Construction and Civil Engineering Issue 109 Early Edition

TH E

M AGAZINE

FOR

IN DUST RIA L

LE ADER S

EARLY EDITION 109

CONSTRUCTION

&CIVIL Engineering From

hostels tocommunities The demand for student accommodation is at an all time high in the UK and developers are being asked for flexible and well-designed solutions See page 2

Why small, local house builders must be empowered to deliver more new homes

News: The UK’s first fully solar-powered new build home is performing above expectations

Green roofs offer numerous ecological & economic benefits

If you don’t have the time to read it all, read what you need Health & 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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2 Cover story

CONTENTS

FEATURES

Chairman Andrew Schofield

MAJOR PROJECT 2

Group Managing Director Mike Tulloch

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Editor Libbie Hammond

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Editorial Design Jon Mee

Editorial Admin Emma Crane

Depending on the design, a green roof offers a new habitat for fauna and flora and utilisable open and recreational space for people Updates and information from the construction and civil engineering market

EQUIPMENT 10 Investing in FR clothing for workers in high-risk industries provides peace of mind against the potentially explosive consequences of heat and flame exposure

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SPECIAL FEATURE 14 For many years, the FMB has been trying to explain to policy makers that the UK won’t meet its new build housing targets until small, local house builders are empowered to deliver more new homes

Head of Research Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Keith Hope Gavin Watson Tarj Kaur-D’Silva Mark Cowles Laura Watling Tony Wright

CDM2015 16 After more than two years of rumour and delays, the HSE has finally unveiled concrete proposals to replace the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM 2007) and their supporting Approved Code of Practice (ACoP)

Sales Director David Garner

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 19 Removing the need for fixed lines, Kier’s new 4G solution from EE has cut its remote project site set up times from a month to two days

Sales David King Mark Cawston

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Production/Office Manager Tracy Chynoweth Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. Tel: +44 (0)1603 274130 Fax: +44 (0)1603 274131

© 2014 Schofield Publishing Ltd

ENVIRONMENT 6

NEWS 9, 13, 22

Advertising Design Fleur Daniels Staff Writers Matt High Jo Cooper Steve Nash Andrew Dann

Demand for high quality, purpose-built student housing appears to be at an all-time high across the UK, and this trend looks set to continue

CASE STUDY 20 Bi-fold doors have allowed a streamlined design and created an open-plan living space and connecting the garden in a family home

COMPANY PROFILES

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Speedy services 23 LSC Façades 34 Kodumaja 39 Premier Interlink 42 Propex LLC 46 Hydrema 50 Nationwide Platforms 55 Hughes and Salvidge 59 Mobile Mini 62 Junttan 69

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

MAJOR PROJECT

From

hostels tocommunities David Campbell gives an insight into the considerations facing student housing developers in this complex legislative environment

D

emand for high quality, purpose-built student housing appears to be at an all-time high across the UK, and this trend looks set to continue. This is underlined by a recent report1 from international property agents, Savills, which reveals that investment in the student housing market totalled £5 billion in the past two years with transactions forecast to total £2.5 billion this year.

Neal Hudson, a research analyst at Savills, commented: “Although it appears that a fall in student numbers last year was a shortterm response to the new fee

2 Construction & Civil Engineering

environment, we are seeing a real flight to quality institutions by students increasingly questioning the value they get from their education. We believe that this trend is irreversible.”

Underpinning this very strong demand for purpose-built accommodation are significant numbers of international students.

Over the past two years, their numbers have grown to around 300,000, around a sixth of the overall student population, thanks to the UK’s reputation for providing a first class academic experience - five of the world’s top 20 universities are located in the UK2.

Older university towns are seen,

in general, to have the greatest demand for purpose-built accommodation. Consider a recent independent study3 into student housing need, which found a significant shortfall in purpose-built accommodation across the city of Durham. The study revealed that the university could only house 7000 of its 15,000 students, with a student population expected to rise to 17,000 by 2020. So, only half of its students can expect to find places in purpose-built accommodation.

With demand for accommodation so strong, our own experience is that students are also becoming increasingly

Sheraton -

Sheraton Park - birds eye view

discerning – especially those from abroad – and are looking for very well-designed and high quality housing. Many students have studied at new, well-equipped educational academies and have high expectations from their student buildings. Wi-fi availability is a must, as is the quality of the bedroom fit. Another big priority is ‘break out’ space – outdoor recreational and study areas where people are able to meet, mix and share ideas. Consequently, developers are moving towards a ‘community’, rather than a ‘hostel’ style, approach.

As we have seen, the education system is becoming globalised so that now first year students

Derelict

and those from overseas expect to be guaranteed a place to stay.

In addition, a rising number of under and postgraduates attach increasing importance to the quality of accommodation when deciding where to apply. As such, it’s so important for developers to know their market. In Alumno’s experience, first year students appear to favour a single occupancy configuration, whereas postgraduates like to mix: they favour one or two bedroom apartments where they share a kitchen and diner.

Arts students are quite different from their science colleagues. They demand bigger spaces, bigger rooms and prefer a shabby-chic look and feel. Where the emphasis is on

Sheraton House rendering

Construction & Civil Engineering 3

MAJOR PROJECT

City Locks-Bordesley st.

City Locks-canal night shot

City Locks - Bridge view

accommodation for those studying science, the accommodation must have larger desk space.

It is important that developers understand the needs of these end users if they are to be successful.

Running design projects with students to garner their opinions and expectations of how they want their accommodation to look can provide an invaluable way of getting it just right, as well as offering students the chance for some professional design experience into the bargain.

Ultimately, this blend of different needs should be assessed, addressed and reflected in planning so that the

4 Construction & Civil Engineering

building works well for all its intended occupants.

But it’s not just the immediate residents who need to be considered in the plans. Planners increasingly require that instead of existing separately as ‘ivory towers’, student developments should give something back to the community at street level. So, as a first step, developers might try to establish what the community might need or like and then work that into their development plans, involving community representatives along the way. All Alumno’s finished and planned student developments

add colour and interest for local people with facilities including artists’ studios, communal open spaces and amenities, cafes, restaurants and, in one case, a community theatre. In some areas, such as Glasgow, it’s clear to see that our student housing developments have lifted the feel of the neighbourhood overall, and have paved the way for further local regeneration.

Despite such positive outcomes for the local community, student housing planning applications can still be met with suspicion and reluctance. Students generally do not enjoy a popular image in the media and this can present major problems when trying to get approval for accommodation in residential areas. A recent independent study4 shows that attitudes may be changing for the better.

The research examined three developments where large-scale student accommodation was adjacent to residential streets.

Local residents were interviewed about their concerns beforehand, and afterwards to discover the ways in which their fears had played out. Principal worries focused on noise and anti-social behaviour, the threat to car parking in the area, loss of light from large new buildings and the impact of the demolition of the existing buildings. The actual behaviour of

the students was far better than residents had anticipated, with problems associated with noise and disturbance recorded as both rare and/or restricted to weekend evenings.

Residents’ fears were successfully addressed by a combination of progressive design and careful and sensitive management of the student residents, where emphasis was placed on treating them as adults and not as if they were still at school. The report concluded that residents’ concerns could be mitigated by measures including early and meaningful engagement with individuals and local residents groups. Particularly effective were agreements to prevent students parking cars in the area and

CGI-Carpenters Rd

References ‘Spotlight UK Student Housing’ ref. http://www. savills.co.uk/_news/ article/72418/1768190/6/2014/savills-updatesrankings-for-investors-asstrong-demand-for-ukstudent-housing-sees-sharprise-in-investment-activity 1

QS University Rankings

2

Durham Student Housing Need Report, Jeremy Leach Research Ltd, March, 2014

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The Impact of Managed Student Accommodation on Residential Communities - 8 May 2014 Jeremy Leach Research Ltd, 28 Sutherland Square, London SE17 3EQ Email@ jeremydhleach@ compuserve.com

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CGI-entrance night

providing a quota of accommodation for postgraduates who were thought to be less disruptive than undergraduates.

So what does the future hold for this sector? With demand so strong, and looking set to continue, what trends are likely to emerge?

Affordability looks set to become an increasing consideration. In Southern cities such as London, where rents are invariably higher, there is an increasing emphasis on twin room sharing in order to halve rents. Multi-functional buildings will increasingly become the norm, with developers looking

to blend residential and academic teaching areas within the same building. Student facilities will need to become increasingly adaptable, so they can be used as conference centres at times when they would otherwise lie empty.

One fact remains very clear across this sector - developers can no longer just turn up, design and complete the build, then walk away.

Expectations are changing and the challenge is as much about meeting the needs and expectations of the student population as it is about adding value to the wider local community. m

David Campbell is CEO of Alumno Developments, specialists in the design and development of student accommodation. Since beginning in 2006, Alumno Developments has continually worked with universities, colleges and other key stakeholders to provide homes for around 2000 students across the UK. For further information visit:

www.alumnodevelopments.com.

Construction & Civil Engineering 5

ENVIRONMENT

250 riverfront apartments at Carrow Quay in Norwich, believed to be the largest scheme in the UK designed to Passivhaus principles

Growingup Green roofs offer numerous ecological and economic benefits, as Fabian Kaiser highlights

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ardly any other roof shape allows for such a variety of uses as the flat roof. Depending on the design, a green roof offers a new habitat for fauna and flora and utilisable open and recreational space for people. The more densely populated an urban area the more invaluable is such space.

Whether it’s a typical flat roof with a two per cent slope, a 0° roof, a pitched roof (A-framed, butterfly, shed or saw-tooth roof) or a vaulted roof (barrel roof), a green roof can be installed on roofs with a pitch of up to approx. 35°. There are basically two types of green roof: intensive and extensive.

Green at its most diverse An extensive green roof may cover a large area but it can be installed and maintained at a relatively low

6 Construction & Civil Engineering

cost. The layer depth is approx. five to 15 cm and the weight is low at between 60-150 kg/m², allowing for the easy greening of an existing roof area at a later point in time. A further advantage of an extensive green roof is the very manageable upkeep thanks to the fact that natural precipitation is sufficient for the plant communities used which include renewable succulents (sedums), mosses, grasses and herbage. As is the case with all flat roofs, they only have to be accessed once or twice a year in order to inspect roof drains and ventilation equipment and, where necessary, to remove any wild growth. In contrast to this, the entire range of landscape architectural design is possible for intensive green roofs - as is the case on the ground. Lawns, perennials, shrubs and trees grow in layer depths of between 15 and

grade protection sheet which protects the waterproof membrane from mechanical damage. This is followed by drainage elements that retain rainwater in their water retention cells and drain surplus water through the underlying channel system to the roof drains. Depending on requirements and the type of green roof required, the drainage elements will vary in terms of height, weight and material.

Where the drainage elements are installed across the whole area to be greened, this allows for drainage of the entire area, even the area beneath pathways and terrace areas. This can also serve as a lost formwork for anchoring stone walls or play equipment, for example, if necessary.

The rest of the build-up consists of a filter mat installed over the drainage layer, which retains fine particles from the overlying substrate layer.

This substrate layer is composed of mineral clay tile chippings and organic materials specifically adapted to suit the planned vegetation.

The plants provide the final layer.

Sedum cuttings, seed mixtures or pre-cultivated vegetation mats are 100 cm, very often in combination with pathways, terraces, patios, play areas and water features. Even driveways such as that over an underground car park are possible with the appropriate structural support. Depending on the design, a weight of between 150-1300 kg/m² should be calculated for intensive green roofs and irrigation and maintenance must also be taken into consideration.


Appropriate green roof system
 A green roof system basically consists of a number of layers, each with a different function. The base layer is always a professionally waterproofed roof. This means that the waterproof layer must be rootresistant or this must be ensured using a separate root barrier. The first layer of the build-up is a high-

Construction & Civil Engineering 7

ENVIRONMENT

available for extensive green roofs in addition to plug plants.

Perennials, shrubs or trees can be used for intensive green roofs.

Profitable when combined with solar energy In addition to its use for conventional extensive and intensive green roofs there is yet another use for the flat roof: using a combination of green roof and solar energy. Synergy effects are already achieved here with the equipment through the use of base plates that are compatible with green-roofs and that secure the solar mountings in line with the load principle and without the need to penetrate the roof waterproof membrane. During operation, the extensive green roof provides for a comparatively low ambient temperature and therefore for increased performance of approx. four per cent of the photovoltaic module.

Value added thanks to green roofs Green roofs balance the temperature differences on a flat roof and in this way help to increase the longevity of the roof waterproof membrane. They retain rainwater (between 40 per cent and 90 per cent depending on the type of green roof) and therefore

8 Construction & Civil Engineering

reduce the burden on the drains.

The system build-up enhances the structural sound proofing and also functions as additional insulation, i.e. requires less heating in the winter and generates a cooling effect in the summer. The plants absorb fine particles and bring greenery to urban areas again. A green roof is both a practical space and an area for recreation. It is also an architectural highlight, as can be seen from the many examples from around the world. However, this is all only sustainable if green

roof success is guaranteed in the long term by building-specific planning, reliable technology and the professional execution of each project. m

Fabian Kaiser is a director of Zinco Green Roof Systems. As a pioneer for more than 40 years in matters relating to green roofs, the name ZinCo stands for permanently reliable green roof systems - suitable for any roof and any design.

For further information, visit:

www.zinco-greenroof.com

NEWS

Insurance misunderstanding Nearly 60 per cent of UK construction site workers wrongly believe that their employers must have insurance in place to pay their salaries and medical benefits if they are off work. The finding has emerged from a UK survey among such employees conducted for leading cash plan provider Sovereign Health Care.

Fifty-seven per cent of site workers questioned said they believed their employers must have this insurance, which would protect them against the financial consequences of illness or injury caused by their work. In fact, cover of this kind is not compulsory for employers in the UK, despite it being mandatory in the USA and various other countries.

