The opening of the new UPVC Maintenance Supplies trade counter will be taking place on Wednesday the 4th October. UPVC Maintenance Supplies will be opening their third counter on the Team Valley Trading Estate which is located in Gateshead. The combination of 25 years of expertise in the window and
Fixmart is a leading supplier to the construction, M&E and HVAC sectors. The company has announced that they have recently partnered with Caddy Pyramid in order to develop a bespoke solution that will lead to an increase in the efficiency of navigation over rooftop obstacles as well as a solution
Howarth Timber and Building Supplies has welcomed the Wakefield MP, Mary Creagh to their branch at Doncaster Road in Wakefield. Mrs. Creagh is currently serving as the chair of the Environmental Audit Committee and during her visit to the branch met up with the long serving branch manager David Storey.
Trimo UK is one of the leading composite panel manufacturers in Europe and will be exhibiting their new façade systems at the London Build event which will be taking place on the 25th and 26th October. The manufacturing company will be showing their range of world class solutions for visitors
The population of the UK is increasing significantly. Because of this there are consistent calls in political arenas to commit to building more houses. As a part of this the Scottish Government in Holyrood has announced that they plan on delivering 50,000 new affordable homes. Large amounts of money has
The first Sixth Form College in Doncaster is expected to open in September. The 9,450 sq. m. New College in Doncaster will be managed by the New Collaborative Learning Trust. The college has seen an amazing turn around as it has been constructed in just 13 months. A feature in
Palmers Scaffolding UK has revealed that they will be providing an innovative scaffolding, public protection and leading access solutions for Galliford Try. The scaffolding will be installed at the Carlisle Railway Station in Cumbria while work is being carried out there. Palmers Scaffolding UK has provided a 1,400-tonnes of scaffolding
One of the fastest growing builder’s merchant in the UK, Buildbase, has been expanding the service support that they use for their forklift truck fleet. This support is provided to Buildbase, who has over 165 branches nationwide, by Rushlift which is a UK subsidiary of Doosan. The builder’s merchant has
Howarth Timber and Building Supplies has been conducting a search for the next big name in live music. The Building supplies company has been a major sponsor of Local Music Live, a scheme that was created in order to put more new musical talent on to the radio. The competition
A market leader in concrete mixers, Telford-based Hymix, has entered a long-term supply agreement with automotive components specialists GKN and is set to relocate to the same industrial site. The agreement will give the company access to improved quality and capacity in component supply and assembly. The significance of the
The opening of the new UPVC Maintenance Supplies trade counter will be taking place on Wednesday the 4th October. UPVC Maintenance Supplies will be opening their third counter on the Team Valley Trading Estate which is located in Gateshead. The combination of 25 years of expertise in the window and door repair market of the industry, the company will be opening their new trade counter in order to serve Gateshead and the surrounding area. UPVC Maintenance Solutions are looking to expand their business according to the location of their loyal customers. The business will be developing on the work they have already carried out at the location of their other two trade counters in Leeds and Rotherham. The company has already established a customer base prior to the official opening, while already in the process of developing a range of new relationships. The windows and doors repairs specialists have a wide range of products to offer the marketplace. UPVC Maintenance Solutions has three trade counter branches, and their services here are also supported by a hard copy catalogue that is available from the company. The business also offers an extensive selection of products and services as a part of their online shopping experience. Through the online platform, customers are able to order 24/7 as well as access free technical helpline which is available to use during office hours. The trade counters however offer the additional benefit of allowing customers to come into the store with a broken or damaged part and request the help of the staff available to provide the correct replacement. It is this hands on service that is a key part of UPVC offering. UPVC was first established in 1992 and is a leading supplier of hardware for window and door repairs including handles, hinges, locks and consumables. The company offer an extensive range of products as well as a range of different ways to access these products; online or in store, in order to make sure that they can meet the requirements of their customers.
