As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability Russell Roof Tiles has recently been awarded Gold status by the Supply Chain Sustainability School (SCSS). The pioneering pitched roof tile manufacturer previously held the Silver award and has worked with the organisation since the early days of its inception. Launched in
LOVELL, the leading provider of innovative residential developments, has become the first house builder to take proactive steps in a bid to tackle the challenge of asbestos waste. Asbestos still poses a major challenge to the housebuilding industry where it is still sent directly from site to landfill for future
Developers of a 980-unit housing scheme near Pontypool, Wales, reject claims that they are led by outdated ‘‘car is king’’ thinking ‘‘When it comes to new housing developments, local residents are right to raise concerns if they feel the process has not been transparent and they have doubts over its
Construction starts on facility at Andover Business Park, as Berry Bros. & Rudd take space Warehouse set to be the largest fine wine storage facility for private clients in Europe Strategically-located space ideally placed to serve the South East and West of the UK Carbon-neutral site to generate its own
Robin Whitehead appointed new chief executive to oversee operations Ambitious plans to recruit 200+ employees and increase annual turnover to £175 million Company set to open a new operation in Africa to support business expansion Boulting has rebranded as BGEN as part of the company’s ambitious growth plans. The specialist,
A new division of independent housebuilder Dandara has been launched to create new homes in Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. Dandara Eastern, based at Braintree in Essex, already has four consented sites in the pipeline, with work expected to begin in the spring at its flagship Towerlands Park development of
Legrand UK & Ireland has upgraded its range of busbars and tap-off boxes, which have been redesigned to improve efficiency and the life cycle of systems available to electrical specifiers. For those facing the challenge of futureproofing buildings, the Zucchini XCP range from Legrand is the latest collection of busbars
Articulated hauler specialist Terex Trucks rebrands as Rokbak and announces its vision for an exciting new future. The Scottish manufacturer unveiled the new brand at a digital launch event on September 1, attended by dealers, customers, media, and Volvo Group colleagues from around the world. Rokbak is the new name
Chubb, a leading provider of security and fire safety solutions is providing an integrated security solution based on facial recognition technology to protect people and property at 22 Bishopsgate, a new landmark commercial building in London. Chubb is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of
More than one in ten of the UK’s lockdown businesses are in the trade industry Over 20,000 new businesses focus on the ‘development of building products’ – a fifth of all lockdown trade companies Per capita, Aberdeen has seen the greatest number of trade start-ups since March 2020 Since the
As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability Russell Roof Tiles has recently been awarded Gold status by the Supply Chain Sustainability School (SCSS). The pioneering pitched roof tile manufacturer previously held the Silver award and has worked with the organisation since the early days of its inception. Launched in 2012 the Supply Chain Sustainability School, is a multi-award-winning initiative which represents a common approach to addressing sustainability within supply chains. With over 50,000 users, the school provides free practical learning and support for the UK built environment, through sustainability training, networking, e-learning modules, tailored assessments, and online resources. The aim of the organisation is to provide upskilling those working within, or aspiring to work within, the built environment sector. The school covers all aspects of the built environment, and focuses on five main topics: sustainability, offsite, BIM, Lean construction and management. Mark Parsons Technical Director says: “Described by the school as an ‘Outstanding Achievement’, our SCSS Gold Status is the highest level we can achieve and is a key accreditation, acknowledging our work with the major national house builders and construction companies.” The SCSS is part-funded by CITB and other industry Partners, where resources are shared to inspire the UK built environment to drive positive change. In addition to this accolade Russell Roof Tiles was the first British roof tile manufacturer to have achieved an “Excellent” rating for BES 6001 – The Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products, recognising the company’s dedication to sustainability. Russell Roof Tiles is a leading independent pitched roof tile manufacturer supplying products for the top housebuilders and high-profile social housing and commercial projects. The company produces thousands of tiles every week that are used on roofs across the UK, for all of the UK’s premier housebuilders, architects and developers. www.russellrooftiles.com
