20 May 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal This week’s ThinkFM conference saw the launch of The Stoddart Review, a project with the ultimate aim of ensuring business leaders fully understand the contribution that workplace has on overall organisational performance. Its basic premise is that too few people in the c-suite
©Bloomberg Areva’s troubled Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power plant in Finland One of the main international customers for a much-delayed and costly nuclear reactor has expressed deep worries over the future of France’s atomic industry amid signs of political wrangling. Finland’s TVO was the first customer for French nuclear group Areva’s
Exeter Property Group and First Industrial have completed the steel framework of 360 at Logistics North in Bolton, the North West’s largest industrial speculative development. Savills and JLL have been instructed as joint letting agents for the major new unit. Due to be completed in August 2016, 360 will total
The skills shortage in the house-building industry is apparently all the fault of parents failing to point their children in the right direction. That’s according to the NHBC Foundation, which says parents are simply not doing enough to encourage children into the building trade. A ComRes poll of 1,064 parents
‘Chocolate box’ cottages cost up to 3 times the national average Lords of the manor rarely live in their ancestral homes these days, vicars have largely been dispossessed of their vicarages and ‘serfs’ no longer call cottages home, but the feudal property pecking order is alive and well according to
Lee Engineering – Enhancing the Future (The Following is a Promoted Article) Whilst high-tech audio and visual technologies are, undoubtedly, a measure with which to enhance a space and make it more attractive, they also have a key role to play within the special needs environment. Able to significantly improve
If the engineering industry is to solve the growing gap in female apprentices in the sector then it must significantly alter its thinking, says consultancy giant Aecom. In the run up to ‘National Women in Engineering Day’, Aecom has warned that urgent action must be taken to address the ever
Manchester Airports Group has announced that it will invest $1 million in its third ‘Escape Lounge’ in the US. The firm’s US subsidiary group, Manchester Airports Group USA, has sealed the contract to construct the latest lounge at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut after previous projects were carried out at Oakland
EIC, a national electrical and mechanical contractor based in Warwickshire, has been placed into administration with over 300 staff jobs set to be lost. The specialist national contractor had a turnover of £80 million and operated in six offices from Scotland to Cornwall. Its clients included Marks & Spencer and
Evans Property Group and Harworth Estates, the regeneration company wholly owned by Harworth Group plc, has strengthened the agency team at Leeds’ largest commercial development site, Temple Green, with the appointment of CBRE and Gent Visick. The instructions come just ahead of completion of a £7m initial phase of infrastructure
20 May 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal This week’s ThinkFM conference saw the launch of The Stoddart Review, a project with the ultimate aim of ensuring business leaders fully understand the contribution that workplace has on overall organisational performance. Its basic premise is that too few people in the c-suite place enough strategic importance on the working environment as a key driver. They don’t understand, or choose to ignore, the ability of workplace to impact the bottom line – despite myriad well-researched linkages made over the last decade and more. The first Stoddart Review report will be published towards the end of the year. The background to all of this is the UK’s startlingly low productivity rate when compared with other G7 countries. Also this week, workplace experts have criticised legislation in the Queen’s Speech for not being focused enough on productivity. We’d like to know whether there’s an appetite for this kind of thing in your organisation; and interest, however recently kindled, in the link between how a workplace is specified and the performance of those using it. Amongst your colleagues and those you report to, do you hear the workplace you oversee spoken about as a generator of productivity? Or is it still just something to maintain to a regular flurry of typical KPI figures? We’d like to see any additional comment you have on the topic, so please feel free to expand on your initial choice and email us at editorial@fm-world.co.uk Source link
©Bloomberg Areva’s troubled Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power plant in Finland One of the main international customers for a much-delayed and costly nuclear reactor has expressed deep worries over the future of France’s atomic industry amid signs of political wrangling. Finland’s TVO was the first customer for French nuclear group Areva’s European Pressurised Reactor technology — due to also be used at the UK’s controversial Hinkley Point power station — but the project has been beset by large cost overruns and a delay of almost a decade. More On this topic IN Energy The two companies had been in negotiations in recent weeks to resolve multibillion-euro legal claims by both parties, as well as pave the way for the sale of a majority stake in Areva’s nuclear reactor business to French utility EDF. But the sudden breakdown of those talks has rattled TVO, which operates some of Finland’s nuclear power plants. Jarmo Tanhua, chief executive, told the Financial Times of his big concerns about the future of France’s nuclear industry. “We are afraid of what is happening. One thing is we don’t really understand why we don’t proceed with the negotiations. Our understanding is that it has something to do with the restructuring in France or the politics,” he said. Mr Tanhua added that his biggest fear was that the French