Toolstation locates the nation's top trade heroes

Toolstation, Britain’s fastest growing suppliers of tools, accessories and building supplies, launched a competition from 31st March – 29th April, to locate the nation’s unsung heroes and give tradespeople back the ‘credit’ they deserve, both through recognition and with up to £5,000 worth of prizes. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, tradespeople continued to provide essential services and kept Brits safe and comfortable. This competition is to show recognition of their incredible support. After a month of over 130 entries from across the country, Toolstation has shortlisted ten tradespeople who has gone above and beyond, whether that is through helping the community or going the extra mile in their working lives. Prizes for the winner includes £3,000 worth of DeWalt products – ranging from tools and accessories, and £2,000 credit if they are already a Toolstation Trade Credit Account holder. There will also be two runners up prizes of £1,000 of DeWalt kit with an extra £500 to Trade Credit Account holders, and a £50 voucher to the top ten who were shortlisted. The ten final submissions are now being judged by a Toolstation panel of the Senior Management team. The winners are to be decided and announced over the coming weeks. The ten finalists include: Hayden Lamb, Carpenter from Bradford Hayden has gone out of his way to help others in the pandemic, being on call for the elderly and vulnerable when they have a home emergency, repairing household objects in people's homes while they could not get replacements due to the pandemic and all the while ensuring the health and safety of others through social distancing measures. He often works 7 days a week to ensure all his customers are happy and catered for, meanwhile picking up shopping for his elderly grandparents who are shielding and taking them to their appointments. Paul Davis, Plumber from Bradford Paul was a constant presence in his local area of Bradford, helping friends, family, and neighbours with multiple different tasks throughout the pandemic whilst they were not able to leave their homes due to shielding. This includes getting groceries, fixing a tap, and even installing a bathroom for a local elderly couple. He has carried out emergency plumbing repairs for vulnerable people 24 hrs a day throughout the pandemic without charging a fee for any of those who could not afford it during these tough times. Tony Thompson, Builder from Manchester Tony supported an elderly resident in his local town in Manchester after she was scammed and charged thousands of pounds for work on her house that she did not need. Upon finding out, Tony went to this lady’s house and fixed the extensive damage to the roof caused by the scam artists and did so without charge. He was constantly supportive through the police process and still regularly checks in on her. Tony also supported an elderly neighbour with maintenance work on their property which they struggled to maintain. Anthony Jones, Builder from Feltham Anthony performed a selfless act for a local resident in October last year, whose family were scammed by a building firm during home renovation. With the family on the brink of bankruptcy, Anthony decided to take control of the building, bought in his work colleagues from the building trades and re-built the home completely free of charge. He visits the resident daily and works on the house most evenings, taking days off work to ensure the job was complete. Ryan Maynard, Dental Engineer from Aylesbury Since the beginning of lockdown in March 2020, Ryan has been out working to help keep NHS dental practices within the Aylesbury region open for patients with urgent appointments. He has worked through most days of the lockdown, including a 23-hour shift fitting air filtration systems. On top of this Ryan has been going through the stages of adopting a 2-year-old daughter which he is now in the final stages of completing. Phil Sayer, Builder from Hessle Phil has been working in the Hessle area throughout the whole pandemic, helping support and refurbish houses for domestic violence victims. He personally donates household furniture and helps these individual women in need to support them in getting back on their feet and starting a new life. He works with multiple charities to ensure these victims take a step in the right direction. Malcolm Arkell, Electrician from Chester Malcolm has spent the past six years volunteering at a children’s hospice in Birmingham on an ad hoc basis, helping with all the crucial DIY jobs including electrical work and painting. He has continued this volunteering throughout lockdown. During such a tough period for the hospitality sector, Malcolm also helped re-build his niece’s café to ensure they could perform deliveries and survive throughout the year, which included fitting the electrics, painting, tiling, and fitting the kitchen, all free of charge. At his work he helps mentor and train new apprentices out of his own personal time, to ensure the nation receives a new generation of tradespeople. Gordon Clark, Landscaper from Doncaster Gordon has been helping his local community in Doncaster over lockdown by removing the content of the local green waste bins when the local councils had to hold on collections. He has also spent his time checking on the elderly residents of his local area during lockdown, with support from his partner who would make up flower baskets as a surprise gift to share, and visited homeless shelters with food packages and basic toiletries to help them survive. Christopher Norfolk, Roofer from Hertfordshire Chris has continued to work throughout the pandemic in the Hertfordshire region, as well as being a valuable member of Band of Builders charity, which aims to help members of the construction industry when times get tough, whether that is through hands-on projects, advice, and support. Chris has been on hand to offer support and advice and encourage his fellow colleagues to talk about mental health with members of the charity.

