Construction and Civil Engineering Issue 101 Early Edition

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IN DUST RIA L

LE ADER S

ISSUE101 100EARLY ISSUE

CONSTRUCTION

&CIVIL Engineering Building a safer future Health and safety must remain a top priority for construction firms

Cutting VAT on domestic building work would help Britain’s builders NEWS: 2013 poised to be a record year for transport infrastructure deals NEWS: Chief executives need an IT savvy manager in the business

Health and SafetyIf you don’t have the time to read it all, read what you need Health and Safety Monitor is the newsletter of choice for professionals across all industries because it is: Clear, succinct and brief: With case summaries, indexes and bullet points so you can easily pick out what’s relevant to you Practical, informative and comprehensive: Health and safety news reported and analysed, with full references supplied for your ease of use Unbiased, trusted and critical: Gives you the facts

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CONTENTS

Features

Chairman Andrew Schofield Group Managing Director Mike Tulloch Editor Libbie Hammond

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Art Editor Jon Mee

Lead story 2

2 8

The Federation of Master Builders is keen for the Government to cut the VAT on domestic building work

Equipment 6 New compressed air jointing systems can increase efficiency and reduce costs

Health and safety 8

Staff Writers Matt High Jo Cooper Steve Nash Drew Dann

While numbers of workplace injuries have been reduced in the construction industry, companies cannot be complacent

Case study 12 A new solution is helping JS Wright & Co verify hours worked by individuals on site

Advertising Design Jamie Elvin Editorial Admin Emma Harris

Environment 16 Developers need to make sure land isn’t contaminated before undertaking any work

Head of Research Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Vita Lukauskiene Peter West Jordon Davies Sales Director David Garner

Collaboration 20

16

Collaboration can deliver projects that will drive innovation and sustainability on a global scale

20

Sales David King Mark Cawston Office Manager Tracy Chynoweth

PROFILes Scantruck 22 Scantruck is Denmark’s leading dealer of construction equipment, and prides itself on being a credible, efficient and reliable partner

Travis Perkins 25 Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. Tel: +44 (0)1603 274130 Fax: +44 (0)1603 274131

The Travis Perkins Group is now one of the largest suppliers to the UK’s building and construction industry

25

© 2013 Schofield Publishing Ltd

22 Please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights reserved. The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Construction & Civil Engineering 1

Lead story

A

taxingtime

With building work picking up in the past six months, there are signs of encouragement for our industry at last. But there will be bumps in the road, not least the rising cost of materials, energy and labour. The Government must cut VAT, says The Federation of Master Builders (FMB)

2 Construction & Civil Engineering

A

s the industry picks up after so many years in decline, it is perhaps unsurprising that few company directors have met the upturn with unqualified joy.

Yes, the order books are looking healthier than they were, and it seems the housing market, jollied by the Government’s Help to Buy scheme is having the desired effect in boosting the repair, maintenance and improvement markets. With the new Housing Minister, Kris Hopkins, recently telling builders at a Federation of Master Builders Custom Build Summit that the Government is now aiming to do more to help small developers build on the rising demand for selfbuild homes, you’d be forgiven for thinking all things in the garden are

rosy for Britain’s SME builders.

But, perhaps inevitably, however, the path back to economic health is not without its pitfalls. Already FMB members up and down the country are reporting delays and shortages in key construction materials, while others report a shortage of specialist skills. All the time energy and fuel prices are rising, making 2014 far from a cloudless horizon for most construction firms.

If these rises continue, and after many years of eating into margins to maintain staffing and competitive output prices, then the majority of SME firms may have to consider passing on some of these cost rises to the customer in the new year – something which few hard-pressed company directors will relish as they struggle to build

Brian Berry, chief executive,

Federation of Master builders

on budding consumer confidence.

So far shortages have been reported around pallets of blocks, and long lead times experienced in more bespoke products such as British-made bricks to suit heritage or restoration projects where cheaper and more readily available imports just won’t do.

There are also reports of more specialist eco-efficiency shortages, and some members claim they are worried that panic-buying might be in evidence, as builders turn up to merchants’ yards to buy a pallet or two of bricks or blocks and, finding only four pallets in the whole yard, decide to buy the lot on the offchance that they will be forced to down tools at a key moment if the shortages continue.

The same goes for the specialists, who for so many years have been forced to take whatever work they can get, or even get out of construction altogether. It’s hardly surprising that with margins cut to the bone, these one or twooperative outfits have sought alternative employment or even moved out of the country to find work – and as a result now the work is coming back their skills are in short supply.

And the biggest fear is that material costs, which have risen consistently over the past two years, will continue to run short or that prices will rocket as a result

“A simple cut in the rate of VAT on all domestic building work from 20 per cent to five per cent would help mitigate these rising overhead costs at a stroke” of increased demand. But is it fair to point the finger of blame at the manufacturers or the suppliers?

Not really – the economies of scale involved mean it is not exactly easy for a British brick manufacturer to diversify into other areas, so it probably isn’t surprising that many plants reduced output, or have even been mothballed, when demand slumped. This inevitably will have impacted on capacity and leading to inevitable shortages in the supply chain.

Credit lifeline And it’s not the builder’s merchants’ fault either – let’s not forget they rely heavily on their close relationship with builders, so putting up prices any more than necessary would be detrimental to the wider recovery in the longterm and would potentially see the recovering sector back to square one. Indeed the BMF rightly points to its recently introduced scheme aimed at providing a credit lifeline to smaller companies in the building trade, by enabling them to secure additional credit from their local builders merchant and bypass the need for bank lending – a scheme which the FMB is happy to praise.

So what is to be done about this skills and supplies shortage? Well the first thing is probably not to panic. While the FMB’s latest State

of Trade Survey certainly showed that members were concerned about prolonged price rises, it seems most firms are happy to keep a watching brief, and few are likely to implement knee-jerk price rises. It is to be hoped the usual seasonal slowdown at this time of year can also allow certain manufacturers to catch up with demand, and that we won’t see too much more panic-buying, especially as jobs naturally come to completion before Christmas. Indeed in some parts of the country, such as Northern Ireland, it seems materials are in abundant supply, meaning some entrepreneurial companies are actually ‘importing’ supplies, with all the attendant cost implications

Construction & Civil Engineering 3

LEAD STORY

The FMB recently wrote to the Chancellor to ask him to at least consider the multiple benefits this relatively cheap solution would bring to Britain’s builders and the economy as a whole

of the extra shipping, rather than face delays.

But the Government must also act now to prevent the situation getting out of hand. A simple cut in the rate of VAT on all domestic building work from 20 per cent to five per cent would help mitigate these rising overhead costs at a stroke – the real beneficiary being the householder, who would surely see the reduction as a real incentive to make a start on their long-planned home improvement project. This would also soothe the minds of any company directors out there who wonder how they will be able to justify output increases, or who are worried that by raising their prices they will inevitably scare away new customers just as consumer confidence was beginning to return.

There are other levers the Government could pull, such as making public procurement fairer and easier to access for SMEs, and by revisiting the Green Deal, which

4 Construction & Civil Engineering

has so far failed to fire the boom in energy-efficiency work its architects envisaged. But the quickest and simplest way to boost the domestic building sector would be to address the thorny issue of VAT, and this is why the FMB recently wrote to the Chancellor to ask him to at least consider the multiple benefits this relatively cheap solution would bring to Britain’s builders and the economy as a whole.