LOVELL, the leading provider of innovative residential developments, has become the first house builder to take proactive steps in a bid to tackle the challenge of asbestos waste. Asbestos still poses a major challenge to the housebuilding industry where it is still sent directly from site to landfill for future generations to tackle. Lovell has been the first to act, collaborating with Thermal Recycling to safely package and convert asbestos waste into a safe and reusable cement substitute. Lovell completed a pilot project under a licence from the Environment Agency with Thermal Recycling, who were assisted by its research partners at Wolverhampton University. The trial was a complete success and saw 25 tonnes of asbestos removed from three demolished buildings at Lovell’s Castleward development in Derby city centre. Steve Jones, regional health safety and environmental manager for Lovell Midlands, said: “We have made a commitment to move towards reducing the amount of asbestos going to landfill. As such, this was an important environmental initiative for us to trial with Thermal Recycling and one that has proven that it is possible to solve the problems asbestos poses to the industry and future generations. This is a great step in our approach to circular economy, ensuring materials are recycled and reused rather than taken to landfill. “One of the reasons that asbestos waste continues to be sent to landfill is hesitance from the industry to change processes and practices. Our demolition partners have confirmed this, and we’re pleased they had a similarly positive experience.” Opened in September 2020, Thermal Recycling currently operates from a demonstration plant in Wolverhampton and has a licence to treat up to 30,000 tonnes of cement bonded asbestos each year when their full-scale plant is built. The asbestos is treated using the latest developments in thermal technology to change its composition to make it safe. The cement is stripped by a state-of-the-art kiln and turned into a sustainable aggregate for use as a building material. Graham Gould, chairman of Thermal Recycling said: “Thermal Recycling is delighted to be working with a Lovell and their contractors. They have all recognised that there is now a viable alternative to sending asbestos to landfill and have the determination and commitment to embrace that change.” Steve continued: “Lovell is committed to making the necessary changes to ensuring its removal is safe and environmentally friendly. Lovell has a target of recycling 100% of its asbestos waste which we are delighted to be working with Thermal Recycling to achieve through further schemes in the future.” For more information, please visit https://www.lovell.co.uk/
Developers of a 980-unit housing scheme near Pontypool, Wales, reject claims that they are led by outdated ‘‘car is king’’ thinking ‘‘When it comes to new housing developments, local residents are right to raise concerns if they feel the process has not been transparent and they have doubts over its environmental credentials. ’’ Amelia Womack, Green Party deputy leader, former Senedd Candidate for Newport West, South Wales. In the countdown to November’s cop26 Climate Change conference in Glasgow, questions are being asked around the ‘car is king’ planning approach of a new 980-dwelling urban village near the ancient rural hamlet of Mamhilad, Pontypool, located within walking distance from the historic and environmentally-sensitive Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. Property development company, Johnsey Estates, owners of the brown field development land near Mamhilad, Pontypool, reached initial agreements with Torfaen County Council on several key aspects of Mamilad Urban Village development last summer, but local residents complained of a lack of detailed information and transparency. Critics of the scheme pointed out that the location will encourage car-use with an estimated 1,400 vehicles based at the residential site. Residents in the nearby communities of Little Mill and Mamhilad fear future road bottle-necks at new access roads and a general built-up of local traffic. Concerns have also been raised about the lack a basic emissions-limiting strategy covering electric-vehicle charging points and no attempt to integrate alternative energy generation into the scheme. Further questions have been raised over whether environmentally-friendly building materials and high-efficiency insulation technology will be used. Now, in the light of the United Nations Special Report on Climate Change and the cop26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November, local residents and campaign groups are demanding that the environmental planning around the proposed development be changed from ‘‘urban village’’ to ‘‘eco-village’’. ‘’Major traffic snarl-ups are inevitable’’. ‘’Things have moved on from the initial plans were proposed in 2013,’’ said Storm Singleton, whose stone cottage in Upper Mamhilad overlooks the development site. ‘’The starting point of the project should have been should have been a truly green, sustainable and inter-connected plan.’’ ‘’The main concern is the massive increase in car-use and traffic congestion in the area. A new community of almost 1,000 homes means many vehicles based on-site and addition to all the regular delivery and service vehicles. There’s going to be chaos at peak-times during travel-to-school and working day. Major traffic snarl-ups are inevitable. The developers seem to be blind to this.’’ Mr Singleton and his neighbours have struggled to acquire information from Johnsey Estates and Torfaen Borough Council. Questions about an access road to a new school, development of a proposed new roundabout and projected statistics on increases traffic flow have been blocked. ‘’When it comes to traffic, road-usage and on-site parking issues, there’s a sense of evasion and a lack of transparency, ’’ said Mr Singleton. In a review of the Mamilad Urban Village plans in 2017, the Design Commission for Wales stated that ‘’car parking will be one of the biggest challenges of the scheme’’ and added that there were ‘’clear concerns about on-plot, on-street and small parking courts.’’ Retired health administrator, Marie Skiller, lives in the village of Little Mill, near the busy main road from Mamhilad to Usk. Mrs Skiller told Impact News: ‘’It’s not just the increase in traffic on the main road through the village. There’s also a lack of clarity about health service provision for that new community and the knock-on impact on existing villages. From my own time in health provision administration, I know how challenging setting up a long-term staffing of a new community surgery is. Since the Covid pandemic, there are now huge additional healthcare staffing issues.’’ The view of environmental-concerned building consultants: Alleged critical gaps compared to ecologically-aware projects in England In England, housing developers and local councils in Surrey, Kent, Middlesex, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire are taking advice on decarbonisation and emissions. Abingdon-based Green Square Energy Centre, is one of the UK’s leading building consultants for low carbon, eco-friendly house-building. The company is a market leader in the installation of solar heating, solar panels, biomass stoves and boilers, heat bank storage, ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps. Advice is also available on the allocation and positioning electric-charging points for electric vehicles. A spokesperson for Green Square said: ‘‘Truly eco-friendly planning at Mamhilad appears to have some critical gaps compared to the kind of ecology-aware projects we work on. The building industry should be working alongside local councils to agree a forward-looking and architecturally-enlightened approach to building future communities. Why build an urban village when you can create a ground-breaking, eco-friendly community?’’ Green Square highlighted three award-winning housing developments as the gold standard for environmentally-aware house building in the 2020s and beyond: Claims are ‘‘completely unfounded’’ Johnson Estates refute claims that the car-friendly Manhilad Urban Village was a concept more suited to the twentieth century rather than the 2020s, saying they were ‘‘completely unfounded’’. A spokesperson for Johnsey Estates told Impact News: “This is a brown field site that was first allocated in the Local Development Plan in 2013 and we have since worked closely with a number of leading multi-disciplined consultants and the Local Authority to develop a robust and thorough master plan. We are now in the process of finalising an agreement which will include significant contributions to public transport, active travel infrastructure, and a new park-and-ride facility so as to deliver a sustainable development co-located with extensive existing employment uses.’’ ‘’Wales and the wider UK should have a clear roadmap for what net zero looks like…’’ Amelia Womack. In response, Green Party deputy leader and Green Party Senedd Candidate for Newport West, Amelia Womack said: “We are facing a climate emergency, so it is vital that every level of government does all it can to ensure that any new development is genuinely sustainable. Residents are right to raise concerns if they feel the process has not been transparent and they have doubts over its environmental credentials. In the year of the most important COP climate
