Millboard®, the leading manufacturer of premium wood-free outdoor flooring announces that it has been awarded ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certificates. Millboard has achieved the internationally recognised ISO 9001, ISO 14001 & OHSAS 18001. 23rd June 2016 – Millboard®, the leading manufacturer of premium wood-free outdoor flooring announces
The extension of the TransPennine electrification scheme, the upgrading of the area’s strategic road network and the building of a new road crossing across the River Tees were all put forward in the 90-page report unveiled yesterday by the former Conservative deputy prime minister. A multi-million-pound redevelopment of Darlington station was
15 April 2016 | Jamie Harris Edinburgh City Council has announced that early findings of building surveys shows “evidence of faults across all 17 affected schools” to varying degrees after safety issues forced their closure last week. In a statement, council leader Andrew Burns said: “[On Wednesday evening] the council
22 April 2016 | Jamie Harris Entries to this year’s BIFM Awards are to close in five weeks. This year there will be 14 categories to identify facilities management individuals, teams and organisations across the three central groups of ‘people’, ‘innovation’ and ‘impact’. Entries for each category will close on Friday
Buyer demand rises for the first time in seven months The latest report from RICS has found that new buyer enquiries increased for the first time since February, albeit the pick-up was only modest. According to RICS, new instructions to sell slipped further, with the lack of supply firmly underpinning
8 August 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal Servest Group is to provide security services for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for the next three years, with a possible two-year extension. The FCO, a ministerial department supported by 10 agencies and public bodies, promotes the
A young house building site manager for well-established civil engineering and building firm, Britcon, has scooped a top national award at “The Bricks”, the prestigious LABC Warranty event celebrating the very best businesses and individuals in the UK housebuilding industry. At the tender age of just 22 Declan Hunt is
A record number of independent merchants are set to take part in the National Buying Group’s annual conference in Liverpool next month. NBG partners, suppliers and special guests will take part in two days of networking, fundraising and celebrations in the sold-out event at Albert Docks on 12-14 November. The
Ian Smallman has been named as the third former colleague to join Principle Estate Management in Birmingham. He joins Principle founder Brett Williams and fellow director Joe Jobson who joined in the summer, and has been appointed as a board level director at the managing agent which opened for business
There are only a few weeks left for architects and specifiers to make their nominations for the internationally recognised biennial GAI/RIBA Architectural Ironmongery Specification Awards. Organised by the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) in conjunction with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the awards are designed to identify and
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Millboard®, the leading manufacturer of premium wood-free outdoor flooring announces that it has been awarded ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certificates. Millboard has achieved the internationally recognised ISO 9001, ISO 14001 & OHSAS 18001. 23rd June 2016 – Millboard®, the leading manufacturer of premium wood-free outdoor flooring announces that it has been awarded ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certificates. This follows independent audits of their quality management systems, environmental policies and occupational health and safety management systems carried out by Alcumas ISOQAR a certification body accredited by The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). Millboard is now part of an elite group of organisations in the forefront of certifying to this international standard. ISO 9001 requires Millboard to have a quality management system in place to ensure consistency and improvement; leading to high levels of performance and customer satisfaction. ISO 14001 requires Millboard to have an environmental policy and action plan to manage their impact on their environment. OHSAS 18001 recognises that Millboard assesses risk and implements an effective occupational health and safety management system to promote a safe and healthy working environment. Paul Boylin, Millboard Marketing Manager said: “We are proud of these recent accolades which are testament to the exacting standards that we uphold at Millboard. This is of paramount importance both to our staff and to our customers. Attaining these accreditations is a fantastic achievement for Millboard and shows our continued commitment to quality, environmental and health and safety best-practice.” As a certified organisation, Millboard is committed to continuous improvement and will be assessed annually to ensure progress is being maintained. ENDS. About Millboard The Millboard Company Ltd is the leading manufacturer of premium wood-free outdoor flooring. The company employs over 100 people based in Warwickshire and proudly designs and manufactures in Great Britain.Recognised as the leading brand for wood-free alternatives in the UK, Millboard is a unique, wood-free alternative to composite and timber decking manufactured from a unique polyurethane resin blend. The product range consists of handcrafted Enhanced Grain collection moulded from smooth timber for a textured appearance and a Weathered Oak collection moulded from 100 year-old reclaimed timber. Anti slip, maintenance free and UV stable, moulded from carefully selected timbers and hand-coloured, Millboard is as beautiful as hardwood yet designed to outsmart it. Therefore Millboard is able to recreate a product that combines the beauty of real timber with the high performance of a unique wood-free material. In 2015 The Millboard Company Ltd was awarded the accolade of one of the best 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain by the London Stock Exchange. www.millboard.co.uk Press enquiries to:SMPR – The Wolston Priory, Priory Road, Wolston (nr. Rugby), Warwickshire, CV8 3FXTel: 02476 546150Mob: 07715 174 911Email: nicky@simplymarcomms.co.uk Hi-resolution imagery is available on request. Interviews can be arranged by prior appointment. Source link
