ISG Secures Further £4.7 Million Scheme With Octave

ISG has been awarded a £4.7 million project to construct a development of 40 residential units for existing client, Octave Homes.

The new project, which starts on site in September in the East Sussex town of Hailsham, will see the contractor carry out a 57-week programme involving the construction of a mix of 40 residential units, 19 of which will be marketed by Octave Homes, with the remainder offered for shared ownership or rental by Affinity Sutton Housing Association.

Located in a popular residential south side area of the town, the houses will be of timber frame construction and feature a range of architectural finishes, including brick cladding, tile and render. The development has been designed to Code 3 for Sustainable Homes standard and includes two-, three- and four-bedroomed houses in a variety of detached, semi-detached and terrace house types, all of which will have a high quality internal specification.

ISG’s Ian Gifford, managing director – South East, commented: “Generating repeat business is an important indication of the confidence clients have in our ability to consistently deliver high quality construction solutions. This mixed-tenure scheme plays to our considerable strengths in the residential sector, further demonstrating our ability to deliver outstanding homes in a considerate and environmentally sustainable manner.”

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Welsh Government News: Global plans for energy saving technology

SolaVeil®– an advanced energy saving technology for both retro-fit and new build windows that optimises natural light, reduces glare and deflects solar heat, has had the seal of approval from the Technology Strategy Board.

TSB described SolaVeil® as one of their Energy Efficiency Whitehall* successes after it was trialled on a Government building in London resulting in significant energy savings.

Daylight Business Solutions - the Cardiff based company behind SolaVeil® - is now expanding rapidly to commercialise SolaVeil globally. Technical Director Brian Hughes said the endorsement by TSB was excellent news.

Developed over the past five years with help from Cardiff University, SolaVeil® is a fine polyester material with digitally applied three dimensional surface micro-arrays. It is engineered to deflect solar glare, heat and harmful rays, while diffusing natural daylight into buildings reducing the need for blinds and artificial light.

Retrofitted to windows and credited with transforming the working environment in offices, schools, hospitals and supermarkets, SolaVeil® also reduces air conditioning requirements, significantly cutting energy costs and carbon emissions.

The company has received ongoing advice and support in a number of areas from Welsh Government innovation specialists, who also helped with regard to intellectual property and funding towards patenting of the SolaVeil technology.

Business Minister Edwina Hart said SolaVeil® is an example of highly innovative research being undertaken in Wales by small but very smart companies.

She said: “It also illustrates the importance of industry collaborating with universities on research and development to bring new and novel products to market, helping to create jobs, growth and wealth. In this instance the product also has the potential to support government targets to cut energy costs and reduce carbon emissions.”

The technology carries a ten year warranty, with trials showing a 30% reduction in cooling energy costs and a 20% reduction in artificial lighting costs. It typically provides a return on investment in the UK of under four years.

It is now being targeted at a number of sectors, including the heath sector as new tests reveal SolaVeil has significant antimicrobial properties, capable of killing bacteria such as e.coli and MRSA.

Warwick NHS Hospital is currently undergoing a second phase of trials which are testing the antimicrobial properties and its impact on health care, energy costs and cleaning costs.

Brian Hughes said the energy efficiency of the technology is proven and the latest tests show it also has great potential for use in healthcare facilities.

“Not only can it improve the environment for patients and staff but could play a key role in the overall cleaning regime of hospitals, helping eliminate extremely dangerous bacteria.”

Brian Hughes added Daylight Business Solutions is already working with multi-national companies such as Saint Gobain and FujiFilm to develop its global channel strategy and is now proactively seeking further partners with the resources and expertise to commercialise SolaVeil on a global scale.

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Four more dates for Kubota Live in September 2010

Kubota Live! is the only event where customers get to put the complete Kubota line-up of mini excavators, tractors and groundcare equipment through its paces.

Following the success of this year’s Kubota Live! at Rockingham, the company has announced four more dates for September 2010:
14 September Wetherby Racecourse (LS22 5EJ)
16 September Writtle College, Essex (CM1 3RR)
21 September Bath Racecourse (BA1 8BU)
23 September Western Park, Shropshire (TF11 8LE)

The event at Rockingham attracted a wealth of quality customers, many of whom had travelled especially to the event in order to help them decide which machine was right for them before they placed an order. One such customer was John Carhart, owner of Phoenix Park in Trematon Saltash, Cornwall, who drove more than 300 miles to attend the Rockingham Kubota Live!

He said: "I've always used Kubotas because of their build quality, reliability and dealer back-up. Because I've recently bought some more land, I needed a bigger tractor and knew I wanted another Kubota. The B2530 compact tractor was perfect for my needs, but I couldn’t decide between manual or HST options, so I decided to go to Kubota Live! so I could try the two different options back to back. After putting them to the test, I decided that manual was the right option for me.

"Kubota Live! is a fantastic event – it’s the only place where you can try out all the equipment on display and get expert advice from both the manufacturer and the dealers. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking to buy Kubota equipment – it was certainly worth the trip."

Visitors to the free events in September will be amongst the first to try their hand at new machines from Kubota Tractor and Groundcare division, including the M130X Kubota’s biggest tractor to date, the B2420 compact tractor, the new HST version of the L4100 and the T1880 petrol ride-on mower.

And of course, the company will be exhibiting all the 'old favourites' too, from the GR1600 ride-on mower through to the M Series tractors and not forgetting the RTV 900 all-terrain utility vehicle.

This will be complemented by the comprehensive range of mini excavators from Kubota Construction, which range in size from 980 kg to 8 tonnes. Three new machines will be introduced at the show, including the much-anticipated 5 tonne models.

"Kubota Live! is a fantastic event that gives visitors the chance to ride, drive and dig using all the machines, providing them with an unparalleled insight into each model’s suitability for their individual needs," commented Dave Roberts, Kubota Tractor and Groundcare Sales and Marketing Manager.

"For the September events, we have worked hard to choose venues that not only offer great testing facilities but will also attract maximum visitor numbers thanks to their strategic locations across the UK. There will be plenty of free parking and refreshments available – wherever you are Kubota Live! is certainly an event not to be missed."

Kubota's experienced and qualified staff will also be on-hand throughout the event to advise people about the best model for their needs. Representatives from all the local Kubota Dealerships will also be attending each event.

To put these and other machines through their paces, all people need to do is register on-line by visiting the Kubota website and clicking on the Kubota Live! link. Entry is free and refreshments are available.

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ISG Secures Sheffield Teaching Hospital Scheme

ISG has secured its latest project via the Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Contractors Framework, taking a £1.5 million scheme to deliver a new endoscopy decontamination unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. The contractor framework encompasses refurbishment and new build projects across the Trust’s five teaching hospitals in Sheffield.

Occupying an underused area of the hospital previously used for storage, the new unit will enable the Trust to relocate endoscopy services to a purpose-built facility that incorporates an endoscopy suite, two operating theatres and associated preparation areas. The unit will be handed over to the hospital in two phases, with the operating theatres delivered in November and the endoscopy suite at the end of the year.

To form the new unit, ISG will carry out a comprehensive strip out of the existing accommodation and rationalise and reconfigure space within the hospital. The unit is being created adjacent to laboratories and busy out-patient areas within a live hospital environment and effectively segregating the works is an essential element of the project. The scheme includes a major mechanical and electrical package, with complex interfaces with the hospital’s existing infrastructure.

ISG’s John Gittins, managing director - North East, commented: “The framework procurement methodology is ideally suited to complex, phased live environment projects, where high quality contractors can engage with clients at an early stage to ensure a successful project outcome. The Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust framework has been instrumental in driving efficiencies throughout the supply chain and reducing the time taken to get schemes to site, as well as promoting shared knowledge and the delivery of best practice solutions.”

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Victoria Park renovations completed

London’s historic Victoria Park has been restored to its former splendor following the completion of a £12 million, 16 month renovation project.

The project, funded by Tower Hamlets Council and The Heritage Lottery Fund was carried out by family-owned construction, civil engineering and property services firm Osborne, which involved full renovation of the park’s facilities and grounds.

Work on the park included the construction of two large play areas with play equipment, water play features, and a Wheels Park for skateboarding and bikes as well as restoration on the Old English Garden and other landscaping work.

Additional work included restoring the listed Burdett Coutts Fountain; the Rustic Shelter; the Bandstand; and all entrances and gates and Bonner Bridge. Many of the Bonner Bridge balustrades had to be replaced, and were cast from the original panels. More than one third of the materials and labour for this project came from within a 10 mile radius of the site.

The park remained open throughout the renovation work, so the site team worked around staff, residents and the local wildlife, scheduling work around nesting season for the birds and working with English Heritage to obtain approvals for refurbishing listed structures.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, said: “The refurbishment was a once in a life-time opportunity to bring a much loved park up to date and the multi million pound transformation will ensure the park continues to provide excellent facilities for years to come.

I am proud of the investment which has been made as it really is the jewel in the crown for the borough.”

