ADSA’s tunes up Quartet for Business Support

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The Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA) has launched Quartet – a new initiative to provide member support across four essential services: HR, legal, health and safety and tax.

 

The service, delivered in partnership with Quest, includes an online library with more than 450 templates, documents and advice sheets and an advice line for direct contact

It is available to all ADSA members – from major manufacturers to sole traders – but should prove particularly helpful to support smaller businesses without dedicated in-house teams.

 

It will help them to:

 

  • manage problems – such as disciplinary issues, disability requirements, grievance procedures, redundancy/dismissal/pay/capability issues and long-term sickness
  • get answers – to workplace changes such as hybrid working and sick pay
  • stay compliant – on contracts of employment, employee handbooks, understanding responsibilities and changes to legislation
  • support staff – around working practice, maternity, paternity, leave and training

 

By including Quartet as an additional member benefit, ADSA hopes that it will help businesses save money – reducing outsourcing costs and delivering peace of mind.

Said ADSA managing director Ken Price: “ADSA membership is great value and this service is a further enhancement to what we offer. We have a range of member organisations from big manufacturers and distributors to micro companies and sole traders.

“Although all our members will be able to access Quartet, we believe that it will be particularly beneficial for smaller companies which have to manage all aspects of business alongside their core service. We hope that it will present a cost-effective solution at a time when business overheads are increasing. It will also provide a service that can be called upon immediately – help at the end of a phone or touch of a button.”

 

 

ADSA member Kevin Treharne, sales director of Entec Access Systems Limited, said: “Entec has been a ADSA member for many years and we have always found enormous benefit in its services. It has always been the ‘go-to’ organisation for technical expertise and training. This new initiative opens-up a much wider range of services that will be of enormous benefit in supporting wider business operations.”

 

For more information on ADSA membership contact:

rachel@adsa.org.uk or visit: www.adsa.org.uk

 

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Bold new policies required, says FMB

The fall in construction activity for the second consecutive month according to S&P Global / CIPS UK Construction PMI® should be a wakeup call to the new Construction Minister that bold new policies are needed to help kickstart building activity to support economic growth, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

 

 

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB said “This new construction data shows that the industry has returned to its pandemic levels of activity. As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, consumers are cutting back, but builders also face increased costs on materials. This creates a difficult and clearly damaging situation. Bold solutions are required by the new Government under Liz Truss. Delivering a UK wide retrofit strategy to improve the efficiency of the nation’s homes would be a huge boost for local builders and local economies alike. It would also cut homeowners bills and help ensure the UK’s energy security. More immediately we urge the Government to remove VAT on repair, maintenance and improvement work so that savings can be passed on to cash strapped consumers.”

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CONSTRUCTION Activity down for second month running

Construction activity in the UK dipped for the second successive month in August as customer demand moved closer to stagnation amid cost pressures and economic uncertainty. Concerns about wider economic prospects led to a drop in business confidence and slower job creation, while firms’ purchasing activity declined.

Falling buying activity did alleviate some pressure on supply chains, with lead times lengthening to the least extent in two-and-a-half years, while inflationary pressures also showed signs of waning.

The headline seasonally adjusted S&P Global / CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI®) – which measures month-on-month changes in total industry activity – was at 49.2 in August, up fractionally from 48.9 in July but still below the 50.0 no-change mark and thus signalling a reduction in construction activity over the month. Activity has now decreased in two consecutive months.

As was the case in July, civil engineering posted the sharpest decline in activity of the three monitored categories, seeing output fall markedly over the month. Commercial activity also declined, thereby ending a period of growth stretching back for a year-and-a-half. On a more positive note, activity on housing projects increased for the first time in three months, albeit fractionally.

While some firms increased activity in response to ongoing growth of new orders, this was outweighed by those constructors that saw output decline as firms adjusted to signs of demand weakening.

New orders increased only marginally in August, and to the least extent since June 2020. Some respondents indicated that customers were holding back on committing to new orders amid cost pressures.

