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Kenneth Booth

Why You Need a Truck Paint Booth for Your Auto Shop

Kenneth Booth December 9, 2019

Did you know that the biggest selling type of vehicle in USA are trucks? With over 17 million vehicles sold every year in America over 60% of them are a variation of truck. Yet so many body shops are still investing in old painting technology that doesn’t really cater for

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BBA CERTIFICATION FOR RCM PRODUCTS – QUALITY GUARANTEED!

Kenneth Booth December 4, 2019

RCM are delighted to announce that three further products have successfully achieved the prestigious BBA accreditation. Through extensive testing RCM have secured BBA approval for its Supertech Weatherboard, Multipurpose sheathing board and Renderflex render carrier board. The BBA – British Board of Agrement was initially set up back in 1966

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When Is Sprinkler Tank Refurbishment The Best Option?

Kenneth Booth December 3, 2019

Sprinkler tank refurbishment is the most cost-effective way to deal with a range of common water tank problems. Though not always possible, it is the preferred remedy because refurbishment delivers a long-term solution. If a tank is identified during an independent inspection as suitable for remedial works, this is the

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Latest Issue
Issue 345 : Oct 2026

Kenneth Booth

Ground Control awarded BALI’s highest accolade for The Children’s Garden at Kew

Kenneth Booth December 9, 2019

BALI Registered Contractor Ground Control has been awarded the British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious Grand Award at the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards 2019, sponsored by BALI Registered Affiliate and Headline Sponsor of the Awards Green-tech. Ground Control’s project, The Children’s Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew was entered into the Community and Schools Development category. The annual BALI National Landscape Awards, held at the iconic JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London celebrates the skills, hard work, quality, commitment and successes of BALI Registered members and are the largest landscape Awards in Europe. They recognise excellence in landscape design, construction and maintenance both in the UK and overseas, as well as awarding Affiliate customer service and employer excellence. Ground Control, a UK-based multi award-winning grounds maintenance provider specialising in winter maintenance, took home the top Award for The Children’s Garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens, the first significant development within the Kew Gardens estate for over a decade. Ground Control developed the initial design concept, engaged with Kew’s visitors, local community groups and larger public organisations before transforming a large under-used area into a unique play and learning space. Children of all ages can now enjoy a beautiful adventure space unaware they are learning about nature, plants and the environment. This year’s BALI National Landscape Awards’ Adjudicators, led by Chair of the Adjudication Panel John Melmoe, jointly commented, “The quality of the finish on this hard and soft landscaping scheme is absolutely superb. The contractor has embraced the design and created an amazing play and learning space for children, complete with a beautifully constructed oak tree circle walkway, meticulously installed play equipment, carefully sited rockery boulders, and a skillfully laid plethora of different surfacing including artificial grass, composite boarding, gravel pathways and safety surfacing. Every aspect, without exception, has been tackled with skill, precision and exemplary attention to detail. The planting scheme softens and enhances the hard elements and, despite the garden’s popularity and consequent heavy use, seems to thrive in spite of the attention of many small hands and feet. This is landscaping at its very best and a worthy winner of this year’s BALI Grand Award.” 