Construction and Civil Engineering Issue 117 July 2015

ISSUE 117/JULY

Goingmobile Mobile apps are transforming the way in which business tasks are undertaken and the construction industry, more than any other, can really benefit See page 12

On the cards

How construction companies can benefit from innovations in mobile payment technology

Site development Engineering consultancy appointed for Leeds city centre mixed-use site

Building on brownfield

A specialist can help developers navigate the process of dealing with contaminated land

contents

Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Libbie Hammond

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Art Editor Gerard Roadley-Battin

FEATURES

12Cover story

2 Flooding When it comes to flooding, there is plenty to be done to create better, safer and more sustainable and resilient communities

4 Environment

Advertising Design Fleur Daniels

The importance of Early Specialist Involvement in treating contaminated land

Staff Writers Jo Cooper Andrew Dann Ben Clark

8 Special feature How the construction industry can capitalise on innovations in mobile payments

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Head of Research Philip Monument Research Managers Laura Watling Wayne Campbell

Sales David King Mark Cawston Production/ Office Manager Tracy Chynoweth

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

@cce_magazine

Š 2015 Schofield Publishing Ltd

Updates and information from the construction and civil engineering market

12 Information technology The rise of mobile apps in the construction sector and how they can help save time and cut costs

Editorial Researchers Emily Claxton Steve Spurgeon Nick Bochmann Mark Cowles Tarjinder Kaur D’Silva Keith Hope Business Development Director David Garner

7, 10, 11 News

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63 company profiles 15 Deborah Services 22 Origin 25 Lignacite 28 Sibelco 30 Kendrick Homes 35 Howarth Timber Windows and Doors 37 Vector Foiltec 40 Swisspearl 42 Europa Components 44 Premier Interlink

(Waco UK Ltd) 46 Jarvis 49 Specialist Coatings 51 Ramboll

54 MEP Solutions 57 Leitz Tooling 60 Gripple 63 Hill and Smith 66 Lumon International 70 Taziker Industrial 74 Warmafloor 77 Toureen Group 83 Barhale 85 MX Group 89 Coltman Precast Concrete 93 Colemore Tang Construction 97 Damar International

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.

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flooding

Beprepared Hamish Hall takes a look at how we can use water more wisely

S

o far the first few months of 2015 have seen nearly the entire country spared from the disastrous scenes of last year’s flooding crisis. There have been pockets of small incidents, but rolling coverage of people travelling in dinghies from their newly moated houses have thankfully not been filling our newsfeeds. However, floods on the scale we saw last year could potentially happen again. This isn’t scaremongering; floods are the most common and widespread natural disaster in the UK, which is the 7th most economically exposed country to flooding in the world (according to http://www.businessgreen.com/ bg/analysis/2329570/floodinguk-economy-among-the-worldsmost-vulnerable).

Climate change is happening:

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Increasing temperatures and sea levels combined with changing rainfall patterns mean that we need to increase our understanding of our exposure to flooding and also develop successful strategies to live with and adapt to a heightened risk of flooding.

As with many problems of this nature there is unfortunately no technical silver bullet to preventing floods, but there are a variety of ways to appropriately cope with floods. Each flood is different - last year different solutions were required for three of the worst hit areas, Cornwall’s coast, the Somerset Levels, and the Thames.

The right solution Recently I have been working with communities in tropical Africa’s west coast. In one new community in particular there is

an area that is subject to regular and severe flooding and so needs to be planned with that in mind.

What was immediately apparent was that using modern ‘Western’ techniques such as piped systems just weren’t suitable, not least because of a lack of local expertise to properly install and maintain it.

Instead we implemented a plan that maximised the existing assets such as flood plains and water channels, but also used the road systems for conveyance so that in times of severe flood the roads can literally become rivers, guiding excess water directly to the sea.

Using roads over pipes provided infrastructure that was cheaper to build and maintain whilst creating a better ecology for the region.

The trick is therefore not to follow a formulaic response. If there should be one consistency it is collaboration, which is perhaps

an overused term, but from my experience the most successful projects are those where the authorities, communities and industry work together. For example, on one project to protect a section of a rail line on the south coast of England WSP is working with charities, NGOs, government departments, contractors, rail firms, marinas and the local population. This is the singular most important factor in ensuring the right solution is found.

In the tight-budget, urbanising times that we operate in it is also important to understand how even small changes can make a big impact. A classic example is lining streets with trees, which help drain rainwater and slow its flow. On houses we can create larger eaves (the part of the roof that overhangs the building) that still allow for sunlight whilst slowing the flow of water and easing run off. This also means there is no need for clogged up gutters. A further positive knock-on effect for communities with larger eaves and more trees would be an increase in bird wildlife habitation as there will be more nesting opportunities, increasing an area’s biodiversity and liveability.

Prepare for, rather than respond to, flooding It is also, of course, more cost effective to prepare for flooding now then having to deal with it after the event. There are schemes that could be implemented in England such as lazy rivers, which hold backwater in upper catchments first, throttling flow and controlling it in times of high flow. Although not usually called reservoirs, that is what they are functioning as.

Dredging, a highly debated topic in last year’s media, is also worth revisiting. Dredging does increase conveyance in the river, meaning that waters will travel downstream faster towards the sea/ocean however, this can

There are schemes that could be implemented in England such as lazy rivers, which hold backwater in upper catchments first, throttling flow and controlling it in times of high flow lead to ‘passing the buck’ from one community to the next downstream, affecting established ecologies and putting pressure on ageing assets.

In some places such as Somerset we may need to look at using fields that do not currently suffer from flooding to act as flood storage areas for the benefit of the wider community. A recent National Trust experiment near Minehead has involved farmers allowing their land to be flooded once river levels rise to reduce the amount of water passing downstream. This would be controversial without government subsidy to farmers, but is a debate worth having.

New technologies Advances in technology are also beginning to positively impact how we manage water levels across catchment levels. A new ‘smart’ system developed by PyTerra with WSP and Imperial College London can automatically catch, store and release rainwater throughout the year using a computerised network of water

control devices which respond to weather forecasts. A series of underground pipes would connect the various ponds, streams and wetlands in a catchment or subcatchment and hydraulic devices, such as a valve, would control the flow. Small transmitters in the field would receive signals sent from the central system, and open or close the valves as needed. Such systems use weather forecast data as well as real-time ‘big data’ from hi-tech water sensors and satellites to work out where and when capacity is needed.

Rewarding resilience Whatever the strategy implemented, the best outcomes are achieved when tangible benefits can be demonstrated and therefore become the end goal. In all instances not suffering from flooding is outcome number one. After that resilience can be rewarded in many ways. For example, a seaside town that properly protects itself can benefit from increased tourism, which means investment, economic stability and improved prospects for the town. This in turn can lead to an increase in house prices, employment and ultimately make the town a better place to live.

The next problem will be to then maintain good practice as our population continues to grow.

Returning to the start, we have not suffered last year’s fate yet.

But there is plenty to be done now to create better, safer and more sustainable and resilient communities. There is no time to be complacent.

Hamish Hall is WSP senior technical director for water. WSP is a leading professional services firm in the UK, providing consultancy services to all aspects of the built and natural environment working with governments, planners, developers and architects. The firm has been involved in many high profile UK projects including the Shard, Crossrail, New South Glasgow Hospital, the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham and the redevelopment of London Bridge station.

www.wspgroup.co.uk

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eNVIRONMENT

Building on

brownfield David Rix discusses the importance of Early Specialist Involvement in treating contaminated land Below: David Rix, technical director at McAuliffe Group

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T

he UK is renowned for its rich industrial heritage, which spanned over hundreds of years and sparked drastic transformations.

Perhaps one of the lesserdiscussed by-products of the industrial age, however, is a large number of ‘brownfield sites,’ many of which are contaminated.

With the contraction of heavy industry, many of these sites have now become disused and are therefore available for redevelopment. It is common sense (and current planning policy) to encourage the re-utilisation of such derelict sites often located close to urban centres, rather than the equivalent greenfield land.

Contaminated land, however, can present risk to humans and other animals, ecosystems, water quality, crops and property. As such, reutilisation will normally require a degree of decontamination before a brownfield site can be deemed sufficiently safe to allow the redevelopment to take place.

Contamination sources and contamination types are many and varied, reflecting the diverse nature of previous industrial usage. Different contaminants present different risks to both construction workers, future site occupiers and the environment in general. The risks will also vary depending on the proposed future use of the site: a site for proposed residential housing

being considered more sensitive and requiring a greater degree of remediation than a site for a proposed new factory building.

It makes good economic sense for the proposed end use of the land to be a key factor in deciding what level of clean up is required, as well as the remediation techniques appropriate to deliver the required reduction in contamination levels.

Remediation of contaminated land As you might expect, there is a whole raft of information published by government and other bodies on what you need to do to remediate contaminated land. The model procedure for the

management of contaminated land - Contaminated Land Report number 11 (CLR11) - is one such document. If you are planning to develop to a brownfield site, the planning system will almost certainly dictate that your land is formally assessed for contamination and the planners will normally insist that the assessment is done in accordance with CLR 11.

CLR 11 provides a framework that helps interested parties to make sensible decisions about how to manage the risks involved in owning and developing contaminated land. It Desk Study

Site Characterisation and Risk Assessment

Below is a simplified view of the approach outlined in CLR11.

Remediation Strategy

takes as its focus the two most important questions, ‘does the contamination matter?’, ‘and if so what needs to be done about it?’ Whilst this may seem a simple and straightforward approach, CLR 11 is 203 pages long. It is a sometimes highly technical, sometimes almost completely indecipherable, document. It is not something to tackle without expert advice, as CLR11’s Key Information section alone references a further 98 documents that may need to be consulted during the process.

Without expert advice you are unlikely to achieve the most Detailed Remediation Design and Planning

Remediation Implementation and Verification

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eNVIRONMENT

We need to do more, delivering more homes while protecting our precious greenbelt. That’s why today I’m taking steps that will help make enough brownfield land available for 200,000 homes up and down the country’ Brandon Lewis MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning for Department for Communities and Local Government, 28 January 2015. cost-effective outcome and, even with expert advice, the amount of information to be collected, collated, digested and acted upon is huge. A contaminated land site characterisation report, even for a modestly sized brownfield site, is typically in excess of 400 pages long.

Early Specialist Involvement (ESI) Early involvement of a specialist in dealing with contaminated land can help you navigate through the process.

A good quality Desk Study can be conducted relatively quickly and cheaply and will alert you to the possibility that your target site has an industrial past and may therefore be contaminated. As a minimum, it is recommended that a Desk Study be undertaken prior to entering into any legal agreement for any site unless you are sure that it is totally greenfield.

It should be understood, however, that it is impossible to categorically state whether a brownfield site is suitable for a proposed development until the site characterisation exercise is complete.

Site Characterisation and Risk Assessment are more costly and time consuming, but will provide sufficient and detailed information to allow the formulation of both a technically and commercially viable Remediation Strategy.

Site Characterisation, which will

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involve physically investigating the site and the ground conditions below the site, will define the different contaminants present and their spatial distribution.

Different contaminants will need to be dealt with by different remediation techniques, and some techniques are more expensive than others. However, not all contaminants on a site necessarily need to be treated and those that do need treating do not normally require complete removal. Risk Assessment is vital to help determine, on a site-specific basis, which contaminants need to be treated and acceptable clean up levels which need to be achieved.

Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) is a method to get everyone on board with a project before any physical works are undertaken. The earlier a contractor is involved, the more time experts and stakeholders

have to agree the most costeffective approach and the more satisfied the client and contractor will be. McAuliffe’s approach, working in partnership with its developer clients, is to determine early on in the project what the process should be, who takes responsibilities for specific ‘risk’ items and at what particular stages.

We can also advise on the extent and type of site investigation and the best available techniques for remediation, which will enable the cost of all contamination risks to be assessed, as well as the impact on foundations solutions for the proposed development. This early involvement also provides a robust and practical approach for subsequent discussions and agreement with the regulators to achieve an optimum land value/minimum build cost for a proposed new development.

As can be seen from the above, a significant amount of appraisal and assessment is required before the detailed design and planning stage is reached. The major benefit of early involvement is that it utilises the specialist’s unique understanding of remediation processes to optimise the design and subsequent implementation.

The specialist joins the team at the outset and can be involved with helping to identify sites, ensuring that they will be an asset rather than a liability, planning enabling works, assessing practical ‘buildability’, cost estimating and value engineering.

David Rix is technical director at McAuliffe Group, a proven specialist environmental contractor delivering solutions at land acquisition and the build-out stages in Brownfield site transformation.

To find out more about ESI and remediation techniques, visit:

www.mcauliffegroup.co.uk.

news

Drain the rain EcoBloc Maxx is the brand new addition to Graf UK’s market-leading EcoBloc range of stormwater systems. Completely modular, EcoBloc Maxx is made from plastic cells that fit seamlessly together to build a tailor-made stormwater solution. Its innovative design not only allows for complete ease of installation, but also provides high storage volume and is conveniently stackable – minimising transport costs, CO2 emissions and storage space in stock.

For straightforward maintenance purposes, EcoBloc Maxx can also be specified to include in-built inspection channels. This provides easy access for Graf UK’s advanced camera technology, which can be used to regularly check the system for any silt or gravel build up.

Comments Graf UK managing director Matthew Rolph: “As we experience ever more frequent extreme weather and flooding, the demand for sustainable urban drainage solutions (SuDs) continues to increase rapidly. The government’s Flood and Water Management Act is also bolstering demand and further highlights the importance of ensuring systems are kept well-maintained for long term efficiency.

This is something we’ve kept very front of mind with our EcoBloc range and new maintenance service, and means we can ensure systems continue to deliver the best results possible over their lifetime of 50 years or more.”

Urban regeneration The Leeds office of professional services consultancy, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, has been appointed by developer Carillion to deliver engineering consultancy for the Tower Works site in Holbeck Urban Village, Leeds city centre.

WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff will be supplying multi-disciplinary services including civil and structural engineering, building services, geotech, acoustics, fire and air quality for the planned mixed-use site, which includes 147 residential units; 92,000 sq ft of commercial office space and 20,000 sq ft of retail, restaurant and bar spaces. Work is expected to start on site in January 2016.

The 1.04 hectare site, which is situated between Globe Road and the Leeds Liverpool Canal, close to Granary Wharf, will play a key role in the regeneration of Leeds South Bank, and will benefit from increased connectivity to the city centre when the southern entrance to Leeds railway station opens later this year.

Gareth Jackson, development director at Carillion Developments noted: “It’s great to have WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff on board. It’s unusual to have an engineering consultancy that offers so many different services in-house and we were impressed with the quality and proven track record across their specialisms. We have a really great team of partners committed to take this scheme forward, and it will be great to see this site redeveloped for a new generation.”

3D printing for construction 3D printing for buildings is no longer a novelty as the building and construction industry uses the new technology to produce customised niche parts and enhance design flexibility, and even to save on construction time and cost, according to Lux Research.

3D printing is transforming a wide range of products from aerospace to consumer goods.

Now buildings are becoming part of the portfolio, as leading architecture firms such as China’s Yasha and China Vanke have firmed up plans to deploy the technology.

“Many 3D printing applications in construction, such as interior decorations and lighting optics, are commercial,” said Jerrold Wang, Lux Research Associate and the lead author of the report titled, ‘Exploring the Opportunity for 3D Printing in Building and Construction.’

“Challenges abound – such as developing the appropriate materials and meeting building codes – but so do opportunities to save construction time and enable design flexibility,” he added.

£250 million development The London property developer, Manhattan Loft Corporation, has selected Bouygues UK, the British subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, for the construction of Manhattan Loft Gardens, a 143-metre landmark tower in Stratford, East London.

Manhattan Loft Gardens will be located next to Stratford International Station and High Speed 1, the Channel Tunnel rail link. It will play a key role in the regeneration of the area. The unique structure of this building features two cantilevers that support three sky gardens giving unobstructed views across London.

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special feature

On the

cards Philip McHugh takes a look at how the construction industry can capitalise on innovations in mobile payments

I

n recent years there has been a sea change for the payments industry, both in the UK and globally. A raft of emerging and established providers rolling out new ways to pay and be paid alongside technological advancements, including faster internet speeds and sophisticated mobile banking apps, mean SMEs can make and take payments from their customers more easily than ever before.

At the centre of this change is a dramatic shift in consumer behaviour, away from cash and in favour of cards, to pay for everyday goods and services.

Such is the impact of this change that 75 per cent* of all retail transactions are now carried out by credit or debit card, a trend that shows no signs of slowing down.

Yet despite this move away from cash, research we’ve recently conducted shows that six in ten SMEs still aren’t able to accept

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card payments, the upshot of which amounts to a staggering £7 billion in lost sales opportunities each year. What’s more, a quarter of the SMEs we spoke to said that not taking card payments had impacted their sales.

But what’s holding SMEs, or more specifically those in the construction industry, back from adopting card payments and how can business owners find the solution that works best for them?

The importance of mobile payments for SMEs While SMEs working in the construction industry have traditionally focused on two payment solutions - formal invoicing and cash in hand these methods can impose multiple problems, particularly when you consider the time and financial constraints many smaller businesses, such as window cleaners and independent builders, are up against.

Handling cash can be more

time intensive for SMEs, as a float is needed to provide change to customers who do not have the appropriate amount to hand.

Additionally, businesses have to waste valuable time and manpower making cash deposits at their local bank or following up unpaid work.

By using a mobile payments (mPos) method, where transactions are processed electronically and securely through a portable device, SMEs can take on-the-spot payments, providing a solution to these traditional hurdles. mPos is also more convenient for consumers, as paying by credit or debit card removes the need for cash on demand or to have obtained it in advance from a bank or cash point.

Ultimately, though, when it comes to taking mobile card payments we know how important it is for SMEs to have a safe, dependable and well-established partner. We

to be able to withstand the rigour of this environment, especially considering the added unnecessary costs that can arise from regularly replacing easilydamaged technology.

The Barclaycard Anywhere device we sell to merchants has been created with durability and simplicity in mind. SMEs simply need to connect our bespoke device to their smartphone or tablet to be ready to take card payments quickly and easily, making it ideal for start-ups, trades people, small or mobile premises or seasonal traders.

In addition, getting up and running is incredibly straightforward. Applicants just need to apply online and agree to simple terms and can then be set-up and trading very quickly.

As soon as the financial checks have been passed merchants will be sent their device within two to three days. process one in two of all UK card transactions, so merchants can rest assured that they are trading in a protected and financially secure environment. In addition, the data security and proactive fraud monitoring alongside the 24/7 trading support we provide is one of the key drivers for increasing SME mPos uptake, making it both safer and more convenient than cash.

Making payments simple Alongside the benefits of speed, convenience and reliability of mobile payments that many SMEs will already be familiar with, the construction industry has its own specific requirements for the type of payments solution they choose.

The ‘on-site’ nature of the work construction companies carry out means a payment method underpinned by both mobility and resilience to wear and tear is key. The often unpredictable surroundings of a typical building site require technology

Finding the right payments solution Faced with more ways to accept payments, understanding and selecting the most suitable solution while keeping up with innovation and developments can be a minefield for SMEs. As competition increases, providers are investigating ways of ensuring a greater level of service through their payments solutions, such as automating both receipts and invoicing, and making other aspects of record keeping simpler.

