HelloFresh signs lease for 230,384 sq ft distribution warehouse New production facility to enable UK growth for the world-leading meal kit company Prime location to provide access to 55.9 million consumers in four-hour drivetime1 The leading global provider of fresh food at home, HelloFresh, has leased 230,384 sq ft of
Leading national engineering specialist, SES Engineering Services (SES), has announced it is to commence work on its latest state-of-the-art custody suite project with lead contractor, Willmott Dixon. Working closely with both the contractor’s team and Nottinghamshire Police, SES has been appointed to deliver a full range of MEP services on
Caddick Construction has completed on a flagship showroom on behalf of Stokers Ltd, owners of Lucas Furniture, on the outskirts of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. Work began in October, 2019, on the 7,150 ²m site and included external landscaping and parking facilities. The two-storey showroom will become the company’s largest, purpose-built,
RJ McLeod took this month’s top spot after being appointed the main contractor for the £500 million Viking Wind Farm in the Shetland Isles, Scotland. This large development will consist of 150 wind turbines and work also includes the construction of substations, quarries and 62 miles of access road. The
A fifth-generation manufacturer and contractor of steel framed buildings has secured funding to digitise its operations, becoming one of the first in its industry to take up a suite of state-of-the-art technology. Wareing Buildings worked with Made Smarter to support its adoption of Tekla PowerFab, a suite of software which
Plans for a major mixed-use development, including approximately 1,200 homes, are being proposed for the former Gould Street Gasworks site north of Manchester city centre. Gasworks New Town would comprise the news homes as well as commercial units, a new park located off Gould Street, and pedestrian and cycling routes.
Comment by Paula Broadbent, retirement solutions director at ENGIE. “The best way to predict the future is to create it” – Abraham Lincoln I have always found this quote inspirational, and it has particularly influenced my personal ambition to provide better choices for older people in the UK. LIFEstyle by ENGIE,
The majority of project professionals say they have increased their focus on Net Zero carbon projects as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Association for Project Management (APM) can reveal. A poll of over 860 project practitioners, undertaken for APM by research company Censuswide, found that 51 per cent of
Properly installed asphalt paving enhances curb appeal and reduces driveway maintenance since asphalt is one of the most durable paving materials available. Improper installation and maintenance can create problems down the line, though. Read on to find out about eight common asphalt paving mistakes and how to avoid them to
HelloFresh signs lease for 230,384 sq ft distribution warehouse New production facility to enable UK growth for the world-leading meal kit company Prime location to provide access to 55.9 million consumers in four-hour drivetime1 The leading global provider of fresh food at home, HelloFresh, has leased 230,384 sq ft of high-quality logistics space at Goodman’s Nuneaton 230 development. Headquartered in Berlin, the company produces and delivers meal kits that allow consumers to cook home-made, healthy meals with no preparation, shopping or hassle. Its new Nuneaton site will become HelloFresh’s second UK production facility, supporting its continued success in the UK. With strong results in the market pre-COVID-19, the exponential growth of food deliveries during lockdown and a growing demand for fresh meals to enjoy at home has accelerated expansion. The location will receive produce and packaging from local and national suppliers, assembling the fresh ingredients in the meal kits and distributing these to consumers across the country. The site’s excellent connectivity, which places 55.9 million consumers within a four-hour drivetime, makes the location ideally suited to national fulfilment and fresh food delivery. HelloFresh delivered more than 280 million meals in 2019, reaching over four million customers in the last quarter. It is one of the largest players globally in the meal kit market, now operating in thirteen countries across three continents. It joins a number of leading retailers, manufacturers and third-party logistics providers at this established industrial and distribution hub – including supply chain specialists XPO and Unipart, automotive manufacturer Renault Trucks, and food and drink wholesaler Bestway. Nigel Dolan, Development Director at Goodman, said: “We’re proud to welcome HelloFresh to our Nuneaton 230 development. Its innovative business model leads the way in both the healthy home cooking and subscription service revolution and we’re pleased to be able support the growth of its UK production and fulfilment network.” In line with HelloFresh’s commitment to the highest quality fresh produce, the facility will provide frozen, chilled and ambient storage capacity, and highly flexible warehouse space to suit its production and packing methods. Nigel continued: “With the development now complete, we look forward to seeing HelloFresh benefit from the property’s best in class specification, combined with its excellent transport links and local employment opportunities. These include a large labour pool consisting of three million people within 20 miles of Nuneaton town centre, with Bermuda Park railway station directly serving the site and providing a great option for employees to travel to and from work.” Councillor Julie Jackson, Leader of Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council, said: “We’re thrilled to see Goodman welcome HelloFresh to this prime logistics development at Bermuda Park, living up to its promise of delivering a quality space for business that takes advantage of our excellent connectivity. “The development supports our Transforming Nuneaton initiative with Warwickshire County Council, geared at driving economic growth, attracting additional investment and realising new business opportunities for the local area. We’re excited to see HelloFresh benefit from the rich employment opportunities and prime position of Bermuda Park.” 1 Source: Esri and Michael Bauer Research, 2019