145 entries were judged by BALI adjudicators over the summer with 91 National Landscape Awards bestowed on 63 members of the Association in September, with 23 Principal, 8 Special and the coveted Grand Award announced live on stage at the glittering ceremony. Other notable wins came from BALI Registered Designer Rosemary Coldstream MBALI who won three Principal Awards, two for her Modern Garden Hampstead and one for Copper Courtyard whilst BALI Registered Contractor Blakedown Landscapes (SE) won a Principal Award for the Venetian Waterways, Great Yarmouth and was also the recipient of two Special Awards; Best Community Involvement for the aforementioned project and Outstanding Memorial for Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham – Sousse and Bardo Memorial. BALI Registered Contractor Bridgman & Bridgman also received a Special Award for Best First Time Entrant and BALI Registered Contractor NAO Landscapes took home a Special Award for Best Newcomer to BALI. This year also saw several records broken, including the most entries received in the last 10 years, the highest number of first-time entries at 51 and 34 International entries ever received. This was the second year the Awards were successfully delivered in-house by the team at BALI’s Landscape House. Events Project Manager Leah Brookes, who attended the 2018 Awards and project managed the 2019 event said, “It has been an immense pleasure managing the BALI Awards 2019. From attending the event last year, to meeting and working alongside the expert adjudicators, to managing the whole entry process and advising members on their submissions. To see the fruition of a year’s work come together on this special day and celebrate together with each and every member is fabulous. I send my heartfelt congratulations to all our winners and thanks to all our sponsors, adjudicators and stakeholders for their continued support of the prestigious National Landscape Awards.” Sport and lifestyle presenter Mark Durden-Smith played host for the afternoon’s proceedings in front of over 1,000 BALI VIPs, members and guests, including Adam White MBALI, President and Fellow of the ‘Royal Chartered’ Landscape Institute and BALI Registered Designer; Chair of the Society of Garden Designers, Sarah Morgan; Rod Winrow, Chairman of the Association of Professional Landscapers; Sue Biggs CBE, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society and Gerald Bonner, President of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture (CIOH). BALI’s Chief Executive Wayne Grills said, “Once again I am delighted that the level of quality and professionalism demonstrated at our 43rd Awards is set at the highest possible level. Our well-deserved Grand Award winner for 2019, Ground Control, seriously impressed adjudicators who recognised their outstanding contribution to landscaping with a flawlessly executed standard of workmanship and professionalism in The Children’s Garden scheme. This delivered in excess of the expected levels of quality as a BALI Registered member and also achieved the highest level of client satisfaction. Congratulations to them and all of our winners this year, and thank you to our sponsors, who without them, the event would not be possible.” Benefitting from a collection at the event, this year’s chosen charities were Perennial and the BALI Chalk Fund who will both split £4,905 between them. A full list of award-winners and a description of the winning schemes is available on the BALI Awards website here.

