RCM has announced its latest acquisition – the Rockpanel exterior cladding, part of the Rockwool group, the world leader in stone wall solutions. Rockpanel is now part of RCM’s extensive portfolio of façades offerings. The façade is quick and easy to install, easy to maintain, highly cost-effective, and virtually waste-free.
Nic Collins, the area technical manager at Sika Refurbishment, wants to remind us how important the roof and concrete maintenance is for the upkeep of buildings, particularly for those of historical interest. Pitch-less roofs unadorned by modern drainage features are susceptible to ponding, which can lead to blistering to the
An upgraded version of GreenCoat Pural by SSAB using the patented Bio-based Technology (BT) coating made from Swedish rapeseed oil is now available. GreenCoat Pural BT is part of the GreenCoat premium steel product range, which is the greenest collection of colour coated steel products for the building industry. GreenCoat
The story of how two electrical specialists teamed up and succeeded in the Middle East following the global oil price crash ~ During times of economic uncertainty, it is often prudent for business leaders to diversify their companies’ products, services and markets to mitigate their risk exposure. In the
Offsite Solutions has won the Manufacturer of the Year Award. The leading bathroom pod manufacturer in the UK took home the award from the Made in the South West Awards. The annual awards have been created in order to showcase the manufacturing excellence across the South West and celebrate the
The established Scottish offsite manufacturing specialists, as well as full timber frame housing kit manufacturers, Scotframe Timber Engineering has announced that they have been acquired by a multinational construction group. The offsite manufacturer of timber frame housing solutions has been acquired by Saint-Gobain. Scotframe has their headquarters in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire
Britcon, the Building and civil engineering business has announced that they have expanded their in house expertise with the creation of a Mechanical & Electrical position at their offices in Scunthorpe, North Lancashire and Wakefield in West Yorkshire. Patrick Kenworthy has joined in this new electrical role and will bring
GAP Welfare Services is a division in the GAP Group that specialises in the hire of the environmentally sustainable welfare units. The company has celebrated the delivery of their 1,000th mobile welfare unit. This unit has been supplied by the leading manufacturer, AJC Trailers. GAP is a national hire company
Systemair has announced the launch of Geniox in order to offer a product that can improve the energy efficiency of ventilation systems. Systemair is a leading ventilation company and has launched the new air handling units. It is thought that ventilation accounts for around 40% of a building’s energy consumption,
Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is absolutely vital for a wide range of jobs, but the engineering trade poses significant risks. Thankfully these risks can be mitigated simply by wearing approved health and safety products. Here are some of the essential PPE items that engineers will need to wear in
RCM has announced its latest acquisition – the Rockpanel exterior cladding, part of the Rockwool group, the world leader in stone wall solutions. Rockpanel is now part of RCM’s extensive portfolio of façades offerings. The façade is quick and easy to install, easy to maintain, highly cost-effective, and virtually waste-free. The boards could be used as exterior cladding, for applications along the roofline and for building detailing. Each one of them is made from compressed mineral wool from basalt, which is then mixed with a small quantity of organic binder, resulting in a unique board that combines the strength and durability of stone with the workability of wood. The full range contains eleven products for different applications and finishes: Rockpanel Uni, Rockpanel Ply, Rockpanel Colours, Rockpanel Metallics, Rockpanel Chameleon, Rockpanel Brilliant, Rockpanel Woods, Rockpanel Natural, Rockpanel Stones, Rockpanel Lines 2 and Rockpanel Premium. In addition, all boards are available in various colours and are treated with a 4-layer water-based high quality coating that locks in their appearance, colour and finish for years to come. “RCM are delighted to be able to offer Rockpanel façades to our customers. It has added a new dimension to our façade portfolio and compliments the already existing range on offer. Rockpanel is made from natural volcanic rock-basalt and offers many benefits. It is as easy to process as wood, the colours remain stable and the material does not delaminate or rot. We look forward to increasing demand for this exceptional façade,” said Ian Quinton, Managing Director at RCM. RCM has already started supplying the Rockpanel range to various UK based project and is looking forward to expanding its façade range over the coming months. RCM is a major supplier of wall solutions for the UK construction industry, offering building boards, façades, breather membranes, and airtightness solutions. It is a market leader in providing innovative products and solutions designed and tested to meet the demands of the industry.
