Kenneth Booth

Kite Packaging are announced WINNERS of the UK Packaging Awards ‘Supply Chain Solution of the year’ category.

The employee-owned packaging business has 7 sites located across the UK with a team of dedicated in-house specialists in the fields of load retention, in-the-box, packaging technologists and aerospace and automotive packaging design engineers. Kites packaging specialists are supported by best-in-class technology, systems, design capability and their Mobile Testing facility

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Legal Ways to Get Paid Backlinks with Real Traffic

One of the most effective strategies for promoting your website is implementing backlinks. Most likely, today, there is not a single site owner left who does not know about this strategy. Also, everyone is well aware that a mistake with backlinks’ implementation can lead to search engines’ penalties. How to

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New Chancerygate industrial units to be developed in Dagenham

A joint venture (JV) between a fund managed by Credit Suisse Asset Management Global Real Estate, Chancerygate and the international real estate firm Hines has acquired a six-acre site in Dagenham, East London. The JV intends to speculatively develop a new 165,000 sq ft industrial scheme on the site with

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PAGABO FRAMEWORK APPOINTED FOR MAJOR EXTENSION IN HOSPITAL’S MENTAL HEALTH UNIT

MENTAL health provision in the North East is set for a boost following the award of contracts to deliver an extension to the Sunniside Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead.  Procured through national framework provider Pagabo’s Professional Services Framework, national project and programme management consultancy Faithful+Gould and leading construction firm Morris & Spottiswood – who

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Wildlife Trust launches ambitious green vision for Nottingham

Wildlife Trust unveils ambitious post-Covid wildscape to replace notoriously bleak shopping mall Today sees the launch of a bold vision to rewild the heart of Nottingham and green-up the historic city centre following the decision to demolish the much-derided Broadmarsh shopping centre. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has worked with landscape architects

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CLEGG FOOD PROJECTS COMPLETES NEW HQ FOR WELLS & CO

NATIONAL specialists in the construction of food and drink manufacturing facilities Clegg Food Projects has completed a new state-of-the-art HQ for Wells & Co – an independent, family-owned business with a 190-strong portfolio of award-winning pubs. Clegg Food Projects, as the principal contractor, was responsible for delivering the multi-million-pound purpose-built headquarters

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Banks unveils plans for wind farm that could “power a city”

PLANS for an ambitious £300m onshore wind farm have been unveiled by Banks Renewables in a scoping report submitted to South Lanarkshire Council.  At 300MW generating capacity, the wind farm would be the UK’s third largest by electricity generated.  300MW is enough to meet the electricity needs of a city

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Winners of FIDIC Contracts Awards 2020 unveiled

The winners of the FIDIC Contracts Awards 2020 have been unveiled at a virtual awards ceremony which took place as part of the online FIDIC annual International Contract Users’ Conference on 1 December 2020. The awards, now in their second year, recognise excellence in the use of FIDIC contract forms

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Lee Marley Brickwork Limited Win Subcontractor/Services Provider of the Year at the Housebuilder Awards 2020

Lee Marley Brickwork Limited (LMB) is the largest integrated brickwork, stonework and scaffolding sub-contractor in the UK. They are delighted to have won Subcontractor/Services Provider of the Year at this year’s Housebuilder Awards 2020. The Housebuilder Awards  recognise innovation and excellence in the industry and are brought to you by Housebuilder magazine, the

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Paving the way to sustainability

How Finning can help the paving industry perform safe and clean operations In May 2020, the Government announced a £2 billion-pound investment package to establish cycling and walking lanes on the streets of our busy towns and cities, much like you would see in Amsterdam. This initiative opens many opportunities

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Latest Issue
Issue 345 : Oct 2026

Kenneth Booth

Kite Packaging are announced WINNERS of the UK Packaging Awards ‘Supply Chain Solution of the year’ category.

