A masterclass for a whole new range of hoist equipment designed specifically for the industrial market in the UK will be delivered on 9 July, by global lifting equipment specialists Verlinde France. The training session is being hosted by approved Verlinde distributors, Hoist UK in the Wirral. The event is set to be attended by Verlinde distribution partners throughout the country, including Devon’s Alpha Lifting Services Ltd, and Pelloby Ltd. Hoist UK is based in the Wirral and its central location in the North West of England makes it the perfect choice for a training venue that could be easily accessed by Verlinde’s UK distributor base.

All UK distributors report strong demand for flexible hoist solutions, which has led Verlinde to introduce this latest hoist with a specification tailored to the most popular requests from the UK market. These include ergonomic design, coupled with enhanced features and options demanded by industry. The need to comply with the latest health and safety regulations, plus the latest EU industry standards and directives means this new hoist product is set to be a must. Places at the training event will be limited, so with the event scheduled for early July, booking is advised.

Commenting on the forthcoming training session, business development manager for Verlinde Simon Rothechild said: “Demand for hoist products in the UK is growing, which made the decision to develop a new hoist for industry in the UK a simple one. This training session will act as a sneak peak for our distributors to get a first look at this new equipment, while allowing us to demonstrate its features. We are really grateful to Hoist UK for hosting the event and we look forward to welcoming everyone along on 9 July.”

Hoist UK is a company founded by ex-TOMCAT General Manager Tony Dickson, and ex-TOMCAT Technical Manager Paul Jordan. Tony and Paul have in excess of thirty years’ experience in the design and installation of specialist lifting equipment for the entertainment and industrial sectors and as one of the first UK suppliers of Verlinde hoists like Stagemaker, Hoist UK is a UK distributor with a real interest when a new hoist is launched on the market.

“We are delighted to be hosting this training event, which is one of the first of its kind for a product expressly designed to cater for industrial applications,” said Hoist UK director Paul Jordan. “The market for industrial hoists in the UK is particularly demanding, so we are really proud to be hosting this event and looking forward to seeing what the worlds most in demand manufacturer has come up with.”

“In some ways the market for industrial hoists is performing much better than the market for heavy lifting equipment,” added Simon. “This new hoist is ergonomically designed and has been developed to meet the needs of industry; we anticipate keen interest from industrial, marine and petrochemical markets among others. At Verlinde we are fortunate in having exceptional distributors and we welcome the expertise of companies like Alpha Lifting Services Ltd, Pelloby Ltd and Hoist UK and this training session will provide all those who attend with the information they need to put this new hoist through its paces.”

Renowned as France’s leading builder and exporter of hoists and lifting equipment, Verlinde has a growing number of distributors across the UK and worldwide ready to talk to you about your requirements. For your nearest distributor or for any further information, e-mail contact@verlinde.com or visit www.verlinde.com
ENDS

Press enquiries
BeyondPR.
Direct line +44 (0) 114 275 6996.
Mobile +44 (0) 7930 697773.
e-mail info@beyondpr.co.uk

Tamworth, Staffordshire, May 18th 2012 – SUDSCAPE is a revolutionary hard landscaping system that is comprised of a base layer of recycled car tyres, and a top layer of UV stable resin mixed with a stone finish. It has been installed on over 600 sq. metres of ground within a court yard that links an original building with a new building that will be used to house administration facilities.

A key consideration for the project was the ability of the SUDSCAPE system to provide a specific surface colour that would effortlessly harmonise the new building with those already in existence. The system’s low maintenance guarantee was also considered important. SUDSCAPE does not require any special cleaning technique, and because rainwater is effectively held within the base layer of recycled car tyres until it is naturally absorbed back into the water table, it eliminates the risk of puddle formation.

The installation process was also speedy, taking just 12 days from start to finish, including colour matching the surface to perfectly complement its surroundings.

Peter Andrews of WS Atkins comments: “We were very pleased with the efficiency of the installation process, and the overall aesthetics of the system. It has definitely enabled our new building project to blend in seamlessly with other buildings and that was our main aim. The fact that SUDSCAPE is also SUDS compliant and totally sustainable, being made from recycled car tyres, means that we have also minimised our carbon footprint and that’s an added bonus.” Sudscape produces an environmentally friendly porous paving solution for footpaths, driveways and car parks for the both residential and commercial markets.

