Make UK has welcomed the latest new cohort of 170 engineering apprentices to its Technology Hub in Aston, Birmingham – a 41% year-on-year increase in its intake. The apprentices, who will be studying a range of courses from Level 2 Welding Operator to Level 3 Engineering Technician, will spend the
Construction equipment hire and services provider Speedy has introduced the industry’s first plug-in hybrid outdoor lighting tower to the market following a multi-million-pound investment in its UK fleet. The business has added 200 new Speedy V20 Eco Hybrid units to its lighting range through an exclusive partnership with Generac. The
Broadland Housing and R G Carter have celebrated reaching the fourth phase of Canary Quay, a new modern housing development on the River Wensum in Norwich city centre. Construction of 101, one-and-two-bedroom apartments has already started on site and represents the final stage of the Canary Quay regeneration project in
Like any other business, operating a small-scale contractor’s firm isn’t easy. Most of these businesses fail to take off from the ground due to many challenges, one of them being the lack of enough funds. Insufficient capital can hinder contractors’ firms from paying for their overhead, labor, or even expanding
IKEA is officially moving to Dartford after it was revealed they are behind a deal to secure a 450,000 sq ft ‘powerhouse’, but the unit will sadly not be a customer-facing store. The Swedish giants have confirmed they have signed a 15-year lease with developers on a pre-let agreement for
Recognising that the UK must build more homes, quicker, while reducing carbon emissions, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Timber Industries has launched with a new report that aims to provide solutions to the UK’s housing and climate crises. The report, titled ‘How the timber industries can help solve
Research by the nationwide buy-to-let specialist, Sequre Property Investment, has revealed that the tide of pandemic rental arrear woes that have impacted one in five landlords could be starting to turn, as the majority are now seeing a reduction in the level of late rental income owed to them. The
More than four years following the tragic fire in the Grenfell Tower, we are still waiting for the full legislative response from the government. While it is accepted that the public inquiry has yet to complete its work, are there measures, perhaps including some of those contained in Dame Judith
Work has commenced on Fujifilm’s new £8 million headquarters in Bedford. Fujifilm has signed an agreement to take a 10-year lease on a 30,000 sq ft green-focused office building at Cardington Road, Bedford. Graftongate is developing the new three-storey building, which will provide office space and dedicated workshop space and
The latest round of financing from the UK Government’s Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) will be key to ensuring low-carbon district heating schemes are delivered from 2022, according to polymer pipework specialist REHAU. The GHNF is the latest funding scheme launched by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
Make UK has welcomed the latest new cohort of 170 engineering apprentices to its Technology Hub in Aston, Birmingham – a 41% year-on-year increase in its intake. The apprentices, who will be studying a range of courses from Level 2 Welding Operator to Level 3 Engineering Technician, will spend the next 12 months with Make UK, learning the technical side of their chosen specialism, as well as other areas like health and safety and time management, before returning to their employers, who include companies such as Severn Trent, Jaguar Land Rover, Ibsock, Forterra and Ishida. Stephen Mitchell, Director of Apprentices and Technical Training at Make UK said: “It’s fantastic to accept the latest intake of apprentices and see a full return to face to face teaching; the increase in numbers shows that there is a great appetite for apprenticeships amongst both young people and employers alike. It’s vital that we work together to help bridge the skills gap which manufacturing currently faces.” Make UK recently announced it is backing a new initiative by support platform Next Gen Makers to help manufacturing and engineering employers retain apprenticeship talent and maximise their investment in young people. As leading training provider sponsor, Make UK will help promote the Engineering Apprenticeships: Best Practice Programme – an initiative designed to support firms to overcome skills challenges and build talent for future success. For more information on apprenticeships with Make UK, call 0121 344 7900 or email asrecruitment@makeuk.org