The employee-owned packaging business has 7 sites located across the UK with a team of dedicated in-house specialists in the fields of load retention, in-the-box, packaging technologists and aerospace and automotive packaging design engineers. Kites packaging specialists are supported by best-in-class technology, systems, design capability and their Mobile Testing facility Unit – home to some of the industries leading technology and testing equipment. This was the first year the employee-owned business entered the prestigious UK Packaging Awards. Entering 5 submissions, 4 of which were shortlisted, was a great achievement. The announcement that Kite are winners in the supply chain solution of the year category, was a fantastic success for the whole team. The winning solution was a complete packaging re-design for a leading manufacturer of cookers, kitchen appliances and interior furnishings. The client approached Kite as their existing packaging did not sit correct with their philosophy, was taking too long to pack and was not actually doing the job it was meant to – protecting their items. The packaging technologists worked together with the in house specialist divisions and came up with a packaging solution that not only gave them a re-usable, highly protective solution, but achieved the following great results :- reduced packaging weight, damages, plastic content, cost, packing time and packing space. For more information on Kite Packaging please visit kitepackaging.co.uk.

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Legal Ways to Get Paid Backlinks with Real Traffic

One of the most effective strategies for promoting your website is implementing backlinks. Most likely, today, there is not a single site owner left who does not know about this strategy. Also, everyone is well aware that a mistake with backlinks’ implementation can lead to search engines’ penalties. How to avoid fines and get high-quality results? In this article, you will find the legal ways to get more backlinks, strengthen your SERP positions, and attract live and convertible traffic. Besides this, you can visit this link to learn more about how to buy backlinks for seo.   Backlinks and Their Role in Attracting Traffic The essence of a backlink is that your link is referenced on another site with relevant and unique content. Often, blogs and sites with similar topics cooperate in exchanging such backlinks and thus, target audiences. Also, the backlinks from websites with a high domain authority are a vital component for effective SEO promotion. Accordingly, the goal of each site is to create all the conditions to get included in the list of authoritative sites. The authority of a web resource means that you have something useful to offer to users. However, your site’s authority score is not just about the availability, quality, and quantity of backlinks. User behavior, social sharing, and some technical aspects of your site are also important. But there is one caveat when it comes to backlinks. No matter how much you work on other factors in the context of SEO, you cannot achieve top results without them. The Thin Line Between SEO Optimization Success and Failure The pitfall in the backlink case is that you can quickly aggravate your situation by doing the wrong thing. Google is focused on providing a good user experience. For this reason, they will not allow those sites to reach the top that simply has links without real usefulness. This will work against the site owner by getting bad results with the search engines.  It’s not a secret for search engines how SEO specialists work, so it’s effortless for them to track down so-called illegal actions. How can you get backlinks without the risk of getting banned? Let’s look at this further. What Links Should You Use? Before we start analyzing the ways to get backlinks, let’s talk about their essential characteristics. Here are a few points that a “working” link should have. The usefulness of content: Every link you create should offer a great user experience. The content should be useful for the link to pass as a trustworthy one. Authority: If you post backlinks on a “dead” site, your link will not carry any usefulness. If you post your link on authoritative sites, the link will accordingly be considered useful. For example, Google highly values ​​links from Forbes. This example allows you to understand the importance of choosing the right place for content placement. Relevance to the target audience: If you are selling bridal bouquets, it is unlikely that a link surrounded by content on the topic of medical services will be useful. Opt for a web resource about preparing for the wedding, and such an approach will make a difference. Correct link placement: The search engine should find your link without obstacles. If it isn’t surrounded by the necessary content, it will not carry value. But if it is placed either at the beginning or at the end of the text with relevant keywords – it will be effective. Your page with a link must be indexed by search engines; otherwise, it will not play any positive role. How to Get Started Backlink Building Now that you get an idea of ​​what links should look like, it’s time to talk and how to create them legally. You have several ways to solve this issue. Manual Link Building You can find sites that match your target audience and have a good reputation with the search engines. Next, you need to agree on the terms of content placement and create content that will meet not only the requirements of the partner’s site but also the passing criteria of search engines. Next, you will need to do this with at least ten reputable sites. This method is legal and efficient, but very time consuming and even expensive. Many problems can arise here. For example, you have to wait for your content to be published, which can take a long time. There is also a risk that you will face scammers who will not publish your content at all or release it on some dead sites with no traffic flow. Professionals-Assisted Backlinks Strategy Development Today there are no barriers to use paid backlinks. Such companies offer to take algorithms, as mentioned above, into their own hands. The advantage of this method lies in that you do not waste your time but still get links to relevant and quality resources. Usually, companies have a base of quality resources that will provide live traffic, and they will be able to negotiate with a large number of sites. It will be much faster and cheaper than doing it yourself if you have no experience. Which method to choose depends on you. It is easier for someone to work independently, while for others, cooperation with professionals seems a more attractive option. If you decide to deal with this issue on your own, do not forget to count in all the search engines’ relevant requirements. The Final Words Once you know the backlinks’ base building specifics, little is left. Decide how you will implement this part of the SEO strategy and start promoting your site to increase your rankings and the number of sales.  Of course, implementing this strategy with the help of professionals is an excellent option. But if you trust yourself, it makes sense to try to do it, relying on your own expertise.