The industry as a whole awaits action on this critical question. The Chief Construction Advisor Peter Hansford recently told the FMB that the Treasury and HMRC are ‘starting to get’ the importance of engagement on this issue. In the meantime, he advises we keep plugging away at it – which is exactly what we intend to do. zz

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is the UK’s largest trade association in the building industry, with national offices in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, supported by additional regional offices.

The FMB is a source of knowledge, professional advice and support for its members, providing a range of modern and relevant business building services to save them time and money. The FMB also offers advice to consumers via its Find a Builder and Check a Member websites. Please visit www.fmb.org.uk for more information.

If you’d like to find out more about the FMB’s long-running campaign to cut VAT, please visit the website at

www.cutthevat.co.uk for more information and to register your support.

NEWS

New addition to family

Improving standards

Customers expect Cat Paving Products to continually raise the bar in performance, productivity, comfort, safety and serviceability.

The company has met those expectations with the new B-series line of Utility Compactors.

The new CB22B, CB24B, CB24B XT, CB32B, CB34B, CB34B XW, CC24B and CC34B feature key enhancements that will help contractors achieve compaction more efficiently than ever. This wide range of models provides excellent versatility to compete in the 1.8 m to five m size class.

Typical applications include streets, bike paths, courtyards, patchwork, parking lots, driveways, town centres, and shoulder work.

2013 set to be record year Deal values for global transactions of transport infrastructure assets including airports, ports and road operations have risen steeply since the beginning of the year with 2013 poised to be a record year for transport infrastructure deals, according to an analysis by global advisory firm KPMG. The first half of 2013 saw global deals of infrastructure assets worth $16.6bn, by the end of the third quarter this figure had risen to $23.5bn, which already exceeds total annual deal values for every year since 2008, the KPMG research shows. The majority of assets being acquired in 2013 have been either in Europe or Asia. This year alone the UK has seen major deals such as the acquisition of Stansted Airport by Manchester Airport Group for £1.5 billion ($2.4bn) and the sale of a nine per cent stake in Heathrow airport by Spain’s Ferrovial to Universities Superannuation Scheme, one of the UK’s largest pension funds, for £395 million ($636 million).

Steffen Wagner, KPMG’s European

head of transport M&A comments: “There are three main drivers behind this trend: Public budget restraints across debt ridden countries especially in Europe have forced national governments to privatise national infrastructure and look for private operators and investors in order to secure the operation of strategic transport infrastructure and hub networks.

“Secondly, private investors like pension funds are constantly looking for investment opportunities with steady cash flows and growth prospects and transport infrastructure targets including ports and airports can offer these opportunities. Thirdly, strategic investors are increasingly investing in infrastructure assets, especially in emerging markets where growth forecasts are significantly above the mature markets in Western Europe and North America.”

With transaction multiples high, public budgets low and growth prospects steady, M&A in transport infrastructure is expected to remain high on the sector’s agenda.

A chartered surveying firm is improving health and safety standards nationwide by introducing a safer way to view complex buildings and structures through 3D modelling, with the launch of its new sister company SEEABLE. SEEABLE is being launched

by Severn Partnership to allow non-technical access to complex 3D data on desktops, smartphones and tablets.

By liberating 3D data and Building Information Modelling (BIM) from design teams and allowing access to site workers or board directors who cannot operate complex CAD or BIM software, SEEABLE will make important building information visible to a greater number of people.

SEEABLE hosts this data in a games engine app, augmenting it with information, images and interactive features to communicate in an intuitive, non-technical manner.

By reusing BIM data and repurposing it for safety briefings, marketing purposes and client/user visualisation, executives will be able to visit a site virtually from their desktop, without requiring complex BIM software knowledge.

Mark Combes, partner of SEEABLE explained: “Our aim is to make real or virtual asset information visible and accessible to as wide an audience as possible. The data we are providing to businesses can be put to a variety of uses from health and safety and design visualisation through to training and marketing.”

Construction & Civil Engineering 5

EQUIPMENT

Theproblem of

corrosion Steel tube is a popular choice for the movement of compressed air, but over time it is prone to a variety of problems including rust and leakage. Chris Ricketts examines alternative options

I

n UK industry compressed air is widely used in a variety of applications from machinery and equipment through to control systems and air tools. In fact, industry relies on compressed air to such an extent that it has been described as a fourth utility, alongside gas, water and electricity.

Modern process equipment, such as pneumatic controls and instrumentation demand a supply of clean, uncontaminated air, which means that the maintenance of this air from source through to the point of use is obviously essential.

The method of supply for compressed air is often steel pipe, but this method comes with sometimes hidden problems.

When the ambient air, for example, is compressed to the discharge pressure, moisture is inevitably introduced, which no amount of after-coolers, filters and dryers will completely solve.

Inevitably, this condensate will, over time, cause damage to a tube system, damage that can include rust and corrosion to the steel, which impedes the airflow, introduces contamination and reduces system pressure.

Often, the cause of the pressure

6 Construction & Civil Engineering

loss can be difficult to identify, which results in painstaking searches by maintenance operators and inevitable process downtime.

Even with systems that, on the surface, continue to function efficiently, maintenance teams need to be constantly vigilant, dismantling and inspecting the steel pipe to check for any corrosion.

What’s more, compressed air is costly, more expensive in fact than gas, electricity and water when evaluated on a per unit energy delivered basis. Energy costs, for instance, will usually exceed the initial equipment and installation costs over a ten year period with a 14.5 psi / one bar pressure drop using circa ten per cent additional energy. Compressed air leaks are, as one process engineer put it to me, ‘like opening the window and throwing money out.’

Alternatives Fortunately, there are alternatives to steel tube, which can offer a cost-effective way of eliminating leakage, rust and corrosion problems. Strangely, however, some industries have been much slower to utilise these alternative solutions, particularly in comparison to the construction sector, but the continued high price of steel could allow these alternatives to take market share.

One alternative is a pressfit system, such as Geberit Mapress, a stainless steel system, as opposed to carbon steel, which offers a high strength value capable of withstanding pressures of up to 25 bar depending on the dimensions. In addition, pressfit offers fast installation times with no need for tapping, threading, welding or soldering and minimised downtimes. Crucially, the ability to make a joint without the use of an open flame is a key health and safety benefit, particularly for the reduction of fire risk.

The second option for compressed air systems is plastic

pipe, such as the Durapipe AirLine or GF Instaflex product.

Plastic is often an ideal solution for processes that require maximum hygiene with minimum risk of contamination. With plastic systems the smooth bore and hygienic structure cannot rust, corrode or form loose scale, which ensures that clean air remains clean throughout the life of the system.

Advantages The great advantage of a plastic system is that it is corrosion resistant with many products able to withstand up to 30 years use without any deterioration.

Like pressfit systems, plastic is easy to handle and quick to joint with no threading due to the use of a solvent weld or fusion joint.

This also ensures easy on-site modification and repair. Crucially, plastic is also regarded as a leakfree system, with no leakage occurring as long as the solvent weld is made correctly.

The final alternative worthy of mention is grooved mechanical pipe jointing, such as the Victaulic stainless steel or copper system, which is now available in the UK. Grooved mechanical pipe jointing is a no-flame jointing technique, which forms or cuts a groove in the pipe ends and then joins them with bolted housings around a sealed gasket. For engineers, the benefits of the grooved system include great flexibility, noise and vibration attenuation and an ability to accommodate for thermal expansion and contraction.

In terms of reliability, grooved mechanical pipe jointing in the past has had its sceptics, but extensive testing has proven that grooving does not weaken the pipe end and has no effect on the flow of compressed air through the system.

