The Independent Builders Merchant Group (IBMG) has appointed Danny Spokes as the divisional managing directorfor IBMG’s South West build division. The appointment heralds the restructure of IBMG’s South West operation to align with the wider structure of the Group. IBMG’s South West division incorporates CRS’s 13 builders merchant branches in Somerset as well as RGB’s
Adaptavate, a global leader in the development and industrialisation of low-carbon and carbon-negative construction materials, has announced the production of the world’s first carbon-negative technology to produce plasterboards. The leap from producing low-carbon construction materials to now providing an additional carbon-negative product comes through the incorporation of char – produced
Fivemiletown headquartered Paving and Building Products firm, AG, has reinforced its position as a market leader in sustainable construction by reducing its carbon footprint by over 47%. With manufacturing sites in Fivemiletown, Toome, and Carryduff, the firm as part of its Climate Action Pledge has committed to cutting its absolute
Jewson Partnership Solutions (JPS) has completed the roll out of five new branches in just one month – its biggest expansion project to date. Throughout April, JPS launched the stores in collaboration with a variety of social housing providers located across the UK, having secured a wealth of new contracts.
Watts Roofing Supplies is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Oadby Building Products Limited (OBP), marking a significant milestone in our company’s growth and expansion efforts. OBP will complement Watts’ existing offerings and enhance our product range, expertise, and customer base. The OBP brand will remain intact, continuing to operate
The UK’s newest aggregate manufacturing plant has been officially opened in Wellingborough, providing low-carbon secondary aggregate to help meet the Midlands’ construction needs. The plant will transform around 200,000 tonnes per year of incinerator bottom ash (IBA) left over from the energy-from-waste (EfW) process into EcoBlend, a sustainable manufactured aggregate
With the demand for purposed-built student accommodation (PBSA) predicted to soar, a new report from the British Association of Reinforcement (BAR) explains ‘Why Reinforced Concrete Makes the Grade for Student Accommodation’. The latest student population data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that for the 2021/22 academic year
The complex multi material roof at Lucent W1, behind the Piccadilly Lights, has won Best Multi-discipline Project over £250k at the national Roofing Awards. The project was a collaborative venture between AccuRoof, roofing contractor E J Roberts and main contractor Wates Group. This mixed-use development behind the Lights at Piccadilly
Heating, plumbing and air movement materials supplier TG Lynes has become one of the first businesses to operate a 7.5 tonne electric truck on the streets of London. Enfield-based TG Lynes is leading the sustainable transport charge by investing in a UK-manufactured Tevva battery-electric truck to carry out local deliveries
The Chichester depot of Covers Timber & Builders Merchants is continuing its sponsorship of the city’s vibrant and inclusive Pride event for the third consecutive year. Taking place on Saturday 25th May, Chichester Pride promises to be a celebration of love and diversity, welcoming the LGBTQ+ community and allies for
The Independent Builders Merchant Group (IBMG) has appointed Danny Spokes as the divisional managing directorfor IBMG’s South West build division. The appointment heralds the restructure of IBMG’s South West operation to align with the wider structure of the Group. IBMG’s South West division incorporates CRS’s 13 builders merchant branches in Somerset as well as RGB’s 22-branch network across Devon and Cornwall. Both RGB and CRS were acquired by IBMG in 2022. With Danny taking the helm in the South West, Toby Constable will continue to lead IBMG’s build division in the South East with Mat Miller in the North. Prior to this appointment, Danny was MD of IBMG’s roofing division where he has overseen its development to become the third largest roofing merchant in the country and the largest independent in Southern England. Allun Pittingale, COO of IBMG, said “I am thrilled with this appointment. Danny has extensive experience in this sector and a track record of building great teams and delivering great results. Danny is keenly aware of the heritage and history of his new brands and I am absolutely certain that he will take our South West build division to new heights.” Danny Spokes, a resident of Somerset, expressed his enthusiasm for the new role: “Our branch network in the region, in terms of geographical spread and customer base, is significant and I have no doubt that, together with the teams in each branch, we can continue to make a big difference to tradespeople across the South West.” IBMG is the largest owner of independent merchants in the South of England. Operating five core divisions: builders merchants; timber; plumbing & heating; roofing; and electrical, it primarily serves trade customers. IBMG-owned branches extend from Penzance to Margate, East Anglia and north to the Midlands. The Group employs 2,000+ people, and leads the way in personal customer service. independentbm.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Adaptavate, a global leader in the development and industrialisation of low-carbon and carbon-negative construction materials, has announced the production of the world’s first carbon-negative technology to produce plasterboards. The leap from producing low-carbon construction materials to now providing an additional carbon-negative product comes through the incorporation of char – produced by the pyrolysis of ligno-cellulosic materials. This locks the CO2 sequestered by plants into a stable state, and subsequently into the board, preventing it from being released through decay. Incorporating char makes the current technology to produce Breathaboard genuine permanent carbon-storage, as an alternative to plasterboard which absorbs and stores more carbon than it produces. Importantly, this has been quantified by Adaptavate’s independent, industry verified carbon calculation tool to the latest EN 15804+A2 standard. Adaptavate’s innovative technology allows for CO2 savings through both its product formulation and manufacturing methods. The company repurposes ligno-cellulosic wastes, combining them with minerals and a small amount of water to create a flat board material. Unlike conventional board production, this process requires no natural gas and can absorb low concentration CO2 in the curing process, which can be sourced from industrial emissions during the curing stage. Tom Robinson, founder and CEO at Adaptavate, says: “Our new carbon-negative and carbon-storing technology marks a significant milestone and step forward not only for Adaptavate, a business I founded a decade ago, but also for the global construction industry as a whole. Plasterboard is one of the most heavily used construction material after cement and steel, in an industry that produces around 40% of the world’s carbon emissions. As a former builder, the potential impact of putting carbon storing building materials in the hands of every builder, architect and developer around the world as a drop-in solution is massive in our global endeavour to decarbonise construction. This announcement demonstrates with a real-world example of how we can do this and have a successful business on a global scale.” The development of this new climate-positive technology and the pilot line for the board’s production has been made possible by UK Government grants (Innovate UK), and investment from a group of climate-focused businesses dedicated to accelerating carbon removal within the construction industry, including Counteract, Perivoli Innovations, Low Carbon Innovation Fund 2 (LCIF2), and SEMIN Group. Jeff Ive, CTO at Adaptavate, says: “The production of full-sized permanently carbon-storing plasterboard is a major step forward for Adaptavate and the scale up of our regenerative material solutions. We have brought together a systemic solution for carbon dioxide removal that is required on a global scale, and matched it with a product that is used on a similar scale. With our licencing business model, we aim to deliver these systemic innovations at a rate that the planet needs them. The innovations’ development is thanks to the expert international team we have at our Bristol headquarters. With their knowledge, skills and dedication we have produced a game changing carbon-storing product with a comparable performance to the incumbent. The past few years of innovation in this space have been exciting for us, and we can see that this core technology has some important attributes that could be well used in a diverse product portfolio.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Fivemiletown headquartered Paving and Building Products firm, AG, has reinforced its position as a market leader in sustainable construction by reducing its carbon footprint by over 47%. With manufacturing sites in Fivemiletown, Toome, and Carryduff, the firm as part of its Climate Action Pledge has committed to cutting its absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by at least 30% as well as reducing its Scope 3 emissions by 2030, irrespective of business growth. AG’s most recent carbon emissions analysis showed a significant 47.8% reduction from its 2019 baseline. A notable achievement for the firm, given the introduction of extended operational hours and construction of a new £3 million factory in 2023 to meet heightened product demand. Surpassing its science-based targets for a consecutive year, over one-third of AG’s car fleet is now electric, complementing the company’s transition to manufacturing with 100% renewable energy and 100% recycled water. AG has recently invested over £5.4m into its operations enabling the firm to modernise its plant, equipment and technology further improving efficiencies and productivity, enabling the firm to lower its fuel consumption. As an engaged member of the Responsible Plastic Management Programme, AG has pledged to send zero plastic to landfill, showcasing its proactive approach to responsible plastic usage, further benefiting AG’s carbon reduction journey. Under the leadership of CEO Stephen Acheson and supported by AG’s CSR team, the company’s CSR strategy focuses on producing low-carbon products whilst reducing the firm’s overall carbon footprint. The firm has continued to thoroughly analyse the composition and core ingredients within its products, enabling Scope 3 carbon reductions due to the introduction of supplementary cementitious materials to reduce cement content, while maintaining and improving on the exceptional quality AG is renowned for. In addition, AG has made two key appointments to further drive and support its decarbonisation journery. Michael Davies has been promoted to Head of Innovation and Carbon Reduction, while Barry Scott has been promoted to Senior Quality & Sustainability Technician. In recognition of its sustainability efforts, the specialist building products business is among the first to achieve recertification to the latest version of the BES 6001 Standard at its Toome site for its flag products. AG has also earned Platinum status, the highest accolade available, in the 2023 Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey. The award recognises companies that drive change through integrating sustainable practices into corporate strategies. In addition, AG’s dedication to sustainable practices seen them shortlisted earlier this year for Outstanding Commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) at the Business Telegraph Awards and awarded Sustainable Manufacturing Business of the Year at the Business Eye Sustainability Awards. CEO, Stephen Acheson commented on the firm’s sustainability strides, stating, “Each of our sites brings our corporate environmental philosophy to life, the latest carbon emissions analysis reinforces our dedication to environmental stewardship and continuous improvement throughout the business. We are delighted to have exceeded our BITC pledge target and look forward to maintaining or improving upon this figure as we pursue our ambitious growth plans throughout 2024 and beyond.” For more information about AG and its CSR strategy, please visit ag.uk.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Jewson Partnership Solutions (JPS) has completed the roll out of five new branches in just one month – its biggest expansion project to date. Throughout April, JPS launched the stores in collaboration with a variety of social housing providers located across the UK, having secured a wealth of new contracts. The new sites will provide services for a wide range of social landlords including Wheatley Homes East, Home Group, Saxon Weald and Settle Group. The stores provide operatives from the various groups with access to JPS’ hand-selected range of products that are identified as key to the specific housing associations’ building and maintenance requirements. They will support thousands of residents in receiving better housing services, homes, and communities. In addition, JPS has launched a ‘spoke’ branch of its AVAIL Housing Hub in Newburn, Newcastle, as part of a new contract with Newcastle City Council, to reduce the typical amount of travel associated with operatives’ building and maintenance material collections. Newcastle City Council, along with several other housing associations working with JPS, have been provided access to AVAIL, JPS’ automated replenishment technology which ensures stock levels are always maintained and materials can be accessed by customers out of hours. JPS’ largest expansion project prior to this, was 11 new branches opening over the space of 12 months in 2022. This latest roll out, the business says, reflects its position in the marketplace, and demonstrates the growing demand for its valuable and well-refined service delivery. An additional 11 managed branches will also open by the end of September, further cementing JPS’ support of housing associations across the country. Scott Cooper, Managing Director of JPS, said: “Public sector bodies like councils and housing associations are some of the most hard-pressed businesses when it comes to identifying potential time and cash savings. They need to prove they’re taking all the steps possible to make their operations as efficient and effective as they can be. “Our branches have been designed specifically with this in mind. They act as a one-stop-shop for operatives to access all the relevant and necessary materials for the specific maintenance requirements of their sites. The surge in demand for our managed stores in recent years speaks for itself: we’re getting it right, and the exponential growth that we’re enjoying as a business doesn’t appear to be stopping anytime soon, as we have a further 11 stores to open before the final quarter of the year. “Opening five new stores in the space of a month was a challenge we faced head on, because we knew the truly immeasurable difference it would make to the businesses we’re working with. We hope to build further on these new relationships in the future, supporting our partners to keep residents safe, secure, and comfortable in their homes.