Since joining the ALTRAD Group of Companies in September 2013 the TRAD Group has received substantial investments totaling £10 million from ALTRAD Holding, this has enabled growth in this two year period of almost 70%. This obviously significant fund injection only made possible by becoming part of the Group combined with minor organisational restructuring, “a key objective of the ALTRAD Group bespoke Management Charter “Pathways to the Future” resulted in the TRAD Group joining the ranks of the top five Scaffolding Groups in the UK today, with further organic growth yet to come.

Des Moore – TRAD Group Managing Director said: “I would like to personally Thank, Mohed Altrad, Louis Heutz, the ALTRAD Holding Team, our Chairman Hayden Smith and above all the TRAD Group Management Team and our entire workforce for their huge efforts in helping to make this happen, along with exciting new plans for further growth, we look forward to increasing our market share into 2016 and beyond.”

New TRAD Commercial Vehicle Fleet – Protecting People and the Environment and enhancing service levels.

TRAD is proud to announce the completed purchase of 15 new Scania HGV units complete with 1.5 Ton Fassi Cranes at a cost of £1.7 million. These modern high quality vehicles are fully Euro 6 compliant helping us to protect the environment by reducing emissions, particularly in London where TRAD Co mainly operates, this is part of our continuous drive to reduce our carbon footprint and improve our Environmental Management System accredited through BSI to ISO 14001.

Moreover, as part of our continuing focus on improving safety for our Employees and the General Public, all 15 vehicles have been fitted with top of the range cameras. These enhancements help protect Cyclists and Pedestrians by substantially reducing blind spots in the Driver’s field of sight. TRAD currently holds Bronze FORS Accreditation and this purchase of the new Scania HGV units solidifies our commitment to achieving the FORS Silver standard early next year.

Furthermore, these new Lorry Loader Cranes enable a much safer working environment with a major advancement in remote controlled Lifting Operations. All TRAD’s HGV drivers have received certificated Training, allowing them to control every aspect of the lifting process from any position around the truck, thus resulting in increased visibility of all operations improving safety and enabling us to give a better quality service to our customers.

New Trucks – New Livery

The new trucks have been liveried with distinctive new paintwork and visuals, helping them to stand out and promote the TRAD and ALTRAD brands. Featuring striking graphics and the ground-breaking use of “chrome” film, the vehicles promote our new ‘Metrix’ scaffolding system, as well as the five key safety behaviours that form our Behavioural Management of Safety Programme, Play it Safe. They also celebrate our parent company the ALTRAD Groups affiliation with the Montpelier Rugby Club, which is personally owned by Mohed Altrad.

The trucks have been transformed into a highly effective form of mobile messaging, promoting continual awareness of our Behavioral Management Programme ‘Play it Safe’ as well as promoting both the TRAD Group and ALTRAD Group Brands.

The post TRAD Group – Going for Growth appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

Bilfinger gains £100 million three-year maintenance contract renewal with BP securing more than 240 jobs in Scotland.

Under the agreement the German firm will provide maintenance services at two of its oil and gas terminals, the Forties Pipeline System at Grangemouth and Sullom Voe Terminal, Shetland.

The three-year contract covers services such as scaffolding, rope access, insulation, blast cleaning, painting and fire-proofing and will be delivered by Bilfinger’s industrial services division.

News of the huge contract came as BP’s rival Shell revealed that its multi-billion pound deal to buy oil and gas firm BG Group is set to lead to some 2,800 job losses.

Bilfinger said the contract with BP will involve more than 240 employees, with many based permanently on-site at the BP facilities. Around 24 of the roles will be apprenticeship or trainee positions.

Bilfinger’s industrial services is one of two Bilfinger UK businesses to have existing agreements with BP, alongside its electrical engineering division. The two groups have worked together in the UK for more than six years.

Duncan Hall, executive president of Bilfinger Oil & Gas, said: “BP is a long-term strategic partner for Bilfinger and we support them across their upstream and midstream assets. We have been delivering these specialist and critical areas of plant maintenance across these key UK assets since 2010.

“This latest agreement is a landmark for Bilfinger in the UK which further cements our position as a leading support services provider to the energy sector. Two-thirds of all diesel and petrol sold in the UK comes from production assets that we help maintain.”

The post Bilfinger gains £100M Scottish terminals contract renewal with BP appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

TRAD Hire & Sales receives great reviews and feedback from both clients and end users at their recent open day in Barking.

It was only in April of this year that TRAD Hire & Sales, the UK’s leading Scaffold Supplier, celebrated opening their National Training and Product Awareness Centre in Barking, and is now leading the way with an ongoing series of open days across the country.

1 of 2

Having successfully hosted two previous open days in East London and Leeds during 2015, the Scaffold Specialists returned to their new Training Centre on the 4th November to showcase two of the markets most innovated products – Metrix and Altrix, both of which are unique to TRAD Hire and Sales in the UK.

The demonstration of the Plettac Metrix System Scaffold and the showcasing of the new ALTRIX Temporary Roof system were met with extremely positive reviews from some of the UK’s leading Construction Companies and Scaffolding Contractors.

