EUROVIA IS 'BEST OF THE BEST'

Eurovia UK, the leading highway and infrastructure service provider, was awarded first prize in the Company Driver Safety category at the ‘Fleet Safety Forum Best of Best Awards for Excellence 2012’. Eurovia won first prize for implementing initiatives to promote safe driving among its staff members. Eurovia were also highly commended in the category Fleet Safety Innovation, which is awarded to the fleet service operator that has developed a pioneering approach to fleet safety with greatest success.

“Road safety is incredibly important to Eurovia,” says David Campbell, Eurovia’s Health, Safety and Environment Director. “We are constantly working to ensure the highest possible safety for our employees across the business and it is such a great achievement to be rewarded for our efforts. We are delighted to have won first prize for Company Driver Safety as well as been highly commended for Fleet Safety Innovation. The awards demonstrate our continued dedication and commitment to the well-being of our employees and those on the road alike.”

The Award ceremony was held at the Macdonald Burlington Hotel in Birmingham, on the 14th June.

The award success came hot off the heels of the Group’s safety campaign and competition “Drive for Life”. Launched in May 2011, the aim of the seven-month campaign was to raise awareness of road risk and to reduce the environmental impact through promoting alternative means of transport. The campaign, judged a success, saw a 30% reduction in overall driving incidents during 2011, which reflects the success of the campaign.

Eurovia’s ongoing commitment to the safety of its employees and road safety is reflected in its Corporate Responsibility strategy to further enrich, challenge and improve the company.

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William Anelay repairs grade 1 listed St Augustine's Church

William Anelay Ltd has announced it has completed the latest phase of work at the grade 1 listed St. Augustine’s Church in Hedon near Hull.

The contract involved repairs and replacements to some of the building’s structural masonry, much of it dating back eight hundred years, as well as the sensitive introduction of newly carved masonry pieces produced at Anelay’s stoneyard in York.

One of the building’s grotesques was severely eroded and so a replacement was designed and then produced drawing on knowledge from the Decorated Gothic Ecclesiastical period and using existing carvings as a point of reference. The project lasted 10 weeks and was concluded in time for the Christmas festivities.

Established in 1747, William Anelay Ltd is one of the oldest companies in the UK and currently operates out of bases in York and Manchester with around 90 staff and an annual turnover in 2009 of £17 million. They are one of the UK’s few dedicated building restoration firms and have worked on many prestigious commercial and private residential projects across the British Isles and Europe.

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ISG Secures £15 Million First Phase Of Ipswich Regeneration Scheme

ISG has secured phase one of a major urban regeneration project in the historic docklands area of Ipswich, bringing new homes and commercial accommodation to the town. The initial £15 million contract with Genesis Housing Association focuses on the delivery of 386 affordable and Extra Care houses, with ISG also working towards the detailed design and costing of the full scheme, which is expected to be in the region of £36 million.

ISG’s involvement in the project began with an initial enabling contract in spring 2011, encompassing the demolition of a number of structures on the site bordering Stoke Quay, including a former builder’s merchants and a range of industrial units. Construction work proper will commence in October, immediately following an intensive 14-week dig by Oxford Archaeology, which is believed to be one of the largest rescue excavations undertaken in the UK this year. The triangular-shaped site is understood to be the location of a lost medieval church, and the archaeologists will systematically investigate the area looking for evidence of past occupation and use.

The archaeological excavation is expected to generate a great deal of regional interest and a viewing platform will be erected overlooking the excavation to give visiting groups a unique perspective of the dig’s progress. On completion of the excavation work, ISG will take full possession of the site and commence the construction phase, which is scheduled to complete in summer 2014.

The design of the scheme makes full use of the sloping nature of the site and incorporates a basement car parking structure, which doubles as a flood defence measure. The new homes are effectively built upon a ground floor concrete podium deck, which spans the entirety of the site, with the basement providing car parking for 212 vehicles and 598 secure bicycle spaces. The mixed tenure scheme features 25 terraced townhouses and three blocks of flats, including extra-care supported accommodation.

As part of its commitment to the local supply chain and support of the skills and expertise of quality regional businesses and tradespeople, ISG is holding an open day at its Ipswich office in August to discuss the range of opportunities available to key suppliers on this major project.

ISG’s Phillip Allerton, managing director - East, commented: “The award of the first phase of this major East Anglian regeneration project recognises our ability to deliver technically complex and high capital value schemes. The investment by Genesis in an underused area of Ipswich will undoubtedly act as the catalyst for further development in the locality, whilst bringing much needed accommodation and high specification commercial units to the town.”

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Hacınınoğlu Regulator and HEPP

The Hacınınoğlu Regulator and HEPP located at the lowermost downstream part of the Kandil Power Group Projects is on Ceyhan River within the Upper Ceyhan basin upstream of the Menzelet Dam in Kahramanmaraş. The regulator dam is of frontal type concrete gravity type with gated water intake. The HEPP has the installed capacity of 130 MW and annual energy generation of 360 GWh. Involving a 5500m energy tunnel construction, the Project consists of the civil works, hydromechanical equipment supply and installation.

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Silica Fume in Concrete

Silica fume is not a new product by one company but is a major raw material that has been available over 40 years. Silica fume has become the world standard for chloride corrosion situations and also to improve dramatically the water tightness of concrete structures. Waterproofers are viewed suspiciously by the international research industry because of their side affects on strength and porosity.

Below we highlight the positive effects of silica fume and superplasticizer on pore size of cement paste, and porosity, water permeability and water absoption of concrete.

Silica fume in concrete and concrete porosity

Silica fume has an average particle size of less the one micron (100 times finer than cement). In concrete these fine particles fill the gaps between cement grans and react with free lime released during cement hydration. This produces strong calcium silicate hydrates to replace weak lime and voids found in normal concrete.

The effect on the water penetrability is related to the pores size. It has has been shown that water does not penetrate pores less than 6– Angstroms nominal diameter. Silica fume modifies concrete’s pore structure such that few pores are larger than 600 Angstroms.

Because of the fine pore structure water permeability is reduce by 100 times in laboratory test. In reality on site 20 times is more likely.

The cause of porosity is rarely to be found in the aggregate, it is on the contrary a property of the cement paste.

