9 out of 10 construction businesses predict a skills crisis by 2030, with 81 percent saying they will introduce robots in the next 10 years, while safety and the environment both catalysts for accelerating investment in robotics A new global survey1 commissioned by ABB of 1900 large and small construction
Insight Workplace Health achieves coveted SEQOHS accreditation Insight Workplace Health, a provider of occupational health services to the construction sector across the UK, is celebrating achieving SEQOHS accreditation. SEQOHS, or Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service, is a set of standards and a process of accreditation that aims to help
The upheaval in education due to the pandemic in the past year has only highlighted how damaging the closure of schools has been and the legacy of lost learning. Further unnecessary interruption to education should be avoided, not least when it comes to fire. With hundreds of schools in the
Construction, refurbishment and fit-out company, Chisholm & Winch, has completed the latest phase of a major development programme at Royal Mail’s Mount Pleasant site in London. Once the home of one of the world’s largest sorting offices, Mount Pleasant remains a critical part of Royal Mail’s operational infrastructure in London.
Employees play a very important role when it comes to the success of a business. Good employees can help your business build a good reputation, have loyal customers, and earn more money. Similarly, bad employees could lead to the downfall of a business. While there are many factors to consider
Today, UK Connect has been officially granted ‘5G for Enterprise Branch Specialisation’ by leading wireless networking equipment brand Cradlepoint, becoming the UK’s sole construction connectivity provider to achieve this status. This means UK Connect is the only company currently permitted to install Cradlepoint systems used for the establishment of 5G networks on UK residential and
The Building a Safer Future (BSF) Charter has launched its ‘Charter Champion’ company initiative to help companies drive the systemic culture change required to put building safety first. Through robust self-assessment, benchmarking and independent verification, the BSF Charter Champion company initiative will help companies identify potential issues and, in turn,
Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “Over the last few months, there have been small signs of recovery for the construction industry, but the latest ONS data is the strongest indication yet that the sector is truly getting back on its feet. “The number of employed construction workers rose by
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has celebrated the topping out of its first hotel project, Hotel La Tour. The luxury hotel which is located at the highest point of central Milton Keynes stands at
David Connacher, Marketing Manager, West Fraser, answers your questions 1. Norbord – who are/were they in a nutshell? As the UK’s number one engineered wood panel manufacturer and serving the housebuilding and construction industry with a vast array of board products for flooring, panelling and roofing, Norbord is the go-to
9 out of 10 construction businesses predict a skills crisis by 2030, with 81 percent saying they will introduce robots in the next 10 years, while safety and the environment both catalysts for accelerating investment in robotics A new global survey1 commissioned by ABB of 1900 large and small construction businesses has revealed that 91 percent of companies are facing a growing skills crisis over the next 10 years, with 44 percent saying they struggle to recruit for construction jobs. Improving health and safety on building sites was a priority for 42 percent and the same percentage said the environment is a key driver for industry change. 81 percent of construction businesses said they will introduce or increase the use of robotics and automation in the next decade, while today only a handful of businesses benefit from robotics. In the survey, only 55 percent of construction companies say they use robots, compared with 84 percent in Automotive and 79 percent in Manufacturing. To help address these findings, ABB Robotics will be driving the uptake of automation in the construction industry with new robotic automation solutions to address key challenges, which include the need for more affordable and environmentally friendly housing and a significant reduction in the environmental impact of construction, amidst a labor and skills shortage. Robotic automation offers huge potential to enhance productivity, efficiency and manufacturing flexibility throughout the construction industry, including automating the fabrication of modular homes and building components off-site, robotic welding and material handling on building sites and robot 3D printing of houses and customized structures. As well as making the industry safer and more cost effective, robots are improving sustainability and reducing environmental impact by enhancing quality and cutting waste. Industry forecasts for the total value of the global construction industry predict it will rise by 85 percent to $15.5 trillion worldwide by 20302, while ABB Robotics’ internal analysis of the market potential for robotic automation over the next 10 years is for high double digit growth rate in key sectors of construction including pre-fabrication and 3D printing. “With so few construction businesses using automation today, there’s huge potential for us to transform the industry through robotics. Unlike