This month, our regional spotlight feature falls on the work of the ECA and its members in the association’s biggest region – the North West.

Northern exposure

The North West is awash with major construction and redevelopment projects at present, which makes this an exciting and important time for the region’s contractors.

About £920 million is being spent on Liverpool’s Paradise Project alone, in preparation for the city’s Capital of Culture year in 2008, which involves a total building spend of £3 billion.

The regeneration work involved in developing around 40 acres of land has resulted in the creation of more than 3000 building jobs. This has given both locally based national contractors and regional independents a real boost.

In north Wales, cranes have become a common sight around the Wrexham area as the town continues to evolve. The £95 million Eagles Meadow project, which involves leisure, retail and residential, is creating opportunities for contractors.

Not only does it offer direct employment on this contract, it also acts as a spring on other projects coming to the area as a result of this major scheme.

The regeneration trend has also hit Manchester and Lancashire, with projects ranging from public works such as healthcare and council facilities to property schemes and corporate construction.

Anticipation of electrical works required in relation to the BBC’s arrival in Manchester is high, not only in terms of media city, but also on the domestic front, as property developers make sure they have the apartments and city pads to attract young business professionals.

Keeping with the domestic market, another major issue has also been Part P.

North West contractors were quick to meet the challenge of becoming Part P certified, a process now facing contractors operating on the Isle of Man as the regulation came into force there in July.

The ECA is working closely with the Isle of Man’s Department of Local Government & Environment to encourage certification and raise awareness of the regulation’s main components.

A tall storey

Rotary (North West), a member of the Rotary Group, one of the largest privately owned m&e contractors in Europe, was responsible for £14 million worth of installation work on Manchester’s newest landmark, the Beetham Tower.

Eight storeys taller than its 40-storey predecessor in Birmingham, a project also delivered by Rotary, the Beetham Tower stands at an impressive 168 m, making it the tallest building outside London.

The building’s impressive living quarters above the Hilton Hotel also makes it the UK’s tallest residential structure.
The tower is served by two plant rooms on the third and 24th floors. Rotary used a state-of-the-art cooling system. It also supplied a high-tech lighting control system, used to dramatic effect in the ballroom.

The project is one of several high profile and complex m&e contracts won and completed by Rotary across the North West, including the Unity Building in Liverpool, Three Hardman Square and the Manchester Joint Hospitals Project.

The full treatment

Another major m&e contractor, NG Bailey, is currently involved in significant redevelopment work for two Merseyside hospitals, St Helen’s and Whiston. The contract is worth in excess of £120 million, and the total project is worth about £430 million.

Working in conjunction with the New Hospitals Consortium of Innisfree and Taylor Woodrow Construction, NG Bailey is providing a full range of mechanical, electrical and communications services.

The project involves the development of 120 000 m2 of accommodation, including 7500 rooms, more than 500 patient rooms, 18 theatre suites, a specialist burns and plastics unit and women’s and children’s facilities.

As with the Beetham Tower, this project involves much off-site manufacture. NG Bailey will provide around £6 million worth of prefabricated m&e service modules, including 200 large modules for hospital corridors. These consist of ductwork, pipework, medical gases and electrical containment.

Heart of glass

St Helens-based ECA member Cross Services Engineering (CSEL) has upgraded and enhanced the electrical and mechanical control systems that form the nerve centre of the Pilkington Group’s float-glass furnace at Cowley Hill.

CSEL stripped out the existing PLC control systems at Pilkington’s St Helens site, before building and fitting 20 control panels. These panels allow the operation of thermocouple controls, which are used to adjust temperatures at various stages in the float-glass manufacturing process.

CSEL’s project manager David Howie comments: “The electrical engineering phase was central to the overall success of this project. Cross has worked with the Pilkington Group and other consortium contractors to deliver a powerful, sophisticated and reliable system.
“Built to specification and successfully integrated with the furnace’s existing computer controls, it helps maintain Pilkington’s productivity at the site.”

As part of the project, CSEL also installed more than 1600 precalibrated and calibrated instruments, including actuated air valves and pressure differential valves, which are crucial to the safe management of the furnace’s gas control system.

Following the 12-week project, CSEL also continued to provide onsite technical support in order to ensure a smooth transition to full furnace operation.

CSEL has a proven track record in large-scale industrial projects, of which the float-glass furnace refurbishment is an impressive example. The new systems and maintenance measures installed by CSEL will enable the Pilkington Group to benefit from continued use of the Cowley Hill furnace for a long time to come.

The big 60

Eric Johnson of Northwich celebrated its status as one of Cheshire’s oldest family-run businesses earlier this year with a diamond jubilee gala ball that raised more than £3000 for local charities.

Founded by Eric Johnson in 1946, the company is presently run by his son Ian and directors.

In the past 12 months the firm has undertaken major electrical installations including the refurbishment of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club and more than 800 properties for the Weaverdale Housing Trust.

The firm provided services for Maes Garmon High School. These won the Constructing Excellence in Wales Integration & Collaboration Working Award.

Director Diane Johnson has also been in the spotlight, after giving evidence to the education and skills select committee on post-16 training.

It’s a subject the company knows a great deal about. It has trained over 300 apprentices during its 60 years in business.

Branching out

Unlike any other ECA region, the North West spans the borders of two countries, England and Wales. Touching Aberystwyth at its most southerly point up to Carlisle in Cumbria, the region is by far the ECA’s biggest, with more than 600 members.

One of the key factors behind such healthy membership levels is the region's active branch network. Manchester, Carlisle, Central Lancashire, North Lakes & South Lancashire, Liverpool & District and Fylde Branches all meet regularly, as do the two Liverpool sub-branches, which are in north Wales and on the Isle of Man.

Regional manager Tony Cooke has run the North West’s head office in Lymm for nine years, in which time he has seen membership levels more than double.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor