures.

In sentencing, the judge said that even those who weren’t familiar with health and safety would know that this was an accident waiting to happen and it was only good fortune that the injured person was not paralysed or killed.

Newry construction contractor fined following fatal fall from height

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland has successfully led a prosecution against a self-employed construction contractor who pleaded guilty to one health and safety offence and was fined a total of £2,500 at Newry Magistrates court.

He was overseeing the replacement of perspex roof lights at a farm building in Camlough, Newry when the deceased fell through the fragile roof structure and died at the incident scene from his injuries.

In this case, no control measures were in place to prevent falls from height or to avoid working on the fragile roof structure. Following the incident, health and safety inspectors attended the incident scene and a prohibition notice was served that prohibited any further work at height activities from continuing until appropriate safety measures were put in place.

Operators of gold mine fined following health and safety failures

The HSENI) has successfully led a prosecution against the operator of a gold mine in County Tyrone who was fined £120,000.

The court in Dungannon heard that in July 2018, mine employees were exposed to risk as a result of a fall of rocks from the roof of an underground roadway within the mine. The unstable portion then migrated to the surface causing an inrush of water to enter and flood a portion of the mine, further exposing employees to the risk of drowning.

HSENI Principal Inspector Brian Pryce said: “Mine operators must ensure that suitable ground control measures and precautions are in place to prevent falls of ground and inrushes. These measures and precautions must be continually monitored and reviewed.

“The failure of the mine operator to ensure that suitable measures were put in place resulted in employees being exposed to unnecessary risk which could have resulted in fatalities.”

BOBCAT LAUNCHES NEW UPGRADED BOBCARE

Bobcat has launched a new national version of the company’s successful BobCARE Planned Maintenance (PM) programme for customer machines in the UK, the first of its type in Europe.

BobCARE PM is already appreciated by customers for its many benefits such as longer machine life, increased uptime or higher residual value. However, until now it has only been managed at an individual dealer level, which could not completely fulfil all customer expectations.

To overcome this, Bobcat has worked closely with the company’s UK dealer network to introduce a new national solution, that keeps all the previous advantages while adding several new benefits including:

• Service support anywhere in the UK

• Fixed costs for the duration of the contract

• Choice of plans with different durations

• Inclusion in lease financing

• Full guaranteed backing of Bobcat

IMPROVED CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

The new version of BobCARE PM now offers a unified customer experience – once a BobCARE PM plan is purchased and activated, it is valid and recognized throughout the UK.As a result, customers can now have their machine maintained at the most convenient dealer branch based on the machine’s current location.

The new plan also ensures that costs are fully predictable – the price is final and clearly stated right at the start of the contract. This means that maintenance costs are completely resistant to inflation. Bobcat is also offering various forms of the BobCARE PM plan, which vary from two years and 1000 hours up to five years and 5000 engine hours, so that customers can choose the most suitable support for their operation.

The new BobCARE PM plan continues to include the regular maintenance operations and checks as well as all Bobcat genuine parts and fluids, that are necessary for planned service of customers’ machines. Every plan is also fully backed by Bobcat –customers, dealers and leasing partners are completely covered - the company stands behind every contract and guarantees their fulfilment throughout the entire contract period.

John Christofides, Regional Sales Director for Bobcat EMEA said: “The UK already has a high adoption of Bobcat’s Protection Plus extended warranty scheme with an 84% take-up rate. We recommend the combination of BobCARE PM and Protection Plus as the best possible way to take care of a customer machine. This means that customers are backed by Bobcat in every possible way and therefore keeps downtime to an absolute minimum and maintains the highest possible value for the machine.”

REFLECTING MARKET TRENDS

“Customer expectations are continuously shifting from ‘owning a machine’ to ‘carefree usage’. With the new national BobCARE PM plan, we are taking these trends into account, reflecting the need for flawless customer experience and dealers’ need for a simple and easily manageable offering,” added Corbin Braithwaite, Bobcat Service Manager for UK.

Bobcat dealers will offer the option of a BobCARE PM plan when a customer buys a new machine - a loader, excavator or telehandler - from Bobcat. If the customer decides to go ahead, the price of BobCARE PM is included in the machine price.

For customers choosing the leasing option for their machines, it is possible to break down the cost into periodical payments. For those customers who change their minds after they have completed their machine

purchase, there is also an option to activate BobCARE PM up to three months after the purchase of a Bobcat machine.

‘ALL-IN-ONE APPROACH’

Nowadays, a service contract is a natural part of the machine sales process – the current market trend is to perceive service packages as a machine option. Therefore, Bobcat’s lease partner is fully supporting the company’s service offerings and will support an ‘all-in-one approach’, where the machine, attachments, Protection Plus, BobCARE and financing are all covered by a monthly fee so that customers can solely focus on developing their own businesses.

It is also possible to resell Bobcat machines with BobCARE PM still active. The programme is not only transferable, it also probably prolongs the service life of the machine, which also benefits the new customer during the sale.

Brooks Group Acquires Kildare Builders Providers

Brooks Group, which has a branch in Tullamore, has announced the acquisition of Kildare Builders Providers Ltd, in Kildare town. The acquisition brings the Brooks Group network of outlets to nine in seven counties across three provinces. The company, which is one of the leading timber and builders’ merchants in the country, expects turnover to exceed €125 million in 2022 and plans to expand further in the next few years, both organically and by acquisition.

Brooks Group has been an institution in the Irish construction industry since its inception in the late 1700’s. It returned to Irish ownership in 2021 when it was purchased by Murdock Builders Merchants, a family-owned business based in Newry.

Brooks Group has grown by developing a product offering in harmony with customer needs and by acquiring businesses that share this customer-focused approach. Brooks Group employs 195 people and already has eight branches in Ireland, including three in Dublin (Bluebell, Glasnevin & Sandyford), one in Wicklow (Bray), one in Cork (Togher), one in Galway (Ballybrit), one in Sligo and one in the Midlands (Tullamore).

Commenting on the acquisition, Eddie Kelly, Executive Chairperson of Brooks Group said: “Kildare Builders Providers Ltd, is a wellknown business, in Kildare and surrounding areas since it was founded in 2006 by John Crofton. Together with his team, John has built a fine business and we are delighted to welcome them to the Brooks Group.”

John Crofton, Founder and Managing Director of Kildare Builders Providers said: “Being part of the Brooks Group will enable us to offer our customers an even greater range of products, services and value.”

Henry Brothers Crowned Winner of Construction Project of the Year

Henry Brothers has been named winner of the GB & Republic of Ireland Construction Project of the Year Over £2.5million category at this year’s Construction Employers Federation (CEF) Excellence Awards.

Launched in 1999, the Construction Excellence Awards are considered the most prestigious event in the Northern Ireland construction calendar and are designed to reward the achievements of the industry whilst highlighting the contribution it makes to the local economy.

Henry Brothers received the Construction Project of the Year Award for its completion of a £4.4m woodland day nursery and forest school at Staffordshire University.

Ian Taylor, Managing Director of Henry Brothers Midlands, said: “We are pleased to have received industry recognition for our very first carbon neutral project, representing a significant milestone in Henry Brothers’ strategy to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“Congratulations must go to our exceptional staff which

have delivered an outstanding modern nursery and forest school on campus, with sustainability at its core.

“Henry Brothers is privileged to provide Staffordshire University with a truly futureproof facility which will provide significant benefit to staff, students, and their families.

“We look forward to constructing many more carbonneutral projects for our valued clients in the years to come.”

The Woodlands Day Nursery and Forest School is a single-storey timber frame building located close to the University’s nature

reserve at the heart of its Leek Road site in Stoke-on-Trent. The facilities were designed to meet high demand from both students and staff nursery places and to provide additional places for the wider local community.

Sustainability, digital technology, and nature are at the forefront of the build, which features REHAU earth tubes and air source heat pumps which use passive cooling/heating rather than mechanical ventilation; along with roof mounted solar photovoltaic panels to offset carbon emissions.

Sally McGill,

Sustainability at Staffordshire University said, “Henry Brothers has created a truly unique facility here at Staffordshire University which as our greenest building, forms a significant part of our green campus transformation and sustainability plans.

“As our first carbon neutral building on campus, this facility will support the next generation as well as communities, bringing the forest setting to our city through teaching, learning and embedding our ambitions for a more sustainable future.”

In addition to Henry Brothers, the project team consisted of Mace as project and cost managers, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios as lead designer and architect, Max Fordham as building services engineers, Civic Engineers as structural engineers and transport consultants, and Re-form Landscape as landscape designers.

The Henry Brothers’ design team included CPMG Architects, structural and civil engineer Hexa and Couch, Perry, Wilkes for M&E services.

Chief Financial Officer and Executive Lead for

Pictured at the announcement of the Brooks Group’s acquisition of Kildare Builders Providers are Eddie Kelly (Executive Chairperson – Brooks Group) and John Crofton (Managing Director - Kildare Builders Providers).

Merlo Reports Growth in Irish Market

Merlo telehandlers distributor in Ireland, McHale Plant Sales, is reporting a buoyant sales performance again this year.

On foot of year-on-year growth, and the expectation of further expansion down the line, sales director, Denis McGrath says ‘assuming economic conditions in Ireland remain favourable, and with the increasing emergence of niche players in food and commodities sectors, Merlo is well positioned to secure an expanding share of the telehandler market in Ireland next year and in the years to come’.

Driven largely by a ‘strong showing’ on the agricultural front, backed by an ‘expectedly-steady’ performance in construction sales, the current year out-turn represents what McGrath says is ‘a virtual doubling of sales compared with recent years.’

Key models within the Irish market are the Merlo 50.26S Plus, P40.14 and P40.17 – reported

to be the biggest seller in the construction sector – and the Merlo P27.6 and TF35.7 which

McGrath describes as ‘the biggest seller by far’ in the farming and agricultural contracting sector. Another strong performer across both sectors is the TF33.7 with the TF42.7, TF50.8 and TF65.9 units showing strongly in the agri-market, and the P50.18, and 50.30s Plus models performing well also in construction.

Looking ahead, the company is forecasting growth through the unique Merlo Mulitfarmer MF34.7and MF44.9 machines –which are currently performing well in both quarries and agriculture nationwide – whilst also anticipating the arrival of a larger range of electric machines for which orders are already on hand for a 2.5-tonnes, 5-metre, 90kW, EW25.90 eWorker unit.

New Komatsu Wheeled Excavator Arrives

Deliveries of the new, just-launched Komatsu PW138MR-11 wheeled excavator are getting underway, their distributor in Ireland, McHale Plant Sales confirms.

The latest addition to the Komatsu range is powered by a EU Stage V compliant engine with DPF and SCR – a feature that McHale sales director, Denis McGrath says: “will enable owners to compete in any tender that demands care for the environment whilst delivering peace of mind whilst future proofing the investment involved.”

In its design, engineers have achieved what Komatsu says is ‘a perfect match’ between an extreme compact size and top performance coupled with unrivalled stability and lifting performance.

Its modern styling, reflected in its aesthetic counterweight design, is evident throughout with enhancements that include smart safety initiatives, intuitive ergonomics, first-class

operator comfort, razor-sharp controls, easy servicing, and a proven aftertreatment system. Other appealing elements are a 3% productivity increase; standard fit ‘see and be seen’ LED work lamps; automatic 2-way, 1-way, 2-way fast and versatile attachment switching; swing pedal function moved to joystick to increase operator foot space; and a 100% differential lock for surefooted traction on any surface. A full package of added options combine to give users an exceptionally safe and versatile machine – one being an optional fourth camera to extend field of view for enhanced safety. Second is a new trailer hitch option with additional electric ports and connector and a towing possibility up to a 3.5 tonnes.

Henry Brothers Achieves Platinum at Environmental Survey

Henry Brothers has been awarded Platinum Status, the highest accolade available, in Business in the Community Northern Ireland’s (BiTC NI) Environmental Benchmarking Survey. Recognising businesses that go above and beyond to reduce their impact on the environment, the survey

benchmarks companies that drive change through integrating sustainable practices into corporate strategies.

CSR Director at Henry Brothers, Ian Henry, was also named the Silver winner of BiTC NI’s George Dawson Award, which celebrates individuals that champion sustainability within their organisations.

Ian said: “It is an honour to have achieved Platinum status once again, showcasing the proactive steps that we take as a company to ensure we are acting in a responsible and transparent manner.

“Although we have always made an effort to integrate eco-friendly initiatives into our operations, we recently made our biggest commitment

to sustainability yet with the launch of our Journey to Net Zero by 2050 strategy, outlining how we will halve our CO2e emissions by 2030.

“Achieving Platinum Status and the Silver George Dawson Award at BiTC NI Awards is a real testament to our staff, acknowledging their commitment and innovation on the road to reaching Net Zero.”

The P40.17 telehandler, a unit which Merlo distributor in Ireland, McHale Plant Sales says is its biggest seller in the construction sector.

MANITOU INTRODUCES ITS ULTRA LIGHT TELEHANDLER

Manitou Group has revealed and launched the new ultra-compact telehandler model which has been designed to meet the needs of users who want a versatile machine that’s easy to use and easy to transport between two worksites.

The Ultra Light Manitou named the “ULM” has two models available, the ULM 412 H with a lifting capacity of 1250kg and the ULM 415 H with a lifting capacity of 1500kg, both with a lift height of 4.30 m.

The ULM 412 H offers a transportable weight at 2500kg whilst the 415 H has a weight of 2700kg (depending on the

configuration). Both transportable by a trailer with a PTAC of 3,500kg.

Its dimensions are among the most compact on the market with a width of just 1.49 m and a height of 1.92 m, this machine has been perfectly designed for a number of sectors including construction, agriculture, landscaping and equestrian. This ultra

diverse and compact telehandler enables users to work in the smallest of spaces and easily travel between customer sites with a single trailer, significantly cutting costs and increasing production time.

DRIVER EXPERIENCE

Inside, the operator has an unobstructed 360° view. Camille Rouvrais, product manager, says: “We replaced the roof grille with a transparent, shockresistant polycarbonate window, which complies perfectly with the requirements of the FOPS standard”.

The visibility improvements also apply to the operator’s lateral view. The side view is clear as the hydraulic hoses are inside the boom and the engine cover at a lower position to the right of the operator.

The dashboard screen used for driver assistance displays information as pop-ups. Two vents are placed on the windscreen for demisting, and the famous Manitou JSM joystick is placed on a floating armrest as standard for greater usability.

An automatic parking brake and three steering modes—two-wheel steer for high-speed travel, four-wheel steer for

navigating confined places, and crab mode for lateral manoeuvres—have been incorporated for improved driving comfort. The ULM is distinctive for its small height, however don’t let the height put you off as the ground clearance is high at 29cm, enabling it to move across difficult terrain without any problems. Equipped with a 35hp engine, the ultracompact telehandler offers a maximum hydraulic flow of 48 lit/min. The machine is equipped with a flow sharing distributor, enabling several hydraulic movements to be carried out at the same time.

The light weight design has been kept in mind throughout the creation process, by dispensing with the compensating

cylinder and replacing the hydraulic compensator with an electronic compensator, less hydraulic oil is needed and the machine’s weight is decreased. Removing the compensating cylinder also narrows the truck, making it simpler to drive in confined situations, such as loading straw bales, entering farm buildings, or managing pallets of bricks or cinder blocks on construction sites.

ATTACHMENTS

A range of attachments has been specially designed for this model allowing it to be used for even more applications. From forks to carriages, hedge cutters, pot clamps, branch cutters, big bag handlers and snow blades, the possibilities are endless.

The new model’s total cost of ownership (TCO) is decreased by a number of cuttingedge features. The Stop & Start option guarantees a reduction in the machine’s total cost of ownership, of about £10 per hour of idle through decreased machine depreciation, fuel consumption, and preventative maintenance. The presence of an anti-aeration filter also results in a 25% reduction in the hydraulic tank’s capacity.

FROM THE DESK OF: GORDON BEST, REGIONAL DIRECTOR, MPANI

KEEPING YOU INFORMED IN CHALLENGING TIMES

If you are reading this message for the first time before Christmas, can I wish you and your family a very happy, healthy and safe holiday period. Alternatively, if you are reading it for the first time in 2023, I do trust you have had an enjoyable Christmas period and that this coming year brings you health, happiness and success. It’s also an appropriate time to look back to remember our absent friends and family.

