Atlas Copco has reached an agreement to acquire Italian pump manufacturer Varisco. Varisco is based in Padua near Venice, employs about 135 people ahd had revenues in 2014 of €30m. Its pumps are typically used in the construction, mining, and oil and gas industries; they are also used in industrial process plants and by emergency services in dealing with floods. “The pump business is a focused growth segment for us,” said Andrew Walker, president of Atlas Copco’s Construction Technique business area. “Varisco’s outstanding products and customer base make this an attractive acquisition.” Varisco will become part of the Portable Energy division in the Construction Technique business area. The acquisition is expected to be completed shortly. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

Home security is a low priority for Brits this winter Despite an alarming increase in home burglaries over the winter months, additional home security is not a high priority for UK homeowners. New research from Toolstation, the trade and DIY supplier, has revealed that home security is a low priority for Brits, with only 13% viewing the installation of either security lighting, a burglar alarm or exterior locks as a top priority in the list of things to do around the home. In fact, for almost half of Brits increasing home security doesn’t make the top three! UK homeowners have rated fitting draught excluders as more important than upgrading or installing simple security measures.  This is despite thefts rising by 38% in the 5 months after the clocks go back[i] and the average burglary costing homeowners £2,178[ii]. John Meaden, Director of Marketing at Toolstation says: “The next five months is the peak time for home burglaries and it’s surprising that home security is such a low priority for Brits. The cost of securing our homes has to be a good investment against the cost and stress of being burgled.  It seems that there is an opportunity here for the sector to more effectively communicate the long term benefits of investment in protecting homes and possessions from opportunistic burglaries with some simple but effective precautions such as security lighting.” Toolstation stock a wide range of safety and security products for protecting homes, including safety cameras, security lighting, burglar alarms and locks, available online and in 200+ branches UK wide. [i] http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/press/press-releases/insurance/spike-in-home-thefts-when-clocks-go-back/ [ii] http://www.yourmortgage.co.uk/first-time-buyers/home-burglaries-up-over-winter/  

Reports from all over the world are showing a decline in the steel industry. The dream was for China and India to power global steel production, creating a countless amount of steel, however it appears that the demand for steel has not only decreased throughout the world, but people may stop needing it completely. This will have a major impact on workers in the steel industry, and according to Business Insider, China’s steel industry has a big and growing debt problem, which may be linked to this decline. As per Macquarie “The whole steel sector is struggling and no one can be insulated. The sector is facing increasing pressure on funding as banks have been tightening lending to the sector — both loans and the financing provided for steel and raw material stockpiles,”. Unless the volume decreases or a demand for steel increases, things are looking pretty bad. An Overview of the Report on Steel Wire Rope Industry Trends 2009-2019 Proofresearchreports.com have carried out market research, providing a professional and thorough market survey on the Global and Chinese Steel Wire Industry from 2009-2019, which will give you further information within this area. The report begins by reviewing the basic information of ‘Rope Services Direct, everything from its classification and application, to its manufacturing technology. The report then goes on to explore the global and China’s leading steel wire rope manufacturers, detailing the following: Product specification Capacity Production value Cost-efficiency Gross margin Market share Later on it examines the upstream raw materials, downstream marker and the current market dynamics of the Steel Wire Rope Industry. The report concludes by making proposals and feasibility analysis for a new project of the steel wire rope industry, providing a complete insight of 2009-2014 global and Chinese steel wire rope industry. For further information visit proofresearchreports.com, where you can request further information.

