Sheehan’s opens new construction & demolition recycling plant plus holds open days

Sheehan’s opens new construction & demolition recycling plant plus holds open days : 11th to Friday 14th September 2012

Oxford based Sheehan Haulage & Plant Hire, in conjunction with CDE Global, is holding a series of open days from the 11th to 14th September 2012, to showcase its newly commissioned construction & demolition waste recycling plant.

With sustainability and recycling high on the agenda of Government and Local Authorities across the UK, Oxford based public works and civil engineering contractors, Sheehan Haulage & Plant Hire, recently installed a new construction & demolition waste recycling plant.

The new multi-million pound facility, which was more than five years in the planning, was manufactured, installed and commissioned in June 2012 by CDE Global, the world leading supplier of washing equipment for quarries and mines, at Sheehan’s 150 hectare ‘Dix Pit’ recycling site on the outskirts of Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire.

As a result of the investment, 100,000 tonnes per year of construction & demolition waste from Oxford and the surrounding areas will be diverted from landfill and turned into high value construction aggregates, recycled sands and sub soil. The facility will be used to process construction, demolition and excavation waste from Sheehan’s own projects with additional waste being accepted from as far afield as Greater London. The output is turned into re-useable materials for future construction projects – 50% of which Sheehan’s currently uses on its own projects.

The new CDE Global waste recycling plant is able to process general building rubble, excavation and demolition material into a range of clean aggregates and shingles. These include 3.3mm, 6mm, 10mm, and 40mm grades, which primarily can be used for pipe bedding, with ranges of washed general building sand, fine grade soil and vibro piling material also being produced. In addition, the plant is able to remove other erroneous matter, including wood, plastics and metals which are then sent on for further recycling, while extracted water is reused and re-cycled as part of the washing process.

“Sheehan’s is striving to be better environmental stewards, and we endeavour to sustain natural resources wherever possible,” states Tara Sheehan, Financial Director of Sheehan Haulage & Plant Hire. “By processing all of our own construction & demolition waste and increasing the volume of local third party waste, we are already able to produce and supply recycled sand and sustainable aggregates to many local companies, in addition to meeting much of our own requirements for construction materials in the region.”

The construction & demolition waste is initially loaded into a feed hopper of the CDE Global solution and ferrous material is removed by an overband magnet and pre-screened to remove other erroneous material. Following an initial rinsing through an Aggmax™ unit to liberate sand particles, these are then sent to an Evowash™ unit for the first washing phase. Larger pre-screened material is then sent to the Rotomax™ logwasher for scrubbing and material is discharged to a dewatering screen, with further liberated sand particles recovered for final aggregate rinsing.

The screened and washed aggregate is then discharged to the triple deck Prograde™ that grades aggregates into 5-10mm / 10-20mm / 20-40mm / +40mm material. Waste water is re-cycled and filtered through the Aquacycle™ thickener with silt particles being removed and the waste sludge sent to a concrete buffer tank. Further filtering that creates a filter cake of approximately 90% dry solids content and all residual water is recycled back to the washing plant.

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Redland Acquires Technology for InDax Solar products from Schott SOLAR

Redland, part of the Monier Group, has strengthened its position as a technology leader for the interface of PV products to pitched roofs by acquiring Schott Solar’s InDaX technology for the manufacture of roof-integrated photovoltaics.

The contract was signed on 16 August 2012, and, in addition to the framing technology, includes the rights to use the InDaX name, as well as patents related to the product. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“The acquisition is a strategic addition to our existing solar and roofing activities. We are planning to develop the InDaX system into a major part of our solar portfolio in future. We are confident that through the integration of this state-of-the-art technology we are well prepared for further growth in the promising in-roof segment along the lines of our strategic priorities”, says Pepyn Dinandt, CEO of the Monier Group.

The system is an essential part of the so-called portrait roof and has already been launched by Monier in Germany, Italy and South Eastern Europe. Further launches are planned for France later this year and the UK in January.

Through the acquisition Monier secures that both its own customers and customers of Schott Solar will continue to be able to be offered a premium in-roof product. “The InDaX allows Monier to tap into promising new distribution channels in the PV market. We are building on a technology that will allow us to more strongly benefit from a trend that sees solar systems becoming independent of feed-in-tariffs and being increasingly used for decentralised own consumption”, explains Jens Milnikel, Director of the Business Line Solar Roof Systems.

Experts from the business line and the Technical Centre of the Monier Group had already closely cooperated with Schott Solar for the market launch and further development of the InDaX system bringing in their leading roofing expertise.

Monier will not take over the PV laminate production, but rather build on partnerships with established manufacturers purchasing their systems, as it does for its other photovoltaic systems.