In keeping with these findings, 40 per cent of site workers questioned said they didn’t cover themselves by having a health care cash plan or private medical insurance, and over a quarter (27 per cent) confirmed they didn’t have personal accident cover.

Commenting on the findings, Russ Piper, chief executive, Sovereign Health Care, said: The results indicate a worrying ignorance or misunderstanding among respondents about the extent of the protection employers must provide for them if they become ill or injured.

“This is despite a third of the site workers questioned admitting they have had to obtain medical treatment for an injury or illness suffered while working in the sector.

500th hut Norway has added its 500th hut, the Rabothytta, to its national network of refuges for trekkers.

This most remote of Norway’s huts, flanked by the harsh rocks of the Okstindan mountains and in the shadow of northern Norway’s highest peak – Oksskolten. The hut is a significant landmark in the Norwegian Trekkers Association’s long history of providing refuge. Its isolated situation presented a specific set of architectural, design and functional challenges, creating an adventure for the construction teams and for trekkers who will seek refuge under its Kebony roof.

At 1200m and many kilometres from the nearest road, the site is without any infrastructure. For this reason the construction relied heavily on resources and manpower available nearby and materials had to be light to be helicoptered to the site. For this reason materials including Norway’s locally produced Kebony wood were selected in preference of heavier materials such as steel. The construction team, many of whom were local volunteers, hiked and skied to the site where they endured winter storms and had to take refuge in the hut overnight.

Get smart The convergence of nextgeneration IT solutions such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, big data and data analytics will open up new business opportunities for both building technology and ICT companies. More importantly, these platforms are expected to become the pillars of smart building evolution in terms of technology, business value and customer satisfaction.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Big Data as an Enabler for Smart Buildings, finds that urbanisation, the connectivity and convergence of smart technologies, and communication between smart devices are the three big trends that will drive the development of the smart buildings industry.

The integration of ICT and building technologies to satisfy the technical demand for big data and analytics applications will lead to new partnerships between data analytic and building technology providers in the near future. Tier I building technology participants, in particular, will welcome strategic alliances with data analytic vendors.

Said Frost & Sullivan Energy and Environmental Research Analyst Anirudh Bhaskaran: “The BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – are likely to invest strongly in smart buildings and smart cities due to expanding population, economic growth and rapid urbanisation.” As a result, organisations involved in both big data and building technologies will be at the frontline of the smart building space when the two industries merge into a single platform.

Construction & Civil Engineering 9

6 Construction & Civil Engineering

EQUIPMENT

A

Richard Sansom offers expert advice on maximising protection against heat and flame by selecting the correct standard of flame resistant clothing

burning issue 10 Construction & Civil Engineering

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In 2010/11 there were over 3000 burn related injuries in the workplace, three of which were fatal

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n 2010/11 there were over 3000 burn related injuries in the workplace, three of which were fatal . This includes an incident at a waste management site in Lancashire where three workers suffered serious burns after being caught in a fireball when aerosol cans exploded. While flash fires may be rare, when things do go wrong the potential for severe burn injuries can mean the difference between life and death or long term injury. Other industries also facing this risk include oil and gas, utilities, manufacturing, engineering, construction and transportation where workers face potentially explosive atmospheres, requiring protective flame resistant (FR) clothing.

the FR properties are permanently engrained in the fibres so cannot be washed out or removed by abrasion.

Inherent fabrics can include a blend or mix of both Aramid fibres, such as DuPont Nomex or Modacrylic fibres such as Protal, all of which can be found in Arco’s FR clothing range.

EN Standards

Let your clothing take the heat One of the most common causes of burn injuries in the workplace is non-FR clothing igniting and melting against the skin or continuing to burn. This can easily be prevented by wearing the FR garments, which are specially designed to protect the body from a second degree burn or higher and improve the chances of survival in a flash fire. These fires are caused by ignitable liquid vapours or combustible particles present in the atmosphere, such as coal dust or grain and are most common in industries that create combustible materials, such as petrochemicals.

FR clothing has the ability to self-extinguish and resist ignition, in addition to providing high levels of thermal insulation and being tested to ensure garments don’t melt onto the skin. FR fabrics also offer high levels of flexibility and mechanical strength, preventing them from

breaking open and exposing the skin to heat or flame.

It is also important to understand the difference between inherent and treated fabrics when selecting FR garments as this will help you to choose the correct level of protection from specific heat and flame risks. Treated fabrics are constructed by adding a mix of chemicals to a fibre, yarn or finished material to provide FR properties.

However, these properties may be reduced or removed depending on how garments are cared for and which chemicals they are exposed to in the work environment. In contrast, inherent fabrics have naturally present FR properties or undergo a textile process which modifies the fibres. This means that

We work closely with our customers to ensure that their employees working in high risk environments return home safe at the end of each day. It is the responsibility of the employer to provide the correct levels of protection for workers from specific risks and there are a number of International and European standards set out to ensure this, including: EN ISO 11612:2008 - Protective Clothing to Protect against Heat and Flame Specifies garment performance requirements when there is a need for clothing with limited flame spread properties and where the wearer can be exposed to radiant, convective or contact heat or to molten metal splashes.

EN ISO 14116:2008 – Protective Clothing to Protect against Heat and Limited Flame Spread Intended to protect workers against occasional and brief contact with small igniting flames.

EN 13034:2005 – Protective Clothing against Liquid Chemicals Outlines minimum requirements for limited use and re-sealable chemical protective clothing used in cases of potential exposure to light spray, liquid aerosols or low pressure, low volume splashes. Clothing must cover and protect at least the trunk and the limbs.

Construction & Civil Engineering 11

EQUIPMENT

EN ISO 11611:2008 – Protective Clothing for use in Welding and Allied Processes Focuses on clothing to protect against spatter, short contact with flame and radiant heat from arc.

are required to meet in addition to a comprehensive range of FR garments to choose from. This range includes base layers, mid layers, treated and inherent workwear, weather protection and chemical protection.

clothing range to simulate garment exposure in a typical flash fire of up to 1000ºC. Garment performance was then measured against predicted percentage of second and third degree burns, the position and percentage of burns to the body and the chances of survival.

We also conducted Thermal Protection Performance (TPP) tests on over 45 realistic layered outfit combinations. The length of time between the wearer feeling pain and receiving a second degree burn - or the ‘response time’ to escape from an incident was measured.

These test results help us to guide customers in identifying which combination of garments offers the best protection in different workplace environments.

Investing in FR clothing for workers in high risk industries provides peace of mind against the potentially explosive consequences of heat and flame exposure, providing workers with the confidence they need to carry out their job safe from harm. m

Making the right choice Selecting the right type of FR protection is an important task and can often be a daunting one too.

There are a number of options on the market but it is difficult to know if you’ve made the right choice and what you should look for.

Speaking to our customers, we realised that they were looking for a wide range of innovative garments that offered a choice of protection levels at various price points. As a result we developed our own range of ArcoPro FR garments and complemented them with garments from selected partners who are specialists in their field, supplying a market leading FR clothing range to protect workers around the globe.

We have also published a dedicated Expert Guide to Flame Resistant Clothing that sets out the choice of FR fabrics on the market, the levels of protection offered and the relevant standards that products

12 Construction & Civil Engineering

Putting FR clothing to the test There is often only one chance to get it right when it comes to protecting against heat and flame hazards. This makes garment testing and approval to the highest standards a vital part of our garment development process. The ArcoPro FR clothing range has undergone rigorous testing and strict quality procedures to ensure exceptionally high levels of wearer safety, including compliance with Category III of the European PPE Directive.

Two of the most rigorous FR testing methods were used to meet these standards.

Thermal Mannequin testing is one of the most advanced thermal burn injury evaluation devices in the world and uses a life-sized, instrumented mannequin system covered with over 100 heat sensors. We dressed this with garments from the Arco FR

Richard Sansom is product and procurement 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 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/ FRclothing

NEWS

Interserve, the international support services and construction group, has won a £21.5m design and build contract for a new teaching building at Southampton Solent University.

Interserve will build a new sevenstorey building with an internal floor space of 9250 square metres connected to one of the University’s existing buildings, alter a vehicular access route lying to the north east of the new building and create extra car parking space.

The new building, designed by Scott Brownrigg, will feature an 18m x 80m main atrium, within which a pod-like structure – housing an 80 seat lecture theatre – will be suspended, with a number of bridges linking the pod to the new and existing building.

The design of the pod is intended to reflect Southampton’s nautical heritage and the University’s forward-looking ethos. Beneath

Ultra-luxury expansion UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has endorsed the fifth phase of Jumeirah Beach Hotel expansion plan, which is set for completion in 2018.

The masterplan vision and concept for the expansion was delivered by global architecture, urbanism and design practice Broadway Malyan. The project was undertaken on behalf of Jumeirah Group, with the practice’s expert designers in Abu Dhabi and Lisbon, Portugal, partnering closely with the client on the project.

The project will see the addition of a ultra-luxury resort to the existing Jumeirah Beach Hotel, which will comprise 350 hotel rooms with panoramic beachfront views of Burj Al Arab, dedicated new beach offering private beach experiences, recreational marine

Architects: Scott Brownrigg

£21.5m university contract

the pod, a lower atrium will lead to subterranean lecture theatres as well as lower level classrooms, kitchens, offices and a plant room.

The new building will also feature a main conference centre, a number of smaller conference rooms and numerous classrooms (part of a total 2000 square metres of classroom area). Various projecting balconies and glazed spaces will overlook the main atrium.

facilities that encompass spas, health clubs, elevated tennis courts, a world-class sports complex and a range of oceanfacing retail, food and beverage outlets.

The new resort will see extensive expansion of the existing yacht marina doubling its current capacity. It will also offer a variety of vibrant leisure facilities, equipped with state-of-the-art entertainment amenities.

New £20M School of Law The Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast, Professor Patrick Johnston, welcomed the announcement in early July by the Environment Minister, Mark H Durkan, to grant planning permission for a new School of Law and enhanced student facilities at the University.

The redevelopment of the former Library Tower, as a prestigious new home for the School of Law, and a Student Social Hub, is a key element of the University’s planned £350m investment in world-class facilities over the next decade. This project will further enhance the University’s historic campus and the surrounding area.

The project involves retention of part of the Tower’s structural frame and removal of the three upper floors. A new threestorey building will connect the refurbished Tower and the Peter Froggatt Centre (PFC), effectively creating a single building, with a series of central atrium spaces providing light and natural ventilation. School of Law staff and student facilities will be on the upper floors, while the ground floor will offer a social-hub and informal group study space and café. This is designed to be a vibrant ‘destination’ for both students and staff.

Work on the new development, which will cost £20m, began immediately and is due for completion in July 2016.

Construction & Civil Engineering 13

SPECIAL FEATURE

Empowered tobuild

Sarah McMonagle takes a look at the UK housing market, and highlights the vital role of smaller house builders

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he latest statistics from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) show that house building in England is up by over a fifth compared to last year. Government has proudly reminded us that more homes are being built thanks to its action to help homebuyers and its efforts to fix the broken housing market.

Their latest statistics show 36,230 new housing starts in England between April and June 2014, which

14 Construction & Civil Engineering

is an increase of 18 per cent on the same quarter last year. It brings the total number of starts over the past 12 months to almost 138,000, a 22 per cent increase on the previous year and the highest level of house building since 2007.

However, although this is good news and we’re clearly now moving in the right direction, let’s not forget where we need to be if we are to finally start meeting the demand for now homes in this country. The Labour Shadow Cabinet talks about aiming for a target of 200,000 a year by 2020 but in reality, we need to be building 240,000 homes a year to satisfy demand. So although a 22 per cent increase in house building is positive news, overall we’re still delivering 100,000 less homes than is required.

For many years, the FMB has been trying to explain to policy makers that we as a country will not reach this target until small, local house builders are empowered to deliver more new homes. To demonstrate the point, we only need look at the NHBC’s latest statistics. In the late 1980s, two thirds of all new homes were built by SME house builders.

In 2013, SME house builders are delivering just over a quarter of homes. Over the same period we have consistently built less homes overall and so finally the penny has dropped and government and opposition is trying desperately to find ways to help attract small construction firms that have diversified away from house building to return, or to give those local house

builders that have managed to hang on, the environment to survive and dare we say, thrive.

So we all finally agree – the SME house-building sector must be nurtured and supported if we are to reach that lofty 240,000 target.

That’s why SME house builders are now the focus of countless government initiatives, as well as many research reports by stakeholders operating in the built environment sector on how we can remove barriers to small local house builders.

Brick shortages There has been a great deal of talk of brick shortages over recent weeks but not everyone understands how this issue is disproportionally weighing down on SME house builders. The overall shortage has arisen because brick manufacturers were forced to mothball many of their kilns during the economic downturn due to a dramatic reduction in house building. Understandably it is now taking brick manufacturers some time to build up their capacity as private house building takes off.

It was hoped that a cold and snowy winter during 2013/2014 would halt house building and allow the brick manufacturers to catch up on the ever-increasing demand. As luck would have it, last winter was rather mild and most house builders continued working right through December, January and February.

According to the FMB’s latest State of Trade Survey for Q2 2014, half of all members are finding clay products, including bricks, to be in short supply.

These products are more difficult to get hold of than any other at the moment and these shortages are causing real problems. Some members are having to wait up to eight months or longer for new brick orders. At a time when small house builders are trying to bring to market as many new homes as possible, this is extremely frustrating.

However, brick shortages do not seem to be such an issue for the large house builders, which suggests that

‘‘

As a country we will not reach the target until small, local house builders are empowered to deliver more new homes

brick manufacturers are prioritising orders from the big firms. We have even heard reports that some large house builders are stock-piling bricks that they don’t currently need while our members are being asked to wait up to eight months.

