Shropshire Council has unveiled proposals for a huge re-shaping of the Riverside area of Shrewsbury, in what would be one of the county’s biggest ever development projects. This is a major opportunity to transform Shrewsbury’s town centre for generations, creating a truly 21st century destination and experience, taking the town
Keystone Lintels, the UK’s leading manufacturer of steel lintels, is delighted to once again be awarded ‘Supplier of the Year’ by Buildbase for 2021 in recognition of its outstanding customer service. Keystone Lintels has won this coveted award for the second year in a row having won in 2020. With
Concrete admixture manufacturer Oscrete UK continues its growth trajectory with the appointment of a new NPD and sustainability manager. Former laboratory manager Matthew Gabriel, has been promoted to the new role as the team further develops the company’s sustainability strategy. With a clear focus on strengthening the firm’s commitment to
20 new affordable homes will be constructed on land near to Earl Marshal Recreation Ground. Esh Construction has been named as construction partner on a £3 million scheme which will bring new affordable homes to Sheffield. Working on behalf of Great Places Housing Group, one of the fastest growing housing
The Scaffolding Association is delighted to announce its partnership with TradePoint. From this week, members of the association are eligible for free TradePoint membership with the highest level of discount and with no minimum spend. Members of the scheme will benefit from all TradePoint services and savings inside B&Q’s 300+
With 92% of UK homeowners planning home renovation projects in 2022, Klober has invested in its sales team to support merchants and installers in 2022 and beyond. The appointments follow reports that 30% of roofing contractors saw their workloads grow in the last quarter of 2021, according to the NFRC’s
PLANS have been revealed for a number of transformative development schemes in Stoke-on-Trent this week, including the mixed-used Etruscan Square development, which is set to procure both its development and construction through Pagabo’s national frameworks. Etruscan Square, which is backed by £20 million of levelling up funding from the
Budapest – HelloParks has signed a loan agreement worth more than 80 million euros (approximately 30 billion forints) with Erste Bank to finance the construction of its megapark’s first three phases in Maglód. The innovative, people-centred and environmentally friendly industrial and logistics park is being developed in several phases, the
Dominick Sandford, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect, said: “New data has revealed that the number of people employed in the UK construction industry jumped by 21,000 at the end of last year, which is the largest increase since 2009. This is brilliant news for the sector. “In December, the workforce rose to
Development is being built for leading UK confectionary manufacturer Swizzels at the new MA6NITUDE logistics/industrial development in Middlewich, Cheshire. GMI Construction Group PLC has today announced that it has been appointed by Magnitude Land LLP, a joint venture between Tritax Symmetry, the development arm of Tritax Big Box and NPLL
Shropshire Council has unveiled proposals for a huge re-shaping of the Riverside area of Shrewsbury, in what would be one of the county’s biggest ever development projects. This is a major opportunity to transform Shrewsbury’s town centre for generations, creating a truly 21st century destination and experience, taking the town to the water to create a stunning riverside attraction. This is the future of Shrewsbury that respects its past, reconnects it to the River Severn, transforming how we work, how we spend our leisure time and what the town has to offer. The river has always been central to Shrewsbury, and this now brings that full circle to create a new focal point and a fresh addition to a historic town centre, in tune with the fast-changing world around us, opening up to one of Shrewsbury’s greatest assets – the Severn. This is a game-changing mixed-use development combining new leisure attractions, vibrant hospitality and public space, a new quayside and hotels to support the town’s existing retail while bringing new workspace that can attract high quality jobs into the town. A place where you arrive by a brand-new eco-friendly bus, on your bicycle or somewhere you can park – and charge – your electric vehicle. A place you can work in a zero-carbon office and enjoy a vibrant mix of shops, restaurants and bars – all next to the new quayside fronting on the River Severn. A development that will create almost 2,000 jobs, see a modern, friendly multi agency hub and offices open with 500 spaces for workers, allowing the public to access what they need where and when they need it. Somewhere with a brand-new bus station, a high-quality transport hub kitted out for modern vehicles with more charge points, better lighting and bigger spaces. A destination that will see 270 new homes built, offering the chance to live, work and relax in the middle of a green, modern town centre. This transformation should help Shrewsbury attract 750,000 new visits a year and substantially increase investment and footfall for the benefit of existing businesses across the county as part of a wider £800 million investment in the town under the Big Town Plan. This is chance for Shrewsbury to transform and thrive in a changing world and offer everyone using this part of the town a unique experience and the chance for the town to continue to evolve and open a new chapter in its long and vibrant history.