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Watts Roofing Supplies is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Oadby Building Products Limited (OBP), marking a significant milestone in our company’s growth and expansion efforts. OBP will complement Watts’ existing offerings and enhance our product range, expertise, and customer base. The OBP brand will remain intact, continuing to operate independently from its site. About Oadby Building Products Limited Founded in 2008 by Mehul Somani, OBP has been a trusted name in the supply of building products to various sectors, including Newbuild, Selfbuild, Social Housing, and Domestic Refurbishment and Maintenance. The company began as Oadby Building Plastics and expanded significantly after moving to a purpose-built 25,000 square foot warehouse and office space in January 2014, located on Kenilworth Drive in the Oadby industrial estate. OBP is renowned for its exceptional customer service and comprehensive product range. The company offers express service at its trade counter and a convenient multi-vehicle free delivery service. With a wealth of industry knowledge and a commitment to finding cost-effective solutions for projects of all sizes, OBP stands as a one-stop shop for building products. Simon Lock, the manager at OBP, brings 26 years of industry experience, having progressed from a yard person at Asphaltic to his current role. His 11-year tenure at OBP has been marked by his extensive knowledge and dedication to the company. About Watts Roofing Supplies Founded in 2010, Watts Roofing Supplies is one of the fastest-growing independent roofing merchants in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. The company grew from a single branch in Baldock covering the local area to a three-branch roofing merchant with hundreds of suppliers and many happy long-term customers. It currently has branches in Baldock, Stevenage, and Cambridge. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The UK’s newest aggregate manufacturing plant has been officially opened in Wellingborough, providing low-carbon secondary aggregate to help meet the Midlands’ construction needs. The plant will transform around 200,000 tonnes per year of incinerator bottom ash (IBA) left over from the energy-from-waste (EfW) process into EcoBlend, a sustainable manufactured aggregate for use in the built environment. The £20m facility was formally opened by Gen Kitchen, MP for Wellingborough, at a launch event organised by the plant’s joint owners – energy-from-waste business Encyclis and material specialists Day Aggregates – supported by aggregates trading firm GRS, the contracted distributor for the local area. At the official opening ceremony, the plant was described as a symbol of regeneration, representing significant inward investment into the region. In addition to the 50 contractors per day that were supported during 17-months of construction and commissioning, the plant has directly created an additional nine full-time jobs on-site and will further support the local supply chain. Gen Kitchen, MP for Wellingborough, said: “I’m delighted to formally open this facility, which represents a significant investment into our region. I’m passionate about the potential of this area as a hub for business, due to its central location, transport links and strong industrial track record. It’s also important that we ensure commercial activity is sustainable and this aggregate manufacturing facility is an excellent example of that, taking a residual material that would previously have been discarded and turning it into a useful material that supports local construction. It’s vital that we promote a more circular economy in this way.” A strategic partnership between Encyclis and Day Aggregates was established to begin building the plant 18-months ago on a site in the Finedon Road Industrial Estate. The plant’s location offers optimal transport links, while addressing an identified deficit in the local availability of natural resources. This new supply chain for EcoBlend will service local needs with a product that is sustainable, cost-effective and certified to the required specifications. The project bolsters the circular economy by recycling a by-product of the energy-from-waste process. Encyclis’s energy recovery facilities – Rookery South, in Bedfordshire, and Newhurst, in Leicestershire – provide capacity to annually treat over one million tonnes of residual waste that would previously have been sent to landfill. The waste is combusted at high temperatures to produce baseload electricity, heat and other resources. After the combustion process, inert ash is left over. This is transported from the two energy recovery facilities to the Wellingborough plant. Day Aggregates extracts any remaining metals