For instance, when it comes to invoicing we know that one of the largest issues in the construction industry is late payments. Recent research has shown that SMEs, in particular, are owed an average of £38,186 per firm in outstanding invoice payments**; this is without considering the additional costs that come with the administration needed to chase outstanding funds.

We’ve addressed this by

providing merchants with real-time access to vital sales information including payment trends and performance data through our Barclaycard Anywhere mobile app – meaning merchants can easily obtain the information at any time or place and manage their business on the move.

Ensuring long-term success It’s clear that evolution in the payments industry shows no sign of slowing down, but at the same time the technology has never been so advanced or easy for SMEs to adopt. Those construction companies that ensure they are at the forefront of these technological developments stand to benefit from making more sales, spending less time on admin such as record keeping and invoicing and ultimately having more satisfied customers. * Research conducted by Opinium on behalf of Barclaycard, 2014 http://www.barclaycard.com/news/ barclaycard-anywhere-research.html ** Research conducted by Bacs, 2014 http://www.bacs.co.uk/Bacs/ DocumentLibrary/UK_companies_ face_a_late_payment_burden_ of_%C2%A346.1_billion.pdf Philip McHugh is CEO of Barclaycard Business Solutions.

Barclaycard, part of Barclays Bank PLC, is a leading global payment business that helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and take payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit and point-of-sale finance. Barclaycard is a pioneer of new forms of payment and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting-edge forms of payment for the future.

www.barclaycard.co.uk/ business

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NEWS

Beautiful bricks Ibstock’s Tilebrick range has been used to create a seamless finish on a series of high-end eco homes in North Bristol. Resembling pieces of origami, the four threestorey homes use the Fireborn Freedom Tilebrick in Riven Blue, coupled with grey roof tiles to give the illusion that both roof and walls are made from one continuous material.

The homes boast a bold wraparound sculptural design, whereby bricks and tiles work together to merge roof with external facade, blurring the distinction between the building and surrounding areas and reinforcing the architect’s vision of a continuous form. Tilebrick was selected alongside the grey roof tiles to complement the stylish contemporary design of the builds.

Use the heat

As well as employing distinctive aesthetics, the homes have been built to offer sustainable living, and take full advantage of solargain through the highly glazed south-facing rear elevations. The development has been awarded for its distinction in the Insider South West Property Awards for Residential Development of the Year.

Bridges of Rochester A five-year contract to maintain the bridges over the Medway at Rochester has been awarded to FM Conway. The works covered by the contract principally comprise highway, footway and structure cleaning; drainage maintenance; minor repairs and street lighting maintenance. Additional duties such as foreshore debris removal will be instructed on an ad-hoc basis.

FM Conway will be responsible for the upkeep of the iconic Grade II listed Rochester Old Bridge, the 1970s New Bridge and the Service Bridge, as well as associated assets owned by Rochester Bridge Trust. As Sue Threader, chief executive of Rochester Bridge Trust, noted: “The Trust is committed to maintaining its bridges to the very highest specifications both in terms of their structure and their appearance.

“FM Conway is one of the UK’s leading independent construction companies, which has won multiple awards for its work. The Trust looks forward to working with the company to meet our exacting standards.”

Michael Conway, CEO of FM Conway, added: “This is a true area of specialism for our business, and we are extremely pleased to be able to bring this expertise to bear for the Rochester Bridge Trust and its portfolio of iconic bridges.”

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The Passive House Institute has introduced certification criteria for systems for heat recovery from wastewater.

The first certificates to be issued in this context were presented to Wagner Solar at the International Passive House Conference 2015 in Leipzig (Germany).

The principle behind heat recovery from shower water is simple: warm wastewater from the shower is conducted in counterflow alongside the incoming cold water in a hygienically separated way. In doing so, the cold water is preheated and energy required for final heating of the water decreases accordingly.

Depending on the type of device, certifiable heat recovery devices are either maintenance-free or are easy to clean. These systems are a good investment even for normal residential usage, and are even more profitable in cases of higher hot water demand.

In many countries, heat recovery from shower water is standard practice, and sometimes also included in the national energy performance standards. In order to facilitate market introduction where these systems are less common, the Passive House Institute has formulated minimum requirements for their thermal efficiency. A manufacturer can receive a certificate from the Institute if these requirements are met. At the same time, this ensures independent evaluation of the devices – the necessary characteristic values are set out in the certificate.

Innovative technology Using the natural frequencies that occur when concrete vibrates, civil engineers at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment have devised a way to calculate where unseen cracks appear in concrete following catastrophic events.

“It’s imperative that the structural health of a building is monitored thoroughly following damage from a disaster such as a major explosion or an earthquake,” explained Mezgeen Ahmed, a postgraduate student who is developing the research at the university. “But until now a lot of investigations have had to be invasive, meaning that further damage may be caused to a

Benefits of biomass

building when accessing the parts which are out of view.

“What this technology can give us is the ability to analyse a whole structure by simply attaching sensors to it, which not only does away with the risk of causing further damage but also which creates greater efficiency in repair work.”

Architects take gold Left View from the pleasure gardens in the south of the Park towards Stratford Waterfront, one of the sites for the Olympicopolis project.

Multi-award winning practice Allies and Morrison has teamed with RIBA Gold Medal winners O’Donnell & Tuomey and other renowned studios to win the international competition for Stratford Waterfront on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The team beat off stiff competition from five other finalists to win the competition to design the new culture and university complex which is part of the ‘Olympicopolis’ scheme.

The winning team comprises: Allies and Morrison with, O’Donnell and Tuomey, Josep Camps/Olga Felip Arquitecturia, Gustafson Porter, Gustafson Porter, Buro Happold and Gardiner and Theobald.

Bob Allies of Allies and Morrison commented: “Having been involved in the design of the Olympic Park from the submission of the initial bid to the completion of the Legacy masterplan, we are very excited to have been selected to bring forward this final component of what will be an extraordinary new piece of London, a remarkable collaboration between outstanding institutions.”

Sheila O’Donnell and John Tuomey added: “We are delighted to be on the winning team for this most important project. Cultural and educational buildings and the public realm have been the critical purpose of our practice for more than 25 years. It feels like all our work has been leading towards this extraordinary commission.”

Five hundred of Windhager’s new BioWIN 2 biomass boilers have been installed in domestic properties in the UK since they were launched in the summer of 2014. This reflects the huge surge in demand for renewable technology and biomass heating systems, after the domestic RHI was announced.

In a recent example of the success of the BioWIN 2 being installed within a domestic property, homeowner David Taylor who lives is rural Northamptonshire achieved a 40 per cent saving in fuel costs by switching from oil to wood pellets, a figure which is not uncommon when switching from any fuel source, whether electricity, LPG or oil. Also, on top of this £1000 p.a. fuel saving, homeowners like David typically receive around £6000 per annum from the government domestic RHI payments, every year for seven years.

On this basis, payback of the installed cost of biomass heating can be in as little as three or four years with the further RHI payments coming in as a bonus.

The BioWIN 2 is the smallest, most efficient and durable range of biomass pellet boilers in its class.

Built to high engineering standards, the core of the BioWIN 2 is a quality stainless steel burner with LowDust technology and a special self-cleaning function ensuring a cleaner environment and a cleaner burn.

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information technology

Going mobile Adam Dalnoki looks at the rise of mobile apps in the construction sector and how they can save time, cut costs and improve accuracy throughout the project timeline

A

s Bill Gates famously said, ‘we always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten.’ And nowhere is this more true than in the world of mobile based apps.

Who could have predicted when Apple launched its App Store in 2008 that within five years there would be nearly one million apps and around 100 billion downloads in an industry worth more than £8 billion per year?1 Crucially, despite

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the domination of consumer apps when it comes to download figures, it is the business world which can reap the biggest rewards from the mobile revolution.

Mobile apps are transforming the way in which business tasks are undertaken and the construction industry, more than any other, can really benefit. Estimates show that over £16.5 billion was spent on apps

stringent safety regulations and large numbers of field based staff, construction companies are well placed to take advantage.

Moving paper based processes to a mobile platform can improve accuracy, save time and cut costs, which is why developers now offer a whole host of individual mobile based apps aimed at various audiences within the

by businesses and professional users in 2013 and the figure is set to grow to more than £34 billion by 2016.2 With multiple roles and disciplines, complex purchasing models,

construction industry. They range from calculators and design tools through to guidance books – all available to use on mobile phones or tablets, whether in the office

bile workflow Mobilengine’s mo osting efficiency bo dy ea alr is solution for McGee Group and saving time

Mobile workflow solutions can cut costs and improve efficiency for construction companies or on site. And it goes without saying that the most valuable are those that can encompass all the relevant processes.

Improving workflows Mobile workflow solutions like the Mobilengine platform give construction companies the opportunity to transfer all paperbased processes onto an accurate, quick and cost-effective mobile app used by site managers via an Android tablet. For some companies, this could mean hundreds of individual tasks

spanning daily resource allocation, HR tasks, stock management, safety checks, permits and much more.

Proven in a host of sectors including healthcare, retail and logistics, the use of mobile workflow solutions in the construction industry is rapidly increasing as more companies switch on to the benefits. They can turn complicated, unstructured and inefficient field workflows into one simple solution with instant reporting and real time communication between construction site and HQ administration. More importantly, they can improve efficiency, increase accuracy and make all processes more visible.

Let’s take just one example of site inductions. Using conventional paper based methods, each individual induction would need to be filled out, checked, filed and a copy made and sent to HR. Inevitably there is a risk that forms could get lost or damaged throughout the process – not to mention incorrectly completed. It’s an inefficient process with lots of

Despite the domination of consumer apps when it comes to download figures, it is the business world which can reap the biggest rewards from the mobile revolution room for error.

With a mobile workflow solution such as Mobilengine, site staff complete the induction form through the app on a mobile phone or tablet, which automatically gets verified and sent to HR in seconds with no need for site staff to file paper.

Of course, site inductions is just one example. Construction companies are using mobile apps to streamline everything from H&S assessments to site diaries, improving efficiencies throughout the project timeline and changing the way site staff complete everyday tasks for the better. If you’ve not already jumped on board, it’s time to join the mobile revolution.

1. The European App Ecomony (Vision Mobile/Plum) – September 2013 2. Business and Productivity Apps (Vision Mobile/Box March 2014 Adam Dalnoki is CEO of Mobilengine, the leading mobile enterprise workflow solution.

It helps companies automate field work, make the company paperless, therefore boosting efficiency and management transparency for field worker divisions, that work outside the office such as logistics, maintenance, sales, engineering, healthcare, construction, merchandising, etc.

For more information visit:

www.mobilengine.com.

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profile: Deborah Services

future

Boss tower

Securing its

With the UK construction industry growing, DSL is establishing a renewed investment programme to serve the expanding markets both on the ground and online

Roger Hastie Managing Director Hire & Sales

F

ounded in 1967 by Joe Whitlam and named after his daughter, Deborah Services (DSL) has grown to become one of the UK’s leading providers of access solutions, scaffolding and specialist site services. Serving the petro-chemical, power generation, nuclear power, offshore, civil engineering and building sectors, 1650 employees across 50 locations set out to provide innovative solutions from the same source. The company is split into two pillars: Industrial Services, which provides access solutions, insulation, asbestos removal, protective coatings and passive fire protection, and Hire and Sales, which supplies temporary fencing, groundwork/shoring equipment, scaffolding, light access and temporary roofing.

In 2008, DSL was acquired

by Dublin based Siteserv PLC, forming the company’s industrial services division. With around 3300 employees and a collective history of over 40 years, the group of companies has been involved in some of the largest and most complex projects across a range of offerings to a number of industries across Ireland, the UK and the Caribbean. With a goal to continue expanding through strategic acquisitions, the Siteserv group supports DSL with a financial stability and scalability that helps it meet its customers’ ever-changing needs on a daily basis.

“DSL’s Hire and Sales division is now market leader in providing non-mechanical construction equipment supplying its solutions from across 29 branches across the UK and Ireland,” explains Roger Hastie, MD of Hire and Sales. “Branch managers and staff within the Hire and Sales division recognise the importance of supporting customers locally.

Their product knowledge, coupled with the ability to offer helpful

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profile: Deborah Services

Everup Scaffolding Company Everup Scaffolding Company Ltd have been a supplier to Deborah Services for six years, their professional staff have all ways embraced our range of quality products, understanding that our industry needs quality so they can deliver the solution to wide variety of applications in a safe, cost effective manner. This together with their wide network of branches gives us great confidence in Deborah Services’ desire to continue to be a market leader. technical advice and responsive service ensures that customers come back time and time again.”

DSL’s hire and sales division is equipped to supply a range of different clients from national accounts to smaller enterprises and individual consumers. “Hire companies, builders and selfbuilders, painters and decorators, and roofers are just a few of the industries we supply,” says Roger. It is in its extensive branch coverage and large employee base from which the main strengths of DSL’s Hire and Sales division are born. Roger continues: “Undoubtedly, the collective experience and knowledge of our team solves customer’s problems on a daily basis, from simply choosing the right

Temporary fencing coupler platform to erecting a complex decking system. This is why we’re continually investing in training and professional development.

Secondly, the breadth and depth of our UK branch network sets us apart from competitors. We’re constantly monitoring our client base for opportunities in new ways in which we can serve them

by investing appropriately.”

Demonstrating this focused investment programme is the company’s response to recent increases in demand across the UK market. “We are seeing significant improvements in market conditions as the building and construction industry picks up,” highlights Roger.

“Momentum should build though the summer months as DIY and home improvements increase.”

This follows a record year for the company as it turned over £50 million. He adds: “This recent increase in demand has allowed Deborah Services to invest in the opening of four new branches in Maidstone, Cardiff, Nottingham and Birmingham to increase accessibility of equipment.

“We are constantly looking for locations to expand our Hire and Sales branch network. Most recently, we detected demand for supply in Aylesford, Kent and our Birmingham branch is to become our flagship branch, moving to more impressive facilities opening on the 1st June. However, we are not only investing in new locations to make our service more geographically desirable to customers, but also investing in renovating and growing existing branches. The Birmingham expansion, for example, will not only allow an increased range of equipment to be held in store but also allows for additional training facilities and boardrooms on site. These new facilities allow a more polished environment, not only for clients but also for team members.”

To accompany this expansion of the branch network, the company has also recognised the need to continue developing its product offering. “To improve the convenience of our service, the range of equipment will become more comprehensive,” outlines Roger. “Many product lines are now available to self-builders and

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profile: Deborah Services

Traffic separators DIYers for the first time.

“Additionally, as a new initiative, we recently created an e-commerce site, dsl-direct.co.uk, which gives customers an online service 24 hours a day. DIYers, self-builders and small to medium sized businesses can now order the equipment they need and have it delivered to their door within 48 hours or can click and collect same day from one of our branches. We have become more aware of how important the online market is when considering suitable platforms to meet the demand of our customers.

Tapping into the e-commerce market to supply a new realm of customer required significant investment, which will continue as our e-commerce business expands.”

By continuing to work collaboratively with manufacturers DSL looks to extend its online offering from the current 250

product ranges to 2500 by the end of the year. The move is a significant step towards DSL increasing its leading presence within what can be a competitive and challenging market.

One area in which DSL regards itself with great pride is in its attitude towards health and safety. “We pride ourselves on a

strong health and safety culture across all disciplines and parts of the company as we pursue a zero harm policy to mitigate workplace accidents and incidents. No other company will care about health and safety more than we do,” expresses Roger. “Our commitment goes well beyond a priority or a policy, safety is

Temporary fencing

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profile: Deborah Services

Rhino Load Deck System a value for us rather than just a priority. Priorities tend to change, values don’t. Only zero harm will do and even then we won’t rest, as it will be just as difficult maintaining a zero record as achieving it. Employees who are diligent in their health and safety practice are rewarded.”

As such, it is not just employees that are rewarded by a strong health and safety practice. The collective efforts of all staff at DSL resulted in the company being awarded the prestigious RoSPA Gold award in 2014 for its strong commitment and competent culture. It was also the winner of the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation’s Health and Safety award in 2013.

As part of its initiatives to promote the importance of health and safety within the company, DSL has developed and implemented the ‘Me and My Pal’ scheme. “This ensures that individuals are not only vigilant

about protecting themselves from harm but also look out for their colleagues too,” notes Roger. “We have also recently appointed a new SHEQ director, Sal Lack, who is working hard to integrate health and safety policies across all of Deborah Services’ divisions. This is allowing all employees to work to the same standards, alleviating any risks to wellbeing.”

Aside from health and safety, environmental issues also play a major role in the company’s operations. It has a full set of policies and procedures in place, which are externally audited according to the ISO 14001 standards and as with its health and safety focus, fully commits to continuous improvement to ensure that it meets and exceeds the required standards where possible. The programme splits into two separate systems; firstly to ensure that its own operations are conducted in a way that reduces its impact

on the environment, and secondly to work with its clients, customers and suppliers to manage and reduce waste by promoting a culture to reduce, reuse and recycle.

The construction and civil engineering industry in the UK is one that is highly susceptible to economic fluctuations, and by extension, companies like DSL are also impacted. However, with the market currently experiencing positive growth, DSL’s strength and experience is allowing it to thrive. “It’s well known that DSL has the largest depot network in the UK and as a consequence is able to provide a rapid response to any client requests, be it the small builder or one of our national account customers,” explains Roger. “Late planning of workloads in the construction industry creates pressures on suppliers like DSL so having the right stock in the right place is often challenging. Never resting on our laurels, we have plans to relocate a number of our existing branches to larger locations and open brand new branches in parts of the UK where we anticipate future economic growth.”

Deborah Services Limited www.deborahservices.co.uk Services: Access solutions, scaffolding and specialist site services 21

profile: Origin

Original

thinking

Quality, service and a strong team is central to Origin’s offerings, but it is the company’s ability to respond to the market that has provided the driving force

W

hen cousins Neil Ginger and Victoria Brocklesby couldn’t find the doors they wanted for family building projects in 2002, they recognised a gap in the market for high quality bi-folding doors. Deciding to act upon the recognition the two set about designing and manufacturing the doors to the highest quality in the UK, with a defined focus on customer service. Success ensued with extraordinary levels of growth throughout the recession and in December last year the company manufactured its 100,000th bi-folding door.

With a commitment to growth and expansion the company now offers windows and blinds, has a sales operation in Dubai and has moved into the United States. Achieving ISO 9001 in 2014, quality sits at the heart of everything Origin does. Spot that this is married to an unparalleled level of service and it is clear to see why the company has achieved the rapid success it has.

Commenting upon what has warranted the business such

22

success, managing director Andy Halsall explains: “We were fortunate to start at a time when the products was just becoming noticed, and we have benefitted from the market growth. We were also able to find some good people in the key areas of sales, marketing, production, IT and accounts to help make the business a success.

Ultimately, we have an edge on customer service and supply chain management, as well as a huge ongoing commitment to the quality of the product and the fabrication.” The company operates according to a ‘your lead time, not ours’ philosophy that allows the customer to specify their own lead time. As a result, Origin recently set a record lead time within the glass and glazing industry, of 48 hours from order to delivery for its most popular colours.

Part of being able to achieve this is its approach to continuous improvement and lean manufacturing. Within its manufacturing sites at High Wycombe, the company operates a flow line manufacturing system, which designates each factory

worker a defined role in the production process. The aim of the system is to streamline work and improve efficiency levels by breaking down each task. The result is a high quality product with extraordinary lead times.

With a strong team, excellent service and quality product Origin has demonstrated its refined ability to respond positively to market conditions. “With a lot of high quality home improvement going on the product is ideally suited for helping people with their dreams of a happier home,” highlights Andy. “The market for these products is currently enjoying a strong growth as the product is extremely popular.” As a result of this responsiveness, the company has been able to expand into new, related products. A particular example of this is its range of window solutions, which launched last year. “Our customers wanted a window supplied with the same service and attention to quality as we supply our doors. Therefore, we were pressured externally to provide a window solution,” he adds. A similar approach has been applied to its electric blinds to dress the doors and windows to

offer a more complete range of fenestration products.

Using aluminium in the construction of its products has many benefits. The strength of aluminium combined with its light weight, allows for greater freedom in the creation of frames, thus facilitating the bespoke service Origin offers to its customers. The strength of aluminium also allows for slimmer frames, increasing the window surface and therefore improving aesthetics and view – resulting in Origin’s goal of providing a happier home. Using 100 per cent recycled aluminium with durable powder coatings in a range of colours means that the frames have guaranteed longevity and are thermally efficient.

Making the most of the benefits provided by the materials, Origin implements a stringent quality process to assure the highest quality frames. Such is this quality the company is able to offer a 20-year guarantee, something that is unprecedented within the UK market.

With the view to becoming a

giving all our customers and their customers a more pleasant and simple experiences is the core.” Remaining focused and reactive to the market conditions is also essential to the company’s continued success: “Our main challenges are to keep pace

with the potential in the market and to keep our products ‘vital’ in changing and demanding markets,” he concludes.

Only 12 years into existence, Origin has experienced extraordinary growth to get to where it is today. Whilst maintaining quality standards and service ensures this growth continues, its ability to respond to the market is the key and the company is fully aware of this. By remaining so, Origin looks set to enjoy a long and successful future as it grows into new markets.

Origin www.origin-global.com Services: Manufacture bespoke aluminium bi-fold doors, windows and blinds

global company, Origin has set up a sales operation in Dubai to serve the Middle Eastern market, and in 2014 set up a factory in Florida to break into the US market. Andy outlines the company’s strategy: “Our vision is to become the first choice brand for customers when considering aluminium fenestration products. This will involve a serious commitment to investing in our staff, our continuous manufacturing process and our products. Essentially,

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profile: Lignacite

block Block by

Lignacite’s commitment to sustainable innovation supplemented by quality product and service has ensured its successful history, and looks set to secure more of the same in the future

F

amily owned and founded in 1947, Suffolk based Lignacite has developed a strong reputation for quality, innovation and sustainability, with blocks present in high profile projects such as the Gherkin, the Olympic site, the Shard and Heathrow Airport. With a focus on sustainability the company produces a full range of blocks, from grey concrete commodity blocks to architectural facing masonry made from limestone, granite, glass and other recyclable materials. Making the company’s products stand out as unique is the use of wood as a component to create a sustainable material.

Indicating the central importance wood has in the company is the name Lignacite, which comes from the Latin for wood, ‘lignum’.

“Sustainability is key for us,”

explains chairman and grandson of the original founder, Giles de Lotbiniere. “Both in terms of the impact we make on the environment and what we put into our blocks.” Lignacite’s main plant in Brandon, Suffolk includes its main quarry, which reduces the need for major lorry movement. Giles estimates that this has eliminated 38,000 lorry

movements over the last ten years. The company also uses recyclable material wherever possible, and makes the point of recycling all of its own waste.

In terms of its products, all of Lignacite’s blocks contain at least 30 per cent recycled materials.

At the top end is the ‘Waste Not Warrior’ block that comprises of 92 per cent recycled material,

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profile: Lignacite

with the cement being the only component that isn’t recycled.

Reinforcing the company’s position as a leader in sustainable innovation is a block called ‘Carbon Buster’. “It is the first genuinely carbon negative block in the UK, and we think the world,” highlights Giles. “This comes from a combination of the use of wood and another material. Wood locks up an enormous amount of carbon dioxide, a cubic metre locks up 800kg.” Lignacite has been working with a company called Carbon8, which takes the pollutant waste from domestic burners and locks it up with liquid carbon dioxide collected from sugar beet processing to produce a lightweight, inert, aggregate pellet. “We put these pellets into the blocks with the wood and produce this unique block. We can transport the blocks up to 100 miles and they are still carbon neutral,” says Giles.

Innovation, however, extends beyond sustainability. “We are very keen to work closely

with architects and engineers to develop products for most projects,” emphasises Giles. “Most of the interesting projects that we have worked on have come as a result of collaboration and working closely together with our clients.” The recently completed Tower of Love on Blackpool’s seafront makes use of innovative Lignacite Blocks. Giles explains: “dRRM architects not only specified a glass block, but they wanted luminescent, powdercoated glass. We made a block

Columbia Vibration Technology Another state-of-the-art Columbia block plant @ Lignacite.

Columbia have been a proud partner of Lignacite for over 30 years. In 2015, we have delivered another block plant to Lignacite's North London factory and they now run a total of four fully automatic Columbia block plants. Columbia Vibration Technology (CVT) is key to the production of the most accurate and consistent blocks in the market and this allows Lignacite to manufacture architectural facing masonry to very tight tolerances, with consistent product density and highly accurate height control. Quality advantages using Columbia's CVT have kept Lignacite at the forefront of innovation in sustainable masonry. We look forward to our next 30 years of partnership!

Aalborg Portland As the leading producer of white cement, Aalborg Portland operates globally. With a considerable production capacity at plants in Denmark, Egypt, China and Malaysia, Aalborg white cement is available throughout the world.

For several years Aalborg Portland and Lignacite have had a fruitful relationship contributing to Lignacite’s innovative solutions for concrete blocks. Good examples are the white facing masonry blocks from Lignacite with Aalborg white cement used in the Olympic Velodrome in London, and decorative concrete blocks containing recycled glass used for the Olympic village in London. Aalborg Portland's white cement was an integral part of these block constructions meeting all requirements. with this glass, which warms up during the day and glows at night.” In a similar demonstration of its willingness to create bespoke blocks is its work on the Athlete’s village on the London 2012 Olympic site. “The architects wanted green glass, but at the time we were having difficulty getting hold of this glass,” he adds. “So we got all of our staff to save all their beer and wine bottles to smash up and put in the blocks.”

Following the recession many of Lignacite’s customers were forced to close plants, opening up a significant opportunity for the company to take advantage of renewed demand.

To accommodate this it has recently invested £2.5 million in to its second plant in Nazeing, Essex. “Last year we put in a completely new batching plant for handling the aggregate, and at the beginning of this year we had a new Columbia block machine installed,” notes Giles. “This has more than doubled our capacity at the plant. We have also built additional ovens giving us 75 per cent more capacity there. This means that the blocks can go in for longer and use even less OPC to cure.”

The extension at Nazeing has been critical for the company to react to the changing market conditions and taking advantage of this expansion defines part of Lignacite’s future. “We are very keen to consolidate the additional market share that we have won from other companies closing down their plants,” says Giles. With ongoing projects for Crossrail and Battersea Powerstation illustrating a strong footing as it moves forward, the company is also focused on maintaining its reputation for innovation. “There are opportunities to continue discovering new and attractive recycled materials to put into our products,” he continues. “Over the next three to five years we hope to secure some more raw material supplies and find some new sources of these materials.”

Despite industry challenges from increasing legislation and transport regulations, Giles is confident about the future of Lignacite. He points out the desire to explore the idea of a third site, which only serves to prove how committed the company is to expanding. Lignacite has very much been ahead of the game in terms of producing sustainable building materials, and in light of the current trend towards that very issue the company is well placed to continue its success.

Lignacite Ltd www.lignacite.co.uk Services: Produce sustainable facing masonry and commodity blocks 27

profile: Sibelco

Mineral

O

riginally founded in 1872 supplying silica sand from Flanders to the Belgian glass industry, Sibelco has grown into a global company with a portfolio of minerals to serve most applications in most industries.

Strategically growing through acquisition, the company works towards the ultimate goal of being the worldwide market leader with a full mineral portfolio. With innovation forming the basis of Sibelco’s continued success, it is able to serve a range of applications including agriculture, metallurgy, glass, construction, coatings and polymers, energy, ceramics, environmental and sports turf. In the early 2000’s Sibelco acquired SP Minerals in Finland, rebranding it Sibelco Nordic Oy AB. “The Finnish subsidiary serves a mix of export and domestic markets with particular demand from Europe and Russia,” says Sibelco Nordic MD, Kim Michelsson.

“We are also

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With an extensive portfolio of minerals and long history behind it, Sibelco Nordic Oy AB remains true to its core values and looks set to capitalise on important opportunities able to import a lot of Sibelco products into the domestic markets as traded goods.” With such a large global portfolio behind it, the company is able to serve most mineral needs for most applications across the world. Sibelco in Finland is spread across five sites, enabling it to supply a range of minerals.

“We have Nilsia, a quartz quarry and enrichment plant; Kimito, a Feldspar plant with several quarries and enrichment plant; Nakkila, which processes slag for abrasive products; the Kristinastad plant has a Bentonite milling plant, and then we have Karvian, which is based on natural sand for different applications like biofuel and paints,” explains Kim. Two areas where Sibelco Nordic is a specialist are in silica and feldspar. With glass serving as the main industry for silica minerals there is a large demand for it.

Sibleco produces the crystalline forms of silica, quartz and Cristobalite, as both sands and flours. As a hard, chemically inert mineral with a high melting

point, silica is a valuable material with uses in a range of industries and applications. The Finnish reserve of feldspar is only one of four sites for Sibelco across Europe, and forming the basis of most ceramic everyday items, it is a crucial part of the Finnish activities. With both alkaline and alumina content, feldspars are valuable within a range of industrial processes acting as fluxing agents in ceramics and glass production. Functionally, the minerals are used as fillers in paint, plastic, rubber and adhesive industries.

On a group level, Sibelco has a strong environmental responsibility policy that involves careful management of the natural resources it serves to the market but also demonstrating awareness and responsibility for the surrounding area. Kim highlights a particular project the company is involved in within Finland: “We have just started a big environmental project where we are supplying Bentonite for a very big slag dump site. It’s a big two-year construction project and we have sold out of Bentonite at the moment.”

expresses Kim. “In general we see the Russian market as having a lot of potential going forward and we also see a big opportunity in biofuel production as this is a very important growing market.”

Ultimately, by staying true to the company’s values, Sibelco has a good attitude towards capitalising on these potential opportunities.

By continuing to listen and develop its mineral portfolio, and maintaining its robust supply chain management the company as a whole is on the right course towards realising its goal to be a world leading mineral supplier.

Operating on such a large scale across the world, with over 10,500 people operating across 200 production sites and 26 technical centres in 41 countries, Sibelco has taken care to define and adhere to its core values. The first is a commitment to deliver – with such an expansive supply chain the company utilises its infrastructure to ensure all customers are served to the right specification wherever they are. Following this, Sibleco is able to combine its specialist expertise with local customer service to ensure that customers are supported in order to get the best out of their minerals. Playing a major part in the mineral industry’s leadership the group then makes an effort to listen and develop on a continual basis. By developing strong local relationships, Sibelco is able to identify specific challenges and work with its portfolio and expertise to develop pioneering solutions. Following current market trends, the company has a major focus on energy reduction and efficient raw material use.

Confirming this commitment to continuous development, Kim says: “We have a lot of plans going on at a group level with some very interesting development projects for innovative products ongoing.

We hope to start marketing some of these in the near future.”

With a long history and

extensive group support behind it, Sibelco Nordic in Finland has a positive outlook on the future.

“In Europe we feel that business is improving all the time right across many of our markets,”

Sibelco www.sibelco.eu Services: Mineral supplier

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profile: Kendrick Homes

With a unique approach to the market coupled to a personal commitment to quality and service, Kendrick Homes is performing well in a growing housing market

An exclusive

development

E

stablished 135 years ago by William Kendrick, Kendrick Homes has developed over the years to be a prominent player in the West Midlands house building market.

Still owned by members of the Kendrick family, the company builds an average of 75 units a year with the view to reach 100 across nine sites over the next two years. Its house prices range from £99,000 to £750,000, averaging at £325,000. “We do everything

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from land purchase up to sales,” outlines managing director, James Rennison. “We have a land buying department, an architectural and engineering department, our own quantity surveyors, contracts managers, a marketing manager and a sales team, so we can be completely autonomous. Most sites we manage from purchase to point of sales.” With the housing market currently growing out of the economic downturn, Kendrick Homes is experiencing a period of growth buoyed by a positive

approach to quality and service, and the Help-to-Buy scheme.

“Being registered for Help-toBuy has helped with 35 per cent of our sales over the last year,” explains James as he discusses the successful levels of sales the company has recently achieved.

“The end of our financial year is in June and we’ve already achieved our sales targets for this year. In terms of next year, we already have forward sales on approximately 20 units, which is very promising considering we

have a target of 85 units. So we’re happy with the market in general at the moment.”

There are number of strengths that put Kendrick Homes in a competitive position within the market, not least is its commitment to delivering high quality product and service.

“We’re a personal company,” notes James. “I can probably tell you most customers’ names and what plot they live in. Our staff continuity gives customers confidence that they’re working

with the same person for the term of their purchase. We also sell our houses fully equipped, what a customer sees in a show home is what they get and I don’t think I’ve ever heard an adverse comment on our specification.” Product quality is assured by thorough management throughout the build process, plus a stringent handover procedure that involves individual inspections from the site manager, a director and a quality surveyor.

Perhaps even more unique for a house builder is its approach to exclusivity. Kendrick Homes

makes sure that on any site there is a range of building types used, with any duplications taking on aesthetic differences to make them unique. “I’d like to think that a customer is buying a one off home,” emphasises James. “Some of our houses are completely one off, because we’ve made that house bespoke to the site.

I think people like the idea of that nowadays, it’s one short of a self-build.” Possessing its own in-house design department greatly facilitates this approach to house building, but as James explains: “It requires far more resource intensity than normal house building.”

Kendrick Homes recently completed a site of nine units in the Worcestershire village of Inkberrow. The site consists of five £700,000 houses, some with paddocks, two affordable housing units for a housing association and two that were sold to the Addington Trust. “We had a gentleman’s agreement, with the late farmer from whom we purchased the land, that we would sell these two properties at cost to the Addington Trust for people who work in agriculture but can’t afford to live in the area. A young trainee vet is living in one of those.” A recently commenced site in Bromsgrove, which consists of 24 units, also includes four that will be sold to a housing association. Commenting on Kendrick’s involvement with housing associations, James adds: “All of our housing association houses are built with the same external materials as all our other houses. You would struggle to spot which are affordable and which are for private sale, as we make a big effort with them.”

Despite strong market conditions and a positive performance, Kendrick Homes still faces a number of challenges.

A recovering supply chain has been causing problems regarding project programming for a

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profile: Kendrick Homes

number of months, and the brick supply is still causing issues.

James points out that to try and get around this the company has been ordering bricks during the planning phase to cover long lead times on bricks. New building regulations introduced this year regarding window and

insulation standards have also been creating upward pressure on the company’s costs. A tightening criteria and lengthening lead times within the planning process have also compounded general challenges within the industry.

However, James is confident that its strong sales performance

helps reduce the impact of many challenges. As the company looks ahead, he highlights its objectives. “In real terms, we want to see a growth of around ten per cent a year. We have done seven sites this year, will do eight next and nine the next. We grow organically, so we rely very little on bank finance, so our bank balance very much supports our development.” Ultimately, it is Kendrick’s attitude to delivering quality product and service to its customers that will secure its future success. Summing this attitude up James says: “Our acid test on any of our house, or any of our sites is, ‘Would we live there ourselves?’ If the answer’s no, we don’t buy the site.”

Kendrick Homes www.kendrickhomes.co.uk Services: Housebuilders and developers

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profile: Howarth Timber Windows and Doors

grow A view to

A reputation for quality and sustainability means that as the market grows, so too can timber manufacturer Howarth Timber Windows and Doors

I

n its 175th year, the Howarth Timber group has established itself as a leading and preferred supplier of timber products to the UK construction industry. Today operating all over the country, the group turns over £170 million.

Founded in 1985 was the group’s windows and doors division, which currently contributes approaching £9 million in turnover to the group. Based in North Lincolnshire, the division primarily serves the new build sector with a variety of products, with clients ranging from the largescale house builders to one off personal buyers. The scope of its experience means that the company’s projects range in contract value up to £500,000 and beyond, supplying single plot to 200 plot sites.

“We have a product range that covers most customers needs,” explains general manager, Alan Shearer. “We’re generally able to cover most customers’ requests and requirements in the timber market. We are also fairly competitive – we’re neither the

cheapest nor the most expensive in the market.” In terms of products, the core of the business surrounds the timber windows.

The STORVIK range comes in both double and triple glaze configurations, and demonstrates a secure and practical design with achievable ultralow u-values of 1.2W/m3K and 0.7W/m3K respectively. Further along the range is the Stormproof window, which is arguably the most common style of window used in the UK. In addition, the company also offers sliding sash windows, which brings modern energy performance to a traditional

design, and feature windows.

In terms of doors, the company offers a range of styles again all adhering to the Howarth ethos of good quality and security. Both standard and bi-fold maxiview doors complete the product offering. Supporting the product beyond the point of sale is a range of guarantees from five to 30 years covering different finishes and fittings.

All products manufactured

by Howarth are done so according to the UK Police Initiative, ‘Secured by Design’, a crime prevention scheme that focuses on incorporating security in the design stage of

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profile: Howarth Timber Windows and Doors

new house building. All Howarth products are built to meet the new requirements of Approved Document Q that will come into effect in October 2015.

Further enhancing the company’s close attention to quality is the potential lifetime engineered into the timber windows. A study commissioned by the Wood Window Alliance, undertaken in accordance with BS ISO 15686-8, shows that windows manufactured under the Wood Window Alliance guidelines, will achieve a minimum estimated service life of 60 years.

In sheltered locations and with average maintenance levels, this is predicted to extend to 87 years.

In manufacturing from European Redwood timber the company is engaging directly with the environment, and its approach to sustainability is exemplary. “Trees are one of the most sustainable materials you can use,” expresses Alan. “We ensure that all our timber comes from managed forests, so if a tree is cut down a new one is replanted. Young trees take more carbon out of the atmosphere than older ones, so we want to encourage managed forests that are constantly changing old trees for new.” Further supporting the use for timber within the windows and doors industry

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is the fact that 17 per cent less energy is required to turn raw timber into a useable product, than in plastic framed products.

Testifying to the company’s responsible approach to managed forests is the possession of FSC accreditation and Chain of Custody. Chain of Custody was awarded to Howarth Timber in 2006 and is a mechanism that allows for the tracking of certified material from the forest to the final product, ensuring all wood can be traced back to certified forests. Ultimately, Howarth’s customers can be sure that they are buying responsibly sourced, well-managed timber products.

Having established itself over 30 years with a name that maintains its utmost commitment to quality and sustainability, Howarth Windows and Doors is experiencing a strong level of growth in the market. “The general market is good, growing last year,” says Alan. “New house registrations in the first quarter were up by 26 per cent in the private sector so there is a general uplift in the market that appears to be continuing.” In order to facilitate the growth the company has just received planning permission to carry out an extension on its current site, with construction due to start soon for a completion target of the end of 2015. “The factory at the moment is split into two separate units, which is not ideal,” outlines Alan.