Nic Collins, the area technical manager at Sika Refurbishment, wants to remind us how important the roof and concrete maintenance is for the upkeep of buildings, particularly for those of historical interest. Pitch-less roofs unadorned by modern drainage features are susceptible to ponding, which can lead to blistering to the roof’s surface and valuable assets within the building becoming damaged. Exterior concrete elements such as soffits and parapets are also at risk of deterioration due to long-term ingress. To make sure this doesn’t happen to your building, Nic gives us a few advices. The first step towards avoiding the costly repairs of a water damaged roof is preventing it from becoming a major issue. A good corrosion survey, such as the one provided by Sika, measures the rate of delamination, its source and the effect on the concrete. Additionally, it also identifies the right products and systems to use as part of a refurbishment programme. The Sika survey investigates dust samples for chloride content and covers a meter reading and a test for levels of carbonation. A factual report based on the findings is then drawn-up and implemented as necessary. If a leak emanates from the roof’s area and threatens to cause long-term damage to surrounding concrete features, a roof survey is also advised. The Sika Liquid Plastics Area Technical Managers can conduct this survey and produce a full specification of the repair solution, with the project being monitored until its full completion by highly-experienced Field Technicians. Sika provided the products and expertise for two Grade II-listed buildings – the Hoover Building in Perivale, west London during its transformation into a luxury residential complex, and the Cunard, a former Second World War air raid shelter, now a high-end office block situated in a desirable dockyard location. By providing both the expertise and the quality products, Sika’s solution simplifies the refurbishment process for the client.
An upgraded version of GreenCoat Pural by SSAB using the patented Bio-based Technology (BT) coating made from Swedish rapeseed oil is now available. GreenCoat Pural BT is part of the GreenCoat premium steel product range, which is the greenest collection of colour coated steel products for the building industry. GreenCoat Pural has been the benchmark for roofing applications having the highest level of durability to withstand the harshest climates on earth for almost 30 years. The roof retains its appearance, is easy to maintain and is cost effective. It provides a maximum product lifetime due to its superior technical properties, such as Ruv4 UV radiation and RC5 corrosion resistance, as well as resistance from mechanical wear. The GreenCoat Pural BT offers builders a level of sustainability found nowhere else on the market, in addition to enhanced performance. “With GreenCoat® colour coated steels we provide the most sustainable products with the best technical properties for the building industry. GreenCoat® steels have the lowest thermal expansion of all metals to guarantee a clean look without buckling or deformation, for years to come,” said Olavi Huhtala, Executive Vice President SSAB Europe at SSAB Group. A lot of thought and research was put into the new steel product, involving consumer feedback, observing test results and utilizing the expertise of our partners. The end result is a product that combines the vision to deliver high-performance for greener living. “We have been using GreenCoat Pural successfully for 20 years. Now, we are taking a step further, advancing the creation of a more sustainable living environment in terms of roof construction. It was extremely rewarding to participate in the development of this unique, new generation of roofing products,” explains Juha Weckman, Director of Weckman Steel Oy, Finland. GreenCoat Pural BT is available in an extensive colour range inspired by the Nordic nature with the option of matt or regular gloss finishes.
The story of how two electrical specialists teamed up and succeeded in the Middle East following the global oil price crash ~ During times of economic uncertainty, it is often prudent for business leaders to diversify their companies’ products, services and markets to mitigate their risk exposure. In the same way that many businesses are now adjusting their strategic outlook in light of Brexit, others are using the opportunity to enter into new markets. Following a similar period of uncertainty in 2015, after the global oil and gas price crashed, load bank specialist Crestchic and power distribution specialist ide Systems teamed up to take on the Middle East power rental market. It may come as a surprise to learn that some of the world’s biggest companies started out life in a very different form to the brands we know and love today. For example, Twitter started life as a podcasting service, Starbucks used to sell coffee machines, Nokia began as a paper mill, Hewlett-Packard specialised in electrical testing products and even Apple teetered on the brink of bankruptcy before Steve Jobs launched the iPod. A difficult dilemma Similarly, Crestchic found itself in need of an adjustment to its business model when the global price of oil and gas crashed. One of a group of companies owned by AIM-listed Northbridge Industrial Services plc, Crestchic is the world’s largest specialist load bank manufacturer, having sold and hired equipment to companies worldwide for over 25 years. “Following the oil price crash, our parent company Northbridge plc faced a growing risk-exposure to a portion of its investment portfolio, which consists of businesses serving the oil and gas market,” explained Chris Caldwell, European rental director of Crestchic. “To mitigate this risk, we adjusted Crestchic’s strategic focus to capitalise on the growing power market.” The rapid growth of social media, online services and cloud computing in recent years has given rise to an increasing dependence on temporary and emergency backup power supplies, which are used to power the new wave of data centres. This is particularly true in applications such as financial services, hospitals and commercial buildings. Here, the