The porosity can be reduced by:

good compaction
use of admixtures – superplasticizer
precise grading of the aggregates
filling og all voids with admixture (silicafume) that react with the cement (dense packing)
Dense packing depends theoretically only on the shape and size distribution of the individual particles. A packing of spheres of the sme size has 48% voids with cubic packing and 26% voids with hexagonal packing independently of their size. But the packing density depends strictly on th particle shape alone, broken particles cannot be so well compacted as round ones.

The Silica fume technology is based on the following knowledge:

the use of chosen cements
filling the voids between the cement particles with micro-silica (silica fume)
reduce the water content as far as possible with superplasticizers
use of best grading sand and gravel mix
use of good quality aggregates
supervision of concrete compaction
good curing
The addition of silica fume with superplasticizer significantly reduces the total porosity of the cement paste.

Water absorption of concrete – effect of silica fume

In concrete constantly immersed in water the pores will reach supersaturation within a few months. After that time absorption becomes immaterial. A waterproofer with reduce the depth to which water is absorbed into the concrete but more significance is increased porosity. Tests have shown that waterproofers may reduce absorption but increae porosity.

Silica fume reduce absorption of concrete by reducing the pore size.  Waterproofers increase pore size (because of interference with cement hydration), however improved mix design and supervision may lead to improvement of concrete.

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Lakesmere installs a complex roof structure for the new Terminal 2 Building at Heathrow Airport

The £2.2 billion facility at the new Terminal 2 Building at Heathrow Airport will provide a new hub for Star Alliance Airlines, which includes British Midland, Lufthansa and United and will be capable of handling 30 million passengers a year by 2019.

The check-in area alone will be the size of three football pitches and, with Phase 1 due for completion in 2014, it provides an ideal opportunity for Lakesmere, the UK’s leading envelope provider, to showcase its innovative approach to what is considered to be the largest construction project currently on-site in the UK.

Lakesmere has commenced work as part of a £15 million contract for BAA to design and install a complex roof structure for the new Terminal 2 Building at Heathrow Airport.

Designed by leading architects Foster & Partners, the project will be delivered by a dedicated team at Lakesmere’s head office in Winchester and will result in the employment of up to 60 new site operatives.

Working alongside its key supply chain partners and utilising the latest 3D design technology and logistical planning tools, Lakesmere’s in-house design team developed a sophisticated technical solution for the unique 40 000m² sqm ‘eyebrow-shaped’ roof. The result meets the stringent acoustic, thermal and energy performance requirements demanded for the 180,000sqm building sited alongside a major international runway.

The demanding performance requirements of the building necessitated a sophisticated technical solution from Lakesmere that included a structural deck sitting off the main steelwork, supporting a thermally-efficient Kalzip standing seam roof. In turn, this incorporates innovative glazed roof lights, offering a high level of solar control and acoustic insulation, along with photovoltaic power generating panels and sophisticated sun-shading.

Commissioned by main contractor HETCO, a joint venture between Laing O’Rourke and Ferrovial, Lakesmere will complete the roofing package during 2012 and will employ more than 70 staff on the project - good news for both the region and the industry.

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Sparking Discussion Among ToolSelect Members on Concrete Drill Bits- New Bosch Bulldog Xtreme and Bulldog Rotary Hammer Bits

The new Bosch Bulldog Xtreme and Bulldog rotary-hammer bits, built for precise drilling in tough applications, are igniting reviews and discussion on concrete drill bits within the ToolSelect.com community.

The Bulldog Xtreme bits were made specifically for reinforced concrete and harsh aggregate. They’re built around a solid-head carbide design intended to last longer than competitor bits in rebar while also giving users a faster drilling speed and maximum precision. The combined performance results in less carbide wear. Plus, the bit’s flute design enhances dust removal, reduces operating temperatures and puts less stress on the bit in concrete and rebar. For fast drilling in lightweight and normal-weight concrete, Bosch introduced the Bulldog SDS-plus rotary-hammer bits that feature a proprietary, patent-pending carbide tip and a patented flute design that reduces friction points between the bit and concrete, helping the bit to run cooler and with less stress.

“New Bosch Bulldog bits do more than simply drill holes in all kinds of concrete,” said Andrew Pompei, product manager with Bosch Accessories. “They’re the only bits optimized for the newest generation of Bosch Bulldog rotary hammers, so they optimize the user’s entire drilling system. They’re longer lasting, stronger and faster than the previous generation of bits. Bulldog bits make a strong contribution to a concrete-drilling system that’s as precise as it is tough."

The Bulldog Xtreme bit sizes range from 3/16” to 1 1/8” in diameter, and the Bulldog SDS-plus rotary-hammer bits range from 5/32” to 1” in diameter and 4” to 39” in length. “The Bosch Bulldog Xtreme bits are sure to bring out the discussion on value,” says Tom Klein, vice president of marketing and merchandising with ToolSelect. “That is, what really costs less? A cheaper bit you have to replace all the time, or a more expensive bit that will last, even through extremely tough applications? We look forward to the discussion on concrete drill bits in our community.”

About ToolSelect: ToolSelect is an unbiased community powered by its members that covers all aspects, types and brands of tools, but does not actually sell any tools. ToolSelect’s members include everyone from experienced tradesmen to complete novices. Users trade tips, compare notes, debate their favorite tools and work together to help each other make intelligent purchasing decisions.

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Telematics insurance set to reduce fleet premiums

Pay how you drive insurance using telematics systems has begun to revolutionise insurance for young drivers.

To meet demand, during 2011 a number of British telematics suppliers joined forces with insurance companies to offer services aimed at the retail sector, and, in particular, young drivers.

Over coming months, I predict, the sector will grow rapidly as more insurance brands enter the market.
Meanwhile, the same telematics technology is set to reduce the cost of fleet-based insurance, although here the insurance industry is dealing with a different set of issues.

For example, in the case of retail insurance an individual driver's profile governs premium costs – but with transport fleets a single overall premium is charged, the amount being determined by different drivers' risk profiles. By implementing management systems based on telematics data, fleet operators are able to cut risk – and, therefore, insurance premiums – dramatically.

For the rest of the year and beyond pay how you drive insurance is certain to set the pace, allowing fleets to pay only for mileage covered, provide lower premiums for better driving styles, and help fleet managers decide at an earlier stage which drivers might pose a higher risk.

