Toolstation and Vanaways team up to supply Britain’s army of tradespeople

Customers at Toolstation can now pick up not just a drill or some screws - but a new van, thanks to a new partnership with a leading vehicle supplier. Toolstation has teamed up with independent specialist Vanaways to provide access to vans of virtually any make or model at highly competitive prices, with the absolute minimum of hassle. Lucy Trevelyan, Assistant Category Manager at Toolstation, says, “Our partnership with Vanaways provides customers with access to a wide selection of vans in various sizes and models and is part of our increased effort to support tradespeople. The new range is a welcome expansion to our offer of tools and more for any task, and we look forward to helping tradespeople find their ideal vehicle.” “Bringing our two brands together makes perfect sense,” adds Vanaways Managing Director Chris Jakeways. “Toolstation’s customers are exactly the type of people who will benefit most from the quick, simple and hassle-free deals we can offer to get their businesses on the road to success.” The arrangement sees Vanaways’ services marketed directly through Toolstation’s web presence, online to registered customers, and at the retailer’s network of more than 550 stores nationwide. Vanaways, meanwhile, has set up a special team in its Bristol head office to deal with Toolstation customers from point of enquiry, through to delivery and beyond. Brand Manager, Robert Clements, who joined the company specifically to spearhead the Toolstation partnership, says, “Our pledge is to offer top quality vehicles and efficient service, but in the current economic climate we also recognise the importance of being able to offer Toolstation customers the best deals on new vans in the UK. “We always have vans available for quick delivery direct to customers’ premises and are happy to take vehicles in part-exchange. We can also offer tailor-made finance packages on all makes and models, thanks to our partnership with Mobilize Financial Services.” Mobilize Head of Fleet, Neil Davies, comments, "We're delighted to be involved in this exciting venture and look forward to helping customers get mobile with our toolbox full of finance products." Vanaways’ sales experts take inquiries and orders by phone or email and match customers up with their perfect vehicle selections, with an emphasis on making the process as simple, quick and efficient as possible. Vehicles are typically ordered and supplied, to tight timeframes, without the customer ever having to leave their place of work. Chris says, “We can source any vehicle a customer wants, but whatever the brand, our focus is to make the process of getting that new van on the road as painless as possible. We cut the number of steps a vehicle takes between rolling off the production line and arriving at the customer’s premises and provide the best value for money with minimal paperwork.”

FireAngel fundraises for National Energy Action

FireAngel has raised over £1,200 for National Energy Action (NEA) to support its vital work in ending fuel poverty throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Firefighters from West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service visited FireAngel’s UK headquarters in Coventry to support the fundraising initiative and help raise awareness of the importance of fire and CO safety, particularly during the cost of living crisis. Following the government’s Energy Price Guarantee that came into effect in October 2022, NEA predicts 6.7 million UK households are in fuel poverty, meaning these individuals cannot afford to live in a warm, dry and safe home. As we enter the winter months, FireAngel has been working in partnership with fire and rescue services across the UK to highlight the importance of fire and CO safety during this difficult period, with the £1,200 raised going direct to NEA to help households who need support. Elizabeth Mitchel, National Key Account Manager for FireAngel, says, “FireAngel is dedicated to protecting, saving and improving lives. With the temperature dropping and the cost of living crisis continuing, we knew we had a responsibility to raise vital funds to help support the crucial work of National Energy Action this winter. “We are grateful to West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service for supporting our fundraising initiative and to all of the fire and rescue services across the UK who are working tirelessly to help keep homes safe this season, particularly with the effect of high energy bills causing a potential rise in unsafe heating and cooking practices. Together, we are creating a network of support for those who are struggling.”