The event kicked off with an introduction to the New National Training facilities followed by a demonstration of the unique Plettac METRIX System Scaffold, proven to be significantly faster to erect than all other ring based systems but even more so compared to traditional Tube & Fittings.

A time-lapse video demonstrated both the speed and benefits of METRIX, comparing it against conventional tube & fittings and two other well- known ring-based systems. The comparative speed and ease of use of METRIX conclusively proved the system to be superior in every respect and the time lapse video was enthusiastically received by all those attending.

Construction industry experts are hailing Metrix as revolutionary, quoting labour savings benefits, programme time reductions, and the systems versatility as its key attributes. The introduction of the optional Permanent Advance Guardrail also improves safety as they are installed from the safety of the lift below.

Attendees were then introduced to TRAD’s newest product, ALTRIX; an all-aluminium temporary roofing and weather protection system, Alan Slater, TRAD Group Technical Support Manager explained how the roofing system has been designed to work with any scaffold and complements the METRIX system perfectly.

Manufactured using fast Push-Fit technology with colour-coded components to allow for easy identification and speedier assembly times (all as the colour coding of the Metrix System), ALTRIX uses far less components than other roofing systems which significantly reduces the costs of purchasing, storage and transportation. An additional benefit of the system is the ability to install the roof sheets from the safety of the scaffold platform.

With the Open Day well underway, TRAD Group Managing Director, Des Moore reviewed the real-world benefits of the METRIX and ALTRIX systems. Following the event, he said:

‘The product launch at our National Training Centre was met with positivity across the board. I firmly believe that these two products are the very best on the market today and that our industry will greatly benefit from their time and labour cost saving capabilities.”

The open day then concluded with an insightful Presentation from Des, who as well as being responsible for the three TRAD Group Companies, has extensive experience in Scaffolding Contracting, having previously been the Managing Director of TRAD Scaffolding for some fifteen years and having used System Scaffolding for the past twenty five years. A very robust Q&A session followed with Des that covered a wide range of topics, including TRAD’s Business model and the real commercial benefits that can be gained along with the essential Management approach that is required by any user wishing to extract the full benefits of using both METRIX and ALTRIX.

Attendees were highly complementary of TRAD’s product demonstrations and many expressed their eagerness to start using the products straight away. Andrew Millington, Managing Director of Jubilee Scaffolding in Jersey was very impressed by the safety and practical working benefits of the products:

“I currently use the cuplock system, but I think Plettac METRIX will be twice as quick to erect and dismantle. The safety is fantastic – working from underneath rather than on top, with the guardrail system in place, and being able to work to SG4:15 all the times. For all the benefits it gives me, I would definitely use Plettac METRIX in the future.

Edmond Carolan, Director of ENJ Scaffolding in Essex, shared his views:

“Plettac METRIX is a very impressive piece of kit, especially with the ALTRIX roof… The best part for me is the labour saving – instead of 4:2 ratio of four scaffolders to two labourers, you could have four labourers to two scaffolders. That’s a big saving. It would be interesting to bring some of the lads to one of TRAD’s live jobs to get their thoughts on how investing in Plettac METRIX – and eventually replacing Cuplock – could benefit the business.”

Des Moore concluded that for the first time in the UK there is a ‘Very Real’ alternative to the previously well-known supplier of ring based system scaffolding. We believe that the ALTRAD Group has a much better offering to the market in every respect, from Design, Supply and Customer Support, coupled with TRAD`s nationwide Hire and Sales distribution, and in-house knowledge sharing from a Group that can advise its clients how to get the very best from the System because it has that experience that no other Suppliers can offer. Over and above that we believe the Products just speak for themselves.

Come and see for yourself at one of our Open Days.

To be among the first to experience the cost saving benefits of TRAD Hire & Sales’ new products, book your place on one of our upcoming open days – places are limited so book now to be a part of the scaffolding revolution on 0161 494 2999 or email hireandsales@trad.co.uk.

The post TRAD Hire & Sales receives great reviews and feedback at Barking open day appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

The leading scaffold supplier Beaver 84 will use Scaffold Designer to plan projects that require Plettac Contur system scaffolding.

Following an extensive search of available scaffolding design tools, Beaver 84 has selected Avontus’ Scaffold Designer as its recommended software. With its 3D visualization, drag-and-drop design capabilities, and automatic materials calculation, Scaffold Designer takes the guesswork out of system scaffolding design. Beaver 84, a leading UK scaffold supplier, plans to roll out Scaffold Designer to each of its 9 depots in the coming weeks, and will make trials of the easy-to-use software available to its clients.

“We chose Scaffold Designer because it supports our Plettac Contur system scaffolding and it allows us and our customers to design scaffolding exactly the way it will be built,” commented David Hughes, National Sales Manager of Beaver 84. “Avontus clearly understands scaffolding, and Scaffold Designer is developed to meet, and even exceed, the needs we and our customers have,” he continued.

