ISSUE 7

CONCRETE REPAIR AND FLOORING NEW BUILD AND REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS

A PUBLICATION FROM SIG CONSTRUCTION ACCESSORIES

Graffiti and Surface Protection

Peter O’Connell

Floor Finishing Enhancement David Shipp

Quick and Effective Balcony Refurbishment

Chris Cotton

Visit the NEW SIG Construction

Accessories website

www.sig-ca.co.ukLatest news

Case studies

Projects online

Featured products

Specialist services

I'm delighted to welcome you to the 7th edition of Fortis magazine and share with you details of some of the truly fantastic projects the teams at SIG CA have been working on.

In this edition, we take a close look at the work the SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre has been involved in, including the launch of the innovative new products in the Lisochem range which, among many other benefits, are designed specifically to remove graffiti from surfaces and protect them from future vandalism. The Centre is continuing its work supplying the Vulkem Quick Balcony and Pedestrian Walkway System, which has already helped restore hundreds of residential and commercial properties. Both the Vulkem System and the Lisochem range are available exclusively through SIG CA. The team has been in action across the country, supplying products and sharing their expertise, from helping restore the historic Eastern Promenade in Barry Island to supplying materials for ongoing repairs to the Channel Tunnel.

The diversity of SIG CAs' work is clear from the projects featured in issue 7 of Fortis. SIG CA Oxford supplied products to the prestigious new grandstand at the world-famous Cheltenham Racecourse recently, and you can see from our front cover that we have been involved in the high-profile refurbishment of London's Tower Bridge.

As well as providing hands on support and technical expertise to projects across the UK, at SIG CA we are constantly looking for ways to make our customers' lives easier. We recently launched the new SIG Assured service to provide

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INTRODUCTION

ContentsSIG News 4-5

Product News 6-8

Editorial/Features 9-11

Cover Story 12-13

Industry News 14-15

Case Studies 16-22

Cover image, Walking on Air at London's Tower Bridge, see page 12

For further information call:

0800 183 2744

www.sig-ca.co.uk

Fortis is published by SIG Construction Accessories. The views expressed are not necessarily those held by SIG Construction Accessories. SIG Construction Accessories shall not be under any liability in respect of contributed articles.

Welcome

www.sig-ca.co.uk

to Fortis magazine from Andy Leonard, Category Director SIG Construction Accessories

customers with peace of mind that the products we supply meet with essential regulatory compliance. Since launching last year, this initiative has been a great success and many of our customers say that it gives them one less thing to worry about as all the compliance information they need is easily downloadable from the website www.sigassured.co.uk.

Many of our customers come to us because of the extensive knowledge and experience of our teams, which is why we've launched the SIG CA Masonry Centre in Manchester and the Merchant Centre in Scotland to give customers in these areas ready access to specialist support.

2015 has got off to a great start and is set to be another fantastic year for SIG CA. Look out for two more editions of Fortis this year, focusing on waterproofing, ground working and masonry projects, and featuring all the latest news from SIG CA.

Andy Leonard, Category Director

SIG NEWS

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The British Excellence in Sales & Marketing Awards, organised by the Institute of Sales & Marketing Management, recognises the successes of sales professionals nationwide.

On the night we were proud to witness our own Simon McManus pick up the Key Account Manager of the Year Award.

Our Ash Vale branch sales team led by Ryan Smith and Steve Myhill were also present and came 3rd on the night in the category of Sales Support Team of The Year.

BESMA Awards

New Business Finance Tools

SIG were present at the BESMA Awards 2015, hosted at the Lancaster Hotel, Hyde Park, London on 26th February.

Managing finances and cash-flow is not always easy when you're running a busy construction business, which is why SIG has developed a number of financial tools for use exclusively by SIG customers.

The package includes:

Long Term Finance Speak to an independent finance broker specialising in the construction industry, so you can view the products available and find out how to secure the best rates.

Short Term Finance Gain access to cash within days and you'll only pay for the money borrowed, for the period you need it, with no additional charges.

Protection from Bad Debts SIG's insurance broker partner provides an innovative credit insurance facility specifically designed for the construction industry.

Reduce Poor Payments Our customers can share their payment experiences of companies they've worked with in the online community Creditlook, so you can identify potential bad debtors.

Help Managing Customer Risk & Cash Flow SIG can introduce you to industry leading software which provides immediate analysis of your customer risk and provides credit control software to manage outstanding invoices.

Release Retention Monies Owed A retention bond offers an alternative to cash retentions put in place by contractors to ensure that work is completed to their satisfaction.

Legal Advice on Contracts & Disputes SIG customers now have access to a range of discounted or fixed fee legal services including contract liabilities advice, dispute resolution and legal representation, to help avoid long term cash-flow issues.

for SIG Construction Accessories Customers

For more information on the business finance tool available from SIG and to see how we can help you unlock the potential of your business, visit www.sigfinancetools.co.uk or call 0114 384 0511.

SIG CA – Concrete Repair Centre 21 Dava Street, Govan, Glasgow, G51 2JA

Gordon Hart Concrete Repair Manager SIG Concrete Repair Centre Scotland M: 07715 165342 T: 0141 445 7961 F: 0141 445 1078 E: gordonhart@sig-ca.co.uk

The Concrete Repair Centre in Scotland is re-locating to Govan branch from our Eurocentral site and is now open for business at the new location:

Concrete Repair Centre in Scotland Moves to Govan Branch

EUROCENTRALGOVAN

The purpose of the Masonry Centre is to provide customers in the North of England with a 'one stop shop' where they can get advice from a dedicated team of masonry specialists. Masonry customers can now receive a more specialist service from a highly trained and experienced team. Customers can ask staff for advice and, as the team deals with all the key manufacturers, they can support customers with specifications from one central place, rather than customers having to contact individual branches. The Masonry Centre also holds stock on-site so deliveries can be made the next day.

