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BARRETT
STEEL LIMITED
Headline sponsors:
Gold sponsors: AJN Steelstock Ltd | Ficep UK Ltd | Kingspan Limited |
National Tube Stockholders and Cleveland Steel & Tubes |
Peddinghaus Corporation | voestalpine Metsec plc | Wedge Group Galvanizing Ltd
Silver sponsors: Hadley Group | Jack Tighe Ltd | Tata Steel | Trimble Solutions (UK) Ltd
Bronze sponsors: Barnshaw Section Benders Limited | Hempel | Joseph Ash Galvanizing | Jotun Paints |
Kaltenbach Limited | Kloeckner Metals UK | Sherwin-Williams | Tension Control Bolts Ltd |
Voortman Steel Machinery
July/Aug 18
Steel supports
collaborative future
Recent advances in technology have made steel an even more attractive material for use in construction than ever
before, as ArcelorMittal pointed out in its launch of Steligence™ (see News). Steel construction has been an enthusiastic
and early adopter of new technologies that enhance its cost and quality offer, and is always looking for new ways to
drive the next generation of high performance, high sustainability buildings.
Arguably all steel buildings built today are high performance, most obviously when compared to those framed with
alternative materials, and even to steel buildings of the not too distant past. Efficiency advances in fabrication have
gone hand-in-hand with the development of more efficient structural designs and new steels to greatly expand the
possibilities of architectural ambition and vision. But there is much more to come.
One of the keys to creating this new generation of buildings will be enhanced cooperation and dialogue between
the client, the design team and the steelwork contractors. Increased cooperation and collaboration is increasingly
recognised as a major thing that the construction industry can do itself to improve its performance, which chimes with
the messages delivered by BCSA President Tim Outteridge in his inaugural speech to the Association’s National Dinner
(see News).
A major theme of Tim’s presidency is reform of some of the damaging procurement related practices that have long
bedevilled construction. Recent contractor insolvency has highlighted the damage done by ingrained practices like
retentions, late selection of specialists, and playing one subcontractor off against another with an over-focus on price.
That focus has led on occasion, as Tim pointed out, to the selection of blatantly unqualified steelwork contractors
that lack proper expertise, qualifications, processes and appropriately trained workforces, leading to time and money
being wasted somewhere else on the construction programme.
Using a BCSA member is of course still the best way to ensure that a steelwork contractor has the skills and
experience needed for a particular project, as most clients recognise. Increasingly it will become obvious to the market
that only steelwork suppliers that are properly set up to achieve the quality of work that BCSA membership demands
will be able to play a proper role in a post-Carillion, collaborative construction world.
Developers and main contractors who have already taken advantage of the opportunities presented by increased
collaboration with their own supply chains and other partners report a major competitive advantage, being able to
balance the delivery of client needs against programme and cost. Reduced cost and shorter construction programmes
are routinely delivered by engaging with specialists like steelwork contractors early in the process.
The case for involving specialist subcontractors early is easy to make; design, buildability and project planning
have all been proven to benefit. Another benefit is that trust and mutual respect are fostered, which will surely have
to be fully established if all the other benefits of modern construction are to be realised. That cycle of trust has to start
now and the best way of getting it off to a good start on your projects is to respond positively to BCSA President Tim
Outterridge’s call and appoint your specialist contractors early.
Nick Barrett - Editor
For further information about steel construction and Steel for Life please visit
www.steelconstruction.info or www.steelforlife.org
Steel for Life is a wholly owned subsidiary of BCSA
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