Tag Archive for: Construction

Construction begins on Avant Tecno UK’s HQ

Construction begins on Avant Tecno UK’s HQ: Construction has commenced on the new multimillion pound headquarters for Avant Tecno UK at Suffolk Business Park in Bury St Edmunds.

The development of the 32,200sq ft facility is being led by Churchmanor Estates and built by SEH French.

Construction begins on Avant Tecno UK’s HQ

Construction begins on Avant Tecno UK’s HQ

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 19 to mark the start of works with representatives from Avant Tecno UK, SEH French, Churchmanor Estates, Robinson Arnold, Holmes Plant & Construction, LSI Architects, Conisbee, Richard Utting Associates and members of West Suffolk District Council.

Due for completion in August 2024, the site will be home to the company’s UK operations. The company says it will boast dedicated dealer training facilities, flexible collaborative workspaces, efficient and automated warehouse technology, and a technical workshop.

The new development will see the company move from its rural base near Thetford, where it has been located since it began operating the in the UK in 1994.

Raimo Ala-Korpi, Managing Director of Avant Tecno UK, commented: “This ceremony marks the start of an exciting era for Avant Tecno UK.

“Avant has enjoyed a sustained period of growth in recent years and, as a consequence, we have outgrown our existing warehouse and office facilities. Our new purpose-built UK headquarters represents a significant investment and is a commitment to the future for our dealers and end user customers.

“We’re looking forward to seeing work get underway on the construction of our new premises.”

Avant Tecno UK provides multi-functional loaders for use in various areas including farming, landscaping and construction.

Neil Pryke, Contracts Manager for SEH French, said: “The team is thrilled to be involved in this project to deliver Avant Tecno UK’s new headquarters.

“Suffolk Business Park is a great example of the opportunities available in the county for large companies like Avant, and we are honoured to be supporting them in their growth.

“Our appointment is testament to the quality of work we deliver, and we look forward to working with partners on this exciting development.”

Matt Cloke, Development Director at Churchmanor Estates, commented: “Avant Tecno are the acknowledged market leader in their sector, and so we were delighted to be asked to work with them to bring to life their vision for a new bespoke UK HQ, warehouse, and showroom.

“This is an important investment not just for Suffolk Business Park, but for West Suffolk as well, and we’re looking forward to seeing the project progress over the next 10 months.”

For more information, please visit www.avant.co.uk

For more information on the developer please visit www.churchmanor.com

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ICL products key to new pitch construction

ICL products key to new pitch construction: A range of ICL products have helped Lincoln City FC’s new Fibresand pitch get off to the best possible start.

At the start of the 2021/22 season, Lincoln City had its pitch at the LNER stadium completely rebuilt. The huge project included a new gravel carpet, drainage system, multiple sand layers and the amelioration of Fibresand for added stability.

ICL products key to new pitch construction

ICL products key to new pitch construction

To do the new construction justice it was vital that the pitch received the correct products, and it was at this point that Head Groundsman Craig Housley liaised with Craig Lalley, Technical Area Sales Manager for ICL.

“A new Fibresand construction can take a bit of time to settle,” said Craig Lalley. “Therefore, when putting the programme together with Craig, we wanted to really concentrate on achieving good rooting to aid playability and recovery.”

Within a six-week window before the start of the season, Craig focused on three products in the form of Sierrablen Plus with Pearl Turf Starter, H2Pro TriSmart wetting agent, and Vitalnova Links biostimulant.

The first product applied was Sierrablen Plus with Pearl Turf Starter and was incorporated into the growing medium. “The organic acids that are produced by the rooting utilises the phosphorus and the magnesium from the Pearl technology which really aids early establishment and good strong rooting,” said Craig Lalley.

Through independent trials, data has revealed significantly increased rooting when Sierrablen Plus with Pearl is used as part of a seedbed preparation and during turf-laying. Furthermore, there was a 2.5 x increase in rooting when compared to another existing high-performing product.

To complement the grass seed and the Sierrablen Plus with Pearl Turf Starter, Craig then turned to TriSmart wetting agent. Containing three water management technologies consisting of surfactant and polymer blends, TriSmart is renowned for providing great water penetration, an even water spread through the rootzone and can improve the water holding capacity of sandy rootzones.

Craig Housley said: “Moisture management was key when the seeding first took place to aid moisture around the leaf which can help with seed germination. We needed that seed to be established as fast as possible.”

Craig confirmed that the two products had an instant impact: “I had never heard of the Pearl technology, but Craig Lalley told me that it would be ideal for a new construction and that it would really help with the germination of new seed. We decided to give it a go and I have never known grass to come through so quickly, uniformed, and strong – the sward health was exceptional.”