Construction equipment hire and services provider Speedy has introduced the industry’s first plug-in hybrid outdoor lighting tower to the market following a multi-million-pound investment in its UK fleet. The business has added 200 new Speedy V20 Eco Hybrid units to its lighting range through an exclusive partnership with Generac. The four-in-one units can run directly from the mains, an internal battery, a solar panel hired separately, or on green HVO D+ (hydrotreated vegetable oil) fuel and they can operate automatically in reaction to changing light levels. An external battery pack can power the towers for up to five days at 10 hours per day. Speedy’s £6.3m investment also includes 225 new MX Fuel Lighting Towers, 200 X-Eco Lighting Towers, 100 VB9+ Lighting Towers and 100 solar powered lights to its fleet for contractors to hire across the UK. The 825 new towers from Generac, Trime and Milwaukee will help construction, infrastructure engineering and events contractors to reduce carbon emissions through electric-only operation, while offering users options which run on diesel HVO D+ if projects require. Speedy takes delivery of the new kit ahead of the clocks going back for winter, with shorter nights driving high demand from contractors for lighting towers to keep sites safe. Many of the towers will be used to support major rail development projects across the country, with a large quantity already earmarked for HS2 delivery partners. Andy Connor, group supply chain director at Speedy, said: “The new, sustainable products will enable contractors to reduce carbon footprints across their projects. Working closely with Generac on the launch of the Speedy V20 Eco Hybrid towers is an excellent example of how we’re using our intermediary position in the construction supply chain to introduce new, transformative technology to the market. “The investment represents a significant expansion of our fleet, giving contractors greater access to high-performance and versatile lighting that’s capable of meeting the varied demands of live sites.” Alessandro Rossi, Managing Director at Generac, said: “We’ve worked closely with Speedy to develop this new-to-market specification of lighting tower. They are a great addition to our existing range of light and heavy-duty towers that are built around easy operation and durability. “By calling on Speedy’s contractor relationships and industry expertise, we’ve designed a new lighting tower that effectively meets both the day-to-day needs of site workers, and the overarching sustainability requirements of the industry.” For more information, visit: https://www.speedyservices.com/
Broadland Housing and R G Carter have celebrated reaching the fourth phase of Canary Quay, a new modern housing development on the River Wensum in Norwich city centre. Construction of 101, one-and-two-bedroom apartments has already started on site and represents the final stage of the Canary Quay regeneration project in which a total of more than 300 affordable and privately-owned homes are being created, offering modern living space in a desirable riverside location. Michael Newey, Group Chief Executive of Broadland Housing, said: “One of our priorities is to provide much needed affordable homes for the people living in the city. This development is part of the solution.” Andrew Savage, Executive Development Director, Broadland Housing added: “We are delighted to progress to phase 4 of this important development. Our strong partnership with Carters showcases what can be achieved together”. The final phase is expected to be completed in 2022 and will sit alongside 222 apartments completed in Phases One, Two and Three of the scheme’s construction officially named Patricia Hollis House, Richard Hawthorn House, Solace, Olive, Norada and White Moth. Mario Rackham, Director and General Manager at R G Carter, said: “We’re incredibly proud of this development and our continuing partnership with Broadland Housing. It’s great to see the Canary Quay regeneration finally coming together transforming the riverside area, while providing high-quality modern housing for the local community.” The spacious apartments will offer open plan living spaces, contemporary kitchens and bathrooms, a communal garden, riverside views and access to a new riverside walk that leads to the City Centre. The new apartments will be marketed from Autumn 2022 and available for residents to move in from Spring 2023. A drone video of the completed apartments can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/604911410/7aa5ce3a39 For more information on homes available to buy or rent at Canary Quay go to www.canaryquay.com
Like any other business, operating a small-scale contractor’s firm isn’t easy. Most of these businesses fail to take off from the ground due to many challenges, one of them being the lack of enough funds. Insufficient capital can hinder contractors’ firms from paying for their overhead, labor, or even expanding their operations. The good news is that small-scale contractor firms can keep their doors open by utilizing some of the available financial options to raise capital. So, if you also want to inject some capital into your firm but don’t know where to get it from, stick here for a few seconds. You’re going to learn some simple yet effective strategies you can implement to finance your contractor’s firm. Read on. How Can You Finance Your Small-Scale Contractors Firm? There are several business financial options at your disposal. Some of them include the following. 