Britplas take BIM to the next level

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Britplas are proud to announce that we are the first subcontractor in the UK to achieve BIM Level 2 accreditation with Lloyds Register EMEA (LR).

Attaining Level 2 shows Britplas’ commitment to becoming a fully BIM compliant company, along with the advantages that this brings for both our clients and partners. Building Information Modelling (BIM) involves digitally constructing a facility before it is built. The process allows for greater project collaboration, and can bring significant efficiencies in information exchange, training processes and risk mitigation.

Britplas have completed several projects using BIM Level 2, including Project Capella, a new state of the art laboratory building at Cambridge University.

At the core of BIM Level 2 is compliance with the standard PAS 1192. The Lloyds accreditation goes beyond this, however, and also introduces business best practice principles into the scope of assessment.

Areas which Lloyds assessed within the company include

  • advanced 3D modelling tools;
  • appropriate standards
  • methods;
  • procedures;
  • skills;
  • competencies; and
  • infrastructures

Our in-house design and health and safety teams worked closely with Lloyds to ensure that we continue to be compatible with the very latest our industry has to offer. “It’s been a pleasure to work with Stuart Duncan and the team at Britplas on their BIM journey” said Andrew Carter, Lead BIM Assessor (LR).

Presenting their BIM certificate Karl Miller, Utilities Manager (LR) said “We’re seeing a more diverse range of companies now achieving BIM Level 2 accreditation. As a commercial glazing specialist Britplas are showing that this accreditation is not just for architects and constructors”.

Britplas chosen for emergency services reshuffle

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Britplas have been appointed to provide the external envelope of Milton Keynes’ new Blue Light Hub. The £14 million development will create a state-of-the-art combined fire, police and ambulance centre to serve as a central command centre, replacing several dispersed services spread through each borough.

The project is being led by Kingerlee Limited who are contracted to complete works on site by August 2019, with Britplas due to start their £2 million external envelope package in late October 2018 and finish late June 2019.

The in-house design team at Britplas worked closely with Kingerlee to create an envelope which worked for the specific needs of this unique building. composite cladding, Schüco FWS 50 curtain walling and Schüco AWS 65 windows/ doors are due to be installed on the landmark project which will form part of a 3 acre site in Thornbury, West Ashland.

As part of the development, services provided by Bletchley and Great Holm Fire stations and Bletchley Police Station will move to the Blue Light Hub.

Two wins for Britplas in Education

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Britplas have recently secured two more schools projects – with the schemes being delivered from two separate Kier Construction regions.

The first is a £34m development at Beaulieu to address the demand for primary and secondary school spaces within the Essex area.

The Beaulieu Park is Essex’s first ‘All Through’ school with the primary phasing opening for reception students in September 2018 with the secondary phase opening in September 2019.

The second is a new build school project again funded by the Department for Education, investing £25m to build the most modern, best equipped Catholic School in London. The scheme includes complete demolition of existing buildings and replacement with two new teaching blocks. New specialist teaching facilities, including seven science labs, large modern sports hall, activity studio, food technology room, art and design facilities, a suite of music rooms and recording studio,  and a fully equipped hall / theatre with raked seating, each designed to meet the latest school ventilation requirements.

Britplas are providing Eurocell Upvc windows designed for Education environments across both schemes, along with aluminium curtain walling from Aluprof and doors from Smart Architectural Aluminium.

Both projects have challenging natural light and ventilation targets to ensure stimulating learning environments and Britplas have been instrumental in achieving this by working closely with Kier and their Design Teams.

Windows are currently being fabricated and installation programs anticipate a phased approach on both projects with Britplas involvement forecast to continue in to 2019.

Tour d’Italia complete!

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Late last night the intrepid 5 completed the 532 mile, 5 day challenge finally finishing on time in Sorrento, Italy.

They had to overcome landslides taking the road away, the searing Italian heat and several punctures – but still managed to complete the challenge late on day 5. The last day also proved to be the toughest with over 6,000 ft. climbed as they summited the spine of the Italian peninsula.

The ride was in aid of Warrington Youth Zone, raising money to mentor the children of drug or alcohol dependent parents, giving them a break from stressful home situations. The total money raised now stand at £3,200 with hundreds more yet to be collected from forms handed out in the local area, watch this space!

The team’s Virgin Money Giving page can be accessed here httpss://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Britplas2018

We’re all immensely proud of what the lads have achieved; all 4 riders and the support driver are now enjoying a well-deserved holiday on the Amalfi Coast.

Follow the fly throughs of each leg below!

Check out Leg 1 Venice to Rimini 120 miles on Relive! httpss://www.relive.cc/view/1469626362

Check out Leg 2 Rimini to Porto Sanpedo on Relive! httpss://www.relive.cc/view/1471556096

Check out Leg 3 Porto Sanpedo to Vasto Marina on Relive! httpss://www.relive.cc/view/1473074171

Check out Leg 4 Vasto to Campbosa (Strava lost GPS👎) on Relive! httpss://www.relive.cc/view/1474630349

Check out Leg 5 Campobasso to Sorrento on Relive! httpss://www.relive.cc/view/1476782343

Britplas on board with Bristol office development

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Britplas have been awarded the contract to provide the vertical exterior facade to a new commercial building at Bristol Business Park.

The package, worth around £1m, is Britplas’ first for main contractor Bowmer and Kirkland and will see them carrying out the design and installation of all external glazing, cladding and doors. The building (no. 100) will provide 86,000 sq. ft. of Grade A offices over 5 floors and is set to become the new headquarters of Babcock International Technology, the UK’s largest maritime support company to the Royal Navy.

Britplas are due on site from May this year, with an eight month programme taking them to the start of 2019. The team will be installing a range of products and systems including Schüco FW 60 SG, Schüco ADS70 manual doors, Schüco ASS70 and Boon Edam Crystal Tourniket manual revolving drum doors.

