One of the UK’s leading green construction companies is celebrating after recording its most successful business year to-date. Dura Products, which manufactures sustainable road kerbs and drainage solutions using recycled polymers, has sold over 100,000 units (over 50km) of Durakerb & Duradrain during the past year, up by almost 70%
Aggregate Industries will be showcasing its wide range of green construction material innovations and vast expertise in the road surfacing sector at the Highways UK 2022 exhibition as it continues in its mission to fast-track sustainability in the future of construction. Taking place on 2nd – 3rd November at the
Bluechain plans to reach 100,000 new customers in their first year, focusing on large businesses and SMEs with digital payment needs Bluechain, the fast-growing fintech startup that transforms the traditional payments and receivables process, has officially launched in the UK with their first customer, leading construction materials supplier, Aggregate Industries.
Ranking among the most demanding bridges in the world—not only in terms of complexity of construction but also in a complex design—2,404-m (7,887.14-ft) long, Peljesac bridge is one of the most important and largest infrastructure project in Europe. Connecting Croatia’s Peljesac peninsula with the mainland to bypass a short stretch
BAM Nuttall and BAM Construct UK have signed a solus agreement with Polypipe Group plc’s market-leading divisions Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation and Polypipe Building Products to supply drainage products to all BAM’s infrastructure and building projects in the UK. The move signals a closer relationship in procurement between BAM
With the industry under increasing pressure to use sustainable materials in road construction, Aggregate Industries has launched Superlow, a low temperature asphalt enabling quicker, more environmentally-friendly project completion. Specially formulated for use on highways and road infrastructure schemes, this range of asphalt is mixed at 20°C-40°C lower than hot mix
Shipping agent and break bulk specialist The Armitt Group is building a new multimodal terminal for construction aggregates at London Thamesport later this year. The Armitt Group has signed a heads of terms agreement with the port’s owner, Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH). Construction is expected to start in the autumn
Aggregate Industries, the leading construction material supplier, has proved its unrivalled credentials once again in its recent work at the ground-breaking Woodsmith Mine development in North Yorkshire. The £2 billion development will constitute one of Britain’s biggest mines; to incorporate a vast mine head at Woodsmith Mine, Sneaton, with shafts
DB Cargo UK and Cemex have opened a ‘pop up’ rail depot in Warrington to serve the northwest construction market and reduce the number of lorries on the roads. Above: The Warrington depot The ‘pop-up’ depot was installed in weeks alongside the West Coast Mainline using a ready-made weighbridge and
Building products firm Polypipe has enjoyed a continuation of its record growth figures after reporting a strong first half performance, following on from its strong results in the first quarter of this year. The company said that “after an excellent start, demand from all segments of our core UK market
One of the UK’s leading green construction companies is celebrating after recording its most successful business year to-date. Dura Products, which manufactures sustainable road kerbs and drainage solutions using recycled polymers, has sold over 100,000 units (over 50km) of Durakerb & Duradrain during the past year, up by almost 70% on 2021 figures. This follows on from a sustained period of growth in 2020, during which the business grew by over 60%. Sustainability has never been more important in the construction industry. With the UK now committed to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, fundamental changes are required to the way we live and work, particularly in construction. The built environment currently accounts for around 33% of carbon emissions in the UK, meaning actions taken by the sector make a big difference to the outcome. As a result, demand for Dura Product’s solutions in 2022 has been significant. In the UK alone, the business has supplied many innovative and game changing projects like the McDonald’s drive-thru in Market Drayton, Shropshire, the UK’s first net zero restaurant. More than 500 metres of the eco-friendly Durakerb was supplied around the drive-thru and customer parking areas. Duradrain, the company’s pioneering kerbside drainage product, was also recently installed at the UK’s largest drive-thru of Canadian donut chain Tim Hortons, in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester. The installation has helped towards Tim Horton’s sustainability strategy, in which it claims to have “an obligation to address climate change head on”. In addition, 2,680 metres of Duradrain, has been installed by UK infrastructure contractor, Colas, for its latest highways project on the A46 at Stoneleigh, reducing scope 3 Co2e emissions by over 82,000kg. This involves the construction of a new bridge over the A46, and the realignment of slip roads to form the basis of a new gyratory system, which will reduce delays and improve road safety in the future. Commenting on the success of the business in the UK, Dura Products Managing Director, Steve Bennett said: “We are delighted with the way the company has performed this year. There has been a noticeable shift towards green construction over the past few years and this has been reflected in sales of our sustainable solutions. We are very much looking forward to seeing what 2023 brings.” Outside of the UK, Dura Products has also been very active driving sustainable construction in Europe. 