To follow on from an upgrade to the free ECA e-RAMS service, available online, it has been reported that the popularity of the risk and method statement services has shot upwards,with considerable demand from members of the ECA. To monitor popularity, the ECA is able to check the frequency of
Unfortunate prospects have been announced for those homeowners who have purchased a property in the UK in 2007, with hundreds of thousands of such homeowners predicted to be hit with negative equity, in contrast to the strong growth presently being realised in the residential market. In 2007, it has been
Safety Is Not An Option Worker wellbeing goes hand in hand with business growth at Eurogold (The Following is a Promoted Article) “No Muddy Boots”, reads the sign at the door of Eurogold’s head office in Huyton near Liverpool. It is a simple, honest request and one that becomes increasingly
Herts Mechanical – The Complete Engineered Solution (The Following is a Promoted Article) With twenty five years of experience as an engineering sub-contractor, Herts Mechanical has both diversified its services and widened its client base. Beginning as a conveyor installer and specialising in the integration of vertical storage machines (carousels),
Caterpillar admitted on Friday that their business in Brazil has suffered as a result of political turmoil, and the recession in the country becoming difficult to navigate efficiently and successfully. The Chief Financial Officer for the company said that the company cut its profit forecasts and saw another cut in its
Illegal gas work at a flat in Torquay has landed a pub worker in hot water. Geoffrey Voss illegally installed a gas boiler and gas pipework at a flat in Torquay. Geoffrey, 59, was working in a pub in Torquay before illegally installing a gas boiler in a property on
It has been announced that Savills will be expanding its Central London investment team in a move whereby it will acquire the City Investment team of Deloitte Real Estate. The team, which includes members: David McArthur, Jamie Binstock, Thomas Reeves, and Jamie Oley, presently provides advisory services for investment within
It has been highlighted by CBRE that the demand for London-based office space has continued strongly throughout the first quarter of 2016, despite both fears that organisations may err on side of caution from the possibility of Brexit, as well as the traditionally quiet nature of the start of the
Concerns have been raised by Alan Whitehead, Shadow Energy Minister, that the provisions made to replace the Energy Company Obligation and Green Deal won’t be enough, and perhaps does not serve anywhere near a considerable purpose as Energy Company Obligation. Of course, Alan Whitehead did not to the positive nature
Savills – Prime Estates: Expanding Property Management (The Following is a Promoted Article) Long established and highly regarded as an international real estate services leader, Savills has, for an eighth consecutive year, been recognised as the top real estate Superbrand by the Centre for Brand Analysis, whose assessment takes into account
To follow on from an upgrade to the free ECA e-RAMS service, available online, it has been reported that the popularity of the risk and method statement services has shot upwards,with considerable demand from members of the ECA. To monitor popularity, the ECA is able to check the frequency of assessments completed and, in the latest of such figures, it has been highlighted that there was a 67% increase in the frequency of risk assessments completed by members of the ECA each month, ever since the close of last October. This signifies a grand total of some almost 600 members of the ECA using the RAMS to then create tend of thousands of risk assessments. As explained by Paul Reeve, Director of Business Services of the ECA, the upgrade made by the ECA to the new e-RAMS service allows for organisations to undertake quantified risk assessments, as well as enhanced hazard and control measure text, thus facilitating an increasingly strong service for members; something which can be seen as successful in its surge of demand thus far. Most specifically, e-RAMS is seen to be of most use for singular tasks and projects, as well as providing assistance with BSE activities of any shape or size. Paul Reeve furthered: “Similar products can cost hundreds of pounds or more, so we are pleased to see hundreds of ECA members already utilising this free service, helping them take the necessary steps to ensure health and safety on site.” Offering a solution to risk assessment that is simple to fill out, easy to then adapt in line with specific projects, and then submit as a complete assessment in a professional format, e-RAMS offers a highly intuitive service for members of the ECA – what’s more, it’s free, which has no doubt contributed to the incredible boom in popularity of the service itself.
