Eurovia / Ringway - Insight Magazine - Summer 2010

Road to freedomFresh start for ex-offenders

Demand and supplyTransforming the supply chain

Good to talkAn employee's testimonial

Weathering wellReviewing winter performance

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8

10

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insightSummer

2010

magazineNews and views from Ringway

Also in this issue

Winning ways inWorcestershireGrowing season

for workload

Springconference

report

RINGWAY 20-1 copy 3:Layout 1 03/08/2010 06:34 Page 2

Innovation was the order of the day when clients from across the

south of England gathered at the Dunsfold depot and testing

ground this spring.

On show was some of the most up-to-date specialist plant in the

UK, including two new machines built in collaboration with the

experts – the Ringway people whose job it is to operate them.

The Breining microsurfacing machine has been designed to apply

the advanced cold-technology Gribfibre product in tighter, urban

locations. German-built, it has a small ri gid chassis and multi-axle

steering.

Acmar’s high-friction surfacing applicator is the first sprayer of its

type in the UK. It is designed for cold-applied bitumen extended

resin, while rear steering increases the 26t unit’s manoeuvrability. It

has an expandable spray bar to accommodate varying widths, and

its high productivity speeds up anti-skid operations.

“These machines consolidate our position in the forefront of

specialised cold-applied surfacing solutions,” says Paul Goosey,

Divisional Manager for Specialist Treatments.

Clients also inspected Ringway’s TrackJet, Viasealer, Flexiplast and

new roadmarking rigs, and saw a demonstration of the new

StreetPrint process for creating patterned, coloured finishes on

bituminous surfaces.

Presentations on carbon reduction, asset management, design

and IT developments completed the day’s full programme.

2

We all have to work together asan effective team.

“ “

insh

ort

We’ve been through a bit of a battle in the last 24 months acrossthe Group and have had to make some tough decisions. Surrey,and now, Kent have chosen to change their future servicearrangements, but at the same time Worcestershire, Wiltshire,Peterborough and Bracknell Forest have all chosen to extend andstrengthen their contracts with Ringway. The huge changes in ourmarkets and our organisation, along with the budgetary pressureson all our clients, have made us look at things in different waysand pull together more closely.

This is creating opportunities – new, more effective ways ofworking; better sharing of fresh ideas between Divisions; newterm service opportunities in London and Northern England; newPublic Private Partnership models involving private funding; andspecialist business opportunities. An excellent example of this isour new joint venture with VINCI Energies, EVolution, which isgeared to providing the infrastructure to support electric cars inthe UK.

Our new Midlands Highways Alliance framework contract (seepage 5) could not have been secured without the changes thathave made us a more focussed organisation than we were a yearago. Secured through teamwork by people from across theGroup, it opens up opportunities with 13 local authorities and theHighways Agency.

The same team working is required of every part of Ringwayand the organisation as a whole, which is why Working TogetherCreates Opportunities was the theme of this year’s springconference (see pages 6-7).

We all have to work together as an effective team, while eachof us still focuses on what we’re personally responsible for in ourjob. To put it bluntly, if the Group as a whole does not do that,we cannot sustain ourselves as a business. We have to sustain andextend that teamwork in everything we do: our shared servicecentre supporting the Divisions, and every manager and supervisorleading but also listening to their team.

We have to stay focussed and driven to create and seize theopportunities.

Scott Wardrop Group Managing Director

Working together

insight comment Innovation on show

COVER: Original photo by Ian Savage

RINGWAY 2-3(v6) copy 2:Layout 1 03/08/2010 06:27 Page 1

Worcestershire Highways won the prestigious Effective

Partnerships prize as Ringway swept the board in this keenly

contested category. The shortlist of three out of 20 entries was

completed by the Group’s partnerships with Surrey Highways,

which was highly commended, and Transport for London Streets,

which also received a commendation.

