GuestReady, a global short-term rental company, has acquired BnbLord, the largest Airbnb management company in France, to form the GuestReady Group. The combined company will be the leading provider in Europe managing more than 2,000 properties with a wide range of services to property owners, agents, and developers. GuestReady has
The joint venture between Arup and Costain has secured a £2 million Yorkshire Water contract under a Health & Safety Assurance consultancy framework. Together they will deliver the work across a four-year contract as part of the utility’s AMP7 capital investment programme, which aims to facilitate the delivery of resilient assets
For bettering your business, you have to focus on each aspect regardless of how small it may seem. This applies to all kind of companies and furniture is not an exception. You probably think that provided you are waking up early, heading to your workshop and having as many pieces
The modern building techniques of a leading civil engineering firm are set to be part of one of the UK’s most innovative house building projects. With demand for homes outstripping supply in the UK, experts have praised the possibilities that factory-built modular housing could deliver for the UK’s housing needs.
On 26 February 2019, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Working at Height launched its landmark report, Staying Alive: Preventing Serious Injury and Fatalities while Working at Height. The report, 12 months in the making, explores why 18 per cent of people who die at work do so as a result
GuestReady, a global short-term rental company, has acquired BnbLord, the largest Airbnb management company in France, to form the GuestReady Group. The combined company will be the leading provider in Europe managing more than 2,000 properties with a wide range of services to property owners, agents, and developers. GuestReady has been setting an unprecedented pace in the property management industry quickly rising to the top in the complex area of short-term rental management. Since its launch in the summer of 2016, GuestReady acquired three competitors with BnbLord marking the last and largest acquisition to date. Founded in 2015, BnbLord operates across several cities in Europe with a dominant presence in France and Portugal. Last year the company generated more than EUR 10M in revenue for its clients. This acquisition follows the deals announced by GuestReady last December when the company acquired Oporto City Flats, the leading short-term rental operator in Northern Portugal, and took over the management of the portfolio of French Airbnb manager We Stay In Paris. Switzerland-based GuestReady Group now serves more than 2,000 properties through its brands GuestReady, BnbLord, Oporto City Flats, and Easy Rental Services. The offered services include everything that is required to turn a vacant home into a thriving listing on Airbnb, online and offline. Since this year, GuestReady is also offering business-to-business services to property developers and property agents, allowing them to tap into this fast-growing market. “We are extremely excited about this acquisition because it allows GuestReady to propel forward and become the largest service provider in the vacation rental industry. Since we started, we have been very focused on operational excellence and building a property technology system that allows us to automate non-core processes. We can run our large portfolio of properties efficiently thanks to a sophisticated tech platform that we have built in-house over the past years. Without much additional added complexity we can scale our portfolio multi-fold over the coming years,” said Alexander Limpert, Co-founder & CEO of the GuestReady Group. The whole team of BnbLord will join the GuestReady Group and all jobs will be maintained, with the founding team of BnbLord taking senior management positions at the GuestReady Group. “We have been friendly competitors of GuestReady for the past couple of years and we are excited to now join forces. The industry is maturing quickly and we are happy to become part of the technology leader in this space. With our shared experience we will be able to further accelerate growth,” said Léo Bonnet, Co-Founder & CEO of BnbLord.
The joint venture between Arup and Costain has secured a £2 million Yorkshire Water contract under a Health & Safety Assurance consultancy framework. Together they will deliver the work across a four-year contract as part of the utility’s AMP7 capital investment programme, which aims to facilitate the delivery of resilient assets and drive exceptional service for the company’s customers. “UK water companies are facing significant challenges in AMP7 around affordability, operational resilience and increasing expectations from regulators, stakeholders and customers. The Costain-Arup partnership is committed to supporting Yorkshire Water and its supply chain in providing exceptional service for its customers by assuring the delivery of safe, reliable and resilient assets,” said Mark Fletcher, Arup Global Water Business Leader. Under the contract, the JV will provide expertise in CDM (Construction, Design and Management) regulation compliance, design phase process and construction site safety to help Yorkshire Water address key affordability challenges in the efficient delivery of its AMP7 investment programme. “Following a twelve-month selection process, we are delighted to be working with Costain and Arup on our new Assurance Framework. The framework supports our enhanced assurance approach which is aimed at providing specialist, targeted assurance to meet the challenging needs of AMP7,” said Paul Robins, Continuous Improvement Manager at Yorkshire Water. “Costain and Arup bring a range of specialists to support our Health and Safety assurance needs, promoting collaborative working, innovation and continual improvement within the Yorkshire Water supply chain,” Paul concluded.