The launch of a new range of next-generation LED spotlights has made it easier than ever to replace out-dated, inefficient halogen lamps with cost- and carbon-cutting LED alternatives. The new GU10 range from leading manufacturer LUMiLife – now available at trade.ledhut.co.uk – offers a like-for-like replacement for traditional spotlights, with no need to compromise on light quality. With unrivalled brightness ranging from 250 to 550 lumens, the latest LUMiLife GU10 models have been developed to match the lighting output of halogen spotlights in the 35W to 70W range, whilst cutting electricity consumption by up to 90% and lasting up to 20 times longer. Dan Hawkes, senior trade account manager for LEDHut Trade and LUMiLife, says: “Brightness is always a key concern for our customers when specifying halogen replacements, and this has been top of the list when developing the new LUMiLife GU10 spots. The R&D process has focused heavily on enhancing the luminosity of each lamp without reducing its efficiency, to make sure it offers optimum light quality and impressive energy savings. “The launch of the new range really is the evolution that the LED industry has been waiting for – offering a true retrofit solution. Matching brightness means contractors can replace older, energy-guzzling spotlights with full peace of mind; providing unbeatable lighting performance, backed by long-term cost savings for up to 25,000 hours of use.” The new LUMiLife spotlights are designed to work seamlessly with existing GU10 fittings, and each lamp is clearly marked with an equivalent halogen wattage (35W, 50W, 60W, 70W), allowing for straightforward retrofit replacement. With 2,700k, 4,000k and 5,000k colour options, the range offers outputs spanning 3.6W to 7W.  Dimmable variants are also available. LUMiLife GU10 lamps are fully compliant with CE health, safety and environmental protection standards. They also meet European ErP (Energy-related Product) efficiency criteria and are approved for use throughout the EU – providing added peace of mind for trade customers. The new LUMiLife GU10s are now available at LEDHut Trade, along with a range of next-generation MR16s. With prices starting at £1.84, all of the new products in both ranges are backed by LEDHut Trade’s market-leading five-year warranty and are eligible for next-day delivery. For more information please visit trade.ledhut.co.uk/spot-light-evolution or call 0161 655 0660.

Paul Whitehead, Managing Director of Alpha Building Services in Beckenham is the winner of a BMW X5 worth more than £50,000 in a Buildbase competition that rewarded those who do business with the merchant. Buildbase customers nationwide were automatically entered into the ‘Get-in’ prize draw when they spent £50 or more over July and August 2015. The competition received more than one million entries as customers flocked to branches to be in with a chance of winning one of over 1,000 prizes, from Kindle Fire Tablets to supercar racing days, totalling over £100,000 in the total prize fund. All winners were picked via a random generator, specially created for the competition. First-prize winner Paul, from Tatsfield, collected the BMW X5 at the Croydon branch of Buildbase from Buildbase Managing Director Kate Tinsley and Branch Manager Paul McGuin. Paul, whose company is involved in commercial and residential new build projects, said: “After 35 years of entering competitions and winning nothing I thought it was about time I won something! “I’ve been doing business with Buildbase for about 14 years and more recently with Hirebase in Peckham and the staff are great – nothing is ever too much trouble.” Kate Tinsley who presented Paul with his prize commented: “We are always looking for new ways to encourage and reward our customers. This was our biggest giveaway to date and it has been a huge success. The more frequently people spent with us, the more chances they had of winning, which generated more customers, transactions and sales. Congratulations to Paul, we could all see what this prize meant to him, and to the branch team who work so hard to deliver consistently brilliant service, which keeps our customers coming back.”  

Hiab, part of Cargotec, has sold three MOFFETT E4 20.1 truck-mounted forklifts to FPS in the UK. The order has been booked into Cargotec’s Q3 order intake. FPS has been in distribution and wholesaling for over 80 years, with a portfolio that spans the Automotive, Leisure and Maintenance & Accessories sectors. Operating from 22 sites across the UK, the company is able to meet customers’ needs on a same-day or next-day basis, something that no-one else in this market can offer. To achieve optimum service-levels, FPS delivers palletised items from the National Distribution Centre in Sheffield to 19 regional hubs throughout the night. The company is always looking at different ways of working to be more environmentally friendly and reduce noise pollution, and asked MOFFETT for a solution to help with night-time deliveries. FPS Transport Manager Mark Wilson says: “FPS received the first proto-type built E4 for an in-depth trial in 2011. Over a three year period, we produced detailed feedback to help develop this new electric MOFFETT, and felt like our needs were really taken into consideration. Hiab showed commitment, communication and support throughout the development to ensure no stone was left unturned. The end result was a forklift that is capable of helping our business to evolve and adapt in line with the increasing environmental and safety-led legislation that we operate within today. We were so pleased with the outcome that we decided to purchase three units.” The MOFFETT M4 electric truck-mounted forklift is super-quiet, with a noise level of less than 60dba. It has been designed for applications such as urban distribution in locations where access is restricted and low noise is paramount. It uses the latest lithium-ion battery technology to power the electric drive motors, hydraulics, and steering systems, meaning that when operational it is totally emissions-free. As more and more companies are interested in their environmental footprint, Hiab has seen an increased demand for electric MOFFETTs. “This is a great example of how much we can learn from our customers. We are very happy that the MOFFETT E4 can help FPS operate even better, and be more environmentally friendly in their business,” said Simon Tierney, Hiab’s Sales Manager for West Europe. The agreement also includes a full repair and maintenance contract. The electric MOFFETTs will be delivered to FPS during February 2016.