It is clear that a steel tube compressed air system that is suffering from corrosion can increase energy costs, promote

“Compressed air is costly, more expensive in fact than gas, electricity and water when evaluated on a per unit energy delivered basis” equipment failure, reduce production efficiencies, and increase maintenance requirements. My advice is to look at alternatives to traditional jointing systems, which can mitigate many of these problems and potentially offer an element of flexibility into the design of a system which steel does not afford. m

Chris Ricketts is an expert in pipe systems at BSS Industrial.

BSS Industrial, part of the plumbing and heating division of Travis Perkins plc, is a leading pipeline and heating distributor. Established over 110 years ago, BSS has over 60 branches nationwide, a National Distribution Centre based at Lutterworth in the East Midlands and a National Tube Distribution Centre in Coventry.

Find out more at:

www.bssindustrial.co.uk

Construction & Civil Engineering 7

HEALTH & SAFETY

Building a

safer future Those working in construction must prioritise the health and safety of employees on site

8 Construction & Civil Engineering

In 2012/13 there were 39 fatal injuries of construction workers reported, down from 49 from the previous year. Undeniably there have been significant reductions in the number and rate of workplace injuries over the last 20 years; nevertheless, there is no room for complacency, as construction still remains a high-risk industry.

Construction & Civil Engineering asks Ian Browning of Arco for his advice on keeping safe when working on site

What are your thoughts on the recently published accident statistics?

Year on year we are seeing a downward trend in reported workplace accidents, which is a very positive sign. Businesses are making a huge effort to drive the health and safety message across the workplace and the recent results are a clear demonstration that their efforts are being rewarded.

Now more than ever, occupational hazards are being effectively identified and managed. Best practice, coupled with the number of recent innovations in safety and personal protective equipment, has been vital to achieving this success.

Are construction deaths decreasing across all of the UK? Interestingly, no. Recently published research conducted by construction union UCATT found that construction deaths in 2012/13 were highest in London. Ten of the 39 fatal injuries were suffered by workers in London, an increase on

2011/12 when there were only four deaths in the capital. Construction workers in Yorkshire also saw the number of deaths double from three to six and in Scotland deaths increased from three to five.

This being said, other regions did see a decrease in construction worker fatalities. The east of England reduced from seven to three, East Midlands from two to none, north-west from seven to two, south-east from seven to four, south-west from six to five and West Midlands from six to two. The decrease in accidents in these areas shows promise for the industry and the successful implementation of safe working methods.

What are the main areas of activity where accidents are caused?

The most common cause of fatal accidents is as a result of falls from height, which accounted for 23 of the 39 deaths this year. Most of the major injuries are associated with falls of less than two metres, which suggests that workers will more likely risk their safety when working closer to the ground.

What can be done to prevent falls from height?

First of all a proper risk assessment should be conducted and, where possible, working at height avoided.

However, if work cannot be avoided, training, supervision and the selection of appropriate safety equipment could contribute to a decrease the number of workplace accidents. Employers have a legal duty to assess the risks and supervise the work being carried out at all times. It is also essential that those working at height are competent to do so and have had full training on the hazards and risks, control measures, dealing with emergencies, fall prevention equipment and equipment care.

The risk assessment will signify the appropriate safety equipment for use on site. Whether it is

“Whilst falls from height are the most common workplace accident, construction and civil engineering is also risky for those standing below any work being carried out� collective measures such as safety gates, scaffolding or safety towers, or fall arrest equipment such as retractable blocks, harnesses and lanyards, there is a solution on the market for every kind of job.

Are there any other risks to workers in the construction and civil engineering industry?

Whilst falls from height are the most common workplace accident, construction and civil engineering is also risky for those standing below any work being carried out. We see numerous accidents through objects, such as tools and building materials being dropped onto workers and causing injury. Therefore, it is vital that all those working on site wear appropriate head protection and use tethered tools where appropriate.

What should customers look for when buying head protection?

Hard hats are synonymous with the construction industry and are the most effective form of head protection, however, over the years they have gained a reputation for being uncomfortable and restrictive.

A properly fitting hard hat should have the right shell size for the

Construction & Civil Engineering 9

HEALTH & SAFETY

wearer and an easily adjustable headband and chinstrap. Recent developments in head protection have concentrated on user comfort and ease of use; therefore newer hard hats should be lightweight, incorporate an absorbent sweatband and include smooth, quick release buckles on the chinstraps, which should not pinch the skin.

A hard hat should never hinder the work being done and should be chosen with a job in mind. For example, a hard hat with no peak is useful in allowing unrestricted upward vision. Hats should also be compatible with any other personal protective equipment, e.g. ear defenders or eye protectors, and should be ‘CE’ marked. The ‘CE’ mark ensures that the product has been tested and complies with the requirements of the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002.

Does safety footwear have to be worn on site?

On most building sites safety footwear should always be worn, especially when heavy work is being carried out. The bones in the foot are delicate and can be easily damaged. Indeed, once muscle, bone or tendon damage occurs, it can prevent normal movement for several months – which is not ideal when construction workers are needed to be on their feet everyday.

Boots with steel toecaps (or equivalent) work to protect against dropped objects, while midsole protection (usually a steel plate) protects against puncture or penetration if you tread on a nail or other sharp object. Again, comfort is a key factor in wearer acceptance and with modern materials and design; safety boots shouldn’t be uncomfortable and ill fitting.

What recent developments have there been in foot protection?

Manufacturers have recently invested heavily in the design of

10 Construction & Civil Engineering

metatarsal safety boots. Arco’s new metatarsal boots are made with innovative Poron XRD foam; a flexible, contouring and impact absorbing foam that is flexible under normal conditions but under sudden high impact, it instantly firms to create a protective shield. The foam takes the absorption of the strike leaving the foot unharmed.

Prior to impact the foam remains comfortable and non-restrictive as it returns to its ‘resting’ state, further enhancing user comfort and flexibility.

exposed to the elements. Arco’s layering system ensures workers get the best results from their garments and comprises of three individual layers: a base layer, a mid layer and an outer layer. The three layers, combined allow the body to stay sweat free, warm and waterproof.

We also provide a dedicated catalogue for the construction industry along with a set of Expert Guides on various aspects of safety.

We pride ourselves on being experts in safety and can offer expert guidance on product selection and safety training. m

What other commitment is Arco showing to the construction industry?

With the winter months upon us, construction workers will be working in windy, wet and cold conditions and it is essential that they remain protected. Arco, committed to keeping people safe and well, has recently introduced a new winter weatherwear layering system that is specifically designed for use by construction workers and those Ian Browning is construction sector sales manager at Arco. Arco is the UK’s leading safety company, distributing quality products and training and providing expert advice helping to shape the safety world and make work a safer place. Founded in 1884 and with a heritage spanning four generations, Arco integrates traditional family values with pioneering innovation to offer its 110,000 customers a world-class range of over 170,000 quality assured, branded and own brand products, including personal protective equipment, clothing, footwear, gloves, workplace safety and hygiene products.

For more information, visit

www.arco.co.uk.

NEWS

Reduced energy costs

Significant contract secured A Nottingham firm has secured a contract to help construct the King Abdullah Football Stadium in Saudi Arabia, with help from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.

Roodsafe, who design, manufacture and install specialist safety systems to help prevent people falling when working at height, are currently installing in excess of five kilometres of cable based fall-restraint systems on the stadium in Jeddah, the largest and most expensive in the world, which will be completed in December 2013. The deal is the first major overseas contract secured by the firm since it was set up by Simon Rood in 2002. Roodsafe won the contract after receiving a routine enquiry on its website. With support from their UKTI International Trade Adviser, Bob O’Meara, and financial backing and export expertise from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking,

the firm successfully secured the tender.

