Robertson Construction has been appointed by Babcock, the Aerospace and Defence company, to deliver its new Assembly Hall at Rosyth. The £31.5 million facility will initially be used for Babcock’s Type 31 Programme for the delivery of the five General Purpose Type 31 Frigates and has been designed to enable two vessels to be assembled side by side.  The 147m x 62m x 42m Assembly Hall will provide Babcock with productivity gains through improved access, digital connectivity, and protection from weather disruption. David Cairns, regional managing director, Robertson Construction – Central West, said: “This contract award further illustrates our capabilities in the Defence sector, and we are delighted to be working with Babcock. “Enabling works commenced in April and the main contract began in September.  Phase one of piling is complete which enabled the steel structure to commence in mid-November, the facility will be completed in summer 2021 in order that Ship Assembly can commence. Throughout the Assembly Hall build we will be seeking to support local employment and spend where possible. We have already committed significant orders to local Scottish suppliers and created five new full-time roles which have been filled by members of the local community.” The facility will provide open space to enable Babcock effective and efficient work practices and interior gantry stair access will remove the need for scaffolding inside the building, enabling personnel to safely access the vessels without having to leave the building.  Cairns, continues: “Babcock has cleverly applied lean thinking to the building which not only provides them with best value, but enables future proofing of the Assembly Hall.” Access to both the North and South of the facility for the clear flow of materials and ship sections is being accommodated through four Mega Doors which are 30m high and 25m wide with a demountable centre piece to create one large door if required.  Two 125T gantry cranes will also be installed inside to assist with ship assembly, providing cover to the entire internal area. Derek Jones, Chief Executive, Babcock Marine Sector said: “It is great to see the progress being made across the programme as we put in place new infrastructure and technologies to support the build phase of these fantastic new frigates. I know the team are looking forward to working closely with Robertson Construction on the development of the new Assembly Hall. “The Type 31 programme is re-energising the UKs’ maritime capability through innovative, next generation, UK ship design and build. The infrastructure investment underway at Rosyth, builds on our exceptional heritage, experience and engineering insight, delivering a very real step change in capacity and capability for modern UK Shipbuilding.”

Flanges are used in piping to connect sections of a pipe or join it to a pressure vessel, pump, valve or any other piece of equipment. You might think that that is a simple piece of equipment, but there are many different types of flanges and you can get steel flanges made from carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless / duplex steel, nickel alloys/superalloys and titanium, but they can also be made in aluminium, copper and polypropylene. Then as well as different materials, you have different types of flanges, but what do they all do and why are there so many? Here’s a quick guide to give you an idea.  Welding Neck Flange A welding neck flange is used in high-pressure and high/low temperatures applications that require an unrestricted flow of the fluid conveyed by the piping system.  Long Welding Neck Long weld neck flanges are similar to weld neck flanges, however, the neck is extended and acts as a boring extension. They are generally used on vessels, columns or barrels.  Slip-On Flange    A slip-on flange is connected to the pipe or the fittings by two fillet welds, one is executed inside and one outside the cavity of the flange. Slip-on flanges are also known as “Hubbed Flanges” and are easy to recognize due to their slim and compact shape. Threaded Flange Threaded flanges are joined to pipes by screwing the pipe onto the flange without seam welds. They are mostly used for small size piping in low pressure and low-temperature applications, like water and air utility services. Socket Weld Flange       Socket weld flanges are connected to pipes using a single fillet weld executed on the outer side of the flange. They are used for small-size and high-pressure piping that do not transfer highly corrosive fluids. Lap Joint Flange Lap joint flanges feature a flat face and are always used in conjunction with a stub end. This is a cost-effective solution for stainless steel or nickel alloy pipelines, as the material of the lap joint flange can be of a lower grade than the material of the stub end.  Blind Flange Blind flanges do not have a centre hole, and are used to blind or seal a pipeline, a valve/pressure vessel and block the flow of the fluid. Nipoflange A Nipoflange is used for branch pipelines at 90 degrees and is a product manufactured by combining a welding neck flange with a forged Nipolet. Weldoflange A Weldoflange is similar to a Nipoflange but is made out of a single piece of solid forged steel, not by welding separate parts together. Elboflange And Latroflange Other less common types of flange Olets are the Elboflange which is a combination of a flange and an Elbolet and the“Latroflange which is a combination of a flange with a Latrolet. Elboflanges are used to branch a pipeline at 45 degrees. Swivel Flange Swivel ring flanges facilitate the alignment of the bolt holes between the two mating flanges. They suit oil, gas, hydrocarbons, water, chemical and other demanding fluids in petrochemical and water management applications. Expander flange Expanding flanges, or “expander flanges”, are used to increase the bore of the pipeline from a specific point to another or to connect pipes to other mechanical devices such as pumps, compressors, and valves that have different inlet sizes. Reducing Flange (“Reducer”) Reducing flanges, otherwise called reducer flanges, have an opposite function than expander. they are used to decrease the bore of a pipeline.

