Whitbread PLC, the parent company of Premier Inn, has secured terms with Riverstone Hotels Ltd to open a 200-room Premier Inn hotel within walking distance of Edinburgh Airport. This development aims to expand Premier Inn’s presence near Scotland’s busiest airport, a major hub for over 150 domestic and international flights.
Solivus, a leading UK provider of lightweight solar installations for commercial applications, has designed and delivered a £2m solar installation to Farnborough Airport, taking it one step closer to its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2030. Located in Farnborough, Hampshire, Farnborough Airport is the home of British aviation
A major milestone for affordable housing in Dorchester has been achieved with the completion of Eldridge Street, the first phase of The Hops, a £23 million wholly affordable housing development in the heart of Dorchester. Developed in partnership between AJC Group and Aster Group, this project brings 56 energy-efficient homes
MSV Housing Group has selected Caddick Construction as main contractor on its new over 55s residential development off Manchester Road in Chorlton. Due for completion in 2026, the former Chorlton Baths site will bring 50 new-build HAPPI (Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation) designed apartments to the local area,
Homes England has announced the appointment of Eamonn Boylan as its interim Chief Executive, succeeding Peter Denton, who will step down in January 2025. Boylan is set to begin his role on 15 January, bringing over 42 years of experience in significant public sector roles to lead the Agency through
Landsec has taken full ownership of MediaCity in Salford, acquiring Peel Group’s remaining 25% stake in the iconic mixed-use development. The real estate investment trust (REIT) also gained ownership of dock10, MediaCity’s television facility, and the estate’s 218-bed hotel, both previously held by Peel. The transaction, which includes a cash
Plans for the conversion and repurposing of an old office building into 230 co-living homes in Leeds as part of Headrow House have been approved. Watkin Jones, the UK’s leading developer and manager of residential for rent, will transform Headrow House at 42 The Headrow into a supported communal living
Cygnus, a leading developer and manufacturer of EN 54 certified and 100% wireless fire detection and alarm systems, will be showcasing its latest product innovations on stand K20 at this year’s London Build, the UK’s leading & largest construction show. London Build takes place from 20-21 November 2024 at Olympia,
Three new senior roles have been announced within McLaren Construction’s Midlands and North division. Operations Director – Luke Arnold, Divisional Director – Darren Harding, and Regional Commercial Director – Adam Craven, have been appointed to positions within the Midlands and North team as part of its continued growth strategy. Luke
Takes Security to the Next Level for Bobcat Customers Bobcat has added a new Remote Engine Disable/Enable feature on the company’s Machine IQ telematics platform. The new feature allows customers in Europe to remotely enable or disable their machine’s engine through the Owner Portal or Machine IQ app. With Remote Engine
Whitbread PLC, the parent company of Premier Inn, has secured terms with Riverstone Hotels Ltd to open a 200-room Premier Inn hotel within walking distance of Edinburgh Airport. This development aims to expand Premier Inn’s presence near Scotland’s busiest airport, a major hub for over 150 domestic and international flights. The planned hotel, set to be four storeys high, is being developed in collaboration with Whitbread’s partner, with a formal planning application scheduled for submission to the City of Edinburgh Council early next year. If approved, the hotel will offer guests a convenient 10-minute walk to the terminal, making it an ideal choice for both business and leisure travellers. Jill Anderson, Acquisitions Manager for Whitbread, explained the appeal of the project, stating, “The case for expanding Premier Inn at Edinburgh Airport is compelling. In 2023, almost 14.5 million passengers travelled through the airport—a 30% rise from the previous year—and international routes are growing. With the airport’s continued success, we see a prime opportunity to establish a Premier Inn hotel right next to the terminal. It’s an exciting prospect for our guests and a testament to Whitbread’s focus on investing in high-demand locations.” The new hotel will feature Premier Inn’s latest room designs, including its popular Premier Plus rooms, and a ‘The Social’ space on the ground floor for guests. Positioned on Eastfield Road, the primary route to the airport, the L-shaped building will offer 100 dedicated parking spaces. Furthermore, the site is designed with sustainability in mind, powered exclusively by renewable electricity and aiming to achieve a BREEAM ‘very good’ rating. John Rumsey, Development Director at Riverstone Developments, expressed confidence in the collaboration: “Whitbread’s strong reputation and Premier Inn’s recognisability to travellers made this partnership an easy choice. With Whitbread’s established track record and solid financial performance, we’re thrilled to commit to a leasehold development. Should we obtain planning consent, we are ready to move forward and bring Premier Inn closer to the airport as soon as possible.” To gather public feedback, Whitbread and Riverstone will host consultation events on the 19th of November and 17th of December at The Pavilion, Royal Highland Centre, from 1 pm to 6 pm. This Edinburgh expansion follows recent news of Premier Inn’s largest hotel in northern England, a 276-room property at Manchester Airport, set to serve the UK’s third busiest airport. Whitbread’s latest projects continue to underline its commitment to strategic growth in high-traffic locations, providing convenient, high-quality accommodation for travellers across the UK. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Solivus, a leading UK provider of lightweight solar installations for commercial applications, has designed and delivered a £2m solar installation to Farnborough Airport, taking it one step closer to its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2030. Located in Farnborough, Hampshire, Farnborough Airport is the home of British aviation and widely recognised as Europe’s leading airport for premium travel connectivity. In its ongoing efforts to be a sustainability showcase for other airports around the world, it has a clear strategy in place to reach net zero by 2030, well ahead of the industry standard. As part of this, Farnborough Airport sought to reduce electricity and gas usage and invest in onsite renewable production. However, the path to self-generation proved less than straightforward. Foremost, due to operational and environmental restrictions on land use, the installation of ground-mounted solar at scale was not possible making rooftop solar the only option. At the same time, the iconic architectural curves of the airport building were not conducive to fitting traditional rigid solar panels while – in common with 40% of commercial buildings like aircraft hangars, the rooftops were unable to support the associated weight. The solution to overcoming these challenges and installing the desired solar was provided through partnering with lightweight solar technology pioneers, Solivus. Offering a competitive performance without the bulk, Solivus’ lightweight solar solution provides a practical, efficient, and cost-effective option for commercial rooftops, allowing large premises to harness solar energy while minimising structural concerns and installation complexities. Furthermore, Solivus’ lightweight solar solution can be used on a wide variety of roof surfaces, and is typically installed with no penetration of the roof itself and has much lower glare characteristics compared to conventional solar panels. Now complete, the installation, which commenced works in January 2024, has seen over 4,000 lightweight solar panels installed on hangars one and two, the terminal, the control tower, and the Airport’s award-winning 169-room hotel, the Aviator Hampshire. Constituting one of the largest rooftop solar installations in the region, the works will enable up to 25% of the airport’s annual electricity needs to be met, as well as enabling its growing operational fleet of electric vehicles to be charged using self-generated electricity. With approximately 75% of solar energy generated to be used on-site, the remaining 25% will be sold back to the energy supplier, thus making the financial case for solar even more attractive. In total, the installation will deliver over 1,700 kWp of installed capacity, generating over 1.2 GWh of clean energy every year while taking Farnborough Airport a major leap forward in its bold target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. The PV installation is expected to generate over 36 GWh of energy in its lifetime and offset more than 5,000 tonnes of CO2e in that time. Importantly, the project, which was planned, delivered and executed as a complete solution by Solivus, was meticulously phased to minimise disruption for the busy airport. Safety was accounted for too. Working closely with the National Air Traffic Services, Solivus’ design was purposefully constructed to minimise any glint and glare. This included a comprehensive feasibility study, testing factors such as generation potential and shading to determine the optimal placement of panels. Farnborough Airport’s ambitions for renewables are expressed by the Group’s CEO, Simon Geere: “In line with our ambition to become a sustainability showcase for airports around the world, we’re proud to have partnered with lightweight solar technology pioneers, Solivus, to install one of the largest rooftop solar projects in the region. The lightweight solar installation is a significant step towards achieving our sustainability objectives, significantly reducing our controllable emissions, as set out in our Net Zero Roadmap, in which we have committed to be Net Zero by 2030 or sooner.” Interestingly, the solar installation aligns with a recent government bill, which encourages the extensive deployment of rooftop solar on domestic industrial and commercial property to make effective use of available surfaces as a priority. Solivus CEO, Jo Parker-Swift says: “Rooftop solar is crucial for decarbonising the built environment, but its application has often been constrained by the structural limitations of many commercial buildings. Put simply, traditional solar panels are too heavy for many rooftops. Our lightweight solar innovation addresses this issue, enabling large-scale, cost-effective solar deployment across nearly all large commercial buildings and sites. “We are proud to have worked with Farnborough Airport to ensure the future supply of renewable energy, supporting the airport’s progressive net zero emissions journey. We encourage other airports to seize the opportunity to benefit from our lightweight solar energy installations and advance their own sustainability initiatives. For further information please visit: https://www.solivus.