September 2, 2019

Mainstay Group continues growth with portfolio acquisition

Mainstay Group has announced the acquisition of a national property management portfolio, spanning London, Nottingham and Wallasey. The portfolio, formerly managed by Keith Perry Chartered Surveyors, officially transitioned to Mainstay on 1 July 2019 and will continue to be overseen jointly by Mainstay and Keith for the next 12 months.

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Clark-Drain introduces Technodrain into UK construction

Clark-Drain Ltd unveils Technodrain®, a new addition to its popular linear drainage range that broadens the choice for UK construction. Designed for surface water management, the versatility of Technodrain® enables it to be used across all construction environments as a light, robust, technical solution for run-off surface design.     Made

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Fiberglass Conduit Vs. PVC: Which Do You Choose?

Conduit systems have many applications but are extremely common in telecommunications utilities and the power supply market. PVC-coated steel conduit is often used. However, an increasing number of businesses are realizing that fiberglass conduit systems offer more advantages than PVC. When compared side by side, fiberglass conduit is superior to

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Latest Issue

BDC 321 : Oct 2024

September 2, 2019

Mainstay Group continues growth with portfolio acquisition

Mainstay Group has announced the acquisition of a national property management portfolio, spanning London, Nottingham and Wallasey. The portfolio, formerly managed by Keith Perry Chartered Surveyors, officially transitioned to Mainstay on 1 July 2019 and will continue to be overseen jointly by Mainstay and Keith for the next 12 months. It comprises substantial apartment blocks in Stoke Newington, Bloomsbury, and Bethnal Green, London, together with three smaller schemes in Nottingham, and the iconic Portland Court block, on the Wirral. Charles Lucas, Technical Director at Mainstay, said: “I’m very pleased to share the news of Mainstay’s latest acquisition, which forms a key part of our accelerated growth plans. “We felt it was important that Keith assists us with the onboarding process; he’ll be able to bring his wealth of experience and invaluable technical expertise, ensuring a smooth transition as we begin to welcome our new clients, and customers to Mainstay. “Mainstay is perfectly placed to handle the management of this national portfolio, as our team has a wide geographical spread and expert knowledge with high levels of customer service throughout our teams. We’re excited to build on the excellent service Keith has already provided, and bring the Mainstay experience to this new customer base. We look forward to continuing and sustaining the company’s growth in line with our 2020 corporate strategy and beyond and ensuring Mainstay properties are embedded into the wider communities they are present in”. The news comes hot on the heels of Mainstay’s recent appointments on the landmark Hallsville Quarter scheme in Canning Town, and Salford’s luxury Downtown development. Established in 2000, Mainstay was founded by Glyn Miles, Graham Donaldson and Andrew Tilly and now employs 726 people. With this latest acquisition, Mainstay will manage in excess of  80,000 homes UK-wide. The business is headquartered in Worcester however operates across the country – with schemes in Manchester, Nottingham, London and more in its portfolio. This year alone, Mainstay is on track to turnover a record-breaking £25.9 million in line with their 2020 corporate strategy.

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Clark-Drain introduces Technodrain into UK construction

