Revealed: the UK’s biggest van theft hotspots

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Revealed: the UK’s biggest van theft hotspots

New research has revealed the UK’s biggest hotspots for van theft, with some regions seeing the number of offences more than double year-on-year. 

The study, conducted by IronmongeryDirect, the UK’s largest supplier of specialist ironmongery, issued Freedom of Information requests to police forces to discover how many vans were stolen in 2020 and 2021. 

Cambridgeshire is the UK’s biggest hotspot for the crime, with a 103% increase in van theft over the two years. The number of trade vehicles stolen rose from 68 in 2020 to 138 in 2021. 

Cumbria isn’t far behind, with offences doubling over the time period from 15 to 30 (100%). 

In fact, almost two in five (38%) police forces saw increases in van theft between 2020 and 2021. 

Over the two years, 14,919 vans were reported stolen across the UK, with an average of 466 per police force. 

However, as many crime reports fail to specify the type of vehicle, this figure could be even higher. 

Almost half (46%) of the total number of offences were in London. In 2020 and 2021, 6,839 incidents of van theft were reported to The Metropolitan Police Service. 

To help tradespeople protect themselves from van theft, Dan Powell, motoring expert at Desperate Seller, offers security advice. 

1) Park in well-lit, highly trafficked areas 

“This can often be the most effective deterrent as it makes a discrete getaway extremely difficult. If it means paying a little more for parking or walking an extra few minutes to your destination, it’s a lot less effort and cost than the alternative.” 

2) Secure your spare wheel 

“Spare wheels are often unscrewed and stolen without the van owner’s knowledge. Once you’ve checked that you still have yours, make sure it’s secured with a wheel lock. There are inexpensive products on the market that can save you the hassle of being caught out.” 

3) Make sure you have insurance 

“Most importantly, it’s always worth having adequate van insurance in case of theft or damage. Ensure the insurance policy includes tools and equipment left in the van overnight. Not all insurance products will provide this, and if you need to leave valuables in the vehicle, it’s essential to make sure they are covered.” 

Dominick Sandford, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “Sadly, van theft is a common problem across the UK and offences can have a devastating impact on tradespeople, both personally and professionally. 

“Our research has revealed which areas are seeing particularly large spikes in cases, but you need to be careful wherever you live, and that’s why we’re working with experts to share their top bits of advice on how to protect yourself.” 

CITB boss joins Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce

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CITB boss joins Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce
CITB Chief Executive Tim Balcon is one of 15 construction industry leaders on a new Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce. The aim of the taskforce, which will meet for the first time in May, is to look at addressing skills gaps around the construction, retrofit and maintenance of low carbon commercial buildings in Central London boroughs. Commenting on his new role Tim said: “CITB is in the business of skills and training which is why I am pleased to be part of the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce’s Strategy Steering Board. “Decarbonisation is a major challenge – and opportunity – for the construction industry. A green-skilled workforce will be vital as the UK strives to achieve the government’s net zero targets. “CITB has conducted extensive work on skills and sustainability, most recently in our Net Zero and Construction: Perspectives and Pathways report. “The report examined the skills and training needed to deliver retrofit work. It shows how training and recruitment must move with the times. This means new methods of working and the need to diversify the workforce. Construction must encourage and welcome under-represented groups, like women and people from ethnic minorities, into industry. “CITB is working with stakeholders to promote construction careers in a variety of ways, our Go Construct website is a good example. We want to see new, diverse recruits raring to use their green skills, for the good of everyone, from day one of their careers. “For this to happen governments, employers, the training sector and businesses must collaborate effectively on green skills. I’m looking forward to making progress on the challenges ahead with the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce’s Strategy Steering Board.”