The new 2022/23 Journal was launched on Tuesday 22nd November by DfI Permanent Secretary, Julie Harrison. The launch photo was taken at the developing Belfast Transport Hub currently being constructed at Weavers Cross, the bulk of construction materials for the project’s construction is being supplied by MPANI members.

As the strap line states ‘WE ARE ESSENTIAL! REALISE IT, COMMUNIATE IT’ and we hope that everyone who reads the Journal will have a greater appreciation of the contribution our Industry makes to the local economy and the quality of life of every citizen of Northern Ireland. In terms of the economy the November Ulster Bank PMI report indicated that inflationary pressures and the wider economic slowdown led to further reductions in output and new orders in the Northern Ireland private sector. There were further signs, however, of inflation softening as both input costs and selling prices rose at the weakest rates in 21 months. As we reach the year end it is clear the UK is in recession as stated in the most recent MPA Economic Briefing. Given what is going on around us in the local, national and global economy and political world it would be very easy to throw the hands up and despair. However, one thing that history does teach us is that there will be better days ahead. One key source of positivity has been the 20 consecutive months of employment growth but this almost ground to a halt in November largely due to falling staffing levels in services and manufacturing.

PROJECTS PAUSED

MPANI members continue to report a steady flow of business but concerns are growing for Q1 AND Q2 of 2023. The ongoing difficulties

recruiting suitable staff are concerning and signs are this will likely continue into 2023, with firms continuing to suffer from skills shortages, however falling demand will increasingly come to the fore. The continued lack of an Assembly and NI Executive is causing frustration and anger and as one member said to me, “ No Executive and local NI budget are making things difficult,it’s hard to know who is running the country”. Recent reports indicate that across construction in NI, both private and public sector investment in some projects is being paused and this is being mirrored in the manufacturing sector. In terms of the energy crisis, we are currently in the eye of the storm. There is support now for some businesses, but when firms come out of contract next year or when government support steps back, we only need one very prolonged cold snap to create havoc. Energy prices continue to be a concern across all sectors, and firms need certainty about what is ahead.

Overall, the local private sector is coming to the end of 2022 in a weakened state, with 2023 likely to be a very challenging

year. One silver lining is that inflationary pressures do though seem to be easing, with input costs and output price inflation rising at their lowest rates in 21 months. With energy prices falling back, easing inflation, alongside less supply chain disruption, will be amongst the few positives during 2023.

NI PROTOCOL

We certainly need an agreement between the UK and the EU in resolving the outstanding issues around the operation of the NI Protocol. I firmly believe an agreement would be a massive boost to confidence and would see a “super-charging” of the NI Economy. The NI Business Community view is that a “landing zone” is in site and the better mood music between the two sides is a positive development. Those closest to the negotiations all agree however that a 3-4 month window of opportunity up to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement now exists. This will hopefully focus minds! MPANI sub committees have once again been working hard through these challenging times on our Members and wider industry behalf.

Gordon Best, MPANI

From left: Duncan McAllister – Translink; Gordon Best – Regional Director MPANI; Julie Harrison – Permanent Secretary, Department for Infratsructure; Paul Brogan – MPANI Chairman; Louise Doyle - Translink

HEALTH & SAFETY

I recently had the pleasure of hosting Colin Mew, recently appointed MPA Special Advisor on Health and Safety, on a number of visits to member sites. Colin, who was previously HSE Principal Inspector, whose role included Chief Inspector of Quarries, joined MPA in a health & safety advisory role, focussing on helping to deliver MPA’s ‘Vision Zero’ strategy by 2025.

Thanks to Paul Brogan Chairman of MPANI and CEO McQuillan Companies and Craig Chisholm, McQuillan Companies and Chairman of the MPANI Health and Safety Committee for facilitating the visit to Edentrillick Quarry and our discussion about the H&S issues that face MPANI member companies in Northern Ireland. This was followed by visits to Northstone (NI) Limited Craiganlet Quarry, facilitated by Stephen Horner, and Breedons Temple Quarry. Colin was impressed on how MPANI Members are tackling the Fatal 6 and other risks including exposure to respirable crystalline silica, RCS.

NEW PUBLICATIONS

New ‘Fatal 6’ Work at Height resources have been launched by the MPA’s Work at Height Working Group. The handbook has been produced to outline how the potential hazards associated with work at height activities can be either eliminated or mitigated. Based on the hierarchy of control, the handbook provides ‘clear, simple and smart’ guidance for those managing Work at Height.

A new “Working at Height Safely - Employee Guide” has been published by MPA. This clear, simple, smart booklet provides advice for employees on how they can avoid danger and keep themselves and their colleagues safe by applying the hierarchy of control for all work at height activities.

Employers and Managers can download a copy of the HSENI Talking Toolkit booklet – it is a great resource and will help you hold initial conversations with your staff to help prevent work-related stress. Also you can download the HSENI mental health wellbeing guide which has lots of info and advice on addressing it and creating a positive environment for staff

As ever I would strongly recommend you use the excellent Safequarry website that remains a vital source of information and resources https://www.safequarry.com/

WORKPLACE TRANSPORT

The workplace transport initiative is currently ongoing for both the quarry and waste sector. The target is to complete 25 workplace transport inspections for each sector. To date 20 quarry workplace transport inspections have been completed.

The inspection proforma being used by HSENI Inspectors had been shared with industry prior to the inspections commencing and this approach has received positive feedback from those quarry operators visited.

During the HSENI visits it was observed that many of the quarry operators had completed an internal workplace transport inspection of their operation using the inspection proforma issued by HSENI and introduced appropriate risk control measures before any inspection by HSENI.

Once the initiative for 2022-23 is completed it is planned to analyse the statistics and HSENI will share this information with MPANI. It is planned to repeat this initiative in 2023-24. Three new MPA guidance papers on climate change mitigation and adaptation have now been published under the issues section of the MPA website, Issues (mineralproducts. org). While for MPANI members NI is some

distance behind GB, no doubt this guidance will be of benefit as DAERA and other local Departments develop their own Climate Change action plans and policies. The guidance is intended to consider the emerging issues that will need to be considered by member companies at an individual site.

In GB from the 31st August 2022 all new applications as well as existing permit holders will need to include an assessment of risks and proposed mitigations resulting from climate change to and from their businesses via their management forms.

MPANI will continue to engage with DAERA through our newly established liaison group and keep members informed.

PROCUREMENT STRATEGY

The MPANI Highway Maintenance and Construction Group submitted a detail response to the Departments Consultation on the new Procurement Strategy. The response was a collective view of the Departments aims and proposals. Each individual member responded to the consultation questionnaire. MPANI made it clear in our response that the current proposals lacked detail and further clarity was needed on how many of the proposals would work in reality. We are pressing DfI for further engagement including a face-to-face presentation in December in which the Department will have an opportunity to answer many of the questions asked during the consultation.

AFFILIATES LUNCH

A very well attended Affiliates lunch took place on the 2nd November with 40 affiliate members and executive members attending. Richard Ramsay, Chief Economist at the Ulster Bank gave an excellent presentation and insight current economic and political challenges.

We have again booked Deanes for next year as this is a very popular event and gives recognition to our affiliate members and the important role they play in the success of MPANI.

If you’re interested in becoming a full or affiliate member of MPANI and get access to up to date Industry news and guidance don’t hesitate to give me a call on 07876136929. It would be great to have you on board. Until next time please stay safe!

FROM LEFT Gerald Lawlor, Quarry Manager, Breedon Temple Quarry, Colin Mew, Mike Kelly, Health and Safety Manager Breedon.

YOUNG IRISH ENGINEER CREATES HIS OWN TEDDER RAKE COMBINATION

BY CHRIS MCCULLOUGH

AN Irish agricultural machinery engineer has created his very own tedder rake combination, thought to be the only such machine on the market, and hopes to make it commercially available by 2024. Based in Ballindine in County Mayo Michael Clarke, 27, has made a prototype of his Dualstar 6000E 20ft tedder rake combo that he says will save farmers and contractors significant costs.

Michael, who works full-time as a mechanical design engineer for a machinery company, has always had desires to become self-employed and has formed Clarke Agri Engineering.

While he also manufactures grass harrows it is the tedder rake combo that he hopes will be popular on the already bulging silage machinery market.

Michael explained: “The Dualstar 6000E is a 20ft machine that works as a tedder spreading out the grass and then as a rake raking it into rows again.

“This machine saves farmers and contractors from buying two separate machines and running them individually on two tractors. The costs saving here will be significant as there is only one machine to maintain,” he said.

The Dualstar 6000E is hydraulically operated and is manufactured with a steel chassis and four steel rotors with a working width of 20ft.

Michael advises the machine needs a tractor with at least 80hp to operate it. The machine has its own independent hydraulic system and can be easily switched between rake and tedder from the tractor cab.

When the machine is in tedder mode, the axle folds up and the four rotors

operate against each other. Then they work with each other when rowing up.

While the prototype machine has been completed Michael says he needs to make a few tweaks to it to produce a demo machine running in next year’s silage season.

“I need to alter a few angles on the machine when tedding to make the grass shake out a bit better,” Michael said. “I also may need to look at adding two bigger hydraulic motors to make it work faster when tedding.

“I’m only working on this at nights and weekends, but I need to get the changes made and have a machine fully operational for trials next season. It’s only when I get a few operational hours on the machine next season that I can think about launching it commercially by

2024. A commercial launch fully depends on the price of steel and how that may change over the next couple of years.”

When finalised, Michael says he can easily add a rotor to either end of the machine to make it six rotors with a working width of 30ft or even up to eight rotors covering 40ft. The 20ft machine is mounted on the two-point linkage, weighs 2,200kgs, is 5m long and has a transport height of 4m. While there is no exact price for the machine currently, Michael is confident it will cost less than if buying a tedder and rake individually.

“I need to sit down and think about how I can manufacture and distribute the machine commercially,” said Michael. “I have a few meetings set up to discuss these details soon.”

Changeover Technologies to Revolutionise Carbon Dependent Sectors

A green tech solutions company, Changeover Technologies, based in Belfast, is set to revolutionise carbon dependent sectors having found a solution to reuse discarded fine particle waste.

With over five years in extensive R&D, Changeover Technologies has with an upscaled research and development team, successfully completed a five tonne per hour pilot test plant which sees fine particle waste transposed into pellets with a great economic value and lower CO2 value.

Mervyn McCall Chairman and Investor at Changeover Technologies said: “Having been a Chair of this organisation for a number of years, I’m delighted to see that we have proven, innovative technology. Changeover has now the ability to take raw material and apply a unique pelletising formula and process and turn what is discarded fine particle waste and recycle it into pellets which are equivalent in their original raw material. No one else has this capability.

“This is a very exciting time in this industry as we all look to find more sustainable and green solutions. Around the globe there are billions of tonnes of waste fines which must be disposed of, and in most cases, they go straight to landfill.

“Changeover Technologies is the only organisation that has now developed a green solution to clean-up and reuse this fine particle waste which not only prevents new waste but cleans up legacy waste and, in doing so, reduce scope 1 and scope 3 emissions.”

Changeover Technologies’ aim is to have a future commercial unit which has an output of 100,000 tonnes of pellets and their current target market is the silicon industries, which is dependent on high purity carbon reductants to produce silicon. Silicon is needed in many aspects of today’s world from construction to semi-conductors, the latter in everything from computers and cars to solar panels and wind turbines.

Ken Flockhart, CEO of Changeover Technologies added: “I commend our dedicated and highly skilled R&D team and scientists. We now have innovative technology which enables the reclamation of waste fines to be used as a greener alternative. This has been a labour of love. Our proven technology and process, which has been patented, has successfully run in our test plant. We are now ready to upscale and catapult into commercialisation. This is a very exciting time for Changeover Technologies.”

Changeover Technology has a number of principle investors with fund managers Kernel Capital and Clarendon Fund Managers. The company is currently looking for further investment.

NI Water break ground on Ballyronan Wastewater Treatment Works

NI Water says work is well underway on a modern new wastewater treatment facility for Ballyronan, near Magherafelt.

Many local companies are involved in this major investment, including main contractor Coalisland-based GEDA Construction, with Newry-based Water Solutions Ireland carrying out the extensive mechanical and electrical installation at the site, while Belfast-based RPS Group are providing technical support for the project.

The £4.8m programme of work will deliver important environmental benefits, such as enhancing the water quality in Lough Neagh and has been designed to accommodate development in the area for the next 25 years.

The existing treatment works, which was constructed in the 1970s off the Ballyronan Road, remains in operation while the new infrastructure is being installed at the same site.

NI Water Project Manager, Sean Milligan said: “This major investment includes the installation of state-of-theart, fully enclosed, treatment

tanks, along with advanced electrical and mechanical systems to provide a robust wastewater treatment solution.

“This will help enhance the water quality in Lough Neagh, bringing many benefits to the local community well into the future.

“Our project team look forward to continuing to work with the community and supporting local businesses as far as possible through the delivery of this essential new wastewater infrastructure. We assure you that we will strive to minimise any disruption and complete the work in the shortest timescale possible.”

Chair of Mid Ulster District Council’s Development Committee, Councillor Sean Clarke, added: “This new multi-million pound facility is good news for Council, as it will enhance wastewater services for customers in the Ballyronan area and beyond, whilst accommodating future development in the area.”

This £4.8 million investment is due to be completed by late 2023.

Mervyn McCall, Chairman and Investor at Changeover Technologies with Ken Flockhart, CEO of Changeover Technologies at their former test site in Ballygawley, County Tyrone.

Pictured here (L-R) are Andrew Dysart Geda Student Engineer, Dean Corry RPS, Shane McPartlan Geda Site Manager, Maurice McNulty Geda Contracts Manager, Ian Cowden NI Water, Councillor Sean Clarke Chair of Mid Ulster District Council’s Development Committee, Patrick Cunningham Water Solutions Ireland, Sean Milligan NI Water, Gareth Maguire RPS and Denis Ward Water Solutions Ireland.

FINLAY INTRODUCE NEW PRODUCTS AT DEALER DAY

Finlay recently hosted the first NPI event in three years in Belfast with dealers from across Europe, UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, USA, Japan and Australia.

“The process of new product development is at the core of the Finlay culture as we continuously examine the market for new opportunities and future product innovations,” said Neil McIlwaine, Sales and Marketing Director.

“Our business is built upon the ‘Voice of the customer’ and developing new products to meet their needs. These events are vital to our continued success and steer our business and new product development strategy.

“The feedback received from our global dealer

network is invaluable and ultimately help us develop and engineer market leading products that have a positive impact on the success of our customers in the field.”

To close the event dealers and Finlay team

members visited a local quarry to see the latest new models Finlay’s engineering and new product development team are currently working on in action. “Live demonstrations in a quarry environment are only possible when cross functional teams come together. Our aftermarket, service and HSE teams did us proud again with another impressive

product demonstration, and we would like to extend a huge appreciation to Adam and all the team at the Conexpo quarry who welcomed us onto their site and were impeccable hosts.”

Established over 25 years ago, Conexpo is a family owned company that operates two quarries in County Down; it sources one million tonnes of high quality gritstone annually from its quarries that is processed and exported from its £5m quayside plant located on a seven -hectare site on the Belfast Harbour Estate.

Opened in 2015 it’s the only facility in Europe which can simultaneously produce aggregates to UK and European standards. The County Down stone is highly sought after for its ability to improve skid resistance and reduce road noise by up to six decibels.

Also present at the event was Alan Fallon, Managing Director of Dungannon Plant Sales Ireland who secured the sought-after Terex Finlay dealership two years ago.

The NPI at The Hilton Hotel, Belfast.

Over the years, Dungannon Plant Sales have weathered many situations between recessions, Brexit, Covid and now the crisis in Ukraine, but the market remains strong. “Loyalty is a word I use strongly,” says Alan. “We have a great customer base, people who have stayed loyal to us throughout the years, no money can buy that. We are growing in strength every day. We have a strong stock list of equipment coming through which is key to our customers’ requirements.”

Dungannon Plant Sales prides itself on its approach and, says Alan, “the feedback we get from our customers indicates that it is the right approach for them. The Finlay brand is top of the class in many ways. The product range covers all applications, and their aftersales service is at the forefront of any of their competitors. They are way ahead in this area of the business. Many have tried to reach the highs Finlay have, but they cannot come close.