Scolmore Group joins IET as its 150th enterprise partner

Scolmore Group is delighted to have been accepted by the IET (Institute of Engineering Technology) as its latest Enterprise Partner. This makes Scolmore the 150th company to join the organisation in the year that the IET is celebrating its 150th anniversary. With more than 160,000 members worldwide in 150 countries, the IET is the UK’s largest professional engineering institution that offers Professional Registration by the Engineering Council. The IET offers support for industry and its members across six key sectors: Transport; Healthcare; Design & Manufacturing; Energy; Digital; Built Environment. Its mission is to inspire, inform and influence the global engineering community, supporting technology innovation to meet the needs of society. Launched in 2016, the IET Enterprise Partner initiative provides development for engineers in SMEs and exposure for SME businesses. The initiative is available to UK-based SMEs who commit to fund 15 new IET memberships at the beginning of the partnership and renew on an annual basis. Recognising the value that this association will provide, Scolmore has put forward 15 candidates for development. By becoming an Enterprise Partner Scolmore is able to: access a wide range of professional development solutions increase its profile in the IET engineering community develop staff technical knowledge network and share ideas with other IET partners Jake Godfrey, IET Partnership Account Manager says: “It’s a fantastic achievement for an organisation like Scolmore Group to continue supporting professional development for its staff members in the most challenging of times. Their commitment to keep driving high standards is an example to the Engineering & Technology industry and I am delighted that Scolmore Group became the 150th Enterprise Partner in a special year where IET celebrates its 150th anniversary. I very much look forward to working with Scolmore Group and sharing future collaboration opportunities.” Darren Staniforth, head of technical engagement with Scolmore Group comments: “It’s fantastic that Scolmore has been chosen to partner. Training and development continues to be a crucial element of our overall business strategy. I’m sure this joint initiative will bring long-standing benefits to our employees on an individual level and to the organisation as a whole in helping us to keep up-to-date with the very latest developments in technology and sharing good practice.”

