National Construction Magazine Issue 113 by SNS Publishing

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ISSUE 113

EDITORS NOTE WHILE summer may be coming to an end, companies and clients in the construction industry are still trying to capitalise on what remains of the great weather. This month continues to have flourishing outdoor projects that have gone unimpeded by harsh cold or heavy rain periods. Although autumn and the first frost are both fast approaching, this extension of workable outside conditions will allow for a greater range of indoor projects during the colder seasons ahead.

Over the last year the industry has definitely improved, and while it is still not completely out of the woods, it is definitely getting there. The companies we spoke to this month have all shown perseverance through the trying times which is going to be a catalyst for them to move forward as the economy strengthens. As we say goodbye to long summer evenings and sunny weather, our plans should not be just for the immediate future but also plans for next summer should begin to ensure that it can be the most profitable year yet.

Features Manager Joanne Cowan Jenny Pollard Nick Maldzinski Dale Livesey Features Manager - Scotland Stacey Aitcheson Editor Andrew Coates Design and Artwork Mark Alsop Admin Beverley Wood Publisher Mohammed Faraz Steve Rushworth

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CONTENTS ENPHASE

RPS - PG 23

YOOZ - PG 31

FINLOG - PG 47

PG 8

BIFFA

PG 12

ELGIN SAND

PG 14

BRADLEYS ESTATE AGENTS

PG 17

APOLLO CRADLES

PG 20

RPS

PG 23

BRADFAST

PG 26

NATIONAL INSULATION ASSOCIATION

PG 28

YOOZ

PG 31

LEE GROUP

PG 33

BMC

PG 36

AMROSE ELLIS

PG 38

JA SEALS

PG 41

GEORGE ROBERTS SCAFFOLDING

PG 44

FINLOG

PG 47

ELVINGTON PLANT

PG 50

PDA

PG 54

CRYSTAL DOORS

PG 59

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CONTENTS

ICM - PG 64

THWAITE HOLMES - PG 70

LANDMASS LONDON - PG 74

ICM

PG 64

JSB

PG 66

HOLLINS CONSTRUCTION

PG 68

THWAITE HOLMES

PG 70

NIC LONDON CONSTRUCTION

PG 72

LANDMASS LONDON

PG 74

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NEWS , THE SKY S THE LIMIT FOR SPEEDY AT GATWICK AIRPORT Speedy Airport Services has well and truly taken flight, after the leading integrated asset services provider secured a two year partnership contract with Gatwick Airport Limited to supply a range of services from Tools & Powered Access to TRIM services (Test Repair Inspection Maintenance). Speedy will demonstrate its ability to deliver the right products and services at the right time, by utilising its three depots local to the Airport.

working for them, although we have experience of a similar supply chain framework with Thames Water and National Grid amongst other large operations UK wide. The initial two year partnership deal with the airport will ensure that contractors and sub-contractors have access to the full range of services from Speedy at pre-agreed terms, which have been negotiated on their behalf by Gatwick Airport. Contractors will also have access to the Speedy Extranet System to better manage their accounts, from the hiring & tracking of equipment to the purchasing of kit and consumables via the company’s Speedy Sales operation. Gatwick head of procurement Liz Townsend added “Working with Speedy is another positive step forward in our relentless effort for efficiency, quality and safety, as we transform London Gatwick into the capital’s airport of choice.”

The partnership means that Speedy will supply not only Gatwick, but also all of its associated contractors and sub-contractors both landside and airside. The company will support the contract delivery with one central point of contact, and a 24 hour emergency response service to all contractors working at the busy 24/7 operation. Speedy also have a Training facility at its Lifting Depot located near the Airport on Fleming Way, bringing a range of training courses even closer to Gatwick, in a bright and friendly environment. David Shanahan the Airports’ Infrastructure Manager, said “This is further evidence that Speedy has the depth of knowledge and understanding to provide a full suite of support services to not only Gatwick Airport Ltd but also to the contractors

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CONSTRUCTION SMEs NEED SUPPORT TO ENSURE GROWTH IS MAINTAINED, SAYS LEADING SMALL BUSINESS HUB Small and medium sized businesses in the construction sector, which make up approximately a fifth of all of Britain’s 5 million small businesses, need support and direction particularly in the area of financial back-up if the current tentative recovery in the sector is to be maintained. That’s the view of small business advice hub Ingenious Britain, which says businesses in the sector, particularly those in the renewables area, are embracing alternative forms of funding, including invoice trading, peer-to-

peer lending and crowdfunding, as bank lending to SMEs continues to be squeezed. The warning comes after Nationwide, the UK’s biggest building society, announced it was putting on hold plans to lend to SMEs, just three weeks after the most recent Markit/CIPS Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 57.0 in July from 51.0 in June with construction firms were reporting greater expansion than anything seen over the previous three years. “There are few sectors more important to the long term growth of the UK economy than small business and construction. The fact that so many within the construction sector are small businesses makes it doubly significant,” explains Ingenious Britain managing director, Mark Moore. “The challenge now is that no matter how profitable a business might be, whatever its potential is, and whatever the value of its invoice book, it needs good liquidity to meet immediate costs and contribute to growth. Without liquidity it will fail.” However, says Ingenious Britain, the encouraging sign is that alternatives are now springing up. These innovative approaches to funding hark back to what commercial finance used to provide and, as both an SME ourselves and as an SME campaign and community, Ingenious Britain welcomes these examples of entrepreneurial financial activity. “We are seeing the development of companies, which bring a new twist to invoice financing by facilitating online platforms where companies seeking immediate cash against valid invoices attract bidders in an auction. This is much cheaper than traditional bank factoring, lower barriers to entry and the small business remains in control of the invoices they want to auction and the price they pay for the service,” explains Moore.

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NEWS CONTINUED TWO NEW DIRECTORS AT CLARK CONTRACTS Two new directors have joined the board of Clark Contracts, the leading construction, refurbishment and maintenance firm. Gerry Cummins, who currently manages Clark Contracts’ Small Works division and Michael Scanlan, who manages the company’s Construction West division have become Directors of the company. Cummins, 33, joined Clark Contracts originally in 2004 as an Assistant Quantity Surveyor, progressing through a number of positions. He took over management of the company’s Small Works division in 2010, where he is responsible for the delivery of over 50 projects a year, with values up to £500,000 per project. Scanlan, 35, joined Clark Contracts in 2006 as a Quantity Surveyor and has also progressed through a number of positions. In 2011, he took over management of the company’s Construction West division, which has an annual turnover of £20 million. Steve Clark, Executive Chairman and Founder of Clark Contracts said, “These appointments reflect the hard work, talent, commitment and success both Gerry and Michael have displayed since they joined the company and now they are bringing all of those attributes to strengthen our existing board. Clark Contracts is an ambitious company with plans to grow and we are very confident both new directors will also make a substantial contribution to our future prospects. We believe passionately in supporting the personal growth and development of all of our employees and both Gerry and Michael are outstanding examples of this policy in practice.” Founded in 1978, Clark Contracts has grown to employ around 200 staff at offices in Paisley, covering the West of Scotland, and Edinburgh, covering the East. Around 80% of the company’s work is repeat business and six out of ten customers have worked with Clark Contracts for five years or more.

UK house-building levels continue to improve, according to NHBC NHBC’s latest registration statistics show that house-building levels in the UK continue to show improvement on recent years, with figures for July 19% higher (13,539) than the same month last year (11,391). Taking the rolling quarter into account (May – July 2013) the period reveals a 30% increase compared to the same period last year (2012; 28,951 compared to 2013; 37,738). Additionally, the private sector reported the highest number of registrations for over five years, with 10,300 new homes registered in July; the highest since February 2008 when 10,465 homes were registered. NHBC Commercial Director Richard Tamayo said: “July was a bumper month for new home registrations, particularly for the private sector. “As we have emphasised over the course of the year, this recovery is from a relatively low base but nevertheless reveals that builders are beginning to meet the growing demand to provide the new homes that the country desperately needs. Looking ahead we hope that the rest of the year continues this long overdue recovery story.”

, MAB comments on the CML s first-time buyer lending in London Brian Murphy, head of lending at Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB), comments on the latest CML figures on first-time buyer lending in London: “First-time buyer lending in London has rocketed to its highest level in over five years, up by 38% from the same period in 2012. The figures are positive news for the capital’s consumers, as access to the property market is clearly improving despite warnings of an impending housing bubble.

“Although property prices are on the rise, competition between lenders has opened up the market for first-time buyers, with growing product choice and competitive rates. The early success of the government’s Help to Buy scheme, and buyer participation in the initiative, also indicate consumer opinion of the market is favourable. “However, to maintain this optimistic outlook it’s important all players in the market continue to act responsibly, ensuring house price rises don’t undermine the support on offer.”

International consortia awarded project management contracts for Riyadh metro The Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) today announced the two winning international consortia who will oversee the design and construction of Riyadh’s new $22.5 billion metro system. The contract awards are the next major step in the development of the largest public transport project in the world - the Riyadh Public Transport Project. Riyadh Metro Transit Consultants (“RMTC”), a joint venture between US firm Parsons and French firms Egis and Systra, has been awarded the first project and construction management contract. RMTC will be responsible for managing metro lines 1, 2 and 3. These lines will be designed and built by the BACS and Arriyadh New Mobility group consortia. The contract is valued at USD 556 million. Riyadh Advanced Metro Project Execution and Delivery (“RAMPED”), a joint venture between Louis Berger and Hill International, was awarded the second contract to manage metro lines 4, 5 and 6. These lines will be designed and built by the FAST consortium. The contract is valued at USD 264 million. Ibrahim Bin Muhammad Al Sultan, President of ADA and Member of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh, commented: “Today’s announcement means that we now have the major partners in place to

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NEWS CONTINUED design, build and project manage the development of the Riyadh metro. These international firms have experience delivering some of the world’s most iconic infrastructure projects and will work alongside Saudi Arabian expertise to oversee Riyadh’s ambitious and world-class transport project. It is a very exciting day for the people of Riyadh and over the coming months they will start to see this project take shape.” Today’s contract awards build on the July 2013 announcement of the winning design and construction contractors for the Riyadh metro, which is part of the Riyadh Public Transport Project. The Project encompasses a city-wide metro, bus network, and park and ride services. The metro network features six lines with a total length of approximately 176 kilometers and driverless trains. All stations and carriages will be air-conditioned and divided into 3 sections: first, family and single class. There are four iconic stations which are being designed by architects Gerber Architekten, Omrania & Associates, Snøhetta and Zaha Hadid.

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: DRAMATIC INCREASE IN CONTRACT RENEGOTIATION New research commissioned by Creditsafe reveals almost half (47%) of firms that lease out construction equipment such as cranes, scaffolding and excavators have seen customers attempt to renegotiate the terms of their original hire agreements in the last 12 months. The number of customers attempting to renegotiate plant hire and construction equipment lease agreements has increased significantly in 12 months. In 20112012 just over a third (36%) of firms were seeking to revise these contracts. Companies specialising in leasing equipment to the UK construction and building industry are being affected badly by poor payment practices. In the last 12 months, 59% of firms have an experienced an increase in late or

defaulted payments from companies that hire construction equipment. Given the importance of cash flow to the viability of firms involved in the construction industry these statistics make worrying reading. David Knowles, Business Development Director at Creditsafe, said: “The construction industry continues to face difficult trading challenges. Renegotiation of fixed contracts makes financial forecasting extremely difficult in a sector of the construction industry where profits are only generated by leasing firms in the medium to long term after making an extensive capital outlay and taking on significant financial risk. Balance sheets of firms hiring construction equipment have taken significant hits from the combined impact of late payments and customers entering insolvency.” “It is crucial that companies take every step they can to protect themselves against the risk of defaulted payments. When dealing with customers who are on extended contracts, where monies are not paid up front, it is vital people continually check the ongoing financial health of customers. Companies can run into trouble extremely quickly, even if they filed healthy accounts in April they may find themselves in difficulties by June.” In the last 12 months alone, 65% of companies operating plant hire companies and leasing equipment to the construction industry have lost money as a result of customers becoming insolvent. Given the potential difficulties of extracting plant and construction equipment from third party owned and managed sites if a contractor goes bust, it is vital leasing firms continually monitor if customers can meet their ongoing financial obligations.

