UK Export Finance (UKEF), the export credit agency, has appointed Richard Simon-Lewis as head of civil, infrastructure and energy. Above: Richard Simon-Lewis Richard Simon-Lewis joins UKEF after a career in corporate finance. Most recently, he was finance director for Capture Power’s White Rose carbon capture and storage project, for which
Plug is pulled on Help to Buy The Government has confirmed that the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme will close to new loans on 31 December 2016, as previously advertised. The scheme was introduced in 2013 to increase the availability of high loan to value mortgages. According to the
Savills, on behalf of Milton (Peterborough) Estates Company, has let space at 46 Westgate in Peterborough to Bimble Inn (Peterborough) Limited. The company has agreed to a new 10-year lease for the former pharmacy unit, which totals 499 sq ft (46.34 sq m). The property is set to be converted
The Lighting Industry Association (The LIA) will officially open its new Laboratories facility on 8 March 2016. The facility is the culmination of many years’ of planning with lighting manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and wholesalers and will provide the industry with a cutting edge testing and certification service helping grow
Tarmac has a new cement packing facility at its Tunstead cement site, near Buxton, Derbyshire. Above: Bagging Mastercrete cement Tarmac said that its bespoke Haver & Boecker 10-spout Adams 2000 plant, the first of its kind in the UK, enhanced its packing capacity. The plant will manufacture Tarmac’s range of
HSE is seeking an experienced HR professional for the Business Partner role, based in Buxton, with our Science Directorate. As one of our team of four HR Business Partners you will have an important role working with senior business leads in key priority areas. Closing date, 3 April 2016. Source
This August marks an important milestone for NICEIC as it celebrates the 60th anniversary since its first inception. The UK’s leading voluntary body for electrical contractors was officially incorporated on August 10 1956. The National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting as it was first known ,
As decision day looms we have all the news and analysis on what the EU vote means for property. Estates Gazette will be reporting live on the EU referendum from the moment the stock markets open, bringing you the fallout for property shares, reaction from leading real estate experts, analysis
Watson Batty architects has revealed that they have released equity in their business to seven of their management team. This latest announcement has been announced as a part of the succession planning process. This planning process for Watson Batty is now in the 4th generation ownership structure. Last Month, it
GD Harries, the haulage, civil engineering and aggregates contractor located in West Wales has announced that they have completed an unusual and demanding project. The company was contracted to supply and deliver around 15,060 tonnes of granite to the Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor which is located in Somerset. The
UK Export Finance (UKEF), the export credit agency, has appointed Richard Simon-Lewis as head of civil, infrastructure and energy. Above: Richard Simon-Lewis Richard Simon-Lewis joins UKEF after a career in corporate finance. Most recently, he was finance director for Capture Power’s White Rose carbon capture and storage project, for which he led the project’s financing, structuring and capital formation before its collapse after backers pulled out. Before this, he led Lloyds Banking Group’s renewable energy project finance function from 2009 to 2013. Previous employers include Credit Lyonnais, Abbey National, NatWest and the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan. Of his new job, he said: “UKEF is renowned for its innovative and flexible support for exporters, and for many reasons this is a hugely exciting time to join the department. I look forward to helping even more companies in the civil, infrastructure and energy sectors succeed in the global marketplace.” UKEF head of dusiness Gordon Welsh said: “He brings a wealth of experience to the role and will lead the team to deliver even more competitive and pioneering support to exporters in these important sectors.” This article was published on 22 Sep 2016 (last updated on 22 Sep 2016). Source link
Plug is pulled on Help to Buy The Government has confirmed that the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme will close to new loans on 31 December 2016, as previously advertised. The scheme was introduced in 2013 to increase the availability of high loan to value mortgages. According to the Government, confidence has now returned to the market with an increasing number of lenders offering 90-95% loans outside the scheme. The government will continue offer the highly popular Help to Buy equity loan and ISA schemes. In a letter to the Bank of England on 29th September, the Chancellor Philip Hammond confirmed the scheme would not be extended. Paul Smee, Council of Mortgage Lenders Director General, said: “Help to Buy continues to give a welcome leg-up to many creditworthy buyers who may not otherwise have been able to get a foothold on the property ladder. The scheme has helped buyers right across the country, including a high proportion of younger borrowers and first-time buyers. Mortgages for those with small deposits are now becoming more common outside the scheme and Help to Buy has been a significant help for buyers when they were less readily available.” Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation, said: “Help to Buy continues to drive demand for new build homes by making home ownership more affordable and realistic. Its success is directly leading to more homes being built as it provides the confidence developers need to invest in the land and people required to increase their output.” Richard Sexton, Director at e.surv comments: “To date, the government has demonstrated enthusiasm in its appetite to support the housing market. This U-turn by the Chancellor begs the question of whether a change of emphasis is afoot. A fluid housing market is key to the overall health of the economy, and supporting first time buyers onto the property ladder is critical to achieving that. The early success of the scheme led many high street lenders to include higher LTV products in their offerings. With this in mind, the withdrawal of Help to Buy may not have a dramatic an impact on the market. However, lenders who made plans to include the scheme as part of their product range may now have to revise their strategies. It will be interesting to see how this move affects transaction levels over the coming months, and how lenders and borrowers alike react to the change. While the housing market is certainly on the road to recovery, we are not out of the woods yet, and the industry and the government need to work together to ensure the market remains accessible to those looking to take their first steps onto the ladder.” Source link
