01/02/10 Consolidate starts 2010 with the award of two new ground consolidation contracts
Ground engineering specialist Consolidate is bucking the downturn with the award of two new contracts to stabilise old mine workings in advance of a new school development in Motherwell and a private housing development in Stevenston.
Consolidate Managing Director Beaton Sutherland noted “2009 was quite a tough year, turnover went down and we had to reduce staff numbers at all levels, but we made the right decisions at the right times, got the right response to the challenges and managed to return a profit”.
“We’re reasonably positive about 2010, it isn’t going to be fantastic – things are very competitive out there and we don’t intend to be chasing the market down to secure turnover without margin. Consolidate is a strong brand and we have a reliable client base”.
Work is well ahead of programme and already near completion in Motherwell for Morgan Ashurst, with the prospect of a follow on contract under their schools programme with South Lanarkshire Council.
Meanwhile, for the development at Mayfield, Stevenston - work is well advanced on the £0.5 Million project for Barratt Homes. The 15 week project in preparation for a selection of three and four bedroom properties is being carried out in conjunction with Consulting Engineer, the Mason Evans Partnership.
The project to infill an abandoned bauxitic clay mine (bauxitic clay was used primarily as a furnace lining) is geologically challenging for Consolidates specialist ground engineering team as they prove the extent of the working, to allow their high capacity grouting equipment to come into its own as they inject large quantities of cement/ pfa grout to fill the voids.
01/07/09 Consolidate supporting Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games
Ground engineering specialist Consolidate has completed its work to stabilise the site for the new National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome, providing the ultimate support for the Cycling and Badminton venue at Glasgow’s 2014 Commonwealth Games
Working with main contractor I & H Brown Ltd of Perth and consulting engineer Mason Evans Partnership, Consolidate infilled and stabilised two mine shafts and associated seams at the brown-field site in the Parkhead district of the city.
Consolidate, already familiar with the area and the seams for treatment, having previously completed major ground consolidation projects on adjacent sites – Kiers Belvedere Hospital residential development and West of Scotland Housing Association’s social housing development at Camlachie – anticipates its local knowledge and local employees being of service again for the Commonwealth Games Village development and the East End Regeneration Route in 2010.
Beaton Sutherland, managing director of Consolidate, said: “the Commonwealth Games will be a showcase event for Scotland and Glasgow in 2014, and the venues and infrastructure a valuable inheritance thereafter. More importantly perhaps right now, in the current economic climate, the Games are providing a focus and stimulus for local companies and local workers trusting that the City Fathers will ensure that these businesses and employers which support Glasgow’s people and economy will continue to flourish.”
Consolidate has had a long association with the City of Glasgow which is home to many of its employees so was particularly delighted to have won this contract to support the Games.
Consolidates material support is provided by 41,400 tonnes of cement and pulverised fuel ash grout injected into the abandoned mine workings through 4290 boreholes drilled to depths of up to 50 meters utilising the full capability of our fleet of high powered Casagrande drill rigs.
The National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome will be a major stimulus in the regeneration of the east end of Glasgow, providing world-class facilities for international, national, regional and local events as well a community sports centre facility.
01/04/09 Consolidate ‘talking Italian’
Ground engineering specialist Consolidate has taken delivery of another two new Casagrande C6 drill rigs as part of its ongoing programme of investment in new equipment.
This new delivery means that Consolidate now owns and operates eight Casagrande C6 drill rigs as well as a recently acquired Boart rig. These rigs will compliment the existing fleet of rotary percussive drill rigs in the Consolidate plant portfolio.
Beaton Sutherland, Consolidate managing director, said: “The Casagrande C6 rig is capable, versatile and robust. Our operators love the performance it gives and are happy operating it”.
Consolidate specialises in the stabilisation of old mine workings to enable residential, commercial, infrastructure development and other construction work to take place. This involves the drilling of bore holes, which are then pressure injected with a cement/ pfa grout mixture to consolidate the ground. The company is currently engaged in a number of ground stabilisation projects in the west of Scotland, having recently completed works on the new M74 Motorway and for Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games.
26/09/08 Consolidate provides support for Commonwealth Games national indoor sports arena
Ground engineering specialist Consolidate has won a major multi-million pound sub-contract to stabilise the old mine workings underlying the site for the construction of the new National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome that will be used as a venue for Cycling and Badminton for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Working with main contractor I & H Brown Ltd of Perth and consulting engineer Mason Evans Partnership, Consolidate will infill and stabilise two mine shafts and associated seams at the brown-field site in the Parkhead district of the city.
The contract will involve the drilling of over 5,000 bore holes, which will then be pressure injected with up to 75,000 tonnes of pulverised fuel ash (PFA)/cement grout to infill and secure the mine workings. It is anticipated that 215,000 metres of drilling will be required to complete the project.
Consolidate is already familiar with the area and the seams for treatment, having completed major ground consolidation projects on adjacent sites for social and private residential projects by Kier Homes at the old Belvedere Hospital and the West of Scotland Housing Association at Camlachie.