Leading national engineering specialist, SES Engineering Services (SES), has announced it is to commence work on its latest state-of-the-art custody suite project with lead contractor, Willmott Dixon. Working closely with both the contractor’s team and Nottinghamshire Police, SES has been appointed to deliver a full range of MEP services on a new multi-million pound 50-cell custody suite, currently under construction on a former gas works site in Nottingham. Serving Nottingham and the wider conurbation, the new building’s design is more befitting 21st century custodial needs and will replace an existing facility which was deemed to be too outdated to benefit from a refurbishment. In the past five years, SES has delivered five custody suites for multiple Police forces and as such gained extensive experience and a reputation as a leader in its field in the blue light sector. This experience, coupled with SES’ and Willmott Dixon’s well-established working relationship, will ensure that the project is delivered to exacting requirements as set out by the Home Office, where specific ventilation and comfort conditions within custodial spaces must be met. To meet these needs, SES will be required to install a high volume of complex building services to the two-storey building. In addition to the cells, the building will also provide first floor office accommodation for police investigators and the custodial handling team. Speaking about the imminent start on site, SES’ managing director, Steve Joyce, said: “I am delighted to be collaborating once more with Willmott Dixon on a key project for Nottingham’s Police and Crime Commission and Nottinghamshire Police. Our proven track record of delivering projects requiring highly complex building services, particularly in this type of custodial environment, will ensure that the installation will be completed in a timely manner and to the high standards required by the Home Office. “The facility will also deliver a more efficient building than is currently used for such purposes.” James Elliment, Willmott Dixon’s senior operations manager, added: “I am delighted with the progress that is currently being made on site and pleased to welcome SES and its team as we enter the next phase of construction. I believe the project will undoubtedly benefit from our shared experience of creating state-of-the-art custodial facilities throughout the UK.” SES is expected to conclude the project spring 2021.
Caddick Construction has completed on a flagship showroom on behalf of Stokers Ltd, owners of Lucas Furniture, on the outskirts of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. Work began in October, 2019, on the 7,150 ²m site and included external landscaping and parking facilities. The two-storey showroom will become the company’s largest, purpose-built, furniture outlet, whilst its headquarters remain in Southport. Caddick Construction Senior Contracts Manager Chris Allott said: “This has been a very exciting project to work on, with the impressive design and curved frontage creating a real wow factor as you turn into the development. We are delighted to hand over this impressive-looking showroom that has all the quality hallmarks you would expect for a brand such as Lucas Furniture.” Graham Schofield, Joint Managing Director of Stokers, added: “It is a very prominent site on the A41 next to Aylesbury Vale Parkway railway station and we’re confident its location, along with the quality and scale of the showroom, will quickly make it a retail destination in the region. “We are now looking forward to our official opening on Saturday 29th August where we will be showcasing the new facilities with all the very latest Lucas Furniture ranges.” “Working with Caddick has been a pleasure and despite the issues surrounding Covid 19 they have allowed us to keep to our opening date”. A family-owned business with 120 years of history, Stokers Furniture is one of the North West’s oldest furniture retail businesses and includes 10 stores, with three trading under the brand name in Chester, Ormskirk and Southport. Its Aylesbury showroom is part of ambitious expansion plans into the South East. Principal Designers on the build were Wilson Mason Architects, with engineering works provided by Thomas Consulting, and Quantity Surveyor by Identity Consult.
RJ McLeod took this month’s top spot after being appointed the main contractor for the £500 million Viking Wind Farm in the Shetland Isles, Scotland. This large development will consist of 150 wind turbines and work also includes the construction of substations, quarries and 62 miles of access road. The runners up spot this month is ISG with five awards totalling £221 million. The main contribution to this total will see them build another Amazon distribution centre in Dartford with completion expected to be in April 2022. The latest edition of the Top 50 League Tables published by industry analysts Barbour ABI, highlights the number and value of construction contracts awarded during July. This month shows that the combined value of contracts awarded to the Top 50 was just under £4 billion with a total of 165 projects.
