Construction and Civil Engineering Issue 106 Final Edition

TH E

M AGAZINE

FOR

IN DUST RIA L

LE ADER S

FINAL EDITION 106

CONSTRUCTION

&CIVIL Engineering Providing

protection

Working in tough and dangerous environments requires the best protective equipment for staff See page 2 Menzi Muck focuses on driver comfort in its excavators

News: Nobu’s first European hotel to open in Shoreditch, London

The dangers of fragile rooflights

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

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CONTENTS

FEATURES

Chairman Andrew Schofield

CASE STUDY: PROVIDING PROTECTION 2 With worker safety a top priority, Thompsons of Prudhoe invests time and money into the right PPE

Group Managing Director Mike Tulloch Editor Libbie Hammond

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Editorial Design Jon Mee

2Cover story

NEWS 5 Updates and information from the construction and civil engineering market

Advertising Design Jenni Newman

EQUIPMENT 6 One of the current hot topics in roofing is the issue of fragility, which is a danger both in the construction phase and later for maintenance and cleaning

Staff Writers Matt High Jo Cooper Steve Nash Andrew Dann Editorial Admin Emma Harris

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

10

Sales Director David Garner Sales David King Mark Cawston

SPECIAL FEATURE 10 The issue of noise and how it impacts public perception of major schemes and the latest acoustics technology MAJOR PROJECT 12 Historic buildings can continue to be fit for purpose for modern healthcare facilities and given a new lease of life INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 16 The support of technology can significantly improve the management of capital assets ENVIRONMENT 18 Key points to consider with rainscreen cladding, including thermal, acoustic and fire performance

Office Manager Tracy Chynoweth

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

© 2014 Schofield Publishing Ltd

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MENZI MUCK 20 KTC GROUP 25 AMMANN GROUP 28 KLH UK 32 SELWOOD 36 BETAFENCE 39 BELL EQUIPMENT 44 ECHTERHOFF CONSTRUCTION GROUP 49 NORMET 52 NUCLEAR ENGINEERING SERVICES 55 BAUWERK BOEN GROUP 58 BALCO 61

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

Construction & Civil Engineering 1

CASE STUDY

Providing

protection Thompsons of Prudhoe have worked closely with Scott Safety on a trial of the Phantom Vision

A

family owned business based in Northumberland, Thompsons of Prudhoe has over 60 years’ experience in the demolition and construction industry, often being required to deliver technically challenging projects in a safe and professional environment.

The company undertakes every aspect of demolition, dismantling,

2 Construction & Civil Engineering

decommissioning and earthworks projects, from asbestos removal, decontamination and asset recovery, right through to waste management, recycling and ground remediation.

The company is fully licensed and experienced in all aspects of asbestos removal. Teams work to the highest standards within this high risk and increasingly regulated industry. As a long-standing member of ARCA, Thompsons

ensures that all types of asbestos are removed safely and effectively, eliminating this hazardous material from demolition and construction projects. Its staff are experienced in removing asbestos products from a wide variety of different structures, including insulated flooring and roofing, through to pipework and internal fittings and fixtures.

With workers safety a top priority, Thompsons has invested in the

best safety equipment to enable its staff to work effectively and safely in asbestos contaminated environments. Reliability and ease of use are key factors when it comes to choosing respiratory protective equipment and other essential personal protective equipment for workers in this industry.

Thompsons has developed an excellent working relationship with Scott Safety through the company’s

regional manager and over the last ten years has bought a range of respiratory protection products including the Proflow, Powerpak and Phantom Vision, a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR).

In fact, when the Phantom Vision was introduced, Thompsons was chosen as a trial site for the new product.

Scott Safety spent time with the Thompson team working through

risk assessments to ascertain the right level of protection required.

The company provided intensive training on the use of the Phantom Vision, assessing its use in real conditions and gaining direct feedback from the user on issues such as comfort and ease of operation.

The launch of the Phantom Vision

Construction & Civil Engineering 3

CASE STUDY

signalled a major technological advance for mask mounted powered respirators; providing greater comfort and ease of operation for users requiring powered or nonpowered full facemask protection.

With its motor mounted inside the facemask, Phantom Vision significantly reduces the burden for the user and greatly simplifies the decontamination process after use. The design was developed specifically to meet the requirements raised during the consultation process, with a focus on low through life operating costs and improved user experience.

Feedback from the team at Thompsons certainly bears out Scott Safety’s claim to have designed a powered respirator that combines both comfort and reliability.

“Comfort is a big issue if you have to wear a PAPR for up to eight hours a day,” says Richard Jackson, head buyer at Thompsons. “Since the introduction of Phantom Vision, our teams feel they can work for greater periods of time due to longer lasting batteries and because the unit is lighter and easier to use, they suffer less from fatigue and can get in and out of cramped spaces more easily.

“The styling and look of the mask is important and the Vision ticks all the boxes,” he continues. “Scott Safety products provide comfort and reliability in the very hard working environments our teams operate in and I need to be certain that they are safe. It is easy to clean and maintain, therefore the Phantom Vision is now the only choice for us.”

After working in asbestos environments, decontamination is an essential process to ensure that asbestos fibres are not taken out of the secured environment on clothing or equipment, which might expose others who are unprotected. The decontamination procedures for users of the Phantom Vision are clearly set out in the user manuals. It is fully shower proof and should be worn throughout the decontamination process. All components can be wiped clean and

4 Construction & Civil Engineering

“With all the correct procedures, training and protective equipment in place, Thompsons is quite rightly proud of its reputation for completing projects safely and efficiently ”

technical guidance on this process is provided.

The asbestos removal teams receive on-going training to ensure that they are removing asbestos in a way, which is safe for both themselves and the public. Thompsons of Prudhoe invests heavily in the latest safety equipment and protective clothing, replacing it regularly to ensure the utmost effectiveness. All asbestos waste is packaged, marked and disposed of safely and in line with government guidelines. When asbestos removal projects are completed, Thompsons works with an independent and approved analytical company to provide the documentation and reoccupation certification required for its

customers’ records.

With all the correct procedures, training and protective equipment in place, Thompsons is quite rightly proud of its reputation for completing projects safely and efficiently. Richard Jackson concludes: “Working with Scott Safety, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of respiratory protective equipment, means that we can be confident we are providing the very best protection for our staff. We work in tough, sometimes dangerous environments and Scott Safety has the experience and technical knowledge to help keep our workers safe.” m

www.thompsonsofprudhoe.com www.scottsafety.com

NEWS

Simple route map

Thinking creatively A recent report by the London Health Commission found that £50m-£60m was being spent annually on maintaining NHS buildings that were either not used or not fit for purpose, prompting experts at WSP, the firm behind the engineering design for the Shard, to analyse the opportunities for redeveloping the real estate.

WSP says that by building apartments above NHS buildings you could provide a minimum of 77,000 new homes in London. This would represent almost 20 per cent of the 400,000 homes needed in the next decade according to the Mayor, with the added benefit of being able to redevelop ageing and unused healthcare facilities at the same time.

WSP’s estimation is based on their analysis of 79 individual existing NHS buildings in London, allowing for 100m² per apartment and using a mixed height overbuild development strategy, with a combination of six, 12, and 18 storeys. It only considers hospital buildings without A&E

facilities, which would cause specific planning and construction issues. If all the new residential buildings included 18 extra storeys the strategy could provide 118,000 homes, more than a quarter of the estimated need.

Director at WSP Bill Price said: “If private developers were allowed to invest in this land it would help plug the gap for more homes in London as well as provide stateof-the-art healthcare facilities to replace those that need a facelift or are not currently being used.

Obviously there are a few hurdles that would need tackling but this is done elsewhere in the world, for example the US, and there’s certainly no technical reason why it couldn’t be done.

“However the point is not that we should go out and redevelop every hospital into an apartment block, but that we need to start thinking creatively about our housing woes, challenging the status quo and looking at how we use the land available to us.”

The Travis Perkins Group, through Sustainable Building Solutions (SBS), has created a simple menu of options to help house-builders efficiently achieve the new Part L Building Regulations by matching the right energy solution with the right build fabric.

Over the last two years, SBS developed the fabric-first element of the solution: a series of specified technical drawings for brick and block construction, using everyday building materials and techniques.

With the introduction of the new Part L documentation in April, SBS launched a menu of options demonstrating how the drawings work with various heating, ventilation and renewables products, and the air tightness level required by each option. This allows builders to cater for specific customer and site requirements.

Lee Jackson, head of technical services at Travis Perkins, said: “With each new change in Building Regulations, there are plenty of myths created around how restrictive and difficult they are to achieve. With the right technical advice and fabric first principles it’s possible to simply build to the regulations with standard masonry construction to a total wall thickness of 300mm, with very little new equipment.”

Shedding light Mitie has been awarded a multi-million pound lighting maintenance contract by Tesco. This is the largest contract of its kind in the UK. The four year contract will see Mitie deliver lighting maintenance and repairs to Tesco’s 929 stores throughout the UK, and emergency lighting tests in 1500 Tesco Express stores.

Mitie was chosen for its experience delivering maintenance and energy savings, its national capability, and innovative approach.

Peter Mosley, managing director of Mitie’s Technical Facilities Management business, said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded the UK’s largest lighting maintenance contract; an achievement that highlights the significant growth and capability of our lighting business. Mitie’s service ethos and commitment to excellence are a good cultural fit with Tesco’s, and I look forward to continuing to grow our successful partnership.”

Construction & Civil Engineering 5

EQUIPMENT

Raisethe

roof

With over 35 years’ experience in the roofing industry, Richard Lowe has seen a whole host of design and legislative changes adopted over the years. Here he discusses one current hot topic in roofing systems - the issue of fragility

I

n the past few of months there have been a string of reports of serious injuries and in some cases, fatalities, due to some roofing contractors failing to control the risk of workers falling through fragile roof materials.

These news headlines have placed the issue of non-fragility under the spotlight within both the roofing industry and wider construction professionals too.

The construction of the roof is undoubtedly one of the most

6 Construction & Civil Engineering

Richard Lowe

hazardous operations in a commercial build process because of the potential for falls or material dropping onto people below.

Coupled with that, we’ve seen demand for designing with glass soar in recent years, with stylish, contemporary structures becoming ‘the norm’ rather than a luxury.

Installing large expanses of glass comes with its own challenges over and above easier to manhandle or lighter weight materials such as polycarbonates, for those

working on-site.

With architects, designers and building owners keen to maximise natural light within a wide range of sectors and building projects, this issue of non-fragility must be addressed hand in hand with this shift towards bolder affordable design and general sustainability of materials.

The National Association of Rooflight Manufacturers (NARM) states that the, “… roofing contractor must plan and

document a safe system of work before starting construction. This must take into account if any of the roof assembly will be fragile until fully fixed.” NARM also states that metal roofing systems, together with appropriate rooflights, “… can be designed to be non-fragile even after the first fix of lining out.

However until the systems are fully fixed, both metal and rooflights must be regarded as fragile.”

When specifying rooflights, designers should carefully consider

robustness and strength of the glazing required, and the possible dangers of employees working at heights within this context of fragility. As in all construction work, good safety standards are essential to prevent accidents. In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM), buildings should now be designed with safety in mind, not only for the construction period, but throughout the normal

life of the building. This must include considering the safety of people involved in maintenance and repair work - and even demolition. For example, it may mean providing permanent access to the roof and walkways.

The HSE document HSG 33 Safety in Roof Work refers specifically to fragile rooflights as an example of a potential hazard which should be considered during design and construction, and “…rooflights should be designed to project above the

Construction & Civil Engineering 7

EQUIPMENT

plane of the roof so that they cannot be walked upon…” – both of which are also key considerations stated by NARM. Like all good quality rooflight manufacturers in the UK, here at Xtralite we’ve followed a strict and comprehensive testing system for many years to ensure non-fragility of the specified glazing. The original Advisory Committee of Roofsaftey (ACR) test for Non-Fragility arose in the late 1990’s following concerns expressed by the HSE and the roofing industry about the lack of guidance on what constitutes as a fragile roof assembly. In more recent times, the Centre for Window and Cladding Technology (CWCT) has introduced new guidelines and testing for rooflight manufacturers, taking into account the possibility of any part of the roof assembly being fragile until fully fixed. The CWCT test is currently best practice as opposed to mandatory, and involves breaking a standard rooflight to assess its strength and robustness.