Yeovil-based YHC Hire Solutions has taken delivery of 30 new Bomag Dash-5 light tandem rollers, supplied by dealer CBL. The machines, finished in the hirer’s distinctive purple livery, comprise BW 80 AD-5 and BW 120 AD-5 models and are fitted with the manufacturer’s Economizer real-time compaction measurement system, and an infrared temperature sensor, for use when rolling asphalt. MD Andy Parker, pictured (right), with YHC’s Jim Patch (left) and CBL’s Phil Hooper, said, “We specified the Economizer and temperature sensing so that our machines are equipped for any application.” Bomag will be exhibiting the system on its stand at the Executive Hire Show in February.

Partnership and dedicated materials store enables increased repair and maintenance efficiencies and cost savings for the housing association. Managed Services, part of Travis Perkins plc, which provides maintenance materials and supply chain planning for public sector organisations, plans on improving cost and efficiency for Wolverhampton Homes after signing a new five year partnership with the housing organisation. Under the five-year plus agreement, worth an estimated £3.5 million per annum, Managed Services are fully responsible for Wolverhampton Homes’ repair and maintenance supply chain and will create cost savings and improve efficiency for the housing organisation, which manages 23,000 homes on behalf of the City of Wolverhampton Council. Managed Services is able to reduce costs and increase efficiency by providing the right range of products at a better value, whilst also providing easy access to materials – freeing up Wolverhampton Homes’ repair and maintenance employees and contractors to work more efficiently on the 70,000 responsive repairs carried out each year. A dedicated Managed Services store has been opened on Colliery Road near the city centre, replacing the previous store in Planetary Road, offering safer access, more parking and better security. The new site is also much more spacious, allowing non-perishable materials such as bricks, blocks and paving to be stored in the yard, which makes loading onto vans safer and easier as well as providing more space internally to store Core and Hire Items in sufficient quantities. Managed Services are committed to making a difference in the local community and have already undertaken a number of projects, including supplying £4,000 worth of materials for a sensory garden in Swanmore Close, Bradmore. A disused site was developed into a sensory garden for the community and now features a figure of eight pathway, summerhouse, large flowerbeds and a vegetable patch. The garden focuses on providing elements to stimulate senses and will offer calm, therapeutic surroundings where visitors can just sit and enjoy their surroundings, or take a more active part by tending the vegetable patch. A number of local people have been given employment opportunities and work experience by Managed Services, including Assistant Branch Managed Jeremy Wise who worked in the warehouse before taking on a Travis Perkins plc Advanced Management Apprenticeship. Upon completing his apprenticeship, he secured the Assistant Branch Manager position at the Wolverhampton Homes store. He says: “I have held this position for 2 years and have gained so much valuable experience, knowledge, but most of all confidence.” Shaun Aldis, Director of Property Services at Wolverhampton Homes, commented on the partnership: “This partnership is the start of a much improved way of delivering parts for our repairs teams. It will be more cost effective as well as more efficient and that’s vital for our services to tenants. An added bonus is that some of the staff have been employed through our LEAP training scheme, which means it’s our tenants who have these jobs.” Stuart Hough, Managing Director of Managed Services said: “We are very proud of this partnership with Wolverhampton Homes and we are now hard at work, striving to support the housing organisation in achieving higher first time fix rates and increasing customer service and tenant satisfaction. We are also committed to investing in the local community and have funded a number of projects in Wolverhampton and taken on new members of staff from the local area. Our new employees are now set to benefit from all the training and opportunities that Managed Services and Travis Perkins plc offer. ”