Beaton Sutherland, managing director of Consolidate, said: “Much is being made of the London Olympics but the 2014 Commonwealth Games will be a showcase event for Scotland and Glasgow, and as a Scottish company with local employees we are particularly delighted to have won this contract and truly be able to support the Games”
The National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome will help kick start the regeneration of the east end of Glasgow by providing a major stimulus for sports participation and well being. It will offer world-class facilities for international, national, regional and local events as well a community sports centre.
06/02/08 Consolidate takes delivery of three more Casagrande drill rigs
Ground engineering specialist Consolidate has taken delivery of another three new Casagrande C6 drill rigs as part of its ongoing programme of investment in new equipment.
This new delivery means that Consolidate now owns and operates six Casagrande C6 drill rigs, with a further order currently being negotiated for delivery later in the year. These rigs will complement the existing fleet of rotary percussive drill rigs in the Consolidate plant portfolio.
Beaton Sutherland, Consolidate managing director, said: “We are committed to investment in new equipment to ensure the continued delivery of the efficient, competitive and professional service our clients have come to expect.
“The Casgrande C6 rig is versatile and robust. It offers a good level of performance, our operators like them and are comfortable operating them.”
Consolidate specialises in the stabilisation of old mineworkings to enable house building and other construction work to take place. This involves the drilling of bore holes, which are then pressure injected with a cement/ pfa grout mixture to consolidate the ground. The company is currently engaged in a number of ground stabilisation projects across central Scotland, from Ayr to most notably Kirkcaldy, Fife where work is underway on a £2.2m project for Gladedale Homes.
The 38-week project in preparation for a selection of three, four and five-bedroomed properties is being carried out in conjunction with Consulting Engineer DR Murray & Associates.
The geologically challenging project involves the infilling of two discrete mine seams that exhibit fault patterns all along the 1km long site.
03/10/07 Consolidate projects help West of Scotland Housing Association deliver benefits
Ground engineering specialist Consolidate is currently engaged in a near £1m integrated works programme for the West of Scotland Housing Association.
The Association owns and manages over 2,500 homes for single people, families and sheltered/amenity homes for the elderly and disabled.
It is currently engaged in a regeneration programme for a number of its properties and development sites in North Lanarkshire and Glasgow. Certain of these development sites were found to be underlain by old mine workings resulting in Consolidate being called in for specialist ground consolidation treatment works.
The initial projects in Airdrie and at Camlachie, Glasgow, are being undertaken in association with Consulting Engineers SBA and JWH Ross Ltd. Another Glasgow project in David Street is being undertaken in conjunction with consulting engineer, Woolgar Hunter and main Contractor, the Campbell Construction Group.
The first consolidation project at Old Union Street in Airdrie has been completed and involved the drilling of a calculated pattern of bore holes for the pressure injection of a cement/grout mixture to infill the mine workings. Existing homes on this ground had been demolished to make way for 27 new homes, including sheltered and amenity housing.
Work is currently underway on the two Glasgow sites. At David Street in the Gallowgate, Consolidate is stabilising the ground for a development comprising 55 new homes, including one suitable for wheelchair use.
Whilst at Camlachie, Consolidate’s specialist consolidation teams are consolidating the ground for a development that will comprise 71 new homes, including several with wheelchair access. This stabilisation project continues the Housing Association’s ongoing regeneration of the Camlachie area.
Consolidate managing director Beaton Sutherland said: “We are delighted to be involved with the West of Scotland Housing Association and their ongoing work in the regeneration of these areas, a number of our own operatives are from this area of Glasgow and accessibility to affordable housing and the general improvement to the quality of their family life has been important to them and for the housing associations other tenants.”
11/07/07More new contracts for Consolidate
Scottish based ground engineering specialist Consolidate is enjoying a record year with a number of major contracts ongoing and others in the pipeline.
At Gorebridge in Midlothian, the company is working on a £350,000 contract for a social housing scheme for Midlothian Council. Working with contracting engineer the Mason Evans Partnership, the work at Barleyknowes involves the infilling of a mine shaft and coal seam ranging in depth from 5m to 25m
A total of 930 bore hills are being drilled, which are then pressure injected with approximately 7,500 tonnes of grout to consolidate the ground.
At Wishaw, a £410,000 contract is underway for a joint housebuilding contract for Stewart Milne Homes and Gladedale. This work is being carried out on the site of an old open cast mine at Morningside, which has been back-filled and remedied for building work. Again working with the Mason Evans Partnership, Consolidate is drilling 14,000 holes in seams around the boundary of the site that are being infilled with 10,000 tonnes of grout. The whole process involves around 30,000m of drilling.
Meanwhile, at Sauchie a contract is ongoing at the site of a new hospital for Clackmannanshire Community Health Services. Worth £400,000, Consolidate is working with main contractor Roberston Contracting of Stirling to stabilise the ground. This involves the drilling of 1,600 bore holes into seams varying in depth from 6m to 28m.
Consolidate also recently completed a project for Scottish Ballet in Glasgow. This was to prepare the ground for a new ballet school on the site of the Old Tramway Theatre. Working on two coal seams, over 220 holes were drilled for the injection of 600 tonnes of grout. This was a tricky job because of a nearby railway line, which meant that engineers had to take careful precautions to ensure that the work didn’t result in any surface disturbance.
The contract was worth £150,000 and was completed two weeks ahead of schedule.
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