While undertaking this comes at a cost to manufacturers, many reputable rooflight manufacturers undertake them in contribution to creating safe, best practice solutions and for our customers, it means they benefit from an added

8 Construction & Civil Engineering

“Like all good quality rooflight manufacturers in the UK, here at Xtralite we’ve followed a strict and comprehensive testing system for many years to ensure non-fragility of the specified glazing ” level of reassurance.

As I have briefly mentioned, it’s imperative to take into consideration not only the risks associated with temporary gaps during construction, but also the risks when access to the roof is needed later on in its life, for example, during maintenance or cleaning. If a contractor fails to pay attention to the complex area of the interface between the roof and the rooflight, which is the weakest point of the structure, then problems can arise.

It’s also vital to consider the

quality of the materials you are specifying. Some imported cheaper and lower quality materials may result in the longevity of the glazing being reduced, thus increasing overall costs and inconvenience to the end user. Also in some instances, a double skin is specified for glazing structures instead of a triple skin to cut costs. Not only does this not comply with Part L regulations, but can also reduce the strength and robustness of the structure, increasing the risks of danger to employees whilst working at height.

Rooflight manufacturers have a wealth of experience and information to hand, and what’s more, their advice is free. If you relay the project details in as much detail as possible, manufacturers can play a key role in helping you to achieve the best and safest solution for your particular project. Good manufacturers will provide free site assistance prior, during and postconstruction of any building project and with fragility is such a pressing issue, always ask whoever you purchase your products from if it is premium grade. m

Richard Lowe is technical services manager at Xtralite Rooflights. Since it was founded in 1993, Xtralite has sought to deliver the highest levels of professionalism, expertise and innovation to specifiers, installers and users of roof lights.

For more information about Xtralite Rooflights visit:

www.xtralite.co.uk

NEWS

Pension package

Masterplan vision Atkins has won a contract as masterplanner to develop the IMX International Trade and Exhibition Centre, located within the new Hongqiao Central Business District (CBD) in Shanghai. The investment value for this project is approximately 4.8billion RMB. The contract will also see Atkins develop its iconic architectural designs for the IMX exhibition centre and supporting commercial development covering approximately 150,000 square metres. All buildings within the Atkins masterplan have been designed to meet or exceed China’s three-star Green Building Standard. As the highest Chinese standard for sustainability, this achievement demonstrates the country’s commitment to future proofing cities.

The IMX masterplan is a part of the prestigious Hongqiao CBD, which integrates businesses with the world class Hongqiao

Transportation Interchange. This large-scale integrated development is a Shanghai government-led initiative to directly connect Shanghai businesses with largescale transport hubs and is already considered a ‘pilot’ model for green CBD’s across China.

Steven Smit, Atkins’ architecture design director in Shanghai, said: “The opportunity to work with King Wai on this forward-looking project in a prestigious Shanghai location significantly benefits the Atkins portfolio. Our team has been able to interpret the client’s unique vision for their IMX brand with significant flair.

“With this development our client aims to enter the burgeoning e-commerce sector in China, which makes this project particularly exciting. The Atkins-designed interactive exhibition showroom serves as a platform to access a wide range of online goods. This innovative merchandise model will help drive our client’s business growth,” added Steven.

New research from workplace pensions provider NOW: Pensions reveals that while just one per cent of small and medium sized employers in the construction sector plan to contribute more than the legislative minimum when they enroll their employees into a workplace pension, nearly a quarter (23 per cent) intend to increase their contributions over time. In comparison, while three per cent of employers in the manufacturing sector expect to contribute more than the legislative minimum when they enroll their employees into a workplace pension, just 16 per cent intend to increase their contributions over time.

Morten Nilsson, CEO, NOW: Pensions said: “The perception is that large firms offer better pension provision than their SME counterparts but this isn’t necessarily true. Smaller companies very often know their employees personally and have a more paternalistic attitude.”

Nilsson continues: “Auto enrollment is a legal obligation but many companies in the construction sector are giving serious thought to the benefits of offering a more generous pension package.”

First for Europe Ben Adams Architects has announced that construction has started on Nobu’s first European Hotel, the Nobu Hotel Shoreditch in London. Expected to complete in early 2016, the 156room hotel will be located at 10-50 Willow Street in Shoreditch.

Trevor Horwell, chief executive officer of Nobu Hospitality added: “The Nobu Hotel Shoreditch in London is our first European hotel joining our growing portfolio collection of hotels covering select locations in the Americas, Middle East and Asia. Our proven business algorithm for hotel owners is our tactical and competitive advantage, focusing our effort on maximising return per square foot. We are as such continuing to expand our global hotel footprint with a robust development pipeline working with the best strategic partners.”

Construction & Civil Engineering 9

SPECIAL FEATURE

Asound barrier

to progress

Geoff Crowhurst considers how the issue of noise will impact on the public perception of major projects and how the latest acoustics technology will help ensure the success of these grand schemes

T

he construction industry continues to go from strength to strength, with a number of major construction projects and new developments underway around the UK. To ensure the success of these ambitious new construction projects, ranging from garden cities to high-speed rail links, it is of vital importance to mitigate newly created noise associated with them. This is not only inclusive of the initial planning application stage, but also applies to the delivery for the final end user and the impact it could have on existing local residents.

Key planning issue For all the enthusiasm generated by the Government and developers alike around marquee infrastructure projects, a key stumbling block at the initial planning application stage is the issue of noise and the impact it would have on the public. For example, this

10 Construction & Civil Engineering

has been a major criticism from local politicians and communities to the Government’s flagship infrastructure project, High Speed Rail 2 (HS2).

The Government has recognised that noise is an issue that has to be addressed when applications for construction projects are being considered by local authorities.

Indeed, in their Noise Action Plan, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) identified that noise can have a detrimental effect on the quality of life, health and economic prosperity of those exposed to it, as well as on the natural environment. The National Planning Policy Framework, published March 2012, includes specific references to noise, making it a key consideration in the local decision-making procedure for planning applications. Noise impact assessments are now often required as part of this process, with developers keen to prove that a new building - be it a residential, business or

transportation development - will have minimal impact on local households’ surroundings.

Through innovative acoustic technology, noise consultants are now able to accurately predict the impact of noise from prospective developments on existing buildings surrounding any given construction site. This has been made possible through a 3D modelling process that precisely identifies the noise levels that buildings will be exposed to, whether from a new rail line or road. By using noise modelling techniques, noise consultants are able to treat buildings with the right noise mitigation solutions, minimising the impact of new developments on local residents.

Stumbling block Noise must also be a consideration during the construction phase of a development, with high profile projects around the country at risk of having to halt progress for weeks

An example of IAC’s 3D acoustic modelling for a current railway project in Paris, France. The different colours represent the level of exposure to noise emissions

at a time, due to excessive noise emissions. Developers are not only faced with delays, but also with large additional financial costs. This in turn leads to negative headlines and a resentful public perception in the local area, two things that are extremely undesirable for developers.

Building sustainability It is not just during the planning and consenting stage that developers need to consider noise emissions and their impact on local residents. Once fully functioning, both residential and commercial buildings are noisy places. For example, one of the most common causes of high noise emissions in new buildings is heating/ cooling ventilation and climate control systems. The noise from these huge systems creates challenges for the operation of such buildings because the noise is audible to the residents as well as the households in the immediate vicinity.

IAC Acoustics has been actively involved in a number of developments, such as the £70 million mixed-use Kingston Heights project developed

by United House, mitigating exactly this problem. Kingston Heights will provide 56 residential apartments, more than 81 privately owned apartments as well as a 142-bedroom hotel and conference centre.

The challenge of the project was that new apartments were to be created above and adjacent to an existing noisy transformer unit. The transformer was completely boxed in and integrated into the new apartment building.

Working across all company divisions, IAC Acoustics managed the acoustic requirements of the building.

The noise reduction measures it put in place included the installation of acoustic louvres at the base of the outer walls and acoustic doors as well as fitting several tons of silencers in all the chimneys on top of the roofs. This was necessary to provide cooling airflow to the transforming unit now located on the ground floor of the building. Through the innovative technology used on the Kingston Heights development, IAC was able to successfully mitigate the excessive noise, allowing the development and the surrounding area to remain a desirable place to live and work in; a key priority of the developers throughout the building’s construction.

While investment and grand vision should always be encouraged in the construction sector, more thought has to be given to noise and its impact on the success of a prospective constructive project. Noise is not something that can be taken lightly, and mitigation is essential at every stage of a construction project.

Although environmental noise is predominately the responsibility of local authorities, the Government needs to ensure that there is a proactive approach from the top to ensure that noise is taken seriously when approaching and delivering major infrastructure projects such as HS2. m

Geoff Crowhurst, MIOA, is vice president of marketing, engineering and technology at IAC Acoustics. IAC is the global leader in engineered noise control solutions. Established in 1949 with the aim to make the world a quieter place, it offers imaginative solutions to a wide range of noise pollution and sound quality problems. IAC Acoustics offers a full range of testing solutions that satisfy the most demanding requirements.

For further information visit:

www.iac-acoustics.com.

IAC Acoustics installed acoustic doors and louvres in the Kingston Height’s development, Kingston-upon-Thames

Construction & Civil Engineering 11

MAJOR PROJECT

Taking

care

David Diggle & Katy Lightbody give a heritage perspective on health buildings

N

umerous traditional hospitals and healthcare buildings are statutorily listed as buildings of special architectural or historic interest. Many provide strong architectural evidence of changing attitudes to the treatment of the sick and have long been some of our most functional, and largest, buildings. Some were built with great panache using up-to-date architectural fashions but many also have distinctive and sometimes rare features.

Alteration is inevitable in such intensively used buildings, and listed buildings are particularly challenging

12 Construction & Civil Engineering

where they require regular change and alteration. However, if undertaken carefully and informed by specialist advice, historic buildings can continue to be fit for purpose for modern healthcare and be given a new lease of life to the benefit of the wider hospital estate and to local communities.

Consenting regime Proposed works or development to health heritage assets will give rise to the need for specific consents and/or additional considerations when making applications for planning permission. Listed building consent is required for any works that would affect the character

of the building as one of special architectural or historic interest. In effect, this means works that may not require planning permission may require listed building consent, and the need should be checked early in the process with the local planning authority.

It is important to note that it is a criminal offence to execute or cause to be executed any works to a listed building that would affect its character, unless they are authorised – i.e. listed building consent has been granted. A related complication can be that objects or structures attached to a listed building, or within its curtilage, are also treated as being

Caution needs to exercised in undertaking works to listed health buildings and should be based upon some knowledge of the nature and extent of listing and the building’s special interest or significance

part of the listed building. Therefore works, for example, to demolish an outbuilding within the curtilage of a listed building will normally require listed building consent.

Caution needs to exercised in undertaking works to listed health buildings and should be based upon some knowledge of the nature and extent of listing and the building’s special interest or significance.

Heritage ‘setting’ and ‘assets’

development near listed buildings and structures. All heritage assets have a ‘setting’ and that the concept of ‘setting’ contributing to an asset’s significance is defined in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). National planning policy is directed at preserving elements of setting that are important to a heritage asset.

Since 2010, government planning policies for the historic environment have used the collective term ‘heritage asset’ to comprise ‘any

those such as listed buildings, conservation areas, registered parks and gardens, they may also include those that may be identified as being locally important - for example locally listed buildings or buildings of local importance or merit.

It is therefore vital in promoting change to understand the significance of the heritage asset in question, whether it is a listed building or a locally listed building, or whether the hospital campus is situated within a conservation

The issue of ‘setting’ to heritage assets also often crops up and can cause problems if not identified and assessed at an early stage, especially when contemplating new

building, monument, site, place or landscape identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning policies’.

Whilst heritage assets comprise

area. Whilst the assessment of the significance of a heritage asset will involve a degree of judgement, there is a raft of published policy, guidance and practice, which sets

Construction & Civil Engineering 13

MAJOR PROJECT

“ Caution needs to exercised in undertaking works to listed health buildings and should be based upon some knowledge of the nature and extent of listing and the building’s special interest or significance”

out a framework for assessment.

Similarly, the concept that setting can contribute to significance is now well established and guidance assists for assessing this and the related impact of application proposals.

In our experience it is now recognised that carefully managed change, based upon an understanding of the significance of the health heritage assets involved, is both inevitable and necessary in securing their long-term conservation.

Specialist advice is necessary to guide you through.

Removal of red tape To streamline the existing consenting process the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 was introduced by government. It was borne out of the Penfold Review from 2011, aimed at establishing action the government could take to promote economic growth and enhance the competitiveness of the historic environment.

