140-STRONG ORDER CONFIRMS KUBOTA COMMITMENT TO MINDING THE GAP GROUP

Kubota Construction has announced an order for 140 mini-excavators by GAP Group, the UK’s largest independent plant and tool hire company. The deal marks the first major win since the appointment of Kubota Construction’s first dedicated Key Account Manager.

GAP has been a regular user of Kubota Construction for many years, and today estimates that Kubota accounts for around 95% of its fleet of mini-excavators, situated at 59 depots across the UK.

The 2012 batch demonstrates the breadth of Kubota Construction’s range, as its composition shows a marked shift from previous orders by GAP. Of the 140 machines being delivered, 30 are 6-tonne models and 60 are 8-tonne models.

"The mini-excavator market is skewing towards larger sizes as customers need to handle bigger projects, and we’ve had to take on increased numbers to meet growing demand," explains Ken Stewart, Procurement Manager for GAP. "We’re more than confident, based on past experience, that the Kubota equipment will be up to the task."

Ken Stewart says that GAP sees the Kubota name as a badge of quality. "In addition to their mini-excavators, we use other items that run on Kubota engines. Whatever the application, we’ve always found Kubota products to be well-engineered, reliable and hard-wearing – ideal for customers who require construction equipment that can stand up to the rigors of demanding working environments."

In addition, GAP cites the fact that Kubota Construction fits anti-theft technology to its mini-excavators as standard, as being instrumental in bringing peace of mind to its customers. "Good security is a must, and we use Kubota’s anti-theft technology alongside other systems as part of a robust protocol to protect our investment."

With so many Kubota models in the fleet, GAP’s workshop personnel and foremen have developed an exceptional working knowledge of the brand. "I’ve been told many times by colleagues within GAP that the Kubota products don’t suffer many servicing issues, which is a huge testament to their quality."

He adds that the excellent long-term cost of ownership of Kubota models extends as far as selling them on. "Kubota mini-excavators tend to retain their value, giving us good residual income to put back into the business when we need to upgrade our fleet."

The 2012 GAP order is the first major deal brokered by Rebecca Bryson, Kubota Construction’s new Key Account Manager. Bryson was appointed to this role – a first for Kubota in the UK – in order to bring added value to the company’s nationwide customers such as GAP.

As part of the order, Kubota Construction will be taking a greater role in supporting GAP to get the best of its fleet. "We’ll be helping out on Open Days and liaising with depots on training and sales requirements, in order to help GAP get the best out of their Kubota fleet," explains Rebecca Bryson.

"We’re delighted with Rebecca’s appointment and see this as the start of a new era in our relationship with Kubota," confirms Ken Stewart. "With a Key Account Manager in place, we’re confident that Rebecca will fly the flag for the Kubota range to help increase awareness and highlight the strength of our fleet, both externally to customers and internally to GAP’s own staff."

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TRACKER Plant takes the stress out of owning and using plant equipment

The launch of TRACKER Plant brings TRACKER’s fleet tracking capabilities together with its award winning stolen vehicle recovery (SVR) solutions, to meet the specific requirements of the Plant market. Now owners and hirers of plant machinery can monitor its actual usage on and off-site, helping to increase efficiency whilst benefiting from the ultimate security system in the event of theft.

The National Plant & Equipment Register (TER) reports that 95 per cent of plant equipment that is stolen every year is not recovered and says “Plant is seldom fitted with appropriate tracking devices – the right tracking device is an excellent way to make recoveries and generate actionable intelligence for the police.”
The combination of the latest technology from TRACKER offers plant owners a critical defence against plant theft, as well as a new level of control, inorder to get the best out of their plant fleet.

Stephen Doran, Managing Director, TRACKER, explains, “Speaking to our plant customers it became increasingly apparent their needs had changed. Whilst a stolen vehicle recovery system was essential, they also needed a solution to help them better manage their plant fleets. We have combined the power of TRACKER stolen vehicle recovery technology with our fleet tracking capabilities to deliver to the plant sector a comprehensive answer in one neat package.”

Fleet Tracking

TRACKER Plant is based on a combination of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Global Systems for Mobile Communication (GSM), but with the added benefit of TRACKER’s successful and proven Very High Frequency (VHF) radio technology. Fundamentally, this is brought together in a robust and waterproof unit, proven to withstand the harshest plant usage.