“We’re bringing the elements onto

one site and increasing capacity.

We’re hoping over the next three to four years to increase by 35 per cent. Obviously this will be a gradual process as we have to bring in more labour.”

Commenting on what the market growth means to the company, Alan is optimistic.

“It represents both a major opportunity and a challenge,” he says. “The challenge is looking at how we are going to manage the current growth, hence we are making this investment. However, it means we will be recruiting new people, which is good news for the local economy. It’s certainly better than the challenge that we faced with the recession though.”

With new space to grow and a strong market open to Howarth, the next few years look set to be rewarding. “The strategic vision is to maintain ourselves in the market place,” concludes Alan.

“However, we also want to grow our market share so that we are operating closer to £12 million turnover than the current nine.

Ideally we’ll be looking at about 35 per cent growth over the next three years. For the moment, we continue to enjoy the financial security afforded to us by being part of a large group.”

Howarth Timber Windows and Doors www.howarth-timber.co.uk Services: Manufactures a range of timber windows and doors

profile: Vector Foiltec

icons Building the

Responsible for some of the most iconic structures around the world, leading ETFE cladding specialist Vector Foiltec is committed to offering more for less

I

n 1982, Dr Stefan Lehnert developed a technique capable of welding large sheets of ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) and the market for building cladding systems opened up. “The company basically invented a way of cladding buildings with ETFE,” explains founding partner and managing director, Ben Morris. “Essentially it is a clear polymer that doesn’t degrade under ultraviolet light – it’s quite an unusual technology but we hold the world’s expertise in it, having developed all the major innovations.” With a strong technological background driving the company forward, it was the Eden Project work in 2001 that catapulted Vector Foiltec and ETFE technology onto the global stage. Now, with innovation at its core, the company has been involved in some of the world’s most iconic buildings including The Watercube on Beijing’s Olympic park and the world’s largest spanning dome over Singapore’s national stadium.

The case for ETFE technology is in its versatility and cost

effectiveness. “The technology comprises of two or more layers of this UV stable, clear polymer,” outlines Ben, “and we inflate the gaps between them with air, thus creating a insulated duvet keeping the building warm, or cool as required. We can treat any of the skins with printed radiation treatments, so you can essentially design the cladding to perform whatever function you want. For instance you can keep the sun out,

you can keep the heat in, keep IR or UV out – you can manipulate its performance. By printing on more than one layer, and then moving the layers towards or away from each other with air you can create a skin that reacts and changes to climate. So on a shady day it will let in more light and on a sunny day it can provide some shading.”

Parallel to this are the advantages of using the material as an alternative to other building

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profile: Vector Foiltec

materials. Ben continues: “The nice thing about what we do is that we can deliver a higher performance than similar technologies, like a glazed roof for instance, for less money. When you build anything you are using a limited amount of resources and what is good about this technology is you can cover huge areas with cladding that is less than a millimetre thick in total, so you’re using very little material to achieve a huge amount of work. Quite often we can reduce the amount of steel that has been designed into the scheme by sometimes as much as 50 per cent. The technology enables one to spread building movement across the skin rather than concentrating movement joints at cladding panel perimeters. This has enabled us to develop the concept of the soft skin, which spreads building movement across the entire envelope load sharing rather than having to engineer for point loads.

This enables the whole surface to load share which can dramatically decrease the amount of steel structure that is needed to keep a building up.”

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One particularly successful market for Vector Foiltec is in stadiums. “It is a very interesting market because they are very big national, and often international, icons,” highlights Ben. The business has a presence at most major sporting venues across the world including Beijing and Sochi Olympic parks, Baku’s European Games 2015 stadium and Singapore National Stadium.

The latter highlights a particular innovation for the company as it incorporates televisual technology into the cladding by enabling vast images to be

projected onto the material. “It creates a vast visual experience, which is what you want with a big crowd of people and it very much enhances the atmosphere in the stadium,” Ben adds.

Another significant market for the company is dealing in hot, harsh climates in the Middle East and South East Asia. “These are places where people often don’t go outside and there isn’t really a public realm like we have in Europe because it’s so hot and dusty,” says Ben. “We’ve been building some very big shopping centres which are more like

total towns with cafes, bars, playgrounds, restaurants, cinemas and so on. We’re beginning to see the rise of the enclosed city in hostile climates. We’ve built four now around the world including the big cable net structure of the Khan Shatyr entertainment centre in Kazakhstan, Parkview Green Fang Cao Di in Beijing and The Avenues in Kuwait.”

Vector Foiltec currently undertakes around 90 per cent of all ETFE projects in the world, but competition is intensifying making trading conditions tough.

However, as Ben points out: “We’ve dealt with it by becoming more and more efficient. We make our own machinery and welding equipment, and have got by far the most efficient factory in the industry. Also, because we’re

processing so much material we can always beat a competitor on price.” With such an international presence, the recent economic downturn in Europe and the USA did not have an impact on the company’s activities, yet it still made an effort to improve efficiencies to meet client demands and deliver projects

more quickly.

Looking forward Ben remains keenly aware that the market is largely unsaturated, and therefore there is a huge amount of opportunity. “It’s really a case of getting the message out and making sure people are aware of what we can do,” he concludes.

“The vision is simply to continue our growth, and continue to give exceptionally high levels of service and performance to our clients. They are the heart of this business, and our commitment to them has meant that we have earned a lot of loyalty.”

Vector Foiltec www.vector-foiltec.com Services: Leading ETFE cladding technology company

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profile: Swisspearl® Science Pyramid/JC Buck, Denver

last Designed to

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art of the one billion CHF turnover Swisspor Group, Swisspearl® manufactures through-coloured cementitious panels for façade cladding.

Founded in 1903, the company established itself to be the first to move into producing throughcoloured panels and has a leading position in the market. Located in Niederurnen, Switzerland the company distributes through a global network of more than 60 distributors in over 50 countries, with its main target customers being high profile architects.

The major product lines for the company are LARGO and LINEARIS. LARGO are largeformat cement composite panels that come with a choice of surface textures, joints and fastenings, giving a vast range of possibilities for any façade. LINEARIS are ready-made LARGO strips that can be used to cover a range of façade shapes. LARGO panels also have available customisation options including perforations and engravings. To accompany the two lines are three major colour families, CARAT, XPRESSIV and REFLEX, all possessing individual aesthetic characteristics and offering 170 standard and more than 2100 customised colours.

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With current global trends favouring original design, material longevity and sustainability, Swisspearl® is well placed to achieve world wide success

With such a vast range of choices available the company employs a team of experienced technical advisors to assist in choosing the best and most practical solutions. Along side the modern and distinctive character awarded to any building cladded with Swisspearl® panels, Robert Wirichs, head of exports, explains why the panels are well suited to current market demands: “There is an increasing need for long lasting building and energy saving,” he explains. “These are both fulfilled with a Swisspearl® panel in combination with the rear ventilated façade.”

Swisspearl® is a highly innovative company with quality, sustainability and design sitting as central pillars to the business plan. Regarding quality, the panels are designed to last over 40 years without fading in colour or texture, providing long term protection to the façades they cover. They also offer high resistance against fire and UV, and the option of the company’s HR coating can enhance this protection. “HR stands for High Resistance,” highlights Robert.

“They are more resistant against scratches and graffiti can be removed easily numerous times with a standard acetone product without leaving stains.” In terms

of design, Swisspearl® prides itself on providing inspiration to great designers and firms such as Max Bill, Le Corbusier, Haefeli Moser Steiger, Herzog and de Meuron, Rafael Viñoly and Morphosis. By working with such designers, the high-end quality and flexibility of the company’s panels is exemplified.

The panels therefore provide both aesthetic and functional advantages, yet it is sustainability that comes across as the most important factor for the company. Ninety-five per cent of a Swisspearl® panel is made up of natural raw materials from the Swiss mountains. With environmental awareness ensuring all resources have effective protection, the panels are mainly made from cement, pulverised limestone, water and air. The manufacturing process is based on a closed water cycle and a slow natural 28-day curing time requiring very little energy, and the company adheres to tight environmental restrictions with high levels of recycling. The result is a 100 per cent environmentally friendly panel since neither the raw materials used, nor the production process contains any harmful substances, and far less energy is consumed compared to the manufacture of most other

STAR Center/Steve Wanke, Warren

building materials.

Even more significant is the fact that this sustainable focus continues beyond the manufacturing process and is passed onto the customer, as all of Swisspearl’s® panels are rear ventilated. Robert explains: “The panels are not fastened directly onto the façade. A subframe made from aluminium, stainless steel or wood, is used in between the structural wall and the panels. As a result you have an air gap between the two layers and air is able to circulate freely. The major effects of this are: substantial cooling down of the building, no moisture, better interior climate and lower energy consumption. With energy saving and sustainability a major global trend at the moment, we are providing the right solution at the right time.”

Swisspearl® has been involved in a number of striking building projects across the world, where sustainability and architectural innovation have been central.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for performing arts in Beverly Hills, USA, required 2320 square metres of the company’s panels for both internal and external cladding. The contemporary style of the panels helps the design pull together the 21st Century architecture and the original 1930’s building that still stands as part of the new construction. Representing the first project in China, Swisspearl® worked with US architects Morphosis to build the stunning corporate headquarters for Giant Interactive Group in Shanghai.

Eight thousand square metres of dark grey, black and white panels were required to cover external, internal and roof façades.

Testament to the panel’s design versatility is its ability to modernise ageing buildings. The company’s most recent project has involved cladding an existing CERN building built in the seventies.

Sustainability has been at the heart of two other projects in the US. The ‘Science Pyramid’ at Denver Botanic Gardens is becoming well known for its incredibly green design, a recognition achieved partly due to the use of Swisspearl’s® four foot wide hexagonal rear ventilated panels. Similarly, installation of panels at the recently completed STAR Center in Tacoma helped the center to achieve LEED Gold

“The ongoing financial crisis has put many projects on hold, and the crisis in Ukraine has lead to a collapse of business in CIS countries.” However, despite these challenges, the opportunities are still in the company’s favour; by sticking to its core values of design, quality and sustainability it is in a strong position to serve current global trends concerning all three. The next years for Swisspearl® are defined by further expansion of the distribution network and the launch of further product innovations facilitated by participation in leading tradeshows like AIA Atlanta and Big5 Dubai. By continuing this strong approach to the market, Swisspearl® looks set to achieve its goal of being the global leader of premium façade panels.

Giant Interactive/Roland Halbe, Stuttgart

certification of sustainability.

Looking forward, Swisspearl® appears confident, yet remain aware of the challenges facing the company in the current market. “The strong Swiss Franc is making products more expensive,” Robert outlines.

Swisspearl® www.swisspearl.com Services: Manufacture cement composite panels for exterior and interior cladding 41

profile: Europa components

Satisfying

demand Electricals supplier Europa Components proves that there is still a place for traditional service in today’s market

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E

uropa Components can trace its roots back to 1936 when current managing director, David Sheridan’s father started making instruments for the capacitance industry under the name of British Physical Laboratories.

Over its history the company has manufactured meters for standard test equipment within the electronics industry, established strong trade partnerships in the Far East and formed supplier relationships with RS Components and Farnells, which still exist today. Now under the leadership of David, the company has an increasing range of electrical control gear systems, and a clear guiding principle to serve the needs of its customers in the best

way possible. Europa currently has 3500 catalogue lines, 5500 lines in stock and 10,000 on its system, indicating the strength and availability of its offerings.

“Our customer is the electrician doing industrial or residential work, but our conduit is exclusively with the electrical wholesalers. We have a very good reason for doing this, we believe that the customer gets the best service that way,” expresses David. “The relationship between a customer and a wholesaler is already well established, and a customer will always need more than just Europa control gear when they go to the wholesaler.

So having one source for the customer is very important and we want to support that.” Rather uniquely, despite operating through wholesaler distribution, Europa offers a delivery-to-site service in conjunction. This means that in the event of an emergency Europa can deliver products next day straight to the site, making its customers’ lives easier.

The strengths of Europa lay in its original customer focused approach. “We are flexible,” explains David. “If a customer asks for something we don’t stock, we will try our best to find it, we don’t say no. If we can provide it, we will do it and I think this is appreciated in the market.” This service extends to its back up as well. Irregular for a distribution company, Europa has a direct technical helpline manned by employed engineers and taking hundreds of calls a month, giving the end user peace of mind when using the service. “What we are finding, and what we are reacting to, is that our customers want complete solutions in one box, but they also want the engineering support behind it should they need assistance,” adds David.

Its direct to site service, a low minimum order of £20, and soon to have a same day dispatch service for orders up to five in

the afternoon, all put Europa in a strong position to serve a demanding and competitive market. “We are a straight forward company to do business with,” notes David.

These strengths and the company’s ability to react to the market are clearly working.

“Europa is experiencing incredible growth,” emphasises David.

“Over the last five years we have more than doubled the business, and that was done through a heavy recession.” Testament to its increasing success, RS, which before catalogued Europa components under its own brand, have now included Europa as its own entity. “They see the brand as being on the up and they want to be associated with it,” he says.

Working for the customer and meeting the demands in the market are key parts of the company’s business plan. Eighteen months ago Europa launched the new Safe Switch range of isolator, changeover switch and fuse switch units operating up to 1000 amps, in its trend towards providing more complete solutions. Not only is the solution offering quality switchgear in a more efficient larger container, eliminating the need for extension boxes, but it is also satisfying a large demand in the industry.

“Because we assemble the units on site, people have been amazed with the availability we offer,” explains David. “In the next catalogue we will be indicating that we go up to 6300 amps if necessary. It’s really meeting the demand.”

Europa is also a well-regarded supplier of fuses, isolators and enclosures in the UK, being at the forefront of the industry in all cases. Since January this year, it has also become the national distributor for German box manufacturer Fibox. David notes: “I think the reason they chose us is because we are already an embedded supplier within the UK with relationships with all the significant wholesalers.

The relationship with Fibox is important because it means that we can provide to the customer their complete requirement of control gear.”

The future for Europa is very much focused on continuing to deliver quality products to satisfy customer demand. “I consider this to be a very exciting time for the company,” says David. “We expect to organically double our business again over the next five years by moving more and more towards complete solutions – a complete box with one part number. There is an incredible opportunity for us to continue our growth by listening to the customers and doing what they want.” In terms of products, the company has a work programme for new ideas that covers the next three years.

“We’re not the sort of people who see a good idea and put it in the catalogue, we do a lot of research into the supplier and do the testing in-house – we’re not the fastest, but people know that a Europa-backed product is reliable and good quality.”

Summarising the company’s attitude David concludes: “The ethics of how we run this business, some people think it is very old fashioned, but I make no apologies for it – our word is our bond, and we stick behind our products and we stick behind our customers to solve problems.”

Europa Components www.europacomponents.com Services: Supplier and distributor of electrical components

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profile: Premier Interlink (Waco UK Ltd)

A modular

approach

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art of the Waco International Group, Premier Interlink can trace its trading roots back almost 60 years. After the merger between the Premier Transline and Interlink brands in 2004 and the acquisition of the IP of Britspace in 2011, the company has now positioned itself as one of the leading modular construction companies in the UK. Construction and Civil Engineering last featured Premier Interlink in October 2014 when divisional director, David Harris discussed the recent growth the company had experienced due to its focus on innovation. A little over six months later the positivity remains,

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Occupying a leading position in the UK modular construction industry, Premier Interlink is focused solidly on growth

and Premier Interlink is very much focused on growing its business in all sectors.

“From a general business point of view, the company has continued to grow quite strongly over the last six months,” David says. “Over this period there has definitely been some real buoyancy in the market,” he adds.

“I think the initial impact for us is in our Hire Business because as bigger developments move forward we are providing the temporary accommodation. One of the key advantages we have is that our hire fleet is completely interchangeable – we deliberately have one focused fleet, where all the units can be sited together, so we can utilise them very well. We have spent capital expenditure up to 300 units in the last six months and we’re currently waiting for Group Board approval to do the same again. That has been a strong, self-funded investment into the business.”

Ultimately, Premier Interlink has established a reputation as a quality brand in the market, something it is committed to maintaining by being selective of its projects, competing for quality and longevity. Aside from this the core strengths of the business

lay in the unique and innovative approach the company takes towards both its products and its operations. “You can see we are a very innovative business from some of the products that we have launched to the market,” comments David. “We are not just a modular building company, we are very much focused on delivering a solution, so we try and look at schemes and work out the best way to deliver that solution rather than just seeing how we can make it fit modular.

We’ve developed unique solutions for the MoD, education, housing and retail markets.” In terms of operations David explains: “We employ manufacturing people to run the factories and we employ construction people to run the sites. It’s the skill of blending those two together that gives us a competitive edge.”

In the last feature David concluded by expressing the company’s desire to break into the housing sector and over the last six months the business has made significant progress in this market, with its first project for the Goodwin Trust in Hull well underway. “We initially started talking to Goodwin two years ago, the work we did with them

then was one of the key drivers for going into the housing market, it was then that we realised its potential. We have developed a housing product to suit the needs of the social housing sector. The project consists of code five homes, so they’re environmentally friendly, very sustainable and aesthetically very modern. From our point of view we really believe it will be a springboard into a number of other housing projects.”

In November last year, the company held a three-day launch event, inviting 150 people from the industry to visit its factory and view the demonstrationhousing product. “From that we have generated huge interest in the product. We’ve actually got a pipeline of well into the hundreds of millions of potential social housing opportunities. Now we’re trying to work with the right opportunities, we want to pick a few sites of 20 to 30 houses and really demonstrate our abilities,” explains David.

Other sectors, which are proving strong for Premier Interlink, are education, student accommodation and healthcare.

“Our biggest sector over the last 12 months has continued to be the education sector,” notes David.

“We’re either in the process of, or have completed, over the last two months, eight different schools in London. I think the interesting part is that they’re all quite complex and niche products.” It has also just completed its second student accommodation contract, a 240-bed, five-storey building for Northumbria University. “This sector is really ideal for us as it includes a lot of repetition so we can drive efficiencies through the factory, manufacturing around 25 units a week.” The company has also made a strong return to the healthcare sector with two contracts won for Pilgrim Hospital in Boston and Springfield Hospital in Chelmsford.

As Premier Interlink continues

to grow it does face a number of challenges, including employing the right people for the construction, commercial and design sides of the business, and continuing to attract capital expenditure into the business.

Despite this David is still very much focused on what the business needs to do to maintain its growth, and has his eye

trained on other sectors where opportunities exist. “The next 12 months for us are about investing into our Hire Business, driving the housing product launch further and also implementing a push into the retail sector,” he concludes.

“I think our strategic vision is clear that we want to become the premier modular and offsite builder in the UK and it’s very focused on the growth areas.

Ultimately, we intend to continue trading in each of our chosen construction sectors because we believe the products have benefits in all of them.”

