A leading packaging group has acquired a multi-million pound warehouse, which will become its national headquarters, in a deal wrapped up by commercial property investor and developer Barberry Group. Allpack Group, trading as Allpack Packaging, has acquired the freehold of the 60,000 sq ft unit which is being developed by
As governments across the UK and Ireland manage regional lockdowns, ease restrictions with more people returning to the workplace, and consider the possibility of a resurgence of COVID-19, Energy Networks Association and Energy UK members have reaffirmed their commitments to protect those most in need, keep colleagues and customers safe
Leader of South Gloucestershire Council Toby Savage said the investment at Brabazon will transform the region as he marked the ‘Topping Out’ of the first new homes YTL Developments have ‘topped out’ the first new homes at Brabazon on the former Filton Airfield, meaning the first roofs have been completed.
Opus North and Bridges Fund Management (“Bridges”) have acquired a 38-acre strategic site near Harrogate to deliver a high-quality employment development, Harrogate 47, that could potentially support 2,000 jobs. The site, located south-west of J47 of the A1M in North Yorkshire, has been allocated as the main strategic employment site
Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd has taken delivery of a second unique, long-reach telescopic leader rig, with even more capabilities than its 2018 groundbreaking rig, as the company continues its march to deliver programme benefits and costs savings to Tier-1 contractors on a wide variety of projects. The new TM 20
Lutron Electronics, the global leader in lighting and shading control technology, has announced a first-ever product integration with Ring, whose mission is to make neighbourhoods safer. Now, lights controlled by a Lutron system can be set to turn on when a linked Ring device detects motion, or a Ring Video Doorbell
There is never a bad time to build your client base, but with the recent pandemic affecting businesses everywhere, now is as good a time as any to market your company. With more clients on your side, you will be able to make more profits and push your business forwards.
A leading packaging group has acquired a multi-million pound warehouse, which will become its national headquarters, in a deal wrapped up by commercial property investor and developer Barberry Group. Allpack Group, trading as Allpack Packaging, has acquired the freehold of the 60,000 sq ft unit which is being developed by Barberry on Kingswood Lakeside Business Park in Cannock, Staffordshire, at one of the region’s key logistics hubs. Barberry has started work on the site and is expected to reach practical completion of the new headquarters logistics building at Kingswood Lakeside Business Park, Blakeney Way in Q2 2021. The deal will bring much-needed investment and dozens of new jobs to the region. Barberry development director Jon Robinson said: “We are thrilled to have agreed to sell the freehold of our high quality warehouse unit to Allpack Group before we have reached practical completion on site.” “It offers Allpack a fantastic new headquarters for their national operations as they expand and relocate from their current base in Aldridge. The successful conclusion of this deal clearly demonstrates the quality of our mid-box industrial/logistics buildings, the high specification we deliver, our experience and our flexible approach to cater for occupier requirements, while being able to offer both leasehold and freehold opportunities.” Jon added: “We have worked hard and invested heavily to create a Barberry brand in the mid-box industrial/logistics market, providing high quality buildings that we are proud of being built to an institutional acceptable specification that also satisfy occupier’s requirements.” Bob Clarke, operations director at Allpack Group, said: “We are delighted to announce our acquisition of Barberry 60 as the new headquarters for Allpack, which will allow us to continue supporting our clients nationally with the exceptional service levels that have become synonymous with the Allpack brand. 2020 has seen the ecommerce sector grow to new records and this facility will further enable us to develop and grow our business whilst continuing to service our customer needs and requirements. It has been a pleasure transacting with Barberry and we look forward to practically completing our building.” The 3.5-acre site was acquired by Barberry from Staffordshire County Council. Barberry secured detailed planning permission and appointed construction contractor Benniman. The ground treatment works required to enhance this prime employment location were part-funded by the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) via its Local Growth Fund. The location offers occupiers excellent connections to the motorway network, with immediate access to M6 Toll Road, the M6, M42, the A5 and A34. Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for economy and skills Philip White said: “We are pleased that the Allpack Group has selected Kingswood Lakeside Business Park as the location for its new headquarters, bringing investment and dozens of new jobs to Staffordshire. This is particularly important as we look towards the post-Covid economic recovery. “This is a significant milestone as it is the final plot at Kingswood Lakeside – one of Staffordshire’s key employment sites. The quality and success of this final plot development by Barberry, as with the wider business park, underlines the benefit of close co-operation between the public and private sectors. It is further demonstration of how we’re continuing at pace with our economic growth programme in Staffordshire.” Chris Loughran, deputy chair at GBSLEP, said: “Kingswood Lakeside Business Park is an excellent example of how strong relationships between the public and private sector can enable developments that have a hugely positive impact on our region. “Through our Local Growth Fund, we have invested £2.16 million in the site and this deal demonstrates what an important and timely investment it was. Attracting a nationally recognised business like the Allpack Group will support job growth for local people in one of the region’s key sectors. This continues to be one of GBSLEP’s major priorities as our region recovers from the impact of Covid-19.” Richard James-Moore, of JLL, acting on behalf of Barberry, said: “We are thrilled to have negotiated this deal on behalf of Barberry. The building specification together with the quality location and ability to acquire the freehold created a compelling case for Allpack and we are pleased to conclude the Pre sale. We look forward to seeing Allpack take occupation of the PC’d building.” JLL and MWRE were joints agents for Barberry. It’s been a busy year for Barberry. It recently announced a £40 million state-of-the-art aerospace manufacturing and design facility for a global leader in aerospace engine and flight controls systems will be developed in Gloucestershire. The 184,000 sq ft centre of excellence for Moog’s Aircraft Controls Segment will be built on a 10-acre site at Ashchurch, Tewkesbury. It is believed to be one of the biggest deals of the year in the manufacturing sector. Meanwhile, earlier this summer it announced that the UK’s leading roofing merchant is investing £4million in a new distribution hub after agreeing a deal for a unit at a multi-million pound business park in the South West. Joint venture developer Richardson Barberry agreed a deal with SIG Roofing – which plays a critical role in the construction supply chain – for a 10-year lease on a 31,617 sq ft warehouse unit in Bristol. Barberry, recognised as the Commercial Developer of the Year 2019 at the prestigious West Midlands Property Awards, has a 3.3 million sq ft industrial/logistics development portfolio with a Gross Development Value of more than £398 million. The company is also delivering student accommodation and residential schemes worth in excess of £200 million and has 528 acres of strategic development land, with a development land value of £262 million, across 14 sites under its control.
As governments across the UK and Ireland manage regional lockdowns, ease restrictions with more people returning to the workplace, and consider the possibility of a resurgence of COVID-19, Energy Networks Association and Energy UK members have reaffirmed their commitments to protect those most in need, keep colleagues and customers safe and their energy flowing. From the outset of the pandemic, companies across the energy industry have implemented safe working practices in consultation with colleagues, contractors, and trades unions. As the governments’ responses to the coronavirus pandemic develops, companies and unions are continuing to keep their approach under careful watch and carry out regular reviews of their practices to make sure they operate as safely as possible. Energy companies will always take an approach which safeguards the health and well-being of their customers and colleagues, while maintaining a safe and reliable supply of energy. As lockdown restrictions ease in many parts of the country, companies and unions are mindful of the possibility of more local lockdowns and a resurgence that will require continued vigilance. They continue to take appropriate safety measures, including: Revising and implementing procedures based on our joint learning from experience gained since the start of the pandemic. Continuing to ensure any new or revised procedures provide customers with the best possible service Working with the National HESAC and across the whole energy industry to pre-empt and prepare for any potential spikes in infections to ensure that colleagues and the public have confidence that the essential services they rely on will continue to be provided safely. Reviewing existing COVID-19 risk assessments with trades union health and safety representatives. Any changes to the assessments will be shared with energy industry and contractors, demonstrating transparency and ensuring they are easily accessible. David Smith, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association, which represents the UK and Ireland’s energy networks businesses, said: “The energy networks continue to put colleagues and customers at the heart of their COVID-19 response. We are constantly reviewing our plans to make sure we continue to provide the best possible service, especially to those who need extra help. We will carry on working with our colleagues and trades unions to keep people safe, protect those most in need and keep your energy flowing.” Emma Pinchbeck, Chief Executive of Energy UK said: “At the start of the pandemic our members responded quickly to make sure customers were supported and that we kept the lights on, maintaining the highest standards of health and safety in unprecedented circumstances while protecting the welfare of staff and customers. The experience gained over the last few months will help the industry rise to any future challenges and our sector will continue to work with staff and union representatives to protect essential energy workers and the customers they serve.” Sue Ferns, Senior Deputy General Secretary of Prospect said: “By working together and focusing on detailed changes to make work COVID-secure, the companies and unions have ensured that we have maintained high safety standards and service to customers. Trade union safety representatives have played a key role and their work will be even more vital during the challenging times ahead.”