British Safety Council launches Sword and Globe of Honour awards The British Safety Council’s has formally launched its prestigious Sword of Honour and Globe of

Honour awards, designed to recognise and celebrate health and safety and environmental management excellence. The 2013 awards mark the 34th year of the Sword of Honour, awarded for health and safety management excellence, and the 4th year of the Globe of Honour awarded for environmental management excellence. These two awards are open to organisations from around the world who have achieved the maximum five stars in the British Safety Council’s audit programme in the period August 2012 – July 2013. They must be able to demonstrate to an independent adjudication panel a culture of best practice for health and safety throughout the business – from the boardroom to the shop floor. The Sword of Honour and Globe of Honour are an important part of British Safety Council’s drive to recognise and celebrate exemplary health and safety and environmental management in the workplace. The closing date for applications is 13 September 2013. The results will be announced in October. Winning organisations will be invited to a celebratory lunch on 23 November at the historic Goldsmiths’ Hall in the City of London on Friday 29 November to receive their awards. Judith Hackitt CBE, Chair, Health and Safety Executive, will be the keynote speaker at the awards luncheon. Last year six organisations - Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Foster Wheeler Energy Limited, Magnox Limited Wylfa site, Norec Limited Liverpool Bulk Handling Terminal and Unipart Group Consumer Logistics Cowley - won both the Sword and the Globe of Honour. Other noteable Sword and Globe winners in 2012 included Mace MEP for the Shard project, Aston Martin Lagonda Limited Gaydon site, Tata Motors Pune site, International Produce Limited Normanton site, Sudarshan Chemical Industries Limited,Roha and Mahad sites, Office Depot Limited Northampton and ITC Limited Bangalore.

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Enphase Energy: A Revolution in Solar Power Generation Enphase technology enables a totally different way to design, install and maintain solar PV installations. With the result of a completely networked solar system that is significantly smarter, safer, more productive, and reliable

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In the past, the accepted industry standard was to install string inverters. They operate by combining the voltage and current of all solar panels in an array into a single output that is fed into a central inverter. But this approach does not yield the maximum efficiency possible from solar PV systems. An alternative way has been to look at each module as an individual unit, powered by a microinverter and operating independently within the solar array. It was 2008 when Enphase introduced the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Microinverter system. From that moment on the company began to change the solar landscape, and the Enphase System has seen rapid adoption globally with more than 3.7 million units now shipped worldwide. Enphaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proven technology delivers benefits if the installation is a small residential system or a big commercial array. Moreover, thanks to the flexibility of the wiring and cabling, the solar system can be built in several stages or be easily expanded over time. Specifically for commercial solar projects, Enphase has introduced a full solution for commercial installers designed for streamlined and faster installation, cost reduction throughout the system life cycle and lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Enphase makes use of three are the advanced components, microinverters, Envoy Communications Gateway and Enlighten monitoring platform, that work together to make solar PV significantly smarter, safer, more productive, and reliable than traditional string and central inverter-based systems.

an individual unit that operates independently. This overcomes the issue of the single point of failure with standard string inverters and provides reduced fire risk for the solar array thanks to the absence of high voltage DC. This also translates into greater energy production daily, monthly and for the life of the system. Enphase microinverters are built to withstand harsh environmental conditions and IP67 rated, and they are backed by a 20-year industryleading warranty, significantly higher than the guarantees provided by other manufacturers.

Remote monitoring and advanced data management The Envoy Communications Gateway is the networking hub and acts as a messenger between every microinverter and the Enlighten software platform, collecting energy production data over the existing electrical wiring and sending data over the Internet to Enlighten. Envoy also monitors the health and performance of each microinverter (polling up to 500) and solar module enabling greater intelligence, reporting and even remote troubleshooting.

Each to his own: Advanced monitoring made personal A major advantage of the Enphase offering is the incorporation of the Enlighten platform, an advanced webbased monitoring software which, unlike conventional monitoring systems that only check the inverter, continuously monitors the health and performance of the entire array, remotely, 24/7. Enlighten offers ongoing operations and system performance assurance. But since monitoring needs are different, Enphase introduced different experiences with the Enlighten platform, named Enlighten Manager and MyEnlighten.

Proven technology maximes module production Enphase microinverters, installed beneath each solar panel, maximize the production of each panel and converts the DC (direct current) power from the panel into standard AC (alternating current) electricity. Each module+microinverter is like

Enlighten Manager is designed for solar PV professionals, which streamlines the operations and maintenance processes and enables efficient management of multiple Enphase systems. It offers expanded capabilities, such as detailed performance data from a fleet of PV installations down to an individual module, and provides sophisticated web-based software tools to monitor activations in process and manage installations. It communicates when

something goes wrong in the array and allows remote diagnostics. It also makes remote fixes possible and helps best determine whether an unplanned truck roll is necessary. MyEnlighten, on the other hand, is specifically designed for system owners. It represents the overall system health, provides at-a-glance performance verification and gives the information necessary to ensure the system is performing as predicted. Optimized for computers, tablets and smart phones, MyEnlighten connects owners to their solar experience through an engaging easy-to-use interface that displays energy production, system health and environmental benefits. System status indicators tell when the system is not performing as expected and what can be done to restore performance. Overall, the Enphase System is designed to get the absolute best performance out of the solar array, offering new and higher standards in safety, simplicity, reliability and energy production. Enphase provides a total solution that is rapidly becoming the solar technology of choice for small systems, mid-size installations, and commercial plants, ranging from private and residential buildings, social and educational institutions, retail buildings, housing complexes, sports stadiums and agriculture sites.

Notes About Enphase Energy Enphase Energy delivers microinverter technology for the solar industry that increases energy production, simplifies design and installation, improves system uptime and reliability, reduces fire safety risk and provides a platform for intelligent energy management. Our semiconductor-based microinverter system converts energy at the individual solar module level and brings a systemsbased, high technology approach to solar energy generation. Connect with Enphase on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Find out more at www.enphase.co.uk.

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BIFFA BOSS GOES UNDERCOVER BIFFA, the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading nationwide integrated waste management business, is featuring in Channel 4 series, Undercover Boss this season. 12

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In one of six episodes to air at primetime this summer, Chief Executive Ian Wakelin will go incognito at Biffa sites across the UK, masquerading as an unemployed worker seeking employment in the waste sector. In the show, Ian learns about the effects his decisions have on Biffa workers and gets some valuable insight on where potential improvements can be made to a business that has seen huge change and financial insecurity in recent times. He also gets to see the good and the not-so-good and find out where problems may lie within the organisation, while discovering the unsung heroes who make Biffa work. It is an emotional and empowering climax to each show as the boss explains the changes they want to make and the ways in which they want to show appreciation to the employees who’ve been doing such an outstanding job. Ian Wakelin, Chief Executive, said: “This experience has been a real eye opener for me both professionally and personally. It’s exposed me to some of the things that we do really well, things we need to work on, and given me a full, rounded view of how the company works on a day to day basis. “It was hard work, but also very gratifying to be welcomed and helped by my colleagues on site, and especially to hear some of their great ideas about how we can make our sites and services even better. Hopefully their enthusiasm, dedication and straight talking style will come across in the programme.” Biffa would like thank all their customers and partners for their cooperation on the sites and services that are featured in the programme. The episode of Undercover Boss featuring Biffa appeared on Channel 4, Monday 29th July at 9pm.

ABOUT THE COMPANY Waste and recycling company Biffa was founded 100 years ago by the Biffa family and was originally dedicated to the collection of ashes, dust and clinker from coal-fired power stations in the London area. Biffa is now the leading nationwide integrated waste management business providing collection, treatment, recycling and technologically-driven energy generation services.

million households and 75,000 industrial and commercial customers. Helping customers meet their corporate social responsibilities whilst protecting the environment and saving money are at the heart of Biffa’s operations. With wastes increasingly being recognised as materials with value, Biffa is at the forefront of the change from landfill to sustainable resource management. For example, Biffa Integrated Waste Management (IWM) provides advice and services that enable customers to reduce waste through lean business models. By making small changes to key processes, businesses are generating revenue from co-products rather than paying for waste disposal.

With Europe’s largest anaerobic digestion facility in Staffordshire, Biffa has launched a food waste collection service for large and small organisations throughout the UK. The service enables customers to reduce their carbon footprint by avoiding landfill, whilst their waste is used to generate clean renewable energy. Biffa also initiates new closed loop recycling services, such as the generation of 100 per cent recycled biodiesel from its customers’ used cooking oil to power municipal collection fleets. Alongside the waste management services is Biffa Award, a multi-million pound fund which awards grants to community and environmental projects across the UK. The fund’s money comes from landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services. Biffa Award is managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) and since 1997 has awarded more than £140 million to thousands of worthy projects. For more information on Biffa’s services visit www.biffa.co.uk; for the Biffa Award visit www.biffa-award.org

Biffa collects around four million tonnes of waste per annum from around one

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SAND, STEEL, AND SWEAT STEEL, driveways, sand, and gravel are just some of the areas that Sandy Reid has delved into through his three businesses based in Elgin, Scotland. 14

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THE COMPANIES

Elgin Sand and Gravel

Sandy’s ability to look for available opportunities and successfully become a self-financed market player has been perhaps his most valuable asset during a tough economy. He now has three successful businesses within the construction sector, each generating a respectable turnover.

Formed two years ago during the recession, Elgin Sand and Gravel are suppliers of sands and aggregates. Although primarily for use in the building trade, they have product ranges to meet all of sand and aggregate needs.

The companies are Euroscot, specialising in concrete, roads, driveways, and landscaping, R&D Steel Buildings Ltd, building both domestic and commercial structures finished in either steel or stone chip panels, and Elgin Sand and Gravel, suppliers of sands and aggregates. All of the companies have been kept relatively small and manageable, as Sandy believes that managing the size of the business means that he is better able to keep tabs on the costs associated.

R&D Steel Buildings Ltd R&D Steel Buildings Ltd is able to design and supply clients with any design of building they require, and it can be finished in either steel or stone chip panels. All their buildings are supplied with easy to read instructions, so clients have the choice of erecting it themselves. Alternatively, builders can be organised for to ensure that clients have the best service possible.

Formerly Baillie Brothers, the business has always been known for supplying quality products at value prices. Based in the North East of Scotland on the main road from Inverness to Aberdeen and Peterhead, the company is well positioned to supply the Highland and Grampian regions down to the Central Belt of Scotland. Elgin Sand and Gravel endeavour to use some of the same local suppliers that Baillie Brothers did and have considerably expanded their decorative gravel range, sourcing the very best in materials from all over the UK. They pride themselves on the quality of their customer service and the speed of their deliveries.

There are numerous options available with the company’s extensive range of buildings:

Euroscot Formed 18 years ago, Euroscot specialises in designing and building driveways, among other structures. They are the premier design and build company in the North of Scotland, but with a coverage that extends far beyond Scotland. The company covers the whole of the UK and has even carried out work for clients in Europe. The company prides themselves on their ability to upgrade and improve drives using the latest technology, to standards not achievable with traditional building methods. They take a particular interest in constructing driveways for commercial properties, and have carried out some large projects for prestigious clients. However, their services extend to building driveways for homes, offices, shopping centre car parks, and visitor centres – generally any project at all!

