An estimated 1,000 participants from from fifty-eight countries have gathered in Kraków for the 26th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI) as Poland hosts the event for the first time. The 5-day event which ends on 4th October includes a programme of technical papers, as well as many AI-related events of interest to researchers, students…
industry
ACO Technologies has inaugurated the first phase of a £13 million redevelopment of its manufacturing site in Shefford. The site expansion was officially opened by Susan Lousada, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Lord Deben, Chairman of the UK’s Independent Committee on Climate Change, and renowned architect Michael Pawlyn Habitat-first development sees former farmland transformed into…
Bakkavor Pizza in Harrow, a supplier to well-known supermarket chains including Sainsburys and Waitrose, faces severe disruption to supplies after months of negotiations on pay ends with GMB members’ rejection of a 5.9 per cent pay deal. Bakkavor Pizza’s predominately female workforce from ethnic Asian communities say it is time they had a decent pay…
Bidvest Noonan has appointed Keith Middleton as managing director of its transport sector business. With over three decades of experience, Middleton’s successful track record in the facilitiy services industry includes senior leadership roles with ISS and Mitie. His appointment follows a series of moves by Bidvest Noonan in recent years to grow and strengthen the…
Security provider Amulet has taken a step towards promoting best employment practices by joining the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, a voluntary initiative to cultivate a culture of fairness, inclusivity, and equitable compensation in workplaces across the Greater Manchester region. Amulet is one of 22 new Supporters who have recently joined the Charter, which boasts…
Sigfox operator and IoT network Heliot Europe has appointed Gareth Mitchell as UK Partner Manager following its acquisition of WND UK’s Sigfox 0G™ network operations. Heliot Europe is the exclusive operator of the global Sigfox 0G network in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, the UK, Denmark and Liechtenstein. Mitchell, who has previously worked for BT Wholesale and…
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has signed a new contract with Serco further extending the provision of logistics and support services at bases in the Middle East. The new Middle East Logistics and Base Support Services (MELABS) contract, valued at $107 million will commence on 1 January 2024, continuing Serco’s commitment for an initial term of…
The UK’s Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management has launched ‘Get moving on sustainability: a campaign for change’ which calls on FM professionals to accelerate their organisation’s journey towards Net Zero by upskilling knowledge. Emphasising the ‘critical’ role of workplace and facilities managers in securing a more sustainable future as organisational ‘lynchpins’ who bring together…
The Level 3 Lifting Equipment Technician Apprenticeship is now available in England as an Open Programme which delivers teaching via online classrooms without any minimum cohort requirements. From August, one cohort will run every 3-months, with mock exams conducted at the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) in Huntingdon and End Point Assessment delivered on-site. This…
Alfa Laval has sold its first gasketed plate heat exchanger (GPHE) from its newly launched hygienic line for businesses operating in the process and food and beverages industries. The deal was secured through the company’s only Master Integrator in the UK, Sycamore Process Engineering. Based in Somerset, Sycamore Process Engineering are the experts in end-to-end…
The British Cleaning Council (BCC) has expressed gratitude to over 450 industry members who have endorsed its campaign to make cleaning and hygiene a national priority as it releases an assessment of the likelihood of future pandemics. Published recently, the National Risk Register suggests there is a 25 per cent chance of a future ‘catastrophic’…
Compass Group facilities management business 14forty has won a contract to provide soft and hard services for National Gas, the backbone of Britain’s energy system. This contract was awarded due to 14forty’s comprehensive experience within the industry and its capacity to seamlessly shift and collaborate to meet the specific needs of National Gas. National Gas…
CBRE has arranged the sale of a mixed-use property comprising 12 residential apartment units and a street-front retail building in Costa Mesa, California. Acquired by a local private investor for US $3.2 million, the transaction represented a selling price of US $425 per square foot (or US $246,154 per unit) as the property exchanged hands…
This fall, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality is offering innovative new ordering technologies and food concepts, designed with industry and campus-specific data, to deliver dining programs that engage and ground students. Each college campus is as unique as its medley of students, and this fall Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) is offering innovative new ordering technologies and food concepts,…
Autonomous post sortation company LiBiao Robotics has selected Frankfurt for its new European headquarters, inaugurating a new office space with a showroom and demonstration zones for visitors. Founder and CEO, Xia Huiling, says: “Apart from providing a base for our European sales and service teams, the new premises will be a place where logistics professionals can…
The British Cleaning Council (BCC) has elected a new Chair and Deputy Chair at its recent Annual General Meeting. Delia Cannings, who has served as Deputy Chair for the past two years, takes over the Chair from Jim Melvin. A well-known figure who has worked in the public and private sectors for 45 years across…