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Why You Need a Truck Paint Booth for Your Auto Shop

Kenneth Booth December 9, 2019

Did you know that the biggest selling type of vehicle in USA are trucks? With over 17 million vehicles sold every year in America over 60% of them are a variation of truck. Yet so many body shops are still investing in old painting technology that doesn’t really cater for this growing market. So, the question becomes, why should you give yourself a competitive advantage? With Growing Concern Over Climate Change Big Vehicles Are Gone This is perhaps one of the biggest reasons that car painters offer for not needing to upgrade their booths to be able to cope with larger vehicles. Surely with the decrease in large cars and trucks any jobs that come in could just be handled manually. While small zippy cars are great for very short trips when there is just two of you, for anyone with children they simply aren’t big enough to cope with day to day activities. Around the world governments are increasingly stringent about the safety requirements for children traveling in vehicles. This means large, correctly fitted car seats are mandatory in most places – which in turn means that a teeny car isn’t going to fit those car seats. An even bigger issue comes when the children start to play team sports or want to travel anywhere with friends, as each child needs to be in their own car seat. So, for a family, trucks like the Toyota Rav4 or Nissan Rouge become the perfect mode of transportation. However, because families have no money (ask any parent), it isn’t just the need for extra room that is driving the purchase, but the fact that these vehicles are surprisingly economic to run. Hybrid vehicles are becoming more and more popular, making a larger option only marginally more expensive that a little two door shopping trolley. How Do Repair Shops Increase Their Revenue? Unless you have a specialist contract you are unlikely to need a paint booth that will be large enough to fit a bus (although this could be an untapped niche in your area, so don’t discard it immediately). However, distracted parents driving large SUVs do have fender-benders. Kids opening car doors in crowded carparks with an energy only achievable by an 8-year old, do cause a lot of damage. In fact, just living the average American family’s normal life is hectic enough to keep most paint businesses in work for years. Which is why you can increase your yearly turnover by investing in a large truck paint booth like one of these: https://www.paintbooth.com/truck-paint-booths/. A paint booth allows for a quicker turn around time, and a better finish, meaning that you will be able to get your customers’ back on the road faster. Of course, the ultimate result of this faster turnaround means that you can book more cars through, and your customers are going to be so excited by your work ethic and professionalism that they tell all their dent prone friends. Marketing Your Business & ROI Still on the theme of increasing your profit, marketing is a of course a key component to this. But to successfully market yourself you need to have a point of difference and a target market. A key reason to invest in a larger booth is that this allows you to focus on who your target audience is. While you may decide that you do not really want to get all the business from every single soccer mom in your area, perhaps you would rather work with RV owners, truck firms or specialist equipment. If you are in an area with manufacturing start-ups, a little investigation will likely yield a lot of information about their needs for powder coating and how you could work with them to increase your business and get theirs off the ground. To ensure that any investment in equipment, particularly large investments, are going to pay off you will need to do your homework, looking at your current business, where the source of current clients come from, then consider the opportunities that may be available. Bear in mind that investing in a larger operation will not prevent you from being able to work with smaller units, but it will give you scope to expand your business if you can develop the opportunities. You will also need to ask yourself if this investment in equipment is going to be the best use of your funds. Will other options increase your turnover? Do you need to multiphase plan to increase and grow your revenue? What Type Of Paint Booth Should I Get? This is a technical question that will certainly require research. There are a variety of options, but things to think about are: how large can you physically fit in your current space? How longer will it need to be to comfortably fit the largest vehicle you want to work on What is the air flow like? Will it meet your businesses worker safety protocols (see here) What are the maintenance and delivery/installation costs like in comparable models? Cross draft or side downdraft or downdraft? What sort of filters are used, are they going to be adequate for your needs? There are a variety of options that will fit into most current auto shop setups, you just need to make sure that you get the right one. It is a large investment, but if you talk to the right supplier, it is an investment that could pay for itself, and then some, very quickly.

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IronmongeryDirect survey sheds new light on wellbeing of tradespeople

Kenneth Booth December 6, 2019

Too much work, time pressures and unprepared customers – these are the top three causes of stress at work, according to a new survey of almost 600 tradespeople by IronmongeryDirect. Work-related stress and mental illness now account for over half of all lost work days in the UK*. However, despite this, the survey found that only 11% of tradespeople have taken any time off work in the last year because of mental ill-health. With over a third (34%) reporting regularly feeling stressed, this research paints a worrying picture. Almost half of the 587 respondents (43%) also believe there is still a stigma in the trades surrounding mental health, with respondents citing a ‘macho culture’, embarrassment, weakness and pressure to ‘get the job done’ as some of the contributing factors. The survey also revealed some generational differences, with tradespeople aged 18 to 30 being 20% more likely to talk about their mental health at work than their peers in the 50 plus age group. Despite the pressures of the day job, over half (56%) still feel that they have a good work/life balance, which is significantly higher than the national average of 33%** for all working people. The most commonly reported ways to relax when off the job include watching TV, walking the dog, and spending time with friends and family. Commenting on the survey findings, Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director of IronmongeryDirect, said: “This survey has revealed an interesting insight into the physical and mental wellbeing of people working in the trades. Although great progress has been made across the sector when it comes to talking about workplace mental illness, it is clear that there is still a way to go and it’s vital that employers spot the signs of mental ill-health and create the right environment where staff feel they can speak up. It is very positive, however, to see that despite working in a demanding industry, many tradespeople still have a high level of job satisfaction and feel that their employer cares about their general wellbeing.” IronmongeryDirect has over 18,000 products available and in stock. Orders can be placed as late as 8pm for next day delivery from Sunday through to Friday and by 4pm on Saturdays. Free, no quibble returns are available on all products. For more information, visit IronmongeryDirect.com or call their team of specialist advisors on 0800 168 28 28.