A Yorkshire boxing academy says that hundreds more young people have taken up the sport after it moved into a purpose-built gym built in just six weeks – and at a third of the price of a typical sports hall.

The Bradford Police and College Boxing Academy has significantly increased the number of people it works with following the opening of the Bradford College Boxing Centre, at the college’s £17m Trinity Green Sports Complex, earlier this year.

Boasting three boxing rings, a full range of hitting equipment, mirrors, weights and two full sets of instant playback equipment for performance analysis, the hall has proved popular with young boxers training for bouts or simply using the sport as a way to get fit.

It has also seen the academy, which was already a one of a handful of UK High Performance Boxing Centres, improve its elite boxers programme, open up the facilities to more groups and run more sessions, including a female-only boxing programme.

Around 1,000 people, including the Bradford Bulls rugby league team, now train there and, most impressively, the hall will help Bradford get involved in the London 2012 Olympics by acting as a pre-Games training base for teams representing India, China, Vietnam and Tanzania. It is, in short, a significant addition to Yorkshire’s sporting scene and a proud example of the London 2012 legacy, yet it quite easily might never have ever got off the ground. Just one year ago, the academy was based in a shared gym which was also used for other sports. It could not meet the demand for its training and, with the Olympics fast approaching, had little chance to host pre-Games training camps because its facilities were not up to scratch.

That the situation is very different one year on is down to the building itself which, instead of permanent bricks and mortar, is categorised as a temporary structure. Constructed using an anodised aluminium frame in-filled with steel-clad sandwich panels, the hall was supplied by temporary building manufacturers and installers Spaciotempo UK and, although it could theoretically be removed as easily as it has been erected, it is designed to last for many years.

This is because it is as sturdy as a permanent building, having been manufactured to comply with British and EEC safety standards for structural integrity, fire and safety codes, as well as British Standards for wind and snow loading.
Spaciotempo also laid its concrete base, installed a semi-translucent roof, which allows in daylight to save lighting costs, and fitted a host of other amenities, including a temperature control system.

The cost of all of this was just £300,000 which, according to figures from Sport England, shows a significant saving. The average cost of a similar-sized sports hall, based on typical schemes funded through the Lottery last year, is around the £1m mark – more than three times as expensive.

What is more, it was built in just six weeks, giving the academy, whose building was funded by Bradford College, the University of Bradford and the Amateur Boxing Association of England, with the fitting-out paid for by the Police Community Clubs of Great Britain, plenty of time to prepare for the Olympics.
“There is no doubt that without the building, we wouldn’t be where we are now,” said Paul Porter, Boxing Development Officer at the academy. “Prior to this we had a share a gym used for other activities. It was OK, but it wasn’t designed for what we wanted to do and we didn’t have control of the layout.
“At the same time, we didn’t have the funding for a new bricks and mortar building and certainly could not have got it in time to play such a big part in the Olympic build-up.

“Now we have a gym that has helped us to meet the high demand that we were experiencing. It’s twice as big as the space we had, it is tailor-made for us and we have it for more hours each week.

“This has enabled us to quadruple our operations, which has helped us to increase our numbers and expand into new areas that we had to hold off on. “For just £300,000 plus the cost of kitting out, not only have we transformed what we are able to do, we now have one of the best boxing facilities in the country.”

That the academy is based in a temporary building is down to Ronnie Todd, Bradford College’s Project Manager. He first saw temporary buildings being used as sports halls when he visited a tennis centre in Spain 10 years ago.

The college’s Trinity Green complex already boasts a 1,000 sq m sports hall, sports and fitness laboratories and a fitness testing suite, but Ronnie admits he had to convince a few people when it came to adding a temporary building to the site for boxing.

The success of a similar 700 sq m temporary building Spaciotempo provided as a school sports hall for Bradford’s nearby Appleton Academy – which is sponsored by Bradford College – last year helped to support his case and he was delighted when the boxing centre got the thumbs-up on its official opening in February this year.

“We had advised Appleton Academy on their new sports hall,” Ronnie said. “They had £2m cut from their funding but still needed a sports hall, so we suggested they get a temporary building at a fraction of the price.

“Up to that point, perhaps justifiably, some people were sceptical about a temporary building, but when they looked around Appleton Academy’s building, it demonstrated what could be achieved.