Brand Manager Lyndsay Tonge explains the aims of the new Masonry Centre, “The Centre gives brickwork contractors, subcontractors and regional contractors a central point of contact so they can speak directly to our teams about any issues or questions they may have. All our staff are highly trained and know the masonry industry inside-out, plus the teams are provided with ongoing masonry training so can offer specialist advice to customers.”

Lyndsay continues, “The new Centre has been setup as a result of the success at the Ruislip Masonry Centre in the South and we can now offer the same dedicated service to our masonry customers in the North. SIG CA Manchester already has an excellent reputation within the masonry industry and we hope to build on this at key locations throughout the North. The high level of expertise available is backed up by the fact that we hold stock onsite which we can deliver the next day, so customers receive the advice and products they require after just one phone call or visit.”

The Masonry Centre is now open and the service is available at SIG CA Tyneside, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Chesterfield branches.

In February 2015, the new SIG CA Masonry Centre opened its door to offer customers unrivalled technical expertise from in-house masonry experts.

from SIG Construction Accessories

MASONRY NORTH MANCHESTER

SIG NEWS

www.sig-ca.co.uk 5

Masonry North – Manchester The Parkway Centre, Longbridge Road, Trafford Park, Manchester, M17 1SN Tel: 0331 231 801 Fax: 0331 231 802

Masonry South – Ruislip Unit 4, Victoria Road Retail Park, Crown Road, South Ruislip, London, HA4 0AF Tel: 020 8606 8060 Fax: 020 8606 8070

Introducing the New Masonry Centre

Lyndsay Tonge, Brand Manager Gavin Pettifor, Sales Co-ordinator

MASONRY SOUTH RUISLIP

David Brady, Sales-Co-Ordinator SIG CA – Merchant Centre 21 Dava Street, Govan, Glasgow, G51 2JA T: 0330 123 1803 F: 0330 123 1804 E: scotland-merchant@sig-ca.co.uk

Following on from the success of our Merchant Centres, we are pleased to announce the opening of our new centre in Scotland:

New Merchant Centre in Scotland

GOVAN

PRODUCT NEWS

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The HT Coupler is CARES approved to TA1-B and TA1-C (including the performance requirements of EC2 & Sellafield Technical Standards).

Key features and benefits:

• The most cost effective coupler available

• Easy Installation – No torque wrench required

• High Precision – CNC lathes used to thread male and female heads;

- Standard and Positional types

• Couplers for bar diameters 12mm to 50mm

• Bar break system

• Cost effective on larger diameters to avoid laps

ALTI-Trac is a new kind of plastic spacer designed to support bottom reinforcement in suspended slabs. ALTI-Trac has a unique design which combines a number of features to offer superb performance and value for money. The product has a high load-bearing capacity which provides continuous stable support for mesh and reinforcement whilst allowing free flow of concrete. ALTI-Trac's design is much more robust than the standard tric trac shape, enabling it to withstand breakages and allowing more product to be stored on a pallet, which reduces the number of pallets required on site, therefore making the product highly cost-effective.

Hy-Ten HT Coupler Now Available – New to the ALTI range

The HT Coupler is a mechanical coupler for the connection of deformed steel reinforcing bar complying with BS4449 grades 500B, 500C and ASTM A618 grade 75.

SIG Construction Accessories are now exclusively distributing two new products in the Alti range, developed to benefit reinforcement and formwork specialists.

With over 20 years of proven success with Preprufe®, the launch of Preprufe® Plus shows the next generation of pre-applied below ground waterproofing. Designed with Preprufe’s Advanced Bond Technology™, Preprufe® Plus offers enhanced adhesive to adhesive watertight laps through it’s innovative dual lap configuration.

• Advanced Bond Technology™

• Preprufe® ZipLap™ • Kick-out roll• Release liner-free

For more information:T 01753 490000F 01753 490001E uksales@grace.comwww.preprufe.com

Preprufe® Plus - The Next Generation of Waterproofing

Grace Construction Products

FORTIS MAGAZINE_022015.indd 1 6/2/15 15:41:25

via SIG Construction Accessories

and

The high strength ALTI-Wire provides the ideal solution for manually tying pieces of iron reinforcement in construction projects. ALTI-Wire is strong, simple to use and can be delivered in coil belts, bundled and belted with steel tape with suspension rings or delivered to customers' individual specifications.

PRODUCT NEWS

www.sig-ca.co.uk 7

Insulated, Stainless Steel, Balcony Connectors from AnconThe cold bridge formed by direct-fix balconies or where a continuous reinforced concrete slab is used to form a balcony can seriously affect a building’s thermal performance and lead to problems with condensation and mould growth.

Stainless steel specialist, ANCON has extended its balcony connector range to feature three all-stainless, low thermal conductivity solutions to minimise cold bridging at concrete to concrete, concrete to steel and steel to steel interfaces.

The new Ancon systems are designed to provide an effective thermal break whilst maintaining full structural integrity by transferring moment, shear, tension and compression forces at the joint.

Specifically designed for steel-to-concrete applications, the Ancon SSTC system is a two-part assembly, comprising a cast-in anchorage and a post-fixed stainless steel bracket with integral thermal pad. It is manufactured to order in Ancon’s UK production facilities in Sheffield and provides the flexibility in design to suit the exact requirements of the balcony and eliminate clashes with cladding.

The Ancon Staisil-HLD dowel offers a 27% impact sound reduction over rigid concrete floor connections. The 22mm diameter stainless steel dowel bar is located in a sound absorbing sleeve that decouples concrete components, such as stair landings from the main structural frame.

Typical applications include multi-occupancy buildings, like hotels, apartments and hospitals, where noise can adversely affect concentration, relaxation and sleep, and has historically been

a major source of complaints. Impact noise in these structures tends to originate in areas of high pedestrian traffic, and often where hard floor coverings are used to facilitate effective cleaning, such as stairways.

