March 29, 2018

Josh Phillips – Future Talent

This week the industry’s new recruitment campaign Go Construct launches its ‘Experience Matching Service’, which offers people the chance to ‘experience’ construction. Construction employers have been putting their names down to offer work experience, site visits, careers talks and project placements to those interested in the sector. They are also

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UK coal generation halves, reaching ‘record low’

Coal generation in the UK reached a record low in the first quarter of 2016, falling by around 50 per cent on the same period last year, official figures have shown. Coal-fired plants generated 14.6TWh of electricity in the first three months of this year compared to

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Interserve JV wins £37m sewage works upgrade

A joint venture of Interserve Construction and Doosan Enpure has won a £37m contract to upgrade Horsley water treatment works in Northumberland. Northumbrian Water has awarded the Interserve Doosan JV a design and construct contract to increase treatment capacity at Horsley. Construction is expected to start in summer 2016 and

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Time and care must be taken

Bsria says due time and care should be taken on the delivery and details of the government’s apprenticeship levy.   Employers in any sector will have to pay the levy if they have a pay bill over £3m a year. Firms will have to begin paying the levy

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GDL expands into larger premises

Scottish civil engineering contractor Ground Developments Ltd (GDL) has moved to new premises to accommodate its growth. Above: MD Kevin Mackenzie (left) and founder/chairman Peter Nicholas In tandem with the move comes a new leadership structure that sees Kevin Mackenzie promoted to managing director and founder Peter Nicholas becoming chairman

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£10m secured for innovative housing model

A north east housing provider has secured new funding that will bolster its plans to deliver 1,000 new homes, over the next three years. A £10m loan from Charity Bank – in partnership with Unity Trust Bank – will not only help Prince Bishops Homes deliver much needed high quality

Read More »

Changing lifestyles of consumers along with growing demand for insulation is expected to drive is expected to drive flooring market growth: Global Market Insights, Inc.

Market Size – $ 241.9 billion in 2014, Market Growth – CAGR of 6.8%, Market Trends –changing consumer preference and replacement demand Flooring market size is forecast to exceed USD 400 billion by 2022, at a growing CAGR of 6.8% from 2015 to 2022, according to a new study base report

Read More »

Effective team collaboration in construction

Joint ventures (JV) collaboration for construction companies are becoming more common. Bringing two or more companies together – sometimes from different countries with differing cultures, processes and ways of working – offers many benefits. At the same time problems can arise. Both in terms of the set up of the

Read More »

SALZER Receives the German Design Award

SALZER’s high security steel door series S4 convinced a high-profile international jury and received the German Design Award. The award distinguishes innovative products, as well as their manufacturers and designer, which are pioneering in the German and international design world. Günter Ludwig, who is responsible for the development and production

Read More »
Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

March 29, 2018

Josh Phillips – Future Talent

This week the industry’s new recruitment campaign Go Construct launches its ‘Experience Matching Service’, which offers people the chance to ‘experience’ construction. Construction employers have been putting their names down to offer work experience, site visits, careers talks and project placements to those interested in the sector. They are also supporting careers advice through mentoring and e-mentoring, taster days and carrying out mock interviews. Why are they doing this? Because some things make perfect sense — like giving young people the chance to experience the industry for themselves. Cast your mind back to being 14 or 15. As well as coping with the stresses that adolescence brings, add to that the mammoth question of your ‘future’. Career choices at any age are scary – there’s a multitude of options, so where do you even begin? Good information is the best place to start. With careers there can be a massive gulf between what you imagine something to be and what it actually is. Many people end up flitting between jobs for many years until they find something they really enjoy. The best possible scenario however, is to find out up front what a job or industry is like in reality. This is why even a week or two’s work experience is hugely beneficial to young people. It can whet the appetite and be the start of something beautiful. Or it can simply rule out one path and free them up to explore a different one. For employers and industry, the benefits of offering work experience are also plentiful. While the work undertaken is not likely to improve profit margins, if the experience is positive for both parties, employers could be meeting the next member of their team. Employers reaching out and offering experience also says a lot about their business ethic. It shows that a firm is proud of the industry it works in. It also presents the company as forward thinking and keen to engage with local schools and colleges and become part of the wider educational offering. For industry, providing careers insights and experiences will secure future talent and narrow the skills gap. At the same time, work experience can ultimately help reduce dropout numbers later on, which benefits employers and young people alike. So far, 269 construction employers have signed up to offer experiences. But we want more employers to get involved. The more we can offer, the better chance we have of inspiring the best and brightest to join construction. To get involved go to: https://sms.goconstruct.org/ About the author Lorraine Gregory is CITB Partnership Manager for Midlands and North. She joined CITB eight years ago after working as a business support advisor for local authorities in the West Midlands. Lorraine is also a school governor with a passion for education, careers and supporting disadvantaged young people. Source link

