ISSUE  02  |  DECEMBER  2013  

IN  THIS  ISSUE  Raymond  Brown  60th  Anniversary  Celebration  in  Pictures  

Planning  Success  for  Raymond  Brown  Aggregates  

South  East  Division  Forecasts  Best  Year  Ever  

 

 

 

 

 

   

As  we  reach  our  60th  Year  of  Trading  It   was   a   pleasure   to   host   almost   350   colleagues   and   guests  from   all   regions   at   our   60th   anniversary   celebration.     The  evening   proved   to   be   a   great   success   and   my   thanks   to  everyone  involved  for  taking  the  time  and  effort  to  participate  and  for  the  resultant  photographs.    It   is   pleasing   to   report   a   general   improvement   in   trading  opportunities   with   significant   growth   in   Group   turnover,   up  from  £73m  to  £85m,  with  all  companies  trading  profitably.    I  am  particularly  pleased  with  the  progress  made  by  informing  and   involving   staff   in  our   future  plans.     The   series  of   regional  staff   seminars   and   communication   events   have   provided   a  good   opportunity   to   discuss   and   develop   our   plans   whilst  seeking   suggestions   on   potential   new  markets.    With   a   good  level   of   work   in   hand   and   a   strong   pipeline   of   future  opportunities,   I   feel   confident   that   we   are   well   poised   in   an  improving  market.    It   is   a   testament   to   the   contribution   of   staff,   both   past   and  present   that   the  Raymond  Brown  Group  continues   to   flourish  whilst  retaining  the  family  feel.    Now  in  our  61st  year,  I  believe  that   Mr   Raymond   Brown   would   be   justifiably   proud   of   the  business  we  have  become.    Finally,   I   thank   you   for   your   continued   contribution   and  wish  you  and  your  family  a  very  Merry  Christmas  and  a  Happy  New  Year.    Kelvin  White,  Group  Chief  Executive        

 

 

Investors  in  People  I   am  pleased   to   advise   that   following   the   recent   assessment   by   Inspiring  Business   Performance,   all  Group   companies   have  been  awarded  ongoing  accreditation  as  Investors  in  People.    The   interviews,  with  44   staff   from  across   the  Group,   sought   to   gather   the  opinions  of   employees  on   training   and  personal  development,  company  culture  and  communication  of  strategic  plans.    The  report  concludes  with  the  following  paragraph:-­‐    “Without  any  doubt  the  Raymond  Brown  Group  fully  demonstrates  its  ongoing  commitment  to  its  people  and  fully  recognises  the  value  of  all  its  employees.    Learning  and  development  is  very  well  supported  and  considerable  investment  is  demonstrated  to  individuals  at  all  levels  and  within  all  job  roles  and  activities.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Group  continues  to  fully  justify  its  accreditation  as  an  Investor  in  People.”   In  addition,  the  report  identifies  a  number  of  common  themes  raised  by  those  interviewed  which  include:-­‐    

■ A  culture  of  hard  work,  honesty  and  integrity  ■ Workforce  proud  to  be  part  of,  and  committed  to,  the  Raymond  Brown  culture  and  ethos  ■ Retention  of  the  “family  feel”  

 The  Directors  and  I  are  very  proud  of  this  report  and  would  like  to  thank  the  staff  who  participated  in  the  assessment  for  their  positive  feedback.        The  Raymond  Brown  Group  is  committed  to  affording  all  staff  the  opportunity  to  realise  their  potential  and  I  confirm  that  we  will  continue  with  this  investment  in  the  future.    Kelvin  White,  Group  Chief  Executive              

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HEALTH  &  SAFETY,  QUALITY  AND  ENVIRONMENT  

There  is  a  lot  to  celebrate  this  Christmas!  As   it   is   the  end  of   the  year   it  becomes  a  natural   time   for  us   to   reflect  on  what  we  have  achieved  over   the  past  12  months.     From  our   triple  RoSPA  award  success,  to  gaining  the  Principal  Contractors  Licence  for  rail  work,  we  have  pushed  ourselves  hard  to  achieve.      Some   of   you  may   not   be   aware   that  we   recently   had   outstanding   scores  issued  by  Achilles  UVDB  Verify:         Office         Site    H&S     96.7%         94.4%    Environment     91.8%         96.4%    Quality     96.1%         97.7%                    

To  be  recognised  so  highly  by  an  external  audit  is  obviously  a  great  boost  to  the  company  but  achievements  like  this  do  not  just  belong   to   the   HSQE   Department.     Without   the   help   and   assistance   of   everyone   within   the   Raymond   Brown   Group,   such  recognition  would  not  be  possible.    Not  only  have  we  had  such  recognition  externally,  but  the  Groups  accident  frequency  rate  has   dropped   again   this   year.     This   is   down   to   every   employee  within   the  Group   helping   take   care   of   themselves   and   those  around  them.    So  what  next?      We  can’t  just  stop  there,  a  New  Year  is  always  a  good  time  to  renew  our  efforts,  many  of  us  make  New  Year  resolutions  to  help  us  achieve  in  the  year  ahead.    So  we  should  take  our  Christmas  break  as  well  deserved  time  off,  to  congratulate  ourselves  on  what  we  have  achieved,  but  then  to  renew  our  efforts  in  the  New  Year.    