Whilst Scaffold Designer automatically supports Plettac Contur system scaffolding, Avontus will customize the software for Beaver 84 to support its other scaffold systems, giving Beaver 84’s customers access to its full range of system scaffolding options.

Implementing Scaffold Designer will help Beaver 84 and its customers increase safety, order and allocate materials more efficiently, increase the use of system scaffolding, and provide superior service to their customers.

“We are looking forward to continuing to build our relationship with Beaver 84 as system scaffolding becomes more prevalent in the UK scaffolding market,” added Andrew Smith, Director of Sales of Avontus. “The combination of superior scaffold materials and powerful scaffold software will give Beaver 84 and its customers a significant competitive edge.”

About Avontus

Avontus has been producing quality software since 1995, both custom development for enterprises and packaged software for the general public. With a focus on the user experience, our software for the formwork, scaffolding, and shoring industries is the best in the industry. Our employees are highly skilled computer and business professionals who understand big-picture problem solving, team project management, and the latest technology. Avontus Software also owns and maintains web portals and web services for falsework (scaffold, shoring, and formwork) professionals. For more information, visit http://avontus.com/.

About Beaver 84

Since formation in 1984 Beaver84 has established itself as a dedicated supplier of non-mechanical construction equipment for both Hire and Sales. The strategy is supported by an understanding of investment and innovation and the need to maintain the service and Quality across all aspects of the business. Over many years Beaver 84 has continued to offer a unique and specialist product range from site set up, excavation, construction through to completion by working in partnership with its clientele. For more information, visit http://www.beaver84.co.uk.

The post Beaver 84 Selects Avontus’ Scaffold Designer Software to Visualize and Design Scaffolding Projects appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

The NASC are set to attract smaller scaffolding businesses in 2016 after announcing reductions in membership fees for SME’s

The NASC has made a bold move to attract small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) scaffolding firms to the confederation – by reducing the minimum subscription threshold, specifically:

• From 1st January 2016 a lower subscription tier has been created.
• Companies with annual turnover below £1 million will be charged an annual subscription of just £995 + VAT.
• Subscriptions for companies with a turnover between £1 million and £1,376,200 (the previous minimum annual turnover) will increase incrementally from £995 to £1,600 + VAT.

This NASC initiative was announced at the organisation’s Leeds AGM on 27th November 2015 – reflecting the newly sworn-in President Alan Lilley’s desire to attract greater numbers of smaller scaffolding contractors to the NASC.

Furthermore, the confederation is also in the process of fine-tuning a range of benefits for small companies wishing to apply for membership, with details to follow in ScaffMag, news releases on social media and at 2016 NASC events.

MD Robin James said: “The NASC is an inclusive organisation. We are looking to broaden the appeal of membership to smaller companies who are prepared to comply with our code of conduct, our robust auditing procedure, and help us to set the standard for scaffolding here in the UK. 

“In reducing the NASC minimum annual subscription rate, we are facilitating the creation of a level playing field for the smaller scaffolding contractor. This will enable NASC to regulate this important sector of the industry – helping to drive up standards.”

NASC President Alan Lilley added: “It is one of my main aims as the new NASC President to alter the false “club” perception of the confederation and to increase the membership – especially within the UK’s elite small and medium sized scaffolding firms. And this starts with us lowering the turnover threshold to £1 million and the annual subscription to below £1,000, effective from 1st January 2016.

“The NASC is also very happy to provide support with membership applications (including meeting the requirements for membership and completing the application form, for example). This will hopefully give every applicant the best chance of passing the application process and getting them on the right path for a successful desktop and site audit.

“We look forward to receiving applications from smaller scaffolding contractors with the same high standards to which our members adhere, and we wish them luck with their membership journey.”

The post NASC Slash Fees To Attract Smaller Scaffolding Firms In 2016 appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

At a packed Leeds hotel, design experts from 48.3 successfully unveiled their latest 2-Day Scaffold Design Appreciation Course – part of their ‘Secrets of Scaffold Design’ series.

48.3 Scaffold Design have kicked off 2016 with a bang after providing myself and other delegates with a two-day bespoke scaffold design appreciation training course, that provided a comprehensive understanding of the processes involved in producing a scaffold design.

Over the two days, 48.3’s Founder and Managing Director, Ben Beaumont, along with Company Director, Ivik Masek expertly educated myself and 30 other delegates ranging from Advanced Scaffolders, Supervisors and Contracts Managers, CITB Instructors and even other Scaffold Design and Consulting Engineers, all wanting to further expand their knowledge base and improve service for their clients.

The unique training course that’s only available at 48.3 Training Ltd covered in detail every aspect of the design process. It incorporated theoretical examples and many brilliantly put-together practical demonstrations by the 48.3 team – including model temporary roofs with industrial fans to create ‘wind’, signboards, beam sections with moveable supports, and braced towers. This aided me and the other delegates to visually understand how scaffolds and their components react in different scenarios.

48.3 Training, 2-Day Scaffold Design Appreciation Course Gallery

1 of 8

Refreshingly, throughout the course, scaffold design experts Ben and Ivik with 25 years combined industry experience, actively encouraged classroom discussion and debate on various scaffold design issues and erection misconceptions, while openly answering many delegates questions.