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New Chancerygate industrial units to be developed in Dagenham

A joint venture (JV) between a fund managed by Credit Suisse Asset Management Global Real Estate, Chancerygate and the international real estate firm Hines has acquired a six-acre site in Dagenham, East London. The JV intends to speculatively develop a new 165,000 sq ft industrial scheme on the site with a gross development value of £50m. Plans will be submitted to deliver up to 20 units ranging from 3,000 sq ft to 33,000 sq ft for warehousing and trade counter use. Units will be available freehold or leasehold. The Rainham Road site, which was previously owned by wholesale electrical distributor Rexel UK Ltd, currently comprises warehouse buildings with ancillary trade counters and offices. Situated between the A12 and A13, the scheme is located less than half a mile from Hackman Capital Partners and Dagenham Council’s proposed £300m film and TV studios. Commenting on the acquisition, Chancerygate development manager, Tom Faulkner, said: “We are very pleased to have secured this exciting development opportunity in such a prominent London location. Our proposals for the scheme will address a shortage of high quality, new build warehousing supply in the area.” The Dagenham scheme will be the second acquired by the JV between the three parties following the 350,000 sq ft Network West development in Bracknell, Berkshire, which is currently subject to planning approval. Greg Cooper, Hines UK director of industrial and logistics, continued: “In developing a range of units speculatively, we aim to attract a variety of different businesses to Dagenham that are either expanding or relocating. “Given the site’s proximity to what will be a world-class film studio, we also expect our development to be an attractive option for businesses serving the TV and film industry. This serves as yet another example of our creative transformation of urban environments with leading edge logistics developments.” CBRE advised the JV on the site’s acquisition whilst Colliers International acted on behalf of Rexel. Len Rosso, head of industrial & logistics at Colliers International, said: “This year has shown the need for good quality industrial space across the country as supply logistics have been tested like never before. We have a historic issue of low-supply of industrial stock, so the development of speculative, modern industrial space in this east London location will help to meet the growing needs of the industry.”

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PAGABO FRAMEWORK APPOINTED FOR MAJOR EXTENSION IN HOSPITAL’S MENTAL HEALTH UNIT