Savills, on behalf of Milton (Peterborough) Estates Company, has let space at 46 Westgate in Peterborough to Bimble Inn (Peterborough) Limited. The company has agreed to a new 10-year lease for the former pharmacy unit, which totals 499 sq ft (46.34 sq m). The property is set to be converted into a Micro Pub serving a range of real ales, real cider, craft keg and a range of premium bottles and cans. Edward Gee, associate in the Business Space team at Savills Peterborough, comments: “46 Westgate is the ideal location for Bimble Inn, which will look to target city centre drinkers. Micro Pubs are proving a popular trend and we are very pleased to have let this space on behalf of our client.” Tom Beran of The Bimble Inn, adds: “We are delighted to be opening Peterborough’s first Micro Pub. This property is ideal for Peterborough real ale fans and adds another venue to the town’s real ale and craft beer scene.” Source link
The Lighting Industry Association (The LIA) will officially open its new Laboratories facility on 8 March 2016. The facility is the culmination of many years’ of planning with lighting manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and wholesalers and will provide the industry with a cutting edge testing and certification service helping grow exports and improve product compliance. Based in Telford, at 12,500 sq ft this purpose built facility is the largest facility of its type in Europe and houses the latest testing equipment creating a UK wide, national testing asset for the whole lighting industry. Already employing over 20 staff and technicians, it is envisaged the Laboratory will employ over 60 highly skilled personnel within the next two years. This substantial investment was funded in part by the government’s regional growth fund. Along with the financial investment and that of the new technology the LIA will also be investing in key experts to ensure the industry continues to receive outstanding service, whilst encouraging those new to the industry to grow and develop. The LIA Laboratories are the UK’s largest independent ISO 17025 test laboratory dedicated to lighting and an ISO 17065 (product certification) National Certification Body. With the lighting industry changing dramatically and new advances in technology coming to the fore it seems almost daily. The LIA’s new laboratories facility is built for the future and can provide the testing services the industry expect and require to ensure their products are compliant both in the UK and abroad. The laboratories are also equipped with a variety of certification schemes to help strengthen the products, out there in the market. LIA president Alasdair McRury (Holophane) and Councillor Leon Murray MBE, Mayor for Telford and Wrekin will join LIA CEO, Steve K Davies in officially opening the LIA Laboratories facility. Source link
Tarmac has a new cement packing facility at its Tunstead cement site, near Buxton, Derbyshire. Above: Bagging Mastercrete cement Tarmac said that its bespoke Haver & Boecker 10-spout Adams 2000 plant, the first of its kind in the UK, enhanced its packing capacity. The plant will manufacture Tarmac’s range of plastic packed and tubbed cement products for merchant and retail customers. With significant storage capacity, the plant will also be used to house the company’s new half-size 12.5kg mixer bags, launched earlier this year to provide the right amount needed for a cement mixer. Kevan Greenhalgh, packed business manager for Tarmac’s cement business, said: “This new plant is an exciting development for us. It enhances our existing UK-wide supply capacity, ensuring we continue to offer customers and end users superior packed cement products, service and supply. As a business with a strong culture of innovation, the plant will use some of our most pioneering developments, such as plastic packaging, which is now being adopted by others in the market. The launch comes as the site celebrates its 50th anniversary of cement production and coincides with the recent upgrading of Tunstead’s rail freight infrastructure. This article was published on 4 Oct 2016 (last updated on 4 Oct 2016). Source link
HSE is seeking an experienced HR professional for the Business Partner role, based in Buxton, with our Science Directorate. As one of our team of four HR Business Partners you will have an important role working with senior business leads in key priority areas. Closing date, 3 April 2016. Source link
This August marks an important milestone for NICEIC as it celebrates the 60th anniversary since its first inception. The UK’s leading voluntary body for electrical contractors was officially incorporated on August 10 1956. The National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting as it was first known , started out with 3,500 contrcators on its roll. Today, it has more than 19,000 approved contractors and an additional 9,000 domestic installers – making it the UK’s largest and most recognised volutary body within the electrical industry. “The 60th anniversary marks a significant milestone in the history of NICEC,” commented current CEO of NICEIC, Emma Clancy. “Much has changed within the industry during the last six decades but the values of safety and competence remain at the core of everything we do. “More and more businesses now turn to NICEIC for accreditation – firms who have voluntarily chosen to have their work assessed on an annual basis. They provide the appropriate insurances and customer protection policies, and have a detailed record of their work through the certification and notification process. “This has to be a good thing, not only for the industry, but consumers too, and we will keep working hard to continue to improve and meet our customers’ needs today and tomorrow.