Premier Interlink (Waco UK Ltd) www.waco.co.uk, 0800 316 0888 Services: Construction of modular building structures

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profile: Jarvis

A

Group effort

With over a century’s experience, Jarvis Group has developed a robust, fully integrated service offering to ensure it remains successful in an everchanging market

F

ounded in 1905

by Ernest Charles Jarvis, Harpenden based Jarvis Group is a privately owned multi-disciplined construction group offering a one-stopshop service from development contracting, through mechanical and engineering (M&E), and environmental services to bespoke joinery. Today the company approaches a turnover of over £60 million, consistently delivering in excess of 250 private and affordable dwellings per annum in the last ten years. As well as this it has constructed new schools, healthcare facilities and community projects along with lower value projects delivered by its special works department.

With its services spread across Jarvis Contracting, Jarvis M&E, Jarvis Commercial and Jarvis Homes, the company has grown to become a well-established and well-respected construction business within the UK industry.

The company also has a strong retail offering, building new stores and internal fit-outs for some of the UK’s largest retailers.

Mark Doyle, CEO of Jarvis, comments on the market’s current supply demands: “With supply

46

not currently meeting demand, supply costs are spiralling, and this has sadly resulted in casualties in the construction market where contractors have secured contracts on historic rates that they simply cannot deliver on.” He goes on to explain what has enabled Jarvis to thrive in the current market. “We are fortunate that we are not as exposed to the chronic shortages that are being experienced, as we have the ability to self-deliver much of our work using our direct labour force and in-house service offerings, providing some insulation from the volatility of market pricing. Our strategy was also not to secure lengthy contracts and we therefore do not have the legacy issues that some of our peers are burdened with.

This places Jarvis in a very positive position to service the client base and with our breadth of expertise, we believe that we can provide our clients with a truly holistic experience.”

Beyond this, the strengths of Jarvis lay in quality, its people and the service it provides.

“Every contractor boasts about the level of quality it achieves,” notes Mark. “But Jarvis genuinely delivers time and time again and it is the biggest area of feedback

that we receive commenting on the high standards that our site teams deliver and this is largely a result of the high levels of control that we can achieve using in-house resources, coupled with a stable and high quality supply chain.” This focus on quality also translates into a focus on people, as Jarvis places significant value on its highly trained and loyal workforce. Importantly, it has developed a tried and tested supplier network, which is vetted for its health and safety, and quality performance, to draw on supplier skills to supplement its own trade staff.

The result of this is a keen and trusted workforce, which allows excellent service standards to permeate throughout the company at every level. “People like working with Jarvis,” adds Mark.

Testament to Jarvis’s strengths and ability to offer a fully integrated, one-stop service is a number of projects in and around the company’s home Harpenden area. “The Glen Eagles Manor project is a great example of what the company can achieve by utilising all parts of the group,” highlights Mark.

Further illustrating Jarvis’s strong current position, it has

recently secured contracts such as the new Phase II facility for local children’s charity, The Pace Centre, a commercialto-residential conversion in Hemel Hempstead, and the new Richmond Hill SEN School in Luton. An initial appointment to design and build a very unique five bedroom zero carbon home in Bovingdon also serves to prove

the company’s competency in environmental construction.

Something that Mark is keen to express: “We have a separate green energy division providing cost-effective propositions within our M&E services,” he emphasises. “With the green agenda in most organisations’ strategies, our experts can provide practical propositions to help not only make our clients more environmentally efficient by reduction in carbon but this generally provides significant commercial benefits because of the government support that is often available and our teams can provide guidance on access to finance and funding.”

Looking forward, the next 12 months are very much defined by investment. “It is important that we do not become complacent

and continually strive to better our service,” Mark explains. Investment plans will contribute to M&E expansion, enhanced by IT systems and expanding BIM (Building Information Modelling) capability.

Staff also occupy a position of investment focus as Jarvis is keen to provide opportunities for the next generation of construction professionals through staff development, apprenticeships and training opportunities. Long term, Jarvis’s strategy is to build on what it has already achieved. “We will do this through careful expansion of our regular client base and our traditional geographical area,” concludes Mark.

Jarvis Group Ltd www.jarvisgroupltd.co.uk Services: Construction group

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profile: Specialist Coatings

bases Covering all

With comprehensive accreditation from across the industry, Specialist Coatings is attracting more customers, and is moving sites to accommodate increased demand

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amily-owned, Darlingtonbased Specialist Coatings, part of the Almit group, was established in 1981 to serve among others the architectural powder coating needs of the UK construction industry. Today it is at the forefront of the industry as it moves into one of the biggest sites of its kind and offers a unique service unrivalled by its competitors. Although its operations are anchored to its own site, the company has been involved in coating components

used in high profile projects ranging from the England football training ground and Heathrow Airport, to office buildings and supermarkets. Across the business’s scope of offerings it provides specialist powder coating, wet spray painting, Goliath gutter coating systems and on-site remedial spray

painting to a range of industries around the UK, and in some cases, the world.

Director, and one of the three owning brothers, Mark Mitchell explains what sets the company apart in the competitive market: “Quality is a big thing for us, both in terms of service and product.

We also offer very fast turnaround

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profile: Specialist Coatings

times and are competitively priced.

In terms of the coatings, we get the product from a range of suppliers, but it’s in our service where we are able to differentiate from other companies in the market. We have designed our own pre-treatment line, of which we have two. Quite a few of our competitors can only coat thin items, but our own designed lines can coat items with much wider girths.”

Aside from this Specialist Coatings is keen to highlight its accreditation within the industry.

The company works with all of the main architectural powder coating suppliers such as Syntha

Axalta Powder Coatings UK Axalta Powder Coatings UK Ltd is a global leader in the provision of architectural powder coatings, which are the most popular coating solution for aluminium or galvanized steel building components as varied as cladding, doors and windows.

Axalta offers a range of products with excellent mechanical and weathering resistance characteristics, which are supported by a 25 year guarantee when applied by one of Axalta Coatings Systems' network of approved applicators such as Specialist Coatings.

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Pulvin, Akzo Nobel, Axalta, Tiger and IGP, and as Mark expresses: “We are approved by all the powder manufacturers, and also external powder coating bodies, for instance Qualicoat, to apply the powder coating to work. We also have ISO 9001.” With this accreditation behind the company, it is able to offer full guarantees to all its work, ensuring a high standard of quality is delivered and maintained.

Commenting on the current performance of the company and the market Mark notes: “It’s all going pretty well at the moment.

The market is performing well generally and it’s very busy for us. Part of this is because of our accreditation, so we are attracting business from a lot of different customers.” With the company expanding and demand within the industry increasing, Specialist Coatings has to be able to manage its supply chain in order to deliver when a customer requires. “We work very closely with our suppliers who tend to be the big multinational companies,” says Mark. “I need to speak with them almost on a daily basis to ensure we have the right products in and the right level of stock ready for whatever a customer’s needs are.”

As the company expands, so too has its facilities. Eighteen months ago it acquired a new larger site in Darlington, and work is currently underway to move the whole company into the

site. “Previously, on the powder coating side, we were working in a 40,000 square foot factory with only one line. We’ve now moved into a 200,000 square foot facility with two fully automated lines, and one manual one. All our yards are now inside as well, so there is nothing outside. Now there is a lot more room to work and expand into as needed,” discusses Mark. The site relocation is a strategic move for the whole company as it works to realise its goal of being a one-stop-shop for all surface-finishing needs. Across the company it also offers wet coating for the oil and gas, and precision engineering industries, as well as having an anodising and electroplating plant. Previously working from four separate sites, the move to Darlington will consolidate the work, bringing with it a range of logistical benefits and a more streamlined operation as the whole group moves forward.

“The work should all be finished within the next two years,” explains Mark, “and should give us one of the largest surface finishing sites in the UK. The idea is to accommodate any surface finishing requirements.

This will also mean investing in new equipment to develop new processes and offer a wider range of services to customers.”

One area the company is particularly looking to expand into is aluminium anodising, which it currently offers on a small scale, in order to serve the larger scale aluminium anodising requirements of the architectural industry. “We hope to keep on expanding where we are, thus filling the site. But ultimately, we just look to keep servicing the market to facilitate the work coming in,” Mark concludes.

Specialist Coatings www.almitgroup.co.uk Services: Architectural powder coatings

profile: Ramboll

A

global consultant

S

tanding on top of their university building looking out over the city of Copenhagen in 1945, engineering students Rambøll and Hannemann had one vision: to help rebuild the city after the second world war. “The company has quite humble origins,” says head of Ramboll’s tunnelling division, Alun Thomas. “Now it has grown to having 12,300 staff operating in 35 countries. A very large, global, multidisciplinary consultancy that has come from two engineers fresh out of university deciding they can help rebuild a better world.” To give a greater sense of the company’s size, it turned over more than one billion euros in 2014. Serving a whole range of industries including buildings, transport, urban design, water, environment and health, energy, oil and gas, and management consulting, Ramboll is a truly global company with an everincreasing footprint. Following the acquisition of American company Environ in 2014, Ramboll has shifted its balance from being a

With a growing global footprint and a buoyant infrastructure market, Ramboll’s tunnelling division is playing a role in some of the world’s most complex projects

Scandinavian based company to one with a much more expansive global operation and has brought on board an extra 1500 environment and health science specialists.

Despite this global shift within the company, Alun is keen to express the company’s commitment to its roots.

“Scandinavians tend to be very modest,” he explains, “and this approach permeates throughout the atmosphere in the company.

As an engineer, I find that attractive because it’s not about egos, we’re all problem solvers and we enjoy making things better – that’s what motivates us.” Some could argue that this is a challenge for the company, however, as Alun points out: “Not many people may know the name Ramboll yet we are designing major projects like the Queensferry Crossing project in Scotland, one of the largest bridge projects in Northern Europe and the most extensive construction project in Scotland and the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel linking Germany and Denmark.”

This attitude is very much the core strength of Ramboll. Alun continues: “What really makes us stand out from other businesses in our field is that we always have a deeply ethical standpoint, and integrity is a strongly rooted value in the company. We’re not machines. We’re not in the pockets of politicians, nor do we work on projects that show lack of respect for the environment.

Collectively, these values are what we call the human touch.”

Innovation also sits at the heart of Ramboll and its presence as an industry leader on an international stage is evident.

Not only does it run its own innovation competition within the company, but also some of its employees have been singled out as outstanding within their respective industries. For example the European Federation of Engineering Consultancy association awarded the Young Professional of the Year award to one of Ramboll’s bridge engineers, Anne Moloney, with her oil and gas colleague Francesca Del Din finishing as a

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profile: Ramboll Bonar Construction Fibres runner up. Very soon, as chairman of the ITAtech Activity Group on Precast Fibre Reinforced Concrete Segments, Alun will also be launching the design guide, which will be available for free online for engineers who want to make use of fibre reinforcement for tunnel linings.

When completed in 2021, the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel will span 18km across the Fehmarn strait between Denmark and Germany, and will be the world’s longest road-rail tunnel. The immersed tube project represents one of Europe’s biggest ever infrastructure projects and the completed works will reduce travel time from Copenhagen to Hamburg by two and a half hours. “The project gained some fame because the client ran a competition between a bridge and a tunnel, and Ramboll was delighted that the tunnel team came out with the best solution for the client,” explains Alun. At present, the project is in its early stages with tendering in process and initial preparation works underway. “It will be a massive project,” he highlights. “Each of the units, for example, that make up the 18km is about the same size and weight as the Titanic, so it’s very complex but also very exciting.” The project is also being accompanied by a highspeed rail link from Copenhagen

Bonar is currently working alongside Alun Thomas, head of department tunnels, at Ramboll, in the ITAtech activity group to produce a design guidance document for fibre reinforced precast segmental linings. Both companies are showing significant commitment to the advancement of the industry by taking part in such groups and it is hoped that by doing so, we are able to further increase the impact of valuable technologies such as macro synthetic fibre in the tunnelling industry and to specifically, provide designers such as Alun and his colleagues with more materials options, which can only be of benefit to Ramboll’s clients in the long term. Bonar is the producer of Adfil construction fibres.

with Ramboll involved in various contracts as part of the Danish railways project.

A testament to the company’s expertise on a global stage is its role in Hong Kong metro’s North South Line project. Contract 1121 is a 1.4km immersed tube tunnel which will span the Victoria harbour and will carry two tracks for metro trains as part of the 17km Shatin to Central metro project. “Our role is to act as an expert reviewer for the government on the project,” says Alun. “It is fairly early stages at the moment and construction hasn’t actually begun, but the design is very well advanced.”

Amongst a robust portfolio of many projects Ramboll has also been involved in the the Øresund link between Denmark and Sweden, familiar to many from the Scandinavian TV series, ‘The Bridge’ and Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg. Ongoing projects also include the largest expansion to the Stockholm metro since it was first built, the Lanïsmetro in Helsinki and the revitalisation of the Nordhavn port area of Copenhagen, which will include a new road tunnel called Nordhavnstunnel.

“Infrastructure is very buoyant at the moment,” explains Alun. “If I look across the whole company at different projects in different places I can detect a level of energy and dynamism within the market.” With countries across the world currently investing heavily into their infrastructure Ramboll

is well placed to be on hand to fill a consultancy role. “As a tunneller it’s a great time to be in the industry,” he continues. “There are a lot of projects coming up in the UK, even as Crossrail winds down, HS2 for instance is going to be very interesting and similar iconic projects are present throughout the world. For example, the Doha bay crossing in Qatar has reawakened – it’s a very complex project that we are involved in pursuing. Scandinavia is very busy in terms of infrastructure and there are lots to get involved with in Singapore and India.

“What I think has changed in the last three years, particularly with the acquisition of Environ, is that we have a much greater footprint in the world and the style in which we work together is becoming a lot more integrated, and that opens up lots of opportunities.”

With the recent large move with Environ, Ramboll’s future focus is very much on ensuring this integration is managed to the best it can be. “There is a big strategic push on being stronger together,” Alun concludes. “We are trying to capitalise on the synergies that we get within the whole company between the disciplines. By doing this it means we can draw a lot of expertise into projects, and it also sparks new projects as we find new collaborations.”

Ramboll www.ramboll.dk Services: Engineering consultancy 53

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profile: MEP Solutions

Super

modules From design to supply, MEP surpasses in quality, technical support, and cost control to deliver best practice solutions by continually implementing proven technologies and innovations

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perating as part of the A-Belco Group, MEP Solutions is a market leading manufacturer and supplier of modular mechanical and electrical services, as well as a specialist in providing integrated prefabricated solutions to the construction and building industries. The organisation offers a complete pre-engineered solution and technical support from conception through to completion offering a flexible and practical approach for its clients.

With nearly a decade of experience in the construction industry, MEP Solutions has grown to become a market leader in the design, manufacture and installation of multi-service modules, incorporating pipework, ventilation ductwork and electrical containment systems.

Each unique module is designed from fully co-ordinated 3D models and manufactured under factorycontrolled conditions. Modules are then delivered to site on a just-in-time basis. This dedication

to offsite manufacturing, rather than traditional approach, offers a raft of advantages to clients, as it means that MEP can deliver a fully co-ordinated and pre-engineered solution, with more accurate cost and delivery estimates. It also offers multiple programme benefits, not only in terms of quality, but also with inherent improvements in health and safety and predictability, which bring less risk to the client. MEP believes that the off-site manufacture of building services modules represents the lowest risk method of delivery and installation of services to the construction site. This is illustrated when considering the cost of rectifying defects or making changes on-site, compared to in a controlled factory application.

Further benefits include the reduction of on-site personnel, reduced waste and improved installation efficiency.

The modular prefabrication concept employed by MEP has been applied to significant building projects including hospitals, schools, colleges,

hotels, office developments and residential buildings.

Prestigious projects completed to date include The Tate Modern, Piccadilly Place, St James Gate and Aldgate Tower. In 2015 the company will be working on multimillion dollar contracts in Europe, Dubai, the US and Kazakhstan.

In order to address the needs of the clients who are commissioning these incredible structures, MEP Solutions continuously improves its own processes and invests in new technologies. For example, its Building Information Modelling (BIM) Solutions Division has recently doubled in size in order to address customers’ needs, and this strategic decision also highlights the importance that technology holds to the business.

In fact, its core product modules are engineered from fully coordinated drawings that have been created by its team of CAD engineers and produced and tested under controlled conditions using the latest systems and materials.

The process is facilitated through MEP’s in-house

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profile: MEP Solutions

AutoModule software, which is based on the industry standard AutoCAD platform. This software is not available on the market and is used to calculate all manufacturing, pricing, resource and procurement data. AutoModule analyses client’s drawings and produces calculations of all materials, costs and installation times offering improved accuracy in the modularisation zone, enabling significant long-term cost and time savings.

AutoModule is driven by a database that carries physical and commercial properties of manufacturer’s parts. The software brings a whole host of benefits, from M&E drawings, through estimating to manufacturing drawings, and then onto material requirements planning (MRP). It even allows manufacturing time to be calculated more accurately and with enhanced planning control. MEP is also able to offer engineering and co-ordination expertise to provide fully coordinated 3D solutions to any project, including those to be installed in the traditional manner.

Thanks to AutoModule, MEP can provide a very flexible service, which addresses any service distribution requirement, from small or medium volume, to that of large complex prefabricated modules. Its modules enable clients to strategically consider modularisation across all projects, market sectors, and geographical areas, and the products on offer include 2D Modules, 3D Modules, Risers, HVAC and Electrical.

Another major benefit of MEP’s

In order to address the needs of the clients who are commissioning these incredible structures, MEP Solutions continuously improves its own processes and invests in new technologies

SIG Technical Insulation SIG Technical Insulation is a leading distributor in thermal insulation products. Part of the European materials group, SIG plc, its network of branches is strategically situated throughout the UK. SIG has worked in partnership with MEP Solutions on a number of major projects, including Enniskillen Hospital in Northern Ireland and the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, supplying BetaPlus Phenolic Insulation, while SIG’s Mechanical and Electrical business KEM Edwards provided the metalwork for these projects.

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approach is on the environmental side – the company is very committed to promoting the conservation and sustainable use of materials and energy to minimise the environmental impact of its operations. It also promotes the sustainability advantages of its products to clients, as by using offsite manufacture, they can reduce onsite material waste and the impact of site activity through reduced deliveries and working on site (noise and vehicle movements).

As a firm believer in working to recognised standards, and already credited to ISO 9001, MEP is currently working towards ISO 14001 for environmental management standards conformity. To this end, it is implementing a comprehensive framework of measurement, evaluation and auditing, in order to achieve ISO 14001 certification and therefore demonstrate that the company is actively fulfilling

its environmental and social responsibilities.

In addition to the host of advantages associated with offsite manufacture already discussed, MEP also believes that it brings wider benefits to the construction industry as a whole, especially regarding staff. The concept reacts to the current and future skills shortage in the industry and enables the employment of semiskilled and multi-skilled labour in more effective factory-based working conditions. This is a controlled and safer environment (with associated health and safety benefits) as well as saving significantly in costs of on-site labour.

In addition, MEP also commits to provide training to all of its personnel, to ensure they are fully conversant with its quality policy and have the necessary skills, competence, product knowledge and education to achieve its quality objectives.

It is clear that over the years it has been in business, MEP Solutions has been dedicated to proving that offsite engineering solutions are the way forward for the construction and building industries. The efficiency gains of this approach stretch from the initial order all the way through to delivery and installation and an integrated supply chain is a major part of this. Therefore, MEP encourages partnering through procurement and operates framework agreements with its key suppliers.

It is the view of the company that best practice and product excellence can only be achieved through effective supply chain partnering and its approach will always be to work with partners who share the same goals and visions.