Alongside inflationary pressures, concerns around the potential for a wider economic downturn also impacted the sector in August. Business confidence dropped in July and was well below the series average.

In some cases, concerns around the wider economic environment impacted hiring decisions. Although rising new orders, the clearing of backlogged work and the filling of previously vacant positions kept employment rising solidly, the rate of job creation eased to the softest since March 2021.

Construction firms scaled back their input buying for the first time since the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, again reflecting signs of a slowdown. There were also some reports that less pronounced price and supply pressures reduced the need to build inventories.

In fact, the reduction in pressure on suppliers meant that vendor lead times lengthened to the least extent for two-and-a-half years in August. Where delivery times did lengthen, panellists attributed this to shortages of certain materials.

In line with the picture for supply-chains, there were also signs of inflationary pressures moderating midway through the third quarter. Input costs continued to increase sharply, often due to higher fuel prices, but the rate of inflation softened to the weakest since February 2021. Similarly, the pace of increase in sub-contractor rates also softened, and was the slowest in 16 months.

As well as scaling back purchasing and slowing the rate of job creation, construction firms kept their usage of subcontractors unchanged in August. This ended an 18-month sequence of expansion. Meanwhile, the rate of subcontractor availability continued to fall sharply, and to the largest degree in six months.

COMMENTS:

Andrew Harker, Economics Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, which compiles the survey said:

“The UK construction sector looks set to be in for a challenging period, according to the latest PMI data. Not only did construction activity fall for the second month running, but a range of indicators from the survey pointed to further weakness ahead. New orders slowed to a crawl, while concerns about the sector and the wider economy led to a drop in confidence.

“Activity weakness was broad-based in August, with none of the three monitored categories immune to the wider slowdown. Commercial activity dropped into contraction for the first time in just over a year-and-a-half, and while housing activity ticked higher, the segment has been in broad stagnation over the past three months.

“Price and supply pressures showed further signs of easing as waning demand throughout the sector lifted pressure on suppliers. Meanwhile,the main positive from the latest survey was a solid increase in employment. That said, hiring at least in part reflects an ongoing catch-up following the pandemic. If activity continues to fall, firms will likely soon feel that their staffing capacity is sufficient and pause hiring.”

 

Dr John Glen, Chief Economist at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, said:

“The UK construction sector is poised for contraction once again as rising prices for raw materials worldwide filtered into UK supply chains. Just 14 months since the sector’s recent peak as part of the recovery from the pandemic, inflation is seeing housing and commercial building stagnate with civil engineering activity dropping significantly.

“There is some consolation for the sector as it readies itself for a future of high energy costs, however. Lower demand is leading to fewer purchases, downward pressure on input costs and more responsive supply chains. Together, these trends could eventually help to reverse inflation, but a prolonged dip in new orders will be a bitter pill for the sector to swallow.”

Fraser Johns, Beard finance director, said: “Economic uncertainty both in the UK and abroad is clearly having an impact on confidence which is starting to affect the construction market.

“The positives in the data are that new orders continue to increase, if marginally, and a number of construction firms are still reporting increasing activity with a rise in the number of new orders still coming in.

“Demand for both new employees and subcontractors remains strong, while the availability of both fell sharply.  This supports the importance for contractors to treat subcontractors fairly and pay them promptly, something the industry has significantly improved on in recent times.

“All firms are impacted by the continued rise in costs, and looking ahead, given the sheer scale of these cost rises we have seen, we are likely to see a softening of demand.  As always strong relationships and open conversations between all stakeholders will go a long way to the industry working through the challenges we face.”

Joe Sullivan, partner at MHA, believes the Summer holiday season and government paralysis have brought construction down to earth:

“The industry has managed to maintain growth since early 2022 until the tables turned last month. The summer holiday season and the paralysis of government over the past 6 weeks have stunted the industry, especially the civil engineering sector. The contraction does not look like it will begin to abate any time soon.

