Queens Awards celebrate Queens 90th birthday

More than 240 British businesses celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday today with Queen’s Awards.

In celebration of the Queen’s 90th birthday, 243 businesses across the UK have received a new Queen’s Award for Enterprise, which recognises their contribution to international trade, innovation and sustainable development.

JCB won three awards, with JCB Power Systems winning for both Innovation and International Trade, while JCB Compact Products also won for International Trade. The awards keep JCB in the position as the UK record holder of the Queen’s Awards, winning a total of 30 since its first in 1968.

Wates Group won the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development, due to their commitment to relationships with customers, partners and communities, particularly supporting education in deprived areas, engaging with social enterprises and positive support for helping unemployed people into work. The company also work to reduce carbon emissions by 10%, and 98% of waste is diverted to landfill.

The British Land Company PLC also picked up the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development, due to their particular focus on green building, transparent reporting, community and supply chain engagement. It demonstrates strong internal and external sustainable development leadership, including a high level sustainability committee.

AJ Power Ltd won the Queen’s Award for International Trade, offering its customers increased responsiveness supported by engineering innovation, to create globally competitive products, along with JCB Compact Product Ltd, for their micro, mini and midi excavators, which sell in large volumes around the world.

Independent Cement Consultants Ltd won the Award for International Trade, with over 80% turnover overseas along with Polypipe Ltd for their outstanding growth is overseas sales over three years.

Other construction –related winners include Excalibur Screwbolts Ltd, Ground Control Ltd, Aqua Fabrications Ltd and Blok N Mesh UK Ltd, all winning awards for innovation.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The Queen’s Awards are a great way of celebrating the best of British business. Whether you’re a disruptive start-up making life easier for your customers or a large company with a blockbuster product, these awards recognise your contribution to enterprise.

“We are a country full of exciting and innovative businesses that deserve to be celebrated. I’d like to commend all the winners for their hard work in creating jobs for people and driving our growing economy.”

In addition, five people nominated by their peers have been recognised for their efforts to encourage entrepreneurship in the UK with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion.

The winners of the Queen’s Award are to be visited by a Royal Representative and presented with a crystal bowl, along with an invitation to attend a reception at Buckingham Palace. They are also able to use the Queen’s Award’s emblem in advertising, marketing and on packaging for five years.

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Welfare facilities on construction sites Whats required?

When the CDM2015 regulations came into force a year ago, they placed a stronger emphasis on the provision of welfare facilities on construction sites. UK Construction Online take a look at what this means for those responsible for construction projects.

Clients and contractors share the legal responsibility to provide these facilities on all sites, regardless of their size, and must provide enough facilities to cover the number of employees on site and suitable for the type of work being undertaken.

Before any construction begins on a project, the pre-construction information organised by the client should contain the arrangements for the provision of welfare facilities. On notifiable projects (those that are longer than 30 days and involve more then 20 workers on site at any one time or more than 500 person days) the client must make sure construction doesn’t begin until they are satisfied that adequate welfare facilities will be provided.

Although the size of facilities will depend on the size of the project, facilities include toilets, washing facilities, changing areas and lockers, facilities for rest, plus drinking water.

The contractors must maintain the facilities throughout the project lifecycle.

Drinking water must be provided at easily accessible spots and have cups available unless the supply is from a drinking jet.

Toilets provided must be suitable for use, ventilated, lit and kept clean and tidy. Washing facilities must be available to use immediately after using the toilet, even if they are located elsewhere.

Ideally, separate male and female facilities should be provided. If this is not possible, then lockable toilets should be provided.

Similarly, facilities for washing must be fit for purpose and maintained to the required standard. Clean hot and cold running, soap and a suitable means of drying must be provided and sinks need to be large enough for people to wash their face, hands and forearms.

Showers should be provided if the work is particularly dirty or if decontamination is needed. As with the toilet provisions, separate male and female should provided if possible.

If workers are required to wear protective clothing due to the nature of their employment, changing rooms should be provided with seating and facilities to keep clothing and personal property secure.

Rest areas need to be supplied with enough tables and seating where workers can eat and rest. There should also be boiling water available and arrangements for the preparation of meals. Heating should also be available in the event of cold weather.

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CPA unveil strategic objectives and new logo

John Sinfield, the Construction Products Association (CPA) Chairman has revealed the CPA’s strategic objectives for 2016 and a new logo.

Speaking at the CPA’s annual Spring Lunch, which was attended by 500 senior industry leaders and government officials, Mr Sinfield, Managing Director of Knauf Insulation for Northern Europe, outlined three strategic objectives for 2016: increasing recognition for the Industry; growing the market; and reducing regulatory risk.

Mr Sinfield said that the first job of the CPA was to be the “voice” of the construction industry and had a “clear mandate” from its members and a responsibility to increase recognition for the sector and its businesses.