L-R: Neil McIlwaine, Sales & Marketing Director, Finlay, Alan Fallon, MD, Dungannon Plant Sales, Adam McCluskey, Conexpo and Matt Dickson, Finlay Business Line Director & General Manager.

L-R: Neil McIlwaine – Sales & Marketing Director, Finlay, Kenichiro Yokotani, Kurimoto (Japan), Ms Ishii, Kurimoto (Japan), Yoshio Yanagida, Kurimoto (Japan) and Barry Boreland, Regional Sales Manager, Finlay.

THE NPI AT THE HILTON HOTEL, BELFAST

First Battery Energy Storage System installed at Ballykelly Wastewater Plant

NI Water recently completed a project at the new Ballykelly Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) to situate a new solar panel system. This system has now been upgraded with the addition of NI Water’s first battery energy storage system, which has now been switched on! This battery system is the first of its kind for NI Water.

Last year, NI Water announced the completion of the overall £5million investment to upgrade Ballykelly WwTW, providing a new wastewater treatment approach, utilising reed beds as part of the treatment process, providing a natural, long-term and resilient solution.

The Ballykelly plant is leading the way with this sustainable solution to wastewater treatment, which maximises the use of renewables as part of an integrated solution. This new battery energy storage system will further enhance the efficiency of the plant through increased use of solar energy.

Mark Brownlee NI Water Senior Capital Project Manager said: “The aim of the new battery system is to enable the plant to operate using 100% locally generated solar power for as much of the year as possible. In winter months, during periods of lower solar generation, the battery system can be topped up from the grid using off-peak cheaper energy tariffs.

“This innovative system, which was developed in-house, is the first of its kind for NI Water and will bring many efficiency benefits and cost savings to the company in light of rising energy prices.”

The battery system will be used in an innovative way to drive costs down during high demand periods in the winter by maximising the use of both the electricity network and the Solar Panel System. Energy can be stored and released flexibly to reduce costs during peak periods and decrease the demand on the grid.

The Ballykelly Wastewater Treatment Works has already scooped a 2022 International Green Apple Environment Award and was recently named as “Infrastructure Project of the Year” at the 2022 CEF Construction Excellence Awards.

RFID detection system

ZoneSafe uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to create detection zones around vehicles and mobile plant.

Vehicle-mounted antennas detect RFID tags which can be worn by workers, or placed on objects or property. When a ZoneSafe tag enters a detection zone, the vehicle operator receives a visual and audible alert. A vibrating tag also warns the detected worker of an approaching vehicle.

ZoneSafe RFID technology does not require line-of-sight and tags will be detected regardless of obstructions, blind spots, adverse weather or poor visibility.

Highways industry facing critical infrastructure knowledge gap, research finds

More education and collaboration is required across the highways industry, after a new survey by ACO Water Management highlighted critical knowledge gaps regarding the implementation and maintenance of drainage systems.

Outlined in a report – Highway Drainage: The Route to Surface Water Management – 100 infrastructure and highways engineers were surveyed to delve into the key priorities and challenges for engineers working on highway schemes.

Among the key findings, more than half (55%) confirmed that they have worked on a project where maintenance of drainage has not been considered.

Additionally, while 67% of respondents were confident of a clear maintenance strategy being put in place post-installation, only 22% were ‘very confident’. According to the report, highways engineers need to ensure they are prioritising maintenance accessibility when deciding

which solutions to implement as part of their projects.

The research also revealed a lack of understanding on load class specification. Indeed, 56% confirmed they fully understand the specification requirements for highways works in relation to linear drainage channel and combined kerb drainage load classification.

Terry Wilkinson, Specialist Design & Application Engineer at ACO Water Management, said: “We wanted to undertake

the research to understand the challenges facing the highways industry. Unfortunately, it appears there is uncertainty within the industry among many critical infrastructure components. This includes specifying load classes in highways drainage design, which should be a cause for concern.

“There are a number of reasons for this lack of knowledge outlined in the report, including the potential misinterpretation on the Manual of Contract Documents for Highways Works

guidance. We have launched our report as an educational tool for the highways industry to help navigate these challenges with actionable solutions.”

In ACO’s report, it also found some confusion on Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), which are growing in importance across UK highways projects. According to the survey, less than half (44%) of respondents ‘fully understand’ the Simple Index Approach to the SuDS Manual, while just 1% said they did not face any barriers in SuDS schemes.

Perhaps surprisingly, 53% agreed that wildlife mitigation is an afterthought when it comes to planning projects. Terry Wilkinson said: “Water treatment and biodiversity protection are key considerations when it comes to incorporating SuDS. Again, the survey results indicate that highway engineers need more guidance around what solutions are available and how to integrate these to full effect.

“Collaboration is going to be essential to ensure we achieve safe, durable and sustainable drainage systems on our highways. Our report highlights that consulting drainage manufacturers, local authorities and ecologists from the very beginning of a project will enable highways schemes to tackle water management sustainably.”

UK’s first 100% Portland cement free sustainable alternative

The UK’s first 100% Portland cement free sustainable alternative to standard masonry mortars, developed and manufactured to deliver savings in CO2e emissions of up to 70%, has been launched in the UK by Cemfree, the country’s leading producer and pioneer of ultra-low carbon cementitious technologies and products.

This is the second major launch for Cemfree, who 10 years ago unveiled the country’s first cement free binder, a real alternative to Portland cement (PC), responsible for 8% of the world’s CO2e emissions.

With industry estimates showing that construction professionals use in excess of some 2.5 million tonnes of cement-based mortar every year, Cemfree believes this new product will give builders, architects and other construction professionals, another major opportunity to help the environment and reduce the risk of Global warming.

Cemfree Masonry Mortar is a factory produced designed mortar available directly from Cemfree. It holds

appropriate UKCA marking, showing conformity with UK legislation and is fully compliant to BS EN 998-2.

Available in premixed bulk or 25KG bags, Cemfree Masonry Mortar performs in a similar way to standard cementbased mortars with the added benefit

of significant carbon savings, delivering comparable consistency and curing times and offering excellent workability.

“Cemfree Masonry Mortar is a major step forward in terms of reducing the amount of carbon emissions produced by conventional Portland cement-based products,” said Katie Wills, Cemfree Major Accounts Manager.

“When used in conjunction with Cemfree concrete blocks, which are now widely available across the UK, the CO2e savings can be even more substantial. This is another major step forward in helping to protect our planet.”

Cemfree Masonry Mortar has been launched following extensive development by the Cemfree Technology Team, and independent expert support. It has been widely accepted and received by the industry during pilot tests to demonstrate the user-friendly nature of the product.

The mortar is the latest stage of an ongoing product development programme for Cemfree as it continues to evolve with new technologies and products.

Adrian Logan, Helen Beggs, Mary McCall, NI Children’s Hospice Director of Commercial Brand Development and Garfield Harrison with the Northern Ireland’s Children’s Hospice Charity Cheque. The amount raised on the evening was an amazing £5,100.00.

Adrian Logan.

Garfield Harrison with Fenella Tolhurst from Kubota.

Garfield Harrison and George Crooks from Diamond Trucks who won the Carl Frampton signed boxing glove.

Garfield Harrison and Matthew Keys from Diamond Trucks who won the signed Ulster Rugby Shirt.

Helen Beggs. Phil Eaglestone.

CELEBRATING THE RETURN OF OUR PLANT, CONSTRUCTION & QUARRY AWARDS 2022

It was another memorable night at the annual Plant & Civil Engineer magazine’s Plant, Construction & Quarry returning to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in South Belfast after a two year absence because of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. It was special to be back together again to focus on an industry that has so much to celebrate across all of its diverse sectors. There were 17 awards up for grabs in what was once again a real challenge for our independent judging panel because of the high quality of entries. This event was all about recognising the very best of what our industry offers. Looking at the finalists in the various categories it is clear there is a wealth of talent right across the board, employing state of the art, innovative technologies and displaying great versality and determination on challenging and sometimes complex projects - from infrastructure and highways to new buildings and retail outlets and a whole lot more.

A lot of hard work, personal sacrifice and ingenuity in our industry goes unnoticed and unrecognised, which is why we stage these awards. Although there could only be 17 winners, each and every one of our finalists are to be congratulated on their achievements throughout what was in many respects a difficult 2022. A warm word of thanks for our judging panel this year which included Mark Spence, Construction Employers Federation; Gordon Best, MPANI; Stephen Kelly, Manufacturing NI; Lyle Andrew, Asphalt & Aggregates Trading; Gavin McGuire, Federation of Master Builders; David Johnston, Institute of Quarrying; Sam McCloskey, Director of Sustainability & Climate Resilience for Tetra Tech; Paul Johnston, ARUP, Consultant; Karen McShane, past chair of the Chartered

Institute of Highways and Transportation and Institution of Civil Engineers; Tom Verner, Momentum Group; Barry Nielson, CITB; Charlie Hutchinson, CHC NI; Sam Eccles, Past Chairman, Institute of Quarrying; Ken Logan MBE, Former Quarry Inspector for NI; and Mark Gilligan, Chair of the Industrial Liaison Panel for Civil Engineering at Ulster University, plus others from industry organisations, government bodies and consultancies. Always a highlight of our awards evening, the time when we honour one of the many stalwarts and kingpins of our industry, this year’s Special Recognition award went to a man who has dedicated his long career to the industry, Chairman of The Institute of Quarrying NI Branch and manager at Breedon Ireland ‘s Ballystockart Quarry in County Down, Patrick O’Connor. Prizes to be won on the night included a box of Wine donated by Bailey Waste Recycling, £100 dinner voucher donated by Close Brothers Commercial Finance and an overnight stay and dinner in the Crowne Plaza. The nominated charity was the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice which offers specialist respite, symptom management and end of life palliative care to 4,000 infants, children and adults each year across Northern Ireland. The total money raised on our awards night was an impressive £5,100 Well done, one and all for your outstanding generosity! So, who won what on the night and why? Seventeen categories and 17 awards, but in truth while not every entry was successful, every nomination was a winner on the night - and to all who participated, those who attended, those who made up the various independent judging panels and especially to those who sponsored the gala evening a big ‘thank you’ from all of us here on the Plant & Civil Engineer team.

WINNERS

Quarry Manager of the YearPierce Kirwan, Craigantlet Quarry, Northstone Group

Mineral Products Site (Quarry) of the Year - Breedon Ireland - Ballystockart Quarry Wastes Management & Environmental Excellence - RiverRidge Health & Safety AwardNorthstone Materials

Top Team of the Year - Sleator Plant Circular Economy AwardBailey Waste Recycling (NI) R&D Innovation of the Year- AG Paving + Building Products Excellence in Customer Service - RiverRidge

Environmental InitiativeNorthstone Materials Specialist Contractor of the YearWaterworx Pipeline & Civils Plant Hire Company of the Year - Dromad Hire

Waste Management Team of the Year- ReCon Waste Management Construction Project of the Year -Tracey Brothers - Erne Campus Construction Company of the YearCole Groundwork Contracts

Civil Engineering Company of the Year- A.G.Wilson Civil Engineering High Achiever of the Year (Joint) Aaron McCaul, Sleator Plant & PJ Fagan, Cole Groundwork Contracts

Special Recognition AwardPatrick O’Connor, Breedon Ireland

QUARRY MANAGER OF THE YEAR

SPONSORS

KIRWAN

Pierce Kirwan from Northstone Group’s Craigantlet Quarry began his career in the industry in 2004 when he was employed as an operative before being promoted to a supervisor’s role.

Seven years later he took on the position of Assistant Quarry Manager and for the past five years he has worked as Quarry Manager. “During my years as an operative through to the manager’s role at Craigantlet Quarry I have worked in all stages of the production process, including dry stone production and the asphalt plant. This experience has provided me with multifaceted skills and the ability to work as part of a wide-ranging team,” says Pierce. As Quarry Manager he is responsible for a variety of matters including Health &

Safety, environmental and legal compliance, managing stock control, interacting with other members of the team at Craigantlet as well as with customers.

He is the Honorary Treasurer / Secretary of the Northern Ireland branch of the Institute of Quarrying and sits on the branch committee, highlighting his commitment on an industry level.

The awards judges commented: “We were impressed with each of the five quarry managers making it to the final, but there could only be one winner and that was Pierce who demonstrated his breadth of knowledge and experience; he was our unanimous choice.”

Jabez Safety Solutions is one of the leading companies delivering competence based assessments to national occupational standards in the UK. Founded almost two decades ago by David Johnston, a long time member of Institute of Quarrying who has a wealth of experience in the industry stretching back for almost 30 years, having served in a number of positions, including quarry manager and production manager. It is that experience and knowledge that he brings to Jabez Safety Solutions which offer a range of courses, including health & safety, with a special focus on training for those involved in the use of explosives in quarry blasting activities.

Adrian Logan, Pierce Kirwin and David Johnston.

FINALISTS: BRIAN MCDONALD, (CEMCOR) COOKSTOWN CEMENT, MARK POOTS, GIBSON BROS, PATRICK O’CONNOR, BREEDON IRELAND, PIERCE KIRWAN, CRAIGANTLET QUARRY, NORTHSTONE GROUP AND WILLIAM PAUL, TOBERMORE

Carved by a lifetime of hard work, Rokbak articulated haulers are built to perform. Day after day. Decade after decade. From the heat of the desert to the cold of the arctic, you can rely on Rokbak.

Contact your local dealer for more information.

MINERAL PRODUCTS SITE (QUARRY) OF THE YEAR

WINNER

BALLYSTOCKART QUARRY BREEDON IRELAND

Formerly operated by Whitemountain Quarries Limited, the Ballystockart Quarry came under the control of Breedon Ireland in 2018, along with Lagan Asphalt Ltd and Lagan Materials Ltd, with the aim of strengthening its position as a leading construction materials group and continuing its legacy of quality, service and dependability. Breedon is a market leader in the Northern Ireland quarry materials sector; its Ballystockart quarry is situated in a unique geological area and produces a High Polished Stone Value (PSV) Sandstone (+ 68 and + 65 PSV Litharenite) which is in extremely high demand from export markets for use in asphalt surface courses, given its unique low abrasion and high polished stone values, which have led to its use on major highways in the UK, Ireland and Europe. Regular investment in people, plant and machinery is key to the quarry’s continued success and growth. Earlier this year three

new screens were installed and last year a new 60 tonne Komatsu 465 dumper joined the already comprehensive fleet, with plans to add several new loading shovels and excavators. Biodiversity also plays an important role at the quarry which is home to a range of wildlife, including nesting birds and other species. It recently added a number of beehives which are already producing honey, and it hosts regular visits by schoolchildren and other parties as part of its involvement with the local community. An independent judging panel visited all four quarries named as finalists, with inspections beginning at the quarry face and finishing at the entrance gate, and commented the judges afterwards: “All four quarries were of a good standard, and were examined against set criteria from mobile plant management to the management of health issues and Ballystockart Quarry came out on top. It was a unanimous decision, having been awarded very high marks in all categories.”

As a member of the Volvo Group, exceptional quality is at the heart of everything Rokbak do. Rokbak haulers are built in Scotland and loaded with generations of experience and pride. Many of its highly-skilled team have worked with the manufacturer for decades –like their parents and even grandparents before them.

Sleator Plant are the Rokbak Trucks dealer for Northern Ireland, whose manufacturer trained team are always on hand and happy to help. With a fully operational workshop and parts store, Sleator Plant supply genuine Rokbak parts for all Rokbak machinery needs

FINALISTS: CEMCOR (COOKSTOWN CEMENT), BREEDON IRELAND - BALLYSTOCKART QUARRY, GIBSON BROS AND NORTHSTONE MATERIALS - CROAGHAN QUARRY

Adrian Logan, Aaron McCaul, Pat O’Connor and Jacqueline Reid.

SPONSORS

WASTES MANAGEMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE

RIVERRIDGE WINNER

Recognised as one of the leading waste and resource management companies in the region, RiverRidge has been at the forefront of change and innovation since its establishment. The awards judges said they were particularly impressed with the wide range of initiatives employed by RiverRidge across the full spectrum of waste management, “a company that is not afraid to innovate in the drive to become more sustainable.”