1. Getting A Loan Taking a loan is perhaps one of the simplest financial options you can consider when financing your contractor’s firm. It involves borrowing a fixed amount of money from banks or other financial institutions and later paying it plus interest for a specified period. The amount payable is paid back on equally monthly installments, which comprises the principal and the interest amount. Before giving you the money, the lending institutions require you to have a high credit score and produce certified documents to prove your business income level. This allows them to gauge your ability to repay the loaned amount. But if you haven’t kept proper documentation to prove your income level, you shouldn’t shy away. You can apply for low doc loans. For more information about doc loans, you can read from this source and other similar resources. 2. Aid From Relatives And Friends Getting financial help from your family members and friends is another effective strategy to finance your contractor’s firm. It involves approaching your parents, siblings, and other close people to plea for business financial support, especially during the initial stages. It’s one of the quickest funding processes with friendly terms. This is because some of your relatives will provide finance to your business at zero or low-interest rates. 3. Government Grants Grants are financial aids awarded by the government to applicants whose businesses have high chances of succeeding. Government aids are much competitive than all other financial options. This is because grants are free money given out to businesses rather than being borrowed. However, to increase your chances of being awarded as government grant, take your time to learn more about the eligibility requirements before drafting your grant proposal. 4. Invoice Financing Also known as factoring, invoice financing is a practice where a third-party firm buys account receivables of another company at a discounted price. These third-party companies are known as factors. They provide cash for businesses by purchasing customers’ debts. So, by utilizing the invoice financing option, you can increase your cash inflow. This allows your small-scale contractors’ business to remain afloat, thus gaining a competitive advantage. 5. Convertible Debt Convertible debt is a financial option that allows you to borrow money from investors who agree to convert these debts to shares in the future. Though you might lose some ownership of your business, convertible debt can be the best financing option for your business. It’s an attractive option to convince potential investors to support your business financially. 6. Crowdfunding Crowdfunding is one of the latest funding options adopted by modern businesses. It involves raising funds from the general public through online platforms. This means that you get contributions from several people who are willing to support your business. These contributions are later converted either to debts or shares. However, to benefit from the crowdfunding option, you must share your business goals and vision with potential donors through social media and other online channels. 7. Equity Financing Equity financing is the practice of raising funds by selling part of your business to potential shareholders. It’s where you surrender some of your ownership to other people in exchange for money. One of the major advantages of equity financing is that the purchases can bring in new ideas and skills which can help your business to thrive forward. Takeaway Insufficient capital is one of the major constraints that can hinder the growth and expansion of your small-scale contractor’s firm. Without enough funds, your business might not be in a position to pay its expenses and other core operations. However, you can overcome financial challenges by adopting some business financing options. With that said, some of the common business financing options include getting a loan, aids from relatives and friends, government grants, invoice financing, convertible debts, and equity financing.
IKEA is officially moving to Dartford after it was revealed they are behind a deal to secure a 450,000 sq ft ‘powerhouse’, but the unit will sadly not be a customer-facing store. The Swedish giants have confirmed they have signed a 15-year lease with developers on a pre-let agreement for the massive warehouse, located at the former Littlebrook Power Station site on the south bank of the River Thames. They will be joining Amazon at the site after they recently moved into a 2.3 million sq ft ‘Mega Box’ distribution centre right next door, with the entire park undergoing fierce redevelopment to become a “critical last journey location inside the M25.” However, IKEA will not be opening a new store for customers as part of the plans, instead developing a massive new distribution centre which will “meet our customers wherever and whenever they need us.” The distribution centre in Dartford is set to serve IKEA’s stores across the UK and south east – including Greenwich, Croydon and Lakeside. A spokesperson for IKEA said they were “delighted to confirm” they would be moving into a unit at The Power House project in Dartford. “This exciting investment forms part of our ongoing transformation to become even more affordable, accessible and sustainable, accelerating our omnichannel approach to meet our customers wherever and whenever they need us, irrespective of where they live or whether they visit us in-store or online.” The ‘450@thepowerhouse’ unit is currently under construction, and it is not yet know when the site will be opening or how many jobs will be created. Adjacent to the IKEA site, Amazon have just moved into their own distribution centre at the old