A fifth-generation manufacturer and contractor of steel framed buildings has secured funding to digitise its operations, becoming one of the first in its industry to take up a suite of state-of-the-art technology. Wareing Buildings worked with Made Smarter to support its adoption of Tekla PowerFab, a suite of software which enables more efficient management of the steel fabrication environment, providing a flow of information throughout the project lifecycle. Lancashire-headquartered Wareing Buildings submitted its proposal via specialists, Westley Consulting Ltd, working with Rick Patterson to develop a comprehensive digital strategy which demonstrated how embracing digitisation would enable the manufacturing and construction business to achieve an almost 10 per cent productivity gain – equivalent to £3,774 per staff member versus existing productivity levels and a return on investment of more than 220%. The support marks the first phase in Wareing Buildings’ smart digitisation project, which forms part of a wider business investment and development programme to be completed in the next three years. It is predicted that investment into additional buildings, equipment and technology will total c.£1.8m once the programme is complete. The Tekla PowerFab suite from Trimble will enable Wareing Buildings to provide customers with real time information on the design, manufacture and dispatch of products via a single online system, which will eradicate the use of paper drawings. By introducing drone surveying and mapping systems, Wareing Buildings will significantly reduce the time spent on site during the initial planning stages of its projects, using digitally captured information which allows for greater precision in measurement and land analysis. Matt Hastwell, senior draughtsman at Wareing Buildings, said: “Though we already employ digital technology and BIM at the design stage of every project, the majority of our everyday activity – including the processing, tracking and delivery of steel fabrication jobs – has remained a largely manual process. This has created an inefficient environment which we have been keen to step away from for several years. “We knew that an information management system, through which all of our daily activity – including material ordering, fabrication schedules and deliveries – could be easily processed, managed and accessed would turn our outdated processes on their head. “Since implementing Tekla PowerFab, the benefits have been clear to see. We are projected to make significant savings in time and money as a result, and we will be reinvesting that freed up resource back into our client relationships, ensuring every single customer is receiving an improved, modern day service from Wareing. “This type of investment is unique for our industry and we are delighted to be ahead of the curve.” Rick Patterson from Westly Consulting said: “Its wonderful news to see investment going into a key Lancashire construction firm and enabling a major step forward with this new technology. Many other manufacturing firms could benefit from this exciting new fund and embrace digitisation within their company.” Wareing Buildings is a family business in Lancashire which designs, manufactures, installs and maintains steel framed buildings for commercial and agriculture sectors. To find out more, visit www.wareingbuildings.co.uk
Plans for a major mixed-use development, including approximately 1,200 homes, are being proposed for the former Gould Street Gasworks site north of Manchester city centre. Gasworks New Town would comprise the news homes as well as commercial units, a new park located off Gould Street, and pedestrian and cycling routes. A 33-storey tower is also lined up. The company behind the proposals is Southvalley Estates, part of MCR Property Group. Southvalley Estates has owned the land – which has been operating as a surface car park in recent years – since 2015. “Our vision for this site has been a labour of love over the past few years. Our ambitious proposals for The Gasworks New Town realise the development potential of a key city centre location and the aspirations for the Northern Gateway,” said Nick Lake, asset manager at MCR Property Group. “We have worked in close collaboration with Manchester City Council to bring forward a major transformative development that will create a new beating heart of a community in close proximity to the city centre. We look forward to finalising the formal planning application in line with public feedback.” Manchester City Council had earmarked the site for a residential-led development, designed to be a “flagship element” of its Northern Gateway Strategic Regeneration Framework. Working with WSP, Southvalley is now seeking feedback from communities, workers and stakeholders on the draft proposals before a planning application is submitted later in the year. The plans have been prepared by AHR, with landscape and public realm designed by Planit.
