George Roberts NW Secures £1M Loan To Help Them Through Lockdown

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George Roberts NW Secures £1M Loan To Help Them Through Lockdown

One of the UK’s largest independent suppliers of scaffolding and access equipment, George Roberts NW Ltd, has secured £1M from Barclays.

The Government-backed loan via the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), will ensure that the business can get through a difficult time for the construction industry.

Based in Liverpool, for over 28 years George Roberts NW Ltd has been supporting and supplying their customers with expert advice, quality stock and reliable, fast delivery to ensure projects run smoothly throughout all sectors. However, with the effective shut down of the construction industry, many of the clients that they serve have not been able to continue with planned projects and consequently have had to defer a number of their capital and development projects, presenting significant cash flow challenges on the business until normal trading resumes.

However, the Board Directors along with Barclays set out to form a strong contingency plan to protect the business during this lockdown period and ensure strong long-term future liquidity going forward and has now secured £1 million through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), which will help the business with the cash flow it needs to cover business costs and overcome the loss of all-important spring and summer sales.

Mark Roach, Finance Director of George Roberts NW Ltd, said: “During March and into April following the government lock down we quite naturally experienced a reduction in orders due mainly to most construction sites being totally shut down and inaccessible.

“Fortunately, although significant, this was not as destructive and damaging to our business as to some of our competitors, due to the diversity of markets we operate in i.e., industrial, offshore, nuclear, oil and gas and the food and drink industry.  We are considered an essential service and fortunately able to stay open to service these clients, while carefully following government guidelines to ensure the health and wellbeing of our loyal workforce.

“Our plan factored into account immediately furloughing a small group of staff, although strong continuous employment still remained vital to handle existing orders and new orders still coming in. The second part of plan involved applying for a ‘Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan’ with Barclays, again guaranteeing liquidity and maintain a platform to ensure the business retains and even improves its status in the market place going forward.

“After presenting our business plan with all supporting assumptions to our Relationship Director at Barclays, the loan was sanctioned and deposited into our account within five days which we were extremely impressed with.  This is even more significant as we are in the process of having our 2019 Financial Statements signed off, and due to the strength of the balance sheet, combined with this loan and the strong long-term relationship with Barclays the ‘going concern’ statement will be very strong.  This will also provide our suppliers even greater confidence in our business going forward.”

Graham Duckworth, Barclays Relationship Director, explained: “I’ve been hugely impressed by both the resilience and the agility of the Board Directors to quickly develop a robust contingency plan to help safeguard the future of the business. From the very beginning, I was in regular contact with the Chairman and the Financial Director to discuss their needs and requirements. We spent time looking at their financial forecasts and put together a successful loan application and now they have the financial headroom to get through this disruptive period and be ready to reopen fully when the time comes.”

HAKI and Enigma Sign Distribution Partnership

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HAKI and Enigma Sign Distribution Partnership

Enigma Industrial Services has entered an exclusive agreement to be the sole distributor of HAKI modular scaffolding systems within the UK.

The strategic partnership will enable both organisations to better serve and support the market as it continues to evolve toward simpler and safer systemised solutions.

HAKI has today said under this agreement, its customers can collect stock from 7 strategically located depots based in Erith (South East), Kenfig (South West), Derby (Midlands), Preston (North West), Newcastle (North East), Edinburgh and Glasgow (Scotland); utilising Enigma’s existing network of locations across the UK.

Increasing stock availability nationwide will simplify logistics and shorten lead times for its customers, HAKI said.

Its customers will continue to order stock through the usual channels but can select a preferred Enigma depot for collection or to arrange delivery. Customers will also be able to purchase and hire stock directly through Enigma as part of the partnership.

All primary product ranges are available from the Enigma locations, including the Universal system, stair towers, Public Access Stair (PAS), Bridge System (HBS), and the HAKITEC temporary roof. Enigma customers will also benefit from HAKI’s expansion into the network with access to a wider range of systems than has previously been available.

Extending beyond the provision of stock, HAKI and Enigma will also continue to collaborate on support services. Knowledge and resource sharing practices will improve technical support, training, and product development; enhancing the overall offering for all stakeholders.

Speaking on the partnership, Thomas Schüller, CEO of HAKI said: “We have, over the last few years, built a very strong relationship with Enigma Industrial Services; leading to them being the largest user of HAKI Universal System Scaffold in the UK.

“During the past 12 months, we have continued to build stronger ties, which has resulted in the development of a joint plan for Enigma to distribute HAKI products nationally. Enigma currently operates one of the UK’s largest scaffolding asset bases with nationwide coverage and shares the joint belief that together, we can provide a better service for our customers and improve safety within the industry. This makes Enigma the natural choice to be HAKI’s UK distribution partner and we are excited about this venture.”