Keystone Lintels, the UK’s leading manufacturer of steel lintels, is delighted to once again be awarded ‘Supplier of the Year’ by Buildbase for 2021 in recognition of its outstanding customer service. Keystone Lintels has won this coveted award for the second year in a row having won in 2020. With over 142 branches nationwide, Buildbase is now part of the Huws Gray Group and is one of the largest builders merchants in the UK. In what was a difficult year for trading, the award was especially poignant for Keystone whose core customer promise has held true. Chris Hemmington-Green, Sales Director for Keystone Lintels said: “This award is testament to the hard work and dedication shown by all at Keystone, from Production, Logistics, SOP, Technical, Sales and Finance. For this to be recognised by one of our key customers is a real indication of the relationship and partnership we strive to develop. During what can only be described as difficult and challenging times, the whole team at Keystone have pulled together and delivered exceptional service to all our customers, and shown we remain the leading supplier in the industry. It is this mind-set and commitment that has seen us through the difficult times and ensures we are best placed to maximise the opportunities that are now becoming apparent as we start to move to some sort of normality.” Raza Naim, Senior Category Manager for Buildbase added: “Keystone Lintels was chosen as the Supplier of the Year for 2021 for the second year running, which has never been achieved before. Keystone does a fantastic job at having touchpoints in all areas of our business, so much so in fact that the Group had far and away the most nominations from our teams. Feedback from sales, finance and procurement was that Keystone just ‘makes it easy’ for us and we have a great relationship with all Keystone Group brands.” Keystone is the largest supplier of steel lintels in the UK and Ireland and carries more stock than any of its rivals. The company also supports merchants with innovative ranges of products which solve problems for the builder and deliver more opportunity, added value and margin for merchants
Concrete admixture manufacturer Oscrete UK continues its growth trajectory with the appointment of a new NPD and sustainability manager. Former laboratory manager Matthew Gabriel, has been promoted to the new role as the team further develops the company’s sustainability strategy. With a clear focus on strengthening the firm’s commitment to sustainable construction, Matt’s two decades of concrete industry experience provides a strong foundation for further developing the company’s sustainability remit. Matt says: “With the environment at the forefront of everyone’s minds and customers looking to increase their use of supplementary cementitious material, my priority is to develop products and processes which support our customers’ own route towards low carbon concrete. “Our role as an additive manufacturer is crucial in helping reduce concrete’s CO2 footprint while finding cost effective, green solutions without impacting performance is key to the future of the construction sector. We are now looking to develop products that can help our customers to use or increase the use of products with a lower eCO2, hence the creation of a role dedicated entirely to this arena.” Oscrete is one of the UK’s leading specialist construction chemical suppliers, manufacturing a comprehensive range of concrete admixtures for the pre-cast and ready-mix market and developing and supplying additives for the manufacture of dry bagged mortars and adhesives. Director Scott Wilson added: “We expect to see continued growth in global demand for construction additives and that demand will be driven by sustainability requirements as well as performance. “Our strategy is to keep product evolution and responsible manufacturing at the forefront of our output. Matt’s promotion is just the first step in our 2022 laboratory development plan where NPD and sustainability will lead our growth and our supply.” Matt joined Oscrete in 2017 as laboratory manager following more than 10 years with Tarmac and Breeden. He added: “This an exciting and an important time as we accelerate our development of new admixtures to help the transition to carbon neutrality. I’m really looking forward to getting my teeth into a role which will help customers – and Oscrete – meet their sustainability goals.”