“The number one priority must be to guard against soaring energy costs causing a rash of business failures in the sector. The new Prime Minister Liz Truss could take two measures immediately to help: reinstate the red diesel rebate and provide additional support for the most energy intensive aspects of the sector, such as aggregate, asphalt and cement businesses. These measures would help curtail the inflationary pressures throughout the supply chain.

“The labour market remains very tight. Skilled tradespeople increasingly shop around and work where the pay is highest which serves as an added stimulant to wage inflation. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) recently stated a larger number of workers are needed to deliver on industry demand in the medium term. The concern is that when businesses are focussed on survival recruitment, training and skills development may all suffer, storing up further issues for the future.”

 

 

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Construction plant theft continues to be a problem in 2022!

Construction sites continue to be targeted by criminals who recognise the financial value of plant machinery and equipment.

Large items such as excavators and rollers can be worth thousands of pounds, even if they aren’t brand new. However, smaller items like tools and generators are also an easy target for thief’s, they are often not easily identifiable and can be sold on resale websites and locally for a good price. In 2021 nearly £17.5m worth of tools were stolen in London alone!

AMI Group has seen an increase in customers opting to secure smaller items of machinery such as generators by using a self-contained battery-operated device with no external wires. Many customers are also opting to utilise battery solutions alongside manufacturers telematics systems as a secondary device as the manufactures solutions can often be bypassed in the event of a theft.

Construction related theft is often premeditated, especially where larger items of machinery and equipment are concerned. Some criminals even make a career from the theft and resale of construction plant. Demand for equipment is currently at a high within the industry, with construction and earth moving machinery sales rising by 75% in 2021 compared to the previous year.

The current trend of construction machinery and equipment theft shows no sign of abating. In fact, there are concerns that the situation could even intensify at a time when construction companies are already facing significant increases in the cost of building materials. Criminals continue to exploit both these high prices and long lead times for their own gain. Being familiar with their tactics and using a combination of security measures is the best way to deter thieves looking to profit from plant.

With theft rising in the industry it is urged that companies protect their assets with proven solutions, as many know theft isn’t just the loss of a machine but also the loss of work and many other contributing factors leaving companies out of pocket beyond a stolen machine.

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Marine survey tender launched

Marine survey tender launched for UK-Netherlands interconnector

National Grid Interconnector and European grid operator Tennet are seeking contractors to undertake marine surveys for a proposed interconnector between the UK and the Netherlands.

The Eurolink project will involve the installation of offshore and onshore underground direct current cables (HVDC) between the Netherlands and Suffolk, UK. It will also involve the construction of a converter station in each country.

The capacity of the link will be 1,400MW. The project is still in the early stages of development.

National Grid Interconnector has identified the need for an HVDC interconnector installation over a cumulative distance of approximately 200km. Surveys are thus required to establish suitability of a preferred route alignment.

The Eurolink marine survey contract is divided into four lots.

Lots one and two involve marine geophysical survey work for the cable and platform, as well as shallow marine geotechnical survey work 3-10m below seabed. Lots three and four involve deep marine geotechnical surveying at 50-100m below the seabed. The contracts will last 12 months and take place either in 2023 or 2024.

Interested parties can submit tenders until 23 September.

Eurolink is a “project of common interest” as set under ENTSO-E Central European Funding initiative.

Last year, National Grid Interconnector launched a tender for contractors to undertake seabed surveys for its Nautilus Interconnector project between England and Belgium.

The proposed multi-purpose electricity link between the UK and Belgium could unlock 1.4GW of offshore wind capacity. It would include underground cabling works and onshore infrastructure located in East Suffolk.

Source: GeoPlus

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Wall Climbing Robot is a Competition Finalist

Wall-climbing robots, food waste concrete and firestop solutions amongst ideas shortlisted for construction innovation competition

Ideas to improve the built environment have been received from across the world for the 2022 COINS Grand Challenge, a global competition organised by Construction Industry Solutions Ltd (COINS) to encourage innovation in the construction sector. www.coins-grandchallenge.com

This year’s shortlist has now been announced, with finalists hailing from Estonia, US, UK, Macedonia, Switzerland, New Zealand, Malaysia and Ghana.