12 countries now enjoy the widespread benefits of Duradrain – which comprises 70% recycled material in every 500mm unit – including the UK and Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, and Romania. Notable installations include the biggest single infrastructural investment ever undertaken in County Mayo, Ireland. The 20.3km dual carriageway formed part of Wills Bam JV’s €241 million N5 upgrade project. Meanwhile, in Landgraaf, Netherlands, Dura Products’ solutions were used to install a safe cycle lane running adjacent to a key stretch of road. The company has also recently partnered with MY Plast, a specialist high tech manufacturer operating in Romania to produce, stock and deliver the combined kerb and drainage system across mainland Europe and Ireland. Sales within the EU now account for up to 50% of all sales, and with a centrally located factory, the company is ideally set-up to support new projects within Europe and further afield. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Aggregate Industries will be showcasing its wide range of green construction material innovations and vast expertise in the road surfacing sector at the Highways UK 2022 exhibition as it continues in its mission to fast-track sustainability in the future of construction. Taking place on 2nd – 3rd November at the NEC, Birmingham the Highways UK exhibition brings together all key stakeholders responsible for planning, developing, managing, maintaining, and future-proofing the nation’s road networks. Since launching in 2015, it has quickly become the most popular annual event in the industry’s calendar. Located at stand G11, Aggregate Industries’ Surfacing Solutions senior leadership team will be on hand during the two days to discuss the business’ wide range of innovative sustainable road surfacing solutions, along with the business’ renowned contracting services. Key green innovations set to be discussed at Aggregate Industries stand include SuperLow-Carbon – the industry’s first biogenic asphalt – along with Foamix, which uses up to 95% recycled or reclaimed products in the mix design. Visitors will also get insight on the business’ warm mix asphalt range, now available as standard, providing a more sustainable solution for surfacing applications. “We’re thrilled to be returning to Highways UK this year where we will be showcasing our full scope of sustainable solutions designed for the sector,” said Thomas Edgcumbe, Managing Director for Surfacing Solutions at Aggregate Industries. “Greener highways may be high on the list as Britain looks to its net zero future, but it still faces some important challenges. One of the most pressing of these is transitioning to credible low-carbon solutions that deliver the same structural integrity as traditional ones while delivering on wider net zero aims. Adding further complexity is the challenge of tight deadlines, restricted budgets and economic uncertainty. As we see it, our job is to make easier work of this shift by not just developing innovations to meet the future challenge, but the expertise to deliver them at scale and pace.” For Aggregate Industries it isn’t just about helping the industry building greener now but inspiring and empowering the next generation. This is seen as, as part of the show’s Exhibitors’ Trail; the business will host three groups of local school children who will learn more about carbon reduction in construction and the wide variety of job opportunities available through Aggregate Industries’ apprenticeship scheme. Alongside this, the children, as with all attendees, will get a chance to take part in the ‘Carbon Conundrum’ game which involves creating a road scheme and being awarded a traffic light rating on carbon and social value. As a key event sponsor, the company’s Sustainability Director, Kirstin McCarthy will also be hosting an expert talk at the event entitled ‘Transition to Net Zero’ covering the latest sustainable construction solutions and processes on the market and the role they can play in accelerating the net zero trajectory. Talking of the show, Kirstin adds: “Drawing on our rich legacy of working on some of the biggest road surfacing projects in Britain, we continue to invest heavily in developing and delivering the innovation needed to enable a greener highways future. Highways UK offers the ideal platform to demonstrate our ever-expanding portfolio and provide expert consultancy, and we look forward to meeting as many attendees as possible.” Aggregate Industries’ expert ‘Transition to Net Zero’ speaker slot will take place on 2nd November at 2.50pm. To find out more visit www.highways.co.uk. Alternatively, for more information on Aggregate Industries’ Surfacing Solutions visit www.aggregate.com
Bluechain plans to reach 100,000 new customers in their first year, focusing on large businesses and SMEs with digital payment needs Bluechain, the fast-growing fintech startup that transforms the traditional payments and receivables process, has officially launched in the UK with their first customer, leading construction materials supplier, Aggregate Industries. The objective is to allow Aggregate Industries to digitise the billing, collections and reconciliation process with their SME customers. Bluechain sees the UK as a strategic marketplace for its current growth objectives and they plan to expand aggressively into the marketplace, aiming to reach 100,000 new customers by the end of their first year. With further global expansions already in the works, including Europe and Africa, Bluechain has their sights set on landing large businesses and SME customers across a range of sectors including utilities, wholesale, construction and professional services. The UK expansion follows a very successful Australian launch in the summer of 2020 focused on supporting SMEs. Bluechain has a growing number of customers and partners, including NRS Couriers, Rabbithole Café, Madcrew Wealth and Tuber. The Request to Pay (RtP) experts offer their platform to connect businesses and their customers in real-time, transforming the biller and payer experience and taking the reactive “black hole” of invoicing into an insightful and connected mutually beneficial relationship. As