There  are  still  areas  where  we  can  improve  and  any  accident  is  one  accident  too  many!    The   Group   HSQE   Department   would   like   to   take   this   opportunity   to   thank   all  those   who   have   supported   us   over   the   year   and   wish   everyone   a   Merry  Christmas  and  a  Happy  New  Year.      But  just  remember,  more  than  80,000  people  a  year  need  hospital  treatment  for  injuries  such  as  falls,  cuts  and  burns  over  the  festive  period.      During  Christmas,  your  home  is  likely  to  be  full  of  people  and,  in  the  excitement,  accidents   can  easily  happen.    Around  350  people  a  year  are  hurt  by  Christmas  tree   lights,   according   to   RoSPA.     Injuries   include   people   falling   while   they   are  putting   them   up,   children   swallowing   the   bulbs,   and   people   getting   electric  shocks  and  burns  from  faulty  lights.      Also,  beware  of  your  Christmas  tree.    That  Norwegian  spruce  is  not  as  innocent  as   it   looks.     Every   year   about   1,000   people   are   injured   by   their   tree,   usually  whilst  fixing  stars,  lights  or  other  decorations  to  the  higher  branches.    Don’t  be  one  of  those  people  and  we  look  forward  to  seeing  you  in  the  New  Year.    Kieren  Hush,  Group  HSQE  Compliance  Manager  

Boots  &  Suits  Thank  you  to  everyone  for  their  contributions  in  this  edition  of  the  Group  Newsletter.    The  next  issue  will  be  due  out  in  2014  and  any  news  for  inclusion  can  be  emailed  or  given  to  Kerry  Smith  (kerry.smith@raymondbrown.co.uk).        

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Raymond  Brown  recruited  to  rescue  Cornerstones  Primary  School  

 

                                 The  successful  completion  of  the  Cornerstones  Church  of  England  Primary  School  by  Raymond  Brown  enabled  the  children  to  start  as  planned  on  Tuesday  3rd  September.      Raymond  Brown  Building  Ltd  were  approached  by  Hampshire  County  Council   in   July   to  deliver   the   first  phase  of   the  school  facility  by  the  start  of  the  September  school  term,  following  the  unfortunate  termination  of  its  previous  contractor.        Understanding  the  highly  political  priority  of  the  project,  and  the  obvious  urgency  for  the  school  to  be  ready  in  time  for  the  children,  Raymond  Brown  took  on  the  challenge  to  deliver  the  school  facility  within  a  phase  1  programme  of  just  6  weeks!    The  works  involved  the  car  parking,  playground,  infrastructure  and  services  to  the  new  modular  temporary  school.        The  project  has  demonstrated  the  growing  strength  and  capabilities  of   the  Raymond  Brown  Group,  with  several  companies  having  an  involvement  in  order  to  complete  the  contract  on  time.  The  project  was  managed  by  Raymond  Brown  Building  Ltd  with  plant,  machinery  and  staff  from  Raymond  Brown  Construction  Ltd,  IBA  Aggregate  and  muck  away  from  Raymond  Brown  Aggregates  and  skip  hire  from  Brownskips.com.      The  children  were  all  given  Raymond  Brown  hi-­‐vis  vests,  hard  hat  pencil  sharpeners  and  pencils  to  keep,  to  remind  them  of  the  dangers  of  construction  sites.    Simon  Jones,  has  said  “Raymond  Brown  were  thrilled  to  be  approached  by  Hampshire  County  Council  to  take  on  the  works.    It  was   a   team   effort   by   all   parties,   and   Kevin   Valentine   and   I   would   like   to   thank   all   staff   involved   for   their   hard   work   and  determination   to   get   the   project   completed   on   time.     We   all   appreciated   the   urgency   of   this   contract   and   concentrated  extremely  hard  to  ensure  that  the  school  was  ready  for  the  children.”    Steve  Clow,  assistant  director  property  services  for  Hampshire  County  Council  said  “I  wanted  to  take  this  opportunity  to  thank  you  and  your  team  for  completing  this  very  significant  project  for  us.  I  have  received  excellent  feedback  about  your  willingness  to  take  on  the  challenge  after  we  had  terminated  the  previous  contract."    The  school  children  even  made  up  a  song  to  the  rhyme  of  Bob  the  Builder  for  Tom  (Lawrence)  the  Builder,  which  they  sang  to  him  (pictured,  above).      

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AGGREGATES  

 

Tipper  Fleet  join  in  the  Celebrations  The  Raymond  Brown  Aggregates  tipper  fleet,  which  is  already  in  the  process  of  a  re-­‐branding  exercise,  have  joined  in  with  the  60th  anniversary  celebrations!      Over  20   lorries  have  so   far  been  adorned  with   the  new  60th  anniversary  celebration  logo  on  the  rear,  and  there  will  be  more  to  follow  over  the  coming  weeks.    

Lee  Thompson  promoted  to  Operations  Director  After  over   five  years  working   for  Raymond  Brown  Minerals  &  Recycling,  Lee  Thompson  has  been  promoted  to  the  position  of  operations  director.     In  his  new  role,  Lee  is  responsible  for  managing  operations  on  all  current  and  future  sites.      Mark  Isaac,  managing  director  said,  “I  would  like  to  congratulate  Lee  on  his  new  challenging  role.      He   brings   considerable   experience   to   the   post   from   both   an   operational   and   management  perspective  which  he  has  gained  from  the  last  24  years  in  the  industry.”  