The company’s recent ESG strategy entitled ‘Rethinking Our Future’ is at the heart of its new sustainable roadmap. Its core principles include leading the way as a responsible and sustainable business, as well as looking after its people, its customers and the community that they work in, along with protecting the environment and driving the circular economy through innovation. One example of innovation includes the development of a unique process

to convert black bin waste into green energy. Through substantial investment in research and development, RiverRidge has designed a unique process based on a wash plant technology and anaerobic digestion (AD) process, which takes the organic and fibre material from waste streams and creates biomethane. This will then be used to generate green electricity, heat and also replace diesel fuel in the company’s transport fleet.

With over 10,000 customers and servicing 95% of Northern Ireland’s postcodes, RiverRidge realise the importance of excellence in customer service when running a successful company, and therefore it has become a fundamental part of the company’s mission statement. It also won the 2022 award for Customer Service at the Plant & Civil Engineer event and was also shortlisted as a finalist in the Health and Safety Award category.

Having only opened for business earlier this year, RMP Hire has already built up a solid customer base from its new and spacious depot on the Willsborough Industrial Estate at Clonshaugh Business & Technology Park on Dublin’s Northside.

Specialising in the supply of plant, access equipment and power tools for the construction, landscaping, utilities and DIY sectors, RMP Hire is headed up by Ray Vaughan, no stranger to the hire industry.

“Our aim is to go that extra mile for our customers,” says Ray, who has over 20 years of experience in the hire sector.

Before branching out on his own in March, he served as general manager at Haven Hire in Kildare, and prior to that at GAP Hire.

FINALISTS: CAMDEN GROUP, RECON WASTE MANAGEMENT, BIFFA, COCA COLA HELLENIC & ROC RECYCLING, PPP GROUP AND RIVERRIDGE

Adrian Logan, Danny McErlain and Ray Vaughan.

SPONSORS

HEALTH & SAFETY AWARD

NORTHSTONE MATERIALS

Northstone Materials is a leading producer of raw materials and construction products in Northern Ireland and has been for many decades; its combined product portfolio and associated services consistently achieve a reputation for quality and value unrivalled in the materials supply sector.

The company beat off stiff competition from five other finalists to be presented with the Health & Safety award by PJ O’Donnell, Director with category sponsors Pat O’Donnell & Co. Commented the awards judges: “Northstone Materials presented an integrated approach to managing health and safety, with a series of initiatives over the post Covid-19 period including workforce consultation and engagement, training at all levels of the organisation and climate surveys to measure the health and safety culture and development within the business.”

Site performances are constantly monitored and measured against KPI’s for energy usage, product quality and safety. An open dialogue with operatives is encouraged to improve efficiencies and promote a safe working environment.

The company’s Health, Safety & Environmental team was recently expanded by recruiting an additional experienced HSE Advisor. It wasn’t the first award of the night coming Northstone Materials way; Pierce Kirwan from Northstone Group’s Craigantlet Quarry picked up Quarry Manager of the Year, while the company also won the award for Environmental Initiative, having successfully delivered many new and improved initiatives in the last 12 months, including the planting of 6,750 native trees at the company’s Croaghan Quarry.

For over 45 years, Pat O’Donnell & Co has been supplying the Irish market with the very best of plant equipment including Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Penta, Rammer, Sennebogen, Avant,Magni and Thwaites.

Employing a team of Volvo trained service technicians, its partnership with Volvo Construction Equipment began in 1970 and it is as strong today as it was then.

Pat O’Donnell & Co. leads the way in customer support with branches in Portadown, Dublin, Cork and Galway, offering unrivalled parts and service availability in every county in Ireland, helping its customers to maintain both the productivity and profitability.

FINALISTS: BREEDON IRELAND, HERON BROS, LOWRY BUILDING & CIVIL ENGINEERING, NORTHSTONE MATERIALS, RIVERRIDGE AND GIBSON BROS

Adrian Logan, Matt Dickson and PJ O’Donnell.

TOP TEAM OF THE YEAR

FINALISTS: NORTHSTONE MATERIALS, TRACK KIT, SLEATOR PLANT AND DROMAD HIRE

SLEATOR PLANT WINNER

For several years now Sleator Plant has targeted itself to simply be the overall best construction plant dealer on the Island of Ireland.

Since it took on the Sany franchise for all of Ireland it has doubled its Aftersales Parts, Service and Admin staffing. It has found the best people in the industry to join its high achieving team, with experience and mastery in the four equipment franchises it represenst: Mecalac (Terex), Sany, ROKBAK (Terex-Trucks) & Genie access.

Sleator Plant has heavily invested this last year, just over £3m to be more precise, and equally importantly including tooling and training for its Service Engineers, and will continue to do so. It has increased its parts stock holding by 150% and continuously monitors this to ensure a strong healthy stock-holding, just as it has done with the machinery itself. A re-imagined website, and constant updates on its social media have been another large investment. The team at Sleator Plant recently won the Sany UK and Ireland Dealer of the Year for

Aftermarket support. It has also doubled its Sales team, allowing it to focus its efforts regionally, and in doing so have doubled its Sany sales volumes year on year for three years running.

Sleator Plant’s General Manager Aaron McCaul, one of the driver’s of further growth for the Newtownabbey based dealership, incidentally, won an award for ‘High Achiever.’ (More on that elsewhere in this supplement).

The company has just secured a prime greenfield site in North County Dublin to build a standalone Sleator Plant Ireland depot, staffed locally and commented Managing Director Jonathan Campbell: “We have an overwhelming pride in the people that represent our team. Recruitment and retention of staff focuses not only on skills but more so personality, energy and ambition of the individual. Core values we demand include respect, honesty and ownership, and we have adopted an “outside-in” vision by ensuring customer experiences are enjoyable yet also offer ‘best in class’ value. Our record of achievement in recent years has been impressive, winning numerous OEM awards.

Biffa is a sustainable leader in the UK’s waste and recycling industry, employing 10,000 people and collecting waste from thousands of businesses and millions of households across Great Britain and Northern Ireland each day. It offers a range of comprehensive waste services.

Biffa has over 100 years’ experience in commercial waste management, covering 95% of postcodes, that’s why it is the UK’s No. 1 in business waste, with a range of collection services available for every industry from retail to manufacturing; it can provide a comprehensive waste management solution designed with your business in mind.

Adrian Logan, Jonathan Campbell, Carole Rogan, Aaron McCaul and the Sleator Plant team.

SPONSORS

Mark Spencer, Roberta Jones, Jim Weldon and Frances Weldon, with Hi Power.

Alan Kells, Debbie Martin, Paul Martin and Jade Bloomer.

Jonathan Campbell of Sleator Plant and Eilish Boyle.

John Purdy of TBF Thompson with David Hyde of Macpac Refuse Bodies. Michael Bell of Stanley Bell & Sons, with Sam Eccles.

Karen Brown, Sheila Downey-Connolly, Emma Cole and Charlotte Rea, with Cole.

Margaret Murphy, Jayne Healy, Sandra Bowman, Sinead Ellis and Clodagh McCrory, with Dromad Hire.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

BAILEY WASTE RECYCLING (NI) LTD WINNER

investments in a new business model for the circular economy, Bailey Waste Recycling (NI) has taken a proactive approach, not least towards innovative uses of recycled plastics.

It is the longest established private waste company in Northern Ireland. Formed in 1940 the company’s name is synonymous with excellence in waste management and recycling. A new chapter in the history of the company started in 2017 when Bailey Waste Recycling (N.I.) Limited became part of the Agnail Group, a leading Irish waste services provider and renewables trader. This new chapter started with a refocusing of Bailey Waste’s activities, solely on the management of source segregated wastes and confidential wastes; the refocusing has lead to major investment in infrastructure, systems and people to move Bailey

Waste Recycling to the forefront of the Northern Ireland waste services sector.

In 2020, BWR management made significant strategic decisions to change the company’s core business practices to become a reprocesser of waste, rather than an exporter, with sustainability the key driving factor behind the changes, making huge investments in introducing a new plastic waste reprocessing line at its Lurgan site; the line was fully commissioned and started production in May 2022. Some of its recycled plastic, for example, is used in the manufacture of hair combs and other every day products.

“Many companies could not justify the intensive resource and expenditure required to invest fully in the circular economy therefore our model is to act as a go between and enable companies to achieve this. We process the material and either return to the creator or create a symbiosis with another industry.”

SPONSORS

The 4-star Crowne Plaza Belfast Hotel places you in a parkland setting near the River Lagan, only a 15 minute drive into the City Centre.

The hotel has free car parking and the M1 motorway is a 10 minute drive away. Belfast International Airport and George Best Belfast City Airport are both less than half an hour’s drive from the hotel.

The hotel boasts luxurious bedrooms, as well as extensive dining options, while its modern event spaces, from sleek boardrooms to a Grand Ballroom accommodating up to 900 people, cater for conferences, gala dinners and celebrations of varying size and occasion with help from a dedicated Meetings Director.

FINALISTS: CAMDEN GROUP, U RECYCLE/U SHRED NI, PPP GROUP, BAILEY WASTE RECYCLING (NI) AND RECON WASTE MANAGEMENT

Adrian Logan, Paddy McBride, Liam Gervin and Heather Welsh.

Impressing the judges with recent significant

R&D INNOVATION OF THE YEAR

AG PAVING & BUILDING PRODUCTS WINNER

Having been in business since 1960, AG Paving & Building Products remains a family owned company that holds a commitment to its customers, its people and its brand. This has helped it grow into an organisation that now produces and markets thousands of concrete products to a number of sectors throughout the UK and Ireland. It is continuously developing unique ranges of world-class, innovative paving and walling products and distinguishes itself by being able to offer bespoke solutions for its commercial customers. As a result, it is a key provider of solutions to architects, specifiers and builders throughout the UK & Ireland. The Innovation award was for Fiamma, an industry first and the most technologically advanced product produced by AG to

date; it has been engineered to replicate the surface of natural flamed granite and to provide high levels of slip resistance. Flamed granite flagstones are prized for their blistered finish and muted tones, making them a firm favourite with architects specifying high-end schemes. With most product being manufactured in China or India there are significant environmental considerations and often, lengthy lead times. Whilst European partners had systems for surface protection, U.K /Ireland markets had not advanced to this level. AG utilise face-mix or top mix technology, meaning it has a cost-effective base mix for structural performance of around 80% of the product depth and a decorative top mix for aesthetics of around 15-20% meaning this could be achieved in the top mix more efficiently with greater results.

SPONSORS

Established in 2009, Momentum specialises in helping clients to understand and document innovation projects and R&D activity within their businesses.

Momentum’s growing team currently includes R&D consultants, chartered accountants, specialist business consultants with backgrounds in ‘Big Four’ firms, and business support professionals who possess a deep understanding of tax relief legislation and its realworld industry applications.

To date, Momentum has worked closely with thousands of companies, across most industry sectors, to identify and analyse activities and costs which qualify for R&D tax credits, Capital Allowances and Land Remediation Relief.

FINALISTS: AG PAVING + BUILDING PRODUCTS - FIAMMA, ASPHALT AND AGGREGATES TRADING LTD – REFLEKTA, MECALAC CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT UK – REVOTRUCK AND ULSTER SHREDDERS - T-50 TETRA 4-SHAFT SHREDDER

Adrian Logan, Stephen Acheson and Tom Verner.

EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

RIVERRIDGE WINNER

Recognised as one of the leading waste and resource management companies in the region, RiverRidge has been at the forefront of change and innovation since its establishment. The awards judges said they were particularly impressed with the wide range of initiatives employed by RiverRidge across the full spectrum of waste management, “a company that is not afraid to innovate in the drive to become more sustainable.”

The company’s recent ESG strategy entitled ‘Rethinking Our Future’ is at the heart of its new sustainable roadmap. Its core principles include leading the way as a responsible and sustainable business, as well as looking after its people, its customers and the community that they work in, along with protecting the environment and driving the circular economy through innovation. One example of innovation includes the development of a unique process

to convert black bin waste into green energy. Through substantial investment in research and development, RiverRidge has designed a unique process based on a wash plant technology and anaerobic digestion (AD) process, which takes the organic and fibre material from waste streams and creates biomethane. This will then be used to generate green electricity, heat and also replace diesel fuel in the company’s transport fleet. With over 10,000 customers and servicing 95% of Northern Ireland’s postcodes, RiverRidge realise the importance of excellence in customer service when running a successful company, and therefore it has become a fundamental part of the company’s mission statement. It also won the 2022 award for Customer Service at the Plant & Civil Engineer event and was also shortlisted as a finalist in the Health and Safety Award category.

Best known for its leading quality truck provision in the North of Ireland, Dennison is recognised UK wide as an award winning dealership with a focus on customer service, aftermarket care, growth and importantly, staff development and training, all of which has been replicated at Dennison JCB, which has made a positive impact and contribution to the Northern Ireland construction, industrial and access markets, with its extremely impressive set up.

Dennison has great synergy with JCB; both are family-owned businesses and both pride themselves on innovation and quality.

FINALISTS: STRICKLAND MFG, GROUNDFORCE, COLE GROUNDWORK CONTRACTS, TOBERMORE, PIRTEK, CP HIRE, F. A. L HIRE, RIVERRIDGE, SLEATOR PLANT, HSS HIRE, RMP HIRE AND A.J. ARMSTRONG & SONS

Adrian Logan, Billy Thompson and Ian Calderwood.

Dennison JCB is part of the family-run Dennison Group and the official JCB dealer for construction, industrial and access equipment and generators in Northern Ireland and Donegal.

SPONSORS

ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE

WINNER

NORTHSTONE MATERIALS

Northstone Materials (NSM) has successfully delivered many new and improved environmental initiatives in the last 12 months, taking a holistic approach to help drive change.

The approach includes positive engagement with NSM staff and local communities, future proofing its industry workforce, increasing biodiversity net gains, carbon capturing and creating sustainable products. Its new Sustainability Strategy, for example, will create a roadmap for NSM to further innovate and implement environmental initiatives to decarbonise its activities.

As a participant of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan (AIPP) and as a steward of the lands NSM occupy, its Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) was reviewed in 2022 to align with the AIPP, setting achievable actions to promote healthy habitats across all locations.

Key actions include involvement in the Ulster Museum Dragonfly Ireland 2019-

2024 Survey during which the Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly was identified at its Hutchinson’s Lough Site. Management and the HSE team monitor their habitat to encourage population growth. Regular toolbox talks are also carried out to remind operatives that working near trees with or near nesting birds in stockpiles is prohibited to prevent damage to nests. Meanwhile, to counteract the extractive nature of the quarrying industry, 6,750 native trees have been planted at the company’s Croaghan Quarry. The planting will mitigate against environmental nuisance, visually and acoustically screen off the quarry, increase carbon sequestration by 390 tonnes per hectare, and support and encourage wildlife, while ‘Pollinator Friendly Zones’ have been identified, and signposted and redundant tyres re-purposed to create pollinators planters. A local beekeeper has also been given an area within its Craigantlet Quarry to establish beehives.

SPONSORS

Bailey Waste Recycling (NI) is the longest established private waste company in Northern Ireland. Established in 1940 the company’s name is synonymous with excellence in waste management and recycling. A new chapter in the history of the company started in 2017 when Bailey Waste Recycling (N.I.) Limited became part of the Agnail Group, a leading Irish waste services provider and renewables trader.

In 2020, BWR management made significant strategic decisions to change the company’s core business practices to become a reprocesser of waste, rather than an exporter, with sustainability the key driving factor behind the changes, making huge investments in introducing a new plastic waste reprocessing line at its Lurgan site.

FINALISTS: BIFFA AND MOY PARK BALLYMENA, CAMDEN GROUP, LOWRY BUILDING & CIVIL ENGINEERING, PPP GROUP, NORTHSTONE MATERIALS, TOBERMORE, COLE GROUNDWORKS, GIBSON BROS AND TRACEY BROTHERS

Adrian Logan, Emma O’Brien, Hanna Miskimmin, Rebecca Mitchell from Northstone and Golda Burrows from Bailey’s Waste.

SPECIALIST CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

WATERWORX PIPELINE & CIVILS LTD WINNER

An industry leader in the application of innovative technology for inspection, fault finding and assessment of water main pipelines, Waterworx Pipeline & Civils Ltd utilises pioneering nondisruptive pressurised water main technologies to complete crucial work on water infrastructure with no disruption to customers or supply.

The awards judges said “Waterworx demonstrated an excellent ability to deploy specialist contracting skills, with an extensive array of innovative solutions employed on a variety of projects.”