the global economy navigates rising inflation, energy prices and the cost of living, financial management and budgeting are more important than ever. Bluechain’s platform puts the control in the hands of the payee. Customers can schedule bills at a date that aligns with their payday and split payments into smaller amounts, pay in full or query their bill. With Bluechain’s network, businesses receive complete transparency on invoice status with live data to know when they will get paid. It also eliminates security risks as payment data is never in transit and verified billers no longer need to share risky text payment links. With 54% of banks and Payment Service Providers citing technology limitations and existing systems as their biggest obstacle, Bluechain provides a fully featured capability that can seamlessly plug into existing core platforms like ERPs, accounting platforms and CRMs. Tim Annis, UK Managing Director at Bluechain, said: “Businesses, such as Aggregate Industries and their customers are the backbone of the UK economy and this launch into the UK market is a great opportunity for Bluechain to help transform the payments experience particularly for SMEs. Bluechain’s platform takes businesses one step closer to their customers, and we are thrilled at the opportunities that this is bringing for UK customers. It’s great to be able to work with a partner like Aggregate Industries as we thrive together in delivering the best in class customer experience for billing and collections.” Phil Rice, Head of Credit at Aggregate Industries said: “Aggregate Industries and the broader Holcim Group are always looking for new ways to support and improve the customer experience. Through our open innovation platform, Holcim MAQER, we identify and partner with startups delivering the most impactful solutions that solve challenges for our customers and our own teams. Bluechain presents an opportunity to create a closer level of customer engagement. The focus on how we can help them become more digitally enabled whilst at the same time supporting the cost-to-service receivables makes it a win-win. Bluechain’s end-to-end approach presents just such a solution.” Stephen Bedggood, Vice President of Product at Bluechain added: “Bluechain’s launch in Australia has been very successful, with a significant number of small businesses and enterprises making or receiving payment via our platform. The expansion into the UK is a testament to the global success and impact we have had to date empowering businesses and customers in their payments journeys and I am excited to see this replicated in the UK market.” Philip King, Ex Small Business Commissioner and Advisor at Bluechain said: “One of the most challenging things for people to do in a cost of living crisis is pay, which is why it’s important to give customers the ability to do so efficiently. Bluechain’s technology takes payments and billing to the next level in a way that transforms how companies connect with their customers. Managing finances is at the front of people’s minds, and it is easy to lose sight of the person behind the invoice when focusing on the end goal of getting paid. Bluechain’s platform is customer-centric and gives the biller the visibility to meet their customer’s needs.” Bluechain is available now in the UK. For more information, please visit bluechain.com. Media inquiries, please contact: bluechain@hardnumbers.co.uk
Ranking among the most demanding bridges in the world—not only in terms of complexity of construction but also in a complex design—2,404-m (7,887.14-ft) long, Peljesac bridge is one of the most important and largest infrastructure project in Europe. Connecting Croatia’s Peljesac peninsula with the mainland to bypass a short stretch of the Bosnia and Herzegovina coastline started three years ago. The project is worth 550 Million Euros, although most of the funding came from the European Union. ln order to meet the main criteria of quality design, such as stability, durability, economy, and integration into the environment, the inventive design proposed the construction of an extra dosed bridge with an integrated hybrid structure comprising of five central spans, each 285-m long, and six low pylons. Especially careful approach was taken to ensure durability for the extended lifespan of over 130 years. Cortec’s MCI® 2018 was specified on this project during the design phase as a silane-based impregnation with a migrating inhibitor property to protect against the harmful effects of corrosion, thus extending the service life of the bridge. MCI® 2018 is a 100% silane-based concrete sealer containing migrating corrosion inhibitors that allows deep penetration into concrete and provides water repellence by chemically reacting with the cementitious substrate. It seals surface pores, preventing the intrusion of chlorides, reduces carbonation, and protects from the ingress of wind-driven rain. Treated concrete surfaces are fully breathable and their natural moisture-vapor transmission is not affected. After repair of surface damage and cleaning of discolorations and other surface defects, the concrete surface of the pylons needed to be protected with a colorless silane coating to improve durability and increase the resistance of the concrete surface to long-term external influences. MCI®-2018 carries CE certification that indicates conformity with health, safety and environmental protection standards for products sold within the European Economic Area (EEA). Application of MCI®-2018 A combination of AC coatings, cathodic protection of steel reinforcement in piles and pile heads, a concrete cover of 65–85 mm stainless steel reinforcement and impregnation of all concrete surfaces with MCI®-2018 was chosen as the strategy to help the bridge achieve a 130-year service life. MCI®-2018 was applied on the entire substructure of the bridge. All concrete parts were coated with MCI®-2018 by a spraying technique. The work was performed in accordance with the project requirements and after surface preparation