At Snows, our promise to customers is a simple one. We aim to give the trade exactly what they need and inspire trust in our ability to deliver on the promises made. To make this promise a reality, we are making substantial investments to refine and modernise our operations and
Versatile Equipment, a Kent-based sales and rental specialist, and Knights Brown have completed a major supply agreement, which saw Versatile provide the full-service construction business with give TA10P heavy-duty Mecalac forward-tip site dumper units. Each dumper was fitted with green flashing seatbelt beacons and road light kits for legal highway
Supreme Concrete, the leading manufacturer of high performance precast and prestressed concrete, said that more builders and homeowners are turning to concrete as a long-life and sustainable alternative, particularly for fencing, as timber prices continue to increase and news reveal that the industry could be hit by a £1 billion
In response to housing challenges and environmental issues in urban areas, extending buildings upwards is a logical solution. As part of an urban development project in Poissy, near Paris, 33 new apartments were constructed on top of existing residential buildings. The apartments were built with prefabricated wooden modules made from
The new Prelude 24 Max grid optimises load carrying and minimises air leakage. A suspension system specifically designed to meet the exacting requirements of data centres has been launched by Armstrong Ceiling Solutions. The new Prelude® 24 Max™ grid provides excellent load carrying capability and adaptability, with an extremely efficient method
Rudridge hosted their ninth annual seven-a-side sports event at Southampton FC’s St Mary’s stadium, where they swapped high-vis jackets for football kits. Playing alongside the staff at Rudridge were a number of former football legends, including Franny Benali, who spent most of his playing career at Saints, Paul Walsh, Michael
Vivalda Group plc, the UK’s leading distributor of architectural cladding, has announced first quarter sales figures showing a continuing rise in sales into a construction industry beset by uncertainty and recession. The figures for the first three months of 2018 show sales increasing by 20% compared to the same period
Forterra, the brick manufacturer, is planning to submit an application that will help significantly expand its brick production plant in Desford, Leicestershire. The company admitted that the new facility will more than double its production to 180 million bricks a year, at a cost of £90 to £95 million. “We
Monolith Brick & Stone Ltd received a coveted A1 rating for its cutting-edge BrickPlus Pro brick slips and, as a result, owner Stephen Waring says the potential for job creation at the firm’s base on St Asaph Business Park in Denbighshire is huge. The new non-combustible building product was developed
The ultimate guide to ceiling and wall solutions is now available from leading UK manufacturer Armstrong. The company’s new Main Line Brochure makes it even easier for architects and designers to specify ceiling and wall solutions thanks to a simplified but inspiring layout. The new catalogue illustrates with stunning architectural
At Snows, our promise to customers is a simple one. We aim to give the trade exactly what they need and inspire trust in our ability to deliver on the promises made. To make this promise a reality, we are making substantial investments to refine and modernise our operations and ultimately, better cater for the customers of tomorrow. One of our biggest investments takes place at our Mansfield Distribution Centre, where a regeneration programme of circa. £0.5million is taking place until the end of July 2018. The site will be reconfigured, which will include demolition of existing offices, erection of 900m2 of warehousing and installation of 1200m2 of hardstanding ground adjacent to the existing site – alongside this, an additional high-speed line will be installed in the mill. The result of these changes will improve efficiencies and productivity across the picking and milling of product and enlarge our geographical area for delivery. Double shift capabilities will be introduced into the Mansfield and Glastonbury Distribution Centres to improve overall capacity of the organisation and improve our already-considerable level of flexibility. These operational changes will result in Snows ability to offer competitive prices and deliver on our original promise to give the trade exactly what they need, due to improving cost efficiencies throughout the business. Have you heard about our new National Sales Office? Our Regional Sales Offices have recently been consolidated into a central location in Towcester, Northamptonshire. Its aim is to provide high quality customer service, which promotes two-way communication between us and our customers. Although customers can (and will) still receive support from our regional locations, the change to one central office will allow us to properly structure and manage every aspect of the customer journey – from enquiry, to quotation, order processing and relationship development. The new office is made up of individuals who have a proven track record in customer service, and have a fresh, forward-thinking attitude that align with the new vision of Snows Timber. Customers can be assured that “communication” is set to be the word of the year at Snows.