Its suite of technologies provides utility companies with a true understanding of what is happening in their network which allows them to tackle problems with zero shut down of the pipeline. Waterworx is currently the only company in the North & South of Ireland to offer these services

Over the last nine years Waterworx has introduced eight new innovative technologies to NI Water which they have adopted to proactively make informed decisions regarding pipeline replacement and also reducing shutdowns of pipelines.

What makes Waterworx’s services unique is that it is able to access a pipeline fully under pressure with no interruption; from its access points it is able to insert its sealed camera system into the pipeline and carry out internal condition assessment, locate lost assets, confirm pipe material, identify leaks, and map the pipeline above ground, all without affecting supply.

From its water main condition assessment surveys, the company can also complete a corrosion scan of the pipeline to identify pipe wall thickness and also any defects that have occurred. From this data it is able to calculate the life expectancy of the pipeline.

KDM Hire is a professional and dynamic family-run business which has grown to become one of the UK and Ireland’s leading equipment rental companies. Operating from five depots in Northern and Southern Ireland, KDM Hire endeavours to provide a quality rental service to customers large and small. Earlier this year, it launched a new website, specifically aimed at providing customers with a more comprehensive insight into their portable cabin and temporary building division, K Cabin. The website – kcabin. com - also provides listings of containers, new and used cabins and auxiliaries for sale with listings updated every week.

FINALISTS: BLOCKBUSTERS ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, WATERWORX PIPELINE & CIVILS, NEWTOWNSTEWART CONSTRUCTION UK LTD AND NORTHSTONE

Adrian Logan, Daniel Poyntz, Eamon Teague and David Burns.

SPONSORS

PLANT HIRE COMPANY OF THE YEAR

DROMAD HIRE WINNER

enabling the company to offer the safest most cost-effective solution for its customers’ needs.

An independent fully Irish owned company with over 30 years in business, Dromad Hire specialises in Powered Access Hire, General Plant and Tool Rental along with Approved Ex-Rental & New Equipment Sales, offering a nationwide service throughout the island of Ireland.

Its rental fleet is one of the most modern, reliable and up to date within the industry, with the latest and most cutting-edge technology from some of the world’s leading manufacturers. Located in Dundalk on the outskirts of Dublin, and minutes from Ireland’s main transport infrastructure system, there is very little Dromad Hire don’t know about the rental industry, whether it is working at height or a DIY project. Its fleet of over 800 types of equipment is all less than three years old,

Its rental fleet includes all types of access platforms - battery, diesel and bi-energy scissor lifts, articulated booms, diesel and lithium battery tracked spider booms and trailer lifts, from leading manufacturers such as Hinowa, Skyjack, Snorkel, Manitou and Nifty Lift.

The company, which operates its own modern fleet of delivery vehicles, including 40ft articulated trucks, custom built lorries, vans and sales support vehicles, is a member of the IPAF, with Safe Hire Accreditation for eight years running.

According to Dromad Hire’s Financial Controller Regina Wallace: “Hard work, determination, and a team of individuals working together, is what makes us deserving of this award for the second time. Without our team, we wouldn’t be the award-winning company we are. It’s always an honour to be recognised on a national level for the hard work done each and every day by all our staff who constantly strive to do better and offer the best service within the industry.”.

HAE is the industry-leading trade body representing plant, tool and equipment hire. Its commitment, through the SafeHire Certification Scheme, is to achieve the highest safety standards for the hire industry, for the benefit of members and their hirers.

SafeHire is in demand from the industry as it enables customers to approach tool and plant hire companies with confidence.

It proves a firm’s competence in upholding high standards in health, safety, environment and quality of equipment as well as a highly-trained workforce.

FINALISTS: MFL PLANT MACHINERY, F.A.L HIRE, CP HIRE, DROMAD HIRE, HSS HIRE AND RMP HIRE

Adrian Logan and Carl Bartlett with the Dromad team Margaret Murphy, Jayne Healey, Regina Wallace, Sinead Ellis, Sandra Bowman, Sarah Callan & Phyllis O Brien.

Dromad Hire was recognised on the night for its three decades of service to the industry, being presented with the prestigious Plant Hire Company of the Year award.

SPONSORS

Stewart Commercials was first opened by Henry Stewart in July 1974 carrying out commercial vehicle repairs and manufacturing skips.

Over the years we have added on to having a 1.1 acre site with 5000sq ft workshop and more recently opened a new work shop within 1 mile of our existing premises, to increase our capacity.

For over the past 40 plus years now we have been providing a service to local Councils, Health Trust, N.I.A.S and have held long term contracts with Arval PHH, Alpha Flight services, Belfast Int Airport, RiverRidge, VMS Fleet Management, ATS and have had a good working relationship with all of the Northern Ireland Councils.

Stewart Commercials is the original family business which is now headed by a team of directors and managers.

WASTE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF THE YEAR

RECON WASTE MANAGEMENT WINNER

The team at Recon Waste Management, led by forward thinking Managing Director Daniel Connolly, was recognised for their successes in the waste industry.

Based in County Armagh, Recon Waste Management specialises in sweeper and gully waste, inert and non-hazardous excavation materials and clean water sludges. Last year alone, Recon treated around 50,000 tonnes of waste achieving a 100% diversion rate from landfill. The products from the treatment process include pea gravel, sand and drainage stone, among other materials, which are all reused within the local area.

Daniel’s passion for developing innovative business ideas has seen him being recognised as a leader in the waste industry and his drive and ambition have filtered through to the team of dedicated and hardworking individuals who contribute to the company’s success.

“As we are a small company taking on huge projects it is important to utilise the resources we have fully. This is especially important when it comes to our people. We realised our structure, whilst small, was a vital component to the overall success of the company,” says Daniel. “Without good team work it is possible that a company will stagnate and fail to produce results, however we have proved a team can work in collaboration with one another to achieve many successes.”

“Without team diversity and tenacity to achieve these results we would never have been successful. The structure of our company also made it possible for the team to collaborate and brainstorm without worry of failure or embarrassment. Together we were able to meet targets, challenge mind-sets and develop processes key to the survival and success of our business.”

Stewart Commercials provides an invaluable service to local Councils, Health Trust, and many other companies and organisations.

Its Macpac Refuse Bodies is a recognised player in the refuse collection vehicle market, with customers the length and breadth of the UK. Macpac refuse bodies are used for various types of waste collection, with the numerous different options that allow for the collection of trade waste as well as domestic units.

Versatility of the Macpac has been one of its strong points, able to be fitted to almost any commercial chassis up to 18 tonnes, and it can lift wheeled containers from 120 litres to 1280 litres.

FINALISTS: BIFFA AND MOY PARK BALLYMENA, COCA COLA HELLENIC & R.O.C. RECYCLING SOLUTIONS, PPP GROUP, CAMDEN GROUP AND RECON WASTE MANAGEMENT

Adrian Logan and David Hyde with the ReConTeam Daniel Connolly, Mark Hamill, Tracey McConville and Anne Coyle.

SPONSORS

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT OF THE YEAR

TRACEY BROTHERS WINNER

insulation qualities, thermal bridge free construction, air tightness, triple glazing, and heat recovery with the added benefit of reduced energy cost. With a floor area of 7,167 m2, a building length of 200m constructed to a halfmoon curvature, and four story elevation, the size and shape of the building were one of the many hurdles the project team had to overcome

“The Erne Campus now represents a glass ceiling broken for the standard of public buildings in the context of a climate emergency and is a catalyst for what can be achieved,” commented Dr Barry McCarron, Head of Business Development (SWC) and current Passivhaus Chairperson.

Tomas O’Leary, the Passivhaus Certifier for the project, added: “The campus sets a new standard for educational buildings across the globe in terms of energy efficiency, yearround comfort, and indoor air quality. It will act as a beacon and a source of inspiration for building designers everywhere in delivering on much-needed dramatic reductions in carbon emissions from the built environment.”

SPONSORS

For several years Sleator Plant has targeted itself to simply be the overall best Construction Plant dealer on the Island of Ireland.

Since it took on the Sany franchise for all of Ireland it has doubled its Aftersales Parts, Service and Admin staffing. It has gone to the market, found the best people in the industry to join its high achieving team, with experience and mastery in the four equipment franchises it proudly represents - Mecalac (Terex), Sany, ROKBAK (Terex-Trucks) & Genie access. In recent years it has won numerous OEM awards, including the 2021 Sany Aftermarket Dealer Award.

FINALISTS: BLOCKBUSTERS ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES - RAIL CULVERT UBC 7A DUBLIN-CORK RAILWAY LINE, A.G. WILSON LTD - OBAN NETWORK IMPROVEMENTS, TRACEY BROTHERS - ERNE CAMPUS, LOWRY BUILDING & CIVIL ENGINEERING - BALLYCOPELAND WINDMILL RESTORATION PROJECT, LOWRY BUILDING & CIVIL ENGINEERING - GLENBROOK FLOOR ALLEVIATION SCHEME AND MCALEER & RUSHE - THE EWART

PLANT awards 2022 PLANT & CIVIL ENGINEER 73

With more than 60 years’ experience of construction, fit out and civil engineering works County Fermanagh based Tracey Brothers Ltd are now one of the major building contractors in Ireland, specialising in the construction and management of highly complex projects, like that on the Erne Campus. Their winning innovative and pioneering project is officially the world’s first educational – and currently the largest – Passive House Premium rated. It is also the first building in the UK to achieve both Passivhaus ‘Premium’ and BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ accreditations.

It has been recognised as one of 26 UN Centres of Excellence for High Performance Buildings in terms of sustainable innovation and design, ranking it alongside the Apple Campus 2 in California in recognition of both its highly efficient building fabric and the large amount of solar energy it generates The Passivhaus ‘Premium’ certification ensures Campus occupants benefit from high thermal

CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OF THE YEAR

SPONSORS

COLE GROUNDWORKS CONTRACTS

Newry headquartered Cole Groundworks Contracts Ltd is a multi award winning civil engineering company working all over Ireland and the UK providing services to some of the biggest construction companies in the world.

The company was established in 2005, solely as a small team of professionals, providing services to domestic and small commercial building contractors.

Today, it has a team of 80 people delivering a broad range of highly specialist projects in the residential and commercial markets, as well as in the education sector, in addition to working on electrical generation sites, telecommunications signals masts, and within the water industry.

Challenges have been many over the last 12 months, but Cole believes that the best businesses are built during turbulent times. Navigating Covid-19, supply chain

issues and trying to attract good talent has been the key challenges, but the company has successfully overcome them all.

In recent years, Cole Groundworks Contracts has significantly increased the general awareness of its name as a brand that can be relied on to deliver projects on time and within budget, which is why the company has been winning a string on contracts, especially around the London area.

Groundwork Contracts have also opted to switch to low emission HVO fuel to play their part in lowering emissions, becoming the first Irish based company to do so to power its machinery.

“We are delighted to be the first Irish company to be using this advanced HVO fuel in all our sites across the UK, and have now introduced it in Ireland also,” says company founder and Managing Director Conor Cole.

Close Brothers Commercial Finance is a leading, independent provider of asset finance, invoice finance and asset based lending.

It works in a range of industries, including the construction sector where it specialises in helping firms acquire both new and used equipment.

It has expertise in refinancing existing assets to release vital working capital back into its customers’ businesses and with offices throughout Ireland, its local teams provide specialist knowledge, fast decisions and excellent service.

FINALISTS: MCALEER & RUSHE, WATERWORX PIPELINE & CIVILS, LOWRY BUILDING & CIVIL ENGINEERING, COLE GROUNDWORK CONTRACTS AND A.G. WILSON CIVIL ENGINEERING

Adrian Logan, Conor Cole and Emma Blair.

CIVIL ENGINEERING COMPANY OF THE YEAR

AG WILSON WINNER

Since its humble beginnings as a relatively small subcontractor, when it was established in 1979 by Bertie Wilson and supported by his wife Shirley, and latterly by directors Derek Wilson and Richard Chambers, the company has diversified and grown, undertaking main contractor duties on major public works with an impressive client portfolio which includes NI Water, Scottish Water, Caledonia Water Alliance and Department for Infrastructure.

Its three primary work categories are civil engineering, marine construction and fusion welding services. Civil engineering projects successfully completed or started over the past year include a flood alleviation scheme in Newry, covering four separate locations, the repair and reconstruction of damaged elements of the Fisherman’s Quay at Carrickfergus in County Antrim, and household recycling and civic amenity sites for a number of councils. Those councils include Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Belfast Council & Lisburn and Castlereagh Council where works have

involved the demolition of existing structures and concrete yards, construction of reinforced concrete retaining walls, reinforced concrete yards, installation of weighbridges, drainage works and installation of prefab buildings. The company also recently completed a water infrastructure project in Oban which involved a delicate operation to tunnel beneath an important railway line and has a team working in the Scottish Highlands on an essential watermain upgrade. It is also one of the leading fusion welding specialists in the UK offering a complete service in butt fusion welding of high-density polyethylene pipes. It differs from other companies in this field of engineering by specialising in a complete welding service of large diameter P.E. Pipes. The company has invested heavily in the most technically advanced fully automatic butt fusion welding machines that provide recorded fully traceable welding data for quality purposes.

MFL Plant Machinery based in Maghera is rapidly growing into one of the largest independently owned hire firms in Northern Ireland. Constantly adding the newest and most innovative hire products to is portfolio of machines, it takes pride in being a family firm and putting the customer first.

Established by John McGilligan nine years ago, MFL Plant Machinery is fully focused on delivering a service that is unrivalled, and all on the team adopt a ‘hands on’ approach to ensure the success of the business which services all of the Island of Ireland, with weekly deliveries and collections to / from Dublin and further afield; It’s a company that believes going the extra mile for its valued customers pays dividends.

FINALISTS: NEWTOWNSTEWART CONSTRUCTION UK, LOWRY BUILDING & CIVIL ENGINEERING, COLE GROUNDWORK CONTRACTS, A.G.WILSON CIVIL ENGINEERING AND WATERWORX PIPELINE & CIVILS

Fergal Mackle, Richard Chambers, Derek Wilson, Adrian Logan and John McGilligan.

SPONSORS

Yes, it’s possible. A profitable, successful and renewable future can start today. Possible thanks to the widest range of renewable fuel options available anywhere on the market. Possible through our expert advice and guidance that will match the right choice to your unique business needs and goals. Possible because we take the doubt and confusion out of choosing renewable fuels. And possible because at Scania we’re fully committed to driving the shift.

To find out how you can make it possible, Call 0845 034 3034 or search Scania sustainable fuels.

HIGH ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR (JOINT)

WINNER

PJ FAGAN

COLE GROUNDWORKS CONTRACTS

Leading from the front, high achiever Patrick Fagan has been key to Cole Groundworks Contracts’ success over the last number of years, being a driving force in winning numerous important contracts, managing client relationships and taking time to understand customer requirements by going that extra mile. In winning this award, he has followed in the footsteps of Conor Cole, the company’s founder and Managing Director, who himself was a recipient of the same High Achiever award a few years ago!

Cole Groundwork Contracts is a multi award winning civil engineering company working all over Ireland and the UK providing services to some of the biggest construction companies in the world. It was established in 2005, solely as a small team of professionals, providing services to domestic and small commercial building contractors.

Today, it has a team of 80 people delivering a broad range of highly specialist projects in the residential and commercial markets, as well as in the education sector.

PJ, as he is known by his colleagues and friends, was also recently awarded Construction Employee of the Year at the Newry Chamber Awards – further testament to his hard work and dedication, if it were needed. He has pushed for and consequently managed the company’s change over from fossil diesel to a high performance low emission HVO fuel in the last 12 months.

“We are delighted to be the first Irish company to be using this advanced HVO fuel in all our sites across the UK, and have now introduced it in Ireland also,” says Conor. “This is what we believe is a true revolution for air quality in our area of expertise, and an innovation that will help the entire construction industry. We are passionate about being at the forefront of innovation.”

As a Scania dealer, Road trucks is committed to providing you excellent customer service to make sure your commercial vehicles are where you need them to be - on the road. They cover Northern Ireland with dealers in Larne and Omagh, providing sales, servicing and parts needs.

With the move towards electric heavy duty vehicles gathering pace, the team at Scania and Road Trucks is on hand to support you along this journey. Scania recently introduced next-level battery-electric trucks for regional haulage; they were on display for the first time at this year’s IAA exhibition, while two new powerful – 420 and 460 hp – biogas truck engines from Scania also made their world première.