to full functionality. This included: Access to pylons Rehabilitation of the concrete surface of the pylons Cleaning the concrete surface of the pylon (washing the pillars with water) Impregnation of the concrete surface of the pylon with MCI®-2018. MCI®-2018 contains time-proven Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors (MCI®). The silane component provides water repellency by chemically reacting with the cementitious substrate under proper application, decreasing the ingress of aggressive materials. The product penetrates deep into concrete, providing corrosion protection to reinforcing steel from existing water and chloride ions, or other contaminants. For the Peljesac bridge, continuous monitoring of the condition of the structure at one central place will be done during the construction phase and the exploitation phase to examine parameters of structural behavior, time, seismic activity, and structural durability. The designer of the bridge specified corrosion protection for all concrete segments in order to achieve a 130-year service life. After completion, the Peljesac Bridge will be ranked among the five largest and most attractive European bridges, constructed at the beginning of 21st century. This important new structure is connecting two separate parts of Croatia and bypassing border crossings at the short coastal strip near Neum in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Cortec’s CEO, Boris Miksic, Croatian-American businessman is proud that his patented technology was used on this historic project to connect two parts of his country. “Our MCI® technology is used in largest construction projects throughout the globe. I dedicated more than forty years of my life in developing most advanced, environmentally safe corrosion protection solutions. Witnessing its application in my home country on this monumental bridge structure is truly a special feeling. Croatia has gone through some tough times, having to fight its independence in a war 30 years ago. Seeing it prosper and develop in of the most desirable countries in Europe feels just about right and completion of Peljesac bridge is huge step forward for all of us.” You can learn more about Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors (MCI®) here: https://www.cortecmci.com/
BAM Nuttall and BAM Construct UK have signed a solus agreement with Polypipe Group plc’s market-leading divisions Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation and Polypipe Building Products to supply drainage products to all BAM’s infrastructure and building projects in the UK. The move signals a closer relationship in procurement between BAM UK businesses, anticipated to be the first of several such arrangements. BAM believes carefully targeted deals will offer a competitive advantage for its clients, and benefits in quality and performance. “We are focused on meeting clients’ demands,” says Daniel Billinge, recently appointed as BAM Construct UK’s head of procurement. “This includes securing their key drivers like sustainability, faster programme delivery, and with modern methods of construction that demand more off-site manufacturing and standardisation. This step enhances all of those criteria.” The BAM solus agreement with Polypipe supports earlier and closer collaboration throughout the project life cycle. Economies of scale and a raft of benefits will reduce capital costs for Clients and add sustainable value. Using just one drainage supplier on a project means BAM can plug products into the design from day one. This component-led approach removes the need to alter drawings – or digital designs – further down the line. Reducing redesigns saves time and resolves clashes and interfaces before a project gets onto site. As all components are compatible, the system’s quality and performance are assured. “Ultimately this arrangement will not only take a lot of inefficiency out of the design, tender and construction stages, it will allow us to focus on what adds value for the customer on that particular project,” says James Lees, head of supply chain at BAM Nuttall. “Polypipe’s technical teams will be feeding into the design process which will help us look at a wider range of possible solutions, and take early decisions based on value not just capital cost”. For both Polypipe and BAM, working together collaboratively will establish a platform for innovation and continuous improvement particularly in areas such as carbon reduction and the wider use of recycled materials and SMART technologies. It will also allow the development of bespoke net-gain solutions based on the unique Green Urbanisation approach which allows the integration of optimised green assets within urban and infrastructure schemes. Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation became an approved supplier to BAM Nuttall around nine months ago, and the two organisations have already been working closely on projects for Highways England. BAM Nuttall is part of the LinkConnex consortium with partners Aecom and Mace which will work on Regional Delivery Framework projects on the M54/ M6 and the A38 in the Midlands and on the A27 in the South East. BAM Nuttall is also working on the M27 upgrade, part of the Smart Motorway programme, in joint venture with Morgan Sindall. BAM Nuttall and Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation have been collaborating to create a library of BIM models for highway drainage. As well as streamlining the design and construction phases, this approach aims to bring efficiencies to the operation and maintenance of the roads. “This deal is exciting because we are moving from a transactional relationship to a collaborative one,” says James Haddon, account manager for Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation, who has worked closely with James Lees and Daniel Billinge to set up the solus supply deal. “We are really happy about the way that our relationship has progressed and that we have been able to include other parts of our two groups in our journey”.