Tommy Chambers, Managing Director of Osborne’s Civil Engineering team, said: “The whole community have joined us in refurbishing this magnificent park, with residents getting involved in planting, and some local school children painting murals to go on our hoardings while the work was taking place. With the park remaining open throughout the renovation works, we made communication with residents and staff a key priority, so they knew what was going on and why. This park has been a key feature of the local landscape and in the lives of its residents since 1845, and these renovations have been designed to improve the experience for visitors while complimenting the park’s Victorian heritage.”

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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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Hydrophobic Impregnation prevents water ingress into concrete structure

Damage to concrete always involves water. Water acts as a vehicle for transporting aggressive substances, such as chloride ions which are present in the water as it is drawn into the concrete by capillary action. Water also serves as a reaction medium and a reagent in destructive chemical processes, foremost among these being the corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Corrosion leads to the deterioration of overlying concrete, and exposes the reinforcing steel. One of the most efficient ways to protect concrete is to prevent it from absorbing water in the first place.

Hydrophobic Impregnation is a proven concrete protection technology that prevents water ingress into concrete structures thus decreasing the likelihood of degradation due to aggressive influences. This technique can be used for both new and existing concrete structures.

The various methods of protecting concrete were explored by Joseph Nabih, Technical Manager, Sika Gulf at MEED's Middle East Roads, Bridges and Tunnels conference at Westin Hotel, Dubai. He highlighted various challenges and solutions for concrete protection with a focus on Hydrophobic Impregnations.

"Hydrophobic Impregnation has been used all over the world for many large scale projects like bridges, buildings, walls, silos and cooling towers, and other types on concrete structures," said Nabih. 3.2km Sitra causeway connecting Bahrain and Saudi Arabia is one of many bridges treated by Sika Hydrophobic Impregnation technology. "We prevented bridge from deteriorating and achieved the client requirement of 120 years of durability design life," he added.

Sika has been at the forefront of concrete repair and protection technology since the 1920s. Sika pioneered the development of concrete repair products and systems from the early beginnings, with Sika Waterproof mortars in the 1920s and 30s, through our development of epoxy and polymer latex modified repair mortars in the 1950s and 60s. In the 1970s Sika introduced the first "Complete Concrete Repair and Protection System" with Sika reinforcement primers, bonding bridges, repair mortars and leveling mortars plus protective impregnations and coatings.

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Karkamış Dam and HEPP

The Karkamış Dam and HEPP is located on the Euphrates River 4,5 km from the Syrian border. Constructed as a clay-core earthfill dam, the Karkamış Dam and HEPP is a very important project being the first application of run of river type HEPP in Turkey. The Karkamış Dam and HEPP is the second unit in the Border Euphrates Project, which constitutes one part of the Southeast Anatolian Project. The power plant has installed capacity of 189 MW with an electricity production target of 652,5 GWh. When the protective embankments on the right and left shore of the reservoir for this electrical power generating dam were built, the 336-meter level of the lake was raised to an operational level of 340 meters. The purpose was to protect the residential area and 433 hectares of farmland below the lake. The project was completed by a consortium including Yüksel İnşaat A.Ş.

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Damad Dam

Damad Dam is located in the Damad Valley approximately 50 km northeast of the Jizan city in Saudi Arabia. The dam is designed for flood control and irrigation of farmland. Damad is a roller compacted concrete (RCC) type dam having the reservoir volume of 55 million m3 while its crest height is 52 m from the foundation level and the crest length is 592 m.
Client Ministry of Water and Electricity in Saudia Arabia

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Construction businesses need to ramp up security on plant machinery

As the recession continues to bite, thieves are targeting low value construction items. By the close of 2008, Tracker assisted the police in recovering assets to the value of over £400million, resulting in over 1,800 arrests. 54 percent of plant recoveries were valued at £10,000 or less. With this in mind Tracker urges businesses to ramp up security on plant machinery.

Tracker’s highest value recoveries include a Caterpillar 320 Excavator worth £70,000, a JCB 3CX backhoe loader and a Manitou MT 1740 telehandler, both weighing in at £50,000 each.

Bill Raynal, Managing Director for Tracker, comments, “In 2008, Tracker recovered nearly £2.5million worth of plant equipment, but businesses would be mistaken to think that they only need to look after their highest value items. Despite being a relatively low cost item, the Ifor Williams trailer was top of the list for thieves, while we also saw an increase in quad bike thefts. Our figures show that criminals aren’t picky with everything from woodchippers to catering trailers being recovered in 2008.”

Tracker stolen vehicle recovery systems work like an electronic homing device. A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several places around the asset. There is no visible aerial, so the thief won’t even know it’s there. The tracking device works even if the asset is hidden in a container or underground, offering plant owners the ultimate in peace of mind should the worst happen.