Moreover, the technology can help them recognise those drivers most likely to have an accident, and spot any high risk driving styles before they become a liability. Not surprisingly, fleet operators' interest in telematics insurance is gathering pace. And I expect many more transport fleets will adopt the new products in coming months, not least because of the cost savings to be made.

My prediction is based on hard experience, our company is one of the pioneers of telematics-insurance technology.
Telematics uptake has been remarkable: during 2011 we installed more than 18,000 tracking systems.

Now, it is virtually certain the use of telematics data in risk assessment will migrate to the fleet sector.

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Latest health and safety guidance, training and education for construction professionals all under one roof at the IOSH annual conference and exhibition 2012

The UK can be proud of a comparatively impressive reputation in construction site safety. The Eurostat website reports that the fatal injury rate in Great Britain is consistently one of the lowest in Europe . The HSE has echoed this positive message in their latest construction industry report which shows a general decline in recent years in major injuries, fatal injuries and reported injuries to members of the public; that is a general decline which has become more static in the past three years. The IOSH annual conference and exhibition taking place at Manchester Central 06-07 March 2012, will provide construction professionals with many of the tools required to remain abreast of the ever evolving occupational health and safety sector while learning about ways to increase cost efficiency and best practice.

Despite this encouraging trend, there are still many examples in the news of the cost to industry that health and safety breaches cause. For example, a Yorkshire construction firm was fined £3,500 with costs of £900 after admitting a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act when an employee suffered serious injury in a fall from height accident after falling four and a half metres from a makeshift platform supported by a fork attachment added to a tractor . Many personal injury claim companies market themselves with messages of ‘deadly statistics’ such as “construction workers are six times more likely to be killed at work in construction accidents than any other type of employee” from the youclaim.co.uk website. More high profile cases have included the recent call from London’s Mayor Boris Johnson for a ‘comprehensive programme of work’ to reduce cyclist deaths in London as a direct response to the frequency of cyclist accidents which involve construction related vehicles .

The IOSH conference programme will feature over 60 expert speakers, more than 30 sessions on hot industry topics, and 15 hours of lively discussions, vital legal updates, in-depth analysis, practical workshops and real-life case studies. Hot topics include the Löfstedt Review, the ongoing impact of Lord Young’s health and safety review, strategies for engaging the workforce in behavioural safety improvement, and health and safety from the perspective of the board.

On that latter topic, the IOSH conference will host an interview panel with the session title ‘Leading from the top – senior directors’ perspectives on putting health and safety on the board agenda. Senior directors from a range of industries will be interviewed including Ian Dormer, MD of Rosh Engineering Ltd and Graham Dalton, Chief Executive of Highways Agency.

HSE’s Ian Strudley (HM Principle Inspector, Head of Health Risk Management Unit, Construction Division) is lined up to deliver a practical workshop with Mark Rimmer, Operations Manager at ISG Pearce. They will be focusing on developing strategies to manage occupational health risk in a way which engages the workforce. This will include tips for successful communication, making safety fun and making results measurable. There will also be a focus on building a strategy with case study examples of proactive interventions on the construction industry and how they’ve been received by employees.

Key speakers include Professor Ragnar Löfstedt on the outcomes of the Löfstedt Review which aims to simplify health and safety rules and decrease the burden of red tape (published on 28 November) and the HSE’s Judith Hackitt CBE who said in a recent speech to National Safety Symposium “there is a good deal of change going on in the world of health and safety, but the focus remains the same. Times are tough and tough decisions have to be made… Cost reduction is a challenge for us all, but it is also an opportunity to look for new and innovative ways of maintaining and where possible improving on outcomes - especially in health and safety.”
After it’s successful launch at the 2011 exhibition, CoreSkills+ is back to provide sixteen practical workshops focused on core health and safety skills. This popular programme has doubled in size since its inception last year and offers a choice of one-hour workshops which aim to refresh the knowledge of experienced practitioners and support the skill base of those starting their health and safety careers.

IOSH Chief Executive Rob Strange OBE said: “IOSH 2012 is a great opportunity for practitioners to network, learn and share best practice. And that’s why it has become such an essential part of our mission to improve the health and safety of people at work.We have responded to demand this year by doubling the Core Skills + sessions at conference, for example. People attend IOSH’s annual conference and exhibition because they want to become better practitioners and do their bit to reduce injury and illness in the workplace.”
The annual IOSH exhibition runs alongside the conference and is the premier choice for leading companies showcasing their latest products and services, as well as providing face to face advice and guidance on best practice and compliance. This offering will give procurement professionals the opportunity to compare and contrast a whole range of products and services from exhibitors including British Safety Council, Evac + Chair International, Nebosh and Total Access Ltd. In a time where cost considerations have to be paramount the IOSH annual conference and exhibition provides visitors with an opportunity to look for innovative ways of maintaining, and potentially also improving, standards.

With around 2,000 visitors expected to attend and more than 100 exhibitors on show, IOSH 2012 is set to feature the biggest and best exhibition in the history of this peripatetic show.
The IOSH annual conference and exhibition takes place at Manchester Central 06-07 March 2012

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Euro Auctions – Brisbane : construction machinery and equipment sale

Euro Auctions, Brisbane hosted its second construction machinery and equipment sale at its new permanent sale site in Brisbane, Queensland, following the inaugural event earlier this year on the 22nd June. With over 500 lots of quality construction equipment and heavy machinery going under the hammer, Euro Auctions experienced un-precedented interest in the sale catalogue and the auction.

There was a large local turnout for the sale with over 500 registered bidders, not just from Brisbane, but from across New South Wales - 65% of whom were new buyers registering for the first time. There was heavy internet activity, typical of all Euro Auctions sales, due to the global marketing reach that Euro Auctions has. Conducted on a ‘moving parade’ basis, all machines were driven over an elevated ‘ramp’ in front of the assembled buying and selling audience. The general consensus was that Euro Auctions had provided the Australian market with exactly the range of equipment and machinery it was looking for, thus providing buyers with what they wanted, a good mix of unused and late, low hour’s quality machinery.

It was also evident that many of the consigners with equipment to sell were from Australia, proving that confidence in Euro Auctions’ ability to provide a good second sale was high. The underlying message from those attending was that it was good to see an organisation like Euro Auctions coming into the Australian Market and taking on the local competition. The general feeling was that Euro Auctions are building a good name and a reputation for providing quality construction machinery to the Australian market.