For bettering your business, you have to focus on each aspect regardless of how small it may seem. This applies to all kind of companies and furniture is not an exception. You probably think that provided you are waking up early, heading to your workshop and having as many pieces completed in a day, you are good to go. Have you thought about cleanliness? Nothing beats the power of a clean working environment. It is beneficial to both your employees and incoming customers. There are some great vacuums on the market these days, ones that are prefect for office use, check out these recommendations from SpotlessVacuum.co.uk The furniture industry involves lots of dust which can be hard to handle especially if you lack the necessary equipment for the job. Luckily with dust extractors, you are good to go. A clean and dust free environment will not only attract people to your space, but also, it enhances the overall efficiency and productivity of your employees. It minimizes the risks for falling sick and in return reduces absenteeism. You should, however, note that with the numerous vacuum systems in the market, you should take your time to select the system that fits your business. How do you that? Here are some crucial aspects to consider when getting a dust extraction system to ensure that you find one that suits your needs. What are your dust control needs? Every dust extraction situation is different. In your case, you will be collecting wood chips, and it is, therefore, essential that you understand the dust and the process of creating it. This can help you determine how much air volume is required to control and capture the produced dust. For example, is the dust generated continuously or is it only present under upset conditions? How many hours per day do you run the process associated with dust production? Considering these aspects will help you determine the capacity of the vacuum system required to control the dust fully Consider convenience The primary goal of getting the extractor is so it can help you eliminate the dust chops faster and more conveniently. You do not want to work with something that only makes the experience harder and enables you to save no time. The right vacuum system will integrate each component to make it super operational meaning that it is self-contained and with only one command, you are good to go. Get a system that can conveniently help you eliminate all the dust as you work on maximizing your productivity. Check the safety measures Machines can be complicated. Being a carpenter, you may not understand a lot regarding such equipment such as dust extraction system. Ensure that what you choose is easy to use and has not safety complications. You do not want to put your workplace at risk. Remember that you will be having workers and customers coming in time to time, and the last thing you want are accidents as that will lead to further unplanned expenses. Cost The cost will always be a factor to consider when getting any items. Get a system that you can comfortably afford. Furniture business will involve a considerable running capital and if you can minimize such costs by getting a reasonably affordable vacuum system for the furniture industry, the better. With these factors in mind, you will undoubtedly get a system that perfectly works for you, and you can be assured of a convenient working environment which will in return increase production and sales.
The modern building techniques of a leading civil engineering firm are set to be part of one of the UK’s most innovative house building projects. With demand for homes outstripping supply in the UK, experts have praised the possibilities that factory-built modular housing could deliver for the UK’s housing needs. Home Group, one of the UK’s largest providers of high quality housing, health and social care, has set up Gateshead Innovation Village, a truly unique project to assess the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of modern methods of construction (MMC). Home Group is working with five MMC manufacturers to develop 35 modular houses and panelised houses as well as six traditional, brick and mortar homes, which will be assessed by specialists for a range of issues over a year long period. Seymour Civil Engineering is contracted by leading regeneration specialist, ENGIE who is delivering the project on behalf of Group, to look after the roads, sewers and foundations at the site. The Hartlepool-based civil engineering firm has been laying the foundations at the site and is also responsible for the internal and external drainage, services and hard landscaping. Thomas Brown, Seymour Civil Engineering Site Manager, said: “This is the first time we have worked in this way – and it is so interesting to watch the process. The main difference is the way we lay the foundations. “With traditional construction, perimeter walls and load-bearing walls need deep foundations – and therefore deep excavation – to support the load of the structure. “However, the modular homes require shallow excavation with concrete and blockwork plinths as the weight of the property is spread across the site.” Due to the current housing shortage, the UK needs to build between 240,000 and 300,000 new homes annually. The industry is currently building around 190,000 houses per year due to the cost of building homes and declining number of skilled workers. Thomas added: “The time taken to erect a modular house is a fraction of the time it takes to construct a traditional build. “Myself and the team have found this project fascinating and amazing to watch the homes as they are erected and complete in such a small space of time. “We’re all very proud to be part of this fantastic project.” He added: “I’m 100% certain that this is the future of housebuilding in this country.” Stuart Dickens, Seymour Civil Engineering Construction Director, said: “Seymour is always keen to take on board projects where the expertise and skills of our engineers will be utilised in new and innovative ways. “We feel that Gateshead Innovation Village does just that as well as giving us all the opportunity to be involved within the future of the house building sector. “It’s exciting to be involved and we look forward to seeing the first residents move into their pioneering properties.” Seymour Civil Engineering started on the project in June last year and the development is due for completion in May. The properties are manufactured in a state-of-the-art factory using the latest technologies and they will boast features such as smart controlled solar panel systems. Once the village is built householders will share their experiences of the housing type and technology.