Four weeks after seeding, Sierrablen Plus with Turf Starter and H2Pro TriSmart were applied, Craig recommended ICL’s Vitalnova Links biostimulant which is a new unique formulation consisting of the popular Vitalnova Blade and Vitalnova SMX.

ICL products key to new pitch construction

ICL products key to new pitch construction

Vitalnova Links was tank mixed with TriSmart, and Craig Lalley explained why this was applied monthly: “It is a great soil drench spray. Vitalnova Links aids microbial stimulation, reduces biotic stresses and further develops the rooting; while TriSmart continues to manage the moisture and ensures that the pitch doesn’t dry out in warmer temperatures.

“Ultimately, we had quite a small window to utilise these products and ensure that the pitch was at an excellent standard in time for the start of the season. I believe we successfully achieved that.”

Craig Housley, who is continuing to adhere to an ICL integrated turf management programme, believes that the products have massively benefited the newly constructed pitch.

“Everyone knows that it takes a while for a new Fibresand pitch to really grip itself together, but I have been really surprised at just how good the pitch has been in its first year,” he said.

“We’ve also managed to maintain excellent grass coverage. In terms of playability, the pitch has benefitted the players and the style of football the manager wants to play. He has fast players that turn very quickly and to have the pitch underneath them with that kind of stability has really made a difference.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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Kubota discusses challenges facing construction industry

Kubota discusses challenges facing construction industry: Leading mini-excavator manufacturer, Kubota, discusses what the construction industry is likely to face in the coming months, with changes to legislation expected and disruptions to materials and supply chains rife in 2021 set to continue. Geoff Smith, Dealer Manager at Kubota UK explains.

Industry data tells us while commercial construction was slightly hampered in 2021, overall construction industry growth was in fact driven by residential building and public infrastructure projects. This helped account to a significant growth as an industry average. Of course, this was achieved through a number of difficult circumstances; the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions and a shortage of materials to name a few. These resulted in trying times for the industry – a perfect storm. Isolating staff, transport delays, shortages of materials to transport and labour gaps all contributed to industry disruptions and seemingly had an effect on pricing too, with some suppliers looking to cover themselves in difficult times.

Kubota discusses challenges facing construction industry

Kubota discusses challenges facing construction industry

After a tough previous year, industry growth is forecasted to continue increasing at around 5%. Some of the key drivers of industry change are foreseeable. Legislation will continue to impact trends and most noticeably the Building Safety Bill, expected to become law in Summer 2022, and the Red Diesel usage changes in April. Unfortunately, the issues of last year are not immediately ceasing to exist, as this recovery will take time. Furthermore, a spike in Covid-19 cases saw a surge of positive tests in the first few weeks of 2022, isolating key workers and staff. Supply chain issues are expected to continue fluctuating parallel to this due to driver availability and ongoing staff shortages.

These uncertain challenges highlight the need for foresight and importance of partnering with a supplier or manufacturer with industry expertise, to help manage fluctuating lead times and negate any foreseeable disruptions to projects.

Furthermore, sustainability will continue to increase in popularity as projects, suppliers and manufacturers look to hybridize their efforts, readying for a more sustainable future. Of course, Kubota has already made strides in this field with its Smart Energy Solutions range that includes LPG and electric powered machines offering high levels of productivity, reduced downtime and low to zero emissions. Perfectly suitable for projects within low emission zones and city centres.

Alongside sustainability, alternative fuels are expected to be high on forthcoming agendas, with reform and entitlement restrictions on the use of red diesel coming into law from April. This huge change to construction is anticipated by Kubota, who is well placed to help customers with this transition, further supporting the idea of partnering with a trusted, industry expert to negate challenges faced across the industry.

A positive for the industry is the expectation of growth around public infrastructure works, which naturally fosters a demand for digging and mini-excavator equipment. This growth is fueled by regional and national infrastructure projects such as HS2 and National Highways construction plans, such as Smart Motorways, as the country continues its efforts to be better connected. Of course, the longevity of projects this size leaves availability for dealers to target the regionalised market to help with local requirements around civil and other works.

So, with the hangover of 2021 to see off, and a wide range of expected fluctuating challenges expected throughout this year, Kubota suggests partnering with an industry expert like itself in order to be fully prepared and have the expertise and foresight needed to approach any difficulties faced. The additional benefit of such a partnership of course means having access to the latest innovative mini-excavator technologies from the number one trusted manufacturer in the U.K.