Scott Hardie, MD of Enigma Industrial Services, also commented: “Enigma’s relationship with HAKI has been developing over a number of years. It’s very satisfying that we can now go forward in partnership. I firmly believe that existing and new clients will benefit.

“We are partners who are focussed on delivering safe access solutions, improving availability of HAKI product for sale and hire via Enigma’s network of locations and thereby supporting improved safety and productivity on projects throughout the UK.”

Boost For Energy Sector As UK’s Biggest Training Provider Reopens

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Boost For Energy Sector As UK’s Biggest Training Provider Reopens

The UK Energy Sector is receiving a significant boost this week with the reopening of the UK’s biggest training provider 3T Energy Group.

The reopening comes after they enforced closure due to the Coronavirus lockdown announced by the UK Government on 23rd March. 3T Energy Group trains more than 100,000 delegates every year in energy sector health and safety and best practice. After extensive consultation with its clients, it has reopened its two world-renowned training centres today: Survivex, based in Europe’s oil capital Aberdeen, and AIS Training, in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Today 3T said it had carried out full, detailed Risk Assessments at both facilities, leading to even more stringent measures ensuring the safety of everyone on site. They have decided to operate at around 20% capacity initially to allow for a safe environment. 3T will be adapting to the ‘new normal’ at both sites by introducing a raft of Covid-19 safety measures, that include temperature checks for all visitors and staff, medical questionnaires, reconfigured classrooms and much more. The firm has also invested in technology at its training centres to allow for social distancing – state-of-the-art video technology and tablet use are now in place in every relevant location. The company has also been using the downtime caused by Covid-19 to develop world-first technology-driven training techniques for launch to the market in the near future, parts of which will be rolled into its training centres immediately. The reopening of the centres represents a significant turning point for the Energy sector following Coronavirus-related disruption, showing that it is starting to get back into gear following the lockdown period. Many delegates have not been able to complete essential training and refresher courses that allow them to safely carry out their duties on site. Kevin Franklin, CEO of 3T Energy Group, said: “We would categorically not be reopening if we could not provide a safe environment. We are the number one training provider for a reason and our dedication to safety on site is second to none – the measures we have put in place are a testament to that. These precautions are the new normal.” “Our facilities have been upgraded to combat Coronavirus and have changed completely as a result, without compromising quality of training. For example, customers and staff go through rigorous entrance procedures to maintain the new standard and protect all employees and delegates”. Paul Stonebanks, President of 3T Energy Group, says: “Health and safety training is an essential cog in many industries, but none more so than energy. Delegates need to be able to continue their development and access refresher training on their skills so that they are ready to go back on to site, whether that’s offshore or onshore.” “Over the past few months, we have been developing new technology that will truly revolutionise training in the energy industry. We’ll be rolling that out in due course, but for the time being we’ve included some of this into the training centres to ensure customers receive the very best service in the market.” “We’re glad to be doing our bit to help the sector and the local and UK economy get moving again.”

Self-employed Support Scheme Opens

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Self-employed Support Scheme Opens

The HMRC’s self-employment support scheme is now open for claims.

Thousands of self-employed scaffolders are hoping to receive backdated cash of up to £7,500 which could be paid into their accounts within two weeks. To help with the Covid-19 crisis the Government is offering to pay self-employed workers a grant of 80% of average monthly profits over the last three years up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The scheme is currently only open for a further three weeks, unless the Government extend the scheme like the furlough scheme that was extended yesterday until October. To qualify, individuals need to have made a trading profit up to £50,000. It is only available to those who made the majority of their income from self-employment. HMRC have launched a very handy checker to see if workers are eligible before completing an application. All you need to enter is your UTR number and National Insurance Number. Find out how much you can claim by clicking here!

Scaffolder Loses Battle With Brain Tumour

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Scaffolder Loses Battle With Brain Tumour

A well-liked scaffolder has died after a long battle with a brain tumour.

Wayne Evans, 42 from Barnsley sadly died in a Neurology hospice in the town on Monday 11th May. Due to the Coronavirus lockdown, his family was not with him when he died. Evans had worked in the scaffolding industry since the age of 17. Beginning his career as a labourer, Wayne had worked his way up to become an Advanced Scaffolder and Supervisor. Over the years the well-liked scaffolder had worked for many companies including Benchmark Northern, Cape, Interserve and SGS. As previously reported Evans had suffered for four weeks from constant headaches prior to visiting the Opticians in 2017 where his tumour was found by chance. He underwent emergency brain surgery at Sheffield Hallamshire Hospital to remove the golf ball-sized tumour. While recovering he subsequently made a plea using ScaffMag to warn others to get checked out. A close family friend told ScaffMag that over the course of the two difficult years after his surgery, Evans fought the ultimate battle with his condition until December 2019. He no longer responded to treatment and was admitted into hospital for the final time. Tributes from family and friends within the scaffolding industry have poured in over social media after the news of his death spread. A close friend and scaffolder who is a semi-professional DJ, Paul Orwin organised a full tribute set streamed live over Facebook on Monday. Paul said: “After hearing the sad news about Wayne’s passing in such strange times there was only one thing to do in my mind bring all our friends together with a Facebook live DJ set in tribute to Wayne. I played the music he loved replacing the upset with happiness to all our friends to celebrate his life the way he would have wanted it.”