Unfortunate prospects have been announced for those homeowners who have purchased a property in the UK in 2007, with hundreds of thousands of such homeowners predicted to be hit with negative equity, in contrast to the strong growth presently being realised in the residential market. In 2007, it has been reported that some 1.5m property transactions were undertaken as the prices of such properties hit peak levels, moments before the financial crisis experienced in 2008. And although the market itself has been seen to recover in recent times, it is still that case that the average property price in 50% of cities and town remain below those averages seen back in the peaks of 2007 (highlighted in research undertaken by HouseSimple). Within London, prices have indeed risen by 56% from those figures in 2007, however it is the case that this level of success has not been seen in many other geographic areas around the country (Northern England representing one such area where 17/20 of those hit worst reside). Most specifically, it has been revealed in HouseSimple’s research that the North West represents the area hit the most by negative equity, with 40% of those areas pinpointed in the worst-off 20 towns for negative equity all being in the North West. Specifically, the towns hit the most are Middlesbrough and Blackpool, with housing prices still at a value almost 30% less than at the peaks before the crash. Blackburn and Liverpool area also reported to be 25% and 23% lower than pre-crash respectively, with Yorkshire and the Humber also hit hard (1/3 of towns being in the list of 20 also). Of course, as can be seen with London, the South of England has enjoyed a far greater degree of growth, not solely limited to London itself, but far more widespread. As such, It is predominantly those homeowners in the north with which this news hits hard.
Safety Is Not An Option Worker wellbeing goes hand in hand with business growth at Eurogold (The Following is a Promoted Article) “No Muddy Boots”, reads the sign at the door of Eurogold’s head office in Huyton near Liverpool. It is a simple, honest request and one that becomes increasingly revealing the better you know the company’s founder Damien Brickland & co-founder Andy Tomkins. Damien is a man of principle and hard work, a hands-on leader who has weathered the storm of recession with unwavering ambition. 12 years since it began, the company Eurogold now enjoys a reputation as one of the North West’s premier civil engineering contractors and has almost doubled turnover since 2013 to £26.5m. Its order book remains almost full and over the next five years the company is expected to enjoy annual growth of 9%. Eurogold’s rapid progression in the last 12 months is a mark of its approach during the recession. By operating to essentially cover overheads but, importantly, maintain its client base, staff and external workforce, Damien consolidated the company’s position to leave it ideally placed to grow during the upturn. Realising that the significant increase in contracts demanded further focus on all aspects of its operations, money was made available to invest in the business. This included £1.7m on new plant and vehicles to ensure the workforce had the best and safest tools and equipment at its disposal. The implementation of a full-time in-house Health and Safety Manager was another new addition. This was a necessity given the growing number of sites on which Eurogold was operating. In order to consistently deliver high standards for its clients and ensure the safety of its workforce, new measures were put in place to develop an already strong part of the business. Indeed, since the full-time introduction of Health and Safety Manager Michaela Connor, the bar has been set even higher. As a Worksafe Contractor and accredited to CHAS, Construction-line and the NHBC’s SafeMark scheme, Eurogold has nothing to prove when it comes to the safety of its workforce. But it’s the little things that make you stand out. That’s why the “no muddy boots” slogan has such significance. “A tidy site is a safe site,” comments Damien. “For us, the biggest thing in Health and Safety is that it begins with your perception of the business. It starts with a simple thing such as: are the vans clean? If you go in our cabins, are they tidy? That tends to tell you what’s happening on the site.” It is a strategy that comes from the top. “I go straight to the van, then I go to the site office, and finally the canteen,” adds Damien. “The state of these areas tell me everything I need to know about how well-run this site is. If the office is a mess, how well is that site being managed?” It is an approach that has brought dividend. Both Damien and Michaela enjoy a close working relationship with their site managers and the operatives on the ground. This has promoted openness amongst staff who are now more willing than ever to raise issues regarding safety, discuss their own attitudes and ideas, and highlight areas that could be improved. More than anything, safety has become an ingrained culture amongst the workforce meaning it is part of the job, not an addition to it. “Safety isn’t an option,” says Michaela. “It is the norm. What we can do, however, is take it up a level.” In fact, both Damien and Michaela are so confident in Eurogold’s health and safety procedures across its varied sites – currently 56 of them in total – they asked me to randomly pick any two for a spot visit, knowing I wouldn’t find any faults. As a groundworks and civil engineering business, Eurogold faces a number of different risks. Its varied work delivers solutions for such clients as house builders Redrow, Bellway, Wain, MCI Developments, Stewart Milne Homes, Partner Construction, Taylor Wimpey, Eccleston