• • • • • • • • • •

Bay sizes up to six metres Eave height up to six metres Spans up to 20 metres Skylights Personal access doors Roller doors Windows Anti-Condensation Barrier on roof sheets Stone chip cladding Extended eaves detail

R&D promise to provide clients with the highest levels of service wherever they are. All their buildings are supplied within 4 weeks after generating an instant design using state of the art software to exactly match client requirements. The company pride themselves on providing clients with the best value, best quality buildings on the market, competent and fully trained erectors, and a professional service from start to finish

The business sells the highest quality sands and aggregates for all building and landscaping projects. Their range of high quality sands are also used for sports, including horse riding and golf. The company sources all of their materials responsibly and works in partnership with local and national quarries to provide clients with the broadest selection of building and sporting products at great value for money. Elgin Sand and Gravel are currently one of the few companies producing kiln dried sand in the North of Scotland thereby offering great value to local businesses.

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GETTING THROUGH A TOUGH ECONOMY In order to get his three companies through the recession, Sandy worked at consolidation and ensured he was properly financed, avoiding the possibility of over extending. The companies always ensure that they pay their suppliers on the day (rather than take credit). “We made it through by just tightening our belt. I believe every recession has opportunities if you manage your finances,” says Sandy. Fortunately for him, the companies always have a project at any given time and complete work with at least two buildings a month. It is through a combination of their successful financial management, excellent business sense, and mutual dependence shared with local suppliers which include Elgin based Internet and Telecoms who provide the company with all their broadband and telecom needs, that the companies have not only survived the recession but emerged successful. As a parting piece of advice, Sandy says: “Be content with what you have and keep within your means and you will be successful”.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A FEATURE OR AN ADVERT IN THIS MAGAZINE PLEASE CALL STEVE RUSHWORTH AT S&S PUBLISHING ON 01924 920 483 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO STEVE@SNSPUBLISHING.CO.UK

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PROPERTY GROUP BRADLEYS CELEBRATES 21 YEARS ESTABLISHED in Exmouth at the beginning of June 1992, Bradleys Estate Agents quickly expanded and diversified to become a nationwide Group specializing in a number of areas typically associated with moving home. 17

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The Group covers Rentals (which are now as vital to the core of the Company as Property Sales), Chartered Surveyors, Mortgage and Independent Financial Services, Auctions, Land and New Homes, Luxury Homes, Commercial, General Insurance, Conveyancing etc. Their membership of Movewithus helps with relocation.

recruitment, HR strategy and policy and its implementation. I ensure that we remain compliant with the law, not just Employment Law but also all Laws

not the only one; all the Directors and staff have pushed relentlessly to ensure the success of the company through some very difficult times.

Currently employing 185 staff members across the Group, Bradleys is owned by three founding member Directors all of whom have an estate agency background. The company were delighted to mark their 21st Birthday with a celebration at Head Office in Exmouth. We spoke to Alison Wright, Group Personnel Manager, to find out moreâ&#x20AC;Ś

Can you tell me about your role and what your day-today job entails? My role is the Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HR Manager and I am responsible for everything related to HR across the Group and a bit more besides sometimes. I deal with all the

relating to Estate Agency and Property Management. Over the years we have all had to do whatever is necessary for the company to succeed and sometimes that means I have covered in various offices - having an estate agency/financial services background before I found my niche in HR has definitely come in handy. I am

If you had to name one key ambition of the company, what would it be? My ambition for the company would be for 100 per cent staff retention. We are lucky enough to employ some brilliant

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people and in general our retention rate is very high but sometimes staff are audacious enough to retire, or relocate or simply try something else!

also run apprenticeships and promote National Vocational Qualifications. Once a month there are Area Meetings to pass on information to the office managers and this is cascaded down to the staff in their office meetings, it is also passed on via a monthly communication that all staff read and sign to acknowledge. If there are any specific subjects that require specialist training we bring in external trainers but in general, most of our training is provided in house. This allows us to structure the training in line with individual requirements rather than providing blanket training and hoping that all staff take the same message away with them.

We are lucky enough to be owned by three founding Directors who have all been in the business since they left school, which in the case of Brian Bradley, the Chairman and majority shareholder, was a considerable amount of years ago! One of the first things that struck me about Brian was his interest in the people who work for the company; he remembered staff birthdays, he knew and cared if someone was going through a difficult time. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that there are many companies out there who have Chairmen with the same compassion.

What makes Bradleys stand out? What sort of training are the staff given? All staff receive induction training at Head Office on their first two days. Once staff get into their offices they receive a branch induction and on-going training on our computer systems. We

Bradleys, in my opinion, is a fairly unique company to work for. We maintain the old fashioned values to provide excellent customer service to our clients but couple that with cutting edge Information and Technology which has, over the last 20 years or so, provided more changes to the Property Industry than in the previous 100 years.

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APOLLO CRADLES LTD. SUPPLIERS OF STANDARD MAST CLIMBERS ,CRADLES AND BESPOKE ACCESS SOLUTIONS. BOASTING their own in-house design and manufacture, Apollo Cradles Ltd was established in 1998 with by Kevan Herbert, who remains the Managing Director. 20

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Kevan was a supervisor for GKN and was made redundant when they closed their cradle division. He started the cradle company in 1987 and since has added the manufacturing company (Apollo scaffold services ltd) the platform and mast climbing divisions. Cradles platforms and mast climber supply is a niche industry that requires the personal touch which large corporations struggle to supply. Apollo can now boast over 25 years in the industry with continued growth and is working for our country’s largest, most demanding and leading contractors. Over the years, Apollo has worked on a large number of diverse and challenging projects in England, Scotland, and Wales. The company has grown to employ 50 members of staff and four separate divisions which are Access Platforms, Cradles, Scaffold Services, and Mast Climbing.

SERVICES Apollo Cradles provides a complete service from site survey to quotation,

erection, re-positioning and dismantling. Equipment is available on weekly hire. The company designs and manufactures a full range of components, including the X-beam system, in order to provide bespoke access platforms to facades of buildings, bridges, shafts and silos. Safety is the top priority at Apollo, and the company achieves their high standards of safety by ensuring all operatives have current passports to safety and CSCS Cards. The equipment they use is thoroughly examined by competent technicians to current British Standards. Recent additions to Apollo’s services include the FallArrescue safety system and a comprehensive mast climbing technology from GOIAN. The mast climber division is headed by one of the country’s leading experts, Darren Brady. All four of the company’s divisions are managed in a manner that brings smooth running and equal footing in terms of authority.

GROWTH Over the years, Apollo Cradles has seen tremendous growth, and still continue to grow in spite of the troubled economy. They have successfully navigated their way through the recession by

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being careful with costs and pricing, and understanding the difficulties faced by their clients financially. With their high levels of flexibility and their unique systems setting them apart, the team at Apollo Cradles are all focused on seeing the company grow successfully over the coming years, while maintain their excellent service standards and customer relations. All four divisions are constantly coming up with new designs, and this is pivotal in ensuring their continued expansion.

SUCCESS As manufacturers of the strongest aluminum beams, Apollo scaffold services ltd has a number of accreditations that are vital for the industry they work in. The company hopes that they can continue to solve their clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; access requests, offering quality service and competitive prices.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A FEATURE OR AN ADVERT IN THIS MAGAZINE PLEASE CALL STEVE RUSHWORTH AT S&S PUBLISHING ON 01924 920 483 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO STEVE@SNSPUBLISHING.CO.UK

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CLIENT-FOCUSSED RPS SUCCESSFUL DURING THE TOUGH TIMES ADOPTING a proactive approach has been pivotal to the success of RPS, a company whose vision is to maintain their business as the most recognised and successful packaging recovery company in the UK. 23

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A BRIEF INTRODUCTION RPS was established in 2002 after it was identified that there was a need for the recovery of pallets and other transit packaging for reuse. The company started collecting empty packaging, mainly pallets, on behalf of three clients and now has a client base of over 40 businesses. Government legislation updates regarding sustainability and the environment continue to put pressure on businesses to find more sustainable packaging strategies. RPS provides their recovery for reuse service that not only saves their clients money and time, but also helps their business become compliant with current and future global environmental policies. In recent years, the business has also understood the importance of how their environmental credentials are promoted, not only with their current customers, but also with potential clients and their local community.

OVER THE YEARS – ACHIEVEMENTS RPS celebrated a successful 10 years of business in 2012. During this period, the company has achieved some impressive contracts, building their recovery portfolio from not just the UK and Ireland but spreading the concept across Europe for their clients.

In 2011, RPS achieved ISO 14001 accreditation which they have maintained ever since. It demonstrates their commitment as an environmentally responsible company to ensure everything they do on their site is controlled and with minimal impact on the environment. A year later, they achieved OHSAS 18001 which also demonstrates the importance of health and safety on their site and the wellbeing of all of their staff. Both these accreditations, which are supported by the company’s integrated health, safety and environmental

management system, helped them to win their recent Zero Waste Award with Lets Recycle. Their attention to detail regarding waste, energy saving schemes, and how they integrate with their customers and the local community all supported their application, which was successful at achieving the highest award. In 2012 RPS purchased their own site at Maltby, Middlesbrough, giving the business the opportunity for expansion and also to develop their brand and corporate identity. RPS has recently developed a three year plan to increase turnover and generate more business by maintaining their standing as the UK’s leading packaging recovery specialists. Objectives have been set for the entire team and include tasks integrating all team members, which makes working for the company a pleasure as the whole team drive forward to reach their goals together.

STANDING OUT RPS is proactive in their approach, dealing directly with collection points to ensure all collections are completed on time and in full. Their approach helps customers to deal with any health, safety or environmental issues relating to packaging concerns. The company consistently analyse all performance, on site and at their customers’ premises to provide continual improvements throughout. They have a continued high level of service which is reflected in their excellent client retention.

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The company admits that the recession has been tough, but are proud that they have not had to make any employees redundant. If anything, the recession has been a positive time when as it forced them to review their current spending and come up with more economic ways to operate. They have reduced their waste management charges by 50 per cent and more recently reduced their energy usage by installing LED lighting throughout their offices and workshops. These actions have had an effect on their overall spend now and for the future. The aim of business at RPS is to help clients increase their environmental credentials whilst also reducing their packaging spend. A recovered pallet can be returned to a customer for reuse at a reduced cost to purchasing new, hence the company has managed to not only preserve themselves through the tough economic times, they have also aided customers to keep their costs down through the reuse of packaging.

COMMITTED STAFF With a turnover of ÂŁ1.5m and 16 members of staff, RPS understands it is extremely important that all their employees are fully trained for the operations they perform. The RPS HSE management system includes fully detailed procedures for all operations that are performed on site and these are reviewed regularly to ensure everything is kept up to date and improved where possible. RPS also invested in NVQ (Manufacturing Operations) and RTITB training for all of its operatives which was completed during 2012. This commitment to training demonstrates RPSs investment in its well established staff base. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health, safety and environmental induction also ensure that each and every one of their employees is fully aware of their surroundings and how to tackle any HSE issues should they occur. RPS pride themselves on providing a relaxed environment for staff to work in, while ensuring that there is full commitment from all members so that all tasks are completed on time and in full.

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BRADFAST AIMS TO PROVIDE LOCAL SERVICE LEVELS AT A NATIONAL SCALE FLEXIBILITY is key at West Yorkshire based company and specialists in Pneumatic tools, Bradfast Ltd. The company was formed in 1996 by John Walsh, a former Stanley Bostitch employee who was later joined by Allan Cuttle. 26

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Bradfast Ltd is now in the hands of a new General Manager, Gary Simmonds, who is also a former Stanley Bostitch employee. Allan remains with the company to this day, with a proven record as a service engineer in the stapling and nailing field, one of three engineers now employed by the company as it successfully continues to expand.