“By building on our proven model where we focus on leveraging our roofing expertise and partnering with quality PV-laminate manufacturers we will be able to offer a premium product. Experience from the markets shows that InDaX is the leading product in this segment. We are now able to also offer former Schott Solar customers who would have been forced to look elsewhere an attractive roof-integrated photovoltaic system”, says Dr Gerrit Sames, CTPO of the Monier Group.

In June this year, Schott had announced that it will cease production of crystalline photovoltaics. The equipment for framing and finishing, taken over by Monier, will be relocated to a company site north of Milan in Italy.

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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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ISG Books £61 Million Center Parcs Woburn Forest Scheme

ISG has secured the £61 million contract to build the accommodation element of the new Center Parcs holiday village development in Bedfordshire. Center Parcs Woburn Forest is the operator’s fifth UK village and the project sees ISG deliver 625 lodges across the 365 acre site, which is scheduled to open to guests in spring 2014.

Commencing in November, the 59-week fast-track scheme involves the construction of two, three and four bed lodges, built using off-site manufactured timber frames, structural insulated timber wall panels and traditional tiled roofs. Various styles of accommodation will be available to guests, including Woodland, Executive and Exclusive lodges.

Following the format of existing Center Parcs villages, the accommodation will be configured around woodland clusters, with linked lodges forming each cluster. Careful consideration has been given to the environmental performance of each lodge, which will be built using sustainably sourced timber and benefit from modern insulation materials.

This latest win sees ISG building upon its relationship with Blackstone, owner of the Center Parcs business and the Nido student accommodation brand. Within London, the contractor has successfully delivered Nido schemes at Notting Hill and Spitalfields, with the latter project valued at £120 million and, at 34-storeys tall, is the world’s tallest student accommodation hall.

ISG’s Craig Tatton, managing director – UK Construction, commented: “There has been a great deal of interest in this high profile development and I’m delighted that ISG has emerged as Center Parcs’ contractor of choice. Delivering 625 lodges across such a large site over an accelerated timeframe is a logistically challenging undertaking, especially when you factor in the restricted woodland setting and simultaneous infrastructure development works on site.

“Our extensive experience of off-site construction and just in time delivery solutions will prove critical to the success of this scheme, as will be the adoption of direct learning from our Olympic projects, in terms of waste management implementation and fostering positive behavioural change from our workforce.”

Martin Dalby Center Parcs’ CEO said: “High quality accommodation is a huge part of the Center Parcs experience, so we are delighted to have signed this very important contract with ISG. We are looking forward to work commencing on our new lodges later this year.”

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Mascus partners with RCS MediaGroup to expand in Italy

Mascus has signed a license agreement with RCS MediaGroup, an international multimedia publishing house, in Italy. RCS Media Group operates in daily newspapers, magazines and books, radio broadcasting, new media and digital and satellite TV. The company holds a leadership position in the area of daily newspapers with brands like Corriere della Sera and La Gazzetta dello Sport. In the classified ad sector RCS Digital is present with successful products like TrovoLavoro.it (recruitment), TrovoCasa.it (real estate) and Automobili.com (cars).

"Italy is among top five countries regarding the size of the markets in Europe in the business areas of construction, agriculture, ground scare, transportation and material handling. Therefore, this establishment is important for Mascus in South Europe, and Europe as a whole" says Fredrik Larsson Managing Director of Mascus.

Currently, Mascus has customers from 42 countries and over 1.200.000 unique visitors monthly. Products listed on Mascus cover a wide range including, tractors, trailers, forklifts, diggers, used trucks and much more. The company has fast expanded its operations in Europe, North America, Oceania and South Africa and has partners altogether in 32 countries worldwide.

"Mascus’ concept proves to be applicable in any country around the globe and we are glad to be able to expand our international presence in partnership with such respectable names in the media world. By partnering with major media houses such as RCS in Italy, Mascus now extends all across Europe and the globe in all key languages" added Fredrik Larsson.

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FM Conway orders Fuso Canter trucks to operate in London's Low Emission Zone

FM Conway, based in Dartford, Kent, has ordered 31 Canter 7C15s trucks to work on its portfolio of maintenance contracts with borough councils across the capital. The new fleet of clean, 'green' 7.5-tonne Fuso Canters will be used in London's Low Emission Zone.

Supplied by local Mercedes-Benz dealer Sparshatts of Kent, they are powered by 3.0-litre diesel engines which meet not only Euro 5 emissions limits but also the more stringent – and voluntary – EEV (Enhanced Environmentally-friendly Vehicle) standard.

The Canters are fitted with steel tipping bodies by Abba Commercials, of Dover, which offer class-leading loading height. Allied to the Canter’s low riding chassis, this makes life easier for Conway’s work crews.