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A major milestone for affordable housing in Dorchester has been achieved with the completion of Eldridge Street, the first phase of The Hops, a £23 million wholly affordable housing development in the heart of Dorchester. Developed in partnership between AJC Group and Aster Group, this project brings 56 energy-efficient homes to the community, including the first-ever affordable four-bedroom family homes in Brewery Square—a rare offering in the region. Eldridge Street is a collection of 25 one- and two-bedroom apartments and 31 contemporary three- and four-bedroom terrace houses, exclusively available through Aster Group’s shared ownership scheme. The demand for larger affordable family homes has long been a challenge in Dorchester, and this development is poised to address that need. Formerly a vacant brownfield site, The Hops, is AJC Group’s largest development to date and is due to be completed in December 2024. Part of the broader 20-year regeneration of Dorchester’s town centre, Eldridge Street showcases AJC Group’s high standards of construction and energy efficiency, with all homes achieving a high EPC rating of B. David Cracklen, Director of AJC Group, said: “Dorchester has long faced a shortage of affordable housing, and we are immensely proud to deliver the first collection of four-bed family homes in Brewery Square. These spacious homes meet the need for larger families without compromising on quality or energy efficiency.” “At AJC Group, we are committed to setting a new precedent for affordable housing, one that we hope will serve as a catalyst for change, inspiring future developments to prioritise both size and sustainability.” Brewery Square is within short walking distance of The Hops and has a wide range of amenities, including a state-of-the-art cinema, restaurants and bars, and shops. Eldridge Street is just a short walk from Dorchester South train station, with services to London Waterloo in under two hours, and more local journeys to the coast, including Weymouth, only taking 10 minutes. AJC Group continues to grow its presence across the Wessex region, with five additional projects currently underway. These developments include affordable housing initiatives in Dorchester, The New Forest, and the Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole areas. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
MSV Housing Group has selected Caddick Construction as main contractor on its new over 55s residential development off Manchester Road in Chorlton. Due for completion in 2026, the former Chorlton Baths site will bring 50 new-build HAPPI (Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation) designed apartments to the local area, consisting of two five storey buildings. Of the 40 affordable rent apartments, 30 will be single-bed homes and 10 two bedroom homes. Elsewhere on the development will be seven shared ownership homes for sale, and three neighbourhood apartments, which will be leased to Manchester City Council. Caddick’s work to deliver these low-carbon, affordable homes will also involve the creation of a residents’ lounge and all external works, including a central courtyard and garden for residents’ use, car parking facilities and bicycle storage. The £14m extra care development receives its funding invested through MSV Housing, Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and Homes England. Dave Saville, Regional Managing Director for Caddick Construction North West, comments: “In the past year alone we have delivered on a great number of extra care facilities across the North West, including the multi-award winning Sandalwood Drive in Wigan on behalf of Wigan Council, and Lancaster’s first extra care facility on behalf of Progress Housing Group. “This model of specialist accommodation for the over 55s is in high demand, and we are pleased to bring our extensive expertise in high-quality, residential builds, and our local and reliable supply chain to deliver these much needed homes for the local community.” Charlie Norman, CEO for MSV Housing, comments: “We are so pleased that this development is now on site thanks to our partnership with Manchester City Council. With an ageing population and the need to live well in our later years, it is essential that we provide more age friendly homes for older people in Manchester. This high quality new HAPPI scheme will offer safe, warm, affordable and comfortable homes in a fantastic neighbourhood close to shops, transport and medical facilities. At the same time, we expect that larger family homes will be freed up for larger families struggling to find the right home. I would like to thank our colleagues within MSV, and colleagues at Manchester City Council, GMCA and Homes England for their continued support and look forward to working with Caddick to see the first residents move in to their lovely new homes.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Homes England has announced the appointment of Eamonn Boylan as its interim Chief Executive, succeeding Peter Denton, who will step down in January 2025. Boylan is set to begin his role on 15 January, bringing over 42 years of experience in significant public sector roles to lead the Agency through its strategic priorities. Boylan’s impressive career includes senior roles such as Deputy Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, Chief Executive of Stockport Council, and Deputy Chief Executive of the Homes and Communities Agency, the forerunner of Homes England. His extensive background in public sector leadership, particularly in housing and regeneration, positions him to make a strong impact in advancing the government’s housing and community initiatives. Homes England moved quickly to secure an interim leader, with the appointment approved by the Deputy Prime Minister. Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook expressed confidence in Boylan, stating, “Eamonn brings unparalleled expertise and a successful track record in strategic leadership. I am confident he will drive Homes England’s efforts to boost housing supply and foster place-based regeneration. I look forward to collaborating with him in the new year.” Peter Freeman, Chair of Homes England, added, “Eamonn’s experience in public sector leadership, particularly in housing and community development, makes him an ideal choice to lead during this period. The Board and I are confident that under his leadership, Homes England will continue creating thriving communities that truly enhance people’s lives. We eagerly anticipate welcoming him to the team.” Boylan shared his enthusiasm for the role, highlighting the Agency’s goal of delivering 1.5 million new homes within the current parliamentary term. “I am ready to help tackle the challenges ahead and deliver on the government’s housing ambitions. My focus will be on strengthening partnerships, empowering local leaders, and driving forward housing initiatives that positively impact lives. I am proud to join a talented team, and together with our partners, I am confident we will rise to the task.” Boylan’s leadership is set to steer Homes England through a critical period, reinforcing its role in creating sustainable, vibrant communities across the country. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Landsec has taken full ownership of MediaCity in Salford, acquiring Peel Group’s remaining 25% stake in the iconic mixed-use development. The real estate investment trust (REIT) also gained ownership of dock10, MediaCity’s television facility, and the estate’s 218-bed hotel, both previously held by Peel. The transaction, which includes a cash payment of £22 million and the assumption of £61 million in secured debt, totals £83 million. Landsec secured this at a discount to the latest book value of its existing 75% holding in MediaCity, a reflection of Peel’s surrender of “wrapper” leases and the potential income loss associated with those leases. Factoring in the additional assets of the hotel and dock10 studios, the transaction aligns with the book value of MediaCity, ensuring it remains earnings-neutral in the short term. With this acquisition, Landsec gains full control over the future direction of MediaCity, including the adjacent land that offers substantial development potential. The REIT is now positioned to lead the estate’s next growth phase, with plans to create more residential spaces and attract a mix of innovative businesses to the area. Mike Hood, CEO of Landsec U+I, commented, “MediaCity has immense potential. With our increased ownership, we can fully realise our vision for the area—creating a vibrant community where people come to work, live, and enjoy their lives. We look forward to sharing more about our plans soon.” Earlier this year, Landsec received approval for an expansion of MediaCity that will deliver an additional 800,000 sq. ft. of commercial space and 3,200 new homes. With complete ownership, Landsec is now in an ideal position to drive the continued transformation of this landmark destination in Salford. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans for the conversion and repurposing of an old office building into 230 co-living homes in Leeds as part of Headrow House have been approved. Watkin Jones, the UK’s leading developer and manager of residential for rent, will transform Headrow House at 42 The Headrow into a supported communal living environment with a completion date eyed for 2028. Leeds City Council green-lit the plans to help address the demand for rental accommodation that continues to outstrip supply in the city. Headrow House will offer its occupiers a high-quality gym, shared kitchens and dining areas, a cinema, co-working lounge, library, laundry room and bicycle parking in addition to personal storage rooms. The co-living design supports the Group’s ESG strategy, emphasising reuse and energy efficiency and attaining BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification. The retrofit enhances thermal efficiency and air permeability, with electric heating for net zero carbon, energy-efficient windows and air source heat pumps. Photovoltaic panels, efficient lighting and energy-saving controls will optimise performance. By reusing the building, the scheme will reduce embodied carbon by 78% and Watkin Jones will use sustainable landscaping throughout. Iain Smith, Planning Director at Watkin Jones, commented: “We are very excited to announce planning approval for Headrow House, our first co-living project in Leeds. “Ranked the third largest city by population in the UK, Leeds is a vital commercial and residential centre, and we are committed to providing high-quality, sustainable co-living accommodation that will help to address the on-going demand for rental homes in Leeds city centre. “We look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts with Leeds City Council and our local communities to address this growing demand, while also supporting our ESG targets as a business.” The scheme will also retain retail units on the ground floor, helping to support local residents and businesses and Headrow House will only be a short walk from popular restaurants and shopping centres. Importantly, the design will serve evolving residents’ needs and will include many social benefits. The site offers excellent public transport links, located within a 300m walk from Leeds train station. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Cygnus, a leading developer and manufacturer of EN 54 certified and 100% wireless fire detection and alarm systems, will be showcasing its latest product innovations on stand K20 at this year’s London Build, the UK’s leading & largest construction show. London Build takes place from 20-21 November 2024 at Olympia, London and attracts over 30,000 contractors, architects, civil engineers, developers, local councils, house builders/associations and construction professionals. “We are looking forward to being back at London Build,” comments Stephen Marsh, Head of Sales at Cygnus. “At last year’s event we were showcasing the world first EN 54 certified 100% wireless fire detection and alarm system, SmartNet. This year we are back with additional solutions to enhance the range including the Cygnus ALERT remote monitoring and notification platform, the new Cygnus Mesh Analyser and the Portal Programming Unit (PPU). We’ll be demonstrating the capabilities of SmartNet-Pro and SmartNet-100 as well as the Mesh Analyser and Cygnus Config Tool software. It is exciting to have a such a comprehensive range of innovative solutions to share with visitors.” SmartNet is EN 54 certified and a BS5839-1 compliant system, up to twenty times faster to install than wired systems, with minimal disruption. The SmartNet network is built on a combination of radio devices, operating on a self-forming, self-healing wireless mesh network with multipath network redundancy utilising channel hopping technology, delivering a reliable and robust solution. SmartNet-Pro offers a scalable solution with the capability for each panel to connect 511 devices and up to 96 zones, with networking of up to 5 panels available via a software release code, providing a combined solution of over 2500 devices. Whilst SmartNet-Pro* caters to the larger scales of application, SmartNet-100** provides all the key benefits of SmartNet-Pro in a more cost-effective solution, designed to support a maximum of 100 devices. Based on this nature, SmartNet-100 is best suited for small to medium sized applications where the scalability of the SmartNet-Pro is not required. The Cygnus team will also be on hand at the event to discuss the recently launched Cygnus ALERT, the perfect remote notification and monitoring complement to Cygnus’ world first, EN 54 certified and 100% wireless SmartNet range of fire detection and alarm systems. Using Cygnus ALERT, installers and site administrators can receive event, fault or mesh information in real-time, enabling swift responses to on-site situations. Cygnus ALERT presents easy user management to view and notify across multiple sites, and a variety of environments. In addition to Cygnus ALERT, the new Cygnus Mesh Analyser will be on display. The Cygnus Mesh Analyser is an enhanced diagnostic and maintenance software tool, delivering a graphical display of mesh signal strengths and connection paths for each device in the system. Furthermore, the Cygnus Mesh Analyser aids the commissioning process of fire safety systems, shows the device history and provides suggestions of how to strengthen the network. The new Cygnus Portal Programming Unit (PPU) has been designed to help with the planning and deployment of the SmartNet system. The PPU allows installers to deliver firmware and configuration updates to devices wirelessly whilst they are on site, making the whole process faster and more efficient for areas that are hard to access. The new Cygnus Site Survey kit allows installers to deploy three bespoke detectors that replicate the mesh network to ensure the suitability of the system for the environment. For more information, visit the Cygnus stand (K20) at London Build, and visit https://www.cygnus-systems.com/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Three new senior roles have been announced within McLaren Construction’s Midlands and North division. Operations Director – Luke Arnold, Divisional Director – Darren Harding, and Regional Commercial Director – Adam Craven, have been appointed to positions within the Midlands and North team as part of its continued growth strategy. Luke Arnold will be working alongside managing director, Gary Cramp, to expand the Midlands and North business – developing into new sectors through public sector frameworks, alongside building the current teams to deliver success. He brings 25 years of experience to the role and will be concentrating on building and motivating high performing teams alongside maximising both operational and commercial performance within the region. On his new role, Luke said: “I am extremely proud of my client relationships and my ability to develop long standing relationships with supply chain and customers. With a wealth of experience across many different sectors of the industry, along with strong regional knowledge and long-standing customer and supply chain relationships – it’s exciting to have the opportunity to work with Gary and develop the Midlands and North region and I look forward to bringing new opportunities to the business.” Darren Harding will be responsible for the full day-to-day responsibility of all PBSA (Purpose Built Student Accommodation) schemes across the Midlands and North regions, continuing to build on the success of the contractor’s completed schemes, whilst building new high-performing site teams for opportunities in the pipeline. With over 40 years’ experience in the industry – relationship building will be a key focus of Darren’s new role – allowing him to build strong, professional connections to fortify teams and create new streams of work. On his new position, Darren Harding, said: “In my new role I will continue to reinforce my client relationships across the Midlands and North region, whilst pursuing a variety of varied workload opportunities. I thrive on the ‘team building’ aspect of my role by means of listening, nurturing, and encouraging all team members to take full ownership for their roles, which ultimately allows them to grow and develop, whilst allowing me to build professional and high performing teams. The