GRAHAM has revealed that they will be exhibiting at the Highways UK Exhibition as a part of their continued growth plans in the highways sector. The company will be attending the exhibition which will be taking place on the 8th and 9th November at the NEC in Birmingham. Highways UK
Freyssinet has recently been registered by Highways England for modular highway expansion joints. The Freyssimod LW modular (multi-element) expansion joint developed by the company is described as easy to install, durable and excellent for use in heavy traffic. The product has been approved for use on projects by Highways England.
The solid fuel fired catering equipment has experienced a significant increase in popularity over the course of the last couple of years. The Technical Support Advisor for ceda, Peter Kay has said that they he is often asked for more information about the industry regulations that relate to the use
LIA Is a Challenge Partner for the Department of International Trade. Being a part of this department means that the Association has a focus on improving the export market potential of their SMEs. In order to meet this commitment as a part of the Department of International Trade. The LIA
An agreement has been reached between the Lighting Industry Association (LIA) and the Lighting Association Ireland (LAI). This agreement comes as the two lighting associations have been in discussions and come to the conclusion that they share a similar outlook and philosophy in regards to their members and the future
The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme has recognised three Northamptonshire organisations by awarding them with the Silver Award. This award and recognition reflects the commitment that has been shown by all of these organisations in supporting Defence and employing people from the Armed Forces community. The Silver Award is an exceptional
The British Coatings Federation (BCF) beat over 300 other trade associations in the UK to be crowned ‘Trade Association of the Year 2017’, the ultimate accolade for Trade Associations in the UK. This award recognises the continued development of the Federation, which is now recognised as best in class amongst
As outlined in a new set of guidelines for procurement (as put together by Sajid Javid, Business Secretary), areas of corporate social responsibility and economic accountability are to be placed on the shoulder of key, large-scale public sector bodies. To include organisations such as the NHS, Highways England and Network
Four members of the H&B Buying Group have become the first to take advantage of the group membership terms agreed with the BMF last month. Thirty five H&B members are now part of the BMF, with others expressing interest and poised to join. Of the four new merchants, three are
GRAHAM has revealed that they will be exhibiting at the Highways UK Exhibition as a part of their continued growth plans in the highways sector. The company will be attending the exhibition which will be taking place on the 8th and 9th November at the NEC in Birmingham. Highways UK has been set up for people and organisations that are involved in the planning, designing, build and operation of the UK’s expansive road network. The annual exhibition is definitively not a trade show, and has been created in order to attract and capture strategic planning and thought leadership and the cutting edge of development for the road infrastructure across the UK. GRAHAM has developed a strong civil engineering track record and has a history that dates back to the 18th century. The company has recently been carrying out work for Highways England, including a range of highways upgrades on the A47, A11, A1 and A12. The company has also managed to procure the Lot 2 Framework for the Great Howard Street bridge replacement scheme which is being carried out for Liverpool City Council. As part of the Highways UK Exhibition there is also a conference that will include industry briefing and network opportunities. The Exhibition is a proven and vibrant event that has been designed to combine the thought leadership, gain insight and the into the industry while also exchanging information with industry colleagues and offering a route to market for vendors. The Executive Director for GRAHAM, Leo Martin has said that the business is pleased to announce that they will be in attendance at this year’s Highways UK Exhibition, and will be using the event as a platform to show their expertise while also meeting and networking with industry peers. This event is one of the mainstays of the industry calendar and has come at a perfect time for GRAHAM, who are delivering a large portfolio of highways work. The company’s civil engineering team has been working on some of the most prestigious projects taking place in the UK and Ireland such as the Tennison Road Bridge Replacement for Network Rail and a number of others.
Freyssinet has recently been registered by Highways England for modular highway expansion joints. The Freyssimod LW modular (multi-element) expansion joint developed by the company is described as easy to install, durable and excellent for use in heavy traffic. The product has been approved for use on projects by Highways England. These expansion joints are an essential part any reinforced concrete, pre-stressed or steel structure. The joints are particularly important for bridge decks as they absorb the movements while also accommodating for any shrinkage, creep effects and changes in temperature that can be experienced by the structure. Highways England works to operate, maintain and improve England’s motorways and Major A roads. With the recent registration of their modular expansion joint, Freyssinet has further improved their reputation as the civil engineering company’s position as a leading expansion joint specialist that offers the widest range of approved expansion joints in the UK. The Highways England approval that has been granted covers the traditional expansion joints that are developed by the company as well as the use of galvanisation used to help extend the life of the joint. The team at Freyssinet has said that they are incredibly pleased to have managed to achieve the Highways England registration, especially during a crucial period in the lifespan of a large number of modular joints in different structures across the UK. Most of these types of joints have now been in place for nearly 40 years and are now in need of replacement, which Freyssinet’s newly registered joints could be used for. The range of Freyssinet’s expansion joints incorporates a wide range of different requirements such as traffic frequency and movement range in order to improve driver comfort and resistance to aggressive elements such as gravel, salt, sand etc. and selecting the right type of joint is vital.