The hydraulic tipping gear, meanwhile, is by Manchester-based Hyva UK. A new model specially designed for the 7.5-tonne gvw market, the Hyva FC77 is electrically operated, and lighter than its predecessor. It features the same external sealing technology as Hyva’s larger 26- and 32-tonne tipping gear, thereby offering operators of light trucks the same standards of performance and reliability.

The 7.5-tonne Canter offers a market-leading payload capacity thanks to its light yet rugged ladder-frame chassis. The additional use of light-weight bodies and tipping gear mean FM Conway’s first Fusos can carry a full half-tonne more than the trucks they have replaced.

FM Conway Plant & Transport Director Steve Hart said: “Like anyone operating in central London, we have to make sure the vehicles we run meet the LEZ emissions regulations not just now, but into the future. These Canters represent the state-of-the-art in terms of environmentally-friendly 7.5-tonne truck operation. Their compact dimensions are an advantage when working in narrow streets and heavy traffic, and the equipment we’ve fitted has also been carefully chosen for this application.”

FM Conway is a long-standing operator of Mercedes-Benz chassis supplied by Sparshatts of Kent, and Mr Hart added: “These Canters represent something of a departure for us but they were competitively priced and look to be perfectly specified for the job. This company is committed to developing ‘green’ working initiatives and these new Fuso Canters represent another, significant step towards our goal of reducing our carbon footprint.”

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ZERO-C concrete repair material formulated to eliminate material cracking

The problem of cracking in concrete repair does not have a simple solution; cracking in concrete is influenced by many factors. Scientists at BASF have unlocked the solution, addressing four critical material properties by utilizing state-of-the-art chemistry to create a new level of performance and the next generation of concrete repair.

The Building Systems business of BASF's Construction Chemicals division has announced the launch of ZERO-C Concrete Repair Technology, a line of cementitious repair mortars that exhibit no cracking when tested in accordance with ASTM C1581. ZERO-C is the first concrete repair material formulated and proven to eliminate material cracking.

Evaluating crack performance requires consideration of all forces that influence cracking. The newest and most reliable scientific test for measuring crack resistance in concrete repair materials is ASTM C1581, commonly known as the "Ring Test." ZERO-C is the industry's first product to exceed both ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and ICRI (International Concrete Repair Institute) requirements for "low cracking potential products" showing no cracking at 60 days when tested according to The Ring Test.

In addition to crack resistance, ZERO-C's patent pending mix-and-match material design brings simplicity to the job site. A single base mortar can be modified by using different liquids to change the material consistency as project demands change, reducing the number of materials that have to be stored on the job site. Additionally, the weatherproof, recyclable mortar bags with handles eliminate solid waste and make bags easier to carry. The durable liquid pouches are tough enough to prevent damage, yet they are made with 50% less plastic than jugs. The pouches fold flat when empty to create less waste and lower disposal costs on site.

"I am very proud of the scientists and construction professionals at BASF who have dedicated their professional energy to creating a scientific breakthrough to not only meet, but exceed the demands of the industry," stated Doug MacRae, Vice President & Business Director for Building Systems. "The people of BASF have dedicated years to engineering a product that will improve our built world and forever change the face of concrete repair."

The Building Systems business of BASF manufactures products under nine brands: Sonneborn®, Thoro®, MBT Protection and Repair®, Hydrozo®, Selby®, UCRETE®, SRS Flooring, Conica and CHEMREX®. These products provide joint sealant, waterproofing, grout, concrete repair, water repellent, performance flooring, surface adhesives and wall coating solutions for construction and renovation projects around the globe.

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Chelsom launches new website

Closely following the launch of the Edition 23 catalogue, the brand new Chelsom website is now up and running.

Edition 23 is the first Chelsom catalogue to be fully available on-line. Specifiers can now view the full collection via the website and easily download high resolution images and technical data for presentation use. All the products are fully searchable by product type, product code or range name.

The launch of the catalogue and website is the culmination of two years of in-house design.

With 40% of the collection being new, designers, specifiers and hoteliers will find a range of lighting that covers the hotel and leisure sectors from two star to six star levels. Based on Chelsom's hard-earned reputation for design, quality and value, guestrooms, bathrooms, bars and public spaces are all catered for with an eclectic mix of product covering contemporary and traditional styles.

Managing Director Robert Chelsom who, with son Will, has designed most of the collection, says: "I believe many of our worldwide clients will appreciate the moves we have made into even sharper designs, higher quality levels and larger proportions for top end hotel suites and public spaces. In creating some of these more iconic products, we wanted to bring a sense of realism and value to the pricing. Designs whose prices have in the past restricted their use to public areas, will now fit perfectly into guestroom budgets."

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Former Cambridge Bank Redeveloped by ISG

The contractor will have to break through the 750mm thick concrete bank vault at the historic property as part of a wide-ranging refurbishment that will see ISG convert the building into two ground floor restaurants and three storeys of student accommodation for nearby King’s College.