Simon Rood, managing director of Roodsafe said: “We are now spending a great deal of time in Saudi Arabia to install the specially designed system. Our team of eight UK based engineers is being supported by local labour and our duration on site will be three months in total.

“On the back of this work, we have secured other significant contracts in the UAE. We are currently installing the safety system on Emirates Airlines new Sky Cargo facility in Dubai, whilst also completing an internal safety system at Dubai airport, for Execujet, to allow safe access for maintenance to the aircraft.

“Following the success of the Stadium in Saudi Arabia, Roodsafe are now the frontrunner to secure additional work to develop the World Cup stadiums in Qatar.”

Healthy rise Nottingham-based recruitment specialist Frontline is hailing a significant rise in the number of jobs being created in the building and construction industry as a sign the economy is strengthening. One in ten of Frontline’s new clients are now from the building and construction industry – a figure that is continuing to climb.

The encouraging figures are backed up by the latest research into the construction sector from the ONS, which claimed that output rose by four per cent in August 2013 compared to same month last year.

Tony Wilmot, director of Frontline Recruitment, said: “We’ve seen a healthy rise in demand for staff from the building and construction sector, which is fantastic.

“The industry was badly affected by the recession, so to see such a positive result in the number of companies looking to increase their staff numbers within the sector is very good news indeed – it’s a positive indicator that the economy is stabilising and rebuilding.”

VO4, one of the UK’s leading voltage optimisation manufacturers has announced that the company’s market leading three phase voltage optimisation system is being rolled out across a number of Co-Operative stores in the UK. VO4 three phase systems were initially installed in six Co-Operative stores in Portsmouth and Southampton. Following successful trials that resulted in delivering significant energy savings, a further 22 have now been installed in Plymouth.

The Co-Operative, renowned for its ethical approach to business, had already achieved significant energy savings in a number of larger stores where voltage optimisation had been installed and was keen to make even greater savings by installing the new VO4 solution in smaller convenience stores.

Geoff Clifton business development manager VO4 commented: “We developed the three phase system as a means of helping businesses with energy costs less than £50,000 to save money on their electricity bills and reduce CO2 emissions. As a company recognised for its ethical values, we are delighted to be working with the Co-Operative, to supply them with our three phase solution.”

Construction & Civil Engineering 11

CASE STUDY

Righton

site JS Wright & Co improves time and attendance management with Simeio

12 Construction & Civil Engineering

J

S Wright & Co Ltd. is one of the UK’s leading building services providers.

Founded in 1890 and based in Birmingham and London, the company specialises in the design and installation of heating, plumbing, ventilation, air conditioning, and drainage solutions.

Serving a variety of sectors, JS Wright & Co employs about 120 staff and runs multiple projects simultaneously. Like many firms in the building services and construction industry, one area that has proved particularly challenging is verifying the hours worked by individuals on site.

“The average project takes ten months to complete and we typically have 30 permanent operatives on site at any one time scattered across up to ten different locations,” says Paul Millington, contracts support manager, JS Wright & Co. “Previously the only way we could monitor what hours they were keeping was from their timesheets, which they filled in themselves.”

According to Paul, the other major challenge was collecting all the timesheets in each Monday so that the accounts team could process the weekly payroll.

“Timesheets used to be completed manually by our operatives, who were then responsible for sending them to head office. Some of our employees work at sites without access to a fax machine or email, so ensuring that they send them in on time was actually quite difficult.

The wages clerks would be pulling their hair out trying to gather and verify all of the information on where people had been working and the hours they had done.”

Combining biometrics, mobile, and cloud Although the construction industry remains relatively conservative as far as adopting new technology is concerned, a growing number of firms are implementing solutions to better manage time and attendance, ensure health and safety compliance, and improve site security.

Advances in the field of biometrics for example, enable the collection of time and attendance data at the point of site entry and exit, ensuring users have accurate real-time data available for all of their time management and

payroll needs. They also provide documentary proof of entry and exit times should employment or project issues arise.

“We became aware that some of our operatives were not completing their set hours so were looking for a time and attendance solution which would help us to address this,” Paul continues. “A lot of building sites now use biometric readers, but some of these systems are quite cumbersome and need to have a computer set-up at each site. We wanted a system that used a mobile device so the data collected could be accessed from anywhere.”

Having considered a number of options, JS Wright & Co selected Simeio’s Site Roster Control solution. Comprising biometric handheld readers and cloudbased software, the Site Roster Control provides a flexible platform enabling users to gather large amounts of accurate time and attendance data across multiple sites, store it securely in a central database, and access it remotely via the internet.

When used to track time and attendance, Simeio’s biometrics solution helps firms to build definitive reports detailing all workers’ actual hours on a single site or at multiple locations. This data can be used to populate

timesheets automatically, making the payroll process much faster and more accurate.

With the collected data stored centrally in the cloud, users can access it at any time via Simeio’s password-protected web portal.

Customised reports can also be created to display live information – including hours logged, absences, qualifications and lateness, and then sorted by individual, team, contractor or site.

“Simeio’s solution was ideal because it uses a small, handheld device and means that the data collected can be accessed easily from remote locations. It also ensures rapid deployment, as there’s not a lot to install and Simeio configures the devices before they are sent to us.”

Management & safety JS Wright & Co now has eight handheld devices incorporating fingerprint reader and mobile connectivity so that operatives can simply touch in and out when entering and exiting a site. The data is transmitted from eight separate locations over the mobile network to Simeio, where it is stored securely and can be accessed remotely by Paul and his team via a user-friendly web portal.

“When our operatives go on

“We became aware that some of our operatives were not completing their set hours so were looking for a time and attendance solution which would help us to address this” site, they touch their finger to the handheld device in the morning and then again at the end of the day when they leave, so I can see from here in the office exactly what hours they have worked on site at any one time,” Paul continues. “It’s also good because there are different alerts you can set up. For example, before an operative puts their finger on the reader, they have to go through a screen confirming that they have all of their personnel protective equipment (PPE) – such as a hard hat, boots and high-vis jacket. This

Construction & Civil Engineering 13

CASE STUDY

helps us with health and safety audit.”

For Paul, having accurate time and attendance tracking has led to better communication on the ground. As all operatives now have to report to a fixed point at a set time, the firm’s site foremen have the opportunity to interact with them directly. Those signing in and out of a site must communicate their desire to leave early or arrive late in advance, while it is also possible for managers to have notifications sent to their mobile phones when a worker arrives late or has left the site before the end of the agreed working day. This is particularly important where the monitoring of sub-contractors is concerned.

“This is a big benefit for us, as previously, it was hard to know whether sub-contractors were onsite or not. Now, we write into the order that every contractor has to sign in on the device, so our foremen are able to bring up an evacuation list that displays everyone onsite at any given time.

Previously, they could end up walking round looking for people that, half the time, wouldn’t be there anyway. This also gives us recourse should any of the work completed fail to meet the required standard, as we can quickly find out whether those responsible worked

14 Construction & Civil Engineering

the hours agreed.”

With biometric data processed and delivered in real time, JS Wright & Co can be sure that every individual on site is identified and logged, improving the management of all people on all projects.

“It ensures our staff step up to the mark a little bit more,” Paul confirms. “It’s amazing the amount of phone calls I get now from people requesting to leave a little bit early for whatever reason – whereas before they would just disappear.”

Positive reaction According to Paul, there has been a significant improvement in timekeeping and, although Site Roster Control initially generated some pushback from certain sections of its workforce, the reaction has since been entirely positive.