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UK coal generation halves, reaching ‘record low’

Coal generation in the UK reached a record low in the first quarter of 2016, falling by around 50 per cent on the same period last year, official figures have shown. Coal-fired plants generated 14.6TWh of electricity in the first three months of this year compared to 29.5TWh in the first quarter of 2015. Coal’s share of overall generation fell from 30.8 per cent to 15.8 per cent. The Department of Energy and Climate Change attributed the “record low” to plant closures and a “market preference” for gas. A number of coal-fired plants have closed or exited the main energy market this year – Longannet, Ferrybridge, Eggborough and Rugeley. Fiddler’s Ferry was granted a last minute reprieve after being awarded a black start contract by National Grid. Gas generation saw a 48 per cent year-on-year increase, rising from 23.7TWh to 35.0TWh. Its share of the generation mix also rose significantly from 24.7 per cent to 37.8 per cent. After a prolonged decline gas prices levelled out at around ten-year lows in the first quarter of this year, according to price reporting firm ICIS. The closure of Wylfa in Wales at the end of December led a slight decrease in nuclear generation, which dropped from 18.2TWh to 17.3TWh. Its share of the generation mix dropped from 19 per cent to 18.7 per cent. Overall electricity generation during the period fell by 3.4 per cent from 95.8TWh to 92.5TWh, with renewables’ share of generation rising to more than a quarter. Source link

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Interserve JV wins £37m sewage works upgrade

A joint venture of Interserve Construction and Doosan Enpure has won a £37m contract to upgrade Horsley water treatment works in Northumberland. Northumbrian Water has awarded the Interserve Doosan JV a design and construct contract to increase treatment capacity at Horsley. Construction is expected to start in summer 2016 and take about two and a half years to complete. The new treatment facilities will be built alongside the current 1970s plant which will continue to operate until the new works are complete. Much of the old works will then be demolished. Consulting engineers for the scheme are MWH and Turner & Townsend.     This article was published on 21 Apr 2016 (last updated on 21 Apr 2016). Source link

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Time and care must be taken

Bsria says due time and care should be taken on the delivery and details of the government’s apprenticeship levy.   Employers in any sector will have to pay the levy if they have a pay bill over £3m a year. Firms will have to begin paying the levy from 6 April 2017 and will be able to start claiming funding from the following month. Types of apprenticeship will now come under 15 different funding bands, ranging from £1,500 to £27,000 per apprentice, depending on the complexity of the programme. The government has confirmed industries where a levy is already imposed – including construction through the CITB – will have to pay both levies as required. Julia Evans, chief executive, Bsria, said: “We welcome thegovernment’s emphasis on increasing investment in apprenticeships, and industry is ready to stimulate more training and apprenticeships. However, there is a concern that the Apprenticeship Levy could run the risk of being compromised by hasty deadlines. Government must take time to get this right. What is paramount is the critical importance of closing the industry skills gap. Apprenticeships provide the backbone for a career in engineering for many employees and future employees within the industry and no compromises should be made regarding them. Bsria understands that the CITB has agreed a transition package with firms paying both the CITB levy and the apprenticeship levy next year. Under the plans, employers below the £3m levy-paying threshold will only have to pay 10 per cent contributions towards the cost of training and assessment, meaning most small employers should not end up paying more towards training costs than they currently do. But it is irrelevant that a lot of our members will be not be directly affected since it is the larger companies (with the £3m and higher levy-paying threshold) who are going to have to pay twice. Such companies should also be allowed to lead by example regarding skills, training and industry careers, which this levy will not enable them to do. It is short-sighted of the government.”    Source link

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GDL expands into larger premises

Scottish civil engineering contractor Ground Developments Ltd (GDL) has moved to new premises to accommodate its growth. Above: MD Kevin Mackenzie (left) and founder/chairman Peter Nicholas In tandem with the move comes a new leadership structure that sees Kevin Mackenzie promoted to managing director and founder Peter Nicholas becoming chairman of the business that he set up in 1998. GDL has also set up a piling division, headed up by Stuart Cain. The new 2,800 m2 (30,000 sq ft) facility, just off junction 4A of the M8 near Whitburn, provides better offices and more space to maintain and store GDL’s plant fleet. New managing director Kevin Mackenzie said: “Our new facility gives our team easy access to our clients’ ground improvement projects across Scotland as well as those south of the border, and it signals our further investment and growth for the business which this year has included the expansion of our piling division and significant investment in key plant machinery to give us one of the best capabilities in our sector.” Chairman Peter Nicholas said: “This is an extremely exciting period for GDL as the company continues the evolution of our vision to be market leaders within stabilisation, earthworks and ground improvement sectors. We’ve always aspired to be market leaders, and our operation has grown to become one of the UK’s leading specialist ground engineering businesses.”             Further Images This article was published on 7 Oct 2016 (last updated on 7 Oct 2016). Source link