Fixmart is a leading supplier to the construction, M&E and HVAC sectors. The company has announced that they have recently partnered with Caddy Pyramid in order to develop a bespoke solution that will lead to an increase in the efficiency of navigation over rooftop obstacles as well as a solution that would meet health and safety standards. This bespoke navigation solution could also lead to the reduction of labour time spent on installation. The partnership between Fixmart and CADDY PYRAMID will last for five years. Fixmart will be offering dedicate site visits for their potential customers and those interested in the manufacturer’s Step Over and Walkways systems. Fixmart will offer these dedicated visits in order to get a better understanding of the exact requirements before the design and build of the product. CADDY Pyramid is a brand of the leading global manufacturer Pentair and already carries a collection of their products. The Step Over and Walkways systems will be the latest products to join the company’s portfolio, and the solutions are thought to offer service engineers and other personnel safe and comfortable access over a range of rooftop obstacles like pipes, ducts and cable trays. Caddy and Fixmart have worked together for a number of years, and it is great news that the leading construction M&E and HVAC supplier has added the Step Over and Walkways solution to their product offerings. Fixmart understands how important the safe access offered by these solutions is on site and by working with the manufacturer it is hoped that the solution offered is more comprehensive and efficiently delivered. The partnership means that Fixmart can offer their clients a tailor made modular solution that will provide full assurance and meet specification. The new solutions that will be offered as a result of this partnership will reduce the amount of labour required to install similar walkways and access, with a world-class, safe and easy to assemble solution.
Howarth Timber and Building Supplies has welcomed the Wakefield MP, Mary Creagh to their branch at Doncaster Road in Wakefield. Mrs. Creagh is currently serving as the chair of the Environmental Audit Committee and during her visit to the branch met up with the long serving branch manager David Storey. David Storey provided an overview of Howarth Timber’s recently-completed investments that have been made in order to give Howarth at Home kitchen, bedroom and bathroom showrooms a makeover. The investment into the show rooms has made it easier for the company to fulfill customer’s orders. The local MP, Mary Creagh has also spoken to young people that are benefitting from Howarth Timber’s graduate scheme, and discussing with the marketing and product development manager, Neale Brewster and Nick Howarth, the managing director about the different ways that the company is meeting the construction industry challenges being faced by the company. Mary had at tour of the two and a quarter acre site and has said that her visit was interesting. It is great to see the government get behind an established company management to meet a range of different needs and requirements. Howarth Timber was operating at the cutting edge of the construction industry and is able contribute to the economy in Wakefield as well as the national economy. The MP was pleased of the work put into the branch by the Branch Manager, David Storey and the rest of the staff working there. Howarth Timber is a company that will be impacted by Brexit, the skills gap apparent in the construction industry, and the pending implementation of Clean Air Zones in cities across the North of England. If these challenges do impact on Howarth Timber, there could be a number of smaller construction companies and contractors who rely on Howarth as a local merchant.
Trimo UK is one of the leading composite panel manufacturers in Europe and will be exhibiting their new façade systems at the London Build event which will be taking place on the 25th and 26th October. The manufacturing company will be showing their range of world class solutions for visitors to the event to see at JD9. The London Build event will take place at London Olympia. Trimo UK will have a team on hand to demonstrate the innovative products on offer by the company. Trimo will be promoting the functional features of their market leading composite control panes as well as their aesthetic properties. The panel systems manufactured by Trimo UK and on display at the exhibition will be the Qbiss One and Trimoterm. The products mentioned above that have been created by Trimo have been praised for their non-combustible cores and their simple and stylish look. The solutions delivered by Trimo UK have been used in the past by architects that include Mecanoo and Grimshaw. London Build is the largest expo for construction in the UK and focuses entirely on offering opportunities in the London and the South East. The expo is now in its third year and is attended by thousands of professionals from a range of different industries such as contractors, developers, architects and manufacturers. The London Build expo is a great opportunity for Trimo to exhibit alongside a range of other industry professionals. Having the opportunity to exhibit at events like this will help the company to expand and network while also demonstrating their commitment to creating market challenging solutions for today’s market. The company uses their specialist knowledge, sustainability, reliability and a focus on the future. Trimo UK has a portfolio of well-known partners including Airbus, London Heathrow Airport, Nestle, Philips, DHL, Porsche, McLaren, IKEA, Mercedes Benz, Coca Cola and Prologis.