The following new heritage provisions were introduced on the 6th April 2014, aimed at reducing

14 Construction & Civil Engineering

legislative burdens: l Heritage Partnership Agreements (HPAs) – A HPA is a non-statutory agreement which sets out an understanding of the significance of the heritage asset or assets and in particular what is not of special interest in listed buildings. Once the agreement is in place, it can reduce the number of occasions when listed building consent is required and thereby save the owner and local authority time and money.

HPAs can also grant listed building consent for specified works, reduce the need for serial applications, and, are likely to best apply to specific building types or complexes, where predictable and repetitive works are commonly carried out. They could be particularly useful for hospital campuses, which comprise of a number of heritage assets. l Certificates of Lawfulness for Proposed Works (CLPWs) – CLPWs are intended to provide a simple and fast mechanism to give clarity to owners on when listed building consent is not required. m

David Diggle is a director and Katy Lightbody an associate director, heritage at planning consultancy Turley. Turley Planning and Turley Heritage have worked extensively with NHS Trusts and other healthcare providers in understanding the significance of their heritage assets. It has advised on the alteration and extension of statutory listed hospitals and other buildings in healthcare use. It has also advised on the change of use and adaptation of redundant healthcare buildings being considered for disposal.

For further information, visit: www.turley.co.uk.

NEWS

£115m contract Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, has announced that it has been awarded approximately £115m of work by Anglian Water as part of its £1.3bn investment during Asset Management Plan 6 (AMP6) – the next water industry regulatory period.

The contract is for the entire five-year regulatory period, from 2015 to 2020, with extensions, which could take it to 2030, making it one of the longest collaborations in the sector. It will operate within a new alliance of delivery partners being set up by Anglian Water. In this new Alliance, Balfour Beatty will be providing both design and construction services across the whole of Anglian Water’s region, which is the largest by geographic area in the UK, stretching from the Humber to the Thames estuary and from Buckinghamshire to the East Coast.

Work will mainly be focused on clean water infrastructure (water mains), but will also include wastewater pipes and non-infrastructure projects, such as treatment works. The contract will be based from an integrated office at Peterborough.

Andrew McNaughton, Balfour Beatty CEO, commented: “We are delighted to be continuing our long and successful relationship with Anglian Water. Long-term alliances help to maximise efficiency through collaborative working, and we are looking forward to helping Anglian Water outperform its AMP6 business plan.”

In the bag The UK’s local timber and builders merchant Travis Perkins has launched an exclusive partnership with HIPPOBAG, offering a convenient waste collection service and better value to the customer.

Travis Perkins customers can exclusively order a Midbag, Megabag, or HIPPOSKIP using their trade account details to make invoicing simple.

Available at a unique trade price, collections can also by arranged directly through the dedicated Travis Perkins hotline.

John Leader, head of waste management solutions at Travis Perkins, said: “The partnership with HIPPOBAG brings a number of fantastic benefits to our customers. Not only is this a fully compliant and convenient method of waste removal, but the trade price also ensures they get a great deal.”

Take the floor Designer Contracts, the UK’s largest flooring contractor, has signed an exclusive deal with Bellway Homes to provide floorcoverings for all their new sites in the UK. Commercially the deal means that Bellway can access a wide portfolio of floorcoverings from one source, allowing for a more streamlined and efficient process and approach.

Said Designer Contracts MD, Peter Kelsey: “We already had an exceptional relationship with the team at Bellway Homes and this only strengthens it further. For the Bellway Group, the deal means that we can provide Bellway divisions with a selection of floorcoverings to suit each site and property type at the most competitive prices. Due to our buying power we can source, from the best manufacturers of that type of product, all the floorcoverings that Bellway needs.

“We have 12 regional facilities across the UK, which allows us to visit, train and install into all areas of the country with ease, providing a personal service - but on a national scale.

“We’re delighted to have formalised our working partnership with Maria Seed, Bellway’s group sales director and Ian Cryer, group purchasing manager, who have both ensured the process has been as smooth as possible.”

Said Maria: “This relationship ensures we can continue to offer Bellway customers the highest level of choice at an equally high standard.”

Construction & Civil Engineering 15 6 Construction & Civil Engineering

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Acapitalidea The mission-critical role of capital asset management. By Mark Forrest

F

or many large businesses operating in the construction industry today, much of their work relies on the operation of capital assets, such as excavators and haulers.

These types of heavy equipment contribute to the business’s ability to generate profit. It is therefore a major requirement that they remain in operation at all times because if a piece of heavy machinery or vehicle breaks down, the detrimental effect on the business is loss of work and, ultimately, income.

Preventing failure is the key to capital asset management and it is a top priority for businesses operating

16 Construction & Civil Engineering

capital assets today, alongside having a sufficient maintenance service in place. For the mobile technician tasked with carrying out this responsibility, their role is truly mission-critical and there are many barriers that need to be overcome and customer requirements that need to be met in order to achieve a timely and efficient outcome.

Requirements to providing a mission-critical service The significant costs related to capital asset downtime have led field service providers to adopt more of a preventative and predictive maintenance solution as opposed to previously offering

break/fix service structures. Such a solution utilises accurate real-time machine data to determine the condition of an asset and emits an alert when maintenance should be performed. The value of this solution lies in its ability to allow convenient scheduling of corrective maintenance and to prevent unexpected equipment failures.

According to Aberdeen Group, Best-in-Class performers (the top 20 per cent of organisations) are more than 2.5 times more likely than all others to group multiple preventative tasks for a technician while they are already on a customer site (1). This proactive service not only prevents more

assets from breaking down, it also shows the customer that they are important.

In the event of a capital asset requiring repair, the most common customer complaint is when a technician does not resolve the issue first time. This may be due to not having the right part or tools, not having the right skills or not enough time to complete the job. Achieving a ‘first-time’ fix is therefore a priority and more and more organisations are beginning to realise the value of intelligent scheduling – incorporating technician knowledge, parts availability, and capacity into their scheduling processes to ensure that the technician arriving on site is actually the person who can resolve the customer’s issue, first time.

More than half of Best-inClass organisations use service performance data to evaluate the effectiveness of scheduling criteria (2). Indeed, by leveraging Performance Management Analytics tools, easily digestible performance reports can be generated and customised to showcase the key metrics of a field operation. Field service managers can identify the most productive performers, determine which schedules and routes produce the best results and compare results from one vehicle or worker against the entire workforce. Performance analysis can also help with job assignments so managers can better match the skills of field technicians to specific service calls.

This increases the prospect of firsttime case resolution.

Essentially, in the event of a capital asset requiring maintenance or repair, a major requirement from the customer is to have high level contact with the technician and to know the precise time that they will be arriving on-site, so that they know exactly when to power down and prepare the asset for service.

Timeliness and communication is key and providing this will ensure

“Field service technology can help significantly in capital asset management and provides mobile technicians tasked with this role to manage it successfully, first time, every time ” that the customer receives the level of service needed to mitigate the time that the asset will need to be out of action and avoid any unnecessary costs.

The solution – how can technology help?

Field service technology can help significantly in capital asset management and provides mobile technicians tasked with this role to manage it successfully, first time, every time.

Field service technology provides real-time visibility into day-to-day field operations, which allows fleet operators and dispatchers to make intelligent scheduling decisions. Real-time location intelligence and trip management tools embedded in the system can optimise route planning, reduce unscheduled stops and allocate tasks to the technician best suited for a job.

Such capabilities allow mobile workers to respond to customer requests as quickly and as efficiently as possible and improve productivity by increasing the number of jobs completed per day. This is particularly beneficial for mobile technicians visiting construction sites because they are often tasked with additional jobs on arrival which they have not accounted for. Therefore being able to save time elsewhere can result in more time with a customer and reduced risk of

being late or missing upcoming appointments.

Ultimately, the support of technology can significantly improve the management of capital assets and for the technician, is essential for meeting customer requirements and delivering a mission-critical service.

In construction industries today, businesses cannot afford to have inoperable assets, so the support of a solution to help technicians maintain, fix and improve the longevity of a capital asset is of the utmost importance. m 1 & 2: Aberdeen Group: Secrets to optimize field service for better customer experiences, 2013.

Mark Forrest is general manager, Trimble FSM. Trimble’s Field Service Management Division provides visibility into field and fleet operations so businesses can streamline efficiency and increase productivity. The Field Service Management suite includes fleet management, work management and scheduling, worker safety and mobility solutions that transform the effectiveness of work, workers and assets in the field.

For further information visit:

www.trimble.com/fsm.

Construction & Civil Engineering 17

ENVIRONMENT

Careful cladding

18 Construction & Civil Engineering

Phil Rigby discusses some of the key points to consider with rainscreen cladding, including thermal, acoustic and fire performance

W

ith ever increasing improvements demanded by the Building Regulations for the thermal efficiency of buildings, the need to specify effective insulation products within rainscreen cladding systems is of paramount importance.

Rainscreen cladding offers designers, specifiers and engineers a wealth of options in new build and renovation projects, bringing practical benefits and aesthetic advantages to small structures and high-rise buildings alike.

However, before one can think about the aesthetical finish, there are a number of high performance considerations to factor in to ensure the safety and comfort of those within the building; covering thermal, acoustic and most importantly fire resistance. The insulation layer is a fundamental component of any successful rainscreen cladding system, and as such, must meet and exceed the criteria stated above.

Typical applications for rainscreen cladding include town/ city centre apartments, schools, hotels, hospitals, as well as any project requiring acoustic and fire performance as part of the specification.

Approved Document B:2007 - Volume 2 - Buildings other than dwelling houses, states that any insulation product used

in the ventilated external wall construction, as well as the cavity barriers of any building of 18 metres or more (approximately seven storeys) should be of limited combustibility, as defined in Appendix A. Limited combustibility can be defined as either materials which are classified as non-combustible, of density 300kg/m3 or more which meet the requirements of BS 476 Part 11: 1982, and materials classified as Class A2-s3,d2 or higher in accordance with BS EN 13501-1 Fire classification of insulation products.

As an alternative to complying with the requirements detailed above, compliance can be shown by testing the rainscreen cladding system in accordance with the requirements of BR 135, as confirmed in the extract below: External wall construction 12.5: The external envelope of a building should not provide a medium for fire spread if it is likely to be a risk to health or safety. The use of combustible materials in the cladding system and extensive cavities may present such a risk in tall buildings.

Additionally, guidance on external walls can be sought from paragraphs 12.6 to 12.9 or meet the performance criteria given in the BRE Report: Fire performance of external thermal insulation for walls of multi storey buildings (BR 135) for cladding systems using full scale test data from BS84141:2002 or BS 8414-2:2005.

Zurich Insurance’s School and Academy Design document goes even further, stating that ‘as a guide, non-combustible insulation should be used e.g. rock/mineral wool fibre type, stone wool, slag wool or man made mineral wool/fibre.’

This is where mineral wool insulation comes into a league of its own. It has the highest reaction to fire rating – Euroclass A1 and is noncombustible, so can confidently be used in line with Zurich insurance project guidelines. Rigid foam boards on the other hand have a

“ The many benefits of rainscreen cladding systems, including quick, efficient installation and outstanding thermal, acoustic and fire performance ” classification of B-F. Indeed, mineral wool insulation delivers a number of advantages over rigid foam boards in this type of application. For specifiers and installers, perhaps the most significant benefit is that mineral wool products are designed to friction fit between the cladding rails, so there is no cutting or taping to seal gaps. This can speed up the installation process making it ideal for fast track construction projects.

Plus, with no gaps between the insulation, there is no loss of thermal performance and no additional transfer of noise through the structure, making it a straightforward and effective solution. Indeed, mineral wool delivers excellent acoustic performance so it is ideal for minimising sound disturbance in large buildings or from the external environment – both key priorities within many rainscreen cladding systems.

Perhaps the most important consideration though when choosing insulation for a rainscreen cladding system, is the methodology used by the manufacturer to calculate the U-value. Some generate figures using standard elemental U-value calculation software based on the methodologies details in BS EN ISO 6946. However, in order to establish an accurate figure, the correction value for the brackets must be established by numerical modelling – and this is not always the case.

Manufacturers that can provide 3D numerically modelled U-value calculations in line with BS EN ISO 10211, will be able to guarantee the thermal performance of the rainscreen cladding system is accurately calculated. For thermal calculations that have not been

calculated in this way, a default correction of 0.30 W/m2K needs to be added to the calculated U-value.