The dowel has been independently tested by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics in Stuttgart, a leading research authority on acoustics.

Ancon launches Acoustic Shear DowelAn Acoustic Dowel is now available to transfer shear load and allow essential movement at joints in concrete frames, while also reducing the oscillation of impact sound through a building, by isolating adjacent concrete elements.

They provide the necessary structural performance, while minimising the transfer of airborne noise and vibration. The acoustic performance is far superior to other wire or flat strip wall ties and is the result of a carefully engineered balance between mechanical stiffness and high acoustic resilience.

Typical applications for these high performance products are recording studios and cinemas, however they are equally suitable for new-build residential developments as they comply with the stringent Type A tie requirements for separating walls, given in Approved Document E of the Building Regulations. Available in incremental lengths of 25mm, the new Ancon range suits a cavity range of 50mm to 175mm.

While standard cavity wall ties create a solid connection through which sound waves can travel, the Ancon range of Acoustic Wall Ties features a soft joint, comprising a highly engineered, pre-compressed, acoustic isolation element.

Ancon launches Acoustic Wall Ties

Fire Protection for Ancon Shear ConnectorsAncon Shear Connectors transfer load across expansion and contraction joints in concrete. They are a critical structural component in many of our concrete structures, such as multi-storey residential and commercial buildings, stadiums and infrastructure developments.

In the event of a fire, it is crucial that these construction products continue to perform at their designed capacity for as long as possible to

allow occupants time to escape and to safeguard emergency services.

Special collars are now available which foam and expand during a fire to tightly seal the joint and provide an effective fire-resistant barrier around the shear load connector. They simply replace the standard compressible filler at the connector location and are an efficient means of ensuring the temperature of the steel dowel bars remain below the critical 500°C for 90 minutes.

PRODUCT NEWS

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Saint-Gobain Weber, the recognised manufacturer and innovator of easy-to-apply products in the facades, flooring systems and tile-fixing markets, is a leading player in the technical mortars industry.

The natural synergy between these diverse product sectors is to provide integrated solutions for a wide range of projects from building renovation and refurbishment to new building developments and major civil engineering. In the concrete repair and protection sector, products by Saint-Gobain Weber play an important role especially now that it is recognised that without correct design, mixing, placement and curing, the durability of reinforced concrete may be impaired. Weber’s products have been specified for over three decades in the repair of concrete structures.

Concrete can be affected by causes that are physical, mechanical or chemical in nature. Typical physical effects are leaking water or frost attack due to porous concrete and plastic shrinkage cracking due to poor curing; mechanical causes occur due to overloading of the structure, or impact damage, while chemical defects include corrosion of steel, acid rain and the action of chemicals.

Weber offers a wide portfolio of products designed to facilitate repair in most circumstances ranging from handplaced materials for localised non-structural repairs, to flowable or

spray solutions for mass structural replacement. Products in the range of ready-to-use, polymer modified dry mix sprayed concretes include weber.cem spray DS, weber.cem spray RS, weber.cem spray CP and weber.cem conspray. They are designed to be machine applied by specialist contractors to provide dense, fully compacted, homogenous, long-lasting repairs and protective overlays.

weber.cem spray concretes will restore the structural integrity, durability, appearance and fitness for purpose of a wide range of structures. Benefits include rapid strength gain, high resistance to chloride ion diffusion and carbon dioxide and low permeability to water. These products can be used with additional reinforcement to strengthen and refurbish old structures. weber.cem spray concretes comply with Highways Agency specifications for repairs to highway structures and provide an economical solution where large areas are involved, providing high strengths with good early strength development.

Your guide to weber.cem spray concretes weber.cem spray DS is a pre-bagged, ready-to-use, polymer-modified, cement-based structural concrete. It contains graded inert limestone aggregates and dust suppressants. The formulation has been designed especially for dry process spray application to give high strength and low rebound, minimising wastage. Conformity testing to BS EN 1504-3 has confirmed that weber.cem spray DS meets the requirements for a Class R4 repair product.

weber.cem spray RS This polymer-modified, dry-sprayed, rapid-setting concrete is ideal for permanent concrete repairs where time constraints demand early strength gain. The material contains inert limestone aggregates, dust suppressants and accelerators. The formulation is designed for the dry spray process method of application with reduced rebound. Conformity testing to BE EN 1504-3 has confirmed that weber.cem spray RS meets the requirements for a Class R4 fast-setting repair product.

weber.cem spray CP This is a cement-based concrete mix and contains inert limestone aggregates and dust suppressants. It has been designed especially for dry process spray application to give high early strength, reduce rebound and maximise application thickness. It has low resistivity which makes it suitable for application to structures which receive cathodic protection. Conformity testing confirms that weber.cem spray CP meets the requirements for a Class R4 low resistivity repair product.

weber.cem conspray weber.cem conspray is a cement-based concrete mix which contains inert graded aggregates and dust suppressants. It has been designed for dry process spray application to give rapid throughput, reduced rebound and to maximise application thickness.

Concrete Repair and Protectionby Saint-Gobain Weber

www.sig-ca.co.uk 9

EDITORIAL/FEATURES

Pressure of the Job

We understand the

We know how our customers rely on us to help get the job done, on time and on budget. As part of SIG CA’s strategy, we have always provided exceptional delivery and it is what we have built our reputation on. However, SIG have evolved to being more than just warehousing goods and delivering them to site, we have become so reliable to the build process that we; work efficiently with suppliers to source the correct products, employ the right people who understand the complexities of the job, work with the customer to warehouse and deliver products to site when needed, and are always on hand to give an unbiased view to provide effective solutions.

It’s because we believe so strongly in our ability we are willing to share our commitment to our customers and have laid out seven key principles to reinforce what we stand for, and will provide to our customers:

1. We work to your schedule with next day delivery We offer next day delivery from our mainland UK branches on all orders received before 4:30pm. So when those items absolutely have to be there on time, you can leave it to us.