The challenge has two entry categories, professional (Open Competition) or student (Undergraduate Competition), with shortlisted ideas ranging from wall-climbing robots and technologies to optimise building circularity to passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) materials.

Open Competition finalists are:

  • Jack Cornes, a co-founder of UK company HausBots, with a wall-climbing robot designed for the inspection and maintenance of the built environment. This will increase safety, reduce cost and speed up work at height.
  • Estonia based Tarvo Kärgenberg with click-on Solarstone, a pioneering design which transforms standard PV panels into a 2 in 1 weatherproof roofing material.
  • US construction life safety consultant Sharron Halpert with bespoke firestop solutions for mass timber construction.
  • Isabelle Gough, with London-based Cercula, an automated access point for construction carbon data.
  • Kristijan Nelkovski of North Macedonia, with a system for fast energy-efficient modular construction.
  • Australian based Peter Neil, with ZEBE, a sustainable high-performance building system, driven by digital manufacturing technology.

Student Competition finalists are

  • Edwin Nsoh Awariyah, a student at Ashesi University in Ghana, with a safer, melamine-free alternative for waterproofing concrete.
  • Nathan Chen from New Zealand, currently studying at the University of Pennsylvania, US, with an idea for ‘Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling’ (PDRC) materials which are designed to cool urban spaces without excess energy consumption or emission of harmful chemicals.
  • Subarna Sivashanmugam, a student at Teesside University, UK, with a digital platform to optimise building circularity through semantic integration of BIM and LCA databases, enabling the supply chain to measure and manage life-cycle emissions.
  • Malaysian student, Lai Jun Tung, with an idea for food waste interlocking concrete with cladding.

Robert Brown, CEO of COINS, who has played a major role in the COINS Grand Challenge since its inception in 2015, comments: “It’s great see such a wide variety of ideas aiming to improve construction sustainability, efficiency and safety shortlisted for this year’s COINS Grand Challenge. We are very proud to see the challenge go from strength to strength and hope that all the finalists go on to pursue a career in construction whether they win the competition or not.” 

 

The final judging will take place on 11 October 2022 in Birmingham (UK), when the finalists will present their idea to a panel of judges influential in the construction industry, including:

Nicola Barclay MRTPI FRSA / HOUSING EXPERT

Stuart Binstock /PRESIDENT AND CEO – CONSTRUCTION FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (CFMA)

Oliver Novakovic / TECHNICAL & INNOVATION DIRECTOR – BARRATT PLC GROUP

Katie Tamblin / CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER – ACHILLES INFORMATION LTD

Neil Pike / HEAD OF BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT – OVERBURY PLC

Dr. Neha Gopinath / ASSOCIATE LECTURER IN MANAGEMENT – UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS

Jon Murrell / MANAGING DIRECTOR – CS ACCELERATE

Lee Chadwick / CEO – SPOTLER GROUP

The COINS Grand Challenge finalists have the opportunity to be awarded up to £100k in prizes, which are:

  • Winner Open Competition £5,000 (sponsored by Barratt Developments Plc)
  • Winner Student / Undergraduate Competition £2,500 (sponsored by Single Point Solutions)
  • Runner Up Open Competition £2,000 (sponsored by COINS)
  • Runner Up Student / Undergraduate Competition £1,000 (sponsored by Henley Information Systems)
  • COINS Investment Prize – an investment of up to £100,000
  • COINS Software Innovation Prize – internship and work experience opportunities

For more details visit www.coins-grandchallenge.com

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Opening Doors – AliMet Becomes ADSA Member

MD Steve Marshall and Technical Sales Consultant

Tim Moore with ADSA certificate

AliMet Fabrications has become a member of the Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA) – opening doors to a key market segment for the supply of door sets and entrance requirements.