It was evident that Euro Auctions had listened to what customers wanted, following the first sale in March, and had fed this information back to consigners who were able to supply the high demand equipment requested. Customers were not just looking for usual ‘run of the mill’ equipment but seeking specialist items of auxiliary plant like, plant trailers, hydraulic hammers, specialist buckets, rollers, crushers etc along with the a supply of good quality and well priced smaller equipment pieces such as, mini excavators and conveying equipment. This is exactly what Euro Auctions provided to the delight of an audience that were clearly in the mood to buy. There were also a number of ‘STAR BUYS’ on the day which got the attention of buyers, including:

-Unused Terex ta250

-2 unused Volvo a25f

-Unused CAT 980H wheeled loader

-Unused CAT D8T dozer - which made AUS $675,000

-2010 Hitachi ZX 870 LCR-3 – which made AUS $625,000

Thomas Overton – Territory Manager for Euro Auctions, Brisbane enthused: “We knew this was going to be a great sale following the excellent feedback from our first one in March 2012. We had the right kind of stock that the market was looking for and the intrigue in the ramp style ‘parade’ was getting people curious. But, the measure of the day comes down to the ability to present quality equipment in the best way possible, which is exactly what Euro Auctions achieved.”

“From the last sale, the concept of running an ‘unreserved’ auction may have been difficult to comprehend as we continued to receive calls for weeks following the auction about certain lots. Buyers didn’t believe that ALL pieces were sold on the day. I think the Australian market now fully understands how Euro Auctions operates and have confidence in our ability to get the best prices possible. At this type of sale, we know that customers are looking for specific models, knowing exactly what they had to pay, with no hidden extras. Quality equipment draws better prices and most end users want to buy equipment and put it straight to work, with no delays.”

The next Euro Auctions sale will be held in Mid September at 153 Main Beach Road, Pinkenba, Queensland 4008, Australia.

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Reciprocating Saw Blades Generate Discussion on ToolSelect.com- Bosch Daredevil

New Bosch Daredevil reciprocating-saw blades, launched in order to give users longer life and maximum impact in tough demolition applications, are igniting reviews and discussion on reciprocating saws and blades within the ToolSelect.com community.

Designed specifically for demolition tasks, Bosch claims these blades last up to 20 percent longer than other blades in tough applications. The Daredevil blades are meant to cut faster and save time on the job, noting speed, lifespan and ease of use as the major benefits to these blades.

Bosch points to the Daredevil teeth, which use patented 2 x 2 tooth geometry to help the blades to give a clean cut up to 20% faster than competitive blades. The teeth can last up to twice as long with help from micro-blasting, and because the blades are made with metal alloy and protective coating, the increased heat resistance can also extend the life of the blades. With more height and thickness, these new blades give users straighter cuts and less vibration.

Blade sizes range from six to 12 inches and can cut wood (with or without nails), plastics, PVC, thin metal, aluminum and other non-ferrous metals. “Obviously, the actual reciprocating saw has a lot to do with the success and productivity of a job,” says Tom Klein, vice president of marketing and merchandising with ToolSelect. “But if you don’t have the right blades, it won’t matter how good the saw is—you’re going to struggle. We’re excited to see what our members have to say about these new Bosch reciprocating-saw blades in comparison to other blades out there.”

About ToolSelect: ToolSelect is an unbiased community powered by its members that covers all aspects, types and brands of tools, but does not actually sell any tools. ToolSelect’s members include everyone from experienced tradesmen to complete novices. Users trade tips, compare notes, debate their favorite tools and work together to help each other make intelligent purchasing decisions.

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Professional Construction Management

Professional construction management refers to a project management team consisting of a professional construction manager and other participants who will carry out the tasks of project planning, design and construction in an integrated manner. Contractual relationships among members of the team are intended to minimize adversarial relationships and contribute to greater response within the management group. A professional construction manager is a firm specialized in the practice of professional construction management which includes:

Work with owner and the A/E firms from the beginning and make recommendations on design improvements, construction technology, schedules and construction economy.
Propose design and construction alternatives if appropriate, and analyze the effects of the alternatives on the project cost and schedule.
Monitor subsequent development of the project in order that these targets are not exceeded without the knowledge of the owner.
Coordinate procurement of material and equipment and the work of all construction contractors, and monthly payments to contractors, changes, claims and inspection for conforming design requirements.
Perform other project related services as required by owners.
Professional construction management is usually used when a project is very large or complex. The organizational features that are characteristics of mega-projects can be summarized as follows:

The overall organizational approach for the project will change as the project advances. The “functional” organization may change to a “matrix” which may change to a “project” organization (not necessarily in this order).
Within the overall organization, there will probably be functional, project, and matrix suborganizations all at the same time. This feature greatly complicates the theory and the practice of management, yet is essential for overall cost effectiveness.
Successful giant, complex organizations usually have a strong matrix-type suborganization at the level where basic cost and schedule control responsibility is assigned. This suborganization is referred to as a “cost center” or as a “project” and is headed by a project manager. The cost center matrix may have participants assigned from many different functional groups. In turn, these functional groups may have technical reporting responsibilities to several different and higher tiers in the organization. The key to a cost effective effort is the development of this project suborganization into a single team under the leadership of a strong project manager.
The extent to which decision-making will be centralized or decentralized is crucial to the organization of the mega-project.
Consequently, it is important to recognize the changing nature of the organizational structure as a project is carried out in various stages.

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Focus on key customers to be tightened- Jablite

Jablite has taken the decision to close its technical information line from today, in what is seen by many as a daring move.

“We have a talented and dedicated team of technical advisors and they are leading our innovations process, explains Steve Broadhurst, Technical Manager, Jablite.

“Using these highly qualified experts to answer consumer queries that can easily be dealt with by providing the information on our website – well it just does not make business sense,” says Steve.

“Instead, our technical advisors will be partnered with key customers to provide a dedicated technical support service that will be included as part of our trading agreements.

Part of this strategic move includes the introduction of a tapered insulation design service within the technical team focussed on our flat roofing portfolio.