UK’s first zero carbon mixed use scheme uses FHP’s expertise

FHP has been appointed to support the £2.5bn design and construction of the UK’s first zero carbon mixed use development. The move has seen FHP provide a package of RIBA Stage 5 electrical, mechanical, public health and design verification services for the Bankside Yards West project on the south bank of the River Thames. There, nine buildings that will provide housing for 650 homes along with 350,000ft² of office and commercial, cultural and retail space and leisure amenities, are under development as part of an ambitious regeneration project set to transform the local riverside area. A key feature of the plans is sustainability, with the main Arbor office complex built to deliver a carbon neutral operation and achieve BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ status. Through careful planning and design, 45% less carbon dioxide will be created during the building’s operation, while a 30% reduction in energy consumption will also be achieved when compared to standard buildings. FHP was appointed to by MEP sub-contractor TClarke to provide MEP design expertise and technical services around the development of three new high-rise properties at the Western Yards site off Blackfriars Road. The work included responsibility for RIBA Stage 4 design and involved verifying critical elements to facilitate a fully coordinated BIM model to LOD 400, which enabled drawings covering the fabrication, assembly, and installation of components to be finalised. Revit and fabrication elements were also utilised as part of the MEP design completion process. The Bankside Yards West development is the latest project success for FHP, which continues to see growth and expansion on the back of a pipeline of forward orders and investment in additional staff across its London and Leeds offices. Tony Hewitt, Managing Director at FHP, says, “This is a high profile project for us, reflecting our ability to maintain a strategic view of major development projects, while completing design verification work and coordinating MEP services to produce a successful, cost effective and ultimately sustainable solution for clients. “We are continuing to develop our commercial offer and this latest success with Bankside Yards West comes at a time when we expect to see continued growth and investment over the next 18 months as we look to develop and secure further new work and expand our national operations.” Developers claim the 1.4 million sq. ft Bankside Yards site will be the UK’s first major mixed-use regeneration scheme with net zero ‘concept’ offices at the heart of a new generation of modern, green and healthy work and living space in the heart of London. Robin Aves, Divisional Director at TClarke, says, “What a pleasure it was to work with FHP again on Bankside Yards following on from our previous successful projects. The relationship between us goes from strength to strength as the understanding of their designers of our requirements for an installation approach. “FHP carried out the full coordination of the mechanical, electrical and ELVS packages on Bankside Yards and we look forward to working with the in the future on a number of varied projects within our business.”

BGEN celebrates record year following rebrand

BGEN is celebrating a record year following the company’s rebrand and has outlined ambitious targets for the year ahead. In the last financial year, turnover increased by more than 50% to £191m and the company has also reported a significant increase in operating profits. “We’ve had an excellent year across the board, with significant growth achieved by our specialist pharmaceutical (BES) and food businesses (BFP),” says John Sugden, Executive Chair at BGEN. “While the next 12 months will remain a challenge in terms of the economic climate and industry-wide talent shortage, we’re confident we’ll deliver against our planned people, performance and planet objectives. We have a strong order book for the year ahead and a great senior management team in place.” In 2022 BGEN secured contracts with several blue-chip organisations in sectors such as clean energy, food, heavy-industry and pharmaceutical, and successfully tendered and won 12 strategic utility agreements, including two new awards for National Grid. The company also expanded its sustainability and net zero service offering and strengthened its technology division through the acquisition of Radway Control Systems. The year ahead will see BGEN continue a major recruitment drive, looking to expand its workforce from 1,000 to more than 1,300 employees, as the company looks to service its existing client base and expand into new sectors. The company is looking to recruit a range of positions, including mechanical and electrical engineers, as well as several roles to support its fast-growing sustainability practice, with a number of apprenticeship and graduate opportunities available across the business. 2023 will also see the company focus on delivering against ambitious DEI and net zero targets. For example, this will see the company build on its recent commitment to recruit, retain and support more female employees, and continue its journey to achieving net zero emissions by 2035 at the latest. “First and foremost, I’d like to thank all employees and clients in helping us to achieve a record year,” says Robin Whitehead, Chief Executive Officer at BGEN. “We’re making good progress against our mission to be recognised as an independent market leader in the provision of world class multi-disciplinary engineering solutions for UK and international organisations.”  

The importance of skilled workers in a net zero world

JTL is raising awareness of the essential role apprenticeships play in achieving net zero, and how that relates to the government’s route out of the cost of living crisis. Both the UK Chancellor’s autumn statement and the Prime Minister’s words at Cop27 have confirmed that net zero is essential to the government’s strategy of revitalising the British economy by becoming a ‘clean energy superpower.’ JTL is reminding the industry that this is a strategy dependent upon a generation of trained apprentices. In order to become a net zero nation, an entirely new skills-based infrastructure must be developed to support it. This is an infrastructure that cannot be created without training providers such as JTL, which deliver industry standard courses to ensure apprentices are ready to meet the net zero requirements of the future. For instance, the current Level 3 Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician Apprenticeship course delivers the Environmental Technologies pathway for learners to skill themselves toward greener technologies. Apprentices that choose this pathway undergo a bespoke training programme accommodating solar thermal, heat pumps, and water recycling systems. JTL’s Level 3 Electrotechnical Standard is also being reviewed to accommodate an introduction of greener pathways, and in January 2023, JTL will be releasing a new course titled the Domestic Electrician Apprenticeship. Specialising exclusively in domestic dwellings, this course prepares learners for modern low-carbon technologies such as solar PV and battery storage systems. Hayley Tabberer, Campaign Manager at JTL, says, “At JTL, we believe that training apprentices in greener technologies can support the country through the development of more efficient energy solutions, new industries, and, with them, a new workforce. “It’s a workforce that JTL feel primed to deliver, one that enables us to prosper in the pursuit of net zero whilst targeting unemployment, achieving energy independence, and contributing to a solution for the cost of living crisis that affect us all.”