2. We deliver, whether an emergency or you’re in a hurry We have emergency hire facilities in place for urgent deliveries. No matter the product, or where on the UK mainland you need it, we’ll get it on site.

3. We have stock on hand so you won’t need to wait We ensure all of our branches have full stock availability, meaning you can do business today, rather than tomorrow.

4. We stock a full range of products You’ll be able to find everything you need at your nearest SIG CA branch to get your project off the ground.

5. We fulfil every order exactly as it was placed We process all orders in line with your requirements and at service levels you’d expect from SIG. From placing your order to receiving it, there’ll be no surprises.

6. We’ve got the people to deliver You’ll be able to find everything you need at your nearest SIG CA branch to get your project off the ground.

7. We buy in bulk to keep our prices competitive By maximising our warehousing capabilities and strong supplier relations we’ll continue to pass on competitive rates to you.

It’s important to us that our customers understand we care immensely about their projects and reputations, as we want to be known as the distributor who supports success rather than be a hindrance to it. As ever, we look forward to working together with our customers, ensuring that everything on the build process runs smoothly, and customers have confidence that they can Build Their Name on Us.

Vaughan Taylor, Business Development Director

Vaughan Taylor, Category Director at SIG plc, introduces our Customer Service Charter that is now in operation at all SIG Construction Accessories branches.

EDITORIAL/FEATURES

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The highly durable system is based on a polyurethane modified methyl methacrylate which is rapid drying and can be applied throughout the year, even in very low temperatures. Suitable for residential and commercial properties, the system is crack-bridging, UV, water and wear resistant and is available in a range of decorative finishes to suit your project.

The versatility of the Vulkem® Quick Balcony and Pedestrian Walkway System means it is effective when applied to most surfaces including old or new concrete, tiles, metal, wood, epoxy and methyl methacrylate existing deck coatings.

The system comprises primers, membranes, additives, decoration, finish layers and special products which combine to deliver the following benefits to concrete contractors:

• Surfaces can be used in as little as 1 hour after application, which means minimum disruption to tenants, visitors and customers and will save businesses time and money.

• The system can be applied in temperatures as low as 0°C to -10°C and provides crack-bridging at temperatures as low as -20°C, making is suitable for use all year round.

• There are multiple colours and finishes available including decorative options with coloured quartz, uni colours or colour flakes.

• The jointless system is easy to clean, benefiting residents and ensuring it maintains its appearance for years to come.

The Vulkem® Quick Balcony and Pedestrian Walkway System has already helped restore the surfaces of hundreds of balconies, including those at a recent project in Carron Crescent in Springburn, Glasgow. The cost-effective system

from Vulkem®The Vulkem® Quick Balcony and Pedestrian Walkway System is a unique waterproofing system designed to give high foot traffic areas a new lease of life.

For more information on the product please contact the SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre Team. Details on page 23

Chris Cotton, SIG CA Concrete Repair Market Manager

Quick and Effective Balcony and Walkway Refurbishment

was put to work to refurbish the balconies and walkways of this busy residential complex in this £50K project. Chris Cotton, SIG CA Concrete Repair Market Manager, commented on how successful the product was in this project, “Vulkem® Quick Balcony System is an incredibly popular product for refurbishments which need a quick turnaround, as it can be trafficked as little as an hour after the final layer has been applied. This was great for tenants at Carron Crescent as it meant they experienced minimum disruption as they could use their balconies as normal in no time.”

Technical Support is available for the Vulkem® Quick Balcony and Pedestrian Walkway System including presentations, site trails and training.

Before

After

EDITORIAL/FEATURES

www.sig-ca.co.uk 11

It's estimated that illegal graffiti costs the UK over £1 billion a year to clean up and people caught graffiting can be jailed for up to 10 years.

Graffiti is notoriously difficult to prevent and clean up, but innovative products are now available which do just this, such as the new Lisochem range. The Lisochem range, which is available exclusively from the SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre, includes Lisotop Anti-Graffiti Coating which is a penetrating treatment that provides anti-graffiti properties by blocking paint pigment from penetrating surfaces. The coating also doubles up as a graffiti remover when a dose of the coating is applied and then removed with a high pressure jet wash. Lisotop Anti-Graffiti Coating is complemented by another product in the range, Lisoclean Gum and Graffiti Remover, which is specifically designed to remove graffiti from concrete and masonry surfaces.

Peter O'Connell, Demonstrations Manager at the SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre, comments, “The Lisochem range is designed to work together to completely protect floors and surfaces from chemicals, including paint from graffiti and also chewing gum. When Lisoclean Gum and Graffiti Remover is used in conjunction with Lisotop Anti-Graffiti Coating, the system will completely remove any graffiti and the surface can then be treated with Lisotop Anti-Graffiti Coating which will protect it from graffiti in the future.”

The range also includes Lisotop Floor Protector, Lisotop Oil and Water Repellent, Lisoclean E, and Lisoclean MF Moss and Fungi Eradicator, providing a complete surface cleaning and protection system, no matter what the protective requirements.

Graffiti Removal and Surface Protection

In recent years graffiti has increased in popularity, with large murals now decorating the walls of many city centres. However, while graffiti can be an acceptable form of art and is often commissioned by property owners, graffiti without permission is vandalism and is a criminal offence.

Peter O'Connell, Demonstrations Manager from the Lisochem Range

The Lisochem range is available exclusively through the SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre. For more information email enquiries@sig-ca.co.uk or find your nearest branch at www.sig-ca.co.uk

Walkingon

Air

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Tower Bridge recently had a new addition to its range of attractions when a glass walkway was installed into the Bridge's elevated East and West Walkways between the North and South Towers. Each walkway has six reinforced glass floor panels, weighing 530kg each and measuring six metres long, and each panel was installed within a carbon steel framework.