Leader of South Gloucestershire Council Toby Savage said the investment at Brabazon will transform the region as he marked the ‘Topping Out’ of the first new homes YTL Developments have ‘topped out’ the first new homes at Brabazon on the former Filton Airfield, meaning the first roofs have been completed. Having broken ground at the beginning of 2020, the rapid progress means that the first homes will go on sale before the end of this year. Having been present in January when YTL Developments began to dig the first foundations at Brabazon, the leader of South Gloucestershire Council Toby Savage today returned to mark the moment when new homes at Brabazon reached their full height. “Brabazon is set to transform the local area and is a wakeup call to the big housebuilders on what new development can look like and deliver for communities. The most exciting thing is that this will be a really thriving new neighbourhood, not just another housing project. There will be public parks, schools, community facilities and new transport links,” said Cllr Savage. “And at the heart of it will be the incredible new YTL Arena Complex. For so many it’s going to be the most exciting place to be in the South West.” The first phase of new homes will include a range of one and two bedroom apartments and two, three and four bedroom homes. With construction well underway, YTL Developments expect the first new homes to go on sale before the end of the year, with the first residents moving in at the start of 2021. Designed by internationally-renowned, locally-based architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, it is the design details that make the new homes at Brabazon particularly distinctive. Built of solid red brick, the houses are proper homes: spacious, warm and welcoming, with generous room sizes and plenty of outdoor space. Cllr Toby Savage continued: “Clearly the past few months have been challenging in many different ways. The fact that YTL Developments are pressing ahead at speed with this huge investment is a real sign of confidence and is already starting to bring in jobs and opportunities for local people. It really shows their commitment to our local community.” Rob Benson, Construction Director at YTL Developments said: “I’m the third generation of my family to have worked here at the former Filton Airfield. To see this historic local landmark being brought back to life feels really personal to me. Seeing the quality of the new homes as they come out the ground is fantastic. Huge credit goes to our local team of site managers, supervisors and contractors. We are continuing to press ahead and can’t wait to see the first new residents move in early next year.” Jon McDiarmid, Director at YTL Developments, said: “The first new homes at Brabazon are setting the standard for what this new neighbourhood will become. The design details like the curve of the crescent, the quality of the brickwork and the extra space inside and out will make for really distinctive new homes. “With the good progress currently being made by the construction team, we expect to be able to offer our first homes for sale before the end of 2020.” To find out more and register your interest, please visit www.brabazon.co.uk/register
Opus North and Bridges Fund Management (“Bridges”) have acquired a 38-acre strategic site near Harrogate to deliver a high-quality employment development, Harrogate 47, that could potentially support 2,000 jobs. The site, located south-west of J47 of the A1M in North Yorkshire, has been allocated as the main strategic employment site in Harrogate Borough Council’s newly adopted Local Plan, due to its excellent access to the transport network. It benefits from an existing planning permission for over half a million square feet of development for employment uses. Opus North and Bridges will now progress a revised masterplan for Harrogate 47 that maximises the job-creating potential of the site, working closely with Harrogate Borough Council and other key stakeholders. Opus North is instructing a consultancy team to prepare a new outline planning application that will be submitted for consideration later in the year. CBRE acted for Opus North and Bridges, while Gent Visick represented the vendor, a private individual. Ryan Unsworth, Development Director of Opus North, said: “This is a site with clear potential to make a significant contribution to the local economy through job creation and also through the delivery of high-quality office and logistics accommodation to meet existing and future market demand. With our joint venture partner, we are in a position to bring this development to life and are looking forward to continuing our discussions with both the Council and local stakeholders to create an exemplar development to address the local and regional shortages of employment space.” Opus North is recognised as one of the most active and successful developers in Yorkshire, with extensive development delivery experience. Bridges Fund Management specialises in investing in the transition to a more inclusive and sustainable economy: it supports property solutions that help to reduce emissions, regenerate communities, and revitalise industrial and business spaces. Guy Bowden, Partner at Bridges Fund Management, said: “We believe this important site in Harrogate can play a key role in meeting industrial demand and supporting the growth of the local economy. We are excited by the opportunity to create a highly sustainable development that will minimise environmental impact while maximising wellbeing and cost savings for future tenants.”
Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd has taken delivery of a second unique, long-reach telescopic leader rig, with even more capabilities than its 2018 groundbreaking rig, as the company continues its march to deliver programme benefits and costs savings to Tier-1 contractors on a wide variety of projects. The new TM 20 long-reach telescopic leader rig joins the already unique TM 12/15 long reach rig within Sheet Piling UK’s fleet, giving the steel sheet pile specialist two rigs that are peerless within the construction sector. The TM 20 LR boasts the same long-reach capabilities of its slightly older sister rig, being able to reach a full three metres further than anything else on the market when accessing the pile line. However, it can install and extract longer piles – up to 20 metres in length rather than 16 metres. This enables the two rigs between them to tackle any sheet piling project with ease, proving their huge financial worth in scenarios where an expensive and project-delaying temporary platform would typically have to be built, just to allow the sheet piling rig to reach the desired pile line. Other enhancements have been added to the TM 20 LR, including an increase in the size of the vibratory hammer, remote control unloading and loading function, which allows the operator to rig and de-rig the machine working with unhindered visibility on the ground, and a hydraulic rapid-changing docking station. The latter allows for timely interchanging of machine attachments, with any working at height eliminated. A fixed boom hinge fabrication has been added to the centre slew of the base machine, in order for the long reach capability to be achieved, and the rig comes with a unique infrastructure mode for reduced machine footprint. Specially designed vertically stacked counterweights also reduce machine overhang. Sheet Piling UK’s managing director, Andrew Cotton, and plant manager, Bill Lloyd, took over possession of the TM 20 long-reach telescopic rig from the managing director of ABI Equipment UK, Mark Lee, at a handover at ABI Equipment UK’s Northamptonshire base. The rig was manufactured to Sheet Piling UK’s specification, at ABI’s base in Germany. It was then transported to the UK. During the week of handover, the company’s plant fitters and operators underwent familiarisation training with their new giant of a rig, with the Sheet Piling UK order book already impressively full. The rig is now fully commissioned, with a full order book until mid-November and started its first project on September 8 2020). Its first projects will be the A421 upgrade scheme for Morgan Sindall, a permanent basement construction project for McLaren Construction, at a manufacturing facility in Warwickshire and the A19 improvement scheme for Balfour Beatty. Tier-1 contractors working on road and rail infrastructure, marine and river and general construction projects are all likely to benefit from significant time and cost savings, if incorporating the rig’s use into the sheet piling phase. Any type of project normally requiring temporary enabling works can benefit from erasing those from the schedule of works, whether the ultimate project purpose is rail infrastructure widening, SMART motorway Emergency Rescue Area installation or the building of a new quay wall. The TM 20 and the TM 12/15 LR rigs are both seen as having potentially enormous positive impacts on HS2, the SMART Motorway Alliance project and the Road Investment Strategy (RIS2). Andrew Cotton says: “The demand for our first long-reach rig, the TM 12/15 has proved so great that it quickly became apparent that we would need to secure a second long-reach machine. We are a forward-thinking business and so the decision to commission the TM 20 LR was almost inevitable. “We studied the key performance attributes of the first rig, to further enhance the benefits that can be delivered, and believe we now have two superb long-reach rigs, not just unlike anything else in the construction sector but also as suited to delivering on the requirements of Tier-1 contractors as they can possibly be. “We have already demonstrated that we can save around £40,000-£60,000, on average, per Smart motorway ERA where a 100-metre sheet pile installation is required. That is just one example of the financial benefits these rigs can deliver to contractors. At a time when costs are under such scrutiny, it makes no sense to ignore these benefits and stick to old and expensive ways of dealing with earthwork stabilisation, groundworks and infrastructure widening.” Sheet Piling UK says it wishes to engage further with the construction industry, to make these benefits more apparent and is not ruling out further rig commissioning, if demand continues to be as intense as it has been over the past two years. The rig’s design is patented by Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd within the UK.
