Construction National

University supports local transportation company to expand business

A Derbyshire transportation company has been awarded funding of £400,000 from the University of Derby, allowing them to expand their business and create ten new jobs.

Middlebrook Transport Ltd – a family run company in Alfreton, which has operated since 1974 – delivers steel and concrete products to those in the construction industry. The company is made up of 30 HGV trucks and more than 100 trailers, and all of their drivers are trained to a high standard to deliver the heavy loads safely across the UK.

Read more: University supports local transportation company to expand business

Unveiling the Ground Source Energy Expo 2017

Complimentary tickets to the ‘Ground Source Energy Expo 2017’, hosted by the Ground Source Heat Pump Association (GSHPA), are currently up for grabs! The Expo will be taking place on Wednesday 6th September 2017 at Aston Marina, Stone, Staffordshire and is designed to educate, promote and raise awareness of the significant benefits of ground source heating and cooling. This year’s Ground Source Energy Expo is delighted to be welcoming key players in the sector including Ofgem and the Environment Agency and is sponsored by MGS and Iftech. A number of key companies in the industry will be exhibiting and on hand to answer any specific queries. GSHPA would also like to thank our main sponsors Dragon Drilling, Vailant and Teckna Group.

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Improving education by creating buildings fit for purpose

A UK population growth spurt has led to a bigger demand for school places than ever. Bob Mortimer, UK & Ireland Sales Manager of leading education flooring provider Heckmondwike, explains how good building design and specifying durable materials can future proof schools and even improve staff retention and productivity.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK population is projected to rise by 9.7 million by 2039. What impact will this increase have on education quality and provision? It is estimated that the number of primary and secondary school pupils will increase by an additional 729,000 by 2020. To cope with this influx, more than 2,000 new schools (24,000 classrooms) must be built in England during the same period.

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IGF constructs £200k funding line for construction firm Rubico

IGF, the leading commercial finance provider for SMEs, has delivered a £200k invoice finance facility for Lincolnshire-based construction and maintenance firm Rubico.

Rubico sought a new finance partner to provide an injection of working capital into the business, and began working with IGF in July 2017. The facility will allow Rubico to win larger contracts across the wider retail sector, particularly within the food and beverage industry, as well as meet its future ambitions to hire more staff and expand outside of its current premises in Stamford.

Read more: IGF constructs £200k funding line for construction firm Rubico

Please mind the office design – how the right carpet can make all the difference

The third edition of the “What Workers Want” survey, a joint publication from the British Council for Offices (BCO) and Savills, found that neglecting office design can have a negative effect on employer’s well-being and performance. A total of 25% of employees surveyed would be willing to commute an extra 30 minutes to work in the perfect office. This highlights not only the opportunity for occupiers to expand their potential labour pool but shows that employee loyalty increases if businesses fit out the office to their staff requirements.

Absenteeism among the existing staff could also notably decrease when a fit for purpose office is provided, while productivity would be on the up. This notion receives support from the 2015 guidelines of The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which stress the link between employee well-being and work output. UK businesses are losing 6.9 days a year per employee due to the absenteeism trend, which could be a contributing factor to the UK’s productivity being 27, 30 and 35 percentage points lower than in France, the US and Germany in 2015. The latest Stoddart Review research has revealed that an effective workplace can improve business productivity by 3.5%, which could add up to £70 billion to the UK economy, according to economist Duncan Weldon.

Read more: Please mind the office design – how the right carpet can make all the difference

Local FD manoeuvres through South America for Charity

‘Challenge Yourself’ was the task set by Mick George Ltd to its employees, management and directors throughout the business, in an attempt to raise money for its two selected charities of the year.

One person who has certainly embraced that notion, is the companies Finance Director Jon Stump, who is seeking to defy all odds, by trekking across Costa Rica, in what will certainly be a daunting coast-to-coast expedition.

Read more: Local FD manoeuvres through South America for Charity

Half year revenue at Mobile Mini UK hits £33m

Mobile Mini, a leading hirer of portable site accommodation and secure storage containers, has announced that its UK business grew its half year revenue by almost 14% to £33m, for the first six months of 2017.

Revenue has been bolstered by a further multi-million pound investment, leading to the addition of another 600 new units to its rental fleet. This investment includes the recent launch of the industry-leading, cost effective and energy efficient Groundhog Fusion mobile welfare units. Mobile Mini's growing fleet of rental units now stands at almost 40,000 across its 16 branches nationwide, from Glasgow to Southampton.

Read more: Half year revenue at Mobile Mini UK hits £33m

Mick’s Mates live in action

It was only a relatively short time ago, Mick George Ltd introduced Mick’s Mates, an installation service made up of accredited local tradesmen completing works across an array of disciplines, commonly associated with domestic or commercial premises. 

In a housing market that is particularly buoyant, with an estimated £27 billion spent on housing related purchases annually, it is no surprise that the service has quickly established itself. And as a result, has now expanded to include almost every trade that is likely to cause disruption, or be required in the home or workplace.

Read more: Mick’s Mates live in action

Aarsleff Ground Engineering shortlisted for two Investing In Talent Awards

Aarsleff Ground Engineering has been selected as a finalist in not one but two categories of the 2017 Construction Investing in Talent Awards. These include Best Place to Work (Contractor) and the Best Project to Work on. 

Now in its second year and brought to you by Construction News, these awards are about rewarding individuals and teams who work so hard to attract and retain the best talent.

Read more: Aarsleff Ground Engineering shortlisted for two Investing In Talent Awards

CISRS CPD: One month on

Following its launch on 1 July 2017, CISRS Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training has got off to a flying start. With the help of four accredited training providers – LTC Training Services Ltd, National Construction College, Safety and Access Ltd and Simian Skill Ltd – six funded courses were offered across the UK at centres located at Inchinnan (near Glasgow), Immingham, Warrington, Bircham Newton, Erith, and Plymouth. 

Places were offered free of charge on a ‘first come, first served basis’ to scaffolders and advanced scaffolders who need to renew their CISRS cards before the end of this year, and around 70 operatives snapped up the places.

Read more: CISRS CPD: One month on