The extension of the TransPennine electrification scheme, the upgrading of the area’s strategic road network and the building of a new road crossing across the River Tees were all put forward in the 90-page report unveiled yesterday by the former Conservative deputy prime minister. A multi-million-pound redevelopment of Darlington station was cited as crucial to regenerating the area. In November 2015, Lord Heseltine was given the role as chair of the Tees Valley Inward Investment Initiative, a team tasked with driving investment into the Tees Valley area following the closure of SSI’s Redcar plant. The closure of the SSI steelworks saw more than 2,200 jobs lost, and these were accompanied with significant job losses at the Boultby potash mine and the Air Products energy-from-waste plant. Lord Heseltine said he saw transport as one of the key ways of bringing money into the region and said there had been a “lack of major investment in the strategic road and rail networks” when compared with other regions of the country. He called on the government to “seriously investigate” extending the current TransPennine electrification programme to include rail lines between Northallerton and Teesport. Network Rail and Transport for the North should commit to the redevelopment of Darlington station in Control Period 6 between 2019 and 2024, he added. Lord Heseltine also called for a review of the area’s strategic road network. This should include looking into improvements in east-west connectivity on the A66 and the building of a new crossing as part of Highways England’s existing A19 Norton-Wynward road-widening scheme. Energy projects were highlighted in the report for their capacity to create new jobs. Lord Heseltine called on the government to set out its new approach to carbon capture storage following its decision to scrap the £1bn CCS commercialisation competition last November and to see whether a support mechanism could be put in place to support the technology’s development in the area. The report added that Hartlepool Council should press ahead with feasibility work looking into a site in Hartlepool as the site of the country’s first ever small modular reactor plant. Source link
15 April 2016 | Jamie Harris Edinburgh City Council has announced that early findings of building surveys shows “evidence of faults across all 17 affected schools” to varying degrees after safety issues forced their closure last week. In a statement, council leader Andrew Burns said: “[On Wednesday evening] the council received early indications that suggest evidence of faults across all 17 affected schools to a varying extent. At the moment it is too early to say what the impact will be, as full survey results from Edinburgh Schools Partnership have not been yet been received. Some faults may be easy to fix and may not present a major problem while others could be longer term.” He added: “What is certain is that we won’t take risks with the safety of our schools’ children, and schools won’t reopen until Edinburgh Schools Partnership can assure us of their safety. As part of the contract, Edinburgh Schools Partnership own, maintain and assure the safety of the affected buildings.” Amey, which is the FM provider across the Edinburgh Schools Partnership schools portfolio, announced earlier this week that it is working with the Edinburgh Schools Partnership (ESP) to identify and help with additional repairs to allow 17 schools in the city to be reopened after safety issues. The chief executive of the City of Edinburgh Council and senior education officials met directors of ESP after the collapse of a wall at a local primary led to the closure of 17 schools in the area. House builder Galliford Try has said it takes contractual responsibility for only four of the 17 Edinburgh schools affected by closure. Galliford acquired Miller Construction, which primarily designed and built the schools in question, in 2014. The schools, built under a £360 million deal by a consortium called the ESP, were completed in 2005. The consortium also included the Bank of Scotland. Source link
22 April 2016 | Jamie Harris Entries to this year’s BIFM Awards are to close in five weeks. This year there will be 14 categories to identify facilities management individuals, teams and organisations across the three central groups of ‘people’, ‘innovation’ and ‘impact’. Entries for each category will close on Friday 27 May, with the exception for nominations for the Lifetime Achievement Award, which closes on 29 July. Notable developments for the 2016 awards include a new category to reflect FM’s importance in organisational success, through the Impact on Organisational Performance award. This new category is searching for FM innovators who can clearly demonstrate how the FM function, provision, or process change has made a significant contribution to the top level performance metrics of the organisation. In the ‘People’ categories, a full review and refresh has taken place on the individual categories. Two new categories have been introduced in Leader of the Year and Manager of the Year and the Rising Talent category has been updated to become Newcomer of the Year. The inaugural Manager of the Year will be an experienced FM exponent who is responsible for managing others and steering them to success. The Leader of the Year will be an ambassador for the FM profession with notable career successes which are acknowledged by peers. Newcomer of the Year is open to professionals of any age who have joined the FM profession within the last three years and made a substantial impact and quick progression within that time. Chair of the Judges, Steve Gladwin said: “This is now my third year as chair of the judges, and although the BIFM Awards ceremony is just one evening, the full awards cycle is an ongoing process. “We started planning for the 2016 last year, ensuring that the categories and awards for 2016 remain reflective of the FM sector and profession but also challenges and leads the profession forward.” He added: “As such, the new Impact on Organisational Performance category is a real statement award, ultimately this is what we are all employed for, and what success in all the other categories should ultimately be working towards and contributing to – improving the performance of the organisations we work for.” For more information on this year’s awards, and how to enter, visit www.bifmawards.org. You can read about last year’s winners here. Individuals who wish to speak to a lead judge, or who would like assistance with their entry can email awards@bifm.org.uk or call 01279 712 640. Source link