MENTAL health provision in the North East is set for a boost following the award of contracts to deliver an extension to the Sunniside Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead.  Procured through national framework provider Pagabo’s Professional Services Framework, national project and programme management consultancy Faithful+Gould and leading construction firm Morris & Spottiswood – who were appointed through Pagabo’s Medium Works Framework – will deliver an extension to the mental health facility, which is run by Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust. The project – which has been valued at almost £1.8m – will see Faithful+Gould provide multidisciplinary services including initial design, and Morris & Spottiswood lead on the extension’s construction.  Karen Carter, regional relationship manager for the North at Pagabo, said: “We’re delighted to have been involved in the administration of this vitally important development of the Sunniside Unit’s mental health facility – a service that will help to support members of the surrounding community for years to come. “We are incredibly pleased that Faithful+Gould and Morris & Spottiswood have both been appointed for this project via our frameworks and that they will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with us to further cement Pagabo as a viable route to market for healthcare organisations and NHS Trusts.”  The Sunniside Unit provides inpatient admission, assessment, treatment and discharge planning to any patient within the Gateshead area who either has a diagnosis of a functional mental health illness (over the age of 65), are presenting symptoms of acute psychiatric distress and require assessment for diagnosis or are presenting acute psychiatric distress and are in crisis where there are risk indicators of danger to themselves or others. Lawrence Inkster, director of Faithful+Gould, said: “I am thrilled that we have been appointed to provide multidisciplinary services for this much-needed development in Gateshead. Time was very much the essence on the project and our position as Pagabo’s multidisciplinary framework provider has allowed us to assemble the team to hit the ground running. Our expertise within the healthcare sector and experienced team will help to bring to life the building’s extension and provide a space in which people feel happy, safe and supported.” Matthew Wall, frameworks manager at Morris & Spottiswood, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with NHS Gateshead to deliver this new and much-needed mental health facility within the local area. The turf cutting ceremony really is a milestone moment for not only the client but the full delivery team, all of whom have shown amazing commitment to getting the project up and running in record time. “This is our first direct award via the Pagabo framework, and it has demonstrated what a valuable and time saving mechanism this procurement route can be when the full team commit to working collaboratively.” Paul Swansbury, development and commercial works manager at QE Facilities Ltd, added: “This investment into local health services, such as what is provided by The Sunniside Unit, is a testament to our commitment to support surrounding communities as much as possible with both their physical and mental health. In what has been a turbulent year for so many, it’s never been more vital to support one another and so we hope that this brand-new extension will provide hope to so many for the foreseeable future and beyond.” Kelly Chequer, nurse consultant in older persons’ mental health at the Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust, said: This investment in older people’s mental health is extremely positive for the residents of Gateshead who need admission to hospital. We are pleased that our clinical staff and patients have been able to influence the design of this modern facility which will eradicate all dormitory accommodation and provide mental health modern facilities with single ensuite bedrooms.” Joann Crowder, ward manager at the Sunniside Unit, said: The patients and families have been closely involved in designing the new environment and I know the experience and safety of someone in hospital will be greatly improved with the high standards of the new environment.  The design team have listened to every request from the patients and the nursing team and we are all looking forward to seeing the new ward.” Work is now underway on site, with the extension due to complete by Spring 2021. For more information, please visit https://www.pagabo.co.uk/.  

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Wildlife Trust launches ambitious green vision for Nottingham

Wildlife Trust unveils ambitious post-Covid wildscape to replace notoriously bleak shopping mall Today sees the launch of a bold vision to rewild the heart of Nottingham and green-up the historic city centre following the decision to demolish the much-derided Broadmarsh shopping centre. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has worked with landscape architects to reimagine the imposing grey urban jungle and replace the concrete with 100% natural greenspace – the start of a big idea to reconnect the city to Sherwood Forest and invoke the spirit of Robin Hood – bringing wildlife to nature-poor city dwellers and the millions of visitors it attracts every year. Paul Wilkinson, CEO of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trusts says: “Transforming the Broadmarsh into a natural greenspace would bring people together and start putting the city’s nature into recovery at a time when natural greenspace has never been more valued or needed. It could also act as a springboard to securing investment in green growth and green infrastructure and deliver the long term aspiration of reconnect our city to the ancient Sherwood Forest landscape and we’re calling on people to back our vision.”  Since the site was handed back to the Council in the summer, there has been much talk locally over the site’s future. A change.org petition1 calling for the area to be transformed into public greenspace secured almost 11,000 signatures and other polls have also supported calls for a new greenspace.  As Nottingham seeks to recover from the human and economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust believes that everyone should have the opportunity to live in a healthy, wildlife rich natural world, and that we all depend on contact with nature for our wellbeing. Paul Wilkinson, continues: “By putting people and nature at the heart of plans for the Broadmarsh site Nottingham City Council could grasp a once in a generation opportunity to carve out a green future for the city centre. As well as signalling the City’s commitment to helping secure 30% of land across the UK for nature by 2030, this new vision would support Nottingham’s ambition to be the UK’s first carbon neutral city, boost tourism and ensure that Nottingham stands out from the crowd as city’s across the UK compete for investment to rebuild their economies after the impact of Covid-19.”  The charity has worked with Influence Landscape Architects to reimagine the space transformed with wildlife habitats reflecting the site’s history as a wetland alongside the ancient course of the River Leen and long lost gardens. The inspiring vision for the site includes accessible walkways based on a centuries-old city street plan to reconnect key parts of the city.  Despite the City’s stated ambition to be the UK’s first carbon neutral city it was recently ranked at number 18 in a list of the UK’s green cities2 following an assessment taking into account measures including emission, transport, waste and nature. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust believes that a statement natural greenspace in the heart of the city would build climate change resilience, improve connectivity for people and provide an attractive backdrop for existing businesses as well as drawing in new investors – and is calling on people living and working in the City to back its vision The charity is calling on people to back its vision here: wtru.st/wilder-broadmarsh As new development has replaced old, fragments of remaining greenspace and areas of ephemeral habitat, close to the former Broadmarsh Centre have disappeared and opportunities to recreate vital new green areas have been lost. The Trust believes the location of Broadmarsh is the ideal site for the City to demonstrate its commitment to its flagship Wellbeing Design Guide published by the Council in January – taking a truly ‘nature first’ approach which would be viewed as a statement of intent that it wishes to take a lead on the environment and build a greener future. Speaking on behalf of Influence Landscape Architects, Managing Director Sara Boland said: “It has become critically important for people, especially city centre dwellers to have positive, well designed, and diverse easily accessible public open spaces to visit. It became apparent in the first lockdown that as more people sought enjoyment from outdoor spaces to provide regular exercise, our role in the provision of such spaces, and our understanding of the social and spatial implications of COVID-19 were only just being realised. Open space in cities is often formal, structured and in pockets and this presented the opportunity for a completely unfettered and wild approach to a substantial space. A chance to make a fundamental difference and influence the landscape of our closest city Nottingham. “Combine that with the fact that rewilding of urban spaces is now an identified and real opportunity in landscape design and that money is in short supply for extensive aftercare strategies of heavily designed landscapes, the opportunities to think outside the box presented itself in a unique way with this partnership approach to the unique space of Broadmarsh.” Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust also believes the vison presents exciting opportunities to explore the potential for sustainable urban farming in the remaining structures of the former shopping centre beneath the ground level – replicating the productive use of the city’s famous cave system. Following the announcement of the Government’s new ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution backed by a package of at least £12bn of funding for green growth, the Wildlife Trust believes that the vision for the Broadmarsh should be seen as one of a range of opportunities for Nottingham to secure its fair share of funds earmarked for green recovery and green growth. Further details of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s vision for the Broadmarsh site as natural greenspace can be found at www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/Broadmarsh-reimagined. 