Steve Gregory, Scaffold Instructor, and Health & Safety Consultant at ScaffSafe Ltd said: “The last couple of years since the operation has not been the easiest for Wayne. He has fought throughout and all his friends have been given so much support.

Once we were informed late last year that another tumour had formed which could not be operated on. We were told to make provisions for the end of life. During the final months of his life, the care team and his closest friend Mark Hale have been fantastic and a massive rock to the rest of us.”

As we prepare to say goodbye to another ScaffBrother this one will be difficult bearing in mind the current COVID 19 Situation. Wayne gave me one final request and he wanted the biggest party ever. I hope we can at some point in the not so distant future we are able to complete it and let everyone fulfil his legacy in his honour by dancing their legs off.”

“We both previously laughed at the word WayneFest. Time will tell if dreams can become a reality.”

ScaffMag would like to pass on our sincere condolences to Wayne’s family, friends and work colleagues. RIP Wayne Evans! 

Godiva Group Falls Into Administration

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Godiva Group Falls Into Administration

Godiva Group has gone into administration leaving around 35 staff jobless.

The Coventry based business with offices also in Manchester and Leeds called in the administrators on Thursday 7th May. Work on all ongoing projects has stopped the company has said.

The award-winning firm which was established in 2014 recently completed works on Coventry’s tallest new build and at peak trading employed more than 100 people. The business offered a full range of access, scaffolding and temporary works solutions in the West Midlands.

In 2019 they turned over £6 million in revenue and scooped two Coventry Business Excellence Awards.

ScaffMag understands that in recent months the scaffold contractor had suffered from challenging trading conditions resulting in reduced margins and contract disputes with slow or non paying clients. And the onset of the current Covid-19 crisis has delayed the commencement of a number of significant projects for the firm has subsequently sent Godiva to the wall.

Colin Taylor, Group Managing Director at Godiva said: “The already problematic trading conditions we faced has been greatly exacerbated by the Coronavirus lockdown which has made our financial position unsustainable.

“It’s with great regret we have been forced to close the business. I would like to thank all our loyal employees that remained with us until the end for their hard work and dedication.

“I will be providing any assistance to all our employees during this exceptionally difficult time.”

Avontus Enhances Scaffold Viewer with YouTube Export Feature

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Avontus Enhances Scaffold Viewer with YouTube Export Feature

Scaffolding businesses can now share virtual walkthroughs with anyone, anywhere, thanks to a new feature

Avontus Software has announced that the company has enhanced its Scaffold Viewer software with a one-click YouTube export feature. This new feature gives users the power to record a video walkthrough of their scaffold design, export it to YouTube, and easily share it via email or other marketing channels.

Avontus Scaffold Viewer brings powerful advantages to scaffold businesses. This free app seamlessly integrates with Avontus Scaffold Designer, enabling customers to visualize their scaffold designs in advanced 3D, augmented and virtual realities (AR/VR). Packed with state-of-the-art visualization features, Scaffold Viewer enables Avontus customers to differentiate their proposals during bid presentations, communicate designs during planning reviews, and make hand-overs safe and easier to understand.

The new YouTube export feature enables sharing of 3D scaffold walkthroughs to people who don’t even have the Scaffold Viewer app. YouTube videos also provide for a more structured tour versus a self-controlled one in the app. A predetermined path can be taken and recorded for on-the-spot communication or review later, whether for a specific project or as part of a business development/marketing portfolio.

“Miscommunication, inaccuracies, and unidentified obstructions aren’t just costly—they can create safety hazards for crews,” stated Andrew Smith, Avontus VP of Operations. “Scaffold Viewer avoids these problems—and delivers new competitive advantages to Avontus customers—through the use of advanced AR/VR technology. With this new release, our customers now have the ability to share their virtual walkthroughs with anyone, anywhere, with just a click of a mouse.”

Avontus Scaffold Viewer is available as a free download for desktop PCs, mobile devices, and supported VR devices.

Visit the Avontus website today to learn more, view sample virtual walkthrough videos, and download your free Scaffold Viewer app.

PM tells construction to get back to work

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PM tells construction to get back to work

Prime minister Boris Johnson announced to the nation last night it was time to re-open construction sites.

