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Our website is a hugely popular digital scaffolding resource. Launched back in 2009, ScaffMag has grown in popularity to become the industry’s leading source for the latest independent trade news, current affairs, scaffolding jobs and profiling the very best from our sector.
ScaffMag gives businesses and brands an unrivalled opportunity to advertise their products or services 24 hours a day 7 days a week to a highly targeted audience. Our readership includes main and sub-contractors, manufacturers, consultants, scaffolders and many others. We offer print and digital advertising opportunities across desktop, mobile and tablet channels.
During 2023 we welcomed over 250,000 individual users to the site, generating over 760,000 pageviews. We remain amongst our industry the most followed and liked company on social media with more than 132,000 followers on Facebook alone.
– Daniel Norton, Editor of ScaffMag
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We provide businesses and brands an unrivalled opportunity to advertise their products or services 24 hours a day 7 days a week to a highly targeted audience.
For a full list of website advertising opportunities with ScaffMag please contact us and download our 2024 Media Pack.
Our Daily Download and Weekly Rundown email newsletter is essential reading for thousands of scaffolding professionals. They are sent to more than 7,200 people providing a unique reach into companies across the country and the world. The newsletter enjoys an above-average open rate for the construction sector of 38% and our list is constantly updated to only include regular readers. Our subscriber database can be made available to selected clients for direct marketing in the form of an Email Blast.
EMAIL SPONSORSHIP ScaffMag offers email sponsorship in our daily and weekly round-up emails in the form of a banner advertisement contained within the newsletter Email Banner: £300.00pcm
EMAIL BLAST ScaffMag give’s businesses and industry service providers the ability to send out their very own promotional email co-branded with ScaffMag to our database of subscribers. Email Blast: £400.00 per campaign
Interested in learning more about advertising with us? Drop us a line on 01472 476024 or email [email protected]
As a natural progression for both our loyal readership and our scaffold sector advertising customers, we have launched the ScaffMag magazine – a fresh, slick, modern, vibrant and engaging product to enjoy and to back up our ScaffMag.com community and social media following, which advertisers in the magazine can tap their brand into. Created with both the scaffolder and contractor in mind, The ScaffMag Magazine gives businesses and brands an unrivalled opportunity to advertise their products or services 24:7:365 to a large, rapidly expanding and highly-targeted audience. It’s a unique proposition in digital and print.
“The new issue of Scaffmag is packed with great articles and opinions. We’re very lucky in our industry to have such a great support and loudspeaker for everything we do! Thanks as always to Daniel Norton for putting such great content together.” – Des Moore
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To find out more about advertising in our quarterly magazine please view and download our 2021 Media Pack.
Or Call: 01472 476024 Email: [email protected]
ScaffMag continues to dominate the social media networks within our industry with the most liked/followed Facebook page in the sector. At the time of writing this, ScaffMag’s official page has 135,000+ followers and 81,000+ likes.
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The London ambulance service said: “An investigation has been launched after two men were injured after scaffolding attached to Hammersmith town hall collapsed late on Wednesday afternoon.
“Officers from the Metropolitan police attended along with firefighters.”
Tube-Lock® tubes are regular 48,3mm scaffolding tubes, fitted with two cast iron Tube-Lock pieces. Because of the Tube-Lock ends, tubes can be connected with each other by a twisting motion, visibly locking them in place. No tools nor additional parts are required to make or secure the connection.
This provides many advantages.
Because the two tubes can be joined by a twisting motion, it is a fast and easy way to connect tubes together. This leads to faster erection and dismantling times for the entire scaffold.
Furthermore, no additional parts nor tools are needed. No longer needing sleeve couplers and joint pins means that there are no spare parts that need to be transported. Additionally, you don’t have to invest in sleeve couplers and joint pins as you no longer need them.
This also eliminates the risk of sleeve couplers breaking, getting lost or getting stolen. And you don’t have to service the sleeve couplers anymore. Tube-Lock connections are completely maintenance-free.