Construction starts on facility at Andover Business Park, as Berry Bros. & Rudd take space Warehouse set to be the largest fine wine storage facility for private clients in Europe Strategically-located space ideally placed to serve the South East and West of the UK Carbon-neutral site to generate its own energy supply Goodman has broken ground on a 117,500 sq ft warehouse at Andover Business Park for Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchant, Berry Bros. & Rudd. The bespoke warehouse is set to be the largest fine wine storage facility for private clients in Europe, with the capacity to store more than 14 million bottles of wine at optimum temperature in a humidity-controlled environment. Spanning almost 100 acres of highly sought after serviced land, Andover Business Park is ideally placed to serve the South East and West of the UK. A prime e-commerce and distribution destination, already home to the Co-operative Group and global bakery firm Rich Products, those operating from the area benefit from direct access to the A303 and close proximity to the M25, A303 and A34, providing links to Southampton via the M4 and M40. The leading-edge facility will be carbon neutral, generating its own energy supply alongside utilising rainwater harvesting and electric vehicle (EV) charging points. George Glennie, Development Director at Goodman, said: “Our approach is to meet the increasing demand for strategically located logistics space with easy access to large consumer markets. “This site at Andover Business Park is set to become the largest fine wine storage facility in Europe. On completion, it will provide Berry Bros. & Rudd with state-of-the-art, flexible and carbon neutral space to service their clients’ rising demand.” Edward Rudd, Business Investment Director for Berry Bros. & Rudd, added: “To offer the largest fine wine storage facility for private clients in Europe will help us realise our ambition to support fine wine collecting now and in the future. We are delighted to make this investment to position the UK as a leader in Europe and the world for fine wine collecting.” Winvic’s Director of Industrial, Distribution and Logistics, Danny Nelson, commented: “We have a lot of experience with temperature-controlled facilities, so we’re delighted to be working with long-standing client Goodman once again on this cutting-edge fine wine storage warehouse. “This project offers us the opportunity to showcase our strong BIM Level 2 skills and digital design resource – as well as expertise in delivering carbon neutral projects – and we are looking forward to delivering this ultra-secure facility in Andover for Berry Bros. & Rudd.” Goodman and its construction partner Winvic are delivering the facility, with Berry Bros. & Rudd set to be operational in Summer 2022.
Robin Whitehead appointed new chief executive to oversee operations Ambitious plans to recruit 200+ employees and increase annual turnover to £175 million Company set to open a new operation in Africa to support business expansion Boulting has rebranded as BGEN as part of the company’s ambitious growth plans. The specialist, multi-discipline engineering solutions business, has appointed a new chief executive to oversee plans which include a recruitment drive to support a significant planned increase in turnover, alongside the opening of a new operation in Africa as the company expands its global footprint. BGEN, with a mindset focussed on next generation engineering, has promoted Robin Whitehead from managing director of its Technology business unit to chief executive of the new operation. Robin began his career with East Midlands Electricity Board and has been in the engineering sector for more than 25 years. He has spent the last 18 years at Boulting where he has helped to significantly grow the size and remit of the technology business. “Robin’s appointment was the obvious choice,” says John Sugden, Executive Chair at BGEN. “Robin has an excellent affinity with employees and customers alike having started his career as an electrician, before joining the company in 2003 and working his way up through the business. The board has confidence that he will oversee the ambitious plans we have for the company over the next year and beyond.” The next 12 months will see BGEN go on a major recruitment drive, looking to expand its workforce from 860 to more than 1,000 employees, and hit an annual increased turnover in the region of £175 million*. The company is looking to recruit a number of positions, from mechanical engineers and electricians to design engineers and technical project managers, as the company continues to service its existing client base whilst expanding operations. September will see BGEN open its African operation in Lagos, Nigeria, focusing on continuing to serve BGEN’s global clients that are looking to maintain and grow their business in that continent. This expansion is on the back of decades of project delivery experience in Africa and will enable the company to grow its offering efficiently with local resources, backed by an experienced UK management team. “It’s an exciting time for the company, having recently been awarded a number of long-term frameworks in the utility sector which is testament to the quality of work we deliver”, comments Robin Whitehead. “While we’re proud of our heritage and will continue to serve those segments, we’re now working with customers in specialist sectors such as food, nuclear and pharmaceutical, on areas such as digitalisation and net zero emissions.” For further information, visit www.b-gen.co.uk.