The glass floors offer tourists a bird’s eye view of spectacular bridge lifts below their feet, ingenious Victorian engineering and stunning views from across the capital, in this unique addition to the 120 year old structure.

Modern materials for a historic structure Sheffield-based company Ekspan were the main contractors on this project and contacted Steven Harrison at the SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre Manchester to provide suitable materials for the work. Sikadur 31 Rapid was specified along with weber.tec EP pourable grout. Steven explains why these two materials were chosen for the project, “Sikadur 31 Rapid is a structural two part adhesive and repair mortar which provides excellent adhesion for a range of materials. It hardens quickly without shrinkage which makes it suitable for joining glass and carbon steel together. weber.tec EP pourable grout was the other product which was specified, in this case for its high compressive strength and ability to withstand heavy loads, even when applied thinly, making it ideal for this project.”

Precision timing ensures successful results Due to the unique nature of this structure, there were many challenges to overcome – the work was done on a tidal waterway 42 metres above the Thames on a busy, constrained Grade 1 heritage site subject to multiple regulations and right in the centre of London. The location and nature of the project meant that the deliveries in particular had to be precision timed. Steven comments, “We worked to a very tight schedule throughout this project as Tower Bridge is an extremely busy tourist attraction in the centre of London. However, clear communication with the Ekspan team and other suppliers meant that we could deliver the goods they needed, when they needed them with minimum disruption to the public.”

Robert Carter, Senior Project Manager at Ekspan explains, “This project, I have to say, is definitely up there in the top ten for challenging, purely down to its location being the very heart of London’s thriving hub. This made planning logistics for deliveries and all works process deadlines critical to accommodate public movement, road access, pre-booked events at the Tower, environmental noise pollution, working at a height over water and the live carriageway. The success of this project is as a result of great communication, team work and the adaptability of our staff to work to suit our Client’s requirements.”

at London's Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is one of London's most iconic landmarks and since its completion in 1894, it has been a major thoroughfare over the Thames for London traffic, with over 40,000 people using the bridge daily. The Bridge is regularly raised to allow river traffic through, and the original Victorian steam engines which operated the bridge in the past are now a key attraction for tourists.

COVER STORY

Steven Harrison, SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre Manager, Manchester

COVER STORY

www.sig-ca.co.uk 13

INDUSTRY NEWS

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For more information visit our websitewww.sigassured.co.uk

You’re in safe hands

Giving you control and peace of mind

INSULATION | INTERIORS | TECHNICAL INSULATIONFIXINGS | CONSTRUCTION ACCESSORIES | COMMERCIAL DRAINAGE

NEW SIG Assured Passport?

Have You Got Your

Steve Marr, Category Director

At SIG, we believe it's our responsibility to ensure that whatever we distribute to our customers comes with the assurance that the product has been manufactured responsibly, giving our customers peace of mind. For the last three years we have worked closely with our suppliers to ensure all of the products we stock meet with essential regulatory compliance. This means we can supply compliance documents for REACH, CE marking, EUTR and Explosive Precursors in addition to Safety Data Sheets at a moment’s request, all of which have been independently verified.

Now, we are issuing all our suppliers whose products meet the SIG Assured standard with an SIG Assured Passport as proof that their products are compliant. Every year, we will stamp the Passport to show that the supplier is authorised and if suppliers do not have a valid Passport, then SIG won't sell their products. This campaign is designed to encourage more and more suppliers to provide the documentation needed to prove to customers that their products meet regulatory standards.

In addition to this, customers purchasing products from SIG suppliers will also receive a Passport which will show the stamps of all the suppliers that are SIG Assured, so they can see at a glance which suppliers are compliant.

Since it's launch in quarter 3, 2014, SIG Assured has enabled hundreds of our customers to access information on suppliers online. It's easy to register with SIG Assured online and you can take advantage of the benefits of being registered straightaway, including having your business featured on the SIG Assured website so customers can see in an instant that your products are compliant with legislative requirements. Once you've registered, you can access and download the relevant compliance documents by supplier for purchases of items supplied by SIG and you will be issued with your SIG Assured Passport.

In the construction industry legislation changes regularly, so the SIG Assured campaign means you can stay ahead of these changes. Whenever customers see the SIG ‘shield of assurance’ stamp they will know the product is fully traceable and supported by independent specialist appraisal.

To find out more information about SIG Assured and to register just visit www.sigassured.co.uk

Steve Marr, Category Director at SIG, introduces the new SIG Assured Passport, part of the 'shield of assurance campaign' from SIG.

INDUSTRY NEWS

www.sig-ca.co.uk 15

KSN Anchors replace re-bend continuity boxes that require bars to be straightened by the physical force of site workers and where pull out bar length is restricted by the box dimensions. Instead, internally-threaded KSN Anchors are simply cast into the wall ready to accept virtually any length of Ancon Bartec parallel threaded rebar.

Calculating to the requirements and recommendations of fib Bulletin 58 and Eurocode 2, the KSN software provides designs for moment connections and tension-only applications.

A simple interface enables users to input a range of project-specific data, including concrete grade and wall/slab thickness, associated loads, rebar cover and strength, and anchor spacing.

Ancon Design Services Manager, Luke Woollen, said “At Ancon, we understand the value of a good quality design programs to the engineering community. While the KSN technical brochure provides considerable information and tabulated performance values for typical applications, the software enables an engineer to quickly and confidently analyse the anchor options available and create a unique project specification to the latest design codes.”

New software from ANCON simplifies the design of its KSN Anchor rebar continuity system in wall to slab construction joints, providing safer, faster concrete connections on site.

Luke Woollen, Ancon Design Services Manager

Ancon KSN software makes designing wall-to-slab joints simple

SIG Construction Accessories at the UK Concrete ShowThe annual UK Concrete Show in Birmingham's NEC attracts thousands of visitors every year who attend to find out about new products, watch live demonstrations and to network with other businesses in the industry.