Buyer demand rises for the first time in seven months The latest report from RICS has found that new buyer enquiries increased for the first time since February, albeit the pick-up was only modest. According to RICS, new instructions to sell slipped further, with the lack of supply firmly underpinning prices at the headline level. What’s more, price expectations rose at the three and twelve month horizons, although both indicators remain softer when compared to the start of the year. The national price indicator crept higher in the latest results, with a net balance of +17% of respondents noting an increase in prices (up from +13% in August). This measure has now risen in two consecutive reports having moderated for five months in a row between February and July. The regional breakdown shows prices continue to fall in Central London and the North East, although the pace of decline eased noticeably across the latter. Elsewhere, most other parts of the UK saw prices climb higher over the month. Looking ahead, near term price expectations continued to recover gradually at the headline level, with the national series posting the strongest net balance since March. Conversely, three month price expectations slipped back into negative territory across London, after registering a broadly neutral reading in the previous report. Anecdotal evidence suggests that uncertainty following the EU vote, along with Stamp Duty changes, are both continuing to adversely impact the top end of the market in particular. At the twelve month horizon, the net balance data shows prices in the capital are expected to see little change, making London the only area in which prices are not projected to rise over the year ahead (this again largely reflects the picture in central areas and the higher end of the market). Back at the headline level, new buyer enquiries increased for the first time in seven months, with a net balance of +8% more respondents reporting a pick-up in demand (rather than a decrease). This measure improved from -5% (revised from an initial figure of -7%) previously and has shown a significant turnaround relative to June, when a balance of -34% was posted. Nevertheless, the headline figure masks considerable variation across the UK, with some agents seeing a more stable trend in demand emerging as opposed to any recovery just yet. Alongside this, new sales instructions fell once more, marking the seventh straight month in which new listings have declined. In fact, with the exception of a few months around the turn of the year, the flow of new stock coming to market has dwindled continuously over the past two years. As such, average stock levels on estate agents books remain exceptionally low. Consequently, the imbalance between marginally increasing demand and a real lack of supply is firmly underpinning prices. In addition, the lack of choice for would-be purchasers also appears to be restricting overall sales market activity. Indeed, nationally, agreed sales were broadly unchanged for a second month running having declined sharply from May through to July. The regional picture remains mixed however, as transactions rose in six of the twelve regions/countries covered in the survey and fell across the remainder. Going forward, respondents’ optimism towards the sales outlook improved, with growth expected across most parts of the UK over the next three months. Further out, over the next twelve months, contributors are projecting sales to pick-up firmly in all areas. On a UK-wide basis, a majority of 59% of respondents feel house prices are around fair value at present, although 37% do feel their local market is overpriced to some extent. The regional breakdown shows over 60% of contributors in both the South East and London sense house prices to be above fair value currently. Within this, over 20% of London respondents feel prices are ‘very expensive’ relative to fundamentals. Nevertheless, this proportion has remained broadly stable over the past six months. Northern Ireland (89%), along with Scotland (83%), currently exhibit the highest share of contributors who deem residential property in their local market to offer good value. In the lettings sector, tenant demand increased firmly during September (non-seasonally adjusted figures), with the reading signalling the strongest rate of growth in twelve months. Landlord instructions were more or less unchanged at the headline level, but did increase notably in London and Wales. London remains the only area in which rents are expected to come under pressure in the near term, while virtually all other areas are anticipated to chalk up solid gains. Andy Sommerville, Director of Search Acumen, comments: “Residential market sentiments this September show that house prices across Britain have risen for the second month in a row and the storm in the housing market is settling. Enquiries from buyers have picked up for the first time since February, representing an increase in national demand as confidence seemingly grows. In addition, when looking ahead we see that house price expectations for the three and twelve month horizons have received a new lease of life after a post-Brexit chill.” Despite a broadly positive outlook on a national level, continually falling prices in the capital reflect the uncertainty in our capital’s financial services industry since the referendum. Expectations of a pick-up in inflation due to the recent blows to the pound will not help the unaffordability of homes in the city whilst RICS forecast further drops in supply.” Looking forward to the Autumn Statement, the property sector anticipates the announcement of measures to boost home-building in Phillip Hammond’s first Budget statement. Tackling the growing gap between housing supply and demand will protect our market and allow ‘business as usual’ whilst we await more clarity on our relationship with a fragmented European Union.” Join our mailing list: Source link