With the industry under increasing pressure to use sustainable materials in road construction, Aggregate Industries has launched Superlow, a low temperature asphalt enabling quicker, more environmentally-friendly project completion. Specially formulated for use on highways and road infrastructure schemes, this range of asphalt is mixed at 20°C-40°C lower than hot mix asphalt. As it requires less energy to manufacture than conventional asphalt, Superlow ensures a lower carbon footprint. The launch of this innovative solution comes just a month after the UK became the first ever country to legally commit to cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to ‘net zero’ by 20501. Under the Construction Sector Deal set out last year, the UK has ambitious targets to halve emissions in the built environment by 2025, reduce the initial and whole life cost of a project by a third, and speed up the delivery of vital new build and refurbishment projects. To help contractors meet these objectives, Superlow offers a whole host of real time and cost benefits. For instance, it reaches trafficking temperatures quicker than conventional hot asphalt enabling earlier reopening of carriageways to the travelling public, resulting in less road occupation, less traffic disruption and reduced build cost. With the equivalent performance characteristics of hot mix asphalt, when it comes to workability, however, Superlow remains compactable for longer at lower temperatures. This allows more time for full compaction and, as a result, enhanced durability. It’s also longer lasting, as lower asphalt temperatures during production reduces binder ageing and enhances in service life expectancy. Reflecting Aggregate Industries’ commitment to safety, low temperature asphalt is much safer than conventional solutions as it reduces nuisance fuming and lowers the risk of burns from material handling. Jo Wilkins, Head of Business Development for Asphalt and Ready Mix Concrete at Aggregate Industries, said: “With contractors and clients under increasing pressure to meet the Government’s ambitious sustainability targets, often the first step will be specifying more environmentally-friendly construction materials. “That’s why we’ve developed Superlow, a new range of low temperature asphalts which have a lower carbon footprint than traditional asphalt. As with all our products, our in-house team of technical experts will work with customers to enable quicker and more cost-effective project completion.” For further information about Aggregate Industries, visit www.aggregate.com
Shipping agent and break bulk specialist The Armitt Group is building a new multimodal terminal for construction aggregates at London Thamesport later this year. The Armitt Group has signed a heads of terms agreement with the port’s owner, Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH). Construction is expected to start in the autumn and freight could start moving through the new facility early next year. Armitt Multimodal Terminal South, as it will be known, is the first in a planned three-stage investment by The Armitt Group to develop similar facilities in the midlands and north of the UK within the next three years. Commercial director Nicholas Marshall, at the Armitt Group, said: “We see this as a great opportunity to open up a new supply chain corridor to service European and Far Eastern markets, and it is a crucial link in our plans to develop a fully integrated supply chain across the UK. “As we are break bulk handling professionals, it will benefit our aggregate clients as we will be able to manage the whole supply chain on their behalf and Thamesport, with its excellent deep water, rail-connected and un-congested facility is an important link in that chain,” he added. Armitt also has plans to handle additional breakbulk cargo from the port and is in talks with Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Group to secure an additional area of up to eight acres to handle shipments of aggregates for consumption within the M25. Thamesport was chosen, said Armitt, because of its deep-water berths and its road and rail communication links. This article was published on 6 Jul 2016 (last updated on 6 Jul 2016). Source link
Aggregate Industries, the leading construction material supplier, has proved its unrivalled credentials once again in its recent work at the ground-breaking Woodsmith Mine development in North Yorkshire. The £2 billion development will constitute one of Britain’s biggest mines; to incorporate a vast mine head at Woodsmith Mine, Sneaton, with shafts 4,921ft (1,500m) deep, and a 23-mile underground tunnel to transport the potash to Wilton International near Redcar. The project needed the supply and delivery of a vast high quality, hardstone aggregate that was to be used for road construction and ground stabilisation works; therefore the contractor Collins Earthworks called for the services of Aggregate Industries. “Having worked on numerous projects of this size, we were able to apply our learnings to ensure an even more robust