20 new affordable homes will be constructed on land near to Earl Marshal Recreation Ground. Esh Construction has been named as construction partner on a £3 million scheme which will bring new affordable homes to Sheffield. Working on behalf of Great Places Housing Group, one of the fastest growing housing associations in the North of England, Esh will build 20 new properties on a vacant piece of land off Osgathorpe Drive, near to the Earl Marshal Recreation Ground. Named Fir View Gardens, the two and three-bedroom homes will be available for affordable rent and will include associated parking and landscaping. Great Places Housing Group selected Esh Construction as the chosen contractor after the scheme was procured through the Innovation Chain North framework. Esh Operations Director, Simon Woodward, said: “We are delighted to secure our first contract award via Innovation Chain North and to be working in partnership with Great Places Housing Group. “Throughout this scheme we are committed to delivering a raft of initiatives which will provide social and economic benefits within the local area, including school engagement, work placement opportunities, volunteering and community funding.” The development was given the go ahead by planners in August last year and forms part of the housing association’s plans to develop 11,000 homes by 2030. Executive Director of Growth at Great Places, Helen Spencer, said “This scheme is within the heart of an existing Great Places community, and its completion will deliver high quality new homes to complement the existing neighbourhood. We are looking forward to working with Esh to deliver these homes and excellent social value outcomes for our community.” Esh will work in partnership with Poole Dick Associates, Bowker Sadler Architects and Sutcliffe to deliver the scheme which is expected to get underway in March this year. To find out more about Esh Construction, visit www.eshgroup.co.uk
The Scaffolding Association is delighted to announce its partnership with TradePoint. From this week, members of the association are eligible for free TradePoint membership with the highest level of discount and with no minimum spend. Members of the scheme will benefit from all TradePoint services and savings inside B&Q’s 300+ stores or online. The partnership will allow Scaffolding Association members to benefit from 10% off almost all products and with a choice of collect from store or delivery to site. Commenting on the new partnership, Helena Blundell, National Customer Account Partner, TradePoint said: “We are delighted to partner with the Scaffolding Association and look forward to the members fully benefiting from the discount in-store and online”. Stacey Underhill, Head of External Affairs at the Scaffolding Association, added: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with such an established and familiar brand. The discount offered to our members will be of significant value in the current economic climate”. The partnership with TradePoint is the latest benefit to be offered by the association to its almost 600 members. Members can register for TradePoint membership here: Register for your TradePoint Card (zohopublic.com)
With 92% of UK homeowners planning home renovation projects in 2022, Klober has invested in its sales team to support merchants and installers in 2022 and beyond. The appointments follow reports that 30% of roofing contractors saw their workloads grow in the last quarter of 2021, according to the NFRC’s State of the Roofing Industry Survey. And this isn’t set to slow, with 43% of roofers anticipating an increase in workload. Hannah Watts joins Klober as an Area Account Manager after discovering her passion for construction as a Field Sales Executive. She will be responsible for the home counties, including Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire. “As a market leader in roofing components and accessories, the Klober brand is well respected and renowned for offering quality. I knew this role would bring new challenges and felt that Klober would provide a supportive environment in which to thrive,” said Hannah. “My role as an Area Account Manager will involve operating as a key point of contact for customers and I’m most looking forward to getting under the skin of their businesses to understand their specific requirements and identify opportunities for growth.” Also joining Klober as an Area Account Manager is Joey Hall who will be responsible for East Anglia. “When the opportunity arose to join Klober in this role, it was one I was thrilled to take, particularly as I’ve always been interested in pursuing a position like this,” he explained. “In my first 12 months, I hope to build strong relationships with merchants and work in collaboration to help meet their business goals. I am particularly looking forward to travelling and gaining thorough knowledge of my area.” Commenting on the new appointments, Chris Nicholls, Commercial Director at Klober said: “We take pride in our people as this means our network of merchants and contractors can be confident that they are in good hands. That’s why I’m extremely pleased to have Hannah and Joey on board and excited to see what they achieve.” For more information about Klober, please visit www.klober.co.uk
PLANS have been revealed for a number of transformative development schemes in Stoke-on-Trent this week, including the mixed-used Etruscan Square development, which is set to procure both its development and construction through Pagabo’s national frameworks. Etruscan Square, which is backed by £20 million of levelling up funding from the government, is set to transform the city centre with a 3,600-capacity arena, 82,000 sq ft of commercial space, 285 homes, a 138-bedroom 3-star hotel, and a 701-space multi-storey car park to support existing demand and new amenities alike. The announcement of the Etruscan Square development, which is already out for pre-planning consultation, was one of several levelling up initiatives announced by the leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council at global real estate conference MIPIM. As part of the overall announcement, the procurement strategy for the scheme was revealed by council leader Abi Brown, who spoke to developers at MIPIM about how 7.12 acres of city centre land is shovel-ready, and how Meigh Street Car Park is already being cleared to make way for new development. Jonathan Parker, head of construction at Pagabo, said: “We’re incredibly pleased to be working with Stoke-on-Trent City Council on the procurement of such an exciting development, which will bring huge transformation and opportunity to the city. “The government’s levelling up plans and funding have been widely welcomed, and we’re very pleased to see Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been so quick to put that funding towards schemes that will benefit the wider city. Being able to support schemes like this with simple, yet efficient and compliant procurement processes is something that we’re really proud of and that allows us to help turn these plans into a reality.” The procurement strategy reveals the council’s commitment to the comprehensive delivery of the Etruscan Square masterplan, outlining the use of Pagabo’s Developer-Led Framework to ensure the successful delivery of high-quality, mixed-use development. Meanwhile, the Etruscan Square multi-storey car park will be delivered via a stand-alone two stage design and build contract between the council and a main contractor, which will be procured through Pagabo’s Major Works Framework. Councillor Abi Brown, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Our Levelling Up projects already have huge momentum behind them and significant, tangible progress is being made to deliver them. We’re confident that we have the right opportunities, and the right mix of developments that can make the biggest difference to our city and are attractive schemes for development. “We’re backed by the biggest allocation in Levelling Up funding for a specific city in the country, we’ve tested out our proposals to major national investors in London, and now we’re telling global brands, major UK-based international companies and key national agencies what we are delivering in Stoke-on-Trent and how they can be a part of our success story.” The council has stated that the £20 million of levelling up funding for the development will be defrayed to de-risk and support the early delivery of the multi-storey car park, infrastructure and first phase residential proposals, which will act as the catalyst for the wider masterplan. Planning approval for the development is expected to be granted in the summer, shortly followed by the tender process to appoint the key parties through Pagabo’s frameworks to deliver the transformative scheme. For more information about Pagabo and its frameworks, please visit https://www.pagabo.co.uk/
Budapest – HelloParks has signed a loan agreement worth more than 80 million euros (approximately 30 billion forints) with Erste Bank to finance the construction of its megapark’s first three phases in Maglód. The innovative, people-centred and environmentally friendly industrial and logistics park is being developed in several phases, the next, second building is planned to be handed over in the last quarter of 2022. Erste Bank will provide a total of EUR 82 million in loans to Futureal Group’s industrial real estate developer, for the realization of the first three phases of HelloParks Maglód, for a period of more than 10 years. The first 46,000 sqm building (MG1) was handed over in January, just shortly after that it has received the Excellent certificate for the Design Stage in BREEAM’s New Construction category. Preparations are underway for the second 45,000 sqm hall, which is scheduled to be handed over by the last quarter of 2022, however, further facilities are already being designed and licensed to enable the company to meet existing and future needs as quickly as possible. The megapark in Maglód will be realized on a 46-hectare area where the company plans to develop more than 200,000 sqm of warehouse and light industrial space. HelloParks Maglód is located along the ring road M0, near the M4 and M5 motorways and the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, in the fastest-growing industrial zone of the eastern agglomeration of Budapest. The megapark in Maglód is targeting logistics and urban distribution service providers, light industry manufacturers, assembly companies, but it can also serve tenants with special requirements. The competitive mix of the location and customer-centric solutions is well demonstrated by the fact that several large companies have already decided to partner up with HelloParks, which was founded just one and a half years ago. The first building, handed over in Maglód, is home to companies with an international network, such as the Hungarian-owned Karzol-Trans, which has been dealing with logistics for more than 25 years, FoxPost, who set up a central warehouse here to serve its nationwide parcel sorting machine network, or the Lithuanian based Bútor1, with a distribution centre for 8 countries. The first 46,000 sqm phase is already operating with more than 80% occupancy and negotiations are underway for the remaining free space “One of the keys to our company’s competitiveness is a comprehensive service package that goes beyond warehousing. The use of environmentally friendly, sustainable and high-quality engineering solutions is becoming a priority not only for us, but also for our tenants, as well as creating a liveable, people-centred and user-friendly environment, which plays an important role in employee retention. That is why we take our clients’ needs into account right from the design stage. The newly signed loan agreement between HelloParks and Erste Bank is another step in the decades-long successful cooperation between one of the largest financial institutions in the Hungarian banking market and the Futureal Group, also a guarantee that with their help we will be able to deliver our plans at the highest level,” emphasized Rudolf Nemes, CEO of HelloParks. “Erste Bank’s more than 15 years of cooperation with the Futureal Group has reached another milestone, and we are particularly pleased that the group has chosen Erste Bank to finance its new industrial logistics business. Environmental protection and sustainability are top priorities within Erste Group and the financing of the planned investment with its BREEAM Excellent rating fits perfectly into the bank’s ESG financing strategy. We are proud to be part of the latest chapter in the history of Futureal,” – highlighted György Salamon, Head of Real Estate Financing, Erste Bank Hungary. The common feature of the completed unit in Maglód, and the planned four modern facilities, each with a floor space of 20-45,000 sqm, is that they will also meet the requirements of the BREEAM sustainability standard through smart solutions for energy efficiency and environmentally friendly operation targeting the highest level, just like the first building. Creating a liveable, people-centred and user-friendly environment that provides long-term value for the partners, is also a key aspect of the development. At the ParkCenter, which will be implemented in accordance with the WELL Standard Mind and Community criteria, short-term offices, HelloCafé, conference rooms with catering services and long-term A-category offices will also be available for the convenience of tenants.