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CLEGG FOOD PROJECTS COMPLETES NEW HQ FOR WELLS & CO

NATIONAL specialists in the construction of food and drink manufacturing facilities Clegg Food Projects has completed a new state-of-the-art HQ for Wells & Co – an independent, family-owned business with a 190-strong portfolio of award-winning pubs. Clegg Food Projects, as the principal contractor, was responsible for delivering the multi-million-pound purpose-built headquarters – named Brewpoint – for Wells & Co. The project started on site in summer 2019 and continued to progress throughout lockdown. The 20,000 sq ft Bedfordshire-based facility brings Wells & Co’s new home together under one roof, focusing on the creation of exceptional beer together with a pub-restaurant, retail shop, coffee roastery, offices, and a visitor centre that will offer guided tours. While trading restrictions imposed on the hospitality sector mean Brewpoint’s full launch must wait until Spring 2021, Wells & Co. opened ‘A Taste of Brewpoint’ on 8 November to the public, a pop-up outside bar that ensures customers can get a flavour of its offering. The construction of the site and installation of its brewing facilities has meant that the business has been able to launch its online shop, allowing beer lovers the chance to order and collect Brewpoint’s brand-new beer and merchandise offering. “Being involved in all aspects of project– from the site’s electric through to the fitting of specialist brewing equipment – has been something that the whole team has been proud to be a part of and we couldn’t be more pleased to now see the project come to life.” The main brewing plant has been designed with solar cells on the roof, solar shading, air source heating and cooling, will be capable of producing 30,000 hectolitres of beer each year equivalent to five million pints. Brewpoint also hosts a smaller 100 litre brewing facility, which will provide a continual stream of new beers to try at the site’s bar every week.  Peter Wells, managing director at Wells & Co., commented: “After 143 years and five generations of family involvement, we didn’t embark on this lightly, but Brewpoint embodies the change of direction we have taken as a business and we couldn’t be happier with the businesses’ new home. It’s expertly designed and allows us to produce a range of beer styles that we would not have dreamed of ten years ago.” Clegg Food Projects – part of the Clegg Group – has more than 40 years’ experience in the food and drink sector. Headquartered in Nottingham, the firm works nationally and internationally with household brands to deliver top quality manufacturing facilities.  For further information visit www.cleggfoodprojects.co.uk or follow @CleggFoodP on Twitter. 