Huge  Planning  Success  for  RBA  

I  am  pleased  to  announce  that  we  have  achieved  some  very  significant  planning  successes  during  October  which  secure  some  very  important  elements  of  the  business  for  the  future.      Firstly,   the  extension  to  Binnegar  Quarry  near  Wareham.    For  those  of  you  who  do  not  know,  we  have  been  extracting  and  selling  sand  from  Binnegar  Quarry  since  2002  at  a  rate  of  over  200,000  tonnes  per  annum.    This  has  been  one  of  the  key  parts  of   the   business   and   the   extension   to   the   quarry  will   allow   us   to   continue   this   success   story   for   the   foreseeable   future,   so  thanks  and  congratulations  go  to  all  the  team  at  Binnegar  Quarry.    On  the  24th  October  2013,  planning  permission  was  granted  from  Hampshire  County  Council   to  re-­‐locate  the  Blue  Haze   IBA  (Incinerator  Bottom  Ash)  processing  operation  to  our  A303  Recovery  Facility  near  Andover,  pictured  below.    In  preparing  the  planning  application,  a  considerable  amount  of  work  was  involved  in  site  design  to  protect  the  underlying  ground  water.    Local  residents,  including  the  neighbouring  solar  farm,  were  consulted  through  a  series  of  open  days  to  address  their  concerns.    The  site  operations  will  be  closely  controlled  with  a  contained  water  management  system  to  ensure  dust  and  odour  nuisance  does  not  arise.        The  project  will  include  a  major  project  to  re-­‐profile  the  site  and  considerable  concrete  works,  including  a  containment  lagoon  by  Raymond  Brown  Construction  Ltd.    The  existing  plant  will  be  dismantled  and  upgraded  to   improve  operational  efficiency  and  achieve  optimum  recycling  rates.    The  total  project  costs  will  be  in  excess  of  £2m  and  it   is  hoped  the  re-­‐location  can  be  completed  by  mid-­‐2014.    The  project  will  be  linked  to  an  extended  contract  with  Veolia  Environmental  Services  for  processing  IBA  received  from  the  three  Energy  from  Waste  Facilities  located  in  Hampshire.        Many   thanks   and   congratulations   to   the   IBA   team   at   Blue   Haze   and   the   A303   team.     I   would   also   like   to   express   my  appreciation  in  particular  to  Steve  Cole  who  was  ably  assisted  by  Lauren  Finch  throughout  the  planning  process.        Stuart  Harris,  Group  Director  

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WASTE  SOLUTIONS  

 

New  Baler  for  A303  Materials  Recovery  Facility  RBWS  have  invested  £200k  into  a  new  Imabe  Baler  at  the  A303  Materials  Recovery  Facility.    The  new  machine  compresses  and  bales  recovered  materials  such  as  plastic,  cardboard,  paper  and  carpet  with  a  high  throughput  and  minimal  labour  requirement.  It  also  offers  a  continuous  and  fully  automatic  operation  with  a  wire  tie  system  programmed  to  vary  the  amount  of  wires  per  bale,  which  improves  conformity  and  material  retention  within  the  bale.    

 Steve  Clasby,  managing  director  said,  "We  are  pleased  to  welcome  Russell  on  board.    His  vision,  drive  and  experience  within  the  industry   will   be   instrumental   in   driving   our   business   forward.     Russell   will   be   invaluable   in   evaluating   the   current  markets,  defining  appropriate  targets  for  our  teams  and  co-­‐ordinating,  developing  and  strengthening  our  sales  functions".  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New  Skip  Lorries  for  brownSkips.com  To   deal   with   increasing   skip   sales,   brownSkips.com   have  introduced  two  brand  new  7  litre  Volvo  FLH240  skip  lorries  to  the  fleet.    These  240bhp  lorries,  which  are  based  out  of  the  A303  Materials  Recovery  Facility   feature   the  Raymond  Brown   specification   upright   exhaust   system   to   minimise  dust  pollution  on  construction  sites.      Managing   director,   Steve   Clasby   said,   “These   are   the   first  Volvos   introduced   to   our   skip   lorry   fleet   and   we   are  receiving   positive   feedback   from   our   drivers.     Early  indications   suggest   that   we   are   achieving   good   fuel  efficiency,   which   is   excellent   news   as   we   strive   to   reduce  our  fuel  costs  and  carbon  footprint.”      

 

New  Sales  Director  Raymond   Brown   Waste   Solutions   have   recently   appointed   Russell   Fleetwood   as   their   new  sales   director.     In   this   position,   he   will   be   responsible   for   managing   the   sales   team   and  continuing  the  sales  growth  within  the  division.      Russell   brings   with   him   almost   27   years   of   sales   experience   from   both   a   sales   and   service  background.    He  joins  us  from  Biffa  after  four  years  of  heading  up  their  national  and  regional  account  teams.    Commenting  on  his  appointment,  Russell   said:   "I  am  delighted   to  be   joining   the  RBWS  team  and   I  am   looking   forward   to  my  new  role  and   the  challenges  ahead.    The  continuing  growth  that  RBWS  have  seen  during  this  year  will  provide  us  with  a  positive  springboard  for  2014-­‐15.    I  am  pleased  to  be  joining  this  growing  and  ambitious  company."    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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WASTE  SOLUTIONS  

 Contract  News  Garmin:  Mark  Oakley  from  Garmin  Europe,  who  has  been  delighted  by  the  service  offered  by   RBWS,   has   written   to   say,   “We   took   the   difficult   decision   to   leave   a   trusted   waste  management   company   and  we   have   been   impressed  with   the   level   of   service   provided.  Scott   Vidler   has   been   very   helpful   and   is   in   regular   contact   to   try   and   improve   when  necessary,   the  drivers   are  patient   and  polite  and   the  accounts  and  order   taking   staff   are  both   friendly   and   helpful.   These   important   aspects  were   behind   our   decision   to   transfer  out  our  waste  commitments  direct  to  the  Raymond  Brown  Group.”    