“The foremen soon realised the benefit as they are able to control our operatives a lot better. They also get to see everyone when they arrive in the morning, meaning they can direct them to where they are supposed to be.

Importantly, they can see exactly who is on site with just a push of a button.”

Simeio’s cloud-based Site Roster Control Platform

records biometric data in real time to give users a complete overview of human activity on construction projects in any industry whatever their size, duration or scope.

The software collects accurate data autonomously on Time & Attendance, Health & Safety Compliance, Environmental Impact and Project Risk Management enabling firms to identify and review risks, make responsive, informed decisions and ensure costs, time and claims are kept to an absolute minimum. It can be integrated with existing hardware and software and installed on both mobile and fixedpoint devices. m For more information visit:

www.simeio.co.uk.

NEWS

Green house Airflow’s Duplexvent DV150SE Ventilation with Heat Recovery unit and Airflex Pro ‘zero leakage’ ducting has been installed at the Mark Group EcoHouse, a world leading showcase built as part of a Creative Energy Homes Project at the University of Nottingham.

The EcoHouse has been created to show how energy saving measures can reduce energy bills, reduce carbon emissions and provide a more comfortable living environment.

Airflows Duplexvent DV150 SE Passive House approved MVHR unit was selected for the EcoHouse due to its excellent thermal efficiency of 90 per cent and as it’s designed to provide both essential ventilation and to save money through its intelligent, cost effective and eco-friendly heat recovery system. DV150 SE is also controlled by an intelligent, digital control display, with eight speed settings, filter condition alert and inputs from optional external sensors, such as humidity and CO2 for energy efficient ondemand heating control.

“We are delighted to have been selected to participate in the Mark Group EcoHouse,” commented John Kelly, marketing manager at Airflow. “Through our investment with them and the University of Nottingham, we hope to enable further research into understanding ventilation behavior and energy saving methods of construction and low carbon design.”

Are you asleep?

Regenerating an estate Pollard Thomas Edwards architects (PTEa) working for Countryside Properties and Newlon has fought off competition from AHMM and Maccreanor Lavington architects working for Laing O’Rourke and Keepmoat to regenerate the 1960s Alma Estate, in Ponders End in the London Borough of Enfield.

The winning design reintegrates the Alma Estate with the surrounding neighbourhood by creating a clear and legible layout of apartment blocks and family houses with private gardens, the discreet incorporation of car parking; and by creating a new linking road with Scotland Green Road. The proposed scheme will create around 794 new homes.

The design responds to a need to address the disjoined layout, inactive streetscapes and increasing isolation of the estate from the surrounding neighbourhood. PTEa has successfully created a design that reintegrates the estate by reinforcing historic routes through the site, re-establishes traditional streetscapes while adding both tall buildings and private family homes to create a positive sense of place. “The regeneration of this post-war housing estate is much needed. Our design creates a place that people will actively choose to spend time in and be proud to call their own,” commented Kaye Stout, Director, PTEa. The project is due to start on site in March 2015.

New research from Vistage, the world’s leading CEO organisation, reveals that nearly half (47 per cent) of chief executives at UK medium-sized construction and property businesses do not feel they are up-to-date with how their customers and competitors use technology.

The research also found that 35 per cent of construction chief executives feel that their business does not have anyone in the senior management team who is ‘IT savvy’.

This lack of strong senior knowledge in technology is despite CEOs and business owners having a positive outlook on the impact of technology – with 76 per cent feeling its had a positive impact on their business’ prospects, 21 per cent felt its overall affect was neutral, and just two per cent felt technology was making things worse.

Steve Gilroy, CEO of Vistage, said: “Someone in the senior team needs to be tech-savvy. If there is no one in their current team who can fulfil this role, the business’ managing director needs to find someone – there are no excuses, it’s just too important and urgent!

“Business owners and chief executives in the construction and property sectors are ‘asleep at the wheel’ if they and their senior team are not fully up to date with how technology is being used by their suppliers, customers and competitors. I really cannot see how a business’s board can make sensible strategic decisions without being knowledgeable about this.”

Construction & Civil Engineering 15

Environment

Crucial considerations Carole Ankers takes a look at how developers need to check to see if their land is contaminated before undertaking any work

T

oday, the decision of whether development is appropriate for a site is based on the principle of ‘sustainable development’. This is defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. In planning terms, it means planning for prosperity, people and places and at the heart of the system is a presumption in favour of sustainable development.

The presence of contaminated land in rural or urban environments could however be seen as a prime example of society’s failure to achieve sustainable development in the past.

16 Construction & Civil Engineering

While sources of contamination vary greatly, with some cases naturally occurring from substances such as arsenic or lead, normally, land contamination has come as a result of past industrial activity.

It is a legacy of former industrial works, processes, spillages or waste disposal, all of which could have an impact on any plans to develop or redevelop a site.

With more and more development projects taking place across designated brownfield sites, the risk of discovering contaminated land is potentially higher. Whilst in most circumstances the associated risks are relatively low, there is the potential that it could present a risk to health or even affect local water quality or ecosystems, depending

on what the contaminant is and so further investigation is required.

It has been estimated that there is up to 300,000 hectares of land, consisting of up to 100,000 individual sites that may be affected by land contamination.

Of these, the Environment Agency estimates that up to 20,000 may be considered ‘problem sites’, whereby action is required to ensure they do not pose an unacceptable risk to the environment or human health.

According to the Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (the key legislation for dealing with contaminated land) and the Environmental Damage Regulations, just because land may be affected by contamination,

doesn’t necessarily mean it is considered ‘contaminated land’.

Three main components must be identified in order for it to be classed as such: the existence of a source of contamination, a receptor (i.e. a household), plus a pathway between the source and the receptor.

“It has been estimated that there is up to 300,000 hectares of land, consisting of up to 100,000 individual sites that may be affected by land contamination”

Is your site at risk?

Before embarking on any development project, it is therefore vital to ensure that the correct duediligence checks are completed to identify whether any risks apply to your site, and if so, to determine what it means to your proposed project, and legally, what needs to be done to mitigate the risk as a result.

The starting point is information gathering and research. Accessing historical mapping data is one way of extrapolating information regarding past activities that took place on the land. For example, from viewing a historic map, you can quickly identify former industrial buildings, quarries, worksites or similar. On looking

at a 1903 map of Willenhall in the Midlands, it clearly points to a gas works site that was located there, which at the time was situated in a rural location. Fast-forward 110 years and the latest Ordnance Survey maps show the gas works have gone, residential development has taken place and it is included in Walsall Council’s contaminated land register.

Both councils and a number of commercial providers hold a range of information on potential sources of contamination. Councils maintain registers to illustrate when legal action is taken on contaminated land and for those sites that may be contaminated.

While both sources hold data on historic land use; planning history;

Construction & Civil Engineering 17

Environment

pollution incidents; details of closed landfill sites; and site specific reports on investigation and remediation.

At Landmark Information Group1, it not only captures determined contaminated land entries for all local authority registers – of which there are over 300 – but it has also a database containing millions of past land use features, planning data and historical maps in one central repository.

Once thorough desktop studies have been undertaken, if a potential risk is identified, the next stage is normally to commission a phase one site assessment. At this level of reporting, an environmental consultant will actually visit the site and carry out a site walkover together with discussions with key personnel if present. This helps build up a clear picture of the scale of any contamination and whether a programming of soil, water or gas sampling is needed. This is known as a phase two site investigation.

It is only after actual samples have been taken and analysed that decisions can be made regarding whether any remedial work may be necessary.

Remedial work can include soil removal, carrying out treatments to eliminate the risk and make it safe or creating barriers so that there is no link between the contamination and receptors, such as future occupants or a nearby watercourse.