The two restaurants, which have already been pre-let to restaurant chains ZiZi’s and CAU, will be housed in the ornate former bank, which features an original 18th century embossed ceiling with gold relief. The student accommodation will be created in the office areas above the retail bank, with the original roof structure removed and a steel frame extension providing an additional storey on the building, which incorporates a green sedum planted area.

The design & build project involves retention of the existing façade and reconfiguration of the interior space, including installation of new staircases, two new passenger lifts and a service lift for the restaurants. Several original features of historical interest will be removed during the redevelopment and replaced in the restaurant areas following completion, including an 18th century feature fire place and an original door and frame.

Removal of the bank vault ceiling will enable ISG to lower some floor areas to provide improved working height and greater headroom in some of the adjacent student study bedrooms. Each of the 32 student accommodation units will have en-suite bathroom facilities with internet access and communal kitchen facilities.

ISG’s Phillip Allerton, managing director - East, commented: “This high profile project maximises both the existing building’s aesthetic appeal and its prime location. Working closely with our design partners we have developed a solution that enhances overall capacity within the structure, through the addition of a discreet roof extension, while answering the challenges of an historically protected building.”

Chris White, a director of Wrenbridge, commented: “The building is stunning and will provide a fantastic culinary experience. We are delighted to have agreed deals with two quality and experienced restaurant operators who will offer a varied experience for diners. The opportunity generated strong occupier interest attracted by the quality of the pitch and the shortage of central Cambridge restaurant opportunities. We are confident the Arts Quarter will be enhanced by the opening of the restaurants, which will provide additional footfall and a boost to both the independent retailers and theatres in this area of the city”.

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LARKFLEET HOMES’ AND KEYSTONE DEVELOPMENT’S RETIREMENT COMMUNITY WINS NATIONAL HOUSING ACCOLADE

The Croft, an age-exclusive retirement development by Larkfleet Homes and Keystone Developments, has won a national housing award.

The development, located on North Road in Bourne, Lincolnshire, won a HAPPI (Housing our Aging Population Panel for Innovation) Award at the national Housing Design Awards.

The HAPPI award celebrates the innovative approach to the design of older people’s housing with a specific focus on the users’ living experience.

The judges believed The Croft development met the government’s objectives in helping the older population live a longer and happier life. By attracting the older generation to new exclusive retirement developments such as The Croft, the current housing crisis is also helped as larger houses are made available for growing families.

Larkfleet’s managing director Karl Hick was present at the awards ceremony to collect the winners’ certificate. He said: “We are delighted to receive this award for The Croft development in Bourne. Larkfleet and Keystone have worked hard to ensure that The Croft provides an outstanding environment for retirement living. It is the perfect place to live for people who prefer enjoying life rather than having the worries associated with managing a home.

“The history of the site, coupled with the high quality properties and excellent grounds maintenance, will help sustain property investments and the future value of the homes.

“I would also like to thank South Kesteven District Council and Louise Cooper Architects for their assistance in the development and planning of The Croft.”

Karl was also invited to deliver a presentation on design aspects and residents’ facilities at The Croft to senior figures in the housing industry before the awards ceremony.

The Croft development consists of 68 one and two-bedroom bungalows and two and three-bedroom chalets, arranged around attractively landscaped courtyards in the grounds of The Croft – a historic former ‘manor house’. Within the manor house a two-bedroom apartment is available.

The Croft is being marketed as not only a place to live but as a community of like-minded people who enjoy a lifestyle full of possibilities. Homeowners at The Croft will be able to live the life they want to lead, in a secure and caring environment.

As part of The Croft development, the existing manor house is being restored and will act as the ‘hub’ of this new community to provide residents of the 68 retirement properties with access to a variety of services and facilities.

As The Croft is right in the centre of Bourne, many local amenities including a local supermarket, a doctor’s surgery and a bus stop are only a short walk away, as are many shops and restaurants.

With so many excellent facilities in the area, such as a nearby leisure centre, residents can easily pursue activities such as golf, gardening, craft groups and health and well being classes.

Karl added, “Larkfleet is hoping to develop similar schemes in Oakham, Whittlesey and Baston. We welcome comments from local communities about this type of development and how we can continue to meet the local need.”

Also in Bourne, Larkfleet Homes has recently begun work on its Abbeyfields development which will comprise two and three bedroom properties with prices starting at just £125,000.

There will be 108 properties including 33 affordable homes of which 13 will be offered through shared ownership and 20 through affordable rent.

Properties at Abbeyfields are perfect not only for first-time buyers but also for buyers who are looking to downsize and young families looking for a high quality new home. Abbeyfields is situated in an existing residential area and is close to the town centre, Bourne’s secondary and primary schools and various sports facilities.

