PagePark Architects have picked up the richest architecture prize in the UK for The Saunders Centre, Glasgow. The architect firm scooped the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award for 2016 having been chosen from a shortlist of 11 projects. The judges chose the Saunders Centre as a clear
Sheffield based GRI Group has acquired contract manufacturer Expac Ltd. Expac, which focuses on toiletry, beauty, health and household sectors, has now become a subsidiary of GRI Expac. Entrepreneur Graham Royle is the leader of GRI Group, which bought the £5 million turnover household products manufacturing firm as part of
PagePark Architects have picked up the richest architecture prize in the UK for The Saunders Centre, Glasgow. The architect firm scooped the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award for 2016 having been chosen from a shortlist of 11 projects. The judges chose the Saunders Centre as a clear winner of all the candidates. The award was presented at a ceremony held at the National Museum of Scotland, which won the award in 2011. It was presented by Fiona Hyslop MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, along with Margaret Doolan Hon FRIAS. This year’s RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award winner received a gold medal cast by internationally renowned Scottish Goldsmith, James Brent Ward and a cheque for £25,000. This means it is the richest architectural prize in the UK and one of Europe’s most significant architecture awards. The award is generously supported by the Scottish Government and the late Andrew Doolan’s family. Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, commented: “Every year, through the shortlist for the Andrew Doolan Award, we see a display of the many benefits that great architecture can bring and we show the quality of Scottish design to the world. “During the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016, we have been celebrating the best of Scotland’s architecture, both old and new. This year’s Festival of Architecture, organised by the RIAS and its partners, continues to be a fantastic success and tonight’s winner is a welcome addition to the hall of fame of great Scottish architecture.” The judges for this year’s award were: Eleanor McAllister OBE Hon FRIAS, Iain Dickson PPRIAS and David Dunbar PPRIAS (Chair). The full judges’ citation for the winning project reads: “This splendid new addition to Glasgow Academy’s campus is an elegant and subtle addition to the streetscape. The reinforced concrete structural frame is clad in a pattern of precast polished and honed finishes. This modular assembly rises from the podium for the raised ground floor, through a sequence of bay windows to a reinterpretation of the Glasgow dormer at roof level.”
Sheffield based GRI Group has acquired contract manufacturer Expac Ltd. Expac, which focuses on toiletry, beauty, health and household sectors, has now become a subsidiary of GRI Expac. Entrepreneur Graham Royle is the leader of GRI Group, which bought the £5 million turnover household products manufacturing firm as part of its continuing acquisition strategy. Among Expac’s products are talcum powder, shower gel, cleaning sprays and washing up liquid. The acquired firm will carry on operating under its own in-house management team who will make decisions on a day to day basis. During its acquisition of Expac, GRI Group was advised by commercial law firm Nabarro. Corporate partner Ben Hendry led the Nabarro team. He was assisted by corporate associates Richard Lee and Caroline Walker. GRI Group was also advised by BHP Chartered Accountants. Corporate partner at Nabarro, Ben Hendry, commented: “We were thrilled to advise GRI Group on their latest acquisition. Expac is recognised as a highly successful manufacturer with a strong presence in the household products sector. “GRI Group has established itself in developing, manufacturing and the distribution of chemical ingredients for personal care, household care, pharmaceutical and many industrial applications. “The combined business will have many advantages such as a comprehensive range of products and contract manufacturing capability. We look forward to working with them in the future.” Graham Royle, chairman and chief executive of GRI, added: “Expac is a fantastic strategic fit with the rest of our group associate companies. “There is virtually no product overlap and the combined range offers superb synergy across the customer base and global geographical markets that we cover.” Meanwhile, GRI recently unveiled new global sustainability reporting standards. The Global Reporting Initiative has launched a new set of global sustainability reporting standards aimed at giving companies a common language for communicating such information.