Progress is closely monitored by

the Local Authority and in some cases, the Environment Agency.

The required works will then be approval by the council’s planning and environment teams once they are satisfied that the correct level of remediation has taken place.

Ultimately, identifying that a plot of land may be affected by contamination doesn’t mean the planned project is a non-starter, but does require the need to implement a strategy to manage the risk. A number of helpful guides are available to support the entire process. The Environment Agency2 has produced a useful guidance paper3, which includes a detailed workflow of the steps that should be taken from risk assessment, through to audit and remediation.

Responsibility DEFRA4 has also produced a detailed Contaminated Land Statutory Guidance document, plus the National Planning Policy Framework also offers guidance related to Land Remediation5.

Ultimately, responsibility lays with the developer to ensure that a development is safe and the land is appropriate for its intended use – or can be made so through remediation. It is therefore crucial that the right data is gathered at the outset to determine the level of risk and appropriate steps are taken. Failure to do so, may not only lead to costly delays, but potentially refusal of planning permissions. m

Carole Ankers, is product development director at Landmark Information Group. Landmark Information Group is the UK’s leading provider of land and property search information, including digital mapping, environmental risk reports for property professionals and sophisticated property management tools to surveyors, risk and fraud managers and the broader financial markets. Working closely with data providers including Ordnance Survey, the Environment Agency, the Coal Authority and the British Geological Survey enables Landmark to offer current and historical environmental risk management information and desktop mapping solutions for the property industry.

For further information visit:

www.landmark.co.uk.

iStockphoto © Kiyyah

1 www.landmark.co.uk/our-products/contamination 2 www.environment-agency.gov.uk 3 www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/clr11-2.pdf 4 www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/223705/pb13735cont-land -guidance.pdf 5 planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk

18 Construction Today Supplement

NEWS

Discreetly store rainwater The new AquAttic rainwater harvesting system is a new innovation from Discrete Heat, which is cleverly designed to capture rainwater and store it in the roof space of a house or small building. It uses rainwater catchers on the roof and low profile water storage tanks fitted into the unused space in the eaves.

It’s a great way of conserving and recycling water as well as making savings on water bills.

AquAttic uses gravity to collect and run the rainwater through the system unlike more traditional models that require electric pumps. By eliminating any electrics AquAttic has no running costs or any controls to fail or service. Fifty per cent of water usage in households is for applications other than human consumption such as washing machines, dishwashers, toilets and gardening. The AquAttic system can provide up to 50 per cent of a household’s water needs providing non-potable applications with free, recycled water.

The system comprises rainwater catchers that are located across the width of the roof and roughly a third of the way up and are available in varying lengths up to 2.4 m ensuring maximum harvest. Any debris gathered during dry spells is immediately washed with the next rainfall due to the specifically designed shape and any smaller particles within the water are filtered out through the 120-micron filter each inlet has, preventing damage to internal plumbing. The storage tanks have the capacity of 18 days usage, are plumbed into the toilet and washing machine supply and a back up control tank allows a minimal amount of mains water through in the very unlikely event of a long dry spell.

Recommended for new builds or renovations, AquAttic is available with a range of rain catcher colours allowing the harvesting system to blend in with the look of the existing roof and surrounding area. Maintenance can be kept to a minimum with the options of self-cleaning (SC) systems or annual maintenance (AM) designs.

Underpinning success NEC has been recognised as playing an instrumental role across several award-winning projects that were presented at the 2013 British Construction Industry Awards (BCIA) in November.

At this year’s event, NEC3 contracts were highlighted for supporting eight of the 17 leading projects, which won or were highly commended for their work, with a combined project value of £816 million.

As one of the most inspirational and influential projects to be delivered in the UK, the London

2012 Olympic Park Project received the Judge’s Special Award, thanks to its impact on the East London economy and difference made to the local community. NEC3 contracts were first brought onto the project by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) in 2006, at the start of the park’s construction.

Rekha Thawrani, general manager from NEC, said: “It’s fantastic to see NEC3 being recognised for its involvement in such a large scale development like the Olympic Park.”

The International Award was given to the Halley VI, the latest British Antarctic Survey research station. NEC3 ECC contract

Don’t lose your way An Ordnance Survey study carried out across Great Britain reveals that approximately 45 per cent of all planning application maps submitted are either unlicensed or incorrectly displayed. This news follows Ordnance Survey’s 2011 study that showed 40 per cent of land and property professionals, including civil engineers, architects, property lawyers, developers and housing associations, could be using out of date or unlicensed mapping information in their work.

Using out of date or unlicensed mapping data carries the risk of making decisions based on incorrect information, and means land and property professionals who do this may not be giving their colleagues and clients the full and accurate picture. It can be an unnecessary cause of delays, dispute and increased costs to the client, and could be avoided or planned for by having correct, up to date and licensed mapping data.

supported the £29 million project to create a team, which was fully integrated, cohesive and worked to the highest order.

NEC also celebrated Gem Bridge in Tavistock picking up the Civil Engineering Project Award and the Regeneration Award given to the Eastside City Park in Birmingham.

Both projects used NEC3 ECC to help deliver successful schemes.

In addition, the £88 million M4M5 Managed Motorway scheme received the Health and Safety Award. The project used both the NEC3 Framework Contract and the ECC contract to help deliver its effective training.

Construction & Civil Engineering 19

COLLABORATION

expected to rise to over six billion.

Add to this the need to counter the relentless rise in operating and fossil fuel costs, and the demand for homes and buildings that promote health, wellbeing and productivity, and it’s not surprising that sustainable buildings are now perceived as higher value assets for all stakeholders.

Today’s challenge is therefore to develop ever better technical and material solutions to enhance the performance of sustainable buildings and make them more affordable. Solutions are also needed for managing and developing existing stock, with the challenge sparking new ideas and developments for green retrofitting and renovation. Building green is now no longer a matter of personal choice for a few localised geographic areas but rather a necessity across the globe.

With countries and populations worldwide set to reap the benefits, international collaboration is becoming increasingly prevalent.

Sharing knowledge Greening the global built environment through international collaboration

T

he global population is predicted to climb from its current 7.2 billion to 9.6 billion by 2050, and with growth mainly in the developing countries, the demand for homes and buildings is soaring. High on the construction boom agenda is building green, primarily driven by its far-reaching benefits and ability to provide solutions to critical challenges within the sector.

20 Construction & Civil Engineering

With the built environment responsible for 40-50 per cent of total carbon emissions both in the UK and the developed world, environmental impact needs to be dramatically reduced; changing climate patterns need to be adapted to; and the growing population means that resources are becoming scarcer, particularly in urban areas which, for the first time in history, are home to over half of the world’s population – with numbers

An international force for good A case in point is the new £6 billion Meixi Lake Eco City project in China, one of 240 new cities planned for the country. Set around a manmade lake and featuring pedestrian areas, cycle paths, high quality green space for public use and good transport links to Changsha’s central business district, the Meixi Lake Eco City will set the standard for urban development in China.

A focal point will be a flagship £20m sustainable building exhibition centre. Named the Living Lattice, the centre will be an exemplar of low carbon design and innovation, and will set new standards of design and procurement in the region whilst acting as a hub for innovation and knowledge transfer, both in China and across the world. It will showcase the latest innovative methods of construction and

green technologies to a wide audience, ranging from industry professionals, academics and diplomats to school children and members of the local community.