TRAD UK Launches Official Partnership with Approved Business Finance

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TRAD UK Launches Official Partnership with Approved Business Finance
The exclusive partnership will enable TRAD UK customers to directly access Approved Business Finances market leading funding solutions. TRAD UK one of the UK’s leading scaffolding and access companies, has announced a new exclusive partnership with Approved Business Finance (‘Approved’) to accelerate the access to their scaffolding equipment through bespoke finance products. Trad UK, part of the global Altrad Group, and Approved Business Finance, one of the fastest-growing finance brokerages in the UK, will bring their collective expertise and products to market. TRAD is one of the UK’s leading scaffolding and safety product supply companies. Their innovative approach to scaffolding and safety systems means they can offer leading technology that allows contractors to work safely at height and across all project types. With a UK-wide network of depots, their highly trained and knowledgeable team have the experience to offer comprehensive advice and technical expertise, rendering TRAD as the go-to scaffold supply company for businesses of all sizes. TRAD were keen to partner with Approved, a finance broker with clear links to the scaffolding sector and an impressive track record in securing funding for many mutual clients. “When TRAD sought to offer a financial solution to market, we needed a partner that would listen and make recommendations that made sense for our business. We have been delighted with the Approved Finance team’s approach and are looking forward to building a successful partnership together. Having the option of finance available for our clients to help aid their growth through the purchase of materials while also helping us to grow our client base should prove to be a real positive for our company,” said Colin Dobson, TRAD UK M.D. Since its inception, Approved – awarded SME Champions 2021 by the NACFB, has facilitated over £200M of business finance and helped nearly 2,000 clients. They have utilised a lender framework where scaffolding firms can draw on the knowledge and resources of a UK leading brokerage that can source best in class finance products. Approved has been working to further establish themselves as the go-to finance broker within scaffolding, being members of the Scaffolding Association for the past two years and reaching a wider audience with outlets such as ScaffMag. Rory Dunn, Joint Managing Director of Approved Business Finance added, “This strategic partnership with TRAD is an exciting development for the construction division of Approved Finance and shows our flexibility in funding less traditional asset classes for SMEs throughout the UK. We couldn’t be more pleased to be working alongside one of the UK’s leading scaffolding equipment suppliers and we look forward to seeing the partnership flourish.” Tom Sudds, Senior Finance Broker at Approved, will be spearheading the account, “Having worked with TRAD on a consistent basis for several years with numerous mutual clients, I’m extremely excited to be working alongside them in an official capacity. I look forward to helping scaffolding firms across the UK secure the funding they need to grow.” Today’s announcement builds on Approved’s pioneering work to provide accessible finance solutions to SMEs – and specifically scaffolding firms, with the aim of making finance the preferred purchasing option for businesses nationwide. For more information about Approved Business Finance visit: www.approvedbusinessfinance.co.uk

GKR Scaffolding trialling sustainable workwear and sheeting

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GKR Scaffolding trialling sustainable workwear and sheeting
London based GKR Scaffolding are trialling high-quality sustainable workwear and on a major HS2 project. As part of its drive to be a more sustainable business GKR operatives and management working on the Euston Station Redevelopment for HS2 are wearing workwear made from recycled materials. The ECOVIS products supplied for the HS2 orange reflective workwear (shown above) are derived from clothing and follows a process that converts the material to polyester fabric that complies with ISO 20471. GKR say the Earthpro range is also being used that is made from a majority of recycled materials such as polyester with the range including jumpers, t-shirts and polo shirts worn on the project as part of the GKR uniform. 65% of the recycled polyester is sourced from plastic collected from seas, rivers and landfill, with the logos embroidered using Polyneon Green recycled thread.
Image credit: GKR
According to the firm, this is part of a wider move into expanding the business’ range of recycled and recyclable products in GKR’s supply chain. Recyclable sheeting is also being trialled on some GKR projects as well as scaffolding tags that can be recycled at the end of their life. The fire rated sheeting is certified to TS62 and manufactured with sustainable material that doesn’t contain any persistent organic pollutants. It can be 100% recycled and re-used in other construction elements. GKR is trialling the products to ensure they maintain the standards of the products typically used and encouraging their use in the wider industry. GKR’s Commercial Director, Paul Hersey, is GKR’s Sustainability Lead he said: “As more businesses use these products the costs will hopefully reduce and become more accessible for all scaffolding contractors to use them on site. It is important that any alternatives to our usual products do not compromise quality and we welcome our supply chain being proactive in helping the industry find sustainable, cost-effective alternatives to materials that usually end up in landfill. Being a Carbon Neutral Business, these switches also contribute to reducing our embodied carbon which is vital to achieving our Net Zero Carbon target by December 2023.”