It’s therefore always worth asking how the U-value calculations have been generated to ensure the figures provide an accurate reflection of the product’s real performance. Knauf Insulation’s 3D modelling calculations are provided by its Technical Advice and Support Centre (TASC) and the team there is always available to answer any questions specifiers and installers may have.

The many benefits of rainscreen cladding systems, including quick, efficient installation and outstanding thermal, acoustic and fire performance, mean they are likely to continue growing in popularity. To ensure they offer the best long-term value, choosing the right insulation is absolutely critical specifiers should not be afraid to approach manufactures for advice and assistance in achieving the correct specification for their project. m

Phil Rigby is product manager – rock mineral wool at Knauf Insulation. Knauf Insulation is the UK’s leading manufacturer of insulation products, and the only producer of four types of insulation: Earthwool, encompassing glass and rock mineral wool with the revolutionary ECOSE Technology, extruded polystyrene (XPS) under the Polyfoam brand name and extruded polyethylene (XPE). It is one of the most respected names in insulation worldwide, offering a broad range of insulation solutions to meet the increasing demand for energy efficiency, fire resistance and acoustic performance in new and existing homes, nonresidential buildings and industrial applications.

For more information please visit

www.knaufinsulation.co.uk.

Construction & Civil Engineering 19

PROFILE: MENZI MUCK

20 Construction & Civil Engineering

Get

mucky With decades of experience behind it, Menzi Muck manufactures innovative mobile spider excavators at its state-of-the-art facility in Switzerland

A

ll of the construction and specialpurpose machines manufactured

by Menzi Muck have the same intention at their core –the driver/ operator should feel ‘like a king’.

The company’s successful record proves that this approach is not without merit, and it has achieved the position of global market and technology leader, with its products gaining a formidable reputation and an ever-increasing number of loyal customers the world over.

The creation of today’s Menzi Muck walking excavator/spider excavator can be credited to company founder Ernst Menzi (1897-1984) who was not just an ingenious inventor, but also a born entrepreneur. He founded his first company at the age of just 26, and the history of the Menzi Muck walking excavator would not be the same without him. His spirit of invention and innovation lives on, and the business’ walking excavators and mobile all-purpose excavators are still developed with attention to detail and through close co-operation with customers.

What makes a spider excavator unique is that because of its flexible chassis it has the ability to fulfil the requirements of many applications – so for example it can work on gradients of up to 100 per cent, in

water up to 2.5 m deep or in deep mud, on mountains or on the ocean bed: the Menzi Muck can adapt to any type of ground. A high degree of motorisation and unique stability result in performance rates up to 70 per cent higher than those of conventional machines in the same weight class.

In addition, Menzi Muck aims to recognise customer requirements at an early stage of product development and directs its

attention to meeting and even exceeding these. One of its major strengths as a business is its ability to turn customers’ ideas into reality.

This gives rise to individual and tailor-made solutions, which can be put to profitable use in niche markets. Its partners are successful customers who are committed to an open and collaborative acquisition policy and are faithful to their obligations. Menzi Muck offers a full end-to-end service,

Construction & Civil Engineering 21

PROFILE: MENZI MUCK

with a focus on each area of sales, development, installation and service.

The Menzi Muck mobile spider excavator comes in three different basic versions, in weight classes from seven to 10.5 tons. The newest additions to the range are the M3 and M5 series diggers, which are both versatile and economical. The M3 mobile spider excavator has been designed to meet every need of the customer. With numerous options, the machine can be bespoke designed to meet specific client needs and every detail is based on functionality, safety and comfort. The result is a powerful, spider machine that is setting new standards in the eight-ton class.

One of the major innovations appearing on the M3 is the Menzi Powerboom – a unique boom of the M Series. This is mounted

22 Construction & Civil Engineering

horizontally in the centre part and therefore collisions at the boom cylinder are impossible. The new kinematics of Menzi Muck are also opening up new dimensions: optimum work in the close-up range at the minimum possible swivel radius is contrasted with maximum stretching of the boom.

The Menzi power booster thereby supplies the highest possible forces over the whole working range.

Operator comfort and safety are of course also prioritised, with a panoramic cockpit, extensive standard equipment and dashboard with LCD display all included. From the ergonomic joystick with proportional rocker and hand support to the airsuspended operator’s seat with

adjustable armrests and foot pedals, no stone has been left unturned to provide the driver with a maximum level of comfort.

A more powerful option, the Menzi Muck M5, is strong, fast and comfortable. It has been designed with a focus on power, mobility and maximum output, as well as being supremely equipped. However, as mentioned previously, it is the driver that ranks above all else, even technical sophistication. Every detail in the driver’s cab is based on functionality, safety and comfort, with the panoramic cockpit only being a part of it. The machine also features clever technology such as the Anticipating Power Management system that brings up to 30 per cent fuel savings,

and a Sensitive Load Sensing hydraulic system that is geared towards smooth and optimised performance.

These new models fit in alongside the existing A40, A20 and Menzi Dumper 45rd – all of which feature innovative technology and boast a range of features. The wheeled dumper Menzi 45rd, for example, is the first and only to have an engine that already meets the exhaust emission level 3b. This is achieved through an exhaust gas treatment system, which eliminates dangerous soot particles, and is already integrated in the modern turbo-diesel engine.

The Menzi Muck excavators can be put to use in a variety of industries - including construction,

Construction & Civil Engineering 23

PROFILE: MENZI MUCK

As Menzi Muck constantly adapts to the market, it is always refining its processes and strategies to ensure that it is meeting the needs of its staff and customers. In addition, the company is always on the lookout for qualified personnel, reliable suppliers and innovative sales partners, to help fulfil its ambition of expanding the business and finding new markets for its remarkable products. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a field where a company other than Menzi Muck could be a more efficient or more costeffective partner. m civil engineering, track building, water supply and distribution and forestry. In principle, all three basic models can be used for applications in the construction industry. The right excavator will be determined by what needs doing and where,

and that is where the expertise of the Menzi Muck team comes into action – it is on hand to advise clients on the best product for the job, whether that is road construction, extreme applications on precipices or uneven terrain.

Menzi Muck www.menzimuck.com Services: Mobile spider excavators

Pedol company was founded by three brothers in the early 1940’s.

This family solidarity became a major entrepreneurial reality, in different sectors.

Thanks to the experience gained over the years, the cabins division, starting from the forklift, has expanded into the agricultural and heavy equipment sectors.

The cabins division, deal with design, development, prototyping and finalizing to mass production that exactly meets our customers’ expectations stuffing across all styles and ergonomics solutions. In order to produce solutions that are attentive to the environmental impact and the continuing market demand, we have placed a particular emphasis in research Fratelli PEDOL S.p.A. Via F. Fabbri, 10 - Z.I. Campidui, 31015 Conegliano (TV) ITALY Tel: +39 0438 450952 Fax: +39 0438 411015 Email: info@pedol.com www.pedol.com

24 Construction & Civil Engineering

and development of our products.

Our production transforms our raw material like special sections profile in structures ROPS-FOPS resistant and advanced technology.

The peculiarity of Pedol is to be able to produce cabins at the most advanced level with the same technology and the same flexibility even for small production, thanks to a team of technical experience in the field, that has worked with the biggest European manufacturers of machinery.

The final assembly is done in accordance with the standards of the customer, using products that comply with current standards.

PROFILE: KTC GROUP

Team

builders

Structural Works to Casino Building at Integrated Resort

The KTC Group is one of Singapore’s leading civil engineering enterprises

East Coast Parkway Diversion

T

he organisation has achieved unparalleled expertise in largescale excavation, earth moving and civil construction works, and has developed close relationships with Singapore’s leading infrastructure developers and large contractors.

Thanks to the ready availability of critical earth moving equipment inhouse, huge capacity and seasoned project management expertise KTC’s clients are able to treat the company as a partner they can rely on for each and every project.

The Civil & Infrastructure segment of KTC Group is essentially the group’s flagship company – KTC Civil Engineering & Construction

Pte Ltd. Yeap Yu Kong is director of infrastructure at the company, and he highlighted that the organisation had grown from humble beginnings into the impressive corporation it is today: “KTC began in 1988 as an earth moving and haulage contractor,” he began. “Over the years we have grown and developed, and in 2007/2008 became very active in a more extended range of industries.

“We expanded into the design

and construction of expressways, and we are now active in the building of bridges, underpasses and substructures as well. Our focus is on transport related construction projects, and here in Singapore there is more than enough work to keep us active,” added Yu Kong.

“Over the past two years there have been 25 billion dollars worth of projects in the market and we have been actively participating in all many major civil engineering and infrastructure projects including the construction of a road between TPE and Yishun Avenue 6, and the EastWest Transmission Cable Tunnel.

“We are also involved with preparation work for a large rail depot in Singapore, which involves massive earthworks removal, as well as the construction of two very large bus parks or depot, for which we are responsible for preparing the ground and building the substructure and infrastructure.”

Yu Kong pointed out that KTC’s current work on a metro (mass rapid

Construction & Civil Engineering 25

PROFILE: KTC GROUP

transit) station is the most complex in the company’s history. “This is located in a densely built area of Singapore, and this means that managing noise and consideration for the environment and pollution are big challenges that need to be managed,” he said.

Meeting the needs of projects such as this requires investment and innovative thinking, and these are both areas where KTC is at the forefront of the market. “We monitor various key measures, and one of these is to constantly to look at the latest technology and how it can be utilised,” he said. “So items such as low noise machines, like silent generators and silent excavators are useful when working in residential areas, and we both buy and hire items such as this.

“We also spend a lot of time educating the workforce and site

Tampines Central

Station

management teams, and discussing issues with stakeholders, as well as encouraging new ways of working.

The skill set and mind set must also change with the times as well, otherwise a company can’t move forward and grow.” In fact, Yu Kong credits the drive and commitment of the managers and staff of KTC for the company’s market leading position: “Sometimes it is really the

team that make the difference,” he stated. “Commitment and dedication are key ingredients, and we have staff that have worked with us since we were founded in 1988 and we have been through the process of development together where the history and company culture are formed as driving forces.”

In order to continuously develop and maintain a high level of in-house engineering skills KTC also offers numerous scholarships at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels: “These are part of our succession plans,” commented Yu Kong. “There are presently four undergrad scholarships and two MSc scholarships, which were created because our company founder has always been very keen in investing in HR, he always believed that the right people at the right positions and good leadership

LEADING SPECIALIST IN QUALITY S COMMERCIAL AND DETENTION METAL DOORS Trussco is an established manufacturer and specialist contractor for high qual qu quality ua iti y detention and commercial grade doors complying with Singapore and other er International Standards. Customisation for cladded and acoustic doors are also available conforming to designer’s requirements. Our Security Door Products come with complete range of ironmongery and lockset complying with ASTM Standard.

Trussco Pte Ltd No. 33, Tuas Basin Link, Singapore 638768 Tel: +65 6273 9088 Fax: +65 6273 4336 Email: trussco@trussco.com.sg Website: www.trussco.com.sg

26 Construction & Civil Engineering

Seletar W est Link

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Skypark

Realignment of East Coast Parkway

are essential for success. These study programmes highlight that we are prepared to plan for the very long term - ten to 20 years down the line - because we know that we can’t move on without young leaders and young engineers and managers. We need these to survive.”

He added: “Of course there are other ways of looking at growth as well as accumulation of skills and management knowhow, including business turnover and quality control and safety management.

In advanced markets such as the UK and US a lot of weight is put on safety so we are also emphasising this area in order to work to the same standards as these markets.”

For the rest of 2014 KTC has several major projects underway, and is actively involved in bidding on more underground and railway work. “We understand our strengths and do not see a need to diversify into other fields of construction immediately. That being said, there are investigations underway into the area of bored tunnelling, as this could be a

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promising area to develop.”

With so many projects on the cards the Singapore market is becoming increasingly competitive and international companies are arriving to compete for contracts, which makes it even more important for KTC to remain innovative and at the top of its game. Raising the productivity with advanced technology and skilled labour force with new thinking at the management level will raise the company’s competiveness in the

industry. “This makes our willingness to embrace the new ways of working even more significant, as we have to change,” concluded Yu Kong. “We can’t stay with the old ways, we have to embrace the new while developed the existing skills to maintain our leading position.” m

KTC Group www.ktcgroup.com.sg Services: Civil Engineering Construction & Civil Engineering 27

PROFILE: Ammann Group

Switzerland headquartered Ammann Group launched its first motorised roller in 1911 and has since developed a comprehensive range of innovative products for the construction industry

E

Positive

vibes

28 Construction & Civil Engineering

njoying international success since its inception in 1869, family firm Ammann has spent the last 135 years developing its product portfolio, supply network and services through strategic acquisition to become a leading global supplier of asphalt mixing plants, compaction machines and services for the construction industry. Conducting business in the building industry through Ammann Construction Equipment and Avesco AG, the group has utilised its entrepreneurial spirit to establish itself in new and emerging markets with sales, services and local production in areas such as North America, Latin America, India, Southern Africa and South East Asia.