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New Arup report reveals best and worst scenarios for the future of our planet

Kenneth Booth December 5, 2019

An ever-expanding population and declining planetary health could lead to gigantic air domes combatting the leading cause of death, air pollution, and the total destabilisation of global weather patterns. This is according to one of the four future scenarios for our planet in a new report released today by global engineering consultancy, Arup. With the global population expected to increase by 2 billion people, from 7.7 billion to 9.7 billion, by 2050, ‘2050 Scenarios: Four Plausible Futures’ depict how we could live in 2050, based on the intersection between our planet’s health and societal conditions. The four divergent futures in the report – Humans Inc., Extinction Express, Greentocracy and Post Anthropocene – range from the collapse of our society and natural system, to the two living in sustainable harmony. In ‘Humans Inc.’, global temperatures have exceeded the 2°C target and coordinated action on a global level continues to struggle. Here, increased frequency and severity of weather events continue to have a detrimental effect on our cities and ecosystems, yet technological advances have reduced poverty, improved education and ensured jobs are abundant.   ‘Extinction Express’ details the dramatic decline in planetary health and human society, where global temperatures far exceed 2°C and the long-term inaction of society and continued exploitation of planetary resources have resulted in colonies on the moon and underwater.  ‘Greentocracy’ shows an improvement in planetary health but this has been enabled by severe restrictions on human society: poor living conditions, conflict and authoritarian regimes prevail. The global mean temperature rise remains below 1.5°C due to climate action and fostering biodiversity being at the top of the agenda. ‘Post Anthropocene’, in this future, human society and planetary health exist in a harmonious relationship. Large-scale climate change consequences, such as 15% of artic sea ice melting, catalyse global cooperation on climate change action, helping the global mean temperature rise to remain below 1.5°C. Society only consumes resources at the rate at which can be replenished, and everyone has a carbon quota. Josef Hargrave, Global Foresight Manager at Arup, said: “The four scenarios that we have projected are each extreme yet plausible. To some they may seem alarmist, to others not extreme enough. In every case they help us gain a deeper understanding of both the opportunities and threats we are facing over the coming decades and possible pathways towards these futures. We have the power to shape our future, but which future do we actually want?” The report is intended to inform decisions on the design and planning of our built environment. Each scenario has been developed using detailed research of trends and projections from think thanks, governments, statistical data, NGOs and research institutions, and shows how progress towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) can drive change for our planet and outlook for humanity.  Jo da Silva, Global Sustainable Development Leader at Arup, commented: “Sustainable development is fundamentally about creating a balance between the needs of a growing world population and the finite resources and health of our planet – our life support system. As engineers, scientists and planners, we all have a responsibility to make sure that the decisions made today have a positive impact on our future. We must act now in our shared quest for a safe, resilient and resource-efficient world for all.”

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Landmark Pinnacle, Tallest Residential Building in Western Europe, Offers Outstanding Comfort with Bespoke CIAT System

