CONTRACT NEWS NG BAILEY SELECTED AS PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR TO BRITISHVOLT NG Bailey, the UK’s largest independent engineering and services business, has secured a further contract with battery cell technology pioneer and manufacturer, Britishvolt. NG Bailey’s contract will support the next phase of Britishvolt’s ‘Battery Corridor’, a concept which enhances the UK’s existing battery ecosystem and powers the country ahead in the next industrial revolution. The appointment builds on the successful partnership established on Britishvolt’s Gigafactory project in Northumberland, a £3.8bn scheme for electric vehicle batteries, and beyond, where NG Bailey is also involved. This new project will see NG Bailey play a leading role in supporting Britishvolt and its partner, logistics real estate operator Prologis, in building battery cell scale-up facilities in the West Midlands. NG Bailey will provide a full range of construction, mechanical, electrical and plumbing services at the Hams Hall facility. Once complete, the project will create upwards of 150 highly skilled jobs and will unify the Northumberland Gigaplant with a centrally located technology hub. The contract aligns with NG Bailey’s wider responsibility strategy, with the new Hams Hall facilities being net zero carbon in construction and achieving an EPC A rating once operational. Dan Smith, sector director at NG Bailey, says: “At NG Bailey we’re proud to be supporting the development of the UK’s first Gigafactory. We’ve been involved with the Britishvolt journey since August 2020, so it’s fantastic to be selected as construction partner for the scale-up facility at Hams Hall. “Our experience as the principal contractor delivering the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC), which was an all-new centre of excellence for battery technology, and our knowledge of the Britishvolt manufacturing process means that this new phase will undoubtedly be a great success as we meet customer demands of battery production and transition to a greener future.” NG Bailey, ngbailey.com
COMPLEX FIRE PROTECTION UPGRADES AT PRIMARY SCHOOL COMPLETED A complex fire security system upgrade carried out on a live school site in Rochdale has been completed. Ash Integrated Services delivered the scheme across six weeks, with four of those during term time. The works at Milnrow Parish Church of England Primary School included new fire alarm and emergency lighting systems, as well as replacing five fire doors. The company installed fire detection systems in all rooms, including eight classrooms, the hall, offices, toilets, and the staff room. The M+E contractor, which had an average of eight people on site throughout, also overcame an additional challenge keeping the existing fire alarm system running while the new one was installed. Director Antony Grace says: “Projects such as these usually take place during the school holidays, but thanks to constant communication with the headteacher and management team, this technically difficult job has run smoothly. “We worked around school hours, including after-school clubs to minimise disruption, while ensuring everywhere was clear of hazards and mess, ready for the children to learn in a safe environment each day. “One particular hurdle was trying to run the wiring for the new fire alarm system alongside the infrastructure for the existing system. We had to be creative to hide our work and keep all elements out of reach during the day.” Ash Integrated Services, ashintegratedservices.co.uk
MER TACKLES LEGACY INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS TO SUCCESSFULLY SCALE EV CHARGING ACROSS DURHAM EV charging company, Mer, has helped Durham County Council transform its EV charging infrastructure. The two-year award-winning partnership has resulted in 150 EV charge points (EVCPs) installed across the county and brought charging stations to many formerly unserved communities. With funding from Innovate UK for the Scaling on Street Charging Infrastructure (SOSCI) project, the Council partnered with Mer to install 150 charging points at 67 locations across the county. By consulting with locals, Mer’s new charging points were strategically placed in areas of residential demand. Alex Hinchcliffe, Sales Director at Mer UK – Public Charging, comments, “Durham needed a future-fit solution to their problem, and that’s exactly what we helped deliver. Our parent company, Statkraft is the largest renewable energy producer in Europe and our chargers are powered by 100% renewable energy. There’s also no risk of our charge points becoming redundant or falling into disrepair. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve been able to achieve in Durham, combatting the dual problems of rural and city coverage.” Since the completion of the project, Durham has reduced its carbon emissions, bringing it closer to its target 75% reduction by 2030, and due to its success, it has secured a second wave of EV charge point funding from Innovate UK, this time for the Regional Electric Vehicle Unified Plan (REV UP) project. Mer charging stations have recorded 67,474.3kWh of usage to date, which is over 190,000 miles of clean driving. Mer, uk.mer.eco
14 | August 2022
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