MEP Solutions www.mepsolutions.com Services: Modular and electrical services

profile: Leitz Tooling UK

Cutting

edge Leitz Tooling UK demonstrates why the Leitz Group is a world leader in tool manufacturing for the wood industry

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drilling, mortising and clamping systems. Defining its success is a mature and proactive approach to an ever-changing market place and an outright commitment to providing performance improvement solutions to its clients. In order to achieve this, Leitz in the UK focuses an extensive amount of energy and finance into investing in its staff and innovation.

“Most companies are now looking for productivity and quality. Companies understand that it’s not the price of the tool that is important, it’s the

overall cost per component,” explains UK MD Simon Liddell.

“We’re finding where they might traditionally ‘make do and mend’, they’re now looking at getting as much productivity from their machines as possible, and this is where Leitz really excel.” Having established itself at the forefront of the industry with a reputation that extends over a century, Leitz developed a group of core strengths that give it a competitive edge in the market. These include lessening the consequences of down time, improving yield, reducing setting

ounded in 1876 as a drill manufacturer in southern Germany, Leitz Tooling has grown into a company employing over 2900 people across 140 sites in 36 countries. The company has established itself in that time to become a world leader in the manufacture of precision tools for the wood and wood related industries. A broad projection of Leitz’s product portfolio includes sawing, panel processing, planing, profiling, manual feed, routing,

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profile: Leitz Tooling UK

Vollmer Renowned for its reputation as a leading cutting tool supplier to the construction & woodworking industries, Leitz Tooling has built its reputation by manufacturing products of the highest quality. This quality is achieved because Leitz Tooling specifies tool and cutter grinding machines from Vollmer - a longstanding technology supplier that meets the industry defining standards that Leitz demands. up times and the need for second operations, improving health and safety, power consumption and dust control, as well as offering top-level training.

“We offer a complete programme. We don’t just offer a tool; we offer a solution.

Aside from tooling, we help our customers with their health and safety issues such as dust and noise reduction, which are very hot topics,” says Simon.

The company has trademarked its Dust Flow Control system (DFC), a system that improves tool performance and surface finish, and helps to reduce the chances of dust inhalation. It has also made significant R&D investments into reducing noise and vibration levels from saw blades, something that can help improve cutting finish quality and therefore productivity. On top of its manufacturing ability Leitz is also one of the few manufacturers that offers a service package as well. Adhering to its ‘Tools as New’ motto, all service centres abide by uniform Leitz standards to ensure

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that serviced tools are as close to good as new as possible.

“The market is quite favourable in the UK now and since summer 2014 the growth has been very strong,” highlights Simon. With a number of sectors within the industry growing with particular strength, Leitz is using its knowledge and investment power to react positively to these. For example, responding to a strong growth in diamond tooling in 2014, the company installed one of the latest diamond erosion machines, the third of its kind in the UK, and the latest generator. “This gives us far better cutting edge integrity and improves the durability of the tool for the customer,” Simon notes. Today, Leitz UK has eight machines dedicated to diamond tools in order to serve the growing demand. Another area of significant investment is in improving tool control and balance to improve surface finish and reduce the need for second operations. In a similar response, low-noise and thin-kerf saws have seen significant demand increases

in the market. “The thinner the saws, the less dust waste there is, so better yield,” points out Simon.

“This is becoming extremely critical and we’re manufacturing saws within 1mm kerf, which is an unbelievable achievement.”

All Leitz tooling is manufactured and safety tested to BS EN847 standards helping to ensure the welfare of the employees of its customers.

Leitz also produce the ThermoTech Window System, the first BFRC licensed ‘A’ rated tooling system in the UK for Stormproof and Flush casement timber window production. Leitz developed the ThermoTech Window System to be a truly complete and scalable solution; it is available with everything its customers might need for the manufacture of high quality ‘A’ rated thermal windows as well as full and ongoing technical support.

Innovation plays an important role at Leitz. Most notably setting it apart from its competitors in terms of service is the use of the Zoller 600 Smile tool control

system. This measures reground tools within a few microns meaning that when tooling is returned to the customer, the operator can precisely set the CNC machines accurately so their components are ‘right first time’.

From a product point of view, the company has developed a number of coatings. “We have our MC33 ‘Marathon’ coating, which increases time between regrinds by 50-60 per cent,” says Simon.

“We released our TDC (Tungsten Diamond Coating) as well, which is proving extremely popular for consistent abrasive materials such as MDF. Coatings are a massive development for us.”

Putting aside the company’s unwavering commitment to its customers, Leitz also demonstrates an exemplary attitude towards its community

and employees. “Social responsibility is very important,” Simon continues. “We are going to be taking part in the Three Peaks Challenge in July for Action Medical Research. We also support the local Haven House Children’s Hospice by running industrial seminars with a nominal fee attached, the proceeds of which are all donated to the hospice.” Leitz UK also works closely with local engineering colleges to support technical education and apprenticeships.

Attached to this, the company also invests significantly into its staff providing internal training and promotion, ownership of responsibility and pride for a quality world-leading product portfolio. The ultimate result of this is a company with remarkably high levels of employee retention.

“The future is very much focused on continuing with business development,” concludes Simon. “We will carry on investing in people and equipment as we gear up to Industry 4.0. For the next 12 months, we’re going to be working with our customers in key markets so they can become more productive and build on their success. The strategic vision for the next three to five years is to concentrate on sectors such as furniture, panels, window, joinery, construction as well as some non-wood markets such as composites.”

Leitz Tooling UK www.leitz-tooling.co.uk Services: Tool manufacturing for the wood industry

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profile: gripple

A

tight

grip True entrepreneurial spirit forms the heart of Gripple as it continues to revolutionise markets with its quality and unique solutions Below Hugh Facey, chairman of Gripple

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he innovation and entrepreneurial spirit that permeates throughout the employee owned company Gripple has been there since day one, when wire salesman Hugh Facey decided that he could do something to

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solve the problem of joining wires. It was a problem that had been aggravating farmers for years, with the only option being to bend and knot in an arduous and tedious process.

That was 1986 and two years later Gripple Ltd was born to launch Hugh’s invention – the Gripple,

an innovative fastener that simply joined two pieces of wire together. Fast-forward 26 years later and today the company has sold 500 million fasteners into the construction, agricultural, viticultural, seismic and civil construction industries, solving problems across the market

with 19 patented product groups for over 2200 customers in 80 countries. With 500 employees, the company now turns over £50 million with 85 per cent of sales serving the export markets.

“Gripple started life, and continues to do so strongly, by revolutionising the joining,

tensioning and bracing of fencing and the installation, tensioning and anchoring of vineyard trellising,” explains Hugh, now chairman of Gripple. “Now, the cornerstone of the company’s growth is the construction sector which accounted for sales of £32 million in 2014. This sprang from the realisation that turning the Gripple through 90 degrees and combining it with stranded wire rope to make a system, the use of thread and chain was replaced when suspending overhead electrical and mechanic services in commercial buildings by providing a superior solution.”

Revolutionary is perhaps the most apt word for Gripple, as when the company entered the construction market 10,000m of wire rope a year was bought – now the industry buys up nearly 37 million metres and the company (still only) enjoys a 15 to 20 per cent share of this sector.

“One of the company’s key values is challenging convention in everything it does and not being driven exclusively by profit,” expresses Hugh. Innovation is the driving force behind Gripple with at least five per cent of the company’s turnover dedicated to research and development each year. A team of ten form the company’s Ideas and Innovation team which focuses on expanding the company’s ever-growing product portfolio. The team will also help budding entrepreneurs to develop and bring their idea to market. With the target to achieve a minimum of 25 per cent of turnover coming from products less than four years old, Gripple now has a portfolio of 2000 individual products protected by 300 patents.

Accompanying a dedication to product innovation is a worldclass focus on automation and manufacturing excellence.

Gripple’s manufacturing base is located in the Old West Gun Works in Sheffield with operations

also in Chicago, Strasbourg and New Delhi. To continuously facilitate the manufacture of innovations on such a large scale, development of production capabilities is also a major part of the company’s operations.

“Half of Gripple’s components are manufactured in South Yorkshire and there is now an in-house automation team, building the company’s machinery from scratch,” highlights Hugh.

“Recently, several supply chain partners have taken advantage of Gripple’s machine build capabilities.”

Such is the success story of Gripple that it has been the recipient of over 40 awards since its inception. “Each of these means a great deal to everyone at the company because they acknowledge their efforts, even though they are proud enough without any recognition,” says Hugh. “The first one in 1990 was the highly prestigious Concours Lépine Gold, which was presented

by Président Mitterand. Hard on its heels came the Prince of Wales Award for Innovation, which was presented at the HQ, which he also officially opened. Gripple was then one of the few British

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profile: gripple

businesses to be awarded the Queen’s Award for Innovation twice. To complete the set, we received a Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development and a little later for International Trade.”

Aside from world-leading product innovation and manufacturing excellence, Gripple’s commitment to its people and community is exemplary. The company is 100 per cent employee owned, which Hugh assures is fundamental to its growth. “Staff members must invest £1000 into the company a year after joining, which gives them a collective stake of 36 per cent and a vested interest in its success, with rewards shared throughout the company,” he says. “Since 2011, staff have had a say in how the company is run with the formation of the private employee-owned company, Growth Led Innovation Driven Employee Company Limited (GLIDE). Members of the GLIDE’s board are elected by their fellow shareholders to preserve and

develop employee culture, to look after the interests of its members and to generate engagement by everyone in the Gripple ‘family’ across all global sites.”

Gripple maintains strong relationships with local schools, engaging children in business and organising visits to support this.

The company also runs graduate and apprenticeships schemes.

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“Supporting local charities is also very important, with staff directly involved in group or individual fundraising. Working within the community and giving something back is more than a set objective, it is what Gripple is about,”

emphasises Hugh. Every year a percentage of the company’s profits is donated to charity and, together with the staff’s efforts, more than £30,000 has been raised over the last few years. In fact, a number of awards have recognised the staff’s charitable activities.

The company’s focus over the next 12 months will be on continuing its expansion with new civil and seismic products and markets as particular focal points.

“Over the next 20 years, we intend to grow the business between ten and 15 per cent per annum,” concludes Hugh.

Gripple www.gripple.com Products: Iconic wire fasteners

profile: Hill and Smith

ahead Securing the road

As infrastructure developments experience a boom in investment across a number of markets, Hill and Smith Ltd believes that innovation, quality and passion will ensure that the their solutions will be the clear choice for a conscious industry

H

ill and Smith Holdings Plc has been established now for over 125 years, serving infrastructure networks with innovative products. Presently, the group, which is headquartered in Solihull, turns over in the region of half a billion pounds a year with around 3900 employees spread across 54 sites in the UK, France, USA, Thailand, Sweden, India and Australia. The group’s operations are split across three business segments: infrastructure for utilities and roads, and galvanising services, providing everything from street light columns and

bridge parapets, through variable road messaging solutions and traffic data collection systems, to GRP railway platforms and road safety barriers.

“Hill and Smith Ltd, which is my concern, sits under this holdings umbrella,” explains Commercial Manager, Miles Boyd. “We specialise in the design, manufacture and supply of permanent vehicle restraint systems primarily to the UK market but also globally to the Middle East, Asia, India, Central Europe and the Baltic states.”

Primarily, Hill and Smith supplies steel and wire rope barriers, and hybrid impact protection, which is a combination of the two, for the highways, as well as industrial barriers for off-road applications.

As one of the leading vehicle restraint systems companies

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profile: Hill and Smith

in the UK, Hill and Smith has developed a strong manufacturing ability that allows it to compete well within a demanding market. “We are one of very few UK based manufacturing companies,” expresses Miles.

“Based centrally in the UK, we pride ourselves on our ability to react almost overnight to our clients’ requirements. We have the capacity to manufacture and deliver quickly.” Accompanying this is a strong commitment to British industry as it looks to procure most of its steel from sustainable sources and employ from within the UK. “We believe that with the current and future investment into road infrastructure programmes and projects throughout the UK, we will see a more buoyant market going forward,” highlights Miles. “However, this does not negate that it is still a very competitive market and companies will succeed over the next ten years through innovation and the ability to service a very demanding market place.”

Demonstrating the company’s own approach to innovation is the

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recent launch of its web-based portal, Xtratech. “We have now decided that our commitment to the market should be more than just supplying products,” outlines Miles. “It should be based on the fact that we have more than 3040 years of technical knowledge of vehicle restraint systems, and we want to offer our client base unparalleled access to that knowledge. Xtratech is a webbased portal that gives our clients the ability to register and access all of our data. For instance, all of our system drawings and all of our test data, footage and data is available for our anyone to access.” Launched in May 2015 the portal has amassed nearly 2000 subscribers within six weeks and the number is climbing every day. “We hope that it will become the vehicle restraint designer’s ‘bible’,” adds Miles. “Irrespective of whether they then come to us for the end product or not, they will be able to use our knowledge when they are designing schemes and be confident in their approach to the challenges in front of them.”

Asked how important such an innovative and generous offering is to the industry, Miles explains: “It’s our way of contributing to the industry. We want everybody to be able to use our knowledge

and be confident in their ability to design schemes. This is a relatively free service that we owe the industry because it has supported us a lot over the last few years – it is us giving back. It also safeguards the safety of the people driving on the network on a daily basis.”

Over the last year, Hill and Smith has continued to prove its worth within the national market supplying to some high profile projects such as the extensive refurbishment to the M1 corridor, the A11 redevelopment and phase one and two of the M6 scheme.

“We are also key supply partners to numerous of the highway agency maintenance areas,” notes Miles. However, as the industry moves forward he is expressly

aware of the danger in standing still. “The challenge that we face moving forward is maintaining our development process and innovation in the market place,” he says. “We have to be open and we have to be reactive to the requests of our client base – through our R&D programme we have to second guess the new trends in the market and be ready for them when they break.”

As far as the next 12 months is concerned Hill and Smith will be focused on ensuring designers are made aware of the best barrier designs through its portal to make sure that the best and safest products are implemented in the network. For the longterm future the company is very much focused on cementing its global footprint. Miles concludes:

“We’re looking at export market growth with significantly large schemes in the Middle East. We are looking at supporting Qatar in the development of their infrastructure programmes, as well as in Saudi Arabia and the UAE countries. We are also looking at bolstering our position in India with our manufacturing plant

there and we are focused on supporting our sister company, ATA, in Sweden to develop the Scandinavian markets.”

Hill and Smith Ltd www.hill-smith.co.uk Products: Specialist safety barrier systems

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profile: Lumon International

A

neat

outlook Lumon Oy proves that with a clear and focused strategy, growth is still possible in a market with tough economic challenges

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umon began its life in the eighties as a small family enterprise, selling window and door replacements to the Finnish consumer market.

Thirty-seven years on and it is a leading manufacturer of frameless balcony glazing and glass-roofed terraces with a world-class facility and positive aspirations for

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continued growth. “The history of the company can be divided into three sections,� begins Vice President of International Operations, Jari Miettinen. In the nineties, the company invented the frameless design and the focus of Lumon shifted from selling other people’s products to designing and manufacturing its own, namely balcony glazings.

Frameless balcony glazings was a little innovation from Finland at that point of time, but now the idea has spread almost all around the world. Later on in the decade the company further developed its product offering with a range of railings and it started to expand from a consumer to a more commercial market focus. The third stage of its history came

in 2000, when it began to look outside of its Finnish market and entered onto the international stage.

“Starting out in the Finnish and then Western European markets, Lumon soon entered into Russia.

Today, besides continuing the growth in Western Europe, we are focusing on developing Central Eastern Europe and also expect

some great growth in Canada and the USA,” outlines Jari. “We also have some customers on a licensed manufacturing basis in the Middle East and Latin America.” Currently, employing over 800 people and having achieved north of 100 million euros in revenue for the first time this year, Lumon is very much focused on growth and Jari seems positive that this strategy is possible across its geographical markets: “The European economic situation is challenging, with most of the Eurozone showing slow growth at the moment and Russia has a big question mark over it.

The UK market is now growing, but for us the booming market is in North America. However, the market potential is big wherever we operate, as despite the economic conditions we can always target the luxury market.”

Having proven its success in Finland, Lumon is generally confident that it can replicate this success across its target market, yet Jari remains aware of the challenges this can pose. “The

economic condition is different in every country so it is difficult to see exactly how to grow in the best way from market to market,” he comments. Considering this, the company takes a cautious, yet smart approach to its strategy. Jari continues: “We do get a lot of requests from other countries, especially from Asia and Australasia, but if we want to grow in a controlled manner

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profile: Lumon International

Hilti Hilti provides leading-edge technology to the global construction industry. Hilti products, systems, services and software offer the construction professional innovative solutions with outstanding added value. we need to work on a market-bymarket basis. Ultimately, we want to be an example of a company that can successfully prove it is possible to grow in a difficult economy.”

Lumon’s current strategy of international expansion is key to achieving this vision as it successfully sets up in North America. This year sees the

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company enter into a joint venture with a Canadian partner to help penetrate the market and establish new territory.

“These markets are a key part of our international growth,” expresses Jari. “For our balconies and glass terraces we bring something unique to the market and so we are expecting our partner in Canada to become

our biggest operation outside of Finland. Indeed, even in the first year Canada will be the biggest market outside of Finland.” Further evidence of its international success can be seen in the company’s latest results as international revenues surpassed domestic sales for the first time in the company’s history.

The core strength of Lumon is two fold. As Jari explains: “It’s a combination of being close to the customer and a very advanced, high quality and cost effective product range that makes us very competitive. We take care to focus carefully on our current markets and on the processes and distribution partners we have.” Central to supporting these strengths is a noticeable commitment to continuous improvement and investment, which has lead to Lumon having the most technically advanced and most automated manufacturing process in the

balcony industry. “Over the past ten years we have been renewing all the machinery at our factory in Finland in a move to build a process based automated manufacturing and delivery mechanism,” says Jari. “Each and every balcony we produce is individual and unique to the balcony of a building so our ability to integrate this precise customisation with automation is unique.”

This redevelopment is particularly significant in today’s manufacturing industry where the cost of labour is becoming an increasing challenge in Europe, but Jari is confident that this process allows the company to remain competitive against methods of mass production using cheap labour. Couple this

to the complete supply chain management from raw material to installation and a focus on ensuring its international resellers are well trained, and Lumon is able to deliver its quality products at the most competitive prices with an unrivalled service.

The future plans for Lumon very much revolve around continuing the growth it has so far successfully demonstrated.

Careful attention to its markets and a controlled strategy will be supported by this continuous improvement to ensure it offers the best quality products at the best value to its global markets. Despite tough economic conditions in some of its target markets, it is not just Lumon’s offering but its attitude and positive outlook that will ensure it continues to grow as it moves forward.

Lumon International www.lumon.com Services: Manufacturer of frameless balcony glazing and glass roofed terraces

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profile: Taziker Industrial

Repair and

protect With a strong approach to health and safety, collaboration and providing a complete service offering, Taziker Industrial is experiencing rapid growth are complemented by also offering masonry, minor civils and scour protection works, all delivered utilising their directly employed staff. Adrian Calder, National Sales Manager, explains: “Clients aren’t having to manage a number of sub-contractors on site, which will increase their preliminary costs and project management time. With us they have one point of contact who can deliver everything in relation to the scheme in house.”