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Banks unveils plans for wind farm that could “power a city”

PLANS for an ambitious £300m onshore wind farm have been unveiled by Banks Renewables in a scoping report submitted to South Lanarkshire Council.  At 300MW generating capacity, the wind farm would be the UK’s third largest by electricity generated.  300MW is enough to meet the electricity needs of a city the equivalent size of Dundee.  This wind farm, at Bodinglee, will consist of up to 60 of the latest, most efficient turbines available.  The proposed wind farm, at Bodinglee, will be situated in South Lanarkshire, either side of the M74 between Douglas and Abington – not far from Banks’ wind farms at Kype and Middle Muir. The site is situated on farmland owned by the Douglas and Angus Estates.  Bodinglee is the latest, and largest, project from the Hamilton-based employer and has the potential to deliver £80m worth of contracts to local firms, directly support around 500 jobs and displace over 150,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.  This is the equivalent of taking over 58,000 petrol cars off the road. Banks is keen to reproduce its successful Connect2Renewables South Lanarkshire initiative which is currently creating employment opportunities for those living close to its Kype and Middle Muir wind farms. Banks are starting this process by letting people know as early as possible – with the publication of a scoping report – with a view to hosting initial consultations in the first half of 2021. Gordon Thomson, head of projects with Banks Renewables, said: “This is a big project and will make a significant contribution to Scotland reaching #netzero by 2045.  Onshore wind is a proven technology and the lowest cost renewable energy, helping keep consumers’ bills low.” “As part of development with care approach we strongly believe that the local communities that host our projects should benefit the most from them.  We want the local community involved right from the beginning and so have launched an online consultation so that we can hear their views from now on.” “The size of this project means that there could be investment through a community fund of up to £45m over the life of the project, and we want to work with local people to ensure we deliver a long-lasting positive legacy for those living in the area.” Over the next few years Banks will be commissioning surveys of the local area as they look to design the layout of the wind farm. Banks will use their experience and knowledge of the onshore wind sector industry to deliver a wind farm that is sympathetic to the local landscape and as efficient as possible. To join in the online consultation and to find out more about the project, please visit: https://www.banksgroup.co.uk/projects/renewables/bodinglee-wind-farm/

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Winners of FIDIC Contracts Awards 2020 unveiled