Comment by Paula Broadbent, retirement solutions director at ENGIE. “The best way to predict the future is to create it” – Abraham Lincoln I have always found this quote inspirational, and it has particularly influenced my personal ambition to provide better choices for older people in the UK. LIFEstyle by ENGIE, which launched in 2018, is a result of this ambition. It allows customers to have more control over their environment and their own futures in later life. To empower people, is to engage with them – so at LIFEstyle we have invested heavily in research and development through two-way communication. Our best advisors and advocates are our customers, and we have given people over 55, a voice right from the start of the LIFEstyle vision. We aim to ensure we understand what people aspire to in later life, and what the challenges are that they face – this is essential to creating a future that meets expectation, as well as need. When Spring of 2020 brought unprecedented times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a major impact was felt across the world; creating fear, dismay and devastation for many, especially the older generation. Our LIFEstyle customers have not been immune to the ravaging effects, however, the sense of community, safe environment and individualised support available on our development has made the world of difference. This along with carefully designed lifelong homes offering indoor and outdoor independent space has helped people to remain safe and independent. I am very proud of our business model, LIFEstyle is weathering the pandemic – a storm no one could predict. We’re lucky to be working with a model that has proved successful in some of the toughest conditions the UK has faced for generations. However, we are not sitting on our laurels as we review the lessons learnt by scientists in relation to the spread of the virus. We’re constantly looking to identify preventative measures that we can build into our products and services in readiness for a spike or repeat of such a pandemic. The demand for our first LIFEstyle development in Walton Wakefield has increased two-fold since the lockdown eased and customer comments give a clear indication the approach at LIFEstyle by ENGIE is the right way forward. This is only strengthened by our commitment to delivering zero carbon communities. Climate change is the pandemic we will not be able to develop a vaccine for, but we can slow it down and prevent it. The implications of doing nothing are far reaching and the devastation will not discriminate. My ambition is to build on the success of LIFEstyle, to create community based zero carbon solutions that decarbonise the environment and decentralise services. The impact of us doing something about climate change will be massive for future generations and can empower us all to create our own future. As a senior leader within ENGIE, I make no apologies for being ambitious in my drive to deliver a business model that will change the horizon for future generations of older people in the UK. I aim to drive a way forward for a healthy future, for an environment that allows older generations to have aspirations in later life and a vision to support people to age well and live well, whilst protecting our planet. We will connect communities, health, housing and social care across all tenure groups. I am proud to work for a business with a clear mission, to place the planet and its population at the heart of its thinking when it comes to creating place, shaping and delivering infrastructure and services, to meet the need for a sustainable future. And I remain determined, to give the older generation a voice through education and engagement with younger creators, to ensure they are rightfully empowered to create their own futures. LIFEstyle by ENGIE is not simply about building suitable, lifelong homes to address short term aspirational needs of people over 55 or about providing a lovely home in a great location. LIFEstyle by ENGIE made a commitment to customers to provide long term sustainability and enable customers to influence, shape and control their own future; a future focused on remaining independent and well for longer. LIFEstyle by ENGIE, allows people to future proof their lives and not just their home – promoting better long-term outcomes in later life. A home is not simply about an energy efficient building in the right location, it’s the support network of friends, family and interaction within the community that all contribute towards creating the perfect lifelong home. We understand this, and are committed to creating communities that focus on essential infrastructure like; location, accessibility to essential services, efficient green energy infrastructure, digital network and community facilities. We want to enable people to engage with others in meaningful activities, bringing all generations closer together. The community hub is a key feature of all our LIFEstyle developments, along with cost effective pay as you go services and property adaptations when people need them. We ensure affordability of services and facilities which support wellbeing and make this all available on the doorstep. We are also working on innovations to compliment LIFEstyle by ENGIE, which we hope to launch later this year including; Electric Car share, ENGIE Digital Assistant and Modular Lifelong homes. Ultimately, when it comes to happiness at any age, there are three homes we must take care of. Our body, our mind and our planet. At LIFEstyle we ensure our flexible and dynamic offering takes care of all three without compromise.