building cars or assembling electronics, many techniques used in construction haven’t changed for generations, so we are developing new solutions to address key industry challenges,” said Sami Atiya, President of ABB’s Robotics & Discrete Automation Business Area. “This new customer segment will broaden our portfolio as part of a wider strategy to accelerate expansion in high-growth segments including electronics, healthcare, consumer goods, logistics and food and beverage, to meet the growing demand for automation across multiple industries.” ABB’s robotic solutions for construction are already being used in various pilot projects to help improve flexibility, productivity and quality, including the automated fabrication of timber roof supports with Autovol in Canada, the robotic installation of elevators with Schindler Lifts and the robotic automation of Intelligent City’s production of prefabricated modular homes, which has increased production efficiency by 15 percent and speed by 38 percent, while reducing waste by 30 percent. Skanska’s robot welding application has improved quality, employee productivity and safety by automating the fabrication of steel reinforcement baskets on-site. This solution has also reduced the cost and environmental impact of transporting bulky finished reinforcement baskets to building sites. ABB is also working with several leading universities to co-develop new automated construction technologies including ETH Zurich, a leading research university in Switzerland. At ETH, ABB is supporting research in the field of robotics fabrication in architecture and construction and has helped establish the world’s first laboratory for collaborative robotic digital fabrication in architecture, hosted at the ETH’s Institute of Technology in Architecture. This week, the latest large scale ABB robotics 3D printing technology for the construction industry is being showcased by the Austrian architectural bureau MAEID at the 17th International Architecture – La Biennale di Venezia, to inspire architects about the possibilities of automation and 3D printing, driving innovation and enabling new ways of building. For more information, visit the ABB website. An ‘Automation and the Construction Industry’ panel discussion will be available to view on the website from 26 May 2021. 1 ABB Construction Industry Survey May 2021. Conducted by 3Gem Global Market Research & Insights, the ABB construction industry survey of 1900 CEO or Managing Director decision-makers in large and small businesses including residential and commercial construction, component suppliers, contractors and subcontractors, architects and designs and consultants in the USA, Canada, China, UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, France & Italy. Conducted April 22, 2021 – May 12, 2021, 3Gem Research & Insights utilize industry-standard panel management systems and adhere to stringent quality control procedures; delivering double opt-in, GDPR-compliant consumer and B2B panels. 2 The Global Construction 2030 report (link)
Insight Workplace Health achieves coveted SEQOHS accreditation Insight Workplace Health, a provider of occupational health services to the construction sector across the UK, is celebrating achieving SEQOHS accreditation. SEQOHS, or Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service, is a set of standards and a process of accreditation that aims to help to raise the overall standard of care provided by occupational health services. Insight’s feedback from the assessment described it as having a team who are “clearly well motivated, enthusiastic and supportive of each other and the wider business”. It went on to say: “The assessors were impressed with the commitment and positive attitude of the occupational health team. The team are customer focused and work hard to obtain regular feedback from managers and staff.” Founded in 2009 by twins Liz Terry and Ellie Taylor, Insight has grown in the last 11 years from just two staff (Liz and Ellie) to over 30 employees. It now has bases in Llandarcy, Swansea; Newport, Gwent; and Ruthin, Denbighshire and serves clients across the whole of the UK with its mobile fleet. Key milestones have included its move into larger offices in Llandarcy in 2016 and the launch of its secure occupational health portal in 2015. In 2016 the company opened its purpose-built clinic in Imperial Park, Newport and in 2020 Insight Workplace Health was named as one Wales’ top 50 fastest growing companies on the Fast Growth 50 list. In the past year the company has taken on major contracts with the Welsh Government and Welsh Water and opened its new office in North Wales to facilitate the delivery of these. The company continues to expand in North Wales, most recently winning a contract to provide occupational health services for Conwy Council. Insight Workplace Health co-founder Liz Terry said: “We’re delighted to have achieved this accreditation. Everybody within the company was very involved in the process. Having SEQOHS accreditation assures our customers that we’ve got good clinical governance, our nurses and doctors are engaged in continuous professional development and our clinical standards are as high as they can be. It gives important, independent and impartial recognition that we have demonstrated our competence. “This accreditation opens new avenues for us, because it means we can work with customers who only choose SEQOHS-accredited providers. It will also help us when we are hiring physicians, enabling us to attract the very best people to our team.”