These are tradesmen turned influencers, making money from TikTok

A new study from Bionic has found that tradespeople and small business owners could be using TikTok to make up to £11k per post and more than £1m per year. The hashtag ‘#smallbusinessowner’ has over 875 million views on TikTok. But which independent traders and small business owners are making the most out of the social app, to boost their business? The Pool Guy is the UK tradie making the most out of TikTok The UK’s @thep00lguy is one of the biggest ‘tradie’ influencers on TikTok, now even sporting a blue verification tick on his profile. Amassing a huge 7.9 million followers and over 132 million likes he has captivated TikTokkers through his candid videos of cleaning Britain’s pools. One of his most recent videos has 153k likes alone. At the top of our list, this influencer could be looking at potential earnings of £11k per post, amounting in over an estimated £1m per year through sponsorship deals. RANKED: The top 10 TikTok tradies and how much they make*  Rank Country User handle SME Followers Likes Potential earnings per year Potential earnings per post 1 UK @thep00lguy Pool cleaning 7,900,000 132,900,000 £1,342,440 £11,187 2 CA @girlwithedogs Dog Grooming 3,300,000 100,500,000 £464,280 £3,869 3 UK @paint_warrior Painter 496,900 14,100,00 £84,240 £702 4 UK @browniegod Baking 398,700 8,100,000 £27,533 £229 5 UK @astarbarbers Barber 145,900 1,700,000 £25,080 £209 6 USA @ardentcandle Candle making 271,600 3,100,000 £18,773 £156 7 USA @lindydenny Construction 69,300 1,300,000 £12,000 £100 8 AUS @windowtok Window cleaning 122,900 2,300,000 £8,492 £71 9 USA @ctx_roofing Roofing 93,500 1,100,000 £6,456 £54 10 UK @pink_plumbing_hjs Plumbing 31,100 136,800 £1,726 £47   The expert’s 4 step guide to using TikTok for your trade The business comparison experts at Bionic have also pulled together their top tips on how small business owners could make the most out of the social platform to increase their customer base and raise brand awareness. Step 1: Do your research and use trending hashtags TikTok is already brimming with trends and hashtags just waiting for SMEs to mimic and put their own spin on. It’s worth spending some time researching different hashtags to see which trends you can jump on. You’ll also get a better understanding of which hashtags to use in your own videos to help the TikTok community find your content. Use the ‘discover’ feature to kick start your research. Step 2: Create your own authentic content - it doesn’t need to be expertly filmed TikTok is a place for everyone to share snippets of their life which means videos are usually filmed on smartphones - and spontaneously - you don’t need fancy equipment. Remember, be authentic and keep it light. TikTok is the home of entertainment so experiment with what you share and give your audience fun ‘behind the scenes’ clips to showcase your brand's organic personality to connect with your audience. Lastly, take vertical videos so they’re the right format for the app and use the function to add music or trending TikTok songs. Step 2: Step 3: Advertise on TikTok but don’t forget about UGC Like all social media platforms, TikTok does allow you to advertise your brand. You can do this via native ads, branded takeovers or sponsored hashtag challenges where your brand's sets a challenge for the TikTok community. However, don’t forget the power of user generated content (UGC). UGC allows users to take your brand and hashtag it on their videos, for example, new shoe releases by Nike often garner this type of activity. #Step 4: Find influencers who fit with your brand and create relationships Influencers are everywhere and like our study shows, in every industry. The key to influencer marketing is finding influencers who are relevant to your brand and really fit with your values. For example, if you’re a construction business owner, you’ll want to find influencers like the @paint_warrior who can demonstrate painting on different builds. They will expect repatriation but in return they may talk about your product to their followers and link to your brand. Remember - don’t try to make a hard sell TikTok’s content is truly organic so any ads or marketing you do need to fit with that native style or users will feel annoyed. Glyn Britton, Chief Customer Officer at the business comparison expert Bionic, adds: “Social media, particularly TikTok, can be such an impressive tool for small businesses to use. It allows them to share genuine footage of their day to day processes and jobs - giving people a glimpse ‘behind the scenes’ that they wouldn’t usually get a chance to experience. But it’s not just about sharing videos. As our study shows, it also allows loads of SME owners and trade workers to really get their brand out there and showcase their hard work by building a community of followers. The nature of TikTok also means that no one is expecting expertly filmed and edited footage. Much of the video content we can see being created now is roughly filmed on smartphones by people with no formal social media experience. However, the authenticity, personality and craftsmanship being showcased is why the public readily engage time and time again. TikTok costs nothing to set up and, if used creatively, can become a lead generator and extra stream of income for SMEs.”

New e-bike charging station answers boom in UK electric bike sales

A European enclosure manufacturer has released a complete electric bicycle charging station for commercial and municipal locations. The release comes in response to the massive increase in e-bike sales. Spelsberg’s charging stations incorporate a choice of the most commonly used e-bike connector systems and four charging points, protected within an all-weather enclosure for outside or indoor installation. The BCS (bike charging stations) has been released in response to the boom in sales of electric bikes and scooters in the UK. In September 2020, The Guardian reported a tripling of UK e-bike sales throughout the summer with electric bikes making one-in-three of all adult bike sales at Halfords. Domestic charging stations currently form the majority of the UK pool but demand is rapidly increasing across council-run public areas as well as public transport stations, businesses, chain stores, tourism and hospitality venues. Europe has already seen the widespread introduction of e-bike charging stations as reports estimate that by 2027 every second bicycle sold on the continent will have an electric motor. Spelsberg’s e-bike charging station operates with the common Shimano or Bosch charging systems and is complete with a 2-5 metre charging cable, meaning that the e-bike user doesn’t have to carry their own charging device. The Smart version of the BCS also includes an app which can locate users to the nearest BCS station. The charging station features protection from the elements up to IP54, meaning that dust and physical particles can’t penetrate, as well as protection from water splash. The station is robust and meets IK08, one of the highest industrial levels of impact resistance, meaning protection from strong forces and shocks. The system can also operate in extreme temperatures down to as low as -25 degrees centigrade and as high as +40 degrees centigrade. The Smart BCS can be managed remotely via an online portal which displays when maintenance is required, and it can also be used to activate or deactivate a charging station. The management portal also provide metrics on usage and user behaviour. “The growth in electric bikes was already strong over the past two years, but this year’s COVID restrictions combined with public initiatives to encourage cycling has dramatically expanded the e-bike market,” says Chris Lloyd, Spelsberg’s Managing Director. “Electric power assistance makes cycling even more accessible to a wider audience but despite the sales boom in electric bikes, the infrastructure isn’t yet able to cope with demand. Public and commercial charging stations are needed and Spelsberg’s BCS units enables this with safe and easy charging.” Electric bicycles include a rechargeable battery to power an electric motor. The motor is used in combination with pedalling, making cycling easier and faster for longer