“In addition, I expect them to be working closely with specifiers and contractors seeking technical input on large projects. Lastly, and by no means least, the technical team will continue to be the core of our innovations process”, concludes Steve.

This new direction for the technical team indicates the confidence Jablite has in its strategy of innovation and customer service. Simon Cox, Jablite’s UK Sales Manager comments: “This is great news for our key customers who will continue to get all the technical support they need.

“In addition, they will benefit from a dedicated technical advisor who will get a better understanding of their business needs and be able to offer proactive support and innovation ideas.

“This change is part of our ongoing strategy to innovate in all areas of our business and to develop our customer service offer.”

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Energyst provides turnkey rental solutions for power generation to RFA fleet

Constituted in 1905, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service (RFA) began its service by carrying coal bunkers and other stores as British warships became oil burning during World War I. Today the RFA is a civilian manned fleet, owned by the Ministry of Defence. Its main task is to supply warships of the Royal Navy at sea with fuel, food, stores and ammunition which they need to remain operational while away from base.

For the last few years, Energyst Rental Solutions, has travelled around the world to ensure that each of the RFA’s fleet of 16 ships is provided with power while in port.

Energyst Rental Solutions, with UK headquarters in Wolverhampton, is a pan-European company providing turnkey rental solutions for power generation and temperature control. The company’s pan European approach gives a consistent solution based offering to some of the largest customers in Europe and with some 2000 civilian officers and ratings employed by the RFA, there is no bigger customer in British shipping.

Jason Harryman, Energyst’s Key Account Manager says the company’s role for the RFA demonstrates both flexibility and professionalism: “We’ve worked with the RFA for a number of years now. Our role is to supply temporary generators to the ships when they come into port to restock supplies and allow the ship’s company to rest.

“We position and install temporary CAT generators down on the shore next to each vessel and provide an engineering team on site for the entire duration that the ship is in port, working 24-hour-a-day to ensure a successful mission is achieved for the RFA. We supply a variety of generators and equipment to customer specification. Our support role allows the RFA to conserve both fuel and man power by not running at full power while in dock.”

There are 16 ships in the RFA fleet; four fleet support tankers, four landing ship dock (auxiliary) ships, two combined fleet support tanker and stores ships, two small fleet tankers, two fleet support stores ships, one aviation training and casualty reception ship and one forward repair ship.

A recent mission for the RFA was a joint task force (JTF) with the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, which completed a series of complex repair tasks to the harbour of one of the world's most isolated communities, Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean. The purpose of Operation ZEST was to affect emergency repairs to the island's main harbour before the onset of winter so that port operations could be maintained until further repair work could be conducted by civil engineers at a later date.

Energyst’s work with the RFA takes the team across the world. The team needs to be ready to go at any time as occasionally work includes unscheduled stops for essential maintenance where the RFA will borrow facilities from another navy. Here again Energyst meets the needs of these jobs, providing a dedicated engineering team wherever they may be needed across the globe

For Jason Harryman, the jobs allow the company an opportunity to provide an essential service: “Our job for the RFA is time, security and product critical. We enjoy working in partnership with the RFA and look forward to serving the team across the world in the coming months and years.”

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Another Sustainable Urban Development for Tengbom

Together with ÅF and IMEK, Tengbom, have been commissioned by Swedehouse International to master plan the Yuhua Ecological Demonstration Area in Xi’an capital of Shaanxi province in China. The district is the eighth such commission for Tengbom in sustainable planning within China. The vision is to create a district with an exceptionally high environmental profile with no carbon emission. Parallel to Xi’an and several other projects in China, Tengbom is working on a scheme for Härmälänranta in Tampere, one of the first environmentally profiled districts in Finland.

Together with ÅF, and IMEK, Tengbom will plan the 2.4 square kilometre area in Xi’an. The Swedish team, which consists of experts in sustainability and environmental engineering, will develop a new model adapted specifically for Xi’an. The model is based on Tengbom experience from design at Hammarby Sjöstad and Sino Swedish Eco City in Wuxi, the latter won the internationally prestigious MIPIM Future Projects Award 2011 for the major urban planning category. Xi’an is now a nationally recognized pioneer in the area of sustainability, the new district will have an exceptionally high environmental profile with minimal carbon emissions.

Sweden has been focusing on holistic city planning for around 50 years and Tengbom fully engaged within that time but now more specifically within sustainable urban master planning, spreading the vision and experience at home and abroad. Over the past six years we have developed successful and award winning models for China and most recently in Russia, says Magnus Meyer CEO Tengbom.

Tengbom expertise in sustainable urban development is highly sought after both in Sweden and abroad. In Finland, for example, Tengbom is working with Skanska Kodit to transform Cargotec’s former industrial area in Härmälänranta, Tampere. The ambition is to create Finland’s foremost environmental neighbourhood characterized by a varied plan structure that is human in scale. The team draws from Tengbom different design specialists working from a holistic and humanistic perspective. The project is characterized by high aspirations for architecture together with user-focused and innovative solutions in a neighbourhood that combines existing features with new design innovation. The complexity of the project has led to an innovative and integrated process with a focus on economic, social, and ecological sustainability. The area of just over 1.5 square kilometres, will accommodate 1500 homes and is expected to be completed in 2020.

Among other projects in Sweden Tengbom is actively engaged in the design work at Stockholm Royal Seaport district, the district that will become a new international model for sustainable urban planning. Parallel to the new area in Xi’an Tengbom is also working with Changsha City Xiangjiang district, Tangshan Bay Eco City in Hebei Province, and on the tropical island of Hainan in Southern China.

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NEW AWARDS TO ITS GROWING COLLECTION- DIMPLEX

Two more prestigious awards to add to its growing collection of accolades for initiatives and product development were scooped by Dimplex Renewables. The latest awards are silver medals from the established Sustainable Ireland Awards for the EC-Eau hot water cylinders and for the company’s research and development laboratory.

The laboratory in Portadown in Northern Ireland is responsible for much of the development work for the renewable heating and hot water technologies and received the silver award in the Sustainable Building Project of the Year category. The building’s design takes into account insulation, solar gain, use of renewables for heating and hot water, lighting and waste management.

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Connecticut Company uses self-directed work teams to improve on-time delivery and quality

For one Connecticut manufacturer of close tolerance precision metal parts, a nearly 20-year commitment to lean manufacturing has naturally evolved into using self-directed work teams (SDWT) to achieve such ambitious objectives as 100% on-time delivery and 100% quality.