New  Contracts:    Croudace  Homes  Development  near  Romsey  worth  £17k      

Churchill  Retirement  Living  near  Romsey  worth  £12.5k    

Willmott  Dixon  supplying  skips  to  a  £22m  Care  Home  Development  

 

brownSkips.com  support  Longparish  Clean  Up  Day  brownSkips.com   provided   a   20   yard   skip   free   of   charge   for   the  Longparish  Local  Clean  Up  Day  on  7th  December.        Many  people  (over  30  adults  and  lots  of  children)  helped  clean  up  the  village  and  a  huge  amount  of  work  was  undertaken,   including  stream  clearing,   litter   picking,   cutting   back   vegetation,   digging   out   ditches,  cleaning   the   bus   shelter   and   clearing   leaves   from   the   village   hall  drains,  footpaths  and  the  roadway  near  the  school.

Playground  Improvements  at  Barton  Stacey  School  RBWS  has  proudly  presented  a   cheque   for  £800   to  Barton  Stacey  Primary   School   as   a   contribution   towards   their   playground  improvements.    Sales   director,   Russell   Fleetwood  who   visited   the   school   to  make  the   donation   said,   “We   are   pleased   to   be   able   to   contribute  towards   this   project   and   look   forward   to   seeing   the   playground  when  it’s  finished.    With  our  head  office  also  being  based  in  Barton  Stacey,   it  was   a   great   opportunity   to   give   something   back   to   the  local  community.”    

brownSkips.com  and  chiltonSkips.com  launch  new  Websites  RBWS  are  pleased  to  announce  the  launch  of  two  new  skip  hire  websites  which  feature  quick  and  easy  24/7  online  booking  systems  and  a  secure  online  payment  facility.      Adam   Murnieks,   strategic   development   manager   said,   “We   anticipate  that   the   demand   for   online   bookings  will   continue   to   increase   as  more  and   more   of   our   customers   are   using   smart   phones   and   4g   networks.  Online  sales  are  already  three  times  higher  this  year  and  there  is  nothing  to  suggest  that  we  cannot  achieve  a  similar  level  of  growth  in  2014.  The  websites   are   not   just   great   for   our   customers;   they   also   reduce   call  volumes  and  improve  order  processing  times  and  accuracy.”  

Steve  Clasby  

7  

 

       

60th  Anniversary  Celebration  Party,  St  Mary’s  Stadium  -­‐  23rd  November  2013  The   fun  1950s-­‐themed  celebration  party   took  place  at   Southampton  Football  Club,  with  employees  and  partners  enjoying  a  three  course  meal  and  live  swing  band,  with  a  funky  photo  booth  and  vintage  sweetie  cart  adding  to  the  party  atmosphere.    To  highlight   the  60   year   celebration,   a   raffle   took  place   for  one   lucky  employee   to  win  a   total  of  60  hours  paid   leave   to  be  added  to  their  existing  2014  holiday  entitlement.    This  was  won  by  General  Foreman,  Tom  Lawrence.    First  place  fancy  dress  prizes  went  to  site  manager,  Matt  Lonnon  and  his  partner  Gemma  who  both  arrived  dressed  as  Andy  Pandy  and  Looby  Lou!        An  impressive  60th  anniversary  cake  was  displayed  throughout  the  evening  and  cut  after  dinner  by  Mr  Raymond  Brown’s  wife,  Pola  Brown  and  two  daughters,  Sue  and  Fiona  Brown.      The  event  was  a  tremendously  successful  celebration  of  the  last  60  years.      

     

60th  ANNIVERSARY  CELEBRATION  IN  PICTURES  

 

 

 

60th  ANNIVERSARY  CELEBRATION  IN  PICTURES  

 

 

60th  ANNIVERSARY  CELEBRATION  IN  PICTURES  

 

 

 

60th  ANNIVERSARY  CELEBRATION  IN  PICTURES  

 

 

60th  ANNIVERSARY  CELEBRATION  IN  PICTURES  

 

 

 

60th  ANNIVERSARY  CELEBRATION  IN  PICTURES  

 

 

   

BUILDING  

 A  fantastic  year  for  Raymond  Brown  Building  Ltd  I  am  pleased  to  announce  that  2013  has  been  a   fantastic  year   for  Raymond  Brown  Building.    Apart   from  our  usual   school  work,   it  has  seen  us  enter   into  the  high  end  housing  market  with  the  commencement  of  Beacon  Hill  Copse,  a  6,000  sq  ft2  house  just  outside  of  Ringwood.    Below  is  an  artist’s  impression  of  the  front  elevation.        Beacon  Hill   Copse  will   be   our   flagship   housing   project;   it   has   already   opened   the   door   of   opportunity   for   us   in   the  multi  million  pound  housing  market.    We  are  now  tendering  for  an  even  larger  project  within  walking  distance  of  Beacon  Hill  and  expect  a  similar  sized  tender  early  in  2014.    This  year  we  have  welcomed  six  new  members  of  staff  who  have  all  settled  well  into  their  positions.    Existing  staff  members  that   have   seen   promotion   include;   James   Adams,   moving   into   the   role   of   commercial   manager,   Angela   Brown   as  administration  manager,  Audrey  Duffy  as   commercial   assistant  and  Lewis  Rogers  and  Tim  Godden  who  both   stepped   into  assistant  contracts  manager  roles  at  our  busiest  period  to  assist  Steve  Manville  with  the  workload.    Spring   saw   the   formation   of   our   Small  Works  Department   headed  up  by   Ian   Smicle-­‐Thompson   and  Mike   Castle.     Both   of  whom  worked  immensely  hard  during  the  summer  holiday  rush.    At  its  busiest  we  ran  sixteen  live  contracts.    In   July,   Raymond  Brown  Building   started   its   first   joint   venture  with   Raymond  Brown  Construction.     Cornerstones   Primary  School  in  Whiteley  proved  to  be  raging  success  bringing  in  one  of  the  best  references  we  have  ever  received  from  Hampshire  County  Council.    Hopefully  2014  will  bring  similar  opportunities  to  pull  on  the  resources  of  the  group.    Our  success  warranted  a  Communications  Day  where  the  whole  company  paused  for  a  day  to  review  what  we  have  achieved  in  the  last  few  months,  which  was  followed  by  an  evening  at  the  pub,  with  a  brief  presentation  by  Kieren  Hush  and  myself.    We  cannot  summarise  the  year  without  giving  mention  to  the  improvements  made  with  regards  to  our  marketing,  image  and  website.    With  the  much  appreciated  help  of  Kerry  Smith,  this  revised  approach  is  allowing  us  to  target  our  most  profitable  work  streams  resulting  in  £41m  of  tenders  to  date  this  year,  and  with  the  team  that  we  now  have  in  place,  2014  looks  set  to  be  another  great  year  for  us.    Simon  Jones,  Managing  Director          