The population of the UK is increasing significantly. Because of this there are consistent calls in political arenas to commit to building more houses. As a part of this the Scottish Government in Holyrood has announced that they plan on delivering 50,000 new affordable homes. Large amounts of money has been put aside as funding which will be used to increase the building rate. The funding is also being used as an incentive for councils, housing associations and construction companies. It is hoped that the incentive will be enough to get more houses built even in today’s challenging economic environment. Plans, targets and promises to increase building rates and boost the housing stock of the nation are well intended. However, it is important to note that there are a range of different factors that could disrupt these plans. It is becoming more and more apparent that the rising cost of building materials is having an impact on the volume and speed houses can be built. An investigation was carried out earlier this year which found that some of the essential materials required in the construction industry increased in cost by as much as 35% in the UK. These price increases can have a significant impact on a building project’s margins. Some of these products, such as plasterboard, chipboard and loft insulation have seen their prices rise at the fastest rate in 25 years. The Construction Products Association carried out The Construction Trade Survey in the final quarter of last year. The survey revealed that overall costs rose by 88% in the civil engineering sector, and 75% of main contractors have seen a rise in the cost of raw materials. Coupled with the ongoing skills shortage in this area it would seem that the construction industry is facing a difficult time, with a range of different trade suppliers searching for alternatives to traditional product markets.
The first Sixth Form College in Doncaster is expected to open in September. The 9,450 sq. m. New College in Doncaster will be managed by the New Collaborative Learning Trust. The college has seen an amazing turn around as it has been constructed in just 13 months. A feature in the new college is the state of the art ventilation solution that has been delivered by Gilberts Blackpool in order to create a fresh and conditioned internal environment to make sure students and teachers are comfortable while working. The college has cost £20 million to build and Gilberts has delivered their ventilation system in accordance with the needs of the project collaboration with BAM Design and BAM Construction. The end result is one product which has been able to deliver a commercially viable alternative to other ventilating and heating solutions. Throughout the college there is a total of 62 of Gilbert’s’ standard MFS256 hybrid ventilation units. Every one of these units have been fitted with a heat coil. Of these 62 units, 51 have been incorporated into the windows and use Gilberts’ window mounted louvre as well as a registered design that uses a split up/down louvre blade in order to boost the efficiency of the air movement through the classroom. In order to adapt their systems to the unique requirements of the science rooms, Gilberts installed a controls logic for the ventilation units that have been installed in those areas. This logic is connected to the gas in order to make sure that the gas cannot be turned on until the ventilation system is in operation, and then continues to automatically supply extra fresh air when the fume cupboards in the science rooms are opened. Eight MFS-V turrets have been installed by Gilbert’s on the roof in order to provide better natural ventilation to the sports hall and the first two floors of teaching areas.
Palmers Scaffolding UK has revealed that they will be providing an innovative scaffolding, public protection and leading access solutions for Galliford Try. The scaffolding will be installed at the Carlisle Railway Station in Cumbria while work is being carried out there. Palmers Scaffolding UK has provided a 1,400-tonnes of scaffolding equipment which has been designed by the company in order to work to start at the Grade II listed building. The intricate scaffolding solution will allow Galliford Try to complete refurbishments on a building which forms a part of the Carlisle conservation zone and sees over one million passengers through the train station each year. Large parts of the roof of the historic building has been damaged and requires refurbishment works. The damage has been mainly inflicted by seagulls dropping stones and breaking the glass panels. The panels are now going to be replaced with a safer alternative of Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, or ETFE, with access given by Palmers’ scaffolding solution. The scaffold that has been designed in-house by Palmers is needed to deliver access and protection decks. The equipment is 47m width and 160m long. The scaffolding covers 13 roof bays and the platforms below in order to offer a working platform 9m above the ground. The solution has been created by 20 advanced scaffolders as well as Palmers managers and supervisors. The solution is based on the modular access and protection scaffold that is a bespoke creation of the company. The work on Carlisle Railway station is not the first project of this kind for Palmers, who have worked in a number of high profile refurbishments including London’s St Pancras and Waverley Station in Edinburgh. It is an endorsement that Galliford Try has selected Palmers for this work in Cumbria. Hopefully the two companies will work together on construction project in the future.