With the help of a committed management team, a zealous companywide SDWT champion, dedicated team leaders/cheerleaders, and most importantly, participation of everyone on the shop floor, Farmington, CT-based Connecticut Spring & Stamping (CSS), is well on its way to meeting its ambitious goals, just two years after launching the initiative. They’ve used several tools to get them to their objectives, including following steps laid out in what some consider the SDWT “Bible,” establishing an achievable, yet challenging reward system, and instituting a new way of visualizing work that synchronizes front end scheduling with actual shop floor execution.

What began as an experiment with one pilot work team, has now been expanded to twenty-one teams that include both shop floor and office processes.

Lean manufacturing sets the stage for SDWT
CSS embarked on its long lean manufacturing journey in 1994. Continually looking for a way to embrace a cultural change that would help them reduce waste and increase production, in 2006 they sequestered 34 of their key management and production personnel to brainstorm on ways to implement lean manufacturing at the plant. Since then, CSS has looked at a variety of different approaches (both top-down and bottom-up) to help implement their lean philosophy; management readily admits that some succeeded and some did not.

In 2010, the company began seeking a new approach or increased level of commitment to help them provide 100% on-time delivery of product to their customers, with 100% quality, and at the same time reduce internal wastes and costs. They opted for the use of self-directed work teams (SDWTs), one of a long line of ideas that had been floated over the years as possible lean initiatives. A SDWT is defined as a group of employees who combine different skills and talents to work, essentially without managerial supervision, toward a common purpose or goal.

And that’s where it got personal for Gaston Pelletier, who was delegated the task of implementing the approach as part of the firm’s 2010-2011 business plan. Gaston, who serves as VP of Continuous Improvement for CSS, began to educate himself on the SDWT philosophy, and figure out how it might work at CSS.

Gaston discussed the approach with CBIA (Connecticut Business and Industry Association) to learn if there was any training that he could participate in, and to find out if anyone was using the approach locally. Then, he and a small group visited Dur-A-Flex, Inc., an East Hartford, CT manufacturer of seamless commercial and industrial flooring systems, which had adopted the approach a few years ago.

Gaston really liked what he saw and began getting excited. He really “saw the light” after reading Leading Self-Directed Work Teams: A Guide to Developing New Team Leadership Skills, by Kimball Fisher. The book is widely cited as the SDWT “Bible,” and provided a much-needed road map that would break down the approach into steps and guide their efforts.
After reading the book (and insisting that others on the management team also read it), he began working with a pilot group selected to try out the approach. The group selected was the 11-member automatic loop and torsion (Auto Loop) team, which makes extension springs and complicated wire forms. When this part comes off a machine, it is usually a finished product and does not require many other processes. As one of the more self-contained of the work groups, auto loop does not rely on many of the other shop departments, making it easier to effect change by their own efforts.

Pilot self-directed work team takes off
With a SDWT, management’s job is to set the initial objectives and then provide all the resources the team requests to accomplish them. The team is also free to develop its own sub-tier objectives; basically steps it wants to take to get to the overall objective (100% on-time delivery of product to their customers, with 100% quality). The team meets frequently, decides on achievable goals, and keeps working toward continuous improvement to accomplish them.

Management is responsible for giving the SDWT the necessary authority to do whatever it takes to improve the process and reach new heights in terms of delivery performance – and then they step aside. “This is definitely the biggest step we have taken on our lean journey,” said Gaston. “We involve all the shop floor people to the ultimate level, and remove management from the picture.” Giving the team the levers to pull led to a gradual taking on of more and more responsibility and ownership.
Gaston himself served as a coach, initially guiding the team but ceding more and more latitude as the auto loop pilot team got rolling. He notes that the team immediately embraced the idea that they could make their own decisions and are in charge of their own destiny.

Once they got going, they held numerous brainstorming sessions and the ideas began to flow. The shop floor workers had always found that there was not an effective feedback mechanism between the shop and the front office. This led to a variety of problems and issues, resulting in reduced performance. For example, detail on jobs was often lacking, there was incomplete understanding of which jobs should be run on which machines, and teams would frequently use different machines for particular jobs but not communicate that back to the front office. Jobs that required the same tools were scheduled to be set up on the same day on different machines. There were days-long gaps between finishing one job and setting up the next job on particular machines. Sometimes, three jobs with the same start date would be scheduled for one setup person, but no time set aside for set up on the previous week.

Jobs were getting done, but slower and less efficiently. Rather than making required changes to synchronize the electronic schedule with actual shop floor realities, the group had just made them on an ad hoc basis, not communicating the issues with the master schedulers. The team’s first decision was to improve the business on the front end to make it work better on the shop floor.

One of the first things the team did was to radically alter the way the actual work flow and timing of work among teams was synchronized with the master schedule and electronic systems. They developed a brand new master schedule job tracker/work flow board system to help them clearly visualize each job, including how long each will take, which machine it will run on, how much set up time is needed, and which operator is responsible for the job. The scheduling board displays all jobs scheduled for the next 6 months. The scheduling personnel are alerted immediately when there are any conflicts or issues. The team also established a process to continually provide feedback and changes to the master scheduler. The electronic scheduling system was updated with the changes for all future work. This process helped minimize schedule juggling going forward.

Figure 1 – Auto Loop Team : Job Tracker / Work Flow Board
Figure 1 is a photo of the new job tracker/work flow board, which has seen 7 or 8 revisions since it was first set up, as team members constantly think of new information that would help improve performance. The team found the board to be a huge success – instead of having to juggle 50 out of every 100 jobs, the new process means they m

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Civil Engineering Job Openings

Jones Bros Civil Engineering urgently needs males and females workers. All applicants CV/Resume and scanned copy of passport photograph recently taken must be submitted through e-mail scanning as attachment. Open the attachment to see our Vacancy List, Monthly Salaries and Working hours.

Jones Bros Ruthin (Civil Engineering) Co Ltd – Fresh Job Openings
Denbigh Road, Ruthin, Denbighshire, LL15 2TN, United Kingdom Phone: +44 186 560 0182 Fax: +44 183 277 0116
E-mail: personnel@jonesbros-construction.com
Working Hours: 8a.m-4p.m, 10hrs working/day, Monday -Friday
Overtime: 10a.m -3a.m, 5hrs working, Saturday-Sunday.
Allowances shall be added separately and reflected in your appointment letter i.e. Housing allowance, Transport allowance, Medical allowance and One month leave.