Another logistical advantage is that Tube-Lock comes in standard lengths from 1 meter or 4ft up to 4 meters or 13ft. Because of this flexibility, it prevents the necessity of cutting the tubes to length.
The maximum length of 4 meters means the maximum weight of a Tube-Lock tube is 16 kg. This leads to less strain on scaffolders, which is essential because of the strict Occupational Health and Safety regulations.
Additionally, there is no need to stagger joints, Tube-Lock is as strong as a continuous tube. The connection may even be submitted to pull force. Using Tube-Lock tubes leads to a smooth tube connection over the full length of the tube. This makes it possible to use couplers anywhere on the tube. Even on the Tube-Lock connection.
In their innovative production facility, they can turn your (used) scaffolding tube to Tube-Lock tubes! This means you can update your own material without enormous investments. Even the repair of existing Tube-Lock stock is possible. And they now offer a special discount on the conversion of your scaffolding tube!
Have a look at www.thielscaffolding.com for more information, or contact [email protected] to hear more about all possibilities!
Precision has become a central issue in modern construction. As scaffolding and temporary works are used on more complex access, shoring and formwork projects, small variations in component fit can affect alignment, installation and how closely an erected structure reflects the engineer’s original calculations.
For Sucoot, that discussion starts with the ringlock connection. The Taiwan-based manufacturer says it controls the connection tolerance between vertical components to within 1.8mm. Its internal testing indicates that, at that tolerance, the system achieves around 94% of its structural design load. Sucoot says this gives design and erection teams greater confidence that a structure assembled in line with the approved drawings will perform as engineered.
Sucoot may be unfamiliar to some scaffolding contractors and distributors in the UK, Europe and the United States. But the company has worked in construction for more than 40 years, supplying ringlock scaffolding, shoring and formwork for access, civil engineering and concrete-forming projects.
Based in Taichung, Taiwan, Sucoot manufactures access scaffolding, shoring systems for slab formwork, bridge formwork, box culverts, walls and columns. It is seeking to build wider recognition in international markets as an alternative for buyers who may otherwise focus on established European or US brands, or cost-led supply from China.
Discover more about Sucoot’s advanced shoring and scaffolding solutions
The company positions its offer between those routes: certified ringlock systems, controlled manufacturing and project-specific engineering solutions, with an emphasis on quality, technical support and performance, while offering a practical commercial alternative to some established premium brands.
While buyers should make their own project-specific assessment, this reflects the market position Sucoot is aiming to establish.
Sucoot’s case is not limited to supplying components. The company says its professional engineering team provides structural layout and design planning, advanced load and structural analysis, and detailed erection and dismantling process plans. The intention is to provide job-site guidance that goes beyond a basic scaffolding drawing.
A key part of that approach is pre-construction layout planning. By resolving the structure, component arrangement and erection sequence before material reaches site, Sucoot says contractors can reduce time-consuming field adjustments and make the assembly workflow more predictable once work starts.
That process depends on manufacturing consistency. Components need to connect cleanly, structures need to stand to the planned geometry, and shoring towers need to carry the loads assumed in the design. In Sucoot’s view, those outcomes start with the accuracy of the connection itself.
Sucoot identifies its 1.8mm connection tolerance as the main technical differentiator in its ringlock system.
According to the company’s technical material, its testing found that a 1.8mm tolerance delivered actual load performance of about 94% of the design load. When the tolerance increased to 3.0mm, the reported load performance fell to around 50% of the design load.
The figures are specific to Sucoot’s own testing, but the wider engineering point is straightforward. A small change in manufacturing accuracy can have a much larger impact once a scaffold or shoring structure is assembled. Sucoot says 1.8mm connection tolerance control supports on-site stability, safer installation and more efficient assembly because components align as intended.
The same argument extends to heavier shoring work. Sucoot says the load performance of its products is verified through random batch testing, alongside destructive physical testing. Its technical material states that its Ø60.2mm shoring scaffolding has achieved an ultimate breaking load of at least 72 tonnes for a four-leg shoring tower.
The company presents the system for applications including bridges, viaducts, power plants and high-tech factory projects. For bridge construction, thick slabs, high shoring systems, long spans and public works, project engineers or supervising consultants may also require a preloading test before concrete placement.
Such a test may involve applying around 1.1 times the estimated concrete load to the temporary works. The concrete pour proceeds only where the structure demonstrates the required stability. Sucoot says its 1.8mm connection tolerance helps its real-world shoring capacity align with its load calculations, provided the system is erected strictly in accordance with the approved design drawings.
It also says that this relationship between component accuracy, design calculations and site execution has helped it build trust with contractors and structural engineers in Taiwan. As with any temporary works system, project-specific design, inspection and competent supervision remain essential.
Component alignment is also relevant to Sucoot’s preferred block-stacking method, where project conditions allow. This approach assembles larger scaffold sections at ground level before they are lifted and connected to the erected structure. It can reduce the time operatives spend building at height, while making better use of available working space.
In one Sucoot’s project example, a 9m-high, 3.6m-long and 1.5m-wide scaffold section was pre-assembled on the ground as a six-leg modular block. A crane then lifted the block into place to connect it with the existing six legs of the structure. Sucoot says the block aligned cleanly with the erected section because the connections were manufactured to its precision allignment tolerance.
The approach still requires detailed lift planning, suitable lifting arrangements and competent management. But Sucoot argues that accurate component connections make this type of modular installation more practical, helping teams gain efficiency without compromising the planned geometry or safety of the structure.
For international buyers, certification is another part of the assessment. Sucoot’s ringlock scaffolding system is certified to EN 12810-1 and ANSI/ASSE A10.8, while the company also holds ISO 9001 certification.
Based on the certification information provided, Sucoot is positioned as the only known scaffolding manufacturer in Taiwan with both EN and ANSI certification for ringlock scaffolding.
Buyers should request the relevant current certificates and confirm their applicability to the intended project, market and configuration before purchase.
Sucoot is not presenting itself simply as a supplier of ringlock components. Its proposition is that precision manufacturing, engineering planning, load analysis and site methods should work as one system. The company says this can give contractors more predictable installation and shoring performance, particularly where designs are complex and deviations on site are costly.
For international buyers more familiar with established European brands or lower-cost Chinese supply, Sucoot is seeking to position itself as a Taiwan-based alternative with certified ringlock scaffolding, engineering support and manufacturing control behind its offer. Its central argument is that the next generation of ringlock systems will be judged not only by the strength of individual components, but by how accurately the complete structure matches its engineered design.
More information about Sucoot’s ringlock scaffolding and formwork systems is available at www.sucoot.com.
Advanced offshore scaffolder Vicky Welch is preparing to launch a new podcast sharing the experiences of women working in scaffolding.
ScaffoldHers Podcast is due to launch next week and will bring together women from across the UK trade to talk about life on the tools, career routes, site culture and the realities of working in one of construction’s most male-dominated occupations.
Welch, who has worked on the tools for 17 years, said she has often been told: “You’re the first female scaffolder I’ve ever met.”
She said women make up less than 1% of the scaffolding industry, adding that although numbers remain low, there are now more women in the trade than there were years ago.
The podcast will feature informal conversations between women scaffolders, with Welch saying the group will “chatter and natter, rant and rave, banter and bicker” while sharing what the job has really been like.
According to Welch, the aim is to give women already working in scaffolding a space to be heard, while helping others understand the challenges, successes and everyday experiences that come with working on the tools.
The podcast will also look at how the industry can better understand mixed-gender teams as more women enter the trade.
Welch said ScaffoldHers is about honest conversations that can help shape the future of scaffolding for everyone entering the industry, including men.