Millcroft achieves top health and safety award from RoSPA

Daniel Norton
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Millcroft achieves top health and safety award from RoSPA
London based scaffolding firm Millcroft has achieved a RoSPA President’s Award for outstanding and consistent health and safety performance across all areas of the company’s operations. The RoSPA President’s Award is given exclusively to companies that have achieved 10 or more consecutive RoSPA Gold Awards for their health and safety achievements. Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognised as being world-leaders in health and safety practice. Every year, nearly 2,000 entrants vie to achieve the highest possible accolade in what is the UK’s longest-running H&S industry awards. Millcroft’s health and safety advisor Richard Ramkissoon has overseen the achievement of the 10 consecutive Gold Awards awards for the company, he said: “As a company that manages hazard and risk on a daily basis as an inherent aspect of our activities, we are constantly focused on health and safety and ensuring everyone works safely and gets home safe. Our achievement in winning a RoSPA President’s Award after 10 consecutive Gold Awards demonstrates that we are successfully achieving those goals, thanks to the training and practices we have in place, the commitment of our leadership team and the safety culture throughout our business.” Millcroft not only has strict risk assessment and health and safety practices in place for every site, but the company has also embedded health and safety in every aspect of its business. With a CITB Safety Plus accredited training centre at its Greenwich HQ, Millcroft delivers health and safety training courses in-house, along with toolbox talks. The company is also meticulous about maintaining vehicles and equipment to ensure its team’s safety, and also holds a FORS safety award for fleet management. To encourage a safety-first culture across the company, Millcroft developed a traffic light system to reward members of the team for health and safety best practice, encourage near miss reporting and identify any further training needs. Team members are rewarded with a green card and a prize for going ‘above and beyond’ with safety, they are given a yellow card if improvement is needed and a red card if training is required. “Since we introduced the system, we have handed out no red cards and lots of greens,” Richard continues, “which reflects the training and safety-first culture we have here, from the boardroom to the yard. We also hand out a health and safety achiever of the month award.” The RoSPA President’s Award puts Millcroft on a prestigious list of health and safety-focused companies, which includes many of the company’s construction sector clients. Richard added: “We are very proud of winning the RoSPA President’s Award after 10 years of consistent health and safety performance and we will continue to look for opportunities for continuous improvement.” Millcroft will receive their RoSPA President’s Award at the annual ceremony at London’s ExCel on 17th May.

CISRS launches New Management & Supervisor Course plus Refresher Course for 2022

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CISRS launches New Management & Supervisor Course plus Refresher Course for 2022
CISRS has recently released an updated 5-Day Management & Supervisor course and also a new 2-Day Refresher course. As well as Construction Design Management Regulations, H & S Legislation, Toolbox Talk delivery, Contract Commercial Essentials, Rams and Employment Law, the new course also now includes Temporary Works Supervision which CISRS felt would be a useful addition for Supervisors in the Scaffolding Industry. The scaffolding bespoke course is comparable to CITB SMSTS and is recognised by Build UK. Successful completion results in a 5-year CISRS Management & Supervisor Card. The 5-Day Management & Supervisor course is aimed at personnel providing first-line management/supervision for scaffolding contractors (i.e., Contract Managers, Supervisors, and non-working Charge-Hands.) The 2-Day Refresher Course is currently open to CISRS Management & Supervisor cardholders looking to renew. It is also available to qualified Scaffolder/Advanced cardholders who are looking to move into first-line management provided they hold a current SMSTS certificate. CISRS compliance manager Tony Barry delivered two standardisation webinars to CISRS Instructors to update them with the revised course topics and contents. A scheme spokesperson said that the webinars were well attended and outlined the requirements for consistency for both the teaching and course standardisation required to cover the vast wealth of topics over the 5-day course. CISRS Management & Supervisor delegates will be provided with a course folder, including CISRS modules and NASC Guidance Notes which will help prepare them for the course end project, it said. For further information about the new CISRS Management & Supervisor Courses, please contact your nearest approved CISRS Training Centre. https://cisrs.org.uk/training-centres/