ESP invests in warehouse and operations to meet demand

ESP has been experiencing a strong sales demand across all of its product ranges – CCTV, access control, fire protection, emergency lighting and the Sangamo heating and timer controls. As the company continues to grow, this has led to the investment in the operational aspects of the business to ensure that demand is met and that the company can continue to interact with its wholesale customers on site under safe conditions. As well as the expansion of the warehouse capacity to meet growing demand for products, there has been reconfiguring of the space to maximise the operational facilities. The picking and packing area has been relocated, new workstations installed and equipment, including scanning guns, upgraded to accelerate the picking process. A specially designed kitchen has been built to provide a modern rest area for staff. ESP has also created a spacious, purpose-built collection point at the front of the premises to provide a dedicated area for customers to pick up orders. New signage has also been installed at the 20,000 sq. ft premises to provide clear direction around the site. Neil Baldwin, managing director comments: “As the business continues to experience strong sales growth it is important that we invest in the operational facilities that enable us to service our customers, and the staff who serve them, to the very highest standard. This latest investment to increase our warehouse capacity and its functionality has set us up to meet further demand as the company continues to thrive.”

New Priva white paper is a call to action for healthier workspaces

The launch of a major white paper says boosting workplace health is a wise move “ethically, practically and financially”. Published by building automation company Priva, the document explores some of the practical ways in which this can be achieved, and the long-term benefits for businesses and their staff.  The white paper, which is entitled 'Healthy Buildings: Why now is the time to invest in building management technologies' will be of interest to built environment professionals right across the supply chain from FMs to property owners and commercial landlords as well as C-suite executives and Human Resources / People & Performance teams.   A raft of timely topics are covered including: the value of healthy buildings for employers, landlords and investors; air quality and the impact of CO2; the role of building management technologies in delivering workplace wellbeing; and the drivers for change in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. An overview of the leading healthy buildings certification schemes – including WELL, RESET and BREEAM is also covered.   Priva says its white paper was borne out of a need to address the needs of an emergence of a new generation of architects who favour different materials and a greater reliance on natural light and more effective ventilation. This has prompted deeper thinking about the ways in which workplaces can more closely complement the needs of their occupants.   Preparing for new challenges   “If you had the ability to travel back in time fifteen years, you would find plenty of evidence that the debate around modern workplaces was beginning to evolve,” says Gavin Holvey Priva & Ireland’s UK General Manager, commenting on the publication of the paper. “Where ideas of functionality had once dominated, questions of form were now being viewed as equally important.”  “New technologies have been a great enabler here: from programmable heating and lighting systems to overall building management platforms, it has become significantly easier to maintain comfortable working conditions. The rise of cloud technologies has also been important as it has allowed systems to be maintained and modified from afar.   “Our white paper is an important document as it addresses all of these points – and more. Never has there been a time for a greater shift in thinking about the ways we can use technology to make workplaces environments which are not only fit for purpose, but are ‘COVID-safe’, comfortable places to work where people can thrive and prosper,” concludes Gavin Holvey. 