FINALISTS: JOHN MCGILLIGAN, MFL PLANT MACHINERY, AARON MCCAUL, SLEATOR PLANT, STRICKLAND MFG, ULSTER SHREDDERS AND PJ FAGAN, COLE GROUNDWORK CONTRACTS

Adrian Logan, Aaron McCaul, David Bonnes and PJ Fagan.

SPONSORS

HIGH ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR (JOINT)

SPONSORS

AARON MCCAUL

Aaron, who joined Sleator Plant back in 2009, has brought a wealth of knowledge to the role, having progressed from parts advisor to Divisional Parts Manager and then to Divisional Aftersales Manager responsible for both parts and service. Being involved in all aspects of the business over many years means he has been well placed to help Sleator Plant grow their market share in what is a highly competitive and demanding environment.

With an excellent portfolio of products in the Sany, Genie, Rokbak and Mecalac ranges and a loyal and expanding customer base Aaron will be aiming for even further success in the New Year, and despite the additional workload and responsibilities, Aaron stays in

touch as much as he can with the day-to-day running of all the departments, helping them to maintain the same high level of customer service he himself always strived to provide.

“I have a great team of professional people behind me; I am super proud of them,” says Aaron, who reports to Managing Director Jonathan Campbell, who adds: “We have an overwhelming pride in the people that represent our team. Recruitment and retention of staff focuses not only on skills but more so personality, energy and ambition of the individual. Core values we demand include respect, honesty and ownership, and we have adopted an “outside-in” vision by ensuring customer experiences are enjoyable yet also offer ‘best in class’ value.

“Our record of achievement in recent years has been impressive, winning numerous OEM awards with the latest being the 2021 Sany Aftermarket Dealer Award.”

As a Scania dealer, Road trucks is committed to providing you excellent customer service to make sure your commercial vehicles are where you need them to be - on the road. They cover Northern Ireland with dealers in Larne and Omagh, providing sales, servicing and parts needs. With the move towards electric heavy duty vehicles gathering pace, the team at Scania and Road Trucks is on hand to support you along this journey. Scania recently introduced next-level battery-electric trucks for regional haulage; they were on display for the first time at this year’s IAA exhibition, while two new powerful – 420 and 460 hp – biogas truck engines from Scania also made their world première.

FINALISTS: JOHN MCGILLIGAN, MFL PLANT MACHINERY, AARON MCCAUL, SLEATOR PLANT, STRICKLAND MFG, ULSTER SHREDDERS AND PJ FAGAN, COLE GROUNDWORK CONTRACTS

Sleator Plant’s Aaron McCaul took on the role of General Manager less than a year ago and has already been one of the driver’s of further growth for the Newtownabbey based dealership.

Adrian Logan, Aaron McCaul, David Bonnes and PJ Fagan.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD

WINNER

PATRICK O’CONNOR BREEDON IRELAND

Chairman of The Institute of Quarrying NI Branch and manager at Breedon Ireland‘s Ballystockart Quarry, located near Newtownards in County Down, Patrick O’Connor has spent over 20 years in the industry, and received his award from Conor Cole, Managing Director of category sponsors Cole Groundwork Contracts Ltd.

Pat started off as an HGV driver and working his way up to a managerial position. In those early days, his love of the job didn’t go unnoticed. He would spend his Saturdays at the quarry where he worked, armed with a long tailed shovel to clean away excess material which had accumulated under the conveyor belts.

When the position of quarry foreman came up, there was no hesitation in promoting him and so began his ‘career’ in the quarry sector. Not long afterwards, he was promoted to quarry manager in charge of production. His responsibilities at the Ballystockart Quarry are varied and range from

BREEDON IRELAND

It was with great shock and sadness that we received the news on Saturday 10th December that our colleague Pat O’Connor had passed away during the night.

production and quality control to health & safety and biodiversity. He is a great believer and motivator in allowing his operatives to reach out and expand their skills and career prospects within the industry.

Patrick is always keen to promote the industry and regularly invites visitors to enjoy a guided tour around the quarry, especially local school children who have the opportunity to learn about sustainability initiatives which Ballystockart Quarry is currently involved with.

“It’s really good to have the opportunity to educate local children about operations within our company and open their minds to an industry which is so intrinsically linked to every aspect of their lives, with materials from quarries used to build, homes, schools and roads,” says Patrick , who also takes a keen interest in biodiversity and sustainability at the quarry, overseeing the planting of trees, shrubs and flowers, and having recently installed some beehives which are already producing honey.

Pat joined Whitemountain Quarries Ltd as Quarry Manager for our Ballystockart Quarry in 2017 and immediately made an impact and developed firm friendships. Not only did Pat strive to bring improvements to our business he also reached outside our business with involvement in

the local community and in the Institute of Quarrying.

It was a great sense of pride to us all when Pat was elected Chairman of the institute this year. We know that Pat gained great satisfaction in the significant amounts of money raised for local charities through Institute events. Pat’s involvement in any activity or project was always marked

Cole Groundwork Contracts is a multi award winning civil engineering company working all over Ireland and the UK providing services to some of the biggest construction companies in the world. It was established in 2005, solely as a small team of professionals, providing services to domestic and small commercial building contractors.

Today, it has a team of 80 people delivering a broad range of highly specialist projects in the residential and commercial markets, as well as in the education sector, in addition to working on electrical generation sites, telecommunications signals masts, and within the water industry.

with an energy and good humour that was unique to him and made him a pleasure to work with.

Pat will be sorely missed by all in Breedon and his many friends throughout the Quarry sector.

We extend our deepest sympathy to his wife Ann and the entire family circle.

Adrian Logan, Pat O'Connor and Conor Cole.

SPONSORS

Gerald Carville, Michael Quinn, Raymond McAvoy and Ciaran Carville, of W.A.C. McCandless.

Max Patterson, Victoria Patterson, Anna Patterson and Will Namana, with Encom.

Lucy Clarke, Michaela Gaskin, Mark Cannell, Carole Rogan and Jen Batteson, with Biffa. Mickey Bartlett.

Rick Swann.

Linus Murray of McKee's Law with Marcus McCay of Denroy Plastics.

Gerard Galvin and Mark Charles, of ETRUX.

Matthew Beale and Bobby Jameson of ABC Skip Hire with Iain Latimer of Diamond Trucks.

Tim Armstrong, Barry Scott and Ralph Burrows, with Pat O'Donnell & Co.

Peter Allen, AG Wilson; Aaron McCaul, Sleator Plant; and Ben Scullion, MFL Plant Machinery.

Rachael Harrison of 4SM with Dominic McClements, Ellen Turbett and Catherine Cassidy of Kaizen.

Conor Walsh, Matthew Bell, Liam Conway and Adrian Mulholland, with KDM Hire.

Neil Bravery, Carl Bartlett and Simon Rainer, of HAE.

Jeff Haslett, Chris Stewart and Diane Gilmore, with Dennison JCB.

Paul Johnston of NICG with Gordon Best of MPANI.

James McGilligan, Jack McGilligan, Owen Downey and Oisin Lennon, with MFL Plant.

Enda Cushnahan, Golda Burrows and Liam Gervin of Bailey Waste.

Drew Stewart of Macpac Refuse Bodies, Darlene Moorhead, Avenue Recycling, and Richard Moorhead.

Gary Howard, Morris Leslie; Nicola Troy, Strickland Mfg.; and Martin Norris, Kubota.

Doosan’s smart excavator ready for engcon 3rd generation tiltrotator system

Engcon has introduced a ‘Ready’ option for the Doosan DX225LC-7X series of excavators. The option is the result from an ongoing collaboration between Doosan and engcon with the aim to provide an integrated solution between tiltrotator control system and machine with all its onboard functions and features.

The collaboration with Doosan has been going on for some time. The engineering teams on both sides have been working closely all the way from the start when the feature was decided, to the finish and start of production.

The Doosan DX225LC-7X is a fully electro hydraulic excavator with factory provided 2D machine control and the latest Doosan technology. As a part of this technology offering the machine is also engcon Ready - that means the machine can easily be equipped with engcon’s MIG2 Grips and 3rd generation of control system, DC3 making the machine prepared for the latest technology offering from engcon.

The control system and machine controllers communicate over CAN (Controller Area Network) which allows for a multitude of data to be exchanged between the two systems at very high speeds. “The deep integration allows engcon and Doosan to create a better operator experience,” says Fredrik Eklind Control System Product Owner at engcon. “It allows the operator to get an overview and configure the functions of the MIG2 Grips directly in the Doosan machine display. The high accuracy engcon

rotation and tilt sensors are also directly integrated with the Doosan semi-automatic machine control solution, weighing and assist features without the need for a 3rd party sensor installed in the attachment making it truly integrated with the machine.”

The deep integration and preparation allow for shortened lead times at the dealers while providing a complete offering to the customer.

Stephane Dieu, Excavator product manager for Europe comments: “engcon tiltrotators as an attachment is growing in popularity globally and especially in Europe. Making sure that our most advanced machine was prepared for this attachment was important and having it integrated with the rest of our machine technology offering was crucial. With the technologies combined the customer can see both improved productivity and flexibility. To shortening the lead times is something that both engcon and Doosan have been working on over many years and with the DX225LC-7X being engcon Ready the upgrade is quicker than ever.”

Komatsu Electric Hydraulic Excavator Revealed

Komatsu has taken a major step into the future with the release of a 20-tonne class electric hydraulic excavator powered by a lithium-ion battery system. Scheduled for launch on Japanese and European markets in 2023, the excavator was developed by Komatsu through their collaboration with the US-based Proterra organisation with whom it has been working since 2021 in researching methods to electrify small and mediumsized hydraulic excavators.

Badged PC 210E, with additional ‘electric’ marking, the unit has a bucket capacity 0.8-1.2 m3 and a tail swing radius of 3,020mm. Motor output of 123kw is matched to a battery capacity of 451kwh. In practical terms, information released by Komatsu shows that the PC 210E has delivered durability and achieved a digging performance equivalent to that of engine-driven hydraulic excavators. When fully charged, its battery system enables operation for up to 8 hours depending on conditions.

Apart from the obvious benefits that electric power can bring in terms of reduced emissions and operational savings, the benefits of electric power make it possible to work comfortably in various work environments without worrying about noise and exhaust emissions thereby making nighttime construction and work in urban areas possible. The zeroengine vibration will also help to reduce operator fatigue.

Commenting, Komatsu distributor in Ireland, Michael McHale, chairman of McHale Plant

Sales said: “the emergence at bauma of an electric powered excavator and a prototype electric powered wheel loader demonstrate the advances Komatsu are making towards the delivery of equipment that will enable customers to tender with confidence for those contracts that have a significant environmental dimension.”

Burdens Launch New Product Guide

Burdens have launched their new product guides, featuring an all-new Essential Product Range (EPR) to offer customers better availability than ever.

The new product guides will see all its best-inclass Civils products brought together into a handy pocket-sized guide which features products from 40 industry-leading suppliers. The product guide will feature the brand’s Essential Product Range (EPR), a customer-inspired commitment to hold 1,500 lines, at mandated levels, across all branches.

Commenting on the new product guides, Natalie Sartain, Customer Proposition Manager at Wolseley

UK for Burdens, says: “The new product guide is designed to offer a compelling and clear proposition to our customers. With deeper levels of stock across the range to support our service, the EPR includes the essential products that we know our customers need day-in, day-out, to get the job done.

“This exciting launch has been inspired by our Customer First approach, which has guided our developments for Burdens.”

To get your hands on your own pockedsized Burdens product guide for all things Civils, log on to www.burdens.co.uk/win

RITCHIE BROS UK PURCHASE MALTBY SITE ANNOUNCING FURTHER DEVELOPMENT PLANS

Equipment auction company

Ritchie Bros. UK is set to continue transforming its Maltby Colliery site following its recently completed purchase of the land and remaining buildings. A key development project will see the major renovation of a large historical structure from the old colliery becoming a state-of-theart equipment workshop.

Rupert Craven, Sales Director UK & Ireland: “Since moving to Maltby in 2019, we’ve conducted 23 auctions, attracted over 30,000 registered bidders, and sold over 31,000 excavators, tractors, dumpers, trucks and other machinery to businesses from all over the world.

“During this time, we have made really good progress transforming the site into the Head Office for our UK business, and we have more exciting plans in the pipeline, like the new workshop.

“Once completed, our customers will be able to use painting and a range of refurbishing services in Maltby. This will further help our customers from all over the world buy and sell machinery, as a refurb can make all the difference when selling in our auction or Marketplace-E to help maximize the returns. Or before putting your purchased equipment to work.”

Site development projects will continue throughout 2023, with the main equipment yard also set to be enhanced.

UPCOMING AUCTIONS

For 2023, Ritchie Bros. UK has scheduled eight auctions, including: 15th & 16th February 2023, 29th & 30th March 2023, 10th & 11th May 2023, 21st & 22nd June 2023, 9th August 2023, 20th & 21st September 2023, 8th & 9th November 2023 and 13th December 2023.

Ritchie Bros has a long history in the UK. Going back to 1987, when the company held its first European auction in Liverpool, which featured rows of machinery used to repair roads and bridges in the Falkland Islands after the war. A series of auctions took place at multiple locations in the UK Midlands in the following years, including in Donington Park.

In early 2019, the Ritchie Bros. team opened its new UK headquarters in Maltby and began developing the site step by step with local contractors. This will continue following the purchase of the site, opening the door for further enhancements and onsite services for customers.

Having served as a coal mine for a century since 1912, the Maltby site has a unique industrial atmosphere. Ritchie Bros. brought a new industrial purpose, and work needed to be done. Over the last three years, the site transformed step by step. Surfaces were levelled, old structures demolished if not renovated, new offices were constructed, and equipment services added.

HiDROMEK INTRODUCES NEW GENERATION MACHINES

new generation

HiDROMEK has introduced new generation machines under the name of “HiDROMEK NEXT”. The new generation machines include HMK 140 LC, HMK 130 CS and HMK 680 MG.

HMK 140 LC crawler excavator is equipped with inclination sensor, swing sensor, e-dig wall and e-trench systems, together with LIDAR technology. The HMK 130 CS soil compactor and HMK 680 MG motor grader are also equipped with LIDAR technology.

By examining operator habits, HiDROMEK has designed “HiDROMEK Opera” which is a new remote-controlling operator cab for backhoe loaders, hydraulic excavators, motor graders, wheel loaders and soil compactors. HiDROMEK Opera puts the operator into the centre and combines modern lines and technology with HiDROMEK design approach. It allows operators to use any HiDROMEK machine remotely at any place and time without sacrificing comfort.

Meanwhile, HiDROMEK’s new, fourthgeneration backhoe loader family K4 Series offers powerful performance, versatility and comfort with its superior technology and unique design. Having joysticks integrated on the seat, K4 Series have an “autotilt” feature, patented by HiDROMEK, which enables the steering column to be lifted up automatically when the operator switches to backhoe side and rotates the seat.

The mini backhoe loader HMK 62 SS with canopy cab, new mini crawler backhoe loader HMK 62TC, HMK 102B and HMK 102S machines all belong to K4 family.

The HMK 62 SS with canopy cab, for example, can operate in working areas having a low ceiling height, while the HMK 62 TC mini crawler backhoe loader can work with many different attachments such as trailer, cylinder, wood chipper, auger, concrete mixer, rotary slasher, mulcher and cambridge roller.

Crawler and wheel excavators belonging to H4 Series include the HMK 65 ZT, HMK 85 CP, HMK

140 LC, HMK 145 LC SR, HMK 235 LC SR, HMK 230 LC, HMK 310 NLC, HMK 390 NLC HD, HMK 520 LC HD crawler excavators, and the HMK 150 WR, HMK 210 W MH wheel excavators.

The new HMK 85 CP (crawler platform) belonging to the H4 Series, for example, is a multi-purpose machine which can work with two different attachments as in telescopic loader and telescopic crane, providing versatility in different jobs.

The new HMK 520 LC HD crawler excavator, meanwhile, offers the possibility of shipping the machine with narrower chassis. By using this solution, the width of machine could be mechanically shortened in a way to meet the road regulations during the shipment, and provides benefits of lower cost of shipment and faster transportation.

Other machines in HiDROMEK’s extensive product portfolio include HMK 160 CS soil compactors, HMK 635 WL and HMK 640 WL wheel loaders, and the HMK 280 MG motor grader.