We have raised this issue with the Modern Masonry Alliance, the representative body for the brick and block manufacturers, and are pressing them to help ensure small, local house builders are able to access a fair proportion of whatever the brick manufacturers are currently able to deliver.

Reluctant banks So it’s clear from our research that brick shortages are a major short-term barrier to SME house building but access to finance continues to be the overriding medium to long term issue for our members. Banks are reluctant to lend to this sector and we are working with all three main political parties to try to find a way forward.

The government’s Builders Finance Fund that was announced in the

March Budget Statement is a step forward but it is disappointing that the fund will only be open to those builders that are delivering sites of 15 units or more. The vast majority of FMB member firms that build homes are micro house builders that deliver less than this and therefore will be unable to apply for finance from this government fund. We have raised this issue with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Vince Cable MP and hope to have the threshold lowered so the firms that need this life line most of all, can finally access it.

So what does the next 12 months hold for the housing market? The latest forecasts from the Construction Products Association show that private housing starts are expected to increase by a total of 18 per cent in 2014 and another ten per cent in 2015. However if we as a country want to start delivering the 240,000 new homes per year that we require to house our ever-growing population, both SME house builders and larger house builders must be empowered to build. m

Sarah McMonagle is the Federation of Master Builders (FMB’s) head of external affairs. 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.

For further information visit:

www.fmb.org.uk.

Construction & Civil Engineering 15

CDM 2015

CDM 2015:

time to transition

Rakesh Maharaj discusses the implications of the proposed changes for the industry and what organisations can do to prepare

A

fter more than two years of rumour and delays, the HSE has finally unveiled concrete proposals to replace the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM 2007) and their supporting Approved Code of Practice (ACoP).

The HSE’s response to the public consultation published in mid August 2014 states that the case has been made to develop a new, shorter sign posting ACoP, complemented by HSE and joint HSE-industry guidance.

Having launched a 10-week consultation on 31 March 2014, the HSE claimed that the changes would improve duty holders’ understanding of requirements, enhance worker protection and deliver significant business savings.

16 Construction & Civil Engineering

Rakesh Maharaj

Subject to the consultation findings and ministerial and parliamentary scrutiny, the revised Regulations will come into force in April 2015, which provides little time for organisations to prepare.

The HSE has proposed six main changes. Based on handson experience of how projects implement CDM in practice, management decision-making specialist ARMSA believes two of these proposals stand out as likely to generate most challenge and debate.

In terms of organisational impact, the most significant proposal is the replacement of the current CDM co-ordinator (CDM-c) role with a new principal designer (PD) role.

The change likely to cause most controversy and confusion is the removal of the explicit competence requirements in Regulation 4 of CDM

2007. These two changes represent a need for organisations to reexamine their current practices.

Structural issues The original decision to introduce the CDM-c role and competence vetting of various duty holders under CDM 2007 was designed to bring a degree of objectivity and independence to project teams. These requirements were intended to enable duty holders – competent individuals and organisations – to challenge poor (and support good) project safety decisions.

Confusion brought about by the accompanying ACoP (allowing organisations to override this philosophy) led some in the engineering construction sector to undertake shutdowns, turnarounds

and outages by delegating all duty holder responsibilities to an internal project team, in the way they would have done under the earlier 1994 CDM Regulations.

ARMSA believes the proposed removal of the CDM-c and competence provisions will recreate an opportunity for internal Project Management Organisations (PMOs) to collectively fulfil duty holder obligations without recourse to external provision.

For organisations that do not have the internal competence and thus require competent support, which is most often provided by competent individuals, this gap may be harder to fill.

Co-ordinating competence According to the HSE, the CDM-c function introduced in the 2007

revision of the 1994 Regulations has not proved effective: CDM-cs are often appointed too late, have too few resources and are not well embedded into pre-construction project teams. As pre-construction co-ordination is required by the EU Temporary or Mobile Construction Sites Directive, the HSE wants to replace the existing CDM-c role with a PD. Responsibility for discharging this function will rest with ‘an individual or business in control of the pre-construction phase’, with the ‘default position’ being that this responsibility is within the existing project team, rather than an external contractor. The idea behind the new role is to introduce ‘an element of control and influence over the design’.

The need to begin this coordination role as early as possible in a project is not news. The HSE has been pushing this for some time, and the introduction of the PD should force discussion of the important safety issues earlier into the concept and design phases.

A key issue, however, is how to ensure people or organisations are competent for the new role. The PD will be responsible for the preconstruction phase in the same way that the principal contractor (PC) looks after the construction phase.

Duties include: l Planning, managing and monitoring the pre-construction phase l Ensuring that where reasonably practicable, risks are eliminated or controlled through design work l Passing information on to the PC l Ensuring co-operation and co-ordination l Ensuring designers comply with their duties l Assisting the client in preparing the pre-construction information l Preparing the health and safety file The above duties are already ‘good practice’ for the preconstruction phase and reflect the principle, which also lays behind

the concept of the CDM-c, that these are a set of duties that must be carried out by a competent individual or business. In ARMSA’s experience, the problem with the CDM-c has not only been that they were appointed too late in the project or with too few resources but also that they were not actually competent to carry out the duties required.

If that competence gap is not addressed, there is nothing to suggest that designers will be any more effective in the co-ordinating role than a CDM-c: the changes will simply be about assigning the role a different name and to a different organisation. In playing with the organisational structure required by the Regulations, the HSE is not addressing the key point: the need to equip whoever takes the responsibility for each function with the competence and ability to ask the right people the right questions at the right time. This is the key to successful project design and development.

With the changes likely to come in next April, prospective clients and PCs need to look carefully at the role and concept of the PD and what the function entails, as well as ‘when’ this duty holder will or should appear in project teams. It is critical to understand the legal duties they have within the project and look carefully at competence vetting and selection, which will also need to happen earlier in the project. Simply re-badging a CDM-c as a PD and carrying on as before will not meet the requirements.

Short sighted Perhaps the most controversial proposal in the HSE’s reform package is the decision to replace the explicit requirement for individual competence in Reg. 4 with a new Reg. 8 (imposing a duty on those appointing others to do construction work to ensure they have received appropriate information, instruction, training

Construction & Civil Engineering 17

CDM 2015

and supervision), and the complete removal of reference to corporate competence. This change is a difficult one to justify when all the evidence points to competence being at the core of improving project safety performance. Even the HSE itself acknowledges it will have ‘presentational difficulties’ in explaining the move.

The Executive’s stated justification is that Reg. 4 has promoted a costly and bureaucratic industry response that has led to the proliferation of third party assessment schemes and diverted attention to the ‘processes involved, rather than the outcomes’.

In ARMSA’s view, the cost and bureaucracy arose not from the principle enshrined in Reg. 4 but from the prescriptive approach of the accompanying ACoP’s Appendix 4. This led to people chasing cards and certificates, rather than focusing on competence management systems and competence assurance frameworks, which should be part of good business practices.

ARMSA believes that the HSE’s decision to take the explicit competence requirement out of the regulatory framework is an extremely short-sighted response to a problem created through overprescription. A more balanced and logical response would be to encourage companies to ensure they operate competence management systems and assurance frameworks so that they can be confident they are using people competent to do the job that they are employed to do and are seeing visible improvements across key metrics as a result.

Working on the principle that informed decision-making is key to business performance in all spheres, ARMSA’s experience is that sustainable organisations grow as a result of competent people making carefully considered project, financial, procurement, scheduling and work management decisions.

Regulations merely set a minimum level of compliance. Despite its

18 Construction & Civil Engineering

proposed ‘U-turn’ on the explicit competence requirement, the HSE clearly states in the consultation document that it remains ‘committed to supporting the industry in ensuring its workers are competent’.

Making preparations Overall, the messages emerging from the consultation on the future of competence suggest that there are significant concerns from many quarters about the current approach to competence – whether or not it is driven by the existing Regulations or by wider factors. Following the recently concluded public consultation there is a significant level of support for reform, but with concern over how the revised drafting would deliver reform in practice. The HSE therefore propose to revisit the drafting of this provision to improve clarity, but believes that the replacement of the existing competence requirements remains appropriate.

In the past, the HSE has allowed a transition period for new legislative requirements, usually accepting existing project arrangements and only requiring the changes to appear in new projects. There is no reason to believe it will change this approach.

Nevertheless, if the current

timetable is adhered too, there is now less than a year before the new legislation hits the statute books.

Organisations with projects in the sales pipeline that may come to fruition under CDM 2015 need to look carefully at the implications of the proposed changes so that they can be factored into future plans. A key issue to consider, for example, is whether contract negotiators and procurement teams are upto-date with the proposals. Tender submissions being put together now could well fall under the new requirements when the project goes live.

Successful organisations are unlikely to be satisfied with attaining the bare minimum.

In looking beyond regulatory compliance alone, the key focus must remain on improving competence within and across the supply chain by: l Developing and implementing a robust supply chain strategy and project-led prequalification and procurement process l Understanding the project and operational implications of the forms of contract they adopt l Developing robust work schedules and interface controls and recognising that these decisions directly contribute to project and safety performance. m

www.armsa.co.uk

Rakesh Maharaj is the managing director of ARMSA Consulting. Rakesh is an applied systems practitioner who specialises in integrating operational control with business decision making in high consequence industries.

For further information visit:

www.armsa.co.uk

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

4Gwhizz Removing the need for fixed lines, Kier’s new 4G solution from EE has cut its remote project site set up times from a month to two days

C

onstruction company Kier, has cut the time it takes to set up remote project sites from 30 days to under 48 hours using superfast 4G. Previously, project engineers and designers would need to wait for a fixed line to be installed at the site, which could take from four to six weeks and could incur additional costs in cable trenching.

Now, using 4G wireless routers, Kier can set up sites almost instantly.

Following an initial trial project at Cardiff High School, Kier now has 24 portable 4G site kits containing a wireless router, switches and network optimisation technology ready for deployment. Each kit is enough for 35 people to have a data connection and can run five VoIP phones. It also is now using 100 4G mobile wi-fi devices.

Previously, Kier used 3G units to serve sites temporarily but these had limited bandwidth and data transfer was difficult. Project designers work with files up to 80GB in size, so during the early stages of a project they had to travel to and from the office to upload site plans as they were developed. With 4G, designers can work on-site straightaway.

Kier now plans to replace its fixed line approach to remote site set-up entirely and use 4G instead. It is also looking to use 4G as a backup network to its primary fibre-optic connection to offices nationwide.

Peter Banner, Head of Construction IT at Kier Group commented: “Cardiff High School was so successful that the project team didn’t want to switch to a fixed line. With 4G, we can provision a site very quickly to include VoIP phones and sufficient bandwidth to allow site teams to be working from day one. That’s really important to us. We’re looking to replace fixed lines completely now and looking at other applications, such as CCTV and videoconferencing, to use 4G bandwidth to its full potential.” m

EE is the largest and most advanced digital communications company in Britain, delivering mobile and fixed communications services to consumers, businesses, government and the wholesale market.

EE runs the UK’s biggest, fastest and most reliable mobile network, pioneering the UK’s first superfast 4G mobile service in October 2012. EE’s 4G coverage today reaches more than 70 per cent of the UK population.

For further information visit:

http://shop.ee.co.uk.

Construction & Civil Engineering 19

CASE STUDY

The

wowfactor When Alison and her husband Mike decided to create an open-plan living space, Origin folding sliding doors gave them the character filled space they wanted

20 Construction & Civil Engineering

T

he couple had lived in their family home for over 20 years, and had always wanted to create a spacious and comfortable living space, with light filled rooms and easy access to he garden.

Having seen and heard about bi-folding doors on home renovating programmes, the couple quickly realised that adding bi-folding doors would be able to make this dream a reality and knew that this was the solution for them.

They knew that bi-folding doors

would make better use of the living space in comparison to the sliding patio doors that were currently in place, and loved the fact that they were able to create a seamless link between the inside and out.

Being a structural engineer meant that Mike was already aware of the key benefits associated with aluminium bi-folding doors (durability, thermal efficiency and low maintenance), so decided that this was the optimum material to go for.

After a personal recommendation from close friends, Alison and Mike

Origin’s bespoke electric roller blinds are discreetly tucked away in a colour-matched cassette within the reveal of the door

quickly got in touch with Origin, a leading UK manufacturer of bespoke aluminium bi-folding doors, meaning that the choice of picking a manufacturer an easy one.

Looking at the different styles, colours and options available, Alison quickly made up her mind of what she wanted and booked the installation. She loved the fact that Origin manufactures everything in its UK factory, so it has complete control over the quality of the product and that she was able to customise her doors, even down to the colour of the hinges.

Alison and Mike specified a five door set for the lounge, a three door set for the dining area and an additional three door set for one of their son’s bedrooms. All aluminium bi-folds were finished with dark silver powder coat to promote a modern fresh look throughout the home.

The five door set was fitted into an aperture of 5080mm with each door leaf measuring 969mm wide by a standard height of approximately 1971mm.

The three door set for the dining area was fitted into an aperture of 3290mm with each door leaf measuring 1047mm wide by a standard height of approximately 1986mm.

As you enter the lounge and dining area, you cannot fail to notice the abundance of natural light that fills the open-planned room, helping create a relaxed living space with a seamless transition into the garden.

“Opening up our space has also reduced our heating bills,” remarks Alison. “The doors are so thermally efficient, so much so that we no longer require the additional radiators we had installed a few years ago.” The new Origin doors completely blocked the draft the previous doors let in, and more importantly, they kept the cold out and heat in.