Littlebrook power station site, a vast £200 million build on a 45-acre plot of land. The move is part of an expansion for the retail titans, with around 1,3000 new jobs created locally in a welcome boost for the area. Workers are even being offered a £1,000 starting bonus amid worker struggles. With IKEA and Amazon m the former Littlebrook power station next to the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing, The impressive unit in Dartford has been pre-let to IKEA by Bericote and Titrax Big Box who are leading the major regeneration of the area located adjacent to the QE2 Bridge and Dartford Tunnel on the south bank of the Thames. Titrax Big Box say the location will mean it’s project, a “rare asset so close to the heart of London,” will benefit from “exceptional transport connectivity via motorway, rail and water, excellent infrastructure, significant power provision and a robust labour market.” Jonathan Maher, development director at Bericote, said: “This letting underpins Bericote’s ongoing commitment to creating highly specified, modern and adaptable industrial and logistics solutions in strategic locations across the UK. “The pre-letting during construction of this speculative development underlines the strength of the market and the very attractive attributes of the site and we look forward to repeating the same success for the next phase of the development.” Charlie Withers, director of development for Tritax Management, added: “Securing a 15-year letting at thepowerhouse to another high quality occupier, further validates our strategic focus on development. “The new tenant, will join Amazon at what is becoming the preeminent logistics location in the UK’s South East.” Plans were submitted in June for the third phase of the project, and developers of the park also say they have allocated 30% of the overall Littlebrook site for permanent open space and habitat creation for wildlife. IKEA added: “As we continue to step up our sustainability commitments, guided by our established strategy to become People & Planet Positive by 2030, we were also attracted by the site’s significant biodiversity enhancement and habitat creation plans, which have informed the UK Green Building Council’s Nature Based Solutions best practice guidance for the industry.”
Recognising that the UK must build more homes, quicker, while reducing carbon emissions, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Timber Industries has launched with a new report that aims to provide solutions to the UK’s housing and climate crises. The report, titled ‘How the timber industries can help solve the housing crisis’, calls on the Government to support the use of wood in construction through policy and procurement, as well as introducing legislation to regulate embodied carbon – starting with mandatory, standardised carbon measurement on all government projects. Launched today (16 September) at the inaugural general meeting for the APPG, the report makes a series of key recommendations devised to help the Government reach its target of building 300,000 more homes per year, while also significantly boosting the trajectory towards net zero carbon. Crucially, the recommendations call for a new focus on whole life carbon emissions within the Building Regulations and the introduction of thresholds for embodied carbon within construction. The report urges the Government to give preference to low carbon materials and building solutions for all government projects, pointing to the economic benefits that scaling up the timber and forestry industries would bring. Calls are also made in the report for a more joined-up approach to working with the timber industry to develop an industrial strategy that can align with government policy. Finally, the report highlights that while the Government has – quite rightly – made building safety a top priority in the wake of the Grenfell fire, the regulations around combustible materials have not always reflected the realities of safe construction using timber. A fundamental differentiation must be made between cladding and structural elements, and the report points towards an evidence-based approach to safety regulations. David Warburton, MP for Somerton and Frome, and chair of the APPG, commented: “We are at a vital junction, where the imperative to build more homes is converging with the urgent need to reduce carbon across all of our markets. Now is the time to put forward policies that will enable us to build a more productive and low-carbon housing sector. “By levelling-up the existing timber and forestry supply chain, and making greater use of modern methods of construction, we can deliver more quality homes – and we can do this sustainably and at pace.” Over the next Parliamentary session, the APPG for the Timber Industries will undertake a programme of activity to enable the timber industries to work with Parliamentarians to raise awareness of the vital contribution that the industries make to the UK economy and UK trade. It will also focus on the importance of the timber industries achieving net zero 2050 and the opportunities which exist to support sustainable timber construction in the UK. For more information and to download the report ‘How the timber industries can help solve the housing crisis’, please visit the CTI website.