“It’s about having honest conversations that can positively shape the future of the industry for everyone coming into it,” she said. “And yes, that means the men too.”
The launch comes as construction continues to face long-running questions over how it attracts and keeps more women in site-based roles.
Women remain under-represented across manual construction trades, with scaffolding still among the least visible routes for women entering the sector.
Welch has become a recognised figure in the trade. In 2020, Simian Risk Group reported that she had completed her CISRS Advanced Scaffolding course and described her as the UK’s first female Advanced Scaffolder.
ScaffoldHers Podcast is expected to release its first episode next week.
The shortlist for the Scaffolding Excellence Awards 2026 has been announced, with organisers reporting a record number of entries for this year’s event.
Entries for the awards increased by 40% compared with 2025, making this the most competitive year in the event’s history.
Following judging by an independent panel, finalists have been named across 9 categories covering projects, design, products, services and individual achievement.
The winners will be announced on Friday 11 September at Manchester Central. The ceremony will be hosted by comedian Dara Ó Briain, with Rachel Riley and Phil Tufnell also appearing as special guests.
Dr James MacFadden, chair of the independent judging panel, said the quality of this year’s submissions showed the strength of the sector.
“What impressed the judges most was not simply the quality of individual projects, but the professionalism, competence and pride evident throughout the submissions,” he said.
“The judges saw not only technical excellence, but also clear evidence of innovation, professionalism and a genuine commitment to safety across the sector.
“Scaffolding remains one of the construction industry’s most important enabling disciplines, underpinning the safe delivery of work across some of the UK’s most challenging environments.
“The calibre of this year’s entries demonstrates an industry that continues to raise standards, embrace innovation and invest in excellence.
“To be shortlisted in such a competitive field is a significant achievement, and I would like to congratulate every finalist on their success.”
Leo Bradbury, High Peak Scaffolding
Lloyd McNicholas, JDC Scaffolding
Taylor Brown, Connolly Scaffolding
Tyler Boddy, SRT Scaffolding Services
Advanced NI Scaffolding Services, Cutts Bridge, Coleraine
JMAC Industrial & Access Services, Forth Rail Bridge
SRT Scaffolding Services, St John the Baptist Church, Harleston
Zenith S.A.S., Glasgow Cathedral
Brand Access Solutions, Henry Cotton Building, Liverpool
CCS Scaffolding, VRAS Headhouse, HS2, Acton
Chris Sedgeman Scaffolding, Poldhu Care Home
Rise Scaffold Services, Sandringham House
Alandale Plant and Scaffolding, 1 Undershaft, London
Brand Access Solutions, Jenners Department Store, Edinburgh
JR Scaffold Services, The Walton Building, Glasgow
MR Scaffolding Services, 5 Aldermanbury Square, London
Tone Scaffolding Services, Barking Creek Barrier Gate
Crossway Scaffolding, Skinner Street, Leeds
GKR Scaffolding, Ritz Hotel, London
Infrastructure Site Services, Floors Castle, Kelso
JDC Scaffolding, Barkers, Kensington
Lee Marley Group, Oval Gas Holder, London
Agile Design Consultancy, 5 Aldermanbury Square, London
Benchmark Scaffolding, HMCTS Court Building, Salisbury Square, London
Creator Scaffold Designs & Temporary Works Consultancy, Floors Castle, Kelso
Zenith S.A.S., Glasgow Cathedral
AT-PAC, Raised Ledger System
SMART Scaffolder, SMART Estimator
SpanSet, DSL3 Fall Arrest Lanyard
Velo Tech Systems, V-Deck
George Roberts
ITP
Southern Hoist Services
Worldwide Scaffold & Access
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be announced on the night.
Layher UK will open its Eggborough depot to contractors and industry professionals on 21 July for product demonstrations, technical discussions and networking.
Layher UK is bringing its regional open morning series to Eggborough later this month, with a session focused on its Flex Beam and Twix Beam systems.