ISS has selected Kasper Fangel as Group CEO following the resignation of former incumbent Jacob Aarup-Andersen in March. The appointment takes effect from 1st September when Fangel will assume responsibility for the execution of the facility services provider’s OneISS strategy. Currently Group Chief Financial Officer, Fangel has played a central role in a divestment and…
UK Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget, has received mixed responses from industry leaders and company representatives across the built environment, technology and retail sectors. Responding to the Chancellor’s announcement of new measures to support the retail sector in his “Budget for growth” – including extending the provision of free childcare to the working parents of…
Paul Wrighton, Regional Director for Sustainable Infrastructure at Johnson Controls UK&I, tells FM Magazine what he’d like to see from the Chancellor in the Spring Budget on Wednesday. We need a renewed commitment to decarbonisation, across all sectors – especially for both domestic and SMEs, as well as looking at ways to encourage more training…
Jardine Motors is the first UK “top ten” dealership to reduce carbon emissions with Veolia’s fully circular waste oil management platform. The automotive retail group which represents 14 premium and luxury brands including Audi, Mercedes, Ferrari and Porsche, took the decisive step to manage waste oil sustainably by contributing it to the circular economy. Jardine…
A preview of the China International Furniture Fair—the world’s largest furniture exhibition and FM Industry partner event, as over 4,000 exhibitors prepare to welcome 350,000+ domestic and international visitors in Guangzhou next month. CIFF Guangzhou 2023 – Innovative solutions to meet new global challenges CIFF is preparing its next edition in March 2023, developing new…
A new report by MPs in the United Kingdom into the role of cleaning and hygiene during the Covid-19 pandemic has recommeended the introduction of minimum standards for hand and other hygiene infrastructure and cleaning of venues to prepare the country for future public health emergencies. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Cleaning and…
Atalian Servest has appointed Andy Porter as digital solutions manager with the remit of extending its technology offering across its FM services portfolio. Porter, who brings over a decade of experience in project management, data analytics, logistics, innovation and process development to the role, will implement new solutions focused on elevating efficiencies and services to…
Utelogy Corporation is continuing to unveil platform enhancements, forge new partnerships and expand internationally as it redefines the user experience in increasingly connected global workplaces. The company has been increasing headcount across EMEA and the US, and has also grown its US presence with new headquarters in Petaluma, California, and additional offices in Seattle, WA,…
Allegion brand Briton will is co-sponsoring this year’s Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) Education Awards at iconic London sporting venue The Oval on Thursday 17th November 2022. The 42nd GAI Education Awards will celebrate the outstanding educational achievements of architectural ironmongery professionals and will award a new class of GAI Diploma holders before showcasing the…
Dr Salomé Giao, Lead Scientist at Dyson for Business, says many existing hand drying solutions are ineffective despite there never having been greater need for good hygiene practices. Every year, Global Handwashing Day champions and campaigns for the critical importance of regular hand washing with soap. The message is a simple one: hand washing can…
ABM has been awarded a multi-year contract to provide cleaning and security services at six sites operated by waste and resource management services provider LondonEnergy following a competitive pitch process. A team led by divisional director, Lee Fitzgerald, will deliver integrated cleaning and security services across several sites within the LondonEnergy estate. ABM will enhance the…
PPDS will demonstrate a new ‘stretched’ 32:9 Philips digital signage solution at InfoComm Southeast Asia 2022 in Bangkok from 2nd to 4th November as part of its wider exhibition of professional AV solutions. The exclusive global supplier of Philips-branded professional display solutions has announced strategic growth ambitions in Asia, with key target countries including India,…
Kimberly-Clark Professional™ has added 100 per cent bio-based and recyclable core plugs in its Scott® and Kleenex® hand towel ranges in the EMEA region in what the company’s describing as an industry first. The plastic-free core plugs are made primarily from starch and fibre, replacing plastic core plugs currently in use. It is estimated to…
Siemens power control systems business Russelectric have appointed Robert W. Chapman & Co (Chapman & Company) as official manufacturer representatives for the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia. Chapman & Company was founded in 1959 on the principle that quality salespeople attract quality manufacturers, a philosophy that has made the power specialist one of…
Soul Machines is making significant progress in implementing and integrating its AI-powered Digital Iris “Digital Person” solution with IBM Watson Assistant at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). Digital Iris is the newest member of the DFW team and the world’s first example of the “Digital Person” product for assisting airport visitors at information kiosks. Inspired…