Research by the nationwide buy-to-let specialist, Sequre Property Investment, has revealed that the tide of pandemic rental arrear woes that have impacted one in five landlords could be starting to turn, as the majority are now seeing a reduction in the level of late rental income owed to them. The survey of nearly 4,000 UK landlords commissioned by Sequre Property Investment found that nearly one in five (17%) have experienced rental arrears as a result of the pandemic. For a third (27%), this has been a marginal inconvenience to the tune of one month’s rent. However, a further 23% have been out of pocket between one and two months rent, with half have seen these arrears accumulate to two or more months of rental income. With the government moving to ban tenant evictions while increasing eviction notice periods to six months during the height of the pandemic, landlords have had little choice but to sit tight in hope that this lost rental income can be recouped further down the line. The good news is that this tide of pandemic rental arrears does seem to be turning, with many landlords reporting a reduction. While 36% stated that the level of arrears owed to them has remained the same since the height of the pandemic, 37% have seen a reduction and just 28% have seen a further increase. Sales Director at Sequre Property Investment, Daniel Jackson, commented: “The pandemic has posed problematic for tenant and landlord alike but while the nation’s tenants have been afforded a great deal of government protection, little has been done to aid those landlords facing a backlog of unpaid rent. With the government all but blocking the ability to evict tenants who can’t pay, the only option on the table has been to sit tight and wait for this storm of rental arrears to blow over. The good news is that many now seem to be weathering this storm and having shown faith in their tenants during hard times, the majority of landlords are now starting to have this faith repaid in the form of overdue rent. Of course, there are some tenants who are not yet out of the woods, as well as those who seek to take advantage of the system, but the rental market certainly seems to be rebounding in the right direction. Despite these tough times of late, as well as a string of legislative changes to buy-to-let profitability, the buy-to-let sector remains a lucrative business and continues to attract attention from the amateur landlord, right through to the institutional investor.” Survey of 3,842 UK landlords carried out by Sequre Property Investment via consumer research platform Find Out Now (15th September 2021). As a landlord, have you experienced rental arrears as a result of the pandemic? Answer Respondents No 83% Yes 17% To what extent? Answer Respondents Two months or more 50% Up to one month 27% Between one and two months 23% How has your level of rental arrears changed since the height of the pandemic? Answer Respondents Reduced 37% Remained the same 36% Increased 28%
More than four years following the tragic fire in the Grenfell Tower, we are still waiting for the full legislative response from the government. While it is accepted that the public inquiry has yet to complete its work, are there measures, perhaps including some of those contained in Dame Judith Hackitt’s report from 2018, which could have been introduced already? The Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) is convinced that there are initiatives which could be undertaken today, without pre-judging any findings of the public inquiry. For example, chief among these would be the introduction of a legal requirement for third-party certification of fire-resisting doorsets. The Hackitt report calls for third-party certification of safety-critical construction products and it is clear that fire doorsets at Grenfell failed to protect the landings and the stairwell from smoke and fire spreading from the flats. This failure to protect the escape route had fatal consequences. Fire door certification could be introduced without affecting requirements relating to other components or structures which may be still under consideration. There are several certification schemes in existence today covering manufacture, installation and inspection of fire doorsets, but, even so, some time would inevitably be required for existing facilities to be expanded. This makes it all the more important to begin the process now, without waiting for decisions to be made in other areas. “Fire-resisting doorsets are obviously safety-critical and should therefore be subject to third party certification, at least when the intended use is in high-risk buildings,” explains DHF’s General Manager and Secretary, Michael Skelding. “There really should be little need for discussion on this. If we wait for all the other issues raised by Grenfell to be debated before dealing with this one, we are missing a golden opportunity to make a significant improvement in fire safety in high-risk residential buildings”. DHF’s recommendations come on the cusp of this year’s Fire Door Safety Week, a national safety awareness campaign that was first launched in 2013 and is, this year, taking place from 20th – 26th September. DHF has been a long-standing supporter of the objectives of Fire Door Safety Week, and as always, the federation will be putting its weight behind the campaign’s objectives to raise awareness of the critical role that fire doors play in saving lives and protecting property. “We are very pleased to be able to support Fire Door Safety Week once again this year, and applaud its efforts to increase the public’s understanding of the role that fire doors play,” says Michael. “We continue to stress that the use of fire doorsets, correctly installed and with robust fire door maintenance procedures, are a vital part of fire safety and urge those in positions of responsibility to seek the correct training with regards to installation and maintenance. Equally important is that companies carrying out the manufacturing, installation and repair of these doorsets are also certified.”