The building is being brought to life by development company Franshion Properties Ltd, one of China’s leading state-owned developers, which is working in partnership with a multidisciplinary international team including BRE; Client advisor and lead on supply chain engagement; Feilden Clegg Bradley (FCB) Studios, architectural design; Wilder Associates, landscape design; and the Shanghai Research Institute of Building Science (SRIBS), local design institute for detailed design.

Completing the partnership are EcoIntel, BREEAM Assessor and local project management; Atelier Ten, M&E design; and Thomas Matthews, exhibition design.

Benefits across the board Taking its name from the building’s multi-level matrix or latticework of floorplates, courtyards and gardens, the Living Lattice is designed to both BREEAM and China’s Three Star green building standard, and comprises 10,000 sq m of state-of-the-art office facilities and 2,000 sq m of exhibition space. With a focus on harmony with the local climate, culture and natural landscape, the structure enables the whole building to benefit from passive daylighting and ventilation strategies, helping to create an optimum internal environment. The two lower floors house the exhibition facilities, with flexible office space provided on the upper floors. Every desk has a view outside the building, and an extensive roof garden offers spectacular views across the city and surrounding landscape.

Each floor has integrated planting to provide a healthy internal environment along with natural cooling, insulation and shading,

and there is access to screened outdoor space on every level.

Other sustainable features include: l Solar PV l Solar hot water heating l Green wall l Mixed mode ventilation and heat recovery l Ground source borehole heating and cooling l Chilled beams l Displacement ventilation and radiant floor heating l Rainwater harvesting l Low energy and interactive façade lighting

Benefits across the board The project will trigger new valuable knowledge and generate new joint business opportunities in the local marketplace as well creating a wider network for business opportunities worldwide.

It offers a unique opportunity for local and international partners to get involved by contributing green building products, services and knowledge to be showcased in the exhibition centre, as well as being part of a two-way learning process that will drive change in the global built environment.

Ultimately, the international partnership will help deliver a project that will drive innovation and sustainability on a global scale. As Jaya Skandammorthy Director for BRE China put it: “The Living Lattice is testament to the power of international collaboration and knowledge sharing. It’s an exciting time for the global construction industry with new technologies, products and processes coming to market on a daily basis. From green building innovators, product manufacturers to specialist research organisations, all can play their part in helping to create the sustainable buildings and cities of the future.” m

“Building green is now no longer a matter of personal choice for a few localised geographic areas but rather a necessity across the globe. With countries and populations worldwide set to reap the benefits, international collaboration is becoming increasingly prevalent.”

BRE offers expert advice on achieving better buildings, communities and businesses, and helps government, industry and business to meet the challenges of the built environment. BRE is an independent and impartial, research-based consultancy, testing and training organisation, offering expertise in every aspect of the built environment and associated industries.

For further information visit:

www.bre.co.uk.

Construction & Civil Engineering 21

profile: SCANTRUCK

Lifting

standards

Scantruck has undergone a period of growth at a difficult time in industry, calling upon its reputation as a company that can be trusted by customers

R

ecognised as a leading distributor in Denmark, Scantruck A/S has become the biggest importer and supplier of a range of vehicles and equipment for the construction and civil engineering sector.

Construction and Civil Engineering magazine spoke to sales and marketing director Henrik KirketerpMøller about the company’s products and services as it looks to the new year. “We are supplying to the whole building industry, rental companies, the farming industry and to anyone requiring machinery to perform most operations including lifting and digging,” he begins.

Early in 2013 Scantruck opened up an additional facility close to Copenhagen. Henrik explains how it holds a competitive edge: “We are located in the centre of

22 Construction & Civil Engineering

Zealand in Ringsted, and further North in Skive. Operating from two locations puts us in a strong position to reach out to customers.”

The new site supports sales of the product portfolio that consist of big brands like Manitou, Komatsu, Atlas, and Mustang heavy vehicles.

As the only licensed company in Denmark to import, sell and service this machinery Scantruck currently maintains a market share of 75 per cent of sales and service in its sector.

In the six months since the facility in Ringsted opened, the business has benefited from very positive returns. Having a pure understanding of customers’ needs has led to the expansion of its service team in a unique way.

Elaborating on this extension Henrik says: “Additionally we have grown from operating ten service vans to a fleet of 40, each with highly trained technicians, available 24/7. If any of our customers operating machinery break down anywhere in Denmark we will be there in two hours to help them.

“We see this service as a necessity. To maintain our market share we must continually provide an unrivalled service, and our customers’ needs are top priority.

Their business is our business and we want to keep them moving.”

The service division of the company has grown in the last three years and Scantruck is putting increasing emphasis on its development. It has established a functional process to maintain targets of accelerated response times. Henrik continues: “As we build up a new range of machinery on offer we put a lot of effort into our service technicians developing an expertise on the machines.

They undertake product training and all the vans are equipped with computerised and technical facilities, which allows them to be completely home based. When we receive a request to repair a broken unit our office contacts one of our local remote service technicians and they respond. If the call comes in late in the day, and the technician does not have the replacement parts on board, we organise for parts to be delivered to the technician overnight so that the repair can be carried out first thing in the morning. This process means we are close to all our customers and can respond quickly. There is the added benefit of not requiring our technicians to spend a lot of time travelling on the roads.”

With one eye on strategy, the other remains on finance. The vision is to remain fairly priced and offer its customers reasonable cost solutions to any problems they encounter. It is a key strength that attracts companies to return time again, and currently Scantruck is achieving sales and service figures encompassing over 2000 machines a year. Despite a tough economic climate the business has achieved

a steady growth over the past five years. “The Danish market is very low at the moment so we have been focusing on every single deal and every customer. By keeping their needs fulfilled we are achieving our own goals,” he expresses.

With over 60,000 square metres of combined space in both locations, Scantruck has been able to source and stock an array of used machines to supply to the demand of the used market.

Shedding light on this new channel, Henrik adds: “Buying and selling used machines has become a big focal point for us right now.

There is a big market out there for people who can’t necessarily afford brand new equipment. We have a dedicated team dealing in used machinery and all the equipment is cleaned and assessed to be in correct condition before it goes to sale.”

Having acknowledged the difficult conditions over the past few years and adapting its approach to grow within that climate Henrik maintains a positive outlook to the future: “We aim to continue controlled growth over all three sectors of our business.

Imports of new equipment is an area that we aim to improve as the market develops, and we look to uphold our market share. The service division is very strong and we look forward to it growing

alongside our used equipment approach. Our aim is to make money, but we recognise that it can only really be achieved by building trust in long term relationships where all parties are satisfied.”m

Scantruck www.scantruck.dk Services: Distributor of construction equipment

Your Construction Technology Provider

SITECH

The Construction Technology Authority

Head office Mossvej 9 DK-8700 Horsens

Sj Department Balstrupvej 90 4100 Ringsted

www.sitech.dk

Phone: +45 7025 4414 E-mail: mail@sitech.dk

SITECH Denmark is the exclusive distributor of Trimble machine control and surveying equipment, Trimble marine products and Loadrite weighing systems.

The professional team behind SITECH’s dealer network will guide customers to exactly the system required for a given task. Within its SITECH ACADEMY, service and training is provided to all its product solutions to ensure users always being updated in use of the devices. With CONNECTED SITE wireless data transfer of design update etc. is performed and ensures that documentation of the work is available.

Construction & Civil Engineering 23

profile: Travis Perkins

Setting

the foundations With a history of supplying building materials to the trade for more than two centuries, the Travis Perkins Group is now one of the largest suppliers to the UK’s building and construction industry

W

ith the largest building merchant and home improvement network in the UK, the company has more than 1900 trading locations nationwide, providing in excess of 250,000 products to trade professionals and serious DIYers. The product range is extensive, and includes building materials, landscaping, plumbing and heating, kitchens and bathrooms, timber and sheet materials, dry lining and insulation, painting and decorating, doors and joinery and hand and power tools.