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   RBB  Team  visit  Rookery  Farm  Aggregate  Recycling  Facility  and  A303  MRF  On  Friday  15th  November  2013,  the  entire  Raymond  Brown  Building  Ltd  team  went  by  coach  to  visit  two  of  Raymond  Brown  Minerals  &  Recycling  Ltd’s  sites;  Rookery  Farm  Aggregate  Recycling  Facility  and  the  A303  Materials  Recovery  Facility.        The  first  stop  was  Rookery  Farm  Aggregate  Recycling  Facility   in  Fareham  for  a  behind  the  scenes  tour  of  the  site  from  Mark  Isaac.    The  facility,  run  by  the  Raymond  Brown  Aggregates  Division,  provided  an  insight  into  how  waste  from  local  construction  sites  and  HWRC’s  can  be  recycled  into  a  useable  product  for  re-­‐use  in  construction.    The  next  stop  was  the  A303  Materials  Recovery  Facility,  run  by  Raymond  Brown  Waste  Solutions  and  located  in  Barton  Stacey,  near  Andover,  which  serves  Hampshire,  Wiltshire,  Berkshire,  Oxfordshire  and  the  surrounding  areas.          The  Raymond  Brown  Building   team  were   split   in   two  and   taken  on  guided   tours  by  Stuart  Harris  and  Steve  Clasby   to   learn  about  the  materials  recovery  process,  from  when  the  waste  arrives  on  site  through  to  the  baled  recovered  material  at  the  end.        The  final  stop  was  the  pub  back  in  Ringwood  for  a  meal  and  drinks,  with  a  brief  presentation  by  Simon  Jones  and  Kieren  Hush.    By   giving   the   whole   company   the   opportunity   to   have   tours   of   both   facilities,   it   has   enabled   us   all   to   learn   more   about  recycling  and  fully  appreciate  the  operations  of  Raymond  Brown  Minerals  &  Recycling  Ltd.    Today  was  a  fantastic  opportunity  to  pause  and   take  stock  of  how  much  we  have  achieved  as  a  Group  within   the   last   few  years.    Our  performance   stands  as  testament  to  the  dedication  and  commitment  of  the  whole  team,  and  the  Communications  Day  gave  us  the  chance  to  say  a  big  thank  you  to  all  the  staff  at  RBB.    Simon  Jones,  Managing  Director        

BUILDING  

 

Steve  and  Tim  Godden  complete  the  Rad  Vlaanderen  Stuttgart  Challenge  2013    Congratulations   to   our   father   and   son   team   who   have   completed  their  cycle   ride   across   Europe   to   raise   money   for   charity.     Steve  Godden,  general  operative,  was  joined  by  his  son  Tim,  site  manager  in  the   Cycle   Adventure   Charities’   Rad   Vlaanderen   Stuttgart   Challenge   at  the   end   of   September.     Along   with   other   members,   Andrew   Godden  and  Richard  Gulliver,  Team  G-­‐Force,  cycled  in  relay,  covering  a  distance  of  500+  miles  across  Belgium  and  Germany  in  just  three  days!    The   team   raised   approximately   £2,500,   which   was   given   a   generous  boost   of  £750   from   the   Raymond   Brown  Group,   half   of  which  will   be  given   to   the  Cycle   Adventure   Charities’  (CAC)   nominated   charities  which  are  The  British  Heart  Foundation  and  Cancer  Research  UK.    The  remaining   sponsorship   will   be   shared   equally   between   three  local  charities  that  the  team  have  chosen.    

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WILKINS  

 

National  Trust  Refurbishment  Buscot  &  Coleshill  Estate,  Wiltshire  Wilkins   Builders   are   pleased   to   announce   that   they   have  recently   completed   their   first   ever   National   Trust   project.    The  National  Trust  are  continually  aiming  for  their  buildings  to  become   increasingly  more  energy  efficient  and  the  18th  century  cottage  refurbishment  consisted  of  a  new  kitchen,  bathroom   and   internal   redecoration   along   with   energy  saving  measures  such  as  secondary  glazing,   loft   insulation,  low   energy   lighting,   draught   proofing   and   water   saving  devices.      

The  project  was  successfully  completed  on  time  and  to  the  high   standards   of   finish   that   Wilkins   Builders   are   well  known  for.    

