Construction and Civil Engineering Issue 100 Early Edition

T HE

M AGAZINE

FOR

INDUST RIA L

LE ADER S

ISSUE100 100EARLY ISSUE

CONSTRUCTION

&CIVIL Engineering Crane technology is being driven by innovation The importance of waste as a resource for energy cannot be ignored The industry is moving forwards with Building Information Modelling Hosting a major sports event can bring multiple benefits to a city NEWS: Consortia announced for $22.5bn Riyadh metro NEWS: Transformation work begins on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Crossrail’s London tunnel marathon Below the busy streets of London 26 miles of tunnels are being bored as part of Europe’s largest construction project

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CONTENTS Features

Chairman Andrew Schofield

Major project: Crossrail 2

Group Managing Director Mike Tulloch

At a value of £14.8 bn, Crossrail is Europe’s largest construction project, and will include 42km of bored tunnels

2

Editor Libbie Hammond

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Art Editor Jon Mee

Equipment 8 The technical capabilities of cranes now means that the right specficiation is more important than ever

12

Staff Writers Matt High Jo Cooper Steve Nash Drew Dann

Feature 12 Hosting a major sports event can bring economic benefits along the supply chain

Environment 14 Construction waste can be recycled into power and fuel

Advertising Design Jamie Elvin

Case study 16

Editorial Admin Emma Harris

An MVHR system is cutting heating bills for a domestic user

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

Information technology 20 Building information modelling is growing in importance to the construction industry

PROFILes

16

Rawlplug 22 The innovations that Rawlplug develops are of major benefit to those looking for specialist fixings

OWEC 25 OWEC has embarked on a process that should bring huge developments to the foundations supporting wind turbines

Office Manager Tracy Chynoweth

Brick Development Association 28

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

22

The Brick Development Assocation is a steadfast representative of the masonry industry

SVK 32 One of the largest building materials manufacturers in Europe, SVK has more than 100 years of experience

ECAP 36 © 2013 Schofield Publishing Ltd

ECAP offers advice, information and access to vital technical resources to members

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1 Construction & Civil Engineering

Bell Equipment 40 From humble beginnings, Bell Equipment has evolved into a global leader

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.

Crossrail

Major project: CROSSRAIL

Digging

for success

TBM Elizabeth lowered into main shaft 25 October 2012

2 Construction & Civil Engineering

C

jobs and create at least 75,000 business opportunities right around the country. From Falmouth to Fife, thousands of companies are winning work on the project, more than half of which are SMEs. In London itself, the project’s economic benefits will extend well beyond the construction phase.

Tunnels

Below Right: Crossrail’s Western tunnels Below Left: Crossrail Tunnel Boring Machine cutterhead being installed at Westbourne Park, 31 January 2012

The construction of Crossrail’s rail tunnels is a core element of the building programme and is work that has not been undertaken on this scale in London for over 50 years. Twenty-one kilometres of new twin-bore tunnels are being constructed to deliver the new rail tunnels through which the Crossrail trains will operate. The five tunnels to be constructed are: l Royal Oak to Farringdon west (Drive X) - length of drive approximately 6.4 km l Limmo to Farringdon east (Drive Y) - length of drive approximately 8.3 km l Pudding Mill Lane to Stepney Green (Drive Z) - length of drive approximately 2.7 km l Limmo to Victoria Dock Portal

Crossrail

At a value of £14.8 billion, Crossrail is Europe’s largest construction project – Libbie Hammond takes a look at the extensive tunnelling aspect of the programme

rossrail is among the most significant infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the UK. From improving journey times across London, to easing congestion and offering better connections, Crossrail will change the way people travel around the capital.

Work on the Crossrail project started in May 2009 and there are currently 10,000 people working across over 40 construction sites.

The project is designed to bring an extra one and a half million people to within 45 minutes of central London and it will link London’s key employment, leisure and business districts – Heathrow, West End, the City, Docklands – enabling further economic development.

Furthermore, the construction of Crossrail is generating significant economic benefits through the supply chain, and is providing a stimulus for job creation and growth not just in London, but also throughout the UK. The project will support the equivalent of 55,000 full time

Construction & Civil Engineering 3

Crossrail

www.johnzammit.co.uk Absolute Photography Ltd

Major project: CROSSRAIL

Above: Crossrail’s Connaught Tunnel Left: Crossrail’s Western tunnels

(Drive G) - length of drive approximately 0.9 km l Plumstead to North Woolwich (Drive H) - length of drive approximately 2.6 km Each of these drives will construct both the eastbound and westbound tunnels. All of this adds up to 42 km of bored tunnels located below the busy streets of London.

Eight giant tunnelling boring machines, or TBMs, are being used

4 Construction & Civil Engineering

to construct the new tunnels. Each 1000 tonne machine will weave its way between existing underground lines, sewers, utility tunnels and building foundations from station to station at depths of up to 40m.

A total of seven tunnelling machines are now in operation, and since tunnelling commenced in May 2012, milestones have been reached on almost a monthly basis. The most recent of these occurred on 9th October, when

tunnelling machine Phyllis finished the project’s first train tunnel, 17 months after commencing her 4.2 mile (6.8 km) journey from Royal Oak in west London and Farringdon in central London.

Phyllis’ sister machine, Ada, is in the Holborn area and is due to complete tunnelling during the winter while another six machines will finish tunnelling next year.

Over the weeks following the completion of her tunnel, Phyllis will be dismantled and her 130metre long trailer system will be removed from the tunnel via the recently completed Fisher Street shaft.

At the time of Phyllis’ achievement Andy Mitchell, Crossrail programme director commented: “Crossrail has not only completed its first tunnel under London but has reached the half-way point for our tunnelling machines with 13 miles of tunnels constructed to date. A further six tunnelling machines are currently hard at work constructing over

Crossrail

Above: Stepney Green shaft tunnelling Right: Crossrail’s Western tunnels

Crossrail

100 metres of new tunnel each day with major tunnelling due to complete next year.”

While Phyllis may have finished her work, the others are still going strong - in south-east London, TBMs Sophia and Mary have reached the Woolwich station box with Sophia now heading towards North Woolwich. The eastern tunnelling machines Elizabeth and Victoria are making great progress, with Elizabeth expected to break through into Stepney within November. Jessica is expected at Stepney by the end of the year and the final TBM, Ellie, is expected to launch early in 2014.

As a matter of interest, the naming of tunnel boring machines (TBMs) after women is a long-held tunnelling tradition. Tunnelling machines Ada and Phyllis were named after early computer scientist Ada Lovelace and Phyllis Pearsall who created the London A-Z, while Jessica is named for gold medal Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill.

Each of these tunnelling machines is a 1000 tonne, 150 metres long underground factory with 20 person ‘tunnel gangs’ working in shifts. At their peak, the tunnelling machines aim for around 100 metres of tunnelling progress per week - as the tunnelling machines move forward, precast concrete segments are built in rings behind - 250,000 tunnel segments will be used to line the 42 kilometres of tunnels.

Although the tunnelling teams

are achieving great results on a daily basis, some of their successes are more important than others.

For example, in September the tunnelling team completed a major part of the Connaught tunnel refurbishment ahead of schedule.

The tunnel was built in 1878 and has not been in passenger use since December 2006. It is the only existing tunnel that will be re-used for Crossrail.

Earlier in the year, dam walls were installed in a section of the

Construction & Civil Engineering 5

Crossrail

Royal Docks that runs above the tunnel to allow Crossrail workers to access the tunnel from above. A cofferdam the size of a football pitch was put in place and 13 million litres of water were drained from the Royal Docks.

This allowed workers to deepen, widen and strengthen the central section of the tunnel so that it can accommodate new Crossrail trains.

Sections of the tunnel were in a poor condition and parts of it were narrowed during the 1930s so that the dock could be deepened to accommodate larger ships with brickwork removed and steel segments installed. This material had to be removed and a larger, stronger structure put in place in preparation for the start of Crossrail services in 2018.

The work had to be completed by the first week of September to allow ships to pass through the dock ahead of a trade exhibition at ExCeL London. Following three months of work around the clock, construction was finished, the dam walls were removed and the dock was re-opened.

6 Construction & Civil Engineering

Crossrail

Major project: CROSSRAIL

Above: Whitechapel Crossrail Station tunnelling works Bottom left: Tunnelling at Hanover Square site Bond Street Crossrail station

Discussing this part of the project, Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail chief executive noted: “In refurbishing this Victorian rail tunnel, the team at Connaught has had to think on its feet and overcome some unique challenges.

It is a source of great pride that our engineers and everyone on the project continue to deliver, often in difficult and complex circumstances.”

Linda Miller, Connaught tunnel project manager added: “It was a race against the clock to get the work completed and the dock re-flooded, so it’s great news that we’ve got it finished ahead of schedule.”

With an unprecedented level of tunnelling and underground construction work due to take place in the UK, the Crossrail team also realised it needed to look at the bigger picture and deliver a new generation of workers with the right engineering skills and expertise.

As a result it has established a dedicated academy not only

to train the next generation of engineers but also to upskill people already working in the wider industry. The £13 million Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy in Ilford plays a leading role in supporting the Crossrail project, but will also support future projects such as Thames Tideway and HS2. Crossrail has also created nearly 250 apprenticeships including engineering roles, with at least 400 to be delivered during the lifetime of the project, and established a graduate scheme with the first graduates starting in Autumn 2013.

The establishment of the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) is central to Crossrail’s delivery plans and its legacy to the industry.

TUCA will not only ensure that Crossrail has the skills needed for its construction but will be retained post-Crossrail as a specialist training centre for other tunnelling projects thereby acting as a legacy to the UK construction industry. m

Industry News Transformation work begins Work to transform the Stadium in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park into a year round multi-use venue to deliver a permanent sporting, cultural and community legacy in east London has begun.

In contracts worth over £67m, London Legacy Development Corporation on behalf of the E20 Stadium LLP has started the work through contractor Carey’s PLC, who has begun removing 25,000 seats and the grass field of play to prepare the ground for Balfour Beatty Group Ltd to start taking down the existing roof later in the autumn.

