Construction and Civil Engineering Issue 108 Early Edition

TH E

M AGAZINE

FOR

IN DUST RIA L

LE ADER S

EARLY EDITION 108

CONSTRUCTION

&CIVIL Engineering

Containingthe

waters Drainage solutions have become a high priority for developers and the topic continues to rise in importance See page 6

Why construction and engineering need to attract more women

News: Walls could be made of shredded paper in the future

Many projects now having stringent reaction to fire requirements

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

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CONTENTS

FEATURES

Chairman Andrew Schofield

SPECIAL FEATURE 2 The luxury housing sector is moving with the times and today’s designs often include large rooms, high ceilings and feature lighting

Group Managing Director Mike Tulloch Editor Libbie Hammond

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Editorial Design Jon Mee

6Cover story

10

Advertising Design Jenni Newman Staff Writers Matt High Jo Cooper Steve Nash Andrew Dann

EQUIPMENT 10 PASMA thinks that the new simplified guidelines from HSE will be benefit the construction industry NEWS 13 Updates and information from the construction and civil engineering market

Editorial Admin Emma Crane Head of Research Philip Monument

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 14 Why smart metering is smart move for business, and how it can fit into an overall Corporate Sustainability agenda

Editorial Researchers Keith Hope Gavin Watson Tarj Kaur-D’Silva Mark Cowles Laura Watling Tony Wright

16

Sales Director David Garner

RECRUITMENT 16 The construction and engineering industries urgently need to widen the talent pool of future technologists and engineers and inspire more young women to take up the subjects that lead to these careers FIRE PROTECTION 18 With advance planning it is possible to incorporate the time and cost of reaction to fire testing in sizeable projects

Sales David King Mark Cawston Office Manager Tracy Chynoweth

CASE STUDY 22 An LED solution is delivering cost savings as well as good looks in a robust and reliable luminaire

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

© 2014 Schofield Publishing Ltd

ENVIRONMENT 6 How modern drainage systems can help to alleviate flooding, as well as offer more environmentally friendly solutions

COMPANY PROFILES

48

Bourne Group 24 Jehander 27 Bell Equipment 30 UPM Plywood 35 Klemm Bohrtechnik 38 Bauwerk Boen Group 40 Milbank Concrete Products 43 Hydrema 48 Mobile Mini 52 Nationwide Platforms 57

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

Construction & Civil Engineering 1

SPECIAL FEATURE

Prime pads Jonathan Cranley takes a look at how the luxuryhousing sector is moving with the times

O

ver the last 25 years residential construction has undergone a huge shift resulting in the need to build more energy efficient homes and at the same time keep up with incredibly fast moving trends for incorporating the very latest technology.

No one in construction has been untouched by the growing

2 Construction & Civil Engineering

demands of today’s house buyer but developers at the prime end of the market, £2 million plus, have had to raise their game even further in the not long forgotten economic climate.

In the luxury sector, in contrast to many urban ‘starter’ properties, homes have got much bigger, the technology has become far more complicated and the buying expectations of millionaires means that every item within those four walls will be of the very highest calibre.

Indeed the number of property millionaires has doubled in the past five years rising to 400,000 with this figure set to rise at an even steeper rate still. House prices have grown 199 per cent in 25 years and are now above the 2007 peak according to the latest figures from Nationwide.

As the population continues to rise at an alarming rate (since 1989 the UK’s population has increased by 12 per cent and London by 23 per cent) pressure on housing stock is greater than ever.

Coping with the increased housing demand in the luxury sector is a challenge in itself. While politicians are shouting for ‘450,000’ new homes by 2015 these houses are targeted as ‘homes for the people’ – nurses, teachers and shop workers etc. Products in the luxury market are equally in high demand as lifestyle aspirations continue to grow.

Twenty-five years ago a typical luxury home would have been 2,000 sq ft with four bedrooms, two bathrooms (only one en-suite) and three reception rooms. The kitchen

would have had a small area to eat in and neat conservatory. These homes would have been nicely fitted out and the garden would have been turfed with borders and small double garage to one side. Today that description near enough sums up a

mainstream new build.

A typical luxury home today in 2014 stands on a plot of half an acre with an internal total area of between 5000 and 10,000 sq ft. Large rooms with high ceilings create a feeling of space as you enter the typical

new build mansion. The lobby area will have a magnificent staircase and a feature light that drops from the top of the house. Although the study might be a regular size, the chances are that the rest of the downstairs will comprise a ‘super room’ which incorporates the kitchen, a large dining space and some seating areas.

The very best in design may have broken the rooms up by adding areas of different heights and banisters are often fitted to create zones within these rooms. Other magnificent ‘super rooms’ have been designed as a cross with each of the four extremities being used for a different function. Large patios run across the external length of these house and the best builders will have ‘dressed’ the garden to mirror the magnificence of the house.

Construction & Civil Engineering 3

SPECIAL FEATURE

Technology features heavily in a 21st century luxury mansion. Developers are having to incorporate miles of wiring to ensure that their houses are capable of accommodating the most high tech CEO or captain of industry. Expect to see pre-installed a very comprehensive supply of not only telephone and television points strategically located throughout new homes but also hidden Cat5e wiring. Cat5e wiring is the very latest system delivering homes the latest technology; you can plug in PC’s, Sonos, Wi-Fi, Sky TV, printers, all the Apple products, mobile phone boosters and PBX phones.

It is not unusual to find Apple technology running some of the behind the scenes workings of a new luxury home. Often fitted as an alarm pad by the front door – this savvy equipment means you can operate your house while you are away from home or abroad – such as turning on lights, closing curtains and in some instances you can check to see if the cleaner checked in and out at the correct time.

Moving onto the upstairs; there will be an en-suite to each bedroom – or

4 Construction & Civil Engineering

on occasion a Jack and Jill bathroom might service children’s rooms. The master suite will be extremely large with a huge bathroom, dressing and lounge area not dissimilar to a luxury suite in a hotel.

Hi-tech does not stop downstairs.

Interesting features seen recently

in luxury homes have included a cinema screen that drops down from the ceiling in the master bedroom.

Controlled by iPad the equipment automatically shuts the blinds and dims the lights, creating the perfect viewing environment. The master bathroom can be fitted with a

stunning Italian bathtub which fills from the ceiling which impressively can be run from the bedroom, the bathroom or from your mobile whilst you are on the way back from work!

Another interesting feature seen in a beautiful luxury home this year was the addition of a separate WC in the master suite. As you left the palatial master bedroom suite and stepped down to the cavernous dressing area there was a choice: turn left and enter the ‘Man Throne’, a discrete, selfcontained area with WC and hand basin, the perfect retreat for the man of the house when he needs some ‘time-out’ perhaps? Or turn right and

you stepped into spathroom heaven.

Undoubtedly a luxury home of this size will have a second floor and/or a basement often housing state-ofthe-art cinema rooms with reclining seats, black out blinds and surroundsound 3D visuals. Many of these luxury homes are designed to be self-contained and also include indoor swimming pools, saunas, Jacuzzis, bar areas and multi gyms.

Another huge change in the luxury homes market today is the way in which a house will be dressed for market. Twenty-five years ago it was likely that the ‘showhome’ would include some Laura Ashley curtains and a basic furniture pack.

Today the relationship between the builder and the interiors company starts at the conception of the project.

Working closely together as the project takes shape, colours, styles and fabrics are as important as the granite, bricks and wood products that they sit against. Months of hard work from a builder and an interiors company can create award-winning houses that have a wow factor from the moment you step through the door. m

l One property construction success story is Millgate, which has won numerous awards for the outstanding quality of its Home County properties.

Jonathan Cranley, sales and marketing director for Millgate comments: “Many of the items discussed in this article are incorporated into our homes; the acclaimed Man Throne was an idea we have been considering, we wanted to incorporate a more thoughtful bathroom situation and I think this really works. We are constantly watching for the latest trends ensure that our homes are not only equal but better than the next luxury house.

“We work with Alexander James Interiors whose ethos mirrors ours, producing luxury interiors to mirror our indulgent homes. We rely on them to source unusual creative items that will enhance and heighten the client experience as they step through the door of our show homes. It is little surprise that 75 per cent of our show homes are sold with the interiors included.”

Jonathan Cranley is sales and marketing director for Millgate.

Millgate is an award-winning, quintessentially British house builder well known for designing and creating some of the most beautiful homes in the South East of England. The company’s pursuit of perfection takes belief, vision, passion and painstaking attention to detail at every stage of construction, with all work conducted by carefully selected skilled craftsmen using traditional house building methods.

For further information visit:

www.millgatehomes.co.uk.

Construction & Civil Engineering 5

ENVIRONMENT

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

Containing the

waters The combination of urban development and intensified rainfall from climate change can create serious flooding.

Libbie Hammond speaks to George Gray to find out how modern drainage systems can help

6 Construction & Civil Engineering

A

nyone living in the UK today will be aware of the severe flooding events that have happened over the past few years. One of the causes of this is the increasing tendency for developers and homeowners to use concrete and paving to replace vegetation. As a result of this trend, areas are losing their ability to absorb rainwater.

Large Scale AquaCell Stroage Tank

The extra water eventually runs into and overloads surface water drainage systems and brings about flooding.

Aware that the more recent flood problems have been devastating in many parts of the country, drainage solutions have become a high priority for developers and George Gray, product manager of Wavin, believes, it is a topic about which construction planners

and operators will need to pay more attention going forward.

“We actually think that this is will be paramount in terms of gaining planning approval for any type of development,” he said.

One of the many ways that this problem is being tackled is through what is termed ‘sustainable drainage solutions’ or SuDS. www. susdrain.org, created by CIRIA, the construction industry research and information association, is the independent platform for those involved in delivering sustainable drainage, and the website describes SuDS as ‘an approach to managing rainfall in development that replicates natural drainage, managing it close to where it falls.’

George noted that while many different SuDS solutions exist, not all are going to provide the best return on investment or performance for the required application: “The UK Government and other interested bodies such

Wavin - AquaCell

as CIRIA are promoting a more holistic approach to the design of sustainable drainage systems, by which they are promoting solutions that mirror mother earth in terms of discharging water into the ground at the point of contact, i.e. swales for example. Within the new CIRIA ‘SuDS’ specification document, there is a ‘hierarchy’ of preferred solutions which heavily promote ‘soft suds’ solutions. However, in reality, developers obtaining the best return they can in terms of land space will tend to favour a mixture of traditional ‘soft suds’ with engineered suds (e-suds), which could result in them addressing their site drainage needs but at minimum cost of land,” he said.

It is in these solutions where Wavin has years of experience, and the organisation continues to research and invest in new technologies that offer both cost and environmental advantages. One such product is Wavin’s Stormwater Management System AquaCell, and an installation at the Police Headquarters in Hull in 2009 illustrates exactly what this drainage system offers.