“ NICEIC was created in a post war era when there was a lack of uniform standards for wiring and there was no regulation of anyone carrying out electrical work. Although the first edition of the wiring regulations was produced way back in 1882 there was little control over the guidance being implemented. In 1923 The National Register of Electrical Installation Contractors (NREIC) was set up to help the public identify competent contractors – although many of the contractors around at the time were not obliged to sign up. It would be another 33 years before NICEIC was set up as the first voluntary body and although much has changed, the principles remain the same – to keep a roll of approved contractors, to carry out inspections of their work, and to inform the public about the dangers of unsafe installations. “It has been interesting looking back at the history of NICEIC and what it was like back then,” adds Emma. “Many of the principles remain the same but the delivery is somewhat different – and better I would like to think.” By the late 50’s NICEIC had around 14 inspecting engineers- one for each electrical board across the country. Some of them had to borrow test equipment from the area boards such was the limited supply, but they still managed to carry out more than 7,500 individual inspections. Although 92% of inspections were rated good – around 2% were found to be not up to standard – this dropped to 0.2% in the first decade and was an early indicator of the work NICEIC was carrying out to drive up standards. The numbers on the roll were also increasing steadily, showing the influence NICEIC was having within the sector. Today, NICEIC employs a team of 70 engineers who inspect more than 50,000 electrical installations each year. Its technical helpline deals with, on average, 60,000 enquiries each year – ensuring that technical standards within the sector are maintained. In addition, NICEIC now offer a range of add-on services for its customers including training, insurance, online certification, and a webshop offering great deals on tools and workwear. “The electrical contractor of today is very different to one from 1956,” adds Emma. “They are able to carry out a range of different tasks relating to the change in consumer demands and the development of the industry over time. “NICEIC has had to reflect this change in the services it provides. We now offer a suite of professional services including training courses in renewables and smart home technology which provide further opportunities for contractors. “We have also taken a more modern approach to the way we interact with our customers and launched a customer charter to report back on the services we provide. “Customers of NICEIC now rate the service at an impressive 8.4 out of 10, while just under 95 % also rate the technical advice received as excellent. “We will continue to build on this and ensure NICEIC is the number one choice in the industry for the next 60 years.” Source link
As decision day looms we have all the news and analysis on what the EU vote means for property. Estates Gazette will be reporting live on the EU referendum from the moment the stock markets open, bringing you the fallout for property shares, reaction from leading real estate experts, analysis and the legal implications of a leave vote. The post EU vote: Property reacts, all the news as it happens appeared first on Estates Gazette.com. Source link
Watson Batty architects has revealed that they have released equity in their business to seven of their management team. This latest announcement has been announced as a part of the succession planning process. This planning process for Watson Batty is now in the 4th generation ownership structure. Last Month, it was announced by Watson Batty that Paul Ryan would be stepping down from his role as Chairman. With this move, the full ownership of the company has been handed over to the four remaining Directors, who are Pete White, Andrew Grindrod, Richard Merrills and Mark Sidding. The latest announcement, that equity will be released to seven rising stars in the business is seen as a major step forward in terms of recognising and rewarding their talent and commitment while also working to maintain loyalty and stability in the long term. The Managing Director for Watson Batty, Peter White has said that as the company moves into their 42nd year of practice, the company has continued to offer a strong performance across all key sectors. However, despite this amazing progress by the company, they are not complacent and are focused on maintaining their hard fought reputation. Watson Batty is focused on looking to the future and their rising talent is an important aspect of that. One of the new equity owners of Watson Batty is Tom Sykes, who has been working at the company for the past 12 years and has worked his way from apprentice to a strategic level. During his progression through the ranks at the architectural company, Tom has said that he has been supported throughout his career and is excited to have an opportunity to contribute to the growth and the future of the practice in order to give back and support the younger generations of staff who are, like Tom did, working their way up the ranks.
GD Harries, the haulage, civil engineering and aggregates contractor located in West Wales has announced that they have completed an unusual and demanding project. The company was contracted to supply and deliver around 15,060 tonnes of granite to the Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor which is located in Somerset. The company has selected to complete this contract following a range of chemical analysis which showed that the rock that has been sourced from one of their six West Wales quarries had the strength and durability that was required by the contractors for the Nuclear project to protect the plant’s seawall. The granite is being used at Hinkley Point C as rock armour and will form the first line of defence from the sea for the reactor. GD Harries was also ideally located to supply and deliver the products needed at the developing nuclear plant. This is because the haulage, civil engineering and aggregates company is located close to Pembroke Port, from which they are able to transport the rock by barge to any coastal location in the UK and beyond. This particular order was unusual for GD Harries because of the size and amount of granite that was required for the sea defence. The company saw this contract as an opportunity to supply and deliver a larger scale rock armour that they ever have before. Speaking about this particular contract, the production manager at GD Harries, Gareth Phillips has said the delivery of up to 15 tonne pieces of granite allowed the company to be able to prove to contractors that they are able to meet larger orders, putting them in a stronger position for other similar sized projects in the future. In order to complete the contract, the company needed to use a range of innovative solutions in terms of what equipment was used and the cutting techniques used.