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£10m secured for innovative housing model

A north east housing provider has secured new funding that will bolster its plans to deliver 1,000 new homes, over the next three years. A £10m loan from Charity Bank – in partnership with Unity Trust Bank – will not only help Prince Bishops Homes deliver much needed high quality properties for rent but will also support its unique ‘Rent to Buy’ initiative, which offers guidance and assistance to enable first time buyers to get onto the housing ladder. The ambitious and exciting build programme will also provide a much needed boost to jobs and apprenticeship opportunities across the North East. Much of this investment will finance work that recently began at Swallowtail Meadows in New Brancepeth, a development which will see 32 three and four bedroomed family homes built in the Durham village. The homes are being built by Swale Valley Construction. Prince Bishops Homes is a subsidiary of Derwentside Homes – a not-for-profit, registered housing provider.  Progressive and driven, the organisation is currently active on 10 sites across the region and has further plans to invest over £100m in to the construction of new homes by 2019, which will help to deliver a further 17 developments across the North East region. Available on all Prince Bishops Homes sites, the innovative Rent to Buy model allows people who have lived in their home for four years, the chance to buy it. In support of this, the tenant can benefit from half of any increase in the home’s value during this period, to be used towards a mortgage deposit. This not only helps first time buyers to obtain a mortgage but prevents people from feeling excluded from the market due to price increases or inflation. The other 50% share – and all operating profits generated by Prince Bishops Homes – are redirected back into building more new properties, including both Rent to Buy plots and affordable homes with no HCA grant funding, via Derwentside Homes. The organisation also offers a range of support mechanisms to assist customers in becoming mortgage ready, with a view to providing those who may think they have no option but to rent, a choice to either buy or remain a tenant. Keith Tallintire, Director of Resources with Derwentside Homes said: “We are delighted to receive the financial support from Charity Bank which will help us to deliver more high quality homes for people in the North East. “Recent figures have shown that home ownership is actually falling nationally but we are proud to be delivering a model that helps and supports people to make that step from tenant to owner.” Charity Bank is an ethical bank that exists to lend to organisations with social purpose. Completely owned by charitable foundations, trusts and social purpose organisations, its mission is to use loan finance to support charities and social enterprises. Jeremy Ince, Regional Manager for Charity Bank, said: “I am delighted that Charity Bank has been able to assist with finance for the Swallowtail Meadows development. It is great to see our loan funding being used to create new and much needed family homes in the area. “Furthermore, future profits generated by the company will be used to support the wider mission of Derwentside Homes to deliver further affordable homes alongside a range of flexible solutions that will help and support people in the North East.” For more information about Prince Bishops Homes, Swallowtail Meadows or other developments in the north east, visit www.princebishopshomes.co.uk.   Source link

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Changing lifestyles of consumers along with growing demand for insulation is expected to drive is expected to drive flooring market growth: Global Market Insights, Inc.

Market Size – $ 241.9 billion in 2014, Market Growth – CAGR of 6.8%, Market Trends –changing consumer preference and replacement demand Flooring market size is forecast to exceed USD 400 billion by 2022, at a growing CAGR of 6.8% from 2015 to 2022, according to a new study base report launched by Global Market Insights Inc. Factors like rapid development in infrastructure, changing lifestyles of consumers, and increasing demand for insulation are anticipated to propel demand growth during the projected time frame. Investment in infrastructure and capital projects is expected to witness a substantial growth in next few years. Furthermore, durable and innovative flooring is expected to fuel the market growth by 2022. Request a Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/122 The report features: Overview of the industry, including definitions and classification A comprehensive assessment of the market Facts, thoughtful insights, industry validated and statistically-supported market data Market segmentation on the basis of product, application, geography and competitive market share Market forecasts and estimates for the predicted time frame In-depth analysis with market trends, key participants, company profiles, business strategies Identifies aspects such as drivers, impediments, opportunities and challenges that will impact the market Flooring forms vital aspect of any residential and commercial structure. Demand for durable, low maintenance, affordable yet visually appealing products has led to innovation in the industry for products that will provide comfort and are value for money. Soft coverings product segment is likely to hit USD 150 billion at a growing CAGR of 6% during the expected time frame owing to multiple benefits offered including noise-reducing effect, dust-binding characteristics, superior insulation, pleasing aesthetics, etc. Resilient flooring market is expected to be the fastest growing product segment from 2015-2022, at a growing CAGR of 7.5% by 2022. View a summary of the “Flooring Market Size, Industry Analysis Report” @ https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/flooring-market-size Residential sector is forecast to continue its dominance in application segments over the predicted period attributed to replacement demand in this sector. Furthermore, commercial segment is expected to surpass USD 170 billion by 2022 over the expected period. The report covers analysis on a regional scale. Asia pacific market size is expected to be the top region and hit 180 billion by 2022. The Chinese commercial and residential construction sector is expected to witness the growth. North America market is expected to be worth USD 69 billion in next few years. Mohawk Industries, Shaw Industries, Interface and Beaulieu of America are the key market participants in the industry profiled in the report. Congoleum, Armstrong World Industries, Interface Inc, Polyfor Ltd, Mannington Mills Inc, and Pergo are some other names in the industry. Browse Related Reports:Air Humidifier Market: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/air-humidifier-market Air compressor market: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/air-compressor-market  Read our insightful industry blogshttps://gminsights.wordpress.com/http://www.fractovia.org/  About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology. Contact Us:Jack Davis Corporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1 888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: https://www.gminsights.comSource: Global Market Insights, Inc. Source link