He described the CPA as the “first point of contact for politicians, civil servants and the media” looking for guidance about policies that impact construction companies and the wider construction supply chain.

He said: “While we may not be as sexy as the makers of F1 cars or the latest fighter jet, manufacturers of construction products are just as innovative and employ more people in the UK than automotive and aerospace manufacturers combined.

“To the government’s credit, they have been willing to listen to us and their support, for example, of the Construction Leadership Council bodes well for a productive working relationship with the construction supply chain.”

Mr Sinfield said that the CPA’s ambition to grow the market for its members’ construction companies had been met with scepticism in some quarters but he expressed confidence that the Association could achieve this target.

This could be achieved through raising awareness of the areas vital to the industry’s success. He said: “Probably the most obvious examples of this are the economic forecasts and surveys, for which the CPA is so highly regarded.  Our members tell us that this information is indispensable to business development and strategies, offering highly accurate insight into market data, growth opportunities and risks.”

In an effort to combat the skills shortage impacting the industry, the CPA has begun a pilot project in collaboration with the CITB and small number of CPA member companies to place “product-user training’ on a more formal standing with nationally recognised qualifications.

Mr Sinfield said that the digitalisation of the construction industry would also be a crucial area in determining growth in the sector, following on the from BIM Level 2 government mandate that came into force at the beginning of April. He said: “The CPA has been leading on behalf of manufacturers and distributors to prepare for this, and we are now working to develop the next steps to BIM Level 3.  We lobbied hard for government’s continued support to Level 3, and so were very pleased to see the recent Budget commitment; while the £15 million investment may seem slight in quantity the signal it sends to industry is in fact strong and appreciated.

“But more broadly, digitalisation, with its demand for collaboration and innovation, plays to our strengths as an industry.  As the year progresses, you will hear more about some potentially game-changing developments which the CPA is driving, including Project Data Templates and Digital Object Identifiers.”

The third major strategy highlighted at the CPA Spring Lunch by Mr Sinfield was reducing regulatory risk. He said: “Not long ago the CPA published a report which studied the factors underpinning investment in our industry.  Our research identified 132 current and pending UK and EU policies and regulations impacting our business, not even counting health and safety, human resources, finance or transportation.

“The sheer number and complexity of these policies and regulations is a risk in itself to business.  Added to this are the growing complications arising from the need to harmonise regulations both with the EU and the increasingly influential devolved regions in the UK.

“This is another area where, I believe, the CPA really delivers, though it is not always obvious.  Again, a tremendous amount of work is done behind the scenes, day in, day out.  Protecting our members’ interests.  Minimising barriers to doing business and seeking opportunities in the way new regulations are set out.  Most importantly though, we try to ensure policies are effective, clearly defined, consistent and have a long-term future.”

The CPA’s logo change is the first in over a decade and is seen as reflective of the realignment of the Association’s targets and approach. Mr Sinfield said: “The change is more than skin deep as there has been significant effort put in behind the scenes to rethink and refocus the CPA’s objectives and strategy.  More than ever these are clearly centred on responding to the needs of you, the members, and helping your business to succeed.”

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Construction complete on 160M Guys Hospital Cancer Centre

Contractor Laing O’Rourke has completed the construction of a new multi-million pound Cancer Centre at Guy’s Hospital, London.

A major milestone has been hit for Guy’s Hospital Cancer Centre in London, after Laing O’Rourke has completed the construction, signalling the final phase of the project.

Designed by architect Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners and specialist healthcare architect Stantec, the development of the 14-storey building is due to welcome its first patients this Autumn.

This week, the Cancer Centre was handed over by main contractors O’Rourke to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, almost three years to the day since the demolition of two smaller buildings on the site.

The building will soon be fitted out with medical equipment including six linear accelerators – the first radiotherapy machines in Europe to treat patients above ground. Artworks will be installed and new integrated technology will be connected.

Orientation and induction visits, along with “dummy clinics” will give staff the opportunity to come and visit the new centre, testing out the new healthcare technology.

Currently, cancer care is provided in 13 different locations in eight different buildings on the St Thomas Hospital and Guy’s Hospital sites, but the new Cancer Centre at Guy’s will bring most treatments together under one roof.

King’s College London will use the new Innovation Hub as a focal point for cancer research, and there will be a Dimbleby Cancer Care drop-in information and support service for cancer patients and their families.

Diana Crawshaw, who chairs the Patient Reference Group which has shaped the new Cancer Centre, said: “Patients have been consulted at every stage of the development and we continue to be actively involved during the final phase, as we anticipate the care of patients in a world-class environment.”

Dr Majid Kazmi, Clinical Director of Cancer Services at Guy’s and St Thomas’, added: “It is fantastic to reach this point with the new building. There is still a great deal of work to be done to prepare for opening to patients but we have a great team working on this and our staff are getting excited about moving in.”