Complementing this are the strengths of its knowledge and customer service commitment.

“We are a very niche and specialist company. Bridges form a large part of our work but we are delivering works on a wide range of structures across multiple industries,” Adrian continues, “No two structures are the same and we are strengthening and repairing them all year round.

Therefore, the knowledge and forward insight that we have into the problems that we’re going to come up against is a massive strength. We are focused on forming long term partnerships

based on trust. Our business does not foster a culture of being commercially aggressive, we work in collaboration with our clients to come up with the best design and delivery solutions. We’re not afraid to challenge and put our opinion forward from our experience to achieve this.”

Serving to exemplify Taziker Industrial’s competence and reputation within the industry are a number of successful projects.

Most notable and recent is the completion in June 2015 of

Photo © Graeme Bickerdike 2010

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ounded in 1994, Taziker Industrial has expanded its services to offer a single point of contact for the refurbishment of steelwork structures. Having received its first two framework contracts from Network Rail for CP5, the company is well on its way to achieving its ultimate goal of becoming the contractor of choice for structural strengthening and refurbishment schemes across a variety of demanding industries. Not only can its success be put down to a mixture of organic growth and acquisition, but also to its high delivery record and health and safety standards, which has rewarded the company with a strong and robust reputation.

Where Taziker Industrial really stands out within the industry is in its service offering. The company now has a multi-disciplinary service offering of steelwork fabrication, strengthening and repairs, scaffolding access and surface preparation and protective coatings services. These services

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profile: Taziker Industrial

Photo © Graeme Bickerdike 2010

the refurbishment to the Royal Albert Bridge in Plymouth.

By far the most extensive refurbishment work that has been undertaken on Brunel’s last major civil engineering project in its 156-year history, the company has undertaken a full scale steel strengthening and protective coating project, along with scaffolding access to the Grade I listed bridge. “It is of unbelievable importance to the local community and it has iconic status in the South West as a beacon of engineering

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excellence,” comments Adrian.

“The multi-million pound project has lasted for three years. The protective coating system will mean that Network Rail won’t have to go back to it for any major maintenance for 25 years.”

Taziker Industrial received the STAR award for Health and Safety from Network Rail and also the prestigious Platinum Badger award. This is the highest accolade for Network Rail suppliers displaying excellence in quality, safety and environmental protection on the Western Route, which had previously only been held by major contractors on Crossrail and Reading Station projects. Extending the work at Plymouth, the company has also been awarded a three-year contract for the Tamar Road Bridge, which runs parallel to the Royal Albert Bridge.

In addition to this Taziker Industrial has also been involved in the refurbishment of the Tay Rail Bridge in Scotland, Europe’s longest at over 100 spans. “We competitively tendered phase three and were awarded the

contract to refurbish spans 12-27 and 80-83 of the structure with scaffolding access, steelwork and grit blasting and protective coatings works. Phase three was a multi-million pound threeyear project. After successfully completing Phase three, we have been awarded the fourth and final phase which will see our work extend to refurbishing the central high spans of the structure. This scheme, which has two years left to run, is the largest contract, by value, we have ever undertaken,” says Adrian.

In August 2014, the company was awarded its first two Network Rail frameworks for CP5 in Scotland and the London NorthEast region. To accompany this, Taziker Industrial has developed a notable commitment to collaboration to also act as a tier-two framework contractor for other tier-one contractors of Network Rail. “Now we’re moving into frameworks, it gives us that long-term view and the ability to plan and invest; invest in our people, plant and processes.

This investment will allow us to

continue to meet and exceed our client’s expectations,” says Adrian commenting on the importance of these guaranteed work banks.

Where Taziker Industrial also excels is in its innovative approach to health and safety. “It is absolutely at the forefront of everything we do, getting all our people home safe everyday is vital to us, and we have a very good record of that,” highlights Adrian.

In accordance to its collaborative approach to the industry the company focuses on cross industry fertilisation initiatives to share best practice, provides behavioural safety coaching to all employees from CEO down and has utilised technology to improve safety efficiencies across the site.

Not only has it developed a Sharepoint system for site managers and internal support staff to

keep track of site hazards, but on-site staff also have access to a specially developed and unique app, which allows them to quickly report on anything from poor housekeeping to potential slip, trip or fall hazards. This eliminates the laborious task of reporting and form filling, which could potentially lead to hazards being neglected.

The UK’s current investment focus on infrastructure paints a positive picture for the future of Taziker Industrial, and with frameworks in place the company is very much focused on investing in its services and people to ensure that it is best placed to capitalise. Recent successes show that it has the ability to respond well as it has appeared in Greater Manchester’s Fastest 50 and the Sunday Times Profit Track 100,

both representing the fastest growing companies in terms of profit. With the long-term view of becoming the preferred contractor of choice, either in a tier one or two capacity and to secure more frameworks. The company is very much focused on expanding its service portfolio to complement its current offering across all its markets.

In order to achieve this it isn’t ruling out future acquisitions, but is also focusing on investing in its own staff and increasing its collaborative relationships across the industry as it works to achieve BS11000.

Taziker industrial www.ti.uk.com Services: Structural strengthening and refurbishment services

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profile: Warmafloor

A

hot

topic Having established itself in the UK market offering bespoke embedded conditioning systems, Warmafloor is leading the way in sustainable heating and cooling solutions

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aving been established now for nearly 30 years Warmafloor knows its segment. Founded as a pioneer for underfloor technology in the UK, the company was very much ahead of its time in terms of offering a greener, more energy efficient solution to the market. “It was quite a difficult thing to get into buildings in the early stages as, at the time, building regulations didn’t ask for insulation underneath the

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floor. As soon as that came in, underfloor heating became much more popular and people started to buy into the whole concept of underfloor heating being a very low energy method of conditioning spaces,” explains Commercial Manager, Malcolm Jaques.

The concept of underfloor heating is one that has steadily grown over the years as building regulations demanded increasing levels of energy efficiency and a general awareness grows. “Today, when people are discussing how they’re going to condition a space, they are looking for very efficient energy saving and CO2 reducing ways of heating buildings,” highlights Malcolm. “Our systems go into the floor mainly, but they can also go into ceilings and walls. We embed our coils into these surfaces, which gives a radiant heat effect requiring only a low temperature that gives you enough energy to warm the space and the people in that space.”

Mainly serving the commercial sector, Warmafloor offers a complete concept to commission service to projects ranging in size from small projects, through highrise buildings to large floor-area spaces. A particularly successful sector for the company is in education, as it has now amassed a portfolio of over 2500 school projects, a number that continues to grow. Warmafloor works mainly with M&E contractors at the design phase to tailor each solution to the specific building, before providing full installation and commissioning of the system.

Commenting upon the market, Malcolm is honest: “Conditions have been pretty tough and we have all suffered from the recession as construction was badly hit,” he says. “However, with a bit of luck and foresight we successfully tendered for the London 2012 projects, which was fantastic for us. It sustained the business through

some of the worst times of the recession.” Work for Warmafloor on the Olympic Park included the Athletes Village, Polyclinic and legacy projects such as Chobham Academy, so work beyond the games continued for the company. “This year we have seen an improvement in the market as construction seems to have a bit more confidence,” continues Malcolm. “We’re optimistic without being overtly happy about the whole situation, because it could turn just as quick.”

In an equal measure of successful foresight, Warmafloor saw the need to diversify its core market from the education sector in response to a changing UK government. Malcolm discusses: “About seven years ago, we changed the way that we operated because we have been too reliant on school projects under the Labour government’s Building Schools for the Future programme. We saw fairly early on that there would be a change in government, so we changed our approach to hunt for highrise residential and inner city regeneration work, particularly in London.” The move was made at the right time, as today the company has developed a strong portfolio of this type of work.

Of note is its ongoing work at the Berkeley Homes project in Goodman’s Field. As phase one nears completion on 182 apartments, the company has recently won the contract to complete phase two of what will eventually feature 1000 apartments. “The reason we are successful here is that we offer a complete package in terms of our service,” highlights Malcolm. The project is also a good opportunity for Warmafloor to install its in-house developed TICS Modular system (Total Integrated Control Strategy) – a unique and innovative control system designed specifically for underfloor conditioning. “As

buildings become much more efficient with higher levels of insulation, this kind of close control is now important for optimising energy efficiency and also the occupant’s comfort,” Malcolm adds. The use of Warmafloor’s underfloor technology at Goodman’s Field leads to a potential energy saving up to 60 per cent compared to traditional heating systems, therefore representing its significant cost and energy implications.

As it carries out around 500 projects every year, the project portfolio for Warmafloor is extensive. Other high profile contracts for the company include Manchester Metropolitan University, which included a unique style of chilled ceiling beams and the Great Court of

the British Museum, which uses innovative technology to control temperature under its glass roof. Portcullis House, the Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament building and two of Airbus’s wing assembly plants also feature.

The company is also a specified supplier for Aspire Defence’s MoD base programmes.

“For the next 12 months, we are focused on growth and consolidation,” explains Malcolm. “We recognise that the market is picking up, so in June we opened a Northern office based in Doncaster. In terms of consolidation, it’s about ensuring that we continue to do the right sort of projects that are appropriate to our business and our skill sets.” For the longer term the company looks to continue establishing itself in the

high-rise, inner city regeneration work, particularly with London’s current construction boom, but it will also be focusing on an important climate change issue.

“There is going to be an issue with climate change that buildings will overheat,” concludes Malcolm who has recently been in discussion with the Committee for Climate Change and Department for Energy and Climate Change.

“Therefore it’s our vision over the next few years to get the message out there that we already have the technology to develop cooling strategies for buildings.”

Warmafloor www.warmafloor.co.uk Services: Embedded conditioning systems

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profile: Toureen Group

Building

in all

directions With a strong workforce behind it Toureen Group has established itself as a leading construction and civil engineering company having worked on some of the most high-profile and prestigious projects in the UK

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ounded in 1991 by Denis Nolan, the Toureen Group has experienced a wealth of successful growth as it has established itself in the construction and civil engineering industry and expanded through acquisitions into a company with a range of expertise. Today, based on a foundation of strong employee engagement, the group occupies a leading position in the market, instilling an attitude in its people that radiates out in the service it offers its clients.

With a number of high profile and

Denis Nolan Founder of the Toureen Group

complex contracts under its belt, the group has developed a proven track record in its chosen sectors and looks set to continue this as it undergoes a companywide rebranding programme.

In 2001, the company made its first acquisition of petroleum company Mangan Bros, rebranding it to Toureen Mangan – a petroleum and groundworks expert. The move enabled the group to become one of the UK’s largest forecourt construction companies. Now rebranded to Toureen Retail, the division specialises in nationwide store fit

out, conversions, refurbishment and design and build for petroleum and wider retail sectors, with clients including major oil companies, retail chains and independent traders.

Six years later the group made its next expansion move by forming City Basements, a dedicated resource of in-house engineers and specialist staff that support multilevel basement design and construction. The company has amassed a portfolio of experience fulfilling the underground spatial requirements of some of London’s most high-net-worth individuals. City Basements operates a unique top-down technique, which means it has the capacity to pick up a building and put it on new foundations without damaging it.

This means work can be carried out both under and over ground simultaneously, saving on project timelines.

Finally, in 2010 Toureen completed its current line-up by acquiring Tilley and Barrett.

With a history stretching back to

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profile: Toureen Group

1951, Tilley and Barrett has been responsible for carrying out major demolition projects on landmark buildings such as Wembley Stadium, New Scotland Yard and Alexandra Palace, and has been a member of the prestigious National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) since 1971.

Bringing the four companies together means that Toureen can now deliver seamless civil engineering solutions all supported by in-house geologists, structural engineers, a FORS gold accredited fleet and award winning Health and Safety department. This core group of services is then supplemented by an in-house plant hire division, which was set up in 2007 and has just undergone a 12 month period of investment to update all plant

technology, and training centre to ensure staff are best equipped with the latest knowledge to offer the best possible customer service. Last year the group underwent a complete rebrand, which is currently being rolled out across all signage, vehicles, equipment, marketing material and website.

Innovation sits firmly at the heart of the Toureen group, as it relishes the challenging projects that require complex and creative solutions. One particular example of this innovation is its dust suppression unit. The unit was conceived, designed and developed as the most unique system for dust suppression by Tilley and Barrett. Taking up as little space as possible, it works by creating a fine mist spray that

instantly captures all dust during demolition projects. Alongside this the company developed the demolition curtain to be used when scaffolding cannot be used to protect surrounding buildings.

Exemplifying the effectiveness of such innovative equipment, it was successfully used during the demolition of an eightstorey building with multi-storey basement, attached to a live student accommodation building.

However, innovation is not just confined to the demolition sector and a number of iconic projects aptly demonstrate Toureen’s wide service offering.

Based in the centre of London, the company is undertaking a project to create a purpose built underground gallery for Victoria and Albert museum exhibitions,

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profile: Toureen Group

plus a courtyard space and new Exhibition Road entrance. The Grade II listed building, being a large-scale project, throws up a number of complex challenges being surrounded by protected buildings within a heavily pedestrianised and built up area, with construction work required in confined spaces. In addition, City Basements is currently working on the UK’s most expensive residential project converting a central London property into two separate houses with a multistorey basement for parking and leisure facilities.

Demonstrating its civil engineering capabilities Toureen recently delivered a full package of drainage installation, RC, flood defences, process building, steel frame, office fit-out, landscaping and section 278

works. The project was for a client that designs, builds, owns and operates anaerobic digestion plants on a commercial scale for the processing of food waste to renewable energy and bio-fertiliser. Contributing its skills to the Olympic Village, the company was involved in a number of RC frame structures and earth tubing demands. Finally, Tilley and Barrett has further established its reputation recently with the decommissioning and construction of an existing building with a live power station in a city, which involved the dismantling of two 360 tonne engines, a one million litre tank and 160 tonne gas compressors, all whilst working within strict local vibration system restrictions.

Toureen has now been positioned in the top 50 of

The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For, for the third time, ranking 47th for 2015.

With 91 per cent of employees announcing that their MD, Denis Nolan inspires them, and 93 per cent putting their faith in him, employee engagement sourced from strong leadership is part of the reason why Toureen has reached such a leading position in the UK construction industry.

Commenting on the award Denis said: “It is a fantastic achievement to have again been named on of the best companies to work for. Our ethos is very simple.

Deliver what clients want while working to the highest possible standards. You cannot achieve this without having talented and motivated staff and I am very proud of and grateful to them.”

The company also achieved Best Companies highest Three Star Accreditation for extraordinary levels of engagement with high levels of value, challenge and confidence being identified by its employees. Making the award more prestigious is the fact that only 18 per cent of companies entered into the award actually achieve the three stars.

The future for Toureen is very much defined by a continued commitment to its staff as profits are reinvested in to the business with a focus on the development, training and up-skilling of its people. Continued innovation and investment into new plant, and a retention of its commitment to environmental and sustainability improvement will also contribute to the company’s continuous improvement. The product of this combined strategy is the service delivered to the customer, and adherence to it looks set to secure a successful future for Toureen.

Toureen Group www.toureengroup.co.uk Services: Construction and engineering contractors 81

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profile: BARHALE

Working with the

best

O

riginally formed in 1980 as a specialisttunnelling contractor, Barhale’s growth initially came through the successful delivery of projects in the water sector.

This was followed with the development of mechanical and electrical capabilities and a fabrication and supply subsidiary, alongside its traditional tunnelling, civil engineering and utilities skills.

Now three and half decades since it was founded and still remaining privately owned, Barhale works UK-wide across the water, transport and energy sectors. The organisation provides design, construction and maintenance services under long-term contracts, with bluechip public, regulated and private clients, and has an annual turnover of £150m.

Underpinning the success of Barhale is a Three Pillar philosophy, whereby ‘Profit, Safety and Environment’ are the

Barhale plc is one of the largest privately owned infrastructure specialists in the UK

company’s core tenets. All three aims encompass the essential components of a successful business and were developed to meet customers’ business objectives of receiving a high quality, sustainable product through safe and efficient working based on improving performance.

It is clear that this approach is working very successfully for Barhale, and indeed, as the organisation moves into the second half of 2015 it has already enjoyed six months of significant project wins with well-known industry names. With the majority of its work coming in on the tunnelling and infrastructure side, and a smaller percentage of highway or railway upgrades, over the past six months the company has undertaken a number of high profile collaborative contracts under Framework Agreements with the likes of Network Rail, Crossrail and Anglian Water.

In fact, in the area of utilities, Barhale is well established as one of the water industry’s leading

integrated civil engineering / M & E services providers, with its division Barhale Trant Utilities (BTU) established solely to provide water services to Southern Water.

Following on from the six-year programme BTU was awarded by Southern Water in 2009, covering Hampshire and West Sussex, the division was recently appointed another long-term contract with Southern Water following a rigorous tendering process.

BTU was chosen as a React and Maintain (R&M) Operational partner in the utility’s new five-year £3 billion plan. It will provide mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, controls and automation (MEICA) across the whole of Southern Water’s area, and the business will undertake reactive, planned and capital maintenance and improvements of Southern Water’s assets. These include MEICA, process, water supply and wastewater treatment works and pumping stations.

With an option to extend for

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profile: BARHALE

deliver frameworks worth over £6 billion. The £3 billion Integrated Main Works Capital (IMWC) contract will run for 15 years from 2015 covering the AMP6/7/8 Periods, with a review after each five-year AMP period.

The new IMWC Alliance will build on Anglian Water’s existing @one Alliance, in which Barhale was also a partner over the last nine years. As an IMWC contractor, the company has committed to Anglian Water’s ten key outcomes, which include fair profits, satisfied customers and a smaller carbon footprint.

These outcomes originated from customer consultations undertaken by the water company prior to the development of its AMP6 business plan.

This contract will provide Barhale a huge opportunity to deliver long term efficiencies to the benefit of Anglian Water’s customers, as well as securing continuity of work for over 200 of the company’s current workforce employed within the Anglian region.

Barhale will be involved in the delivery of schemes ranging from the design and build of major infrastructure networks and treatment works, tackling flooding, first time sewerage provision, water quality improvements and growth to the capital maintenance of existing assets. The utilisation of innovative solutions under a new TOTEX (total expenditure) approach, in collaboration with both the operational and asset management teams within Anglian Water and the wider supply chain, will be key to the transformational change needed to ensure success for the Alliance.

Barhale’s Managing Director, Andy Flowerday, believes this contract presents a really exciting opportunity for the organisation to align with Anglian Water’s business plan, as well as being involved in the promotion and

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delivery of its key customer outcomes. “These reflect our own commitment to understand and address customers’ needs, as well as continually seeking ways to improve,” he said. “The incentivised commercial model, based on true outperformance against the Anglian Water business plan, provides foundation to deliver sustainable efficiencies and maintain the frontier performance position we have jointly achieved over the last two AMP periods.”

The company’s Chairman, Dennis Curran, added that Barhale’s appointment serves as: “Recognition of the great work our teams have delivered within the @one Alliance over the last nine years. It demonstrates confidence in the people of

Barhale to deliver transformational change and innovation through collaboration with our partners, the wider supply chain and the communities we serve.”

GB Digger Founded in 1988 by Graham Byrne, with only one machine, GB Digger hire - now in its 27th year supplies over 200 machines for hire.

Based in Stratton Strawless, Norwich, GB Digger hire is one of Norfolk’s premier plant hire companies supplying machines to key customers such as Barhale Construction.