The solid fuel fired catering equipment has experienced a significant increase in popularity over the course of the last couple of years. The Technical Support Advisor for ceda, Peter Kay has said that they he is often asked for more information about the industry regulations that relate to the use and the installation of this type of equipment in commercial kitchens. Previously, the company had no ready-made document in order to assist with these enquiries, therefore Peter has spent the last 18 months working closely with HETAS in order to produce some essential industry guidelines. As a result of this collaborative work, the new guidelines that have been created are in harmony with the latest version of DW12, which is the specifications for the ventilation systems used in commercial systems. Ceda Ltd are known for being the premier Trade Association working to represent the most professional catering design, project management, equipment distributors and service companies in the UK. The Trade Association has more than 100 members offering both local and national support to a wide range of commercial catering and foodservice companies. HETAS is the not-for-profit organisation that approves heating appliances that use biomass and solid fuel heating appliances, fuel and services. The service offered by HETAS including the registration of competent installers and servicing businesses. Installing this type of equipment in commercial kitchens has a number of related risks. The risks connected to this type of equipment include the production of carbon monoxide, Sparks from fuels being burned and Very high temperatures being created by exhaust fumes. The guidelines created by Peter Kay have been tailored for a broad cross section of the industry. The guide has recommendations that focus on foodservice operators, kitchen design teams, equipment supplies and installers, ventilation designers and engineers, maintenance engineers and ventilation cleaning specialists. The topics covered in the newly created guidelines also cover all phases of the equipment selection and positioning process as well as ventilation requirements, fire suppression features, equipment operation, fuel types and the storage and handling of these, cleaning the equipment and ductwork of the equipment and maintenance issues. It is thought that the guide that has been created by ceda in collaboration with HETAS will become the “go to” document used in the industry in the near future.
LIA Is a Challenge Partner for the Department of International Trade. Being a part of this department means that the Association has a focus on improving the export market potential of their SMEs. In order to meet this commitment as a part of the Department of International Trade. The LIA has a Pavilion which attends international trade shows and showcases the services on offer by UK companies while displaying the LIA members’ plaque. One of the locations that the Lighting industry association has their pavilion is Light Middle East. This event is a trade show that takes place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The LIA pavilion will be returning to the Light Middle East trade show this year for the fourth time and will join more than 370 other exhibitors from across 31 different countries. Light Middle East will take place between the 17th and the 19th October this year. The event is well known in the industry for being the region’s dedicated trade show for the lighting design and technology industries. LIA will be at the event to fly the flag for the UK lighting industry. Joining the association at the LIA UK Pavilion at this year’s trade show will be: Bri-Tek Technologies Ltd, Crompton Lamps, Bright Green Technology, GAP Lighting, Inspired by Design, Gemma Lighting, LEDFlex Ltd, Qvis Lighting, NMac Lighting and Penn-Elcom. It is great to see the LIA supporting the smaller businesses in the UK lighting industry, allowing them to expand and export their goods and services to an international market. The companies that have exhibited at international trade shows have found that simply displaying the LIA members’ plaque and therefore showing a British Organisation membership helps the company to improve their export potential. Having exhibiting space at these international trade shows also allows SMEs a chance to meet representatives from different companies and develop a wider network of contacts that can help them to flourish in the future.
An agreement has been reached between the Lighting Industry Association (LIA) and the Lighting Association Ireland (LAI). This agreement comes as the two lighting associations have been in discussions and come to the conclusion that they share a similar outlook and philosophy in regards to their members and the future of the lighting industry. It is thought that the two associations can make significant improvements by working together. The Lighting Association Ireland has been in operation for three years, and in this time the organisation has been able to have valuable input into the design, manufacture, distribution and installation of lighting being carried out across Ireland. On the other hand, The Lighting Industry Association has been a dominant part of the industry landscape for the past 80 years and is the largest Trade Association in Europe for professionals working with lighting equipment. The older LIA will be able to offer insight and knowledge to the agreement that has been developed from years of working within the industry. The LAI will offer new and innovative solutions and possibilities for how changes could improve the lighting industry for their members in the future. The LIA has more than 250 members and is considered around the world as an authority in the industry. This means that the agreement will allow all of the members of both of the organisations to make the most of any changes that are made, and the associated benefits. Also, as part of the agreement that has been reached between the LIA and the LAI, all members will share the range of benefits on offer between the organisations, including training opportunities, social events perfect for networking and the LIA’s UKAS accredited lighting laboratory. With Brexit on the horizon, this agreement will create ties that are mutually beneficial for the industry and its continued improvement going forward.