Versatile Equipment, a Kent-based sales and rental specialist, and Knights Brown have completed a major supply agreement, which saw Versatile provide the full-service construction business with give TA10P heavy-duty Mecalac forward-tip site dumper units. Each dumper was fitted with green flashing seatbelt beacons and road light kits for legal highway travel. “With the Knights Brown agreement, a one-size-fits-all solution simply wouldn’t cut it. With projects spanning highly diverse sectors including energy, aerospace, defence and utilities, equipment flexibility was key,” said Richard Young, Area Sales Manager at Versatile Equipment. “Thanks to Mecalac’s extensive range, we could offer a solution for every application. What’s more, thanks to rental-tough design and heavy-duty fabrication, each model offered dependability for the future,” he added. Manufactured and liveried at the Mecalac Construction UK headquarters in Coventry, the units were delivered ahead of schedule and ready for immediate operation. “When it came to updating our fleet, three things were essential – performance, efficiency and safety. Mecalac offered the complete package and, through Versatile Equipment, delivered above and beyond our expectations,” said Scott Best, Plant Manager at Knights Brown. “Now operational nationwide, the Mecalac units are already improving job site efficiencies and setting the standard for operator safety. A few innovative technologies, such as start stop and Capture telematics make fleet management easy – low fuel costs, simple servicing,” he continued. Knights Brown is a privately owned, full service, regional construction business with specialist energy sector capability delivered nationwide and in the ROI. The company operates in the following sectors: airports, buildings, coasts, rivers & ports, defence, energy, infra & public realm, waste and water. Versatile Equipment sell, hire, support and service a comprehensive range of Caterpillar Compact Equipment, Mecalac Products (formerly Terex) and Avant Loaders. A core aspect of Versatile Equipment’s business ethic is that the client gets the best – the best advice, the best service and the best machine for the job whether it is a CAT compact, a Mecalac Site Dumper or an Avant Loader.
Supreme Concrete, the leading manufacturer of high performance precast and prestressed concrete, said that more builders and homeowners are turning to concrete as a long-life and sustainable alternative, particularly for fencing, as timber prices continue to increase and news reveal that the industry could be hit by a £1 billion bill if Britain leaves the EU Customs Union. The post-Brexit concerns are combined with the rise in timber prices that has been happening for the last 12 months. Industry commentators are agreed that this trajectory looks set to continue on its path. However, this can be allayed by opting for concrete alternatives. Concrete fencing posts manufactured in the UK provide a more economically viable option as they can be delivered with shorter lead times and are not subjected to changing EU tariffs. “This is a cost-sensitive industry. The latest increases in price are clearly the result of a global demand for timber from emerging economies and of course as the fuel-source for biomass energy plants. These factors, coupled with the news that EU timber imports will cease being VAT free if we leave the EU Customs Union, mean the rising tide of people choosing concrete over timber is set to continue,” said Tim Wright, Sales Director for Supreme Concrete. “As well as concretes cost effectiveness and vastly increased durability of over timber alternatives, products manufactured here in the UK offer shorter lead times and guaranteed availability – the net result is a much more reliable and sustainable solution,” he continued. Supreme Concrete, part of Ibstock plc, is a UK manufacturer of high performance concrete fencing and building products. Founded in 1979 on the basis of innovatively designed products that are precision manufacture and supported by exceptional customer service, the company faced rapid growth. Today, Supreme Concrete offers a comprehensive range of precast building components, fencing products and lintels.
In response to housing challenges and environmental issues in urban areas, extending buildings upwards is a logical solution. As part of an urban development project in Poissy, near Paris, 33 new apartments were constructed on top of existing residential buildings. The apartments were built with prefabricated wooden modules made from fast, light and green Kerto® LVL products. Thanks to the prefabrication and light wooden structures, the construction took only six months to complete. Prefabrication and use of wooden structures make building extensions fast and economical. Metsä Wood’s Kerto® LVL (laminated veneer lumber) is an ideal material for designing and constructing additional floors in urban environments. Wooden modules are light to transport and lift. Prefabrication ensures quick installation. The construction work for the wooden extensions in the Beauregard neighbourhood of Poissy began in September 2016. The building renovation project was managed by the property owner Vilogia and the Parisian architectural agency Virtuel Architecture. The 33 new apartments, each with 2–3 bedrooms, were constructed on the rooftops of three buildings, with a reinforced structural design. The modular housing units were installed at a rate of roughly one to three apartments per day. The construction project also included installation of three elevators and extension to the staircases. “What’s interesting about the solution for vertical urban development is the prefabrication”, declares Laurent Pillaud, architect at Virtuel Architecture. “Each house is made up of three or four modules and one roof; the production of the modules took one month. Then the modules were delivered and each was installed directly on the rooftop in one day.” The joints between the modules were carefully planned. The wooden modules could be lifted directly to the right place and quickly connected to other modules and to roof structures. Well-thought of design minimised the amount of work and hassle at the construction site. A company CMB assembled the wooden modules at their production hall in Mauléon. CMB is renowned for its