Digital print technology provider Electronics For Imaging, Inc., is showcasing its expansive portfolio of innovative display graphics solutions this week at PRINTING United Expo 2022 in the Las Vegas Convention Center. The range of EFI™ production LED inkjet, dye-sublimation inkjet, and Fiery® digital front end (DFE) and workflow offerings at the show highlights advanced, unique,…
Cash-back app Shopmium has announced a strategic partnership with global audience measurement leader Nielsen in a bid to improve data-driven marketing within the FMCG sector – post-cookies. Shopmium’s data combined with the Nielsen Marketing Cloud’s comprehensive consumer data willenable brands to gain an omnichannel view of consumers across different buying signals and retailers.Shopmium is the…
ASDA is once again the worst-paying of the UK’s ‘Big Four’ supermarkets after Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi increased wages to help workers cope with the cost of living crisis says the GMB Union as it calls on bosses to ‘wake up’. According to the union, basic pay for Asda retail workers remains at £10.10 per…
United Kingdom-based online hospitality training provider The National Hospitality Academy will offer courses internationally after joining forces with UAE-based training provider Save Fast which operates across the MEA region. The National Hospitality Academy will provide Save Fast with 70 e-learning courses covering everything from food hygiene to GDPR, and from cellar training to customer service.…
The British Cleaning Council (BCC) is warning continuing staff shortages in the cleaning, hygiene and waste sector will amplify the impact of a feared ‘twindemic’ combining winter flu and new immune evasive Sars-Cov-2 variants. The cleaning, hygiene and waste sector – which is one of the ten biggest industries in the UK – has played…
Stuart Byles and Lee Stuart, technical directors at UK contractor Pexhurst Services, discuss key take-homes on BREEAM standards from a recent Refurb and Reuse vs Demolition and Rebuild roundtable with FM Magazine. Refurbishment has been relatively late to BREEAM standards in comparison to new builds, and still seems to be in the early stages with…
Cloudfm has appointed Katrina Christopoulos as head of ESG.Christopoulos will drive environmental and social policies within the company, working with customers and suppliers to accelerate change. Her previous roles include leading sustainability at Bloomberg in their London Headquarters, dubbed one of the most sustainable offices in the world, and having global responsibility as ISS’s head…
Nick Hughes, sales manager at UK intralogistics provider Invar Group, considers the key influences and technologies that are shaping fulfilment operations in warehousing. Today, customer service levels are the ultimate driver of warehousing strategies as a result of ever-increasing expectations that are driving change. Along with the rapid growth of ecommerce, there is a strong…
UK real estate developer F3GROUP has appointed Jon Dixon as its new CEO, with current CEO Gavin Gleave taking up a new role within the company as Executive Chairman. A qualified chartered surveyor, Dixon brings with him a wealth of experience in the real estate investment and development industry across Europe and the Middle East.…
Brendan McGarrity, Director of Evolution Risk & Design, has been elevated as a Fellow of The Security Institute (FSyl), the UK’s largest membership organisation for security professionals. His appointment, confirmed by industry peers on the Security Institute Validation Board, reflects the importance that Evolution places on continuous professional development at all levels of its business,…
The Business Sprinkler Alliance (BSA) will be at the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) Annual Conference and Exhibition from 13-14th October at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales. Attracting expert panels interacting with a wide range of construction professionals, this year’s event will focus on the theme of Embedding Sustainability and how building…
Angry and disappointed cleaning and hygiene industry leaders have hit out after opposition parties so far avoided meeting with them to discuss key and pressing sector issues. Leading Trade association, The British Cleaning Council (BCC) wrote t,o the Labour, Scottish Nationalist, Lib Dem and Green parties in August but none of them have so far…
The remaining two sessions of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Cleaning and Hygiene Industry inquiry into the role of cleaning and hygiene during the Covid-19 pandemic have been postponed following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The APPG inquiry, which is entitled “Embedding Effective Hygiene for a Resilient UK“, held its…
Seeley International, Australia’s largest air conditioning and heating manufacturer, is celebrat ing its golden jubilee in 2022. The Seeley family business has grown from humble beginnings into a global leader in the HVAC manufacturing industry that is renowned fore its innovative evaporative cooling systems . In more recent times, the company has delivered large-scale HVAC…
Bidvest Noonan has named Jeff Flanagan as Chief Executive Officer of its business in the United Kingdom. Flanagan brings over 25 years of senior executive experience in the facilities services industry to the role. Flanagan succeeds Charlotte Marshall, who has decided to step down as CEO to pursue other interests. During her time at Bidvest…
ASSA ABLOY’s ARX access control solution is helping secure new SafePod research facilities in universities across the United Kingdom. The SafePod Network is a world first service to provide standardised safe settings across the UK for data that requires secure access for research. The network was launched in September 2021. SafePods include the ARX access…