National Grid Award Taziker a Long-Term Access Contract

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National Grid Award Taziker a Long-Term Access Contract
Taziker has been awarded a place on a long-term, multi-million-pound framework for the provision of scaffolding with National Grid, covering multiple locations around the UK. Taziker’s Industrial Services division was established in 2018 to capitalise on major industrial works in the power and process industries. The specialist division supports the construction, maintenance, de-commissioning, and replacement of major industrial assets across the UK. National Grid owns the electricity transmission network in England and Wales. With 330 substations to manage and maintain, the supply and erection of access scaffolding within the structures is essential for safe working practices. Craig Walker, Managing Director – Industrial Services, Taziker, said: “The award of this contract demonstrates to the industry that Taziker Industrial Services is capable of undertaking work of this nature for high profile clients. “Since introducing Industrial Services into Taziker’s offering in 2018, we have grown our capabilities and client relationships. Our services include access scaffolding, rope access, thermal insulation, industrial cleaning, surface preparation and protective coatings, as well as confined space rescue. “The National Grid contract will give us the strength to grow the business further, expanding our Industrial Services team and reach across the country.”
Craig Walker, Managing Director – Industrial Services, Taziker
Steve Corcoran, CEO of Taziker, said: “The ambitious growth plans we have for the business are being realised everyday with new project wins, additional frameworks and contracts signed.  We are delighted to have been chosen by National Grid to undertake these works which is a testament to our people and their commitment, knowledge, and skills.” The National Grid system is made up of approximately 7,200 kilometres (4,470 miles) of overhead line, 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) of underground cable and around 330 substations.

Scaffolding’s Road to Net Zero

Helen Gawor
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Scaffolding’s Road to Net Zero
GKR Scaffolding Strategy Director Helen Gawor explains how sustainability has gone from being a buzzword to a strategic target for the whole industry. The Construction industry has made a pledge to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2050, in line with the Government’s national targets. Specialists in the supply chain, including those of us in temporary works will need to contribute to this. Not only is it simply the right thing ethically for our businesses to work towards, but the cold hard fact is that having a clear, measurable sustainability strategy will win you more business. Procurement scoring will increasingly rate us for our Net Zero credentials, and all clients, large and small, will be expecting us to play our part. But how do scaffolding businesses get to Net Zero?

Understanding your carbon emissions

The first step is to understand the volume and composition of our carbon emissions. This is probably the biggest hurdle for most SMEs because there aren’t enough simple tools to enable businesses to do this easily. At GKR, we used a third party to audit our emissions under the current regulations, but many businesses will not have the budget or resources to do this. You will find calculators online that give you a steer on what your carbon footprint looks like from organisations such as the Carbon Trust and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol as a starting point. But you will also need to be familiar with some of the terminology and categories of emissions to understand what it actually means to become Net Zero Carbon.

What is Net Zero?

Carbon emissions are categorised under 3 scopes:
Scope 1: Direct Emissions   Produced from our business activities, such as our fleet and use of plant/machinery.  
Scope 2: Indirect Emissions   Secondary sources we use such as electricity in our offices.  
Scope 3: Supplementary Emissions   Sources such as those our supply chain is responsible for and employee travel to work.
  These categories of emissions need to be understood as reductions in particular scopes impact your status towards Net Zero Carbon. Net Zero Carbon is achieved when our businesses make significant reductions in all 3 scopes and we are offsetting the amounts that cannot be reduced. If you search for approved offset programmes, you will find interesting options from planting trees to supporting enterprises is developing countries. Offsets however must be used on top of continuous reduction efforts. You cannot achieve Net Zero status if you are offsetting emissions that are possible to reduce or remove from your business.