Work has commenced on Fujifilm’s new £8 million headquarters in Bedford. Fujifilm has signed an agreement to take a 10-year lease on a 30,000 sq ft green-focused office building at Cardington Road, Bedford. Graftongate is developing the new three-storey building, which will provide office space and dedicated workshop space and exhibition areas. It is being funded by a private investor. The world’s largest photographic and imaging company, Fujifilm employs 320 staff at its current headquarters on St Martins Way, Bedford, just 250 metres from the site of the new office. Named Fujifilm House, the new building will be characterised by its sustainability credentials, with low energy usage and green technologies deployed throughout. The BREEAM ‘excellent’ scheme incorporates solar panels, rainwater collection systems and biodiverse landscaping design. Graftongate and Fujifilm will work with the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire as part of the development. Yoshitaka Nakamura, Managing Director of FUJIFILM UK Ltd., said: “The Fujifilm story is one of transformation and reinvention, and our new headquarters will reflect the next step of this journey, providing a site fit for our future in the UK. “As a company, Fujifilm has evolved far beyond our iconic little green box of photographic film to now play a pivotal part in the healthcare and life sciences industries – something we have harnessed to support efforts against Covid-19 here in the UK and around the world. “Fujifilm House will be home to our skilled colleagues in and around Bedford, bringing our various teams – from photography and large format printing to healthcare and diagnostics – under one roof as they work to advance culture, science, technology and industry, contributing to a better and healthier world together.” Colin Beasley, principal at Graftongate, said: “We’re hugely excited to be working with Fujifilm to deliver this impressive new headquarters building and cement the company’s long standing presence in Bedford. Our two businesses share a passion for green initiatives and close collaboration with local people. The sustainable credentials of Fujifilm House will create a net benefit to the wider economic and environmental community.”
The latest round of financing from the UK Government’s Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) will be key to ensuring low-carbon district heating schemes are delivered from 2022, according to polymer pipework specialist REHAU. The GHNF is the latest funding scheme launched by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy building upon 2018’s Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP). As part of this latest funding tranche, the GHNF has pledged an additional £270 million investment in low-carbon technology, on top of the £165 million already provided by the HNIP. Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical at REHAU Building Solutions, said: “It is no secret that COVID-19 has impacted the decarbonisation of the UK heating sector. The pandemic has left budgets strained for many, so investing in a new heating system simply hasn’t been a priority.” “For this reason, schemes such as the Green Heat Network Fund will be key to putting low-carbon progress back on track post-pandemic. The heating sector currently accounts for as much as 21% of the nation’s emissions total, so increasing uptake of heat pumps and district heating networks will be key to achieving net zero by 2050.” This development coincides with the launch of the CP1 Heat Networks Code of Practice by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers and Association for Decentralised Energy. The publication advocates a maximum flow temperature of 70°C for district heating networks, making them better suited to fourth generation heating schemes. Polymer district heating networks, using low-carbon technology such as heat pumps and waste heat recovery systems, are one of the most effective ways to reduce reliance on traditional gas boilers. Low-carbon networks are the only form of network supported by the GHNF, so it is important contractors and consultants consider the recommendations in the CP1 guidance to deliver suitable installations. Steve concluded: “The launch of schemes such as the Green Heat Network Fund and regulations such as CP1 will be critical to driving the uptake of low-carbon technology in England and Wales. Coupled with comprehensive training from specialists such as REHAU, this demand will be a major factor in ensuring heat network installations are suitable for end users in a low-carbon future.” For more information on district heating networks, visit: https://www.rehau.com/uk-en/rehau-district-heating