“It is clear that the current economic climate is pushing criminals to take anything they can get their hands on,” concludes Bill Raynal. “Hard times mean that businesses can’t afford to make it easy for plant thieves, so we urge them to do everything they can to protect their assets.”

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Shelagh McNerney responsible for overseeing Oldham College’s redevelopment and refurbishment programme

Oldham College has appointed Shelagh McNerney to the post of director of programmes and regeneration responsible for overseeing the College’s redevelopment and refurbishment programme. Shelagh’s role will be to create a vision for the College ensure its redevelopment has a lasting positive social and economic impact in Oldham.

Shelagh is a town planner with over 25 years experience across the regeneration, development and construction industry in both the public and private sector and has led large public sector partnerships across the north west. She has worked in large and small master planning and architecture companies and worked for hundreds of clients across the country from large and small developers, local authorities, community groups and government agencies in Liverpool, North Wales and across the local authority and development industry.

Shelagh is a board director on the national Considerate Constructor Scheme and will bring the very best practice to the benefits of the College in its curriculum as well as through its capital programme.

Shelagh, who started her new role this May says, "I am honoured and excited to be leading a programme of change in Oldham College which will see very practical improvements to the environment for staff and students with very limited funds. I am committed to aligning all capital spend to the College's education vision and ensuring every penny is spent wisely and efficiently. I feel this role brings all my professional experience together as building work, master planning and community benefit are my favourite subjects."

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United Nations defer decision on deadly chrysotile asbestos used mainly in cement products

The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade has 39 substances on its so-called PIC list, under which an exporting nation must ensure no substances leave its territory without the consent of the recipient country.

The member governments to a United Nations-backed treaty aimed at helping developing countries more effectively manage chemicals and pesticides have postponed a decision until 2008 on whether to add the world's most widely used form of asbestos, identified as causing cancer, to an international watch list.

Member States meeting in Geneva could not reach consensus on adding chrysotile asbestos, which is used mainly in cement products and accounts for about 94 per cent of current global asbestos consumption. All other forms of asbestos are already on the list.

The World Health Organization (WHO), which has identified chrysotile as a human carcinogen, reports that at least 90,000 people die each year of asbestos-related diseases such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said in a statement that the deferral raises concerns for developing nations about how to protect their citizens. UNEP and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) provide the secretariat to the Rotterdam Convention.

“While discussions continue over the next two years, exporters should feel a special responsibility to help importers manage chrysotile safely,” he said.

Alexander Müller, Officer-in-Charge of FAO’s Department of Agriculture, Biosecurity, Nutrition and Consumer Protection, said the inclusion of chrysotile “would not constitute a recommendation to ban its global trade or use. With many more actively traded chemicals likely to be considered for inclusion in the future, it is important now to think through the precedent that we may be setting for the Convention.”

A panel of experts decided in February that chrysotile meets the Convention’s conditions for listing, and this conference accepted that conclusion. A key requirement for listing is that two countries from two different regions must have banned or severely restricted the chemical in question, and in this case, Australia, Chile and the European Commission have done so.

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NSM consults Lead-In for qualified data

With over 30 years in the telecoms business, NSM know how to identify a good business opportunity, and using Lead-In Research has certainly aided their quest.

Telecoms specialists NSM provide ‘supply and installation’ services of telecoms solutions throughout the UK and Southern Ireland. These solutions include; telephone systems, local/wide area networks, paging, voice mail, call management, video conferencing, voice and data structured cabling, D.E.C.T. cordless solutions, ISDN networks and VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol)

NSM have been using Lead-In Research data for just over a year now and they find the quality of project information excellent, Jack Turnbull from NSM Teleconsult says: “I would happily award your service 8+ out of 10, the ‘type’ and ‘detail’ of projects you report on are perfect for my business requirements.”

NSM opt for a more traditional method when it comes to utilising their sales leads, they prefer to ‘cold call’ opportunities rather than sending letters or emails to prospects. Jack goes on to explain; “I use this information to call the right person and grab their interest. It is a question of how good a cold caller you are, it just happens that throughout my 45 years in the selling business, cold canvass has always been my means to achieve sales, and I just happen to be particularly good at it!”

“Lead-In Research is definitely a viable source of sales leads for my line of work, and I can categorically say that to date, profit generated from this service outweighs the cost – I’m enjoying a great return on my investment!”

About Lead-In Research
Lead-In Research are the people who can tell you which companies are planning to relocate, open new premises, refurbish, expand, or invest in new equipment and services. Tailorable data is available through a subscription service, helping businesses across the nation to identifying companies that have an imminent need for your products and services.