                             

 

 

Bricklayer  builds  on  a  Milestone  Congratulations   to   bricklayer,   Ian   Beaven   who   is   this   year   celebrating   a  milestone  25  years  of  service  for  Wilkins  Builders.        Ian   has   been   practising   his   skills   on   hundreds   of  Wilkins   projects   from   new  build,   listed   building   refurbishments   and   day-­‐to-­‐day   reactive   maintenance  works.        Pictured,  Ian  receiving  his  certificate  of  achievement  from  Adrian  Wilkins.    

                             

 

 

Wilkins  Builders  rolls  out  another  6X  Building    

 Wilkins   Builders   are   pleased   to   be   carrying   out   another  major   project   for   Wadworth’s   Brewery   of   Devizes,  Wiltshire.    The   Crown   Inn   public   house   near   Dyrham   Park,   Bath   is  being   enlarged   with   nine   new   letting   rooms   to   take  advantage   of   its   prime   location   near   to   Bath   and   the  Cotswolds.    The  £380,000  project  will  provide  Wadworth  with   a   beautiful   stone   clad   building   with   reconstituted  stone   roof   tiles   that   will   blend   in   with   the   traditional  Cotswold   landscape.     The   main   building   is   also   being  altered   to   create   new   living   accommodation   for   the  assistant  manager.      The  works   are  all   due   for   completion  before   the   start  of  the  summer  tourist  season.      

Wilkins  Builders  goes  to  the  Dogs...  and  Cats  Home  Wilkins   Builders   has   added   a   new   major   name   to   its  growing  customer   list   this  year.     It  has  been  enlarging   the  RSPCA   Cats   and   Dogs   facility   at   Claverton   Down   in   Bath.  The  new  Welcome  Building  costing  £400,000  started  in  July  and   comprises   40   new   cat   pens   for   abandoned   cats   and  mum’s  with  kittens.    In  addition  to  the  new  building,  32  dog  pens  will  also  have  their  concrete  floors  refurbished.  

The  works  are  due  to  be  completed  in  January  2014.    

                             

 

 

Age  is  no  Barrier  to  Ron  Franklin  –  78  Years  Young  Ron  Franklin,  yardman  at  Wilkins  Builders,  had  his  78th  birthday  recently.        Ron,  or   ‘Rocket’   to  some  of  his  colleagues,  has  been  working  for  Wilkins  Builders  for  13  years,   following  many  years  keeping  the  boilers  going  at   the  town’s  Harris  Meat  Factory  buildings  and  then  retirement  from  his  milkman’s  duties.    Industrious  Ron  finds  himself  busy  keeping  the  yard  tidy,  delivering  and  collecting  materials  and  plant  from  site,  and  keeping  the  stores  in  order.      You  just  can’t  keep  a  good  man  down!                              Kelvin  White  Group  Chief  Executive        

 

 

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CONSTRUCTION  

 

Volkswagen  Pre-­‐Delivery  Inspection  Facility  Contract  Award  This  £919k  scheme  for  Peel  Ports,  initially  comprised  of  the  groundworks   for   a   new   shed   and   the   resurfacing   of   the  existing   parking   area,   which   has   since   increased  exponentially.     The   tendered   project   changed   in   work  content  one  hundred  fold.    Since  the  start  of  this  contract,  we  have  added  ducting  and  bases  for  the  CCTV  and  lighting,  a   fueling   station  and   vehicle  wash  down  area   as  well   as   a  completely   different   design   on   the   resurfacing   works.      Once  again,  due   to   the  efforts  of   the  site   team  we  have  a  very  satisfied  client  who  can  see  that  we  are  helping  to  sort  out  issues  whilst  maintaining  a  challenging  programme.        

South  East  Division  Forecasts  Best  Year  Ever  Following  a  slow  start  to  the  year,  a  summer  of  awards  has  resulted  in  the  South  East  Division  forecasting  its  best  year  ever.  Since  the  beginning  of  the  summer,  contract  awards  of  note  include;  £3.5m  Haywards  Heath  Relief  Road,  £4.4m  Smurfit  Kappa  Phase   2,   £1m  Volkswagen   Pre-­‐delivery   Facility,   and   a   £3.5m  Greenwich   Swing   Bridge.     A   projected   turnover   of   £12m  with  around  £4m  secured  for  next  year  puts  us  in  a  position  of  great  optimism.    My  thanks  to  all  staff  in  the  division  who,  through  a  combined  effort,  have  made  this  possible  after  a  tough  few  years.      Jeff  Roberts,  Divisional  Director        North  Middlesex  Hospital  This  contract  was  part  of  a  £50m  project  won  with  Kier  (London)  Ltd  as  part  of   their   Procure   21   Hospital   Framework   for   the   construction   of   a   new  maternity  unit  in  North  London  with  a  value  of  £2.7  million.      Work  began  initially  on  an  enabling  works  package  in  November  2012  whilst  the  full  package  was  being  negotiated  for  commencement  in  January  2013.      We  were   set   a   challenging   programme   requiring   the   rapid  mobilisation   of  resources  to  work  on  a  number  of  different  areas  including  foundations  and  drainage  for  the  main  hospital  unit,  external  foul  and  storm  drainage,  a  new  foundation  for  a  generator  house  and  five  car  parks.          

Smurfit  Kappa  Phase  2  Contract  Award  This   £4.4m   scheme,   part   of   a   £150m   new   paper  mill   was  successfully   bid   and   negotiated   mainly   due   to   the  successful   delivery   of   the   Phase   1   works,   where   RBC  demonstrated   to   the   client   that   by  working  with   them   to  mitigate  their  delay  issues  we  can  deliver  a  quality  product  to  time  and  budget.        The   contract   commenced  mid   October   2013   and   is  progressing   on   programme   with   the   pouring   of   concrete  floors   at   several   different   heights   throughout   the   building  including  12.5m  up   from  ground   level.    This   is  made  more  difficult  by  the  fact  that  the  cladding  and  precast  concrete  wall  contractors  are  in  front  of  us.                    