for recycling and converts the bottom ash into aggregate products including EcoBlend, which serves as an effective sub-base under pavements, footpaths, car parks and roads. Materials trading firm GRS is responsible for marketing the products to construction companies looking for cost-effective materials that also enhance the environmental credentials of their projects. Owen Michaelson, Chief Executive of Encyclis, said: “We are immensely proud to be formally opening this new facility in Wellingborough – which provides the region with essential infrastructure to support the sustainable treatment of waste and the recovery of resources. Both of these are crucial in enabling a more circular economy that accelerates the UK’s progress towards net-zero. The opening of this facility represents real action to help meet those environmental goals.” Adam Day, Contracts Director at Day Group, said: “Our state-of-the-art recovery and manufacturing facility has the most up-to-date processing equipment, which produces the best quality material as efficiently as possible. EcoBlend will now provide a sustainable solution for the local construction market, reducing the region’s reliance on sourcing and transporting aggregates from out of the area.” Antony Beamish, Managing Director for GRS Trading, said: “The technology and innovation that’s gone into developing this processing plant is impressive. We’re looking forward to supplying EcoBlend to our customers across the region, to improve the sustainability of the supply chain as part of our collaborative drive towards circularity.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
With the demand for purposed-built student accommodation (PBSA) predicted to soar, a new report from the British Association of Reinforcement (BAR) explains ‘Why Reinforced Concrete Makes the Grade for Student Accommodation’. The latest student population data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that for the 2021/22 academic year the number of full-time students rose by 4%, to over 2.26 million. Meanwhile, the number of international students from India and China has more than offset the fall in EU students in the wake of Brexit as the UK continues to be one of the key global destinations for students looking to study abroad. Between 2019/20 and 2021/22, the number of full-time international students rose by 117,500. The increase in student applications and numbers is set against a growing shortage in student accommodation. This shortage is being exacerbated by the falling supply of Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) resulting from landlord regulation and tax changes. Since 2017 there have been over 300,00 buy-to-let mortgage redemptions which has reduced the number of 5-plus bedroom rental properties by 31% since 2019. The reduced supply of private landlord HMO’s is increasing the demand for PBSA particularly from overseas students. To address the disparity between supply and demand more PBSA needs to be constructed. Reinforced concrete offers a wide range of inherent and free performance benefits that are particularly suited to building student accommodation. These include built-in fire resistance, significant noise and vibration reduction, thermal mass for energy efficiency and long-term robust finishes. Steve Elliott BAR Chairman explained: “Reinforced concrete offers a number of unrivalled performance benefits that means it should be awarded a 1st class degree with honours for the construction of PBSA. These concrete benefits are inherent and built-in. There is no need for any additional products, finishes or chemical preservatives. This significantly reduces both initial capital and the ongoing maintenance costs.” With regards to long-term sustainability reinforced concrete again gets top marks. The issue of sustainability is important for PBSAs. Students are some of the most motivated in tackling climate change reducing CO2 emissions. Elliott said: “Admittedly, the use of concrete construction raises questions concerning the level of construction embodied CO2 when compared to other structural materials such as timber. However, if you have to mechanical ventilate and cool a lightweight timber or steel building then the resulting operational CO2 emissions, over the lifetime of the building, will far outweigh any initial construction embodied CO2 savings.” He continued: “Similarly, concrete does need additional fire proofing, sound insulation, wall finishes, flood resilient materials. All of these additional materials have an additional CO2 impact for their manufacture and installation. With concrete construction all of the above performance benefits are provided without any further environmental or financial cost”. He added that all the reinforcement made in the UK is made from recycled scrap steel using the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) process which consumes only a third of the embodied energy, emits one sixth of the CO2 and produces approximately half the amount of co-products (waste) compared with the traditional BOS