To complement the course delivery, each delegate received a 115 paged course manual, containing a wealth of design knowledge and guidance, plus example 48.3 design drawings, design calculations and design risk assessments, to take home to study and use for future reference.

48.3 Training Ltd is the training division of 48.3, that also includes 48.3 Scaffold Design Ltd, which is one of the UK’s largest most successful organisations in delivering professional scaffold design. 48.3 Training has been running since November 2013, they offer various programmes of training and mentoring from 2-day design appreciation courses, to complete 2-year training and mentoring programmes for scaffolding design engineers through their ‘Design Academy’.

Mark Parkin, Managing Director of Tiger Scaffolding Ltd who also attended the course along with three of his team, said: “Having attended many training courses in the last 28 years, I believe the design appreciation course delivered by 48.3 Training, the knowledge, course detail & practical involvement of the 48.3 team, are second to none. This course is a must for anyone involved in scaffolding & scaffold design.”

Summary

Overall I found the course highly educational. It increased my understanding of the concepts of scaffold design and how scaffold components react with one another under loading. I especially loved the practical demonstrations that further aided my understanding.

I would, without doubt, strongly recommend 48.3’s Scaffold Design Training Course to all our readers within the UK scaffolding industry,…it really is a must!

If you would like further information or to book online, visit www.483training.com

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ben and the rest of the 48.3’s team for inviting me to experience an exceptionally great course.

The post 48.3 Reveal the Secrets of Scaffold Design appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

The Division has successfully managed operations from serviced offices for the last two and a half years and has quickly built an initial £500k turnover to a current budget of £7m in the financial year 2015/2016 with further similar growth planned for the next three years. The new premises will be able to accommodate a large amount of stock and its own Transport Fleet comprising of 7.5 tonne vehicles and HGV articulated units complete with remotely operated cranes.

Neil Garner, Managing Director at TRAD said: “We chose the Depot in Hounslow as it will give us the responsive capability of carrying out Scaffolding works at Heathrow and Gatwick airports and to further specialise in servicing the Rail Sector. 

It is fundamental that any successful Scaffolding Contractor in this field has transport, equipment and labour resources in close proximity to the Airports and we believe that we have identified the best property location to meet and supply this demand.  

Airport Projects are often sporadic and at times require essential emergency Maintenance works where access is needed and can be called on at any time and this Depot is in the ideal location to service both of these requirements, as well as having great access to the M3 and M4 corridors. 

The majority of work we will be carrying out from this Depot will involve using our new Metrix system scaffold, but we will also hold a stock of traditional tube and fittings to meet any Client demand. The Depot will additionally be supported with stock and equipment from our HQ operating premises in Bow and Barking, covering some ten acres of open storage collectively and having probably the greatest volume of both System Scaffolding and traditional tube and fittings in the South East.”

Des Moore, TRAD Group MD commented that this was another major stepping stone in the planned growth of the TRAD Group in general made entirely possible by the support and continuing  investment of the ALTRAD Group.

TRAD Scaffolding’s New West London Depot is located at:
Unit 7, Fairway Trading Estate,
Green Lane, Heathrow, TW4 6BU
Tel: 020 8814 3220
Email: enquiries@trad.co.uk

The post TRAD Scaffolding Invests in New Operating Facilities at Heathrow for West London Division appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

After six months work the NASC goes live with a fresh new-look website.

The new website – www.nasc.org.uk – offers a radical new look, modern desktop and mobile optimised functionality, user-friendly online shop, integrated social media and news feeds, and is jam-packed full of scaffolding and access information.

The large scale website re-development project – which has been ongoing for six months and has been managed by NASC’s Membership and Communications Manager, Jamie McGuire – has been steered by London-based website development and creative agency, Deep. Their team of website developers, designers and coders were charged by NASC with ‘simplifying the user experience, engaging users with diverse, accessible content, maximising the impact of the NASC’s busy social media platforms, driving traffic to a re-vamped online store and creating a new-look, engaging, high functionality and mobile optimised website, to suit modern user habits.’

The new website features simplified and enhanced access to the NASC online shop – with clearly labelled member and non-member pricing structures for the NASC’s Safety and Technical guidance, and colour coded navigation. There is also separate, easy to find expanded sections for core technical and safety guidance (TG & SG), like TG20:13 (‘Good Practice Guidance for Tube and Fitting Scaffolding’) and SG4:15 (‘Preventing Falls in Scaffolding Operations.’)

In addition, there is a whole new membership section – to reflect the current NASC President, Alan Lilley’s desire to boost SME’s to join the organisation. And the site also includes a fully-loaded member’s area – with access for Full, Non-Contracting and Information Only members.

Further information sections have been added to the new site, offering quick access to the NASC’s Product Code of Practice, NASC Yearbook, Annual Safety Reports, video guidance, media libraries, FAQs, useful links and scaffolding training sections. And the menu systems – on both desktop and mobile (phone and tablet) versions – are simple and easy to navigate, with a large, moving home page slider offering quick links to key areas.