The system reports real time information about the usage of plant, such as engine running hours, and allows owners to set a location radius within which the plant can move freely, alerting them if it is moved outside of this location, known as Geofencing. The system will even inform owners when servicing of equipment is due. TRACKER Plant summary reports are emailed weekly containing clear and concise plant data, both on an individual item plant or as a group, for easy monitoring.

Vehicle Security

TRACKER Plant also includes TRACKER’s market leading stolen vehicle recovery system, offering an unrivalled level of protection against theft, as well as significantly increasing the chances of recovery. The system is Thatcham approved, offering added quality assurance and the possibility of an insurance discount.

Doran concludes, “The launch of TRACKER Plant encompasses the key issues surrounding the use of plant equipment and its security. We are bringing plant owners a powerful new way to monitor the status of a machine and its usage, bringing significant cost efficiencies, as well as giving peace of mind with our stolen vehicle recovery system. Designed specifically for the plant sector, this new product will help protect valuable assets, close the net on criminals and ensure businesses get the best out of their fleet.”

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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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Contractor Philip James closes with 23 job losses

Situl Raithatha of Springfields Business Recovery & Insolvency has been appointed Liquidator of Philip James Ltd.

The Company a Leicester based building contractor was incorporated in 1970 but the business was established in 1946. The business employed 23 staff and carried out a wide range of building and maintenance work on a national basis.

David Lowe, Managing Director of Philip James Ltd said “The business has suffered due to the general downturn in the building and construction sector and like many other contractors it has found it very difficult to secure economically viable contracts. We have done our best to keep the business going since the downturn but despite our best efforts we have not been able to keep it afloat. We are really disappointed and personally it is a sad day for me having worked for the business for over 45 years.”

Situl Raithatha, Liquidator commented "due to the difficult trading conditions the Company has experienced severe cash flow difficulties and in the absence of sufficient funding has been forced to close down and make all the staff redundant. Our strategy is now to maximise realisations from the Company’s assets for the benefit of the creditors.”

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777 Group breaks-out and recycles Peggy Middleton House's foundations in just eight weeks

Despite the immediate area having been earmarked for regeneration since the late 1990s, the recent extension of the Crossrail scheme to Woolwich has provided renewed impetus for the redevelopment scheme which will include building a supermarket, 1000 flats and Greenwich council’s new civic offices on the site where Peggy Middleton House once stood.

Demolition and dismantling specialist 777 Group has recently completed a major project in the centre of London using two giant, 140 tonne Hitachi excavators. The undertaking centred on removing and recycling the subterranean foundations which once supported an uninspiring office block named Peggy Middleton House.

With the building already demolished, the subsequent removal of its foundations by 777 Group has ensured that the site, which is currently at the centre of a £400m mixed-use regeneration scheme, will be available for developers on time and in good order.

With the green light finally given to developers, 777 Group was given just eight weeks to break-out and recycle the building’s foundations; a task which proved more challenging than it sounds according to 777 Group’s Business Development Manager Daryl Pearce, “During our initial examination of the site it was difficult to tell the depth and strength of the building’s concrete foundations. These unknowns, coupled with a time restriction for completing the project, meant we had to deploy our machines and operatives en-masse at the site. Suffice to say, it was a good job we have the in-house capability for such undertakings as the foundations have proved tougher and deeper than first thought”.

Instrumental in 777 Group’s ability to break-out, crush, back fill and compact the concrete foundations has been its extensive fleet of demolition machinery which includes two heavyweight Hitachi EX1200 excavators. Equipped with mass-excavation arms the EX1200s weigh in at nearly 140 tonnes each. Whilst one machine utilised a 7m3 bucket, the other hosted a brand new Atlas Copco hammer.

Reputed to be the largest volume produced hammer in the world, the 10 tonne Atlas Copco HB10000 was used to good effect to break out over 50,000 m3 of reinforced concrete. The attachment housed a 24cm wide pin which can smash against concrete at a rate of 380 times a minute. According to Daryl, the breaker’s performance played a vital role, “The combination of one of our EX1200s coupled with Atlas Copco HB10000 breaker really sped up the demolition process. With the Hitachi’s strong hydraulic power pack supporting the giant hammer, the concrete came free at an impressive rate. Of course, having a second machine which can shift the giant slabs of broken concrete also helped things along”.