The free event will take place on Tuesday 21 July 2026 from 10 am to 1 pm at Layher’s Eggborough depot.
The morning is open to existing customers, potential customers and wider industry professionals, including scaffolding contractors, main contractors, temporary works engineers, housebuilders and health and safety teams.
Visitors will be able to speak directly with Layher staff about product supply, technical support and project planning, as well as seeing practical demonstrations of the company’s systems.
The Eggborough event will centre on Layher’s Flex Beam, with demonstrations also planned around the company’s Twix Beam solutions.
Layher said the session is designed to give attendees a practical look at how the systems can be used on site, with staff available throughout the morning to answer technical and commercial questions.
The event forms part of Layher UK’s 2026 “Sizzle & Learn” open morning series, which has already included sessions at Letchworth and Livingston.
The series gives contractors and project teams the chance to see Layher products in a depot environment, rather than through a formal presentation or sales meeting.
The Eggborough open morning will include refreshments and informal networking. Layher is also expected to run event-specific promotional offers linked to the Flex Beam and Twix Beam systems. Attendance is free, but spaces are limited.
For more info, please contact [email protected]
The Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC) has confirmed new minimum pay rates for construction workers covered by the CIJC Working Rule Agreement, with the changes taking effect from Monday 20 July 2026.
The agreement, reached between employer organisations and trade unions, sets the minimum rates of pay and employment conditions across much of the UK construction industry. It is particularly relevant to scaffolding contractors and other employers operating under the CIJC agreement.
Under the new rates, the Craft Rate will increase to £16.40 an hour, equivalent to £639.60 for a 39-hour week.
Other minimum hourly rates from 20 July are:
Apprentice pay will also increase, with first-year apprentices receiving £8.29 an hour, rising to £8.80 in year two and £10.27 in year three before achieving NVQ Level 2.
Apprentices who have achieved NVQ Level 2 will receive £13.13 an hour, while those who have completed training with NVQ Level 3, or completed with NVQ Level 2 under the agreement, will receive the full Craft Rate of £16.40 an hour.
Employers are also reminded that statutory minimum wage legislation still applies. Apprentices aged 19 to 20 in their second or final year must receive at least the National Minimum Wage of £10.85 an hour, while those aged 21 and over must receive at least the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour. Both rates have been in force since 1 April 2026 and are enforceable by HMRC.
The updated agreement also includes revised travel and subsistence payments.
Taxed daily travel allowances now range from £1.44 for journeys of nine miles up to £12.42 for 50 miles. Untaxed fare allowances increase from £6.09 to £23.66, depending on the distance travelled.
The overnight subsistence allowance will rise to £53.69 per night, while industry sick pay, payable in addition to Statutory Sick Pay where applicable, increases to £174.66 per week.
The agreement also includes improvements to annual leave over the next two years.
From 1 January 2027, annual holiday entitlement will increase by four hours, taking the total to 23.5 days. A further four hours will be added from 1 January 2028, increasing entitlement to 24 days, plus the usual eight bank holidays.
Where giving the additional half-day holiday proves difficult to manage, employers will be permitted to make a payment in lieu of the extra four hours during 2027 only, before the full entitlement becomes standard from 2028.
The revised rates and allowances will apply from 20 July 2026 to employers and operatives covered by the CIJC Working Rule Agreement.
ScaffChamp will return to Vilnius in 2027 after Layher confirmed the global scaffolding competition will again be held in Lithuania next year.
The event will take place at Layher Baltic’s headquarters in Vilnius, continuing a run of competitions that has brought teams from across Europe and further afield to the city.
The decision settles questions over the future of ScaffChamp after changes within the event’s previous organising team.
Layher Baltic general manager Andrius Mikenas told Scaffmag that approval had now been given by Layher’s headquarters in Germany for the competition to continue in Vilnius.
“ScaffChamp has become a symbol of professional excellence in our industry,” he said.