blast furnace steelmaking process. Reinforcing steel can be recovered, recycled and re-used at the end of a building or structure’s service life. To download a copy of ‘Why Reinforced Concrete Makes the Grade for Student Accommodation’ visit: www.uk-bar.org/publications Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The complex multi material roof at Lucent W1, behind the Piccadilly Lights, has won Best Multi-discipline Project over £250k at the national Roofing Awards. The project was a collaborative venture between AccuRoof, roofing contractor E J Roberts and main contractor Wates Group. This mixed-use development behind the Lights at Piccadilly Circus in London’s West End has one of the most complex roofs ever to be built in the capital across an almost complete city block. Designed by Fletcher Priest Architects, the project unified thirteen different buildings including several historic facades and the treatment of the new roof was integral to their design. AccuRoof were commissioned by Wates Group to design the complex folding roof to meet the architects’ original design intent, plus targets of BREEAM Outstanding and the Gold WELL Building Standard. The solution was to design in planes of natural slate, but stringent environmental and fire safety requirements ruled out the use of hot works or lead flashings. The solution the AccuRoof came up with, their design office detailed and E J Roberts executed, is a roof comprised of three different roofing systems. Planes of Cwt-y-bugail Natural Slate make up the bulk of the roof, elZinc Lava zinc provides flashings, gutters, balcony edges and cladding, and IKO Permatec Hot Melt inverted roof system is used for the flat roof areas, the 22 terraces and behind the iconic Lights. The design challenges on the project were many and included: coordinating the interfaces between slate, hot melt and zinc; facilitating the shedding of rainwater from complex interlocking roof planes, some of which fold down the side of the building, and designing to a steel frame which required up to 20mm movement both horizontally and vertically. Altogether the design team produced over 300 details. The construction challenges included: building a massive test rig to test the roof design and construction to European standards for weathertightness and up to 100mph winds; operating in one of the busiest parts of the West End with limited access and two flagship retail stores kept open; storing all the slates on the incomplete roof after the crane was dismantled half way through the package, and implementing dozens of reworked details that would frequently occur between the rebuilt historic facades and a new steel frame. All the roofing materials were supplied through SIG Roofing’s extensive supply chain, via its Kentish Town outlet and a separate holding area near the site. All materials were craned on site, but a tight programme meant that the crane was dismantled part way through the roofing package and all 28,000 slates had to be stored on top of the building weeks before their installation. E J Roberts Roofing is an experienced multi-disciplinary roofing contractor registered with AccuRoof’s ACIS Contractor Installer Scheme. The firm has over sixty years’ experience and their slaters alone who worked on this project have over 100 years’ joint experience in slating. AccuRoof’s registered contractors receive priority training, technical and on-site support from experienced field technicians, allowing the AccuRoof design team to take on the design liability for certain projects and ensure the project receives a reliable warranty. Emerson Bennett, Managing Director at E J Roberts Roofing said, “We are absolutely delighted to have been recognized by the Roofing Awards. It is testament to our many decades of experience in roofing and the collaborative way in which this complex project was approached that we were able to bring out the very best in our team and deliver to such a high standard.” Chris Lodge, Managing Director of SIG UK Exteriors agreed. “Only a single roofing design specialist and a single roofing contractor in a collaborative relationship could have successfully delivered this project. The teamwork of AccuRoof and E J Roberts to deliver on this project was fantastic and showcases the unique multi-solution and end to end value of the AccuRoof offer. Expertise in design, over multiple covering solutions, supported right through to distribution service from our specialist SIG Roofing branch network, in this case the team at our Kentish Town branch.” The judges said, “A final product of the highest quality was delivered by the install team.” Read an article about how the complex roof was designed and built: https://accuroof.co.uk/article/lucent-w1-how-the-complex-roof-was-built/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Heating, plumbing and air movement materials supplier TG Lynes has become one of the first businesses to operate a 7.5 tonne electric truck on the streets of London. Enfield-based TG Lynes is leading the sustainable transport charge by investing