Kenneth Booth December 4, 2019

Landmark Pinnacle, a new 75-storey development under construction in Canary Wharf that is set to be the tallest residential building in Western Europe, will be heated and cooled by high quality bespoke CIAT air conditioning. CIAT is part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. The 239m (784 foot) building, developed by Chalegrove Properties, comprises more than 800 premium residential apartments with spectacular views of the city and beyond. Amenities occupying five floors include restaurants, a leisure centre and gym, a sky-garden and a double-height roof-terrace. The custom system includes 1,776 of CIAT’s top-of-the-range Major Line fan coil units (FCUs) that are being installed by Haydon Mechanical and Electrical Ltd. The units will provide an outstanding indoor environment to apartments, common areas and facilities, distributed throughout the building. The highly energy efficient, four-pipe FCUs were specified in six sizes and configurations to suit the variety of capacities required and situations within the building, which is due to be completed in 2020. Manufactured at CIAT’s global centre of excellence at Culoz, France, the units are equipped with bespoke controls and connection sets specified by Haydon. “One of the biggest challenges for equipment specification was space constraints,” said Paul Graham, technical director for Haydon, who is leading the installation project. “Indoor units are installed in ceiling voids to ensure a perfect concealed finish. With limited headroom, this required changes to the design of the fan coil unit.  “We worked closely with CIAT on a previous project and were aware of the quality of the equipment and the company’s flexible approach. They were able to redesign the Major Line units to fit the available space at Landmark Pinnacle, which required a new lay-out and extended drip-tray. The company provided timely support on site whenever needed, and it was proven to be a very successful collaboration.” Another key requirement was low operating sound levels, due to the premium residential nature of the building. The air conditioning units were selected in medium and low-speed configurations to ensure whisper-quiet operation.             Air conditioning units were delivered to site in phased batches, timed to coincide with installation stages as the building fit-out proceeded. Before leaving the factory, each was tested for water-tightness, with a certificate of compliance provided as part of its manufacturing record. CIAT built a support structure around FCU connections to ensure the factory-installed valve sets were protected and supported during transit, so units arrived on site in perfect condition. CIAT’s Major Line FCUs are available in vertical and horizontal configurations, cased and uncased, with heating capacities from 1 to 11.5 kW and cooling from 1.4 to 7 kW. They feature a high-performance coil design with up to 15% larger surface area, twinned with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) impellers with airfoil blades, which together help cut energy consumption by 20% compared to previous models. Sound output is also reduced by 2dB(A). “Landmark Pinnacle is an outstanding new building in the UK’s capital,” said Paul Smith, sales manager for CIAT. “We are delighted that CIAT was chosen by Haydon to provide the high quality, high efficiency indoor environment required to match the building’s premium residential apartments and facilities.” For more details on CIAT Major Line, visit: https://www.ciat.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Major-Line-brochure.pdf . About CIAT CIAT is one of Europe’s leading names in cooling, heating, and indoor air quality.  Renowned for its capacity to create innovative, durable and high-performing products, CIAT offers a complete range of equipment that is designed to work together. CIAT latest innovations have been specially designed to meet the most demanding requirements. CIAT is a part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative HVAC, refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. For more information, visit www.ciat.uk.com.

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Landmark Pinnacle, Tallest Residential Building in Western Europe, Offers Outstanding Comfort with Bespoke CIAT System