A new division of independent housebuilder Dandara has been launched to create new homes in Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. Dandara Eastern, based at Braintree in Essex, already has four consented sites in the pipeline, with work expected to begin in the spring at its flagship Towerlands Park development of more than 500 new homes at Bocking in Braintree. Dandara was established in 1988, but for the last two years has achieved a period of unprecedented growth – despite the pandemic – and is expanding to become a national player in the housebuilding market. As part of the company’s strategic plan for continued long-term growth, the new Eastern division will deliver around 500 homes a year in a prime commuter belt housing market. John Stanton will lead the new division following his recent promotion to Regional Director. John joined the business in September 2020 as Operations Director for Dandara Northern Home Counties based in Milton Keynes. Formerly Commercial Director at Bovis Homes, Stanton was tasked with managing Dandara’s team building and rapid growth in that region, while maintaining its reputation for building excellent homes and providing top-quality customer service. With experience working for both Bovis and Linden Homes in the east of England, and earlier experience with Crest Nicholson in Essex, he is ideally placed to bring the same growth and success to Eastern. Managing Director, Trevor Dempsey, said: “Dandara Eastern is getting off to a flying start, with four new sites including the major redevelopment of the former Towerlands equestrian and events complex at Bocking on the outskirts of Braintree, along with two sites at Elsenham in north Essex and another located at Buntingford in Hertfordshire. We have a fantastic land supply pipeline and are extremely confident that John and the new Eastern team will achieve the company’s plan to deliver around 500 new homes in the region each year within five years.” Towerlands Park will be one of Dandara’s largest projects, with 575 two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, plus schools, shops and community facilities, built on the site of a former events venue, golf course and equestrian centre. The local area is highly desirable for both commuters and families. Braintree Station is just over two miles away, with services to Liverpool Street in around an hour, while shoppers can enjoy both the traditional high street stores and the designer outlet at Braintree Village with its wide range of famous names. The development will have its own nursery school, and a primary school is also planned. All homes will have gardens and garages or off-road parking, plus a high specification and finish throughout. Meanwhile, at Elsenham in north Essex, near Bishops Stortford, Dandara Eastern will have two new smaller developments available next year – Millers View and The Bower, both of which will feature a range of two, three and four-bedroom homes and are within a 15-minute walk from the station with services to Liverpool Street in less than an hour. Schools and local shops at the centre of this pretty village are also a short stroll away. For more information visitwww.dandara.com
Legrand UK & Ireland has upgraded its range of busbars and tap-off boxes, which have been redesigned to improve efficiency and the life cycle of systems available to electrical specifiers. For those facing the challenge of futureproofing buildings, the Zucchini XCP range from Legrand is the latest collection of busbars and tap-off boxes for efficient power distribution for multi-occupancy residential, commercial and industrial applications. Designed to lower energy consumption and losses, the new XCP-HP (High Performance) busbar delivers significant energy cost savings and helps to reduce the environmental impact of the building in which it is installed. According to Legrand, specifiers face increasing pressure to deliver electrical systems which keep up with changing power requirements and efficiency credentials. Paul Martin, Lead Marketing Manager for Legrand’s Power Distribution business unit, explains the importance of specifying suitable solutions: “We are more reliant than ever on equipment in buildings and yet professionals in the sector are required to deliver on more stringent efficiency measures. The new XCP range provides an update to match the fast-changing power requirements that all buildings across the country are experiencing. With more use of electrical equipment, there is a need for all manner of power distribution solutions which can keep up with the changing demands across its lifespan.” To support the futureproofing of buildings from a safety perspective, the range can be quickly installed and visually inspected for correct connections due to the shear off bolt connections. This can reduce the risk of bad connections which cause over heating problems. The XCP range is also available with a two-times rated neutral phase conductor option, helping to mitigate the addition of electronic devices into a building. This option helps specifiers ensure the system keeps up with the ever-changing electrical demand and does not overheat due to electrical imbalances. Given every project has different requirements, the entire range comes with a comprehensive, market-leading selection of plastic and metal tap-off boxes, rated 25- 250A and 63-630A respectively. To further suit different levels of specification, the range is complemented with the XCP-S (Standard) busbar, to give projects a more cost-effective specification. Paul says: “With safety and long-term efficiency key for consultants, the XCP range gives peace of mind that a building’s power distribution is futureproofed and remains cost-effective for the duration of the building’s life cycle. Suited to all manner of projects and the varying power outputs they require across sites, we aim to give specifiers everything they require from one high power range.” For more information on Legrand’s range of Zucchini XCP busbars, visit: https://www.legrand.co.uk/products/power-distribution/zucchini/busbar-systems/