A new roof – twice the size of the original at around 45,000sq metres - will then be built and lifted into position by spring 2015. It will cover every seat in the ground and improve the acoustics and spectator experience for football matches, other sporting events and concerts.

Work to erect the new roof will be completed by spring 2015 when final preparations for the Rugby World Cup will take place including installing concessions, toilets, turnstiles, hospitality areas and laying the pitch for the five World Cup matches that will take place at the Stadium between September

Safe and quick

and October 2015.

Following the Rugby World Cup, final work will be carried out to prepare the Stadium for its long term tenants West Ham United FC and UK Athletics.

London Legacy Development Corporation Chief Executive Dennis Hone said: “These works will ensure the Stadium will be a flexible venue used throughout the year, delivering a truly lasting legacy in east London. From the lighting of the cauldron to 2012 stars like Mo Farah, Hannah Cockcroft and Usain Bolt storming to victory, this iconic Stadium holds some special memories. Today paves the way for the Stadium’s next chapter and I am sure it will host many more inspirational moments over the decades to come”

www.londonlegacy.co.uk

Harsco Infrastructure is helping to improve the Gloucestershire road network with its involvement in a major viaduct construction programme that is taking place near Tewksbury.

Harsco has supplied a formwork and safety system allowing for the Bushley and nearby Ripple viaducts to be replaced in a staged process.

In Phase 1 the two eastbound carriageway viaducts were re-built, while the westbound viaducts temporarily carried both traffic directions. The second phase will see the westbound viaducts demolished and replaced with new ones with the new eastbound viaducts carrying both traffic directions. The same work is being carried out simultaneously on Bushley and Ripple bridges. The continuously changing nature of the project has demanded a flexible and adaptable approach from Harsco.

While new concrete bridge surfaces are being created on site, Harsco’s Multiform cantilever parapet bracket system is being used to allow the construction of new parapets. It provides a quick and safe cantilever formwork for the new parapets to be built in-situ. Harsco’s EXTRAGUARDT edge protection system is also being used on the project to ensure the highest levels of site safety for the site operatives.

“The Multiform system allows us to build the pre-assembled brackets into standard size units and then simply crane them into position,” says Tony Nicholls, managing director of specialist project contractor, Midland Reinforced Concrete. “This significantly reduces the need for any work at height, and once the parapets are poured we can crane the units down ready to be moved to another area. It’s a solution that’s both very safe and very quick to use.”

www.harsco-i.com

Construction & Civil Engineering 7

EQUIPMENT

Driving

forward

Crane metamorphosis is driven by innovation.

By Gordon Adie

C

ranes come in all shapes and sizes, with a massive variety in terms of their lifting capabilities. And whilst this is a landscape that hasn’t really changed much over the years, with the exception of what and how they lift, it is a different picture when their technical capabilities are taken into consideration. In fact it goes without saying, and not surprisingly so, that today’s cranes are more technically capable than ever before. With this in mind, and as with any manner of capital equipment procurement, assessing and stipulating exact lifting requirements is a pre-requisite from the outset. But that’s not all, maximising their capabilities onsite is of equal importance, and this is where crane safety and operator training can help deliver not just a

8 Construction & Civil Engineering

safer environment, but also a more productive one in the process.

Below, Konecranes – a world leading manufacturer of lifting – looks at the technological advancements that are changing the face of the lifting world, whilst also considering what makes for a safer working and more productive lifting environment.

Innovation Recent innovations in smart design and manufacturing are the main drivers behind new crane technology. The latest generation cranes are more modular, adaptable and intelligent than ever before. What’s more, technological advances in these areas have enabled cranes to be manufactured so that they are more compact and energy efficient.

For example, some new cranes offer robust, intelligently designed modules that can be easily configured to meet a wide variety of needs. With this new type of crane technology, users can change or add new features over time depending on the business need. Additional features available in today’s environment include remote diagnostics, maintenance monitoring or automated positioning. Not surprisingly, new breeds of cranes such as these can scale with a business, enabling companies to be more efficient and realise a greater return on investment in the process.

Furthermore, and helping to deliver further operational efficiencies, new generation cranes can be equipped with intelligent service panels, allowing operators to diagnose and correct faults more quickly. In essence, they operate by the crane detecting its condition automatically and

then communicating this to the operator via the service panel.

Indeed such is the sophistication of this technology that it can also recommend preventative service measures and inspections, so businesses can make smarter maintenance decisions. Not only does this help to deliver production efficiencies, it can go a long way to potentially extending the lifecycle of the product. Fundamentally, it can play a massive part in helping prevent the scourge of unwanted and costly product downtime. But that’s not all, some new cranes even have remote monitoring capabilities, ensuring constant and consistent equipment support, in any location.

In addition to maintenance monitoring, some new systems can also detect the load weight and positioning, ensuring operators make smarter decisions relative to the available working environment.

Innovation also comes in the form of a crane with optimised pulley rope angles, which extend the life of wire hoisting ropes. This makes the angles smaller, reducing wear on the rope. Smart systems also communicate the condition of wire ropes and recommend replacement when needed.

Additionally, new cranes are designed to be more energy efficient. New crane technology where cranes operate in a process environment can be equipped with technology that cycles energy back into the power grid, which greatly mitigates overall energy consumption and costs.

Some cranes are even being manufactured using recyclable materials, which in turn supports a company’s goal of being more environmentally responsible.

Not surprisingly, new crane technology is the driving force behind delivering a new generation of cranes that greatly supersede those of yesteryear.

Cranes operating in process environments, where the duty is 24/7, such as waste to energy or paper roll storage, are today always fully automated, no driver, touch screen control for adjustments and maintenance purposes are always equipped with Konecranes DynaReg technology, where power generated by the crane in the lowering part of the work cycle is returned to the power network.

Not surprisingly, new crane technology is the driving force behind delivering a new generation of cranes that greatly supersede those of yesteryear. So with innovation abound, companies can increase uptime, save on maintenance and energy costs and extend the life of their investments.

Crane safety Irrespective of a crane’s operating environment, it is critical that

Construction & Civil Engineering 9

EQUIPMENT

those who are tasked with operating them are properly trained to do so. Not only could it prove catastrophic if safety is not classed as the number one priority, but productivity in use is also going to be compromised.

And whilst today’s cranes come equipped with a variety of builtin safety features, it is essential to learn crane safety techniques.

Crane incidents (near hits, near misses & accidents) are often a result of operator error. Studies have shown that human error plays a role in over 80 per cent of overhead lifting equipment accidents. Not surprisingly, any crane manufacturer worth their salt should put a strong emphasis on crane safety in any course that covers crane operation, crane maintenance or crane inspection.

Minimising accidents Advances in crane safety technology have lowered the risks associated with crane operation, but proper crane safety techniques practiced by crane operators, maintenance personnel and other employees continue to be of critical importance in minimising the incidence of accidents, whilst increasing productivity in the process. Due to their power, cranes need to be operated with respect and knowledge. All personnel responsible for crane operation need to be extensively trained in crane safety techniques and crane operation to assure safe handling of the equipment. The crane operator also must be knowledgeable and proficient in safely rigging the crane, know how to maintain control of the load at all times, and be able to recognise potential hazards and know how to avoid them.

Other crane safety techniques

10 Construction & Civil Engineering

that should be incorporated in training include ways to control load swing, the primary rules of safe crane operation, knowledge of crane operator regulations, understanding and ability to demonstrate all hand signals, precision lifts and accurate load spotting, and ability to identify and understand all major crane components and assemblies.

As with most things in life, metamorphosis is central to how they evolve. And when it comes to cranes, this is being driven by ongoing advances in innovation, be it in relation to technologies deployed to control and operate them or the materials used in their fabrication. What’s also important is how the landscape is evolving in respect to crane safety in use,

with the added benefit of driving forward the productivity of such capital equipment in the process and for the benefit of everyone involved. m

Gordon Adie is managing director industrial cranes, Konecranes UK. With a 500 plus UK workforce, which includes the country’s largest crane service team of some 230 technicians, Konecranes is a world-leading group of lifting businesses, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Regardless of a customer’s lifting needs, Konecranes is committed to providing an equipment and services offering that increase the value and effectiveness of a business.

www.konecranes.co.uk

Industry News The future in plumbing?

Leading plumbing products and systems manufacturer Pegler Yorkshire claims to have launched the future in domestic plumbing for the UK. The company has drawn on 125 years of British manufacturing to create the unique Tectite Flexible Metal system, a product like no other on the market.

Tectite utilises multi-layer composite pipe (MLCP) tubing, which is constructed using a thin layer of aluminium flanked by cross-linked polyethylene, an environmentally friendly, industrialstrength plastic.

This offers installers and specifiers the perfect balance between the integrity of metal and the flexibility of plastic. Indeed, Tectite is malleable enough to be shaped by hand, yet it is more resistant to warping than plastic piping, and it can handle temperatures of more than 100°C and working pressures up to 16 bar.

Designed for installation alongside the high-performance metal push-fit fittings range from Pegler Yorkshire, jointing does not require any expensive tooling - and is twice as quick as the capillary method, thanks to the use of prelubricated seals.

Says Aaron Carter, Tectite’s marketing manager: “The Tectite brand by Pegler Yorkshire has made this technology available to the UK installer. It adds up to a highperformance, flexible system that offers a long working life, greatly reduced system noise and a swift, efficient installation.”

www.pegleryorkshire.co.uk

Five in a row

Final phase A major regeneration scheme in Yorkshire is one step closer to being completed after Keepmoat was announced as the preferred developer for the final three phases of the scheme.

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has appointed Keepmoat as the preferred developer at its Allerton Bywater Millennium Community Development at Park Lane in Allerton Bywater.

The £30 million scheme will see the development of 162 two, three and four bedroom homes for sale and 29 two bedroom apartments and three and four bedroom homes for affordable rent. In addition to the new homes, Keepmoat will also develop 30,000 sq. ft. of commercial development, which will be located on Park Lane.

All properties will be developed to the Government’s Code for Sustainable Homes level 3, making them energy efficient, and also meet both the Building for Life and Lifetime Homes standards.

www.keepmoat.com

Need for apprenticeships Planning permission has been granted on 400,000 homes in England where no work has yet begun. Freeing up cash from Local Authorities to start house building would not only help the chronic housing shortage but also create much needed skill training for unemployed youngsters claims a property entrepreneur. “To provide the new homes that are required we need to be building something like 200,000 new houses each year,” said Will Davies, founder and MD of property maintenance and refurbishment company aspect.co.uk “Local Authority building eases the pressure on the private market but it would also necessitate 1000s of new apprenticeships for young tradesmen.

For the fifth year running, Hewden, one of the UK’s largest plant and equipment hirers, has achieved Gold in the prestigious Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Occupational Health and Safety Awards. In doing so, Hewden becomes the first plant rental company to achieve Gold for five years in a row.

Dating back 57 years, the RoSPA Awards scheme is the largest and longest-running programme of its kind in the UK. It recognises commitment to accident and ill health prevention and is open to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes from across the UK and overseas. The scheme not only looks at accident records, but also entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

David Rawlins, RoSPA’s awards manager, said: “RoSPA firmly believes that organisations that demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement in accident and ill health prevention deserve recognition.

Hewden has shown that it is committed to striving for such continuous improvement and we are delighted to honour it through the presentation of an award.”

www.hewden.co.uk

Construction & Civil Engineering 11

FEATURE

T

The

needto

plan

here is little doubt that the London Olympics of 2012 were magical.

Without question they demonstrated the powerful effect a major sports event can have on a city, a generation and a nation. London was alive with hope and energised with optimism even when global economic forecasts predicted otherwise.

One year on from a successful London Olympics, with the warm afterglow still burning brightly and while legacy commitments continue to take shape, attention is quickly being refocused on the next major sports events on the horizon. The story of London is not complete, but we have already begun a new chapter of another book.

The cycle of bidding, short listing, winning, planning, hosting and staging a major sports event together with the responsibility of bequeathing a legacy is a complex and protracted journey lasting as many as ten years. Until recently, this cycle has seen a role call of European and American cities step forward. Many, like London, promoted urban rejuvenation, economic reinvigoration, financial responsibility, environmental sustainability and a generation inspired. The same issues that you might find at a G8 summit. But the world, like the G8 is changing at a

International sport – a growing market that circles the world. By Andrew Grounsell

12 Construction & Civil Engineering

furious pace. The Beijing Olympics of 2008 were the wake up call.

I believe the lure of global selfpromotion is too potent for many expanding cities and emerging nations to resist. Take a look at the coastal and mountain clusters for Russia’s first ever Winter Olympics at Sochi in 2014 and you will see strident examples of a confident new Russia creating new resorts on its hitherto neglected Black Sea coast. The investment is eye watering, estimated at $57 billion, more than four times the cost of the London Olympics.

Exclusive club The phenomenal economic growth that has taken place in Asia and other BRICS nations in the 21st century is increasingly demanding global attention and recognition. Hosting a major sports event is undoubtedly part of that recognition, opening up membership to a very exclusive club of host cities.

The trend can only continue as the economic powerhouses of Asia, the oil rich Gulf States and the new gas wealth of the former Soviet Republics drive expansion. Emerging cites vie with one another for the spotlight.

Look no further than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to see how alluring major sporting events can be. So captivating is the idea and so global is the opportunity that the Qataris will try to reverse the laws of physics to allow football to be played in 50°C heat, cooled to a FIFA compliant temperature to avoid mass heat exhaustion among the players. Thankfully, the stadia are cleverly designed to be demountable and will be shipped to developing nations with less demanding climates as part of the

legacy commitment.

A similar story of rising aspirations is coming out of Asia.

The Asian Games have grown into a major international event, featuring more than 30 different sports and attracting over 10,000 athletes, second in size only to the Olympics themselves. They are a major prize for any city seeking to promote itself on the world stage. Such is the rate of growth in Asia that so called ‘second cities’ are now able to host the event.

Guangzhou in China was host in 2010 and four years later the Asian Games will be in Incheon in South Korea. Incheon is able to offer an iconic competition stadium, new state of the art sports venues and athlete village supported by a new airport, transport system and infrastructure.

A matter of time Blessed with huge reserves of gas, it is surely only a matter of time before some of the former Soviet Republics and Turkic states begin to take an interest. Istanbul is already a leading contender for the Olympics in 2020 and Ashgabat in Turkmenistan is already set to host the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2017.

We have seen the first World Cup in Asia, the first World Cup in Africa, the first Olympics in China and cities continue to compete ardently for the opportunity to play host. The increasing globalisation of sport seems set to continue. It is definitely an exciting time to be involved in major sporting events.

Any major international sports event requires careful master planning from the earliest stages.

Central to a successful outcome are the competition and training

Hosting a major sports event is undoubtedly part of that recognition, opening up membership to a very exclusive club of host cities venues themselves. Often iconic and inspirational, they must also operate smoothly, quietly and efficiently. Equally important is the spectacle of the event presentation itself. A memorable fan experience is a prerequisite. Later, political and economic success is often judged by the legacy a sporting event leaves behind when the cameras have all been packed away. m

Andrew Grounsell is co-director of space sport, a specialist division of space group focusing on international sports venues and event overlay design.

www.spacegroup.co.uk Space group has diversified significantly over the past few years and now also spans a number of other companies including: BIM.Technologies (www.bimtechnologies.co.uk) bimstore (bimstore.co.uk/index.php) and volula (www.volula.co.uk)

Construction & Civil Engineering 13

ENVIRONMENT

A

useful resource W

Rolf Stein discusses recycling waste into power & fuel

e are faced with a critical waste management problem, which is set to continue as we return to economic growth and rising industrial outputs. With landfill gate fees rising and space becoming exhausted, shipping truckloads of waste to landfill sites is no longer a sustainable waste

14 Construction & Civil Engineering

management solution for industry.

There is an urgent need to develop and deploy efficient waste management technologies as alternative treatment and disposal options become less viable. Much of the emphasis in government policy has been to encourage waste avoidance and reduction through increasing gate fees and recycling targets. This focus on producing less waste, consuming less and

recycling more is to be welcomed, but residual waste streams will continue to exist. However, the residual waste that cannot be reused need not be a burden. With the right technology it can be viewed as a valuable resource.

Energy intensive users and heavy industry could reap the rewards of on-site waste to energy and fuels technologies that exist today. Advanced gasification technologies deliver a highly efficient waste conversion process, a competitive source of energy and an effective zero waste solution, enabling companies to comply with a progressively challenging regulatory environment as well as acting on their corporate and social responsibility targets and insulating themselves from the gas markets, supply chains and their associated costs.

Advanced waste-to-energy and fuels technologies efficiently

Energy intensive users and heavy industry could reap the rewards of on-site waste to energy and fuels technologies that exist today Swindon Gasplasma Plant produce a very clean synthesis gas directly from industrial, commercial and municipal residual waste. This syngas is suitable for further processing, making it the ideal solution for downstream applications in power, fuel and chemical production. The more advanced technologies on the market today are highly efficient, with low emissions and no waste outputs meaning they can fit into compact warehouses.

Thus, on-site conversion plants could enable industry to join the circular economy; using their own waste to generate heat power and fuels. With this technology slowly becoming a commercial reality, we are beginning to see a complete paradigm shift in waste management.

The fact that the industrial waste can be processed directly on-site means that plants are guaranteed to have a secure and abundant source of fuel, not just power and heat. There is an enormous potential for hydrogen users to benefit from on-site advanced conversion technologies, too. The price of converting syngas into hydrogen is lower than the cost of converting natural gas into

hydrogen. The small amounts of sulphur, chlorine and ammonia compounds can be easily removed and the water gas shift reaction used to change hydrogen content.

This means that in many cases the overall cost of using a waste to energy and fuels plant to generate hydrogen will be significantly lower and more predictable than the cost of using natural gas and steam reformation.

Several advanced conversion technology companies already have projects in the pipeline.

For example, Advanced Plasma Power, a UK-based waste to energy technology plant, has been selected by the Energy Technologies Institute as one of three consortia that will compete to design the most cost-effective, economically viable and efficient commercial energy from waste demonstrator plant possible.

In the UK, Air Products is developing the world’s largest renewable energy plant on Teesside, which will use advanced conversion technology. Once commercialised, the facility will divert up to 350,000 metric tons of non-recyclable waste from landfill per year in addition to

providing renewable power for nearly 50,000 homes.

The importance of waste as a resource for energy cannot be ignored, given its huge potential for industry and local communities alike. The ability of waste-to-energy technologies to provide fuel, heat, and power at both a macro and micro level will revolutionise waste management, as well as ensuring sustainable, local energy sources. m

Rolf Stein is CEO at Advanced Plasma Power Limited (APP), a world leader in advanced waste-toenergy and advanced fuels technology. APP is revolutionising the way in which we treat waste sustainably by maximising the value from it as a source of materials and energy while minimising the impact of waste on the environment.

www.advancedplasmapower.com

Construction & Civil Engineering 15

CASE STUDY

A

breathof

fresh air

MVHR system cuts heating bills by a quarter

T

here are few better examples of the benefits provided by an MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) system than that of the Kwan household in Ipswich. The property illustrates many of the issues associated with modern homes, which, despite being

16 Construction & Civil Engineering

designed to current Building Regulations, often fail to live up to homeowner expectations. In the case of the Kwan household, that meant minimum energy efficiency and ongoing issues associated with condensation caused by lack of ventilation.

Inadequate ventilation of certain areas such as the kitchen

and cloakroom, were causing additional concerns over poor air quality. This is a problem in many modern homes where high levels of airtightness, for example around windows and roofline, means that air is effectively ‘trapped’ inside the property and quickly becomes stale and moisture-laden.

This is exacerbated by cooking,

Once installed the MVHR system from ADM Systems was effective from the moment it was switched on

bathing and people breathing, which can create up to 18 litres of moisture per person, per day and left unchecked, leads to mould growth and fusty smells.

An MVHR system can help because it reduces relative humidity to below 70 per cent, which means reduced condensation. It also improves

energy efficiency by recovering over 90 per cent of the heat from the outgoing stale air, feeding it back into the house as warm, fresh, filtered air.

Background Mr Kwan contacted several companies offering MVHR systems and after evaluating all the

proposals, chose ADM because they provided the most comprehensive, tailored response.

“From my initial enquiry to final sign off, the support from ADM was impeccable,” said Mr Kwan.

“ADM’s approach to choosing the best solution for my property was extremely thorough and well thought out.” Mr Kwan was

Construction & Civil Engineering 17

CASE STUDY

delighted that as soon as the MVHR system was installed it was “saving money and creating a much healthier environment”. In fact, Mr Kwan estimates that he is saving around a quarter of his heating bills and has completely eradicated all the issues associated with lack of ventilation.

Mr Kwan is happy to extol the benefits of an MVHR system from ADM, and explains: “About a year and a half ago, we started to look into improving the efficiency of our house with the cost of energy rising.

“This got me thinking about ventilation and ways to improve it.

Living in a modern house that was built in 2005 meant we already had extractor fans in all bathrooms, along with a cooker hood in the kitchen and trickle vents in all windows.

“However, condensation remained a problem, not so much in the bathrooms, as we used the extractor fans, but in the bedrooms. Each morning over the winter period all the bedroom windows would have a considerable amount of condensation on the glass and the rooms felt stuffy.”

Mr Kwan had a concern over the downstairs cloakroom too, which has no window and therefore lacked direct ventilation to the outside. This was far from an ideal

18 Construction & Civil Engineering

A typical heat recovery ventilation system layout situation considering that the space is used to store warm, often wet, items of clothing and footwear. The result was stale odours that were proving difficult to mitigate.

On top of all that, kitchen smells were creating a problem, even with the extractor hood, as they still tended to linger for hours after cooking. Improvements to the house, including the creation of a more open plan ground floor, meant that the problem of smells and moisture laden air from the kitchen needed to be resolved to get the full benefit from the new layout.

The benefits Installation of Mr Kwan’s MVHR system was relatively simple and straightforward, which was helped by the fact that ADM Systems supplied all the necessary documentation. “We really liked working with ADM because if we had any issues the company was always there to offer advice.”

Once installed the MVHR system from ADM Systems was effective from the moment it was switched on. Due to the building work, much of the downstairs needed to dry out from all the plastering and new floors and, again, the MVHR system helped because it constantly

circulates fresh, conditioned air, helping to dry out the plaster quicker.

“Once the engineers from ADM had commissioned and balanced the system it has run faultlessly ever since,” added Mr Kwan. “One year on and things are as good as the day it was switched on. We no longer have any condensation problems, cooking smells are very quickly removed from our new open plan ground floor kitchen.

“The cloakroom with no window always smells fresh, stale smells are a thing of the past and now we have no noisy extractor fans in any of the bathrooms. The house generally feels much fresher to live in.”

Mr Kwan added: “I definitely notice how stuffy other people’s houses are that do not have an MVHR system. I don’t think that I could live in a property without it any more, having experienced the difference that it makes”.

Mr Kwan summed it up by saying: “Efficiency-wise, I would estimate 20 – 25 per cent improvement in my heating bills, so overall I am very pleased as we are saving money and have created a much healthier environment for my family.” m

www.admsystems.co.uk

Industry News Essential training Employers in the construction and maintenance sectors are now being offered innovative training partnerships to safeguard employees who work in or around water.

Most people in the construction industry relate the term ‘health and safety’ to hazards such as asbestos, manual handling, machinery work equipment and working at heights. However, for projects near, on or in water, the water itself is a very real hazard – the severity of which can be overlooked or misunderstood, with fatal consequences.

The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS UK), the drowning prevention charity, now offers its flagship occupational watersafety training programme, the National Water Safety Management Programme (NWSMP) on a licensed ‘training partnership’ agreement. NWSMP is a suite of interlinked training awards which offers a flexible approach to water safety training.

Courses have been specifically designed to help employers protect employees working near, or close, to water.

Cliff Nelson, course programme manager at the RLSS UK, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the construction industry.

Most of the challenges presented by construction around water can be overcome with simple, straightforward controls, underpinned by effective water-hazard awareness – which is what NWSMP delivers.”

He added: “Sadly, drowning remains a very real danger. Each year 450 people lose their lives in a water related incident, many of these fatalities could be avoided with better safety precautions and knowledge of how to effectively deal with an incident when it occurs.”

www.rlss.org.uk

Final phase

Multi-million pound contracts The Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) has announced the two winning international consortia who will oversee the design and construction of Riyadh’s new $22.5 billion metro system. The contract awards are the next major step in the development of the largest public transport project in the world - the Riyadh Public Transport Project.

Riyadh Metro Transit Consultants (RMTC), a joint venture between US firm Parsons and French firms Egis and Systra, has been awarded the first project and construction management contract. RMTC will be responsible for managing metro lines 1, 2 and 3.

These lines will be designed and built by the BACS and Arriyadh New Mobility group consortia. The contract is valued at $556 million.

Riyadh Advanced Metro Project Execution and Delivery (RAMPED), a joint venture between Louis Berger and Hill International, was awarded the second contract to manage metro lines 4, 5 and 6. These lines will be designed and built by the FAST consortium. The contract is valued at $264 million.

Bachy Soletanche, one of the UK’s leading geotechnical specialists, has undertaken ground works on the final phase of the Crossrail C340 Royal Victoria Dock Portal. The project, worth £3,000,000, has seen the geotechnical experts working for main contractor, Taylor Woodrow, and UK construction company VINCI. The works, commissioned

by Crossrail, are centred on a narrow site between a residential road and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

The installation of the 175m long hard/firm secant piled portal box began in April 2013. The portal box consists of a temporary soft/soft wall at one end of the structure and a glass fibre reinforced ‘Soft Eye’ wall at the other.

More than 380 CFA and LDA piles have been installed at the site, including 1200mm diameter by 19.8 depth CFA primary piles and 1180mm diameter by 19.8 depth rotary primary piles.

As part of the works Bachy introduced four rigs to the site; 1no. CFA for primary (female) piles, 2no. heavy duty LDA rotary rigs for secondary (male) piles and one rotary rig, which installed full depth castings up to 20m long and was extracted with casing oscillators.

Due to the confined nature of the site all support cranes were telescopic and worked to assist the installation of full depth reinforcement cages, with two layers of void formers to aid later slab connection.

www.bacsol.co.uk

Construction & Civil Engineering 19

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

A

model approach

The future of BIM. By Paul Waldeck

I

f anyone had any doubts about the importance of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to the future of the construction industry, then the Government’s recent policy paper has surely allayed any misgivings.

Construction 2025, published in July, states that the Government will mandate BIM for all centrally procured Government contracts from 2016. The strategy also states that in order to meet the local and global opportunities presented by green construction, smart construction and digital design, the industry must invest in people and technology.

Since the recession thousands of jobs have been lost and along with them the skills which will be needed to support a sustainable economic recovery. Worryingly, many companies are seeking an offshore solution to the skills crisis

by outsourcing large amounts of work to overseas countries. At Waldeck, however, we’re creating an onshore British solution by launching our own BIM Academy to train school leavers and graduates in digital design.

Speaking from our own personal experience, our efforts to invest in people and technology has certainly paid dividends as our knowledge and experience of BIM has been instrumental in many of the company’s recent contract wins. Furthermore, one of the projects we’re currently working on – the redevelopment of London Bridge Station – has recently been named BIM Initiative of the Year at the Building Awards 2013.

Working alongside Charcon Specialist Products and main contractor Costain we produced a detailed, as-built 3D model of the station, which was a complex job as the platforms had to incorporate all of the mechanical, electrical and

plumbing services. Using Tekla we were able to input all of this information and also integrate our 3D model with the designer’s 3D model of the existing building and the new structure.

The new station consists of 15 station platforms varying from 250 to 400 metres in length and each one has hundreds of units which all had to be individually designed and detailed. This was made more challenging because the precast concrete units which make up the platforms are supported on an in situ concrete slab that is constructed on top of the brick arches of the original London Bridge station and an existing three-span steel bridge structure.

Waldeck’s BIM and ‘off-site’ know-how has simplified the production of the manufacturing information, as drawings and casting schedules could be updated and produced automatically as the model progressed. They were also

London Bridge 3D BIM Images

20 Construction & Civil Engineering

London Bridge 3D BIM Images

able to start off with a standard template unit and then modify each one accordingly, identifying any potential problems or discrepancies well in advance of the construction phase, thereby saving time and money but also creating certainty.

As an added complication, one end of the London Bridge station platform also has to interface with The Shard, but BIM has enabled us to ensure that the two projects are fully aligned and resolve any clashes or conflicts to the mutual satisfaction of all interested parties.

So while Waldeck has been on the BIM journey for several years already and has seen the industry benefits at first hand, it understands that with software developers fighting to corner the marketplace and each wishing to become the industry standard, many engineering and design consultants are not sure where to turn.

Clients are more frequently requesting that projects be delivered in a specific file format, and short of spending tens of thousands of pounds investing in all the major software players out there, consultants are faced with sticking to the one which best suits their needs and converting their output.

Having experience of collaborating between all four of these software developers,

Waldeck’s BIM and ‘off-site’ know-how has simplified the production of the manufacturing information, as drawings and casting schedules could be updated and produced automatically as the model progressed

Waldeck’s BIM designers and technicians have found it can take hours of phone calls, emails and sending extremely large files between themselves and other members of the design team to find a workable model. This should not be a problem, as salesmen effortlessly reel off lists of all the formats that their software is compatible with, so no matter what your clients want, you can meet their needs they tell them.

Yet underneath the sea of format acronyms, there is cause for concern. IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) is part of ISO 16739:2013, and although many developers supposedly support it, results can vary.

Although the majority of objects within models display, certain forms are simply not supported and either do not appear or are inaccurate and unusable wireframes. This can mean switching to other formats such as IGS, STEP or DXF and purchasing proprietary software to convert incoming files to usable formats at the consultant’s expense, as well as even more hours wasted trying to find the best output.

Some developers offer plug-ins

or extensions with ‘direct links’ to one another, which can offer better results but not unfortunately always the seamless transfer which all the brochures profess will revolutionise your productivity and profit margins. Sometimes the simplest and quickest solution is to work with what you have, filling in the gaps with 2D drawings, which is not always ideal.

Developers need to make sure they truly are interoperable or risk customers moving to their rivals to suit the requirements of their clients.

There is a steep learning experience for all involved but it is very positive to see that things are improving as we see the industry invest and move forward in the world of BIM. m

Paul Waldeck is the founder of Waldeck. Waldeck is a multi-award winning professional services business operating in the energy & infrastructure; multi-modal & e-commerce logistics; manufacturing and natural & built environment industries. It provides multi-disciplinary consultancy, design and project delivery advice.

www.waldeckconsulting.com

Construction & Civil Engineering 21

RAWLPLUG

The

perfect

fix

Rawlplug’s latest innovations offer even more benefits to those looking for specialist fixing systems

22 Construction & Civil Engineering

A

globally recognised first choice brand, for over 90 years Rawlplug has been manufacturing specialist anchoring and fixing systems that are synonymous with innovation, reliability, and safety. Part of the Koelner Group, based in Poland, today the company produces hundreds of millions of specialist fixings a year, which are supplied to almost every market worldwide. These are delivered through subsidiaries in Glasgow, Scandinavia, Ireland, France, and the UAE. “We are focused on three different sales channels,” continues UK managing director Mattias Andersson.

“We are a professional name in the trade and DIY market, and also heavily involved in the construction sector where we have a very well respected and experienced technical team. An area that is growing very fast at present is the OEM industry, where we

work with many leading industry names – that’s the beauty of having a generic brand.”

Over the last few years though Rawlplug has also been focusing on strengthening its core business of own-manufactured products, including innovation, premium quality, and high service levels.

Innovation is particularly important to the business, which maintains an R&D presence in four different locations. “The first of these is in Glasgow where we develop all the mechanical fixings, then we have a facility for plastic and general fixings, another for circular saw blades, cutting tools and drills, and a fourth for screws and nails.

So far this year we have already produced 30 European approvals, plus 50 local approvals for different localised markets such as Poland, Bulgaria, Sweden, and Norway,” highlights Mattias.

One area where these developments are having an impact is the green build and eco-funding movement within UK construction.

In fact one such product created for the OEM sector was named the Most Innovative Fixing 2012, and is now being launched to the market. “This is an insulation fixing with zero thermal bridges,” explains Mattias. “We’ve also made it easy to install with just two steps instead of four so it’s more efficient and offers

green construction in Europe, and the rest of the world.”

He continues: “We also have new items in the other product groups including two through bolt mechanical anchors, which are now being launched and are a very important part of our future development within mechanical fixings, and a new concrete bolt called HLX. In the chemical anchor range, or resins, we have two very interesting developments.

“The first is the CFS self-bursting system, which means instead of buying a cartridge with a foil inside for use in a silicon gun for example, you only need buy the foil instead. This removes the cartridge waste, which is very expensive to dispose of, and is much faster, more economic and eco-friendly.

Then there is the R-Kem 2 resin system, which is approved for use

significant energy savings. This comes as part of the sustainable strategy that we are developing within all of our sales areas as we want to be involved in the move to

'2/50

ision V g n i Turn Reality into

AAI is a third party logistics provider, managing the transportation of goods by sea, air and road, to and from the worldwide market on a daily basis.

With warehouses throughout the UK, and worldwide locations, both Bonded and HMRC approved, we are well established to provide clients with a Unique and specialised service tailored to their every need.

With our global network in over 150 countries around the world, we provide our clients with local contacts for their movements to locations far beyond that of the UK.

www.aai-intl.co.uk Offices in London - Glasgow - Leeds

Construction & Civil Engineering 23

RAWLPLUG

on 16 different substrates meaning that customers only need buy one product for all their needs. There is nothing else like it on the market in terms of universal use.”

The greatest challenge that Rawlplug now faces is getting these products accepted within the market consensus. “We believe it is the future of resins, but the industries we work in are quite conservative and so it takes some time to move them away from something they have used for many years,” describes Mattias.

“When they start to use our products though, they soon see the benefits in terms of time and cost efficiency, as well as environmental impact. It’s about educating people throughout the whole chain from engineers to the people using and installing these systems at the

frontline.”

After a period of depression following the financial crisis, Rawlplug is welcoming the positive reports coming out of the UK construction market. Whilst this may not immediately mean an increase in market share, it does provide the momentum to grow

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24 Construction & Civil Engineering

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the fundamental business model.

“For the next three to five years our core strategy in general is focused on efficiency, growth and maintaining the innovation delivered so far,” outlines Mattias.

“We want to become the market leader within each sales channel we operate in, and number one in each strategic product group in terms of innovation, quality, know-how and technical support.

We want to be the best in everything that we do and if we feel we cannot achieve that we will remove that kind of activity from the business. That’s something we’ve done in the last few years, which has been very successful in focusing our aspirations.

Sustainability is another area we are working on for the future. We want to continue to train, develop and maintain the skills of our ambitious and motivated team, and of course increase the value for our shareholders,” he concludes. m

Rawlplug www.rawlplug.co.uk Services: Fixings and anchoring solutions

All photos courtesy of C-Power

Wind Power Focus

OWEC

Stretching its

legs

Following a successful period of engineering development OWEC seeks to overcome traditional concepts shadowing the wind farm industry

O

n the horizon elements attack without remorse and in the offshore industry standing tall requires having a secure footing.

As the wind turbine industry sweeps into new territory it looks to pioneering companies to guide its future both above and below the water. CCE spoke with Per Bull Haugsøen, business development director at OWEC about the

technology underpinning the industry and the importance of its recognition.

In 2001 OWEC embarked on a process that would see huge developments in the foundations supporting wind turbines. Keen to take on the challenge of a new industry, with its offshore gravity and steel structure experience in tow, OWEC began investigating. “In our opinion, jacket based structure was the best foundation, so we introduced it,” explained Per, “at that time most of the work was in very shallow water, and in Denmark they used either small gravity foundations or monopiles, and when

it came to deeper water it seemed tripods were the preferred option.

“We did some consultancy work and gradually developed a solution.

In the beginning our solution was much more traditional, based on our experience from oil and gas, but as we came into 2004 we had developed quite a specialist version, based upon the jacket but with some special features and our own patented elements.” At this time OWEC began work on a pioneering project, developing the Beatrice wind farm project for Talisman Energy and Scottish and Southern Energy. Per emphasised that ‘Talisman Energy wanted to show that it was possible to install a turbine in up to 50m of water and with the biggest turbine at the time’. Per proposed to Talisman OWEC’s jacket solution and three months later they began working together. “Had we not done that at that time and been quite persistent and believing in what we were doing, I believe this drive in wind farm technology would not have happened.”

Since 2004 and the completion of Beatrice wind farm, OWEC has further developed this design, ‘some of the main philosophy remains the same, but some very important elements in the foundation have changed and improved’. Per elaborated by reflecting: “What is regarded as mainstream now, was not regarded mainstream at the time. We developed the use of a template,

Construction & Civil Engineering 25

OWEC

we installed the piles first and then put the jacket on top. That had never been done before.”

The Beatrice wind farm project was completed by first putting the jacket on the sea floor, then installing the piles with sleeves. But for the next project, Alpha Ventus, its first German offshore project, OWEC introduced pre-installed piles. This was the first time the industry had seen this done.

International offshore and marine group Keppel Corporation collaborated with OWEC in 2012 which has provided more financial resource funding investment in further development, but it has not all been plain sailing for OWEC. Developing patented technologies such as its Quattropod foundation has positioned itself as a leader in the future, but tackling the

DAELIM DAELIM has led the world’s construction industry for the past 74 years and is considered as a top tier Global EPC contractor (ENR : the 26th International Contractor in 2013, revenue 22 Bil USD).

Now DAELIM, with exceptional partners such as OWEC Tower, is stretching its business into offshore wind to leap forward.

Implementing innovative thinking, strategic micromanagement and client oriented services into offshore wind business, it will lead the way for client’s success.

view that foundations are an engineering commodity is proving a larger wave to overcome.

As Per highlighted: “The very traditional way of thinking is that engineering is just something that can be done by anybody, and the concept behind it is not of major importance. We are competing with huge, more generalised engineering companies, with all kinds of disciplines, and we find ourselves competing on quite different criteria. We have developed this product for more than ten years. It is not just a concept.” Discussing how the industry can reduce cost he stated: “It’s much too expensive today.

We see that that the difference between foundation design can be as much as 20 per cent, but if you just select an engineering partner,

and you don’t consider the result, you might end up with a very expensive solution.”

As Per explored the channels of overcoming these hurdles he focused on encouraging utility companies to take advantage of these technologies. “Suboptimising by reducing engineering costs at an early stage may save them some pounds but in the end they get a much, much more expensive project,” he said.

Although it has considered other locations, as OWEC moves into the future market it recognises that Europe is still the most important market. “We have also considered and even done studies outside Europe. We see the Chinese market getting very big in a few years, as well as development in Korea and also growth in America. Using our strengths of a good design, a wealth of experience, we have developed our own methods and software and so are able to do very efficient studies and perform very quickly and efficiently. As an example on one project, we started detailed engineering in May one year, and we started installing the piles in April, only 11 months after.”

Much of OWEC’s efforts have been to talk directly with customers who are open for new and good ideas. Per concluded: “If they can make their own choice and design, they will of course have an interest in choosing the best design. Over the next years we want to be the main supplier of technology for offshore foundations, but we need the customers to understand what we can deliver.” m

OWEC www.owectower.no Services: Offers design solutions for offshore sub-structures in the renewable energy sector

26 Construction & Civil Engineering

Construction & Civil Engineering 27

Brick Development Association

Tupgill Cellar

Sticking together

Acting as an independent advisor the Brick Development Association represents a steadfast representative of the masonry industry 28 Construction & Civil Engineering

T

he Brick Development Association (BDA) can trace its roots back to 1946, shortly after the Second World War when it was formed to promote brick to the construction industry during the interim years following the conflict. During the 1960s the association was taken over by its members and took on the form in which it is seen today. Acting as an independent body within the brick industry it has gained a reputation for leading the sector through a spirit of joint venture and mutual co-operation.

Today the BDA undertakes a similar role but has evolved to be very closely partnered with its members from across the industry and has grown to be an internationally recognised expert in brickwork, business and design. Essentially, the company’s role can be broken down into two activities. The first of these remains largely the same, if expanded, as its post war role. The BDA aims to advise designers, specifiers and members of the general public on technical issues to do with brickwork and currently sits on seven BSI committees as well as sitting

on European committees to investigate the development of masonry and construction. In this sense the Association’s role has actually grown to be considerably more active in powering development in the modern construction industry.

National marketing Accompanying its more technical role BDA also undertakes a more publically visible role to provide national marketing for the brick industry. An important part of this is to accurately portray the benefits of brick as construction material, highlighting brick as an adaptable, cost-effective and durable building material is something the BDA and its members are heavily active in and through the years the association has developed a comprehensive marketing strategy.

Brentwood school “Our marketing is very central and that is encompassed by the Brick Bulletin, which is a three times a year bulletin, which goes out to architects,” begins Simon Hay, CEO of the Brick Development Association. “We also have a major conference every year, this year it was based on innovation, Cheethams

the year before it was based on conservation and the coming year will be themed on structural masonry. These are attended by many of the major publications and internationally covered,” he explains.

The organisation is made up of 16 members ranging from some of the United Kingdom’s largest brick suppliers to smaller companies who offer specialised products including handmade bricks for historic buildings. Four of its members, Hanson Building Products, Ibstock Brick Ltd, Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC and Wienerbeger collectively represent around 95 per cent of the UK market in brick construction. Working with these companies and the industry’s smaller businesses means that the BDA is highly representative of the industry as a whole, while retaining in-depth knowledge that enables it to address the needs of individual businesses and developers as necessary. “I would say one of the main strengths of the Brick Developers Association is in the participation of our members.

We’re actually a very small group of people but we operate through our working parties, which are drawn from all of our member companies, so the biggest strength of our organisation is that we take expertise from throughout the industry and everybody gives their time and effort for the good of the market,” Simon observes.

Global challenges Acting as an independent central body for the United Kingdom’s masonry industry the BDA is acutely aware of the challenges faced in the market. The global recession has seen the construction industry significantly diminished since 2007, however carbon emissions restraints fueled by environmental concerns remain.

This means that development within the sector is critical in ensuring that the market is able to progress in coming years. The

Construction & Civil Engineering 29

Wienerberger: shining a light on product development & innovation l Founded in 19th century Vienna, Wienerberger has been honed, moulded and developed by nearly two centuries of passion and expertise in the construction industry. From 1819 to the present day, the company has grown into a leading global provider of wall, roof and landscaping innovations, boasting 230 plants in 30 countries.

In the UK, Wienerberger leads the way offering over 1000 products for the newbuild and renovation markets; from bricks, blocks and tiles, to paving and wall solutions. With 150 people at its head office in Cheadle, it has four showrooms, 14 factories and six distribution depots across the country, allowing a scale of production explicitly designed to offer an unmatched resource of building materials.

With product development and innovation at the heart of everything Wienerberger does, it is no wonder its brick product range has increased by 150 per cent in the last five years. Over 20 per cent of the bricks in its current range have been introduced within the last two years and it has several new product launches up its sleeves for the final quarter of 2013.

Hosting its flagship Showcase event on 16th October this year, Wienerberger will demonstrate the innovation and forward thinking that is so integral to its business.

With product demonstrations, CPDs, focus groups and celebrity speakers, the event is set to follow in the footsteps of its Plain Tiles launch at the OXO Tower earlier this year and be a resounding success.

The 23 nominations achieved by Wienerberger’s bricks in the BDA Brick Awards 2013 also support this ethos of innovation. Spanning nine categories, including four separate nominations in the Innovative Use of Clay and Brick Products category, the success consolidates what has been an exceptionally strong year for the company.

30 Construction & Civil Engineering

Brick Development Association

St Pancras Station

Simon Hay

they hope will be successful. By passing an electrical coil around the middle of the kiln, it is hoped that vitrification will occur must faster, within a few seconds rather then hours or even half a day.

So consequently there would be a huge reduction – around 30 per cent in carbon emissions during the construction of bricks. So that’s a real example of the industry looking to reduce emissions.”

Positive direction

BDA works closely with its partners in the industry as well as with government figures to ensure that the sector remains sustainable as Simon elaborates: “It’s true to say that we are an industry, which uses carbon. We think that’s fair enough because the product lasts for so long, when you think over the lifetime of a building brick construction is a fairly negligible

part of the buildings total carbon output. Of course we are trying to reduce our emissions, and that’s done through advances in technology and research. Capital investment is absolutely crucial for us to be able to reduce our carbon emissions.”

He continues “One of our associates, Ceram are doing some research with kilns that

Moving into the rest of 2013 and beyond the BDA aims to continue to work with its members to meet the ever-changing needs of the sector. This year’s Brick Awards, which are an internationally recognised industry event, are fast approaching and will showcase the best in building design incorporating brick as well as the company’s efforts in promoting the sector. As the industry faces challenges from less traditional construction techniques, environmental concerns and the challenging conditions of the construction market the BDA is in a prime position guide its members and the industry as a whole in a positive direction. m

Brick Development Association www.brick.org.uk Independent industry experts Construction & Civil Engineering 31

SVK

Strong

foundations SVK is one of the largest manufacturers of building materials in Europe

SVK slates

SVK architectonic concrete

S SVK façade panels

32 Construction & Civil Engineering

VK stands for Service, Vakmanschap (craftsmanship) and Kennis (knowledge). We have more than 100 years of manufacturing, supply and technical expertise and our goal is not to become the market leader or sell the cheapest products, but to offer the best products in the market at a competitive price,” explains Walter Verhaert, general manager at SVK Belgium. “All activity takes place in the same site in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, on a global surface of 1,350,000 square metres; our four main divisions are fibre cement, which includes slates, corrugated sheets and siding sheets, bricks and tiles, architectural concrete as well as insulation and gypsum products.”

Founded in 1905 by Leon-Jean Scheerders and his wife Camilla van Kerchove, SVK began as a brick and tile factory under the name ‘Pannen-en Steenbakkerijen van Sint-Nicolaas’.

In 1923, the company started the production of fibre cement material and changed its name

to SVK in 1928. “Later, in the 1970s, a division of architectural concrete was added with a new production line; furthermore, the selling of additional products, complementary to the existing range, was given a start up, which includes insulation and gypsum materials,” says Walter.

Today SVK specialises in the production of building materials for roofing and facades, with a core focus on fibre cement materials for roof and wall applications and cladding panels becoming increasingly more important in its product range. Supplying construction firms in Belgium and across Western Europe in areas such as the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, the company has its own resources for deliveries in Belgium and uses subcontractors for other areas. “The main customers of SVK are the

SVK corrugated sheets. wholesalers of building materials, roofers and hall builders that are situated in West-European markets.

Offering customer service on a permanently high level is one of our most important challenges and can make all the difference with

our competitors; we know good customer service equals a satisfied customer,” highlights Walter.

Aware that quality, the use of colours and a detailed finish will be influential on the overall look of a customer’s building, SVK offers a

Construction & Civil Engineering 33

SVK

SVK corrugated sheets. spectrum of colours that can be combined in any number of ways.

Boasting a wide range of creative possibilities, ornimat comes in a range of 20 standard colours, over 60 RAL colours and 16 exclusive design shades; this allows customers flexibility to experiment with colour combinations, shapes and sizes as well as offering the

potential to integrate perforations.

With ornimat and ornimat design, which can be made to any specification, customers can decide the exact dimensions and shapes they require. Moreover, the ornimat sheet’s most important asset is the high quality of the finish achieved on the factory floor as the edges are coloured using the same quality

coating as the sheet surface.

SVK’s unique production process ensures ornimat offers excellent quality and strength; the product is also easy to clean and requires limited maintenance. Since ornimat is not a standard size product, the sheets are cut to size according to the customer’s specification, such as sloping, curved or predrilled. Following this, SVK then finishes the front side and edges of the sheets. Additional benefits of choosing SVK façade panels include less construction site waste to be disposed of, immediate mounting by craftsmen following delivery, fully finished products that won’t absorb moisture or dirt at the edges and no delays for manual edge-finishing.

Despite an increased focus on cladding panels, the company remains dedicated to the development of all products, as

PP concrete fibers

the sky is the limit

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34 Construction & Civil Engineering

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Walter elaborates: “Our company started as a brick making factory in the early 20th century and facing bricks remains important in our range of products. For that reason a complete renovation and enhancement of the kiln was undertaken recently, which should allow us to add to the existing range both in sizes and colours. From 2006-2010 SVK invested approximately 20 million euros, which has improved the general quality and outlook of our products, extended our product range and enhanced productivity.

No big investments have been made lately, which is due to the slowdown in the construction industry over the last two to three years, however, we are continuously making improvements and modifications to our existing installations.”

The renovation of SVK’s facing brick kiln has resulted in the production of three different series of facing bricks utilising advanced technology that is based on the expertise of four generations. The series includes shades of grey, which has blue braised bricks in unique shades of grey that are available only in the exclusive, slim vechtsize; terranova, which has blue braised bricks in unique earthly colours that are only available in vechtsize, and artisan, a series of authentic facing bricks with a rugged and irregular surface and bold colour shadings.

The latter is available in vechtsize and more profitable, larger sizes.

Looking ahead, the company aims to expand the façades area of the business through utilising new concrete applications that will provide its customers with more

possibilities for creativity. Keen to regain some of its market share, particularly in the Belgian market, SVK has already made adjustments internally to ensure the sales team is more efficient and adaptable to the ever-changing markets.

“Over the next three to five years our core business will be more important than ever and every effort to maintain and expand our position on the market will be made. We also have important properties, mainly land, that has the potential to be developed in the near future,” concludes Walter. m

SVK www.svk.be/en/ Services: Producer & supplier of building materials

your reliable partner for cellulose fiber in the fiber cement industry

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Construction & Civil Engineering 35

European Consortium of Anchors Producers (ECAP)

ECAP stand at a trade fair in 2011

A united

voice

ECAP represents its members in Brussels, as well as offering advice, information and access to vital technical resources

T

he European Consortium of Anchors Producers (ECAP) is a nonprofit consortium, 100 per cent self-financed by its members. Companies that join ECAP are European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which produce mechanical, chemical and plastic anchors, screws, powder actuated tools (PATs) and related nails and fixing cartridges.

As secretary general Barbara Sorgato explained, these European SMEs created ECAP to represent their voice in Europe. They needed to join forces and work together to get a common advantage in the European standardisation process, to grow in the technical development of their products and to share costs of high tech services.

36 Construction & Civil Engineering

“ECAP was founded 12 years ago because these smaller manufacturers realised they couldn’t influence the norms on their products because the national associations were being dominated by organised multinational companies, who were very good lobbyists. As a result the normative system was bent to the needs of multinationals, but the Government couldn’t do anything because officially it was listening to national associations. The SMEs felt there was no way out but to create this consortium, to give them their own platform in Europe.”

ECAP’s main role is to disseminate vital industry knowledge to its members, because as Barbara explained, many firms just aren’t getting the right information: “It is very difficult to fill the gap between what is decided in Brussels and what the

Above: Barbara Sorgato, secretary general of ECAP

firms actually know, especially if their member states don’t do a lot to inform them,” she said.

“So for example, at the moment one of our main activities is highlighting all the implications of the recent change from the Construction Product Directive to the Construction Product Regulations. The biggest difference between the two is that the Regulations are now laws, and all European member states must comply with them. This change has created such a huge amount of unsolved problems and implementation issues that dealing with it is one of our main activities - aspects of it affect the norms and the guidelines on anchor systems.”

Alongside the educational side, ECAP also works to influence the European Commission, with Barbara visiting Brussels once a week to lobby on behalf of her members, as well as working closely with technical institutions.

“The main institution we work with is the civil and environmental engineering department of the Polytechnic of Milan, however, we do also have contacts with a network of institutions all over Europe,” she said.

She continued with some details of how these relationships have been established to benefit members: “With the Polytechnic of Milan we have a lab that carries out tests on members’ products and that’s a very important facet as they can’t just theorise a norm, they have to get it certified.

“Before ECAP existed only multinationals’ products were tested, but now we help all the products of our members to be tested in order to create a standard that covers the whole SME market.”

Indeed, ECAP deals with the following issues related to the standardisation process: drafting of EOTA guidelines on mechanical,

A BENEFICIAL PARTNERSHIP Nick Beardon, General Manager at JCP Construction Products, a division of Hexstone Ltd, explains the benefits of working closeley with ECAP l With the Construction Products Regulation coming in to force on 1st July this year,

ECAP members.

ECAP has also helped

membership of ECAP has been invaluable

us to clarify within the

in helping us understand the implications of

European Commission

harmonised European standards.

the correct format for

Many of our ECAP partners have already

Nick Beardo

n

the Declaration of Performances that

adopted ETA approved products to fulfil their

must accompany European Technically approved

own market demands. We have therefore been

products. This has enabled us to publish these on

able to position our ETA approved product

our website, allowing job sites and engineers to

to satisfy the changing demands that will

download them as and when required.

happen in the UK market by drawing on their experience.

Joining forces with ECAP has helped us to

With the continuing revision and upgrades to the various Eurocodes it has been important for JCP to be involved in this useful forum

develop an Anchor Calculation Programme,

to understand the affect this will have on

which means we can provide engineers with

construction products. Membership of ECAP

a valuable tool for the design and selection

has helped JCP keep up with the ever changing

of anchors. The development of this software

rules and regulations affecting the construction

would have been prohibitive without the

industry, which means we are able to keep our

combined knowledge and contribution of

distributors fully informed of their responsibilities.

Construction & Civil Engineering 37

ECAP

bonded and plastic anchors, drafting of the CEN Eurocode (anchors) and drafting of CEN standards on wood connectors, powder actuated tools and fixing cartridges.

“Our approach also means that these institutions get more experienced with working with SMEs, and offers support for SMEs who might not otherwise have access to this sort of service,” added Barbara. “These labs are used to dealing with multinationals who have five technicians and a travel budget, but what if a small firm doesn’t have the technicians or background to face a doctor or engineer at that level? In that instance we can offer the services of our project manager to assist them in the whole process of CE marking, choosing the right lab, advising on costs and so forth. As they get more experienced they don’t need us any more, and we are proud be able to help them advance through this process.”

ECAP has made great strides since its foundation in 2001 and is now regarded as best practice – it is the only consortium in Europe made directly from European SMEs. “Usually you find umbrella organisations or multinational organisations lobbying in Brussels, but our members have transcended the national dimensions and created their own European dimension, which is great,” said Barbara.

Indeed, the members

38 Construction & Civil Engineering

Above: ECAP members during an assembly held in London, May 2013 Right: A calculation programme (high tech service) developed by ECAP on the basis of the coming Eurocode on anchors

Below: Normopoly is a European Pilot Project ECAP undertook with the EC to highlight the importance of the balance and the co-operation in the norms

of ECAP do have an almost unique mindset, as Barbara went on to explain: “Our members are all competitors that had to overcome that aspect of their relationship to come together and create a consensus. In fact, I think that our consortium is kept together by something that is now regarded as old-fashioned - ethics - and that is not easy to maintain in our marketing oriented world. Our overall concept is that we are doing something good, having a united European voice, and our ethical code is like a glue that holds the firms together.”

She also explained that this approach sometimes results in the organisation thinking out of the box: “Three years ago we did some research on how to raise awareness about the influence of lobbying institutions and how they affect standards, and it was very interesting, we even got a

Nobel Prize winner to speak about it. So our work isn’t all about anchors – we could even be called idealists!”

Such is ECAP’s success that Barbara is being approached from manufacturers from other industries for advice. “I often have to tell them that isn’t our area, and they might have to consider forming their own version of ECAP. However, I also do anticipate that in the future ECAP will extend its offering to other industries, which will be a challenge as we can’t use what we have already got, so will have to work with new institutions and lobby in different industry sectors. Nevertheless, I do see that is the way forward, perhaps in five or so years.” m

ECAP www.ecap-sme.org Non-profit business consortium

Industry News The future generation

Lighting the way

Willmott Dixon continues to invest in the future of the construction industry; with its repairs and maintenance company Willmott Dixon Partnerships inducting 16 new apprentices at the 4Life Academy in Birmingham.

The 4 Life Academy will be the hub for the apprentices’ training, as part of the company’s new Skills 4 Life apprenticeship programme. The trainees will be studying a variety of construction trades ranging from bricklaying, plumbing, and carpentry to electrical compliance, as they work towards a recognised NVQ qualification that will pave the way for a career in the construction industry.

During their induction the apprentices, aged between 18 and 38, took part in health and safety workshops, scaffolding building exercises and team competitions. They also received a talk from volunteers at Dekamile, one of Willmott Dixon’s sponsored charities that helps provide clean water, sanitation and improved infrastructure in Togo, Africa.

Willmott Dixon’s head of customer service and training, Huw Evans, said: “We’re very excited to welcome our first ever class of apprentices to the 4Life Academy. By using the centre as a hub for our apprenticeship training we want to bring all our trainees together under the new Skills 4 Life model, to make the most of the excellent facilities available here in Birmingham.

“We want to create a sense of pride and camaraderie among all our apprentices. The new Skills 4 Life scheme focuses on personal development alongside professional development, through community engagement activities and charitable fundraising. It is an innovative approach to apprenticeship training and embodies Willmott Dixon’s ethos of giving something back to the local community.”

At One Angel Square, Manchester, stands the landmark building that houses the Co-operative Group’s new headquarters. Striking in its architecture, it is an expression of the Co-op’s values and commitment to the environment: it is a statement for sustainability. The Coop’s leadership in green architecture is supported by Luxonic Lighting, a leader in quality LED and interior lighting solutions across the architectural and commercial markets. The UK manufacturer has provided over 11,000 luminaires throughout the office and communal areas in the headquarters.

One Angel Square is the UK’s first outstanding BREEAM-rated building, designed to halve the current energy usage of the Coop headquarters. The use of pioneering sustainable technology in the new building reduces carbon consumption by around 80 per cent and significantly reduces energy costs.

www.luxonic.co.uk

www.willmottdixon.co.uk

Landmark tower Construction has begun on the Atkins’ designed Baoneng Shenyang Global Financial Centre in Shenyang, China.

The development, with total investment estimated at over £1 billion, consists of two towers of 565- and 328-metres high respectively, and will be the landmark of Shenyang.

The 565-metre tower called the Pearl of the North will become the tallest building in Shenyang, and signals the continuing growth of the city. As a symbol of wisdom, luxury and purity in Chinese culture, the pearl is instantly

recognisable at the top of the landmark tower and acts as a beacon for the project and the city as a whole.

KY Cheung, senior architectural design director at Atkins in Asia Pacific, said: “Our client challenged us to design a supertall building that is iconic, yet simple in structure. In addition to meeting seismic codes and international standards, the project has to be efficient and satisfy a tight construction schedule. It showcases Atkins’ expertise in designing supertall towers, but more importantly it is a landmark project that achieves the client’s

and stakeholders’ expectations.”

Atkins was commissioned by Baoneng Real Estate Development for architectural design, including concept design, scheme design, preliminary design and façade design development for the two towers. The 565-metre tower will contain 111 floors, accommodating class A offices and other amenities.

The 328-metre tower will host 34 floors of office with a 320 room five star luxury hotel on top. The hotel podium facilities include a 3000 square metre banquet hall plus 6000 square metres of associated facilities.

www.atkinsglobal.com

Construction & Civil Engineering 39

BELL EQUIPMENT

World-class

construction equipment

I

n the UK, the company offers a market leading range of articulated dump trucks (ADTs) – including the world’s largest ADT, the 50 ton capacity B50D – and a versatile portfolio of wheeled loaders.

Central to the Bell ethos is its

40 Construction & Civil Engineering

commitment to reliability, quality and cost-effectiveness. Bell prides itself on offering exceptional fuel efficiency with the lowest cost per tonne on the market, backed up by expert engineering and service.

Bell Equipment works tirelessly to have a comprehensive understanding of its customers’

markets, in order to ensure that its solutions are fit for purpose and can add real value – especially in difficult economic times.

“The decision to hire or purchase an ADT or wheeled loader represents a major investment, so it’s vital that our customers can have the peace of mind they are

From its humble beginnings as a small engineering and repair service in South Africa, today Bell Equipment is a global leader in the manufacture of a wide range of machinery for the construction, mining and waste management sectors getting the best possible solution for their needs,” explains Nick Learoyd, managing director of Bell Equipment UK. “Everything we do in terms of product engineering and customer service is tailored towards meeting those expectations.”

2013 is the Year of the E-Series 2013 has seen the launch of the Bell E-series – the next generation in articulated dump truck design and technology. The E-series presents an evolution that builds upon the proven legacy of the successful D-series, in order to

deliver production boosting payloads, lower daily operating costs, superior ride quality and uncompromised safety standards.

The E-series is now available in the UK in two sizes – the 25 ton B25E and the 30 ton B30E. “Since we launched the E-series, we’ve not only seen a lot of interest from new and existing customers, but those models that are already working on site have proven their credentials,” confirms Nick.

Essex-based contractor and plant hire firm Tom Blackwell has become the first UK company to invest in the new E-series of (ADTs) from Bell Equipment.

Prime reasons for the selection of two Bell B30E ADTs by Tom Blackwell include the machines’ enviable fuel efficiency, with the lowest cost per tonne on the market, and the E-series’ in-board oil-immersed brakes.

The first of the models has already been put to use, moving overburden to expose sand and gravel. “Sand and gravel can be very abrasive on conventional brakes, and we see in-board as the way forward for ADT braking,” explains Sam Ratcliffe, contract manager at Tom Blackwell.

Another aspect of the E-series that has proven popular is its redesigned cab, which offers a greatly enhanced ride and improved ergonomics thanks to a full colour display, reduced noise levels and better interfacing with the truck’s management systems.

Proven fuel efficiency The E-series also continues the Bell tradition for fuel economy, supported by the company’s Fleetm@tic fleet management system. Tom Blackwell has paid close attention to the figures.

“Fleetm@tic is a fantastic management tool and has long been a major selling point for us, as it allows us to see usage patterns for ongoing evaluation of each machine’s performance,” confirms Sam.

Construction & Civil Engineering 41

BELL EQUIPMENT

Fleetm@tic data confirms that the D-series ADTs used by Tom Blackwell have set a high standard.

“Bell outperforms other brands in our fleet every day of the month.

The print-outs from the trucks show there is no comparison in terms of the cost per tonne, and Bell machines are easier on our tyres as well compared to other

brands.”

Tom Blackwell is delighted that the E-series has matched, and even bettered, these results. “The E-series is outperforming non-Bell models on fuel efficiency, and the payload is up slightly compared to our experience of using the D-series.”

Independent proof of Bell fuel

efficiency came in 2012, when Bell UK decided to commission the Millbrook Proving Ground to conduct an independent test whereby its D-series ADTs could be put through their paces on two measured, timed and carefully independently monitored trackbased drive cycles.

Millbrook Proving Ground is one of Europe’s leading locations for the development and demonstration of every type of land vehicle, from motorcycles and cars to commercial, military and off-road vehicles. Bell UK chose this arena

Cotton Transport We are pleased to have a close working relationship with Bell Equipment and meet all their requirements delivering their machines all over the country and wish them all the future success with their new machines.

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We offer our services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, travelling anywhere in the UK and providing same day and multi drop deliveries. Our fleet consists of: s 3.5 Tonne Long Wheel Base Van Box and Curtain Bodies s 7.5 Tonne Curtain Sided Vehicles s 18 Tonne Curtain Sided Vehicle With or Without Tail Lift s 26 Tonne Curtain Sided Vehicles With Tail Lift s 26 Tonne Flat with Crane and Plant Body s 44 Tonne Articulated Vehicle with Flatbed or Curtain Sided s Special Type Vehicles with Semi Low Loaders or Extendable Flat Trailers We are able to carry general haulage items and goods subject to ADR up to category 2. As logistics experts, you can expect us to provide a service that meets all of the current legislation.

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42 Construction & Civil Engineering

01283 213 777

so that the results would be transparent and credible within the industry.

The trucks tested were the latest Bell B30D MK6.3 and the latest VolvoA30F. Both were fitted with tailgates and 750 Wide Tyres.

Manufacturers’ specifications

were given to the Millbrook team so they could make sure the manufacturers’ guidelines were adhered to. The machines were operated by trained, independent Millbrook personnel.

To accurately measure speed, distance and location, a GPS

data logger was fitted to each test truck prior to the test commencing.

The first test undertaken was to measure and compare fuel consumption results from the high-speed steady state route, with the second test being on a

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Construction & Civil Engineering 43

BELL EQUIPMENT

more typical cross country route.

Both machines were ballasted to their rated payload and fuel consumption was measured over two repeatable tests.

The results confirmed that, on the high-speed steady route, the Bell B30D MK6.3 was 6 per cent more fuel-efficient. On the cross-country circuit, this advantage increased to being 17.6 per cent more fuel-efficient. These results show that the harder that each truck worked, the more fuel-efficient the Bell B30D became over the Volvo A30F.

Wheeled loader quality The Bell range of wheeled loaders have provided first-class results for traditional markets of quarrying, mining, construction and earthmoving – as well as newer markets such as recycling and

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44 Construction & Civil Engineering

waste management – thanks to their build quality and highest specification on the market.

In terms of engineering, Bell loaders benefit from a strategic partnership with John Deere, which manufactures the loader to the same high standards as Deerebranded loaders in the US. In the UK, Bell wheeled loaders offer the highest ‘as standard’ specification on the market. This means that Bell not only supplies all machines with its unique design elements but its machines are also factory-fitted with elements that other manufacturers typically include only as optional extras.

Examples include the reversing camera and reverse radar detection system, embedded payload system and keyless start with lockout codes for added security.

“We don’t like ‘hidden extras’ when it comes to selling a loader.

We much prefer to be upfront about what our customers can expect to receive from a machine, so they can make an informed decision about the suitability and cost-effectiveness of our solutions,” explains Nick.

Aggregates firm Holme Sand & Ballast LLP has increased productivity by ten per cent since purchasing two new wheeled loaders from Bell Equipment.

“We do a lot of blending and our shovels are really on load and carry duties for most of the time,” explains managing partner Trevor Poole.

“I am interested in the production cost of the sand per tonne. It’s as simple as that. The two Bells fitted with the biggest buckets I could use means we are

much more productive and hence our costs are reduced.

“In real terms, it means that I can complete our weekly production in five days rather than five and a half

FUCHS The largest independent lubricant manufacturer in the world is a proud partner supplying lubricants to Bell Equipment. Fuchs has been associated with Bell Equipment UK for many years and they have worked together building a programme for the entire Bell Lubricants range throughout Europe.

Further improving upon its strong environmental credentials FUCHS presented the environmentally friendly lube cube to Bell – a bag in a box solution designed to reduce waste. The newly designed lube cube has helped the UK division of Bell Equipment double its lubricant sales volume in the last 12 months and FUCHS looks forward to future development of this programme.

Construction & Civil Engineering 45

BELL EQUIPMENT

days. A ten per cent improvement in production is a massive saving.

The Bell deal represents a fantastic payback.”

Bell Equipment’s commitment to its customers doesn’t end with the delivery of a machine. Robust service programmes ensure that

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46 Construction & Civil Engineering

the company is on hand to meet all customer requirements so that ADTs and wheeled loaders continue to perform throughout their working lives.

“Long-term reputation isn’t based on how a new machine performs in its first week, month or year,”

explains Nick. “Only over time can we prove our credentials to customers, so no job is too small to keep the machines up and running.”

Nick confirms that many customers are long-standing partners of Bell, with a significant proportion of their fleets in the

familiar yellow livery. “Trust in our reliability and performance means that many big names in plant hire and contracting come back to us again and again to expand their ADT or loader fleets, or for assistance with specific projects.”

Customer satisfaction A customer satisfaction survey conducted in 2012 on behalf of Bell Equipment UK has scored the highest result seen worldwide in recent years – across any industry.

International customer survey specialist InfoQuest, who carried out the survey among more than 60 of Bell customers last year, said the results were ‘exceptional’.

The responses, based on 56 questions covering all aspects of Bell’s business, found that 75 per cent of customers were ‘totally satisfied’ with Bell.

And when compared with the levels of ‘total’ satisfaction achieved by the 130,000 businesses surveyed by InfoQuest since 1989, Bell’s percentile rank is 96 per cent, with the average company scoring only 62 per cent.

Subjects ranged from parts provision and warranties to sales support, invoicing and general relationships.

In some areas, Bell scored even higher than the impressive 96 per cent (percentile rank) achieved in the customer satisfaction section: It scored a percentile rank of 97 per cent in terms of ‘ease of doing business’, 98 per cent for ‘business practices’, 98 per cent for ‘customer support’ and 99 per cent in terms of the ‘management’ of Bell.

“We have set a high benchmark with these figures – but Bell

is committed to maintaining these high standards in all of our dealings with our customers,” concludes Nick.

Retaining its original philosophy of delivering first class products and the very best customer service, Bell Equipment anticipates a positive and highly successful 2014. As the company continues to develop its innovative machinery with a view to enhancing productivity for its customers, there is no doubt that Bell Equipment can carry the load of such high expectations. m

Bell Equipment www.bellequipment.co.uk Services: manufacturer of articulated dump trucks and wheeled loaders

Construction & Civil Engineering 47

Schofield Publishing 10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU

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

+44 (0) 1603 274130