18 minute read
Gordon Best, MPANI
FROM THE DESK OF: GORDON BEST, REGIONAL DIRECTOR, MPANI
STAY SAFE Gordon Best, MPANI AND WELL THIS WINTER
The rates of COVID-19 transmission continue at high levels as we move into the winter and the period when flu, colds and other viruses are more prevalent. MPANI would appeal to everyone to remain vigilant as we reinforce the importance of keeping workplaces Covid secure to reduce the risk of infection for your workforce.
The level of protection from vaccinations may vary within your operation depending on the demographics of your employees and contractors. Some younger members may not yet be vaccinated, some older members may have lowered levels of protection as they wait for their third jab and some individuals may have chosen not to be vaccinated. To keep all the workforce safe, please ensure that you continue to risk assess your workplace for COVID-19 and monitor the application of the control measures you have in place. Follow this link to the MPA Covid resources and information on www.safequarry.com RECOGNITION
It was great to see a number of local MPANI Members recognised at the recent MPA British Precast Health and Safety Awards. We had 136 topic award entries, 30 Young Leader Award submissions and 43 Individual Recognition Award entries from 37 different member companies. The quality as well as the quantity of entries has been impressive. As current MPA Chairman, Simon Willis said, “As an industry we have a collective moral responsibility to make sure everyone goes home safe and well every day. No one person and no one company has all the answers - we can all learn something from the entries into these awards and right now is a golden opportunity to take action. “We’re at our best when we learn from each other - everyone is safer by sharing and safer by action. We’re all in this together and we all have the same objective. Everyone across the industry in every job role must be empowered to actively contribute to health and safety – we all have the same responsibility and the same right to safe working.”. SAFETY WEBINAR
MPANI recently hosted the HSENI/ HSA All Island Safety Webinar on the 17 November and was well attended with 75 attendees. The webinar was chaired by our own Chairman, Simon McDowell, and is available for viewing on line at https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/ share/vp0u8V_oNFJkUtvwHD0rPKjvzlbn7W O0lu9gmEqoRpUa2OPH04pJ-ZF9p30mfRCk. hbT-J01BYH_gCBC2 Passcode: TJ$3bxWe ECONOMIC RECOVERY
On the economic front, despite the fallout from Brexit and Covid across the UK, the economic output this year rebounded faster than most had expected. UK GDP in September was 8.6% higher than its most recent trough in Jan-21, and just 0.6% below its pre-pandemic (Feb-20) level. GDP is on track for around 7% growth this year compared with 2020.The Institute for Fiscal Studies summed it up well: “The UK economy is in the midst of a sharp – but incomplete and wildly imbalanced – recovery.” Sharp because output this year rebounded faster than most had expected. Incomplete because despite this rapid rebound, the UK economy remains short of its pre- pandemic trajectory. The Bank of England projections show that output by the end of this year will still be some 3.5% below where it was projected to be before Covid (Jan-20). This is significant; the financial crisis for instance led to a 4.2% contraction in 2009. Wildly imbalanced because, as demand exceeds supply in many areas of the economy, it is still lagging in other areas. Most forecasters have based their forecast view on the assumption that the impact of Covid on the economy continues to wane over the next few months, building on the roll out of the vaccination programme and reopening of the UK and local economy. Most experts say it is still too early for a clear assessment of the impact of Omicron, forecasters expect this impact to be relatively small, given the economy’s adaptability to past restrictions and established vaccination programme. Omicron does however add significantly to market uncertainties, with a major question-mark on the effectiveness of current vaccines against this new variant. Until this is clarified, consumer confidence and spending are likely to take the hit. The reimposition of significant restrictions would result in a more marked impact, but there is little sign of this yet. Energy costs are affecting all mineral products companies, but especially cement manufacturers whose production costs are impacted by rising wholesale electricity prices and the significant increase in the carbon price in the UK Emission Trading Scheme. Even before the recent spike in gas prices, cement producers in the UK faced both a higher carbon price and among the highest industrial energy prices in Europe as a result of Government policy decisions. Costs will be further exacerbated by forthcoming tax increases and the removal of the red diesel rebate. MPA anticipates that demand for most mineral products will remain relatively robust through 2022-23, assuming work accelerates on major infrastructure projects as planned. This is despite the ongoing shortages, delays and cost increases expected to linger in the wider construction supply chain over the next 12-18 months. Limited HGV drivers and haulage capacity will continue to affect mineral products supply. Locally, the most recent PMI from the Ulster Bank Northern Ireland signalled that surging price rises acted as a brake on the Northern Ireland private sector, restricting growth of business activity and contributing to a decrease in new orders. Both input costs and output prices rose at new record rates. On a more positive
