Nottingham-based, national commercial interiors specialist, Paragon Interiors Group Plc (Paragon), has welcomed a new CEO, Gary Perry, as it pursues the next step in its growth strategy. Last month, Paragon announced the opening of a new Birmingham office in line with its strategy of creating exceptional client relationships through local presence.
Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital has announced it is launching a private GP service, providing doctors’ consultations to those who may struggle to access regular GP appointments. The service will be available to anyone and accessed on a pay-as-you-go basis, with appointments available at evenings and weekends, as well as during
Story Contracting new chief executive Jason Butterworth has set out plans to expand the North of England construction group after joining the business from Balfour at the end of last year. The former Balfour Beatty engineering services Midlands and Northern director plans to recruit over 100 extra staff in the
Costain is negotiating with operators of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to create a framework of approved suppliers that can meet its needs. Costain has used UAVs, more commonly known as drones, on several projects, to survey large areas or parts of structures that are hard to access. However, it has
Knauf AMF asked specifiers what would make their lives easier when it came to specifying acoustic ceiling and wall solutions. From this research, Knauf AMF has launched an innovative app, AMF InfoCentre, designed to make choosing the right acoustic solution for any project easy and convenient at the touch of
HomeServe hosts recruitment open days to fill around 100 roles Published: 26 April, 2016 Home assistance company HomeServe is organising two open days as part of an ongoing recruitment drive to serve its customers, with around 100 roles available. HomeServe, which only recently launched a giant recruitment push for more
National Grid has said it may have to curtail wind generation over the summer to balance the system, with electricity demand forecast to fall by nearly 2 per cent to its lowest levels on record. In its summer outlook report, Grid forecasted a peak demand of 35.7GW
Blackpool engineering is helping Britain’s most remote theatre expand its revenue streams. For Theatre by the Lake in Keswick’s new £700,000 café, architect Aedas focused on a design that was sympathetic to the building’s location, by the foreshore of Derwentwater: wood, natural light and natural ventilation prevail in the monopitch
The biggest names in the industry gathered together for the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) Awards to recognise the sector’s high-achievers and celebrate the 10-year anniversary of The Natural History Museum’s (NHM) trigeneration scheme. To celebrate the awards, and our decade-long partnership with The Natural History Museum, we have produced
2017 will mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the UK sales, training and distribution centre for global power tool manufacturer Makita Corporation. An unbroken record of annual sales growth confirms that today the Makita brand is market leader in the UK’s competitive professional power tool league. Just two
Nottingham-based, national commercial interiors specialist, Paragon Interiors Group Plc (Paragon), has welcomed a new CEO, Gary Perry, as it pursues the next step in its growth strategy. Last month, Paragon announced the opening of a new Birmingham office in line with its strategy of creating exceptional client relationships through local presence. Now, Paragon Interiors founder and Chairman Alan Hardy has appointed Mr Perry, who has been at the heart of the significant growth of CBRE’s Global Workplace Solutions business, to help drive the business forward. Gary has previously worked globally for Shell and Satchwell, developing their global energy business, whilst gaining an MBA in Services Management. At Norland Managed Services, Gary was an integral part of the leadership team that grew that business from £40m to £400m prior to selling it to CBRE in 2013. Paragon Interiors is in a major phase of growth of its own, with a 14% rise in new employees in November 2016 alone, driven by Paragon’s consistent growth in its core office fit-out market but also a significant growth in its retail and educational divisions. That growth is forecast to continue at a rate of 25% a year, with Paragon on track for £70m turnover in 2017 and to meet their “2020 vision” of £100m turnover by 2020. Paragon Interiors chairman, Alan Hardy, explains the factors behind the firm’s growth and Gary’s appointment: “We are on track for major and consistent growth but we cannot be complacent about this. I want to ensure that we reach our full potential and by bringing in Gary, we can do just that. He is driven by customer focus and service and has huge experience in harnessing the potential of growing businesses and their people. “My firm belief is that a business that has a strong culture, vision & value set, all fully aligned, is a business that produces strong growth, employment opportunities and rewarding financial benefits. Gary shares that philosophy and I cannot wait to start working with him in 2017.” Paragon’s focus of delivering client value has been recognised recently in an independent report into the UK Fit-out sector by respected analysts Plimsoll, with Paragon named as joint 1st UK Trading Partner. Delivering exceptional projects through exceptional people. Gary is very clear on his vision; “We are on a mission to be regarded as the pre-eminent workplace solutions company in the UK, delivering exceptional projects through exceptional people. To do that we are creating a culture where everyone feels empowered to take ownership and make decisions around the issues they face. When I came up to Nottingham to meet the team it was clear that we have an inspired group of committed people that are highly focussed on delivering the right solutions for our customers. “What Alan and the team have done here is fantastic, rising from a local fit-out firm to a national design and build practice with an international client list. We have an industry leading design team and a commitment to adding value to our clients’ property portfolios and businesses throughout the whole of their facilities life cycle. I am excited to be taking on this challenge to lead Paragon as we take the next step in our growth story. “Even as we build our Birmingham presence, we have just put the finishing touches to our extension at our Nottingham HQ. The primary purpose of the extension is to act as a hub for our customers. That focus and a drive to be ‘best in class’ will continue to drive everything we do as we ramp up our activities across all of our sectors”.
Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital has announced it is launching a private GP service, providing doctors’ consultations to those who may struggle to access regular GP appointments. The service will be available to anyone and accessed on a pay-as-you-go basis, with appointments available at evenings and weekends, as well as during the week. It is thought the private appointments will prove popular with those working and living in and around Newcastle who may struggle to access other medical services at short notice, or find it hard to fit appointments around work. Nuffield Health GP Liaison Manager Beth Brook said: “We know from talking to patients at the hospital that many struggle to access their regular GP and were looking for a flexible service which they could fit around their busy lives. “The NHS provides a fantastic service but we know that there can be long waiting times and appointments have to be kept fairly short due to pressures on resources. Our new service will provide an alternative for those who don’t want to wait to see their regular GP or who want an appointment outside of normal practice hours. “Our appointments will also be longer than average GP appointments – around 30 minutes – meaning they are perfect for patients looking for a more extensive consultation or who have a number of issues they wish to discuss at once. “We know that life is busy and we see this new service as complimenting existing NHS provision by offering an alternative for those patients who may otherwise put off seeing a doctor, or have to take time off work to do so.” There will initially be three GPs providing appointments at Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital, with others expected to join as the service grows. An advantage of the service being based within the hospital is that any investigations needed, such as blood tests or x-rays, can also be carried out at the time of the GP consultation, or the following day. It also means referrals to other specialists within the hospital can be done more quickly. Read more here
Story Contracting new chief executive Jason Butterworth has set out plans to expand the North of England construction group after joining the business from Balfour at the end of last year. The former Balfour Beatty engineering services Midlands and Northern director plans to recruit over 100 extra staff in the next 12 months as the group expands its four operations covering plant hire, construction, rail and house building by 30% this year. Profits have grown by 73% in the last three years and Butterworth aims to raise turnover to more than £120m for 2016/2017 In November, Butterworth replaced Fred Story, the founder and owner of Story Contracting who now has taken the role of chairman. Butterworth brings over 15 years’ experience in the rail industry having also worked in the past for Carillion, WSP, McNicholas and N G Bailey. He said: “The business is at an exciting stage of its development and due to celebrate 30th years in business this year. I am looking forward to working closely with Fred to make our shared ambitions for the business become a reality.” The contracting business extended its Carlisle headquarters at the end of 2016 to accommodate the recruitment of 100 new people during the course of the next twelve months. Story Contracting, which employs over 500 staff, is also planning on merging its two offices in Scotland’s Central Belt to provide a combined depot and office base for its rail and plant teams. Read more here.
Costain is negotiating with operators of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to create a framework of approved suppliers that can meet its needs. Costain has used UAVs, more commonly known as drones, on several projects, to survey large areas or parts of structures that are hard to access. However, it has decided against investing in the technology directly, preferring to outsource, because of the speed at which the technology is still developing. “We have been developing an understanding of how and where the technology can deliver projects more efficiently and safely,” said Peter Slater, Costain’s aerial solutions manager. “One of the main drivers of the work comes down to taking people out of hazardous environments,” said Peter. “In addition, improvements in speed, efficiency and payload make this a technology with high potential.” He said: “We’re speaking to industry leaders in the UAV technology space and getting them to understand our needs and our customers’ needs. We have working relationships with a number of suppliers and will create a framework agreement with sector-specific suppliers that can cover a range of requirements.” Although Peter Slater has completed his Remote Pilot Qualification ground school, he does not see Costain operating the UAVs itself just yet. “The technologies involved can become obsolete quite quickly,” he said. “On top of that, the regulatory environment governing their operation will continue to undergo some notable changes.” This article was published on 23 Jun 2016 (last updated on 23 Jun 2016). Source link