People who are interested in purchasing a property at The Croft are encouraged to visit the site on North Road in Bourne or contact the sales team at The Croft sales office.

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Linda Arkley, Elected mayor joined Kier executive director Ian Lawson and Kier regional director Mike Furze for planting ceremony

In the latest enhancement to Richardson Dees Park in Wallsend, team members involved in its regeneration took part in a planting ceremony to improve the appearance of the newly refurbished site.

Despite being faced with rain, Kier executive director, Ian Lawson, joined elected mayor, Linda Arkley, and members of the Wallsend Park Project Team and Friends of Wallsend Park, to plant flowers forming the shape of the Kier and Friends of Wallsend Park logos. The ceremony was followed by afternoon tea for all involved at the visitors centre.

Lawson commented: “The regeneration of Richardson Dees Park is an important project bringing state-of-the-art recreational facilities to the people of North Tyneside. Despite the weather not being on our side, the planting ceremony was a huge success and we look forward to continuing to upgrade the park for future generations of local people to enjoy.”

Richardson Dees Park in Wallsend is currently undergoing extensive regeneration as part of the £7.2m Wallsend Parks Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund (BIG) 'Parks for People' project.

The scheme includes an extension to the park pavilion to incorporate a new café and toilet facility, an addition to the park lodge, new bins, seating and signage, footpath surfacing, restoration of the bandstand and memorial fountain, resurfacing of the tennis courts and refurbishment of the bowls pavilion and bowling greens.

North Tyneside Council elected mayor, Linda Arkley, said: “The regeneration project is the largest piece of work ever to be undertaken at one of our parks. We hope it will completely transform Richardson Dees Park, delivering a fantastic leisure and recreation destination for all to enjoy, helping to boost Wallsend and the borough as a whole. We were delighted to take part in the planting alongside our colleagues at Kier.”

Kier North Tyneside provides planned and responsive maintenance services to around 16,000 council-owned properties across the region, as well as supporting the council on project work such as this project at Wallsend Park.

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Caterpillar builds Caterpillar 3500 series engines manufacturing facility in China

In recent years, Caterpillar and its independent dealers have made significant investments to expand the range of products and components produced in China, increase and improve customer support services, and expand and enhance dealer coverage in every province. Today, Caterpillar has more than 7,400 employees across China.

Caterpillar Inc. has now announced that it will build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Tianjin, China, to increase its worldwide capacity for large-engine production. Once operational in 2013, the engine facility will become Caterpillar's third global source for the company's industry leading 3500 series engines. The facility in Tianjin will focus on producing engines for customers in China and the Asia-Pacific region. 

For more than 20 years, Caterpillar 3500 series engines have delivered reliable power for Caterpillar machinery used in demanding applications worldwide. In addition, 3500 series engines have continuously satisfied difficult requirements for global customers in a wide range of industrial applications, including the oil and gas, marine and electric power industries.

Caterpillar China executives and leaders joined officials from Tianjin at a signing ceremony to announce the $300 million (USD) project, which represents Caterpillar's largest new engine facility investment to date in China. 

"For years, Caterpillar customers across China have been using machinery and gen-sets powered by 3500 engines to help drive sustainable economic progress and development," said Jiming Zhu, Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for China. "With the opening of this new engine facility in Tianjin, Caterpillar will be better positioned to compete and support its growing base of customers in China and across Asia," Zhu added.

Caterpillar's Large Engine Center in Lafayette, Indiana, will continue to produce the 3500 series engines as well as other large engines now made at Lafayette. The Lafayette facility will focus on supporting 3500 series customers outside of the Asia-Pacific region. As such, the company does not expect the opening of the new facility in Tianjin to have an impact on current employment in Lafayette.

"This is a long-term strategic decision to increase capacity for 3500 engines that will position Caterpillar to better meet customer demand for these engines in all regions of the world," said Gary Stroup, Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for the Large Power Systems Division. 

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Serving The National Markets For Construction - Caspers Construction Company, LLC

Caspers Construction Company, LLC is a privately held company located in Las Vegas, NV, that will provide a diverse design build, pre-construction service with over 114 years of construction experience to our clients on a national level. Chairman Mark A. Caspers, former CEO of all Building Groups for Tutor Perini Corporation, is joined by former TPC executives, Sr. Executive Vice President Patrick Hubbs, Vice President of Operations Joseph A. Miller, and Scott Ryan, General Counsel for TPC Building Groups.

With a comprehensive strategy on providing construction services, we will be establishing local offices in the downtown Chicago area as well as Miami, Florida by the end of the 1st quarter 2013. Our goal is to provide a new and aggressive construction solution to our clients that includes on budget and on schedule results with a superior quality product as the foundation of our portfolio.