Established from a merger in 1988 between Travis & Arnold and Sandell Perkins, the organisation boasts some of the industry’s

leading brands, including Travis Perkins, Keyline, City Plumbing Supplies, Wickes, Toolstation, BSS, CCF, Benchmarx and PTS. The company has enjoyed consistent growth despite market fluctuations, which is due to its continued investment in customer proposition and product innovation.

Furthermore, the Group boasts an industry leading strategic network of local branches, stock availability and clear, competitive trade prices; customers can open an account and benefit from prices that offer the best deals on the products they buy the most. Furthermore, reliable, knowledgeable, friendly staff are on hand at all branches and stores, ready to offer the best service and expert advice for the largest and smallest of jobs.

Construction & Civil Engineering 25

profile: Travis Perkins

Premdor As a division of Masonite, one of the world’s leading joinery manufacturers, Premdor supply an extensive portfolio of interior and exterior doors, windows and cubicle washroom systems into the UK market. Premdor have a long standing relationship across the Travis Perkins Group and, through close collaboration on supply chain initiatives, ensure the very best quality products are matched with exceptional customer service.

Determined to lead the way in delivering building materials to those who need them, the Travis Perkins Group has achieved this through an awareness of market trends, high quality employees and embracing the latest technology.

This strategy has proven highly successful, and the Group is looking forward to continued success as the recession starts to weaken and the housing market gets back on track in 2014, as group commercial director, Travis Perkins plc, Ian Preedy, explains: “The main reason for this growth is new-build residential house building. A strong set of numbers

for new house builds in Britain was released this year, showing a 20 per cent increase in this sector.”

He continues: “We are starting to see an optimism in consumer markets as we look ahead to next year, as we know there’s usually a nine-month time lag between housing transactions and the consequent up spend from consumers as they start to embark on home improvements. The strength of housing transactions is an important indicator for us, and so we are encouraged by this increase in consumer demand.”

A recent surge in mortgage approvals, housing transactions and positive results from house builders has helped the UK’s housing market recover from its previous slump. Part of the reason for this positive kick-start is the government’s ‘help to buy’ scheme, which enables house buyers to secure financial help if they live in England and can’t afford to buy a home. It is open to both first-time buyers and home movers on newbuilds worth up to £600,000. “The government’s help-to-buy-scheme has helped in two ways. First, by providing access to funding for homeowners who wouldn’t have had access to it before and second, by driving confidence in the market. As a Group, we are fully prepared for this growth in demand as we have a number of different operating businesses working together to support other brands in the Group, so our businesses stay strong and healthy,” comments Ian. Following a boost in orders, the company is anticipating a steady increase in demand for its wide range of products over the next

Construction & Civil Engineering 27

profile: Travis Perkins

KNAUF INSULATION Knauf Insulation is pleased to work with Travis Perkins as a strategic partner. With a longstanding relationship as the foundation, the two businesses are working closely together to meet the challenges and opportunities presented by existing and future government energy efficiency schemes.

Travis Perkins is a key stockist and distributor of Knauf Insulation’s products, including its Earthwool® mineral wool insulation with the revolutionary ECOSE® Technology. Using a formaldehyde-free binder based on rapidly renewable materials, instead of traditional petro-based chemicals, ECOSE® Technology is up to 70 per cent less energy intensive than traditional binders. The patented ECOSE® Technology also produces a ‘super-soft’ and easier to handle wool.

three to four years. “The increase in demand we see closely aligns to the stages a house goes through as it’s built. For example, below ground drainage, bricks and blocks are the first products that go into

Defender - Light Cannon

building a house and these are the first markets to have recovered.

For the first time in ten years, we’re seeing the upsurge in demand in this area, and so we’re working hard with those on the supply side to ensure that the confidence we’re all seeing sustains,” says Ian. A very clear indicator that the economy is developing positively is the major contract awarded to Travis Perkins by Crest Nicholson in September 2013, a contract that sees Travis Perkins as the sole

supplier of building materials as Crest Nicholson begins construction of over 500 homes during 2014.

With sophisticated forecasting, the Travis Perkins Group has been discussing the market with its suppliers to ensure all levels of service and products are available in line with the expected upsurge.

On top of that, the company aims continually to expand its branch network, with a particular focus on its distribution capability. “We are recruiting at the moment, a drive which supports our own wellestablished management training scheme. Next year, we plan on increasing investment in both our management and graduate training schemes to help us better face the

Construction & Civil Engineering 29

profile: Travis Perkins

Ideal Heating For more than 100 years Ideal Heating has been providing the UK with solutions heat its homes.

From taking boilers from basements into kitchens in the 1920’s, right through to introducing high efficiency technologies and developing award winning boiler ranges, Ideal manufactures products which are reliable, energy efficient and easy to use; combining the latest technology with common sense engineering.

Our flagship Logic range of boilers continues a tradition of high quality technology for modern day living. Recently awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation, the Logic range is built with state-of-the-art technology in a practical compact unit.

The HE range provides a reliable, efficient solution for new or replacement installations. The Logic range is available in variety of outputs and comes complete with various warranties to suit all requirements and is supported by a national service team 364 days a year.

constantly evolving challenges in our sector,” says Ian. Looking ahead, the Travis Perkins Group also sees emerging trends in how products are being bought, either via mobile technology or via the internet, and is aiming to use its direct sourcing capability to invest more heavily in these areas to differentiate itself in the market.

Meanwhile, the company also aims to significantly invest in developing its own brand products, like its work wear ‘Scruffs’, commercial lighting brand ‘Defender’ and fixings brand ‘Bullet’, all of which have seen strong growth. With so much opportunity in the housing and repairs and maintenance markets coming up, the future for Travis Perkins plc looks positive as it continues to invest in its company to improve services and products for existing and future customers.m

Travis Perkins www.travisperkins.co.uk Services: Builders merchants

PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE TRAVIS PERKINS SUPPLY CHAIN

BAGGED & LOOSE AGGREGATES / EQUESTRIAN / CONTRACTING Day Group Ltd handles over 3.5 million tonnes of construction material each year, as well as providing services to the construction, leisure and contracting industries.

The responsible sourcing of our products and investment in modern processing equipment supports a dedicated and professional team focused on your needs.

DAY GROUP LTD Transport Avenue Brentford Middlesex TW8 9HF

30 Construction & Civil Engineering

CONTACT: Tel: 0845 0654 655 sales@daygroup.co.uk www.daygroup.co.uk

Rail » Highways » Utilities » Local Council Industrial Coating Services Limited Work to stringent HSQE guidelines and act as a sub-contractor for companies throughout the Highways, Local Council, Utilities and Rail sectors.

I S

Industrial Coating Services www.industrialcoatingservices.co.uk

Industrial Coating Services are a Midland Based Company, operating throughout the UK, specialising in Abrasive Blast Cleaning and application of protective coatings, works also including: Intumescent Coatings, Decorative Painting, Ultra High Water Jetting (UHP), Stone and Brick Cleaning, Graffiti Removal, Graffiti Coatings.

Accreditations IS0 9001 | ISO 14001 | NHSS 19A BS OHSAS 18001 | UVDB | Link-up

Call 01543 450167 or 0845 474 0007 Email enquiries@industrialcoatingservices.co.uk

Editor Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales Team

+44 (0) 1603 274130 Schofield Publishing 10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU