A major new facility for UK timber trade has opened up on the River Medway in Kent following a £27m investment by operators Peel Ports. The site at Wellmarsh provides scope for storage, processing and handling of all timber types. The facility is based at the Port of Sheerness, which
Thankfully, the days when business was a completely male-dominated field are over. There are, however, still some improvements that need to be made in terms of equal opportunities between the genders, especially in terms of progressing beyond entry-level jobs. But in the upper echelons of business management we are now
Banking has come a long way throughout history. With improvements in technology, businesses and regular jobs have made banking a necessity. As of now, there are a gazillion banks around the globe managing the finances of people, organizations, governments, etc. A shift towards technological advancements in the banking sector has
Luxury Scottish five-star resort, Cameron House, has unveiled the first glimpse of the interior of its major extension, which will include a brand-new ballroom and 68 bedrooms, following the news of planning approval from the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority. The resort has released a stunning digital
DCV Engineering Ltd is a plant hire business based in Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, UK. The company has purchased the first Doosan wheel loader for its extensive rental fleet – the new DL300-5 wheel loader has been added along with a number of new Doosan crawler excavators, including DX140LC-5 and DX140LCR-5
Construction work on the long-awaited Tower Gardens Pavilion is now complete, bringing new inclusive community facilities to Skegness. Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson delivered the design and construction of the building via the Scape Regional Construction framework, for Skegness Town Council. Works to transform the disused site began in May
Governments and the general public across all nations begin to set tackling environmental changes as a top agenda in order to protect the future of our planet. As UK legislation laws continuously evolve in order to support gas emission reductions to help met international targets, some bold steps towards achieving
To coincide with National Apprenticeship Week 2020, Leeds College of Building has announced it is teaming up with The Guinness Partnership, managers of the new housing development opposite the College’s South Bank Campus. Construction is due to start on the new development near Leeds Docks and the Royal Armouries Museum
Leading timber specialist, Arnold Laver, has significantly strengthened its doorset manufacturing capabilities, following the acquisition of the assets of Cotswold Manufacturing. Arnold Laver, part of The National Timber Group, has now started the integration of its latest production facility, located in Thornaby, near Stockton-on-Tees. The business will be branded as
New St Helens development from North West housing group, Torus, is using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to efficiently deliver much needed homes to the area, whilst also providing work experience, training opportunities and rehabilitation for first time offenders. Penine Close continues Torus’ exploration into MMC and more innovative methods
A major new facility for UK timber trade has opened up on the River Medway in Kent following a £27m investment by operators Peel Ports. The site at Wellmarsh provides scope for storage, processing and handling of all timber types. The facility is based at the Port of Sheerness, which is the largest terminal of its kind in the UK, handling 1.1 million tonnes of timber and forest products a year. The port already has 40-acres of timber storage facilities and Peel Ports’ investment takes it to a total of over 50 acres. The secure base is used to supply factories, production lines, construction projects and retailers, with rapid access to London via the M2 and M20. There is a further option for international distribution. The Port of Sheerness has 11 metres of water depth with no tidal restrictions or lock system, allowing for unrestricted 24 hour berthing. Port Director Richard Goffin said: “This investment is a direct response to the interest we’ve had from throughout the construction sector in using the Port of Sheerness as the ideal location for serving the south-east construction market. As well as supporting the local business community, we’re also proud to have created a number of new permanent jobs at the port, underlining the role we play as a major employer in the region.”
Thankfully, the days when business was a completely male-dominated field are over. There are, however, still some improvements that need to be made in terms of equal opportunities between the genders, especially in terms of progressing beyond entry-level jobs. But in the upper echelons of business management we are now finally progressing towards a situation where it’s no longer unusual for a woman to be in charge. Many of the most powerful business leaders now in the world are women. That includes company presidents and CEOs, as well as influencers, government advisors, entrepreneurs and lobbyists. These women also provide much-needed role models and inspiration for younger women just starting out in business, proving that if there is still a “glass ceiling” hindering women in their career advancement, then it’s there to be broken. World power Every year, Fortune Magazine lists the most powerful women in business, based on the global size and importance of their business, the direction it’s heading in, the career arc of the woman in question and their social and cultural influence. In 2019, Marilyn Hewson, CEO of US aerospace and defence giant Lockheed Martin, held the number one spot for the second year running. Hewson joined the Lockheed Corporation in 1983 and has been the CEO since 2013. The company’s market cap has doubled since then, and last year Forbes named her as the tenth most powerful woman in the world. Running a close second to Marilyn Hewson in the business power stakes is Mary Barra, chair and CEO of General Motors. Working her way up from the assembly line, Barra became CEO in 2013 and is also a member of the Business Council, sits on the General Dynamics Board of Directors, and in 2017 was elected to the board of Disney. At General Motors she has shifted the company’s focus towards technological innovation in the form of electric and driverless cars. UK women One of the most powerful women in the UK business world has long been Lady Barbara Judge. Born in the US, Lady Judge was the first female chair of the Institute of Directors, and has been a chair of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the Pension Protection Fund and fraud prevention service Cifas, as well as an ambassador for UK Trade & Investment. She remains a powerful advocate for women in business and an important influencer on government policy and financial affairs. Last year, Sharon White DBE replaced Sir Charles Mayfield as chair of the John Lewis Partnership. A former civil servant under Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and then David Cameron, White coordinated the UK government’s response to the 2008 global financial crisis. She was only the second woman to be made permanent secretary to the British Treasury, and the first person of colour. As well as heading up John Lewis, which has an annual revenue of £10bn, White was also the CEO of communications regulator Ofcom until November 2019. Technological shift Since 2012, Virginia ‘Ginni’ Rometty has been the CEO of IBM, and was the global tech giant’s first female CEO, president and chair. After overseeing the acquisition and integration of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Rometty has successfully steered the company away from focussing solely on the manufacture of computers and operating systems, towards a more forward-looking emphasis on machine learning, AI and quantum computing. She recently announced that she was stepping down from the role, but will doubtless remain a highly influential figure in the world business community. The green queen The most influential women in the business world are not all business leaders. Kathleen Rogers is president of the Earth Day Network pressure group. Under her direction, the network has grown into a full-time activist organisation that has a direct impact on corporate and government policy in many nations around the world. Earth Day itself has over a billion participants in 192 countries. Rogers has been directly involved in helping develop financial mechanisms that can support the creation of green buildings and schools. She was also the force behind the ‘Billion Acts of Green’ programme, which so far has encouraged and recorded roughly three billion individual environmentally-friendly actions. Driving profits The chief operating officer of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg, is said to be worth over $1.8 billion thanks to her stock options and smart investments, as well as her salary. She is the first woman to serve on Facebook’s board of directors, and came to the company from Google, where she was vice-president of global online sales and operations. Sandberg is widely credited as turning Facebook into a highly profitable concern, and is co-author of the book Lean In: Women, Work And The Will To Lead (Knopf, 2013). All of these women have made it to the top of their respective fields in different ways, and all have inspired many others to follow in their footsteps
Banking has come a long way throughout history. With improvements in technology, businesses and regular jobs have made banking a necessity. As of now, there are a gazillion banks around the globe managing the finances of people, organizations, governments, etc. A shift towards technological advancements in the banking sector has given us a ton of newer avenues to work upon. Over the decades, more things have gone online than ever before. Not just businesses but a lot of other disciplines, such as research, higher education, medical sciences, etc. have benefitted from going online. There is a considerable relaxation on the physical entities, and in time, they’ll cease to exist. Another leap in banking: Neobanks Since the beginning of the resurgence in sophisticated technologies, banking started to adapt as per the digital norms as well. The world got indulged with Bitcoins and whatnot, but the real deal came in the form of a totally online system of banking. And this system came to be known as a Neobanking system. In a more straightforward tone, Neobanks are such banks that are totally online and operate their vast array of functions through a server. Perhaps the best thing about a Neobank is the fact that it doesn’t have a branch of any kind, unlike the physical banks. A single online portal will govern your banking processes no matter where you are. Knowing the benefits offered by Neobanks is something that should be a good update for the creative denizen. ● A global reach A Neobank allows you to access its features from any country across the globe. For example, if you want to know about your previous list of transactions while stationed in the UK, fret not for you can do it easily. Different neobanks in UK allow their clients to access several features just like every other standard bank. This lets people worry less about moving in and out of place for necessary proceedings. ● A single portal As mentioned above, a Neobank doesn’t have a branch. It means that the risk of moving from one place to another or losing a substantial amount of money amidst a transaction decreases to a great extent. This also allows the people to access any service of their liking without having to pay an extra fee to access it. Since it’s all online, the problem of having to worry
Luxury Scottish five-star resort, Cameron House, has unveiled the first glimpse of the interior of its major extension, which will include a brand-new ballroom and 68 bedrooms, following the news of planning approval from the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority. The resort has released a stunning digital walkthrough including CGI footage of a new 7,345 square foot ballroom and pre-function space complete with spectacular views of Loch Lomond. Suitable for large gatherings, the new ballroom is perfect for weddings and dinners, with capacity for 350 guests and over 400 people in a theatre or reception style arrangement. Expected to be completed by summer 2021, the extension will include 68 new bedrooms on the upper three floors, the majority featuring large balconies with loch-facing views. A large outdoor terrace on the lower ground floor will create a separate, external space for smaller events with views overlooking Loch Lomond and the hills beyond. Following a careful and sensitive restoration, Cameron House Hotel will re-open in late 2020 offering unrivalled five-star luxury and one of the most unique function venues in the UK. The hotel is now taking bookings for functions from January 2021. Andy Roger, resort director at Cameron House, said: “We warmly welcome the National Park Authority’s planning approval, which is a major step forward in the multi-million-pound redevelopment of the hotel. “The proposed extension will maximise the stunning views of Loch Lomond whilst fully respecting the architectural integrity of the original house. The plans include a new loch-facing ballroom and 68 bedrooms, which will adjoin the hotel’s existing leisure wing. This will bring the resort’s total offering to 208 bedrooms, including 28 spectacular suites. “The extension will also allow us to increase the number of weddings, functions and guests we’re able to accommodate at Cameron House, and we’re confident these improvements will have a significant positive impact on the local economy.” Cameron House is investing £17.5 million in the extension, which has been developed by architects 3DReid, closelysupported by principal Designer Thomson Gray, Interior Designer Greyline Design, and Hirst Landscape Architects. For more information please visit Cameron House’s dedicated web pages. For MICE enquiries https://meetings.cameronhouse.co.uk and for weddings please visit https://weddings.cameronhouse.co.uk. For further information please contact events@cameronhouse.co.uk or contact Cerelle Gooding: cgooding@cameronhouse.co.uk
DCV Engineering Ltd is a plant hire business based in Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, UK. The company has purchased the first Doosan wheel loader for its extensive rental fleet – the new DL300-5 wheel loader has been added along with a number of new Doosan crawler excavators, including DX140LC-5 and DX140LCR-5 14 tonne and DX225LC-5 25 tonne models. The new Doosan DL300-5 wheel loader is currently on hire to a local recycling and recovery business in Wellingborough. David Venn, Joint Managing Director of DCV Engineering, comments: “We began purchasing Doosan equipment in 2014. Our first Doosan machine was a DX225LC-3 crawler excavator. With the excellent quality, reliability, performance and residual prices offered by Doosan equipment, it is not surprising that we have continued to purchase Doosan excavators and now Doosan wheel loaders.” Part of a fleet comprising over 500 pieces of equipment for hire, the range of excavators available from DCV Engineering (www.dcvengineeringltd.co.uk) covers all sizes from 1-30 tonne and, in addition to the larger crawler excavators from Doosan, also includes a new 1 tonne DX10z mini-excavator from Doosan. Nationwide Hire Service Centrally based with very close connections via major roads such as the M1, M6, A45 and A14, DCV Engineering provides a nationwide service. As well as self-drive and operated plant hire, the company has branched into road sweeping and access equipment and has a large telehandler fleet. The company also has specialised knowledge and experience of the recycling industry, with a wide variety of mobile waste recycling equipment for hire, including crushers, trommel screens and deck screens. DCV Engineering is accredited with silver under FORS (Fleet Operators Recognition System). DCV Engineering also offers engineering services including equipment repair and installation/relocation of equipment and the company is a recognised hauler with FORS Silver accreditation. David Venn added: “We started as a one man and van operation. Today the company has four service engineers and three full time delivery drivers. Other members of our staff are also fully trained with HGV licences so they can help out with deliveries if necessary. We are a family company and this is indicative of the extensive training we want to provide for our staff – DCV Engineering believes very strongly in investing in our