could decide to run down “some parts of the industry or some know-how”, particularly in its EPR technology. The issue is likely to be raised by Finland’s prime minister, Juha Sipila, when he visits his French counterpart Manuel Valls on Wednesday in Paris. The £18bn Hinkley Point project has raised political concerns in both the UK and France as well as worries about the viability of EDF, which is planning to build the power station based on Areva’s technology. Areva’s EPR technology was meant to mark a renaissance for Europe’s nuclear industry, with TVO’s Olkiluoto 3 plant in Finland being the first new reactor in western Europe for decades. But problems with the reactor’s design and lack of expertise has meant that Olkiluoto 3 is now due to start electricity production in 2018, compared with an original start date of 2009. State-controlled Areva, and its former joint venture partner Siemens of Germany, are suing TVO for €3.5bn in an arbitration case, while the Finnish company is countersuing for €2.6bn. Mr Tanhua said he believed TVO and Areva had been “quite close to agreement” over settling the legal disputes, and allowing the carveout of any liabilities from Olkiluoto 3 to enable state-controlled EDF to buy its stake in Areva NP, the reactor business. He added co-operation with Areva at the construction site had been going well and no further delays were expected. But he underscored that TVO — which is owned by Finnish energy companies — could not take part in the EDF-Areva restructuring or settle the legal dispute without agreement on completing Olkiluoto 3. “The question is basically now how the French parties are committed to put the nuclear industry back on track for future success. Is the French government committed to the industry? We hope and want to be part of French nuclear success. But we don’t know if we are allowed to,” he added. Areva said it “has been and remains fully engaged in finalising the [Olkiluoto 3] reactor project”. It added: “The objective of the restructuring under way in the French nuclear industry is to reinforce the industry’s expertise for the future development of nuclear in France and for customers around the world.” Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2016. You may share using our article tools. Please don’t cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web. Source link
Exeter Property Group and First Industrial have completed the steel framework of 360 at Logistics North in Bolton, the North West’s largest industrial speculative development. Savills and JLL have been instructed as joint letting agents for the major new unit. Due to be completed in August 2016, 360 will total 357,700 sq ft (33,230 sq m) including 340,000 sq ft (31,586 sq m) of industrial space, two storey offices and 74 HGV trailer parking spaces. It is located immediately adjacent to Junction 4 of the M61, within three miles of the M60 and M62 and also provides easy access to the key ports of Liverpool and Hull. At 250 acres (101 hectares), Logistics North is one of the largest developments of its kind in the North of England. The landmark scheme, which is fully supported by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, has attracted leading occupiers including Aldi, MBDA and Joy Global. Jonathan Atherton, industrial director at Savills, comments: “The completion of the steel framework is a significant milestone for 360. We have already received strong interest from potential occupiers attracted by the high quality design of the building and excellent connectivity of the site.” Source link
The skills shortage in the house-building industry is apparently all the fault of parents failing to point their children in the right direction. That’s according to the NHBC Foundation, which says parents are simply not doing enough to encourage children into the building trade. A ComRes poll of 1,064 parents found that 42% of parents said they would not be likely to encourage their teenage children to pursue a career in the house-building industry. These findings have raised concern that a lack of parental support may be preventing youngsters from pursuing a hugely rewarding career in one of the UK’s most successful and thriving industries at a time of huge demand for high quality new homes. NHBC chief executive Mike Quinton said: “House-building is a hugely rewarding career which offers good salaries, great opportunities and creates a legacy which will last for generations. “Parents play a major role in influencing and informing their children about future career choices. We hope that our new online film encourages more parents and young people to consider a career in one of the UK’s most thriving and successful industries. “With demand for high-quality new houses at high levels, there has never been a better time to begin a career in house-building.” Just to make the point, the NHBC Foundation has produced this film: This article was published on 24 May 2016 (last updated on 24 May 2016). Source link
‘Chocolate box’ cottages cost up to 3 times the national average Lords of the manor rarely live in their ancestral homes these days, vicars have largely been dispossessed of their vicarages and ‘serfs’ no longer call cottages home, but the feudal property pecking order is alive and well according to analysis of sale prices from Jackson-Stops & Staff. According to the estate agent, which has 44 offices across the UK, the average price of a manor house is £2,102,344 – 11 times higher than the national average. This is nearly double the average sale price of the next most expensive quintessentially English home, the farmhouse, with an average sale price of £1,089,857. The least expensive of these quintessentially English homes is the cottage. However, on a square footage basis cottages, with their typically cosy rooms, rustic beams and quaint features, do not offer the best value for money. The stereotypically roomier barn conversion and old rectory come in at around £288 per square foot and £234 per square foot on average respectively. Cottages are more expensive