A new UK recycling operation involving Veolia, garden product brand Miracle-Gro, and Dobbies Garden Centres is set to address the environmental impact of caused by around 100 million bags that are used for compost, soil and chipped bark each year. Developed from successful trials, the process will be the first time these low-density polyethylene (LDPE)…
The United Kingdom Defence Infrastructure Organisation has launched the next phase of its Asset Information Management Common Data Environment (AIM CDE), using the intelligent data management platform, gliderbim®. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has successfully led a phased deployment of a new AIM CDE, using the gliderbim platform and with the support of Glider’s information…
Lighting brand Signify has launched the first on-demand continuing professional development courses to be accredited by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers for specifiers, lighting designers, facilities managers and installers who need to respond to challenges created by sustainability and SARS-Cov-2. The courses are an addition to over 700 already being offered by the…
For many years, German storage bin manufacturer BITO-Lagertechnik has been puting sustainability into practice, supported by innovative technologies and state-of-the art machinery. In 2021 the company was verified as ‘climate-neutral’ by TÜV Rheinland Group Carbon Services. Sustainable development requires a new mindset that affects the entire supply chain. It requires a new approach when selecting…
Robertson Facilities Management has been awarded a place on the new Crown Commercial Services, Facilities Management and Workplace Services Framework – RM6232 after applying successfully for two lots. Robertson FM has over twenty years of experience in the industry and acceptance on the framework, which will be in place for the next four years, will…
Pinnacle Group subsidiary Pinnacle Power is claiming a UK first following the development of a new Heat Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship programme. The new 36-month apprenticeship aims to support the UK’s journey to net zero, building on the sustainable energy expertise that Pinnacle provides its private and public sector commercial and residential property clients. Initial approval…
Clyne Albertelli, 25, who founded start-up Co-Lab Engineering in June, has launched an Engineering Academy to encourage collaboration between industry and SMEs in developing solutions to real-life challenges using rapid approaches to problem solving he learnt in the nuclear sector. The Academy’s first six-week ‘sprint’ project is scheduled for October, with the programme focusing on…
EMCOR UK’s collaborative practices have been recognised with a ‘Pioneers in Collaboration’ award from the Institute for Collaborative Working (ICW), with the facility services provider additionally being re-elected as a corporate member of the institute’s Advisory Council. Established in 1990, ICW promotes collaborative working as a professional business discipline, assisting organisations in the public and…
Contractors BAM Construct, BAM Nuttall, Skanska UK and Willmott Dixon have reported reduced sickness absence rates in a follow-up study to an 18-month flexible working pilot. The follow-up study which was commissioned by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) from social enterprise and flexible working consultancy, Timewise, obtained updated data on sickness absences from the…
According to a new 2022 State of Access Control Report from IFSEC Global and identity solutions provider HID Global, 42 per cent of participants in a survey indicated they plan to upgrade to mobile-ready systems. The report surveyed just over 1,000 respondents from across North America (56 per cent), EMEA (29 per cent) and Asia…
At the end of 2025, Openreach, the infrastructure division of BT, will be switching off its copper network. This means that the UK’s analogue network – the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN) will no longer be available. Dan Whittington, Head of Utilities at international MEP consultancy Whitecode, considers how…
As pressure mounts on the construction industry to deliver more thermally efficient buildings while preserving standards of fire and acoustic performance, ROCKWOOL has launched NyRock technology, an evolution in stone wool composition that delivers the lowest lambda stone wool insulation available in the UK. Created using a new patented production process, this next generation stone…
Mitas has expanded its GRIP’N’RIDE tyre offering for the construction industry with a new size for wheeled and backhoe loaders. The 21L – 24 IND tyre is designed for improved performance even on softer terrain and features strengthened sidewalls for greater durability when handling increased load capacity, a special tread pattern that delivers increased grip,…
Gillian Kelly, a Nutrition Associate Manager on Aramark’s catering team at James Madison University (JMU), has been announced by MenuTrinfo® as one of 10 recipients of its annual National Allergy Awards, with Aramark colleague Brandon Mathias as well as their employer also receiving awards. The awards, now in their sixth year, recognize entities which operate…
SELECT, Scotland’s largest construction trade body has been shortlisted as a finalist in three categories of the Association Excellence Awards which salute the vital work trade associations undertake on behalf of their members. The first nomination for Best Membership Support Since Covid-19recognising the organisation’s on-going response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has included offering members…
Aramark provided dining and hospitality services for this year’s Green Sports Alliance (GSA) annual summit at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which discussed ways to build healthier, more sustainable communities where we live and play. The gathering at venue, where GSA member Aramark Sports + Entertainment manages the dining and hospitality program, involved more…