people.” Since the company was established in 2001, DCV Engineering has achieved considerable year on year growth. This has been achieved by offering a large, modern stock of plant at very competitive rates, backed by excellent customer service. David Venn continued: “The residuals are part of the excellent low cost of ownership offered by the Doosan range of construction equipment. The excellent service/parts support Doosan provides is also crucial and parts are correctly priced. We expect the same and better support from our suppliers than that we provide for our customers.” Wide Range of Applications for the New DL300-5 Wheel Loader With a bucket capacity of 3.0 m3, the new Doosan DL300-5 wheel loader at DCV Engineering is intended to meet a wide range of material-handling needs from loading and transporting granular material (such as sand and gravel) to industrial, mining and quarrying applications. The DL300-5 wheel loader is powered by the Doosan DL08 6-cylinder diesel engine, with an output of 202 kW (271 HP) of power at 1800 rpm. The cab on the DL300-5 places operator comfort at the very centre of its design priorities. Offering generous headroom and an ultra-comfortable, fully adjustable, heated Grammer air suspension seat, the cab features a steering column design giving more clearance for the operator’s legs and knees. The steering wheel can also be tilted and moved telescopically to match the operator’s preferred position. The increased space, better visibility and plentiful storage space in the cab allows operators to work for hours without fatigue or discomfort. Meeting ROPS/FOPS regulations, the cab also offers a wide emergency exit (located on the right hand side) to provide fast and easy evacuation in critical situations. The 5.7 inch full colour LCD panel in the cab is suitable for day and night work. The user-friendly monitor has two customisable screen displays to suit the operator’s preference, giving a full readout of machine settings and maintenance data. The rear-view camera greatly enhances visibility and safety. The screen in the cab shows the operator what the camera sees and includes several lines to help judge distances; it also has other functions, including light intensity control, viewing angle control, language setting and power on/off setting. For more on Doosan construction equipment, visit the website: www.doosanequipment.eu
Construction work on the long-awaited Tower Gardens Pavilion is now complete, bringing new inclusive community facilities to Skegness. Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson delivered the design and construction of the building via the Scape Regional Construction framework, for Skegness Town Council. Works to transform the disused site began in May 2019 following the demolition of the existing Tower Gardens Pavilion, most recently occupied as the Inn on the Park public house – which closed in 2007. The original pavilion dates back to 1879, and historically provided the town’s largest dance, party and concert accommodation. Now a mixed-use community building, the development features a multi-purpose function room and event space, a changing places hygiene suite, Council offices and a café. The new facilities will be enjoyed by the local community and tourists alike – as part of the Council’s ambition to transform Skegness into an inclusive environment and workplace, as well as a vibrant place to visit. The £1.6million project led by Skegness Town Council has been supported by the community who have been involved throughout the project. This included the design and naming process, which was chosen by a local resident thanks to a competition organised by the Council. A 100-year time capsule containing modern-day items also lies at the site, provided by G F Tomlinson and buried by local school children during the build. The Council offices will open in the Tower Gardens Pavilion in April, following the setup of the community Café – Café Dansant, which is expected to open to the general public in May. The name ‘Café Dansant’ dates back to the 1920s and has a known history in Skegness, having originally been a café on Tower Esplanade. The name was chosen following a suggestion by a member of the public who presented an interest in its historic origins. Skegness Town Council is currently looking to recruit a café manager and over the coming months will be working to deliver the Council’s Café Business Plan, develop menus, build the café team and develop community engagement. The café will be an intrinsic part of the new Pavilion and gardens, with revenue helping to offset the costs of the new building and maintain the gardens for all to enjoy. Craig Stopper, framework construction manager at G F Tomlinson, said: “We’re thrilled that works on the Tower Gardens Pavilion are now complete, giving a once neglected space in the heart of Skegness a revival. “Throughout the project, we have seen a positive response from the community who have played a huge part in bringing the site back to life. Now complete, we hope it will provide an enjoyable and inclusive space for both local residents and visitors to the seaside town.” Town clerk Steve Larner said: “It is so exciting to actually have the building and know the Council’s plans are coming to life. For us though, it is where the hard work begins as we have to turn plans and visions into reality. This building is simply a fantastic resource for the community, with the café and hall looking amazing. Everyone here is thrilled to be taking this forward and can’t wait to get the building open later this year.” Mark Robinson, Scape Group chief executive, said: “The way we use public spaces has significantly changed in the recent past. By replacing the derelict Tower Gardens Pavilion, Skegness Town Council is creating a community space that will meet the needs of many and bring investment to the local area. By procuring through the Scape framework the project was effectively delivered with speed, efficiency and socio-economics at its heart.” G F Tomlinson delivered the Tower Gardens Pavilion project alongside Gleeds and Core Architects.