Job List Basic Monthly Salaries in UK Pounds

Quantity Surveyor 6,600 GBP
Land Surveyor 6,600 GBP
Project Controls Accountant 6,300 GBP
IT Project Manager 6,500 GBP
Corporate Records Administrator 4,100 GBP
Accounting Officer 4,100 GBP
Assistant Marketing Manager 6,000 GBP
Computer Network Engineer 6,600 GBP
Maintenance Team Leader-Major
Maintenance

5,500 GBP
Pipefitter 4,300 GBP
Computer Control Room Operator 3,650 GBP
Instrumentation Technician 4,000 GBP
Occupational Health Nurse 3,450 GBP
Driver 3,250 GBP
Office Assistant/Clerk 3,350 GBP
Security Guards 2,800 GBP
Launderer 2,500 GBP
Customer Service Attendant 3,650 GBP
Cook/Chef 3,200 GBP
Draughtsman 5,200 GBP
Highway Project Engineer 6,600 GBP
Batching Plant Engineer 6,600 GBP
Civil Engineers: Mife Construction 6,600 GBP
Project Engineer -Mechanical 6,600 GBP
Project Engineer-Electrical 6,600 GBP
Plumber 4,100 GBP
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Project Manager – Transmission, Distribution, & Substations
A leading utilities engineering and construction firm is seeking experienced construction project managers for permanent positions in the Northeastern U.S. and California. This long established company offers employees competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and opportunities for professional growth. These select project managers will be responsible for the oversight of multiple multi-million dollar T&D construction projects in their respective areas. The company requires prior T&D construction experience, PMP certification, and complete familiarity with PMBOK methodology. If you meet these qualifications and if such a position is of potential interest to you, please send the latest version of your resume and a brief introductory letter to dnaquin@absoluteconsulting.com
___________________________________________

Structural Engineer Required
Reference Number: CSI/SEP09/SE
Type: Permanent
Location: Chennai
Salary: Dependent on experience
Experience: 2 Years of structural design experience

Job Description: Perform product engineering development and product support for Civil/Structural Engineering Software You will be involved in all phases of product development right from inception through elabor ation, construction and transition It includes preparation of engineering specifications, software requirement specifications, engineering validation documents, testing and quality assurance You will be in charge of developing solutions and writing pro posals for key projects.

Job Specification:
Master’s Degree in Structural Engineering
Minimum 2 yrs of structural design experience
Fresher May also Apply ,
Contact – Vijay
9840816698.
hr@cadsindia.com
___________________________________________

TRC offers comprehensive engineering and Project Management services to its clients in US, ME and India. Our clientele includes, Infosys, Target Corporation and many other fortune 500 clients. To fuel our expansion growth we need following professionals:

SENIOR STRUCTURAL ENGINEER / PROJECT MANAGER
Requirements:

5-10 Years Structural Design Experience Bachelor’s / Master’s in Structural Engineering.
Experience in designing major structures with emphasis on concrete, steel, and pre-stressed concrete design.
Capable of reading and understand other disciplines’ drawings and formulate structural plans on that basis.
Strong Communication Skills

Responsibilities:
Take a lead role in helping to realize our projected growth in the USA / India / Middle East market
Focus on design of all types of building structures
Develop building structural systems, both gravity and lateral
Help to build and maintain positive relationships with new and established clients.
Plan and estimate work and manpower requirements; control budget.
Manage major and minor design projects from beginning to end.
Supervise work of other engineers and CAD technicians.
Help develop less experienced engineers.
Review and checking of engineering work completed by others.
Preparation and checking of design drawings and/or specifications.
Development of project design criteria, design calculations, construction details.

Download Brochure here
Contact Details
Name – Prakash
Email – career@trcintl.com

___________________________________________
Opening for PM – Chennai
We need the PM for Construction company
Exp : 10 – 15 Yrs
Interested Call – 044 – 42128736
Mail resume to sunmathi650 @ gmail.com
___________________________________________

Civil Engineering Firms
We have an upcoming project in Vapi for which we require consultation & supervision of a reputed & well established engineering firm.

Kindly forward us the contact details of at least 3 firms.

Our contact details are :
Nemchand Jain,
Tel: 022-22013229
email : nemchand @ vsnl. com

___________________________________________
PROJECT MANAGER, Greensboro NC,
15 years experience with $1,000,000 plus projects involving earth moving work with a solid amount of Project Management. Must have degree in Civil or Construction Engineering. Job focus is on building and capping landfills, wetlands and other restoration.
Contact – JoVonna
email – firstlinerecruiters @ gmail.com
___________________________________________

Required Civil Eng.
We have requirement for Civil Engineers for good leading infrastructure company, plz send me resume on my email ID- abhinav @arssgroup. in Regards- Abhinav
___________________________________________
Civil Engineer Required

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. We are currently seeking qualified individuals to replenish our Civil Engineer roster. Potential positions may become available in the organization’s Administrative Services, Rome, Italy. The selected candidates will be required to travel extensively to WFP’s field offices.

Application procedures:
Go to: http://i-recruitment.wfp.org/vacancies/09-0010030
Step 1: Create your online CV.
Step 2: Click on “Description” to read the position requirements and “Apply” to submit your application.
NOTE: You must complete Step 2 in order for your application to be considered for this vacancy.

Deadline for applications: June 30, 2010
___________________________________________

Requirement for Experienced Civil Engineer

Opening for Civil Engineers with relevant experience in construction line for a reputed Construction Company for their project at Badlapur, Maharashtra. Salary will be at par as per industry.

