Managing director Dr Helmut Kreller toldAccess International that Layher’s family ownership allowed it to maintain investment through the crisis and make a quick recovery.
At the start of the crisis Layher was deciding to build a new factory. “It is because all our shareholders are close to the business that we can make long term decisions,” said Dr Kreller.
The new factory now houses the wood and aluminium part of Layher’s production while the steel scaffolding continues at the original plant, very close by, with its modern, environmentally sensitive, dip galvanising facility.
Although unwilling to divulge exact figures Layher’s turnover for the year ending 31 March 2011 is somewhere between €400 and €500 million. During the crisis its domestic German market grew, but now Dr Kreller says that exports are again starting to rise, accounting for 60% of the company’s turnover.
Committed to continuing to manufacturing in Germany, Dr Kreller was prepared to acknowledge that Layher had considered manufacturing elsewhere, but should that decision be made sometime in the future it would only be to serve those external markets.
U.K. Edition
A construction worker died instantly after falling from a scaffolding in the city centre of Vienna at the weekend.
The 39-year-old was already dead when paramedics arrived at the scene on Saturday afternoon, police in the capital explained today (Mon).
The worker sustained injuries to his head as well as internal injuries in the incident.
John Robertson, 44, drove his 22ft lorry into Strathmore House, at Jarrow’s Viking Industrial Park, on March 20, demolishing much of the entrance to the building.
The offence followed a contract row between housing bosses and Robertson, who later filed for bankruptcy, with debts of about £1.3m.
But despite receiving a 40-week prison term, suspended for two years, at Newcastle Crown Court this week, Robertson today told the Gazette he was planning to relaunch his business career as a sole trader.
Robertson, of York Avenue, Jarrow, who admitted criminal damage, said: “I’m just so relieved, for myself and my family, that I didn’t go to jail – which was what I was expecting, if I’m honest.
“I cannot be in charge of a limited company again, because I’m bankrupt, but I can be a sole trader.
“I’m going to start right from the bottom and carry out work such as scaffolding inspection, roofing or whatever work I can find.
“I will never get back to where I was with my business, but at least I can work again, with the support of some good friends.”
Robertson, who was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid community service and made the subject of a one-year supervision order, recently saw his life and business crash around him, including bankruptcy and an impending divorce.
Until a few months ago, he employed 20 staff at Robertson Scaffolding at Wagonway Industrial Estate, Hebburn.
But his business has been dissolved and he admits his marriage is over.
Robertson said he “regrets” his actions against South Tyneside Homes, adding: “I have no bad feelings against the housing people and would even be willing to do business with them again.
“I think the judge must have taken all my problems into account when he sentenced me. Plus, there was no request for compensation, presumably because I’m bankrupt.”
While awaiting sentence, Robertson received 767 votes after standing as an Independent candidate for the Primrose ward in Jarrow at the May local elections, and plans to continue campaigning to become a South Tyneside councillor.
South Tyneside Homes today declined to comment.
NSG is one of the country’s top suppliers of scaffolding and industrial services, with a turnover of £18million and more than 320 employees.
Managing director Mike Carr said: “Empire is a well respected business and we are delighted to have incorporated it into NSG.
“Empire has a strong client base including Kraft (formerly Cadbury’s) at Chirk and British Waterways, and this will help NSG to expand further into a variety of sectors and regions across the UK.
“Empire director Barry Hart has a wealth of experience within the scaffolding industry and we are pleased that he will be working closely with NSG to continue to develop the existing contracts and oversee new business opportunities.”
NSG increased turnover by 10% over the past year to £18million.
The centrepiece of the project was a dedicated media village in Green Park, which is located opposite Buckingham Palace. Here, a three-storey structure was built using 158t of Layher Allround scaffolding to provide up to 200 broadcast camera viewing points within 22 individual studios. The rosette coupler, which is at the heart of the Layher design, enabled a 70m long structure to follow a radius footprint with Layher stairtowers also used to provide multi-level access at key points. Alongside, Media Structures Limited also used the Layher system to create a number of additional studio facilities designed to provide viewing points at ground level.
The scaffolding system was also used in up to 30 camera and commentary positions along the route while at Westminster Abbey, the venue for the marriage ceremony, Media Structures used approximately 100t of Layher equipment to provide the multi-tiered media stand opposite the main entrance. This design also benefited from the use of transparent Keder sheeting to provide protection in the case of inclement weather. Additional camera positions were constructed on adjacent rooftops as well as within the Abbey itself – from cleverly disguised locations either side of the entrance door to the triforium viewing position high in the roof area.
Andy Needham, managing director at Media Structures Limited said, “The Royal Wedding project was an overall team effort including, not least, the back-up and support from Layher’s UK office which helped to deliver a successful conclusion. Less than a month was available from start of build to hand over so it was vital that we selected a scaffold system which was versatile, robust, enabled the optimum use of manpower and allowed the wide range of installations to be completed quickly.”
Sean Pike managing director of Layher UK said, “We believe this is an excellent example of the benefits associated with our scaffolding system designs, particularly when compared with conventional tube and fitting alternatives. The latter, we believe, would have needed vastly more equipment, greater manpower and would have put extreme pressure on the time scale involved. Moreover, factors such as the neat appearance of Layher scaffolding also clearly made a major contribution, given the prestige of the event.”