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Caterpillar invests in products and solutions for the global mining industry

Caterpillar Inc. has announced a series of investments in products and solutions for the global mining industry. The company will produce a full range of mining shovels, ranging from a 125-ton model through an 800-ton model. Caterpillar has selected its manufacturing facility in Aurora, Ill., for initial production of the new product range and is conducting a study of additional production sources in other parts of the world.

In early 2011, Caterpillar will begin pilot production of the new 125-ton class shovel. The first commercial shovels produced in Aurora are expected to be available later in 2011. The larger shovels are planned for commercial availability beginning in 2013 and through 2014.

This range will give customers a direct match for loading Caterpillar's mining trucks - from the 100-ton class 777F through the 400-ton class 797F. The Aurora facility also produces Caterpillar's largest wheel loaders, which are an alternative method for loading mining trucks.

"As we discuss solutions with our global mining customers, it's clear they want a complete line of Caterpillar shovels to best match the full range of Caterpillar trucks operating at their mines," said Chris Curfman, president of Caterpillar Global Mining.

The company is also accelerating previously announced capacity expansion plans for trucks in Decatur, Ill., with additional capacity expected to come on line beginning in 2011. The expansion in Decatur will increase truck capacity at the facility by nearly 30 percent. Decatur produces Caterpillar's largest mining trucks, including the flagship 797F series truck, which has a maximum capacity of 400 tons.

In addition, Caterpillar plans to increase capacity for 60 and 100-ton trucks at its existing manufacturing facility near Chennai, India. The capacity expansion would more than double truck production capabilities in India. The expansion for its 100-ton 777D and 60-ton 773E trucks in India should be completed by early 2012.

"The increased production in India and Decatur will better position the company to serve our mining customers in every region of the world, with a particular focus on the growing demand and customer base in the emerging markets of Asia and in Russia," Curfman added.

Combined, the long-term shovel development program and added truck capacity represent investments of nearly $700 million in Caterpillar mining products through 2014.

Caterpillar is also updating the status of its new electric-drive mining trucks. The company currently has pilot units of its 345-ton 795F AC truck at customer sites for final evaluation, with commercial production set to begin in late 2010. Initial interest in the new Cat 795F AC trucks has been strong, and the company has increased its planned build rate for 2011 by more than 40 percent to meet demand in all major mining markets throughout the world.

In early 2012, the company also plans to produce pilot units of the 793F AC truck with a 240-ton payload. Both the 793F AC and 795F AC will complement Caterpillar's full range of mechanical drive trucks.

"For generations, customers have relied on Caterpillar products, along with the service support of our global dealer network, to give them the lowest owning and operating costs over the life of a machine," said Caterpillar Chief Executive Officer-Elect Doug Oberhelman. "In today's globally competitive environment, our customers are counting on that level of reliability, durability and support more than ever. This investment of nearly $700 million demonstrates our commitment to Caterpillar mining customers around the world. It also is a great example of the job-creation benefits of global trade, as well over 60 percent of the large mining products made at our Illinois facilities are exported outside of the United States," Oberhelman added.

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Euro Auctions - Used Construction Plant Global Review 2011 - 2012 - 2)

What a year 2011 was! Following the crash of the worlds construction markets, the movement of second hand plant and industrial equipment around the globe proved to be highly volatile and not without surprise. The fortunes of plant owners, plant buyers and plant sellers have changed over the last 12 months, but what is the real global story?


Eastern Europe
Large construction, roadway and infrastructure projects in Poland are on the increase so contractors, machine operators and hire companies are buying plant and machinery for that market. Poland has always maintained a good presence at auction and is interested in a complete cross section of plant and machinery with the emphasis being on earth moving equipment. Likewise, Finland has an interest in everything across the board. It also sells across the border to Russia which is back buying in its own right after an absence of some 24 months.

Russia
The Russian construction sector is experiencing healthy economic growth. The overall value of construction contracts signed in 2011 is expected to be higher than in 2010, and as a result demand for plant, machinery and equipment is just becoming visible.

While the residential housing sector remains subdued, civil engineering projects such as the 2012 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation) Summit in Vladivostok and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi are contributing to sustained growth and the need for construction plant and equipment. Awarding the 2018 FIFA World Cup to Russia will create another need for stadiums and airports in all the host cities which will need to be either built or modernised. Russia is therefore set to boom and the demand will be strong.