The upheaval in education due to the pandemic in the past year has only highlighted how damaging the closure of schools has been and the legacy of lost learning. Further unnecessary interruption to education should be avoided, not least when it comes to fire. With hundreds of schools in the UK having a fire each year It needs further action. During the past year we have seen major fires in schools across the UK all without sprinklers that could have minimised those incidents. As we enter the NFCC Sprinkler Week, fewer than one-in-six new schools have been built with a sprinkler system installed. It is time we changed that. School fires have a devastating impact on both a school and a community. Three school fires in Derbyshire last year are a painful reminder of the damage, disruption and the costs incurred when they are not fitted with sprinklers. On the morning of Saturday 3rd October, six fire engines and two aerial ladder platforms were called to attend a major blaze at St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Darley Abbey, Derby. The fire quickly engulfed the building, which was largely destroyed and reported as a ‘total loss’. Just 48 hours later, in the early hours of Monday 5th October, there was a second severe fire only four miles away, this time at Ravensdale Infant School in Mickleover which required 12 fire engines from the Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service. Whilst the Fire and Rescue service brought the fire under control there was extensive damage to the building. Neither building had sprinklers fitted. The children from the St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy were originally sent to work from home for three weeks before being displaced into two separate local schools. They have now been reunited in temporary accommodation within a refurbished office block over three floors. There is no firm date for the replacement school. The children from the Ravensdale school are being moved to temporary locations and may move again during the £8 million rebuild of their schools which is expected to be completed late in 2022. These two devastating fires come in the wake of a blaze in the same area four months earlier at Harrington Junior School in Long Eaton, Derbyshire. Thankfully, no children were on site and teachers and staff who were working in the building were able to evacuate safely. Despite the efforts of the Fire and Rescue Service, they were unable to save the building. Not only did the fire severely affect the children’s education when they returned to temporary classroom accommodation after lockdown, the school will have to be rebuilt. The temporary classroom accommodation was noted to cost £500,000 and is expected to be in place for two years during the rebuild. The cost of the rebuild was further reported to be £5.5 million and will require central funding. Currently, sprinklers are currently only mandatory in new school buildings in Scotland and centrally funded schools in Wales, but not in England and Northern Ireland. Yet observations on the incidence of fire relative to the population of school buildings, indicate that the rate of fires in England is the same as in Scotland and Wales. According to a 2019 study by Zurich Municipal1, education insurer for half of the schools and universities in the UK, two-thirds of schools have ‘poor’ fire protection and are not properly prepared for a potential damaging fire. It also found that schools in England are ‘twice as likely’ to suffer fires than other school buildings. The insurer has stated that a change to government legislation to make sprinklers mandatory will not only protect children in school, but will also contain a fire to the room it starts when it begins out of school hours. The government is still considering the response to its call for evidence on Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) which closed in May 2019. The BSA has always highlighted that BB100 sets the right expectations around the protection of schools and the continuity of education. It sets an expectation that the school should be fully functional within 24 hours of a fire, apart from the room where the fire occurred. The BSA wants the government to explicitly maintain these objectives and enhance the “sprinkler expectation” in the revised BB100 so that fewer schools are damaged and destroyed by fire. Better still, the government should make property protection a consideration for the fire safety Building Regulations to effectively protect all buildings of significant social and/or economic value from fire. Ensuring the safety of a building’s occupants is considered the minimum under current regulations, but it is clearly not the optimal outcome. A sprinkler system would serve to protect both the occupants and the building, allowing students to return to normality far more rapidly and with considerably less disruption to teachers’ already hectic schedules during this pandemic. Fires in schools must be avoided. How many more fires need to occur before sprinkler installation becomes a prerequisite of school design and safety? 1Schools twice as likely as other buildings to be hit by a blaze