“We are proud to host the championship again in Vilnius and continue strengthening the scaffolding community across Europe and beyond.”
Mik?nas said Layher Baltic is now putting together a project team for the 2027 event, with support expected from Layher’s wider group.
He said the competition would continue in its familiar format, while organisers are also looking at ways to develop the event further.
ScaffChamp has become one of the largest international competitions in the scaffolding calendar. Teams race to complete a demanding scaffold build, with judges assessing build quality, safety and penalties alongside speed.
The 2026 event saw 19 teams compete in Vilnius, with RNDV taking the title by a single second from Bilfinger.
Details on the 2027 date, team registration, event schedule and partner opportunities are expected to follow through ScaffChamp’s official channels.
NASC says scaffold contractors should not be asked to meet Building Safety Act dutyholder requirements for temporary works that will be removed when a project is complete.
Scaffold contractors should no longer face Building Safety Act paperwork intended for permanent building work when their scaffold is temporary, NASC has said.
The trade body says the Government has confirmed that scaffolding and other temporary works are not classed as “building work” unless they are intended to stay in place as part of the finished building.
The clarification follows confusion on some projects, where scaffold firms had been asked to meet extra Building Regulations requirements or complete compliance paperwork linked to the Building Safety Act.
The Act received Royal Assent in April 2022. New building-control and dutyholder rules began in England on 1 October 2023, including rules for higher-risk buildings.
Those rules apply to permanent building work. But some clients and procurement teams had treated temporary scaffolding as though it fell within the same regime.
NASC raised the issue with the Building Safety Regulator after discussions within its Health and Safety Committee.
In a letter dated 15 June to Lord Roe, chair of the Building Safety Regulator, Building Safety Minister Samantha Dixon MP said the definition of building work had not changed under the Building Safety Act.
She wrote: “The definition of building work was not changed by the Building Safety Act and so if scaffolding and other temporary works did not require oversight from a building control body prior to October 2023, then they do not require the oversight of a building control body after October 2023.
“This is true in both higher-risk buildings and non-higher-risk buildings.”
The Minister also confirmed that the Building Regulations apply where scaffolding or temporary works are intended to remain permanently attached to a building and become part of the completed structure.
Clive Dickin, NASC Group CEO, said: “This clarification from the Government provides the certainty that our members and the wider construction industry have been seeking since the new regime came into force in October 2023.
“There has been considerable confusion around whether scaffolding and temporary works fell within the remit of the Building Safety Act, leading in some cases to inconsistent procurement requirements and unnecessary compliance requests.
“We welcome the Minister’s confirmation that scaffolding and temporary works are not classed as ‘building work’ unless they form part of the permanent structure.”
NASC said legal advice commissioned by Build UK from Wedlake Bell LLP supports the Government’s position.
According to the trade body, the advice concludes that scaffold and temporary works contractors do not fall under the statutory Building Regulations dutyholder roles where their work is temporary.
Build UK has also said the clarification will affect the Common Assessment Standard, which is widely used in construction prequalification.
NASC said scaffold and temporary works contractors should no longer be asked to complete the Building Safety section where it relates to the Building Regulations dutyholder regime. Competence questions will remain part of the assessment, with revised arrangements due to be published once agreed.
The clarification does not change the day-to-day legal duties placed on scaffold contractors. Firms must still ensure scaffolds are properly designed, erected, inspected and managed by competent people, with existing work at height and temporary works controls remaining in place.
NASC said it will publish further guidance for members, alongside a letter contractors can share with clients and procurement teams.
AT-PAC has officially launched a dedicated business in the United Arab Emirates, strengthening its presence in one of the world’s busiest industrial and energy markets.
Although the company has worked with customers across the Middle East for several years alongside fellow umdasch Group company Doka, 1 July marks the formal establishment of AT-PAC UAE as a standalone business.