myenergi charges up at the UK's most sustainable property development

Springfield Meadows, a climate-positive, net-zero development of 25 homes in Southmoor, Oxfordshire, is set to benefit from the installation of zappi EV chargers. The units are manufactured by myenergi, designer of the world’s first renewable energy-compatible EV charging point. Interest has been fantastic and the highly sought-after development has only a couple of houses left to sell. Each of the 25 homes are built to Passive house standards, achieving net zero energy and going beyond net zero carbon to become climate positive. This means that more than the total embodied carbon used to manufacture and build each house has been effectively offset. Ssassy Property’s build partner, Greencore Construction, uses the Biond build system. This is an off-site manufactured, closed panel timber frame construction, insulated with lime hemp and natural fibre insulation to offset carbon. Families purchasing a property are encouraged to forego a second car and instead participate in the site’s groundbreaking electric car club. The club will provide residents with access to two fully-electric Nissan Leaf EVs, via a leasing arrangement with Gridserve, which will be charged with 100% renewable energy via the myenergi zappi units. James Pritchett, Associate at developer Ssassy Property, comments: “We’re pleased to be able to offer zappi EV charging points at Springfield Meadows. This is a ground-breaking housing development and the most sustainable in the UK. The vision of myenergi has helped us to offer a net-zero carbon transport approach and we’re one of the first companies to offer this.” Jordan Brompton, co-founder and CMO of myenergi, says: “We’re thrilled to be involved with the Springfield Meadows development. The site is truly visionary, forward-thinking and exactly where we, as a society, need to be headed in terms of new housing stock. “It is a privilege to be working with the Ssassy team and providing zero-carbon charging to users of the electric car club. It’s the perfect example of how innovative thinking can further reduce our impact on the environment.”

Demonstrate your skills digitally with new CPD capture system

The Electrotechnical Certification Scheme has announced the launch of a new Continued Professional Development (CPD) digital system, which it believes will play a key role in helping better identify and monitor ongoing competence standards throughout the industry. The new system is expected to go live in July 2021 and there will be further updates on its progress. CPD offers all card holders a free online portfolio, so you can easily save evidence of your skills and knowledge, which helps aid personal development and continuous improvement. ECS card holders will initially be able to keep their CPD status up to date through the MyECS section on the ECS website. This will be rolled-out to other services such as the MyECS App and for employers to manage on behalf of their workforce through the Employer Portal later this year. This new CPD recording system will allow card holders to use their MyECS account as their record for all relevant qualifications, certificates, professional memberships and accreditations as well as other types of CPD such as inductions, toolbox talks or in house training, development, and lifelong learning. For many years ECS has recognised CPD in the form of qualifications, assessment and professional membership on the physical ECS card, but the expansion of the virtual ECS card means this scheme can now record and verify more in terms of both the type of and number of CPD activities completed by operatives. Ongoing learning and development are a crucial part of verifying competence, and this is why CPD is already part of the Registered Electrician Code of Professional Practice. Since the tragedy of Grenfell Tower in June 2017, work has been ongoing to raise standards across the built environment. Later the same year, ECS introduced ‘Registered Electrician’ status for gold card holders as a way to recognise those electricians who are not only qualified to the occupational standard as an Installation or Maintenance Electrician, but also agreed to keep up to date with CPD, such as the latest edition of the IET Wiring Regulations (BS7671) for electrical installation and a Code of Professional Practice. ECS was highlighted as an exemplar of a scheme which could be utilised for identifying and verifying competence standards in Dame Judith Hackett’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. This latest development will help to enhance and promote all ECS card holders’ high skills and knowledge in the electrotechnical sector. A further commitment to individual qualifications and certification schemes was demonstrated in the publication of the ‘Setting the Bar’ report by industry partners and organisations last year looking at building a safer future, which proposed an overarching system of competence, including CPD refresher training and maintenance of individual skills. Ensuring the skills, knowledge and experience of the individual through CSCS and Partner Scheme, such as ECS, is an important element of this competence framework in ensuring the person has been trained and assessed to the relevant industry standard and that the card holder keeps up to date with the relevant requirements for their role. Jay Parmar, CEO of the Joint Industry Board (JIB), explains: “This positive development helps us ensure that the digital system will recognise a whole variety of CPD activities undertaken by card holders within their virtual My ECS account. This will help to bolster the ability for employers and clients to quickly identify achievements and certifications on individuals through one system recognised UK-wide for site access and competence verification. This will be crucial for those projects in scope of the Building Safety Bill, particularly with regards to fire safety knowledge in buildings, and builds on the fantastic work of the JIB to develop online portal systems for employers and clients, giving them the most up to date information on the workforce skills composition, such as through ECS Check. This CPD system helps take the ECS scheme forward by adding value to our card holders, employers and clients alike.” Once the system is live, ECS card holders should login to their MyECS Portal to view their CPD record and start to log their activities, upload or have verified any new technical certificates and update their card as necessary.