note, companies expanded their staffing levels at a sharp and accelerated pace. The Government have continued with its intention to remove he rebate on Red Diesel as from April 2022 with HMRC publishing the interim guidance on the changes to rebated diesel and biofuels which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/changes-to-rebatedfuels-entitlement-from-1-april-2022 MPANI has written to all of our NI MPs to highlight the negative impact of this change and increase in costs at this time of continuing construction material price inflation. We also highlighted the fact that alternative fuels have not yet reached the market and it will be some time before they do. Other potential consequences of removing the red diesel rebate will be increased risk of theft and environmental damage plus increased cash flow challenges. It is great to hear that a large number of our MPANI members have written to their local MPs, MLAs and Councillors to highlight the impact on local construction chains this move will have. Early in the new year we, along with CEF and FMB, will circulate a joint statement in the trade press highlighting the increased costs to customers and clients. MPANI has welcomed the publication of the first NI Fiscal Councils first report which provides an in-depth analysis of how the Executive’s Budget process works. The decision provides a real opportunity for longer-term planning with the setting of 3 year budgets, something that MPANI has been calling for a number of years. BIODIVERSITY
On a very positive note, for any of you who joined the online webinar celebrating 50 years of restoration awards I am sure you were not only impressed but extremely proud of the contribution our Industry across the UK has made to biodiversity enhancement and habitat creation. Natural England, RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts and others have joined the Mineral Products Association (MPA) in marking 50 years of the quarry restoration and biodiversity awards. The quarrying industry has done more than any other sector to support habitat creation and nature recovery, with more than 83 sq km of priority habitat already created and a further 110 sq km in the pipeline (areas the size of Nottingham and Liverpool respectively). That includes the creation of new wetlands, grasslands, heathlands and woodlands proven to support some of the UK’s most vulnerable species. I am proud of what the industry achieves, not just providing essential materials that underpin our economy and way of life, but also going above and beyond to deliver for nature. There is a lot of talk about the problems and what needs to happen – meanwhile we have been actively delivering solutions over decades. Quarries uniquely deliver for nature and the track record of the industry over the last 50 years is a success story. Craig Bennett, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts, reflected the view of other Environmental NGOs, in saying: “Let’s celebrate the partnership between The Wildlife Trusts and members of the Mineral Products Association over many years, which has been of huge benefit to wildlife. We need to not only put nature into recovery – but also the relationship between people and nature into recovery. My message to members of the MPA is that partnership working, including with Wildlife Trusts, will become increasingly important and if we can do that right we can achieve some really good outcomes for people and for the environment.” FESTIVE WISHES
As this is the last PCE publication of 2021 may I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very safe, healthy and happy Christmas. I look forward to meeting many of you face to face again in 2022.
www.mpani.org
Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has visited the £5.1 million Shimna River Flood Alleviation Scheme in Newcastle, involving Dawson WAM and Aecom.
The Minister was on site to meet the team taking forward this vital construction project and check progress on the scheme, which will see construction of 1430 metres of flood walls and embankments that will extend both upstream into Tipperary Wood and downstream into Island Park from the New Bridge on the Bryansford Road. Following completion of preliminary site investigation and enabling works construction of the flood defences has commenced in Islands Park. Scheme construction is expected to take 12 months to complete. Minister Mallon said: “I was here in August 2020 and saw the devastation and destruction the flooding brought. I committed to working at pace and I am delighted to see progress on the ground with the delivery of the £5.1million Shimna River Flood Alleviation Scheme and meet the team behind this crucial project. Scheme construction is expected to take 12 months to complete. This work to provide enhanced flood protection will reduce flood risk for 312 homes and businesses in Newcastle.”
Pictured with Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon are (left) Karol McCusker, Project Director Aecom and Gerard McColgan, Contracts Director Dawson WAM.
Super-Efficient JCB Hydrogen Engine Gets £100 Million Injection
JCB is investing £100 million on a project to produce superefficient hydrogen engines, the company has announced.