The judges hailed Worcestershire Highways as a fully

integrated partnership that delivered service improvements, value

for money and customer satisfaction. “This is a great success for

everyone working within the Worcestershire Highways team and

builds on the British Quality Foundation award we have already

won,” says Brian Moss, Regional Director (West).

Meanwhile, the county’s highway chiefs have demonstrated

their satisfaction with their partner by extending Ringway’s term

services contract for four more years – the maximum period

provided for – to April 2014.

Ringway Signs won the Group’s other prize – the CIHT Award

for Technological Application – for its range of LED signs.

Praising the enterprise and ingenuity of the Weston-super-Mare

manufacturer, the judges said they were impressed by how it

integrated “technologies to deliver cost and environmental

benefits with this low-maintenance / low-energy product”.

The LED range shows the real market potential of research,

development and innovation that reduces running costs and

carbon footprint, says George Daville, Ringway Signs’ Regional

Director.

3

insight newsin

shor

t

Ringway has scooped two awards for excellenceand a brace of commendations this summer in theannual competition staged by the CharteredInstitution of Highways & Transportation.

Group's partnerships excel

When the works are completed this

summer, visitors to the Esplanade will be

greeted by Three Waves, designed by

Tonkin Liu, the winning practice in an

architectural competition. Composed of

pre-cast concrete sections, the ‘lifting

wave’ connects the beach and esplanade.

The ‘resting wave’ – also pre-cast –

creates raised areas, laid to lawn and

planted, with adjacent seating. The third

wave is a line of undulating lighting poles

with changeable fixtures and artworks.

As Kent County Council’s term services

provider, Ringway was chosen to use its

local knowledge and in-house resources

to fast-track the £2 million project. Apart

from the timescale and task of

coordinating nominated subcontractors, a

major challenge was safeguarding against

strikes to a fibre-optic cable running

through the site to the ferry and cruise

terminals.

The prestigious scheme is on course for

completion at the end of July.

SOCIAL INNOVATION: Ringway’s programme to bring

ex-offenders into the workforce won the company

the Management Prize in the 2009 VINCI Innovation

Awards. Group Human Resources Director Kristine

Pollock led the successful team behind the

recruitment initiative, which included Ann-Marie

Brock, Elainne Piper, Jimmy Conn and John Martin. It

began with young ex-offenders in Kent in 2007. Since

then the programme – judged ‘a spectacular success

in social re-integration’ – has been extended to other

areas. See Winning against the odds, page 8.

BOOKMARKS: Libraries in South Gloucestershire are

sporting some eye-catching new signs supplied by

Ringway’s Weston-super-Mare plant. Working with the

council’s marketing department, Ringway Signs

produced a range of internal and external signage,

including banners and digitally printed boards for

hoardings, free-standing ‘folded’ signs for shelving

units using anti-glare overlays, wall graphics and

window stickers. New signs have also been ordered for

play areas as other departments take a leaf out of the

libraries’ book.

PHO

TO: A

ndy

Mu

nro

Ringway is making wavesin Dover as the town’sseafront is transformedin the Sea Changeregeneration project.

Making waves in Dover


A new interchange at Birmingham International station, an airport

bus-only link to a nearby parkway, road widening, new cycle paths

and footways are just some of the improvements involved in the

£11 million ANITA project – Airport NEC Integrated Transport

Access.

From the business case bid through detailed design, RIS has been

closely involved in the scheme which is being deliver ed under the

Solihull Strategic Highways Contract with Department for Transport

funding.

Graduate Engineer Michael Sherrard was seconded for three

months to the borough’s consultants WSP as Design Co-ordinator.

“Our early involvement has influenced a number of key issues

including buildability,” says Derek Mathers, Divisional Manager.

“Also, Ringway’s vertical integration means we have self-delivered

everything from ground investigation and pavement design to

surfacing, anti-skid, white lining, and static and VMS signs.”

He adds: “All this helps keep costs down, the works to schedule

and control over the quality of the end pr oduct.”