Elaborating further on the group’s history managing director of Ammann Verdichtung GmbH Bernd Holz begins: “Ammann was founded 130 years ago and has acquired a number of companies throughout this time; the entity I manage was added to Ammann’s group of companies in 1984 and was previously known as Duomat GmbH. It also acquired Alfelder Iron Works in Germany in 1984, before acquiring Societa Italiana Macchine SIM, in Bussolengo, Italy, in 1991.

More recently the group acquired Stavostroj in Nove Mesto, Czech

Republic, in 2005, and started paver and trench roller production in Langenthal in 2010. Aiming to further develop its presence in strong markets, Ammann founded Ammann South Africa, Ammann Brazil, Ammann Bulgaria and Ammann Singapore in 2012 and opened a manufacturing facility in Gravatai, Brazil, and founded a joint venture with Ammann Apollo India in Ahmedabad in 2013.”

He continues: “The division I operate in Germany is a small part of Ammann, operating as a production facility for light compaction equipment such as small rammers, weighing between 60 to 80 kilos, vibrating plates,

which can only move forward, and reversible plates, that can move both forwards and backwards.

We also produce very heavy, fully hydraulic driven plates, which have a maximum weight of 850 kilos.” Powerful, economic, operator-friendly and ergonomic in design, Ammann rammers are the ideal compaction machine for construction projects involving trench construction, backfilling and sub-layer compaction for basements and industrial buildings as well as road and pathway repair.

All rammers provide fatigue-free operation through an elastically supported guide and a sure-grip, vibration-insulated guide handle.

Meanwhile, the group’s vibratory plate product portfolio includes a broad range of equipment, from remote-controlled vibratory plates, which provides operator safety and a powerful performance through its diesel engine, to forward moving vibratory plates, which are hydraulically powered and user friendly to ensure high machine performance. However, it is the group’s fully hydraulic attachment systems that Bernd anticipates increased demand for over the coming years. “Within our product portfolio we have attachments that can mount on an excavator, such as vibrating plate attachments,

and we are seeing that these fully hydraulic attachment systems can increase efficiency on job sites by eradicating the need to jump out of the excavator and attach manually by hand. Tools can be changed quickly and the system is easily adaptable on all excavators from two tonnes to 30 tonnes. We are not unique in this market but we are the best and we anticipate increased demand for this technology once it becomes better known in the market,” he highlights.

Approximately 40-45 per cent of annual production at the facility is sent to the German market, with the rest being delivered to international markets such as France, Poland, Switzerland and Austria. “We produced approximately 15,000 units last year for our core customer base in Europe,” says Bernd. “We also sell overseas to Latin America for countries like Brazil, but these are emerging markets for Ammann; we began operating there two years ago, so it is a growing market, step by step.”

Boasting the claim: ‘Productivity partnership for a lifetime’ Ammann retains core values of independence, sustainability and credibility through maintaining a sustainable service network and

Construction & Civil Engineering 29

44 Construction & Civil Engineering

PROFILE: Ammann Group

delivering credible commitment to its customers around the world.

With factories in Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Italy, India, China and Brazil, the group ensures its expert personnel are in close proximity to its customers and relevant markets 24 hours a day; it also has more than 60,000 spare and replacement parts in stock, with a spare parts service available at any hour of the day. Customer service and product reliability are critical keys to the group’s success and it is proud of the ongoing close relationships it has developed with clients through understanding their demands and striving to meet them every day, as Bernd highlights: “The reliability of our products is a major strength of the group, which is known for quality and lifetime cost effectiveness. Our slogan means we sell these products mainly through our distributors and dealers, with whom we have a long-term relationship alongside our end users; we work together, we are like a family. We are also committed to long-term results and don’t jump in and out of markets to gain over the short-term.”

Indeed, this commitment to longterm results led to Bernd finding opportunities for improvement within the production facility when he joined Ammann seven years ago; viewed as his biggest achievement so far while operating under the Ammann umbrella, Bernd introduced a lean manufacturing system that heightened efficiency and ensured the facility could reach targets during busy periods.

“When I began working here in 2007 it was a booming year for road construction equipment, so we focused on issues on the production side of operations and recognised that we were unable to produce enough units a week or month that our sales required. We also noticed that lead times were too long and that a lot of material was involved in the process so there was a lot of carrying material three or four times before it was

assembled on the assembly line.

This way of working was inefficient so we began a complete analysis alongside a third party consultant and also trained our personnel to understand the meaning of lean production.”

Using the medium sized vibrating plate product line for a test run, the facility set up new shelves with production tools and materials in close proximity to personnel; this simple improvement massively boosted efficiency through eliminating the need for staff to rush back and forth to get the item they required. “In addition we reduced long lead times in the facility through ensuring there is someone who will come and refill empty material boxes. These improvements led to reducing our inventory level of unfinished goods by 35 per cent and improving lead time production by 20 per cent; we now produce more machines with the same people on board as before.”

Keen to understand the needs of its major client base, the group regularly develops its products through innovative collaborations with experts to optimise product lines and also offer advantages to clients by listening to their issues.

“After summer 2014 we will launch a new fully hydraulic driven plate, which will weigh in at 850 kilos and will have a water cooled three cylinder diesel engine,” enthuses Bernd. “This is a new development for us, having previously use one

cylinder Hatz diesel engines, so this product is much more powerful and will in fact be the most powerful vibrating plate on the market. A lot of customers will use this big plate because it is cost effective and, judging from our calculations, far more efficient than a seven tonne compactor. The marketing campaign for this will begin in July 2014 and production will begin a few months later once testing has been completed.”

Renowned around the globe for its high quality products, the group has recently enhanced its presence with a major marketing campaign under the title ‘My Ammann’, which involves satisfied end users standing next to their product, as Bernd highlights: “Starting in 2013 the ‘My Ammann’ campaign came from our headquarters in Switzerland and involves one of our many customers standing next to a machine from our product range and saying they are proud of ‘My Ammann’; we are very proud of this campaign and have noticed that one of our competitors is now doing a similar campaign for their own products.”

Having set the foundations for ongoing growth around the globe, the future looks positive for Ammann as it focuses on further developing its impressive product range and becomes increasingly more competitive in a growing market. “After 2014 we will be completing a new range of small forward moving vibrating plates; in addition we will be focusing on being competitive in overseas countries by developing new products that can be produced not only in Germany, but in our facilities in India or China,” concludes Bernd. m

Ammann Group www.ammann-group.com Productss: Compaction machines, rollers and soil compactors Construction & Civil Engineering 31

PROFILE: KLH UK

City Academy

Changing the

code Forte’ Melbourne

K

LH UK was formed in 2005 promoting the KLH product, crosslaminated timber (CLT), which is manufactured in Austria. CLT is produced from industrially dried, quick growing spruce boards, with between three and seven layers, stacked in perpendicular layers and glued together over their entire surface.

32 Construction & Civil Engineering

Providing consultation, design, supply and erection services to the construction industry, KLH UK is tackling the market head on, and changing opinions on the use of timber in construction along the way The business additionally undertakes associated work such as glulam beams & columns and associated structural steelwork.

Operating globally, the group has sales partners throughout Europe, Japan, Turkey, Australia and North America. KLH UK is the only part of the group offering a full design, supply and installation package.

“The market throughout the recession has focused mainly on the commercial drivers, with perhaps less focus on sustainability. However, sustainability sits nicely alongside commercial as CLT offers added value to our clients by examples such as the reduction in the need for PV by providing a fabric first approach to carbon reductions or the inherent air tightness of the structure from precision cutting of panels and openings providing a more efficient building in terms of operational carbon use. Although the market has been commercially driven, we are still able to compete on the basis of the overall

programme advantages that we can bring by using CLT,” explains Nic Clark, managing director. Until now, the company’s market has been very much focused on education, but there is a growing requirement for multi-occupancy residential, student accommodation and hotels, alongside the educational builds.

“The market is definitely improving with new enquiries surrounding residential projects coming through,” he adds.

KLH UK has worked on a number of impressive projects such as the UK’s tallest timber tower: Murray Grove, and the UK’s largest CLT structure: William Perkins Academy in Greenford, where 23,000 sq metres of timber was used in the construction. The company was also involved in the formatting of the design and supply for the world’s tallest tower in Melbourne, Australia, and recently completed Kingsgate House which was the world’s first major construction project to achieve PEFC Project Certification.

Festival Termite Pavilion

Open Academy Norwich

Termite Pavilion

“We have a team of engineers focused on providing scheme designs, temporary works design, and full designs and connection drawings for our projects. A large aspect of their work is converting existing tender designs or architectural concepts into a CLT design, taking into account the

loading, spans, the fire requirements and vibration frequency requirements,” explains Nic. The next stage is the production of a 3D model detailing the design.

Once agreed with the customer, a full detailed design is produced, including the connection design. A team of technicians then produces a model that the factory can work to, manufacturing and cutting the individual panels. Information detailing all the cuts for the windows and doors, the chases for the electrical installations is inputted into the CNC machines at the factory in Austria.

The panel is produced in a standard size with the individual wall, floor & roof elements cut out and loaded for delivery in an order that suits the sequence of erection on site. “We use subcontract teams of improved installers for the site installation. However we do see a skills shortage in timber engineering and as a measure to tackle this we have sponsored a post-graduate at Napier to do a Masters degree in timber engineering for the 2014/2015 term, as well as having a home-grown approach to training.”

“Timber engineers are rare in the market so we recruit engineers

Construction & Civil Engineering 33

and provide on-the-job training in the Euro-code and timber design,” says Nic. Discussing training and attracting the right candidates into the industry he adds: “We need to look at the skills shortage that exists and as an industry we need to begin developing that. We are working closely with the University of Bath to generate interest in timber engineering but it really requires a drive on a more macro level. Young talent needs to see that there is a future in building in timber, and we need to generate some impressive structures to gain their interest.

Some Government intervention into research & training would lead the way to more sustainable construction taking place in the UK.” With the material supply chain fully in-house its clients are given the confidence in the process, offering a collaborative

34 Construction & Civil Engineering

Murray Grove

approach based on skills and expertise throughout the process.

As a straightforward thinking business, it understands that the technology and process is new and it is important to be clear with the customer about the process and its

design throughout all stages of the project.

“Bringing a new technology to the market has brought with it many challenges. People are happy with what they know and are very reluctant to try anything new, but it is a hurdle that we have worked on overcoming and we can almost see the finishing line.

There is a large proportion of the design community that is very interested in sustainability so that is where some of the momentum is and that has been fantastic. We know many contractors have a sustainability agenda but every so often we are confronted with negative views, but it is interesting to see their reaction at the finished article; they almost always impressed, if not converted,” explains Nic. There are still some hurdles

PROFILE: KLH UK William Perk

ins CofE

Montpelier Community Nursery

to overcome and KLH UK has recently invested money into testing and research into fire during the construction phase with the involvement of the HSE. “We are also meeting some resistance from the insurance market, specifically

around the hotel sector where they are concerned about insuring the larger hotel schemes, which is odd given they insure CLT hotels on the continent ” Nic points out.

However one factor that is clearly a challenge amongst subcontractors

such as KLH UK is the struggle it faces in the payments terms with main contractors, typically waiting in excess of two months from manufacture before receiving payment.

“The future looks positive, there is massive opportunity which comes from the shortage of housing in the southeast and London, and as the benefit of CLT becomes more recognised contractors are looking to use this model. The design works really well, it is quick and provides very good value for money. We are always investing in the development of the product, currently looking at hybrid offers so that we can supply to different sectors such as the retail or the commercial sectors, where typically the open plan spans required are beyond the economical reach of the CLT. The vision for CLT as a product is that it becomes fully recognised as a mainstream construction material, alongside concrete and steel work. We want the product to be considered as a first choice, not simply an alternative,” Nic concludes. m

KLH UK Ltd www.klhuk.com Services: Specialist supplier of crosslaminated timber panels Construction & Civil Engineering 35

PROFILE: SELWOOD

Proud to

deliver

With a history dating back to 1946, Selwood Ltd has a proud history of delivering high-quality pump and plant equipment within both the direct sales and hire markets

36 Construction & Civil Engineering

S

ince emerging in postwar Britain during a time of enormous rebuilding and development, Selwood has endured as a leading name within the manufacturing and plant hire sector and is considered to be only the second plant hire business established within the UK. As such the company can rightfully claim to have entered the market at ‘ground level’ and has since diversified to match the trends and demands of an ever-evolving marketplace.