The UK Concrete Show is now the largest specialist concrete event in Europe and concrete experts from all over the world attend. Each year exhibitors showcase a range of products from cement and pumps to admixtures and reinforcement and repair products. 2015's UK Concrete Show in February was the busiest to date and saw over £10m in business conducted in just two days. In 2015 attendance was up 14% on the previous year and 217 companies exhibited at the event, including SIG Construction Accessories.

Sharing expertise in concrete The SIG Concrete Repair Centre team have been regulars at The UK Concrete Show for the past four years. The event gives the team the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the unique concrete repair, refurbishment and protection products on offer through live demonstrations and presentations.

The SIG Concrete Repair Centre provides an unrivalled service to contractors looking to use

innovative and cost-effective products for their repair projects. When undertaken correctly, concrete is one of the most durable and long lasting products available, unfortunately, in some cases, how the product is applied can undermine its strength and mean that over time it needs to be repaired and refurbished.

Although a common construction product, concrete is extremely complex and the difficultly of working with this material is often overlooked as it requires great skill to apply and even greater specialism to repair.

The SIG Concrete Repair Centre operates in Scotland, Manchester, Birmingham and London with the key aim of providing specialist product advice and guidance to customers from the one point of contact.

The services available include:

• Innovative new products

• Access to preferred brands

• Nationwide delivery

• Huge range of products in stock

• Site demonstrations and training

The promise of adding value to specialist concrete repair contractors means that the Centre not only offers site visits and product demonstrations, but the team also provides

continued onsite technical support and training to customers throughout the duration of their project to ensure they are happy with the products and know how to apply them correctly.

Pete O'Connell, SIG Concrete Repair Centre Demonstration Manager says, “The SIG Concrete Repair training facility allows us to keep our specialist contractors up to speed with new and unique products within our marketplace. Our offering is not just conventional repair products, we specialise in providing training for innovative products outside of the usual concrete repair offering, including fast setting balcony and walkway systems and a unique range of utility products such as anti-graffiti coating, substrate protection, joint fillers, water stops and rapid repair mortars.”

The next UK Concrete Show takes place at Birmingham NEC on 17th-18th February 2016.

FORTIS16

Prestigious London Development

Convergent Provides Finishing Touch to

CASE STUDIES

David Shipp, SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre Demonstrations Engineer

The development includes a basement car park, which needed dustproofing and sealing before it could be used by residents once the development opened.

Principle contractors PJ Carey plc approached David Shipp, Sales Demonstrations Engineer to supply the products required to provide permanent hardening and dustproofing for the concrete floors within the basement parking areas. David visited the site in person at the start of the project to advise the contractor on which product would be most suitable. After assessing the situation, David recommended Convergent Pentra-sil 244+.

3 Merchant Square is a prestigious new development in the much sought-after area of Paddington in London, featuring 201 luxury apartments plus 10,000 sq ft of retail space.

David explains, “Convergent Pentra-sil 244+ features the most up-to-date technology which makes it much easier and quicker to use than alternative products offering a similar outcome. The product also works out cheaper as it's very simple to apply and its lithium content means it penetrates surfaces very quickly and goes deeper than alternative sodium and potassium based agents. As it requires very little working into the concrete, it can cover around 60 square meters of ground in just 45 minutes. The added bonus of this product is that it's a water based, low VOC solvent free agent.”

PJ Carey plc chose to use this advanced product after David and the team took the time to share their advice and expertise with the contractors and highlighted the benefits of the product. The contractor specified 200 litres of Convergent Pentra-sil 244+ for this project.

Overall the project cost £90m to complete and opened up to residents in Summer 2014.

Images illustrate Convergent application on other projects.

www.sig-ca.co.uk 17

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CASE STUDIES

Every spring, thousands of horse racing fans descend on Prestbury Park near the Cotswolds for one of the most anticipated events of the racing calendar, The Cheltenham Festival.

The popularity of the Festival has meant that there has been a demand for a larger capacity for spectator viewing and more up-to-date facilities at the racecourse. In early 2014 it was announced that work would begin on a £45m grandstand development at Cheltenham Racecourse which will be completed in time for the 2016 Festival.

The grandstand will be positioned alongside the existing main grandstand, overlooking the parade ring, and will include new facilities, general public viewing areas, private boxes, a Super Club and the Royal Box. In total, the new grandstand will be able to hold 6,500 spectators.

Concrete columns give strength to the new grandstand The new public viewing gallery was contracted to concrete frame specialists Thames Formwork who were responsible for installing the column formers for the project. The columns would be highly visible to the general public, celebrities and royalty attending the venue for many years to come. Thames Formwork chose BAG column formers to stand up to the test for this world-class sporting venue.

Ed Matthews, Business Development Manager, worked on the project with Thames Formwork. He comments, “Formers are made up of site and labour savings as they are brought onto the site and the concrete is simply poured into them

to create columns. Once the concrete is cured, the formers are removed. The formers used on this project were BAG column formers provided by Euro Accessories and they were chosen due to the product providing a high quality finish. Additionally we provided Shear Rail Connectors which spread the load above the column.”

Technical expertise for a smooth finish Ed and the team at SIG CA Bristol provided technical expertise to the project by discussing size considerations with the customer and facilitating communications between the customer and Euro Accessories.

The product was supplied in an initial bulk order with smaller follow-up orders delivered later at short notice.

Secures New Grandstand for Spectators

Cheltenham Racecourse

Ed Matthews, Business Development Manager

BARRY

CARDIFF

18 FORTIS

Barry Island has been a popular tourist destination since the 1960s but in recent years, the seafront, particularly the Eastern Promenade, had begun to look tired and dated and was in need of regeneration.

£2.5m seafront investment In 2013 the Vale of Glamorgan Council revealed plans to update the Promenade as part of a £2.5m project to regenerate the Island which includes the renovation of the Eastern Shelter, creating new gardens and beach huts and building better access to the Promenade.