“That said, it wasn’t until the very minute that everyone was inside and admiring the new boxing centre that I knew I’d fully convinced them, even though there is no way we could have afforded anything like it if we had gone down the traditional route.” Spaciotempo UK was founded 40 years under its former name of TempAstor and, as well as providing temporary buildings commonly used as warehouse space by a host of blue chip manufacturers and retail firms, it is providing more and more sports halls for schools, especially following the demise of the Building Schools for the Future scheme.

“People’s perceptions are that temporary buildings are little more than marquees but they quickly discover that today’s modern versions are anything but,” said Scott Jameson, Director of Sales for Spaciotempo.

“When it comes to sports halls, they are perfect, because they offer schools and colleges a long term solution which gives them a lot for their money while matching the performance of a permanent structure. “We are very proud of the Bradford boxing academy building because, not only did we deliver it as a fully-fitted turnkey facility on time and on budget, it is playing a major role in the Olympic build-up and its benefits will be felt by a whole generation of young people for many years to come.”

For more information about Spaciotempo and its products, please ring 01889 569569 or visit www.spaciotempo.co.uk

Blueprint Joinery Ltd, the leading distributers in stair parts and accessories, are announcing the introduction of an exciting new product within their vast range.

Blueprint Joinery Ltd are offering the simple solution to a staircase overhaul.

The Axxys Squared Stair part range was designed to revolutionise the way in which stairs are supported and dramatically alter the look and feel of the modern staircase. The unique design means the stair parts can be simply attached to any current newel post and the metal spindles fit easily within the hand and baserail without cumbersome brackets

Axxys have produced a product, which enables a simple solution to the changing in design of the staircase. Homeowners are able to modernise their home features in the simplest of ways. By replacing the hand and base rail with one small bracket design, the look of an important home feature can instantly be changed.

The chrome fittings with oak hand and base rails can be incorporated into the style of any home.  The elegant style and flawless features means this new type of staircase will see a surge in popularity and demand.

The purpose of the product was to combine an easy to fit staircase balustrade solution that incorporates a retro feel for the modern home, a purpose which has successfully been achieved. A home can be transformed from traditional to contemporary with the installation of such a simple product.

“The introduction of the new Axxys Squared Stair parts to our product range, means we are able to offer our customers an extensive number of designs to allow them to change the look of their homes in a way which suits them, and in the simplest way possible.”
John Clements, Blueprint Joinery Ltd

For more information on the Axxys Squared Stair part, visit the Blueprint Joinery Ltd website http://blueprintjoinery.co.uk/. The product is available to purchase now.

April is a busy time for Japanese Knotweed specialists, as winter recedes and spring comes into its own, rhizome networks of the Japanese Knotweed plant which have lain dormant throughout the winter months spring back to life and produce new growth. At this time many land owners and land development companies who were previously unaware that they had a problem, come to realise that immediate action is required to protect their investment. Many mortgage providers refuse to lend against properties infested with Knotweed, and landowners face the prospect of hefty repair bills to put right structural damage caused by the invasive and destructive root system of Fallopia Japnoica unless the infestation is effectively eradicated.

Tom Payne has long since been one of the UK’s leading authorities on Japanese Knotweed and the threat it poses to drainage systems and foundations. When leading construction industry publication Structural Survey, approached Tom to address the lack of awareness regarding Japanese Knotweed in the construction industry, Tom was happy to oblige. Tom’s published paper, which appears in volume 30 issue 1, addresses current legislation which applicable to waste disposal and Japanese Knotweed eradication techniques, in addition to the problems Knotweed poses for landowners and construction companies, both on their own land, and in respect of the legal implications of permitting the invasive species to spread to neighbouring properties.

To allow construction professionals to easily identify Knotweed throughout its different growth cycles, Tom also designed a detailed Knotweed identification card which will be distributed with the publication, the card can be cut from the publication and kept in your wallet to provide a fail safe identification tool whilst on-site.

At the INTERMAT 2012 trade fair, FLUID HYDR’EAU (MELUN HYDRAULIQUE Group) is presenting a major innovation conceived, designed and produced at the end of 2011: a mechanical digger using water hydraulics.