8 August 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal Servest Group is to provide security services for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for the next three years, with a possible two-year extension. The FCO, a ministerial department supported by 10 agencies and public bodies, promotes the UK’s interests overseas, supporting British citizens and businesses around the globe. More than 130 members of the Servest team will provide manned guarding and reception services across six properties in London and Milton Keynes. Servest will also be required to facilitate ad hoc event support. The FM provider secured the contract under a tender process through the Government Crown Commercial Service (CCS) framework. Rob Legge, Servest’s CEO UK and Europe, said: “This is a hugely prestigious contract, not only for the security division, but also for the group in general. It means we will be looking after one of the most high-profile and secure sites in the country.” Source link
A young house building site manager for well-established civil engineering and building firm, Britcon, has scooped a top national award at “The Bricks”, the prestigious LABC Warranty event celebrating the very best businesses and individuals in the UK housebuilding industry. At the tender age of just 22 Declan Hunt is already overseeing the construction and delivery of 68 new family houses for H.G. Homes at Yaddlethorpe Grange, Scunthorpe. This becomes even more remarkable when you consider this being H.G. Homes’ first venture into the world of residential development. Declan was nominated for “The Bricks” and more particularly the “Rising Star” award by his work colleagues and the regional warranty inspector. They described Declan as ‘a most caring and conscientious employee who has gained the respect of his peers, contractors and new home purchasers.’ Keen to expand his knowledge and gain experience Declan “juggles” quality house building with his part time degree studies at Sheffield Hallam University where he is due to qualify during 2019. “The Bricks” is a top industry event hosted by LABC Warranty at a glittering annual ceremony in London and recognises the exceptional work of developers, builders, contractors and individuals who go the extra mile to deliver the highest quality and standards in house building. Working alongside Local Authority Building Control and the housebuilders, LABC Warranty provide full warranties across this industry, with over 3,000 developments or individuals being eligible at the start of the nomination process. On winning the award Declan said, “Not only am I extremely proud to have won the ‘Rising Star’ trophy, I feel humbled that my colleagues recognised this and put me forward for such a prestigious award. This is a fantastic way to “kick” off my career in the housebuilding industry. “Since being very young I have always wanted to be involved in house building and I hope that my dedication and commitment is reflected in the very high-quality standards we aim to achieve on the builds and with customer care. To be recognised for my work within the Hunt family business makes it even more rewarding.” Declan Hunt is employed by Britcon which is a subsidiary of the Hunt Group business. Established for almost 30 years, Britcon is now a £45 million turnover business headquartered in Scunthorpe directly employing 110 people on its many project sites across the UK. Britcon’s Managing Director, Paul Clarkson said, “We are very proud that Declan has won this prestigious UK industry award. It is fantastic achievement for Declan given that he’s been in our industry for less than 5 years. As a business we are committed to support and recognise our talented individuals at every opportunity. The fact that he’s a Hunt family member makes it even more special and truly reflects the continuing family ethos and values running through our business today”. Hunt Group CEO and Declan’s Dad, Shaun Hunt, added, “I’m very proud of Declan’s achievements to date and the maturity he displays for such a young man. He’s certainly striving forward in our new business venture and it’s most pleasing to see this being supported by his peers and already recognised by industry professionals. I, the wider family and all those within the Group businesses wish him every success and all the very best in the future”. @Britcon_Limited https://www.britcon.co.uk/
A record number of independent merchants are set to take part in the National Buying Group’s annual conference in Liverpool next month. NBG partners, suppliers and special guests will take part in two days of networking, fundraising and celebrations in the sold-out event at Albert Docks on 12-14 November. The conference marks the organisation’s 15th anniversary and this year’s theme, Building Stronger Brands, will highlight NBG’s focus on creating lasting relationships throughout the industry. Delegates will have access to an exhibition hosting 165 supplier stands, live demonstrations and the launch of new products. Also taking place will be the Annual General Meeting and Supplier Summit, where keynote speakers will take to the stage and NBG will be making announcements. The gala dinner will see the announcement of the annual NBG Supplier Award winners. Categories include everything from Brand and Account Manager of the Year to awards for each of NBG’s Category Management Teams. This year’s conference will support two great causes, with donations being split between construction industry charity The Rainy-Day Trust and Alder Hey Children’s Charity. The Rainy-Day Trust has been providing support for 175 years through financial assistance, training and counselling for those in the industry. Alder Hey Children’s Hospital care for more than 275,000 patients and their families each year. As a new initiative this year, for every £10,000 of orders placed, NBG will also add £5 to the charity pot, a donation that will be matched by suppliers attending the conference. Fundraising will kick-off with the annual charity football match where partners and suppliers will go head to head. NBG Managing Director Nick Oates said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming all our partners, suppliers and special guests to the conference once again. It promises to be a fantastic two days, especially with the surprises we have up our sleeve. “We’re especially excited for the charity football match. Last year’s final ended in a draw, so it will be interesting to see who will take the glory this year. “Of course, the main thing is that we’re supporting two fantastic charities that are close to our hearts, so we hope everyone will give generously.”