The new website also now hosts a news and social media hub – accessed primarily from the home page, but also via the simple header and footer menus – allowing users to keep up to speed with the latest NASC updates, with a busy news section and constantly-updated social media platform.

NASC MD, Robin James said: “It’s important to make sure we move with the times as the national trade body for access and scaffolding in the UK – so that industry-leading safety and technical guidance is as accessible and visible as possible.

“Undertaking a full re-build of the website and online shop is no small task and we’d like to thank the agency, Deep for their hard work in creating something special and accurate to the brief. We are confident that members, non-members, the  media, the construction industry and the public will benefit from the new website.”

NASC Marketing Manager, Phil Royle said: “The driving force of the project was to modernise the out-going website, make the online shop more visible and user-friendly, carry across a wealth of important safety and technical guidance and create more brand awareness – assisting in our mission to encourage membership sign-ups and the continued growth of the organisation.

“We are thrilled with the result. The new website better reflects our brand values and position within the construction industry, whilst offering users a richer, simpler and mobile-optimised user experience – perfect for the times we live in. It’s loaded with great content, industry news, up to date scaffolding guidance and vibrant social media. We’d encourage everyone to check it out.”

The post Radical New Look Website For The NASC appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

Following on from a highly successful open day at their National Training and Product Awareness Centre in Barking, the UK’s leading scaffold supplier showcased their innovative Plettac METRIX Scaffold System, plus the new ALTRIX Temporary Roof System, at another successful open day at their Birmingham depot.

The event started with a live demonstration of these two innovative products – METRIX and ALTRIX – both of which are unique to TRAD Hire & Sales Ltd in the UK, followed by an indoor presentation.

A time lapse video demonstrated just how quickly Plettac METRIX can be erected, evaluating it against other well-known systems and Tube and Fitting. The comparative speed and ease of use of Plettac METRIX conclusively proved the system to be superior in every respect.

It is no coincidence then, that scaffolding industry experts are hailing Plettac Metrix, quoting the system’s versatility, labour saving and programme time reductions as its principal benefits. Further enhancing the system’s advantages is the optional Permanent Advanced Guardrail. Erected from the level below, this component is an innovation in scaffolding safety, which also increases production.  

The open day attendees were then introduced to TRAD Hire & Sales newest product, the ALTRIX Temporary Roof System. This all-aluminium weather protection system has been designed to work with any scaffold type, but compliments Plettac METRIX perfectly.

The lightweight colour-coded components are easily identifiable; this along with Push-Fit technology enables quicker assembly times.

The ALTRIX system philosophy is “more than just a roof”; many of the components have been designed with dual roles in mind, meaning they can be used in other scaffolding applications.
For example: forming large flush decked areas and bridge sections in independent scaffolds.

A Q&A session followed with Des Moore, TRAD Group Managing Director, covering a wide range of topics, including TRAD’s business model and the commercial benefits that can be gained from using both Plettac METRIX and ALTRIX.

The showcasing of these products gained positive feedback from some of the UK’s leading Scaffold Contractors and Construction Companies, one attendee said:

“We’re currently trialling Plettac METRIX on a Taylor Wimpey site at Nuneaton. We’ve been using it for around three weeks now – it’s brilliant, so fast. Within a couple of days we noticed big time savings.”

Following the success of the open day, TRAD Hire & Sales Ltd has set up a Plettac METRIX and ALTRIX demonstration area at their Birmingham Depot for customers to view the products for themselves. The demonstration area will be a permanent fixture and anyone interested in the products are encouraged to come and experience them first hand.

Book your place today at one of TRAD’s Open Days.

To be one of the first to experience the cost saving benefits of TRAD Hire & Sales’ new products, book your place at one of their upcoming open days – places are limited, so book now on 0161 494 2999 or email hireandsales@trad.co.uk. 

The post TRAD Hire & Sales Ltd receives excellent reviews for METRIX and ALTRIX appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

Wood Group has gained 5 year contract with Valero Energy at Pembroke refinery in south west Wales.

Wood Group has secured a new five year framework agreement with Valero Energy, an international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels, petrochemical products and power. Effective immediately, Wood Group Industrial Services (WGIS), will provide services to the onshore Pembroke refinery in south west Wales.

The contract signifies an important expansion for the firm into the UK petrochemical sector.  WGIS will deliver surface preparation and application of protective coatings under the contract, which has a one year extension option.

Hugh Pelham, managing director of WGIS said: “WGIS has the broad capabilities and experience that positions us well to further extend our expertise into the downstream process and energy market. This is demonstrated by this contract win with Valero Energy, where our focus will be working in partnership with our client to deliver effective and efficient services to enhance the integrity of the asset.”

In 2015, WGIS secured more than $300m of new contracts.

Wood Group is an international energy services company with $6bn sales and operating in more than 50 countries.

The post Wood Group wins 5 year contract with Valero Energy appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

Cape plc has secured a contract with Samsung Heavy Industries (“SHI”) in South Korea for the installation of insulation to the Cryogenic Pipework on the Process Topside on Shell’s Prelude Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (“FLNG”) facility.