on this basis, at £320 per square foot. Farmhouses come somewhere in the middle of the feudal pecking order and are the next most expensive home after the archetypal manor house. While manor houses are on average over £1 million more expensive than a farmhouse, manor houses offer better value for money on a price per square foot basis (£343 per square foot) due to their sweeping, spacious rooms. For buyers looking for bang for their buck when it comes to space, manor houses look like an attractive option, particularly as the average price per square foot (£343) is just £23 more than a chocolate box cottage (£320)! Barn conversions are a significant £378,066 less expensive than old rectories – that’s more than the average sale price of a typical UK property. However, on a price per square footage basis old rectories offer better value. Barn conversions with their generally large open-plan entertaining spaces fit in well with modern lifestyles and dinner party culture – which is reflected in the square footage premium they attract. Nick Leeming, Jackson-Stops & Staff chairman, commented: “Our research shows that the feudal hierarchy is still alive and well when it comes to the quintessentially English homes that are most popular with buyers through our branches. The manor house, still the apex of the village, is the most expensive type of home, some 11 times more expensive than the UK average property price and more than a £1 million more expensive than the next typical English property type. Manor houses still carry a certain status, with their gracious architecture, long carriage drives and secluded gardens. For large families in a position to invest in a piece of history, manor houses actually offer better value for the space they provide than the less expensive farmhouse – so rather than being the exclusive domain of eccentric Miss Havershams, manor houses can be a savvy step up the property ladder for those who can afford the investment. “The typical chocolate box cottage is the least expensive in our survey, however they do not offer the best value in terms of size. Of course, size isn’t everything, and our research indicates their enduring popularity, quintessentially English features and iconic status in British culture attracts a price premium. Despite having a tendency toward low ceilings, and smaller, compact rooms, these properties ooze traditional charm and are often breathtakingly beautiful. They certainly aren’t lived in by toiling serfs today; instead their small pretty gardens and compact dimensions mean they can make a manageable property for downsizers and retirees.” Source link
Lee Engineering – Enhancing the Future (The Following is a Promoted Article) Whilst high-tech audio and visual technologies are, undoubtedly, a measure with which to enhance a space and make it more attractive, they also have a key role to play within the special needs environment. Able to significantly improve the lives of those most vulnerable in society, be that improving mobility or encouraging interactivity within the space, integrated audio and visual solutions are then a highly valuable asset industry-wide. Lee Engineering has, since its founding over 25 years ago, been ahead of its time and now boasts capabilities in all aspects of audio and visual integration solutions, with particular emphasis on serving those in need of specialist care. Able to provide solutions for architectural lighting, building wide sound and lighting systems, all with custom control interfaces, the firm carries out major projects in both the public and private sector, bringing commercial, industrial, retail and leisure, and educational properties into the 21st Century. Working across such a variety of sectors comes with unique challenges. Clients come with widely different requirements relating not just to product specification but schedule of work, cost, and health and safety. Taking pride in its ability to tailor solutions accordingly, Lee Engineering is also flexible to the health and safety requirements of its private and public sector clients, implementing bespoke procedures in line with both level of risk presented and particular conditions of compliance. It’s a competence which has developed as result of gaining CHAS accreditation some four years ago in line with the demands of one of Lee Engineering’s existing customers. Previously, as a small firm of just five employees, all health and safety procedure was managed in-house – and quite successfully, too; the company hadn’t had an accident or near miss for as long as Paul Paluch, Project Manager at Lee Engineering for over 18 years, can remember. Nevertheless, when the opportunity to gain CHAS accreditation presented itself, the firm was sure to capitalise on it, something which Paluch stresses has been the making of the company’s current stature. “Membership of CHAS has allowed us to both prove just how effective our health and safety procedures are and, in turn, evidence our compliance to potential new clients,” reveals Paluch. “As a body of extensive research and resources, the association also represents the ability to keep abreast of any changes to regulation within the sector. As a consequence, both main contractors and clients have absolutely no hesitation choosing us because there is simply no questioning the CHAS mark of standard.” As businesses will undoubtedly be aware, main contractors often operate by more stringent codes of practice with regards to health and safety than those working on subcontract basis. Unlike many who are simply unable to meet such working criteria, Lee Engineering can perform as either main contractor or subcontractor and, aided by CHAS’ wealth of technical and regulatory expertise, can integrate seamlessly with all contractors on-site thus mitigating risk of accident or injury. Such guaranteed codes of practice alongside the technical excellence of its services without doubt contributed to Lee Engineering’s selection for the development of the SPACE Centre’s multi-sensory rooms, one’s the company’s largest special