As  works  progressed,  announcements  were  made   in  the   local  press  regarding  the  closure  date  of  the  existing  maternity  unit  some  miles  away  and  the  opening  of  the  new  North  Middlesex  Hospital  Unit  which  concentrated  minds  due  to  the  proximity  of  the   date   of   the   21st   November   for   the   arrival   of   the   first   patient.     The   final   push   to   get   the   external   works   finished   was  hampered  by  delays  on  the  main  building  fabric  but  our  site  team  rose  to  the  challenge  and  the  unit  opened  for  business  with  the  first  baby  safely  delivered  that  day.      Some  areas  remain  to  be  tidied  up  but  we  will  shortly  be  demobilising  from  a  site  that  we  can  be  proud  of.    Our  site  team,  in  no  particular  order  was  Pat  Devine,  Gavin  Tait,  Daniel  Nicholls,  Robin  Farnish  and  Bill  Evans.  

There   remains   a  number   of   further  significant   packages  yet   to   be   let,   which,  with   our   current  performance   we  would   hope   to  secure.    Well  done  to  the   site   team,   keep  up  the  good  efforts!    

This   contract   has   doubled  in   value   and   scope.     The  client   has   approached   us  with   the   opportunity   for  further   projects   in   2014.    All   this   has   been   made  possible  by   the  site   teams  continual   management  and  delivery  ethos,  you  all  know  who  you  are,  keep  it  up!    

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CONSTRUCTION  

 

RBC  Southern  Division  secures  over  £10m  of  new  Contracts  We  are  pleased  to  announce  that  over  the  last  three  months,  the  Southern  Division  of  RBC  has  been  awarded  in  excess  of  £10m  of  new  contracts.      The   largest   of   these   is   the   construction  of   a   new  wet  basin   and  600T  hoist   dock   for   Pendennis   Shipyard   in   Falmouth  worth  £6.2m  which  starts  on  site  in  the  New  Year.    Pictured  below  left.        Also  commencing   in  January  2014  is  the  £550k  reconstruction  of  three  bridges  spanning  the  river   in  Ripley  for  Surrey  County  Council,   installation   of   seventy   four  more   fenders   for   DP  World   in   Southampton  worth   £600k   and   a   £268k   beach   recharge  scheme  at  Selsey  and  Wittering  for  Chichester  District  Council.    The  £2.1m  slope  stabilisation  and  beach  hut  replacement  scheme  on  Swanage  seafront  was  awarded  to  us  by  Swanage  Borough  Council  in  November  and  has  since  commenced  on  site.    Pictured  below  right.    The   final   project   of   these   recent   awards   is   the   £450k   Chapelhay   Gardens   retaining   wall   reconstruction   in   Weymouth   for  Weymouth  and  Portland  Borough  Council  which  commenced  on  site  at  the  beginning  of  November.    This   moves   our   ‘work   in   hand’   position   to   circa   £13m   with   a   number   of   tenders   and   negotiated   opportunities   still   being  discussed  with  various  clients.    As  2013  slowly  draws  to  a  close,   I  would   like   to   thank  all   the  staff   for   their  continued  efforts  which,  after  a  tough  year  for  work  winning,  is  helping  the  Southern  Division  get  back  on  track  to  our  desired  and  well  deserved  levels  of  workload.    Kevin  Valentine,  Divisional  Director            

New  Director  for  RBC  Rail  Division  As   I  am  sure  most  of  you  will  already  know,  Tom  Schofield  has  decided  to   leave  the  business  to  pursue  other  opportunities.  During  the  last  three  years  Tom  has  worked  tirelessly  to  build  the  Rail  Division  from  scratch  and  I’m  sure  you  will  all  join  me  in  thanking  him  for  his  efforts  and  contribution  to  the  business.      There  are  tremendous  opportunities  in  the  rail  sector  and  the  Rail  Division  is  now  well  established;  I  am  sure  it  will  become  an  increasingly  important  part  of  the  business  in  the  future.      Tom’s  involvement  with  the  ICE  Professional  Reviews  must  also  be  acknowledged.    His  recent  involvement  in  the  scheme  has  obviously  been  beneficial,  seeing  Rob  Hayman  achieve  IEng  MICE  and  Richard  Knight  achieve  Eng  Tech  TMICE.    Both  Rob  and  Richard  would  like  to  record  their  appreciation  for  Tom’s  support  and  dedication  to  them  both  throughout  the  process.            Tom’s  contributions  to  the  training  and  development  of  employees  have  also  resulted  in  us  achieving   the  New  Forest  Business  Partnership  Training  &  Development  Award  for  2012/13.              To   replace   Tom,   Brian   Shepherd   is   joining   us   as   our   new   rail   divisional   director   and  many  of  you  will  already  have  met  him.        I  am  sure  you  will  all  join  me  in  welcoming  Brian  to  the  business  and  that  you  give  him  all  the  help  he  needs  in  his  new  role.    Guy  Hardacre,  RBC  Managing  Director    