New food concept Rama Social, which blends Japanese flavours with Latin soul, has been selected as the winner of Elior UK brand, Lexington Catering’s annual casual dining competition. The winning team’s concept will be introduced across Lexington’s business, with members also enjoying a dinner at a top London restaurant, and a masterclass with Dhruv Baker,…
John McPherson, managing director, ABM UK, explains why the absence of a consensus global standard for Indoor Air Quality presents difficulties for facility managers, and the measures his company is taking to preventing sick building syndrome (SBS) in client locations. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically disrupted life around the world, and most profoundly, our interactions outside…
Iain Cox, Chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance, comments on the response of fire crews in West London to a devastating industrial fire last month on the very same road that destroyed a similar business on the same road in Park Royal in London two years earlier. The major blaze at the Al Bahij bakery…
Rogier Roelvink, Customer Strategy Director with Oracle Construction and Engineering, explains how processes and technologies from Formula One motorsport can accelerate performance in facilities management. Formula 1 is a sport often described as being driven by data; teams are obsessed with analysis and minute details that could give them a competitive advantage on the track.…
FSI has begun trading as MRI Software following its August 2021 acquisition, with the Concept Evolution CAFM/IWMS platform also rebranded as ‘MRI Evolution’. “Integrating FSI with MRI Software strengthens both organisations’ ability to support FM teams across a range of industry sectors by delivering an enhanced, scalable technology platform to manage and maintain facilities effectively,”…
ABM has appointed Jim Niblock as Managing Director of its UK aviation business. Previously the Operations Director at the company for almost four years, and with 25 years of aviation experience, Jim brings a deep understanding of the ABM business as well as a wealth of industry expertise. Sean Bromfield, President, Aviation at…
Schneider Electric has achieved an Honourable Mention in the Architecture category of Fast Company’s 2022 ‘World Changing Ideas Awards’ for IntenCity, its new net-zero carbon in building operation Building of the Future in Grenoble, France. With buildings responsible for an estimated 40 per cent of global CO2 emissions and more than 30 per cent of the…
Schneider Electric has integrated its EcoStruxure Power Operation systems with ETAP’s Electrical Digital Twin on a continuous real-time basis to help operators understand power system behaviour under different real-world or plausible operating scenarios. New operating procedures may be designed and validated against contingencies utilising their familiar EcoStruxure Power Operation human-machine interface without the risk of affecting…
To celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend, British Apples and Pears (BAPL) are partnering with celebrated chef Raymond Blanc to bake a showstopping apple mousse cake that champions the UK’s national fruit, the apple. On the first weekend of June, Queen Elizabeth II will become the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70…
The Aura Blockchain Consortium has announced Mercedes-Benz as its fifth and newest founding member. The consortium was established to realise a common ambition shared by its international players in the luxury industry to raise standards in relation to innovation transparency and blockchain technology, and increase customer trust in members’ sustainable practices and product sourcing. Mercedes-Benz…
Industry collaboration body the Scottish Construction Leadership Forum (CLF) has taken a major step towards achieving greater openness, transparency and information exchange within the construction industry in Scotland following its launch of a revolutionary new data dashboard. Available via its own website, the dashboard will benefit the sector, companies and individuals by collecting and disseminating…
Rentokil Pest Control is claiming an industry first following the launch of an intelligent rodent control monitoring system for use in internal settings. The Internal Dual Autogate (IDAG) is a slimline, robust, metal bait box, providing a professional and low-profile solution for internal rodent monitoring and control. The IDAG provides access for rats and mice,…
The Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) is calling on the Scottish Government to intervene and help address concerns raised by Scottish construction businesses over the introduction of the new UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark. The unique trades organisation’s Post-Brexit and Trade Group has written to Business Minister Ivan McKee requesting assistance as CICV businesses grapple…
Dettol science-led protocols and products will enhance hygiene during the Games in Birmingham whilst Durex condoms will be available for athletes
Flyability has unveiled Elios 3, a collision-tolerant drone equipped with a LiDAR sensor for indoor 3D mapping. Powered by a new SLAM engine called FlyAware™, the new drone is capable of creating 3D models in the air and is being supported by a new versionfo the company’s software for inspectors, Inspector 4.0. Flyability was a…
Karen Trigg, business development manager, South East, at Allegion UK, considers Document Q approval requirements for security products used in dwellings. The importance of products being Document Q approved is now widely understood by architects, developers, installers, and increasingly, homeowners. Following the introduction of these standards in October 2015, which apply to all new residential…