Humberside Police HQ in Hull lies in an area particularly vulnerable to flooding. On June 23rd 2007 the worst happened and as a result the site needed to be evacuated.

Within a year, plans were being developed to prevent a recurrence, but there were several factors and considerations that had to be taken into account. The flood-proofing would include construction of a 500-metre perimeter earth bund, and attenuation tanks would be required to cope with intensive rain run-off within this boundary.

There were also a number of site constraints: existing services running over the proposed tank locations, and very shallow drainage. The first project design proposed four tanks placed above a pipe with top perforations to feed water into the temporary storage tank via a granular distribution layer.

Construction & Civil Engineering 7

ENVIRONMENT

Wavin’s Stormwater Management System solution Wavin’s Stormwater Management System is Wavin’s specialist focus for the most efficient capture, transportation, control, cleansing and re-use of stormwater at source.

The AquaCell range comprises of two different types of plastic infiltration modules, differing by their loading capabilities. A series of individual plastic infiltration modules can be clipped together to form an underground structure that can capture and store water.

The water is then released at a controlled rate as either a soakaway into the ground or into a public sewer system or watercourse.

By working closely with the project partners, Sangwin Civil Engineers, Wavin’s team was able to suggest beneficial amendments to the first project design. The alternative suggestion demonstrated how time and cost could be reduced, whilst also enhancing performance. Unlike the originally specified system, AquaCell allows lateral flow, and is easily adaptable to avoid disturbing any buried services.

Direct connection to the assembled storage tanks eliminated the need for an underlying feeder pipe. It also allowed units to be doublestacked, increasing each tank’s capacity and reducing its footprint, while keeping within the site constraints. This, in turn, meant one tank could be eliminated altogether, with savings in both time and cost of plant, excavation and spoil removal.

Says Steve Farrow, construction manager, Sangwin Civil Engineers: “The suggested switch to AquaCell gave us some valuable extra flexibility for creating the buried tank capacity. When the original design was scrutinised, it was shown how we could do it with one less tank. So it also reduced the amount of excavation necessary.”

Added George: “Wavin AquaCell

8 Construction & Civil Engineering

can be used as a standalone solution for either infiltration or lightweight and flexible attributes, the units are ideally suited for all types of installations as a very cost effective alternative to balancing ponds, for example.”

He went on to highlight another aspect of a drainage system that Wavin’s customers are looking for - enhancing the green credentials of a construction project. “Wavin has historically invested substantial sums (and continues to do so) in developing products like ‘Recycore Pipe’, which has been developed to help the construction industry achieve a lower carbon footprint and improve its sustainability credentials, as well as AquaCell Eco and Prime which are all made from using recycled material,” he said. “All specifiers/developers now seek to include products like these within their projects. The Wavin Group continues to develop new and innovative technology, which will enable us to produce more and more components from recycled material.”

George concluded with some thoughts on the future of drainage solutions and the need for the industry to have a clearer idea of what coming legislation may dictate: “We really need standardisation but we have been hampered by the recent delay by

Government of two pieces of vital legislation, which came out of the Floods and Water Management Bill.

In addition, with regards to Foul Water Drainage and now SuDS, the industry is in turmoil since there is no clear direction coming out of Defra. It is vital for the industry that we have a clear vision of the future supported by strong specifications, as only then can manufacturers like Wavin invest substantial funds in new technologies or solutions for the future.” m

Wavin is credited with inventing and pioneering the use of plastic pipe for water distribution back in the 1950. Since then, Wavin has led the way in the development and production of underground drainage and sewerage systems manufactured from a number of different materials. Here in the UK, Wavin is market leader in below ground 110mm and 160mm drainage and sewerage systems with its Osma brand.

For further information, visit:

www.wavin.co.uk.

NEWS

Paperless processes Mobilengine has launched its leading mobile workflow solution to the construction sector, giving medium-large contractors the chance to boost efficiency by transferring traditional paper-based tasks to a mobile platform.

The app enables site managers to complete daily resource allocation, stock management, safety assessments, permits and much more through an Android tablet, providing real-time communication between the site and HQ administration for accurate and instant reporting.

The solution, which is available as a pilot for construction companies, has already proved successful in other sectors including healthcare, logistics and sales. Now it is available to construction contractors to help reduce costs, save time and improve the accuracy of everyday site tasks.

Adam Dalnoki, CEO of Mobilengine, said: “Mobilengine allows site managers to complete all paper based administration through a mobile platform, which means faster processes, more accurate reporting and no hassle with administration for busy site teams. More importantly, it also reduces the risk of error on critical forms such as goods received, H&S assessments and permits.”

Nature and industry working together In the second week of July 2014 CEMEX Dove Holes quarry delivered its two millionth tonne of aggregates of the year. Situated in Derbyshire close to the Peak District, Dove Holes is CEMEX’s largest quarry and provides limestone for construction projects all over the country.

The site covers 500 hectares, with the surrounding grassland around the quarry area an important area for the rare Twite bird. This species has been categorised as high conservation importance and a priority UK BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) species. The grassland helps provide the seed food needed by the Twite, which has been seen nesting in cracks in the quarry face.

CEMEX is working with the RSPB to help manage and restore its sites, giving nature a home.

Unsatisfied with salary and benefits?

Despite signs of recovery in the construction industry, over half (58 per cent) of professionals aged under 30 are not satisfied with their current salary and a quarter didn’t see any change in pay as part of their last review.

The findings from CareerStructure.com, which surveyed over 2000 professionals working in construction, engineering and the built environment to compile its interactive Salary Benchmarker, reveal that over a third of young workers expect to leave their current employer in six months or less.

Salary was found to be the number one priority for young people in their careers, with 64 per cent saying it was very important. This was followed by career prospects and challenging work (both 63 per cent), indicating that young people are looking for employers who can support their development and help them to gain new skills. Rob Searle, commercial director at CareerStructure.com, comments: “Young workers are the future of the industry so more must be done to convince them why construction and engineering are attractive professions. The industry is facing an ongoing skills shortage, which means it’s now more important than ever to retain the best young talent.

“While salary will always be important, young professionals are increasingly looking for companies that provide good career prospects as well as opportunities to learn and take on new challenges. Companies must commit to providing good training and benefits packages .

Construction & Civil Engineering 9

6 Construction & Civil Engineering

EQUIPMENT

Keep

Safe Working at height can be a dangerous business, which is why PASMA thinks the new simplified guidelines from HSE will be beneficial for the industry

10 Construction & Civil Engineering

“ Falls from height are still

the single biggest cause of workplace deaths, and a major cause of injuries ”

E

arlier this year the Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association (PASMA) welcomed the decision by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) not to change the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) following HSE’s completion of the review into health and safety regulation recommended by Professor Ragnar Lofstedt.

In particular, PASMA welcomed the introduction of HSE’s revised and simplified guidance: INDG401 Work at height - A brief guide. This followed HSE’s conclusion that where problems existed with the application of the Regulations, they arose from the misinterpretation of the Regulations rather than from the Regulations themselves.

According to PASMA, the new guidance should help business and industry – particularly micro and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – to adopt practical and, most importantly, proportionate measures, making it easier for firms to comply with the law and manage the risks associated with working at height in a sensible way.

Comments PASMA chairman, Chris Blantern: “PASMA welcomes the decision by HSE not to modify the Work at Height Regulations which were, after all, introduced to help prevent the deaths and injuries caused each year by falls at work, but rather to produce new, simplified guidance designed to provide

straightforward and uncomplicated advice to anyone working at height.

“I have no doubt that this new guidance, combined with the knowledge and information available from PASMA and other specialist trade bodies, and, of course, professional training to industry recognised standards, will make a major contribution to advancing the height safety agenda.”

Height safety Also making a major contribution to height safety is PASMA’s latest campaign ‘Not on your life!’ which aims to highlight the importance of only using those towers built to European tower standard EN1004.

Using cheap and potentially dangerous alternatives could put your life or the lives of others at risk, claims PASMA. Developed in consultation with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and supported by Hire Association Europe (HAE) and RoSPA, the campaign urges users to only buy or hire those towers that satisfy the minimum safety requirements stipulated in EN1004.

Tower products come in many different shapes and sizes from many different suppliers, so you need to be certain that the one you use is safe, says PASMA. According to the trade body, work at height is far more dangerous than it has to be. Using safe equipment can prevent many of the issues that repeatedly come up, such as loose

scaffold boards or DIY platforms, no built-in access to ensure safe ascent and descent, insufficient or incorrect stabilisers to prevent overturning, and frames with gaps or heights that cannot prevent a fall.

Recently introduced Also helping to raise standards is PASMA’s recently introduced PAS 250, a Publicly Available Specification for low-level work platforms commonly referred to as pulpits or podiums. Designs for this type of low-level work platform – for use by one person with a maximum working platform height of less than 2.5 metres – had previously been developed in the absence of a formal standard. PAS 250 addresses this omission by specifying minimum safety and performance criteria for these products.

Low-level work platforms designed in accordance with PAS 250 apply current best practice. The document covers material specifications, design requirements for the working platform, side protection (guardrails), toe-boards, access, mobility, feet and adjustable legs, and the content of markings (labels) and user guides.

Tests in PAS 250 verify strength, rigidity and stability.

PASMA recommends that anyone with responsibility for the purchase or use of this type of equipment should seriously consider specifying PAS 250 compliant products. Facilitated by the British Standards Institution (BSl), and sponsored by PASMA, the organisations that contributed

Construction & Civil Engineering 11

EQUIPMENT

l The tower itself was very lightweight; l It could be built and dismantled quickly and easily; l It was fully mobile on rails to allow for multi-location working.

With falls from height still the single biggest cause of workplace deaths, and a major cause of injuries, the real challenge going forward, according to PASMA, is to change the thinking and consequent behaviour of not only those who work at height, but also those who are responsible for its planning and implementation. No one deliberately sets out to fall from height, but there are many, many people on a daily basis who are prepared to take that risk – with often shattering consequences for themselves, their families, friends and colleagues.

PASMA hopes that these latest initiatives, along with those introduced by other member organisations of the Access Industry Forum (AIF) in their own respective disciplines, will advance the height safety agenda and help keep people safe. m

to its development included the Association of British Certification Bodies (ABCB), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Hire Association Europe (HAE), the UK Contractors Group (UKCG) and the Ladder Association.

PASMA also offers a specific, half-day training course for low-level access products that includes both theory and practical sessions.

At the same time as advocating the need to only use towers that comply with the minimum safety requirements of EN1004, and pulpits and podiums that satisfy PAS 250, PASMA is currently championing the flexibility of towers in more advanced and complex configurations. Typical of these are large decks, bridging and façade tower structures, along with

12 Construction & Civil Engineering

A stepped, cantilever and high-level structures.