needs projects to date. Acting as lead architect, designer and main contractor, the firm delivered electrical, lighting, audio and visual equipment to create three, fully-interactive spaces for use by families, carers, therapists and teachers of those with special needs. Whilst the rooms themselves are extraordinarily thoughtful and play witness to Lee Engineering’s creativity in design and installation, it’s in control that the firm really stands out. Having developed state-of-the-art control software to manage AV solutions fitted, clients benefit from increased ease of use and rapidly decreased downtime. Such a value-added service has proven increasingly popular according to Paluch, particularly in schools where time is limited. “Individual classes may only have access to a multi-sensory room for an hour at a time,” he explains. “And therefore it’s crucial that the process of getting in and out, and setting the room up doesn’t eat into that time. Our tablet app control systems have drastically cut down the set-up time and we’re going to continue developing our software to make it even more intuitive to use.” Indeed, a real proponent of innovation, Lee Engineering is looking not just at improving its software provision but also extending the hardware it’s able to deliver in the future. Acknowledging the pace at which technology develops and, furthermore, how client demands increase in accordance, the company is investigating the potential of incorporating utilities such as heating and ventilation within its portfolio of services so as to further enhance the sensory experience provided. With care and attention endowed, as well as a strong sense of the importance of audio and visual technology within the special needs setting, Lee Engineering continues to demonstrate an acute understanding of what it means to be both responsible and progressive at every level. And maintaining standards of health and safety which both meet, and exceed, the expectations of clients, the company is likely to only accelerate in prominence in years ahead.
If the engineering industry is to solve the growing gap in female apprentices in the sector then it must significantly alter its thinking, says consultancy giant Aecom. In the run up to ‘National Women in Engineering Day’, Aecom has warned that urgent action must be taken to address the ever increasing gap between the number of female and male apprentices, with the gender imbalance in the industry looking like it will persist for at least one further generation. Despite several government led initiatives contributing to an increase in the number of female candidates at graduate level, there is still a growing gap that is worsening among engineering apprentices. The latest data published by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills states that fewer than 8% of apprentices in the manufacturing and engineering technologies sectors are female, with that number declining further over the last four years. In the built environment, planning and construction, women represent fewer than 2% of the overall number of apprentices, and this number has also gone down since 2012. Aecom believes that the best way to close the apprenticeship gender gap is to encourage creative and lateral thinking within the industry in its recruitment approach. Aecom’s director of strategic planning & advisory, Kate Morris, said that there must be positive, urgent action in order to put right the years of unintentional gender bias in the sector. She believes that the increasing apprenticeship level gender imbalance has to be addressed sooner rather than later in order to stop the industry from sleepwalking into diversity difficulties in the future. Ms Morris added that the industry as a whole must solve the problem of a lack of interest and awareness of engineering from emerging female talent. Rather than sitting back and hoping they find their way into the industry, she insists that the sector must showcase itself to young people, particularly young women.
Manchester Airports Group has announced that it will invest $1 million in its third ‘Escape Lounge’ in the US. The firm’s US subsidiary group, Manchester Airports Group USA, has sealed the contract to construct the latest lounge at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut after previous projects were carried out at Oakland and Minneapolis St Paul airports. The lounge will launch in autumn of this year and will be built across 2,000 sq ft, with the purpose of serving as a common use lounge in the East Concourse of the airport, close to the entrance to gates 1 to 12. Once it has been opened, the Bradley International Airport Escape Lounge will include complimentary hot and cold food and drinks, free Wi-Fi, flight information screens and contemporary furnishings. The group already operates five similar lounge schemes across its airport network in the UK, including London Stansted and Manchester Airport. CEO and executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority (the company that owns Bradley International), Kevin A Dillon, said that as the firm continues the expansion of Bradley airport’s route structure, they are also focusing on the enhancement of the services and facilities in the airport. Mr Dillon believes that by adding this latest state of the art lounge, it is a further example of their efforts to provide more amenities and choices to their passengers. He added that it will provide an important enhancement of the firm’s customer service and will distinguish the firm from its competitors, while the airport is pleased to be working in partnership with Manchester Airports Group USA on the crucial initiative that will benefit its customers. CEO and president of Manchester Airports Group USA, Rosemarie Andolino, said that she was please to be announcing the third major success for the company in the space of a year. She added that such airport lounges are still a fairly new concept in America and that they are looking forward to implementing further schemes in other airports across the country.
