Weston Homes stunned by football club sponsorship snub

House builder Weston Homes has been left fuming after its ten-year sponsorship deal with Colchester United has come to a “bitter end”.

The League Two club confirmed its decision not to renew the deal to staff and fans this week.

But Weston Homes claim they were not consulted and have been left baffled by the decision.

A Weston Homes spokesperson said: “It is really sad and shocking the way this partnership has ended, and it has really upset our Chairman and CEO Bob Weston that the club has chosen to end the deal and then abruptly announced their decision publicly without prior consultation with the housebuilder.

“Weston Homes has been extremely loyal to Colchester United and supported the club in so many ways over the last decade, so this has been deeply distressing.

“It’s a sad ending to what has otherwise been a fantastic partnership.”

The club’s stadium is named after the house builder who were keen to continue sponsoring Colchester United.

The spokesperson said: “Up until these recent events historically we have had a fantastic partnership with Colchester United and the decade long sponsorship agreement got our brand name partnered with the Stadium and the football club and, as a result, has seen us associated with a range of extremely high profile sporting, music, charity and cultural events.”

Colchester United said: “We would like to express our thanks and gratitude for Weston Homes for their fantastic support over the past ten years.

“It has been a hugely successful partnership over the past decade and is one of the longest in the club’s history.

“Weston Homes’ support has allowed Colchester United to establish the stadium as a key community hub and their backing both as title sponsor and at individual events has allowed us to create many special stories together since the venue opened in 2008.”

from The UK Construction Blog http://ukconstructionblog.co.uk/2018/03/29/weston-homes-stunned-by-football-club-sponsorship-snub/

Cladding firm hired for luxury new-build project

Specialist Cladding Systems (SCS), CA Group Limited’s specialist cladding division, has bolstered its portfolio by successfully securing the design, supply and installation of the façade for a high-end residential development in Salford, Manchester.

 

Working in partnership with main contractors, McGoff Construction, SCS has been awarded the contract to design and install a full cladding system for Downtown Manchester, a 368-apartment scheme along the River Irwell.

Located on the borders of Manchester and Salford, the Downtown development will be a collection of six statement blocks, differing in height and ranging from four storeys up to 14. The residential apartments will be complimented by communal facilities including an onsite gym and spa, 24-hour concierge service and media room.

Paul Guilfoyle, senior project manager at McGoff Construction, said: “Thanks to its hotel-style services, riverside location and proximity to both Manchester and Salford, Downtown is a prestigious development and a desirable residence.

“With its Manhattan-inspired design influence, it aims to create a new iconic property on Manchester’s skyline. The exterior of the six apartment blocks requires an exceptional finish, which is why we have chosen to work with SCS, who are experts in providing specialist cladding solutions.”

Work commences on the first phase of the project next month (April), and will continue over several phases spanning the next three years.

Mike Cinnamond, Divisional Manager for SCS, added: “We are delighted to have been chosen to work in partnership with main contractors McGoff Construction on such a pioneering project. Downtown’s service-led apartment living is sure to provide the aspirational residents of both Salford and Manchester with an apartment that will enhance their lifestyle and exceed expectations.

“New design opportunities, brought about by innovations in cladding, are enabling us to deliver contemporary solutions to the residential new-build market. The role of cladding in building design has evolved, while its main purpose of protecting the building from the elements remains, cladding is central in the overall aesthetic and design of the build, a key factor in the Downtown development.”

The specifications for the project comprise of the design, supply and installation of CA Building Products’ Prime RFX PPC aluminium rainscreen cladding system, together with the Corium brick slip rainscreen system from Taylor Maxwell and a multitude of ancillary products. CA Group is one of the UK’s leading metal roofing and cladding systems manufacturers and installers.

from The UK Construction Blog http://ukconstructionblog.co.uk/2018/03/28/cladding-firm-hired-for-luxury-new-build-project/

APPRENTICESHIP SPECIALIST JOINS DTL

APPRENTICESHIP SPECIALIST JOINS DTL

A learning and development professional with specialist experience of the Apprenticeship Levy has joined Develop Training Ltd (DTL) at their Derby HQ.

For the past six years, Kate Whittaker has worked for private sector training providers in the field of apprenticeships, most latterly in a customer service role dealing with the implications of the Apprenticeship Levy. This followed 15 years with the Department for Work and Pensions where Kate was involved with the Welfare to Work programme.