In the example shown, ( pic A) a mobile tower has been used to provide access to install insulation, wiring and a suspended ceiling in a large auditorium. It was the preferred solution for a number of reasons: l Access to the auditorium was severely restricted; l The components could be assembled on a suspended floor;

Driving standards and best practice, and overseeing the delivery of the national training scheme, PASMA is the natural focus and authority for the mobile access tower industry in the UK and Ireland and, increasingly, overseas.

A leading trade association in the work at height sector – and a founder member of the Access Industry Forum (AIF) – PASMA provides advice, guidance and support to its many members and the industry at large. Building a positive, proactive safety culture is central to its role.

For further information, visit:

www.pasma.co.uk.

NEWS

Caught on camera The UK’s most advanced drainage pole camera has been used to undertake inspection work for Midland Expressway, on the M6 Toll around Birmingham.

Midland Expressway wanted to confirm that their intensive regime of carriageway drainage maintenance has been effective, and this technology offers a costeffective way to carry out checks, to make sure that the drainage system is free of obstructions or mechanical damage.

The Lanes depot at Minworth, in Birmingham, invested in the technology to carry out the inspection work for Midland Expressway, which operates and maintains the 27-mile-long motorway from Coleshill to Cannock.

As Steve Dipple, regional manager for Lanes in Birmingham, explained, it offers multiple benefits: “The QuickView Zoom camera allows us to inspect up to three times as much pipework in one shift, compared with using conventional crawler cameras,” he said.

“The camera’s capabilities are impressive. Its operating distance

New £20M School of Law

is over 100 metres, as long as, of course, the pipe is straight. It allows us to quickly focus in on areas that need more detailed survey work with a conventional robotic camera.”

He added: “With a two-person team, we have inspected up to two km of pipe on the M6 Toll in one night. With a standard camera system you are looking at a maximum of 600m. Video and still images can be recorded and downloaded from the fixed-view camera and used for compiling reports. This creates real cost-saving and fast-response advantages for clients.”

Construction hand over Interserve, the international support services and construction group, has completed and handed over the construction element of Jaguar Land Rover’s new Engine Manufacturing Centre near Wolverhampton. This is a major project milestone at the Centre, with the first engines due to come off the production line in early 2015.

Jaguar Land Rover is investing more than £500 million in the facility, which currently comprises two main production halls: a machine hall and a diesel engine assembly hall.

Other areas include offices, amenity facilities, product measurement and testing areas, logistics, car parking and landscaping.

The site will be the home for a new generation of technologically advanced, lightweight, four-cylinder low emission diesel and petrol engines, and is expected to employ almost 1400 people.

Commenting on the project, Mark Green, Interserve’s project manager, said: “One of the biggest tasks on this project has been to keep pace with the success of Jaguar Land Rover.

We were required to incorporate a 7000 sq m capacity increase partway through the construction period whilst still maintaining all of Jaguar Land Rover’s process installation dates and machine delivery dates in order to maintain its engine production programme.

This required Interserve, our contractors, Jaguar Land Rover and its contractors to work seamlessly and collaboratively together to ensure that we all delivered without compromising one another’s work.”

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

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

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

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

Construction & Civil Engineering 13

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The

energyissue Somnath Chatterjee & James Robey identify why smart metering is a smart move for business

T

he growing cost of energy and the depletion of natural resources are making every organisation look at the way they use energy. Energy is a fundamental and ever increasing cost of doing business – and for many organisations is one of the largest expenses alongside salary and production inputs. Recognising the need to help organisations tackle this issue, the governments are taking action to reduce the transitional impact of government policy on the cost of electricity for businesses; for

14 Construction & Civil Engineering

example the UK government has taken measures worth around £250 million implemented between 2013 and 2014. However businesses are increasingly taking matters into their own hands by developing their own energy management strategies.

It’s easy to see why – according to the Carbon Trust, a 20 per cent reduction in energy can have the same bottom line benefit as a five per cent increase in sales for many businesses.

However, whilst the desire to save energy is there, implementing an effective energy reduction

Somnath Chatterjee

James Robey

strategy isn’t as straightforward as turning off a few lights around the office. Critically, businesses need to identify exactly which areas of their operations are most energy inefficient. Managers need simple ways to measure, monitor and control energy use across multiple departments and sites, and even where problems are identified, it’s not always possible to simply rip out and replace legacy, energy-hungry equipment.

Enter Smart Metering Top of the agenda for implementing effective energy management is smart metering technology enabling businesses to track where they are using energy and benchmark their performance. Overall, the smart metering industry was estimated to be worth $2.1 billion in 2013 and is forecast to grow to $5.6 billion by 2020 (according to Navigant Research) as technologies continue to advance and business become more aware of the size of the energy reduction prize.

Smart metering helps organisations track energy usage by providing near real-time data in easy-to-understand reports and dashboards. By gaining a deeper understanding of how, where and when energy is being used, facility managers can identify opportunities to materially reduce consumption while providing business leaders accurate forecasts of future energy costs.

From the corporate perspective, smart metering coupled with Energy Management Systems also helps organisations meet new regulatory reporting obligations such as the CRC (Carbon Reduction Commitment) legislation in the UK and Grenelle II in France; while for businesses increasing their focus on sustainability, smart metering can drive material reductions in their carbon footprint. Businesses embracing smart metering today are now making a significant contribution towards the reduction of national carbon emission,

supporting legislation such as the 2008 Climate Change Act which aims to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, and which will ultimately require all homes and small businesses in Britain to fit smart meters by 2020. With 30 million households and company premises across the UK, that’s over 53 million gas and electricity meters to be replaced over the next six years.

A four-step energy reduction strategy It’s clear that embracing smart metering is a smart business move.

So where should a company start on its road to energy reduction?

First, organisations should ensure they consider these four key steps when creating a comprehensive metering strategy.

Step 1: Determine energy management roles and responsibilities: Cost savings won’t happen just by simply having a smart meter in place; they will only arise after data has been analysed and appropriate actions taken. By nominating specific employees to take responsibility for managing energy, and clearly explaining their roles, companies can allocate appropriate resources to analyse smart meter data and identify relevant next steps.

Step 2: Know your systems: Businesses will also need to ensure they have a clear understanding of how their smart meters work, how to gather the appropriate information meter readings, when and how data should be analysed, and what to do with the insights gained.

Step 3: Understand your business priorities: It’s also important to understand the energy consumption across various functions and identify the potential areas for energy reduction and to

unlock the greatest value from the data.

Step 4: Secure your smart meter: A final, critical consideration is security. Businesses have a responsibility to ensure their smart metering systems are monitored and protected to prevent security attacks and data breaches. As offices and systems become more intelligent and interconnected they also become more vulnerable. Putting in place effective information security and cybersecurity management processes will help protect data, systems and buildings.

businesses will increasingly be expected to minimise their carbon emissions and reduce energy wastage. Smart Metering based energy management investments fit well into an organisation’s overall Corporate Sustainability agenda, and those that implement an effective energy management strategy now are in a strong position to save money, sharpen their competitive edge whilst helping to create a more sustainable world. m

Energy innovation in India To help organisations unlock potential energy savings, Capgemini has developed a Smart Energy Management solution. To test its effectiveness, Capgemini deployed a Smart Energy pilot in two of its buildings in Mumbai, India in March 2013 with the dual goal of reduction energy costs and lowering costs carbon emissions.

The pilot proved hugely successful with energy savings of ten per cent achieved within three months and with significant further savings expected going forward. Savings were gleaned from both direct reductions in energy consumption together with a more streamlined approach energy management across the office estate. The pilot scheme has now been extended with the solution currently being deployed to a further 26 sites across India.

An energy-efficient future As energy prices continue to rise and businesses become more carbon conscious, smart meter technology will undoubtedly turn into an increasingly popular method of reducing energy and lowering costs. Moreover, as global awareness of climate change grows and new laws demand efficient use of energy,

Somnath Chatterjee is VP, Global Smart Energy Services, Capgemini and James Robey is VP, Capgemini’s Global Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Director. With more than 130,000 people in over 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services.

The Group reported 2013 global revenues of EUR 10.1 billion.

Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want.

For further information, visit:

www.capgemini. com.

Construction & Civil Engineering 15

RECrUITMENT

The construction and engineering industries urgently need to widen the talent pool of future technologists and engineers and inspire more young women to take up the subjects that lead to these careers. Joan Murray tells Libbie Hammond about a new project that targets the issue

Building a

J

oan Murray is a director at TPS Schal, the consultancy arm of the Carillion Group. She heads the company’s construction compliance, surveying and project management division and is one of the few women in a director-level role in her industry.

She explained that spending her career as part of the minority in the workplace was one of the main reasons she is involved in Carillion’s Project SNOWE (Support Network for Operational Women Engineers), which launched on 23rd June 2014: “It always seemed to me that something was missing in relation to how we supported female engineers in construction,” she began. “All my life I have been part of a workforce

16 Construction & Civil Engineering

career where less than ten per cent of the population are female. Being part of a minority brings its own set of unique challenges and so requires an innovative way to deal with them.

“There did not seem to be any obvious means to support female engineers in the day-today challenges of working in a male-dominated profession. As a consequence, retention of female engineers is an on-going concern.

“By creating a network where women right across the organisation have a means to draw upon the experience, support and encouragement of their colleagues (both male and female) when working in engineering roles, we are recognising the importance of support, encouragement and

retention of women in these working roles. We are saying that we value their contributions and we want them to be part of the workforce.”

Project SNOWE is a voluntary initiative where female engineers are allocated a ‘buddy’ from a different part of the organisation that will act as their ‘supporter’.

Someone outside their line management but understands the day-to-day challenges of working in construction. “Sometimes it can be easier to speak to someone who understands your business but who is also not your line manager,” explained Joan. “Buddies can provide support and guidance, as well as just listen,” she added.

TPS Schal will roll out the new support network across its business,

engaging 20 per cent of technical women in engineering in year one, increasing year-on-year over a five-year period. The commitment is to roll this initiative across the whole of the Carillion organisation over the next five years. “I have led within Carillion on the creation of this network,” said Joan. “It is fully aligned with the wider Carillion desire to have a diverse workforce, where people are proud to work for our business, and has been integrated into our Carillion Compact Pledge – that is the GovernmentBusiness partnership initiative to encourage ‘Women into Technology and Engineering’ and to inspire and boost young people’s participation in Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths, the ‘STEM’ subjects. It was launched on the 7th of May by George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, at the Science Museum, and I am an ambassador for the STEM campaign.”

Part of Carillion’s commitment to this campaign is an increase in the contact it has with schools. Joan explained: “This is a really wonderful idea where we are planning to visit local schools in the communities where we work – right across the country. We are developing a bespoke training module to give an ‘introduction’ to engineering and technology for girls.

“It will showcase the value to girls in studying STEM subjects and will highlight what sort of career opportunities are opened up if you choose these subjects at GCSE and A level. We will have our STEM ambassadors deliver these modules – women and men who have chosen to study these subjects and the career paths they have taken over their working lives.