A team of 100 engineers is already working on the exciting development with the recruitment of up to 50 more engineers under way as JCB targets the end of 2022 for the first machines to be available for sale to customers. The wraps have already come off a prototype hydrogen powered JCB backhoe loader and a second JCB machine - a Loadall telescopic handler - was unveiled at a central London event attended by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. JCB’s hydrogen technology was on show in the Green Zone at COP26 in Glasgow as world leaders debated measures to drastically reduce greenhouse emissions. JCB’s emergence as a leader in zero-emission hydrogen technology comes as governments around the world unveil strategies to develop the infrastructure needed to support the use of hydrogen to drive down CO2 emissions. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Great British manufacturers like JCB are developing innovative solutions to slash greenhouse emissions and advance the UK’s green industrial revolution. It was fantastic to see JCB’s super-efficient hydrogen engines, which could overhaul UK manufacturing, help us to rapidly reach our climate targets and ramp up the UK’s hydrogen economy – an exciting area that will be essential to tackling climate change, creating new jobs and attracting investment.” JCB says it will buy in up to 10% of hydrogen from Australian firm Fortescue Future Industries in what is a “firstof-a-kind partnership” that would see it become the UK’s largest supplier of the clean fuel; it would be distributed throughout the country by JCB and Ryze Hydrogen. JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: “Our sort of machinery will need to be powered by something other than fossil fuels. We make machines which are powered by diesel so we have to find a solution and we are doing something about it now. “We are investing in hydrogen as we don’t see electric being the all-round solution, particularly not for our industry because it can only be used to power smaller machines. It does mean we will carry on making engines, but they will be super-efficient, affordable, high-tech hydrogen motors with zero CO2 emissions, which can be brought to market quickly using our existing supply base. These will be our industry’s first hydrogen engines, developed in Great Britain by British engineers. Hydrogen motors have the potential to help the UK reach CO2 emissions targets more quickly.” JCB has manufactured engines since 2004, producing them at plants in Derbyshire and in Delhi, India. This year JCB will celebrate a major milestone: the production of its 750,000th engine.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson refuels JCB’s prototype hydrogen powered backhoe loader as the company announces a £100 million investment in hydrogen engine production. Looking on is JCB Chairman Lord Bamford.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE INDUSTRY REVEALS ROADMAP TO ‘NET ZERO’ CO2 EMISSIONS BY 2050
Forty of the world’s leading cement and concrete manufacturers have joined forces to accelerate the shift to greener concrete by pledging to cut CO2 emissions by a further 25% by 2030, marking a decisive step in the race to ‘Net Zero’ concrete by 2050.
The move by the members of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) marks the biggest global commitment by an industry to net zero so far – bringing together companies from Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia, including India and China. It follows the September announcement during New York Climate Week that the GCCA has become the first global ‘heavy’ industry accelerator for the UN’s global Race to Zero; GCCA members account for 80% of the global cement industry volume outside of China, and also includes several large Chinese manufacturers. The GCCA has published a detailed roadmap which sets out the path that the industry will follow to fully decarbonise by 2050, a target aligned with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The roadmap actions between now and 2030 will prevent almost 5 billion tonnes of carbon1 from entering the atmosphere compared to a business-as-usual scenario, equivalent to the CO2 emissions of almost 15 billion flights from Paris to New York. Concrete is the most used human-made material on the planet with 14 billion cubic metres produced every year for use in everything from roads to bridges, tunnels to homes, and hydropower installations to flood defenses. Concrete is an essential element of construction with no other material equalling its resilience, strength and wide availability. Production of cement, the key ingredient in concrete, accounts for around 7% of global CO2 emissions. The new 2030 commitment by the GCCA outlines a significant acceleration in the pace of industry decarbonisation. The roadmap to get there is built around a seven-point plan that relies on ambitious yet achievable actions to reduce the amount of CO2 intensive clinker in cement, significantly reduce fossil fuel use in manufacturing, and accelerate innovation in products, process efficiency and breakthrough technologies including carbon capture.
Carbon Capture
While the GCCA has outlined an ambitious programme for its members, it also calls on governments, designers and contractors to fully play their part by assembling the right public policies and investments to support the global scale transition of the industry. These include greater development of critical technologies such as carbon capture and storage, and reforms to public works procurement policy to encourage the use of low-carbon cement and concrete products. Public policy reforms and the promotion of low carbon products can make a big difference as public infrastructure accounts for almost 60% of all global cement and concrete demand. Thomas Guillot, GCCA Chief Executive, said: “Concrete is the world’s most used building material and provides the foundation for renewable energy transition, resilient infrastructure and new homes around the world.” He added: “Global cooperation on decarbonizing concrete is a necessity, as countries developing their infrastructure and housing will be the biggest users of concrete in the coming decades. I am proud of the commitment made by our members to take decisive action and accelerate industry decarbonisation between now and 2030, an important milestone towards the ultimate goal of net zero concrete. I envision a world in the not too distant future where the foundation of a sustainable, zero carbon global economy will literally be built with green concrete. “We now need governments around the world to work with us and use their huge procurement power to advocate for low carbon concrete in their infrastructure and housing needs. We require their support to change regulation that limits the use of recycled materials and impedes the transition to a low carbon and circular economy.”