Being Carbon Neutral

At GKR, we achieved Carbon Neutral this year as our first milestone to becoming Net Zero. This means we have made significant reductions in our Scope 1 and 2 emissions and offset the remainder, with a clear plan to reduce Scope 3 emissions towards a Net Zero Carbon target date. Reaching this milestone did require a clear understanding of our carbon footprint and which reductions we can prioritise and control. Our audit showed that over 60% of our carbon emissions derived from our fleet. By switching to and securing a future supply of HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) to replace diesel, we reduced carbon emissions from our fleet by 93%. We were already using renewable electricity in all our buildings and investing in other areas of sustainability too. The challenge now is for us to prove continued reductions in all 3 scopes towards our Net Zero Carbon deadline of December 2023.

Can we be Net Zero when using steel and plastic?

The elephant in the room is that we are a steel-intensive industry. The manufacture of iron and steel is responsible for 11% of global CO2 emissions. There is a misconception that our businesses can’t achieve Net Zero Carbon whilst we use steel that is manufactured using fossil fuels. As it is outside our businesses’ control, this is not true, however, it should not be ignored. Encouragingly, a growing number of steel manufacturers have made Net Zero pledges and there is active exploration of carbon reduction and carbon capture methods in steelmaking in Europe and even in China. So, in the future we will be able to establish Green Procurement Policies and it will become possible to procure more sustainably manufactured steel products. In the meantime, our focus at GKR is on used rather than new materials to reduce the demand for extracting raw materials. Businesses in our sector will also need to eliminate waste in all the materials we use. A growing number of contractors are introducing Zero Landfill policies which our non-recyclable materials such as sheeting will not comply with. We need to increase pressure on our supply chains to manufacture and distribute sustainable alternatives that meet the standards we require. At GKR we are trialling 100% recyclable sheeting with persistent organic pollutants removed, for example

Will the scaffolding sector become a Net Zero Carbon industry?

Net Zero Carbon is achievable for scaffolding businesses. However, the roadmap to get there needs to be supported by better tools to calculate the volume and composition of our carbon footprint and provide information to empower businesses to make the changes needed to reach their target. Although some of us have charged ahead, we have done so not to be the first, but to prove it can be done and how. I’m chairing a working group at the NASC, where we are investing in building the tools and resources scaffolding businesses will need to start your Net Zero Carbon journey. The good news is that all businesses are in the same place – finding our way through the clutter of useful information and less useful rhetoric. Those that have made some progress, like us, are still learning. One thing is certain, Net Zero will remain to be a priority for the industry. The businesses in our sector who put the investment in now, will not only be future-proofing their businesses but creating a better world for future generations. This article was first published in the ScaffMag Magazine Issue 15