“By showing girls the great choices they can have if they choose the STEM subjects we will go a long way to encouraging girls to study engineering at University and ultimately creating a better balance in the working environment ratio of male to female engineers.”

As the construction industry starts to recover from the economic depression of past years, the recruitment market is also showing signs of improvement, and as Joan noted: “With the economy improving and major infrastructure projects being supported by the UK Government there is a growing demand for engineers in particular. The basis of all of this is to encourage and support the widest range of new starters in technical subjects – and my focus is on encouraging a new generation of women.

“We have seen a number of staff seeking opportunities on some of the high profile new projects such as Crossrail. This is putting a pressure point on the availability of strong new candidates – particularly in London and the South-East. This is another good reason to encourage new competent and enthusiastic women into the industry and by supporting them we can help them onto a very successful career in engineering.

“I think higher up the professional ladder we are also competing for new staff on a more international level. Engineering is a huge international business and we want to encourage the best so the UK can continue to compete successfully in the international arena.”

Not only competing with other firms, construction companies also need to attract new recruits who

may not even consider the area as a possible career option. “I chose to study civil engineering at University in Dublin as I always wanted to be involved in something that would make a contribution to society,” said Joan.

“This is achieved by engineers on a daily basis through the creation of new buildings and structures, which leave their mark on the landscape. The creative process is always challenging, never dull, it’s innovative and no two days are ever the same in this profession.

“Younger people need to be able to see STEM subjects as attractive areas to study and to make careers.

We are in a world where the media seem to glorify celebrity and fame, which I am sure has its attractions, but I hope this initiative can go some way to counteracting this by giving women a positive alternative.”

She concluded: “I’d like to be able to see more technical and engineering companies taking up the challenge to support women in their career choices. It needs to be linked to the STEM initiative so the recruitment of the next generation continues to benefit from more diversity and then delivers that benefit to the wider community.” m

Carillion is one of the UK’s leading support services companies with a substantial portfolio of Public Private Partnership projects, extensive construction capabilities and a sector leading capability for delivering sustainable solutions. The Group operates across the UK, in the Middle East and Canada. It is the UK’s largest employer of construction apprentices, with up to 2000 apprentices in training at any one time.

For more information, visit: www.tpsconsult.co.uk or www.carillionplc.com.

Construction & Civil Engineering 17

Fire protection

Testing times

Shop fitters may be asked to demonstrate that products installed on site meet reaction to fire requirements but many are leaving it too late, says Phil Howard

S

pecifiers and fire risk assessors involved in large retail developments, such as shopping centres and transport hubs, are increasingly requesting that fittings used during retail fit-outs meet stringent reaction to fire requirements.

Since these requirements can result in shopfitting displays and materials being rejected, often at a late stage in the build, suppliers and contractors must ensure that they know of any site-specific requirements at the start of any major fit-out project.

What is reaction to fire?

The reaction to fire performance of a material relates to its combustibility and ignitability i.e. its contribution to fire growth, rather than its ability to resist the passage of fire (which is proved by fire resistance testing).

So, reaction to fire test results help specifiers understand how materials used in shop fit-outs will perform, should a fire occur, and to limit their combustibility. Limiting how a fire develops in its early stages is of crucial importance to ensuring safe evacuation.

18 Construction & Civil Engineering

fire risk assessors involved in large retail “developments, such as shopping centres and transport hubs, are increasingly requesting that fittings used during retail fit-outs meet stringent reaction to fire requirements

”

In retail applications, components that may require testing include shelving units, play areas, display cases and other fittings, particularly if they cover the full height of a wall. Many of these are constructed from several components, such as laminates fixed to backing boards made of all types of material, ranging from plasterboard to mdf.

While product testing should be carried out before a product is installed on site, BM TRADA has seen a steady increase in the number of clients wishing to test their products after installation.

This is usually due to the specifier or person responsible for signing off the building realising that the presented test evidence for a product is incomplete.

This can have serious implications, since, at this point, there is only a short time available in which to resolve the problem. It is often too late to change some products already installed on site, and there can be costs and aesthetic implications associated with remedial works required to replace or upgrade the product’s reaction to fire performance to the required level. There may even be research

and development work required to identify the way forward out of this difficult situation. So how can manufacturers avoid this situation?

Accepted evidence In Europe, there are seven ‘Euroclasses’, A1 to F, with A1 offering the best performance and F the worst. The test evidence for products tested to European test standards is presented in a BS EN 13501-1: Fire Classification of Construction Products and Building Elements: Classification using test data from reaction to fire tests classification document. As well as revealing the test results, the classification document covers the application of the product in its end use. This is called the field of application of the product.

When signing off the building or installation, a specifier will look to see that the product is installed with the correct substrate, air gap, fixings, joints, colour and thickness, and will check this against the field of application section of the classification document.

Specifiers both in the UK and

on the European mainland can be exceptionally meticulous at examining the test evidence with which they are presented, particularly in high risk areas such as airports, railway stations and other transport hubs; high end retail stores; shopping centres; schools; hospitals; care homes; hotels; and exhibition halls.

Achieving compliance Manufacturers can avoid nasty surprises by preparing in advance for large projects. They should always ask to see the EN 13501-1 European classification document for each of the components used and check the field of application carefully. This will help them to avoid common areas of noncompliance.

A general misconception is that manufacturing a product made of components, which achieve Euroclass B, for example, will lead to the finished product

Construction & Civil Engineering 19

FIRE PROTECTION

being Euroclass B, without further testing. This is not always the case, and the completed product may require testing to demonstrate its compliance.

For example, purchasing a Euroclass B laminate and securing it to a Euroclass B MDF board can result in a composite product with a worse performance than Euroclass B. If the laminate was tested on a material of limited combustibility such as plasterboard and it achieved a Euroclass B in testing, then the same performance cannot be expected on an MDF board, (even if this MDF board is Euroclass B) and the classification evidence is not valid for the product in this end use.

Similarly, purchasing a component labelled as fire resistant (FR) does not mean that the component will be ‘fire retardant’ or that it will demonstrate a higher level of performance than other components in the market place. The evidence may not be appropriate to the end use application for which the product is required. Or, the product may have no test evidence, or offer evidence from another system, such as ASTM testing (the system used in the USA), which is usually not recognised or acceptable in Europe.

Peace of mind With an increasing number of projects now having stringent reaction to fire requirements, suppliers who can demonstrate the behaviour of their products with appropriate test evidence can offer peace of mind and value to specifiers.

BM TRADA recently worked on a high profile retail project with UK manufacturer and project management company, Woodteam Ltd. BM TRADA tested a whole range of shelving, mid-floor units, wall and display units for installation within retail outlets across Europe (in UK, France, Germany and beyond). The products achieved EN 13501-1 reaction to fire classifications

20 Construction & Civil Engineering

“Purchasing a

component labelled as fire resistant (FR) does not mean that the component will be fire retardant

”

Manufacturers’ checklist In advance of every large project, manufacturers should: l Check for site-specific fire requirements l Review all the test evidence, paying special attention to the field of application in relation to the particular project. BM TRADA can help with reviewing existing test evidence. l Carry out research and development work and conduct indicative testing if required. l Obtain a full classification that will provide the evidence required for the project. l Remember that the research and development work necessary to obtain a classification takes time and incurs costs in both materials and testing activities. Plan for this up front.

of Euroclass B and C. Woodteam managing director Warren Cassidy declared: “Woodteam works alongside both multi-national and individual companies to deliver commercially viable solutions which have impact, style and enhance our customers’ reputation.

“BM TRADA enabled us to offer a range of units that met all of our client’s fire safety requirements, enabling us to complete the project on schedule and providing assured fire performance.”

With advance planning, it is possible to incorporate the time and cost of reaction to fire testing into sizeable projects, ensuring that manufacturers save time, cost and, above all, reputation. m

Phil Howard is technical head of BM TRADA’s Fire Division. BM TRADA provides independent certification, testing, inspection, training and technical services. It helps customers large and small to prove their business and product credentials and to improve performance and compliance. Further information on reaction to fire testing is available in BM TRADA’s technical information sheets: TI-1303: Reaction to fire -Testing and classification and Reaction to Fire - European Classification Documents Explained at www.bmtrada.com/testing

NEWS

Paper walls Walls could be made from shredded paper after researchers at Nottingham Trent University developed a new material, which is as strong as MDF. A study led by Dr Anton Ianakiev, of the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, and Dr Anthony Crabbe, of School of Art & Design, established a new, rigid composite material which is paper-based but also fire and water resistant.

It is made from a mixture of long strands of shredded office paper and a sodium silicate gluing agent, which protects against flame and moisture.

To make it, the two materials are mixed at a ratio of 80 per cent paper and 20 sodium silicate and then compressed at high pressures at 90°c. The result is a composite material which removes the need to recycle the paper and is affordable, quick to manufacture, competitive against chipboard and MDF (medium density-fibreboard) and can be moulded into various

shapes, including structural panels.

Dr Ianakiev, a senior lecturer in civil engineering, said: “Shredded paper, which is widely available, could become a viable construction material at a potentially low cost.

The fact that it can be used to make a rigid material that is fire and water resistant will surely make it very appealing to the construction industry.”

£3 million project Building, civil engineering and structural steelwork contractor, Britcon has secured a £3.1 million contract to deliver a purpose designed workshop and offices at Tolvaddon Business Park in Camborne for Balanus Assets Ltd. The facility is to be occupied by LDD Ltd, a high value company specialising in marine and subsea foundations, project management and engineering.

As principal contractor, Britcon will manage the entire design and build for the project that is supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and designed to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standard. The brief includes delivery of a new 20,000 sq. ft. manufacturing workshop and offices of steel frame and cladded structure with two gantry cranes installed in the workshop. Britcon will also deliver a new car park, storage yard, and standalone maintenance facility as well as a new site entrance, landscaping, draining and services for the benefit of the entire business park.

Work has already started on site with anticipated completion by the end of February 2015. LDD Ltd will relocate from existing headquarters at Longdowns where it has occupied since start up in 2007. The new facility is three times larger than its current operation, supporting plans for future expansion and employment in the region.

Plant cover As reports confirm an uplift in construction sector confidence, The Electrical Contractors’ Insurance Company (ECIC) has launched insurance cover against theft of plant equipment used on construction sites. The development responds to recent premium rate rises in plant theft cover, offering brokers and construction firms competitive cover in return for a full inventory of plant and adoption of security devices.

Phil Scarrett, sales and marketing director for ECIC said: “Historically when insurers have insured plant they have simply asked for a value of the plant without really understanding the detail of the equipment or the security devices in place. This has led to a rise in claims and a corresponding rise in rates.

“Our approach is to really understand what a contractor is trying to insure and how it is protected against theft. This allows us to give a realistic rate for insurance that should compare well with quotes provided by non-specialist insurers.