Tim Moore, AliMet’s Technical Sales Consultant has been actively involved with ADSA for more than 20 years – including two as its chair. He is keen to ensure that AliMet benefits from industry guidance and support.

“The automatic door industry is a significant part of our customer base. We regularly undertake door, window and screen fabrication for a number of leading manufacturers and smaller companies, so it makes sense for AliMet to become an ADSA member and be more directly involved.

“ADSA is at the forefront of maintaining quality and safety standards and training. We intend to keep on top of changes that relate to our customers to ensure that we can respond to their needs.” he said.

AliMet, which is based in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, will also be taking advantage of ADSA member benefits including technical and industry updates and resources to support business operations.

AliMet Website

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ROCKWOOL® launches low lambda non-combustible insulation for external walls

NyRock® Rainscreen 032 and Frame Slab 032 are manufactured using the UK’s most thermally efficient stone wool insulation enabling thinner wall constructions

ROCKWOOL has launched NyRock® Rainscreen 032 and Frame Slab 032, the first in a series of products that use NyRock technology, a patented production process that delivers the lowest lambda stone wool insulation available in the UK.

NyRock Rainscreen 032 is specifically developed for ventilated cladding systems and sealed structures such as curtain walling. It combines a low thermal conductivity of 0.032 W/mK and a non-combustible Euroclass A1 rating along with independently tested acoustic performance and the potential for thinner wall constructions.

Manufactured using patented technology, NyRock Rainscreen 032 has a more efficient fibre structure than traditional stone wool products, resulting in improved thermal properties. This fibre structure also helps to lessen the transfer of airborne noise, with NyRock Rainscreen 032 achieving a sound reduction index of up to Rw 60 dB when assessed as part of a typical system in independent in-situ laboratory testing.

Created for straightforward installation as well as ongoing performance, the product can be easily fitted around brackets and other challenging details, with slabs designed to ‘knit together’ when tightly butted providing a continuous insulating layer that reduces thermal bridging.

For optimum thermal performance in framed structures, NyRock Rainscreen Slab 032 should be combined with NyRock Frame Slab 032, a further new addition to the NyRock range, that is purpose designed for fitting between the studwork of external timber or light gauge steel frame walls.

Combined, NyRock Rainscreen 032 and Frame Slab 032 enable U-values to be met with a thinner wall construction versus standard stone wool solutions.

 

Paul Barrett, Head of Product Management at ROCKWOOL explains: “When working to a U-value of 0.18 W/m2K, specifiers can typically save around 15mm on the wall thickness compared to traditional stone wool products. Applying that saving over a 22m x 22m building of nine storeys, for example, it can yield an extra 99 square feet of usable or profitable floor space[1].

“The balance between building performance, sustainability and commerciality is a constant challenge for specifiers and building owners. Our NyRock range has been created understanding those pressures, hence deliver lower lambda for thinner walls, while also providing the additional benefits of stone wool including non-combustibility.”

Like its rainscreen counterpart, NyRock Frame Slab 032 can withstand temperatures in excess of 1000°C, achieving the highest Euroclass A1 non-combustible reaction to fire classification.

As well as suited to ventilated façade systems, NyRock Frame Slab 032 can be used in a variety of external timber or steel frame applications, including with a brick outer and with or without a service void. NyRock Frame Slab 032 is available in 570mm widths for timber or 600mm for steel ensuring quick, easy friction fitting into frame walls. Its strong dimensional stability when fitted under compression also accommodates building movement, without slumping and sagging, or a loss in thermal performance[2].

All ROCKWOOL stone wool insulation comprising NyRock technology provides water resistance plus can be recycled indefinitely. Stone wool insulation is manufactured from naturally occurring volcanic rock that is abundant in supply as it is continually replenished by the earth’s crust.

CLICK HERE

For more details on NyRock Rainscreen 032 and Frame Slab 032,

including datasheets.