Kenneth Booth December 4, 2019

Landmark Pinnacle, a new 75-storey development under construction in Canary Wharf that is set to be the tallest residential building in Western Europe, will be heated and cooled by high quality bespoke CIAT air conditioning. CIAT is part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. The 239m (784 foot) building, developed by Chalegrove Properties, comprises more than 800 premium residential apartments with spectacular views of the city and beyond. Amenities occupying five floors include restaurants, a leisure centre and gym, a sky-garden and a double-height roof-terrace. The custom system includes 1,776 of CIAT’s top-of-the-range Major Line fan coil units (FCUs) that are being installed by Haydon Mechanical and Electrical Ltd. The units will provide an outstanding indoor environment to apartments, common areas and facilities, distributed throughout the building. The highly energy efficient, four-pipe FCUs were specified in six sizes and configurations to suit the variety of capacities required and situations within the building, which is due to be completed in 2020. Manufactured at CIAT’s global centre of excellence at Culoz, France, the units are equipped with bespoke controls and connection sets specified by Haydon. “One of the biggest challenges for equipment specification was space constraints,” said Paul Graham, technical director for Haydon, who is leading the installation project. “Indoor units are installed in ceiling voids to ensure a perfect concealed finish. With limited headroom, this required changes to the design of the fan coil unit.  “We worked closely with CIAT on a previous project and were aware of the quality of the equipment and the company’s flexible approach. They were able to redesign the Major Line units to fit the available space at Landmark Pinnacle, which required a new lay-out and extended drip-tray. The company provided timely support on site whenever needed, and it was proven to be a very successful collaboration.” Another key requirement was low operating sound levels, due to the premium residential nature of the building. The air conditioning units were selected in medium and low-speed configurations to ensure whisper-quiet operation.             Air conditioning units were delivered to site in phased batches, timed to coincide with installation stages as the building fit-out proceeded. Before leaving the factory, each was tested for water-tightness, with a certificate of compliance provided as part of its manufacturing record. CIAT built a support structure around FCU connections to ensure the factory-installed valve sets were protected and supported during transit, so units arrived on site in perfect condition. CIAT’s Major Line FCUs are available in vertical and horizontal configurations, cased and uncased, with heating capacities from 1 to 11.5 kW and cooling from 1.4 to 7 kW. They feature a high-performance coil design with up to 15% larger surface area, twinned with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) impellers with airfoil blades, which together help cut energy consumption by 20% compared to previous models. Sound output is also reduced by 2dB(A). “Landmark Pinnacle is an outstanding new building in the UK’s capital,” said Paul Smith, sales manager for CIAT. “We are delighted that CIAT was chosen by Haydon to provide the high quality, high efficiency indoor environment required to match the building’s premium residential apartments and facilities.” For more details on CIAT Major Line, visit: https://www.ciat.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Major-Line-brochure.pdf . About CIAT CIAT is one of Europe’s leading names in cooling, heating, and indoor air quality.  Renowned for its capacity to create innovative, durable and high-performing products, CIAT offers a complete range of equipment that is designed to work together. CIAT latest innovations have been specially designed to meet the most demanding requirements. CIAT is a part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative HVAC, refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. For more information, visit www.ciat.uk.com.

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RIA announces new partnership with Infrarail 2020 to provide even more for the rail industry

Kenneth Booth December 4, 2019

The Railway Industry Association (RIA), the voice of the UK rail supply community, has announced a new partnership with exhibition organisers Mack Brooks for their upcoming rail trade show Infrarail, taking place for the first time at Olympia London from 12 to 14 May 2020. The partnership will see RIA organise at the show: The RIA Hub: An allocated space for RIA members that provides promotional benefits to the companies that exhibit there; The RIA Business Forum: A unique platform where visitors can hear from and engage with key industry figures, including clients, Tier 1 suppliers and more, about the latest projects, business opportunities and developments in rail; The RIA Pavilion: A new area with corner stands where smaller companies and individuals who did not attend Infrarail in 2018 can exhibit. Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association, said: “It’s great to be partnering with Mack Brooks for Infrarail 2020. Infrarail is one of the leading trade shows for rail infrastructure providers and a great opportunity for professionals to meet and network.” “We’re delighted that the Railway Industry Association will be providing a number of activities across the three days, including organising presentations in the RIA Business Forum and offering a specific area for RIA member stands, with additional promotional benefits of being part of the RIA Hub. And, for the first time ever, we’re offering a new RIA Pavilion where smaller companies and individuals that are new to Infrarail can exhibit at corner stands, thereby offering a cost-effective way for these organisations to promote themselves and to see the value Infrarail provides.” “We look forward to seeing the industry come together in May for Infrarail 2020!” Nicola Hamann, Managing Director at Mack Brooks Exhibitions, said: “We are very pleased that RIA is continuing its long-term partnership with Infrarail. Their presence enhances the show considerably, providing excellent networking opportunities for professionals at the event.”

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BBA CERTIFICATION FOR RCM PRODUCTS – QUALITY GUARANTEED!