In partnership with CETIM Senlis and France’s mechanical digger manufacturers (Volvo, Mécalac and Liebherr), FLUID HYDR’EAU and the teams from MELUN HYDRAULIQUE have, starting with a Volvo ECR 28, used their long experience (spanning more than 10 years!), and their R&D resources, as well as their knowledge of water-based hydrodynamics to ensure a successful outcome for the project. The challenges to be faced were enormous:

- There are no variable capacity HP water pumps;
- There must be no interference between the different simultaneous movements;
- The turret was rotated originally by a slow, high cylinder capacity motor, not yet available with water hydraulics. Because this motor is located almost under the operator’s feet, there was no room for a conventional gearbox;
- There are no proportional distributors in a 4/3 version;
- There are no balancing valves.

The teams from FLUID HYDR’EAU and MELUN HYDRAULIQUE therefore worked on designing components derived from what was commercially available. The working pressure rose to 190 bar, with pumps rotating at 2200 rpm, using the original tank. Power and water flow were coordinated to obtain gentle proportional movements and thus be as efficient as a conventional mechanical digger using hydraulic oil: this was how the manufacturers’ prototype specialists tested it in a real situation (digging a trench, moving the digger over rough ground, etc.) and are now considering starting up mass production.

For FLUID HYDR’EAU and MELUN HYDRAULIQUE, this is a demonstration of their know-how and innovative skills in the field of WATER HYDRAULICS, in tandem with all the industrial operations throughout France.

FLUID HYDR’EAU and MELUN HYDRAULIQUE are also developing a whole range of hydraulic systems using water, making work feasible on sensitive sites, such as:
- Nuclear sites
- Seabed and aquaria
- Areas vulnerable to pollution
- …..

This is THE machine of the future. Find it NOW on the MELUN HYDRAULIQUE Stand No. 5AG037 at INTERMAT France, 16 – 21th April 2012, Paris Villepinte

For more information, contact Daniel Barre on 01 64 39 23 17
Melun Hydraulique – 435 av. du Maréchal Juin – 77000 Vaux le Pénil – France Tel. +33 164 39 23 17 – Fax +33 164 37 49 92 – hydraulique-a-eau@melun-hydraulique.fr

Increased activity among manufacturing companies is fuelling a 25 per cent rise in demand for extra storage space, according to a leading UK supplier of temporary buildings.

Spaciotempo, based in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, has just invested £500,000 in new stock and taken on five new staff after experiencing a sharp increase in demand for its products over the past year.

Demand for temporary buildings acts as an effective barometer of business confidence because the products are the first port of call for companies looking for a low-risk solution to support expansion plans.

Instead of having to relocate, lease new premises or invest in costly bricks and mortar, businesses can erect temporary buildings on spare land on their site within a matter of days. They also have the flexibility to add further buildings or remove them, dependant on their requirements.

Scott Jameson, Director of Sales for Spaciotempo, said the companies currently showing most interest in hiring or buying temporary buildings are manufacturers who are increasing production and need somewhere to store extra stock.

In the past 12 months the company has received orders from a host of big-name companies, including earth-moving equipment manufacturers JCB and Caterpillar and car-makers Peugeot, Nissan and Aston Martin. It also provided a 2,200 sq m building for automotive supplier Stadco, while Jaguar Land Rover took a semi-permanent canopy structure of 600 sq m. Elsewhere, Spaciotempo provided a giant 2200sqm warehouse to retailer Sports Direct and 13 temporary buildings for the iconic Pinewood Studios.

Mr Jameson said: “Temporary buildings have traditionally offered companies a flexible space solution to match their activity on a seasonal basis, but in the current climate they are proving to be ideal for companies dipping their toes into increasing production without investing heavily in building or relocation projects.

“Following a couple of years in which we had to cut back, we noticed a 25 per cent increase in activity last year, most notably from manufacturers, which we predicted would continue into 2012. That, plus a renewed marketing drive, led us to commit to recruit new members to the team and invest heavily in more stock.

“That process is now complete and, so far, our predictions regarding a busy 2012 have proved to be correct. Our order book is bulging, which not only bodes well for Spaciotempo, but for UK industry as a whole.”

Spaciotempo manufactures all of its own temporary buildings and 80 per cent of them are hired or sold to industry as warehousing and loading canopies. It can take the company as little as 48 hours to supply a fully operational temporary building. Built on-site using an anodised aluminium frame with either uPVC panel or steel cladding walls, buildings can be any size from 5m by 5m upwards.

Although they are classed as temporary, the buildings come with a 10 year warranty and are sturdy enough to last for many years.

Spaciotempo was formerly known as TempAstor, which was founded in 1972 and pioneered the manufacture and supply of temporary buildings. Alongside its commitment to supplying off-the-shelf temporary buildings, it is focussed on providing turn-key solutions for industry which come complete with floors, windows, temperature control and lighting.