Ian Smallman has been named as the third former colleague to join Principle Estate Management in Birmingham. He joins Principle founder Brett Williams and fellow director Joe Jobson who joined in the summer, and has been appointed as a board level director at the managing agent which opened for business in Spring 2018. He will focus on the operations side for Principle’s growing client list of residential and mixed use property investors. All three directors were formerly in the residential estate management division of CPBigwood. Mr Smallman has specialised in private sector residential service charge management, ground rent collection and portfolio management nationally for nearly 30 years. Brett Williams said: “Ian is a senior figure in the property management industry and is well known and well respected in the sector. “I recruited him previously to head our property management operations and I am delighted to be able to do so again. Ian has a wealth of experience and will be a major asset to the business. “He strengthens our team and will be integral to our future progress.” His appointment comes as Principle approaches 1,000 units under management in just six months since the firm opened for business. Mr Williams said: “With the number of instructions already secured in less than six months, we are delighted with the positive feedback we are receiving and our growing pipeline of instructions from clients who want a managing agent they can trust and rely on. “Our portfolio now stretches from Blackpool through Bristol to Portsmouth, across to Crawley to Basildon, and up to Peterborough and Manchester. We are also acting for a growing number of properties in London.” Ian Smallman said: “This is a new challenge in a sector I know very well. It is important for me to be working within an organisation where the core values of integrity, transparency, professionalism, honesty and responsiveness are not just words on a strapline but embraced by all who work with the organisation. “I have worked with Brett and Joe previously and I am looking forward to playing my part in driving the business forward.” Ian Smallman is actively involved in the Institute of Residential Property Managers and sits on the Leasehold Working Group.
There are only a few weeks left for architects and specifiers to make their nominations for the internationally recognised biennial GAI/RIBA Architectural Ironmongery Specification Awards. Organised by the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) in conjunction with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the awards are designed to identify and reward excellence in the specification of architectural ironmongery. For the 2018/19 awards, projects can be nominated for a ‘Best new product: design and innovation’ category. This award has been created to showcase new ironmongery products, as well as the advancing technologies used within the door and window hardware industry. This category will celebrate products that have been created using new methods of manufacture, or that display new design concepts or originality of thought. This category is not limited to mechanical products. New innovations or technologies in access control, door automation or any field allied to architectural ironmongery could also be submitted. In addition to this new award, projects can be nominated for the following categories: residential; commercial and hospitality buildings; public health and education buildings, and international projects outside the UK and Ireland. Architects, specifiers, building contractors, clients and their architectural ironmongery advisers and suppliers across the world can nominate projects for the 2018/19 awards until Friday 16 November 2018. The projects or products must be either completed or released onto the market between 1 October 2016 and 30 September 2018 to be eligible for entry. “The Specification Awards are unique because they reward the whole specification team. The outstanding design and high quality finishes of the projects nominated highlights the importance of the professional partnership between architects and architectural ironmongers,” said David Stacey, president of the GAI. “We hope the addition of the ‘Best new product: design and innovation’ category will reveal some really interesting products with pioneering ways of using materials to create a new solution or a new design,” he added. For each category there will be a winner, second and third place. The judges will also decide on an overall ‘winner of winners’. At the 2017/18 Specification Awards, this accolade went to Kings Gate, a residential project by architectural ironmongers izé and architect Lynch Architects. A brochure featuring the 2017/18 winning projects can be downloaded from the GAI website. There is no limit on the number of entries to the 2018/19 awards. The first entry from GAI or RIBA members is free of charge.