Now, as a Business Development Manager at DTL, Kate is looking forward to working with clients such as BT, Affinity Water and Northern Gas Networks in an important account management role.

Kate said: “I was attracted to DTL by the company culture; everyone seems to feel valued. I am looking forward to working with a range of clients not only to ensure that their training needs are met but also to provide support and advice around the best use of the Apprenticeship Levy.”

Originally from Derby, Kate now lives near Belper with her fiancé and three-year-old daughter.

from The UK Construction Blog http://ukconstructionblog.co.uk/2018/03/27/apprenticeship-specialist-joins-dtl/

Carillion boss offered senior staff bonuses to stop exodus

Passer-by raises safety alarm over solar panel contractor

Government gives go ahead for Geospatial Apprenticeships

The Secretary of State for Education, Damien Hinds, has given final approval for a Geospatial Technician Apprenticeship by approving the funding band, meaning that this is now ready for delivery.

The Institute for Apprenticeships has also recommended a final funding band to the Secretary of State for the Geospatial Mapping and Science Degree Apprenticeship and this will also be ready for delivery very shortly.

The Survey Association (TSA) funded the apprenticeship development work, assisted and guided by Apprenticeship Consultant, Christina Hirst.

TSA Vice President Nick Hampson commented: ‘’TSA has always been committed to encouraging more young people into the survey profession and we are delighted that our funding has helped to make Geospatial Apprenticeships a reality. TSA Member Companies made an important contribution to the Steering Group.’’

‘’Since 2001, over 400 students have graduated from the TSA Course in Surveying at the Survey School and the Geospatial Apprenticeships are the next logical step –  combining both funding and a recognised qualification.’’

Both apprenticeships were approved in September 2017 by the Institute for Apprenticeships and the employers who developed these have been awaiting these funding band approvals before delivery can start – now agreed at £9,000 for the Geospatial Technician Apprenticeship and £27,000 for the Geospatial Mapping and Science Degree Apprenticeship (the latter subject to final sign off from the DfE).

The approval of these apprenticeships means that geospatial employers can use their Apprenticeship Levy payments or Government’s apprenticeship funding to pay for the development of new talent for their businesses.

Antony Jenkins, Chair of the Institute for Apprenticeships said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to approve these standards. High quality apprenticeship standards like this help learners and employers reach their potential.

“More and more businesses of all sizes are realising the benefits that high quality apprenticeships can offer. The Institute is putting employers in control of developing the standards they need, giving learners a basis for lasting employment and overcoming national skills gaps.”

The geospatial apprenticeships have been developed by a group of 19 employers*, led by Skanska and supported by the two relevant professional bodies, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES). The apprenticeship development was also supported by Class of Your Own.

Mark Lawton of Skanska, Chair of the Trailblazer Group said: “It was truly inspiring to see professional bodies, trade bodies and different sectors of industry collaborate together under the project management of Christina Hirst. The future geospatial educational requirements for the apprenticeship have been tailored by the Trailblazer Group, and I feel this is a huge educational step for our geospatial future talent.”

The Geospatial Technician apprenticeship will provide the knowledge, skills and behaviours for successful apprentices to apply to become Associate members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors or of the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors and successful apprentices from the Geospatial Mapping and Science Degree Apprenticeship can apply to become Members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors or the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors.

A number of Colleges and Universities are gearing up to provide these Apprenticeships and employers interested in supporting apprentices can find more information and the Trailblazer contact for these Apprenticeships by visiting

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/geospatial-survey-technician/

for the Geospatial Technician Apprenticeship and by visiting

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/geospatial-mapping-and-science-degree/

for the Geospatial Mapping and Science Apprenticeship.

from The UK Construction Blog http://ukconstructionblog.co.uk/2018/03/20/government-gives-go-ahead-for-geospatial-apprenticeships/

SD Sealants appoints new Area Manager to head up expansion

Leading sealant and cosmetic repair company gearing up for a Corker of a year with new recruit!

Following a record year, SD Sealants, the UK’s leading sealant and cosmetic repair company, is expanding its offering in Northern England with new Area Manager, Mat Corker at the helm.

The company, which provides sealant application and cosmetic repairs for house builders and commercial businesses, has seen rapid growth in the past year, having created upwards of 20 new jobs in the North East, following the launch of its new office in Leeds last November.

Heading up the expansion is Mat Corker, who has over 15 years of experience in the cosmetic repairs industry, and for the past six years has been running his own company, Cosmic Cosmetic Repairs, which takes on projects nationwide.