in a UK-manufactured Tevva battery-electric truck to carry out local deliveries around the capital. Fully electric 7.5 tonne trucks are just entering mass production and there are only a few currently operating within London. Despite accounting for just two per cent of vehicles on the roads, heavy-duty trucks (HDVs) are responsible for over a quarter of road transport emissions. Andrew Ingram, Managing Director of TG Lynes, said the business was proud to be at the forefront of investment in green transport. “We are delighted to take ownership of this state-of-the-art Tevva truck, which is the next step in our journey towards achieving the ultimate goal of net zero,” said Andrew. “While battery electric vehicles are becoming commonplace in the passenger car market, electric commercial vehicle sales are lagging behind. As HDVs make up significant amount of all emissions, it’s vital more businesses consider making the switch. “It’s fantastic that TG Lynes is the first in our sector to have an operational electric truck, and I’m particularly pleased to be backing British manufacturing by purchasing from Tevva. “We will, however, not rest on our laurels and will do all that we can to limit the impact that we as a business have on the planet.” Tevva’s 7.5t battery-electric truck travels up to 140 miles (227 kilometres) from a single charge of its 105 kWh battery. The Tevva truck is just one of three electric vehicles weighing between 4,250kg and 12,000kg to have secured government plug-in truck grant (PITrG) eligibility. Tevva Business Operations Director Kay Jarvis said: “Road transport in general, and HDVs in particular, are one of the largest sources of air pollution, which causes 350,000 premature deaths per year in Europe. Adding electric trucks to fleets will make a considerable difference and will help Britain towards its net zero targets. “We know first-hand that demand for electric trucks is growing at speed, as we have been inundated with requests for our 7.5t battery-electric truck since going into full production.” The introduction of the battery-electric truck is the latest step on the road to net zero for TG Lynes. Last year the business introduced low carbon Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) vehicles to its 18-tonne fleet, making them 90 per cent more carbon efficient as they carry out daily deliveries to sites across London, the South East, East Anglia and the Midlands. The business has also installed a 10,000 litre HVO tank at its base for easy on-site refuelling, along with a new electric dropside van. TG Lynes also has a 110kw solar system installed on the roof of its headquarters, providing more than 50% of the energy required for operations. Andrew added: “From fuel combustion to being sustainable when purchasing electricity and recycling to choosing ethical suppliers, we are taking decisive action to ensure we are doing everything we can to lower our impact on the environment. “Sustainability is not just a buzz word for TG Lynes – it has authenticity.” TG Lynes stocks industry leading brands and supplies thousands of products including valves, steel and copper tubes and fittings, press systems, composite and plastic plumbing, drainage solutions and support systems and tooling. An extensive plant hire service is also available. Visit www.tglynes.co.uk for more information. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Chichester depot of Covers Timber & Builders Merchants is continuing its sponsorship of the city’s vibrant and inclusive Pride event for the third consecutive year. Taking place on Saturday 25th May, Chichester Pride promises to be a celebration of love and diversity, welcoming the LGBTQ+ community and allies for a day of live entertainment, food and drink, stalls, and family-friendly activities. New for 2024 is the introduction of the Chichester Pride Parade through the city centre which will officially open the festivities and promote the event’s core values of inclusivity, individuality, respect, and unity. Jonny Clines, Sponsorship Coordinator for Chichester Pride, commented: “The backing of local businesses like Covers Timber & Builders Merchants is crucial in ensuring the success and sustainability of Chichester Pride. Their continued commitment demonstrates a shared vision of creating a community where everyone feels valued and accepted. Building on the success of Chichester Pride 2023, we anticipate an even more remarkable celebration this year.” Henry Green, Managing Director of Covers, added: “Covers has long been committed to supporting local events and initiatives that enrich the lives of residents. Our sponsorship of Chichester Pride underscores our dedication to encouraging positive change and making a meaningful impact on the communities we serve. Our Chichester depot will be actively promoting what promises to be an unforgettable day of celebration and inclusivity.” Further information about Chichester Pride can be found on its website – https://www.chichesterpride.co.uk/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