Design accents such as the wooden floors, cream carpets and soft period features, teamed with modern functional pieces against a back drop of painted white walls,

have since been put in by Alison to create a bright, modern room where the family spend time eating, relaxing and socialising together. “It’s the best room in the house,” says Alison.

“We’re in here all the time.”

A final three door set was situated in the ground floor bedroom, completing the integrated look with the outside garden. The bedroom is very bright and open spaced, with a three door set fitting into an aperture of 2400mm with each door leaf measuring 751mm wide by a standard height of approximately 2016mm.

With the successful installation of the doors, Alison and Mike had made-to-measure blinds, also from Origin, in Bali linen, to fit the exact specification of the doors. Origin’s bespoke electric roller blinds are discreetly tucked away in a colourmatched cassette within the reveal of the door, so they compliment the sleek design without adding thickness to the frames.

The bi-fold renovations started in May 2013 and were manufactured and delivered in 11 days and took around two months to complete, and it is true to say that the new doors have changed the family’s life.

The once cold rooms with outdated patio doors have now been replaced, allowing the streamlined design of the doors to subtly co-ordinate with the interior, creating an open-plan living space and connecting the garden to the house. m For further information visit:

www.origin-global.com.

Construction & Civil Engineering 21

NEWS

New waste facility Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) has chosen Metso’s automation technology for the new Greatmoor energy-from-waste facility under construction in Calvert, Edgcott, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, UK. HZI will act as the turnkey EPC contractor for the project. With Metso’s advanced automation solutions, the facility will be able to reach high process availability and extract maximum energy value from the thermal treatment of residual waste.

“Metso was chosen as the automation system supplier for the project because of its good project execution know-how and long track record with seven earlier projects for HZI,” says Rene Neubert, sales director, EPS, Central and Eastern Europe, Automation, Metso. The delivery to Greatmoor will be the eighth in total.

The energy-from-waste facility will be operated by FCC Environment and Buckinghamshire

Welcome news

County Council. “FCC owns the Zistersdorf energy-from-waste facility in Austria to which we delivered our first order from HZI in 2008. The plant has been very satisfied with our Metso DNA system as well as our local service,” Neubert adds. The single-line facility with a thermal capacity of 102 MW reduces the volume of landfill waste and also meets the UK government’s climate protection requirements in full. It will have a capacity to treat 300,000 tons of waste per year, generating 22 MW of electricity for some 36,000 homes. Handover to the operators is planned for 2016.

Self-sufficient The UK’s first fully solar-powered new build home is performing above expectations, according to an interim report into the effectiveness of its energy system.

Reviewing energy flows within Caplin Homes’ Solar House in Leicestershire, the paper suggests that the building will successfully remain self-sufficient all year round. Performance characteristics of the zero carbon Solar House explores the house’s heating and cooling requirements, and reviews the discharging and recharging of the building’s unique inter-seasonal energy store, the Earth Energy Bank (EEB).

Even with the relatively mild winter taken into account, energy flows into and out of the EEB, which is drawn upon to heat the house and provide hot water during the coldest weeks of the year, are at a level to effectively recharge in spring and summer. The interim paper shows that the house was able to maintain a stable temperature throughout the winter season.

The Solar House, built by Caplin Homes, uses a unique combination of new and existing technologies to meet its full annual heating, hot water and lighting requirements.

The project aims to demonstrate that zero carbon house building is both practical and financially viable.

22 Construction & Civil Engineering

Richard Threlfall, KPMG’s UK Head of Infrastructure, Building and Construction has commented on the joint One North report published by an alliance of five cities - Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield. He said: “This is the first time our Northern cities have got together to agree a shared vision for the economic development of the region. Given that identity is so important to the cities involved, the proposition shows that they are ready to put individual differences aside and to help the North regain its historic prominence in the UK economy. “We have for too long invested billions of pounds more in the South than the North. The UK currently invests as much in infrastructure in London in two days as it invests in Manchester in a year. Over the last ten years, according to ONS data, the North’s share of the UK’s economic output has fallen by more than five per cent. This trend will continue unless we strive to share our country’s economic success beyond the South East.

“I welcome the One North vision, but it is only a starting point. It sets out a detailed vision for rail infrastructure but is much less clear on investment in the region’s roads, airports and ports, and the local investment required in new housing, communities, schools, hospitals and local transport links. The £15bn estimated cost is only a part of the total investment needed, though delivers a great deal for less than the cost of Crossrail 1 or Crossrail 2.”

PROFILE: speedy services

The

newagenda

Speedy Services was established in 1975, formed out of a number of small tool and equipment depots based in the North-West of England. By 2000 it had grown to an £80 million organisation with 70-80 small depots, and 14 years later its revenues exceed £350 million, with over 240 operational sites across the UK encompassing trading centres, as well as asset repair centres

O

ur UK wide network will be supported from our national distribution centre, located in Tamworth in the Midlands from March next year.

From there we will feed our network of multi-service centres, which are big multi-disciplinary engineering hubs where our equipment will be liveried, tested, repaired and stored ready for dispatch, and then distributed across our superstores, which range all the way from the north of Scotland down to the south coast, and in between that we have another 160 outlets which are pick

up and collection points for our customers,” explains Mark Rogerson, CEO. Employing a workforce of 3500 staff, the organisation holds nearly four and half million itemised assets with a net book value of £225 million. Every year the company distributes in the region of 50 million assets to its customer base of 65,000 ranging from the large strategic customers right through to the individual undertaking a DIY project. “With such a broad range of customers, our business has matured with a high degree of flexibility and understanding. For some of our

customers operating round the clock, such as those involved across power networks we provide support 24/7, with equipment available on demand,” points out Mark.

The organisation also operates a consumables sales business, complementing the products offered for hire, supplying a whjole range of products including personal protective equipment (PPE), cutting disks and or lighting materials. The third package offered by Speedy Services is known within the business as the ‘broader services offering’ where it works continuously with its customers to deliver safety and

Construction & Civil Engineering 23

Simply Reliable By keeping design simple and using proven technology, Skyjack products offer the rental industry’s best life cycle value through low cost of ownership, ease of service and maintenance while retaining high residual values.

Skyjack products feature: • Standard color coded and hard wired relay based control systems which are easy to trouble shoot and repair using commonly available components • Common components across model groups making replacing or repairing components easy and cost effective • Replaceable modular platform railings and repairable fiberglass cowlings.

• No complicated and expensive computers or can-bus systems • Robust steel construction Skyjack UK, Europe Head Office Unit 1, Maes-y-Clawdd Maesbury Road Industrial Estate Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 8NN Phone: +44-1691-676235 Fax: +44-1691-676239 For information call +44-1691-676235 or visit us online at www.skyjack.com

Vertical Mast Lifts • Electric Scissor Lifts • Rough Terrain Scissors • Articulating Booms • Telescopic Booms • Telehandlers 34 Construction & Civil Engineering UK AD _SKYJACK 2014.indd 1

2014-09-08 11:23 AM

:23 AM

PROFILE: speedy services

Skyjack Aerial scissor lifts from Skyjacks are widely recognised as the easiest to work on in the industry. The company began manufacturing these products in 1985, and it has grown to become a world-leader in the aerial lift industry. Today it remains a high quality, adaptable player that also manufactures vertical mast lifts, DC electric scissors, rough terrain scissors, telescopic booms and articulating booms.

In a recent major contract win, Speedy, the UK’s leading provider of tools and equipment, ordered 1060 new aerial work platforms from Skyjack. These include new and enhanced DC electric scissor lifts, electric vertical masts diesel-powered rough terrain scissor lifts. “Our DC scissors are already renowned for being simply reliable and offering an excellent return on investment,” says David Hall, product & business development manager at Skyjack. “Our new updated range takes things one step further and the Speedy deal is a great endorsement of our philosophy.”

environmental training of different types, undertakes testing, repairs, inspection and maintenance of equipment as well as providing, to strategic clients, supervisor and management training courses; an aspect that has increasingly grown with customers outsourcing the training of their staff to Speedy Services.

“We have three sets of customers, strategic, major and regional or local.

Our strategic customers are major infrastructure and construction organisations such as Balfour Beatty, Costain and Carillion. Our major customers are the next tier of contractors that operate in those markets, and our regional customers include local builders, plumbers and general trades that need our equipment. Over the last 12 months I have seen a significant upturn in the market, particularly in London where growth in demand is up yearon-year and it is looking increasingly encouraging across other regions where the infrastructure plan is starting to take effect,” says Mark.

With a defined vision for the company, Mark entered the business in his newly appointed role as CEO, clearly articulating his targets: “My first aim is to ensure that we retain our market leading position and we are constantly striving to bring new and innovative products to market, which improve and enhance

the safety and environment of our customers.” Indicating the desire to remain at the forefront of safety innovation, Speedy has been trialling and demonstrating to its customers new advanced technology in dust management, which by many is viewed as the new danger replacing the once unaddressed asbestos issue. “My second aim addresses service excellence and I see a real gap in the market and our industry for driving top quality service. The industry still has some way to go to achieve absolute assured delivery

Construction & Civil Engineering 25

26 Construction & Civil Engineering

PROFILE: speedy services

SPE International SPE International has worked closely with Speedy for nearly two decades to help bring lightweight surface preparation machines to its customers. This partnership has enabled machines such as small concrete planers, grinders and stripping machines to be widely available through its depot network to the flooring industry and its thousands of contractors. With SPE’s help, Speedy has developed the knowledge to advise its customers on all aspects of surface preparation, from carpet glue removal to the complicated preparation of concrete surfaces prior to toppings being laid.

to our customers, all day, every day so that is at the top of my agenda.

I come from a services background so service excellence to me is critical and to be able to guarantee that people see the equipment that they want, on their site, when they want it, at the price that we promised them to a condition that is worthy of the high safety standards and productivity standards is of prime importance,” he adds.

Recognising that the efficiency of the business has a natural knock-on effect and impact on its customers, Mark’s third focus is, as he explains: “Really driving the efficiency agenda and making sure that we are absolutely optimising the utilisation of our assets and driving down the cost of our operation in terms of time and cost on logistics and property footprint, ensuring that we have the ability to distribute our assets much more effectively,

track them, buy them, and dispose of them at the optimum point. The fourth strand of the vision surrounds people, and driving an agenda to bring in more people with more experience diversity from outside the industry, bringing techniques, ideas and thinking that transcends our industry. So we are after the best logisticians in the country, the best e-commerce practitioners, the best service operators, and I have really started that in the top 60 of the leadership team where we are now breaking new ground on the type of people that are taking the business forward.”

Delivering solutions across a wide scope of industries, each with varying requirements, Speedy’s success is very much dependant on its structure and its network of suppliers to ensure that it has the right equipment for the future.

“It is about maintaining a close

ide Systems Ltd ide Systems is a leading supplier of electrical distribution equipment, and is committed to the design and engineering of high quality products. ide has unrivalled experience of both the temporary and static power industries and has been involved with some of the largest high profile electrical projects across the UK and Europe. ide has worked with Speedy for over 15 years on many of its major projects.

Construction & Civil Engineering 27

10

速

PRODUCTS LIMITED

PROFILE: speedy services

Pop Up Products Pop Up Products specialise in low-level access products and solutions. The EIGER tower range and multi-award winning Mi and Pop Up range of towers and lifts encapsulate their ‘safe and simple quality access’ goal.

Pop Up Products were the first to manufacture mini push-around lifts and created the low-level access market in which they remain market leaders today. Speedy were one of the first companies to value the innovative Pop Up scissor lift that won the Speedy-sponsored HAE Best Product of the Year 2006.

Recognising another step change in the lowlevel access market, Mark Rogerson MBE, CEO of Speedy Services, said: “Pop-Up Products is a valued supplier. The MiTOWER design is truly innovative and will help our customers save both time and money.”

MiTOWER - Speedy Services 2014 Innovation Award winner. relationship and engagement with customers and ensuring that we are at the very forefront of our customers’ bidding pipelines. The one thing that differentiates Speedy in the market is the breadth and depth of the product holding, none of our competitors have the range and depth of the products that we hold. We stock up to 6000 different products, referenced into product categories, highlighting specialists in each section.

“Our suppliers are at the forefront of thinking, developing the latest technology, and through talking to the customers, we have a clear understanding of their demands.

In many situations we actually lead the industry by bringing new products to our customers rather than reacting to demands to develop new solutions. Once our customers show an interest in the new product ranges we can make the right buying decisions at the right time whilst disposing of the older technology. As long as you have the right products coming from the manufacturer and suppliers, we can very quickly can see whether the customer has interest in those and we are able to buy at that point rather than having to take major risks of buying equipment without actually

knowing what the customer wants,” highlights Mark.

When Mark first entered the sector, he quickly noticed that there was a high volume of innovation coming through the supply chain. The real challenge, he questioned, was how

to capture that and make sure the right innovations and products are brought in, whilst conveying a message that is understood by the customer. “There is huge potential for us if we get that right. We are already thinking about establishing a new innovation centre for Speedy.

That centre will focus on R&D and product innovation and will be a focal point and a shop window for our customers to see the innovation that we are driving into the market,” says Mark. Although undecided at this stage, the centre is likely to be developed at the new national distribution hub in Tamworth where the storage, distribution and training centres are also located.

The organisation has been built on an infrastructure that is well suited to meet customer demands.

The equipment it stocks for supply

Lyte Lyte Ladders and Towers is one of the leading access equipment manufacturers in the UK. Established in the heart of South Wales in 1947, Lyte is an influential manufacturer of access equipment, leading the way in innovative new products to suit the changing needs of access users all over the country. Lyte has a longstanding and well-established trading relationship with Speedy, supplying a full range of access equipment for hire and resale and looks forward to nurturing this further.