SERVICES Bradfast Ltd has a proven regional service record and is now striving to make this a national standard, offering technical advice and a fast and efficient service in a friendly and helpful way. The company pride themselves on offering what is perhaps the fastest delivery - sometimes as quickly as 20 minutes (opposed to approximately three days from other companies). They also offer their clients flexibility (if plans need altering), and a prompt, efficient service. With eight employees and a £1.5m turnover, the team at Bradfast work hard to ensure that they offer clients the best service possible.

focussed on buying at the right price and diversifying into other markets (e.g. nails, hammers). Their success has secured them two new large furniture accounts over last quarter, totaling approximately £50k per annum. Keeping up in terms of online business and advertising has also played a pivotal role in the company’s success. Their website was overhauled during a rebranding program last year, in which they also began focusing on ecommerce, as well as the use of social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. For the team at Bradfast, every day brings new challenges, but ones that they feel well equipped for dealing with. As they move forward and expand, the company hopes to be able to continue offering a full range of products, maintaining customers in light of other suppliers. Their goal is to grow into to a size where they can start servicing the South London and Cambridge areas. Ultimately, they hope to be able to provide local service values at a national scale.

The company is recognised by Stanley Bostitch as a leading distributor of their industrial stapling and nailing equipment. They provide a wide range of tools and fastenings from the Bostitch, Atro, Hartco and Spenax product portfolio to numerous industries, including construction, bedding and furniture, packaging, pallets and crates, garden products, and joinery, shopfitters, and cabinet makers. Their designers and engineers work closely with each client to understand their specific requirements, and it is this detailed understanding of each unique production environment that ensures Bradfast are able to specify the most appropriate solution from their wide range of automated machines. The company’s focus is on providing clients with the most effective automated solution that will give their business efficient production processes, lower overheads, precision and control, and safer working environments.

PROGRESS Despite pattern changes during the recession, Bradfast has been successful at maintaining business through carefully developed strategy. The company

movement of the hammer is replaced by the energy from the movement of the driver/piston. Instead of putting your hand into your pocket for the next fastener, it is fed in to the nose of the pneumatic tool for you, either by a spring or by a piston.

There is nothing magic to pneumatic fastening tools. The trick lies in moving quantities of air from one part of the tool to another as quickly as possible. All hand held pneumatic tools work in more or less the same way, they either drive or clinch a fastener. Some pneumatic tools have a work contacting element that has to be pushed against the wood before the trigger can be actuated, but this does not change the way the air moves inside the tool. There are slight changes for coil nailers; these pneumatic tools use air from the bottom of the housing to move a feeder piston to engage the next nail, which is then returned by a return spring.

PNEUMATIC TOOLS - AN INTRODUCTION This is a basic explanation of how hand held pneumatic tools work. If you have access to a cut-away pneumatic tool this is the time to get it, as looking at a diagram is not the same as looking at the real thing. Firstly, you do not fire a nail with a hammer – you drive it. The same applies to pneumatic fastening tools. You use them to drive fasteners. The place of the hammer is taken by the driver/piston and the energy that comes from the

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National Insulation Association working to maximise the opportunities under the Green Deal and ECO The National Insulation Association (NIA) is the lead trade body in the insulation Industry representing the manufacturers, system designers and installers of cavity wall and loft insulation, draught proofing and solid wall insulation (SWI) including external, internal and hybrid (external and internal wall in the same property) wall insulation. 28

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There are around 7 million uninsulated solid wall properties in the UK and under the new Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) SWI is a key area of focus and there needs to be a major increase in installations to support the achievement of the Government’s climate change targets. With over 20 SWI manufacturer/system designer members and over 70 SWI installer members, the NIA is recognised as having a key role to play in bringing about this market transformation and is committed to doing this in a controlled and sustainable manner, ensuring the highest levels of quality and standards and consumer protection are maintained. To this end the NIA has established a dedicated SWI Steering Group, the NIA Solid Wall Group, within the association to take forward the industry’s strategy. Neil Marshall, Chief Executive of the NIA, commented: “The Group comprises specialist external and internal wall insulation manufacturers, system designers and contractors and is focusing specifically on the development and implementation of the NIA’s SWI market and supply chain development plans.” Marshall added: “The NIA is uniquely placed to shape the SWI market as it covers both external and internal wall insulation and the NIA Solid Wall Group has the specialist knowledge, experience and technical expertise to engage effectively with Government, external bodies and consumers in developing the market.” The group is focusing on a number of key areas including: • Educating consumers and raising awareness of the benefits of SWI •

Providing support and guidance for specifiers of SWI including Green Deal Providers and Assessors, Energy Suppliers and Social Housing Providers

• Industry training • Quality standards/consumer protection As part of the work on consumer protection, the NIA has also been working closely with the Solid Wall Insulation Guarantee Agency (SWIGA) which will be providing consumer protection and an independent 25 year guarantee for internal, external and hybrid wall installations carried out under the SWIGA framework by accredited installers.

The Solutions Solid walls can be insulated with either External Wall Insulation (EWI) or Internal Wall Insulation (IWI) and either option will greatly increase comfort, while also reducing energy bills and the associated environmental impact. IWI typically consists of either dry lining in the form of flexible thermal linings (commonly known as thermal wallpaper), laminated insulating plasterboard (known as thermal board) or a built-up system using fibrous insulation such as mineral wool held in place using a studwork frame. Flexible thermal linings come on a roll and are applied like wallpaper and, with some at only 10mm thick, will not cause significant disruption during installation. These products can be applied to ceilings as well as walls and provide a solution for properties without a loft space as well as those with solid walls. It can also be applied to the underside of floorboards in a cellar/basement. It is applied using a special adhesive using a roller or a brush and can be easily cut to size using wallpaper shears or scissors. Once the product has been applied it can be painted, papered or even tiled. These products are only applied to the exterior facing interior walls of the property. Another solution is laminated insulated plasterboard which normally replaces existing lath and plaster and is fixed directly to the existing brick. Depending on the system, thermal boards can either be screwed or glued using a dry wall adhesive directly onto the brick work just like standard plaster board. It has the advantage that it can be installed room by room with the tenants in situ. It increases internal surface temperature

within a room and also improves response to heating input when heated intermittently. It has the lowest thermal conductivity available and allows installation on damp surfaces without drying periods because it’s hydrophobic. EWI comprises of an insulation layer fixed to the existing wall, with a protective render or decorative finish. Dry cladding offers a wide range of finishes such as timber panels, stone or clay tiles, brick slips (brick effect finish) or aluminium panels. EWI increases the thermal quality of the building – particularly relevant when refurbishing non-traditional housing. It also overcomes moisture and condensation issues, protects the existing building envelope can reduce heating bills by up to 25% as well as greatly improve the appearance of the building.

EWI is a tried and tested method of upgrading the thermal performance and external appearance of existing properties which are literally transformed into warm, energy efficient and attractive homes and buildings. Improving appearance is of particular significance to many local authorities targeting

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housing projects in poorer areas. Adding EWI on a whole street basis will raise residents’ morale and give a sense a pride in their community. There are many benefits of EWI including the fact that no living space is lost. There is minimum disruption for the residents as the work can be carried out while they are in their homes and there is no risk of condensation within the property as it is moved to the outside of the system that is being put in place. Also there is minimal maintenance once installed. In addition to its work on SWI, the NIA is working with the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) and British Board of Agrément (BBA) in addressing hard to treat cavity walls which are a priority area in ECO. It is estimated that there are around three million of these cavities including those that cannot be treated with standard techniques or Systems, those requiring remedial works prior to installation and timber, steel and concrete frame, narrow cavities and random stone walls. Through CIGA and the BBA there are already robust established consumer Guarantee, technical guidance, System

approval, installer accreditation Surveillance and Competent Persons schemes covering standard cavities. The NIA is therefore supporting work to ensure that occupiers of hard to treat properties can also benefit from the installation of cavity wall insulation, This will involve additional System research, development and testing coupled with development of specific Best Practice Guidance to installation to augment that already published by the BBA and CIGA. As part of this work the NIA has also been in discussion with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) regarding additional training for assessors/installers and consumer targeting and marketing. Neil Marshall commented: “We have been preparing plans to support our members in exploiting the new opportunities in solid wall insulation and hard to treat cavities and 2013 is all about working with our members in the implementation of these plans to ensure that we realise the opportunities.” Marshall added: “Organisations looking for insulation installers to work on their Green Deal and ECO projects should contact the NIA as our members, many

of whom are Green Deal accredited, have considerable experience of working with energy suppliers, other funders and organisations in delivering high quality installations on energy efficiency schemes and sign up to the NIA’s Code of Professional Practice. They have a key role to play in the delivery of insulation measures under the new Green Deal and ECO. Organisations interested in these services and membership opportunities should contact: Bev Coombe, Membership and Communications Manager; on 01525 383313 or email bev.coombe@nia-uk.org

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USING WASTE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AT YOOZ AS a third sector organisation, Yooz is focussed on the social outcome of the services they deliver, which they believe that instead of detracting from the service they provide to their customers and donors, actually adds to their appeal. 31

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COMMUNITY FOCUSSED Yooz was setup by the charity Active4All in 2009 with the help of Zero Waste Scotland, and started with the purpose of generating money to fund and support the charity’s activities.

As a social enterprise, Yoos does not see themselves as having direct competitors as such - the service they offer is very different to most waste management companies. The construction industry recycles a massive amount of the waste it generates (over 60 per cent in 2008); however Yooz focuses on keeping materials nearer the top of the waste hierarchy – reusing more than 80 per cent of the materials – and keeping as much as they can away from the energy intensive recycling processes. This results in them being able to deliver cost and environmental benefits to their customers and donors. In addition to this, more and more companies are using Yooz as a means of delivering on their corporate CSR commitments as well as community benefit clauses for individual projects.

Later, in November 2011 the company won an award under the category of Social Enterprising Organisation at the VANL Awards. In May 2012 they went on to be finalists in the National Recycling Awards under the category of Materials Recycler of the Year (SME). In August last year they achieved a successful onsite segregation contract with a major contractor. Early this year, the organisation were finalists for Lanarkshire’s Best Green Business (Lanarkshire Business Awards) and currently are finalists for Best Micro Business in VIBES Awards (Environmental Business Awards Scotland), winners of which will be announce in September.

FUTURE PROSPECTS In keeping with their rapid expansion, Yooz have ambitious plans for the coming years. They are hoping to develop their onsite segregation services, thus delivering measurable and significant impact on client reuse and recycling rates, feeding through to increased profitability for Yooz. They would also like to increase their ReUse tonnages to 1500+ tonnes per year.

To do this, they began with a simple idea – turning waste / surplus / unwanted materials from their local society into assets for the community. Rather than being involved in household items like many other charities, Yooz focus on Building / DIY Materials and Office Furniture. The charity was keen to develop an organisation that was able to provide a beneficial, different way to dispose of unwanted materials, a goal they have achieved. On several occasions, they have been able to divert over 100 tonnes of unwanted materials from a single site.

Additionally, Yooz would like to explore opportunities of the manufacturing of waste plastics and wood into end use product, for example for landscaping chip and mulch. Furthermore, they have ambitions of working with at least 12 of the top 20 building contractors in the UK by end of 2014.

In their first four years, Yooz has diverted over 4,500 tonnes from landfill. They work with many of the large Construction and Facilities Management companies as well as Councils and other businesses.

Finally, they hope to develop their training capability – delivering at least 60 training placements each year for Youth and Long Term Unemployed in Lanarkshire.