Chancerygate and Bridges Fund Management’s joint venture (JV) has exchanged contracts to acquire a 7.5-acre site in Edinburgh. The site, currently known as Grayfield House, is located in Sighthill which is approximately five miles south west of the city centre and currently comprises 90,000 sq ft of office accommodation. The vendor is Mapeley and the sale will complete next April. The JV intends to speculatively develop a ‘best-in-class’ urban logistics scheme on the site, which will be known as Capital Park, and has a projected gross development value of £25m. The JV will be submitting a planning application to redevelop the site to deliver 165,000 sq ft of industrial and warehousing space across 20 units ranging from 3,400 sq ft to 25,000 sq ft. Units will be available freehold or leasehold. Neighbouring occupiers to the proposed development include Evans Halshaw, Tool Station, Edinburgh College, Edinburgh Napier University and Burton Biscuit Company. Commenting on the acquisition, Chancerygate development director, Mike Walker, said: “We are very pleased to have secured this development opportunity in what is widely regarded as Edinburgh’s prime industrial location. “We believe there is an undersupply of Grade A best-in-class industrial space in Edinburgh and our site will go some way to addressing this imbalance. We will be offering the units on a sale or leasehold basis, which is quite rare within the city, and we already have interest from a variety of potential occupiers. “The site is situated within close proximity to Edinburgh’s motorway network, commuter links and airport, making it an ideal location for SME occupiers, trade counters and last mile logistics operators.” Chancerygate and Bridges Fund Management have been working in partnership on projects for more than 10 years. Investments include the development of ‘The Curve’, a student housing development in London SE1; the regeneration of Beeston Business Park, Nottingham; and the acquisition of sites earlier this year for industrial development in Coventry and Peterborough totalling 454,000 sq ft. Bridges Fund Management partner, Guy Bowden, added: “It’s great to be finalising our third recent JV with Chancerygate following our acquisitions in Coventry and Peterborough. The site offers an excellent opportunity to carry out some significant regeneration work and we will ultimately provide space that is much more environmentally sustainable the accommodation currently available in the area.” The JV was advised by property consultancy Galbraith on the site acquisition whilst property agents Savills and Ryden advised Mapeley. Galbraith and Ryden will be the retained agents on the development.

Verdion has been chosen by bicycle manufacturer Derby Cycle as the developer for its new 32,230 sq m headquarters and plant which will expand the company’s presence in northern Germany. The new facility will be funded and developed under a venture between Verdion and Canadian pension fund Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP). It will be located on a 63,000 sq m plot in the Ecopark Emstek industrial estate and open its doors in 2022, offering state-of-the-art production facilities as well as an inspiring work environment with open offices and working spaces. Another highlight will be the new Kalkhoff brand world, where Germany’s leading e-bike brand will showcase new models directly at the factory with advice, test drives on a dedicated test track on site and information about the brand and history. The new building will provide 26,500 sq m of production and storage, 5,730 sq.m. of office and communal accommodation and 510 parking spaces. Verdion is targeting a DGNB Gold sustainability certification for the building on completion. It will link to Derby Cycle’s existing 25,000 sq.m. logistics facility on the adjacent plot, which Verdion completed in 2015. Work has recently started on site. André Banschus, Executive Director of Verdion, adds: “Even before COVID-19, bicycle manufacturers were looking for more ways to respond to demand. The global sustainability movement has accelerated green city infrastructure projects and sales have significantly increased in recent years. “We are pleased to be delivering a second project for Derby Cycle, not only demonstrating our development expertise in complex manufacturing, but working closely with our partners to put in place the funding and lease structures needed to help Derby Cycle exploit this opportunity for growth.” Ecopark Emstek is located directly on the A1 motorway linking the Baltic Sea to the French border near Saarbrücken via several North Sea ports as well as the Rhine Ruhr metropolitan area. The municipality of Emstek borders Cloppenburg, the county capital with over 35,000 inhabitants. It is located 60 kilometres south-west of the Hanseatic city of Bremen. Verdion and HOOPP regularly partner on the financing, development and management of specialist logistics and production facilities across Europe, with a portfolio of over €1.2 billion GAV created over the last seven years. On completion of the building, Verdion will continue to work with Derby Cycle as HOOPP’s asset manager. List Bau is the general contractor, Phase 5 the project architect.

Canmoor is delighted to welcome Agility Logistics, one of the world’s leading integrated logistics providers to Westway Park. Relocating to Renfrew from Linwood, Agility has agreed terms on 40,000 sq ft of warehousing and distribution space at Block D on a ten-year lease. The space will be used to service growing business contracts in Scotland and around the UK. Agility ships, stores and manages the distribution of goods for businesses of all sizes across a variety of sectors. Operating in 100 countries, it employs more than 26,000 people around the globe. The Renfrew facility is the only one in Scotland and will join a network of 16 strategic locations across the UK. Mick Humphries, Area North West Europe Transport & Warehouse Manager of Agility said: “Our business in the UK continues to develop and we were looking to expand the Scottish facility. Connectivity and communication links were key business requirements and Westway was able to deliver the perfect solution, along with top quality space, within a 24-hour secure environment. “We will undertake fit out works at Westway and become fully operational by April 2021. Toby Saul, Asset Manager of Canmoor added: “Westway continues to be one of the top performing industrial and logistics locations in Scotland. Securing Agility is yet another positive boost for the park, following on from recent lockdown deals with Malcolm Group and the NHS. “It is clear that our ongoing strategy of investment and improvement is proving popular with occupiers in the Scottish market. Since purchasing Westway in 2018, we have invested significantly into building refurbishment and park infrastructure. “Our programme of building refurbishment and investment in park infrastructure will continue with the £3,000,000 refurbishment of Block D which will provide 40,000 sq ft to be let to Agility and a further 60,000 sq ft of top quality refurbished distribution accommodation which will be available to let from April 2021.” Westway is a key strategic industrial and distribution location that offers excellent connectivity to the whole of Central Scotland, with Junction 27 of the M8 only 3 minutes drive away. It is located in the heart of the Glasgow Airport Investment area, which is one of the key City Deal projects that will benefit from £39.1m of inward investment over the next 10 years. This will deliver significant infrastructure investment to the area including a new two-lane bridge over the White Cart, directly linking Westway with the investment area and airport. Westway also benefits from having its own private dock facility on the White Cart Water which accesses the River Clyde. This provides an alternative shipping solution particularly for large products that are unsuitable for transport by road.  Canmoor’s joint agents are JLL and Colliers. Agility was represented by Doherty Baines.