A major part of the project was the refurbishment of the historic Eastern Shelter on the Promenade which was in much need of repair after being neglected for many years. The structure dates back to the 1920s and is now a listed building due to its classical revival style featuring tall Greek columns which support a flat roof.

Preserving attractions for future visitors Mark Sewell from SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre, Birmingham worked with concrete repair and refurbishment specialists Bersche-Rolt Ltd to provide products suitable for repairing the wear and tear to the Eastern Shelter. The products specified for the project were Sika Monotop 610 and 615 and Sikagard 550w and 552 coatings which were used to repair the concrete and provide an anti-carbonation coating.

Mark comments, “SIG and Sika worked together to provide the customer with a full design specification for the concrete repair and recommended products which we knew would repair and protect the concrete, and extend the structure's life, whilst achieving an aesthetically pleasing finish.

After specifying the products, we supplied them intermittently to a program of works dictated by the contractors as it wasn't the easiest of sites to access, due to the seafront location, and space onsite being limited.”

The refurbishment of the Eastern Shelter was completed in September 2014.

Chris Lewis, Area Sales Manager from SIKA added “Due to the historic structure it was important that the correct products were used first time, to not only repair, but adequately strengthen and protect from the elements. Monotop and Sikagard are part of our wider range that now includes Total Corrosion Management."

Barry Island forms part of the town of Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales. It's a popular seaside resort which was made famous as one of the locations of the BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey.

Barry Island's Eastern Promenade

Restored to its Former Glory

CASE STUDIES

BARRY

CARDIFF

19www.sig-ca.co.uk

Mark Sewell, SIG CA Repair Centre Manager, Birmingham Chris Lewis, SIKA Area Sales Manager

Before After

CASE STUDIES

FORTIS20

CASE STUDIES

In 2011, at the start of a 5 year project, specialist concrete repair company Concrete Repairs Ltd required a product which would quickly and safely repair the track's concrete rail sleepers.

The concrete repair experts at SIG CA, Concrete Repair Centre London supplied Sikafloor Level 30 to the project which is a rapid set levelling compound which provides early strength, something which was vital on a project like this. Dan Meheux from the London centre explains how the difficulties of working on such a busy train line were overcome, “The Channel Tunnel is normally closed after midnight until around 5am Friday to Sunday which is when general maintenance can take place and when the crew at Concrete Repairs Ltd can work on the track. This tight timeframe means that everything needs

to be in place so the crews working on the tracks don't experience any delays.”

He continues, “The trains use just one tunnel when the work is carried out as opposed to both which means more of the track can be accessed for repairs. As the contractor is working throughout the night and materials can't be stored in the tunnel, it was our job to ensure the deliveries were made on demand, as and when required.”

As well as supplying Sikafloor Level 30 to the project, SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre, London also supplied PU injection and mortars. The current contract for on-going repair and refurbishment work is due to be completed in 2016.

Concrete Repairs Ensure Channel Tunnel Maintenance

The Channel Tunnel opened in 1994 and sees up to 400 trains pass through it every day. The volume of trains, which includes 53 tonnes of freight being transported daily, combined with the age of the tracks means that the sleepers are under constant pressure and as a result, require regular maintenance.

Stays on Track

Dan Meheux, SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre, London

www.sig-ca.co.uk 21

CASE STUDIES

Gorton is an area located just to the south east of Manchester city centre and recently the team at SIG CA, Concrete Repair Centre, Manchester have worked with customers to refurbish a number of properties in the area with the SIG Vulkem Quick Balcony and Pedestrian Walkway System.

Smartening up tired balconies This revolutionary waterproofing system brightens up balconies, walkways and stairs by creating a seamless and aesthetically pleasing finish. In the project in Gorton, the product was used to improve the safety and appearance of the balconies and walkways of seven blocks of flats in areas including Fairbounre Avenue, Stanley Grove, Deans Court and Buckley Avenue.

Contractors JDF Restoration Ltd worked with Steven to provide expert help and training in applying the product. Steven Harrison from SIG CA Concrete Reapir Centre Manchester explains, “The contractors required products to repair the balconies and to protect them from future wear and tear by applying an anti-carbonation coating. We specified Sika 610/615/620, Sikagard 550w and Sikagard 675W for the underside of the balconies and the SIG Vulkem Quick Balcony and Pedestrian Walkway System for the topside of the balconies, due to its highly durable and attractive finish.

“The key benefit of this system is that is can be applied very quickly and dries in less than an hour which is crucial for busy residential walkways like on this project. As it's a new product, we were onhand to provide training and support to the customers during the project.”

Product support and training throughout For this project, Steven and the team worked closely with the contractors on every stage of the project to provide onsite trials, support and training for the SIG Vulkem Quick Balcony and Pedestrian Walkway System to ensure the contractor was confident in using the product. As the System dries so quickly, using the product actually reduced labour costs and time on site for this project.

Steven concludes, “It was great to be able to work closely with the contractor on this project and share our expertise with them on this innovative new product, which ultimately saved our customer time and money on site.”

The only downside of this project was the weather as the Manchester rain meant that work had to take place in between showers. To make the most of the better weather, orders were placed the day before work commenced, requiring a large stockholding at branch, so the product could be delivered on demand when required onsite.

Onsite Product Training and Support at Gorton

Regeneration Project

Steven Harrison, SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre Manager, Manchester

FORTIS22

CASE STUDIES

The Marine Parade in Dover is a busy stretch of seafront which leads to the A20 and the Dover Ferry Wharf to the north of the town. The seawall receives constant abrasion from the sea which, over time, reduces the strength of the wall, making it vulnerable to serious erosion problems which could threaten the Marine Parade.