NEW DOOSAN

DL580-7 PERFORMING WELL FOR IRISH SALT MINING

BY CHRIS MCCULLOUGH

AS you can imagine it’s a busy time at Irish Salt Mining based near Carrickfergus as the winter takes grip on Northern Ireland’s roads creating icy conditions.

Reliable equipment is essential at the mine to ensure the salt gets distributed to the customers around Northern Ireland and further afield into the Republic of Ireland and mainland UK.

The Irish Salt Mining & Exploration Co. Ltd is a privately owned company that dates back to 1965 when it was started by three Irish American brothers. Today it produces around 500,000 tonnes of de-icing rock salt per year, and is one of only three salt mines in the UK and the only one in Ireland.

The company’s latest purchase is a new Doosan DL580-7 wheel loader,

complete with specially modified bucket, that is destined to spend its working life underground loading the blasted salt into dump trucks that haul it to an underground primary crusher.

Buying a Doosan marks a return to the brand following a ten year gap during which the salt mines operated other brand wheel loaders.

This time around a combination of features on the new Doosan, such as latest emission technology, fuel efficiency and a bigger bucket, helped seal the deal with Doosan distributor Northern Excavators Ltd.

Alwyn McCreanor, Irish Salt Mining Co. Ltd company administrator, is well pleased with the Doosan purchase. “Our previous loader was approaching five years old and needed replacing. We were attracted to the Doosan

DL580-7 because of the manufacturer’s five years, or 7,500 hours, warranty.

“Some of our operators actually test drove a number of different machines at quarries and choose the Doosan wheel loader as the best one to suit us.”

The new Doosan has been running in the salt mines since the end of September but had to undergo some changes at the dealership before going underground.

Alwyn said: “The Doosan is performing very well according to its main operator Jay Davis. It is responsible for scooping up the blasted salt and loading it into 30 tonne trucks all 420m underground, so it is a fairly hard life for it there.

MODIFICATIONS

“Due to the underground life we had to carry out a number of changes, mostly to do with fire suppression, to the loader in order to make it safer.”

These changes included work to the oil and fuel pipes on the loader carried out by Dennis Stewart, the service manager at Northern Excavators Ltd. “Due to the machine working underground we had to fit the loader out with a fire suppression kit,” said Dennis. “This means we fitted emergency stop buttons around the vehicle as well as fuel and electrical shut off switches.

“Other changes included covering the manifolds to protect against oil spraying on them in case of a leak and also at the

turbo. We essentially protected all the areas where a leak could start a fire.

STRONGER BUCKET

“Work was also carried out by Cooke Brothers in Newtownards to increase the capacity of the bucket, as well as strengthen it to ensure longer wear.

“Cooke Brothers modified the bucket to suit the mine conditions adding Hardox steel to the mouth and sides of the bucket to make it stronger, and fabricating a lip at the top to prevent material falling off the back when in action,” he said.

The new Doosan DL580-7 is a Stage V emissions wheel loader featuring a completely new design, providing higher performance, increased fuel efficiency and a much

enhanced environment for the operator compared to the previous Stage IV model.

It is powered by the six-cylinder 400hpScania DC13 engine and has an operating weight of 34,488kgs.

Alwyn added: “The main benefits we are finding with the new Doosan DL5807 are that it has plenty of power, good fuel efficiency and operator comfort.

“The big plus is with the newly modified bucket on the front. Each scoop of the bucket holds 15 tonnes of salt which means we can fill the 30 tonne trucks in just two passes whereas on the previous machine it took two and a half passes to fill the trucks.

“With this advantage we are not only saving fuel but also generating less emissions per truck load,” he added.

INDUSTRY EXPECTATIONS GREATLY SURPASSED AT BAUMA 2022

A total of around 3,200 exhibitors from 60 countries and more than 495,000 visitors from over 200 countries came to Munich for bauma 2022, the world’s leading trade fair for the construction industry.

With the proportion of international visitors around 50 percent, the top 10 exhibitor countries were, in this order: Germany, Italy, Turkey, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, France, the U.S., Austria, Spain and China. The share of international exhibitors was nearly 65 percent.

Stefan Rummel, the CEO of Messe München responsible for the event, is pleased: “This bauma has again stoked enthusiasm and fascination! After the world fundamentally changed following the last bauma, we’re really thrilled that bauma 2022 demonstrates the trade fair remains a powerhouse of the construction-equipment industry thanks to our customer’s great variety of innovations, good business deals and many visitors from all over the world.”

And this is because bauma displayed its usual strength even in these unsettled times, as Domenic Ruccolo, CSO of Wirtgen Group and Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Product Support for Global

Construction Equipment at John Deere confirms: “The WIRTGEN GROUP’s joint trade show appearance with John Deere was a resounding success. The interest in our company and our innovative and sustainable products was simply overwhelming. Our participation in the industry leading trade fair bauma was the most successful in the history of the WIRTGEN GROUP.”

Steffen Günther, a member of the Board of Directors of Liebherr, also expresses his satisfaction: “bauma proved to be a very successful trade fair for us. We generated a lot of enthusiasm among the large audience. The conversations were outstanding. We’re already looking forward to the next bauma trade fair now.”

Fred Cordes, Chairman of the Management Board at Zeppelin (CAT), adds: “bauma was long overdue — as demonstrated by the overwhelming rush of visitors to our booth and the extraordinary interest in Cat construction machinery and Zeppelin services.”

DEALS DONE

And in terms of business deals as well, bauma proved once again it is the platform for the industry. Alexander Greschner, Chief Sales Officer at Wacker

Neuson Group, says: “Visitors flocked to our stand, and we had a lot of very good discussions. From the very first day we were able to achieve sales success on the same level as 2019 and beyond.”

But bauma did not just showcase its strength as a business platform; the trade fair also lived up to its leadership claim in setting topics for the event. Franz-Josef Paus, Managing Director of Paus Maschinenfabrik GmbH and Chairman of the bauma Advisory Board says in summary: “We’re very satisfied with how bauma went. The trade fair was enormously popular among our customers and guests. Digitalization and automation are topics that dominate the trade fair, and this trend is irreversible.”

Joachim Schmid, Managing Director of the Construction Machinery and Building Material Association of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) echoes this, saying: “The exhibitors are offering solutions to address current challenges related to CO2 neutrality as well as tackling the issue of skilled worker shortages with automation and digitalization. This is the future. You see this with the traditional companies and with the nearly 50 start-ups at the trade fair for the first time.”

The next bauma will be held in Munich from April 7–13, 2025.

bauma 2022 review

BELFAST HOSTS OPTIMISED WASTE & LOGISTICS ROADSHOW & CONFERENCE

An Optimised Waste & Logistics (OWL) roadshow and conference was recently staged at the impressive Titanic Centre in Belfast; it was one of a number held throughout the UK this year.

OWL brings together suppliers from the waste, transport and logistics industries to develop products and services that are truly integrated.

OWL partners are individual organisation specialists working together and leading the way in both the development of fully integrated sustainable solutions and driving up standards of safety and compliance.

OWL Roadshows are go-to events for both public sector and private fleet operators, covering topics including air quality, waste management, fleet management, electric HGVs and sweepers and RCVs, street cleansing,

telematics, safety, sustainability, driver behaviour, tracking and route optimisation.

Speakers at the Belfast conference included Jeff Shaw, Transport Manager, Ards & North Down Borough Council/ Vice Chair IRTE NI, Rachael Hook, Head of Recycling and Waste Sector, Climate Action Plan DAERA and Michael Hutchinson, from the South Eastern Regional College who highlighted the skills the future technician will need, how a repair facility needs to prepare for Net Zero 2050, and future career paths in the transport industry.

Among vehicles on display were a Bucher CityCat V20e electric road sweeper, a Dennis Eagle Elite+ and a Macpac Tip 120 mounted on an Iveco CNG powered chassis; designed for the collection of multiple waste steams, the vehicle had a Macpod food pod with a side bin lifter.

Rachael Hook, Head of Recycling and Waste Sector, Climate Action Plan DAERA, speaking at the OWL Roadshow.

Michael Hutchinson, South Eastern Regional College.

Bucher’s Craig Mitchell, Ben Williams and Ryan Ferguson.

Drew Stewart, Stewart Commercials, and John Allen, Mac Pac Refuse Bodies.

Pictured (l-r) David Williams, Dennis Eagle; Danni Nelson, Dennis Eagle; Richard Taylor, Dennis Eagle; and Alan Haire, Manvik.

Mac Pac Tip 120 mounted on an Iveco CNG powered chassis.

Nathan Wilson, Allison Transmission Europe.

David Moorfield, CMS Supatrak.

Michael Hutchinson, Education Officer IRTE; Alan Gault, Chairman IRTE Ireland North; and Jeff Shaw, Vice Chairman IRTE Ireland North.

Paul McCrory, MBNI; Adam Finlay, MBNI; and Philip Chance, Mercedes-Benz Municipal Specialist.

A Bucher V65 Road Sweeper.

Bucher CityCat V20e electric road sweeper.

A Dennis Eagle Elite+ on display.

CDE & SKIPWAY OPEN DAY SHOWCASES LATEST TROMMEL FINES SOLUTION

Skipway’s Dunmurry plant recently opened its doors to its latest trommel fines wash plant to demonstrate how CDE wet processing technology is supporting the waste management firm to divert over 95% of its trommel fines from landfill.

The event, which started with a guided tour of CDE’s world-class manufacturing facility in Monkstown, enabled guests to see the 300,000 sq. ft. facility in operation, where CDE’s advanced wet processing solutions are commissioned for customers around the world, from Creagh Concrete in Toome, Northern Ireland to Posillico Materials LLC on Long Island, New York, from Repurpose It in Melbourne, Australia to Feiring Bruk, Norway.

As part of a long-term investment strategy in its manufacturing capabilities, CDE recently commissioned two new Bystronic high-speed sheet metal laser cutting systems. The systems integrate with a new 400-tonne steel storage and management system incorporating fully automated loading and offloading of the laser cutters.

Following the tour of CDE’s facility, guests were invited to tour its latest trommel fines solution, designed and engineered for

Skipway. The new 50 tonnes per hour (tph) trommel fines plant, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, has been commissioned at the waste management firm’s processing site in Dunmurry, one of three recycling facilities it operates in Belfast, Lisburn and Portadown.

It diverts trommel fines from landfill and converts the material into a resource by producing recycled products with the same specification and quality as quarry grade sand, therefore making it suitable for concrete and building products while also improving the quality of other recycled aggregates such as pipe bedding and recycled hardcore.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY BENEFITS

Skipway director Trevor Heatrick said: “By putting trommel fines through a wet processing plant the clean sand and aggregates recovered can be resold and reused in the secondary aggregates market. This minimises disposal costs, as well as closing the loop on challenging waste streams to create a more circular economy and generating additional revenue for our business.”

CDE business development manager Fergal Campbell added: “It was good to guide our industry colleagues through the entire CDE process as part of the open day event. From fabrication through to the commissioning of a plant, this event highlighted the engineering excellence for which CDE has become renowned over its 30-year history.”

Skipway was acquired by the R. Heatrick Group in 2012. The company had many years of experience in the recycling of demolition wastes and acquired Skipway to further diversify into the recycling industry by providing skip hire and investing in the materials recovery facility.

Following this acquisition R. Heatrick Ltd continued to grow under the Skipway trading name and became a major force in the recycling industry through investment, innovation and providing a fast and reliable service that’s unparalleled to their competitors.

The plant incorporates AggMax modular logwasher, EvoWash sand wash plant with Counter Flow Classification Unit (CFCU), AquaCycle thickener and static screens.

Through the washing process, the plant removes the lightweight and organic material

recycling & waste management

directly linked to Loss on Ignition (LOI) and transforms the largest proportion of the trommel fines waste stream into sellable products for the construction market.

Added Fergal Campbell: “At CDE we’re passionate about contributing to a circular economy and enabling our customers with our innovative technologies so they can play their part. Skipway’s local landfill is reaching capacity so it’s encouraging to see them so passionate about landfill diversion and extracting the value that we can get from waste streams like trommel fines and reusing outputs, such as sand for concrete.

INDUSTRY’S FUTURE

“Plants like this are the future of the industry in their ability to minimise waste and maximise value. It’s been a pleasure to work with Skipway and we really look forward to seeing how this partnership can contribute to Northern Ireland’s circular economy.”

And said Trevor Heatrick at Skipway: “We had numerous other options in front of us, however CDE displayed their knowledge and expertise from the sales stage through to the delivery of the project. Every aspect of the material processing that they highlighted as being required, we can see the benefit of

now. One of our biggest issues was that our material contains a lot of polystyrene which can be hard to remove, and we found that CDE had the best and most robust solution in ensuring that this material could be removed.

“CDE were able to create a product tailored to us which is helping us achieve the goals that we presented them with. Close collaboration meant that we were able to have input on the design of the plant so that it addressed our needs and did the job we wanted it to do. Working with CDE was an easy process and we’re delighted to be able to push the boundaries in sustainable innovation.”

THROUGH

Trevor Heatrick, Director, Skipway and Tracy O’Kane, Technical Innovation Lead, CDE.

recycling & waste management

CAT LAUNCH NEXT GENERATION MATERIAL HANDLERS

The new Cat MH3250 and MH3260 tracked material handler models are said to deliver high efficiency in demanding material handling applications.

Replacing the historical Cat 330D MH and 345 C MH models respectively, the new models boast longer maintenance intervals and improved fuel efficiency to decrease owning and operating costs up to 20%. An entirely new cab concept elevates operator comfort throughout the shift to increase productivity.

Both models feature new mechanical variable-gauge undercarriages that flexibly improve machine transportation without sacrificing lifting performance. Track gauge retracts to 3 220-mm (10-ft 7-in) to lower transport costs and make moving the material handlers more efficient.

When at the yard, gauge extends to 3 720mm (12-ft 2-in) wide to increase stability and maximize lift capacities. The MH3250 and MH3260 deliver impressive capacities when working at their respective 16 010-mm (52-ft 6-in) and 18 000-mm (59-ft 1-in) maximum reach, reducing the number of times the material handler has to be repositioned at the yard to increase productivity.

Three different power modes – Power, Smart and Eco – fine-tune power requirements to the job, so the new MH3250 and MH3260 use less fuel than their predecessors without sacrificing machine performance. Smart Mode automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to working conditions to reduce fuel consumption, while Power Mode provides maximum power to optimize productivity. The machines’ new fuel-efficient engines meet stringent U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final and EU Stage V emission standards and can run up to B20 biodiesel. These material handlers operate at up to 2 600-mm (8,530-ft) above sea level without derating and offer standard high-ambient temperature capability of 52˚ C (125˚ F) and cold-start capability of -32 C˚ (-25˚ F). New valve priority automatically places hydraulic pressure and flow where it’s required to increase material handling efficiency. Their advanced electrohydraulic system provides the optimum balance of power, efficiency and load control. Auto warm-up reduces the time it takes for hydraulic oil warming in cold temperatures and helps prolong the life of system components. A range of attachments and reach options are available for varied applications to

increase operating flexibility. Increasing the MH3250’s versatility, it can be equipped with the ex-factory 25 kW generator for magnet operation. Customers can choose from a range of Cat work tool attachments in different sizes to meet the site’s material handling and production needs.

WORK IN COMFORT

Featuring sound suppression for interior noise reduction and rubber cab mounts to reduce vibration feedback, the all-new next generation cab advances operating ease, comfort and productivity. All controls are conveniently positioned in front of and within easy reach of the operator to avoid unnecessary movements. The left-hand console tilts up to offer easy cab entry and exit. Maintaining operator comfort throughout the entire shift in a variety of climates, the premium airsuspension seat is heated and ventilated.

A large, 254-mm (10-in) high-resolution touchscreen monitor with jog-dial offers easy navigation of the intuitive operator controls. Using the new Operator ID function, different machine operators can store their specific joystick and preferred power mode settings, and the machine automatically recalls the settings based on the ID. Improving highwall trailer loading/ unloading and shredder loading efficiency, the hydraulically controlled cab rises to a maximum elevation of 6 020-mm (19-ft 9-in).