The Prelude FLNG facility is a global project with the key location for fabrication being in Geoje, South Korea. SHI’s shipyard is where the substructure and topsides are currently under construction and is one of the few dry docks in the world large enough to undertake the fabrication.

Once complete, the Prelude FLNG facility will be moored 475 kilometres north-east of Broome in Western Australia. The Prelude FLNG facility is 488m long, 74m wide and along with its contents, will weigh around 600,000 tonnes. It will be the largest floating offshore facility in the world.

Commenting on the contract award Joe Oatley, Chief Executive of Cape, said “I am delighted that Cape has been able to secure this contract and that we will be further developing our relationship with Samsung Heavy Industries. Prelude will be the world’s largest FLNG facility and we are proud to be involved with such a prestigious project.”

The post Cape awarded new contract in South Korea appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

Wood Group has been awarded a new five year framework contract with a five year extension option, valued at approximately $120 million, by Babcock International to provide industrial services to a number of its UK sites.

The contract will be delivered by Wood Group PSN’s industrial service line business, Wood Group Industrial Services (WGIS) and maintains the company’s leading position in the UK marine sector.

More than 400 people will be employed on the contract that builds on Wood Group Industrial Services’ 15 year relationship with Babcock International. Surface preparation, application of protective coatings, scaffolding, insulation, rope access, cleaning and fire sentry services will be delivered under this framework contract.

Hugh Pelham, managing director of WGIS, said: “Securing this new contract is testament to our track record in the marine sector and relationship with Babcock International.  We have a strong history of delivering marine projects safely, to schedule and to budget. I look forward to building on this across further Babcock Group sites, and successfully continuing our long-standing relationship with this key client.”

The post Wood Group wins $120 million industrial services contract with Babcock International appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

F-Board has been crowned the winner of the Construction News Business Innovation of the year 2016.

After much debate by the judges, F-Board was crowned the victor of the CN Business Innovation of the year having demonstrated a number of benefits in terms of the environment, cost efficiency and health and safety through the product of the same name.

The F-Board is a scaffold board made entirely from recycled plastic, which the company offers to buy back at the end of its life to make into new F-Boards, reducing the amount of timber used in the scaffolding sector.

It also lowers the impact on the environment and reduces CO2 emissions – the UK produces millions of timber scaffold boards every year, which need to be replaced after their typical lifespan of 12 to 18 months.

Not only were the judges impressed by the product’s green credentials, but also its ability to improve site safety.

Each board’s non-slip design reduces the risk of workers slipping or falling from height in all weather, while the F-Board retainer locks the end of boards into place, preventing them lifting or changing position and creating trip hazards.

The F-Board also delivers cost efficiencies that can benefit a project’s budget and be passed through the supply chain. Its lifecycle can reduce the frequency of purchasing scaffolding equipment, and by recycling their boards at the end of their lives, businesses also get a return on investment.

As a company, F-Board pointed to its focus on research and development, working with academic institutions to improve the product’s performance and expand its application to sectors such as nuclear, transport and oil and gas.

“This breakthrough innovation has huge benefits for the construction industry,” the judges said. “The company has shown dedication to innovation through ongoing product development, and by working on that with a number of leading universities in specialist fields.

“This ultra green product ticks all the boxes and the market seems huge,” they added.

The post F-Board Wins the CN Business Innovation of the Year appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

Burflex Scaffolding sponsors charity for disadvantaged children at a packed out Leeds event.

For the 3rd year running the Hull based firm, Burflex Scaffolding Ltd have sponsored the KidsOut Question of Sport event, this year taking the prestigious Main Sponsor position. The KidsOut charity provides fun and positive experiences for children throughout the UK who are living in refuge, economic hardship or with other acute disadvantages.

The event held on 3rd March at Elland Road Stadium in Leeds welcomed over 830 guests who raised a staggering £111,098 for disadvantaged children

Anthony Jessop, General Manager at Burflex Scaffolding Ltd said:

“It is important to Burflex that we can give something back to the communities in which we work and KidsOut is an excellent charity that provides a great many projects for many kids out there.”

The post Burflex Scaffolding sponsors KidsOut Question of Sport event appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

The UK’s leading supplier of Fall Safety Solutions is now the only company of its kind to offer nationwide coverage.

TRAD Safety Systems is celebrating its continued growth with the opening of its newest depot in Avonmouth, Bristol – following previous depot openings in London and Birmingham.

The new site was strategically chosen due to its close proximity to the M4 and M5 motorways, enabling TRAD Safety Systems to effectively service customers throughout the South West.

The division has successful operations at depots in Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and London and is now able to serve existing customers and develop new relationships in the South West as well.

With its new infrastructure and facilities, TRAD Safety System’s new premises provide a truly efficient operating unit, enabling the company to provide a first-class service to existing and new clients. The company will be recruiting further staff using labour from the local area and training them to meet TRAD’s high standards.