Knauf AMF asked specifiers what would make their lives easier when it came to specifying acoustic ceiling and wall solutions. From this research, Knauf AMF has launched an innovative app, AMF InfoCentre, designed to make choosing the right acoustic solution for any project easy and convenient at the touch of the screen. Knauf AMF asked specifiers what would make their lives easier when it came to specifying acoustic ceiling and wall solutions. From this research, Knauf AMF has launched an innovative app, AMF InfoCentre, designed to make choosing the right acoustic solution for any project easy and convenient at the touch of the screen. Knauf AMF is known for being at the forefront of new technology when developing acoustic ceiling solutions that help transform buildings into healthy environments. Their new app, AMF InfoCentre, which is intuitive and incredibly easy to use, enables architects, acousticians and contractors to download helpful information about the whole of Knauf AMF’s product range. The app offers clever tools that make it convenient including: smart search and bookmark functions so users can find what they’re looking for with ease. Push notifications alert you to new products and changes to the range, so you’re always up to date. To help make product selecting and specifying easier, Knauf AMF also offers a free Room Acoustics Calculator app that adds real value when calculating the acoustics of a space. With 24 room types to choose from, the app calculates the reverberation times of different frequencies and predicts how they would change if the room’s acoustics were optimised. Armed with this information, specifiers can choose the right solution for the project.AMF Infocentre and Room Acoustics Calculator are available to download free from Google Play Store and Apple App Store. They are compatible with all smartphones and tablets so users can access them wherever they are. Source link
HomeServe hosts recruitment open days to fill around 100 roles Published: 26 April, 2016 Home assistance company HomeServe is organising two open days as part of an ongoing recruitment drive to serve its customers, with around 100 roles available. HomeServe, which only recently launched a giant recruitment push for more than 160 new engineers nationwide, is seeking talented people from across the region to join its award-winning customer contact centre. Potential candidates are being invited along to the two recruitment days, which will be held at its Walsall headquarters on 12 May, from 5pm to 8pm and 14 May from 10am to 2pm. Alternatively, people can apply for new roles via HomeServe’s new Careers Hub. “As our UK business continues to develop, so does our need for great people to come and help us”, said Martin Bennett, CEO of HomeServe. “We have a simple mantra at Homeserve which is if our people are happy, they will take care of our customers and that will give us a successful business – we are all very proud of the unique culture we have built and are looking for people to join us who share the same passion and care for customers as we do.” Source link
National Grid has said it may have to curtail wind generation over the summer to balance the system, with electricity demand forecast to fall by nearly 2 per cent to its lowest levels on record. In its summer outlook report, Grid forecasted a peak demand of 35.7GW – a drop of nearly 2 per cent compared with 37.5GW last year. Minimum summer demand is forecast to be 18.1GW – a slight decrease from the 2015 demand of 18.4GW, while daytime minimum demand is expected to be 23.5GW, lower than the 2015 minimum of 25.8GW. The company said that while underlying demand is expected to remain broadly similar to last summer, demand on the transmission network will be lower because of the proliferation of embedded generation, particularly domestic solar PV. As a result, it said, it may be forced to instruct inflexible generators – such as nuclear, combined heat and power, some hydropower and wind – to reduce their output during periods of peak demand, in order to balance the system. Despite the spare capacity, with power prices in the UK remaining higher than in France and the Netherlands, National Grid predicted “full imports” from continental Europe via interconnectors. The network operator said gas was likely to be the “favoured fuel” for thermal generation over the summer, based on the forward prices for gas, coal and carbon. However, it added that the price difference between the least efficient gas-fired plants and the most efficient coal-fired plants was “narrow” and so a small change in fuel prices was likely to result in switching. Source link
Blackpool engineering is helping Britain’s most remote theatre expand its revenue streams. For Theatre by the Lake in Keswick’s new £700,000 café, architect Aedas focused on a design that was sympathetic to the building’s location, by the foreshore of Derwentwater: wood, natural light and natural ventilation prevail in the monopitch structure which reaches 35ft at its highest point. Leading air movement specialist Gilberts Blackpool has delivered the natural ventilation strategy, focusing on three of its Mistrale WHF75 flanged high weather performance louvres, integrated at high level into the wall at the lowest point of the roof, behind the kitchen area. Each of the louvres features Gilberts’ integrated VN75 volume control dampers. One of the louvres, also includes an LPHW coil, to make up air to the kitchen extract. Gilberts’ Mistrale 75 is designed to provide smooth, accurate and stable airflow. The system attains a U value of 0.96W/m2/K, with air leakage less than 5m3/hr/m2. The 75mm blade pitch of the core WHF louvres delivers high performance with Class A weatherability, and a free ventilation area of 50%. Mistrale is a core element of Gilberts’ air movement solutions, which incorporates grilles, louvres, and diffusers for natural, hybrid and mechanical ventilation. Founded 55 years ago, Gilberts Blackpool is Britain’s leading independent air movement specialist engineering company, and is unique in its ability to develop components- be it ‘mainstream’ or bespoke- entirely in-house, from initial design through tooling, production, testing and supply, at its 85,000 ft2 manufacturing facility. Its state of the art test centre, designed and built in-house, is one of the most technically advanced in the country.