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37% increase in Tenders for Barbour ABI customers

Last year we announced that from January 2012, we would be expanding our Tenders research team – based at our offices at Cheshire Oaks – to research tenders across the whole of the UK.

Previously, we had worked with Builders Conference for many years, but more recently we had noticed that the number of projects we were receiving from them was falling year on year and we felt we needed to bring the southern tender data collection in line with that of our own internally researched tender data.

Before these changes, we were publishing an average of 402 new tender projects per month sourced from Builders Conference, but from January to June 2012 our in-house tender team published an average of 551 projects on a like for like basis for the same area. This represents a massive increase of 37% in project terms.

Also, since January, we have invested further time and resource into our in-house research team which has resulted in a 26% increase in the amount of companies willing to share their bidder information with us. This further strengthens our already market leading construction intelligence service and we continue to receive very positive feedback on all these initiatives from our customers.

One such customer, Frontier Pitts - who design and manufacture security gates, barriers, rising kerbs, bollards and turnstiles, has given us this feedback:
“When our subscription came up for renewal in October, we did look at a variety of options. We were aware of the tender reporting changes Barbour ABI had planned for January, so our decision couldn’t be taken lightly. Barbour ABI has always provided exceptional support and a good training package, but data quality and quantity are of paramount importance to us as well.”

“Our initial concerns were easily allayed because your interface (Evolution) is so user friendly in comparison to your competitors, plus your team reassured us about the tender information. Since January, your data has been as valuable as ever to us, and we’re looking forward to building a stronger relationship with yourselves in the future, plus ultimately winning more tender work.”

We firmly believe these developments are yet further examples of our ongoing commitment to our customers and demonstrates the strength of Barbour ABI Tender data – we promise not to outsource any of our research capabilities!

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Mascus and Vocento partner to create marketplace for used equipment and transportation vehicles in Spain

For many years, Spain has had a booming construction market, thanks to EU finance projects. The country has concentrated not just on building houses, but in improving its infrastructure. After the effects of the global recession, and consequently Spain has plenty of surplus machinery in excellent condition for sale.

Mascus has announced a new deal with Spanish media giant Vocento. The deal sees the two companies forming a partnership in one of the top five countries in Europe for construction, agriculture, groundscare and material handling.

“We’re glad to be working with such a major media enterprise right in the heart of Europe,” says Mascus Managing Director Fredrik Larsson. “This is not the first time that we have partnered with a big media corporation, and for us it’s the ideal coming together of cutting edge online technology and a huge audience potential,” he adds.

Vocento is one of the leading multimedia groups in Spain. They are also one of the country’s leading online hosts for classified sales, something that Mascus sees as key to the deal. Mascus Spain will be organised together with Vocento’s car portal ‘Autocasion’, allowing thousands of Spanish customers to access Mascus’s portal online.

The opening of local Mascus Spanish office together with ‘Autocasion’ will enable Spanish dealers of used equipment and transportation vehicles which include products such as used trucks, to reach other European and North African countries and markets. The success of Mascus ’ concept in other locations has convinced, the marketplace that the Spanish option will be welcomed by Eastern European countries in particular, who are carrying out similar construction projects to their Spanish counterparts and will regard the Spanish market as an ideal opportunity to purchase quality equipment.

But it’s not just Eastern Europe and Africa that Mascus predicts will be keen to do business with Spain. Tomasz Odrobinski, Mascus Internationalization Director also foresees that Spain’s nearest neighbours will be queuing up to do business in the country as well. “Although this portal gives us the opportunity to expand the Spanish speaking market and include North Africa and Eastern Europe, it’s highly likely that businesses in France, Portugal and Italy will also be eager to open up trading links via the Spanish Mascus portal,” he explains. “Thanks to a relatively stable Euro, business is starting to move again and we are certain that the partnership with Autocasion is going to give us an advantage in this key part of Europe,” he adds.

Mascus also believes that a major language like Spanish is the ideal precursor to their plans to produce more Spanish portals for South America, encouraging trade between the two continents.

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Benefits of Using Silica Fume in Concrete

Silica Fume has been used all over the world for many years in the area where high strength and durable concrete were required. Silica Fume improves the characteristics of both fresh and hard concrete.

1. Reduce of Concrete Permeability

For provision of a concrete resistant to the most aggressive environment, the most important property is the permeability.

Lower the ingress of movement of water or chemicals; lower the deterious reactions such as sulfate attack, reinforcement corrosion…
The reaction between Silica Fume and the calcium hydroxide, released as the cement hydrates, provides a dense impermeable pore structure. Although the total porosity of the Silica Fume concrete is similar to the OPC concrete the average pore size is much finer, conducting to a large reduction of permeability.