Nick Jones, Managing Director at SD Sealants, said on the appointment: “Mat has an incredible wealth of knowledge on the cosmetic repairs industry, and we’re very excited to have him coming on board to drive expansion this year. I’m confident that his experience will be invaluable as we look to grow our services in Yorkshire and beyond.

“We are going through a period of major growth at the moment, recruiting more staff and expanding across the UK so having someone with Mat’s experience is a fantastic boost for the team.”

The cosmetic repairs division is recruiting for a number of staff in the North of England, and will be carrying out repairs across a range of sectors including residential, hotel, catering and corporate buildings.

On his new role, Mat said: “I’m delighted to be joining the team at SD Sealants this year, particularly as they are going through such an exciting period of growth. I’m Yorkshire born and bred, and so I’m thrilled that I can help to create job opportunities and drive business development in the area.

“Although I’ve been running my own company for the past few years, bringing an already well-established and organised business into Leeds is a fantastic opportunity and I’m really looking forward to the new challenge.”

Launched in 1973, SD Sealants and Cosmetic Repairs originated as a family run business in Somerset that specialised in the supply and application of sealant.

Since then, the business has gone from strength to strength, becoming one of the UK’s largest sealant and cosmetic repair companies, with nine offices across England, Scotland and Wales.

For more information on recruitment opportunities in Leeds, visit SD Sealants vacancies page

from The UK Construction Blog http://ukconstructionblog.co.uk/2018/03/19/sd-sealants-appoints-new-area-manager-to-head-up-expansion/

Average salaries for construction managers top £80,000

Trade contractors unite in retentions fight

5 awesome tech tools for successful construction companies

5 awesome tech tools for successful construction companies

Technology has its pros and cons — it can lead to role reductions but increase efficiency.

And although construction is one sector that might always require the human touch, it includes areas ripe for improvement through digital innovations.

With that in mind, here are five awesome tech tools for successful construction companies.

1. Virtual Reality (VR)

Architects, designers and engineers have relied on flat 3D construction models for years to work out how their projects will look in real life.

But looking at a scale model of a bridge, shopping centre or office block on a desk or computer doesn’t enable an accurate assessment — which leads to expensive snags once building work is well underway.

VR is being adopted by specialist firms like Victaulic to solve this age-old problem. It allows staff to walk inside a built environment to see and feel whether their designs for mechanical piping and fire-protection systems are up to the job.

2. Wearable tech

Wearable tech like exoskeleton suits and Augmented Reality (AR) goggles looks set to carve a foothold in the construction industry very soon.

And it should make sites safer for all workers, as well as increasing efficiency.

Exoskeletons will improve the power and precision of the human body, while protecting it from injuries.

And AR headsets from firms like Meta allow teams in different locations to collaborate on construction layouts in real-time — and quickly create prototypes for clients so that they see how their new home or business premises will look prior to physical construction.

3. Automated HR

Making sure staff get paid on time, with the appropriate deductions and benefits, is fundamental to good business relations.

And construction firms who operate across different tax jurisdictions often employ expensive HR teams to cope with this admin-heavy and time-consuming task.

But outsourced payroll services can be less expensive and more accurate, so less time is spent correcting inaccuracies, and data analytics produce detailed reports allowing management to monitor useful metrics.

4. Project management software

Pulling together all the work streams on a large civil engineering or architecture project and delivering results on time and to budget is no easy task.

Project management software can help to make the process more efficient at every stage by identifying problems early, reducing risks and using rich data to automatically generate high quality handover manuals for subcontractors and clients.

5. Field productivity software

Large construction projects with tight timescales require regular detailed monitoring to stay on track.

And that entails daily field report being completed, collated and sent to management.

Field productivity software from niche firms like PlanGrid allows workers to fill out forms and reports on mobile devices onsite and upload them instantly so they’re easily found, analysed and shared.

This means project leads can report to clients regularly without a wasteful paper trail.

Invest in any of these five awesome tech tools for successful construction companies and impress every stakeholder involved in your next project.

Has your construction form adopted new technology recently? Share your story in the comments section.

from The UK Construction Blog http://ukconstructionblog.co.uk/2018/03/12/5-awesome-tech-tools-for-successful-construction-companies/

JCB creates 600 jobs to meet boom in global demand

UK plant giant JCB is hiring 600 production line staff over the next three months due to “unprecedented” global demand for its machines.

