Structural Specialist of the Year

Winner

SH Structures

Complex steel structures are meat and drink to SH Structures, as clients found to their great satisfaction on some very striking looking projects, including Heathrow T5 and the Royal Air Force Museum at Cosford. The company forged an edge over competitors by developing close and ongoing relationships with specialist contractors in the fields of tensile fabric, ETFE foil, structural glazing, GRP and timber. This holistic approach allowed it to handle interfaces all the more successfully, and provide clients with the confidence in the design development of their projects. The RAF Museum was a prime example of how SH Structures worked to reduce both construction costs and the programme itself. Site induction and safety for its staff was enhanced considerably by the introduction of a 3-d walk-through of the structure before erection of the project.

Runners-up

Britspace

Britspace’s steel-frame modular system has been in big demand this past year – turnover has increased 65% to £24 million. Its work on the Docklands Light Railway showcased Britspace’s skill set – the full turnkey project required delivery of a three-storey high-spec office building on a very constrained site adjacent to a railway depot, which was completed in just 30 weeks. The Home Office was also impressed when Britspace developed a new steel-frame solution for new prison building.

Caledonian Building Systems

Delivering the tallest modular building in the UK – Berkeley First’s project in west London for Thames University – was Caledonian’s main claim to fame this year. The four buildings provided accommodation for 1,000 students and were put up in 21 months thanks to Caledonian’s design and project management skills. Its business skills also shone out: turnover for the year rose 10% but profits were up even higher, by 25%.

Clan

Repeat business accounts for 75% of Clan’s order book, a tribute it believes to its “problem solving” approach at pre-tender stage. Recognising the importance of partnering, it has long-established relations with preferred suppliers and other specialist contractors. Specialising in brick, stone and concrete repair, the company’s £750,000 brick and stonework contract for Kier’s project at Bluecoat Chambers in Liverpool was the year’s highlight.

Concrete Repairs Limited

CRL uses its 50-years-plus track record in repairing concrete structures to win plum jobs like the Gatwick multi-storey carpark refurb and then carry them out to full client satisfaction. Committed to sustainability and technical innovation, CRL drove sales up by 12% this year and profits by a whopping 320%.

Structherm

Strong commitment to partnering, sustainability and health and safety training mean that Structherm and its Fastbuild system continue to be in demand 25 years after its formation. Recent improvements to the pre-fabricated concrete panel system, such as pre-formed window panels and large party wall panels, secured it numerous projects this year, including two big hotels in Barnsley and Newcastle. Turnover was up nearly 50% to over £8 million and customer satisfaction hit new highs.