Switching to a sheet-pile retaining wall shaved two weeks off the

programme, while using combined drainage kerbing instead of

deep carrier drains avoided the £400,000 cost of diverting services.

The ground investigation work for the carriageway widening and

multi-modal interchange identified problems resolved through UL-M

thin surfacing. Meanwhile, an epoxy resin bonded surface treatment

– applied over traditional bitumen – provided strength while

retaining the appearance of loose gravel r equired on a privately

owned footway.

RIS even incorporated all statutory undertaker works in the

programme to avoid delays or additional costs.

Delivery involves close collaboration with the NEC, airport and

railway station managers as well as the metr opolitan borough and

the Highways Agency. To accommodate HA improvement works

going on near the site, motorway traf fic has been diverted at night

via the part-built ANITA route.

RIS has worked restricted hours to avoid disruption to the airport

during peak traffic. Visitors to the Spring Fair, Crufts and other

events have been spared delays as all traffic management has been

removed from around the NEC.

Come August, the centre, airport and Solihull will be better

connected than ever.

4

insight contract news

The ANITAconnectionBus passengers travelling toBirmingham’s airport and the NECwill enjoy faster journey times andbetter facilities thanks to a majorimprovement scheme now beingdelivered by RingwayInfrastructure Services.

Access to the historical Trafalgar Gate area of Portsmouth will be improved by

a new link road now being built by Ringway.

RIS National Contracting began work in April to construct the four -lane

route across a brownfield site which lies between the dual-carriageway A3

Mile End Road and Trafalgar Gate.

The second phase involves adding a two-lane slip r oad allowing

southbound traffic on the M275 / A3 to tur n right to join the new link r oad,

which will be a quarter-kilometre long.

Traffic on the A3 currently has to double-back via a r oundabout, while

HGVs must use an alternative route to access the naval base and commer cial

port.

Valued at £2.14 million, the 32-week scheme will involve expertise fr om

across the Ringway Group.

Opening up the Trafalgar Gate

RINGWAY 4-5:Layout 1 03/08/2010 06:30 Page 1

5

Built in the 1920s, the Stile Farm bridge over the Gr eat Stour near

Chilham in Kent was in a severe state of disrepair and weight-restricted

to 3t.

Ringway Infrastructure Services is constructing its replacement. This

structure – which is pre-cast concrete, with pre-stressed steel-reinforced

beams based on cast in-situ abutments – has a 16m span.

To protect fish-life during the spawning season RIS installed a

temporary crash deck, before demolishing the old bridge and

cofferdams for the abutment construction. A footbridge was

constructed on scaffolding to maintain pedestrian access across the

fast-flowing river.

The lane’s narrow access via a level crossing restricted the size of

plant and delivery lorries, necessitating a weekend track possession,

while complicating planning and coordination of the works. These

involve diverting a

high-pressure gas

main and telephone

cables, reconstructing

the roadway

approaches, and re-

profiling the river

banks.

The need for anti-

scour coir rolls was

shown when the river burst

its banks after heavy rains, but the £850,000 scheme is still on course

for completion this summer.

Protecting a famous fishing river from contamination was one just one of thechallenges posed by a road bridge scheme now nearing completion in Kent.

Roads in Peterborough will be maintained until at least summer

2012 by Ringway under a contract extension awar ded by the city

council.

The negotiated deal allows for a further thr ee-year extension to

the end of July 2015. Ringway is r esponsible for both reactive and

planned works, including winter maintenance, under the term

contract, which is valued at around £4.5 million a year.

“This agreement reflects the excellent long-term relationships

we have in Peterborough,” says John Upcott, Divisional Director -

East Midlands. “Improved payment terms and service ef ficiencies

allowed us to agree a tiered discount structure to encourage a

sustainable workload through the contract.”

StreetPrint – the

decorative asphalt

system – is now

being distributed

across the

country by

Ringway’s

product-

licensing

company, JLUK.

The distribution

rights, formerly held by Prismo, were awarded to

JLUK this spring. StreetPrint has been trialled successfully by the

Specialist Treatments division with several Ringway clients. The

technology was also demonstrated (see above) at this year’s Ringway

Plant & Fleet Innovation Day. IPC, the company behind the Str eetPrint

technology, believes it has huge potential in the UK, based on its

experience in Canada, the US, Far East and other Eur opean countries.

Ringway is working on the first road improvement scheme to be let

under a novel framework contract awarded by an alliance of highway

authorities in the East Midlands.

Ringway is one of four contractors appointed by the Midlands

Highways Alliance – a grouping of more than a dozen county, city

and district councils plus the Highways Agency.

They will deliver over £300 million of schemes, each worth up to

£12 million, during the next four years. By joining for ces, the highway

authorities and their four partners aim to achieve significant

procurement efficiencies, speed up project delivery, and work more

closely to improve performance and develop best practice.

Ringway’s North East construction team, National Contracting

division and the Group’s Commercial department were involved in the

successful bid for this prestigious contract.

Leicestershire County Council’s £2.5 million Loughborough

Environmental Gateway Project – the framework’s inaugural scheme –

is designed to regenerate the land surrounding the entrance to the

town’s railway station and will provide an attractive gateway to the

town centre.

Anti-skid, microsurfacing and footway slurry sealing works ar e

being carried out across South Gloucestershire by Ringway.

The work began this spring following the awar d of two new

framework contracts to the company’s Special Treatments division.

They are for five years and have an overall value of ar ound

£500,000 a year.

Ringway is committed to developing the partnership and

promoting continuous improvement through the contracts, which

are overseen by a joint Partnering Board.

PHO

TO: M

att

Gou

ldby

Skilled casting on the Great Stour

New partnership in South Glos

Peterborough takes long view

Licensed to printFirst up for Midlands framework


The steps taken since 2008 and significant contract awar ds have

consolidated Ringway’s position in its markets, Scott Wardrop

explained in his keynote address.

Ringway Jacobs’s Buckinghamshire commission and Ringway’s

recent selection for the Midlands Highways Alliance framework

contract (see page 5) were strategically important, the Group’s

Managing Director pointed out. A series of term service and other

contract extensions – including four more years in Worcestershire –

had bolstered Ringway’s strength and order book further, he added.

But Scott stressed the need to work together to achieve the

objectives of the Five Year Plan. “We must constantly question

our ways of working so we can do things better ,” he said.

That message was reinforced in presentations

throughout the two-day event at the Marriott

Hotel in Birmingham.

Francoise Amosse outlined the Group’s improved financial

performance in 2009 and a positive for ecast for 2010. Central costs

had been reduced by over a fifth since 2008, he noted. Ringway’ s

sister companies Ringway Jacobs and BEAR Scotland wer e

continuing to perform strongly.

As well as detailing contract wins and extensions, Commer cial

Director David Binding ran through the major bids due this year, and

the strong growth prospects for Ringway’s future workload.

Eurovia’s Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Jacques Tavernier,

reaffirmed the parent company’s support for Ringway in its drive to

achieve the Plan’s objectives. Eurovia sees Ringway as its UK

operation, he stressed – a fact reflected in a re-branding announced

by Scott Wardrop (see below). Eurovia can also learn from Ringway,

especially its commercial acumen in areas such as quality

submissions, Jacques added.

6

THE CLIENT’S VIEWHighway authority budgets are under pressure but road

maintenance remains high on the political agenda for

all parties given the potholes left behind by a sever e

winter, explained George Batten, Wiltshire County

Council’s Corporate Director for Transport, Environment

& Leisure. Capital budgets will suffer more than

revenue spending, so road construction schemes are

more likely to be shelved than maintenance or

resurfacing. But service providers must be adaptable to

help clients through the challenges ahead and secure

workload.