Elsewhere, the company is also experiencing a strong demand for temporary sports buildings for schools and colleges, and also supplies retractable tunnels for sports stadium, including a host of Premiership football teams.

For more information about Spaciotempo and its products, please ring 01889 569569 or visit www.spaciotempo.co.uk

JW Cannon is one of the latest successful companies to join a leading edge scheme, designed to help industry improve its safety record.

The Carshalton-based firm recently received accreditation from SAFEcontractor, a programme which recognises very high standards of health and safety practise amongst UK contractors.

Employing 25-35 people, JW Cannon is principally involved in the building and maintenance industry.

The company’s application for SAFEcontractor accreditation was driven by the need for a uniform standard across the business.

“JW Cannon has always strived to ensure that our employees and our clients are in a safe working environment at all times and are very pleased to have received official recognition of this,” said Clive Bowden, Director of JW Cannon.

SAFEcontractor accreditation is expected to enhance the company’s ability to attract new contracts and its commitment to safety will be viewed positively by its insurers when the company liability policy is up for renewal.

SAFEcontractor is applicable to most sectors although it is particularly relevant to food manufacture, property, facilities management, retail and leisure sectors, all of which are big users of contract services.

John Kinge, Head of Risk at SAFEcontractor said, “Major organisations can no longer run the risk of employing contractors who are not able to prove that they have sound health and safety policies”.

“More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that JW Cannon has done. The firm’s high standard has set an example, which hopefully will be followed by other companies within the sector”.

Under the SAFEcontractor system, businesses undergo a vetting process, which examines health and safety procedures and their track record for safe practice. Those companies meeting the high standard are included on a database, which is accessible to registered users only via a website, www.safecontractor.com

Employer-organisations who sign up to the scheme can access the database, enabling them to vet potential contractors before they even set foot on site. These employers agree that, as users of the scheme, they will engage only those who have received accreditation.

Over one hundred and fifty major nation-wide businesses, from several key sectors, have signed up to use the scheme when selecting contractors for services such as building, cleaning, maintenance, refurbishment or electrical and mechanical work.

It is green all the way for Romford’s new My Place youth centre that is taking shape in Harold Hill, Havering.

Designed in the form of a caterpillar- signifying change, the £5m youth centre is expected to be the greenest building in Havering, and one of the few zero carbon buildings in the UK.

Right from the use of energy efficient floor screed to the use of Glulam (Glued Laminated Timber)-  the greener alternative for steel beams for the roof, the building ensures energy efficiency and sustainability at every level.

To complement the energy efficient underfloor heating system used for the building, the screeding of the floors has been carried out with FlexiDry fast drying floor screed. FlexiDry floor screeds are one of the most popular screeds in sustainable construction and are widely used in conjunction with underfloor heating.

When it comes to the choice of screeds for underfloor heating, one of the major pre-requisites that contractors look for is the ability of the screed to conduct heat uniformly. A good screed can bring down the energy consumption considerably by transferring the heat to the floor surface efficiently and uniformly.

Trade Fabrication Systems (TFS), one of the UK’s leading processors of coated and laminated wood based products, has promoted Howard Morris to commercial director.

Previously general manager, Howard has been employed at TFS since 2009 and has been responsible for overseeing the business’ development on a day to day operations level, from a producer of peel-off protective films for wood-based panel flooring to developing a much boarder portfolio of panel processes and coatings.

The new role will see Howard managing the expansion of TFS’ product portfolio to allow growth in existing and diverse markets via investment in R&D as well as pushing forward the bespoke service for product development to meet specific customer requirements. Speaking about Howard’s promotion, Jean Richardson, Managing Director at TFS, said: “Howard played a fundamental role in making our vision for the company a reality over the last couple of years. And it’s not just the product portfolio where Howard has made a real difference but also via internal processes, he was instrumental in the company achieving ISO9001 quality assurance and Investors in People.

“Innovation is a central part of the proposition here at TFS and Howard will become responsible from a strategic perspective for helping to drive the business in new directions. I very much look forward to working with him for many years to come.”

With over 27 years experience in the panel, timber and construction industry, Howard has a wealth of knowledge from positions at companies, such as Norbord, Weyerhaeuser, Knauf Drywall, SIG Insulations and Mallinson Denny.