Working for its customers, it takes great pride in the quality and standard of its machines, supplying them on a self-drive and operated basis. GB Digger hire is always reactive to its customers’ needs.

Barhale www.barhale.co.uk Services: Infrastructure specialist

profile: MX GROUP

A refreshing approach to the bathroom

sector M

ore than forty years of commitment to the bathroom sector has seen Marleton Cross – better known in the industry as the MX Group – growing to become the largest manufacturer of shower trays in the business and a leading player in the electric shower, thermostatic shower valve, shower screens and enclosures, and shower accessories areas of the market. Selling through retail partners and builders merchants predominantly, MX Group also supplies most shower and bathroom manufacturers with a full range of OEM products.

Founder Bernard Robinson says it’s the company’s flexibility and willingness to work closely with its customers that sets it aside from the competition: “We genuinely do whatever we can to work with our customers, trying to accommodate their very specific requirements,” he says.

“Despite the size of the company

Bathroom and shower products manufacturer MX Group has earned its success over more than 40 years of commitment and innovation

we have managed to keep the ‘small friendly business’ feel that is so important when dealing with customers – we have grown hugely over the years but retained that personal touch that people still appreciate in their day to day dealings.”

With more than 200 people in the MX Group team and two sizeable manufacturing plants – a 90,000 square foot facility in Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire that manufactures shower trays – around 10,000 trays a week in more than 400 sizes and heights from just 25mm up to 90mm and wet decks – and a 40,000 square foot facility in Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire that is home for the accessories manufacturing, it’s a sizeable operation. A recent fire saw one unit at the Gloucestershire factory destroyed but September 2015 will see the opening of a brand new, £2.5 million state of the art shower tray manufacturing facility – that will be the most automated shower tray plant in Europe,

allowing MX to manufacture 300 trays an hour.

The fire might have been a huge negative for the business, but it’s not part of the MX psyche to allow a set-back to disrupt its operations: “My team were fantastic after the fire,” says Bernard Robinson, with genuine emotion as he remembers the response he had from the employees at the Tewkesbury factory. “They were brilliant, working relentlessly to make things happen and we were back in production within two days – quite magnificent dedication from the boys and girls we employ there. If you had seen the

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profile: MX GROUP

mess the fire caused you’d have thought it would be weeks before we could get back on our feet – but forty eight hours later we were producing shower trays – it was quite remarkable.”

With the new facility currently

under construction and the strong team behind it – MX Group is going through an exciting period in its lifetime. As a visitor to the site, you can feel the positive atmosphere and the dedication that team members have to ensuring that it continues to offer the best quality products in the market place. Bernard Robinson admits that it’s a tough marketplace currently, but he’s confident that by retaining the approach he has instilled over the forty plus years of its existence, MX will continue to grow and thrive delivering the company’s vision of a complete showering solution through manufacturing and supplying the highest quality products, utilising innovation, excellence and value: “We believe we can continue to deliver value to the shower marketplace and will continue to look at introducing new and compatible products to the ranges we already supply,” he says.

The latest additions to the already impressive range of products available from the company include an extension of the popular QI – Quick Installation

– electric shower range. The new Thermostatic Electric showers are fully BEAB Care approved and endorsed by the RNIB .

In addition, it has introduced its first ‘Point of Use’ water heaters – a range of hand wash units to meet all domestic and commercial applications with a ‘set and forget’ temperature and Infra-Red sensor controls. Its impressive range of thermostatic shower valves has also been expanded significantly and it has introduced its first ever range of taps and mixers for the bathroom. The company’s ‘All in One’ brochure identifies its entire product ranges including its major extension of its shower accessories products.

“We value our team here,” says Bernard Robinson, “and we recognise that a business’s most important asset is its people.

We run an extensive range of specialised training programmes from health and safety up to degree level programmes. We know this builds loyalty along with strong dedication that translates into a willingness to work hard at every aspect of what we do, including most importantly, our customer service, which is second to none. We are focussed on respecting our employees and our customers and to developing long term relationships with them for the good of the business.”

MX Group is an impressive business that has indeed adopted a refreshing approach to the bathroom and showering sector.

It’s no surprise that MX is cleaning up 40 years plus, from its start in life. Take a closer look at www.mxgroup.com and order your copy of the new product catalogue – it’s a must for everyone working in the specification and installation sectors.

MX Group www.mx-group.com Services: Bathroom and shower products manufacturer 87

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profile: Coltman Precast Concrete

Concrete reinforcement With a strong reputation and robust complement of staff, Coltman Precast Concrete continues to be successful despite challenges in the market

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oltman Precast Concrete was founded in 1972 by John and Valerie Coltman and has grown to become one of the country’s largest independent providers of structural precast concrete,” begins Jon Pendleton, Technical Director at the company.

Occupying a ten-acre site near Sutton Coldfield, the company is well situated to serve the national market with easy access to the motorway network and with 115 employees Coltman has established a reputable leading position in the market. “During the 43 years since its inception, Coltman has developed its experience and product range to provide a design, manufacture and installation service to meet the “

demands of today’s construction industry,” continues Jon. Central to the company’s bespoke product offering is a specialist knowledge of thermal break balconies, terracing, walls and ground beams amongst others with applicable experience in industrial, commercial, domestic and leisure projects. Specific advantages of precast concrete became apparent during the mid1980s, as Jon explains: “This area of the business ‘kicked off’ after the Bradford City FC terrace fire when the inherent fire resistance of precast concrete made it the obvious choice for new and replacement terracing/stadia elements.”

With attention drawn to the material and the company’s services brought into focus after this event, Coltman has been able to grow from strength to strength as it continuously adds to its project portfolio and experience.

“Our main market is the traditional build housing sector supplying prestressed hollow core floor units

and precast concrete stairs for apartment buildings, sheltered housing projects and care homes together with commercial, industrial and educational buildings,” explains Jon. Providing some insight into the extent of the company’s success is its operational capacity. Requiring over 70,000 tonnes of concrete and more than 3000 km of steel reinforcing bars and wires, Coltman produces over 215,000 square metres of prestressed hollow core flooring and 3100 cubic metres of bespoke precast concrete products every year.

Drawing the company’s abilities together and embodying the knowledge it has is Coltman’s experienced workforce. “I believe it was the late Sir John Harvey Jones who said that ‘a company’s employees are its greatest asset,’ and at Coltman this is particularly true,” points out Jon. “Our aim is to assist our customers by providing them with high level support from pre-order to completion. Only by employing

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profile: Coltman Precast Concrete

quality people can you offer a quality product and services. In this sense our employees are our competitive edge.”

Also providing structural strength to Coltman is its product quality. “In reality, quality is a journey, not a destination,” expresses Jon. “Our customers can be assured that as a BS EN ISO 19001 company, Coltman is committed to a process of continually improving its services and products by ensuring that detailed performance data is

collected, analysed and used to establish improvement targets. At Coltman we invest a great deal of time and energy into providing quality products and services to our customers.” Backed by its experienced Quality Control department, Coltman products are not only ensured to be of high quality and safety standards, but are also subject to continuous monitoring.

Health and safety also features heavily in Coltman’s operations, and continuous improvement is also applied to ensure that the best level of safety is met consistently. A full complement of safety netting, airbags, trailer airmat systems, crane outrigger mats and a proprietary lifting system also ensures that best practice is maintained on site.

The strength afforded to Coltman by its people and its products has lead to proven reputation within the market and this becomes particularly important in an industry that is highly susceptible to economic conditions and this is evident in the way the company reacted to the recent recession. “During this period market prices for precast concrete plummeted so it was necessary for us to look closely at reducing costs and waste, and improving process efficiencies,

wherever possible, throughout the business,” says Jon. “As a result, a fitter and keener Coltman is now well positioned to take full advantage of the anticipated growth in the construction sector.”

This is a growth that is slowly returning as the industry begins to pick itself up. Jon continues by giving his perspective on the market at the moment: “In spite of good order levels, we are finding delivery call-off on some projects to be frustratingly slow and sporadic. We are however confident that as the skill and material shortages ease, and investor confidence improves, the industry will pick up the much needed momentum to return us to sustainable growth.”

As Coltman looks ahead its focus is simple and achievable given its leading position in the market. “Over the next 12 months we will be focusing on increasing turnover, improving efficiencies and of course, making a profit,” concludes Jon. “The strategic vision for the next three to five years is to consolidate our position in the market by focusing on customer satisfaction and investing in technology and training to enable us to compete in this increasingly competitive sector.”

Over its long history Coltman has been able to develop a robust reputation through quality service and strong personal knowledge, and it has proven its ability to react to the market in order to survive even in the toughest economic conditions. What results is a company that is ready to react positively to a market that is showing tangible signs of growth and in this sense the successful future of Coltman looks promising.

Coltman Precast Concrete www.coltman.co.uk Services: Provider of structural precast concrete 91

SE Controls expertise for Colmore Tang developments Fire safety is a key consideration in any residential building, but for Colmore Tang Construction (CTC), it’s a fundamental part of their development plans, which is why they have selected SE Controls to provide advanced smoke control systems on a number of key projects.

With more than 30 years experience of designing, manufacturing, installing and maintaining life critical smoke control and ventilation systems, SE Controls has developed an enviable reputation for quality, systems design and engineering excellence both in the UK and internationally.

SE Controls is already involved with CTC on several key developments including One Hagley Road, The Broadway and the new Park Regis Hotel in Birmingham, as well as the luxury Landmark apartment development in Merry Hill.

Martin Oates, SE Controls’ Commercial Director, explained: “Colmore Tang is one of the most dynamic developers in the Midlands and we’re delighted to be working with them on a number of major developments in the region. They have a ‘can do’ attitude and a commitment to quality, which is essential when dealing with life critical systems and safety.”

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profile: Colmore Tang Construction

Delivering

value

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olmore Tang Construction (CTC) was only established in February 2014.

The company was born out of necessity in response to a problem that property developers, Seven Capital (SC), had trying to find a suitable contractor to deliver the 253-bed four star Park Regis hotel in Birmingham at the right value. Managing Director of CTC, Andy Robinson, explains: “Having taken the decision to set up a ‘construction management’ business, the challenge was then to recruit the experienced team to deal with this specific project.

Initially, CTC’s role was to deliver the hotel for SC. However, as time progressed and SC continued to purchase existing offices to convert to residential under ‘permitted development rights’, it became apparent that the prices in the market were too high and therefore CTC was asked to quote. On this competitive basis CTC won the second project, which was the 270-apartment conversion project known as

With its unique and extensive knowledge Colmore Tang Construction commits to delivering the best value to its clients

1 Hagley Road – a 22-storey tower in Birmingham. The business was then chosen by SC to do all its major refurbishment and new build residential projects and we now have a pipeline of circa 1000 units per year for the next five years at least.”

Being a new company to the industry CTC is in a strong position to be able to offer the best value projects as it has entered into the market at an important point. “We don’t have any legacy projects that were won on the lower pricing regime

and therefore we are ‘real time’ pricing and not having to look over our shoulder at previous unprofitable jobs,” explains Andy.

On top of this the company has already begun to establish a strong reputation and standing within the market. “We have a real IP in refurbishing large, tall and redundant office buildings in city centres under permitted development rights into residential units,” Andy continues.

“As a business we understand the challenges that these large vacant buildings bring as well

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profile: Colmore Tang Construction

as, if not better than, anyone as we are doing more of it than most other contractors in the country. Therefore our specialist knowledge of residential and hospitality are second to none.”

Bring this together with the company’s experienced and closeknit team, and CTC has developed a winning formula to successfully serve the market.

Below the surface of CTC sits another strength – an ingrained attitude that sets it apart from its competitors. “It is too easy sometimes to focus on cost and forget the wider aspect that a client would look at when considering to buy or develop a building or site,” emphasises Andy.

“CTC is somewhat unique as it has operational, development and contracting skills embedded in it, giving us a deep understanding from the client perspective. As a business we understand in infinite detail all aspects of the process and the technical detail required to get under the skin of a cost plan. We do ‘worry’ a

problem to death to make sure we have tackled it correctly and it’s the right, most appropriate and cost effective approach to the problem.”

The first two projects won by CTC for SC, Park Regis and Hagley Road, perfectly demonstrate the diverse abilities of the company afforded to it by its experienced workforce. “Both were very

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different projects but also had numerous similarities, which brings into play our particular skill sets,” notes Andy. “We also have two new large projects in the pipeline. A 313-unit partconversion, part-new build project in Digbeth, Birmingham, which is a large, complicated scheme. We are currently on site now with the demolition phases. We also have the Kettleworks and St Georges Urban Village scheme in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham.

This is a very interesting project as it is the refurbishment of an old historical building into 313 units, plus a new build village of 320 units. It is a significant scheme that will help the much needed regeneration of the area.”

Despite challenges in the market coming from a shortage in labour and material costs set against rising demand, Andy is positive about the future for CTC. With a number of projects ongoing throughout 2015 and a further 900 units to plan for next year, the challenge is to continue managing schemes in the cost effective way it has proven it can

deliver. “We have come a very long way in a very short space of time, and this can only be achieved if you have a top class team driving and delivering for the business,” concludes Andy.

“Our turnover this year will be circa £55 million, so that has been a challenge from a standing start.

Nevertheless, our strategy moving forward is start partnering with other similarly minded businesses, either developers or owners, who understand the strengths and skills that we bring to the table. I am less interested in large tendering processes as we do not have the personnel for it. However, we are open and honest about the cost and how we would drive extra value for any client – really we want to work with people who quite simply want to get the job done for a realistic price given the value we can add to the process.”

Colmore Tang Construction www.colmoretang.com Services: Design, construction and development of buildings

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profile: Damar International

Supply and

demand

Since its foundation in 1985, Damar International has developed its product portfolio and expertise to become a leading distributor of tooling solutions

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elebrating 30 years in operation, Damar International has grown from its humble beginnings as a supplier to the wire industries to become a renowned specialist supplier of quality hand tools, machinery and equipment for a diverse range of sectors. In fact, the company currently imports from over 30 countries and exports the products of more than 300 manufacturers to over 50 countries to ensure customer satisfaction to those in markets ranging from the wire and cable industry, construction, fencing,

railway, sheet metal working, the automotive industry, woodwork, accident rescue services and the nuclear industry.

Keen to remain competitive, the company has significantly increased its product portfolio over the last decade, which has resulted in strong customer demand, as Brian Martin, Founder and Managing Director of Damar International states: “The last ten years have shown an ever increasing range of product additions and even more companies wanting to link with Damar International.

We now number 300 suppliers

and continue to expand with more innovative and advanced technological contacts all the time. “We operate as suppliers of tools, equipment and machinery to all sectors of industry; we are also known as a sourcing company for specialised and bespoke requirements. In more generalised terms, we act as a one-stop-shop to help customers in obtaining various products from one supplier. Because we supply into all of the industrial sectors, our client base covers all major companies in areas as diverse as construction, engineering, automotive, military, oil and gas, petrochemical, marine, power and energy. In addition, we also supply to traditional markets of wire and cable, fencing, gardening, woodworking and specialised products for health and safety,� he continues.

Based in Leicester, Damar International has earned a strong reputation thanks to its purpose built warehouse facility on its Clipper Road premises, where the company brings together

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profile: Damar International

is what makes us unique, which is why so many manufacturers across the globe benefit from our extensive portfolio.”

Just a few of the key partners of Damar International include:

KUKKO-Werkzeugfabrik KUKKO-Werkzeugfabrik is one of the world‘s leading producers of extractor tools, clamping and marking tools, made in Germany. From the very beginning, since 1919, KUKKO has specialised in developing and manufacturing extractor tools for the non-destructive dismounting of gears, bearings, ball bearings and similar components in all areas of technology. This specialisation made KUKKO an esteemed partner of the retail trade and one of the top European system suppliers in the workshop area of the automotive and engineering industry. its enviable product portfolio under one roof. It is here that the firm offers demonstrations of its bespoke machinery and workshop equipment, should this be required.

Furthermore, 95 per cent of orders for main range tool kits are despatched the same day, which has boosted Damar International’s reputation for efficiency, reliability and service. “Our strength lies not only in the fact that we offer the best quality products, but also in the way we believe in the old fashioned approach of giving a personal service to the customers, which ensures they return to us again and again while also recommending us to others. Many of our contacts are coming from new companies who have been told to approach us for help,” says Brian.

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Moreover, the company has gained recognition as the world’s leading supplier of hand tools and tool kits by stocking this equipment from all of the major global manufacturers and exporting these items to more than 50 countries. Elaborating further on the strong partnerships that Damar International has created over the years, Brian says: “With so many partners it is difficult to generalise as to the reasons we offer their particular products, other than to say it is because these items are the best solutions available when you are looking for quality and reliability. The width in ranges and capability of supply

Albatros, Allround, Arm Sangyo, Baudat, Berma, Betasonic, Carltsoe, Cemastir, Cincinnativr, Diamond, Draper, Egamaster, Felco, Femi, Flott, Gorilla, Greenlee, Halder, Hazet, H. K. Porter, Klann, Klauke, Knipex, Kongcrete, Krenn, Kukko, Leitenberger, Maun, Morse Starrett, MST, NES, O’Keefee’s, Orbis-Will, Pentosin, Petig, Prebena, Rhino Tool, RoyalTek, Sam, Slide Sledge, Stahlwille, Stubai, Vale, Vigor, Vogel, Walter, Weber, Worx, Wright Tools.

By working only with leading players in each of their chosen markets, Damar International can deliver to the most stringent of industries, such as railway or oil and gas, in confidence. “The railway industry has particular needs that require a professional supply of many products, whether that may be maintenance tools, safety tools, a Hazet fold down

trolley for under train pit servicing, Kukko bearing pullers or even Berma engraving equipment for marking the bogies. Not forgetting Rhino post drivers, Damar wire tools and Gripple fencing products for beside the track solutions,” highlights Brian.

“Meanwhile, Slide Sledge, an award winning sledge hammer concept, offers special cotton pin removal tools and C. Walter has a long history of supplying Deutsche Bahn with special torque multipliers; this is just an indication as to the extent of Damar International’s capability to the railways.”

Although the company enjoys incredible demand on a global scale, it has chosen not to rest on its laurels and instead has embraced the opportunity to further expand its customer base with an even stronger web presence. Indeed, Damar International, under the twitter name @Damarint, offers returning

and potential customers updates on products available on its eBay site, as well as breaking news within the company. To further reach its customers, Damar International also has a Facebook page.

Alongside its progression into social media, the company celebrated its 30 year anniversary with the launch of a brand new multi-website (www.damar. biz), a five-in-one site, which features an extensive package of information from the majority of its specialist supply partners, as Brian notes: “Our new multi section website is the first phase of an ongoing development to expand the site; this will further help customers identify and find their requirements from the one source.”

With a new website in place and a major milestone passed, Damar International can look to the future with confidence as it continues to deliver top notch equipment to its diverse customer base, as Brian concludes: “Over

the 30 years of trading we have been at the top end of the quality market as this ensures customer satisfaction. Meeting such demands is more difficult than selling cheap volume items as our target market is a professional and more discerning customer base; however, this also means our customers are the biggest and strongest companies around and those who value our long-term expertise.”

Damar International www.damar.biz Solutions: Suppliers of tools, equipment and machinery to all sectors 99

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

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