Construction & Civil Engineering 29

NEW

8T|COMPACT EXCAVATOR

The world’s most powerful compact excavator. The all-new JCB 85Z-1 and 86C-1 8T machines are generating quite a buzz. With a powerful T4 Final engine, perfect dig geometry, innovative hydraulics, excellent fuel economy and easy servicing, productivity is first-class. Likewise versatility, thanks to a choice of dipper lengths, a fully adjustable dozer blade and a range of specialist attachments.

For more information; visit your local JCB dealer.

34 Construction & Civil Engineering

Telephone 0800 581 761.

www.jcb.com

PROFILE: speedy services

is mission critical, whether the customer is a small builder finishing off a house renovation or an infrastructure company engineering a large scale project such as the Thames Tideway Tunnels. “You need to make sure that you have an infrastructure and people delivery solution that gets the equipment to the customer at the right place at the right time. Two factors are vital in achieving this. Firstly that you have enough equipment and secondly, that you are able to dispatch it and distribute it quickly. The speed at which we turn our equipment round is absolutely critical, as is the speed at which we procure new equipment when we see there is a need for it.

That commitment to be responsive to our customers needs is absolutely vital.

“We have been actively reconfiguring and modernising our network, and the biggest challenge is being sure to maintain the most streamlined, engineering support function in house, targeting the capability to turn the equipment around quickly. The industry hasn’t necessarily embraced lean engineering as well as it could have so focusing on the best strategy to get the most out of the logistics footprint whilst lowering the carbon impact of the business are all considerations as we develop the company. We are also a very high volume organisation, in terms of assets and also in terms of invoices and the challenge that we have now is how do to truly improve that and get it to a very high level of optimisation. Although it is a challenge, it is also a massive opportunity because if you get it right it has substantial cost implications,” highlights Mark.

For the first time in a number of years the Speedy brand is experiencing solid growth across its markets, reflective of the improving economic conditions, as well as its own internal projects to increase the market share. The company recently launched a new campaign called ‘own-city’ through which

it is specifically targeting a large number of conurbations where it can offer customers a strong service and ensure that they understand the product range and the service offering available. Commenting on the programme, Mark says: “Through this drive we are really seeing an opportunity starting to emerge in regional areas such as Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Oxford and Bristol, as well as many others. The

other area of opportunity is to really modernise the sales channels that we see in other parts of the world such as e-commerce and making the ordering and fulfilment experience of our customers much stronger, and from both our ‘own-city’ campaign and e-commerce, we will start to see real capability and maturity of our offering start to evolve.”

The recovery from the issues that the organisation suffered from in the Middle East is well under way, and although it is not fully complete, it is noticeable that the new management team and structure is really bringing reinvigoration to the brand. Looking ahead to a much brighter future, Mark concludes on the prospects for the business that will ultimately benefit the whole industry: “The real prize is to truly optimise Speedy

Construction & Civil Engineering 31

32 Construction & Civil Engineering

PROFILE: speedy services

Gordons Ford Gordons Ford and Speedy Services have enjoyed a strong relationship for over 24 years, with Gordons supplying an estimated 9000 vehicles (both cars and commercials) to all the Speedy Services sectors across the UK and Ireland.

During this time Gordons has also been involved with the innovative design of bespoke vehicles for the Speedy transport team. This cutting edge design has now also been adopted by a large proportion of the tool hire industry. Gordons believes that the relationship between these two forward-thinking companies will move from strength to strength. It would like to wish Mark Rogerson and his team continued success for many years to come.

as a business engine, whether that is our own back office processing, our logistics capability or the way that we manage and optimise our assets. That is the first journey for us, and one that we are already progressing with. If we are able to get all that right then our service excellence levels improve hugely and therefore our customer advocacy is quite significant. I want to take the business to the next level of maturity in business optimisation efficiency and that is fundamentally the number one goal.

“Our several thousand strong customer-base spends a lot of money on complementary services, and these are all options that I think Speedy Services can now offer such as training, environmental consultancy, site set up and security on big projects. All of our customers are incredibly health conscious

and driven by environmental and efficiency considerations and what we have got to do is make sure that we are maximising that opportunity.

We are in a position to introduce new additional services to suit their needs and if we can capture that and get that right then the company will quickly reach the next level of success.” m

Speedy Servies www.speedyservices.co.uk Services: Equipment and tool hire Hi-Force Hi-Force is the UK’s leading manufacturer of hydraulic tools, and the exclusive supplier of hydraulic lifting cylinders, jacks and hydraulic pumps to Speedy Services. To date, Hi-Force has trained in excess of 90 Speedy Services employees on the safe use of hydraulic tools, arming them with the expertise required to successfully promote the Hi-Force product range. This support, along with Speedy Services extensive UK coverage and Hi-Force’s next day delivery guarantee underpin this successful partnership.

Construction & Civil Engineering 33

PROFILE: LSC Façades

Facing facts

Established in 1988, LSC Façades has grown into a company that can offer the complete external façade solution to suit creative architectural demands through to individual client and contractor needs

“F

rom the initial enquiry at tender stage, we are extremely keen to assist our clients needs, be it technical advice, value engineering or product options,” says Martin Leekblade, pre-construction director. With its own 27,000ft² manufacturing and fabrication premises in Hampshire the business takes full control of all aspects of quality and delivery, from its position ideally situated to serve all areas of the UK. “Our highly experienced team can offer a quicker, safer and more cost effective way of construction, resulting in a large history of projects including Various Blocks in Hale Village,

34 Construction & Civil Engineering

Andover

Tottenham, Isledon Road, Mayflower Halls, Walthamstow Arcade, Staplewood Training Ground and many more. Our aim is very simple, to provide high quality products and a professional service to all of our customers at a

competitive price,” he adds.

As a specialist façade contractor the company offers the design, manufacture, supply and installation of a wide range of products including glazing, cladding, flashings and brackets, render, curtain walling,

Mary Rose

Delaware Dive

roof lights and steel framing systems. “The progression into the new areas of work developed as a result of being held up on site by those trades failing before us.

For us it made sense to bring the specialties on board to make life easier for both our business and the main contractor,” explains Martin.

In 2011 the business made a heavy investment into the construction and development of its own fabrication facility, and although made in the heart of the recession, the investment has worked out successfully with yearon-year growth as a result. “The market today continues to improve substantially, and throughout

Construction & Civil Engineering 35

PROFILE: LSC Façades

Mayflower Halls

2013 tenders resulted in many sub contractors companies competing for the same projects, but the turn of the year signified a change, introducing contract negotiation from early stages. We believe this

Bauclad Bauclad rainscreen cladding was chosen for the Mayflower Halls project at Southampton University, due to its contemporary appeal and high resilience to extreme weather conditions. The highly durable cladding was arranged in four hues of grey to add depth and achieve the architect’s vision.

High performance, outstanding quality and premium aesthetics are the cornerstones of Bauclad, the BBA certified High Pressure Laminate cladding.

36 Construction & Civil Engineering

is a much better way of working because you can invest more time into getting the project right first time as a team, rather than working across several tenders.

“Working on a project from the

first stage on the drawing board ensures the project develops as a design to build, rather than having to make last minute changes if the architects’ ideas don’t match what is possible with the material. Working together as one helps to ensure that we deliver a cost effective project,” says Martin. The core administration, estimating, buying, sales and design aspects of the business remains centralised at its head office in Romsey with strategically placed satellite offices across the UK generating new business. “All our design work is carried out in house before purchasing the various components from the most well regarded manufacturers. We have worked hard to build our reputation in the industry, it is one of the many strengths that has helped us remain successful through challenging periods and it is important that we continue to use high quality products in all our works from glazing to cladding,” he adds.

LSC Façades is currently working in Milton Keynes on a new office space development for Vinci Construction, which will become the new Volkswagen Financial Services headquarters. In the high profiled contract the business is undertaking the full façade with works including the supply and installation of the SFS framing, ACM panels and the Schuco curtain walling and glazing.

“There are several different cladding types and materials being used and we are incorporating some unusual twists and turns into the design,” points out Martin.

The complexity of the project highlights the flexibility of the business that works frequently with Berkeley Group on developments across London, and is supported by a portfolio of work across all areas of the UK. Discussing the market Martin points out: “The market is gearing towards cladding, and growth of the industry is continuous as the choice of architects to design new builds with such façades really reflects the lack of bricklayers in the industry since the end of

the recession. In contrast, the expanding market has resulted in us taking on apprentices year-onyear, in the factory, on-site and in the office.

“We are looking towards the further development of our manufacturing side. We manufacture our own support bracketry and pressed aluminium requirements such as copings,

Iseldon Road

Aquarian Cladding Aquarian Cladding works closely with LSC Façades, helping to design and supply the Gebrik Insulating Brick Cladding System to meet an architect’s brief and to deliver a fast and competitive brick cladding solution for the client and builder’s programme.

Gebrik is an innovative, lightweight and robust cladding system, which is fully tested and BBAcertified to meet the demanding requirements of most UK buildings. By partnering with LSC, Aquarian has secured repeat business and looks forward to continuing its close association.

Construction & Civil Engineering 37

PROFILE: LSC Façades

Block SE 1

SPSenvirowall A leading supplier of external wall insulation systems and decorative renders, SPSenvirowall has a complete range of systems for new build which have been rigorously tested and used throughout the UK and Europe for over 40 years. No matter the construction, be it masonry, steel or timber frame, SPSenvirowall has the solution. Approved by the NHBC, TRADA and BBA with accreditations from CIH, FPDC and SWIGA, its products are supported by exceptional service to the contractor and technical support to the specifier.

38 Construction & Civil Engineering

cills, louvres, brise soliel, flashings, etc in addition to undertaking the full on-site production of windows, curtain walling in aluminium, timberaluminium-composite and steel.

By opening up a new facility very close to our existing factory, we can get more capacity for manufacture

as well as additional space for the increased fabrication demand.”

The forward-thinking business continually addresses opportunities to grow and develop by increasing the services it is able to offer. “There are several areas to branch into, from powder coating to balconies to balustrades or roofing. Our clients recognise the experience we have in the industry, built upon the core knowledge of the management that have years of experience, and by offering to our customers a complete in-house service they are comforted by our history of attention to detail,” concludes Martin. m

LSC Façades www.lscfacades.co.uk Products: Specialist façade contractor

PROFILE: Kodumaja

Simultaneously a trademark and the name of a group of companies specialising in the construction of high-quality housing, Kodumaja AS has been focused on employing an effective and future-orientated construction method since it began operations a year after its foundation in 1995

T

he largest companies in the group are KM Element OU and Kodumajatehase AS, both of which focus on the design and construction of prefabricated wooden frame buildings. However, all companies that are part of Kodumaja work in close co-operation, sharing their specialist skills to unite in the group’s ambition of becoming a European leader in its field.

Conforming to the construction requirements and standards within its strategic markets, the group has manufactured and built a total of 5295 apartments and houses as of September 2014. Proud to be building homes for satisfied customers, the company builds from prefabricated modules that have been pre-assembled in its factory; since this sort of module is a closed element, work that can be completed at the factory includes the mounting of all doors and windows, up to 95 per cent of the interior finish in the rooms (including the installation of floor coverings and ceramic tiles) as well as the majority of exterior finishing works. Furthermore, all piping and cable systems within the prefab module, such as electricity, sewage, communications, ventilation, security alarm, TV and fire sprinkler system can be completed in the factory, in addition to the installation of all bathroom fixtures and kitchen and bathroom furniture.

high

Rising World’s tallest timber frame buildind in Bergen Norway (right now in production at the factory)

The dimensions of Kodumaja prefab modules, which have a typical weight of between eight and 16 tonnes, are at a width of up to 5.3 metres, a length of up to 14.5 metres and a height of up to 4.5 metres. Once constructed, these factory-produced prefab modules are transported by either truck or ship to a construction site before they are mounted on a foundation to create a single building. A building can consist of

several prefab modules, but as a rule individual houses can have between two to four, while multi-storey buildings can have ten or more, with no limitations. Taking between 20-60 minutes to mount one prefab module on a completed foundation, Kodumaja’s site team can mount 1530 prefab modules for multi-storey houses in a day.

By specialising in housing construction created from prefabricated modules, Kodumaja

Construction & Civil Engineering 39

PROFILE: Kodumaja

Factory in Tartu, Estonia

Roth Nordic KM Element OU factory in Tartu, Estonia can provide its customers with more flexibility in project implementation as well as the integration of their requirements. Moreover, customer feedback has shown that clients prefer Kodumaja due to the competitive price/quality ratio of its products as well as its ability to be more flexible in accommodating the wishes/requirements of both customers and their architects.

40 Construction & Civil Engineering

Roth Nordic is a main supplier and valued partner of water supply and heating systems for Kodumaja. The co-operation has been very positive and constructive, and has been going on for many years. Roth Nordic’s products and solutions are of good quality, and give positive effects to Kodumaja products. The distribution and delivery is handled by Roth’s logistic centre in Denmark, but the office in Norway handles the daily business and support.

When you shop with Roth Nordic you get professional backup at the same time, as well as extensive guarantees, because it is with you all the way!

In addition, as regulations for the energy efficiency of buildings and thermal insulation have become increasingly stricter over recent years, and are anticipated become even more stringent, Kodumaja actively co-operates with the Energy-Efficient Building Core Laboratory of the University of Tartu and many other leading consultancy companies and building research institutes in Scandinavian countries to find solutions for the energy efficiency issues that affect buildings.

These advantages are available to customers thanks to the company’s impressive manufacturing conditions, which enable it to deliver a high quality, cost effective product; its efficient construction method and technology, which minimises construction time and cuts costs; its long-term experience

of developing a flexible service for customers as well as its impressively designed, tried and tested structural and technical solutions, which ensure compliance to the most stringent standards, as well as robustness, long-term durability and low maintenance costs.

