Staffordshire-based specialist Industrial Coating Services has fallen into administration with the loss of 52 jobs.

ICS, which specialised in the surface preparation and application of protective coatings, suffered from critical cash flow issues arising from a sustained period of working on loss-making contracted work.

Since last year ICS was working on the major Wandsworth Bridge refurbishment in London which is now due to be completed next summer after further additional critical works were identified on the structure.

The original contract with VolkerLaser is understood to have been secured for around £3m.

The business, which operated from an industrial paint shop building in Rugeley, was marketed for sale prior to the administrators’ appointment, but a buyer could not be found.

Ben Jones from administrators FRP Advisory , said: “Without significant investment or the prospect of new ownership, ICS was unable to trade through its difficulties and continue as a going concern.

“All trading and operations have ceased. Regrettably, all of the 52 employees have been made redundant, although a small number will continue to support the administrators with their statutory duties. ”

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=1893

Construction of the UK’s longest railway bridge has taken a major step forward with completion of the first of 56 giant concrete piers to support the Colne Valley Viaduct as it crosses a series of lakes on the outskirts of London.

Stretching for 3.4km, the viaduct near  Hillingdon was cast by concrete specialist Kilnbridge working in partnership with engineers from HS2’s main works contractor Align JV.

Weighing in at around 370 tonnes, the 6m tall reinforced concrete pier was cast on site using a specially-designed formwork. This was then removed after four days to reveal the final product.

Each pier is designed to support the full weight of the deck above and rests on a set of concrete piles going up to 55m into the ground.

This foundation work began earlier this year and will require the construction of 292 piles and 56 pile caps across the whole length of the viaduct.

The construction team have also now completed the first of four jetties across the lakes to get equipment into position to support the construction thereby taking construction vehicles off local roads. Where the viaduct crosses the lake, the piles will be bored directly into the lakebed, using a cofferdam to hold back the water while the pier is constructed.

Align’s project director, Daniel Altier, said: “I have no doubt that the viaduct will become one, if not the most striking element of HS2 phase 1 once complete.”

The main deck of the viaduct – which supports the railway line – will be built in 1000 separate unique segments at a temporary factory nearby before being assembled from north to south, starting next year.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=1882

Skanska has signed a £53m contract to build a new data center in Slough for developer Virtus.

The LONDON11 data centre design and build job includes fit-out of six new data halls, construction of external steelwork plant gantries, plant rooms for mechanical and electrical and public health services, all MEPH infrastructure across the site and office fit out.

Construction work begins this month to complete the project by Spring 2023.

The construction of LONDON11 will add more than 13MW of new capacity within 5,500m2 of net technical space at the Slough campus.

This increases Virtus’ total data centre estate to more than 178MW and 77,000 sq m across its UK locations.

This includes the four data centres within Virtus’ Stockley Park Campus, all built by Bouygues Energies & Services and makes Virtus Data Centres one of Europe’s leading data centre providers.

Neil Cresswell, CEO of Virtus Data Centres said: “The start of building LONDON11 is a significant milestone in a busy year for Virtus.

“Throughout the COVID-19 epidemic our focus on operational excellence has enabled us to provide safe, reliable service to our valued customers, from our five live data centres, whilst also safely bringing two additional new data centres live in the past six months.”

Rogue bosses who dissolve their companies to rip-off staff, creditors and the taxpayer can now be disqualified from being a director.

The Insolvency Service has been granted new powers to tackle unfit directors who place their firm in administration to avoid paying subcontractors and suppliers.

The new legislation extends the Insolvency Service’s powers to investigate and disqualify company directors who abuse the company dissolution system.

If misconduct is found, directors can face sanctions including being disqualified as a company director for up to 15 years or, in the most serious of cases, prosecution.

The Business Secretary will also be able to apply to the court for an order to require a former director of a dissolved company, who has been disqualified, to pay compensation to creditors that have lost out due to their fraudulent behaviour.

Insolvency Service accountants will also be able to scruntinise live companies where there is evidence of wrongdoing.

The Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Act will also help tackle directors dissolving companies to avoid repaying Government-backed loans taken out during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “These new powers will curb those rogue directors who seek to avoid paying back their debts, including government loans provided to support businesses and save jobs.

“Government is committed to tackle those who seek to leave the British taxpayer out of pocket by abusing the covid financial support that has been so vital to businesses.

Stephen Pegge, Managing Director of UK Finance, said: “The ability to dissolve a company when necessary is a right reserved in legitimate circumstances where there are no outstanding creditors, however, it can be open to abuse.

“The banking and finance industry therefore supports this legislation which will provide much needed powers to the Insolvency Service to help hold rogue directors to account by providing additional deterrents and easier enforcement of the rules.”

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=1856

Plans for three new office blocks around a ruined church at the edge of Castle Park in Bristol have got the go-ahead from city planners.

Developer MEPC can now proceed with its plan to replace three former 1960s bank buildings at the corner of Wine Street and High Street with one nine-storey and two eight-storey office blocks, offering ground-level shops and cafes.

Under plans drawn up by architect FCBStudios, the ruined St Mary le Port church tower will be restored, and three historic city centre streets that were lost during the Blitz will be restored.

Roz Bird, commercial director at MEPC, said “After two years of detailed consultation with local stakeholders in the community, we are delighted that the Development Control Committee voted in favour of our application to rejuvenate the St Mary le Port site.”

An increase of 85% in biodiversity will be provided across the scheme, with an extensive planting scheme that will include over 70 new trees in and around the site, improvements to Castle Park itself and biodiverse terraces and green roofs.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=1848