Dominick Sandford, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect, said: “New data has revealed that the number of people employed in the UK construction industry jumped by 21,000 at the end of last year, which is the largest increase since 2009. This is brilliant news for the sector. “In December, the workforce rose to 455,000 employees, which represented a rise of 5% from September, and the most significant increase since June 2009. “This trend looks set to continue, as there are still 50,000 vacancies for jobs in the industry (December to February 2022), which is the most since records began in 2001. “Furthermore, workers are also benefiting from record levels of income, with the average weekly earnings in construction reaching £691. This is up £3 from the previous data, and the highest on record. “Earnings in the electricity, gas and water supply sector also rose, from £749 in December to £753 in January. This is up £3 from the same period last year. “In terms of hours worked, the average weekly figure dropped slightly, from 35.3 (October to December) to 35.2 (November to January). However, this is still considerably higher than in 2021, when it stood at 32.2 hours. “Furthermore, for women in the construction industry, the typical number of hours worked actually rose. Between November and January, the average was 29.3 for female workers – up slightly from 29 between October to December. “This all suggests that UK construction is set for a positive spring and summer, and with the cost of living and inflation rate soaring, this will be welcome news for many.” For more information on IronmongeryDirect, visit: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/ For more information on ElectricalDirect, visit: https://www.electricaldirect.co.uk/
Development is being built for leading UK confectionary manufacturer Swizzels at the new MA6NITUDE logistics/industrial development in Middlewich, Cheshire. GMI Construction Group PLC has today announced that it has been appointed by Magnitude Land LLP, a joint venture between Tritax Symmetry, the development arm of Tritax Big Box and NPLL to commence work on a new 158,000 sq ft facility for leading UK confectionary company Swizzels at the MA6NITUDE logistics/industrial development situated in Middlewich, Cheshire. To herald the announcement of the project a ground-breaking ceremony was held onsite involving dignitaries from GMI and Tritax together with members of the extended project team. Construction of the AEW designed new facility started at the beginning of 2022 and is expected to be complete by the end of 2022. The facility represents the first phase of Swizzels’ expanded manufacturing/distribution capacity, which could grow up to 458,000 sq ft as future phases are added. To the northern area of the site at MA6NITUDE, Tritax Symmetry and GMI are delivering two new build facilities which are being built on a speculative basis and will comprise 149,000 sq ft and 41,000 sq ft. and expected to be available in June 2022. Speaking about the announcement Marc Banks, Divisional Marketing Director GMI Construction Group said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been instructed by Tritax to construct this important new facility for famous UK Confectionery manufacturer Swizzels. This follows our successful appointment on the adjacent plot where GMI is well along presently with the construction of new two speculative warehouse units of 149,000 and 41,000 sq ft respectively. GMI enjoys a strong and expanding working relationship with Tritax and we look forward to delivering another high-quality outcome for them.” Also Speaking about the next phases of development at MA6NITUDE, David Nuttall, development director at Tritax Symmetry, commented: “MA6NITUDE continues to evolve and with the two new speculative buildings available in the summer, we are well placed to welcome new high-quality occupiers to the area. Swizzels’ new manufacturing building will be an exceptional facility for their business and also opens up a further plot to enable us to deliver a 230,000 sq ft building by early 2023.”. Matt Pochin, director at Legat Owen, joint agents for the scheme with Savills and B8 Real Estate continued: “MA6NITUDE is already a major business destination in its own right and the high-level of activity, coupled with the fact that the speculatively developed units are constructed to net zero carbon in construction, will certainly appeal to businesses looking for more sustainable accommodation in line with their own ESG values”. Magnitude Land is being advised by project team including RPS (PM/QS), AEW Architects, civils and infrastructure specialist SGI, and CMS Solicitors.