Homes, McCarthy & Stone, and Barratt Home; all blue chip companies that Damien is proud to be involved and associated with. Eurogold provides everything from bulk excavation, foundations and domestic drainage to hard and soft landscaping, and roads and sewer work. Risks are therefore similarly diverse from working at height to site transport, vibration, dust and manual handling. It is a challenge but one Michaela tackles head-on. In addition to daily visits by Contracts Managers and a documented weekly site inspection by the site foreman or supervisor, the Health & Safety Department will carry out regular qualitative and quantitative auditing which has been facilitated by the uninformed Health and Safety Management System implemented on every site. This has brought some key benefits such as creating a smooth transition between site teams and assisting in KPI benchmarking for compliance and standards. This is complemented by the CITB Construction Skills Card Scheme (CSCS/CPCS), which is the minimum requirement for anyone working on a Eurogold site. Further training is given such as NVQ’s, NPORS, WIAPS, SPIDER, First Aid, and NRASWA Street-Works, alongside additional on-going training based on task-specific activities include Manual Handling, Abrasive Wheel and Slinger Banksman to name a few. Furthermore, Eurogold’s onsite supervisory staff are qualified through the SMSTS or SSSTS training schemes. “I visit all our sites regularly and, alongside the Contracts Managers, we will identify any tweaks that we may need to make and deliver any training or refresher training where necessary. The training matrix is a live document so we assess on an ongoing basis,” remarks Michaela. “We care about our people,” adds Damien. “Once they’ve worked here for any length of time, they know it is the place to be. We give them the best training and high specification equipment, vehicles and facilities because if you get those things right, the standard of work and the services you provide for customers are right.” Incentivising best practice has also helped improve Health and Safety, and proven popular with the workforce.
Herts Mechanical – The Complete Engineered Solution (The Following is a Promoted Article) With twenty five years of experience as an engineering sub-contractor, Herts Mechanical has both diversified its services and widened its client base. Beginning as a conveyor installer and specialising in the integration of vertical storage machines (carousels), the company made the logical move into crane installation, and has since established itself as a leader in the installation and maintenance of integrated material handling systems and warehouse solutions. It’s over the last ten years that Herts Mechanical has expanded most confidently, becoming accomplished in a wide range of services, including: complex heavy-lifting, factory removals and the decommissioning of machinery. The ease with which the company has entered new sectors and established new services can be attributed to its solid, mechanical and electrical engineering core. As Simon Howell, Sales Director at Herts Mechanical makes clear, “Whether you’re working on a big, heavy crane or a small, high-speed press, the engineering principles remain exactly the same. Around the time of our expansion, we were taking note of just what we were capable of and realised that, actually, we could do a lot more than we were doing.” Whilst Herts Mechanical has enlarged the variety of sub-contracted services it offers, the company has retained the bespoke service promised within its original portfolio of works. It’s with versatility and a willingness to exceed clients’ expectations that the company continues to attract some of the most high profile and discerning of clients. “We make the effort to understand exactly what each client is looking for, and that’s key to establishing a successful working relationship,” says Howell. “After identifying those individual requirements, we actively support them in realising their ambitions. “While conducting risk assessments and methods has always been fundamental to our business, it’s by working so closely with clients, that we’ve been able to incorporate various aspects of best practice we’ve seen. For example, we now carry out risk assessments on an ongoing basis, rather than simply prior to the commencement of a contract. We’ve found that it reflects the volatile environment of construction sites and is able to ensure the safety of staff in a more pronounced way.” Partnership is therefore of mutual benefit, wherein Herts Mechanical continues to hold clients up as a benchmark, and customers are awarded an adapted and adaptive service which continues to be exactly what they need. Placing health and safety at the top of the agenda, Herts Mechanical observes a stringent code of practice across contracts, as evidenced by the company’s Safecontractor accreditation. Also a member of the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA), it’s the health and safety competency assessment that has been most pivotal to Herts Mechanical’s success and which has seen it recurrently secure contracts with major, blue chip organisations. Confronting the rapidly changing face of the industry head on, Herts Mechanical is determinedly progressive and continues to evolve in line with both technological advances and more urgent concerns for the environment. “There’s a great saying,” Howell goes on, “That if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got. Unless that market’s changed, that is, in which case what you’re chasing doesn’t exist anymore. We’ll therefore continue to embrace change – in respect of our clients, their needs and environmental pressure – in order to assure our presence in the here and now.”