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Green  Energy  Wales  Awards  2013  Winners  The   Wales   Green   Energy   Awards   2013,   organised   by  RenewableUK,   took   place   at   Cardiff   Bay   on   9th   October   to  celebrate  the  very  best  examples  of  green  energy  in  Wales.        There   were   seven   category   winners   available   and   Raymond  Brown  Renewables  were  nominated  twice  for  the  Outstanding  Green  Energy  Project  Award.    Raymond   Brown   was   nominated   for   Balance   of   Plant  Contractor   at   Ysgellog   Wind   Farm   in   Anglesey,   and   our  involvement  with   the  Wear  Point  Wind  Farm.     It  was  a  great  honour   to   have   been   shortlisted   and   to   know   that   Raymond  Brown  were  associated  with  two  out  of  the  four  finalists  in  the  Outstanding  Green  Energy  Project  category.    We  are  delighted  to  announce  that  Ysgellog  Wind  Farm  went  on  to  win  the  Outstanding  Green  Energy  Project  Award.        We  are  extremely  proud  of  our  achievement  and  hope   it  will  continue   to   raise   our   profile   within   the   wind   energy   sector  across  the  UK,  and  especially  in  Wales.    Chris  Craufurd,  Operations  Director    

Survival  of  the  Fittest  in  Cardiff    Members  of  the  Wales  office  took  part  in  the  gruelling  10k  Survival  of  the  Fittest  Obstacle  Race  held  in  Cardiff  last  month.    The  event  saw  the  team  undertake  an  obstacle  course  through  the  City  of  Cardiff,  clambering  over  hay  bales,  wading  through  the  river,  carrying  sand  bags,  an  army  assault  course  and  when  they  thought  it  was  all  over,  scaling  a  10ft  wall.          

CONSTRUCTION  

The  team  all  managed  to  complete  the  course  and  in   doing   so   raised   £1,782.20   for   the   MS   Society.    This   charity   is   one   which   is   close   to   the   hearts   of  many   at   the   Wales   office   after   Nikki   Mitchell,  business  development  manager,  unfortunately  had  to   leave   the   organisation   earlier   this   year   after  being  diagnosed  with  it.        In   acknowledgment   of   the   hard  work   and   support  Nikki  gave  to   the  development  of  Raymond  Brown  in  Wales,   the   challenge  was   completed   to   support  the  great  work  of  the  MS  Society.    The  team  hopes  that   the   funds   raised   will   go   some   way   to  supporting   further   research   and   providing   support  to  other  MS  sufferers  throughout  the  UK.    

Long  Service  Awards  Congratulations  to  Sean  Manning  and  Kevin  Davies  for  both  achieving  25  years  service  with  Raymond  Brown.          Sean   Manning   started   with   the   company   on   12th   April  1988,  and  Kevin  started  shortly  after  on  3rd  October  1988.        Sean   and   Kevin   were   presented   with   their   long   service  awards   at   the   Southern  Division   Communications   Evening  on  24th  September  by  Guy  Hardacre  and  Kevin  Valentine.                  

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Boots  &  Suits  Thank  you  to  everyone  for  their  contributions  in  this  edition  of  the  Group  Newsletter.    The   next   issue   will   be   due   out   in   2014   and   any   news   for   inclusion   can   be   emailed   or   given   to   Kerry   Smith  (kerry.smith@raymondbrown.co.uk).        

Ellingham  &  Ringwood  Rugby  Club  Sponsorship  Deal  The  Raymond  Brown  Group  has  just  agreed  a  £5,000  sponsorship  package  with  the  Ellingham  &  Ringwood  Rugby  Club  for  the  2013-­‐14  season.        Raymond  Brown  have  been  supporting  the  club  each  season  since  its  new  facilities  were  built  by  Raymond  Brown  Building  Ltd  in  2008.  They  have  since  been  enjoyed  by  various  players  and  supporters  alike,  as  well  as  being  a  real  asset  to  the  community.        Kelvin  White  has  stated,  “I  am  thrilled  to  announce  another  season’s  sponsorship  of  the  Ellingham  &  Ringwood  Rugby  Club.    As  we  achieve  our  60th  year  trading  in  Ringwood,  it  is  excellent  to  be  able  to  continue  our  relationship  with  an  extremely  popular  and  deserving  club  within  Ringwood.        Many  of  our  employees  are  enthusiastic   rugby   fans,  and   I   speak  on  behalf  of  all  of  Raymond  Brown  when   I   say   that  as   the  main  sponsor,  we  are  proud  to  be  associated  with  the  club.”                        Peter  Pearce,  Ellingham  &  Ringwood  Rugby  Club  chairman  said,  “We  are  proud  to  continue  our  association  with  the  Raymond  Brown  Group,  who  are  such  a  well  respected  company  in  the  area.”  He  added,  “Our  club  house  was  built  by  Raymond  Brown  Building  and  our  ground   is  named  after  Raymond,  who  was   so   supportive  of  our  efforts   to  develop  our  own  ground   in   the  town,  so  it  is  fitting  that  the  Raymond  Brown  Group  are  able  to  continue  to  be  the  club’s  main  sponsor.”    Pictured,   at   the   club’s   first   home   league   match   of   the   season   on   Saturday   21st   September   2013   at   the   Raymond   Brown  Memorial   Ground,   keen   Ellingham   &   Ringwood   supporter,   Ben   Race   from   Raymond   Brown   Construction   Ltd,   with   Team  Captain,  Duncan  Soden.    If  you  would  like  to  attend  any  matches,  the  fixtures  list  is  available  on  the  ERRFC  website:  http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/ellinghamringwood/s/fixtures-­‐results-­‐17713.html  

Wear  it  Pink  Day  2013  Thank  you  to  everyone  who  took  part  in  the  Wear  it  Pink  Day  in  aid  of  breast  cancer  on   Friday   25th   October.     Your   generous   support   helped   raise   £404.57   across   the  Group.    Congratulations  to  Sarah  Neal,  from  Raymond  Brown  Building  Ltd  who  won  the  raffle,  receiving  £15  cash  and  a  bottle  of  wine.  

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