Lutron Electronics, the global leader in lighting and shading control technology, has announced a first-ever product integration with Ring, whose mission is to make neighbourhoods safer. Now, lights controlled by a Lutron system can be set to turn on when a linked Ring device detects motion, or a Ring Video Doorbell is pressed. Adding lighting to these events adds another layer of security and furthers the impression that someone is home. The new integration is supported by Lutron’s RA2 Select smart lighting control system and compatible Ring devices. The Lutron and Ring alliance combines the best of both brands, offering users peace of mind, added convenience, and a welcoming environment for family and friends. Homeowners can set Lutron-controlled lights to turn on when motion is detected outside, have their front door and entry lights turn on when someone rings their Ring Video Doorbell, or utilise advanced motion settings to welcome guests to their family home with just the right light as they approach the front door. “Lutron is thrilled to launch this integration with Ring, which brings together two leaders in their industries – Lutron as a leader in smart lighting control and Ring as a leader in smart video doorbells and security cameras. At Lutron, we are committed to bringing our European customers seamless integrations with market-leading products to make life simpler and more comfortable,” said Nate Hagemeier, Lutron’s Senior Director of Sales – Europe and Africa. “A homeowner who has Lutron and Ring devices in their home can now have Lutron-controlled indoor and outdoor lights respond to a doorbell press or motion detected by a compatible Ring device, giving families personalised control and added peace of mind.” The Lutron and Ring integration is easily customised, allowing homeowners to decide which lights are connected to their Ring devices and which ones will turn on during a Ring event. For example, when the Ring Video doorbell rings, the porch light and living room light can be set to turn on, but when the driveway Ring Security Camera detects motion, users can set the lights in the backyard and patio to turn on. Homeowners can also customise their settings based on the time of day, so lights only go on during an activity between sunset and sunrise. Customisation is easily done through the Lutron app, available for iOS and Android devices and the Amazon Fire tablet.
There is never a bad time to build your client base, but with the recent pandemic affecting businesses everywhere, now is as good a time as any to market your company. With more clients on your side, you will be able to make more profits and push your business forwards. You will also have the opportunity to fight off the advances of your nearest competition. To build your client base, we recommend the following. #1: Focus on your website First impressions are everything in business. But if your website isn’t up to scratch, your potential clients might assume the quality of your work isn’t great either. So, do what you can to create a professional image for your company. Include high-quality pictures of your past projects as people will then know what you’re capable of. Include testimonials too, as a positive word from past clients will do much to sway people to your side. And check out these construction website must-haves to make an impact on the people who visit your site #2: Direct people to your website After working on your website, you need to make sure people actually find it online. Thankfully, this is pretty simple, as you can include your site URL everywhere. Have it printed on your work vans, and include it on your promotional materials. Link back to your website from your social media pages, and make sure it’s included on the business listing sites you use too. You could also embed QR codes on your business cards, brochures, and the other marketing materials you use. Give people an incentive to scan them with their smartphones – perhaps with the offer of a special deal – and use the code to direct them to the relevant page on your website. Use the following linked site to make a QR code for your business. #3: Build relationships with other contractors Not every contractor is your enemy! If you specialize in one area, you might want to partner up with another contractor with the skills you don’t have. So, if your focus was building work, you could partner up with a specialist in electrics, for example. You could then share work and build your client base this way, or you could ask them to promote your services to their clients. If you offered to market their business too, they should be only too happy to support you. #4: Stay in touch with past clients Don’t assume your clients will remember you in six months’ time. As there are many other contractors competing against you, they might be tempted to try another firm if they have other projects in mind. So, stay on their radar, especially if you know they were pleased with the work you did for them. Drop them an email about updates to your company, and let them know about any new services you are offering. This way, you might retain their custom and keep them on your client list. You can then use them to build your client base, as you can ask your past clients to refer your business to their family and friends. More clients equal more money and a better reputation for your business. Do what you can to build your client base then, and improve your chances of success in your industry.