Caterpillar admitted on Friday that their business in Brazil has suffered as a result of political turmoil, and the recession in the country becoming difficult to navigate efficiently and successfully. The Chief Financial Officer for the company said that the company cut its profit forecasts and saw another cut in its full-year sales. Bradley Halverson said Caterpillar, the world’s largest seller of construction and mining equipment has no weathered the recession as well as they hoped. The companies saw sales plummet in the first quarter by over 25%, while earnings fell 77% to 46 cents per share. In total Latin American sales 43% with major influences being Brazil and Mexico, low oil prices are hitting demands for their mining equipment. Brazil is currently in its deepest recession in decades, the toil it has taken on exports has seen a slump in all purchases across the industry. In an interview with The Financial Times, Mr Halverson stated that the future was not looking up, the business has not endured well and that Fiscal reforms are needed and more co-operation from political parties was needed to see any improvement. Caterpillar are not the only multinational enterprise that is stating concerns in the Brazilian market, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have also suggested that the market in the country was currently causing them specific concerns. Caterpillar is facing its fourth year of falling sales and has seen issues come to light across many countries and changing economies, all of whom are seeing big changes in their markets, these include but are not limited to Brazil, China and Russia. All of which are seeing a decline in sales in machinery, however, the company says it has seen signs of improvement in China and some areas of Europe. However, these improvements have not been enough to halter the decline in sales. In comparison the company is optimistic for other countries that have felt the force of the recession, further enforcing the need for political interest in the area. Mr Halverson stated that it was optimistic for improvements in the US.
Illegal gas work at a flat in Torquay has landed a pub worker in hot water. Geoffrey Voss illegally installed a gas boiler and gas pipework at a flat in Torquay. Geoffrey, 59, was working in a pub in Torquay before illegally installing a gas boiler in a property on Old Torwood Road. Voss holds no competencies in the area of gas work and has never held any competences in gas work and has not registered with the Gas Safe Register, he was sentenced for his illegal installation and illegal activities after he was investigated heavily by the Health & Safety Executive. As a result of the investigation Geoffrey admitted that he had not followed the strict guidelines in regards to the health and safety of the gas fitting, both in installation and follow up, including testing to ensure that he boiler wasn’t omitting carbon monoxide, something that could <insert> putting the homeowner in potential life threatening danger. Mr Voss’s case was heard at Newton Abbot Magistrates’ Court, after the homeowner asked for the legal documentation for the new gas boiler, after Mr Voss repeatedly ignored these requests the home owner contacted the Gas Safe Register with his concerns. Voss, pleaded guilty to 2 breaches of regulations, and resulted in 36 weeks imprisonment, and told to pay costs of £757. The breaches were Regulation 3 (3) and 33(1)(C) of the Gas Safety Regulations. Simon Jones, HSE Inspector stressed in a statement after the hearing about the importance of engineers with the appropriate training and registrations carrying out gas work. It was only a matter of fortune that no-one was harmed as a result as illegal work that has not been properly commissioned can result in risk of explosion, carbon monoxide poisoning or fire.