 

 

[1] Based on 22m x 22m building with nine storeys and allowing for 20% load factor

[2] FIW (German test and research institute), Durability Project Mineral Wool, 2016

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And the next train for slate aggregate is stopping at …

Breedon Group extends commitment to sustainable rail infrastructure.

 

A joint initiative between Breedon Group, Network Rail and the Welsh Government has brought the disused Llandudno Junction freight yard sidings back to life.

The Llandudno Junction freight yard had not been used for several years but extensive work – including vegetation removal, track repairs and refurbishment of the points which allow trains to swap tracks – has brought it back into service.

The yard is near the main Penrhyn Quarry of Breedon Group subsidiary Welsh Slate, and up to 260,000 tonnes of materials – ranging from sub-base to decorative aggregate – are expected to pass through it each year, with trains expected to run weekly.

Typical freight trains will carry 1,500 tonnes of material, compared to a truck’s 28 tonnes, leading to reductions in CO2 emissions, road traffic and operating costs.

The first freight train left the refurbished railhead carrying the equivalent of 76 truckloads of Welsh Slate Hard Grey Type 1 sub-base aggregates to Luton.

Breedon already operates several other railheads around the UK, and this latest investment will further improve its distribution network for customers and lower the carbon footprint of its operations.

The project was supported by the Freight Facilities Grant Scheme, which encourages modal shifts to deliver environmental benefits by removing HGVs from roads.

 

Andy Roberts, Breedon’s general manager for the west of England and North Wales, said: “At Breedon, we have a strong commitment to sustainability. We recognise the important practical and environmental benefits of rail freight, so we are pleased that this new facility will allow a greater range of slate materials to be delivered across the UK in a more sustainable manner. We are delighted to have worked with the Welsh Government and our partners to invest in this high-quality freight facility in North Wales.”

 

Jess Lippett, senior regional freight manager at Network Rail, said: “Rail freight is a vital part of our infrastructure, providing a fast, green, safe and efficient way of transporting goods.

“We’ve worked closely with our partners at Breedon and in Welsh Government to get Llandudno Junction open for business, ensuring that we can carry slate aggregate by rail and therefore reduce the number of lorries on the road and cut carbon emissions. The recent slate loading shows how we can work together to have a positive impact on the environment and the economy.”

 

John Smith, chief executive officer at GB Railfreight, who are operating the trains, added: “We’re delighted to be transporting slate aggregates from Llandudno Junction. It is encouraging to see the Government and the private sector come together to enable a service that will transport key construction materials, create employment opportunities, and drive local growth. This new service will demonstrate the commercial, environmental and safety benefits of transporting goods by rail freight.”

 

In addition to road and rail, Welsh Slate also ships slate aggregates from Port Penrhyn in Bangor to the UK and Europe.

CLICK HERE for a video of the railhead in action

 

 

 

 

 

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CLEAR SAFETY JOINS BAFE REGISTER

August 2022: Clear Safety, providers of safety, compliance and risk management consultancy, has successfully completed the stringent assessment process to join the prestigious BAFE SP205 Scheme for organisations that undertake Life Safety Fire Risk Assessments.

 

Clear enjoys an excellent reputation for its comprehensive range of fire safety services, spanning dedicated fire risk assessments and oversight of the completion of remedial works to satisfactory standards. The business is now approved to join the ranks of the elite by holding the Third Party Certificated BAFE Registered Companies accreditation which is acknowledged as the gold standard for fire safety risk assessment organisations.

 

Commenting on the certification, Director Stuart Letley said, “We are delighted to be recognised by BAFE, the lead body responsible for producing measurable criteria to enable organisations to demonstrate their competency to deliver specific fire safety services.  The BAFE Fire Safety Register is widely regarded as the go-to for companies looking to appoint a suitably qualified and competent practitioner and BAFE certification is becoming an increasingly mandatory requisite in tender applications. As our role centres around the delivery of compliance related guidance, it is obviously important for Clear to underpin its credibility by demonstrating the company’s independently proven proficiency in its specific areas of expertise.”

 

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