Governments and the general public across all nations begin to set tackling environmental changes as a top agenda in order to protect the future of our planet. As UK legislation laws continuously evolve in order to support gas emission reductions to help met international targets, some bold steps towards achieving this has been made. Since now we live in a digital world where we rely heavily upon the likes of technology and transport vehicles in our day to day lives, climate change has had huge effects on us because of this. Therefore, it’s important we understand how the implementation of policy changes set to help save the environment will impact us. 2050 Target: Net Zero Now The governments ‘net zero’ target to help cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 was legislated in June 2019. This makes the UK the first major economy to legislate to end its contribution to global warming.[1] This latest move is a more ambitious plan than the country’s previous target of an 80% emissions reduction by 2050, taking it one step further – cutting emissions to as close to zero as possible in the same time period. David Taylor, Head of Corporate affairs and Innovation at Flogas, said: “With so many premises still relying on high-carbon traditional off-grid fuels like oil – and heating making such a major contribution to current emissions levels – the transition to lower-carbon alternatives is long overdue. LPG energy is the cleanest, most efficient and effective conventional off-grid fuel, so it is uniquely placed to help reduce emissions immediately. “Building on this, we see biopropane (or BioLPG) as a hugely significant part of the UK’s renewable future. Produced using biological sources (such as waste, sewage and energy crops), bioLPG is chemically-identical to LPG. This means it can be simply ‘dropped in’ to the UK’s existing, comprehensive LPG network – so it will become increasingly important as we strive to meet the UK’s new 2050 net zero deadline.” A Carbon Neutral Future may be in sight: The Clean Growth Strategy The governments introduction of the Clean Growth Strategy is another key attribute the UK’s move towards a carbon neutral future involves– a plan brought into place to help accelerate the pace of ‘clean growth’ by decreasing emissions whilst simultaneously increasing economic growth. Most notably, the Strategy aims to reduce carbon emissions in the six areas that together make up 100% of the UK’s emissions.[2] These are: Improving business and industry efficiency (25% of UK emissions) Improving efficiency within our homes (13% of UK emissions) Increasing the shift to low-carbon transport (24% of UK emissions) Delivering clean, smart, flexible power (21% of UK emissions) Enhancing the benefits and value of our natural resources (15% of UK emissions) Leading the public sector (2% of UK emissions) The government stated that they plan to roll out lower-carbon processes, technologies and systems across the whole nation in order turn this vision into a reality – doing so in the most cost-effective way possible for businesses and homes alike. The 2018 Road to Zero Strategy plan The road to zero strategy, first implemented in 2018, outlined the government’s plans to reduce road transport emissions and build greener infrastructure. Part of this plan will be encouraging the uptake of zero-emission cars, vans and trucks, as part of the government’s mission to tackle air pollution and deliver cleaner air across the country. Changes such as putting a stop to the sale of conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040 is one of the most significant ways in which it intends to deliver this plan.[3] The UK government aims to make 50%-70% of new car registrations and 40% of new vans to give off ultra-low emissions by 2030.[4] What this means for the UK is that we’ll begin to see a huge rise in electric charging points as the government throws it weight behind the adoption of electric vehicles (EV). Despite the governments determined attempt to reduce carbon emissions, the introduction of Clean Air Zones (CAZ’s) into various UK cities has been delayed. Most recently, Leeds and Birmingham have experienced delays with their digital vehicle checking tools, which allow drivers to check the type of emissions their cars produce. Delays to the introduction of this software are likely to push back their plans to introduce Clean Air Zones.[5] United fight: The Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement was the initial catalyst that lead to many other legislation changes, ultimately helping strengthen the united fight against climate change. It saw more than 200 countries take part in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, resulting in an agreement that strengthened action for a more sustainable, low carbon future. The Paris Agreement states that all parties involved, including the UK, aim to limit temperature rises to no more than 2 degrees above pre-industrial times and preferably less than 1.5 degrees. A regular five-year review will also take place to monitor progress as well as increased funding to developing countries to help keep them in line with similar national targets. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-becomes-first-major-economy-to-pass-net-zero-emissions-law [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-growth-strategy/clean-growth-strategy-executive-summary [3] https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/69795/low-emission-road-zero-strategy/ [4] https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2018/07/09/government-launches-road-to-zero-strategy [5] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-48679008
To coincide with National Apprenticeship Week 2020, Leeds College of Building has announced it is teaming up with The Guinness Partnership, managers of the new housing development opposite the College’s South Bank Campus. Construction is due to start on the new development near Leeds Docks and the Royal Armouries Museum later this year. This will be the largest development in Guinness’s 130-year history and will provide 928 homes as the basis for a dynamic community for local people and residents. Guinness is committed to working with the College to develop opportunities for students, including career talks, employability skills, site visits, work placements and apprenticeships. Two areas that the housing provider is looking to focus on are addressing the national skills shortage and diversity in the workplace – key elements of the College’s strategic objectives. This year is the 13th annual National Apprenticeship Week, coordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, which is an annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships across England and is a time to recognise and applaud apprenticeship success stories across the country. The College currently has 2,500 apprentices on programme, with 2,250 of these training in Leeds, and a large number of apprentices progressing from the College’s 16-18 study programme provision. Strong links with organisations that can support students with their career choices (such as Guinness) is vital. Derek Whitehead, CEO & Principal at Leeds College of Building, said: “Whilst classroom and workshop studies are essential, there is no doubt to the importance of site visits, work placements and job opportunities. Projects such as these give our students incredible insight into new developments within the industry; they benefit immensely from seeing what life is like on a live site”. Catriona Simons, Chief Executive of Guinness, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Leeds College of Building to promote high quality training through apprenticeships in the community we serve in Leeds. Apprenticeships are a key way of promoting skills development and increasing diversity across the construction and housing maintenance sectors. This partnership will enable students to gain real experience and insight into the careers available, while contributing to the delivery of affordable homes in the Leeds area.”