One of the fastest growing builder’s merchant in the UK, Buildbase, has been expanding the service support that they use for their forklift truck fleet. This support is provided to Buildbase, who has over 165 branches nationwide, by Rushlift which is a UK subsidiary of Doosan. The builder’s merchant has a reputation for excellent customer services as well as product availability and fast delivery. The builder’s merchants sector has to have the mechanical requirements to remain competitive in terms of service, availability and delivery. Therefore, the businesses operating in this industry need to be able to handle a range of heavy materials daily. As part of their operations companies also need to have a rapid and efficient system in place to handle the loading and unloading of vehicles as well as lifting and placement of heavy goods. These operations are carried out by a forklift truck fleet, and are vital to the operation of the company. Because of the dependence on forklifts in the builder’s merchant industry, it is important that a good service plan is also in place, to maintain the fleet and fix any problems as soon as possible. Therefore Buildbase has been working with Rushlift and Doosan in order to make sure that the company’s fleet of forklift trucks have as much uptime as possible. The business relationship between Buildbase and Doosan has developed since 2016, gradually improved. In 2016 Buildbase ordered 30 new Doosan 3 tonne and 3.5 tonne diesel powered counterbalanced trucks which have been put to work across a number of the builder’s merchant’s sites. The D30S-5 and D33S-5 vehicles that were supplied met the requirement of simplicity for Buildbase, reliable vehicles that are easy to maintain. Doosan also have a parts centre in Northampton that can dispatch parts overnight in order to get repairs completed as soon as possible. Rushlift also offer the option of Bobcat tele-handlers, vehicles which are also manufactured by Doosan.
Howarth Timber and Building Supplies has been conducting a search for the next big name in live music. The Building supplies company has been a major sponsor of Local Music Live, a scheme that was created in order to put more new musical talent on to the radio. The competition has reached it conclusion, with Howarth Timber and Building Supplies naming Feliicia Eliza as their favourite act. Singers/songwriters and bands were invited to submit their songs as part of the Local Music Live initiative, and there were more than 100 entries submitted in one month. The performers submitted their songs in order to be in with a chance to be played on local radio by DJs from across the UK. A judging panel was also created, consisting of individuals from Local Music Line and Howarth Timber. The judges narrowed down the impressive list of entrants in order to name Feliicia as their favourite act. Feliicia’s song was highlighted by the staff working at Howarth Timber’s Manchester branch as a potential contender for the top spot. Now that she has been named the winner of the initiative, the singer and guitarist has been invited to Redwall Studios, located in Greater Manchester, in order to record her music. Feliicia will also have the opportunity to create a music video for one of her tracks. This music video will be created with the support of Harris, a creative agency that is based in Leeds. It is great for the construction supplies company to be involved with a project such as this, showing support for local undiscovered talent is central to Howarth Timber and Building Supplies’ focus on supporting local communities. In the past Howarth Timber stores have sponsored a number of local gigs in order to show their support, therefore the chance to expand this support to a nationwide initiative was a great opportunity for the company.
A market leader in concrete mixers, Telford-based Hymix, has entered a long-term supply agreement with automotive components specialists GKN and is set to relocate to the same industrial site. The agreement will give the company access to improved quality and capacity in component supply and assembly. The significance of the agreement, and the combination of the GKN facilities and the new Hymix building, will greatly increase the capacity, reducing lead times dramatically, which will bring major benefits to both companies. Hymix has a reputation for innovation, which has led to the universally acclaimed new P2 model. The relocation will provide a separate workshop for the development of new designs so that investment into innovation can continue. The assembly of specialist machines and temperature controlled stores will also enable the business to better service the aftermarket. Nick Humpish, Managing Director of Hymix UK, said working with GKN will allow the company to continue to grow and develop new technologies for the heavy building materials sector, with the Hymix Engineering Team having already expanded to take advantage of the new facility. Mr Humpish said: “We are always looking at ways we can do things better. The move to GKN will give us the chance to bring forward many of the exciting developments we have underway. One of these is the recently launched new P2 model. As well as this mixer weighing less, and therefore able to carry more, it delivers advanced functionality focused on safety and ease of operation. The machine is built with systems chosen for reliability, and is expandable to meet the evolving needs of a demanding industry. “Expanding production capability on a single site will also save time and money and ensure we not only remain competitive in our industry, but also continue to lead the field in innovation. The Hymix P2 offers the mix and delivery performance of all Hymix Machines, but uses modern materials, techniques and proven components to offer lighter trucks with more carrying capacity. GKN will add world class automotive quality, increased capacity and on time delivery for a perfect mix! “This is a very exciting time for Hymix, and we are very much looking forward to working at the new site, and enjoying the advantage of working with GKN.” As a supplier to Hymix, GKN will provide a quality driven process consistent with the demands of TS16949 and a level of operational management that will deliver effective production control. With existing on-site E-coat facilities and a new shot blast and powder coating facility specific to the agreement, the result is excellent corrosion resistance with a uniform durable finish coat. Hymix is a private company which began in 1988. The company employs sixty staff, all of whom will be moving to the new production site and offices.