2. Improvement of concrete mechanical Performances

The Silica Fume reacts with the cement paste to form additional strong Calcium Silicate Hydrate (CSH) providing higher strength.
Silica Fume reduces bleeding and enhances the cement paste bond to the aggregates. Thanks to its pozzolanic effect (reaction with Ca(OH)2 ), and therefore to the strength improvement, Silica Fume can be used to reduce to the cement content of the mix.
In addition of the cost saving benefit, this will reduce the total heat of hydration and can improve the performances of the concrete in terms of chemical resistance.

3. Improvement of Concrete Sulfate resistance

Prior to develop the advantages of using Silica Fume to improve the concrete sulfate resistance, it may be interesting to highlight the basics form of sulfate attacks and the properties of sulfate resisting cement.

The use and deterioration of concrete in environments containing sulfates has led to the development of special sulfate resisting cements.
It has also spawned significant research into the use of supplementary cementitious materials to improve sulfate resistance.
The utility of Silica Fume for enhancing the resistance of concrete to sulfate attack has been widely studied.
Sulfate resisting cements (type V) have a low C3A content to minimize the risk off sulfate attack. However, this does not necessarily provide immunity:
- as certain sulfate react with hydrated lime and the calcium silicate hydrate the sulfate resisting cement provide less protection than expected.
- Low C3A cements are more susceptible to reinforcement corrosion attack.
The basic forms of sulfate attack are the following:
The reactive aluminates in the cement will react with the gypsum in cement during hydration. This process is harmless as the ettringite does not produce expansive forces and is stable in sulfate solutions.
If the quantity of reactive aluminates in the cement is too high, then their hydrate form will be available to react with sulfates after the cement has hardened.

This will produce expansive ettringite and cracking of the concrete.

Aluminate Hydrate + Calcium Hydroxide + sulfate + water => Ettringite.

The second principle cause attack is the acid interaction of sulfates ions and calcium hydroxide, causing gypsum formation.

Calcium Hydroxide + sulfate + water => Gypsum

It has been shown that the cation (calcium, Magnesium, Aluminium, Ammonium) of the sulfate salt affects the type and the severity of the attack.

4. Improvement of Reinforcement Corrosion Protection

In a marine structure, the performances of the concrete in terms of sulfate resistance must be taken into consideration for concrete design but the resistance to chlorides diffusion through the concrete is generally a main concern as well.

Some studies conducted in several countries proved that Type 1 cements (with high C3A content) blended with Silica Fume used in combination with a high range water reducer provide high durable performance against chloride-induced reinforcement corrosion and against sulfate attack.

The main reasons of this result can be summarize as follows:
- Silica Fume reduces the permeability of the concrete. Water and chemicals ingress are thus reduced.
- The ability of high C3A cement to complex with chlorides results in the formation of insoluble compound, able to reduce the mobility of free chloride ion to the reinforcement-concrete surface.

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American Society of Civil Engineers

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE’s vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward building a better quality of life. Its world headquarters is in Reston, Virginia.

ASCE was founded in New York City on November 5, 1852 when twelve engineers met at the offices of the Croton Aqueduct and formed the American Society of Civil Engineers and Architects. ASCE was the first national engineering society created in the United States.

As part of understanding the history of civil engineering and promoting the civil engineering profession, a survey of the historic accomplishments of civil engineers is continually conducted by ASCE members. Such reviews of civil engineering accomplishments have produced various lists of the notable categories and projects of the profession.

The society canvassed its members in 1999 to identify the 10 civil engineering achievements that had the greatest positive impact on life in the 20th century. They chose to recognize broad categories of achievements rather than individual projects:

* Airport design and development, as exemplified by the Kansai International Airport
* Dams, as exemplified by Hoover Dam
* The Interstate highway system
* Long-span bridges, as exemplified by the Golden Gate Bridge
* Rail transportation, as exemplified by the Eurotunnel rail system
* Sanitary landfills and solid waste disposal
* Skyscrapers, as exemplified by the Empire State Building
* Wastewater treatment, as exemplified by the Chicago wastewater system
* Water supply and distribution, as exemplified by the California State Water Project, the subject of California Water Wars
* Water transportation, as exemplified by the Panama Canal

ASCE encourages its affiliates to support state and local public and governmental affairs activities, especially through efforts by its grassroots Key Contact program. The Society’s federal priority issues for the 110th Congress are clean water, drinking water and wastewater, math and science education, natural hazards mitigation and infrastructure security, Qualifications Based Selection for engineering services, smart growth/sustainable development and transportation infrastructure. The state priority issues are infrastructure issues, licensing, math and science education, procurement of professional services, smart growth, and transportation infrastructure.

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Celebrating success as five candidates receive promotion- Kier's Management Scheme

Celebrating after successfully completing a year- long programme of training for aspiring managers, with five employees receiving promotions to roles with management responsibilities are team members at Kier North Tyneside.