SAFETY IN MIND

Smaller cab pillars, combined with large tempered windows and a flat engine hood, deliver excellent all-around visibility for the operator, increasing safety. With video feed displayed on the large touchscreen monitor, standard rearview and sideview cameras improve work area visibility. The cab design includes thick, impact-resistant safety laminated windshields that meet P5A standards, while operators are protected from falling and flying debris by the standard Falling Object Guard System (FOGS).

An upper-level service platform with access steps constructed of antiskid punch plate provides easy, safe and quick access to machine service items. In the event of a hydraulic service interruption, the cab can be safely lowered via one of two emergency cab lowering valves, located inside the cab as well as outside of the machine. Check valves on the boom and stick prevent reverse hydraulic oil flow, to maintain the position of the front linkage should the hydraulic system experience an unexpected loss in pressure.

Now standard technologies on the MH3250 and MH3260 material handlers elevate operating protection. New cab avoidance helps the operator by preventing contact between the attachment and cab.

E-fence automatically stops machine motion using boundaries you set in the monitor for the entire working envelope. By requiring a PIN code to start the

engine, the new Operator ID inhibits the machine from unauthorized operation.

SERVICE SIMPLIFIED

Synchronized service intervals and extended filter replacement schedules reduce maintenance time and costs for the new Cat MH3250 and MH3260 material handlers. All fuel filters feature a coordinated 1,000-operating-hour change interval, and the new air intake filter with precleaner lasts up to 1,000 hours to reduce

recycling & waste management

maintenance requirements. A new hydraulic oil filter improves filtration and increases change intervals to 3,000 operating hours, a 50 percent longer service life than previous filter designs. New anti-drain valves

keep the hydraulic oil clean during filter replacement to improve system longevity.

Operators conveniently track filter life and maintenance intervals on the in-cab high-resolution monitor. Eliminating the need for operator interaction, the high-efficiency cooling fan features an automatic reverse function to keep the cores clean, maximizing machine uptime. Conveniently located Cat S∙O∙SSM ports allow for quick fluid sample extraction for analysis, simplifying maintenance.

New remote services capabilities for the MH3250 and MH3260 increase service efficiency and potentially save trips to the jobsite. Remote Flash works around the production schedule to conveniently assure the machine operates with the most current version of on-board software, so it delivers high performance with minimum downtime. The Cat App conveniently helps to manage fleet location, hours, and maintenance schedules and provides alerts for required maintenance needs.

IPAF ePAL surpasses quarter of a million downloads

The ePAL mobile app for operators of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) and mast-climbing work platforms (MCWPs) from the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has now surpassed a quarter of a million first-time downloads.

IPAF’s ePAL app was launched in June 2021, with the global roll-out completed earlier this year. The app allows digital certification of training, including IPAF’s Powered Access Licence (PAL) Card. It is free to use and is available in seven languages. The app allows IPAF to communicate safety messages to operators around the globe. It also offers benefits to users in terms of storing and sharing training certification and logging machine time, and reporting incidents or near-misses to IPAF’s portal. The app is available in all territories where IPAF certifies training, and to date has active users in more than 160 countries worldwide.

Peter Douglas, IPAF’s CEO and Managing Director, comments: “We developed ePAL in partnership with our member firm Track unit in part to offer operators and supervisors a digital tool to share training certification and log equipment time, and also as part of our ongoing digitalisation project.

We are streamlining processing of IPAF licences and have significantly reduced the carbon footprint involved in sending hundreds of thousands of plastic PAL Cards and paper certificates all around the globe each year.

Take Up Snowballs

“We have been rolling the app out since mid-2021, and while the emphasis was on newly certified training candidates in the first few months, take-up has snowballed and now it is encouraging to see that ePAL is being downloaded by ever increasing numbers of people around the world.

“It’s fantastic that we’ve surpassed 250,000 first-time downloads; this allows IPAF to engage directly with a growing global network of operators and managers. It’s also a significant milestone in our drive towards

ensuring that the majority of all valid PAL Cards and training certification is digital.

“Anyone can download the ePAL app free of charge and can store their training certification digitally. It’s a quick and easy way to verify validity, check on expiry dates, and the cost of renewing a PAL Card digitally is cheaper, provided a physical card is not required for any reason.

“It means that users’ training can be updated quickly and easily whenever licences are added or renewed, and it makes it impossible to ever ‘lose’ your PAL Card, meaning you shouldn’t ever have to pay a fee to get it replaced, as used to happen when a physical card was lost.

“IPAF’s global network of approved Training Centres is working together to assist us in driving this digital revolution

in certification. There are many benefits to using the app – in addition to storing their digital credentials, operators can log and share machine experience, benefit from safety and technical advice and quickly and easily log accidents and near-misses, anonymously if preferred, directly to the IPAF Portal.

More Benefits

“There are other benefits too – such as being able to show a QR code to share training certification instantly with other users – and there are new developments being worked on behind the scenes that will be added to improve functionality and the overall user experience. Indeed, users of the ePAL app can give their feedback and suggest additions in functionality or improvements to the interface via the app itself, directly to our development team.

“We do hope users of the app continue to interact with and enjoy ePAL, and we invite feedback from all, whether negative or positive. We also urge those who haven’t yet downloaded ePAL to do so without delay, to begin to enjoy the benefits the app brings and to join the growing digital revolution in IPAF training certification and safety.”

To find out more about the new IPAF ePAL mobile app, see www.ipaf.org/ePAL. The app is available for Apple iOS and Android through Google Play and will be updated with additional features as usage demands and evolving technology allows.

UK Safe Digging Industry Experiences a ‘Searching Surge’

Record-breaking numbers of people in the UK are checking for underground pipes and cables before they start digging projects, according to LSBUD, the UK’s leading online safe digging resource.

There were over 33,500 new registrations on LSBUD’s central search portal between January and September. This represents an 18 percent increase over the same time period last year and is 37 percent up on 2020, highlighting how much more committed the UK has become to safe digging. Reflecting this momentum, the number of actual search enquiries is on the rise too. There have already been 2,828,562 search requests placed in 2022, which equates to more than 314,250 enquires passing through LSBUD’s portal each month. This is 12 percent increase on 2021, and a 25 percent rise on 2020.

The 2.83 million searches over the course of nine months also means that LSBUD is on for its biggest year to date, with numbers suggesting it will reach 3.75 million searches by the end of 2022, exceeding the 3.4 million record set last year.

Richard Broome, MD at LSBUD, comments:

“Last year I spoke about potentially breaking the 3.5 million milestone, and just what it would mean for the UK’s safe digging industries, and it looks like we are going to outstrip that number by some way. It is fantastic, because it means more and more people are staying safe by planning their digging work before it begins.

“In March, a record 4,120 new Users joined us, which equates to 133 new people per day. Keeping people safe is our purpose, so to know 133 new people every day are educating themselves on what is buried beneath them before they start work is truly inspiring for all those involved with LSBUD.

And it is not just contractors and professionals joining, it is farmers checking before replacing fences, and the general public making sure they are clear to build their new shed.

“We want to thank every single person –fencing contractors, landscape gardeners, construction workers, highways contractors, those operating on behalf of telecoms, water, gas and electricity companies and those digging at home – you are keeping yourself safe, and protecting our underground pipe and cable infrastructure at the same time. It is great. Always search before you dig.”

LSBUD now has over 110 members signed up to its collaborative portal, including 100 percent of the UK’s major gas distribution networks, 92 percent of electricity distribution networks and 99 percent of fuel/oil pipeline operators.

For more information about LSBUD, visit http://www.lsbud.co.uk/

Specialist finance for the purchase of new and second hand assets

plant sales

Raymond & Ronan of Glen Contracts with their new Komatsu PC228USLC-11 from WAC McCandless.

Hammer SB70, SB100, SB300, SB250, FX2200, GR150 from SME Plant Sales.

Tommy Simpson & Stephen Kelly taking delivery of their new Manitou MLT741-130 PS+ from Northern Lift Trucks.

Trevor Wilson of Templepatrick Co. Antrim took delivery of this New Dieci Srl 40.7 Agri Star from Alan Milne Tractors.

A new Takeuchi UK TB230 delivered to L&S Swift Plant Ltd in Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh. by Alan Milne Tractors Newry.

Hitachi ZX135US-7 - ACS Civil Ltd, Omagh sold by TBF Construction Machinery.

Co Fermanagh customer with his brand new Sany SY390 hard at work, Sleator Plant Sales.

Hitachi ZX26U-6 - J & B Contracts Ltd, Pomeroy sold by TBF Construction Machinery.

New Yanmar VIO26 with Tecna breaker delivered to Greyhill Comtracts from Crumlin Plant Sales.

New Yanmar VIO33 and Tecna breaker for Martin McColgan from Crumlin Plant Sales.

A new Engcon EC204 twin hitch tilt rotator for S Beers, from Ballyward Plant Services.

A New Takeuchi UK TB240 delivered to Ian Gordon of Annalong co Down by Alan Milne Tractor Newry.

MLT630-115V

Elite Tom Rooney – pictured with Roy Graham from Northern Lift Trucks.

Paul Casey from Casey Consultants pictured with Sleator Plant Sales Executive Brain McCartan.

Gary at KC Hire taking delivery of 3 new Yanmar SV08 from Crumlin Plant Sales.

New Takeuchi TB325R collected by Mr Micheal Bradley (left) of MP Bradley in Newtownabbey from Aan MIlne Tractors Newry.

Raymac Hardware & Hire collecting their new JLG 450AJ from WAC McCandless.

Hammer FX2200 from SME Plant Sales.MMG Contracts recent delivery of the Manitou MT625 from Northern Lift Trucks.

New Yanmar SV17 for Modern Maintenance from Crumlin Plant Sales.

Unlock

value of

existing assets to support cash flow

Hitachi ZX26U-6 - Mullacurry Construction Ltd sold by TBF Construction Machinery.

12 new Takeuchi TB216 delivered to CP Hire in Belfast by Alan Milne Tractors Newry.

2 x Hitachi ZX135USBL-7 - LPS International Plant Ltd, Knockdoe sold by TBF Construction Machinery.

Clyde Coast Contracts adds their 3rd Hydromek to their fleet from Kattrak.

A new Engcon EC214 twin hitch tilt rotator for AG Wilson, from Ballyward Plant Services.

A new JLG RT4069 sold to MFL Plant Machinery from WAC McCandless.

A new Komatsu PC210LC-11 sold to CCL Services. Pictured is operator Sean Hart from WAC McCandless.

Shane Savage with his son James, collecting their new Sany SY155.

A New Takeuchi UK TB230 picked up by Allen Murney of Kilkeel from alan Milne Tractors in Newry.

A new Engcon EC219s twin hitch tilt rotator for Darren Gordon, from Ballyward Plant Services.

145LCSR working hard for Kevin Cross Civils from Kattrak.

Hitachi ZX26U-6 - McCarroll Plant Hire Ltd, Cloughmills sold by TBF Construction Machinery.

New Yanmar VIO27 for MFL hire from Crumlin Plant Sales.

ADVANCE second 230LC added to their fleet from Kattrak.

Aoife Lennon took delivery of her new Dieci 40.7 Agri Plus, complete with McHale bale grab by Alan Milne Tractors.

Astrid from SME Plant Sales.

Barden Demolition delivery from Kattrak.Cass Plant adding a new Sany SY135C to their fleet, Sleator Plant Sales.

New Yanmar VIO38 for Paul Tate from Crumlin Plant Sales.

A new Komatsu PC210LC-11 sold to MP Coleman from WAC McCandless.

Spread the cost of new assets over a fixed period with hire purchase

plant sales

A very high spec. Dieci Srl 42.7 Agri Plus sold to local customer in Newry by Alan Milne Tractors.

Hitachi ZX33U-6 - Patrick Kavanagh sold by TBF Construction Machinery. Paul O’Prey with his new Manitou MLT630 Elite from Northern Lift Trucks.

Father & Son Paul & Austin of Cass Plant collecting their new Sany SY135C, Sleator Plant Sales.

Galoway G-Rake from SME Plant Sales.

Raymart’s new Manitou MT625 from Northern Lift Trucks.

A very fresh second hand Takeuchi TB153FR delivered to Carlin Transport in Carlingford by Alan Milne Tractors in Newry.

Ex-Demo 145LCSR supplied to McGregory Plant from Kattrak.

Hitachi ZX130LCN-7 - JMP Farms Ltd, Newry sold by TBF Construction Machinery.

New Hidromek 230 LC sold to Brophy Bros construction in Kilkenny. This is the third Hidromek machine to join their fleet.

A new Giant G1200 for AWT Home Improvements from Ballyward Plant Services.

Hammer SB Series from SME Plant Sales.

Noel and Alastair Walsh of NJA Contracts with their new Komatsu PC30MR-5 from WAC McCandless.

New Takeuchi TB230 delivered to BLC Contracts in Kilkeel Co Down by Alan Milne Tractors Newry.

Italtower Astrid, Towerloop from SME Plant Sales.

Mark Fulton from BSD Training with their new Manitou MT1440 Easy from Northern Lift Trucks.

A new Giant G1200 for Talbot Plumbing, from Ballyward Plant Services.

New Yanmar VIO27 for Vincent Brady being collected at Crumlin Plant Sales.

Hitachi ZX26U-6 & ZX135US-7 - Duffy Contractors sold by TBF Construction Machinery.

Hitachi ZX135USBL-7 - NSF Joinery Ltd, Stewartstown sold by TBF Construction Machinery.

Hitachi ZX33U-6 - Robert Allen & Sons, Ballymoney sold by TBF Construction Machinery.

Cangini TC1 from SME Plant Sales. New Takeuchi TB230 delivered to New Landscapes in Dungannon by Alan Milne Tractors Newry.

New VIO33-6 arrived at Ryan’s landscaping from Crumlin Plant Sales.

A fresh second hand Dieci 40.7 vario transmission telehandler delivered to Inish Oysters by Alan MIlne Tractors Newry.

230LC working hard for Kevin Cross Civils from Kattrak.

Miah & Catriona Toland of Skeoge Plant & Haulage adding a Sany SY50 to their collection, Sleator Plant Sales.

A new Giant G2700xtra for JH Price, from Ballyward Plant Services.

Ashbourne Truck Centre, Ballymadun, Ashbourne, Co. Meath, Ireland

Tel: 00353 18350573

Josef: 0035387 255 66 77 Sarah J: 0035386 255 66 77

Tel: 00353 18350573 Josef: 0035387 255 66 77 Sarah J: 0035386 255 66 77

2022 Faymonville 4 axle 9ft wide, heavy duty spec on 19.5” wheels, trough, extendable, double flip ramps, BPW axles, greaser, marker boards, available with immediate delivery IN STOCK

New Schmitz Bulk Tipping Trailer, 70 cubic yard, step frame design, steel galvanised chassis, roll over cover, grain hatch and sock, sealed tail board, front lift axle, ina stock, available immediately.

New Faymonville 4-axle hydraulic widening bed low loader, extendable in width from 2.54m to 3.2m at the push of a bu on, also extendable in length, double ip hydraulic ramps, rear steer axles, hydraulic rear legs, full spec. In stock available immediately.

2022 Schmitz 8.2m tipping trailers, standard size and higher side wall for waste etc, steel body, galvanised steel chassis, front lift axle, auto dump on suspension, manual cover, sealed tail board, fully thermal insulated in stock also. available with immediate delivery IN STOCK

New Faymonville 4 axle fixed bed low loader, two rear steer, double flip ramps, marker boards, 9ft wide plus out riggers, coming into stock within 2 weeks. Available on short delivery (same spec as trailer shown)

New Schmitz Cargobull insulated tar spec pping trailer, 8.2m, steel body, electric cover, front li axle. In stock available immediately.

New Schmitz Cargobull Aluminium pping trailer 9.6m, electric cover, rear steer axle, front li axle. In stock available immediately.

New Faymonville MAX 3 axle step frame low loader, double flip ramps (timber or grid floor), in stock available immediately.

2022 Faymonville 4 axle 9ft wide, choice in stock, extendable with trough, or full extension no trough, double flip ramps, hydraulic rear support legs, marker boards, top spec, available with immediate delivery, IN STOCK

New Schmitz tipping trailers, in stock & on short delivery times, various specs, 8.2m steel 1460mm side or 1860mm side, manual or electric covers, various other options available.

www.ashbournetruckcentre.com

www.ashbournetruckcentre.com

Ashbourne Truck Centre, Ballymadun, Ashbourne, Co. Meath, Ireland

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