Since acquiring the TRAD Group in 2012, Altrad Group has made significant investments towards increasing TRAD Safety System’s UK coverage; Jim Gorman, National Operations Director said:

“We chose the depot in Bristol because it gives us the responsive capability to offer fall prevention safety services to the Building, Construction, Civil Engineering and Maintenance Industries. We believe that for any company in our industry to be successful, good transport links, state-of-the-art equipment and a committed, experienced workforce are essential. In choosing Avonmouth as the location for our new depot, we believe we now have everything we need to continue our success throughout the whole of the UK.

Having a depot close to the M4 and M5 motorways will enable us to supply our diverse range of equipment to meet all customer demands. Whether customers require TRAD Edgeguard Roof Safety System, Horizontal Safety Lines, TRADGuard or TRAD Safety Decking, having these transport links will mean we’re able to service and complete every project effectively.

We have an experienced managerial and sales team of Geoff Sutton, John Kay and Kathy Griffin to run our Bristol depot. With a first-class team like this, we’re looking forward to seeing TRAD Safety Systems flourish in the South West.”

TRAD Group Managing Director, Des Moore stated “Due to great customer demand, the company has taken the decision to open a
sixth depot in Bristol, in which we have invested over £1 million – made possible with the continued support of the ALTRAD Group.”

The new depot opened at the beginning of March 2016 and was fully operational immediately.

TRAD Safety Systems looks forward to welcoming new working relationships, and is encouraging any companies that feel they
would benefit from TRAD Safety System’s market leading products and services to get in touch.

Contact TRAD Safety Systems today and discover how its comprehensive range of services will benefit your business.

To find out more about the safety benefits of TRAD Safety System’s products and services, contact its Bristol Depot on 0117 938 6980, or email GeoffSutton@trad.co.uk

About TRAD Safety Systems

TRAD Safety Systems is the UK market leader in the design, manufacture and supply of fall safety solutions for the Building, Construction and Maintenance Industries. With an unrivalled network of depots in Glasgow, Stockport, Leeds, Birmingham, London and now Bristol, TRAD Safety Systems covers all of the UK.

TRAD’s new depot is located at Unit C3, Greensplott Road, Chittening Industrial Estate, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 0YB.

The post TRAD Safety Systems Opens New Depot in Bristol appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

Cape plc has extended their current relationship with SABIC UK Petrochemicals Limited, with the award of a contract renewal until end of December 2018.

The contract is for the provision of maintenance and project work including access, insulation, coating and passive fire protection at the Wilton and North Tees sites in Teesside, UK. The contract is expected to commence in April.

Commenting on the contract award Joe Oatley, Chief Executive of Cape, said “I am delighted that Cape has secured this contract renewal at SABIC Teesside. Cape has a longstanding relationship with SABIC UK Petrochemicals Limited, spanning more than a decade and we look forward to continuing to work with this important client to deliver our critical industrial services across their assets”.

The post Cape secures three year contract with SABIC UK Petrochemicals appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

Wood Group has secured a new three year contract with Shell, to deliver industrial services to the St Fergus gas processing plant in Aberdeenshire and the Mossmorran gas processing plant and Braefoot Bay marine terminal in Fife, Scotland.

Wood Group PSN’s industrial service line business, Wood Group Industrial Services (WGIS), will provide fabric integrity maintenance and site support under the contract, which has the option to be extended for up to four years.

Effective immediately, the contract builds on Wood Group’s 20 year history supporting Shell on these assets.

Hugh Pelham, managing director of WGIS, said: “This contract award is another example of Wood Group’s ability to deliver safe, more productive services.  We are committed to leveraging our robust knowledge of the facilities and broad industrial services capabilities, towards the successful delivery of this contract.

“The onshore midstream oil and gas sector is a key growth area for WGIS; our 43 years of experience providing specialist, high quality industrial services, supporting the construction, maintenance, decommissioning and replacement of major industrial assets such as bridges, chemical plants, ships, oil rigs and power stations, positions us strongly to support clients in this sector.”

This is the second contract Wood Group has secured with Shell this year. In January, Wood Group Kenny commenced a three year contract providing specialist consultancy services for flexible riser integrity management prior to and during operation of Shell Australia’s Prelude Floating Liquefied Natural Gas project.

The post Wood Group awarded industrial services contract by Shell appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

Cape UAE wins maintenance contract in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with Doosan Babcock at GASCO Habshan Bab Complex.

Cape UAE has announced that they have secured 5 years long term contract for carrying out shutdown maintenance programme with Doosan Babcock at GASCO Habshan Bab Complex, providing integrated Access, Insulation, Coatings and Refractory services.

Doosan Babcock are a specialist in the delivery of engineering, aftermarket and upgrade services to the thermal power, nuclear, oil and gas, petrochemical and process industries. Using best-in-class technical expertise and an industry-leading project management capability, the company builds, maintains and extends the life of customer assets worldwide.