future is looking very positive for the business with a full pipeline of new opportunities.” Regional Commercial Director, Adam Craven, will lead and oversee the commercial function within the regional business. Bringing over 22 years’ experience to the role, his position will include ensuring that consistent commercial performance is delivered across the board within the commercial team, at both pre-construction and delivery stages. Providing key technical skills in commercial governance and control including forecasting discipline, robust contractual knowledge and cash management, Adam will provide commercial and management support to the Regional Director to ensure that the financial performance of the region meets and exceeds profitability targets, as well as supporting the Group Commercial Director in all commercial activities across the region and wider business. Adam said: “I’m really delighted to be here, and excited for the future of the business. I will be pushing to support and develop our people and will be part of continued growth, ensuring it is done so in a sustainable and profitable way. Whilst the business has already demonstrated its success and resilience over many years, what really appealed to me and differentiates Mclaren Construction Midlands & North was the empowerment given to me to influence and make a meaningful difference to an already successful business, as we seek those marginal improvements which will make all the difference. “With the quality of the existing skillset within the business, together with developing the right recruitment strategy, this will enable us to diversify our workload and allow for controlled, sustainable, and profitable growth.” Gary Cramp, Managing Director at McLaren Construction Midlands and North, said: “We are pleased to welcome Luke, Darren and Adam into their respective roles and are confident that their expertise and capabilities will drive the positive change we are spearheading, as part of the division’s growth strategy.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Takes Security to the Next Level for Bobcat Customers Bobcat has added a new Remote Engine Disable/Enable feature on the company’s Machine IQ telematics platform. The new feature allows customers in Europe to remotely enable or disable their machine’s engine through the Owner Portal or Machine IQ app. With Remote Engine Disable/Enable, operators and owners can shut down their machine with a few clicks, deterring theft and aiding in quick machine recovery. Machine IQ, launched last year in Europe, allows connected-machine owners to monitor the health of their Bobcat machine and remotely track information that enhances maintenance, security and performance. The new Remote Engine Disable/Enable feature represents the first two-way update for the telematics system, allowing operators to both send commands to and receive data from the machine. Remote Engine Disable/Enable via Machine IQ can be activated in Bobcat skid-steer and compact track loaders, mini-excavators and compact wheel loaders connected to the system. “Enabling advanced theft deterrence provides critical peace of mind for our Machine IQ users, and Remote Engine Disable/Enable allows our European customers to protect their equipment and allow only authorised usage. This feature also demonstrates our ability to interact with machines via two-way communication using telematics. Today marks another major milestone for what Bobcat continues to do – to empower our customers to accomplish more,” said Tomas Plechaty, Machine IQ Senior Program Manager at Bobcat EMEA. Simple and User-Friendly Available with Premium Machine IQ subscriptions, this innovative solution empowers customers to remotely prevent theft and unauthorized use in just a few clicks. If unauthorized use is suspected, customers can log into their Bobcat Owner Portal or Machine IQ app to select the asset, and click ‘Remote Engine Disable/Enable’ in the sidebar. Only administrative users can access this feature, and all Remote Engine Disable/Enable activity is tracked in the asset’s history table. Upon executing the disable command, any attempt to start an engine in an off state will fail. If the machine is in operation, the engine will shift into de-rate mode. Benefits With Machine IQ, customers have 24/7 access to crucial machine information on their smartphones or computers. Equipped with this information, customers can optimize machine use and plan jobs for maximum profitability by keeping idle times to a minimum and tracking fuel consumption. Service planning is made easy with maintenance notifications, saving operators time and money by allowing them to efficiently schedule machine maintenance and manage job sites during planned downtime. Choosing the Right Package Dealers and customers can choose from two options: a Standard package with basic telematics and a Premium package with additional advanced features. According to Tomas Plechaty, the subscription options let users tailor their experiences and access the level of connectivity and insights that best suit their needs. “With a focus on simplicity for the user, we are confident that the packages will meet the needs of customers and dealers across the globe, and help them grow their businesses,” he said. Connecting to Machine IQ Machine IQ comes factory-installed with many equipment models and can easily be installed on compatible Bobcat machines in the field. Customers should contact their local dealer to check compatibility. Bobcat customers can access Machine IQ by visiting my.bobcat.com, creating an account and logging in. Alternatively, the mobile app for Machine IQ can be downloaded from Google Play/Apple Store. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