Construction, refurbishment and fit-out company, Chisholm & Winch, has completed the latest phase of a major development programme at Royal Mail’s Mount Pleasant site in London. Once the home of one of the world’s largest sorting offices, Mount Pleasant remains a critical part of Royal Mail’s operational infrastructure in London. Chisholm & Winch has delivered multiple consecutive phases for construction management company, Blue Sky Building, with a combined value of £9 million. The company’s involvement began in 2018 with upgrades to the main office areas and the latest package includes construction and fit-out of a new gatehouse, new docking bay extensions and the installation of roller shutters. Chisholm & Winch’s scope of works has included fit-out of the office areas, including installation of a new gym, refurbishment of the Collection Hub, upgrades to the parking areas and a three-phase programme to update the site’s North East Dock, which required four of the six docks to remain operational at any given time. Works to the North Road area of the site were carried out over two phases and included the site’s new feature green wall. The project has leveraged Chisholm & Winch’s wide-ranging construction and fit out capabilities, including demolition, steelwork, drylining, blockwork, redecoration, joinery, mechanical and electrical services and firestopping. Julian Daniel, managing director of Blue Sky Building comments: “We have been impressed with the skill and professionalism of the Chisholm & Winch team throughout this project as they have moved from phase to phase across the three-year programme, especially given the varying requirements and the challenges of Covid-19. The quality they have produced, their excellent communication and their positive approach to collaborating and coordinating with others on site have been a big part of the success of this project.” The Mount Pleasant site has remained fully-operational throughout the project and Chisholm & Winch has worked collaboratively with the scheme’s other delivery partners to ensure the sequencing of works enabled efficient progress while allowing business as usual activities for the client and supporting high standards of health and safety for building users and site teams. The project remained live throughout the COVID-19 lockdown, drawing on this collaborative approach from across the delivery partners to enable safety and method statements to be reviewed and safe working practices to be put in place. Darren Godfrey, Chisholm & Winch’s project manager at Mount Pleasant adds: “The operational importance of all phases meant that handover dates remained business critical for the client, so it was essential that we maintained good progress on site. Operational refurbishment is one of our specialisms at Chisholm & Winch so we were able to use that expertise to consider how we could work round social distancing requirements without jeopardising the schedule. We’re delighted to have completed all works, despite the unforeseen challenges of a global pandemic.”
Employees play a very important role when it comes to the success of a business. Good employees can help your business build a good reputation, have loyal customers, and earn more money. Similarly, bad employees could lead to the downfall of a business. While there are many factors to consider when hiring an employee – qualifications, education, etc. – one of the most important factors is whether or not they are trustworthy. If there isn’t trust between an employer and employee, or amongst employees, the business will likely fail. However, if you’re just starting a business, you might not always know which signs to look out for when it comes to telling if an employee is trustworthy or not. Background checks People can change, there’s no denying that. Just because someone has a criminal record doesn’t mean you should automatically not hire them. But it’s still a good idea to know what an employee’s criminal history is, and whether they have any criminal convictions. You can then make an informed decision on whether you trust them to enter your company based on what you know. If you do end up hiring them, you can offer them the support they need to stay on the right track. DBS checks will help you a lot. If you’re asking, “What are DBS checks?”, you’re not alone. To sum it up, it’s a compilation of a person’s criminal convictions. Psychometric testing Psychometric tests are incredibly popular in industries where confidentiality and integrity are of the utmost importance – such as where people work in law enforcement, or with large sums of money. Psychometric tests are tests that test the psychology of possible employees. At the end of the test, you will receive a report detailing things like integrity, level of manipulation, and a whole host of other information, depending on the test itself. This will give you a better idea of how likely an employee is to betray your trust. Reference checks When people go for interviews, they are often on their best behavior. This means that you may not always get an accurate representation of what it would be like to have them work for you. The best way to gain a deeper understanding of this is to do a reference check. Call up their past employers and ask them a few questions. Trust us, this will teach you more about the prospective employee than any interview. Follow your instinct This may sound slightly out there, but if your instinct is telling you that something is wrong, it’s probably right. What we consider instinct is often our brains picking up on a bunch of small details in a very short time. This is why we often can’t pinpoint exactly why something feels wrong, we just know that it’s wrong. We’re not saying you should only follow your instincts and ignore everything else, but it can be a helpful guide if you’re at a crossroads. Still not convinced? You can learn more about why you should trust your gut here.