The move gives the scaffolding and access specialist a permanent base to support contractors working across the region’s oil and gas, petrochemical, industrial maintenance, marine, shipbuilding and energy sectors.
The new operation will also support major infrastructure and event projects, supplying AT-PAC’s Ringlock scaffolding system together with engineering, design and project support.
David White, Regional Managing Director for AT-PAC Middle East & Africa, said the company had already built strong relationships across the region.
“We’ve built strong relationships throughout the region over recent years and today represents an exciting new chapter as we officially establish AT-PAC in the Middle East.
“We’re already supporting major industrial and infrastructure projects across the UAE, and our local team is backed by the global engineering expertise, product innovation and project experience that AT-PAC has developed around the world.”
White said continued investment across the Middle East created opportunities for specialist access providers.
“The broader Middle East continues to invest in world-class industrial facilities. We’re excited to partner with contractors and EPCs by delivering access solutions that help projects operate more safely, efficiently and productively.”
Headquartered in Atlanta, USA, AT-PAC was founded in 1995 and supplies scaffolding systems for industrial sectors including oil and gas, mining, refining, power generation and infrastructure construction.
The company became part of the umdasch Group in 2023 and now operates within umdasch Industrial Solutions. The UAE launch extends AT-PAC’s branch network across the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, as it continues to expand its international footprint.
ScaffFloat has won two awards at Seawork 2026 in Southampton for a hoisted access system designed for a jetty project in Tanzania.
The Cornwall-based company won the Vessel Design & Construction category in the event’s Innovations Showcase, alongside the Marine Civils Best Project Award.
Both awards related to ScaffFloat’s work on a coastal project in Tanzania, where the client required access to more than 100 piles installed to support a new jetty.
The company designed two self-propelled pontoons that could float beneath the jetty before being hoisted clear of the water. Once suspended beneath the structure, staging boards were installed between the pontoons to provide access around the pile caps.
ScaffFloat said the arrangement gave operatives 360-degree access while avoiding the need for a conventional fixed scaffold installation from the seabed or shore.
Preparation took place at the company’s base in Penryn, Cornwall. The system underwent a trial build, a test of the hoisting method using a simulated deck load, and sea trials that included an inclination test.
The pontoons and associated equipment were then dismantled and packed into a shipping container for transport to Tanzania.
After the shipment arrived, a ScaffFloat team member travelled to site to oversee the pontoon build, complete final trials and train the client’s team before handover.
Toby Budd, founder and managing director of ScaffFloat, said: “These awards are a great recognition of the hard work that has gone into making the hoisted ScaffFloat a reality, and I am really proud of the team that made this happen.
“It’s great to see this kind of problem-solving being exported from Cornwall. We look forward to utilising this additional capability on future projects.”
Seawork, held from 9 to 11 June in Southampton, is a major commercial marine and workboat exhibition. The event’s awards recognised ScaffFloat in the Vessel Design & Construction innovation category and for its marine civils project work.
When Karl launched 360 Degrees Consultancy in 2020, he was drawing on more than three decades of experience in scaffolding management, temporary works, operational leadership and health and safety.
Having spent much of his career working directly within the scaffolding sector, he believed there was an opportunity for a consultancy built around practical industry knowledge rather than generic compliance advice.
“I was seeing businesses receiving health and safety advice from consultants who understood legislation but didn’t necessarily understand scaffolding, temporary works, access systems or the day-to-day challenges faced by contractors,” he says.
“I wanted to create a consultancy that combined specialist scaffolding expertise with practical, commercially minded advice.”
The timing was challenging. The business was launched during COVID when uncertainty was affecting construction activity across the country. However, Karl believes that the period allowed the company to establish strong foundations and build relationships that would support future growth.
From its beginnings as a sole consultancy operation, 360 Degrees Consultancy has expanded into a team of five, including three field-based consultants providing nationwide coverage.
Today, the company supports more than 120 retained clients and has worked with over 200 businesses since launching.