Scaffold sheeting manufacturer sponsors truck to transport aid to Ukraine

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Scaffold sheeting manufacturer sponsors truck to transport aid to Ukraine
Scaffold sheeting business ITP Ltd is supporting war-torn Ukraine with the sponsorship of a 40ft articulated lorry transporting aid to those in need. The Easingwold-based company has teamed up with a Thirsk-based aid and fundraising initiative, Yorkshire to Ukraine, to organise a cargo of essential items taken to Eastern Europe by Yorkshire-based haulier, Bryan Yeardley Logistics. ITP has donated £3,500 to meet the cost of transportation and is inviting the local community to bring cartons of donated items to its premises on Stillington Road, YO61 3FA. Donations can be brought to ITP from Monday to Friday between 8am to 5pm until the end of the month. Over the coming weeks, ITP will be taking a series of batches to Marrtree Business Park in Thirsk, where a Yorkshire to Ukraine collection centre has been set up in unit 7. ITP’s sponsored lorry will depart from the collection centre and travel to Poland or Bulgaria, where the goods will be offloaded and taken to Ukraine.  Donations suitable for transportation include canned and dry foods, baby formula, nappies, baby wipes, towels, bedding and blankets, sleeping bags, camping mats, thermal clothes, torches, batteries, power banks, painkillers, cold remedies, pastilles, Sudocrem, first aid kits, bandages, antiseptic, sanitary products, soaps, shower gels, shampoos and other hygiene products. Non-thermal clothes will also be accepted as donations and sold by Yorkshire to Ukraine, with all proceeds going to refugee aid. ITP Managing Director, Marc van der Voort, said: “We are horrified at the devastation in Ukraine and we wanted to do something to help the people suffering out there.  Annie Drew, in our accounts department, has been leading the initiative but the Yorkshire to Ukraine truck is a collective effort, with vital contributions from various organisations. We are grateful to Bryan Yeardley Logistics and to Andy Walker for providing the Yorkshire to Ukraine collection facility. Our truck will be the sixth articulated lorry to take aid from his centre, which has already collected and dispatched 100 tonnes of aid to date.” Once the truck arrives in Poland, a firm of solicitors coordinates the distribution of donations which are taken on vans to the border. The vans will then enter Ukraine and return with refugees. Annie Drew said: “ITP are welcoming donations of all sizes from individuals, businesses and community groups. We are asking donors to mark the contents on their cartons as this will help with the distribution of items. The donations will be transported in more than one delivery, with the first load expected to go out within the next two weeks and the second load likely to go out a few weeks later to Poland or Romania. People and businesses in and around Thirsk are also welcome to deliver donations directly to the Yorkshire to Ukraine collection centre, where over 200 volunteers have been giving up their time to sort, label, weigh, manifest and pallet a fantastic amount of donations.”

JR Training reveals plans for dedicated training facility in Paisley

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JR Training reveals plans for dedicated training facility in Paisley
JR Training Services has submitted ambitious plans to create a state-of-the-art scaffolding training facility in Paisley – tackling the construction industry skills shortage first-hand. Plans for the purpose-built training centre on Wallneuk Road have been submitted to Renfrewshire Council, including details of the dedicated training rooms, office spaces and break-out areas incorporated into the brand-new building. Parking for trainees has also been accounted for, and a new scaffold area will ensure attendees can get hands-on with practical training activities. The facility will act as the home for JR Training Services, which is headed up by Ronnie Charters who has 35 years of construction industry experience, including health and safety advisor, trainer and assessor roles at the National Construction College CITB. He is currently NASC Regional Chair for Scotland and Northern Ireland. Should the plans be given the green light, the team will utilise the accredited training centre to deliver a range of industry-leading, construction industry courses to recruits from the West of Scotland, and beyond. The planned programme includes specialist CISRS (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme) courses, such as a five-day scaffolding supervisor course and subsequent two-day refresher. CITB-accredited health & safety and site management courses and NEBOSH-certified courses will also be delivered via the facility. Ronnie said: “These ambitious plans could bring a dedicated, state-of-the-art construction training facility to the Renfrewshire area, giving JR Training services an accredited base to deliver some of the industry’s most sought-after qualifications – with facilities that allow classroom-based learning as well as practical skills development. “Having provided services to the construction industry across the UK for more than 25 years, The JR Group has, like myself, experienced first-hand the lack of skilled labour and training facilities in the local area and beyond. This new training facility would give Renfrewshire the opportunity to lead the way in directly tackling the issue of skills shortages, and provide young people in Renfrewshire the opportunity to develop their skills in a rewarding career. “Working with a range of partners including G&A Wilson Safety Consultants we’ll be proud to deliver practical, accredited courses, as well as shining the spotlight on the health and wellbeing of the workers themselves with dedicated courses, including Mental Health First Aid.”
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