On 26 February 2019, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Working at Height launched its landmark report, Staying Alive: Preventing Serious Injury and Fatalities while Working at Height. The report, 12 months in the making, explores why 18 per cent of people who die at work do so as a result of a fall from height. Tim Bissett, Technical Manager for Fall Protection at MSA Safety shares his thoughts on the APPG’s suggestions for keeping the 10 million people in the UK that work at height safe. MSA Safety is a global designer, manufacturer and distributor of industry-leading safety products. The APPG for Working at Height was established in October 2017 with the purpose of enabling politicians and industry stakeholders to come together and investigate the reasons for falls from height. The need for this group is stark. Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities – 28% of workplace fatalities from 2017-2018 were attributed to falls from height. Digging deeper, between 2013/14 and 2017/18, falls from a height accounted for more than a quarter of all fatal injuries to workers. That’s an average of 37 deaths a year. I wholeheartedly echo comments from Alison Thewliss, Chair of the APPG on Working at Height: “These figures are too high. There should be no question or doubt over workers’ ability to return home safely to their families each evening.” Working at Height Recommendations After a year-long investigation, the APPG has developed a set of recommendations that could lead to significant improvements in the work at height sector. It’s now essential that the government take up those recommendations and implements them. That is the key next step. The recommendations include: Introduce an enhanced reporting system through RIDDOR, which, at a minimum, records the scale of a fall, the method used, and the circumstances of the fall. Appoint an independent body that allows confidential, enhanced, and digital reporting of all near misses and accidents that do not qualify for RIDDOR reporting. Share the data collected by this independent body with government and industry to inform health and safety policy. Extend the “Working Well Together – Working Well at Height” safety campaigns to industries outside of the construction sector. Introduce an equivalent system to Scotland’s Fatal Accident Inquiry process that would be extended to the rest of the UK. Each of these recommendations would be advantageous and support the existing work at height regulations. Currently, as Ms. Thewliss states in the report, there’s a real lack of empirical data and this is preventing the industry from understanding the root causes of falls from height. Recording and learning from each and every fall from height is not only fundamental to preventing mistakes from reoccurring, but a vital driver of the safety culture that the industry needs to foster. The Effects of Brexit The report also discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with Brexit – and how that might influence Health and Safety regulations moving forward. In my opinion, preventing fatalities in the workplace transcends politics and, quite rightly, the APPG is calling on the government to ensure that worker safety will not be compromised as a result of Brexit. Indeed, 97% of businesses surveyed by manufacturers’ association EEF, stated that they want no immediate change in regulations post-Brexit. Just over half of those surveyed were in favour of a review in the future. Regardless of the outcome of Brexit, I agree with the report when it calls on the government “to ensure that no individual working at height will be any less safe as a result of Brexit.” Training and Education Preparation is key when it comes to working at height and quite rightly the report strongly advocates greater training and education. Too often, in my opinion, the full benefit of quality fall protection training is overlooked. Greater confidence, for instance, is an invaluable by-product of quality training. The confidence to accurately assess potential risk and make the right safety decisions at the right time cannot be underestimated. It’s also pleasing to see that the report gives so much weight to the use of virtual and augmented reality in training. This is something that my own company, MSA Safety, has pioneered and I have seen first-hand the benefits it offers. The ability to familiarise trainees with potentially perilous situations from the safety of an office and then harness that experience in the training process is invaluable. Choosing the right, quality equipment for the job is also a vital part of the preparation process and the report rightly refers to the important role that safety equipment manufacturers play in reducing injury and fatality rates. The ability of safety manufacturers to provide good quality products, to innovate, and to help solve customer needs or requirements is undoubtedly important. Unfortunately, however, it can count for little if those responsible for specifying fall protection equipment aren’t prepared to take due care and attention in choosing quality products tailored to their unique needs. Not all fall protection equipment is made equal. Do your research and make the right decision. Lives depend on it. Further Consultation from the APPG In addition to the recommendations listed in the Working at Height report, the APPG also identified further opportunities for consultation, one of which was a major review of work at height culture. The UK is consistently ranked as one of the best-performing nations in terms of safety, but while people continue to die as a result of falls from height, there will always be more work to do. As such, I would support any investigation into the suitability of legally binding financial penalties in health and safety, especially if it released additional funds for raising awareness and providing greater training and education around working at height. Hopeful for the Future The UK has made significant progress since the introduction of the Work at Height Regulations of 2005 and if the recommendations from the ‘Staying Alive’ report are implemented, I’m confident that progress should continue to trend