Articulated hauler specialist Terex Trucks rebrands as Rokbak and announces its vision for an exciting new future. The Scottish manufacturer unveiled the new brand at a digital launch event on September 1, attended by dealers, customers, media, and Volvo Group colleagues from around the world. Rokbak is the new name for Terex Trucks, with the new brand representing the continuation of its strong hauling heritage with a future-focused vision. Throughout the last four decades, the company has never wavered in its promise to customers to deliver powerful and reliable articulated haulers – and that legacy remains front and centre within the new brand. At the same time, the Rokbak name represents an exciting new future and reflects the significant advances the organization has made in recent years as well as its new strategic priorities. “Our company has an incredible history and a proud heritage,” said Paul Douglas, Managing Director. “Seven years ago, we became a member of the Volvo Group, which allowed us to make major improvements in every part of our business. Millions of pounds have been invested in improving our products, modernising our facilities, expanding our network, and developing our people. It has been a process of continual evolution. That’s why we feel it’s right to recognize this evolution with a new brand name to launch an exciting new chapter in our history. And we’ll keep investing to further improve our machines for our customers.” Articulated haulers that don’t buckle under pressure The significant investments and improvements in the company’s articulated haulers in recent times have ensured they remain among the most robust and reliable machines around. Now, with their foundation in the predecessor models from Terex Trucks, the 28-tonne payload RA30 and 38-tonne payload RA40 from Rokbak are the most productive and efficient articulated haulers the company has ever made. As part of the new brand launch, the machines now come in Rokbak colours and livery. While maintaining the experienced design, craft and precision that are synonymous with the company’s haulers, the RA30 and RA40 deliver better fuel economy, lower emissions, improved safety, and greater durability. With a tough design that’s built to last, the haulers power through hard work with ease, boosting customers’ productivity no matter how tough the conditions. “We’re very excited to reveal our new brand, and of course our haulers are the shop window,” continued Paul Douglas. “Rokbak stands for power, performance and reliability. We already have a very healthy order book for the new brand, and we want to further expand our reputation, dealer network and market share. We’re still the same skilled, experienced, and passionate team, committed to making rock-solid haulers every day. But we also have a clear vision for where we want to go and who we want to be.” Rokbak has your back As part of the Volvo Group, Rokbak has experienced steady evolution over the past seven years. While this has taken place across the board, it is particularly prominent in four key areas: product design, sustainability, safety, and people. In product design, the company has introduced Stage V engines for better fuel efficiency and operation for customers. Other improvements include a new transmission on the 28-tonne (30.9-ton) machine, the introduction of the Haul Track telematics, and a stronger focus on operator wellbeing and safety. In terms of sustainability, the company’s manufacturing plant has shifted to 100% renewable energy as well as operating within Science-Based Targets and ISO standards, plus targeting CO2 emission reductions. The focus on safety has been emphasised in all areas, but particularly on its employees. Changes in processes at the factory have seen a stronger concentration on maintaining employee safety while simultaneously delivering high standards and low downtime. For the company’s people at the heart of Rokbak, there is a continual focus on professional development, keeping the team at the forefront of skill and expertise. Similarly, Dealer Operating Standards and training ensures the expanded dealer network continues to deliver the highest levels of service. “We are proud and excited to have the modernized Rokbak brand continue as a fundamental part of our organization,” said Melker Jernberg, President Volvo CE and Executive Vice President Volvo Group. “We believe in a sustainable future, innovation and the power of our people and we see that all encapsulated in Rokbak. At the same time, the company has its own personality, heritage and loyal customer base and it will be exciting to see the brand evolve further as it sets out on this new stage of its journey.”