The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme has recognised three Northamptonshire organisations by awarding them with the Silver Award. This award and recognition reflects the commitment that has been shown by all of these organisations in supporting Defence and employing people from the Armed Forces community. The Silver Award is an exceptional achievement and an honour earned by supporting those in the Armed Forces. The three organisations who have been recognised with the Silver Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme are Travis Perkins PLC, Metcalf Commercial Decorators Ltd and Goodwill Solutions CIC. These organisations all employ a number of reservists and service leaders. Each of the three organisations are known to value the skills and experience that is offered by hiring staff with military training. In order to be considered for the Silver Award, employers must have signed the Armed Forces Covenant, a commitment to support those that are serving or have served in the Armed forces and the servicemen and women’s’ families. The organisations must also have employed at least one member of the Armed Forces community as well as demonstrate active communication through established HR policies within the company to show flexibility in procedures for annual training commitments and mobilisation. Travis Perkins PLC has actively recruited around 200 service leavers since 2015. These employees have taken roles in IT, supply chain and logistics. The company was also the 1,500th company to sign the Armed Forces Covenant. The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme is a great initiative to reward organisations for supporting the Armed Services, and all three of the organisations will be invited to a formal presentation event where they will be presented with a certificate of their achievement to be displayed at their places of work. This formal event is set to take place in November of this year.
The British Coatings Federation (BCF) beat over 300 other trade associations in the UK to be crowned ‘Trade Association of the Year 2017’, the ultimate accolade for Trade Associations in the UK. This award recognises the continued development of the Federation, which is now recognised as best in class amongst trade associations across the UK. The BCF also won ‘Marketing Campaign of the Year’ for the ‘DIY Safe Antifouling Initiative’, and were highly-commended in the ‘Magazine of the Year’ category, for the coatings industry magazine ‘Covered’. Linda Cavender, Chief Executive of the Trade Association Forum said “BCF have had another outstanding year, growing from strength to strength addressing their members’ needs, undertaking some great lobbying activity and achieving record levels of growth. Their high level of professionalism and great effectiveness as an organisation has meant that this year, the judges had no difficulty in declaring BCF the very worthy winner of the TA Best Practice Awards Trade Association of the Year for 2017.” Commenting on the win, CEO Tom Bowtell said: “This award recognises the dedication of the BCF team in proactively supporting our members’ interests. Our small team of 12 has created some outstanding lobbying campaigns, using our internal marketing strengths, and unprecedented technical expertise in the area of regulations affecting the coatings industry. I’m proud to lead such an energetic and focused team of professionals, who always go the extra mile for members, and thrilled to be publicly recognised as amongst the best trade associations in the UK.”
As outlined in a new set of guidelines for procurement (as put together by Sajid Javid, Business Secretary), areas of corporate social responsibility and economic accountability are to be placed on the shoulder of key, large-scale public sector bodies. To include organisations such as the NHS, Highways England and Network Rail, the guidance will see responsibility for social and economic impacts laid upon such organisations for the importing of steel; instead, encouraging the use of British steel. To be applied to all projects greater in value than £10m, clients will also be expected to look at other core areas of corporate social responsibility such as: carbon emissions, sourcing standards, the transportation of materials abroad, as well as areas of social importance such as health and safety – specifically for the staff of the suppliers themselves. As such, those organisations successful in securing public sector contracts will then also need to promote steel requirements direct to UK-based producers so as best to ensure that British businesses are provided with ample opportunity to both compete for, and secure supply contracts on an equal playing field. The guidelines themselves are expected to bring a level of assurance to the continuity of the UK steel market, allowing those organisations in the sector to better tap into the colossal £300bn expected to be spent on the major UK infrastructure developments already highlighted for across the country over the next few years. The announcement itself follows swiftly after Tata Steel’s expression of interest in selling its UK businesses, which presently includes the biggest steel mill in the country; something which heralded great concern for the future prosperity of the wider industry. Sajid Javid explained: “By changing the procurement rules on these major infrastructure projects, we are backing the future of UK steel – opening up significant opportunities for UK suppliers and allowing them to compete more effectively with international companies.”
Four members of the H&B Buying Group have become the first to take advantage of the group membership terms agreed with the BMF last month. Thirty five H&B members are now part of the BMF, with others expressing interest and poised to join. Of the four new merchants, three are family firms spanning several generations and all four pride themselves on customer service and strong links with their local markets. Between them they operate from 8 branches, with annual sales of £15m. AR Aspinall & Sons was founded in the 1930s by MD Andrew Aspinall’s grand-father as a building contracting firm. His father developed the merchanting business in the 1990s, which is now based in Over, Cambridgeshire. Three generations of Branch Bros work in their expanding Lincolnshire business, with Ashley Branch at the helm. Currently trading from branches in Bourne and Market Deeping, a third branch is due to open in Holbeach next year. With a name reflecting its early manufacturing origins, Manningham Concrete is now one of Bradford’s largest independent builders merchants with four outlets. It has been owned by the same family for two generations and is now in the capable hands of brothers, Alan and Andrew Tomlinson. Totem Timber, now run by Shaun Parnell and Graham Jeffery, was the brainchild of a builder specialising in animal houses for zoos and safari parks forty years ago. He had great difficulty finding all the materials required in one place so created his own one stop store. Welcoming them to the BMF, managing director John Newcomb said: “We are delighted to welcome such longstanding family firms to the BMF. They have a strong relationship with H&B and they will find the BMF equally supportive. I encourage other H&B members to join them and enjoy the many commercial benefits offered by the BMF.”