Floods

sales and manufacturing division for example, produces pumps and sells them within the UK and to the wider export market. Although Selwood enjoys a strong presence within the UK around 75 per cent of the pumps that the company produces are exported globally via its worldwide distribution network.

“We exported to in excess of 50 countries around the world last year,” managing director Chris Garrett elaborates. “The traditional bases are with major European markets but equally Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

A key market for us is the oil industry where Selwood products are applied to the environmental protection side of the industry specifically. We can deliver our pumps to anywhere they are required.”

Furthermore Selwood has developed long-standing relationships with clients at home and abroad during its long history, which in turn have established the Selwood name as a highly trusted brand and a mark of quality as Chris further explains: “We have two relationships that date back to the 1960s and 1970s in South Africa and the Netherlands, so in this respect Selwood products have been around the world for many years and therefore clients know the product. We also take part in exhibitions around the world to demonstrate Selwood products as well.”

The range of pumps supplied by Selwood includes solids handing pumps, drainer pumps, high-head pumps, positive displacement pumps, hydraulic submersible

er Bristol Wat

Selwood is currently headquartered in Eastleigh, Hampshire and today enjoys a yearly turnover of around £50 million and has expanded to include eight locations dedicated to plant-hire and a further 20 locations dealing with pump hire in addition to its manufacturing facility, which employ around 420 personnel across the business.

Today the business is organised into three separate divisions that offer targeted services to the company’s chosen sectors within the UK and abroad. The pump

Construction & Civil Engineering 37

PROFILE: SELWOOD

pumps and super silent pumps as well as a full range of accessories and the patented Selprime selfpriming system, which encompasses an environmentally friendly design that has none of the associated drawbacks of oil vapour emissions and oil emulsification that can be associated with other designs. All pumps are produced in association with trusted contractors within the UK and Selwood constantly works to ensure that its standards remain high and that its designs remain innovative and market leading. The company’s hire operations focus on the UK market where it has established itself as the leading provider of pumps, plant hire equipment and accessories. “We assemble the pumps on site, they are all cast in UK foundries and machined within the UK before they come to us to be put together. We obviously own all the patterns and associated tooling, so we operate more of an onsite assembly facility with all work sourced in the UK. We also have an engineering section that makes modifications to existing products for bespoke options and development. The most recent changes to be undertaken are on tier changes to engines where we are moving to tier four, which has meant a lot of design work to package the new engines onto the product. Equally we have just launched a new range where we have revisited our H range of high head pumps and that was during 2013 and there are a few new products in this range that are still in the pipeline.”

The H range of pumps currently encompasses the H80, H100, H125 and H200 and includes capacities of between 95 m3/hr (H80) to 950 m3/hr (H200); the H design also includes mechanical shaft sealing that provides leak-free operation.

The most recently launched model is the H200, however general manager Tony Killick believes that the H150 offering a maximum capacity of 450m3/hr including solids of up to 38mm – will possibly be the H

38 Construction & Civil Engineering

range’s strongest selling variant.

“This is purely based on usage and enquiries,” he says. “It is good for

“We have segregated our rental business in the UK so that it is specialised. We have specialist plant and pump hire facilities so that the two do not become confused. The company’s personnel come to work and have one thing to focus on, we are not trying to run mixed locations and drive cost synergies out of the business. What we are focused on is giving the customer exactly what they need and that is a key strategy of the business.”

Although the global recession spurred a slowdown in construction projects within the UK and around the world, Selwood has remained strong and used the experience of weathering the economic downturn to increase the efficiency

the UK market in the quarrying sector and we are shipping a lot of these [H150] to Australasia, including Indonesia and Australia.

Canada has also had some of the H150 body units.”

The Selwood pump hire division and plant sales division and hire fleet are both focused on the UK marketplace, operating nationally as trusted partners in various applications. Selwood pumps can tackle clean water, water with fine and larger solids, sludge, slurries, oils and hydrocarbons screened and crude sewage, while the company’s plant equipment has applications within construction, earth handling and civil engineering. Although Selwood offers its clients a diverse range of products, its main focus is on providing first-class service and addressing the needs of its customers as Chris further explains:

of the business and ensure that it is well placed to meet the needs of a resurgent market. “We see a continued recovery in the UK construction industry and we are looking at that positively,” Chris concludes. “We have supply frameworks with eight out of 11 of the UK’s water and sewage companies and that is obviously a key part of our market, however we have also established a team who are focused on developing work away from the water industry. There are of course, huge opportunities overseas be that directly or through distributors. I think that over the next three to five years the plan is to stay true to the company’s missions and values. Obviously we focus on sales and numbers for the longevity of the business but I think service is what really drives our business forward.” m

PROFILE: Betafence

On

thefence T Established as a fence manufacturer more than 130 years ago, Betafence has diversified its services to become the world’s leading perimeter protection specialist

oday boasting the industry’s largest fencing, access control and detection product portfolio, Betafence has used its 130 years of expertise in high quality fencing to set standards for the fencing industry as a whole. A leader in product and application innovation, the Belgium headquartered company has 1500 dedicated employees working at its eight production sites and 30 sales offices based strategically around the world. With worldwide coverage and sales of 360 million euros, Betafence delivers the best possible results to clients in 100 countries

through unrivalled expertise, sales support and services.

“Betafence offers a range of products such as agricultural fencing systems, industrial mesh to steel stock holders and industrial products to a wide range of high volume end users. The main focus is on security fencing, ranging from high security crash rated systems for military & nuclear boundaries, to demarcation & deterrent fencing systems for schools, highways, and retail parks.

There are various routes to market ranging from wholesale, retail and fencing contractors,” explains James Timlin, sales manager at Betafence

Construction & Civil Engineering 39

PROFILE: Betafence

Formula 1 tracks and infrastructure developments. “We are a global player and experts in the high security segment. We are the only fully integrated manufacturer in the UK – manufacturing wire, converting this into fencing by welding & powder coating – so we have full control of the supply chain. This assures the very best in quality and service,” highlights James.

Strengthening its service

UK. “Our eight production sites are based in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Poland, South Africa, Turkey and the US.” A provider of comprehensive protection solutions for both

40 Construction & Civil Engineering

residential, business and public locations, Betafence has supplied items such as access controls for perimeter protection and wire mesh products to large construction sites, ports, sports stadiums,

To further strengthen its service offering, the company acquired a majority share in Payne Fence, the leading US manufacturer of security fencing and gates. Well-known in America and focused on the innovative development of patented designs, Payne Fence offered Betafence an excellent opportunity for financial and geographical growth. Announcing the joint

venture in July 2008, the contract also enabled Betafence to gain a vital link towards America, as well as the ability to offer new customers in the US a local service that complements their specific needs.

In line with this acquisition, Payne Fence invested $3 million in a cutting edge production line in its Texas based manufacturing facility to produce welded wire mesh. Used for a variety of industrial applications, Betafence’s weldmesh product portfolio includes stockmesh, a range of standard panels in galvanised or copper washed wire, the use of which is constantly increasing in areas such as security, safety, storage and construction. Easy to use and easily combined with other materials, the EN ISO 9001: 2000 certified weldmesh offers a broad range of benefits to customers;

Construction & Civil Engineering 41

PROFILE: Betafence

these include strength, availability, no loose wires, widely applicable and little wastage. Available in a standard range of panels, the multifunctional weldmesh’s wire diameter ranges from 2.5 millimetres to six millimetres, in variable mesh sizes from 25 millimetres and up. In addition, the company offers custom designed weldmesh, which offers high flexibility welding and coating, as well as strong bending and cutting capabilities.

Investment More recently, Betafence invested £1 million in a UK coating line, which will enable a full manufacturing process at the Sheffield plant, a decision that highlights the opportunities for growth within the security sector following the economic crisis. “The coating line was a major investment and after contracting rapidly post recession this investment demonstrates our commitment to the UK and our strategy to grow in the value added segments,” says James. “The business reacted quickly to the recession and consolidated its European operations and is now in a much stronger and leaner

Veolia As the leading global environmental solutions provider, Veolia understands the challenges waste producers face to reduce consumption, minimise carbon footprint and keep up with changes in legislation.

Veolia offers valued customers like Betafence, a sustainable suite of Commercial, Industrial and Hazardous Waste Management services that not only improve environmental performance but also save money.

By working in partnership, Veolia is committed to delivering innovative and bespoke solutions to help businesses increase segregation, maximise recycling and unlock commercial value in waste.

42 Construction & Civil Engineering

position. Markets are stabilising and conditions have improved over the last 12-months, group Ebitda is now growing YOY. “Critical national infrastructure security levels are being enhanced by the UK Home Office and this is presenting many project based opportunities for high security applications. We can say that this sector is growing rapidly and that Betafence is experiencing unprecedented demand; Betafence appears to be the company of choice for critical national infrastructure projects.”

Key to the group’s success is its quality policy; focused on core values such as delivering true customer satisfaction, efficient management of product quality and customer service, Betafence strives for continuous improvement of its operations at all levels of

the business. To ensure this policy is carried out, the organisation implements guidelines for staff to follow; these include key performance indicators (KPI’s) that are set up annually and deployed throughout the firm, ongoing participation in the improvement

of the company’s processes and performance from personnel, who will contribute to safety and quality through pro-active thoughts and actions. Furthermore, each member of staff is regularly trained to increase competence and quality awareness.

As the need to secure one’s business from threats such as theft and terrorism become increasingly more important to customers, Betafence has established itself as the total solution supplier for its extensive customer base.

Constantly evolving with market demands, the dynamic company has surely secured itself a strong future. m

Betafence www.betafence.com Services: Perimeter protection

Construction & Civil Engineering 43

PROFILE: BELL EQUIPMENT

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

44 Construction & Civil Engineering

B

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Key amongst its advantages is

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

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

CONTACT

CALL US TODAY:

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

www.cottontransport.co.uk

01283 213 777

Construction & Civil Engineering 45

PROFILE: BELL EQUIPMENT

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

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

46 Construction & Civil Engineering

of Bell Equipment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fleetm@tic also allows owners to

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

Bell Equipment uses a 6m detection zone.

Construction & Civil Engineering 47

PROFILE: BELL EQUIPMENT

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

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

challenges it’s presented with,” Sandy concluded.

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

Bell Equipment www.bellequipment.co.uk Services: Articulated dump truck/ wheeled loader manufacturer 48 Construction & Civil Engineering

PROFILE: Echterhoff Construction Group

With over 150 years of experience in operating at the heart of Germany’s civil and public construction industry, Echterhoff Construction Group is poised to capitalise on the state’s proposed one billion euro increase in civil engineering funding over the coming years

T

Solid

vibes

foundations

he roots of Echterhoff Construction Group date back to 1860, when the original Echterhoff was company was founded in Osnabrück in Lower Saxony, Germany. “The company started in construction for railways during the early days, but over the years it has changed into a company that undertakes more civil and structural engineering as well as sewer and underground construction,” explains CEO Thomas Echterhoff. “It is a private business and has always been family run. During the earlier years there were four families involved in running the business, but for the past 15 years the Echterhoff family has solely owned the company. There are presently only two owners of the business, which are my sister and I and we are the fifth generation of the family to be involved in the company.”

Today Echterhoff Construction Group is made up of six operating companies comprised of: Bauunternehmung Gebr. Echterhoff, founded in Osnabrück in 1860; Bauunternehmen Echterhoff, founded in Westerkappeln-Velpe in

Construction & Civil Engineering 49

PROFILE: Echterhoff Construction Group

1968; Bauunternehmen Echterhoff Bau in Dessau, founded in 1992; Echterhoff Projektdevelopment, founded in 1994; Echterhoff Polska Sp. z o.o. in Poznan, founded in 1998; Domoplan, founded in Castrop-Rauxel in 1984, which also boasts a Berlin branch and Fritz Spieker, founded in Oldenburg 1896.