Bristol Business Park is an established office park situated five miles north of Bristol City Centre with excellent transport links and within easy access of the M32, M4 and M5 Motorways.  Building 100 will be the first of three phases for the 7.3 hectare site, which will eventually total 150,000 sq. ft.

Living our values with a team trip to the rugby

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At Britplas, teamwork is at the very heart of our culture and operations, and we express this through ‘Better together’ – one of the three key themes which sum up our corporate values.

One expression of this theme is our annual programme of staff social events – organised by our people for our people, they provide a perfect opportunity for everyone to get together outside a work environment, meet people from outside their own department and enjoy social interaction away from the pressures of work.

It was perhaps apt then, that the first social of this year involved two of our most famous local teams, with a large Britplas contingent taking in the Super League match between Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors, at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Everyone enjoyed a meal before braving the sub-zero temperatures to watch the Wire beat Wigan 16-10, a scoreline which didn’t reflect Warrington’s dominance throughout. The result, played at the top level of the English Rugby League structure, ended Wigan’s winning start to the season as Warrington deservedly won the local derby.

Having been founded and always based in the Warrington area, Britplas has strong ties to the local community with the majority of staff based nearby and regularly attending games.

Britplas pedallers take on the “Tour d’Italia” for Warrington Youth Zone

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Two staff members from Warrington-based glazing specialist Britplas along with three of their friends are undertaking a mammoth cycling challenge next month to raise funds for Warrington Youth Club’s new Youth Zone.

Britplas employees Martin Finnegan and Terry Reid will be leaving the UK on the 23rd of March to complete a 532 mile bike ride across Italy over 5 days. They aim to raise a total of £5,000 in sponsorship for the new Warrington Youth Zone, of which Britplas is a founder patron.

Lyndsay Darlison from Warrington Youth Zone commented, “We’re thrilled to have such amazing support from the team at Britplas, they are Warrington people working for a Warrington company, raising money to give young people in Warrington a brighter future. With the support of local businesses like Britplas we really can make a difference and ensure young people will always have somewhere to go, something to do, and somebody to talk to”

Warrington Youth Club is currently raising funds to create a new purpose built Youth Zone at Winwick Street, Warrington, which will provide them with a permanent base from which they can continue to provide excellent social and educational opportunities for children and young people from across Warrington.

Martin Finnegan, Britplas’ Special Projects Manager, had this to say: “All the riders are from Warrington and know how much a centre like this would mean to the community. We’ve done a few similar rides like this before, including one across Spain and Portugal in 2016, and we’re delighted to do something similar for this cause.”

The “Tour d’Italia” bike challenge will see the team complete 11,500 feet of climbing over the gruelling 5 day ride. Terry and Martin will be starting in Venice, working their way down the Italian Adriatic coastline before cutting across and finishing on the Amalfi Coast for a well deserved holiday.

The team’s Virgin Money Giving page can be accessed here httpss://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Britplas2018

Britplas start on site at Honeybourne Place

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Britplas are starting work on site at Honeybourne Place, a new £12m office development in the heart of Cheltenham.

The Honeybourne Place façade schedule is due to run until mid-2018, and represents £3.5m to Britplas for the design, manufacture and installation of the majority of the external envelope, a striking glazed façade designed by architects Roberts Limbrick. Located in central Cheltenham, the 60,000 sq. ft. scheme is the first of its type in several years for the Gloucestershire town, with demand for high quality office space outstripping supply.

The initial SFS load bearing sub-structure is being installed prior to the arrival of the first glazed units and cladding next week. When completed, it will feature Schüco FW50+ curtain walling, steel fire resistant screens, finished with a large range of cladding varieties.

Britplas are due to install stone, ceramic, composite, brick slip, aluminium rainscreen, brise soleil and architectural fascias and soffits creating a challenge for our procurement and on-site teams.

Safevent Access now available in uPVC

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2018 looks set to be another year of innovation for Britplas with our latest window model, the Safevent Access, now available in uPVC. Originally developed in aluminium, uPVC prototypes were developed and tested throughout 2017, and the new window is now finalised and in production. Working with our profile suppliers Eurocell, new dies have been cast to ensure that production capacity is able to match demand for the new Safevent Access. The product is already proving of interest to several of our key clients within the mental health sector.

The continuous development of the Safevent aims to ensure that our clients have the most comprehensive range of solutions available to choose from. The Access offers a high degree of flexibility for maintenance and ease of access whilst retaining industry leading levels of robustness and natural ventilation.

Since its inception in 2006, Britplas has supplied and fitted over 40,000 Safevent windows to facilities around the world. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch should you have any questions regarding this or any Britplas product, or if you would like to request a demonstration.

Continuous improvement for Britplas Fabrications

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Following another year of record sales, Britplas has modified the layout at its 42,000 square foot Warrington fabrication facility in order to further streamline its manufacturing operations and cope with increased demand going forward. The changes have been designed to help ensure continuous working lines for both aluminium and uPVC, with a newly consolidated façades area dealing with curtain walling and door orders.

The Britplas factory manufactures the company’s patented Safevent window, allowing for tight quality control of this specialist product, and is also now set up to deal with the various different product types and systems required by the wider commercial facades market.  A number of factory staff have been cross-trained, and supplemented with specialists brought in to ensure we remain at the forefront of manufacturing best practice.

The new modifications mean that lines can be adapted for free flow of product on any given day, with the following results already achieved:

  • Improved workflow
  • Adaptable workforce
  • Efficiencies expected to be plus 20%
  • Designated visitor route with information points
  • A safer environment to work in.

Further amendments will continue to be made as we look to adapt and optimise to keep providing the best service possible to our customers.