In addition to these shop floor jobs, JCB said it also had vacancies for more than 100 permanent employees in engineering and other staff professions at its World Headquarters in Rocester and sites across the UK.

The firm, which already employs 6,000 people in the UK, said it now had a very healthy order book and is taking on over 200 operatives immediately with a further 400 staff required within 12 weeks.

Worldwide growth in construction has brought record demand for many of the product lines manufactured at its Derbyshire plant at Foston, as well as its Staffordshire factories at Rocester, Cheadle and Rugeley.

JCB chief operating officer, Mark Turner said: “This is great news for the local economy and great news for anyone seeking to work with a globally successful business.

“We know the cities of Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and surrounding towns have people with the skills we need, and in return they can expect excellent rewards.

“We urgently need fabrication welding skills along with paint sprayers, and general assemblers who will be given full training.

“The opportunities are initially for agency employees, however we see them as long-term opportunities – in fact, in the first three months of 2018 we have given permanent contracts to 200 agency staff. That means over the past four years we have handed permanent contracts to 850 agency employees.

“The future is very bright for JCB as global demand for our machines continues to grow, which means great prospects for people who want to work with us.”

The new roles pay a minimum of £10.40 per hour for Monday to Friday working hours, with a premium paid for shift-work opportunities.

from The UK Construction Blog http://ukconstructionblog.co.uk/2018/03/09/jcb-creates-600-jobs-to-meet-boom-in-global-demand/

Nottingham council to favour small firms for contracts

Vienna calling’ at Ecobuild to show training programme sets the pace to develop sustainable construction skills

Visitors to Ecobuild can find out more about how a renowned design and engineering programme based in Vienna brings together expertise from across the globe to identify ways to make buildings more sustainable.

The Austrian capital offers an innovative backdrop as a live case study, providing insight into passive house and sustainable, smart city expertise for Green.Building.Solutions. (GBS).

Participants can immerse themselves in a unique, intensive experience – developing new skills to design and build sustainable cities in an environment that includes workshops, lectures, fact-finding visits and insight from world-leading academics.

Applications are now open for the not-for-profit programme, which is relevant to students and professionals alike in the fields of architecture and professions relating to the built environment – and with all study and social activities carried out in English, it is well-suited to participants from a truly international background.

The GBS team will be on the Advantage Austria stand at the event to talk more about the programme.

GBS takes place from 21 July to 12 August and is organised by the OeAD-Housing Office – part of Austria’s national agency for international mobility and cooperation in education, science and research.

Run in association with 16 universities, including Vienna’s BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences and the Vienna University of Technology, the course is priced at €2,490 for professionals and €2,000 for students.

This cost includes all social activities, lessons and tours, as well as accommodation for participants throughout the duration of GBS in one of OeAD’s passive house student residences – giving an added perspective to participants’ experiences in Vienna.

The accommodation is also included as part of the fee for almost a week after the programme, enabling those taking part to explore the city at leisure. Two additional workshops are offered during the extra week: a three-day specially-priced Passive House workshop and a three-day excursion for all 2018 participants.

Günther Jedliczka, CEO of the OeAD-Housing Office, said: “Austria is world-renowned as a pioneer in sustainable construction and GBS offers students the opportunity to broaden their perspective and build a network of useful contacts.

“It provides a truly international atmosphere, with 46 students from 30 nations successfully completing the programme in 2017.

“GBS’s timetable starts with an overview of the historical development and introduction to green building design, before moving on to the detailed study of highly efficient and sustainable buildings.

“Sustainable materials, construction ecology, building physics and innovative energy technologies are addressed, as well as building simulations and daylight engineering.

“The Sto Foundation will also offer a hands-on workshop to students studying colour technology along with architecture and engineering students, whereby they physically build a 1:1 wall model of Passive House details.

“Finally, an investigation into indoor and outdoor climate is undertaken, before the programme concludes with an integrated design project, which centres around an actual live topic in Vienna.”

As well as GBS, the OeAD-Housing Office also operates the Alternative Economic and Monetary Systems programme (AEMS).

AEMS analyses how economic, political, monetary and environmental factors need to change to be more sustainable and takes place from the 25 July until 10 August 2018.

More details about GBS and AEMS – including testimonials from 2017’s programme participants – can be found at www.summer-university.net

from The UK Construction Blog http://ukconstructionblog.co.uk/2018/03/05/vienna-calling-at-ecobuild-to-show-training-programme-sets-the-pace-to-develop-sustainable-construction-skills/

Green light for London Deutsche Bank HQ