The majority of project professionals say they have increased their focus on Net Zero carbon projects as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Association for Project Management (APM) can reveal. A poll of over 860 project practitioners, undertaken for APM by research company Censuswide, found that 51 per cent of respondents claimed the global pandemic has led to them and their organisation placing ‘slightly greater’ or ‘significantly greater’ focus on Net Zero carbon projects. Just six per cent said they were placing less focus on Net Zero carbon projects as a result of coronavirus. The remainder said there was no difference to their focus on Net Zero. The industry sectors that reported the greatest increase in focus on Net Zero were: HR (89 per cent of respondents reported a greater focus on Net-Zero carbon projects) Telecoms (69 per cent) Transport and logistics (69 per cent) Reducing the environmental impact of projects has long been an aim of those responsible for planning and delivery, but there has been an increased emphasis on making projects carbon neutral – and even carbon negative – since the Government announced in June 2019 a target for Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Debbie Lewis, director of strategic architecture programmes at BT, said: “Achieving Net Zero remains high on the agenda for project managers, despite the impact caused by the global pandemic. Climate change will continue to worsen and accelerate, and so it’s vital that it continues to be addressed and tackled. The project profession has a major role to play in helping to achieve a sustainable Net Zero future.” APM is supporting the project profession to minimise the environmental impact of projects and help them adapt to the future climate. It has itself made a commitment to become a carbon-neutral organisation by 2050, if not sooner, and to take action around the following objectives: Raising awareness and encouraging debate about the consequences of climate change and how individuals and organisations can make a difference now and in the future Guiding, advocating and promoting the need for investment in climate change adaptation, mitigation and sustainable development by working in collaboration with public bodies, professional bodies and other stakeholders Encouraging, identifying and celebrating good practice within the project profession that responds to the climate change challenge Sharing and disseminating knowledge and research to encourage the take up of project innovations which are responsive to climate change and sustainability challenges Promoting education, training and professional development opportunities to help APM members gain the knowledge and skills to respond effectively to climate change. David Thomson, head of external affairs at APM, said: “We recognise that climate change is one of the great challenges of this or any generation. This survey demonstrates that the project profession is not being deflected by the current pandemic to postpone action or ignore the coming challenges of climate change and biodiversity. Addressing that will require big changes across all sectors and will be a significant factor in every project professional’s work in the years ahead. “As the chartered body for the project profession, APM will support its members, partners and the project profession to ensure projects of every size and purpose address and, where possible, minimise their environmental impact and adapt for the future.”
Properly installed asphalt paving enhances curb appeal and reduces driveway maintenance since asphalt is one of the most durable paving materials available. Improper installation and maintenance can create problems down the line, though. Read on to find out about eight common asphalt paving mistakes and how to avoid them to ensure proper installation and maintenance. 1. Poor Planning Adequate planning is one of the most important aspects of driveway installation and maintenance. Make sure the weather conditions are right, collect all of the materials and equipment in advance, and plan to spend enough time on the project to give it the attention it needs. Homeowners who don’t have experience with laying asphalt should always hire reputable contractors to complete their driveway paving projects and can visit frasercon.com to find the help they need. 2. Using Poor Quality Asphalt There are many types of asphalt available, but they’re not all created equal. Homeowners who use poor-quality asphalt will, unsurprisingly, wind up with poor results. The solution is to spend the extra money on high-quality asphalt that will create a smooth, blemish-free surface and will hold up to wear and tear and inclement weather for years to come. 3. Ignoring Slope Control and Auto-Grade Systems Slope control and auto-grade systems are designed to reduce operator mistakes. They’re configured to ensure that the equipment works as intended given the environmental conditions. Make sure the operator is provided with high-quality equipment that features these systems and that he or she knows how to use it. 4. Changing Speeds Changing speeds while laying asphalt paving disrupts its uniformity. This can create a washboard effect and density issues in the final product. To avoid these problems, make sure the operator knows how to use speed limiters to ensure a clean, consistent application. 5. Failing to Control the Material Head Precise control of the material head is essential for proper asphalt installation. Allowing fluctuation will create waves and bumps, ruining the smooth surface. The easiest way to avoid this problem is to implement technological solutions like sensors and ensure the operators know how to use them. 6. Over-Turning the Depth Cranks Inexperienced operators have a habit of moving or adjusting the depth cranks too often. This can lead to bumps and waves in the finished driveway. Avoid the problem by ensuring that operators are provided with the right training. 7. Stopping the Compactor Incorrectly Stopping the compactor straight on leaves behind an indentation that’s hard to level out. Instead, operators need to stop at a 20% angle to make it easier to smooth out edges. Train the operators to do this every time to avoid unnecessary complications. 8. Improper Application of Sealer Asphalt driveways must be sealed to prevent degradation. Timing is critical when it comes to sealing a driveway since applying it too long after the asphalt has been laid or right before it rains can lead to early driveway replacement. Whether they’re sealing a newly laid driveway for the first time or reapplying sealant, homeowners should plan ahead and check the weather for the three days following the application to make sure it will be sunny. The Bottom Line Installing and maintaining asphalt pavement requires a good deal of training, experience, and finesse. The only way to get professional results is to hire a professional. Homeowners who insist on performing their own installations and maintenance can follow the advice above to avoid some of the most egregious mistakes, but no amount of tips and tricks will make up for a lack of experience.