According to Karl, much of that growth has been driven by referrals and repeat business.
“One of the biggest milestones was securing our first retained consultancy clients and demonstrating that our specialist scaffolding-focused approach added real value,” he says.
“From there, word-of-mouth recommendations became a major driver of growth.”
The business has also received industry recognition along the way. In 2025, 360 Degrees Consultancy was named Consultancy of the Year by the North West Construction Health and Safety Group and was also recognised as runner-up in the NASC Service of the Year Awards.
“Today, the company supports more than 120 retained clients and has worked with over 200 businesses since launching.”
The scaffolding and access sector has changed considerably during Karl’s career, particularly in the areas of compliance, competence and governance.
He believes contractors today face significantly greater scrutiny from clients, principal contractors and regulators than they did a decade ago.
“Businesses now need robust systems, documented competence, effective temporary works management and independent oversight,” he explains.
“Clients, principal contractors and regulators all expect much higher levels of evidence and assurance than they did ten or fifteen years ago.”
That shift has helped create opportunities for specialist consultancies with direct industry experience.
Unlike many health and safety providers that operate across multiple sectors, 360 Degrees Consultancy has focused on scaffolding and temporary works, offering services ranging from retained health and safety support and independent audits to scaffold inspections, anchor testing, temporary works consultancy and accreditation assistance.
Karl believes that specialist knowledge remains one of the company’s biggest strengths.
“Scaffolding is one of the most technically demanding and high-risk disciplines within construction,” he says.
“Understanding the legislation is important, but if you don’t understand scaffold design, erection methodologies, temporary works processes, inspections, tie testing and industry best practice, you’re only seeing part of the picture.”
He argues that contractors increasingly want support from people who understand the operational realities of scaffolding rather than those who simply interpret regulations.
“The best advice is always practical, proportionate and achievable. That can only come from people who genuinely understand the industry.”
“Scaffolding is one of the most technically demanding and high-risk disciplines within construction.”
For Karl, the company’s growth has been as much about trust as it has been about technical expertise.
He describes the majority of clients as businesses seeking confidence that their systems, procedures and operations will withstand increasing scrutiny from clients and principal contractors.
“The majority of clients come to us because they want confidence,” he says.
“That may be confidence that their systems are compliant, confidence that their scaffolding operations are being managed correctly or confidence that they’re ready for audits, accreditation assessments or principal contractor scrutiny.”
He believes the consultancy’s ability to combine specialist scaffolding knowledge with a national service offering has helped it establish a strong reputation within the sector.
The business now provides support to companies ranging from smaller independent contractors to larger scaffolding organisations operating across multiple regions.
While the business has grown significantly since its launch, Karl sees the next few years as an opportunity to further strengthen its position.
He believes 360 Degrees Consultancy has established itself as one of the UK’s leading specialist scaffolding consultancies and has ambitions to continue moving up the market.
“When we started, the goal was simply to build a business that delivered practical, specialist support to scaffolding contractors,” he says.
“Today, we’re supporting more than 120 retained clients across the UK and have worked with over 200 businesses since launch. In my view, we’ve earned a place among the leading specialist consultancies operating in the scaffolding sector.
“Our ambition now is to continue growing, strengthen our technical offering and establish ourselves among the top three specialist consultancies in the industry over the next few years.”
The company is currently expanding its temporary works offering while continuing to develop its technical consultancy services.
Despite those ambitions, Karl says the core objective remains unchanged.
“From day one, we’ve never set out to be the biggest consultancy in the sector. We’ve always wanted to be one of the most trusted.
“Our success has been built on honesty, practical advice and a genuine passion for improving standards within the scaffolding and temporary works industry.”
As compliance expectations continue to rise across the construction industry, specialist knowledge is becoming increasingly valuable. For 360 Degrees Consultancy, the challenge now is building on six years of growth while maintaining the hands-on approach that helped establish the business in the first place.
