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Tuesday, May 17, 2016
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Exporting ambition prompts a major move F
ledgling construction support specialist Fast-Form Systems has moved to a 20,000 sq ft facility as it targets international expansion.
chosen because the construction space had limited access. The lightweight formwork was brought in through a set of standard doors and carried through the building from the basement to be bolted together by The Grimsby business helps to hand. reduce build times, costs and carbon In 2015, Fast-Form won a £200,000 use by supplying reusable, adjustable contract with the Ministry of Defence stainless steel brackets that hold to support the construction of three boards in place for concrete pours. accommodation blocks on remote The new base, on Omega Business hilltop sites in the Falkland Islands Park, Estate Road Six, South for military personnel. Humberside Industrial Estate, is a Fast-Form has also worked with significant upgrade on Fast-Form’s Balfour Beatty to replace wooden rail previous 2,500 sq ft facility, also on the sleepers with a solid concrete base same estate. and drainage channel that stop lines Tony White, founder and director of from flooding during heavy rain. It is the two-year-old business, said: “Our now working directly with Transport new building is a major step forward for London on a scheme to improve for the business. tunnels and platforms on the London “We are seeing strong growth in the Underground. UK but we want to take our products It was highly commended at the worldwide. Construction News Specialists “We are already in advanced talks Awards 2016 in the Equipment with companies in the US.” Supplier of the Year category. This year, Fast-Form won a contract The judges were impressed with the to build a two-storey sound studio for technical innovation of the business, Google in London. The studio was with the magazine, adding: “For a built within a tight timeframe inside company founded less than three a newly-completed office block years ago, Fast-Form Systems has opposite St Pancras Station. grown at an incredible pace.” Fast-Form’s modular system was It is a flagship business model of the
NEW HOME: Fast-Form Systems settles in to the new premises on South Humberside Industrial Estate, Grimsby. From left, Peter Palmer, financial director; David Bramwell, chairman; Stewart Wright, commercial director; Tony White, managing director, and Graham Davies of Finance Yorkshire. Picture: Shaun Flannery. Finance Yorkshire seedcorn fund initiative, having received more than £1 million in backing. “Support from Finance Yorkshire has enabled us to invest in stock and staff. We recently took delivery of a 26-tonne truck with a mounted forklift to improve our delivery and service,” Mr White said. A steelfixer who started in the industry working on Grimsby’s Freshney Place Shopping Centre, he now employs 15 people, and it is his latest start up, and the closest to that first trade, passed down by his grandfather. He has also led a groundworks firm and brought a
construction-focused administrative IT programme to the industry, having been adopted by the likes of George Wimpey. “The product fits a niche,” he said. “It is something that doesn’t tread on the toes of many people, we provide something that no-one else has, and that is a key reason why we are growing so well. We always forecast it would grow at this speed, but you are always pleased when it actually does. We knew it would be a product that was really well received but we keep busting all budgets and forecasts, it is going very, very well.”
The move also sees Fast-Form follow the expansion trail of previous occupant PPS East, itself a fast-growing operation in seafood supply chain, having featured in Business Telegraph with the move to a 60,000 sq ft site on Estate Road Two less than a year ago. Finance Yorkshire investment manager Graham Davies said: “Fast-Form Systems has proved that its products are a flexible, innovative and energy efficient solution for concrete pours. We look forward to working with Tony as he rolls out his strategy for international growth.”
Lincolnshire Lakes sealed as seaside office opens FOR SALE are contributing to the Government’s target of creating 400,000 new homes by 2020.” A variety of two, three and four-bedroom homes will be included in the scheme, ranging from £120,000 to £350,000. Mr Downing said: “This is a large development which will go a really long way in helping local people get on the property ladder as well as bringing new people into the area to stimulate the growing workforce in the region. “North Lincolnshire is an exciting place to be at the moment, with the renewables sector growing across the Humber and Greybull Capital taking over at the steelworks. The local job market is continuing to grow with North Lincolnshire Council forecasting 16,000 new jobs being created by 2020.” The Relocation Agent Network Agent of the Year has had a presence in the county for 25 years and has recently opened its latest branch in Cleethorpes. Charles Flynn, co-founder and chief executive of Lucent, said: “We are very excited about the WATERSHED MOMENT: Lincolnshire Lakes, top; potential of the Lincolnshire Lakes site and are Tim Downing, left, and Cllr Liz Redfern. very much looking forward to getting on site later in the year.” local economy and alleviating the county’s Lincolnshire Lakes is due to be completed in growing housing crisis,” Mr Downing said. “Regional schemes, such as Lincolnshire Lakes, 2037.
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LINCOLNSHIRE Lakes, a major housing development that will bring 3,000 new homes to the west of Scunthorpe, will start on site later this year, with Pygott & Crone installed as sole agent. The scheme’s developer, Lucent Group, intends to create six new villages over two decades around a newly constructed £5 million lake which will play a central role in the positioning of the development’s new bars, cafes, restaurants and 3,000 new homes. It is supported by North Lincolnshire Council, the Homes & Communities Agency and the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Programme in a bid to stimulate regeneration and job creation. Tim Downing, senior partner at Pygott & Crone, who was given the nod at a major European property event in France last month, as reported, said: “The new development is fantastic news for the area’s regeneration plans and job market. The scheme will create 5,000 new jobs and bring a wealth of new business into the North Lincolnshire region.” The 60-acre site lays close to the M181, aiding fast links to South Yorkshire and beyond. “We’re delighted to be involved with such a fantastic project, contributing to the growing