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS With a small core team of just six employees (having just taken on another one of their volunteers in a paid role), the service Yooz provides allows their customers to reduce their impact on the environment. The organisation provides a practical way of reducing waste – turning reusable waste back into resources for local communities. The y help businesses and local people to skip less, spend less and promote a new vision where waste is a resource. The organisation’s core team is complimented massively by their volunteers - they had around 94 volunteers and training placements last year alone.

ACHIEVEMENTS Established in April 2009 with 12,000 sq ft yard in Bellshill, Yooz has won a host of awards and reached a number of notable milestones in the last four years. In December 2009 they were finalists in the Scottish Waste & Resource Awards, and then in June March 2010 they were finalists in the National Work Experience Awards. In June 2010, Yooz acquired an additional 6,000 sq feet at their Bellshill yard, and in December the same year they managed to increase their fleet to seven vehicles as wll as put their new website live. The expansion did not end there however, as in August 2011 the organisation moved to new premises with 45k sq ft.

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EXCELLENT HEALTH AND SAFETY RECORD FOR FAMILY - RUN LEE DEMOLITION MAINTAINING their excellent Health and Safety record is at the top of the priority list for Lee Demolition Limited, part of the Lee Group, owned and run by Managing Director David Lee. 33

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The Lee Group of companies provide demolition, asbestos removal, chemical and ground remediation for large projects, as well as plant hire and haulage services to the wider construction industry.

THE COMPANIES

LEE DEMOLITION

ACHIEVEMENTS

Lee Demolition is a family owned and operated specialist demolition contractors. The company directors have over 50 years of demolition site experience, and along with their highly trained and skilled managers, have worked for the last ten years with very few RIDDOR incidents, and without ever receiving a stop or prohibition notice.

Formed in July 2002, Lee Demolition has seen a number of notable achievements and milestones pass throughout their years in business. In 2004, just two years after they started up, the company hit the £1m mark in terms of turnover, a figure which has steadily increased.

The company operates their own fleet of demolition specified plant and ancillary machinery with a full backup staff of mechanics and full time administration team, giving them the flexibility to operate sites from very small, single structure projects up to multi-phase, multi-site projects such as their Kidbrooke Regeneration project which has lasted over four years and had a turnover in excess of £13m. This site won a bronze award for quality and standards from the Considerate Constructors scheme in 2013 for demolition.

Lee Demolition specialises in regenerating former industrial land for the redevelopment sector whilst providing an environmental ethos of recycling and reclamation. With over 90 full time and contract staff, Lee Demolition is one of the UK’s largest demolition companies, and with over 20 years of experience, their managers lead projects from first consultation to final project delivery.

In 2005, the company achieved ISO9001, 14001, and OHSAS18001 accreditations, a move which then led to them achieving nationwide coverage which included services in Birmingham and Glasgow. In 2008, the company was listed in the top 100 demolition companies in the UK by D&RI magazine. Their achievements did not stop there. In fact, it seems that every year Lee Demolition has achieved at least one significant award, accreditation or milestone, if not more. In 2009, they received “shortlisted” award status at International Demolition awards, and in 2010 they achieved Achilles Building Confidence Accreditation. Then in 2011, the company won the Urban Demolition Award at the International Demolition Awards. They went on to be finalists of the Specialist Awards under the demolition category last year and finally this year were awarded Bronze Standard by Considerate Constructors in Demolition.

Customer satisfaction has always been the leading factor in the company’s work and they must be getting this right as over 80 per cent of the company’s business is down to returning clients. All of their services have been developed with recycling and reclamation in mind, ensuring that sustainable land reuse is enabled in an uncomplicated, safe and professional manner whilst re-using as much as possible, reducing the load on already over-used landfill facilities. Lee Plant Hire provides plant from one to 110 ton for hire to London and the Home Counties, fully insured and with all attachments available. Lee Haulage Limited operate the Group’s haulage fleet, providing tipping and muck away services nationwide, giving clients real time information on their loads and the assurance that they are disposed of ethically and with the environment in mind. Lee Remediation are specialists in chemical and ground remediation, ensuring that the land is clean for reuse as part of projects without the need for further consultancy and cost.

Lee Demolition are currently operating 13 sites throughout the South East, with an additional site in Kidderminster. They are currently undergoing a revision of their company structure to allow them to provide a more assured standard of quality and control to their clients, whilst driving the company forward, keeping to their excellent Health and Safety standards.

SUCCESS Whilst the recession has been difficult for everyone, at the height of the period Lee Demolition were employing 30 more staff than before the crisis impacted. They coped because their standards, accreditations and Health and Safety systems were in place, allowing them to work for companies such as Berkeley Group, Kier and Redrow Homes, giving them a constant workload throughout the last few years.

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Lee Demolition has always tried to ensure that their methodologies, technologies and systems kept pace with their works and the requirements of their client base. The company believes that this has allowed them to maintain their status throughout this difficult time. “The benefit of being a family owned and operated business is the synchronicity between the directors, allowing better understanding and co-ordinated effort from the top of the business down,” explains David. “Not only are our top people related, but we have several other family members on site, acting as site or project management”. David is in fact pictured at the age of four in a newspaper article, setting off explosives for his father’s demolition company in the ‘70s. Demolition really does run in this family!

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IN THEIR OWN WORDS... The Building Maintenance Company was formed in 1988 to provide a building maintenance service to clients with multiple sites/premises. The focus of the business was traditionally aimed at the retail sector and the company still works in this field. We also now work for the pub and restaurant industry, public bodies and facilities management companies. Our service has been tailored to suit the requirements of these markets i.e. fast, professional and good value for money with the emphasis on customer service. 36

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The company provides building repair and maintenance services to a number of blue chip national companies via our central Helpdesk. All scheduling and management is carried out from this central office. We employ 35 people, the majority of whom are our engineers, who are spread around the country from the central belt of Scotland to The Midlands. This represents our core area of operation.

BMC is a family business, started by David Ridley in 1988. Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son and daughter now run the business together (William is MD, Charlotte is the other Director). Their father, David, remains an equal shareholder but is not actively involved in the business. The benefit of this relationship is that during hard times, such as this long recession, you have the support of your family and 100% trust in each other.

What makes us different from most of our competitors is that we directly employ our engineers, only using subcontractors for specialist trades such as air conditioning and gas works that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t carry in-house. Our engineers have all been with us for a long time so they know our customers. Each engineer wears a company uniform, carries photo ID and drives a liveried vehicle.

Our ambition is to run a successful business (and to have fun doing it), to look after our employees and to operate in a responsible, ethical manner.

All our engineers are qualified and/or time served in their primary trade and we encourage them to become multiskilled through participation in in-house training courses. For example, our joiners all attended a basic plumbing course and this has not only improved motivation but enables us to provide better out of hours emergency cover for our customers.

The company provides an emergency out of hours repair service to all customers, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This service is staffed by BMC employees who already know our customers and the capabilities of our engineers. We did try out-sourcing this service some years ago but we decided to bring it back in house so that we could offer a more personal service, which our customers prefer. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are agreed at the outset of a new contract and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are used throughout the duration of the contract to monitor service. The company has adopted this system for all customers regardless of whether it is a requirement of the contract or not, having identified that the management needs to be ahead of the customer in identifying potential areas of weakness. We are happy to share this information with our customers in the form of regular status reports.

Some of our recent achievements include reaching our 25th anniversary this year (the company originally started I 1988). Our new company van is just going out onto the road now, all with livery including QR codes. We also have a number of new online developments; our new website has just been launched with a blog, our Facebook and LinkedIn pages have recently gone live, and our Twitter account is now also operational and linked with blog posts. The QR codes on all vans are also linked to our mobile website.

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The object of our service is to make life easy for our customers by taking problems off their hands and dealing with them effectively and efficiently, to allow them to focus on their own business and to give them peace of mind. The Company operates a Key Account Coordinator scheme for new customers, which provides a personal contact which we feel is especially important in the early stages of a new contract. I think a major achievement of BMC is surviving the recession when several of our larger competitors have not been able to do so. Over the last 5 years we have continued to actively pursue new customers while keeping careful control of costs.

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HIGH QUALITY AND EXCELLENT SERVICE AT AMBROSE ELLIS MAINTAINING high standards is at the cornerstone of all work that Ambrose Ellis Painting Contractors Ltd carries out. Formed in 2002 by company Directors Mike Ambrose and Ron Ellis, the business started with a workforce of just painters and has grown to a point where they now require anything from 40 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 60 painters. In total they have 55 employees and subcontractors. 38

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SERVICES With a turnover of around £1.8 – £2m, the company are very focussed on giving clients the best service possible. The company endeavours to provide customers with professional standards whatever their requirements may be. Ambrose Ellis offer a number of services, which includes painting, wallpapering, spraying, intumescent works, and marbling. Te versatility of the company covers all aspects, which includes commercial, industrial, retail, private, education, leisure, health, and other special interests. It is the sheer determination, high service standards, quality work, good management, and an excellent workforce that sets the company apart from their competitors and ensures they receive repeat business. Ambrose Ellis believes in themselves as a company, and this puts them in a much stronger position to succeed.

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION Ambrose Ellis can boast both many years of experience and many successfully completed projects. Satisfied customers are what motivate them to complete contracts reliably, faithfully and to programme deadlines. Prior to commencing any works, the company undertakes intensive discussions with their clients, enabling them to consider their requirements whilst providing competent and exhaustive consultation. Their personnel are specialised and receive ongoing further training; this means that customers can rely on the company’s workmanship at all times.

PROGRESS Boasting a number of prestigious names on their client list, Ambrose Ellis has seen a lot of progress over their years in the business. “Our first milestone was to reach 10 years as it has been a tough few years,” shares Director Mike Ambrose. “We have achieved a lot over the past 11 years; we are CSCS platinum rated, we also are the only painting company to be on the preferred supply chain for Morgan Sindall in the North West”. Both Mike and Co-Director Ron have maintained a very hands-on approach in the running of the business, which has contributed to its success. As Contracts Director, Mike oversees all the labour issues including site health and safety, wages, performances, and work standards. Recently the company have won the Johnstones Painter of the year Supreme Winner 2011 for Hyde Community College and also Finalist 2012. This year they won the PDA Commercial Category 2013 for their work on the Lewis Building.

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As well as maintaining their high standards of service and quality of work, Ambrose Ellis hopes to grow significantly in the coming years. “We feel that there is strong competition out there and we are competitive and very proud of our achievements, in the eleven years that we have been trading we have always finished our contracts on time and always to the highest standards,” concludes Mike.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A FEATURE OR AN ADVERT IN THIS MAGAZINE PLEASE CALL STEVE RUSHWORTH AT S&S PUBLISHING ON 01924 920 483 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO STEVE@SNSPUBLISHING.CO.UK

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EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE HEART OF JA SEALS ESTABLISHED in 1997, JA Seals Ltd are quickly becoming one of the fastest growing independent specialists in brush strip and rubber sealing systems for industrial and commercial uses. 41

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Operating primarily from their e-commerce site, www.jaseals.co.uk, the company offers free UK delivery and efficient delivery across the globe. International customers are given the option of paying in currencies other than Sterling, and the company also offer generous trade discounts.

PRODUCT RANGE JA Seals offer a very comprehensive product range within their industry. Among their products, they stock and supply: • Garage Door Seals • Insertion Rubber Strip Products • Heavy Duty Door Seal • Industrial Brush Strips

• Finger Guard Seal • Bespoke Seals • Concertina Door Kits • Intumescent Seals • Made to Order Seals

• Roller Shutter Door Seals • Threshold Seals • Domestic Draught Excluders • Adhesives and Sealants

Below is a selection of customer testimonials which speak for themselves:

• Revolving Door Seals The company manufactures and supplies a large number of Brush, Rubber, Plastic and Sealing related products to a vast selection of industries throughout the world, and are able to accommodate bespoke requests. Their ‘made to order’ section allows customers to request specific products including rubber and plastic extrusions, mouldings/vacuum formings, bespoke seals, intumescent seals, aluminium extrusions, bespoke brush products, revolving door seals, and concertina door kits.