The winners of the FIDIC Contracts Awards 2020 have been unveiled at a virtual awards ceremony which took place as part of the online FIDIC annual International Contract Users’ Conference on 1 December 2020. The awards, now in their second year, recognise excellence in the use of FIDIC contract forms for project delivery and showcase examples of good practice through collaboration from across the world. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was more challenging than usual to attract entries for the awards but despite this, winners were announced across three categories. The Project of the Year Award was won by the British Normandy Memorial for a special project to build a worthy British national memorial to the men and women who died on D-Day and during the subsequent Normandy campaign in the Summer of 1944. The memorial stands on rising ground in Ver-sur-Mer, Normandy, overlooking Gold Beach and although a British Memorial, it commemorates combatants from 38 different countries worldwide, who fought and died during the campaign. Over 3700 tonnes of stone were used during construction. The main Memorial Court features eight-metre-high stone walls, hand-carved with quotes from the King, Churchill, de Gaulle and others. The engineer on the project was Michael Coombs of Alan Baxter Ltd and the contractor was Eiffage. The structure and flexibility of the FIDIC Red Book Contract was perfect for this project especially as the team needed to work in France under British law, because of the terms and conditions imposed by the British government. A Highly Recommended citation was also awarded in this category to the Çerkezköy-Kapıkule Section of Halkalı-Kapıkule Railway project in Turkey. International law firm White & Case won the Legal or Professional Services of the Year Award in recognition of their highly regarded work which includes the development and expansion of FIDIC contract forms on a global scale. The firm is widely seen as a leading adviser globally on all aspects of project procurement and delivery under the FIDIC contracts, regularly advising employers and contractors on the negotiation of FIDIC contracts, the administration of their terms and the avoidance and resolution of claims and disputes arising. A Highly Recommended citation was also awarded in this category to HKA Global Limited Ellis Baker, global head of construction at White & Case is an authority on the FIDIC forms, with the legal directory Chambers UK 2021 stating that Baker “is the leading lawyer for the FIDIC suite of contracts”. Ellis is also the lead author of FIDIC Contracts: Law and Practice, which was recently cited with approval by the Supreme Court of England and Wales which described it as a “leading text on the widely used standard forms of international construction contract issued by FIDIC”. The winner of this year’s Trainer of the Year Award was Taner Dedezade, who has been providing FIDIC training worldwide for the last decade. He has delivered training in Europe, USA, Africa and the Middle East, mainly delivering FIDIC training for contracts, claims and dispute adjudication boards. Dedezade has been repeatedly invited back to deliver further trainings for previous clients and has spoken at public seminars as well as many in-house training events for large multinational contractors and government departments. A Highly Recommended citation was also awarded in this category to Husni Madi. Commenting on the awards, FIDIC chief executive Dr Nelson Ogunshakin said: “This second year of our FIDIC Contracts Awards was a great success in raising the profile of FIDIC contracts and those who use them. I am sure that this exciting initiative will further unite the global contract user community and will be an annual feature for years to come.” The full shortlist for the 2020 FIDIC Contracts Awards was as follows: – Project of the Year Award British Normandy Memorial (France) International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (France) Çerkezköy-Kapıkule Section of Halkalı-Kapıkule Railway (Turkey) New Houses of Parliament (Jamaica) Tawfik Qeran (Yemen) Toktogul Hydro Power Refurbishment Project (Kyrgyzstan) Legal or Professional Services of the Year Award Artyushenko & Partners boutique law firm (Kazakhstan) Coz Jofré & Blavi (Chile) Damian James Delay and Quantum Experts (South Africa) Denis Rizaov (Republic of North Macedonia) DWF LLP (Qatar) HKA Global Limited (United Arab Emirates) thinkproject UK (France) White & Case (France) Trainer of the Year Award Hiromi Hoshi (Japan) Husni Madi (Jordan) Kevin Spence (South Africa) Taner Dedezade (United Kingdom)

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Lee Marley Brickwork Limited Win Subcontractor/Services Provider of the Year at the Housebuilder Awards 2020

Lee Marley Brickwork Limited (LMB) is the largest integrated brickwork, stonework and scaffolding sub-contractor in the UK. They are delighted to have won Subcontractor/Services Provider of the Year at this year’s Housebuilder Awards 2020. The Housebuilder Awards  recognise innovation and excellence in the industry and are brought to you by Housebuilder magazine, the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and in partnership with NHBC. LMB Director Dan Clarkson comments: “We are delighted to have won this category, this was a real team effort and we are extremely proud of everyone involved. The core driver of our business is to build good working relationships with clients and working with them to deliver projects on time and under budget.” James O’Connell, Project Director, Ballymore says: “Lee Marley have worked on five consecutive phases at our Embassy Gardens development providing a joint brick work and scaffolding packages totalling £21m. The company has become an integral part of the team, imparting valuable knowledge on the procurement of masonry support and off-site fabricated elements. The combined brickwork and scaffolding team works cohesively to meet demanding deadlines and their high level of managerial skill and quality enables us to focus our efforts else- where. As a business Ballymore would whole heartedly recommend Lee Marley for both brickwork and scaffolding projects and will continue to use them in the future.” At Embassy Gardens for Ballymore LMB started brickwork at multiple levels on the façade to shave 5 weeks from the programme too make up for a delay caused in another package. Mark Kay, Project Director, Lend Lease comments: “Lee Marley Brickwork Ltd worked on the MP3 H4 and H5 projects at Elephant Park, the construction of over 830 residential units. The work they undertook was carried out to a high level of quality, has received several positive compliments from a number of third parties, and is of a demonstrably high standard of workmanship. Furthermore, the works were undertaken in strict adherence to the programme and with several innovative approaches presented to offer programme betterment. All aspects of the works were carried out safely and with diligence, and they fully embraced our safety culture, along with all of our safety campaigns and processes. Their site team worked well with our management staff, and with the other trade contractors, and we hope to continue our good working relationship on future projects. I would endorse the use of this contractor on other schemes and look forward to working with them again in the near future” At Elephant and Castle LMB were able to save Lend Lease £634,000 in direct material costs by advising on design of stone, masonry support, and off-site manufactured brick clad units. A list of all the winners and highly commended companies can be found at https://www.house-builder.co.uk/events/housebuilder-awards-2020/ For more information about Lee Marley Brickwork Ltd, please visit: www.leemarley.com

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Paving the way to sustainability

How Finning can help the paving industry perform safe and clean operations In May 2020, the Government announced a £2 billion-pound investment package to establish cycling and walking lanes on the streets of our busy towns and cities, much like you would see in Amsterdam. This initiative opens many opportunities for the paving industry who may be struggling at the hands of the pandemic. Here Jonathan Davies, industry manager of paving at Finning UK and Ireland, exclusive distributor of Cat® products, explores how better-equipped machines can help maximise productivity, while maintaining safe and sustainable operations. Local authorities typically employ pavers to alter road layouts to encourage commuters to walk or cycle to work, to reduce urban traffic and to streamline motorway journeys. As well as the investments in cycle and pedestrian lanes, the Government has announced grants of up to £27 billion to upgrade the UK’s busiest roads by 2025. With the potential to create 64,000 construction jobs, the paving industry will look to new technology to advance its concrete paving systems. Paving systems have already evolved to accommodate more sustainable practice. Micro-surfacing now involves laying high quality aggregates combined with polymer-modified asphalt emulsion to repair roads. Although this improved recipe reduces the amount of hazardous fumes released into the atmosphere, it does not eliminate them altogether. Technology is in place to reduce environmental impact further. It is optimistic to say that encouraging cycling and walking in cities will counteract the environmental impact of the paving sector. Companies must equip themselves with sustainable machinery to carry out clean operations. The latest asphalt pavers have an advanced eco-mode setting that modifies engine speed based on load conditions. This cuts fuel burn by five per cent and maximises the performance of the machine. With ten per cent of global carbon emissions stemming from the construction industry, the environmental impact of the paving sector is one area that represents a significant opportunity for improvement. In fact, it is estimated that one standard asphalt paver produces 170.3 kilograms of CO2 per full tank of diesel. To tackle this head-on, electric Cat® vehicles — notably tractors in the agricultural sector — are being trialled to see whether performance can match the ecological benefits. To this end, the paving industry may soon be benefiting from electric vehicle operations, rather than diesel-fuelled engines. Much of the Cat Stage V range is used by paving companies because the equipment reduces emissions by 25 per cent, while maintaining productivity. A fleet of CatPM620s were used on a paving project in northern England in 2018 and were praised for their consistency in approach. The manoeuvrability and precision in extraction and planing gave way to productive operations, and all work was completed quickly and efficiently. A big consideration for the paving sector is finding adaptable, low-intervention solutions that will be completed quickly to avoid unnecessary disruption to the public. Ultimately this is achieved by having a good product support infrastructure from suppliers — one that will extend the life of their machinery and reduce resource input. There is also the option of buying used machines. Used pavers, planers and compactors are serviced and maintained so that the benefits of the ecological Caterpillar technology can be experienced by the next user. Purchasing used equipment, therefore, should not be a concern for the paving sector. Certified and warrantied machines allow for repairs to be done efficiently so that paving may continue at no time cost to the construction workers. Cat cutter bits from a used cold planar, still last 80 per cent longer than conventional carbide cutter bits to provide greater production, at 15 per cent decreased fuel consumption. Although using a cold planer would still have some negative environmental considerations, reducing your impact to the minimum should be a priority. Pavement milling requires a substantial amount of control and precision to leave behind a clean milled surface for pedestrians and cyclists. This is achieved through reliable rotor drive systems that optimise engine speed to peak torque function all through the cutting process. When cutting gets difficult, a reliable rotor drive system gives consistency across a project as well as maximised performance capabilities. Considering current health pressures, government investment will hopefully increase the fitness of the population following coronavirus. Cyclists and walkers should feel safer travelling in designated lanes, and reduced congestion will make built-up areas more accessible for the emergency services. What’s more, by encouraging energy-efficient travel, we can help reduce the country’s carbon emissions.

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