Construction & Civil Engineering 21

CASE STUDY

A

ATS Euromaster selects a fine LED solution for new warehouse lighting

brighter future

22 Construction & Civil Engineering

A

TS Euromaster is the UK’s leading retailer of tyres with 340 centres across the UK. In addition to tyres, ATS Euromaster provides a variety of in-centre services, including MOT’s, servicing, wheel alignment and battery replacement.

ATS Euromaster had noticed that the lighting at a number of its centres was old and therefore provided inadequate lighting. Not only was this affecting how the branch looked in the eyes of its customers and the general public, it also made it more difficult for the technicians to perform as efficiently and effectively as they would like.

As a result, ATS Euromaster set out to find a new lighting solution to replace the 250W metal halides, which they currently have in place at a number of their centres, for a trial installation. The main criteria set out were that the new product be effective, attractive and efficient, as ATS Euromaster is always looking for ways to lower its carbon footprint and if possible lower operational costs.

After researching a number of potential solutions, ATS Euromaster settled on FineLED’s LED36-500 product as it is economical, only consuming 59W – less than a quarter of the energy used to power the previous system and therefore providing a cost saving of

“ Following installation, the technicians at ATS Euromaster in

Kidderminster now have a lighting level that helps them produce good work in the most effective and efficient way possible. The branch itself also has a new lease of life and looks more welcoming”

78 per cent. The LED36-500 also has a small form factor with goodlooking housing and all in all is a reliable and robust luminaire. The British-built product also provides built-in redundancy, so, with three separate circuits in the LED36-500, if one should happen to fail then the other two will continue to work.

Andy Evans, head of property and services at ATS Euromaster explained: “We have been talking to FineLED for some time now and have been actively seeking the possibility to install the LED36-500 in a real world environment and the refurbishment of our Kidderminster centre proved an ideal opportunity.

“To date, the feedback from the centre manager David Durbin has been very positive with all the technicians liking both the brightness and the sharpness of the light and the energy savings are significant enough to make this a cost effective investment.”

Once the solution and location was decided upon, local installers, Dunn and Dyer (Electrical) Ltd, were tasked with implementing the refit at the Kidderminster warehouse with 30 new LED36-500 lights to be installed. The project took just one week, with no problems encountered and no disruption to the day-to-day business, this was due partly to the swift and professional nature of the installation team and partly due to the ergonomic and simple design to

FineLED’s products, with the team stating ‘we were impressed with how easy the units were to fit as well as their robust design.’

Andy, at ATS Euromaster, continued to say: “The installation of FineLED’s LED36-500’s has been a resounding success and we are now actively seeking other locations within the ATS Euromaster portfolio that would benefit from having their lighting upgraded to FineLED’s ultraefficient lighting.”

Following installation, the technicians at ATS Euromaster in Kidderminster now have a lighting level that helps them produce good work in the most effective and efficient way possible. The branch itself also has a new lease of life and looks more welcoming to the general public. However, the biggest benefit to the company is the significant reduction to its operational expenses and the lowering of its carbon footprint.

Although there are always costs incurred with this kind of refit, it is clear that in this case, the benefits far outweigh the cost as FineLED is now in the process of quoting for its second brand refit, at the ATS Euromaster branch in Brecon.

Nigel White, managing director at FineLED commented on the installation and the potential expansion to other branches, stating: “We see projects of all

shapes and sizes, with orders ranging from one luminaire for the replacement of a halogen security light to many hundreds for the replacement of a large factory’s lighting. The project at Kidderminster was an exciting one for us and we are really pleased at the results ATS Euromaster has seen. We are confident that we can continue to provide costeffective and efficient solutions to the Brecon branch and beyond, as Kidderminster is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Speaking of the industry as a whole, Nigel added: “The situation we viewed at Kidderminster is a similar situation that we see in warehouses across the country – old lighting solutions with huge power requirements and that are therefore expensive to run and harmful to the environment. They also don’t necessarily provide the best quality lighting for the situation.

“LED’s are a great source of high-power, low-energy lighting, if they are used correctly and we’ve spent years ensuring we develop solutions that outperform the cheaper alternatives from China and undercut the prices whilst matching the quality of those designed by larger, well-known brands.” m For further information, visit:

www.fineled.co.uk.

Construction & Civil Engineering 23

PROFILE: Bourne Group

birth expertise

The

of

“

For 67 years Bourne Group has successfully operated within the construction engineering sector and has achieved year on year profit, a record of which it is very proud. Faced with very challenging market conditions over the past few years the business has managed to remain profitable and grow in spite of the global recession

O

ur turnover fell back during the crisis, but we continued to remain profitable and have worked hard to grow it back over the past couple of years, and this year we are once again predicting positive

24 Construction & Civil Engineering

growth,” begins says Terry Wood, Group Development Director.

Controlling its core business as a steel fabricator, the company is additionally involved in specialist fabrications and works across various sectors. There are eight subsidiary companies within the Group, with each a perfect example

of a policy of diversification that has seen the business expand and grow in equal measure. The company’s reputation was first established with the design, manufacture and installation of structural steelwork, but whether fabricating steel or operating the latest CAD software, its work is framed by an over-

te by Bourne gy from Was er En ey dl Ar

Steel

extremely successful more recently in the energy from waste sector. We have a very successful design and build car parking division, having just completed a £10 million car parking facility project at Bristol parkway station. Diversification is absolutely key and essential to maintain the flexibility to react to market conditions,” explains Terry.

Bristol Parkway car park by Bourne Parking

Reading Station arching principle: a steadfast commitment to quality, safety and the development of its people.

“We work in the refurbishment of commercial offices, medium- high rise buildings, rail & infrastructure, airports, retail, schools, process & water treatment, bridges, modular sectors and we have been

The business recently completed a project with Clugston Construction, a company at the forefront of renewable and green technologies running energy from waste projects in Oxfordshire.

Talking about the strategy behind the move, Terry points out: “As our other markets began to contract we identified the energy from waste sector as potential area for growth in which we could transfer our expertise. Utilising our skill sets from engineering, design, fabrication and erection we were able to bring together all our core skills and were successful in winning five projects in that sector.”

Entering new markets can raise potential problems for any business, but through utilising the skill of its workforce, many of whom have in excess of 25 years experience on which to draw, the Bourne Group has been able to develop within the market. “Our broad skill set is well developed to suit challenges from demanding sectors which are cost and programme driven.

It is of paramount importance to deliver to time, to cost, and to budget,” says Terry, further explaining that the key strengths of the business come from its employees: “We invest in our people, focusing on training to maintain a position at the forefront of technological developments.

With engineers in short supply, we have established a graduate training programme in which we work closely with colleges and universities. We are always looking for talent and as students near graduation we attend seminars, employment days, and spend a lot of time at the universities building on our programme. We also have a very successful apprenticeship programme.”

Providing an insight to the market, Terry explains: “A skills shortage and pricing pressures are going to be one of the challenges facing the industry, particularly as the market begins to warm up, and there are signs of it already improving. We have seen a significant increase in tendering enquiries, but more importantly the quality of the enquiries has improved, which is a good indication that things are improving in the market place. We believe that by the mid point of 2015 we will begin to see the market turning in a much more positive direction.

We have already noticed that the workload of consulting engineers and architectural practises are picking up, and projects that have been sat on the drawing board are now moving into planning.”

Construction & Civil Engineering 25

PROFILE: Bourne Group

Reading Station

at this moment in time. Quite often there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day!” Highlighting the expectations of the more distant future, Terry concludes: “The board of directors have just drawn up our 2020 plan and there are some really exciting new ideas that we would like to bring to market.

“We are well positioned with a

Joseph Ash Galvanizing Having come out of the global recession with its head above the water the business is looking forward to the next few months with a very positive outlook, as Terry says: “We have ridden the storm, working profitably and we expect to continue that trend. The company is very busy on all fronts

26 Construction & Civil Engineering

Providing first class galvanizing services to the Bourne Group. Since 1999 Joseph Ash Galvanizing has been proud to provide steel finishing services to the Bourne Group, working with them on a number of prestigious construction projects. On behalf of the Bourne Group we have galvanized structural steelwork for large developments including many single deck and multi-storey car parks. We look forward to continuing our great relationship with the Bourne Group for many more years to come.

strong balance sheet. The company is in a very strong financial position and over the course of the last two years we have seen a number of our competitors in the industry suffer financial losses and in some cases, closure. However, amongst all the bad news for other companies we have remained a positively performing business and we expect that to continue. Part of my responsibility is to make sure that we are in the right sectors and that we are talking to the right clients, and through this we are picking up on a lot of optimism in the industry and that optimism is shared throughout our company.” m

Bourne Group www.www.bournegroup.eu Services: Construction engineering

PROFILE: Jehander

vital

The

aggregate

Founded in 1874, Jehander has 140 years of experience in delivering high quality aggregates materials to individual clients, contractors and government agencies

O

perating as part of the HeidelbergCement Group, Sand & Grus AB Jehander (Jehander) operates in Sweden as a dedicated producer of materials for the construction industry and has a history that encompasses the evolution of the business as well as the products that it delivers. Since the company first began in its headquarters located in Stockholm it has provided the region with aggregates and today has expanded to also include operations within the Gothenburg, Gävle and NorrkÜping regions. In all Jehander operates pits at 22 locations across Sweden, which are dispersed between its four operational regions.

Although the company continues to operate its key market in Sweden, operationally the company has undergone several changes over its long history. The most significant change in the running of the business came between 2003 and 2004, with the decision

Construction & Civil Engineering 27

PROFILE: Jehander

to integrate the four companies operating into a single business that would take on its current name of Jehander. “The company looks very different today from how it did when I joined the company in 2001,” says managing director Pär Åström.

“Today we are a single company with a much more centralised management structure. After the latest reorganisation, Jehander is a part of Aggregates Northern Europe, incorporating Norway, Sweden and Latvia, with the vision that business gives an exceptional return for all stakeholders by

Vendig AB Vendig AB, based in Skara, Sweden is a company that been operating for over 35 years. Its main products are components for belt conveyors, distributed in Sweden and to many other parts of Europe. Vendig is famous for the big range of beltscrapers, known to be simple and effective.

Important clients are crushing plants and big mines, one of these is Sand & Grus Jehander AB that been a customer for many years. Vendig AB is a part of the Lagercrantz Group.

28 Construction & Civil Engineering

being responsible, profitable and transparent.”

The aggregates supplied by Jehander typically derive from gravel, sand and macadam (crushed rock) and are key ingredients in asphalt and concrete construction.

Aggregates are often required to be on hand for such diverse applications as building and highway maintenance, road gritting, water purification, and flooring.

Despite the challenges of the global economic slow down that began during 2008, demand of aggregates has continued to remain strong in Sweden. Furthermore as confidence begins to return to the market and build projects and infrastructure upgrades are becoming reinstated, the demand for building materials is set to increase still further. During 2005 80 million tonnes of aggregates

were delivered throughout Sweden, today the amount required yearly in Stockholm alone is placed at around 11 million tonnes. Projects like the construction of a new Stockholm bypass, scheduled to commence between 2015 and 2016 will increase present requirement of aggregates yearly by several million tonnes.

“The new bypass will see 20 million tonnes of rock flowing into the area via road and by port. We are the only company in Stockholm to have vessels and we have two quarry sites along Lake Mälaren and therefore can deliver by boat instead of just by truck,” Pär elaborates.

“This will be a large project, which will increase the market from around 11 million tonnes in Stockholm by a further two million tonnes per year for at least the next five to six years. Although no contracts have yet been awarded, we feel that

Jehander is in an excellent position to be apart of this.”

Trading conditions have remained challenging throughout the construction industry during recent history, for a number of reasons. Firstly the global downturn has naturally had far reaching effects leaving precious few markets unscathed within the construction sector. Additionally, 2013’s harsh European winter further compounded trading conditions with decreased windows for construction and a sharp rise in demand for winterised products.

Despite the challenges this posed, Jehander was keen to not leave its customers wanting. “We had a very harsh winter last year that seemed to go on for six to seven months, which was quite a struggle for us,” Pär says. “However the business has always been very customer friendly and focused, so when customers demand for certain products is high we have always tried to make sure we can make the client happy and offer a good supply. So when winter grit was in demand we produced a

lot of it for market, which was very expensive.”

Furthermore a key market challenge in Sweden concerns the levels of natural sand and gravel present in the nation’s territory.

“Within Sweden there will be a lack of natural sand because sand and gravel beds are essential for water supply and local authorities have called for a reduction in the extraction of natural sand - the UK has the same problem. There is a tax on natural sand, which makes it an expensive product to produce and it is not possible to get a permit to open new pits so the supply is limited,” Pär says. “There is a need to have new products to compensate; one of these is to crush rock so it

has almost the same properties as sand so that it can be used in concrete instead of natural sand.

We call this manufactured sand and we crush the rocks to be rounder as to perform more like natural sand.”

Products like this coupled with a focus on high-demand regions such as Stockholm and Gothenburg have enabled Jehander to weather the challenges to the market and continue to remain strong.

Throughout its 140 year history the company has demonstrated an ability to adapt to the needs of its client base and innovate solutions to best the challenges of the marketplace. As the market begins to move again, it has a strong foundation that is set to last well into the future. m

Jehander www.jehander.se Services: Aggregates Construction & Civil Engineering 29

PROFILE: BELL EQUIPMENT

Strongreputation Bell Equipment (UK) Limited set up its UK operation in 1998, and the original Bell philosophy of first class products and the very best customer service still rings true today

30 Construction & Civil Engineering

B

ell Equipment manufactures and supplies the most reliable; most fuel efficient and most technically advanced articulated dump trucks (ADTs) in the world.

The company’s products bring together the very best in power and drivetrain technology and efficient, innovative design. They are created to be dynamic vehicles that more than double their weight when loaded, which means they can economically deliver extra production or offer, as Bell describes

it: ‘absolutely the lowest cost per tonne in the business’.

With a customer base ranging from the quarrying, mining and construction sectors to waste, recycling, energy and general plant hire, Bell Equipment is able to draw upon years of experience in a range of sectors in order to ensure its trucks meet the needs of its end users. With industry leading technology and reliability built in, Bell Equipment’s ADTs have a renowned reputation. Its current offering comprises two ranges – the proven D-series (currently in its Mark

VII version) and the brand-new E-series, the next evolution in Bell design.

Building upon the strength and reputation of this range, the company also introduced a range of reliable and efficient wheeled loaders. This comprises a total of seven machines and has already received critical acclaim from the construction, quarry and recycling markets.

A perfect illustration of the high quality of these machines is the decision from Barry Wood Plant Hire (better known as Woods) to demo a Bell wheeled loader at the Hillhead 2014 exhibition in late June.

This leading international exhibition saw companies presenting the latest plant, equipment and materials, and Woods put the newly purchased Bell Equipment L2606E wheeled loader at centre stage on

its stand. It performed a series of demonstrations and gave visitors an idea of exactly what the L2606E – the largest loader supplied by Bell – is capable of, from stockpiling and re-handling, to movability around the often tight restraints of crushing and screening sites.

In addition, a second next generation E-series machine was on display on Bell Equipment’s own stand. The E-series was officially launched in the UK in late 2013 and instantly proved its credentials. The next generation in articulated dump truck design and technology, the E-series builds upon the proven legacy of the successful D-series, in order to deliver increased production payloads, lower daily operating costs, superior ride quality and uncompromised safety standards.

Key amongst its advantages is

24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK Cotton Transport and Sons Ltd is a successful, family run business and was established over 50 years ago. We are based in Church Gresley, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, close to the M42 and the M1. Over the years we have gained a vast knowledge of the UK road network, so come to us with your haulage needs.

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: • 3.5 Tonne Long Wheel Base Van Box and Curtain Bodies • 7.5 Tonne Curtain Sided Vehicles • 18 Tonne Curtain Sided Vehicle With or Without Tail Lift • 26 Tonne Curtain Sided Vehicles With Tail Lift • 26 Tonne Flat with Crane and Plant Body • 44 Tonne Articulated Vehicle with Flatbed or Curtain Sided • 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.

CONTACT

CALL US TODAY:

COTTON TRANSPORT & SONS LIMITED Church St, Church Gresley, Swadlincote, Derbys , DE11 9NR

www.cottontransport.co.uk

01283 213 777

Construction & Civil Engineering 31

PROFILE: BELL EQUIPMENT

and European Union. Ahead of the launch of the legislation, Bell used Hillhead to demonstrate how this necessary evolution in emissions technology is being integrated to complement the existing advantages of Bell loaders.

“With Tier 4 being introduced specifically to tackle emissions, it is more important than ever that customers seek a machine that can meet the range of complex and demanding tasks expected of modern loaders,” explains Nick. unrivalled fuel efficiency – a quality that has already seen the E-series selected for use by major names in quarrying, earthmoving and plant hire. “The E-series is even more remarkable in real-life than we promised [in 2012],” noted Nick Learoyd, managing director

32 Construction & Civil Engineering

of Bell Equipment.

Bell also used the Hillhead event to highlight the environmental credentials of its wheeled loaders.

2014 is a year of change in this market with the switch to full Tier 4 engines in line with the clean air regulations established by the EPA

Groeneveld UK Limited Groeneveld UK have a long standing relationship with Bell Equipment UK Ltd providing our world leading “Twin” automatic lubrication system helping to keep Bell’s machines in optimum condition in harsh environments. We look forward to continuing that relationship with new and innovative products and services, from automatic lubrication to active safety systems and engine oil management all helping to drive and improve business efficiency.

“Regardless of their class of engine, Bell loaders can meet and exceed those expectations.”

This degree of innovation and dedication to design is greatly appreciated by a loyal customer base, who after their first purchase, frequently return to Bell for subsequent machines. Woods, mentioned earlier, has seven Bell articulated dump trucks in its fleet, and four of its nine loaders are from Bell. Another customer, Levenseat, a waste management and materials recycling business operating from two sites in central Scotland, also added more of the company’s equipment to its fleet in May 2014 when it ordered a new Bell ADT. The machine represents the third Bell ADT purchased Levenseat, but it is the first E-series. “This is another brilliant result for the E-Series,” says Sandy Fairweather, Bell Equipment’s sales manager in Scotland. “And no wonder. The B30E ADT can tackle tasks that would confound other machines. It’s a high performing truck that’s powerful, fuel-efficient, hard-wearing and a pleasure to operate.”

Sandy added: “It’s also the first time Levenseat has used the Fleetm@tic system, and already it has presented key information that will assist with productivity, as well as cost-efficiency.” Fleetm@tic is an advanced and user-friendly fleet management system that enables customers to accurately monitor their fleet from anywhere in the world – helping them save both time and money. It can provide basic data such as machine hours and average fuel burn to more detailed information such as individual tipping reports. Fleetm@tic is the only such system in the world that is able to link machine performance with actual tonnage moved.

Bell equips all ADTs with a free entry-level Fleetm@tic package as standard, though customers have the option of upgrading to a subscription package if they require more detailed reporting capability.

Fleetm@tic also allows owners to

Brigade Electronics For vehicle safety aids Bell Equipment looks to Brigade Electronics for Backsense radar obstacle detection. Big trucks have big blind spots, so manoeuvring them can be a dangerous business. Brigade’s Backsense radar systems provide operators with a graduated audible and visual distance warning of objects or people in the danger zone. There are programmable and standard models in the range, with detection capabilities up to 30m.

Bell Equipment uses a 6m detection zone.

Construction & Civil Engineering 33

PROFILE: BELL EQUIPMENT

monitor the exact location of each machine, set virtual geo-fences around their ADTs and monitor individual driver behaviour using unique driver ID codes.

“To us, this further demonstrates Levenseat’s confidence in our equipment and we are positive that they’ll benefit from many productive years from the truck, irrelevant of

challenges it’s presented with,” Sandy concluded.

Bell Equipment has now established itself at the forefront of the industry, with the D series dump truck widely regarded as the market leader, and the E Series already gaining a following. Not just based in the UK, Bell is continually increasing its customer base across the globe, supported by the recent creation of Bell Equipment North America. In addition, the company’s UK division is directly responsible for a number of foreign dealers and distributors, encompassing Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Israel and the Middle East. “Bell is increasingly a player in diverse markets around the world,” confirmed Nick. Today Bell Equipment is a truly international company with users of more than 19,000 machines operating in over 60 countries around the world. As the construction and civils market continues to improve, the company looks forward to supplying both new and existing customers with its innovative and exceptional equipment. m

Bell Equipment www.bellequipment.co.uk Services: Articulated dump truck/ wheeled loader manufacturer 34 Construction & Civil Engineering

PROFILE: UPM Plywood

Plying its trade UPM Plywood has accumulated extensive knowledge about plywood and veneers over its long history

U

PM is one of the leading manufacturers of wood products in Europe and a forerunner in research and development in the area. The merger of Kymmene Corporation and Repola Ltd and its subsidiary United Paper Mills Ltd formed UPM in 1996 and today it is a leader in the integration of bio and forest industries into the new, combined sustainable and innovation-driven ‘biofore’ industry.

UPM’s structure consists of six business areas - UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper ENA (Europe and North America) and UPM Plywood – and in 2013, UPM’s sales exceeded ten billion euros. The organisation is present in 65 countries, with production plants in 14 and it employs approximately 21,000 people worldwide.

In the area of wood, UPM is one of the world’s leading forest industry groups, and through its three wood-based divisions,

Construction & Civil Engineering 35

PROFILE: UPM Plywood

UPM offers high-quality product solutions for building and industrial applications..

When it comes to wood products, UPM Plywood has been working

36 Construction & Civil Engineering

with this material for over a century, since the founder of UPM’s plywood business, Wilhelm Schauman launched his first mill in 1912. The company Schauman created was not the first producer of plywood, but it introduced large scale and up-to-date manufacturing processes to Finland. Schauman soon became the market leader and by 2014 UPM had become the largest plywood manufacturer in Europe, with its plywood and veneer products being sold across the world under the registered trademark WISA. One of the foundation stones laid

by Schauman was a dedication to research and development (R&D) and this has become part of UPM’s daily process. Innovation is at the core of its growth, and in order to ensure it is meeting the needs of the customer and predicting the needs of the future, some four decades

ago a dedicated R&D department was established, and since that time its development work has been conducted systematically.

By combining the latest scientific knowledge with its long experience in plywood and veneer panels the organisation is able to keep its product range up-to-date and ready to meet new challenges. This methodology is also a core part of its new product introduction programme.

One of the latest releases from this division is UPM Grada, a thermoformable wood material for the form pressing industry. Grada technology revitalises the forming of wood with heat and pressure and opens up new opportunities for designs not achievable with traditional methods. UPM Grada’s unique forming properties enable high quality and ecological designs, which are also visually appealing.

This product has recently been further developed, with the launch of UPM Grada 2000, the newest member in the product family, which requires only 950C forming temperature and consequently further improves the form pressing process efficiency and saves energy simultaneously.

“At UPM we focus on developing Grada technology so that our customers can improve their competitiveness by making their manufacturing more efficient.

The new development supports manufacturers, who are looking into possibilities to transfer manufacturing back to Europe from

low cost countries. The improved product series has been tested by many of our customers and they are very pleased with the fact that their process cycle-time improves at least by 25 per cent,” explains Mikko Tilli from UPM. The significantly lower forming temperature makes it possible to use more delicate coating materials on the panel. Since the material needs to be heated to lower temperature, there are more options on heating equipment than before. “I’m delighted that UPM Grada can now be used in more versatile ways and the technology can be easily accessed by many new customers,” added Mikko.

Given their pedigree, innovative nature and very high quality, it is not surprising that UPM’s plywood are very popular solutions in the construction industry. The company has extensive experience and deep insight in building and working with plywood and it offers a wide range of solutions from framework panels

to exterior and interior building as well as a complete range for concrete castings. In addition to heavy construction, WISA products and solutions are suitable for smaller scale building and construction projects.

Although the company’s main market is Europe, WISA products have been utilised on a global basis and WISA plywood products’ reputation in China is quite literally built on the foundation of the country’s most iconic skyscrapers such as the Shanghai World Financial Centre, Shanghai International Financial Centre and the latest masterpiece, the world’s second tallest building, Shanghai Tower.

WISA-Form Birch plywood panels were used in all these prestigious buildings for casting the concrete. WISA-Form Birch was chosen by the contractors because of its strength and consistent performance, but also because of the high number of re-uses and long

service life - both essential qualities for long-lasting, multimillion dollar construction projects led in critical weather conditions.

By taking advantage of the best characteristics of birch and coniferous raw material, modern production methods and the knowledge and experience of its people, UPM can offer hardwearing and ecological WISA solutions to not only partners in construction such as those mentioned above, but also those in transport and many other industries. UPM’s unique combination of WISA and wide range of professional services mean that its customers can improve their cost, material and energy efficiency easily, and it is these benefits that ensure customers return time and again. m

UPM PLYWOOD www.upm.com Services: Wood products Construction & Civil Engineering 37

PROFILE: KLEMM BOHRTECHNIK

Dynamic

power

KLEMM Bohrtechnik is a leader in the development and manufacture of anchor drill rig technology

H

aving reached its 50th anniversary in 2013, when it comes to the production of drilling equipment KLEMM Bohrtechnik can draw on years of industry knowledge and experience. The company is proud of its rich heritage of manufacturing in Germany, and used the occasion of five decades of success to launch a new brand slogan - Dynamic Power – and to emphasise the attributes that support it: reliability, customer focus, efficiency and determination.

Under the umbrella of this brand slogan KLEMM Bohrtechnik develops and manufactures hydraulic drill rigs and drilling accessories for all types of drilling jobs in special foundation construction. It produces drilling rigs that are used across the world for foundation and banking work, in the production of roadways both above

38 Construction & Civil Engineering

and below ground, in reservoir dams, on drilling ships and drilling platforms and for the development of renewable energy generation.

The KLEMM Bohrtechnik product range encompasses the whole palette of hydraulic drilling rigs for anchor hole, injections, overlay and double head drilling, as well as the associated hydraulic drifters, rotary heads and double head drilling systems with efficient drilling accessories. Numerous patents, particularly in the area of hydraulic drifters, are proof of the innovation and technical competence that goes into each KLEMM product.

Furthermore, in addition to hydraulic rigs, the organisation also offers sophisticated handling systems for the fitting and removal of drill pipes, and optimally designed drilling rigs for a wide range of drilling processes and drill diameters. As a result, KLEMM can be considered a one-stop-shop for

its customers, who find it efficient and simple to be able to meet their needs from a single source.

First founded in 1963, and acquired

by Ingersoll Rand in 1989, for the past 16 years KLEMM Bohrtechnik has been part of the Bauer Group and is regarded as the Group’s centre of competence for light drill rigs with specially developed components and drilling accessories.

At a recent Open Day held by Bauer, KLEMM was able to enjoy another significant milestone, when it presented the management and engineering department of Stump Spezialtiefbau GmbH a symbolic key to its 50th KLEMM drill rig, a new KR 806-3F. The close relationship between Stump Spezialtiefbau, one of the leading contractors in the special foundation industry, and KLEMM started in 1985 and KLEMM’s management team is very proud of the collaborative partnership that the two companies have created.

This Open Day also saw KLEMM celebrate the hand over of a KLEMM universal drill rig KR 801-3FS to its long-time Norwegian customer Fundamentering AS (FAS). For FAS, who already own five other KLEMM drill rigs, the KR 801-3FS will be the perfect addition to its fleet, and it will be used for micro pile drilling

applications with outer casings up to ø 273 mm.

Alongside the handing over of these impressive pieces of equipment, the Bauer in-house exhibition was also used to showcase another newly designed KLEMM product – the KR 806-5G. Launched in June 2014, the rig has a working weight of approximately 21t and enhances the line-up between the KR 806-3F (approx.

17t) and the KR 807-7F (approx.

26t). Driven by the implementation of the latest emission regulations this drill rig is one of the first worldwide to fulfil the Tier 4 emissions standards, and it features a whole host of new innovations and technology.

Specifically designed for use in the special foundation industry with a focus on tie back and micro pile work, the KR 806-5G has the capability to carry heavy masts and large drilling systems. The newly

designed (and patented) machine kinematics allows for vertical drilling outside of the track area.

Power is of course of the utmost importance to the performance of a drilling rig, and at the heart of the KR 806-5G’s drive train is a six-cylinder Deutz diesel engine type TCD 6.1, which fulfills the latest emission standards (EEC 97/68 EC Stage 4). The exhaust system is equipped as standard with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and an SCRcatalytic converter to reduce the NOx in the exhaust fumes. Added to the exhaust system is the mixing section between DPF and SCRcatalytic converter, which is used to inject urea (AdBlue).

Another benefit is the rig’s patented power sharing system (also used on the KR 806-3F). The power sharing technology enables an optimal power distribution

MAT Mischanlagentechnik MAT is a plant engineering company producing and distributing mixing-, pumping and separation technology worldwide to the sectors foundation engineering, tunneling, concrete industry a.s.o.

For over 15 years MAT has been supporting Klemm as a partner for mixing- and injection technology.

With our patented colloidal MAT mixing principle it is possible to process low to high viscosity substances highly efficiently.

To mention one further example, our unique plunger pump quick-action coupling system ensures effective operating conditions. .

between the two main hydraulic pump circuits. The complete drive train including the exhaust treatment system, pumps, electronics and hydraulic valve banks are protected under a canopy, while the principle of positioning all controlling elements on to the left hand side of the machine allows the right hand side to be free of standard components.

This concept offers the flexibility to install optional equipment such as flushing pumps, power washers, generators, welding machines, cranes and so forth.

The unique features of the KR 806-5G have created an advanced and sophisticated drill rig, based on a combination of KLEMM’s intimate knowledge of the demands and aims of its customers throughout the world, and its advanced manufacturing and technology processes. Thanks to five decades of research and development, user experience, creativity and well-founded knowledge of the problems involved in complex drilling applications, the name KLEMM Bohrtechnik now represents the highest quality and continuous innovation in drilling equipment for special foundation applications. m

KLEMM Bohrtechnik www.klemm-bohrtechnik.de Services: Anchor drill rig technology

Construction & Civil Engineering 39

PROFILE: Bauwerk Boen Group

Bold &beautiful

Following a merger of two very successful manufacturing and supply businesses, Bauwerk Boen AG has become one of the world’s leading high-end parquet manufacturers and the second in Europe

T

he merger of the two businesses in June 2013 saw the establishment of a group that together employs approximately 1650 employees and produces around nine million sqm of flooring solutions each year.

Established in 1944, Bauwerk Parkett AG has for decades operated as the leading Swiss parquet manufacturer and leading European supplier of two-layer parquet. The roots of its partner organisation, Boen can be traced as far back as the 17th century, when two sawmills near the Norwegian city of Kristiansand laid the foundation for the business which holds the position as a leading supplier of three-layer parquet.

40 Construction & Civil Engineering

Remaining as two individual brands, Bauwerk and Boen, the combined product range is produced at locations in Lithuania and Switzerland and distributed through a number of sales channels in over 50 countries world wide, including its key markets of Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Scandinavia.

The rationale behind the merger lies in the fundamental aspect that Bauwerk dominated the market for two-layer glued down products and Boen was an international player in the three-layer floating market.

Although both brands remain separate, the shared production, supply chain and finance provide a powerful scope and capability to the

business. “The three-layer market is a very international and global market, whereas the two-layer glued down market is predominantly in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and France with a slight, but restricted international presence.

“Another main difference between both brands is found in the customer base. The Bauwerk brand is most common within the installer market while the main channel for the Boen brand is the wholesale and the retail market. However, each business is approximately the same size, with a combined turnover in the region of 300 million CHF,” says Thorleif Hans, group deputy CEO. Supported by his long experience of developing businesses into

profitable assets Thorleif continues: “What was a smart move in this case was that the three owners, before signing the deal in March 2013, merged the two top management teams to develop a joint three year business plan which ultimately led to the completion of the deal and a transition phase.

It was in this business plan that it was laid out the movement of the production site from Salzburg in Austria to the new location in Lithuania.”

It was in June 2013 that Bauwerk Boen AG announced it would integrate the production site in Salzburg with the state-of-the-art facility in Kietaviskes, Lithuania. In accordance with the business plan

the Group additionally took the action of closing the production plant in Mölln, Northern Germany, relocating production to Lithuania.