Queen Mary’s Hospital, London is also benefitting from a further investment of £21.9M from Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, both for further development and to boost building works which are already underway.

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Port Talbot Chief to launch Tata UK management buyout

Tata Steel’s Port Talbot Chief is to launch a management buyout of the company’s operations in the UK.

Unions in the steel industry have welcomed reports that Stuart Wilkie, Chief of the Port Talbot Steel plant, may lead a rescue package to buy out the Port Talbot steelworks. The management buyout looks at managers of the company buying some or all of the company from its owners.

Tata is selling its entire UK business, which directly employs 15,000 workers in the UK, and supports thousands of others across plants in Port Talbot, Rotherham, Corby and Shotton.

The Port Talbot plant was said to be losing £1M a day, facing the worst economic period in its history, driven by falling prices and global oversupply. Cheaper Chinese imports have accelerated the fall of the industry, along with high energy costs.

Stuart Wilkie, Tata’s Executive responsible for Port Talbot, is said to be behind the bid and an announcement is expected on 20 April. He led the previous “turnaround plan” presented to Tata bosses in India, which was rejected by the board, leading to a crisis where the company was put up for sale.

Mark Turner, from Unite, who works at Port Talbot, said: “At this moment in time, we know as much as anybody else. We will be going to work tomorrow to find out what this means for everybody. Anything is a lifeline at this stage. We will continue to explore any offers that are put in front of us. We want the business to remain as a complete unit and not to be split up.”

The government have been criticised over their lack of assistance in the crisis, resisting calls to nationalise the plant. However, last week, Sajid Javid, the Business Secretary suggested that the government would look at “co-investing with a buyer on commercial terms”.

A management buyout at Port Talbot would require significant government assistance of up to £100M.

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Transformation of Public Sector Procurement in Scotland

New procurement rules to benefit SME’s

18^th April saw Scotland’s new procurement rules come into force. The new regulations will see contracts no longer awarded on the sole basis of price or cost, with companies now required to demonstrate the wider benefits of their bids to the local community: such as apprenticeships and training, employment and educational opportunities.

Fair work practices will also be promoted through the scheme, with companies needing to show their tax and social security payments, the prohibition of blacklisting and the use of zero hours contracts monitored.

The new rules will allow more SME’s (Small-Medium sized Enterprises) to compete for public sector work alongside larger businesses, with public bodies required to break down the larger contracts into small lots that SME’s can reasonably bid for.

Hoping for a transformation in public sector procurement, Julie Welsh, Director of Scotland Excel – the woman in charge of Scotland’s centre of procurement expertise for local government, says that the introduction of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 and Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016, together with the provisions of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act, will empower public bodies to deliver effective, sustainable procurement with lasting benefits for communities across Scotland.

She said: “I believe in procurement as an agent for positive change and the new procurement rules that have come into force this week act have the capacity to accelerate a transformation in public sector procurement.

“Scotland Excel has pioneered many of the reforms contained in the new regulations. As our portfolio has grown from £100M in 2008 to almost £700M today, we are not just helping councils to deliver savings and improve efficiencies, we are supporting them in the delivery of a range of social, economic and environmental improvements.

“Procurement is now so much more than just the buying of goods and services. It goes far beyond that, realising added value for our communities in the form of opportunities for local business supporting the creation of jobs and apprenticeships and helping make Scotland a fairer, greener place.”

 

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RICS say house construction at lowest level for two years

A survey conducted by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has revealed that construction in the private housing sector is at its lowest rate since the second quarter of 2013.

The findings of RICS’ UK Construction Market Survey will come as a blow to the government who have committed to building 200,000 new homes by 2020.

The poll results show only 36% more respondents noted an increase rather than a drop. In comparison, the figure was closer to 50% in the first quarter of 2015.

Across all sectors of the construction industry, 33% more reported an increase in workloads than a fall during Q4 of 2015. The first quarter of 2016 saw the figure fall 5%.

There was also a significant drop in confidence from the industry with those respondents expecting an increase in workload over the next 12 months outweighing those predicting a decrease by 55%. The same period last year saw 79% more respondents expected to see a rise in work.

RICS Chief Economist, Simon Rubinsohn, said while the government has made “significant commitment” to building new homes, it needed to do more to free up land and not just rely on the construction of new starter homes.

He commented: “We have long held the view that starter homes cannot be the only solution. There is an issue around the availability of land on which new houses can be built, and we would like to see more being done to free up private brownfield sites.

“Our survey tells us that planning delays are one of the biggest barriers to growth in the construction sector. We have recommended that councils work together to create a team of emergency planners who can parachute into boroughs that are experiencing significant delays, therefore reducing a major growth barrier.

The uncertainty generated by the upcoming European Union referendum is also cited as a possible factor in the slowdown. Mr Rubinsohn said: “We know that a range of sectors have been affected by these issues as investors look to delay any decisions until a final outcome has been determined, and construction is no exception.”

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