Chubb, a leading provider of security and fire safety solutions is providing an integrated security solution based on facial recognition technology to protect people and property at 22 Bishopsgate, a new landmark commercial building in London. Chubb is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions. 22 Bishopsgate is one of the tallest buildings in London. The 62-storey tower provides a total of 1.275 million square feet of premium workspace for 12,000 people, setting new standards for integration of systems on a major scale. As workers return to the office, the health and safety of indoor environments has never been more important. Chubb offers advanced solutions to help deliver safer, healthier and smarter indoor environments. 22 Bishopsgate, one of London’s tallest buildings Chubb installed an access control system using integrated facial recognition in the building’s foyer to allow authorised users access at an anticipated rate of 25 people per minute through each turnstile. Identification card and smart phone access is also available within this technology. The solution was determined using a face recognition engine developed by Chubb in-house developers. Chubb also worked closely with a leading manufacturer of revolving doors and security barriers to incorporate the cameras into the turnstiles so as not to spoil the aesthetic of the touchless access points. The facial recognition technology is also integrated with the destination management system within the 57 elevators. Among the elevators will be Europe’s fastest double-deck elevators, running at eight metres per second. In addition to access control, Chubb has installed the latest IP-based CCTV and intruder alarm systems in all communal areas of the building and integrated these into the Building Management System (BMS). “Chubb works with the latest technologies to find the best way to protect people, places and assets; providing confidence in the health and safety measures that are in place. As an early adopter of innovation, we see facial recognition as delivering the optimum solution to managing the secure and efficient passage of large numbers of employees and visitors through 22 Bishopsgate. In key landmark developments we look at combining the highest levels of security with a premium customer experience,” said David Dunnagan, Director, Chubb Systems. 22 Bishopsgate will be the first tower of its kind to house a fresh food market, innovation hub, gym, well-being retreat and space, curated ‘art walk’, business club, cycle hub, destination restaurant as well as London’s highest free public viewing gallery, creating an inspiring, healthy and energising workplace.
More than one in ten of the UK’s lockdown businesses are in the trade industry Over 20,000 new businesses focus on the ‘development of building products’ – a fifth of all lockdown trade companies Per capita, Aberdeen has seen the greatest number of trade start-ups since March 2020 Since the first Coronavirus lockdown was announced on 23rd March 2020, over 112,000 trade businesses have been set up in the UK, new research has revealed. The study, conducted by IronmongeryDirect, the UK’s largest supplier of specialist ironmongery, analysed over one million rows of Companies House data1 and found that more than one in ten (11%) of all businesses set up during the pandemic (1,019,970) are in the trade industry. Of the 112,047 new companies in the sector, almost a fifth (19%) focus on the ‘development of building products’, with 20,753 start-ups – more than any other trade category. Similar projects also take up the next three spots, with ‘construction of domestic buildings’ and ‘commercial buildings’ both making the top five. Companies specialising in ‘electrical installation’ are not far behind, with 8,194 new businesses, while ‘plumbing, heat and air-conditioning installation’ firms also feature highly. The ten most common categories for trade businesses established since the first lockdown are: 1) Development of building projects – 20,753 2) Construction of domestic buildings – 16,278 3) Other specialised construction activities – 9,395 4) Construction of commercial buildings – 8,763 5) Electrical installation – 8,194 6) Other building completion and finishing – 8,151 7) Plumbing, hear and air-conditioning installation – 7,299 8) Other construction installation – 6,146 9) Landscape service activities – 3,685 10) Painting – 3,090 Other popular trades, such as roofing (2,612), joinery (2,226) and plastering (1,589) have also seen many new enterprises. These lockdown companies are spread out across the UK, but, while London inevitably has the most new trade businesses (24,977) due to its size – almost eight times as many as the next city, Birmingham (3,175) – Aberdeen has the most per capita. With 163 new companies and a population of just under 230,0002, there is one lockdown trade start-up per 1,403 people in the Scottish port city. On this metric3, Southend-on-Sea takes second place and top spot for England, followed by Bath. The top five UK hotspots for lockdown trade businesses are: 1) Aberdeen – 163 (one per 1,403 people) 2) Southend-on-Sea – 132 (one per 1,402) 3) Bath – 94 (one per 1,102) 4) Edinburgh – 488 (one per 1,076) 5) Belfast – 273 (one per 1,056) Dominick Sandford, Director and Head of Merchandising & Marketing at IronmongeryDirect, said: “The pandemic has brought many challenges to businesses, but it’s great to see that it has also created some opportunities, with lots of tradespeople starting new companies. “Setting up a business can be tricky at the best of times, so these individuals deserve tremendous credit for making it work during lockdown. “If you’re thinking of following their lead and starting your own trade company, we’ve partnered with Rick Smith, Managing Director at an insolvency and business rescue specialist, to provide expert advice on how to do so.” For expert tips on how to set up a trade business, visit: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/blog/expert-tips-for-setting-up-a-new-business