Building Beach Defenses To prevent problems to the seawall in Dover occurring, main contractors JT Mackley were tasked with creating a sea defense which would provide long term protection for the coastline from tidal action and flowing water. The solution was to construct a series of rock groynes, as well as making repairs to the existing sea wall. JT Mackley installed four new rock groynes, which are designed to prevent the movement of beach material up the coast and encourage the beach to build up in front of the seawall, helping protect the coastline and benefiting local tourism. The rocks used to make the groynes in this

project were delivered by boat from Norway and are designed to last 50 years.

As well as creating new defenses, the project also required repairs to the existing sea defenses which were now many decades old. On this project, the work required included removing and replacing the existing gunite from the 1922 section of the wall, repairing the 1946 section of the wall and repairing areas of the wall coping.

Quick Drying Solution Sub-contractors, London-based concrete repair specialists UK Gunite, asked SIG Construction Accessories Thurrock to supply concrete spray to help protect the sea defenses. The concrete spray specified was weber.cem spray RS which is a ready-to-use, polymer-modified, dry-sprayed concrete, ideal for permanent concrete repairs which require quick drying.

Dan Meheux of SIG CA London recommended weber.cem spray RS, he said, “The customer needed a product which would be capable of

protecting the coastal defense against tidal action and flowing water which is why we recommended weber.cem spray RS. This product sets very quickly which makes it ideal for use in tidal zones and it also offers long term protection as it prevents wash out from tidal waters. We have worked with UK Gunite Ltd many times in the past so they trusted our recommendation.”

As the work took place within the tidal zone, work was dictated by tidal movement and this meant deliveries had to be precisely timed so that the materials were available when the tide was low. Dan continues, “Deliveries had to be done intermittently because of limited access and storage on site, as well as the fact the contractor was working to the tidal movements.”

The project was completed in August 2014 and now the seawall is protected, it means this popular coastal stretch can be enjoyed for many years to come.

Fighting Back Against the Tide

at Dover Seafront

Dan Meheux, SIG CA Concrete Repair Centre, London

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Contact your local branch today

For branch addresses please visit www.sig-ca.co.uk To contact your nearest branch directly, please call 0800 183 2744 or email enquiries@sig-ca.co.uk

United Arab Emirates 1 Dubai

Tel: +971 4 8858399 Fax: +971 4 8858398

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Qatar 3 Doha

Tel: +974 4 4432030 Fax: +974 4 4694900

Sultanate of Oman 4 Muscat

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Tel: +966 11 2926969 Fax: +966 11 4720439 Email: sales@sig-me.com Web: www.sigksa.com

Northern Ireland 1 Belfast

Tel: (028) 9038 4745 Fax: (028) 9038 4146

Ireland 2 Cork

Tel: (021) 452 0202 Fax: (021) 452 0155

3 Dublin Tel: (01) 4010 222 Fax: (01) 4010 155

Middle East Branch NetworkIreland Branches

Geotechnical Centre (National) Tel: 0844 443 0050 Fax: 0844 443 0051

GEOTECHNICAL CENTRE

13 Manchester (North) Tel: 03301 231 801 Fax: 03301 231 802

17 Ruislip (South) Tel: 020 8606 8060 Fax: 020 8606 8070

MASONRY CENTRE

3 Birmingham Tel: 03301 231 791 Fax: 03301 231 796 E: marksewell@sig-ca.co.uk

11 London East Tel: 03301 231 794 Fax: 03301 231 799 E: alistairlomax@sig-ca.co.uk

12 London West Tel: 03301 231 790 Fax: 03301 231 795 E: alistairlomax@sig-ca.co.uk

13 Manchester Tel: 03301 231 793 Fax: 03301 231 798 E: stevenharrison@sig-ca.co.uk

8 Scotland Tel: 03301 231 792 Fax: 03301 231 797 E: gordonhart@sig-ca.co.uk

CONCRETE REPAIR CENTRE4 Bristol

Tel: 03301 231 781 Fax: 03301 231 785 E: sw-merchant@sig-ca.co.uk

11 London East Tel: 03301 231 783 Fax: 03301 231 787 E: se-merchant@sig-ca.co.uk

13 Manchester Tel: 03301 231 782 Fax: 03301 231 786 E: nw-merchant@sig-ca.co.uk

8 Scotland Tel: 03301 231 804 Fax: 03301 231 803 E: scotland-merchant@sig-ca.co.uk

18 Tyneside Tel: 03301 231 784 Fax: 03301 231 788 E: ne-merchant@sig-ca.co.uk

MERCHANT SUPPORT CENTRE

SIG CA Branches1 Aberdeen

Tel: 01224 822 798 Fax: 01224 823 741

2 Bedford Tel: 01234 268 427 Fax: 01234 268 057

3 Birmingham Tel: 0121 522 0200 Fax: 0121 522 0201

4 Bristol Tel: 0117 301 3620 Fax: 0117 301 3621

5 Cardiff Tel: 029 2046 5553 Fax: 029 2049 3089

6 Chesterfield Tel: 01246 572 595 Fax: 01246 572 596

7 Eurocentral Tel: 01698 731 910 Fax: 01698 731 911

8 Glasgow Tel: 0141 445 7960 Fax: 0141 445 1078

9 Inverness Tel: 01463 701 200 Fax: 01463 701 201

10 Leeds Tel: 0113 385 7760 Fax: 0113 385 7761

11 London East Tel: 01708 834 200 Fax: 01708 834 201

12 London West Tel: 01252 527 000 Fax: 01252 527 001

13 Manchester Tel: 0161 872 5464 Fax: 0161 872 5399

14 Norwich Tel: 01603 224 899 Fax: 01603 224 898

15 Oxford Tel: 01993 704 289 Fax: 01993 708 993

16 Plymouth Tel: 01752 894 965 Fax: 01752 895 896

17 Ruislip Tel: 020 8606 8060 Fax: 020 8606 8070

18 Tyneside Tel: 0191 487 4983 Fax: 0191 491 5790

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A PUBLICATION FROM SIG CONSTRUCTION ACCESSORIES

E. & O. E.