Global Market
GCCA member companies operate in almost every country of the world with a global cement and concrete market worth $440 billion annually and supporting a wider construction sector which represents 13% of global GDP5. The Association counts companies such as CEMEX, CNBM, CRH, Heidelberg Cement, Holcim and Votorantim as members. Albert Manifold, GCCA President and Group Chief Executive of CRH plc said: “This Roadmap represents a clear commitment to positive change across our industry and will allow us to sustainably transition to net zero while continuing to supply society with the concrete it needs to grow and prosper.”
commercial launch WORLDWIDE COMMERCIAL LAUNCH FOR XYZ REALITY
XYZ Reality, the transformational construction technology company behind Holosite, the world’s first Engineering-Grade Augmented Reality platform, has announced its worldwide commercial launch and revealed its ground-breaking device: The Atom, described as the most accurate AR headset for construction.
It is a landmark announcement for the disruptive technology company moving from an early access phase to global commercial availability following a successful £20 million Series A funding round in June. On track for 300 percent growth in 2022, the launch places XYZ Reality on its trajectory to significantly increase its global market share and represents a commercial milestone to becoming a market-leading ConTech company. This strategic move responds to a sharp increase in megaproject asset owners and general contractors’ appetite for the proprietary solution, particularly from those who have already observed the power of XYZ Reality’s Engineering-Grade AR technology. Over the last two years during its restricted commercial programme, XYZ Reality has deployed its technology to projects valued at over £1.5 billion working with selected customers on several complex projects like data centres, pharmaceutical facilities and airports. This collaboration with some of the biggest names in the construction sector, not only refined its proprietary technology, but proved XYZ Reality’s proposition as a leading, constructiondedicated technology provider. This announcement brings XYZ Reality’s full, transformative potential to market to deliver instant, operational results for the construction community. Cementing its global entry, the launch will also see the establishment of a US headquarters bringing the cutting-edge, powerful technology directly to this valuable, forward-thinking audience of contractors and will support the delivery of mission critical projects. XYZ Reality also unveils its next-generation Engineering-Grade AR headset- The Atom, the most accurate AR tool for construction. Combining a safety-certified hardhat, augmented reality displays and the in-built, computing power of HoloSite, the device positions BIM onsite to millimetre accuracy. This Engineering-Grade tool makes the entire construction journey safer, smarter and more efficient, reducing waste, de-risking processes and delivering bottom line benefits for contractor and asset owner alike. Commenting on this milestone, XYZ Reality Founder & CEO David Mitchell says, “Technology is transforming the way the construction industry operates, enabling contractors to deliver higher-quality more efficiently. Since inception, we have seen a greater understanding of the potential of AR to achieve better outcomes and improve margins. This commercial launch is a definitive proof point of our product’s value and the substantial appetite for it across the industry, particularly on mission critical projects where the highest levels of accuracy are required.” He continues, “Our entry into North America was spearheaded by current partners who are bringing us to the all-important territory. The market presents an exciting growth opportunity and is now supported with ‘The Atom’, which has been designed to show just how easy it is to work with our technology on-site. As XYZ Reality continues to grow, and we introduce new audiences to our powerful proposition, we will show how Engineering-Grade AR is an essential tool to delivering the highest quality, best outcomes for construction professionals.” Coral Butler, Group Head of Digitally enabled Lean Project Delivery (DePLD), PM Group, an earlyadopter of XYZ Reality’s HoloSite, “We’ve been working with XYZ Reality since the beginning and have already been impressed with how their powerful AR technology has been able to significantly increase efficiency and improve quality across multiple mission critical projects. The Atom has taken it to the next level. What’s so important is that The Atom has been developed by construction, for construction. David and the team have an acute understanding about the challenges and pressures on-site and the frustrations presented by the validation process. This Engineering tool is essential for project management, one which delivers benefits from planner through to asset owner.”
Watch ‘The Atom’ Launch on video here: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=cTVtrfEQGtU