• Rubber Safety Seals and Carriers • Weatherstrip Products

and if customers are unsure of exactly what they require, they are able to call a dedicated line or send an online request for further information, which is usually responded to very quickly.

SATISFIED CUSTOMERS JA Seals endeavours to ensure that the clients are always satisfied, and it is this attention to their customers that brings the company a wealth of repeat business. Providing a high quality service is important to the company,

“Just a note to tell you how impressed I was with your product and especially your customer service! I had a one off order and I was called back almost immediately with a solution. The brush strip arrived quickly and is now installed and doing exactly as it should. Thanks!” Alex ( Market Rasen ), JANUARY 2011 Hi, thanks very much for your help and quick delivery. The brush seals arrived early the next morning and fitted great. It was so nice to deal with a company that still recognises the importance of ‘Customer Service’, Regards D Gibson Surrey Mr D Gibson, MAY 2012

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YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR I didn’t know exactly what I need to buy and they were extremely helpful in advising me on exactly what was needed and it arrived swiftly well packaged. A professional job. I. Sadler, MARCH 2013

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A FEATURE OR AN ADVERT IN THIS MAGAZINE PLEASE CALL STEVE RUSHWORTH AT S&S PUBLISHING ON 01924 920 483 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO STEVE@SNSPUBLISHING.CO.UK

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NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS FOR CUSTOMERFOCUSED GEORGE ROBERTS AS one of the largest independent scaffolding suppliers of their kind, George Roberts directly employs 70 staff members and boasts a turnover of ÂŁ25m. 44

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Formed in 1992, George Roberts has grown steadily over the years as a business supplying traditional scaffolding, system scaffolds, and all associated ancillary equipment to companies all over the world.

CUSTOMER FOCUSED George Roberts are a dynamic customer driven business that understands their most valuable asset are their customers. They are a people driven company and believe success can only be achieved through interaction with their customers.

of service and product which is second to none. It is their mission to continue to improve this concept.

“The quality of the product and service we provide really sets us apart,” says Chairman George Roberts. “Despite being a £25m turnover business we still project a ‘family’ feel to our clients giving them a very warm response. We try to ensure all our staff have this same work ethic”. George’s role includes overseeing all aspects of the business, but he also specialises in sales, marketing, exports, and general business development in the UK and abroad. George Roberts are totally committed to their customers, providing quality products and services at the right price to meet the demands of a competitive market place. The company’s new tag line in all their marketing is ‘Total Reliability of Supply’ and their reputation and market perception is that they provide a quality

GROWTH Over the last few years, George Roberts have invested heavily into the business; facilitating growth through expansion and business change. Their sales team are a highly motivated group of professionals with many years experience in the scaffolding and construction industry, obtained through a number of the leading international suppliers of scaffold and access equipment. The company has expanded into different markets and products,

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especially overseas, where they are flourishing. They now export to over 30 different countries and this represents 30 per cent of their business. George Roberts has also secured a number of major industrial projects both offshore and onshore. They have expanded their range of temporary staircases and roofs. These types of systems produce â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;value addedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; turnover. Looking ahead, the company hope to continually develop the business in a controlled manner focusing on providing high quality products to a blue chip client base. Furthermore, they are committed to continuing their expansion overseas, where profit margins and payment terms are more favourable. In addition to these plans, the company want to see an increase in hire turnover in order to maximise profitability.

ensure their H&S policy is rolled out constructively. Being based on site, he ensures all personnel are fully aware of their responsibilities and actions. George Roberts sell 360,000 timber boards per year and these are all from sustainable sources. They also manufacture composite boards and plastic products which are all fully recyclable.

HEALTH, SAFETY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT Health and Safety is taken very seriously by George Roberts. In January this year the company have employed a Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality Manager (HSEQ Manager) to

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A FEATURE OR AN ADVERT IN THIS MAGAZINE PLEASE CALL STEVE RUSHWORTH AT S&S PUBLISHING ON 01924 920 483 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO STEVE@SNSPUBLISHING.CO.UK

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EXCELLENT REPUTATION AND ENDLESS CAPABILITY AT FINLOG NORTH HAVING built up an excellent reputation within the areas they operate, Finlog North pride themselves on being able to handle all aspects of each project from design to manufacture and construction. 47

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Operating under the umbrella of Finlog as the Northern office in the UK operating in Northern England and the whole of Scotland and Scottish Islands, the company boasts a turnover of between £350- £500k.

buildings which are affordable to customers and have very low energy requirements. One of their most notable milestones thus far is embarking on a partnership with their Finnish factory and having two UK offices. As a small company, maintaining their personal approach with customers and the ability to work from home sets Finlog apart from their competitors. The company has kept their overheads low by working from home, using quality subcontractors when the need has arisen to meet targets. This approach has ensured they successfully get through the recession and maximize profitability.

BRIEF HISTORY Finlog North started in 2006 alongside other business interests, but the log building supply and construction business is now their main business supplying and building bespoke log buildings for residential and commercial customers. Finlog have their own manufacturing and production facility in Finland using high quality timber to produce quality buildings from the vast natural resources of Finland, buildings that will last and have true sustainability whilst remaining affordable to customers whose dream is to own or live in a log house. The company currently employs two directors and various subcontractors as required. As a family run business, the team at Finlog believes that reputation is the most important thing they can have, as well as a personal approach - and this all comes with the values that running a family business should have.

AMBITION “Finlog has an endless capability in terms of design,” says Director Darryl Beeby, “This ensures that we can supply a building to meet each customer’s requirements, whether it is a development of multiple buildings or a single unit. We have so far supplied and constructed houses, coffee and farm shops, school classrooms, mobile log buildings, holiday lets, art studios and offices, community leisure buildings. The list is endless”. Darryl handles enquiries from customers and oversees the supply and construction of buildings right from the initial concept, to the design, manufacture, delivery, and construction of Finlog buildings through to handover to the customer. He is also constantly engaged in product and material development so that Finlog remains at the forefront of log building supply and construction in the UK. The key ambition at Finlog is perhaps to build truly sustainable

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Presently, Finlog has several log homes going through planning and building regulation approval which are between 150sq.m and 300sq.m. These are going to be built next year and plans are taking shape for a show house/holiday let on their own property set in sic acres of woodland, which will provide luxury accommodation and give potential customers a chance to stay in a log house prior to placing an order. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are often asked about the longevity of a log house or building. The key to this is the quality and strength of the timber used in the log production, we pride ourselves in using

the very best slow grown dense timber as used in many Finnish log houses and buildings. There are many log buildings in Finland which have stood the test of time and we can draw on this tradition and the experience they have gained over time to supply and construct high quality log buildings to the UK market which is enhanced by the use of some modern materials to increase energy performance to exceptional levels,â&#x20AC;? concludes Darryl.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A FEATURE OR AN ADVERT IN THIS MAGAZINE PLEASE CALL STEVE RUSHWORTH AT S&S PUBLISHING ON 01924 920 483 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO STEVE@SNSPUBLISHING.CO.UK

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EXPANSION A PRIORITY AT ELVINGTON UNDERSTANDING the needs of their clients is what makes Elvington Plant Hire unique within their field.

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works, farm tracks and a whole lot more on a quoted price basis, and they are seeing enquiries for a growing range of projects as their reputation for a quality service grows. In December 2012, Elvington opened a tool sales shop at their Depot. Over the last three years, they have identified a niche in the market for a tool sales outlet to the East side of York. Their customers were travelling into the centre of York to purchase tools and consumables and with Traffic becoming ever more congested in York, this was taking them the best part of two or three hours. They seized the opportunity to grab a piece of this market and built a purpose built extension to their hire depot to act as a dedicated sales outlet. The company has seen a huge demand for their Sales Division in the nine months that it has been open and turnover in this section has steadily grown month on month.

EXPANSION Current plans of expansion at Elvington are primarily focused around expanding their plant and tool hire fleet, expanding their sales division and their event hire division, all of which there is a huge potential market for in the York area. The company has plans for another depot in the future, but only when they have pushed as much out of their home market as they can. They are always keeping their ear to the ground for potential areas to expand into and they are closely monitoring the construction activity across the region to see if there is potential to open up a further depot in a “booming” town. The family owned and run company specialises in Plant and Tool Hire, Sales, and Service. They originally started as a service division of a large York based construction company, Claxton & Garland, in the 1960’s. The division as run by Elvington’s present MD, Ken Garland, and his brother. At the height of the their trading they were one of Yorks largest Construction companies in the late 1970’s and they set up Claxton & Garland Services (now EPH), to serve the building division. The building division was eventually wound down and Ken Garland took over the control of a number of companies in the resulting group, one of which was Claxton & Garland Services which was renamed Elvington Plant Hire and is now run by Kens youngest son Tim.

Elvington’s key ambition is to grow the company to a level where they are comfortably serving their customers with the level of service that they pride themselves on, yet generating a fair profit for themselves. The company is also extremely aware of the need to provide their employees with job security and the larger they grow, the more surety they have in this. They believe that as they are expanding gradually, they are doing it sensibly and not putting the future of the company at risk by over trading.

SERVICES Elvington operates in four key markets/sectors: Construction, Agriculture, Landscaping, and DIY primarily across North and East Yorkshire, although they do go further afield. The company offers contractors a wide range of plant and a rapidly growing fleet of tools for hire. Elvington have in the last 2 years started doing specialist event hire work. They have a growing fence hire division which includes an onsite install / dismantle service. This is a rapidly growing market for the company and has increased year on year. Additionally, they have expanded their activity in this sector to include tower lights and generator hire. The company offers both self-drive and operated hire, the latter of which seems to be increasing in popularity. They have also recently starting carrying out basic groundwork contracting work such as site excavations, muck away works, ditching

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FAMILY VALUES As a family run company, Elvington has a good understanding of their customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs. They endeavor to always go the extra mile for customers. The company regularly delivers out of hours and will always go as far afield as their customers need them to go. The company has 24-hour access to emails and they regularly receive out of hours calls from their key customers with emergency requirements, and they are happy to help. It is this level of service that sets Elvington apart from others. The pride themselves on never saying no to a good customer if they can help out, no matter what time of day it is. Being a family business comes with the added benefit that the company are able to make decisions quickly and implement them immediately where needed. For the Garland family, their company is their livelihood. They live and breathe the hire industry and are proud to have been part of it for over 40 years. The fact that they love what they do drives them on to do things better. All of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employees share the same values as the family and as they are a small team, they all work together and regularly share job roles and help each other out.

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IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A FEATURE OR AN ADVERT IN THIS MAGAZINE PLEASE CALL STEVE RUSHWORTH AT S&S PUBLISHING ON 01924 920 483 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO STEVE@SNSPUBLISHING.CO.UK

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PDA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PROTECTING THE INTERESTS OF A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY As a non-profit trade body, the Painting and Decoration Association (PDA) works hard to maintain the standards of the industry they represent. 54

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and the problem rectified. This helps to maintain only the highest industry standards and professionalism are met.

BACKGROUND Formed in the Yorkshire Region in 1863, the Association became a national body in 1894. It is one of the oldest recognized trade associations in the UK, and next year will be celebrating its 120-year anniversary. Originally called the British Decorators Association (BDA), the organisation became the PDA after a successful merger with the Painting and Decorating Federation in 2002. There is also a branch of the organisation known as the London Association of Master Decorators, this too celebrating over 100 years proud history. With its Head Office based in Nuneaton, the Association covers six regions, namely the Northern, the North East, the North West, the Midlands & South West, the South East and Northern Ireland. There are currently six staff members that work at the Head Office, with Neil Ogilvie as the Chief Executive since 2010.