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Effective team collaboration in construction

Joint ventures (JV) collaboration for construction companies are becoming more common. Bringing two or more companies together – sometimes from different countries with differing cultures, processes and ways of working – offers many benefits. At the same time problems can arise. Both in terms of the set up of the alliance but also with relationships in the team One of the biggest challenges for JV teams is the level of pressure that the team is under, due to the scale of projects they work on. This can drive a high focus on task which often means time spent on team development is difficult to justify. In addition, people working under pressure are much more likely to become defensive and less aware of themselves and others. Add to this the natural inclination for all of us to relate to our “home” team and there are some aspects of human behaviour that need addressing if JV teams are to truly collaborate. Building a collaborative team What makes truly collaborative teams often lies in two very simple but very rare traits. Firstly, the team will have no problem having robust and open conversations. This means that problems are dealt with quickly and effectively and better decisions are made. Secondly, everyone in the team takes accountability and calls out other team members when this isn’t happening. Collaboration in teams works at three levels – attitude, feeling and behaviour. The attitude of every team member lies at the root of a collaborative team. Where there is positive regard for each other, and a belief and confidence in the team, there will be higher levels of trust and “psychological safety”. Rather than feel the need to protect themselves from each other and tread carefully around others, team members will feel “safe” involving themselves in productive debates and conflicts in order to resolve issues. At the feelings level, how people feel about the team and about being in the team will drive openness, collective energy and motivation. Where this is positive, team members will feel that their input is properly considered. They feel comfortable asking for help or admitting mistakes, and energy and commitment to the team will be high. Both the attitude and feeling within the team drives behaviour. At this level, team members work effectively together and also pay attention to the goals of the team rather than focusing on their individual goals or interests. This is Emotional Intelligence. Get individuals and teams working in an emotionally intelligent way and, collaboration and the successful delivery of complex projects will follow. Five key requirements for collaboration success A clear and shared understanding of how collaboration adds value and where it is most important in order to focus effort. Clear values and principles to support the collaboration process. Processes that enable collaboration and are adopted by all key stakeholders. This includes goal setting processes to ensure aligned goals. Open and effective relationships built on attitudes / mindsets that create an authentically collaborative team environment. Individuals with a ‘win-win’ mindset who understand their derailers and defences that can limit collaboration. Individuals with the skills and the knowledge needed to work collaboratively. To find out more about effective individual and team collaboration go to jcaglobal.com/solutions/teams-and-relationships/creating-high-performance-teams/ ARTICLE PRODUCED FOR BDC MAGAZINE BY JILL PENNINGTON AT JCA GLOBAL

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SALZER Receives the German Design Award

SALZER’s high security steel door series S4 convinced a high-profile international jury and received the German Design Award. The award distinguishes innovative products, as well as their manufacturers and designer, which are pioneering in the German and international design world. Günter Ludwig, who is responsible for the development and production of the door, explained that the steel door is a flexible modular construction system that can offer the varying protection levels requested by the clients and, at the same time, fulfilling esthetical requirements. Some of the design possibilities include the use of large glazing, variations of orientation and sizes, as well as an unlimited prospect for surface finishes and individual hardware solutions. In addition, each door is custom made according to the customer’s security and design requirements. The goal is to offer ‘invisible security’, which has been achieved by SALZER with the achievement of the German Design Award. The steel door has been tested and certified at independent international test institutes in accordance to the European Standards to the highest levels of resistance: Forced Entry (up to RC6), bullet resistance (up to FB7 NS), explosion resistance (up to EXR5), fire resistance (up to T90 and BS 476 120 minutes) smoke resistance (RS-1 and RS-2). SALZER has been manufacturing and delivering custom made doors, windows, facades, barriers and guard houses in various different security resistance classes for more than 40 years in over 90 countries around the world. The services it offers also include installation and maintenance.

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