He said in the televised address that members of the construction and manufacturing industries must be ‘actively encouraged’ to go back to work. Johnson also relaxed some lockdown restrictions including allowing us to do unlimited outside exercise, sunbathe in parks, drive to the countryside and play sports with members of our own household. He said: “This is not the time simply to end the lockdown this week. Instead, we are taking the first careful steps to modify our measures. And the first step is a change of emphasis that we hope that people will act on this week.” He said: “We said that you should work from home if you can, and only go to work if you must. We now need to stress that anyone who can’t work from home, for instance, those in construction or manufacturing, should be actively encouraged to go to work.” “And we want it to be safe for you to get to work. So you should avoid public transport if at all possible – because we must and will maintain social distancing, and capacity will, therefore, be limited. “So work from home if you can, but you should go to work if you can’t work from home. “And to ensure you are safe at work we have been working to establish new guidance for employers to make workplaces covid-secure. On the other hand, the Scottish Government has not changed its advice that all but essential construction sites should remain closed.

Scaffolders Now Eligible for Coronavirus Test

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Scaffolders Now Eligible for Coronavirus Test

Scaffolders and other construction site workers in England with virus symptoms are now able to get tested.

The Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday announced that all workers in England that have to leave their home to work will be offered the tests.

The Coronavirus tests will also be offered to the workers families and those that are over 65.

Matt Hancock said: ”Any worker who needs to leave their home in order to go to work, and their households, if any of them have symptoms can also get a test. This means construction workers to emergency plumbers, research scientists to those in manufacturing – can now be tested. All they need to do is go on the internet and apply for a test.”

If you have virus symptoms and want to apply for a test CLICK HERE

The government’s shift on testing came just hours after the Unite union wrote a letter to the Health Secretary calling for testing for construction workers. Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: “Many construction workers continued to work through the lockdown and furloughed workers are being phased back ahead of other sectors.

“The recently relaxed guidance from the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) on social distancing whilst at work is undermining efforts to get agreement on safe working practices. 

“Operating advice for building sites based on CLC guidance states that construction workers can work face to face within two metres of each other as long as it is for ‘15 minutes or less where possible’.

“Unite believes with good practice social distancing can be maintained for most tasks and where this is not possible the task should not be undertaken. However, to date there is evidence of confusion and if the 15-minute relaxation persists it will heighten concerns about spreading Covid19 into communities and workers’ homes.“

Cartman concluded: “Unite believes construction workers should be included within the sectors designated for Covid19 testing as one of a number of measures necessary to prevent the spread of Covid19.“

NASC 2020 Safety Report Shows Record Low Accidents

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NASC 2020 Safety Report Shows Record Low Accidents

The number of accidents and injuries recorded by NASC members fell to an all-time low in 2019, with just 74 incidents to operatives throughout the year.

The figure has been revealed in the NASC 2020 Safety Report, which documents and analyses accident and injury statistics for its full contracting members – representing more than 17,000 scaffolding operatives across the UK – in the previous calendar year.

The 74 incidents equate to one injury for every 230 operatives, a significant improvement on last year’s one injury for every 150 operatives. 

Furthermore, this figure means that 99% of NASC member-employed operatives went through 2019 accident and injury-free. There were also no operative fatalities last year, for the seventh consecutive year.

Of the 74 incidents, 13 were recorded as major, requiring hospital treatment, with the remaining 61 recorded as over 7-days. These figures are both the lowest on record. 

Slips, Trips and Falls on the same level (STFs) accounts for the majority of the reported incidents – 28. This is 15th consecutive year that STFs have been the predominant cause of injury to operatives, accounting for 21% of all injuries reported in 2019. 

Operative falls from height decreased from 22 in 2018 to 12 in 2019, with only one operative falling a distance over 4m, however, material falls from height rose from 4 to 9 year-on-year. 

To read the digital version of the NASC 2020 Safety Report click HERE.

Lynn Way, NASC President, said: “The top-line figures make for great reading; with record low accidents recorded despite a record-high number of NASC members and NASC operatives, and year-on-year reductions in most accident categories. 

“These achievements are only made possible by the commitment of the NASC and its members to put in place the highest standards of safety procedures and practices and make improvements whenever and wherever possible.

“The 2020 Safety Report demonstrates in no uncertain terms that NASC members are incredibly safe, and justifies the decision taken by an increasing number of main contractors to specify NASC-only for their scaffolding requirements.”

Robin James, NASC Managing Director, added: “We are delighted to have recorded such encouraging figures. This sends out a clear message to the wider construction industry that the NASC and its members place safety at the heart of its working practices and endeavour to make further improvements whenever possible.    

“This report is much more than just a record of last year’s achievements. It’s also an opportunity to analyse the causes behind each and every one of the 74 incidents recorded and see what can be done to stop these types of accidents from happening again. 

“A number of key findings and next steps have already been identified and included in the Report. I am sure the NASC and its various standing committees, including the Health & Safety and Current Affairs committees, will be exploring ways to drive these incidents down further.” 

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