Clark-Drain Ltd unveils Technodrain®, a new addition to its popular linear drainage range that broadens the choice for UK construction. Designed for surface water management, the versatility of Technodrain® enables it to be used across all construction environments as a light, robust, technical solution for run-off surface design.     Made from High Density Polyethylene, Technodrain® encompasses all load classes (A15-F900) in accordance with European standard EN 1433, comprising an array of grating design options in ductile iron, galvanised steel and stainless steel. The Technodrain® system will be available in 100mm, 150mm, 200mm and 300mm internal widths. With the advantage of light-weight, polyethylene – e.g. the EXEL 200HV has a 42.61 l/s hydraulic capacity ideal for use in road drainage and car parks and weighs 26.1kg, complete with D400 ductile iron grating – its size to weight ratio maximises savings in transport and installation cost. Technologically advanced, Technodrain® is resistant to temperature change with a thermal range between -60OC and +100OC.  It is also resistant to a wide range of acids, salts and hydrocarbons so that it can be used in challenging environments such as chemical plants, petrol stations and surfaces where ant-freeze salts are used.  Technodrain® incorporates many other benefits. Its robust design adds to its sustainable life, whilst installation is eased with tongue and groove joints enabling the connection of multiple channels with a ready-mounted grate. Its preformed lateral and vertical channel outlets also provide quick and easy connection to discharge pipes. Furthermore, project design is supported by integrated Tee-and Cross-section joints that can adapt the drainage line, enabling control over the accuracy and cost effectiveness of the whole system.  An important additional accessory is the Technodrain® sump unit. It can be installed as a terminal unit off the line or as a central element of two converging lines. The sump is equipped with an optional anti-odour siphon that can be removed easily for cleaning purposes and a grating to filter leaves and debris. Use of the sump allows you to increase the out-flow diameter of all channels up to Ø200. John Carter, Head of Sales and Marketing at Clark-Drain comments: “Both for the contractor and the operator, Technodrain offers technical innovation and a high degree of cost saving, whilst providing a highly efficient system for surface water design and management right across the construction project spectrum”

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Fiberglass Conduit Vs. PVC: Which Do You Choose?

Conduit systems have many applications but are extremely common in telecommunications utilities and the power supply market. PVC-coated steel conduit is often used. However, an increasing number of businesses are realizing that fiberglass conduit systems offer more advantages than PVC. When compared side by side, fiberglass conduit is superior to PVC in many ways. Fiberglass Conduit Takes Less Work to Install PVC conduits have to be bent to the proper specifications with special installation tools. These tools are difficult to come by for the average field contractor. Fiberglass installation is done with a common PVC hot box that many field contractors already possess. PVC is also much heavier than fiberglass, resulting in a slower installation process that is less safe and costs more money. Because it is easier to install, fiberglass costs less in labor than PVC, too. Lightweight Fiberglass weighs far less than PVC, but the benefits it provides go beyond installation. It also means that less stress is put on supporting structures. Fiberglass systems are more efficient and flexible and cost less to maintain. The benefits of these qualities extend far beyond installation into the full life span of the project. Better Coefficient of Friction Cables often need to be pulled through conduits, resulting in burn-through. This is when friction from heating damages the structure of the conduit. While PVC can resist burn-through pretty well, fiberglass is even more resistant. That allows cables to be pulled through even faster. Fiberglass is also less likely to be damaged by common lubricants used to counter conduit burn-through. Corrosion Resistance Fiberglass resists corrosion in a wide variety of environmental conditions. It is more resistant to corrosion than PVC when exposed to extreme operating temperatures and chemicals. In some cases, PVC is more resistant to corrosion (such as in the presence of high amounts of ammonia), but this is not usually the case. Resistant to Impact Fiberglass conduit stands up to impacts better than PVC. It maintains its shape after impact since it is designed to be strong but flexible. These qualities help it hold up far better in tough environments like earthquake or flood-prone areas. PVC is far more susceptible to these environmental dangers. Easy to Customize Fiberglass conduit is made from epoxy resin reinforced by fibers that can be altered to improve certain qualities. For example, fiberglass can be made more resistant to corrosion or shielded against electromagnetic interference and radiofrequency. No Dangerous Chemicals In the event of an accident, fiberglass releases no halogens. This makes it far safer for people to be around. PVC can release chlorine, which can damage central nervous and respiratory systems, as well as bromine, a common pesticide. Containing no dangerous chemicals means less chance of liability should an accident occur. Better Vibration Resistance Large structures, like bridges, can experience continuous vibrations that shorten their life span. Fiberglass conduit is regularly used for such structures because of its high vibration resistance. This helps maintain the integrity of larger structures and extend the time needed between maintenance.

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