This commitment to delivering the best possible solution resulted in Kodumaja signing a contract with Bergen and Environs Housing Cooperative (BOB) Eiendomsutvikling AS to build the world’s tallest timber building in Bergen, Norway in June 2014. The 14-storey high building, known as the The Tree, is a pilot project to show how to construct housing in urban areas with high amounts of land utilisation, while also choosing materials that will meet future requirements for green building gas emissions and sustainability. The Tree’s loadbearing structures are made of glue laminated wood, while the apartments are to be built as modules that are stacked in four floors, with two platforms on the fifth and tenth floors. It will be built in co-operation with Artec Prosjekt Team AS, Sweco AS, Strand AS and Moelven Limtre AS. With export amounting to more than 95 per cent of Kodumaja’s consolidated turnover, the group has developed strategic markets in Norway, which took a huge 79.5 per cent of the group’s total summarised consolidated turnover during the period of 1996 until the end of 2013; Denmark (9.5 per cent), Estonia (4.7 per cent), Finland (3.2 per cent), (Sweden 2.0 per cent) and others

Apartment building under construction in the North of Norway

Group of houses in Norway

Apartment building in Oslo, Norway (1.1 per cent). However, between 2011 and 2013, Kodumaja has witnessed increased demand in Denmark, with 10.6 per cent of the total summarised consolidated turnover, and Sweden, with 3.3 per cent.

Keen to further diversify its sales between these strategic markets while also maintaining its vast market share in Norway, the group will increase its focus on winning a larger share in Denmark and Sweden over the coming years.

Furthermore, the group will look out for available opportunities, suitable partners and innovative projects to take the necessary steps into new markets. m

Assisted living for people with physical and mental disabilities

Kodumaja AS www.kodumaja.ee/en Services: House Builder Construction & Civil Engineering 41

PROFILE: Premier interlink

Modpod

P

As part of the Waco International Group, Premier Interlink has a trading history of nearly 60 years. The merging of the Premier Transline and Interlink brands in 2004 and the acquisition of the IP of Britspace Modular Buildings and Gateway Pods in 2011 has grounded the business in a dominant position in the market

remier Interlink is part of a financially robust global organisation that employs over 4000 people worldwide with a turnover of £300m. “This gives us the financial platform to take on and complete major modular building construction projects successfully and the strength to develop new products and to keep our modular building manufacturing facilities at the forefront of industry practice. Having businesses spanning different geographical and cultural boundaries allows us to share best practice and growth ideas through group led effective forums,” explains David Harris, Divisional Director.

The business’s success was founded on skill within innovation and R&D and

42 Construction & Civil Engineering

both remain crucial to the continued growth, as David comments: “We have a strong desire to provide our clients with the best product and service available, and for that, innovation is essential. Over the last 18 months we have brought three new products to market that have reduced the weight and cost of our products, provided seven metre high internal ceilings and brought a modular foundation system to the market. This in turn has opened new markets for us and delighted our existing clients through adding real value to our offerings.”

The 35 per cent increase in demand for its services over the past year has been attributed to innovation and effort to provide a

high quality service. By operating in a variety of sectors including education, healthcare, commercial, construction, residential, hotel, student, MoD, custodial and retail markets, its modular solutions benefit a huge market. Through the use of this method, the overall build programmes can be reduced by up to 50 per cent. Rigorous quality control is fundamental to the design promoting cost certainty as a result of continuous investment in cutting-edge technology by Premier Interlink. Modular construction also reduces defects and snagging, weather disruption, health and safety risks, impact on client’s operational activities and site traffic by up to 90 per cent.

“The systematic and closely controlled production methods of a Premier Interlink factory build helps ensure time scale adherence, quality and budgetary control. Units leave the site with many internal fittings and services already installed ready for quick assembly on-site, reducing final fit-out time. We provide a range of products from light gauge steel frame accommodation units, to 24 storey capability systems.

We can also offer hybrid steel and timber solutions. We have a Hire Business made up of excellent quality, completely compatible, fully interchangeable up to five storey units, where we work with all the key UK main contractors and prestige clients directly. Examples

of this would be our niche market providing multi-storey gantry solutions in city centre locations on very tight footprints. We are seen to have a willingness to be open and honest with our clients ready to solve their problems and satisfy their needs. Our products are of the highest quality in the industry and our attention to seamless and quality service gives us a high percentage of repeat work,” says David.

The Premier range has been designed with the environment in mind with most materials from sustainable resources. In addition to the high thermal performance and energy efficiency, its design team can incorporate everything to create

a building with a low environmental impact including solar or wind power, recycling rainwater for use in ‘grey’ water systems, ground source or air to water for heating and cooling and PV cells. Nearly 70 per cent of all waste from its factory is recycled or composted, further highlighting the low environmental impact of its products with ISO 14001 accreditation demonstrating the commitment and respect for the environment. “Carbon emissions and energy consumption at our manufacturing facility have been measured by the Carbon Trust and showed good energy management for our sector and we have a proven track record of working with clients

Construction & Civil Engineering 43

to achieve a BREEAM excellent rating,” explains David.

The business has been involved in a number of high profile projects such as the Beacon Army Barracks where the award of the 432 bedroom plus ancillary accommodation for the returning soldiers from Germany, known as Project Barona, was a culmination of a number of successful defect free handovers within the MoD estate, combined with the company’s low cost, lightweight and high quality new modular solution.

Discussing the project David points out: “It is the type of contract that allows us to drive real efficiencies through our factories using Lean production methods first learnt in the automotive industries.” Working with Lend Lease, the business reached a significant milestone in August 2014, reaching 50 per cent

44 Construction & Civil Engineering

of manufacture for the project.

The modern methods of construction used at the factory mean that the modular buildings are being delivered at a rate of over 20 bedrooms each week, offering increased benefits to the

construction programme. The production facilities available offer real benefits to the manufacturing programme, with the option to operate multi shifts to meet programme requirements as required.

PROFILE: Premier Interlink

“Our proven offer of reliable delivery, cost certainty and value through innovative products has secured many contracts such as our ongoing relationship with Timpson and led to other significant projects such as the Robert Owen

School in Hereford, where we have been working closely with award winning architects Robert Limbrick and Wilmott Dixon to provide a design and build solution for a vocational school to serve pupils in the surrounding area,” announces

David. The co-operative academy for 14-19 year olds will be the first of its type in the UK and will prepare students for life and work through strong engagement with employers, training providers, the local community and partnership with colleges and universities. The buildings will comprise 58 modules and are being adapted to suit the design layout from vocational to workshop environments.

“Our main growth drive throughout the next year will be in the affordable housing sector. We see this sector having a real need for solutions due to the volume required and modular can fill the void,” says David. The Waco Group is undergoing rapid year-on-year growth in all geographic regions with each Group business bucking the recession and significantly growing.

This has been through investment in people, R&D and innovation, developing new products and opening new markets. “Over the next five years Premier Interlink will be looking to triple the size of its high quality hire fleet and become a larger player in the chosen new build markets, ensuring we remain fleet of foot and at the forefront of our favoured sectors,” he concludes. m

Premier Interlink www.waco.co.uk Services: Modular buildings & retail pods Construction & Civil Engineering 45

PROFILE: PROPEX LLC

Explosive Spalling Resistance

Concrete solutions Propex LLC has a pioneering history that dates back to the early 1900s and today holds a prestigious reputation as a pioneering market-leader in geosynthetic reinforcement, geotextile fabrics and concrete fibre solutions

T

he company employs more than 2400 people in 11 locations around the world including North America, Latin America, Europe and Australia. Over the last four decades Propex Concrete Systems (PCS), a subsidiary of Propex LLC, has built a reputation for quality, customer service and the ability to offer innovative, unbiased solutions for the fibre reinforcement of concrete. Its continually growing list of world leading brands include: Fibermesh - fibrillated/ multifilament micro-synthetic fibres, ENDURO macro-synthetic fibres, Novocon

46 Construction & Civil Engineering

– steel fibres and Novomesh - an engineered blend of fibres for multifaceted applications.

Today, PCS is recognised as a world-leading supplier of fibre reinforcement solutions for concrete, with fibre concrete specialists and distributors in a growing list of countries. It actively participates in global testing, code approvals and guidelines to ensure that its materials meet or exceed national and international standards. Key applications include roads, bridges, water-retaining structures, industrial floors and external hard standings.

In the last ten to fifteen years the use of fibre reinforcement in high

strength and ultra-high strength concrete for tunnel construction has become much more accepted and there are now few major tunnel projects that do not incorporate fibre reinforcement in one form or another.

Whilst high performance concrete is widely recognised as a costeffective, versatile construction material, it is beset with a number of drawbacks that are inherent to its composition. By generally accepted engineering standards concrete is relatively brittle, has limited tensile strength and when subjected to rapid temperature increases due to fire is prone to severe damage

Precast Tunnel Segments for Copenhagen Metro

eel Fibres Novocon St

Enduro M

acro Syn thetic Fib

res

Fibermesh

etic Fibres

Micro-Synth

caused by explosive spalling.

Andy Treanor – Business Development Manager for Underground Applications states: “We recognise that all fibres have their particular strengths and benefits and that one fibre is not necessarily the best solution for all applications. Propex are quite unique in that we offer a full range of both micro and macro synthetic fibre products and steel fibre products enabling us to give unbiased opinions and fibre solutions to suit the performance requirements of most tunnel applications.

“Our Fibermesh range of micro-

synthetic fibres provide a unique internal support system in concrete that substantially reduces plastic settlement and shrinkage cracks by increasing the tensile strain capacity of plastic concrete. The fibres also improve the cohesive properties of the concrete resulting in reduced fallout and rebound when used in sprayed concrete applications.

“Our Fibermesh 150, fine monofilament fibre is recognised around the world to provide resistance to explosive spalling with minimal effect on the workability of concrete. Verification of the positive effect of this material on explosive spalling has been obtained from

many internationally recognised fire test laboratories including VSH Hagerbach (Switzerland), Efectis / TNO (Netherlands), MPA Leipzig (Germany), SP Technical Research Institute (Sweden) and BRE (UK). An ever-increasing amount of tunnelling projects include this technology as passive fire protection in either sprayed, cast in situ or precast concrete tunnel linings.”

Steel fibres have been used in tunnel applications since the early 1970’s and are now regularly employed as a replacement to conventional steel reinforcement in sprayed concrete and precast

Construction & Civil Engineering 47

PROFILE: PROPEX LLC

Tesco Distribution Centre - Livingston

segmental tunnel linings. They are widely recognised to improve the overall properties of concrete such as ductility, fracture toughness, energy dissipation, impact resistance, fatigue resistance and limiting crack propagation in the hardened state concrete. Propex offers a wide range of products from its Novocon steel fibre brand including hooked-end, flatend, continuously deformed and segmental wire materials.

During the 1990’s Propex pioneered the development of macro-synthetic structural fibres for concrete and launched onto the world market the S-152 HPP (High Performance Polymer) fibre initially for sprayed concrete applications in mining. Since, that time it has continually improved its product offerings and now has materials that compete, at the highest level of performance.

Offering similar technical benefits to steel fibre materials, macro-

48 Construction & Civil Engineering

synthetic fibres have the added advantages of being easier to handle and corrosion free. “From an engineering/technical perspective we are able to provide post-crack ductility with both steel and macrosynthetic fibres, therefore, enabling us to maintain a load carrying capacity once the concrete has cracked,” says Simon Evans, Director of Engineering Services. “With this ability engineers are able to calculate a moment of resistance for a specified section of fibre reinforced concrete, which allows them to determine its performance when compared with traditional mesh or bar reinforced section of concrete. We can then determine the fibre requirements and the dosage requirements against traditional standards and codes.

This is done in compliance with independent guides that are used throughout the industry.”

Propex quality assured fibres comply with European standard

EN14889 Parts 1 &2, carry CE Marking and for underground and mining applications have been extensively tested at internationally respected test facilities including VSH Hagerbach Test Galleries (Switzerland), TSE – Technologies in Structural Engineering (Australia), Amec Earth & Environmental (Canada), The Norwegian Building Research Institute, Greenwich University (London) and The University of Chile.

Test methods for sprayed concrete applications include American ASTM C 1550 (RDP) and European EN14488-5 (EFNARC) panel testing where the performance of specimens is quantified in terms of energy absorbed between the onset of loading and selected values of central deflection i.e. 40mm for ASTM C1550 and 25mm for EN 14488-5. Results of such testing are reported in Joules and a correlation between the EN 14488-5 (EFNARC) square panel and the ASTM C1550 (RDP) has been

Mining Sprayed Concrete

measured as: EFNARC 25mm (Joules) = ASTM 40mm (Joules) x 2.5 Post Crack performance for fibre reinforced concrete used in applications such as precast segmental lining and slabs–ongrade is normally measured using simply supported beam tests such as ASTM C1609 and EN 14651.

These tests are used to evaluate the flexural performance of fibre reinforced concrete. Values are established for first crack and peak loads, as well as residual strengths at specified deflections.

Currently PCS is active on a number of highly publicised tunnel projects around the globe.

In Switzerland, the 57km long Gotthard Base Tunnel selected Fibermesh 150 micro-synthetic fibres to afford protection against explosive spalling in the event of fire in station areas and escape routes.

Furthermore, its materials are currently in use in many of the

Crossrail contracts in London, Copenhagen Cityringen Metro, North West Rail Link in Sydney, Hong Kong Metro and many more high profile global projects.

As a result of extensive testing and successfully meeting required performance criteria Fibermesh 650 e3 macro-synthetic fibres were selected for use on the Lansimetro West Metro Tunnel in Helsinki.

Concerns had been raised regarding potential corrosion issues of both steel rebar and steel fibres in this sub-sea tunnel and macro-synthetic fibres were viewed as the ideal solution.