approach to the aggregate supply. From working closely with Collins Earthworks at the inventory stages, we have put a stringent plan in place to ensure a continuity of supply without disruption, ensuring the teams have the exact specific technical and quality specification of aggregate as and when they need it,” said John Taylor, sales manager, Aggregates North. During the period of May to December 2017, Aggregate Industries’ specialist team has supplied 81,000 tonnes of Type 3 sub-base aggregates and 9,000 tonnes of Type 1 sub-base aggregates, constituting a total of 90,000 tonnes. A further 20,000 tonnes of material was provided during January and February 2018. In order to effectively and sustainably manage the scale of supply demands, material has been sourced from the business’ Glensanda quarry and shipped to the nearby Teesside port, before being road hauled direct to the project. This approach has enabled the team to deliver in excess of 500 tonnes per day, while operating a stringent quality procedure to ensure the material exceeded the structure and strength values required for the project. “I would like pass on my thanks to Aggregate Industries for providing such a swift and efficient approach to our aggregate requirement which has been vital to keeping the project on schedule. Working on a project of this calibre and scale, it is vital to partner with genuine experts with not just the product capabilities but the expertise behind it, and the team haven’t failed to deliver. I’m sure this relationship will continue as we progress the project over the next four years,” commented on the project Dave Shaw, site manager at Collins Earthworks.
DB Cargo UK and Cemex have opened a ‘pop up’ rail depot in Warrington to serve the northwest construction market and reduce the number of lorries on the roads. Above: The Warrington depot The ‘pop-up’ depot was installed in weeks alongside the West Coast Mainline using a ready-made weighbridge and office. The temporary site is expected to handle around 125,000 tonnes of aggregates each year. It is used to receive aggregates transported from Dove Holes Quarry in the Derbyshire Peaks on two weekly rail services, with each train carrying approximately 1,540 tonnes of aggregates. Up to 150 HGVs would be needed to carry this by road. DB Cargo UK is also responsible for unloading the aggregates at Warrington, where they are later transported to local concrete plants and construction sites by road. Mark Grimshaw-Smith, head of Cemex Rail and Sea, said: “A pop-up rail depot can be installed in weeks rather than months and gives the flexibility to move aggregates from quarries to areas where they are needed, especially in the short term. So with the right piece of land close to the rail network you can create a depot. “Rail has considerable economic and environmental benefits compared to road transportation with significant CO2 savings and on busy roads, a major time saving. In 2015 we transported 2.3 million tonnes by rail equivalent to 80,000 truck movements.” This article was published on 21 Jun 2016 (last updated on 21 Jun 2016). Source link
Building products firm Polypipe has enjoyed a continuation of its record growth figures after reporting a strong first half performance, following on from its strong results in the first quarter of this year. The company said that “after an excellent start, demand from all segments of our core UK market has remained strong.” The group reported that order intake has stayed at a steady level with the normal season pattern and is yet to suggest and signs of weakening even after the result of the EU referendum. In the first half of the year, revenue was £223.3 million, a 31% increase from last year and, excluding acquisitions, the revenue was 8.1% ahead of the previous year. Underlying profit grew by 47% to £37.7 million, with pre-tax profit also increasing by 29% to £29.9 million, while the group’s operating margin was 16.9% for the half year, compared with 15.1% for the same time frame in the previous year. David Hall, Chief Executive, said that the company has delivered another record performance in the first half of 2016 which continues their strong momentum built up in the previous year. He put the growth acceleration down to their strategic focus on structural growth opportunities, along with the acquisition of their Nuaire ventilation business. Hall added: “Despite the uncertain economic backdrop, the long-term structural drivers of our business remain strong, our balanced business model means that we are not overly exposed to any particular sector and the nature of the Group’s production processes enables us to adapt and flex quickly to changes in demand.” The company’s board remains confident that the business’ cash generative characteristics and a commitment to stay ‘agile’ will allow the group to carry on its development and outperform, regardless of the market conditions. The group reported that the Nuaire acquisition has been performing well, with some early success in specification of Nuaire systems with Polypipe duct.
