Residential property management specialist urbanbubble and mobile app developer Padoq have developed an interactive app to keep residents connected and engaged while living under COVID-19 lockdown. Designed to motivate and engage residents of apartments across Manchester managed by urbanbubble, the app provides a ‘cyber community’ tailored to the needs of
Thousands of facilities management professionals across the UK will have a fresh opportunity to learn about the business benefits of smart energy use in commercial buildings. A new partnership between The Climate Group and the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) will deliver a series of peer-to-peer events on
One of England’s most iconic venues is undergoing a huge £25m rebuild with help from Polypipe Building Services. The Grade II Listed Blackpool Winter Gardens is set to open a new conference centre this year in what is the first major development at the site since the construction of the
Kono, the Riga-based Authorised Dealer for the Bobcat range in Latvia, has completed a project to renovate a very rare and historic Bobcat M-600D skid-steer loader that is around 50 years old and now fully working again. The M-600D was first introduced to the Bobcat range in 1967 and what
HS2 takes steps to ensure that cash flow to suppliers at all tiers of the supply chain is expedited during the Covid-19 pandemic In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and concerns about the impact on the cash flow within the construction industry, HS2 supplier payment runs have been accelerated to
Birketts has advised McGee Trustee Limited in respect of the sale of 100 per cent of the McGee Group into an employee ownership trust (EOT) for the sole benefit of approximately 375 McGee Group employees. A family owned business by origin, McGee which has traded for more than 60 years
THE UK’s leading importer and distributor of Firestone RubberCover roofing products, Permaroof, has appointed Lily Chadwick as marketing co-ordinator as it continues to grow the number of brands and services it offers to merchants as well as direct to trade. With the addition of The Skylight Company, Permalawn and Permafence
Residential property management specialist urbanbubble and mobile app developer Padoq have developed an interactive app to keep residents connected and engaged while living under COVID-19 lockdown. Designed to motivate and engage residents of apartments across Manchester managed by urbanbubble, the app provides a ‘cyber community’ tailored to the needs of people in specific residential developments. Described as a ‘place to connect with your community’, the app gives residents access to a wide range of lifestyle and work-related events and features including a weekly programme of events, with a positive message of: “Together, we have got this. We’re doing our utmost to make those long days and nights easier by creating virtual communities and hosting events.” The events include a virtual pub quiz, cooking classes, book club, family fun quiz and origami and other events for children. The app is available to residents living in 5,500 homes across Manchester where urbanbubble acts as block manager, including up to 80% Buy-to-Let properties where the firm doesn’t manage lettings but still engages with occupiers about important building related matters. It is also available to residents living in Private Rented Sector schemes managed by urbanbubble, including Local Blackfriars, Salford, developed by Salboy, and other developments delivered by Capital & Centric and Mulbury. This move to digitalise residential property management was created for urbanbubble by fellow Manchester-based business, mobile app development platform Padoq. Michael Howard, founder and managing director of urbanbubble, said: “In these unprecedented and testing times of people adapting to life under lockdown, the need to maintain a sense of being together and communication with your community is of paramount importance. “We’ve always been big on community building for our residents and now more than ever, so we built an app with Padoq allowing them to chat with neighbours, join virtual events, view key documents and much more.” Mike Anderson, CEO of Padoq, said: “It’s great seeing communities of residents come to life in the urbanbubble app. We built Padoq to give companies the tools to maximise their communities online and have found the property sector a perfect fit for our technology. “We’re excited to continue to evolve the platform with market leaders like urbanbubble, delivering world class online experiences to their residents.” Conscious of the need to also maintain and enhance its relationship with its landlord investors, UrbInfo Manchester, the data division of urbanbubble, is providing a weekly Covid-19 property market tracker newsletter including real time data on market activity and trends during the pandemic.