USA
In 2011 the USA was still manufacturing new machines but not at a rate at which to satisfy home market demands. This brought US buyers to Europe and favouring the Pound as opposed to the Euro. At the latter end of 2011 American buyers were more visible at auction after an absence of some 12 to 18 months and were looking for large heavy mining equipment for the home open-cast coal and iron ore extraction market, as well as for the oil sands of Alaska. A new emerging requirement is the extraction of shale gas from vast reserves in the US, which is predicted to break the US’s dependency on Middle East gas and oil. As a result big dozers and dump trucks for the contracting market are in demand, with older home market equipment going from the USA to South America.

South America
With the emergence of the success of the BRIC’s countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) Latin America's largest economies, Brazil, Colombia and Peru are targeting a total of US$ 40 billion of private investment in infrastructure over the next two years. Brazil is planning to construct more than 5000 km of highways and at the end of 2011 had started the first of two projects to construct 1750 km of roadways. With Columbia embarking on four major initiatives worth an estimated US$ 30 billion, including highways, sea ports, airports, railways and river ways; and Peru embarking on projects in the hydrocarbons sector as well as rail and agricultural projects, South America is already showing signs of a demand for all manner of machinery and equipment. South America is seeking late model, low hours, and clean heavy earth moving equipment, with warranty, that is available immediately.

Predictions for 2012
Predicting the trend for 2012 is difficult, particularly when external, natural and even economic factors can change the landscape overnight, however there are a number of assumptions one can make.

UK Prices – the prices of good second-hand equipment in the UK will likely continue to hold for the foreseeable future, at least until manufacturing comes up to speed and takes the pressure off the interest in pre-owned equipment. In 2011 12 to 24 month old equipment was reaching premium prices, closely followed by good 24 to 48 month old stock. This trend is likely to increase. Several major UK construction projects are about to commence in the UK, including the first new bridge over the Thames for over 20 years, with others in the planning phase, and these will help ensure plant does not stand idol and sustain market demand.

Export – with the strengthening economies around the globe, machinery from the UK and Europe will continue to leave these shores for BRICs countries, Australia, South East Asia, South America and the USA.

Emerging Markets – Australia may well be the star of 2012, continuing to demands good quality late years equipment and machinery. South America will continue to develop as an emerging market, with demand expected to increase through 2012 as new infrastructure project increase tempo. With huge weight on its shoulders to deliver key projects on time and budget, demand from Russia will continue to grow in a sustained fashion.

One to watch - The ‘S’ in BRIC’s is no longer a signifier of the plural, as South Africa is accredited to now having that status as the ‘S’. This is seen as the next emerging economy and is one to watch.

Plant demand – European demand may be affected by strengthening sterling, leaving the UK more expensive than the rest of Europe. Australia has a huge demand for crushers, screeners, large dump trucks such as the Volvo a40e, CAT 740, Komatsu hm400 and large excavators in the 50 tonnes plus category. In North Africa it will be a case of waiting and seeing if peace holds, then wheel loaders, generators and batching plants should all be needed during the rebuild process. There will be continued demand from South America as the Brazilian market continues to grow, but importation is problematic and expensive

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Construction Recycling Alliance launches Finance Initiative

The Construction Recycling Alliance, a trade association representing construction companies committed to recycling, has launched a new service offering affordable finance for those enterprises seeking new recycling equipment. Backed by a select number of specialist finance providers, the CRA Finance Initiative is available as an alternative to conventional lending which has, since the credit crunch, been perceived as highly selective and restrictive.

The new scheme is available to any company considering purchasing new or used recycling equipment and all enquiries will be dealt with by a team of consultants who can assist with the provision of flexible finance solutions at competitive rates. Users of the initiative will also be entitled to a fifty percent reduction on CRA membership fees, subject to qualification.

Commenting on the new initiative CRA Director David Barnes said, “As a result of the ongoing recession which has acutely affected the construction sector, those seeking recycling equipment finance from some traditional providers are still being refused credit or offered punitive terms even though the construction recycling sector remains resilient. The CRA’s Finance Initiative aims to redress this imbalance and offer a viable alternative to the mainstream service providers”.

If you would like to take advantage of this scheme please contact the CRA.

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Chosen for unique property- RonaDeck Resin Bound Surfacing

The property owner employed BPR Architects to design Downley House as his family home. Downley House was built on the site of old farm buildings set within the newly formed South Downs National Park. Part of the original house has been retained as a folly adjacent to the main house. The building incorporates a family wing and a guest wing linked by a barrel vaulted dining hall over the entrance to the original property, the barrel vaulted roof is just one of a number of barrel themes to be seen in the design, partly a reference to the owner’s history in the wine business. Other interesting features are a copper roof and glass surround spiral staircase leading to a roof terrace. Work began on the development in the summer of 2010 and the project finally reached completion in spring 2012.

Ronacrete Approved Contractor PRC Landscapes was employed to carry out groundworks and landscaping on the three acre site, including application of RonaDeck Resin Bound Surfacing.

The SuDS compliant two-part aggregate system was applied to 650 square metres of a suitable macadam substrate including patios, the driveway and turning circle. The aggregate selected was Harvest Crunch, a blend of naturally coloured aggregates in keeping with the house surroundings. The aggregate colour will not change over time because the elastic polyurethane resin does not degrade when exposed to Ultra Violet light.

The RonaDeck Resin Bound Surfacing System was supplied in two components which were mixed together with a drill and paddle before being added to the aggregate blend. The aggregate and resin were then mixed in a high capacity forced action mixer. The mixed material was poured onto the substrate, spread to level and trowel finished at a thickness of 15mm. After completion the paving was ready for foot traffic within four hours and ready
for vehicles after 1-2 days.

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Complexus appointed Official Reseller by iOra to expand the reach of its Data Replication Solutions for African Organizations

iOra, the world’s leading provider of data replication solutions to the network edge, has appointed Complexus as the official reseller in South Africa. Complexus is a software consultancy with extensive experience of working with organizations to implement solutions to support key business processes and the collaboration is part of iOra’s drive to increase its partnership portfolio across the globe.

Complexus focuses on exploring client business change initiatives, business process improvement and problem domains requiring software solutions linked to a managed, turnkey technical deployment & training program with its prime focus being industries in Africa including mining, construction, off-shore, shipping, finance, telecoms, defence
and Government.

“We are very excited about the addition of iOra’s replication product to our portfolio which will offer our clients significant enhancements for the way essential business data is communicated across the enterprise, especially for those with users in remote locations or that have to battle with high cost, high latency networks,” said Nick Bradshaw, Director, Complexus. “Our partnership will allow us to offer the best software to improve business efficiency to clients in the region.”

Offering solutions applied at a server to server, server to virtual server and server to laptop level, iOra is used extensively in the commercial and public sectors, including over 20 military organizations, to replicate data. iOra has been replicating data to
the network edge for over 12 years across a broad range of industries including maritime, utilities, construction, government, mining, and energy.

“The need for a proven data replication solution for Microsoft SharePoint, and other platforms and file systems is rapidly growing and with iOra’s technology working in environments where the bandwidth is as low as 2kbps this partnership will offer an unrivalled solution to the region. We are committed to expanding our customer reach in core markets such as Africa and this agreement will contribute to our continued growth in the area,” said Lawrence Poynter, Product Director, iOra.

About iOra: iOra’s patented replication technology supports the delivery of critical operation data throughout the enterprise, even for remotely located personnel at the network edge with limited connectivity. Successfully deployed on tens of thousands of machines by customers including the US Navy, US Marine Corps, Shell, NATO, ARM, and the UK Ministry of Defence, iOra delivers data replication over bandwidths as low as 2kbps and to disconnected users. For over 12 years iOra has
been replicating SharePoint, and a wide variety of other applications, from ship to shore, intranet to extranet, head office to remote workers, and from headquarters to the operational frontline.

About Complexus: Complexus is a software consultancy operating out of Cape Town, South Africa and serves as a distributor for software brands seeking a sales presence in Southern Africa and wider Sub-Saharan Africa. Complexus currently provide solutions for data replication from iOra Ltd and consulting solutions based around ECM and SharePoint. Complexus offer clients a range of expertise to bring to bear on any given problem and as such, work with a mix of industry partners local to the South African market. Complexus is a Level 4 Contributor to BBBEE.

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Structural engineering

Structural engineering is a field of engineering dealing with the analysis and design of structures that support or resist loads economically. Structural engineering is usually considered a specialty within civil engineering, but it can also be studied in its own right.

Structural engineers are most commonly involved in the design of buildings and large nonbuilding structures but they can also be involved in the design of machinery, medical equipment, vehicles or any item where structural integrity affects the item’s function or safety. Structural engineers must ensure their designs satisfy given design criteria, predicated on safety (e.g. structures must not collapse without due warning) or serviceability and performance (e.g. building sway must not cause discomfort to the occupants).
Structural engineering theory is based upon physical laws and empirical knowledge of the structural performance of different geometries and materials. Structural engineering design utilises a relatively small number of basic structural elements to build up structural systems that can be very complex. Structural engineers are responsible for making creative and efficient use of funds, structural elements and materials to achieve these goals.

Structural engineering dates back to at least 2700 BC when the step pyramid for Pharaoh Djoser was built by Imhotep, the first engineer in history known by name. Pyramids were the most common major structures built by ancient civilizations because the structural form of a pyramid is inherently stable and can be almost infinitely scaled (as opposed to most other structural forms, which cannot be linearly increased in size in proportion to increased loads).

Throughout ancient and medieval history most architectural design and construction was carried out by artisans, such as stone masons and carpenters, rising to the role of master builder. No theory of structures existed, and understanding of how structures stood up was extremely limited, and based almost entirely on empirical evidence of ‘what had worked before’. Knowledge was retained by guilds and seldom supplanted by advances. Structures were repetitive, and increases in scale were incremental.

No record exists of the first calculations of the strength of structural members or the behaviour of structural material, but the profession of structural engineer only really took shape with the industrial revolution and the re-invention of concrete (see History of concrete). The physical sciences underlying structural engineering began to be understood in the Renaissance and have been developing ever since.

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Project Management Glossary A-D

A

Agile software development is a set of fundamental principles about how software should be developed based on an agile way of working in contrast to previous heavy handed software development methodologies.

Aggregate planning is an operational activity which does an aggregate plan for the production process, in advance of 2 to 18 months, to give an idea to management as to what quantity of materials and other resources are to be procured and when, so that the total cost of operations of the organization is kept to the minimum over that period.

Allocation is the assignment of available resources in an economic way.

B

Budget generally refers to a list of all planned expenses and revenues.

Budgeted Cost of Work Performed (BCWP) measures the budgeted cost of work that has actually been performed, rather than the cost of work scheduled.

Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS) the approved budget that has been allocated to complete a scheduled task (or Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) component) during a specific time period.

Business model is a term used to describe a profit-producing system that has an important degree of independence from the other systems within an enterprise.

Business analysis is the set of tasks, knowledge, and techniques required to identify business needs and determine solutions to business problems. Solutions often include a systems development component, but may also consist of process improvement or organizational change.

Business operations are those ongoing recurring activities involved in the running of a business for the purpose of producing value for the stakeholders. They are contrasted with project management, and consist of business processes.

Business process is a collection of related, structured activities or tasks that produce a specific service or product (serve a particular goal) for a particular customer or customers. There are three types of business processes: Management processes, Operational processes, and Supporting processes.

Business Process Modeling (BPM) is the activity of representing processes of an enterprise, so that the current (”as is”) process may be analyzed and improved in future (”to be”).

C

Capability Maturity Model (CMM) in software engineering is a model of the maturity of the capability of certain business processes. A maturity model can be described as a structured collection of elements that describe certain aspects of maturity in an organization, and aids in the definition and understanding of an organization’s processes.

Change control is a general term describing the procedures used to ensure that changes (normally, but not necessarily, to IT systems) are introduced in a controlled and coordinated manner. Change control is a major aspect of the broader discipline of change management.

Change Management is a field of management focussed on organizational changes. It aims to ensure that methods and procedures are used for efficient and prompt handling of all changes to controlled IT infrastructure, in order to minimize the number and impact of any related incidents upon service.

Case study is a research method which involves an in-depth, longitudinal examination of a single instance or event: a case. They provide a systematic way of looking at events, collecting data, analyzing information, and reporting the results.

Constructability is a project management technique to review the construction processes from start to finish during pre-construction phrase. It will identify obstacles before a project is actually built to reduce or prevent error, delays, and cost overrun.

Costs in economics, business, and accounting are the value of money that has been used up to produce something, and hence is not available for use anymore. In business, the cost may be one of acquisition, in which case the amount of money expended to acquire it is counted as cost.

Cost Engineering is the area of engineering practice where engineering judgment and experience are used in the application of scientific principles and techniques to problems of cost estimating, cost control, business planning and management science, profitability analysis, project management, and planning and scheduling.”

Construction, in the fields of architecture and civil engineering, is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of multitasking. Normally the job is managed by the project manager and supervised by the construction manager, design engineer, construction engineer or project architect.

Cost overrun is defined as excess of actual cost over budget.

Critical Path Method (CPM) is a mathematically based modeling technique for scheduling a set of project activities, used in project management.

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) is a method of planning and managing projects that puts more emphasis on the resources required to execute project tasks.

D

Dependency in a project network is a link amongst a project’s terminal elements.

Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) is a software development methodology originally based upon the Rapid Application Development methodology. DSDM is an iterative and incremental approach that emphasizes continuous user involvement.

Duration of a project’s terminal element is the number of calendar periods it takes from the time the execution of element starts to the moment it is completed.

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