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Lloyd Ltd And Bobcat Construction Expansion

Lloyd Ltd And Bobcat Construction Expansion: Carlisle-based Lloyd Ltd, the Bobcat dealer for County Durham, Teesside, Cumbria and Northumberland in England and the southern part of Scotland, covering South Ayrshire, the Border counties and Dumfries and Galloway, has expanded the services it provides for customers in the construction and hire markets, bringing significant benefits for both Lloyd Ltd and Bobcat.

Results have been especially impressive in product and aftermarket sales for the Bobcat range of compact loaders, compact excavators and attachments. As well as the construction and rental markets, the other main sectors for Lloyd are agriculture, groundcare and materials handling, where sales of Bobcat equipment have also increased.

Lloyd Ltd And Bobcat Construction Expansion

This has been supported by Lloyd’s own finance team, with a wide choice of finance options available to suit different customers in the market. It is one of the advantages that arises from cross-fertilisation with the motor vehicle side of the Lloyd business, covering the same areas in the North of England and the South of Scotland.

Alistair Whitby, Dealer Principal at the Lloyd branch in Bishop Auckland, said: “The expansion in construction has delivered a 20% rise in Bobcat business. This is backed by similar increases in the number of finance packages we have sold. We are also investing heavily in our facilities and processes to ensure that it is even easier for new and existing Bobcat customers to do business with us. The Construction side is headed by our Construction Sales Manager, Chris Stephenson, who runs out of Bishop Auckland and Newcastle.”

Family-owned Business

Founded in 1964 as a tractor dealership in Carlisle, Lloyd has grown considerably over the past five decades but has retained its approach and style as a family-run business with local roots. A key feature of the company is the easy accessibility customers have to interact with personnel at every level of Lloyd Ltd.

As well as Bishop Auckland and Newcastle, Lloyd Ltd has branches right across the North of England in Alnwick, Carlisle and Penrith and at Dumfries and Kelso in Scotland, where the company has increased focus on the construction sector with the appointment of construction sales representatives at each of the branches.

As well as building new premises for the Penrith branch, the construction expansion includes new investments in facilities together worth over £7 million, including refurbishment of the Carlisle, Newcastle and Kelso branches.  The investment also includes a new facility Lloyd Ltd is planning opposite the current Bishop Auckland branch, where a new 2900 m2 building will be constructed on company-owned land that will offer an outstanding showroom, triple workshop area and a training centre.

In addition, with the Bobcat range now fully available from Kelso, Lloyd offers Bobcat products from every branch. The expansion at Lloyd has coincided with numerous developments in the Bobcat range with new Bobcat products with enhanced features and quality designed and supplied from plants in the Czech Republic and the USA.

In the six years the company has been a Bobcat dealer, Lloyd has developed very close ties with Bobcat, with regular focus meetings with Paul Hyslop, the Bobcat District Manager UK North. The focus meetings explore every aspect of the Bobcat-Lloyd relationship, with a key discussion being customer focused actions to ensure the right customers are targeted with the right solutions and including forward planning on stocks of Bobcat products to help optimise lead times for customers.

Paul Hyslop commented: “I have been very pleased with the strides taken over the last two years by Lloyd, which have provided a significant boost to Bobcat sales in the areas they cover. I was delighted that Bishop Auckland was able to host the recent 2018 Bobcat Customer Roadshow as it toured England and Scotland, providing a great Bobcat experience for existing and prospective customers alike.”

Bobcat Roadshow at Lloyd

The Bobcat Roadshow provided visitors with a great opportunity to experience first-hand the latest products in the Bobcat range under the guidance of expert demonstrators from the Bobcat European headquarters in the Czech Republic and staff from Lloyd’s sales and finance departments.

One of the main themes of the Roadshow event was a focus on the Bobcat range of compact track loaders and the landscaping/groundcare market using a wide variety of Bobcat attachments on these machines. This was illustrated by using the Bobcat T450 compact track loader and MT55 mini track loader with a number of Bobcat attachments for these applications.  The Roadshow also offered visitors their first look at the new E26 mini-excavator, one of five models in Bobcat’s new ground-breaking R-Series 2-4 tonne excavator range, taking performance and innovation to new levels.

The T450, MT55 and E26 were complemented at the event with a range of other Bobcat machines and attachments provided by Lloyd.  This demonstrated the fantastic versatility offered by the machines in the Bobcat range, where the operator can switch quickly between different attachments to carry out a wide range of different types of work with the same machine.

Summarising, Alistair Whitby added: “Our Bobcat Roadshow event was a great day for our staff and customers. We had visitors from as far afield as Scotland, with several families joining in with the fun. With its unique atmosphere, the Roadshow allowed us to close off several new deals for Bobcat equipment. We are looking forward to a very exciting future with Bobcat and the expansion which will soon become a reality at Bishop Auckland with the planning permission finally in the bag.”

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