exceptional expertise in modular construction. Prefabrication guaranteed the quality at all levels: interior paintwork, toilet facilities, flooring, internal and external woodwork, etc. Building upwards with wooden modules Today, the hyper-urbanisation of cities is a multifaceted problem, posing social issues as well as issues concerning respect for the environment and health. Building vertical extensions using wooden modules is a logical and appropriate solution to the housing crisis in urban areas. Between 1990 and 2011, over 1,200 vertical developments were authorised in the city of Paris alone, whilst over 31,000 planning permission files were submitted, along with over 65,000 planning permission requests. These figures stand as proof of the growing interest in vertical urban development. Open Source Wood initiative Metsä Wood believes that construction using wood and modular building extensions are the most practical and environmentally sound solutions to addressing rapid global urbanisation and climate change. However, not nearly enough knowledge about modular wood design and building is shared, so wood construction remains a limited sector of the construction industry. That’s why Metsä Wood launched Open Source Wood – a pioneering open innovation project aimed at facilitating knowledge sharing and growth in modular wood construction. Read more and join the initiative at opensourcewood.com
The new Prelude 24 Max grid optimises load carrying and minimises air leakage. A suspension system specifically designed to meet the exacting requirements of data centres has been launched by Armstrong Ceiling Solutions. The new Prelude® 24 Max™ grid provides excellent load carrying capability and adaptability, with an extremely efficient method of suspending cable trays, bus bars and other mechanical elements to avoid air leakage through the ceiling tiles. In an environment where a constant, carefully calibrated temperature is a non-negotiable factor, the engineered system components provide the optimum conditions to avoid air leakage that could lead to overheating or spiralling cooling costs. Traditional methods suspend loads via slotted strut locations or drill holes through ceiling tiles where threaded rods are needed and in doing so increase air leakage and the mix of warm and cold air. However, designing out these details means the hot return air is retained in the plenum space and the cool air below the ceiling. The new suspension system is also capable of carrying single-point loads up to 110kgs and can be easily reconfigured to meet changing requirements. Using M10 threaded rod connections and integrated hanging clips, the Prelude 24 Max provides flexible support for cable trays and electrical distribution without the need for a separate strut channel system being suspended through the ceiling tiles. Patented load connector clips attach at any point to the face of the suspension system, eliminating unsightly threaded rod connections through the ceiling plane, improving access and aesthetics as well as minimising air infiltration. The traditional-faced 24mm profile grid minimises materials costs and labour while still being compatible with numerous Armstrong board ceiling panels including Ultima+, Clean Room FL acoustic tiles as well as standard lighting elements. The pre-engineered suspension system comes with a 30-year system warranty. More information is accessible via the Armstrong Ceilings website https://www.armstrongceilings.com/commercial/en-gb/.
Rudridge hosted their ninth annual seven-a-side sports event at Southampton FC’s St Mary’s stadium, where they swapped high-vis jackets for football kits. Playing alongside the staff at Rudridge were a number of former football legends, including Franny Benali, who spent most of his playing career at Saints, Paul Walsh, Michael Thomas, John Salako and Matt Le Tissier. Rudridge’s annual event is supported by former England player Tony Cottee. For the event, the company was joined by a number of its customers and suppliers from across the country. In total, there were 10 teams, each of which included one of the ex-pros, competed in a series of matches throughout the afternoon, testing their skills and prowess alongside the legends. The winning team, which included Tony Cottee, was announced as Stanton Strikers who narrowly beat last year’s victors Wavin Wanderers 2-1. The wooden spoon award went to The Aco Avalanche. “Our annual seven-a-side football event is always a hugely enjoyable and competitive event. It is great to see everyone getting into the spirit of things and taking on the former football pros with such enthusiasm and determination. Congratulations to Stanton Strikers, who really gave the rest of the teams a run for their money,” said Clive Summerfield, Regional Director at Rudridge. Rudridge is a civil engineering groundwork material specialist that has four branches across the South East in Farnham, Horsham, Brentford and Gravesend.
Vivalda Group plc, the UK’s leading distributor of architectural cladding, has announced first quarter sales figures showing a continuing rise in sales into a construction industry beset by uncertainty and recession. The figures for the first three months of 2018 show sales increasing by 20% compared to the same period in 2017. Ben Jayes, managing director of Vivalda Group plc, said; “Our continuing growth shows how the market for our off-site fabrication facility, which enables our customers to benefit from greater efficiencies on site, is continuing to grow. Our expansion plans are on course and the heavy investment needed to roll out the offer nationwide is clearly providing the capacity required to meet demand”. Vivalda Group has already reported how its new Ireland office, which opened last August, is on course to achieve annual sales of €1m, adding to the good news. “Here is evidence that the market will always respond favourably to a supplier whose service is backed by a culture of expertise and investment”, said Jayes. The architectural cladding market has had its share of uncertainty over the past year, but Jayes adds: “The sector is looking for leadership and with Vivalda Group’s long history of loyalty to world-class suppliers, our customers know we can be relied upon to provide a warranted, certified product which all concerned know will be fit for purpose”.