WHAT THEY DO Standing for professionalism, confidence and integrity, the Painting and Decorating Association symbol is the marque of quality in the industry. The PDA represents thousands of painters and decorators across the UK, but the Association has one clear purpose to ensure all members adhere to the highest standards. From large national contracting organisations through to small businesses - the PDA choose its decorators with care.

In order to become a member, businesses have to produce to two separate references from recent clients over and above having satisfactorily completed an apprenticeship under the National Joint Training Scheme for Building Operatives (Painting & Decorating) and having gained the City & Guilds of London Institute Craft Certificate, and where applicable, have passed the CITB Skills Test. Undertake to abide by the Association’s Code of Practice. Provide evidence of trading under the business name for not less than one year. Training and Education is also a key part of the PDA’s purpose and it regularly offers a number and health and safety courses to its members. It holds Training and Education, and Safety, Health & Environment meetings at its head office three times a year. Additionally, it holds annual meetings and social events to allow members to meet each other and discuss work issues. It works closely alongside CITB on various training initiatives. PDA is also one of the largest members of the National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC). The Association also works closely alongside the major paint manufacturers and a vast array of suppliers to the industry. The Association also produces a bi monthly journal called “The Decorator”. The PDA will also be launching a brand new website in early winter.

MEMBERSHIP As the UK’s largest trade and employers’ association for contractors for the Painting and Decorating industry, the PDA has members across the length and breadth of the country. Currently, there are approximately 1450 company members ranging from sole traders,

SME’s through to large National Contractors. As well as recognition within the industry, membership to the PDA brings with it a wealth of benefits. Some of these include access to a free 24-hour legal helpline, preferential rates on insurance, discounts for tool hire, advice on health and safety, tax, and industrial relations, and access to a discounted online work wear shop. Members usually try to help each other out with work opportunities, as well as any other areas of joint initiatives that may be required. As with many other Trade Associations/ Federations, the severe recession led to a slight drop in PDA membership. Before the recession started, they would, on average gain around 180 new members per year, but this figure declined to only 80-100 per year. As a result of the recession, substantial amounts of Government contracts were cut back and many new building projects were left in suspension by many of the major building contractors. This situation however saw the general public begin to focus on making improvements to their current assets, for example house extensions and full renovations. This at least, created additional work in these areas. The PDA is now confident that business will soon start to gain momentum for painters and decorators offering an exemplary service and this will be reflected in their future membership figures. “Right now people have been seeing their order books gain strength during the past few months, so it is the perfect opportunity for them to grow and hopefully prosper. “Over past few years we haven’t experienced great summers for external work, which in turn, hasn’t helped our members, but the weather this year has been good, which hopefully helps somewhat to address this issue” shares Neil.

One of the many services and benefits which the PDA provides is an independent arbitration and conciliation service. This ensures that any complaint made by a client in relation to a members work, is quickly accessed,

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AWARDS The PDA Premier Trophy Awards recently celebrated its 25year anniversary this year. Companies, including non PDA members, can enter a completed contract which they feel is worthy of an award. The four categories are: Small Contractor, Decorative, Industrial, and Commercial with a special overall Award for Excellence. The shortlist of entries is then judged by an independent panel of judges from the Institute of Clerks of Works who spend many weeks travelling around the country inspecting and judging the work. The various awards are then presented each year at the event which is held in London. There are generally around 170 guests in attendance, and this year the Association invited a special guest, HRH The Duke of Gloucester to present the Awards. Application forms for the 2014 Awards will be available shortly on the PDA website. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our main ambition is to maintain standards of the industry, continue to adapt and grow with future technology, remain relevant, while at the same time remaining one big family,â&#x20AC;? concludes Neil.

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Crystal Clear Vision Crystal Doors, the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market leading-vinyl wrapped product manufacturer, look far beyond regular door supply

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One thing’s certain; Crystal Doors could never be accused of resting on their laurels. By continuously investing in new technology and skilled staff they have been able to develop new product lines and ranges that have enabled them to expand existing markets as well as entering into new market sectors. Crystal Doors was set up by Managing Director and company figurehead, Richard Hagan in 1994, offering a simple range of vinyl wrapped MDF doors to the UK fitted furniture industry. However, over the last twenty years, the market has changed dramatically and so too has the extent of Crystal Doors offering, who now find themselves working with furniture manufacturers, domestic and commercial interior designers, shop fitters and developers. “You can’t afford to stand still in any business, especially a business as competitive and fast moving as door supply comments Richard Hagan. You need to be continually evaluating your service and USP’s to stay ahead of the game otherwise you end up competing on price alone with a limited product range. This creates a downward spiral in terms of development and growth.”

One of two state of the art CNC nesting cells Whilst a quick browse on their website shows many door styles across 4 ranges; ‘Contemporary’, ‘Shaker’, ‘Traditional’ and ‘Personalised’, the reality is that Crystal Doors offer a degree of flexibility that frankly no other foil wrapped door manufacturer could come remotely close to offering! A truly vast range of foils are available to include gloss, matt and metallic finishes. This complements their ability to offer an almost infinite array of door styles; even custom designed styles if required. Crystal Doors are able to produce doors up to 3 metres in length; a full 600mm longer than most other suppliers and after much research and development, they have perfected the art of producing curved, foil wrapped accessories; a much needed requirement that’s defeated most other door suppliers.

At their modern, state of the art, 30,000 square foot, Rochdale based factory, conveniently located just of the A627 motorway, Crystal Doors now offer what must surely be the UK’s widest selection of foil wrapped doors and associated foil wrapped products. More importantly they have implemented both product and service specific USP’s that clearly separates them from the plethora of perceived competition, not only from the mainland UK, but also, from Ireland and mainland Europe.

Just one of many kitchen door finishes An in house design capability combined with the fact that customers do not have to wait for batch colours or finishes, as is the case with most other manufacturers, allows Crystal Doors to offer industry

lead times comprising of a standard 7 day, premium 3 day or 24 hour express delivery service. Dedicated project managers, that see the order process through from initial enquiry to final delivery, ensures that Crystal Doors’ renowned levels of quality are not forsaken for speed of delivery. For further customer peace of mind, Crystal Doors state that they always aim to exceed their BS6222 manufacturing status. Testament to their quality is their option of a full 10 year guarantee. The ‘Green Issue’ box is well and truly ticked too since Crystal Doors have an exceptionally low carbon footprint as one would expect when the MD of the company is married to an Environmental Consultant! Crystal Doors only use MDF that has been produced from proven, sustainable timber sources. Richard comments further “Environmental issues are of huge importance to us and we have turned them into very real product related benefits for our customers so that

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when they deal with Crystal Doors, they are not only helping the environment, but also, they are benefitting from a better produced and competitively priced product. For example, our manufacturing process recycles 99% of waste material which naturally impacts on our material costs and ultimately, the trade price of our products. Furthermore, during the colder months of the year, it’s important that a constant 22degrees Celsius is maintained in the factory to press vinyl doors with the highest level of heat resistance capacity. To achieve this we burn 7 tonnes a week of waste board collected during the summer months with our environmentally friendly wood burning system.”

same extent of vinyl finishes as that of their doors. Coloured MDF finishes are available too.

So besides foil wrapped doors of any size, shape and style what else can Crystal Doors Offer? Having perfected vinyl wrapping of curved doors, Crystal Doors have set up ‘5A-3D’. Launched this last May at KBB London, 5A-3D sees Crystal Doors producing one piece MDF 3 X dimensional forms to include such items as foil wrapped bedside cabinets with radius corner profiles as well bed bases, wardrobes and one piece kitchen island units; the possibilities for 5A -3D are almost endless!

Typical bar / restaurant application “We are finding that this particular service is very popular with domestic and commercial interior designers as well as shop fitters. The scope for this service is tremendous. For example, for a domestic kitchen interior project a feature kitchen wall can be created with a relief pattern and finish that picks up on one of our door designs.

One piece carcass- foil wrapped with radius corners The 5A-3D manufacturing process greatly reduces the number of components required as well as the amount of assembly time required compared to that of furniture produced using more conventional methods. This translates into extremely competitive trade prices and potentially excellent retail profit margins. The 3D Carved Panel side of the business is another area that’s seen huge amounts of growth. For both trade and domestic interior designers, Crystal Doors offers offers 3D carved panels of almost any size, in a vast array of relief patterns and with the

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We are seeing our panels used within corporate reception areas, bars, restaurants and car showrooms. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible, within a commercial context to see all of our services combined from storage or display cabinet doors, to wall coverings and 3 dimensional point of sale and display to include platforms, counters and planters.â&#x20AC;?

For further information: sales@crystaldoors.com Tel: 01706 351010 www.crystaldoors.co.uk

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Interface Contract Management ICM Ltd was founded in Company Philosophy

1998 by Steve Lewis.

Following a number of years in Retail Development with the â&#x20AC;&#x153;flat packâ&#x20AC;? furniture giant MFI, Steve had responsibility for procuring shop fitting services on behalf of MFI during their rapid expansion phase. 64

The philosophy of the business is simple. We wish to offer the highest standards of customer service, with the minimum disruption or inconvenience to our client.

Most Important Of the utmost importance to ICM is the desire to ensure that our clients are delighted with the services that we offer. It is because we regularly exceed their expectations that a large proportion of our projects come from repeat business.

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ICM are a project management company with a number of specific business teams.

ICM SHOP FITTING

ICM OFFICE & INTERIORS

We have established a strong client base that includes a number of famous “Blue Chip” companies. More than ever in the current economic climate our clients all demand that all tasks are completed quickly, competently and professionally. By complying with these rules we have earned a strong reputation for delivering a first class service with the minimum of fuss or disruption.

We have been responsible for creating a large range of work spaces for a variety of different clients. They include Vehicle auction companies, Fast food retailers, and tourist attractions. We are able to provide either a modern contemporary look or if required something a little more traditional.

Of the utmost importance to ICM is the desire to ensure that our clients are delighted with the services that we offer. It is because we regularly exceed their expectations that a large proportion of our projects come from repeat business. This has enabled us to achieve preferred supplier status and become the principal contractor for the following companies. Burger King Robert Dyas Pizza Express Welcome break

ICM EXHIBITIONS We have created exhibition stands throughout the various exhibition centres in the UK. We are able to design and build to our customer’s exact specifications and have worked for such prestigious names as Bathstore and Rockport.

ICM ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS We have a team of highly qualified electricians who are “NICEIC” and “Trustmark registered.” We offer design and installation in all electrical disciplines.

Bathstore Carlsberg

ICM JOINERY

Maison Blanc

Our “state of the art” joinery workshop is able to produce high quality bespoke joinery to our client’s exact specification. This enables us to offer a better quality product with a higher level of control of quality.

Rohan Games workshop Save the Children Whitewall Galleries Moto

with. We provide a dedicated project manager and site foreman for each task that we undertake. This creates a single point of contact to the benefit of all concerned. ICM now employ over 30 full time people and have a turnover of over £4million. In times of financial restraint we have learned to “work smart” we try to minimise all cost where possible to do so without compromising quality and safety. Our commitment to safe working practises is apparent in our accreditations to both “SAFEcontractor” and “Constructionline” We try where ever possible to purchase our raw materials from managed ethical sources, and take great care when recycling both excess materials and waste. As a family run company all employees benefit from a regular contact and consultation with the company directors. In an industry that has been hit hard by the current economic climate ICM have been able go against the trend and increase the size of the workforce as opposed to the many of our competitors who have been forced to cut or lose their staff. Employees enjoy excellent working conditions and a secure future with a company that keeps growing and gaining favour with new clients.