Today, UK Connect has been officially granted ‘5G for Enterprise Branch Specialisation’ by leading wireless networking equipment brand Cradlepoint, becoming the UK’s sole construction connectivity provider to achieve this status. This means UK Connect is the only company currently permitted to install Cradlepoint systems used for the establishment of 5G networks on UK residential and commercial construction sites. Adding to a number of similar official accreditations, it establishes the brand as Cradlepoint’s most-trusted UK installation and connectivity partner for construction projects. This recognition positions UK Connect as a key player in the rollout of 5G technology for the sector’s operations, which will enable clearer and faster on-site communication and higher quality work. Further, through UK Connect’s sole dedication to the UK construction industry, it will also be able to help foster a greater understanding of the technology’s potential amongst contractors and developers. Particularly, it will demonstrate how 5G can directly deliver greater digital adoption, leading to increased ROI from a safer, smarter and more efficient construction journey, benefiting all involved. The ‘5G for Enterprise Branch Specialisation’ is a Cradlepoint standard identifying and recognising partner organisations that possess the capability and proficiency to sell and install Cradlepoint’s 5G solutions. To achieve this prestigious and highly desired accreditation, UK Connect had to meet a host of stringent criteria, including an already established position as a Cradlepoint Premier Partner and a watertight reputation as an Active Wireless WAN Practice. UK Connect also needed to pass a number of tests to receive the specialisation certificate. This ranged from completing an in-depth programme of sales and technical courses to demonstrating proficiency in working with Cradlepoint’s 5G systems and the ability to sell them strategically, according to an outline business plan. Passing this tough, in-depth examination of capabilities affirms UK Connect’s unparalleled expertise in establishing 5G networks, nuanced to the specific needs of the construction industry. Outlining the decision to award the 5G specialisation to UK Connect, Darryl Brick, VP Partner Sales, EMEA from Cradlepoint said: “Cradlepoint’s 5G for Enterprise Branch Specialised partners have invested in the 5G transformation and offer our customers services tailored for the new 5G wireless WAN. “UK Connect is a highly skilled Cradlepoint partner and their expertise will guide our customers through the Pathway to 5G and help evolve their networks successfully. The team of dedicated sales and technical professionals at UK Connect, as well as their expertise in several key vertical markets, will help us guide customers on the journey beyond the wires.“ PJ Farr, UK Connect’s Managing Director added: “A big congratulation to the whole of the company in coming together to achieve this result. Receiving this specialisation certification is a game-changer. “It represents a major milestone in the company’s history, positioning us at the forefront of the UK’s 5G rollout and bringing its power and potential to the country’s vibrant community of housebuilders and developers. We look forward to working even closer with Cradlepoint, further demonstrating our unrivalled expertise in construction connectivity provision.”
The Building a Safer Future (BSF) Charter has launched its ‘Charter Champion’ company initiative to help companies drive the systemic culture change required to put building safety first. Through robust self-assessment, benchmarking and independent verification, the BSF Charter Champion company initiative will help companies identify potential issues and, in turn, develop continuous improvement plans to advance their overall approach and performance on leadership and culture in relation to building safety. Through their participation in this process companies will be able to identify ways in which they can help to reduce their risk profile in terms of building safety. The first 12 companies, who are demonstrating real sectoral leadership, have signed up to begin the journey and engage in the robust benchmarking and independent assessment process. The organisations include BAM, Galliford Try, Kier, Mace, mhs homes, Persimmon Homes, Places for People, Salix Homes, United Living, Vistry Group, Wates and Willmott Dixon. Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent inquiry into building regulations and fire safety clearly identified failure of leadership and culture as key underlying causes of the Grenfell Tower disaster. The ‘Building a Safer Future Charter’ was initiated in response by a group of early adopters including contractors, housing associations and local authorities supported by MHCLG with a vision of having an industry committed to putting people’s safety first. The BSF Charter has been highlighted by Dame Judith Hackitt and the Industry Safety Steering Group (ISSG) as a key mechanism for leading the culture change required for industry in their report for the Secretary of State and the Minister for Building Safety published in August 2020. The BSF Charter benchmarking and verification process is now open for participation from across the construction industry. All UK organisations involved in the built environment can proactively participate and demonstrate their commitment to building safety by becoming Registered Signatories to the Charter and, if appropriate, progress to undertaking the ‘Charter Champion’ benchmarking process. This is particularly the case for Duty Holders. Lord Greenhalgh, Minister for Building Safety said: “We are taking firm action to ensure that we never repeat the mistakes of the past, with this charter representing a major step forwards in delivering much-needed culture change in the built environment industry. “I warmly welcome its introduction and commend the twelve organisations already signed up to become ‘Charter Champions’. “I would strongly encourage more to get involved, especially those who will be playing a key role