use of load banks to test mission-critical power supplies is equally as important as the power supplies themselves. With a product range designed and manufactured in the UK, Crestchic has established successful rental operations in countries including the UK, France, Germany, Singapore, China and the USA. Generator rental companies typically purchase Crestchic’s load banks, transformers and critical testing equipment to fill a shortfall in their supply inventory. A fresh perspective As part of its diversification strategy, Crestchic spotted an opportunity to gain increased market penetration in the Middle East where Northbridge plc already operated a Crestchic Middle East (CME) rental fulfilment warehouse, as well as Tasman, an oil and gas tools business, in Jebel Ali, UAE. In order to deliver a full portfolio of rental equipment, Crestchic turned to power-distribution specialist ide Systems. Based in Cannock, Staffordshire, with outlets in London and Glasgow, ide Systems specialises in the rental and bespoke engineering of products including distribution boards, changeover systems, inline protection, and cabling. They typically supply sectors such as events, construction, commerce, healthcare, and military. “Having already worked with Crestchic to supply rental equipment into France and Germany, we were keen to join forces to take on the Middle East rental market,” explained Ian Thomas, managing director of ide Systems. “We entered into a joint venture and used a revenue sharing model. We supplied the capital investment for the rental equipment while Crestchic supplied the facilities and the team required to manage the day-to-day rental operations. “Our research in the Middle East showed that it was ideally located to make a significant impact on the rental market and provide easy access to neighbouring regions including North Africa and India, as well as the wider Middle East and Asia.” Many GCC countries are still recovering from the 2009 global economic crisis, with average economic growth in the region forecast at 1.8 per cent according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Countering this trend, Dubai has certainly bounced back much faster thanks to its more diversified economy and is now set to experience 3.7 per cent economic growth in 2016. This is despite estimates by the IMF showing that low oil prices in the Arabian Gulf will result in the loss of $140 billion in export revenue. Part of the reason why Dubai has bucked the economic downturn is the government’s creation of economic hubs such as the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA). Boasting one of the Middle East’s busiest ports, the Jebel Ali Free Zone is a state-owned free economic zone designed to provide foreign businesses with a low-tax, low-bureaucracy, environment that delivers extensive infrastructure supported by excellent logistics. Overcoming obstacles Taking advantage of this opportunity, ide Systems provided a suite of electrical equipment ranging from power distribution boards, automatic changeover systems, switches, inline protection, cabling and more. “However, simply supplying the equipment was not enough,” continued Thomas. “We faced some key challenges unique to the Middle East. We had to make some minor modifications to the equipment to withstand the extreme temperatures, especially for outdoor use and at events. “Because the ambient temperatures can potentially cause internal components to fail, we adapted the equipment to include forced ventilation and added solar-gain shields to the housing to limit thermal issues. Many of the larger power distribution boards also needed to be adapted with caster wheels, trolleys and cradles for larger corporate events.” Compliance challenges As well as making technical modifications, the weaker regulatory framework in the region posed a challenge. To overcome this problem, the company ensured that all equipment was tested and certified to the highest levels, going beyond the regulatory requirements. “One of the weaknesses of the Middle East rental market is that many providers simply don’t test equipment properly,” explained Thomas. “This means that businesses who want
Offsite Solutions has won the Manufacturer of the Year Award. The leading bathroom pod manufacturer in the UK took home the award from the Made in the South West Awards. The annual awards have been created in order to showcase the manufacturing excellence across the South West and celebrate the commitment that has been made by the region’s businesses to achieving world-class quality and performance. The companies that are entered into these awards represent a diverse range of industries, from aerospace and building products to food and drink brands. The winners at this awards ceremony are then automatically put through to the Made in the UK Awards. Offsite Solutions were presented with the Manufacturer of the Year Award for companies with less than £25 million a year turnover at a ceremony that took place in the Grand Hotel, Bristol. The category that Offsite Solutions was included in assessed manufacturing excellence as well as sales growth and regional economic impact. The judges for the Made in the South West Awards praised the spread of sectors that Offsite Solutions is able to flourish in as well as their £5 million factory investment programme that is now in progress. The company are thrilled with this latest accolade and the Managing Director of Offsite Solutions, James Stephens has said that the recognition is a testament to the hard work and talent that has been shown by the teams working across the company. Offsite Solutions are proud to be leaders in the market of offsite bathroom pod manufacture and are committed to innovation. As a part of their focus on innovation, Offsite Solutions invest in state of the art production facilities in Highbridge which will allow the company to continue to offer the very best quality bathroom pod products available on the market. Offsite offer a comprehensive and expanding range of bathroom pods to suit a wide range of building types and finishes. Being named Manufacturer of the Year will no doubt boost the company’s success going forward.