Plant and tool hire group Speedy has posted an £11.4m pre-tax loss for the half-year after spending £14.2m to turn the business around. For the six months to 30th September 2015, Speedy revenue for the period was down 13% to £165.0m (2014 H1: £189.3m).  UK and Ireland revenue dropped 12.0% to £155.2m (2014: £176.3m). Profit before tax, amortisation and exceptional costs for the period was £2.0m (2014: £10.3m). Exceptional costs totalled £14.2m before tax (2014: £3.7m). Of this, £2.2m was spent on reconfiguring the depot network and £3.3m on changing the management structure totalled £3.3m. The balance of £8.7m was incurred in providing for losses on disposal of fleet and writing off debts in the international division. UK and Ireland headcount has been cut so far this year by 298 to 3,167. These cost reductions are expected to deliver full year savings of approximately £13m a year, with half of this saving coming from the job cuts. Speedy’s results come as little surprise, however. On 1st July, following a board review, chief executive Mark Rogerson was let go after just 18 months in post and replaced by finance director Russell Down. At the same time Jan Åstrand was appointed executive chairman. The new chief executive says that he is starting to get things sorted now, however. Mr Down said: “Following a disappointing and challenging start to the year, reflected in the results we are announcing today, we are beginning to see the benefits of the remedial actions put in place to address the various legacy issues. “These are early days in the group’s recovery and the full benefits will only be realised over the medium term. However, remedial actions implemented to date have started to stabilise our revenue base and we are expecting to see an improvement in the second half. “Whilst our markets remain competitive, Speedy remains a fundamentally good business which in a more lean, efficient and customer-focussed form, has the potential to once again deliver sustainable profitable growth.” As at 30 September 2015, net debt was £102.6m, which is well within its £180m facility. Mr Down said his strategy was to better anticipate customer requirements so that the right products are in the right place. He said: “We are investing time in talking to our customers, and asking them what they need and want from Speedy. Based on their feedback we are working on a number of initiatives that will introduce new value added products and services that will increasingly differentiate Speedy from its peer group. He admitted: “We have not invested sufficiently in developing and building long term customer relationships across our customer base.  We need to increase the levels of repeat business by anticipating our customers’ needs through getting to know them better. “As part of this focus on all customers, from our national strategic clients to our 50,000 strong SME base, we will be upgrading our customer relationship management systems which will assist with availability of equipment based on real-time intelligence as we build relationships from the ground up.”

Managed Services, part of Travis Perkins plc, which provides maintenance materials and supply chain planning for public sector organisations, has chosen to work with Paint 360,  providing customers across the social housing and NHS sector with high quality, environmentally friendly paint. Paint 360 specialises in re-engineering waste paint taken from waste management companies and turning it into something of value; a hard-wearing quality paint product. Managed Services teamed with Paint 360 last year and have already donated building materials and a lorry to the growing business, which will help improve delivery efficiencies on and off the Paint 360 site. The new paint is made of 90% recycled materials and has a very low carbon footprint, as reconstituting this into a valuable product only requires a small number of ingredients to do the job. An independent assessment by The Carbon Footprint Company calculated that a contractor using the paint can effectively run a transit van five miles carbon-free for each litre of paint used. This matches Managed Services’ ethos of providing customers with cost saving procurement efficiencies, as well as operational efficiencies. Paint 360 also works with social enterprises–employing vulnerable young people and those who have been in trouble with the police and supporting their personal and professional development. The Federation of Small Businesses (FBS) recently emphasised how working with small suppliers in the public sector can help firms generate wealth, drive innovation, create jobs and train apprentices. The FBS described how small suppliers can provide support on a social economic level, meaning services can be supplied better, faster and cheaper to respond to customer’s needs. Managed Services’ engagement with Paint 360 and similar firms means that a high quality service, using ethical products, can be delivered to customers quickly – and can also help towards benefitting the overall public procurement supply chain. Stuart Hough, Managing Director of Managed Services, said: “It’s great to be able to work with Paint 360 and lend our support to an SME. The paint products are environmentally friendly whilst still being really high quality. At Managed Services, we strive to provide our customers with cost savings and other efficiencies, whilst still making a difference to the communities we work in and environmental sustainability is a key part of this. Lee Cole, Managing Director of Paint 360, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Travis Perkins Managed Services, who share similar values to what we do, enabling us to grow and develop our business in the similar vision as to what we started out with. “We are looking forward to continuing the partnership and strengthening our workforce to a healthy number of 16-20 employees by the end of 2016”. Government Business 22.5, Small Businesses, “Working with small suppliers is good for the public sector”.