The biggest names in the industry gathered together for the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) Awards to recognise the sector’s high-achievers and celebrate the 10-year anniversary of The Natural History Museum’s (NHM) trigeneration scheme. To celebrate the awards, and our decade-long partnership with The Natural History Museum, we have produced a video which captures the atmosphere of the big night, looks at the positive impact of the trigeneration scheme and even sees the legendary Dippy the Dinosaur take a farewell bow Which has seen their energy scheme evolve. Group Sales & Strategy Director for Vital Energi, Nick Gosling commented, “The installation at the Natural History Museum has a decade-long track record and has outperformed its guaranteed carbon and financial savings in every year of operation. We are proud to be part of the history of the museum, which has seen their energy scheme evolve from Victorian coal-fired boilers to a 21st Century trigeneration installation, and we hope the video captures some of the excitement the project generated on the evening.” The combined cooling, heating and power scheme at the NHM has been one of the big success stories in the sustainable power sector, delivering £11million of energy savings and reducing carbon emissions by over 15,000 tonnes during the last decade. The project, which serves both the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, saw us install the energy solution, which is underpinned by an energy performance contract that guarantees minimum carbon savings and financial returns. If you’d like to learn more about the trigeneration scheme at the Natural History Museum, you can read the full case study here: https://www.vitalenergi.co.uk/casestudies/natural-history-museum
2017 will mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the UK sales, training and distribution centre for global power tool manufacturer Makita Corporation. An unbroken record of annual sales growth confirms that today the Makita brand is market leader in the UK’s competitive professional power tool league. Just two years ago Makita worldwide celebrated a century of growth since the Company’s foundation in 1915 at Anjo, Japan. Since 1972 Makita UK has delivered a consistently successful and ever expanding range of power tools for the professional tradesman. Today, there are more than 600 tools in the Makita UK range and unrivalled innovation has become the hallmark of the brand, constantly improving performance and capability to make many tasks in the construction world more productive, safer for operators, achieving faster, more efficient, completion. Exceptional product innovations such as the valuable AVT™ – Advanced Vibration Technology – which dramatically reduces HAV risks for operators; Brushless motors for cordless tools that increases motor power output, expands run time and lengthens tool and battery life; and the brilliant MM4 mini 4-stroke petrol engine that produces more power, consumes less fuel, cuts noise and emissions of grounds maintenance machines, are just three examples of the constant flow of product science and technology that makes Makita the market leader. Today’s Makita range includes cordless machines which now rival some mains powered variants for impact power and torque. The popular 18v Lithium-Ion battery platform, introduced in 2005, has expanded to more than 110 different products and recently the Twin 18v (36v) machines, powered by two of the ever popular existing 18v batteries, along with a range of domestic and professional cordless garden tools that further expands the powerful cordless range. Pneumatic tools include nailers and staplers whilst there are ever more petrol engine machines for construction and outdoor equipment, and horticultural machines for grounds maintenance and landscape professionals. An equally broad inventory of high quality accessories, such as drill bits, blades, abrasives and diamond cutting wheels, further enhances the ultimate performance of Makita tools. The Makita philosophy has always been ‘customer service first and foremost. “The Makita philosophy has always been ‘customer service first and foremost’ and to meet the aspirations of the end user first, then our dealers and then finally us as the manufacturer,” explains Barry Smart, National Sales Manager, Makita UK. “Our market has evolved since 1972 when it was 100% mains until today where it is 60/40 in favour of cordless machines. Our forecasts are for continued growth in cordless; our Twin battery 36v machines meet end user requirements for power and performance and this is expanding quickly in our horticultural range. Opening our new training and customer service centre in Glasgow is further illustration of our commitment to giving our customers the very best possible backup to make their business successful.” Makita is Britain’s number 1 professional power tool manufacturer, and their ISO accredited facility at Telford in Shropshire is one of 18 worldwide production plants. Here more than 1.25 million individual power tools are manufactured annually, of which 80% are exported to the worlds markets. Two further factors are the cornerstones of Makita’s market success in the UK. The establishment and continuous development of the strongest national network of professional distributors, backed by a skilled sales and demonstration force, is coupled with the ethos of correct training. This enables the selection of the most efficient tool for the job and the correct and safe use of the tools in active conditions. This belief is borne out by the major investment in the established training course facility at the Milton Keynes HQ and the new centre in Scotland. For more news and product information about Makita UK please visit www.makitauk.com. Follow us on Twitter @MakitaUK, Facebook.com/makitauk and google.com/+makitauk MAKITA UK MARKS 45 YEARS IN UK WITH POWER TOOL MARKET LEADERSHIP “Customer service first and foremost” New training and service centre to open in Scotland