The established Scottish offsite manufacturing specialists, as well as full timber frame housing kit manufacturers, Scotframe Timber Engineering has announced that they have been acquired by a multinational construction group. The offsite manufacturer of timber frame housing solutions has been acquired by Saint-Gobain. Scotframe has their headquarters in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire and has over 160 employees. The company had reported sales last year of around £30 million. The company has become well-known for providing modular housing and is a market leader in the manufacture and supply of closed panel systems. On top of this, Scotframe works to supply customers with full timber frame housing kits to be installed by small and medium sized builders, developers or self-builders across the UK. This acquisition marks a new start for the offsite manufacturing experts and there is a great deal of potential in becoming a part of Saint-Gobain group. The multi-national construction group has a great reputation and shows a good level of business strength which could lead to an equally strong future for Scotframe. The Saint-Gobain Group was first established in 1655 in north east France. The company was the first to produce glass on an industrial scale and has since managed to expand, working in a number of different locations around the world. The construction group has a strong presence in Scotland and has recently completed the Queensferry Crossing which is known for being the longest three-tower cable-stayed bridge in the world. The Founder and MD of Scotframe, Bob Edwards will be staying with the company and will continue working as Managing Director after the acquisition. It is also thought that following the takeover Scotframe will continue to operate business as usual, working to serve customers with high-quality manufactured products. Bob Edwards has said that nothing will change for Scotframe customers, but the company will be making the most of an opportunity to be a part of a global construction group.
Britcon, the Building and civil engineering business has announced that they have expanded their in house expertise with the creation of a Mechanical & Electrical position at their offices in Scunthorpe, North Lancashire and Wakefield in West Yorkshire. Patrick Kenworthy has joined in this new electrical role and will bring more than 30 years of experience in building services management to his new position. Patrick is a qualified energy assessor and has an extensive track record for the delivery of complex projects in the public and private sectors. With a particular knowledge base in education health and renewable energy, Patrick will be an asset to Britcon and will be joining the company from Centrica DE&P. In his previous role, Patrick recently completed a 20MW generation plant that was created in Scunthorpe. It is great news for Britcon, the building and civil engineering business that they have such an experienced professional joining the team in this newly created role. The company have expanded their remit significantly for M&E installations. This area commonly represents 50% of the brief for a large number of different projects. With M&E being such a vital part of many building and civil engineering projects, it makes sense for the company to expand their knowledge in this area with the creation of a new in-house role and offer direct energy assessment and dialogue with their subcontract supply chain. The appointments that have been made as a part of this expansion reflect the continuous growth Britcon is striving to achieve. The company is specifically looking for growth in highly complex projects and the specialist expertise that would be required for this. One of the projects that Britcon has expanded for is the new £14 million product line for Kemira Chemicals as well as the £30 million anaerobic digestion plant for ReFood in Dagenham.
GAP Welfare Services is a division in the GAP Group that specialises in the hire of the environmentally sustainable welfare units. The company has celebrated the delivery of their 1,000th mobile welfare unit. This unit has been supplied by the leading manufacturer, AJC Trailers. GAP is a national hire company that offers a wide range of market leading equipment to hire from a network of nationwide depots. AJC has been supplying GAP with mobile welfare units since May 2014. The environmentally sustainable welfare units company currently have a portfolio of different units that are all available to hire. The units measure from the compact 12’ to the popular 16’ unit of the more spacious 20’ set up. The supply of the 1,000th unit is a unique milestone for AJC, who have expressed their enjoyment of the lasting partnership that has been formed between the manufacturing company and the welfare unit hire company. GAP offers their input for the units that they purchase and this feedback has been invaluable for ensuring that the manufacturer continues to improve their products that meets the requirements of the operator and the end user. In order to comply with the company’s Green Action Plan, the units that are manufactured for GAP offers a numerous environmentally friendly features that help to reduce emissions, maintenance, fuel consumption, generator hours and noise pollution. The AJC EasyCabin that are supplied to GAP have recently been awarded the Green Apple Environment Award as part of an international campaign that works to find the best and greenest companies, councils and communities. AJC were in competition against 5400 other nominations in the category for Environmental Best Practice at the Green Apple Awards and will be presented with a trophy and certificate at an award presentation ceremony that will take place in the Houses of Parliament on the 6th November.