In addition to the non-corrosive, economical and safety benefits of macro-synthetic fibres, contractors have also noted other practical benefits when comparing with steel fibres. Often, contractors are required to apply a thin layer of unreinforced concrete over waterproofing membranes and water drainage pipes to avoid

puncture when using steel fibres.

Contractors would then need to return to the area the following day to apply a fibre reinforced layer of sprayed concrete. With macro synthetic fibres there is no risk of puncture meaning that the membranes/pipes could be covered in one operation, therefore speeding up the entire process.

The success of PCS is built not only on the highly sought after concrete enhancing properties of its range of fibres but also on the comprehensive expertise that continually allows the company to develop and define the industry.

Throughout its history PCS has collaborated with key industry bodies including ACI, EFNARC and the EN14889 workgroup to develop key guidelines and standards that are followed throughout the industry. As associate members of the International Tunnelling Association (ITA), PCS is also actively involved with the working group developing guidelines for Fibre Reinforced Concrete Precast Segments for Tunnel Lining Applications which will provide design engineers further confidence that both steel and macro-synthetic fibres can replace traditional steel cage reinforcement in this application.

Propex’ global network of fibre reinforcement engineers and specialists are among the most knowledgeable in the industry, with practical experience in the complete range of concrete applications.

Its technical service professionals are always available to offer open and honest advice and to help you achieve the most economical and functional concrete solution for your needs. m

enquiries@propexinc.co.uk

Propex LLC www.propex.com Products: Manufacturer and supplier of geosynthetic reinforcement, geotextile fabrics and concrete fibre solutions Construction & Civil Engineering 49

PROFILE: Hydrema Group

Hydrema’s 912 dump truck

Diggingdeeper Since its inception in Denmark in 1959, Hydrema has expanded its core customer base within the local agricultural industry to become an international group with a broad network of sales and service facilities based in six countries

50 Construction & Civil Engineering

D

iscussing the company’s growth, marketing manager Mads Peter Olesen begins: “We were founded in 1959 here in Denmark; back then Hydrema was mainly focused on agriculture attachments, which helped the agricultural customers to avoid all the hand shovelling. Back then our product was an excavator that was planted on a tractor and it was around this time that our founder realised he was skilled with hydraulics, so we grew from that and expanded into a wider machine range that targeted not

only agriculture but construction, civil engineering to military clients too. This development resulted in our progression from a local manufacturer of attachments on machines to an international group with our own wholly produced machine range.

“Today we have around 400 employees, are based in six countries and boast an almost global set up, so it has been a big transformation for the company from one man to a fairly largescale organisation. We develop, manufacture and sell hightechnology earth moving machinery, and provide after sales and service.

Cummins Cummins leading QSB4.5 and QSB6.7 engines are available from 121-300 hp (95-224 kW) for Tier 4 Final/Stage IV low emissions applications. These include dump trucks, excavators, cranes, wheeled loaders, compactors, air compressors and material-handling equipment such as heavy forklifts and container-handling trucks. They are the latest evolution of the renowned B Series family of engines, featuring leading technologies such as Cummins variable geometry turbocharging to deliver responsive, clean, efficient power whenever it is needed.

Construction & Civil Engineering 51

PROFILE: Hydrema Group

A large percentage of the machine is produced by us, so we have a high level of in-house production.�

Committed to providing equipment that meets the specific needs of customers in all markets, the company has flexible production facilities, a modern research & development department and sales and marketing offices in place to ensure complete satisfaction.

Products include military and flood defence machines, backhoe loaders, which are particularly wellknown in Scandinavia, and wheeled excavators, which have recently set a new standard in the market with the MX series. Combining ultracompact wheeled excavators with the latest technology, the MX14, MX16 and MX18 models are more compact than similar machines on the market and provide

52 Construction & Civil Engineering

superior performance.

However, it is Hydrema’s dump trucks that generate the most sales on a global scale, as Mads notes: “We sell two types of dump trucks, the most popular being the compact ten tonne 912, which was introduced in 1983 and was originally mainly used on golf course construction projects due to the low ground pressure. Today it is developing a stronger market presence and we see several new opportunities for the dump truck to be used in other industries where there is a tight space or if a customer needs to drive on roads fully loaded. This is also a great rental machine and is often seen as a rental machine in many UK sites.”

Well known for its robustness, agility and ease-of-use, the articulated and compact 912 dump truck offers superior durability, performance and excellent operating qualities year on year. Following the new emission regulations that have come into effect, Hydrema has enhanced virtually all of its product range including the 912, which now boasts the 912E series. Available in a wide range of machine configurations, such as the Multitip with 180 degrees tipping, Multichassis for multible body attachments, or as a Rail machine, the series provides many different options to customers.

“With 16 different machine possibilities within the 912E series, we have the largest range of machine configurations ever, which supports the fact we are finding more and more possibilities for this product. It could for example be used on rails, or as a utility truck with a flat bed going to remote oil sites; this is our main international product this year and has been well received by the market. Although it over the years has become our most popular product, the new 912E series now has 20 per cent stronger engine power than it did previously and modifications have been made to the body too, which is causing the product to generate further

demand,” enthuses Mads.

Moreover, the spacious and adjustable 912E series provides operators with increased comfort thanks to high visibility, a soft touch interior and reduced vibration from liquid filled engine suspension points. There is also an air conditioning system and a

highly user friendly computer, which provides the operator with a 6.5 inch flat screen PC monitor that can also work as a rearview camera when the machine reverses. “We are happy to see that the safety and environmental focus is increasing within the public and private sectors,” says Mads. “It means companies are searching for innovative solutions to help secure positive working environments for machine operators while also taking the environment into account, whether that be focusing on low emission, fuel consumption reduction or the impact on the body from working in a machine all day.”

He continues: “We have completed some studies with universities in Denmark to help

Construction & Civil Engineering 53

PROFILE: Hydrema Group

minimise body impact on operators using our machines; it costs more to develop a product this way, but the outcome is worth it. Years ago most rental customers would buy the cheapest configuration of dump trucks, but as operators begin to demand more comfort this is a major selling point not only for our customers in construction and civil engineering, but for the rental industry too.”

With its innovative, state-ofthe-art products and passion for providing the best quality, comfort and efficiency to customers, the future looks positive for Hydrema as companies begin to search for the best possible solution in a competitive and growing industry. “We have a good set up in production and sales, so our aim is to enhance and support the sales network globally. Which means we

54 Construction & Civil Engineering

can continue to support our clients and grow on a global scale. We may be a relatively small company, but we have big ambitions,” concludes Mads. m

Hydrema Group www.hydrema.com Services: Develops, manufactures and markets earth-moving equipment

Alliance Tire Europe (ATG) Alliance Dual Master Series of ‘All Steel’ radial tires are custom designed for use on wheeled excavators. They are designed to carry more loads & suitable for multiple terrain applications. The series is available in two tread designs, namely, 506 and 528 Dual Master.

The 506 design is a non directional lug and block pattern ideal for hard surface use.

The 528 is a lug design ideal for off the road conditions.

The tires are designed for large capacity wheeled loaders, which are also extensively driven from site to site between jobs. The Dual Masters are available in size 315/80R22.5.

They replace re-treaded truck tires, which are currently being used for excavators.

Also the Dual Master series have been tested intensively. Tires has run for 4000 hours without a single punctures or blowouts, Thus resulting into zero down time which are common in diagonal tires or re-treaded all steel radials.

PROFILE: NATIONWIDE PLATFORMS

New

heights

Operating as part of the Lavendon Group plc, Nationwide Platforms represents the UK’s leading provider of powered access platforms

N

ationwide Platforms exists as part of one of the world’s largest specialist access rental businesses, Lavendon Group plc, which has operations throughout the UK, Middle East, France, Belgium and Germany. With the strength of its parent company behind it Nationwide Platforms earned revenues of £110 million during 2013. As part of a robust group of businesses Nationwide Platforms has navigated the volatile market that followed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and today is ready to take a leading position in the newly emergent construction

Managing director Jeremy Fish

industry. “We have seen a lot of growth in construction,” observes managing director Jeremy Fish. “However, it is not just in construction. We are seeing market growth in all sectors but principally we are seeing a recovery in the construction sector. It is a cyclical market and we are currently seeing an upwards cycle.”

The range of access platforms supplied by Nationwide Platforms is the broadest available inside of the UK. It is comprised of boom lifts, low level access platforms, scissor lifts, truck mounted platforms, van mounted platforms, material handling attachments, specialist platforms as well as product

innovations and accessories. All of the company’s machines are maintained by a core of specialist engineers to ensure flawless performance and best practice when working at height. Nationwide Platforms is dedicated to delivering a safety conscious service that remains both reliable and convenient helping clients to meet their goals, whatever the job.

The company manages over 11,000 access units across 26 branches and seven customer care centres that enable Nationwide Platforms to deliver units to locations across the UK. “We are a one-stop shop for customers and for national accounts we can

Construction & Civil Engineering 55

PROFILE: NATIONWIDE PLATFORMS

POWER TOWERS In 2006 Nationwide Platforms were one of the first specialist powered access hire companies to develop the low-level powered access sector and add a fleet of machines to service that rapid growing market. They were keen to partner with a company that both designed and manufactured in the UK while offering a range of products capable of meeting the needs of all low-level access requirements. Nationwide chose Power Towers and the relationship developed over the past seven years. To date Nationwide has added in excess of 2500 Power Towers’ products to its low-level fleet.

Power Towers offer seven machines: four pusharounds, the Pecolift, Ecolift, Nano and Power Tower and three self-propelled, comprising the Nano SP range. Typical applications include ducting, pipework and electrical installation, plastering, painting and cleaning. The push around Nano and Power Tower are used for installation work: large plant, air con, and lighting fixtures. Introduced recently is Pecolift, battery, hydraulic oil and power free, Pecolift is truly an eco friendly solution. Elevated by simply rotating the handle; the patented lift mechanism glides you almost effortlessly to your chosen working height in seconds. Its tiny footprint and simplicity of use provides a purely mechanical solution. This ingenuity has won it two awards in 2014; Best European Rental Product and Lowlevel Access Product of the year.

Through the partnership with Nationwide Platforms, Power Towers’ products have been specified on many of the UK’s most prestigious construction projects, including Terminal 2, St Pancras International, Southern General and St Barts Hospital.

service client’s requirements right across the UK,” Jeremy elaborates.

“We can also react very quickly to customer requirements in terms of getting equipment on-site. This also means that we can reach customers very quickly when they need technical support or require training, crucially we have units close to our customers and we are more in touch with our customers as well as in touch with our markets.”

In support of the newly recovering construction market within the UK, Nationwide Platforms is investing £25 million on refurbishment and new equipment during 2014 that

will increase the company’s service offering with a stronger fleet and greater service as Jeremy explains: “We are investing mostly on booms and scissor lifts, which is a combination of replacement and new models for the fleet. This will be distributed fairly evenly across the country, although there are some areas where we are seeing more activity than others. We are seeing more activity in the South East for example, but the investment will be spread evenly throughout the UK.” With its expansive fleet and commitment to first-class customer accessibility and service, one of

Construction & Civil Engineering 57

PROFILE: NATIONWIDE PLATFORMS

the most important items that Nationwide Platforms delivers to clients is peace of mind. With the UK’s largest rental fleet and a strong commitment to health and safety the company is best placed to meet the needs of its clients. “We have national coverage and a product range that offers the greatest choice and flexibility for customers.

When dealing with smaller rental companies there is less chance customers will be able to get the equipment that they want. With the UK’s largest hire fleet we can offer customers the equipment they want, when they want it. We also have an award winning commitment to quality, health and safety as well as the environment. We have a dedicated team of experts under the leadership of a QHSE director, which has helped the company win the Royal Society for the Prevention

58 Construction & Civil Engineering

of Accidents gold medal for a fifth consecutive year.”

The company’s dedicated client focus is supported by a targeted training programme and commitment to develop its staff.

“We have 78 e-learning courses and last year we delivered in excess of 1969 employee training days and 1210 e-learning sessions. We also have an apprenticeship programme which is currently being attended by 29 engineering apprentices and four hire desk apprentices,” Jeremy explains.

During the rest of 2014 and over the longer term during the next three to five years, Nationwide Platforms will be focused on increasing its revenue growth and presence within the market. “We are looking to grow our market share and to grow our customer base. We will do that by providing excellent

service, value for money and by continuing to innovate in health and safety, product development and value for money,” Jeremy concludes. m

Nationwide Platforms www.nationwideplatforms.co.uk Products: Powered access platforms

IPS IPS is the leading supplier of replacement parts for powered access platforms and is the official UK parts distributor for Genie, Hinowa, Youngman BoSS, Ommelift, Grove Manlift, Manitou, Pop-Up, Snorkel and UpRight. It also sells a wide range of parts for other brands. Nationwide Platforms is a valued customer and IPS provides them with a parts inventory management system and active stock profiling software, which is further supported by IPS’ nationwide mobile parts van network.

PROFILE: Hughes and Salvidge

Oaklands School, Southampton

The

demolitionmen Celebrating 50 years in business in 2014, Hughes and Salvidge has built up a vast range of experience in demolition, crushing and recycling

T

oday one of the UK’s leading decommissioning companies, Hughes and Salvidge now includes K&B Crushers, Aasvogel Waste Management and H&S Metals, and together these companies offer clients the complete solution for their demolition, crushing and recycling needs.

Back in 1964 when it was founded, Hughes and Salvidge focused on decommissioning and demolition.

It was in 2008 that it acquired K&B Crushers, and began to expand its

portfolio of services. At that time, Martyn Burnett was K&B’s founder and managing director, and the year after the companies merged, he took over the helm at Hughes and Salvidge, and became MD of the newly formed, larger organisation.