Retrofit lighting key to helping local authorities reduce carbon emissions

An independent lighting manufacturer says retrofitting outdated lighting systems will be key to improving energy use across the public sector, as more local authorities commit to beefing up their net zero plans. UK100, a network for UK locally elected leaders, recently announced that nearly 60 local authorities, representing 35% of the UK population, had committed to meeting net zero at least five years earlier than central government. Tamlite’s Head of Market Intelligence Colin Lawson says that whilst innovative technologies are quite rightly at the forefront of plans to achieve these ambitious targets, with 404 local authorities in the UK, more can be done, and there are simple and cost-effective measures that can be introduced by public sector organisations. Indeed, he believes many have forgotten the impact lighting can have on reducing carbon emissions and cutting energy bills. By replacing outdated lighting systems, coupled with intelligent control systems, it will help the public sector make their buildings more efficient. He comments: “Local authority leaders are showing real commitment to achieving net zero targets ahead of 2050. And whilst many are looking towards new technologies as the core of their decarbonisation plans, we cannot forget the simple steps that can be taken to make sure carbon reduction targets are met. “Lighting is a huge source of energy consumption in the public sector, and small changes can make a big difference. Replacing outdated lighting with modern LED systems can effectively reduce energy use and carbon emissions. Such retrofitting upgrades are easy to do and should be seen as the key component of the Government’s green strategy allowing public sector organisations to make a long-term commitment to net zero carbon emissions.”

SECTT highlights the importance of apprenticeships

The Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust marked its recent AGM with a new team at the top and a ringing affirmation of the vital importance of apprenticeships to the future of the electrical contracting industry in Scotland. The annual meeting of the proactive training provider elected Scott Foley, Regional Officer at Unite the Union, as its new Chair, with John Noble, Managing Director of John Noble Electrical Contractors elected as Vice-Chair. Mr Foley says: “I am extremely honoured to take the Chair and will endeavour to devote my best efforts to reinforcing the benefits of modern apprenticeships. “SECTT has a vital role to play in bringing on the talent we need to ensure the viability of the industry in the future, and it is particularly encouraging that 500 apprentices were taken on in 2020-21 despite the ravages of the pandemic. Great thanks are due to employers for their unwavering support and their continued faith in today’s young people. “If we want young people to be the professionals, we would like them to be, we have to give them the tools to do the job, and SECTT has demonstrated over the years that it is uniquely positioned to deliver on that front.” The meeting, which was held virtually on May 26, was also attended by Anne Galbraith, SECTT CEO, Gillian Proudfoot, SECTT Finance and Office Manager and all six SECTT trustees – three from Unite and three employers. Jamie Davidson, Partner at Henderson Loggie, also presented the 2020 accounts and audit findings. Afterwards, Ms Galbraith comments: “Apprenticeships are more important than ever and we have demonstrated that FICA is the industry standard required to become an electrician. The course programme is exciting, dynamic and interactive and embraces the new and emerging technologies which will play an important part of the Scottish Government’s green agenda. “Every aspect of being an electrician is safety critical and the FICA is now rightly regarded as a badge of honour. The SJIB Grade Card also gives customers the confidence that the electrician has been fully and comprehensively trained. “Passing the FICA is a step on the journey, with more learning to do on the job. But it is also the necessary stepping stone to a longer and more rewarding journey – a fulfilling, long-term career as a professional electrician.” SECTT was established in 1990 by SELECT and Unite the Union to manage the SJIB Training Scheme and today runs the only industry approved training scheme for electrical apprenticeships in Scotland, managing apprentices throughout their training from the first day at college to becoming a qualified electrician, and beyond. During the pandemic it offered an employment lifeline to apprentices made redundant by the fallout from COVID-19 and loaned computers to electrical apprentices and trainees to allow them to continue their studies remotely. Along with the SJIB, it also stressed the importance of preparing the next generation of electricians through the Pre-apprenticeship Programme to provide a succession of confident and well-equipped apprentices to help rebuild the post-COVID landscape.