Kenneth Booth December 4, 2019

RCM are delighted to announce that three further products have successfully achieved the prestigious BBA accreditation. Through extensive testing RCM have secured BBA approval for its Supertech Weatherboard, Multipurpose sheathing board and Renderflex render carrier board. The BBA – British Board of Agrement was initially set up back in 1966 by the government of the day. Today the BBA is an independent body, which provides extensive and independent testing of products designed for the construction industry.  BBA accreditation supports today’s government by being an independent voice within the construction sector. Only products which meet the highest specifications will receive BBA approval as ‘fit for purpose’, bringing great reassurance and ultimately maintaining quality in the construction industry. RCM offers a wide portfolio of building boards and facades, with its popular A1 non-combustible Y-Wall fibre cement building board having already achieved BBA accreditation a few years ago. Recently, RCM applied for BBA accreditation for three additional products and after having undergone rigorous testing, an approval was achieved for all three.  RCM are highly delighted with this prestigious outcome, confirming the outstanding quality of their sheathing boards, render carrier board and weatherboard façade. The latest BBA certifications pertain to three of RCM’s popular products: Firstly, Multipurpose, RCM’s A1 non-combustible, cellulose fibre cement building board.  With its excellent strength, weathering and mechanical properties it is the perfect choice for multiple applications, especially for buildings over 18m. Secondly, Renderflex, RCM’s A2-s1,d0 fire rated cellulose fibre cement render carrier board, offering excellent strength, weathering and stability properties when used in conjunction with polymer renders. And finally, Supertech Weatherboard, a simple to install, fully ventilated cladding system, which has an appearance similar to that of traditional timber cladding but the durability and strength of cellulose fibre cement. The importance of an independent certificate demonstrates commitment to quality and is further proof of RCM responsibly operating in line with industry best practice and management systems. “We are very proud of achieving the acclaimed and trusted BBA certification for our products.  This accreditation will further bring great reassurance to our customers and highlight the high-performance and reliability of RCM’s products.  It also enables us to give confidence to architects, contractors and designers to specify and install the RCM range of materials, whether the product is being used on its own or forms part of an overall solution, both in internal and external applications. We believe that the BBA certification will open up new opportunities for RCM and help us to break into new sectors and markets. We look forward to ongoing business growth and the opportunities which will present themselves.”  (Ian Quinton – Managing Director, RCM) About RCM: Established in 2004, RCM is a major supplier of complete through wall solutions to the UK construction industry. Supplying specialist building boards, façades, breather membranes and airtightness solutions, RCM offers a fully integrated approach to the building envelope for all building applications. RCM are a market leader in providing innovative products and solutions designed and tested to meet the demanding needs of construction. Specified for use in external façades, fire protection, acoustic, airtightness and decorative applications, our extensive portfolio has been installed on many of the UK’s largest projects. CPD Seminars For those interested in finding out more, RCM provides informative CPD sessions including a guide to materials, applications and specification considerations for building boards, internal and external linings and rainscreen façades, covering: What a specifier needs to consider Board materials and benefits Board applications Work on site For more details call 0800 612 4662 or email info@rcmltd.biz.

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FX Award FX Award for Best Mixed Use Development is won by landmark project Spanish City

Kenneth Booth December 3, 2019

Whitley Bay’s landmark regeneration project, Spanish City, is celebrating after winning an international award for interior design. Adding to the site’s growing list of accolades, Spanish City recently won an FX Award for Best Mixed Use Development. The FX Awards celebrate the best in international design with a prestigious awards ceremony in London each year. Spanish City beat critically acclaimed design projects as far afield as San Francisco, Salerno and Southern China to scoop the grand prize. Judges described Spanish City as an “amazing restoration” with “extremely high-quality spaces providing a social hub and uplifting connection with the community.” The interiors strategy for the Spanish City project was led by senior interior designer Katie Thompson, who used contemporary finishes, materials, lightings and fittings to recreate the feel of the building when it first opened. She said: “We were thrilled to accept the award for Best Mixed Use Development at FX Awards in London on Monday night – the 13th award for this fantastic building. “The competition in the category was amazing, so we are very happy that the judges thought ADP was a worthy winner.” Since reopening in 2018 following ADP Architecture’s restoration, Spanish City has also won a RIBA North East Award and many others. It is hoped that the restoration will continue to have a positive impact for the local community and economy.