Between its various divisions Echterhoff provides a broad base of bespoke engineering and construction services comprising of sewer and pipeline construction, civil and underground engineering, bridge construction, industrial and turnkey construction, special underground engineering (pipe jacking, sheeting works and sheet piling), housing and residential construction and re-construction and energetic rehabilitation, as well as in steel construction and the repair of construction machines.

Although Echterhoff manages offices within Poland it is primarily focused on operations inside of its native Germany as Thomas elaborates: “We mainly operate within Germany, although we have small branch in Poland which has

50 Construction & Civil Engineering

been open since 1998. Poland is however a very complicated market, every European construction company has already established a presence inside of Poland and in terms of turnover the market is smaller than Lower Saxony so Germany remains the main focus for us.”

The German construction market remains buoyant despite the challenges presented by fierce competition and limitations on government spending in recent years. Echterhoff has weathered the impact of the global economic downturn while many larger

companies have struggled to survive in the face of decreased construction projects. However while public funds remain restricted across Europe, German authorities recently announced an increase in public spending for infrastructure, which Echterhoff is well placed to facilitate.

“We operate predominantly in Northern Germany but we have already moved as far down as Nuremburg, meaning that we essentially now operate all over Germany – we have to go where public authorities are spending the money,” Thomas observes. “Indeed the state will be investing a billion euros more into infrastructure than it had in previous years. On the other hand we know that over the past 15 years the state has only invested ten billon euros into infrastructure per year and since 2012 it has been realised that realistically, at least 12 billion is what is required. It is now widely accepted throughout Germany that each year 17 billion euros of investment is needed to improve and maintain the country’s infrastructure, which means that instead of an additional one billion euros of investment, seven billion euros extra is what is really needed. We know that this will not happen and that one billion is like one drop on a hot stone, but we hope by the end of 2015 the investment that is being made will get down into business and become new projects. There are

a lot of bridges in Germany that need to be reconstructed and we are waiting for all these projects to be tendered.”

While it waits for Germany’s future investments and tenders to be finalised, Echterhoff will continue to undertake the ‘workhorse’ projects that keep Germany’s infrastructure and transport networks in peak condition. Presently many of the jobs undertaken by the company hark back to its roots in railway construction as it performs brownfield operations for the German rail operator, Deutsche Bahn. Owing to the nature of the rail industry and the implications of building in populated, traffic conscious areas, these projects are relatively unremarkable but require a high level of expertise and efficiency to meet the time critical requirements of the work.

“One project that was challenging and highly notable was the construction of the second largest railway station in Berlin,” Thomas comments. “This is called Berlin Südkreuz, which translates as Berlin South Cross.

The station had to go into business in time for the 2006 world football championships and we had only 18 months to complete the project so this was a great accomplishment.”

Another highly vibrant area for Echterhoff has been its involvement in the installation of innovative onshore wind turbines.

The use of proven German hybrid tower technology, using concrete and steel represents arguably the best solution for the continued growth of wind energy through Germany and beyond. The technology grants lower costs of energy and project guarantees and is completely adaptable to various wind turbine sizes and heights. Additionally compared to traditional steel construction, hybrid concrete and steel construction is essentially maintenance-free and has been adopted by ENERCON,

Nordex and AREVA. Although market conditions remain volatile, Echterhoff continues to perform strongly and has seen a steady increase in turnover from 87 million euros in 2008 to 135 million euros in 2013. As the German government prepares to increase public spending the future will be challenging but potentially very lucrative as Thomas concludes: “For the time being the focus in German infrastructure is survival of the fittest. These is a lot of competition when it comes to areas like price,

which was previously dominated by larger companies, some of which are no longer in the market.

During the next 12 months we need to press on in a very challenging market but over the next five years we anticipate that conditions will improve, which is very exciting.”m

Echterhoff Construction Group www.echterhoff.de Services: Bespoke engineering and construction services Construction & Civil Engineering 51

PROFILE: NORMET

Tunnel vision Networking beneath the surface, Normet has been supplying its specialist products to support the mining and tunnelling industry for 50 years

the

N

ormet was established in 1962 in Finland originally as Peltosalmi Metal Works. It was one of the pioneers in developing and manufacturing forest machines to be installed on farming tractors like winches, wood chippers, cranes and trailers. From the beginning of 1970, following a change in ownership, the Normet name was formed and the business began to manufacture

52 Construction & Civil Engineering

mining and tunnelling equipment leading to the majority of the company being purchased in 2005

by Cantell Oy. Under the new ownership focus was drawn on the sale of products and services having previously operated through distributors and agents. In 2006 Normet had sales and service locations in just three countries before an increase in network size that today promotes the company in 38 locations around

the world providing customers with the best possible service.

Complementing the geographical expansion and control of equipment sales, spare parts and servicing, Normet’s strategy was revised encompassing the new role as a solution provider for processes in underground mining and tunnelling.

Between 2005 and 2013 it was able to increase turnover by an average of 20 per cent each year. The company develops, manufactures

Charmec ith Normet Charging w emulsion charger LC 605 VEC

Spraymec 8100 VC

Concrete Sprayer Alpha30 underground

and markets machines as well as construction chemicals and specialised dynamic rock bolts for underground processes. Mobile robotised concrete spraying, highly mechanised explosive charging, underground logistics, scaling and rock reinforcement are services supported by the comprehensive range of lifetime care services.

In an interview with Construction and Civil Engineering, global marketing manager Jukka Pihlava

discusses the industry and the company’s forecasted growth: “In recent years in the mining industry the supply has been higher than the demand putting pressure on commodity prices.

The excess supply has led to the closure of unprofitable mines and postponing new mining projects.

Mining companies have changed their focus from production volume to the cost of production, which has led to decline in mining capital expenditure (Capex). However, in civil underground construction there is an increase in the number of infrastructure projects, especially in growing markets such as China, South East Asia and South America.”

As an example of its capabilities, Normet offers sprayed concrete processes in tunnel support, providing equipment for concrete spraying and underground transport, all chemicals and expertise in the whole process from the raw materials to the right strength sprayed concrete at the tunnel wall.

Forming part of Hong Kong’s largest ever sewage infrastructure

project, the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS), Normet has supplied, under Contract 24, over 20 items of equipment for concrete spraying, explosive charging and underground logistics. In addition, Normet provides a 24/7 service to the customer and technical support for the equipment fleet.

Water ingress requirements in the HATS project are stringent and Normet has also supplied considerable amounts of water sealing chemicals for the preexcavation grouting of the ground.

“We invest about four per cent of our turnover in the development of equipment and chemicals.

Our equipment technology centre, including the prototype manufacturing premises, is located in the main factory in Iisalmi, Finland,” Jukka highlights.

All R&D, engineering and documentation functions have been centralised in Finland, and products are developed in close partnership with customers as Jukka explains: “They are an inseparable part of the development and solutions are

Construction & Civil Engineering 53

PROFILE: NORMET

Concrete Spraying with Normet Spraymec SF 050 DV

d

ory in Finlan Normet fact

tested thoroughly before released.

Prototypes are first tested at the technology centre, then at the customer work site to be sure that the equipment is suited to their needs.

“Future development is focused on operations such as concrete spraying, explosive charging, man lifting, underground installation works, scaling, and man and material transport.

Modular platforms make it easy to change and add new functions to the equipment, from very basic transporters to fully automated selfpropelled rock support machines.”

Normet has established a competent and innovative team of chemists and material technologists responsible for developing construction chemicals. The major part of this team is based at the Global R&D Centre located at its premises in the UK, with additional chemical specialists in premises in Chile, India, Indonesia, Singapore and Taiwan.

With a growing interest in equipment rental for the mining and construction machinery market, Normet has developed rental solutions for mining and tunnelling contractors as well as plant hire companies. “The demand for rental is a result of increased competition for contracts, size of projects, unpredictable market changes and optimisation of capital

54 Construction & Civil Engineering

employed,” says Jukka. Through rental agreements, customers are able to reduce their own fleets, avoid investments and minimise the risks of fleets. An integral part of the rental contract is service, which lowers the costs of maintenance and repair costs.

The entire range of equipment for mining and underground construction is manufactured in Finland i.e. equipment for concrete spraying and transport, lifting and installation, explosive charging, underground logistics and scaling. In Sweden the company manufactures equipment primarily for installation and finishing work in infrastructure tunnels, but also for mining, while in Chile it is manufacturing equipment for concrete spraying and transport (of different types and sizes than manufactured in Finland). Normet Chile is the only producer of specialised spraying robots and low profile transmixers for the application of wet sprayed concrete in Latin America.

Normet provides training for its personnel to ensure the shortage of

skills in the industry is not reflected within the company. Customers also receive industry standard tuition in the processes, through training delivered at customers’ sites and at the Normet Academy locations in Finland and India with concrete spraying, the most demanding underground process, involving classroom and simulator training before entering actual underground conditions.

The advanced simulator is an artificial cave where a 3D tunnel is projected to the walls, providing operators with the opportunity to learn techniques with different models of Normet concrete sprayers. The training covers spraying boom movements and tasks before spraying in different tunnel conditions with performance monitored based on the amount of rebound, the quality of spraying and the cost of sprayed concrete. Through the simulator training, an average 23 per cent improvement in operator efficiency has been achieved.

Moving into 2014 Normet remains committed to developing and supporting robust, sustainable solutions for the underground mining and tunnelling industries that enable its clients to excel with improved safety and productivity.

Summarising the vision over the next five years, Jukka concludes: “The mining industry will come back to its growth path as the commodity demand in emerging markets begins to grow. In addition, the demand for underground infrastructure projects such as metros, railways, roads, hydropower stations, fresh water and sewer plants and parking is continuously increasing in order to stimulate the economy and welfare in urban areas and global mega cities.” m

Normet OY www.normet.com Services: Machinery and equipment for the mining and tunnelling sector

PROFILE: Nuclear Engineering Services

Highly

active Nuclear Engineering Services (NES) has over six decades of nuclear experience, with the company’s origins dating back to John Thompson and the supply of the first nuclear reactor housing to Dounreay

T

oday the organisation specialises in the design, manufacture, assembly, test, installation and commissioning of bespoke solutions for the nuclear decommissioning, defence, and nuclear new build markets, and it has supplied an extensive range of equipment and solutions to most UK nuclear power stations, including fuel route, remote handling and inspection equipment, encapsulation and waste handling solutions, gloveboxes and shielded containments, and reprocessing equipment.

Split across three locations, Wolverhampton – Head Office, Risley – Centre of Engineering Excellence and Beckermet – North West Division, NES’s unique capabilities, facilities and experience ideally position the company to take

on a wide variety of projects on a national basis.

When it comes to the markets served by NES, Nuclear Decommissioning is one of its prime areas of expertise. The company has established a proven track record in this market and is currently tackling some of the largest technical and manufacturing challenges within the nuclear decommissioning programme.

Decommissioning As a result of the experience the company has accrued in this area, NES is able to operate as a standalone contractor tackling decommissioning projects, or take the lead as part of a larger framework agreement, providing specialist design, manufacture, assembly and test services.

Retaining all the required

engineering skills in-house, NES’ innovative approach to engineering ensures that all solutions are considered, before the best value option is pursued, managed and tightly controlled through Integrated Project Teams (IPTs).

The company has earned a highly respected name in the decommissioning sector and works with many recognisable names, including Sellafield. In fact, in July 2013, Jack Devine the chief decommissioning officer of Sellafield Ltd visited NES to see first-hand the progress on construction and commissioning of three silo emptying plant (SEP) machines.

The SEP machines will be responsible for emptying waste and sludge from the compartments in the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo and placing it in modern containment vessels ready for storage. Speaking

Construction & Civil Engineering 55

PROFILE: Nuclear Engineering Services

after the visit, Jack said: “After all the photos and presentations and discussions, seeing the actual SEP machines is really impressive - and a bit intimidating as well. This equipment is central to successful execution of the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo project. Working with NES we’ve made great progress but there’s a lot more to be done.

We’re looking forward to continuing, productive collaboration.”

Alongside decommissioning, NES also works with defence projects. It has 20 year’s experience in successfully developing and delivering innovative, bespoke services and solutions to the defence industry, building an excellent reputation and a loyal client base.

Typical contracts completed include remote handling and lifting equipment, fuelling and defueling plant, gloveboxes and enclosures,

56 Construction & Civil Engineering

Morson Projects Morson Projects’ Technical Services division specialises in the delivery of operational and maintenance contracts to the nuclear sector. Its operations focus on the underpinning of and adherence to nuclear site licence conditions and their associated supporting processes and procedures.