It was Martyn’s vision that led to the next acquisition in 2010, and he explained the reasoning behind it: “We hit the recession and every month a large part of our cash flow was being taken up by using contractors to get rid of our waste from demolition. Therefore, I thought it would really benefit us to buy our own waste business, as it was a large part of what we did. As a result, we bought a company in Oxford called Aasvogel Waste Management and added that to the Group. That was extremely successful, and then in 2011 we started our own metal recycling company, called H&S Metals. That way we could offer a

complete service.”

Acquiring the waste business turned out to be a brilliant strategic decision and Martyn credits that with increasing the company’s size.

Over the course of three years, Hughes and Salvidge went from an annual turnover of £8m to £25m, and this was during the recession when construction companies across the country were struggling. In addition to services already referred to, the business also now works in areas such as asbestos removal, decontamination and industrial cleaning and land remediation.

By having the crushing, waste management and metal recycling all under its control, Hughes and Salvidge can ensure any waste sent to landfill is kept to an absolute minimum. Added Martyn: “We bought the waste business so that we could offer a complete service, but in fact our different companies

Construction & Civil Engineering 59

PROFILE: Hughes and Salvidge

can also all help each other out, as they are all complementary.”

While this range of services offers benefits to clients on its own, it is supported by a company ethos of reliability and quality, and a focus on health and safety. “I would say what really sets us apart is our hands-on approach,” Martyn noted.

“I am personally on-site much of the time and although we employ 158 people I know everybody’s name.

I think that kind of rapport and management support really makes a difference.”

He continued: “This also ties into our reputation for health and safety. It’s one of our central tenets and I personally believe in it very strongly. We undertake a lot of education and won’t have anyone on site who isn’t CPS trained. I also don’t believe in sacking staff for making a bad mistake in health and

60 Construction & Civil Engineering

Former LG Factory, Newport, Wales

someone to get hurt.”

Thanks to this approach, Hughes and Salvidge has been involved in some highly prestigious contracts and long-term relationships.

“We have been working with Heathrow airport for 15 years, and that evolved from one man with a wheelbarrow to the demolition of the old control tower in 2013, which was a flagship project for us,” said Martyn. “In 2011 we undertook a large demolition of the old Outokumpu Stainless facility in Sheffield, which was handed back six weeks ahead of schedule. We have also worked with TOTAL Petrochemicals, UK Power Networks, Sheffield Hallam University and Ordnance Survey in Southampton, where we delivered the demolition of the landmark selection of buildings in the city.”

Expansion

Old Control Tower, Heathrow

Boldrewood Campus, University of Southampton

safety – we take them right back to the beginning of their training, to change behaviours and instil the right way of working and the reasoning behind it. It is now second nature to most of our guys, it’s something that has been bred into the company, we don’t cut corners and won’t take on a job if it requires shortcuts that could cause

It is clear that Hughes and Salvidge has evolved into a significant service provider, and going forward Martyn wants to further grow the waste management side, in order to expand its geographical coverage.

“I would like to acquire another waste business, but I also want to preserve what we have got and maintain our quality rather than try to hugely increase our turnover. I expect that the next few years will see us consolidating our position.”

He concluded: “Hughes and Salvidge might not offer the cheapest quote, but thanks to the years of experience of our handpicked team, we are very good at what we do. Our clients can always be confident that any job we undertake will be done safely, properly, and delivered on-time.” m

Hughes and Salvidge www.hughesandsalvidge.co.uk Services: Demolition, crushing and recycling Construction & Civil Engineering 61

PROFILE: MOBILE MINI

A

tidy

solution

Mobile Mini today is a market-leading solution provider of storage units and portable offices with worldwide fleet of over 213,000 units and a distribution network encompassing 135 locations in the USA, Canada and the UK

T

oday Mobile Mini UK maintains a fleet of over 32,000 units and a reliable network of 16 hire sites. As a world leading provider it empowers its team of dedicated employees to deliver high quality storage and accommodation products with exceptional service you can depend on from a trusted business partner.

The company’s portfolio of portable office and accommodation units can be modified to provide both a workplace as well as additional space for storage. These

62 Construction & Civil Engineering

can be used to create a productive office space from which managers are able to facilitate the day-today running of busy construction sites. Its other units have further functional applications around construction sites such as stack and link, canteen units, which are provided with all of the benefits of the office unit plus the additional advantage of a water heater, sink, cupboards and work surface. The addition of drying room, toilet and welfare units means that Mobile Mini is able to deliver a total onsite solution that covers the varied

needs of construction projects and associated workforce.

Mobile Mini UK is established throughout Great Britain and services a base of 57,000 accounts.

Within the construction industry, customers include Lakehouse, Miller Construction, Speedy Hire and HSS. Furthermore, the company reaches customers in diverse sectors including retail, medical, education, utilities, distributors, hotels and restaurants as well as households.

With the customer at the heart of everything they do, they were the first to provide customers

with an online ordering facility enabling them to place orders, receive quotes, request collections/ deliveries at their own convenience.

In addition, the company offers its National Accounts an in-house representative as well as an external representative to assist and facilitate its’ partners needs as well as provide a one stop shop.

To monitor and improve customer service, Mobile Mini UK introduced the Net Promoter Score into the business in 2011, the first in the industry to do so. The customer satisfaction survey assures that the

Waters Waste Services Ltd Waters Waste Services Ltd are proud to be associated with Mobile Mini providing on site welfare services throughout a large area of the UK, extending from Luton to Newcastle upon Tyne, with a relationship extending over 15 years. Waters Waste utilise the latest purpose built equipment thus ensuring maximium flexibility and reducing response times allowing Mobile Mini to offer additional services with total confidence.

key elements of customer service from delivery/collection at agreed times to the cleanliness of the unit are monitored on a monthly basis and improvements made where required. At the end of the day, the company strives to deliver exceptional service so that its existing customers will recommend it to colleagues and friends.

To ensure that units are delivered to clients on time and in an efficient manner, the company relies on its network of bases, its own fleet of delivery vehicles and the support of trusted external logistics firms. Its core fleet, vehicles and facilities receive continual investment to improve and expand. The company initially committed ÂŁ8 million for UK Capital Expenditures for 2014.

To assure a quality service a pre-

Construction & Civil Engineering 63

PROFILE: MOBILE MINI

Flex Box Ltd Flex Box Ltd is a leading world-wide supplier of new shipping, storage, and reefer containers.

As an international company based in Hong Kong, Flex Box Ltd manufacture and ship in excess of 20,000 containers of all types worldwide every year.

Flex Box Ltd work closely with Mobile Mini to supply new containers to their storage locations throughout the UK and to provide them with the best possible service, products and pricing.

delivery inspection (PDI) is carried out before any product leaves the branch. “At Mobile Mini UK we pride ourselves on possessing the highest health and safety accolades within our industry,” says managing director Ron Halchishak. “So when it comes to transportation and installation we leave nothing to chance. Even before the transit of the units takes place the delivery process is being carefully planned.

All of our site installations are implemented in accordance with all current health and safety legislation and the relevant British safety standards.”

Safety is at the core of the Mobile Mini philosophy. “We are members of various health and safety organisations and contribute and co-operate significantly towards achieving improved standards and operating to best practice within the

Construction & Civil Engineering 65

66 Construction & Civil Engineering

PROFILE: MOBILE MINI

industry,� says Ron. One of the key tools employed

by Mobile Mini UK is its 6S Lean Business Model. This represents six key points, which the company follows to ensure safe and efficient operation. These are defined as Sort, distinguish between what is needed and not needed and to remove the latter; Stabilize, enforce a place for everything and everything in its place; Shine, clean up the workplace and look for ways to keep it clean; Standardise, maintain and monitor adherence to the first three Ss; Sustain, follow the rules to keep the workplace 6Sright and Safety, eliminate hazards.

This high focus on health and safety coupled with the company’s vast support network of bases has allowed Mobile Mini UK to respond to the recovery of the construction industry, while continuing to

Waste Water Services Ltd Waste Water Services Ltd established in 2006 run a fleet of purpose built tankers which service on site welfare facilities throughout Scotland by removing the effluent waste and delivering bulk water.

Waste Water Services Ltd have built up a very special working relationship with Mobile Mini in Coatbridge and hopefully over the next eight years we can continue to build on this offering the same high level of service.

Construction & Civil Engineering 67

PROFILE: MOBILE MINI

levels of customer service,” he continues. “Over the next three to five years our vision is to be the company of choice for employees, customers and share holders by recognising, rewarding and offering growth opportunities for talented employees at all levels of the company. We are dedicated to exceeding customer expectations by delivering high-quality storage accommodation products with exceptional service and also to creating shareholder value through sustainable profitable growth and returns exceeding our cost of capital.” m

Stackright As an industry leading manufacturer of steel Anti-Vandal accommodation Stackright are proud to be associated with Mobile Mini. With close co-operation and attention to the requirements for a long term serviceable fleet, we have assisted in developing an ECO friendly and robust specification that will serve the Mobile Mini hire fleet for a long time to come.

68 Construction & Civil Engineering

comply with the increasing demands of industry best practice.

“For the rest of 2014 our focus is on meeting the current strong demands whilst maintaining profitable growth and high

Mobile Mini www.mobilemini.co.uk Products: Storage units & Portable Offices

PROFILE: Junttan

Piles of opportunity Founded in 1976, Junttan Oy has more than 30 years of experience in the development and manufacture of leading piling equipment

S

ince inventing the concept of a fully hydraulic piling machine in the year of its inception, Junttan has not only remained at the forefront of hydraulic piling machinery development, but has become the global leader in hydraulic pile driving and piling equipment. “We specialise in the design, manufacture and service of hydraulic piling equipment; the product range comprises of piling rigs, deep stabilisation rigs, hydraulic impact hammers, rotary heads and power packs,” says Kari Pollanen, product manager of piling. “Our customers include major world leading contractors as well as smaller local firms that are specialised in piling and our equipment is working in more than 45 countries on all continents.”

Based in Kuopio, eastern Finland, Junttan believes its success stems from its reliability in delivering the most dependable of equipment.

Committed to high standards, the company’s high quality equipment and machines have been used by leading construction companies to ensure success for the most challenging of foundation projects.

The most notable construction sites that Junttan machinery has been used on includes the new terminal buildings at the John F

Kennedy Airport, the Panama Canal, facilities for the Salt Lake City Water Olympics, harbours in China, skyscrapers in Manhattan, and, more recently, the Corinthians Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, for the World Cup. Another major contract for the company was the Eastern Alberta Transmission Line Project in Canada. With an estimated cost of $1.8 billion, the construction of the 485 kilometre, 500 kilovolt (kV), direct current (DC), Eastern Alberta Transmission Line (EATL), which

Construction & Civil Engineering 69

PROFILE: Junttan

runs between Brooks and GibbonsRedwater, north-east of Edmonton, Canada, as well as two converter stations, began in December 2012.

Construction activities include rightof-way clearing, installation of tower foundations, tower assembly and

70 Construction & Civil Engineering

tower erection and the construction of the two converter stations.

Resourced by Northstar Energy Services, the main contractor for the $42 million transmission line foundation project, during the installation of 18,000 piles and

3400 cap assemblies, Junttan used more than 150 personnel and nine Junttan Piling Units (PM20, PMx22, PM23, PM25) to help ensure the job was a success. With the entire system anticipated to be in-service by 2014, the successful completion of the EATL project will cement its place in history as one of Alberta’s best electricity transmission and distribution projects.

Trusted by customers across the globe, Junttan’s state-of-the-art piling equipment combined with its unrivalled customer service, has led to a solid foundation that goes above and beyond conventional solutions. “For over 35 years Junttan has been the forerunner in piledriving products.

We have actively developed new products and taken the industry as a whole forward with new thinking and innovations. Research

and development (R&D) is very important to us and we are constantly putting more effort into our own R&D department, both in our personnel and our co-operation with third parties. We are also known for working closely with contractors and for developing our products and services by listening to the evolving needs of our customers,” says Kari.

As it strives to deliver the optimum in versatile, comprehensive piling solutions, Junttan remains focused on the efficiency, usability, maintainability and safety of its equipment; to ensure its values aren’t compromised, the company uses the very best components and carries out stringent tests. The most recent product to be developed is the J-reX (PMx28), which offers a powerful solution for driving long piles (max 28 metres). Instead of improving or developing an existing model, the J-reX was re-designed from the ground up following a wealth of customer feedback, which has resulted in a machine that combines productivity, long life and strong resale value, as well as efficiency of use, easy maintenance and versatility. “J-reX handles long piles as smoothly and rapidly as our smaller x-series rigs. The PMx28 is also equipped with an intelligent pile driving data management system to ensure both quality and precision in the piling process,” confirms Kari.

Despite a core focus on quality and innovation, Junttan has always prioritised its customers needs through a high quality team of customer care professionals that are ready to deliver technical support, spare parts or reliable maintenance and repair services on the field. Experts in the piling industry, Junttan’s dedicated and competent personnel ensure that their customers’ machinery is operating to the best of its ability and that they are taking advantage of the technology available. “Our goal is to steer our operations in an

increasingly customer-orientated direction,” highlights Kari.

With its piling equipment in use all over the world and a strong market presence in Europe, North America, Australia and Russia, the future looks positive for Junttan as it is presented with growing opportunities in Middle Eastern areas such as Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

“Russia and North America have long been our most valuable

markets, which still remains the case. We are also seeing that Scandinavia and Europe are finally starting to rise from the economical collapse, so we are seeing a positive upturn in the whole market,” concludes Kari. m

Junttan Oy www.junttan.com Services: Piling Equipment Manufacturer Construction & Civil Engineering 71

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