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When Is Sprinkler Tank Refurbishment The Best Option?

Kenneth Booth December 3, 2019

Sprinkler tank refurbishment is the most cost-effective way to deal with a range of common water tank problems. Though not always possible, it is the preferred remedy because refurbishment delivers a long-term solution. If a tank is identified during an independent inspection as suitable for remedial works, this is the course of action that should be followed. As well as delivering durable repairs, it will offer cost savings and limit disruption. Many site owners and municipalities don’t recognise the benefits of refurbishing a fire sprinkler tank. Others don’t even know it is possible. They simply assume an old, corroded or leaking LPCB tank has reached the end of its life. While sometimes a tank will need to be replaced, discarding one that can be repaired is bad for the environment and the more expensive option. There are lots of good reasons why refurbishment is the better choice. So, is it worth having your water tank repaired? Water tank refurbishment The fact is that water tank refurbishment is worth it – if your tank is considered a suitable candidate. Not only will it save money, it will ensure a tank carries on storing water for a fire sprinkler system for many years to come. Other benefits include: Deals with the presence of any corrosion Stops water from being wasted Reduces short and medium-term disruption of water supplies to a sprinkler system Negates the need for a tank to be decommission and removed Minimises on-site hassles Keeps insurers happy Many sprinkler tank refurbishment projects are carried out to reduce downtime. Refurbishment is a much quicker process than draining, dismantling and removing an existing tank ahead of the installation of a new one. Concrete, galvanised steel and GRP tanks are routinely refurbished across the UK. Less expensive than the sometimes-complicated removal process, repairs take a fraction of the time. Fire sprinkler tanks suitable for refurbishment may present with any of the following common problems: Weak spots in tank walls Presence of corrosion Blisters of rust inside the tank Leaks Splits If caught in time, all these issues can be effectively remedied with refurbishment. Sprinkler tank refurbishment process The processes involved in sprinkler tank refurbishment mean a tank will have to be drained before work can start. A contractor will always give a clear indication of how long this is likely to take. Once a tank is empty, the repairs can begin. A typical works schedule will include: Closure of the inlet valve Isolation of electrics Pumps tagged Tank draining Installation of ventilation and other safety equipment Removal of sediment with specialist wet vacuums Repair of tank’s internal surfaces Application of surface tolerant coating Once this work has been completed, and following a necessary ‘curing’ period, a tank can be refilled and put back into service. This type of refurbishment is guaranteed to last for a decade by reputable contractors. They will ensure that a project is completed to the very highest standards. In addition, all those working on the project will have the necessary safety training. Always use a contractor accredited by CHAS. This help you save time at the tendering stage and limits the amount of paperwork that will need to be duplicated. Other things to look out for are links to recognised trade associations, such as the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association. The last thing you want is an unqualified, unaccredited contractor working on a vital component of your life saving sprinkler system. Extending the life of an LPCB sprinkler tank Because an LPCB sprinkler tank forms an integral part of loss prevention strategies, it makes sense to ensure they are properly maintained. Routine checks can flag up early warning signs and ensure sprinkler tank refurbishment is a viable option. Experts recommend yearly inspections from an independent contractor. As well as helping you to save money, this process is convenient and economical. All inspections below the water line should be carried out with ROV equipment. This will ensure a tank does not have to be drained for the process. A fire sprinkler system will be fully operational throughout. If you are ever approached by an inspection team that wants to drain your tank, call another contractor. It is not necessary and significantly adds to the cost. It also wastes water and time. Importantly, it will knock out your sprinkler system’s water supply. Sprinkler tank refurbishment is a savvy move. If you are told by a qualified expert that your water tank is suitable, get the work done. It will be guaranteed and last for at least a decade. At a time when the risks posed by fire are very rarely out of the headlines, now is the time to act. Ignoring problems can make them worse and significantly add to the final cost of putting things right.

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