Morson Projects provides efficient and cost effective support, whilst complying with the safe operation and management of nuclear sites.

Specific capabilities include asset management, maintenance support, system drawing analysis and update, operations support, safety case support, configuration assessment, the production and review of technical documentation, commissioning support and the analysis, design and delivery of operator/maintainer training packages.

heat exchangers, design support and critical spares.

Using in-house capabilities, together with carefully selected specialist sub-contractors, working to defence standards 2781, NES is currently undertaking the design; servicing and repair of heat exchangers and associated pipe work for all in service HMS Royal Navy Nuclear Submarines, of which it is the OEM supplier. Servicing and repair activities can take place either at its works, or in-situ, using security cleared, suitably qualified experienced personnel. Whilst working on site, NES has established environmental agreements with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), the Environmental Agency, Natural England, and Marine Scotland, for the safe disposal of waste items generated whilst working in-situ. NES has the

required facility to undertake any project up to the security level of Classified, with secure areas in both engineering and manufacturing, with access restricted to MoD cleared personnel only.

Nuclear new build The third area of speciality for NES is nuclear new build. Experience gained through its history and involvement in nuclear projects ideally places the business to meet the challenges and assist in the timely and safe delivery of the UK nuclear new build programme.

To address the needs of these highly technologically challenging sites, NES offers a range of services such as project management, engineering, manufacture and assembly, procurement, test and commissioning and installation.

To maintain the exceptionally high level of quality needed to work in sensitive market such as nuclear, NES has to ensure it invests in the latest technology, as well as adheres to the most rigorous specifications and legislation.

This policy of investment has resulted in NES creating a world class manufacturing facility, and in July 2013 the company hosted an event designed to showcase the various types of mechanical handling equipment that is used throughout the UK nuclear industry, as well as demonstrate its manufacturing competence and wherewithal to the nuclear industry.

The ‘Mechanical Handling Workshop’ was organised with the Nuclear Institute, Young Generations Network (YGN) and included presentations from guest speakers and a guided workshop tour of the NES manufacturing facility.

During the workshop tour, Nick Chown, head of business development at NES and Andrea Basso, head of engineering at NES, were able to give the delegates further information regarding the projects currently in a build state in the NES workshop, with more

explanatory details given by experts on site.

The visitors were given special access to the SEP mobile cave control rooms, to get a closer look and better understanding of how the machines work and are operated. They were also allowed access to the Replica Retrievals Rig (RRR) tower, bringing the sheer size of the silos to reality. The RRR tower is a 25m high test tower, built to replicate the size of silo, which the SEP mobile caves will be extracting waste from.

The tour also included a demonstration of NES’ waterjet cutting capabilities, the silo rake used on the SEP mobile caves, waste retrievals equipment for current contracts being delivered

by NES, and a tour of the new CNC machines currently being commissioned.

This type of event is a useful tool for NES, as it highlights not only its ability to meet the needs of the most demanding and critical projects in the world, but also its dedication to training, development and the future. It is this kind of activity that helps to cement NES’ position as the supplier of choice for the provision of unique engineering designs, manufactured products and services, which are recognised for consistently adding value, delivering excellence and delighting clients in the nuclear and defence markets. m

Nuclear Engineering Services Ltd www.nes-limited.com Services: Bespoke solutions for the nuclear market

25 Years Supplying the Nuclear Engineering Industry

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Construction & Civil Engineering 57

PROFILE: Bauwerk Boen Group

Layingthe

foundation

Despite a heavily saturated market, the Bauwerk Boen Group has established a leading reputation and is a strong global player in parquet hardwood flooring

T

he Bauwerk Boen Group can rightfully be considered one of the world’s leaders in hardwood parquet flooring. It benefits from a long history and the combined expertise of the Bauwerk and Boen brands, which collaborate in unison to provide the group with a synergy that sets it apart within the high-end parquet industry. Bauwerk Parkett AG was founded in 1944 and today

58 Construction & Civil Engineering

the company is the leading Swiss manufacturer and supplier of twolayer parquet. Boen Bruk AS can trace its roots back into the 17th century, when two sawmills were founded near the Norwegian city of Kristiansand. These mills would lay the foundations that would lead to Boen becoming the formost supplier of three-layer parquet that its clients would recognise today. With the completion of the merger of the two companies

in June 2013, Bauwerk Boen AG has consolidated its position as a leading supplier of high-end parquet throughout Europe and beyond.

Today the company maintains a staff of around 1400 employees and produces over eight million m2 of parquet per year.

The group is able to manage its market focus across its two brands, which enables it to offer targeted services to ensure that it is able to operate efficiently and

cost-effectively throughout the world. “Our Bauwerk brand has its main focus on distributing parquet, skirtings, glue and accessories for glue-down applications directly to European installers,” says CEO Klaus Brammertz. “Whereas our Boen brand’s main focus is on distributing parquet and corresponding skirtings to the world market, which is supplied mainly via trade partners.”

The efficient management of a

single supply chain and world-class manufacturing facilities, including one of the world’s most advanced factories for hardwood flooring situated in Lithuania, greatly strengthens the synergy between the companies. Between its two brands, the group boasts a leading level of expertise and a rich history of innovation that has defined its leading position in the parquet market. Today the group primarily serves a European market, however its business is growing within Asia in China, Singapore and India, as well as in the United States.

Although the Bauwerk Boen Group is currently enjoying a growth in sales throughout its global operations, it is in the face of an increasingly challenging market as Klaus explains: “Hardwood flooring consumption has been in decline in Europe and had declined by five per cent between 2011 and 2012. The market in Southern Europe is currently very weak although other areas like Germany, Norway and Switzerland have seen small increases in trade.

Other market players remain very fragmented, there are still approximately 200 companies operating with huge overcapacities. Consolidation within the market has only started with Kährs/ Karelia, Tarkett and the Bauwerk Boen Group.”

To ensure that the company continues to grow and maintain is market position the group has

adapted to the changing tides of the industry and focused its operations where production is most cost-effective.

Within Austria for example, production has ceased while the company’s sales and marketing office will remain to continue to drive sales in the country, as Klaus elaborates: “The Salzburg facility was focused on small strip parquet, mainly used in projects, largely for the European market. Prices for these projects have declined by 40 per cent over the last five years. However, Austria still has the highest hardwood consumption on Earth and both the Bauwerk and Boen brands have strong positions there, which is why the group will retain its sales and marketing offices in the region.”

New location Further to this the group has recently completed the transfer of its production plant in Germany to its new location in Lithuania. “This move has been planned within Boen for quite some time,” Klaus explains. “The lamella cutting and press lines had previously been relocated to Lithuania in recent years. The main benefits of the move are increased efficiency and decreased production costs within a highly competitive market environment.”

As 2013 draws to a close and 2014 appears on the horizon the Bauwerk-Boen Group will contemplate how it intends to navigate the market over the coming year and beyond. At present it is enjoying growth of around six per cent despite the challenges posed by an uncertain market and competing companies and the group will seek to maintain this growth through innovation and strong service as well as through potential mergers and acquisitions.

Core to ensuring that the company is able to continue to deliver its world-class range of parquet

Construction & Civil Engineering 59

PROFILE: Bauwerk Boen Group

sia Abrasives

products are the group’s 1400 staff, whom the group routinely invests in to drive the company forward.

“Skilled personnel are key for us,” Klaus observes. “We work with standardised processes regarding

60 Construction & Civil Engineering

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individual target setting for all of our employees, as well as appraisal talks and individual training. We run team building events and seminars at al levels of the group and also a very well received talent development programme, which will soon be complimented with a senior management programme.

“Through these and managing the transitions in supply chain we aim to remain the preferred brands of our customers and to gain a sustainable market share in all of the group’s focused markets around the globe.

We will also run one of the largest new line launch programmes ever in both brands.” m

Bauwerk Boen Group www.bauwerk-boen.com Services: Parquet and skirting experts

PROFILE: BALCO

Since the company was founded in 1987, Balco AB has pursued its passion for delivering industry-leading balconies and today provides as many as 5000 units each year

Balconies

B

alco began operation in Sweden, where it is currently headquartered in the city of Växjö. The company works to deliver turnkey solutions within a niche market and today delivers balconies through out its native Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and United Kingdom. The growth of Balco has been impressive, with the turnover of the company doubling every third year during the first 15 years of its operation and accelerating to an average increase of ten per cent over the following ten years. Today, despite challenging market conditions the company’s performance remains strong allowing it to claim an annual turnover of £60 million.

As Balco has grown, it has evolved to meet the varied demands of its clients. This ability to anticipate the needs of its customer base

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PROFILE: BALCO

and respond to potential market opportunities has proven invaluable in allowing the company to expand, as chief operating officer Anders Ingemarsson explains: “When Balco was founded, open balconies were originally the target market. However, the Scandinavian climate with its short summers led to increased focus on glazed balconies as a way to prolong the warm season. In addition to the insulating effect that they provide, a glazed balcony also has noise reducing properties and of course has an energy saving effect on the building.”

Eventually, the company’s push to incorporate new services sparked the logical move to pay closer attention to the exterior of the client’s structure itself as Anders further details: “Over time we have also moved towards looking at the total façade of the building so that we are able to give customers a total lift of the structure’s exterior.”

Today, Balco continues to provide industry-leading balconies as well as the renovation and refurbishment of façades. It provides option in glazed, open and access balconies that are serviced and installed with a host of innovative patents that the company has created through dedicated research and development activities.

These include Balco Flexible, its range of tolerant fixings that allows compensation for deviations in the host building; Balco Cleanline, which is designed to allow the collection and flow of water in the window track and down through the aluminum frame, keeping the façade clean; and the Balco Vision, which provides a folding glass system without a frame, combined with glass corners. This provides the impression of a single expanse of glass and an excellent view.

For clients looking for the pleasure of an open balcony and the benefits of a glazed solution during the cooler seasons, Balco has developed Balco Twin and Reversible technologies. Balco Twin allows

62 Construction & Civil Engineering

customers to open up the whole balcony or to fold in an individual pane at any point along the track, with very little effort. The Balco Reversible also allows for both glazed and open environments

with a sliding pane with doubleenergy glass that can be turned 180 degrees.

Balco also delivers products that that allow for a degree of environmental control as well

as energy saving elements.

Its Balco Vettech technology enhances the balconies built-in ventilation to reduce condensation and uncomfortable heat gain in addition to protecting the building’s existing ventilation system. A recent development that is patent pending is the company’s Balco Climate technology. Balco Climate is a glazing solution with two separate sheets of glass in the parapet – clear glass on the outside and heat absorbing glass on the inside. Solar-powered fans sit between the glass at the bottom. The column of air between the glass is heated by the sun and when the fans start, the warm air is forced up inside the parapet. This offers an excellent warming solution to combat cold snaps during the winter months.

These innovative solutions have made Balco a market- and made it popular with customers including its largest segment in co-operative, tenant-owners’ building societies.

Within this sector the company is largely involved in the replacement or refurbishment of existing

Construction & Civil Engineering 63

PROFILE: BALCO

Kronsminde:

Before

Kronsminde: After

g

de: Durin

Kronsmin

balconies and the installation of new balconies on apartments that previously did not have them. It also works with construction companies in the construction of new builds and refurbishments.

During a project in northern Norway, Balco was able to successfully address problems with the façade of two 12-storey apartment buildings. Among other problems, the bricklayer of the façade was

64 Construction & Civil Engineering

in very bad condition and tenants were unhappy with the condition of their current balconies. Balco was able to fully refurbish the façade as well as to install new and larger balconies. Commenting on this and other projects Anders says: “Balco is very strong when it comes to engineering. As all buildings are different and unique, the design solution has to be customised for each project and more-or-less for each individual balcony. As a project could span for as many as 20 to almost 1000 balconies the company needs to be able to handle both smaller and larger projects effectivly. That is one of the real strengths of Balco.”

Balco can rely on vast deposits of experience and innovation as it moves into 2014. All of its products are designed and manufactured in-house and it relies on trusted subcontractors to install its unique designs. With these strengths the

company is confident of future growth during the coming years as Anders concludes: “During 2014 we aim to increase our footprint in the UK as it appears to be the company’s next big market. We will also establish Balco in its newest market in the Netherlands while sustaining business in Sweden, Norway and Germany. We will look to further potential markets to help the company reach a target turnover of £100 million within five years.” m

Balco AB www.balco.se Services: Specialist provider of balconies and façades

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