The number of vehicle movements in and out of the site was significantly less than most operations of this size thanks to an on-site recycling programme. Approximately half of all the concrete arisings generated by the foundation demolition were crushed, backfilled and compacted in-situ in order to facilitate a level change for the base of the new building. The remainder was dispatched to 777 Group’s recycling facility nearby. Some 200 tonnes of rebar was extracted from the concrete foundations and also removed from the site.

With the project completed on time and on budget, 777 Group’s ability to rapidly and safely remove irksome, stubborn structures such as the foundations of an uninspiring office have again been proven thus ensuring the long overdue redevelopment of central Greenwich starts without delay.

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Aberdeen Retirement Homes Get a Boost in Planning

In south east of Aberdeen, plans for a new specialist retirement development are set to become a reality after receiving planning permission from Aberdeen City Council.

Specialist retirement developer, McCarthy & Stone, is to redevelop the 1.2 acre site of the former Conference Centre of the Hilton Treetops Hotel in Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen into 44 quality retirement apartments for the elderly.

The new homes will provide a boost to housing options in the local area providing much needed accommodation for people of retirement age and helping free up family housing that older people no longer require.

The contemporary development will rejuvenate the site of the currently vacant building, complementing the surrounding residential area. Alongside attractive landscaped gardens surrounding the building, there will be a communal roof terrace and sun room for residents and visitors.

Stephen Wiseman, Managing Director of McCarthy & Stone in Scotland, explains: "Once complete, our scheme will significantly improve housing choices for older people in Aberdeen. From the outset our development has been sensitively designed to provide a prestigious, contemporary building that can be enjoyed by both residents and the community alike. We worked closely with the local community to form the plans and always ensure our developments bring benefits from being well designed and centrally located, close to local transport links, amenities and shops. In turn this helps to sustain the local economy.”

The application was submitted and approved at committee following an extensive consultation with the local community regarding the proposed development.

The site had previously been granted a planning consent to develop residential apartments for sale to the general market but the development failed to progress because of the economic downturn. As a result, the new proposals had to be clearly communicated to the local community.

Sir Michael Hirst, Chairman of Pagoda Public relations, who led on community consultation, explains: “It was always going to be important to consult closely with the local community to ensure they understood this was a new proposal from a different developer. We invited over 360 local residents to a public exhibition as well as local community groups, representatives and politicians to special meetings to consult on the plans and answer their questions. Following the consultation, feedback showed 90 per cent of those consulted supported McCarthy & Stone’s proposal.” Redevelopment of the site will begin with the demolition of the existing Conference Centre expected to commence on site in autumn.

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Method Statement for Epoxy Textured Coating

Epoxy Textured Coating is applied to be slip resistant coating for concrete and cement screeds. This flooring system can be subjected to normal up to medium heavy mechanical and chemical loading. It is designed for production areas, storage shed and assembly areas or exhibition areas etc.

Advantages of textured coating are slip resistant, good abrasion resistant, good chemical resistance, easy to clean etc.

This method statement is specified for the epoxy flooring system using Sikafloor 264 and other supporting products.

System build-up  for Sikafloor 264  textured coating

1. Primer (2 solutions, depend of the substrate porosity)

a. Less absorbent/dense substrate Primer 1 / 2 x Sikafloor 2420 + 25 % Thinner C  0.1 – 0.2 kg/m²

b. Normal substrate / Porous substrate Primer*   1 x Sikafloor 161  0.3 – 0.5 kg/m²

2.If needed, moisture barrier (if > 4% pbw moisture content into the substrate)

Epocem Primer ( Primer coat)  1 x Epocem Primer  Approximately 0.15 Kg/m²

Moisture barrier (Body coat)  1 x Sikafloor 81 Epocem (2 mm minimum):  2.1 kg/m²/mm

3.Roller and textured coat

1st coat  Roller coating 1 X Sikafloor 264:  0.25 – 0.3 kg/m²

2nd coat  Textured coating 1 X Sikafloor264 + Extender T (2%): 0.4 – 0.5 kg/m²  + 0.008-0.010 kg/m²

(Approx. system thickness from 0.45 to 0.5 mm, without moisture barrier)

Note: In cases of limited exposure and normal absorbent concrete substrates priming is not necessary.

Substrate preparation

The concrete substrate must be sound and of sufficient compressive strength (minimum 25 N/mm2) with a minimum pull off strength of 1.5 N/mm2

Prior to application, confirm substrate moisture content, relative humidity and dew point. Moisture content must  be  not  greater than 4%.