Octopus Energy pays £1m to customers through ‘Saving Sessions’

Octopus Energy customers across the country have been paid £1 million for reducing their energy usage during the company’s first four ‘Saving Sessions’. Octopus’ revolutionary energy-saving scheme is enabled by National Grid ESO’s new ‘Demand Flexibility Service’ which allows households to get paid for shifting their energy usage out of peak times. Over a quarter of a million customers took part in each of the hour-long sessions. There have been four sessions in total so far where the National Grid is looking for reduced energy demand to help balance the grid. In total, nearly half a million customers have signed up to the scheme so far and will still have a chance to rake Together, Octopus customers lowered the energy demand on the grid during each of these peak periods by over 100MW - the same amount as a gas power station can produce in an hour. Across all four sessions, customers moved almost 450MWh of energy consumption out of peak times, that’s enough energy to fully charge one smartphone per UK household. Customers saved on average over £4 across the first four sessions, with the top 5% of savers bringing in almost £20. On 12 December, there will be another ‘Saving Session’ for participating Octopus customers, offering them the chance to make money for all the electricity demand they reduce between 5-7PM. Alex Schoch, Head of Flexibility at Octopus Energy Group, comments, “This is a massive milestone - across just four hours, we’ve been able to pay out £1 million to our customers. Normally, this money would have gone to businesses or dirty gas power plants to balance energy demand, instead it’s helping people lower their energy bills this winter. “We are proud to have pioneered this trailblazing scheme, which is paving the way towards a smarter, greener and cheaper grid for all. And we’re glad that other energy suppliers are now getting involved, allowing even more people to grab a bargain and lower bills for everyone.”

ECA’s voice heard on SME payment review

ECA has welcomed the government’s new review of payment practices for SMEs. Announced by Business Minister Grant Shapps on 3 December, the payment and cash flow review will scrutinise existing payment practices and the measures in place to make sure small firms are not let down by their larger clients. The UK has 5.5 million small businesses, which are an integral part of the economy. At time of writing, over £23.4 billion is owed in outstanding invoices to UK businesses. ECA Director of Legal and Business Rob Driscoll says, “We applaud the government’s reassurances and commitment to fairer payment practices for small businesses. The issue of late payment still looms large in the engineering services sector and continues to severely impact our members’ cashflows, not to mention the devastating impact this can have on their mental health. “We also welcome the concept of the Procurement Review Unit to build on the role of the Public Procurement Review Service in investigating procurement and payment abuse in the public sector.” ECA also hailed the strengthening of the UK Procurement Bill, which makes 30-day payment an implied term for most public sector contracts. The Bill is currently being debated in parliament. Ahead of the review, ECA was one of six advisers to the Cabinet Office asked by Baroness Neville-Rolfe to a meeting on the fitness for purpose of the UK Procurement Bill after the recent changes in government. ECA, through its work with industry umbrella body Actuate UK, has been championing SMEs in the construction industry by helping to draft legislation to protect retentions, ensure 30-day payment, and make payment data transparent. A full BEIS consultation document is expected to follow in the coming weeks. The 12-week consultation, forming part of the review, will set out specific proposals on renewal and improvement of these duties.