Systemair has announced the launch of Geniox in order to offer a product that can improve the energy efficiency of ventilation systems. Systemair is a leading ventilation company and has launched the new air handling units. It is thought that ventilation accounts for around 40% of a building’s energy consumption, this means that there is significant potential in this area of construction to improve. The changes that have taken place in the construction industry means that the new buildings are better insulated in order to save the owner or tenant money on heating. This insulation increases the need for ventilation, which is then required to perform at a higher level to achieve the ideal indoor climate. Ventilation has also been highlighted as one of the focus points of the Ecodesign directive which has come from the European Commission. This directive is implemented in three steps. The first step took place on January 1st 2016 and the next are planned for 2018 and 2020. It is important that energy efficiency remains at the forefront of design and development, therefore any ideas that can improve energy consumption are welcomed. The Geniox air handling unit is delivered in modules and can be assembled by installers on the site. Systemair has offered a delivery solution that reduces delivery and improves the product handling and service for customers. The new system has a different casing to the ones designed by the company previously. The casing of this unit is more aesthetically pleasing and thermally insulated panels have been developed and used in construction in order to have high tightness values and therefore reduce thermal bridging. The casing has also been created to comply with the class D1 and airtightness class L2. These classifications are better than previous units launched by Systemair. Systemair has in the past delivered a number of different brands in air handling units. However, this new range has now been spread across the entire company. The widespread use of this system meant that Systemair is able to deliver an excellent level of service to customers no matter where they are located or what industry they are in.
Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is absolutely vital for a wide range of jobs, but the engineering trade poses significant risks. Thankfully these risks can be mitigated simply by wearing approved health and safety products. Here are some of the essential PPE items that engineers will need to wear in order to ensure they’re safe at all times whilst on the job. Gloves A major safety issue during engineering activities is the very real threat of potentially serious hand and finger injuries. Regular contact with dangerous machinery as well as hazardous substances can be extremely damaging to your hands, so it’s vital that safety gloves are worn at all times. As well as protecting against hazards, an engineer may find themselves working outside with their hands exposed during winter months. During these times, safety gloves can help shield the skin from frost and chills – both of which are a very common occurrence when the temperature starts to drop. High visibility clothing If you’re working on a site, it’s usually a requirement that you wear high visibility clothing. If conditions are bad, or there are machinery drivers or crane operators nearby, you will be able to alert them of your presence simply by wearing high visibility clothing. A full range of high visibility clothing is available, from waistcoats and shirts to trousers and jackets. For extra safety, you should consult the class and retro-reflectivity of your high visibility clothing. There are three classes of high visibility clothing available, with class three providing the largest areas of reflective material, and there are two levels of retro-reflectivity, with level two being the most reflective. So, if you’re after the highest possible levels of protection, seek out class 3/level 2 garments. Sourcing clothing like high visibility hoodies is the way to go if you want to be seen and be safe. Hearing protection Engineers are regularly exposed to high noise levels, especially if they encounter machinery on a daily basis. If you’re an employer, you will probably know that if the noise approaches certain levels which are pre-set, you have a duty to provide your workers with devices such as effective ear plugs and earmuffs. It’s worth remembering, however, that the devices will need to be worn by the workers in order to have any form of effectiveness. So it’s a good idea for employers to provide their employees with a range of different hearing protection devices, so that workers can choose the one that’s most comfortable for them. Be sure to select protectors which don’t cut out more noise than necessary, because this can lead to isolation, and being able to hear the machinery is often an important part of the job. Eye and face protection Everything from gas, radiation, projectiles and even dust can cause serious damage to the eyes and face, so it’s important to have the right PPE items to ensure you stay fully protected. Eye protection tends to come in one of two forms: safety spectacles and safety goggles. The spectacles are easier to use and more lightweight, but goggles offer additional safety measures because they provide you with both lateral and vertical eye protection. To ensure your eyes are fully protected at all times, it’s worth seeking out either goggles or wraparound glasses. To protect yourself from breathing in potentially harmful levels of dust, it’s also a necessity on many sites to wear a face mask. An effective dust mask can be applied to the face simply by using the wraparound straps and will prevent any dust from entering your nasal passageways. Although dust may seem like a small issue whilst on a site, if you breathe too much of it in, it can lead to serious respiratory problems weeks, months or even years down the line. That’s why it’s always best to stock up on face masks, especially if you regularly work on different sites, so if you enter a dusty environment, you’ll always be fully protected.