It has been announced that Savills will be expanding its Central London investment team in a move whereby it will acquire the City Investment team of Deloitte Real Estate. The team, which includes members: David McArthur, Jamie Binstock, Thomas Reeves, and Jamie Oley, presently provides advisory services for investment within the City of London itself; looking forward, their involvement will now be seen in Savills’ far broader Central London operations, headed up by Stephen Down. The Deloitte team is cited to be of great experience, with the present head of the team, Jamie Olley, having greater than eighteen years’ worth of experience in investment into real estate. The team has, to date, already worked alongside Savills before (back in 2014) when the Gherkin was sold to Safra at a price greater than £700m. Additionally, the team has also seen involvement in a number of other high-profile acquisitions, including that of Becket House (£112m), acquired by Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity, and also the sale of the 1st Martins Le Grand (£171m) for Noumra. The experience across these deals, as well as with a number of industry-leading organisations, seemingly positions them in a very strong stance for a future with Savills. The move serves as a means through which Savills can expand its team further, then bringing the company closer to its ambition of being the number one investment consultancy for Central London. As highlighted by Stephen Down, it is expected that the team will make a fine addition to Savills and be a great help in achieving the company’s aforementioned ambitions. Jamie Olley provided his thoughts, sayings: “We look forward to joining the London Investment team at Savills which we consider to be the ‘premier’ investment agency in Central London given the success they have had across London and on some very significant high profile transactions over the last few years.”
It has been highlighted by CBRE that the demand for London-based office space has continued strongly throughout the first quarter of 2016, despite both fears that organisations may err on side of caution from the possibility of Brexit, as well as the traditionally quiet nature of the start of the year. As a whole, it has been reported that some 3.1m square feet of office space in London was acquired throughout the period and, while the figure does sit marginally below the ten year average volume of 3.2m square feet, it does come at a time whereby a much more substantial drop was to be expected. Additionally, the volume of space presently under offer also remains the same from the final quarter of 2015, with 3m square feet still maintained (a value which is instead marginally above the ten year average of 2.8m square feet). As previously highlighted, the supply for such space may not be able to keep up with the demand for it however. Supply did indeed increase by 2% throughout the quarter, bringing the quantity up to 12.2m square feet, yet this still falls circa 17% short of the 10-year average. Of course, with this also being regarded as one of the quieter quarters of the year, how demand and supply will compare in the coming quarter is unknown. Emma Crawford, CBRE’s Head of Central London Leasing highlighted how the “weak” prospective for global economic growth, as well as the potential for Brexit has thrown a degree of uncertainty into the laps of businesses, yet the level of demand has still yet been maintained. She explained: “That demand for office space has remained so resilient speaks volumes for London’s ongoing attractiveness as a global hub for those companies hoping to lay down roots or expand their footprint in the capital.”
Concerns have been raised by Alan Whitehead, Shadow Energy Minister, that the provisions made to replace the Energy Company Obligation and Green Deal won’t be enough, and perhaps does not serve anywhere near a considerable purpose as Energy Company Obligation. Of course, Alan Whitehead did not to the positive nature of their being, at the very least, something to replace Energy Company Obligation with, as there had previously been doubts as to its replacement with anything at all. Yet, he then went on to highlight that, from the early signs shown in the Autumn statement, all we presently have is a plan for £640m each year and an overarching target of some 200,000 homes each year between 2017 and 2021 – an approximate 40% drop in the previous expenditure figures and an even more considerable drop in the number of homes. Whilst the news that the scheme will be replaced is received on more of a positive than negative note, with some support being notably better than none, there are serious concerns as to just how the new provision will make any meaningful difference when considering the lack of success seen in the original Green Deal, which was a greater dedication to investment. Alan Whithead commented: “As it stands at the moment it seems like a pretty ineffective replacement for schemes that themselves were going down below levels that had previously been seen for energy efficiency…when we need those energy efficiency measures like never before.” Of course, given the severe shortcomings and lack of interest in the Green Deal, it was originally hoped that any deal to follow would try to provide a more substantial offering so as best to incentivise green energy initiatives. These signs are, of course, only early days, yet thus far the concerns are that the new deal will simply see the mopping up of homes which are deemed easy to treat, with those perhaps in most need, taking a back seat.