The Kier North Tyneside Aspiring Management programme was funded by UCATT and designed to help employees develop skills in order to offer an enhanced streamlined service to customers while carrying out repairs and maintenance services to around 16,000 social housing properties on behalf of North Tyneside Council.

Kier regional director, Mike Furze, said: “With 63% of staff coming from the local area, we understand the importance of employees developing and learning new skills for their own progression and for the benefit of our customers. This course has provided an excellent opportunity for members of our team to learn from each other as well as from dedicated mentors. I am particularly pleased that as a result of this course five individuals have been able to make the jump into management and wish them all the best in their new positions.”

After applying through a rigorous application process, 13 individuals from across the business embarked on the programme. For five of the aspiring managers the course has resulted in promotions, and they celebrated their success with the regional director at an event held to mark the occasion. Following excellent feedback from the learners, Kier is now on the lookout for next year’s candidates.

The ‘aspiring managers’ course gives people across the business the opportunity to develop their leadership skills as part of a nationwide development programme run by Kier. It enables trainees to gain an insight into wider leadership qualities, share experiences and develop skills to aid their career progression.

Commenting on the course, team leader Neil Watson, one of the13 participants, said: “The course has helped me to understand the qualities of a strong and efficient manager and learn how to implement them in my job. This has helped me to take on increased responsibilities and taught me how to effectively delegate, allowing more time to focus on management and ever increasing the excellent service we provide to customers.”

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Ronacrete and Cemplas repair fire station buildings, appointed by The London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority

The London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority appointed Cemplas Waterproofing and Concrete Repairs Ltd as the principal contractor to undertake concrete repair, brick repair and rendering works to the training tower and rear boundary walls of Croydon Fire Station. Cemplas completed the project using a variety of products selected from Ronacrete’s Concrete Repair & Protection and Waterproofing & Tanking ranges.

Training tower

Cemplas carried out investigation works before removal of defective concrete from the training tower. Steel reinforcement bars were cleaned, and Ronacrete Standard Primer was applied to the prepared bars. The areas to be reinstated were primed with Ronacrete Standard Primer, and the concrete was repaired using RonaBond Concrete Repair Mortar. Ronacrete Curing Membrane was spray applied to the fresh mortar , to prevent rapid surface moisture loss.

Rendered rear boundary wall

Prior to undertaking brick and render repairs to the rear boundary wall, Cemplas cut back the vegetation and cleaned the wall, to remove all surface dirt and debris. All cables were temporarily removed from the wall surface, existing render was hacked off, and the wall was dismantled. The original bricks were re-used to rebuild a 2m x 1.5m section of wall at parapet level.
The wall was rendered with Ronafix Mix A Weatherproof Render incorporating a bell cast drip. Ronafix Slurry Coat was applied to the prepared wall. Two coats of RonaBond Nigatex, high opacity, water-based coating were applied to the finished surface.

Unrendered rear boundary wall

Cemplas cut back the vegetation and cleaned the wall, to remove all surface dirt and debris. Joints were raked out to a depth of 25mm, and re-pointed using a 4:1 sand and cement mortar. A section of bowed wall at parapet level was dismantled and rebuilt. Ronafix Slurry Coat was applied to the prepared wall and the finished surface was coated with RonaBond Nigatex.

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New refurbishment project for ISG at BAE Systems, Warton

ISG gains a refurbishment project at BAE Systems, Warton in Preston, Lancashire, continuing a relationship with the manufacturing giant that has seen the contractor win a string of projects over the past two years.

ISG’s latest scheme at BAE Systems, Warton involves refurbishment of the first and second floors of one of the site’s many office buildings, while the ground floor accommodation remains fully occupied and operational. The project commences with a three-week enabling phase to ensure that access and services to the ground floor are maintained throughout the programme.

The refurbishment involves reconfiguration of the internal space and provision of new executive office areas, as well as the installation of new partitions and ceilings. The scheme also involves a comprehensive upgrade of all mechanical and electrical services and plant for the building along with new floor finishes and redecoration. Completion is scheduled for August 2012.

The project is the sixth contract awarded to ISG across BAE Systems’ Warton and Samlesbury sites in Lancashire, schemes which have included the successful delivery of office upgrades, a test and development area and the refurbishment of the Lightning Club, the employee social club at BAE Systems, Warton.

ISG’s Jim Parker, managing director - North West, commented: “BAE Systems is a key client for ISG and our ability to work flexibly and sensitively across restricted sites, which are home to both business critical and commercially sensitive operations, is an important element of our ongoing relationship. Securing continued repeat business with BAE Systems is a major vote of confidence in our overall project methodology and ability to deliver a high quality product on time and within budget.”

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