in the future building safety regulatory regime.” Peter Baker, Chief Inspector of Buildings at the Health and Safety Executive, said: “Self-assessment, benchmarking and independent verification are important elements of a robust system to enable businesses to properly lead, manage and control major building safety risks. “Businesses across the industry need to start preparing now for the new building safety regime. The ‘Charter Champions’ scheme is a valuable contribution to driving the necessary change in culture and performance across the sector to ensure that residents are safe, and feel safe, in their homes.” Dame Judith Hackitt DBE, Author, Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety said: “I am delighted to see the formal launch of the Champions of the Building a Safer Future Charter. My congratulations go to Amanda Long and her team for the way in which they have built upon approaches which have been tried, tested and proved effective in other sectors to create the Charter initiative. “I have consistently called for the built environment sector to recognise the need for culture change which can only happen when leaders in the sector stand up and are prepared to demonstrate what good looks like and to be held to account for delivery. I look forward to watching the Charter Champions group grow as others see the benefits of becoming part of this important programme which offers a real market differentiation opportunity.” Andy Mitchell CBE, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council said: “The Construction Leadership Council welcomes the launch of the Building a Safer Future Charter and its Charter Champions initiative. This is an important step towards an industry that is committed to putting building safety first. “The promotion of cultural change and leadership in the sector is vital and those that wish to demonstrate real sectoral leadership in relation to building safety should be engaged with the Building a Safer Future Charter.” Stephen Elliott, Chair, Building a Safer Future Charter said: “The BSF Charter provides a robust, independent verification process which will drive continuous improvement in leadership and culture in relation to building safety across the industry. “We have taken learning and insights from tried and tested approaches and responses to major accident hazard safety in other sectors such as aviation and chemicals – both nationally and internationally – and contextualised these for the UK built environment sector.” Amanda Long, Chief Executive, Building a Safer Future Charter said: “In the built environment sector, the Grenfell Tower Disaster has put building safety at the top of everyone’s agenda. From a moral, social and economic perspective it’s now imperative that we embed enduring values, attitudes and ethical behaviours at the heart of all we do. The launch of the Building a Safer Future Charter’s ‘Charter Champion’ status is an important step in driving forwards the systemic culture change in relation to major hazard safety that is required across the built-environment sector and through the entire value chain. As we progress on this critical journey we should be seeking to raise standards and build public trust. I am delighted to welcome the first 12 companies on their journey to becoming a Charter Champion.” The Building a Safer Future Charter is referenced in the publication “A Reformed Building Safety Regulatory System: Government response to the ‘Building a Safer Future’ consultation” published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government in April 2020. The publication states that “the Government encourages duty-holders to be signatories and commit to the Building [a Safer Future] Charter” as part of a more rigorous approach to accountability. For more information about the Building a Safer Future Charter and
Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “Over the last few months, there have been small signs of recovery for the construction industry, but the latest ONS data is the strongest indication yet that the sector is truly getting back on its feet. “The number of employed construction workers rose by 15,000 between January and March to 2.155 million and this is the first time the industry has seen an increase since the equivalent period two years ago in 2019. “This was mainly driven by a staggering 9% increase in the number of women employed in UK construction, with the number rising to 309,000. “Accordingly, the number of unemployed construction workers fell by 10,000 over the quarter to 62,000, which is the lowest figure since May-July 2020. This is still higher than pre-Covid levels, but things are certainly going in the right direction. “For those who are working, job security and stability seem to be improving too. Redundancies fell by over 20% to just 7,000 – the lowest amount since April-June last year – and the average number of hours worked each week increased by two to 34.3. While still down year-on-year, this is the highest average in four months. “This uplift has led to an increase in earnings. Average weekly income for construction workers grew by £34 to £676 in March, which is the single biggest monthly increase in two years, since March 2019. “It would be naive to say that the industry is back to normal, with many of the figures yet to return to the levels we saw before the pandemic, but the data shows that in many areas, things are looking up for UK construction, and long may that continue.” For more information on IronmongeryDirect, visit: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has celebrated the topping out of its first hotel project, Hotel La Tour. The luxury hotel which is located at the highest point of central Milton Keynes stands at 50 metres now the roof has been completed. The roof covering programme is now underway and the Winvic team will be moving on to the floor and ceiling curtain walling, as well as focusing on the extensive glazing on the thirteenth floor where the sky bar, restaurant and public exhibition space will be. Hotel La Tour’s Managing Director Mark Stuart and