Originally serving the German, Austrian and Swiss markets as well as those of central and southern Europe, the Mölln site continues to operate as a key sales office and logistical facility.

“From the outset, the integration of the companies values has been a critical factor. As both businesses had very similar ideas and values, the merger into one company has been particularly value-based.

As one, we drive for continuous improvement through involvement and based on facts with a core belief in all our personnel, throughout

the company,” highlights Thorleif.

Relocating production into Lithuania was not based simply on cost; with a hunger for participation and learning in the region, the enthusiasm behind the move is high, as Thorleif adds: “The Eastern European region has a lot to contribute to the future of the industry when involving employees, emerging as a new centre for business and continuous learning.

The culture in the region is of a top European standard, with a focus on continuous improvement and quality.

“However, we did initially experience some challenges, due to such high levels of demand during that relocation period.”

Construction & Civil Engineering 41

PROFILE: Bauwerk Boen Group

Over the last few years there has been depreciation in the European market, but broken down there are indications of improvement and growth in the Bauwerk brand’s core markets of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Holding a worldwide position, Boen brand recognises future opportunities in the Scandinavia, Germany, US, China, and India where it has seen good growth in the future. “As an industry

we are hopeful that 2014 will show a levelled out market in Europe, not a decreasing one, which we have seen over the last two years. We have seen a nice growth for both brands after the merger and we hope that the market will begin to grow again beyond 2015,” continues Thorleif.

Having been very focused on the relocation of production, the company has not brought in many new products, but has continued

to consolidate its leading position as a manufacturer of real wood products. However, product development is on the top of the agenda as the parquet industry faces competition from laminate and LVT alternatives with wood look.

The high quality and wide range of the product makes both Bauwerk and Boen brands suited to moreor-less all international markets, and supported by a skilled and efficient workforce the two brands have been able to position themselves within key markets. As the business enters the phase of consolidation, Thorleif concludes: “We are two well-known and well-positioned brands. Utilising the established global sales base, we will be driving sales throughout the brands, having access to a wide

Bauwerk Boen Group www.bauwerk-boen.com Products: Manufacturer and supplier of two and three layer parquet flooring 42 Construction & Civil Engineering

PROFILE: Milbank Concrete Products

An innovative

history

With a company history dating back 67 years to 1947, Milbank Concrete Products has a proud reputation and a robust presence within the concrete industry

T

he company was founded as Milbank Floors by Geoffrey Milbank in Chelmsford, Essex to produce precast flooring products of his own design. The spirit of innovation endured and by 1952 the firm had started in the manufacture of prestressed, inverted channel and beam

and block concrete floors. With the following decade pre-stressed precast concrete agricultural frame buildings were added to the company’s range as it continued to innovate and grow.

Following the death of Geoffrey Milbank in 1964 his son, John Milbank took over the running of

the business. Jeremy Milbank joined the company during the 1970s and by 1980 Milbank Floors began the manufacture of 150mm deep beam and block floors for use in ground floors in houses. Shortly after in 1985 the firm moved to a six acre site at Earls Colne, Colchester and built a new factory while expanding its product line to include 180mm beam and block upper floors for separating floors in flats. Milbank Floors continued to develop strongly throughout the 1990s and in 1992 introduced seven beds 100m long to produce pre-stressed hollowcore floors (75-250mm deep), which replaced the beam and block upper floors.

The business continued to grow in line with its expanding product range and by 1996 a new building was erected for the manufacture of bespoke precast products such as stairs, landings, ground beams and Montex car park slabs. By

Construction & Civil Engineering 43

PROFILE: Milbank Concrete Products

2000 a new site was purchased at Brandon, Suffolk and a new factory and storage facility built across ten acres to produce 225mm deep reinforced hollowcore slabs and associated precast units. In 2006 a further 15 acres were developed at the Brandon site to build a stateof-the-art pre-stressed hollowcore factory with 12 beds 150m long.

This range was further extended to include 320mm and 400mm deep hollowcore, precast concrete wall panels and concrete columns and beams for multi-storey car parks.

When the global financial crisis hit in 2008, the UK construction industry was greatly affected.

To survive it was necessary for the company to reorganise and promote the company’s tradition of providing practical, cost effective precast concrete solutions. By this time John Milbank had retired and his son, Sean Milbank, had taken over the reins and led the management team of himself, Andy Mayne and David Costin, where they were able to maintain the Milbank brand and form the business as it would be recognised today: “In 2008 the Milbank business went into administration and the current management saved the precast concrete business at Earls Colne, near Colchester, Essex. One hundred and fifty five directly employed jobs were saved along with over 50 indirectly employed staff that provide regular products and services to the business. Most of these people live locally and we are proud that we have managed

to preserve these jobs and enable those households to continue with an income.”

Although John Milbank is still involved in the business in its present form, it is run by Sean Milbank as Chairman and Andy Mayne as Managing Director who has worked at the company for 24

years. “Milbank Concrete Products is the successor to Milbank Floors and continues to offer structural precast concrete products from Hollowcore and T-beam floors to staircases,” says Andy. “Other than these fairly standard products Milbank produce ground beams, sea defences, stadium solutions and complete precast concrete structures. The business works with many of the national house builders and main contractors as well as regional clients, but it is also proud to continue to work with the small local builder or self-builder doing a one-off project.”

Milbank aims to offer a service that will help its customers to succeed in their projects and employs its own staff to design, manufacture, deliver and install its products. This is not widely

Construction & Civil Engineering 45

PROFILE: Milbank Concrete Products

considered the norm within the concrete industry, however Milbank believes that by directly employing staff, it will have better control over the service it provides. This also applies to the company’s approach to product innovation, which has remained core to the firm’s philosophy throughout its history. “As a company that employs engineers and designers to develop the designs for their clients the ability to develop new ideas at a project level is second nature,” says Andy. “New ideas have in the past predominantly come from the directors, however in 2013 the business decided to try to develop innovative thinking from within and established an ‘innovation circle.’ This consisted of a number of staff selected to work with Cambridge University’s Institute for Manufacturing who helped the innovation circle to develop ideas that the company is now pursuing.”

As confidence begins to return to the global economy the construction industry is beginning to see an increase in activity.

Although the past five years have proven challenging for the industry as a whole, Milbank has taken the necessary steps to place itself in

46 Construction & Civil Engineering

a strong position moving forward.

“As the volume of work over the last five years has been somewhat restricted due to the recession, the competition for all projects was immense and to enable us to win work and be realistically competitive we really had to look at our efficiency levels and our cost of manufacture to ensure that we gave ourselves every chance of winning our share of the work,” Andy elaborates. “With banks and lenders wary of the construction industry this meant that new more economical machines that were on the market could not be purchased meaning that we had larger maintenance costs and therefore

had to have very tight controls on our spending. Although the situation was difficult it forced us to be as lean as possible, which will stand us in good stead over the coming months.” m

Milbank Concrete Products www.milbank.co.uk Products: Concrete products

If you don’t have the time to read it all, read what you need

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PROFILE: Hydrema Group

Hydrema’s 912 dump truck

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

48 Construction & Civil Engineering

D

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

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

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

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

Committed to providing equipment that meets the specific needs of customers in all markets, the

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

company has flexible production facilities, a modern research & development department and sales and marketing offices in place to ensure complete satisfaction.

Products include military and flood defence machines, backhoe loaders, which are particularly wellknown in Scandinavia, and wheeled excavators, which have recently set a new standard in the market with the MX series. Combining ultracompact wheeled excavators with the latest technology, the MX14,

Construction & Civil Engineering 49

PROFILE: Hydrema Group

MX16 and MX18 models are more compact than similar machines on the market and provide superior performance.

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

50 Construction & Civil Engineering

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

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

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

There is also an air conditioning system and a highly user friendly computer, which provides the operator with a 6.5 inch flat screen PC monitor that can also work as a rearview camera when the machine reverses. “We are happy to see that the safety and environmental focus is increasing within the public and private sectors,” says Mads. “It means companies are searching for innovative solutions to help secure positive working environments

for machine operators while also taking the environment into account, whether that be focusing on low emission, fuel consumption reduction or the impact on the body from working in a machine all day.”

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

With its innovative, state-of-

the-art products and passion for providing the best quality, comfort and efficiency to customers, the future looks positive for Hydrema as companies begin to search for the best possible solution in a competitive and growing industry. “We have a good set up in production and sales, so our aim is to enhance and support the sales network globally. Which means we can continue to support our clients and grow on a global scale. We may be a relatively small company, but we have big ambitions,” concludes Mads. m

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

Construction & Civil Engineering 51

PROFILE: MOBILE MINI

A

tidy

solution

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

T

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

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

52 Construction & Civil Engineering

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

needs of construction projects and associated workforce.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To assure a quality service a pre-

Construction & Civil Engineering 53

PROFILE: MOBILE MINI

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

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

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

54 Construction & Civil Engineering

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

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

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

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

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

Construction & Civil Engineering 55

PROFILE: MOBILE MINI

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

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

56 Construction & Civil Engineering

comply with the increasing demands of industry best practice.

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

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

PROFILE: NATIONWIDE PLATFORMS

New

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

N

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

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

The range of access platforms supplied by Nationwide Platforms is the broadest available inside of the UK. It is comprised of boom lifts, low level access platforms, scissor

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

The company manages over 11,000 access units across

Construction & Civil Engineering 57

PROFILE: NATIONWIDE PLATFORMS

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

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

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

26 branches and seven customer care centres that enable Nationwide Platforms to deliver units to locations across the UK. “We are a one-stop shop for customers and for national accounts we can service client’s requirements right across the UK,” Jeremy elaborates.

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

customers and we are more in touch with our customers as well as in touch with our markets.”

In support of the newly recovering construction market within the UK, Nationwide Platforms is investing £25 million on refurbishment and new equipment during 2014 that will increase the company’s service offering with a stronger fleet and greater service as Jeremy explains: “We are investing mostly on booms and scissor lifts, which is a combination of replacement and new models for the fleet. This will be

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PROFILE: NATIONWIDE PLATFORMS

distributed fairly evenly across the country, although there are some areas where we are seeing more activity than others. We are seeing more activity in the South East for example, but the investment will be

spread evenly throughout the UK.” With its expansive fleet and commitment to first-class customer accessibility and service, one of the most important items that Nationwide Platforms delivers to

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

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

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

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

During the rest of 2014 and over the longer term during the next three to five years, Nationwide Platforms will be focused on increasing its revenue growth and presence within the market. “We are looking to grow our market share and to grow our customer base. We will do that by providing excellent service, value for money and by continuing to innovate in health and safety, product development and value for money,” Jeremy concludes. m

Nationwide Platforms www.nationwideplatforms.co.uk Products: Powered access platforms 60 Construction & Civil Engineering

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