Test method:  Sika Tramex meter  or  Standard  Test method for indication of moisture in concrete by plastic sheet method according to ASTM D4263

Concrete  substrates  must  be  prepared  mechanically  using  abrasive  blast  cleaning  or  scarifying equipment to remove cement laitance and achieve an open textured surface.  Weak concrete must be  removed and  surface defects  such as blowholes and voids must be  fully exposed. All dust, loose and friable material must be completely removed from all surfaces before application of the product, preferably by brush and/or vacuum. If in doubt, apply a test area first.

Application of Epoxy Textured Coating  using Sikafloor 264 system:

Primer coat: Make sure that a continuous, pore free coat covers the substrate. If necessary, apply two priming coats.

Seal coat: Sikafloor 264 as coating can be applied by short-piled roller for the 1st layer. The 2ndlayer is applied back-rolled (crosswise) with a textured roller.

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Natural ventilation at the hub of south Gloucestershire young people's services put by Windowmaster

The timber frame building is designed to meet the councils stringent carbon reduction policy, housing a number of childrens and young peoples frontline community facilities including educational welfare, social care and family support services. As a result, it stores more than 323 tonnes of CO2 within its structure. The building features low and zero carbon technologies including low energy lighting, a combined heat and power plant, photovoltaic cells allied to the Feed in Tariff and low energy natural ventilation.

Kingswood Locality Hub was built by Wates and designed by Bristol architects Alec French. The M & E consultants on the project were Parsons Brinkerhoff.

WindowMaster was selected because it was able to provide a model for an innovative and cost-effective natural ventilation solution that worked according to the brief.

Working with building services engineers NG Bailey WindowMaster designed and supplied a scheme controlling 100 actuators on opening windows in 31 zones, louvres on the facades and chimneys in two areas.

WindowMaster regional sales manager Carl Sutterby said: The system we supplied for the Kingsway Locality Hub is based on the NV Advance system. It is designed to interface with the building management system (BMS) to support a night cooling strategy as well as provide ventilation during the day.

Maximising the use of natural ventilation through openeable windows, cross ventilation and the stack system also aids in reducing the energy consumption of the building and reduces CO2 emissions.

WindowMaster, Europes largest provider of natural comfort and smoke ventilation solutions, was chosen to provide the window automation system for the Kingswood Locality Hub because of its ability to provide a complete installation, in particular the central computer control system. The installation includes window actuators, various sensors and a weather station.

The weather station monitors external conditions around the building, including wind direction and speed, temperature and rain fall. Changes in wind pressure on the facades are also modelled. These parameters are programmed into the computer control system where they are analysed along with readings taken from the weather station and sensors fitted internally. Windows around the building are then precisely controlled and positioned to keep air quality within rooms fresh and the temperature constant.

The natural ventilation system can be retrofitted on many existing windows as well as being installed on new buildings. It can operate on a broad range of window types, including top and bottom opening, sliding and parallel opening. The system can also be used on windows for heat and smoke ventilation.

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Check In at Threadneedles by ISG

To reconfigure accommodation and create five new guest rooms within the existing building, ISG has successfully completed a refurbishment project at boutique hotel Threadneedles in the City of London.

The scheme follows the acquisition of the five star hotel by Westmont Hospitality in November 2011, as part of a deal involving four hotels previously owned by The Eton Collection. As part of a strategy to increase revenue generation at the hotel, ISG has relocated back of house facilities to available space within the building and then converted these underused areas into guest accommodation.

The project included the creation of a new wheelchair accessible guest room on the ground floor and a guest room on the mezzanine floor, space which was previously used as the hotel’s comms room. ISG has also created three further guest rooms on levels two, three and four in space formerly used to accommodate staff changing and canteen facilities.

In addition to creating the new guest rooms, ISG has relocated staff welfare facilities, the staff canteen, IT and comms room and new back of house offices to the building’s basement. The redevelopment also included an upgrade to the hotel’s existing lifts to access the new guest rooms.

Peter Kilby, managing director of ISG’s Hotels division, commented: “This project demonstrates how a hotel asset can be enhanced by maximising the saleable space, providing the opportunity to increase revenue generation from guest rooms. Throughout the delivery of this complex scheme we worked closely with the client’s management team to ensure the hotel continued to operate on a business-as-usual basis, developing a phased works schedule to ensure seamless project delivery.”

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