Forterra, the brick manufacturer, is planning to submit an application that will help significantly expand its brick production plant in Desford, Leicestershire. The company admitted that the new facility will more than double its production to 180 million bricks a year, at a cost of £90 to £95 million. “We have chosen redevelopment of the Desford site as the favoured option of those considered as it enables us to replace the existing plant with a larger modern facility, providing both additional capacity and the benefit of a lower production cost. This will give us the flexibility to continue to serve our customers and meet their requirements as the market grows,” said Stephen Harrison, chief executive at Forterra. Until the new facility will be built, the existing plant will remain in operation. Subject to planning consent being received, it is anticipated that the new plant will be commissioned in late 2021 and that the capital expenditure will be spent over the period 2019 to 2022. The enabling and preparation costs of £1.5 million have already been committed and included in the capital budget for the current year. “The high level of capacity utilisation in the UK brick industry, together with the attractive long term fundamentals on house building supported by government policies, provides a sound basis for this major investment,” said Stephen Harrison. “The project is a key part of our strategy to grow our core business and pursue manufacturing excellence, driven by our strong customer relationships as well as our people. It will enable us to continue delivering sustainable shareholder value,” he concluded.
Monolith Brick & Stone Ltd received a coveted A1 rating for its cutting-edge BrickPlus Pro brick slips and, as a result, owner Stephen Waring says the potential for job creation at the firm’s base on St Asaph Business Park in Denbighshire is huge. The new non-combustible building product was developed as a response to the “natural and understandable” concerns raised by the Grenfell Tower tragedy last year. Achieving the A1 fire rating was, he said, a “game-changer” that would “put people’s minds at ease”. “After the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London there is a huge amount of cautiousness in relation to putting fabrication on buildings and it emphasised the huge importance of having a product with A1 fire rating that everyone can trust,” said Stephen Waring. “Because of the understandable fears and the perceptions about safety following the Grenfell Tower disaster, the availability of this new product will reinforce peace of mind that developers, specifiers and of the course the public are looking for.” The rigorously tested product comes in panels of 12 brick slips held together by an integrated mesh fused right through the brick slips which give a building a non-combustible façade. BrickPlus Pro can dramatically reduce overall construction costs because the bricks fit together like a jigsaw and are quick to apply. The product can be used in the construction of new buildings or applied to existing properties, replicating almost any brick facade to order. “If you for example buy normal tiles and they’re a mosaic, sometimes the tiles will actually drop off. But our mesh is actually within the product, so they’re far more robust,” said Stephen. “We’re adding one non-combustible element to another non-combustible element to create something that gives people peace of mind, but in the same instant we’re helping them to save money by speeding up the process, because our brick slip system is very quick in its installation.” “There’s massive potential with the product and the opportunity for growth in the future is great. The potential in terms of employment is also huge. Once the ball starts rolling we’re going to certainly need more people. The fact that it’s made in Wales is very important to us. I’m very proud of that,” he concluded.
The ultimate guide to ceiling and wall solutions is now available from leading UK manufacturer Armstrong. The company’s new Main Line Brochure makes it even easier for architects and designers to specify ceiling and wall solutions thanks to a simplified but inspiring layout. The new catalogue illustrates with stunning architectural photography and technical drawings the interior solutions that help to enhance comfort, save time, improve building efficiency and overall performance, and create beautiful spaces for office, education, health, retail and transport applications. Available in 14 languages to reflect the company’s recently launched global website, the brochure guides specifiers through the myriad of design solutions available, from floating ceilings and suspension systems (including perimeter detailing and accessories), through materials such as mineral, metal, mesh and wood, to wall and special solutions for acoustic, healthcare and highly humid applications. A product selector by performance helps specifiers to select the right systems for acoustics, light reflectance, fire reaction, humidity and recycled content, with Armstrong’s pioneering recycling programmes and best in class Cradle to Cradle credentials featuring in their own section of infographics. The new comprehensive catalogue also advises on installation and maintenance, including a cleaning matrix, and offers a technical acoustical glossary as well as a route to Armstrong’s BIM files available through the new global website and BIMobject portal. It is available to download via https://www.armstrongceilings.com/commercial/en-gb/commercial-ceilings-walls/product-catalogue.html#catViewer. More information is accessible via the Armstrong Ceilings website https://www.armstrongceilings.com/commercial/en-gb/.