EIC, a national electrical and mechanical contractor based in Warwickshire, has been placed into administration with over 300 staff jobs set to be lost. The specialist national contractor had a turnover of £80 million and operated in six offices from Scotland to Cornwall. Its clients included Marks & Spencer and Tesco, while it also worked for a number of major contractors including Morgan Sindall, Carillion and BAM. The sudden collapse of the firm has shocked a number of specialists in the field as there were no warning signs relating to cash flow difficulties. One source said that the company collapsed due to its inability to defend a winding up petition from HMRC. Meanwhile, one of the organisation’s employees said that they were told their services would no longer be required on the Friday and received a letter just a day after. They said that they had no inclination that the company would cease trading and 300 staff will now be without a job, as well as around 700 of its self employed staff. The company was placed into administration on Friday morning and since then creditors have been trying to uncover the details of the collapse, however all incoming calls to the head office at Alcester have been blocked. The firm was founded in 1971 and became an established provider of electrical and mechanical contracting services and maintenance and test solutions. Back in 2010, the then joint directors of EIC, Nigel Le Marechal and Ian Lyall, staged a management buyout worth £40 million which was supported by the Royal Bank of Scotland. Phil Dove, former operational efficiency director at the Amey group, joined EIC almost three years ago to become the company’s chief executive after the MBO directors stood down. Currently, the company is working on the headquarters of supermarket chain Aldi in Atherstone, North Warwickshire.
Evans Property Group and Harworth Estates, the regeneration company wholly owned by Harworth Group plc, has strengthened the agency team at Leeds’ largest commercial development site, Temple Green, with the appointment of CBRE and Gent Visick. The instructions come just ahead of completion of a £7m initial phase of infrastructure works at the 165 acre site. Located at J45 of the M1 in Leeds’ Enterprise Zone, Temple Green is Leeds City Region’s largest advanced manufacturing and logistics base with outline planning permission in place for 2.64m sq ft of employment and roadside uses. CBRE and Gent Visick join existing agent Dove Haigh Phillips in advising on the delivery strategy for Temple Green which, upon imminent completion of the initial infrastructure and groundworks programme, will be ready to accommodate occupiers in the first two phases. These phases incorporate land prepared for direct employment development, a range of roadside uses in addition to Leeds City Council’s 1000 space Park and Ride scheme. James Pitt, Development Director of Evans Property Group, said; “With the initial infrastructure works due to complete in forthcoming weeks, we are now entering into discussions with potential customers about delivery of their occupational requirements within a twelve month delivery programme. As Temple Green is one of the north of England’s most significant commercial developments we felt that CBRE, who act for the some of Europe’s leading manufacturers and logistics companies, were best placed in positioning the scheme at a global level via the firm’s regional and London offices.” Ian Ball, Executive Director of Income Generation at Harworth Estates, continues; “The new appointments provide Temple Green with the skill, expertise and geographic reach we were looking for. Gent Visick have a burgeoning reputation in the region and have performed extremely well on the rest of our Yorkshire portfolio. Their appointment alongside CBRE and Dove Haigh Phillips supports us being able to immediately bring forward Design & Build opportunities for a range of high-value businesses.” Mike Baugh, Senior Director of Industrial Agency at CBRE, comments; “Working as part of our national logistics team we are pleased to be promoting Temple Green, which is one of the largest schemes of its nature in the North of England, to the national and European occupier market. The development can attract significant inward investment into the region, deliver hundreds of jobs and address the present shortage of industrial accommodation and as such is an incredibly exciting project to be involved in.” Rupert Visick, Managing Director at Gent Visick, said; “We’re delighted to have secured such an exciting role. Temple Green should establish itself as one of the UK’s leading commercial developments and Gent Visick will work hard to make this happen. Our immediate focus will be on promoting the development as the leading site in Yorkshire for Design & Build opportunities.”