The Habshan 5 Process Plant is designed to process 1,000 MMSCFD Offshore gas from Umm Shaif and additional 1,000 MMSCFD onshore gas comprising of a mix of associated gas from ADCO (1.8 MBPD Expansion) and non-associated high sour gas from Habshan fields (Total plant capacity : 2,150 MMSCFD). The facilities are designed to produce 750 MMSCFD sales gases, 12,000 TPD NGL and 5,200 TPD Sulphur.

Hema Chandran, Operations Director for UAE, said: “Cape UAE is delighted to receive this prestigious contract.  This is testament to our team’s commitment, dedication and attention to detail over a sustained period, and Cape UAE Operations will continue to uphold the Group’s reputation for delivering high quality essential industrial services safely and on time, and working closely with likeminded partners such as Doosan Babcock.”

Steve Connolly, Managing Director of MENA commented: “This continues our long standing and excellent relationship with Doosan as they expand their wings to the Middle East, and I am delighted for the Cape UAE business to secure this contract with the same spirit that has been built over many years between both organisation in the UK.”

The post Cape wins 5 year contract in UAE appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

Actavo uses Drones for safer site surveys

industrial services provider, Actavo Industrial Solutions, has teamed up with a licensed UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) operator to offer a safe and cost-effective alternative to working at height to carry structural surveys.

The initiative comes in response to growing interest from Actavo’s customer base, and one of the first joint projects to be undertaken is an aerial survey of the towers at a CCGT power station.

Actavo’s partner in the venture is Rotherham-based Vertex Air, which is licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to commercially fly UAVs – more commonly known as drones.  Working with Vertex, Actavo has the capability to offer detailed external structural surveys to its customers across the petrochemical, power, oil and gas, marine, nuclear power, pharmaceutical and offshore sectors. The UAV services offer an alternative to the conventional approach of using scaffolding or rope access.

Explaining the benefits of using UAVs to carry out this work, Actavo business development executive, Anthony Eyre, says:

“This approach offers a number of benefits, the main one from our point of view being the avoidance of risk. A key requirement of health and safety legislation is the elimination of risk wherever possible, and using drones means that we can carry out survey work without having people working at height. It also means that we can reach places which would otherwise involve investment in a full scaffold, and even parts of plants or structures that are inaccessible by humans. This, in turn, translates into a more cost-effective service for our customers. Drone surveys can be set up and carried out quickly, they are highly accurate, and their use means that the customer only has to pay for scaffolding or rope access in places where the need for structural work has already been identified.”

Vertex operates eight-rotor octo-drone UAVs, fitted with the latest GPS technology and high-resolution cameras, which can hover without vibration to give the greatest clarity to the images they capture. With minimal set-up time, their battery life gives an average 15 minutes of flight time, depending on weather conditions, with fast battery changes between flights.

Stu Martin, director at Vertex, says: “We have built up considerable experience in UAV survey work and invested in technology which gives assessment data in the form of photographic image or 3-D drawings which is as accurate as possible. Each survey is pre-programmed working to site plans to ensure that the data we capture delivers the information required.”

As one of the few operators licensed to fly at night, Vertex is also able to offer thermal imaging which can be used for the detection of heat escape from pipework both on structures and underground, which would indicate damage or insulation in need of replacement. Advanced software also gives the

UAVs the capability of carrying out site surveys, picking out gradients to show the lay of the land.

Anthony Eyre adds: “From discussions with our customers, we can see significant potential for a UAV survey capability. It complements many of the services we offer, including scaffolding and rope access as well as the services provided to the power transmission, distribution sectors, protective coatings and insulation services, particularly where we operate long-term inspection and maintenance contracts. It offers a more flexible approach which has benefits for customers in terms of both time and cost saving, but, above all, it reduces the risk element of having people working at what are often considerable heights.”

The post Actavo takes to the air for safer surveys appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.

Two Suffolk companies have joined forces to form a new contracting business.

The combined operation, now operating at TBF Contracting, brings together OBO Scaffolding and Traffic Management Solutions (TMS), both based in Ipswich.

OBO and TMS already work closely together within the Needham Market-based BTS Group, the UK’s largest independent firm of utility tree surgeons.

The merger and formation of a new company is intended to increase the two firms’ operational efficiency and their ability to serve their private and public sector clients.

Hal McCallum, managing director of both TBF Contracting and the BTS Group, said: “Creating TBF gives us flexibility to respond to our customer’s needs and the best opportunity to respond to a rapidly increasing demand for our services across the UK.

“With a commitment to causing zero harm, bts Group is a leader in the development of safety standards in arboriculture. “We will take the same ‘no-compromise’ approach to safety in the potentially high-risk areas of traffic management and scaffolding.”

With new, larger offices and improved facilities at sites on the Boss Hall Industrial Estate in Ipswich and the Lion Barn Industrial Estate in Needham Market, the companies will work in association with BTS Group and will continue to provide the same range of services under the TBF new name.

OBO, a leading provider of scaffolding within the East of England, was founded in 1976. TMS has been a leading UK specialist of traffic management since 2001. OBO joined the BTS Group in 2013, and TMS in 2014.

The post OBO Scaffolding and Traffic Management Solutions to merge appeared first on ScaffMag - The Scaffolding Magazine.