Savills – Prime Estates: Expanding Property Management (The Following is a Promoted Article) Long established and highly regarded as an international real estate services leader, Savills has, for an eighth consecutive year, been recognised as the top real estate Superbrand by the Centre for Brand Analysis, whose assessment takes into account the company’s depth of expertise, reliability of professional advice, management and transactional services, and overall competitive performance. A delighted Mark Ridley, CEO of Savills UK and Europe commented, “That Savills has once again been ranked as the top UK real estate Superbrand is testament to the consistent world class service we offer and that the values voters look for – quality, reliability and distinction – are second nature throughout our business. As a company expands it can be all too easy to lose sight of the values that have made you a success, but the fact that both our clients and peers continue to recognise Savills as the best of the best is proof we have successfully embedded these qualities at the core of everything we do.” Established in 1855, listed on the London Stock Exchange, with representation in a network of 700 international locations, Savills provides one of the strongest real estate offerings in the world. Property management The largest single division at Savills, Property Management, provides services for all sectors including offices, shopping centres, rural estates, as well as volume high-end private rented sector (PRS) management, build-to-rent and traditional block management. The Prime Estates department within the division specialises in the provision of assured shorthold tenancy management for a broad range of clients including financial institutions, charities, property developers and investors, and London’s famous landed estates. Over the last few years Savills’ increasing development of full and attentive block management has earned it an enhanced reputation. Head of residential block management and director at Savills, Jonathan Channing, explained, “Prime Estates is a unique team of residential property and asset managers serving every conceivable client type. There is a shared passion for the maintenance and value enhancement of residential buildings of heritage and, at the opposite end of the property spectrum, there is a growing appetite for the management of large-scale mixed-use developments.” “Institutional investment into the build-to-rent sector is pouring in – billions of pounds being invested by the likes of M&G Real Estate, LaSalle Investment Management and Legal & General,” Jonathan commented. “These landlords have realised that owning entire blocks of flats, or huge apartment complexes, can provide year-on-year profits and sustainable long-term returns. While the UK is decades behind the USA’s so-called multi-family housing sector, it is determined to catch up and the likes of Savills’ Prime Estates were ready to provide them with a comprehensive, bespoke service.” Encouraging innovation Despite its sheer reach, existing capability and expertise, Savills has built its reputation on adapting to the ever changing needs of the market by encouraging and supporting innovation among key members of its team and this had provided the opportunity to build a truly market-leading block management service. For a company of its size, Savills is surprisingly flexible and entrepreneurial. “If there are better ways of doing things, and you put forward a strong case,” said Jonathan, ”the chances are that Savills will back you”. Savills’ success has much to do with hiring the right entrepreneurial people and then giving them the support to build their departments. These approaches have led to a notably low staff turnover, many senior members giving exceptional years of service, with some 40% members of the board having joined the company through Savills’ own graduate scheme. Unsurprisingly, Savills also has its own training division, ‘Savills Pathways’, to provide training and personal development, offering courses from customer service to health and safety, and keeping property professionals up to date with the demands of the sector. Client relationships In both block management and build-to-rent management, there is a great deal one can learn from the other. In common with both is the drive to provide first class customer service to its customers. As Savills’ personnel are promoted, the company ensures that they maintain and continue to foster their relationships with their existing clients as the key point of contact. Glowing testimonials, which we have seen, are evidence of how much Savills values client rapport. Savills also has a dedicated in-house research division, satisfying both internal and external requests and also undertaking market research for industry and governmental bodies. Taking advantage of this facility, the Prime Estates department has initiated joint research to gain a better understanding of leaseholders’ needs – how they feel about communal living, how they want their buildings to be run, and what they expect from their managing agent. Savills is anticipating producing a really meaningful piece of work later this year. Project integration Savills’ approach to working with and benefiting leaseholders is to integrate itself into the client’s project as far as can be achieved at the earliest stage of development. From a management perspective the agent should become involved at the level of anticipating finances and even how the building is going to be designed so that it can be maintained in a cost-effective scheme. It’s also a case of scrutinising the leases and ensuring that they give the landlord and managing agent the flexibility to manage the property effectively. Already a proven market leader, Savills believes that this positive approach to its relationships with both clients and customers will continue to help it achieve commensurate rewards.