Thousands of facilities management professionals across the UK will have a fresh opportunity to learn about the business benefits of smart energy use in commercial buildings. A new partnership between The Climate Group and the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) will deliver a series of peer-to-peer events on smart energy management and LED lighting – showcasing best practice and giving tips for addressing common challenges. “IWFM believes that workplace and facilities management professionals are uniquely placed to make a difference to the sustainability agenda in its fullest sense,” says Peter Brogan, Head of Research and Insight, IWFM. “They are the lynchpin in organizations, marrying the needs of owners, occupiers and the supply chain to create energy efficient, productive and pleasant workplaces.” The business case Doing more with less energy is good for the bottom line, generating substantial financial savings and improving competitiveness, while increasing employee productivity and wellbeing. Last year, a report by The Climate Group and the Alliance to Save Energy found that 21 members of the EP100 initiative (which includes H&M, Hilton, and UltraTech Cement) had collectively saved US$131 million – capital that can be reinvested in clean growth. “We are excited to partner with IWFM to drive more companies to improve their energy productivity,” says Toby Morgan, LED Program Manager, The Climate Group. “Smart, connected LEDs offer unprecedented energy savings with little upfront cost. They also open up vast opportunities to use the data gathered to make even greater efficiencies, through smart building applications and the Internet of Things.” Lighting the way For the last decade, The Climate Group has worked closely with Signify (formerly Philips Lighting) to promote the benefits of energy efficient LED lighting. Darren Smith, Lighting Architect, Signify, says, “Saving energy with LEDs is only part of the story. When LEDs are used in conjunction with sensors and controls, that are then woven into the fabric of any design, they become connected and in turn contribute to the larger intelligence of any project. “Connected lighting is in effect an ongoing conversation – two-way communication that enables the optimised real-time monitoring, management and maintenance of lighting systems. It transforms environments with personalised and targeted, dynamic light while also tracking system performance.” Lowering emissions The International Energy Agency estimates that improvements in energy efficiency can deliver over 40% of the greenhouse gas emissions cuts needed to deliver on global climate goals. Buildings account for approximately 40% of global energy demand, mainly in commerce and retail. To keep global warming below 1.5˚C, building energy renovation rates need to be double the current rate, increasing to 3% per year. Facilities Managers have an important role to play. To find out how your company can join EP100 or get involved in peer-learning opportunities around smarter energy use, contact LED Program Manager Toby Morgan tmorgan@theclimategroup.org
One of England’s most iconic venues is undergoing a huge £25m rebuild with help from Polypipe Building Services. The Grade II Listed Blackpool Winter Gardens is set to open a new conference centre this year in what is the first major development at the site since the construction of the Opera House in 1939. This was a challenging project – with both a refurbishment of the existing building and a new-build as part of the complex – so Polypipe Building Services, the commercial building specialists, was called in to offer expertise on a drainage solution. Contractors McLaughlin and Harvey, and CMB Fylde Engineering needed an adaptable solution that would not reduce the available space in the two-storey, 3,890 square metre conference centre. Polypipe Building Services provided on-site support and their high performance Terrain Fuze drainage system. The HDPE system was used in the large commercial spaces such as the halls and theatre space due to the homogenous weld giving it maximum joint integrity. Johnathan Greenwood, Strategic Project Manager at Polypipe Building Services, said: “As well as being a very prestigious project this was also a complex one. Refurbishing a Grade II Listed building has a lot of complications to overcome. “One of the key benefits to using Fuze at the Winter Gardens was the malleable nature of the product and the fact that it can be cut and welded into delicate positions and angles to create a bespoke system. “The malleability allows for extra security against loss of useable space. “Fuze gives specifiers and installers maximum flexibility in the design process with this system and, as it is light in weight, it can be installed quickly and efficiently.” Funded by the Blackpool Regeneration project, the conference centre will have an exhibition space on first floor and a conference space with a seating capacity of 2,000 on the second floor. It will also be possible to use the space in conjunction with the other venues throughout the Winter Gardens giving a capacity of 7,000. The venue will feature state of the art amenities necessary for hosting modern conferences and exhibitions, including the latest audio and visual technology. Pictures courtesy of Blackpool Council
Kono, the Riga-based Authorised Dealer for the Bobcat range in Latvia, has completed a project to renovate a very rare and historic Bobcat M-600D skid-steer loader that is around 50 years old and now fully working again. The M-600D was first introduced to the Bobcat range in 1967 and what makes this refurbished M-600D such an incredibly rare find is that it was not manufactured at Bobcat’s traditional base in North Dakota in the USA, but instead under licence by Scheid Maschinenfabrik GmbH in Germany in the early 1970s. The M-600D could have been lost for all time, but was found by Ivars Gailums, a Director at Kono, buried on the internet, where it was being offered for sale by a used equipment supplier in Berlin. In 2018, Bobcat celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the compact loader and a sixty year legacy second to none in the worldwide construction equipment market. After its introduction in 1967, the M-600D model was a popular model and Bobcat carried on producing it until 1975. Bobcat Loader Manufactured in Germany in the Early 1970s In the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, the M-600D was first manufactured under a licensing agreement signed with Beltrami in Ravenna in Italy. In 1970, production of Bobcat loaders including the M-600D was transferred from Beltrami to Scheid Maschinenfabrik in Aumenau in Germany. The unit at Kono must have been made between 1970 and 1972, when the decision was made to transfer all manufacturing back to North Dakota in the USA. Several challenges had to be overcome to transfer the M-600D from Berlin to Riga and Ivars Gailums has paid great credit to the truck driver who finally brought the machine to Kono about two years ago, when work began on rebuilding the unit. Ivars Gailums commented: “Thanks to the efforts of the driver, we now had this M-600D delivered and it was my goal to rebuild it as authentically as we could, to keep its original parts intact as much as possible. Shortly after the M-600D arrived, I contacted Robby Bosch, who has recently retired from Bobcat in EMEA after nearly 40 years of service, hoping that his experience and knowledge would be of great use, which of course it has been.” Calling on Expert Advice In the EMEA region, there can be no better person to ask than Robby, who has carried out similar refurbishments himself. Prior to joining Bobcat as a Field Sales Trainer in 1981, Robby already had six years of experience as a Service Manager with a Bobcat dealer in his native Netherlands, where he worked with several customers with M-600Ds. Ivars Gailums continued: “The first thing Robby asked me was whether or not the rear counterweight was still present, as this tends to be the first component that disappears. Fortunately it was still in place. Over the last two years, Robby has generously continued to provide valuable advice, as has Jurgen Gremez, Bobcat Institute Director for Doosan Bobcat at the EMEA headquarters in Dobris in the Czech Republic.” The biggest challenge has been obtaining specific parts, which because of the age of the machine are obviously no longer available to order. It was also a challenge to find out what the M-600D really looked like, as there were several engine variations that affected how the overall machine appeared. Ivars Gailums added: “I have focused on every aspect – even whether the bottom of the seat was one piece or sewn together, as well as the colour of the bucket, they are all important to me. On the internet, the book published to celebrate Bobcat’s 50th anniversary had pictures of machines with buckets painted white. Again, thanks to Robby Bosch, who was able to answer questions like this about the M-600D.” Refurbishing in Busy Times The duration of the project has been just over two years, but it could have been shorter except for the last winter season, when it was much busier than usual at Kono and this delayed the renovation process. Ivars Gailums continued: “Because we were busy, we changed our plans and speeded up the process. The M-600D when it was disassembled into many parts, tended to take up a lot of space so we had to take account of this so it didn’t cause problems in our workshop. The work on the machine was mainly done by a team of three of our service engineers. “The team was led by our most experienced engineer, Juris Gailitis. The Deutz engine was brought back to life by our youngest service engineer, Davis Graustins, who can be assigned the finest and most accurate work tasks. Last but not least, the third member of the team was Dzintars Lorencs, who performed welding and repair work on the steel components. “Demonstrating Bobcat’s ‘One Tough Animal’ motto, several components such as the chaincase and chain had survived the years of service in pretty good condition. But the engine cooler on the Deutz engine presented a real problem as the original was heavily corroded and it was not available as a spare part. But we managed to get it from Deutz, where it was also one of the last parts of its type in their stock. “Sandblasting and powder coating services were outsourced and the leather seat was restored by a company which specializes in restoring old motor vehicles and rebuilding expensive modern cars. I also involved family members to get some unique spare parts – including a shaft, the air filter cap and authentic Melroe Bobcat and Clark stickers from the USA. In the period when our M-600D went into service, it would have carried stickers for Melroe Manufacturing Company, the forerunner to Bobcat Company, the Bobcat ‘animal’ logo as it was then and the logo for Clark Equipment, who bought the rights in 1968 to sell Bobcat loaders outside the USA.” Jaroslav Fišer, Product Line Director for the Bobcat compact loader range in EMEA, added: “We are very proud of what Ivars and the team
HS2 takes steps to ensure that cash flow to suppliers at all tiers of the supply chain is expedited during the Covid-19 pandemic In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and concerns about the impact on the cash flow within the construction industry, HS2 supplier payment runs have been accelerated to ensure that they are being made in a timely manner. HS2 is accelerating payments to all companies directly in its supply chain, processing approved payments immediately when funds are available, rather than on the contracted payment terms. Tier One contractors in the HS2 supply chain are to mirror this and have the duty to ensure the approach is followed through all tiers of the supply chain. HS2 has written to all its direct suppliers requiring that faster payments are made to all companies in its supply chain in all tiers reflecting HS2’s approach. This will provide reassurance to firms working on the project and should help ensure that stability remains within the HS2 supply chain. At a time of economic concern due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this should go some way to alleviate concerns about financial certainty for companies in, and aligned to, the construction sector. Government approval for the next stage of the HS2 project last month has meant HS2 contractors now have the go ahead to start building the new low carbon, high speed railway – provided they can maintain Public Health England (PHE) and industry guidelines. It marks the point in the Main Works Civils (MWC) contracts where the work transitions from scheme design and preparatory work, to full detailed design and construction, as well as unlocking a huge amounts of new contract opportunities for the construction sector. An estimated 400,000 supply chain contract opportunities for UK businesses will be created during Phase One of HS2, supporting thousands of jobs on site and many more around the country. It is estimated that around 95% of those contract opportunities will be won by UK based businesses and around two thirds of those will be small and medium sized businesses. HS2 Ltd’s Commercial and Procurement Director, David Poole, said: “As we emerge from the pandemic, HS2 will play a crucial role in the recovery of the UK economy and provide a much-needed boost to the construction industry and the many jobs that industry supports. By taking these steps to speed up supplier payments, and by requiring this to continue throughout the supply chain, businesses large or small within the whole HS2 supply chain can feel confident they will be supported by HS2 Ltd.” Progress is being made on HS2, with construction activities ongoing and procurement activity on the project continuing. Last week, HS2 launched the procurement of track contracts, and at the end of April began the search for stations lifts and escalators suppliers. Despite some disruption to regular business practices as a result of the pandemic, HS2 has continued to engage with the business community, participating in online supply chain engagement events organised through industry bodies. HS2 Ltd is committed to continue with this engagement and encourages businesses interested in winning work on HS2 to use resources available on the HS2 website, CompeteFor and through industry bodies to find out more information.