We are accredited with BS EN ISO 9001 and are members of “constructionline” and “SAFEcontractor”. We have a good relationship with the architects and designers that we work

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J.S.B. OFFERS UNRIVALLED CONTRACT FURNITURE SOLUTIONS EXPANSION is a central ambition at J.S.B. Interiors, a family-run company based in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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With workshop and office space spanning more than 7000sqft, J.S.B. has never stopped installing products with the highest care and attention, securing repeat business and thus further growth. Having started in a very small workshop, just the size of their current premises is proof of success. J.S.B. worked hard during the recession to ensure continued growth. They diversified and re-upholstered more rather than just focussing on creating new pieces, a move that meant they had a steady flow of work throughout. With an ambition to be the recognised name in contract furniture, J.S.B. plan to continue expanding and taking on work from well-known clients. The quality of their work and standards of customer care make this an easy goal to achieve. With over 65 years of combined experience in the trade, J.S.B. Interiors was formed more than five years ago by three partners. The company is a tight knit firm with a family ethos, and take a lot of pride in their work, seen in bars, restaurants, leisure facilities, and airports across the UK. As a specialist in joinery and contract furniture, the company has worked with a number of prestigious and blue chip clients, building up an impressive portfolio from projects across the country.

SERVICES

EXPANSION Over the last year alone, J.S.B Interiors has seen unprecedented growth and success, with a record breaking number of projects across the UK and Europe. With continued growth in the commercial sector, the firm began taking on some larger-scale private projects for home owners during property redevelopment. As always, their customers are impressed by the outstanding quality of J.S.B.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand manufactured furniture, produced onsite in West Yorkshire, their professionalism and ability to meet deadlines for manufacture and fitting in some of the most difficult situations.

J.S.B. Interiors provides their clients with a complete contract furniture design, manufacture, and fitting service. Clients are usually particularly attracted to the in-house service, with all work completed by the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own skilled joiners and upholstery teams. Often working from the specifications provided by their clients, J.S.B Interiors have created and installed bespoke pieces of furniture to match a variety of settings. With five members of employed staff as well as subcontracted workers as and when needed, they are wellequipped to deal with projects of varying sizes. Not only do they offer unique designs, the firm also works with clients right from the beginning of the project, with site meetings and drawings, through to installation and completion. This is to ensure smooth running, and is a great contributory factor in J.S.B.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s loyal customer base.

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BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

ALL-ROUND SERVICE AT HOLLINS CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYING their own in-house estimator and surveyor is what Hollins Construction believes sets them apart from their competitors.

AFTER

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Occasionally the team at Hollins Construction needs to sub-contract aspects of their work to other specialist companies. They have close relationships with a reliable selection of expert tradesmen that they have worked with over many years. Their current works includes a £100K house refurbishment and extension in Harrogate, a £23K re-roofing project in Hampsthwaite, Nr Harrogate and a £70K house refurbishment and extension in Harrogate.

THE COMPANY Hollins Construction is a professional Harrogate construction company located in Hampsthwaite, North Yorkshire. They are a highly reputed in the building trade and clients include North Yorkshire County Coucil.

SUCCESSFUL TRADE

Formed by Ian Brotherston approximately 10 years ago, the company currently employs seven members of staff and boasts a turnover of around £350k. Starting out on his own carrying out small building works, Ian has seen the business grow steadily over the years. The company is now carrying out larger scale projects such as extensions, re-roofs, refurbishments etc. Ian and his team are renowned for providing clients with a courteous and professional service. Their skills cover a wide range of different building requirements, and due to their depth of skills, abilities and experience, they can take on all building jobs with the utmost confidence and professionalism.

All members of staff are sent on specialist skilled training courses including plastering, fiberglass roofing, and bricklaying among others. The company currently employs an apprentice who will be starting a four day a week college course in September

ACHIEVEMENTS As the owner of the business, Ian maintains a very proactive role. He is responsible to the day to day running of the company and management of onsite works. H is also responsible for materials and sub-contract procurement. Under Ian’s excellent leadership, the company has seen a number of achievements over the years. Working for North Yorkshire County Council on two No school refurbishment projects via ADG Architects is perhaps the most notable, but they have also obtained their FMB accreditation.

The company’s client service includes everything from the initial conception of ideas, planning permissions and designs, through to supply, installation and building. They only consider their job to be done once the last lick of paint or tile has been applied and the client is happy.

Through the recession, Hollins Construction had a lot of repeat business and negotiated works. They kept their staff numbers low and tried not expand too quickly. Their website, www. hollinsconstruction.co.uk has provided a useful marketing tool and generated a large number of leads. The company’s present plans are to continue to grow the business, and they hope to obtain further works in the education sector. They are focusing heavily on the fact that by increasing their workload, they will be able to offer increased employment to local tradesmen.

Other recent achievements include successfully tendering and completing their first £100K project, and setting up the company website and obtaining top ranking through Google.

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Thwaite Holme Kitchens & Bedrooms Limited 70

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At Thwaite Holme we have over 40 years experience in the fitted kitchens & bedrooms market. In that time our goals have always been the same: - to offer quality kitchens & bedrooms to suit the needs, tastes and lifestyles of each individual customer. We pride ourselves on the quality of each aspect of our products namely: design â&#x20AC;&#x201C; manufacture & installation. Our customers like the fact that each kitchen or bedroom is being designed and made for them and isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just coming off a production line. It gives them a feeling of actually being involved in the process. Team work is at the core of what makes Thwaite Holme a successful company. We have a very skilled workforce with years of experience in cabinetry and bespoke furniture who pride themselves in the quality of each piece of work the produce. It is because of this teamwork and commitment that Thwaite Holme have built up an excellent reputation in the local area. Most of our work comes from recommendations and word of mouth and along with a bit of targeted advertising and an excellent showroom and new website we have been able to keep an enviable level of business during the recent downturn.

As well as our private work we also work alongside architects and builders on new builds and renovation projects. This has become an integral part of our core business as once again we can cater for individual tastes. We are confident that all these factors will keep Thwaite Holme Kitchens well placed in an ever changing market.

Showroom Address:

13 Lingey Close, Dalston, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA5 7LB. Telephone Number: - 01228 710085 Email Address: - sales@thwaite-holme.co.uk Website: - www.thwaite-holme.co.uk

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LEADERS IN ECO CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALISM and courtesy towards customers is at the heart of all work at the award-winning N London Construction Ltd.

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THE COMPANY

of, and of course to be proud of the end results they produce on site. There is nothing better than being able to stand back when a home is complete and be proud that we built our clients dreams well in excess of their own expectations”.

N London Construction Ltd is a progressive building company interested in finding new technologies to build and construct new build homes, extensions, loft conversions and basement conversions, refurbishments and retro fit.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Among their newer services, the company specialises in all things eco, and are the first company in the UK to build a timber framed house in Enfield from hemp block. They mainly carry out high end residential work, offering an in house design and build service. Additionally, they have their own PI insurance for this service. N. London Construction Ltd was formed by Nic London, a bricklayer by trade and a master builder in his own right. Nic started building extensions after leaving a well known housing developer. Having carried out works from the ground upwards including the services and finishes, Nic gradually expanded and employed personnel, teaching them his methods of building. Over the years, the company has seen gradual growth, and now employs many good tradesmen and has trained unskilled personnel to become good quality tradesmen, all specialising in new build homes, domestic dwelling extensions, loft conversions, refurbishments and where design and build knowledge is required. The company also carries out bespoke joinery and conservatory installation.

N London Construction Ltd are proud winners of multiple awards over the years. They have won the FMB (Federation of Master Builders) Master Builder Award more than once, and have been recognised and highly praised for their work at Enfield. More recently, the company has been put forward for the 2013-2014 LABC Awards that are held through Enfield council, but of course will have to await the outcome next year.

EXCELLENT CUSTOMER RELATIONS With approximately five members of office staff and up to 20 subcontracted personnel, N London Construction Ltd ensures that customers receive the best service possible. From inception to completion, clients remain a pivotal part of the process, ensuring that the project is completed to meet their expectations.

The company’s commitment to eco building is in itself an achievement, and Nic’s work in Enfield has taken a lot of research but according to him it has all been worthwhile. The Hemp Blocks used in the construction of the property has been given an A+ energy rating, and the system could be used in to help alleviate the current housing shortage in the UK. As a company that is paving the way forward in eco construction, N London Construction Ltd is set to achieve a lot more in the coming years.

The company is working hard to be leaders in producing eco-homes. As Nic puts it, the company “builds dreams for life time homes”. Nic’s personal goal is to ensure that the company maintains their high levels of service, quality, and reliability.

“As a brick layer in my early days and working on site myself, I aspire for all my staff to be professional at all times, to be courteous to all our clients. I am committed to training my team to produce results that our clients are proud

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LANDMASS LONDON Founded in 1998 by Alan Waxman, Landmass London, based in Knightsbridge, is now revered as one of the finest property developers in the industry. Mr William Evans, Head of Design Business Development explains moreâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Ś.

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THE COMPANY Over the past 15 years, Landmass has acquired and developed over 40 of their own properties and has recently invited private commissions. Alan Waxman’s unique perception of space planning and interior design are exhibited within a variety of exquisite properties, principally across coveted Belgravia addresses. This imaginative approach has led to Landmass recently winning Best Property London & Best Interior Design London for their project in Grosvenor Crescent Mews, SW1. They are the only UK based property to receive these accolades during the same year at the Daily Mail Awards.

offer consultation services to all, however small the property. One of our latest projects is Belgrave Mews North, a Victorian Mews House that has been reconfigured to create a contemporary three bedroom home incorporating a stunning South facing roof terrace. This property boasts a retractable glass ceiling above the reception room which has glass flooring. Our creative approach allows the top light to flow directly into the lower ground which commands a height of 3.2 metres.

SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY

THE TEAM

Alan Waxman had a single vision of creating the most ambitious, high specification and sought after properties in Central London. Having sold many of our developments for record breaking prices, we understand more than ever how to create properties that buyers become emotionally attached to.

With 15 employees, our team comprises of Architectural and Interior Designers along with Project Managers. My role as Head of Design Business Development encompasses all aspects of the business. Primarily, I assist in the management of our client portfolio with whom we are the lead consultants for. The majority of our clients enlist us to cover all aspects of their properties to include space planning, interior design and project management. Additionally, I work alongside our Founder and Managing Director, Alan Waxman helping to source new developments for us to acquire. Our team members are highly skilled and qualified in their respective roles, however they continue to adapt and learn through on the job training thus ensuring our business needs are met whilst maintaining the requirements of our clients.

DESIGN The Mews House project showcases our in-house designer’s specialist focus on space planning. Before any furnishings are considered, we introduce as much natural light as possible and maximise the available space. More often than not, our walls are painted white so that nothing detracts from the beauty of the space we have created. When you enter one of our properties it is far from what you would expect with our work often referred to as “a tardis”.

Prior to the recession, we acquired much of our properties in Super Prime London. Subsequently, our prices were not impacted upon as greatly when the recession hit. To help maintain growth throughout this difficult period we have diversified and have invited private commission from end users and investors as opposed to solely focusing on our own projects. Through innovation, creativity and design, our aim at Landmass London is continued success and expansion, offering only the most sought after properties and providing a service ensuring our clients receive the highest level of satisfaction.

POLICIES Health & Safety is of paramount importance to us. On our latest development we have a 400 page Health & Safety file which is a testament to our strive for perfection in this area.

PROJECTS To ensure continual growth is achieved going forward, we hope to commence residential developments on a larger scale. From a design perspective, we

Our company has also implemented an Ethical & Environmental Policy in conjunction with the Belgravia project. For more information, please visit our website at www.landmass.co.uk