Leading timber specialist, Arnold Laver, has significantly strengthened its doorset manufacturing capabilities, following the acquisition of the assets of Cotswold Manufacturing. Arnold Laver, part of The National Timber Group, has now started the integration of its latest production facility, located in Thornaby, near Stockton-on-Tees. The business will be branded as Arnold Laver and will form part of its new Intelligent Door Solutions Division. The modern, 80,000 sq ft manufacturing facility specialises in producing timber fire and acoustic doors, doorsets and screens that are used throughout the UK, in the commercial, residential, education and leisure markets. David Oldfield, Director of Joinery at Arnold Laver, said: “This latest investment has strengthened our position as an industry leader in the UK timber doorset market and gives our customers more choice than ever before. Our overall group capacity now exceeds 2,000 doorsets per week, with significant room for further growth. This new investment comes at a time of increasing demand for high quality, certified products, with a greater focus on compliant fire doors. “Arnold Laver already has a solid reputation for offering a strong portfolio of products and a clear focus on quality and fire certification standards. When this is combined with the latest industry innovations on offer from the Thornaby site, including leading edge CNC equipment, lamination and factory finish line technology, it gives us the opportunity to offer a complete doorset solution to our customers. “We now have a comprehensive range of fully finished doors and doorsets, spanning commercial and residential projects. Customers are immediately feeling the benefits of this, with improved lead-times, an enhanced choice of products, as well as high manufacturing standards that often exceed third party certifications and accreditations from the likes of The BWF Fire Door Alliance, BM Trada Q-Mark, ISO 9001, Achilles and Secured by Design.” As an organisation committed to improving standards in the industry, Arnold Laver is part of the BWF Fire Door Alliance and BM Trada Third Party Door Certification schemes and works closely with all door certification bodies to continually drive quality and safety standards. The company also regularly brings together industry experts to deliver compelling and informative CPD-accredited fire door safety seminars. For further information about Arnold Laver’s range of timber doors, visit www.intelligentdoorsolutions.co.uk or call into your local depot.
New St Helens development from North West housing group, Torus, is using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to efficiently deliver much needed homes to the area, whilst also providing work experience, training opportunities and rehabilitation for first time offenders. Penine Close continues Torus’ exploration into MMC and more innovative methods of construction, with homes being assembled off-site by first time offenders from HMP Hindley. The houses are being built by the developer, OSCO Homes, who have a factory based at Hindley and have now also opened a factory in Runcorn where offenders can go on to work upon their release. OSCO provide prisoners an opportunity to gain a skill that significantly increases their employability and they have found that the number of their employees who go on to re-offend is considerably lower compared to national averages. The development at Penine Close is well underway. It consists of 10 houses built for Affordable Rent and is part of a significant investment in the area as the housing association looks to build 5,300 houses in its heartlands by 2024. Chris Bowen, Managing Director of Torus Developments, said: “The project highlights how Torus are embracing innovative ways to not only provide high quality housing, but to also shape the communities we operate in. “It is not just about simply building as many homes as possible, it is also about the wider influence we have; and providing opportunities to the people who make up our communities is a big part of that. “This project is very rewarding in that people who perhaps may have previously been left behind by the system are given a second opportunity, they learn a trade and significantly increase their prospects when they are released.”