Operations Director Jane Riley were invited to site along with Will Elsigood from pHp Architects to enjoy the city and park views from the roof of the fourteenth floor. A project progress tour was also provided by Winvic’s Operations Manager Mike Quinn and Project Manager Russell Sullivan which included a visit to the recently completed show bedroom and a close look at stainless steel, mirror finish cladding which the Winvic team started to install in April. Works to the envelope and cladding will continue with the 30m high, LED-lit satin finish stainless steel circle on the eastern façade completing the impressive external design. The ‘sun’ design will be visible up the city’s Midsomer Boulevard, which was created to align with the sun on the longest day of the year. Winvic is currently fitting-out the 261 bedrooms, which has included the sailing and positioning of off-site fabricated bathroom pods. Fit-out of other facilities within the hotel will also continue, such as the 12,000 sq ft flexible conference floor that comprises adaptable meeting spaces and an external terrace that has been designed to be high load bearing. The project is expected to be handed over to Hotel La Tour in July 2022. Mark Jones, Winvic’s Head of Multi-room, commented: “We started on site just two weeks after the first 2020 lockdown was announced and despite the unprecedented challenges, our team have hit milestone after milestone on, or ahead, of schedule. I’d like to say a huge thank you to them. Reaching the highest point of any multi-room project is always worth celebrating, but this is a bit more special as it’s Winvic’s first hotel. “It’s great to be able to welcome Mark and Jane from Hotel La Tour to site to enjoy the fourteenth-floor views and also for them to get a feel for the finished scheme in the fully completed show bedroom. Mark, the city planners and the people of Milton Keynes are already impressed with how the striking, mirrored cladding is looking, so we look forward to the next programme landmark when the façade reaches 50 metres up to the top of the building and boasts the 30-metre contrasting circle, which represents the midsummer sun.” Mark Stuart, Managing Director: “It’s always a pleasure visiting Hotel La Tour and seeing how Winvic have been driving the project at pace – they’ve been doing a good job so far, operating safely and swiftly. The mirrored cladding going up is an impressive spectacle, and the show bedroom provides the quality and luxury our guests will be looking forward to. Standing 50 metres high on the now completed roof has been a momentous milestone and it won’t be long before we’re welcoming members of the public to gaze at the views while enjoying a drink at the bar. For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit Twitter @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn.
David Connacher, Marketing Manager, West Fraser, answers your questions 1. Norbord – who are/were they in a nutshell? As the UK’s number one engineered wood panel manufacturer and serving the housebuilding and construction industry with a vast array of board products for flooring, panelling and roofing, Norbord is the go-to corporate name behind the company’s popular brands for architects, merchants, specifiers, end-users and consumers alike in the UK. 2. Who is West Fraser? West Fraser is a diversified wood products company with more than 60 facilities in Canada, the United States and Europe. West Fraser was founded in 1955 when three brothers – Sam, Bill and Pete Ketcham – pooled their resources to buy a small planing mill in Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada From responsibly-sourced and sustainably-managed forest resources, West Fraser produces lumber, engineered wood (OSB, LVL, MDF, plywood, particleboard), and other products including pulp, newsprint, wood chips and renewable energy. West Fraser’s products are used in construction, repair and remodelling, industrial applications, papers, tissue and box materials. You can find out more about the company at www.westfraser.com. 3. Why is the acquisition a good thing? The two companies are much aligned and share many common values, including a commitment to safety, efficient manufacturing facilities, a focus on continuous improvement and teamwork, as well as manufacturing sustainable products that are essential for a low-carbon economy. Product development and efficient supply chains will also be at the crux of the new organisation due to the merging of experienced teams. 4. So, has anything changed? Absolutely nothing has changed for our customers. The people are the same, the products are the same, the plants are the same – Norbord Europe now becomes the European arm of West Fraser following the acquisition. And a bright future awaits. 5. Are the contact details still the same? The telephone number, and all the mobile numbers of contacts, have not changed. The website has a new name – www.uk.westfraser.com 6. Will the names of the brands and products change? No. The existing brands are market-leading and hugely successful. They are well known and have been part of the UK business landscape for years, if not decades. They will remain as they are the company’s stock-in-trade – literally. SterlingOSB Zero, CaberBoard, CaberFloor and CaberWood MDF, for example, will still be readily available. 7. Will you still be supplying the same customers/merchants? Yes – there will be no change to our supply network. Simon Woods, European Sales, Marketing & Logistics Director, West Fraser explains, “The joining of our two companies is a very exciting move for us in Europe. To list West Fraser’s long standing core beliefs – efficiency, modern mills, responsibility and leadership in environmental performance, the active involvement of employees in the business, a commitment to safety and a relentless pursuit of excellence in everything we do – is to echo Norbord’s. There is a huge opportunity for us to grow and develop in Europe – together. We are looking forward to a bright future!” For further information call 01786 812 921 or visit www.uk.westfraser.com