Birketts has advised McGee Trustee Limited in respect of the sale of 100 per cent of the McGee Group into an employee ownership trust (EOT) for the sole benefit of approximately 375 McGee Group employees. A family owned business by origin, McGee which has traded for more than 60 years is a respected name in the construction market. As a result of the transaction the McGee Group joins the ranks of the ever increasing number of employee-owned companies in the UK. Brian McGee commented: “It would have been relatively easy for us to sell McGee Group to a third party, but we did not want to do that. Michael, John and I, similar to our father, have always recognised the contribution of our employees, which is why the move to employee ownership in many ways, was the obvious next phase of the McGee journey.” The Birketts team was co-led by Ed Savory (Partner, Corporate) and Lisa Hayward (Legal Director, Head of Employee Incentives) who were supported by a number of colleagues including Kimberly Sayward, (Private Client), Kirsty Scripps (Employee Incentives) Laura Herbert (Employee Incentives) Lorraine Porter (Corporate) and Macauley Alsford (Corporate). Paul Hickey, McGee Group Finance Director commented: “Birketts demonstrated meaningful employee ownership experience, technical advisory skills and a practical approach when working alongside our accountant advisors BDO which we found to be extremely valuable.” Lisa Hayward added: “Employee Ownership is a solid option for family-owned businesses looking towards succession planning. We are delighted to continue to get exposure to working on Employee Ownership Trusts with clients such as McGee as a key part of our growing Employee Incentives practice.”
THE UK’s leading importer and distributor of Firestone RubberCover roofing products, Permaroof, has appointed Lily Chadwick as marketing co-ordinator as it continues to grow the number of brands and services it offers to merchants as well as direct to trade. With the addition of The Skylight Company, Permalawn and Permafence names to its offering, Lily is tasked with further strengthening each individual company in addition to the parent Permaroof UK Ltd brand, heading up all communications activity and implementing formal marketing strategies. Lily said: “Permaroof is a leading name in the flat roofing market; it has a strong reputation for strategic growth at an impressive rate. It was this market position and the company’s move into new markets, such as fencing and artificial grass, that held great appeal as a marketeer. “Permaroof is run as a really tight-knit friendly business, which extends to its relationship with customers. This is not only enjoyable as an employee, but it’s a fantastic basis for the formal marketing strategy that will be rolled out throughout 2020.” Permaroof, which has its head office in Alfreton, Derbyshire, has grown rapidly since it started trading as a family business in 1999. Over the past five years, the firm has tripled its turnover. In 2019, the business celebrated its most successful year to date with 24,000 orders completed; the highest figure in its 19-year history. This significant milestone followed four consecutive record sales months and a raft of exciting investments. The company added 22,000 sq ft of warehouse space with 60,000 sq ft of racking to its Derbyshire head office in early 2019, allowing the addition of new product lines, as well as increasing its sales force by eight to form a nationwide team of 37. Managing director Adrian Buttress said: “Lily’s appointment reflects the growth that we achieved in 2019 and our ambition to keep down this path with the aid of a clear and recognisable brand. I’m delighted to welcome Lily to support the evolution of our products and services which continues to progress quickly, even during the coronavirus pandemic.” During the outbreak, Permaroof reacted swiftly to adapt its offering to begin working closely with modular companies for the first time, supplying fast flat roofing solutions to four emergency NHS projects in the first month of lockdown. As a result, Permaroof is now supplying its Firestone RubberGard EPDM roofing system to four different modular projects – including Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guilford, Bristol Royal Infirmary and Chesterfield Royal. For further information on Permaroof UK, please visit www.permaroof.co.uk.