UK Power Networks issues winter warning to hauliers

The country’s biggest electricity distributor has launched a powerful new winter safety drive aimed at saving the lives of road hauliers. UK Power Networks has joined forces with the Road Haulage Association to promote safe working procedures near overhead power lines and reduce the risk of serious accidents. With the darker winter evenings another potential danger, the company is cautioning that contact with overhead power lines can result in life changing injuries or even death. Powerlines can be harder to spot in poor light conditions. Workers operating tipper trailers, grab lorries or skip hire vehicles must know where the electricity network is before they start work. Distractions, visiting unfamiliar sites, long working days and rushing to get the job done can all impact on safety. The number of incidents involving hauliers has reduced in the past year, but they remain involved in 15% of contact with powerlines in London, the South East and East of England and, unlike the previous 12 months, there was one reported injury. Pete Short, Head of Business Development for the Road Haulage Association, says, “Working around overhead power lines can be extremely hazardous so we encourage operators to make sure their drivers and other relevant colleagues are familiar with this guidance to help keep people safe.” Ros Forbes, a Safety Advisor at UK Power Networks which owns and runs overhead electricity networks across the East and South East of England, says, “Everyday distractions mean it can be easy to lose focus of our environment and the potential hazards around us. “Taking a moment to assess the job we are doing and carry out your own checks can give you that time to step back, re-evaluate and ensure you work safely. We have seen a fall incidents, but we have had a serious injury this year which we didn’t have last year. “We urge hauliers to stay safe by ensuring that mandatory checks for power lines becomes part of their everyday routine when operating vehicles or machinery.” UK Power Networks has issued these guidelines to help keep hauliers working at and visiting sites safe: THINK about the type of work you are doing and consider the height of the equipment and vehicles needed for the job. Do you know the maximum reach of your vehicle when fully extended, does it have the potential to come into contact with overhead powerlines? Always look up and check for powerlines. PLAN every job. Can it be carried out safely? Identify the location of overhead power lines in the vicinity of the work and across entrances and exits. Barriers and warning signs should be used to maintain safe clearances. Can you operate your vehicle safely? Have you been briefed where the overhead powerlines are? LOCATE the electricity network. Look up and around before loading and unloading and check for overhead power lines. If you need to move your vehicle to another area, make sure you check for overhead power lines again. Never raise the bed of a tipper lorry underneath an overhead power line or drive under the line with the body of the vehicle raised. The company is urging everyone to check where the power lines are on work sites, and treat all lines as potentially ‘live’. If there is a potential hazard, everyone working on site must be informed. Hauliers should also add the freephone electricity emergency number 105 to mobiles. If any part of your vehicle touches an overhead powerline... Stay in the cab Call 105 for the electricity company and dial 999 Try to drive clear and warn others to stay clear If you need to get out – jump well clear so that no contact is made between you, the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Never touch the vehicle once you are on the ground Run well clear – using leaping strides Do not return to the vehicle – the wires may re-energise without warning Keep everyone away

Makita celebrates 50 years of UK trading with anniversary promotion

To celebrate a half century in the UK market Makita has launched a special 50th anniversary promotion, offering end users the opportunity to claim free products with the purchase of selected items from its range. With the purchase of either the18V LXT Combi Drill Kit DHP482JX14, or DHP484TJX9, or DHP485TJX8, end users can select either a free USB Adaptor (ADP05) to power mobile devices via their Makita LXT batteries or Makita’s 18V LXT DML186 LED Torch. Alternatively, purchasing one of the 2-Piece Combo Kits with 18v Combi Drill and Jigsaw (either the DLX2202TJ1 or DLX2134TJ) gives the opportunity to choose between a free DAB+ Site Radio (DMR110) or a free 18V LXT 5.0Ah Battery (BL1850B). Makita has also included a free 100-Peice Drill and Screwdriver Bit Set (B-53811) in the promotional offer that can be redeemed with the purchase of the 18V LXT Combi Drill (DHP453F001) or the Brushless Combi Drill (DHP485T001). Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK says, “This has been a very exciting year in celebrating 50 years of successful operation in the UK. To thank our customers, we are delighted to offer a fantastic choice of free products and we have even included some of our most popular LXT products in the promotion.” Makita’s redemption offer is running until 31 March 2023. Customers who have purchased any of the qualifying models from an authorised dealer must register their purchase online within 28 days of making their purchase to claim their free product. On successful application, customers will receive their free gift after 30 days.

Scruffs named Workwear Brand of the Year

Scruffs was recently announced Workwear Brand of the Year at the 2022 On The Tools Awards ceremony at Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham. Scruffs was selected as the winner following an online vote with the seven million-strong On The Tools community. Laura Cansfield, Head of Workwear at Scruffs says, “We are absolutely delighted to have won the ‘Workwear Brand of the Year’ award. Our team at Scruffs is dedicated and passionate about providing our customers with the right workwear, at the right price and the best quality to be able to get the job done. We work hand-in-hand with the trades throughout the product development to ensure every garment brought to market meets its purpose, and we believe this sets us apart from the competition. We are extremely lucky to have a loyal following of customers.” “With the introduction of more technical products (with more in the pipeline – watch this space), and the introduction of the women’s workwear range, we recognise the need to continually move forward with product innovation. The fact that we were selected by the On The Tools community, the very backbone of our trades industry, makes us not only immensely proud, but also solidifies the fact we can continue to grow with the industry and give the trades exactly what they need!” Eighteen awards were given out during the night, ranging from Apprentice of the Year to a Special Recognition, as well as Plasterer of the Year award for Naima Ben-Moussa, a plasterer dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic abuse by repairing damage to homes through her charity Rebuilding Lives. Designed to recognise both individuals and leading brands, the award recipients were determined by a panel of industry judges and an online public vote.