Contact GH Multi Services 09222715499
email – ghplacement @ gmail.com
___________________________________________

Engineering Project Manager Required

Tulsa OK
- This position/person will be based in Tulsa with frequent travel to Texas for projects
- Projects will be dealing with construction of transmission lines and electrical substations
- Specific experience with providing PM support activities in managing resources for entire Station Projects.
- Experience in project planning support role to large scale construction projects, preferably substation and transmission line projects
- Experience as a focal point for coordinating requests for engineering support and defining resource requirements for projects at the planning stage
- Experience with scheduling of short and long term construction projects and project management measures tools and reports as needed
Skills
Must have Primavera Project Management experience
- Large project experience
- A Bricks and Mortar construction type not IT project manager
- experience in dealing with construction bids, contracts, resources, construction experience and how they all fit together
- Backgrounds in Petro-Chemical, Military, Road Construction,
- Someone with specific electrical utilities, power generation or transmission would be a great fit
- PMP certified as a plus
Education
-Must have a 4 year Engineering Degree (no specific type- could be Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, etc) Not IT
- Very good communications skill (English)

Pluses
- Knowledge of the state of Texas
- If they can speak some Spanish
- PMP certified

if any one is interested you can leave a comment here and mail us your resume, we will forward it to the concerned authority

___________________________________________

Civil Engineer-Quantity surveyor

We are looking a Civil Engineer DCE/BE whose having experience in Quantity surveying with Auto cad knowledge with 5-6 year for our Project Management Consultancy firm at Bangalore
Contact: U K B construction management
Bangalore
Email:ukb.bangalore @ gmail.com
Mob: +91 99809 09895
___________________________________________

Job Openings

Dear sir,
we have vacancies as follows for the following posts for an organization
working in fields related to oil / gas pipeline and infrastructure.

1. Surveyors – 2 (gps/ total station )
2. Civil engineers – 3 ( site work )
3. Safety officers – 2
4. Quality engineer – 1 ( site work )
5. Design engineer – 1 ( concrete structures ).

Please reply to gnkrao @ gmail.com.
with detailed CV and expected salaries.
Candidates with prior experience of working in oil fields will be preferred.
Regards,
Krishna rao.
bin mansour group
fax: +97125513239
e mail : gmkrao@gmail.com
___________________________________________

Lect/Asst Prof/Prof. Vacancy in Civil Engg. Dept

Infant Jesus College Of Engineering, a college under the management of Infant Jesus Educational Trust – Chennai is looking for

1. Lecturers
2. Assistant Professors
3. Professors

We have vcancy in Mech, Automobile, Civil Engg As Lecturer in our college.

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Mansell Construction Services appoints Charter Security

Mansell Construction Services Ltd has appointed Charter Security leading providers of security services to provide manned guarding, dog handling and mobile patrol services across its sites in London and the South-East.

Mansell is a Balfour Beatty company with offices throughout the UK. Mansell’s prestigious customers include the British Museum and Great Ormond Street Hospital. Charter Security already has security staff deployed at Crystal Palace and Kings Cross stations, both of which are undergoing refurbishment programmes.

Commenting on the appointment Jason Peck, Divisional Supply Chain Manager for Mansell said, “We were very impressed by the knowledge and professionalism of the Charter team. They have already demonstrated their expertise in advising us on how to reduce risks. Charter’s ethos is also aligned with our commitment to achieving Zero Harm, making them an ideal partner.”

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Calor Gas chooses Quartix telematics for its national delivery and service fleets

Quartix, one of the UK’s leading vehicle tracking service providers, has equipped Calor Gas’s national delivery and service fleets with real-time telematics.

A total of 520 of the £400-million company’s vehicles, including Scanias, Renaults, Dafs and large tri-axle tanker trailers – operating from centres across the country – have been installed with the award-winning Quartix telematics solution.

David Brown, Calor’s fleet asset manager, explained the reasons the company has invested in Quartix telematics: “With such a large and diverse fleet operating throughout the UK we have many areas and aspects to monitor and consider round the clock, and often all at the same time. The Quartix Corporate service enables us to do just that.

“The main reason for fitting a tracking system is security. With transporting high profile products around the country it is important that if we need to know where an asset is at any time, that we can find it quickly. Quartix allow us to do this from any web enabled PC.

“For example, its flexible onscreen mapping shows us precisely the location of each vehicle in real-time, how fast it’s travelling and even how well it’s being driven.

“There are also many helpful reports, everything from updates on utilisation and capacity to driver timesheets and geo fencing alerts.

“Also, I find some of the most useful information is provided by the system’s fleet management functionality, tailored daily email reports and onscreen KPI management dashboards. With these I can keep tabs on everything that’s going on quite easily.”

Quartix was awarded the contract after Calor Gas carried out a detailed study of telematics suppliers and performed extensive long-term trials.

“The trials showed the Quartix system more than met our expectations,” said Mr Brown. “In addition, we found we were able to work closely and easily with the Quartix engineers, who helped tailor the system to meet our own particular requirements.”

One of Calor’s specific needs was to receive live data from its vehicle pumping systems. After extensive research Quartix specialists were able to establish a connection from the vehicles’ control systems, enabling onscreen reports to be displayed via the Quartix system’s extended reporting menu.

“This means we can see at a glance when the pump starts, stops and its operational duration at each customer site,” said Mr Brown.

Calor Gas is also benefiting financially from the Quartix system’s ability to plan shorter routes and by monitoring drivers, who are encouraged to maintain safe, economical driving styles.

Andy Kirk, Quartix sales and marketing director, said: “We are extremely pleased to help Calor Gas track and monitor its extensive UK fleet – and being able to work closely with Calor staff to achieve the company’s goals, both now and in the future.”

More about Calor Gas
Established in 1935, Calor Gas is the UK’s largest distributor of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

As part of the international group SHV Gas, the company provides both cylinder and bulk energy solutions for residential, industrial and commercial customers nationwide.

LPG is one of the cleanest conventional fuels available, with significantly lower CO2 emissions than oil, coal and electricity.

By working closely with manufacturers of new low-carbon technologies, Calor Gas is at the cutting edge of today’s energy industry.

More about Quartix

Founded in 2001, Quartix (www.quartix.net) has grown to become one of the UK’s most successful vehicle tracking system providers.

Today, more than 3,500 customers across a wide range of sectors – including government organisations, housing associations, construction firms, hospital trusts, the emergency services, SMEs and large British brands – use the online service, while the company’s unique, own-design tracking unit has been installed in more than 50,000 vehicles.

The Quartix system provides users with a fast, efficient, 'point-and-click' source of real-time information, together with tailored e-mail reports. The highly-flexible service has scope to meet the needs of large corporations and owner-managed businesses alike.

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