SAFER AT WORKRingway continues to become an ever safer place to work, Health,

Safety & Environment Manager Dave Campbell reported. The

consistent downward trend in both LTIFR (lost-time) and RIDDOR

(reportable) injury incidents was maintained in 2009 with

reductions of 21% and 23%, respectively. This was reflected in

another Gold Award from RoSPA as well as a Management of

Road Risk Silver Award for the results achieved through the

Vigiroute driver risk initiative.

RINGWAY & EUROVIAThe close connections between Ringway and its par ent company have become much more

apparent with the re-naming of some companies. Ringway Group Ltd – the UK holding

company of Ringway – took on the mantle of Eur ovia Group Ltd from 1 July. The Specialist

Treatments and Roadstone divisions have also adopted the Eur ovia branding. “This will help

us re-position these businesses in the market, as well as highlight our str ong ties to Eurovia

and its world-beating expertise,” says Scott Wardrop, Group Managing Director.

Strong order book consolidatesRingway’s position in market

insight conference 2010

Ringway is in robust shape as the company heads into a tough period for UKPlc and the public services, managers wer e told at the 2010 spring confer ence.

RINGWAY 6-7(v6) copy:Layout 1 30/07/2010 14:13 Page 1

7

Ringway has made a successful entryinto the UK’s leading benchmarkingindex for corporate responsibility –and picked up a second Big T ickaward into the bargain.

Business in the Community’s

CR Index for 2010 –

published in the

Financial Times in

June – showed

that Ringway

had gained a

bronze rating.

This status is

accorded to

companies that

clearly articulate

their mission, values

and the principles of

corporate social

responsibility, and have made

good progress in colelcting data on their social and envir onmental

impacts, and publicly reporting them.

Ringway achieved a score of 77.7% – exceeding the Gr oup’s 75

target set in the Five Year Plan, which calls for steadily impr oving

performance with the aim of becoming ‘best in class’.

BITC also announced that Ringway had won a Big T ick Award for

Excellence. This honour – awarded in the Building Stronger

Communities category – recognises the company’s “wide-ranging

and comprehensive partnership” with the Calthorpe Project in King’s

Cross, London.

Based around a community garden, the project provides a crèche

for under-5s, a drop-in centre for teenagers, and an education

centre in a deprived area. Ringway had won two V inci Foundation

grants, seconded a graduate engineer, contributed over 380 hours

of volunteer time, and involved suppliers and clients in its work for

the project, BITC noted.

Ringway has previously won a Big T ick for its Trainee Highway

Worker scheme.

The company hosted an open day at Calthorpe in July (see

picture) to celebrate the award and the opening of the under-5s

building, which was completed with Ringway’s support.

USING THE SYSTEMSRingway has made a big investment in

developing a full range of business

systems, and improving them. Re-

branding Ringway’s systems under the

eServe label could make it easier for

users and clients to understand their

role, Tom West, Regional Director - East

suggested. “They are there to help us

work more effectively, so we should

make sure we use them,” he stressed.

TEAM WORKINGEvery service we provide to

customers or internally within

Ringway depends on teams of

people working together. And

each team is made up of dif ferent

personalities and people with

strengths and weaknesses, Kristine

Pollock, Human Resources Director,

reminded delegates. Managers

should be willing to change teams,

trying new combinations to bring

the best out of people and

improve performance.

Group achieves benchmarkand new Big Tick award

insight news

Scott Wardrop (left) and Jacques Tavernier field questions in Birmingham

RINGWAY 6-7(v6) copy:Layout 1 30/07/2010 14:13 Page 2

Rochester in Kent was a good place to start when Ringway set out to

bring young ex-offenders into the workforce in 2007. Rochester Young

Offenders Institute, which is responsible for over 600 sentenced young

men aged 18-21, was the original Borstal Institution, named after a

nearby village.

Ringway’s Human Resources team

conceived the scheme as a way of

tackling two modern-day problems:

the social exclusion and joblessness

facing youths emerging from prison

and the lack of young recruits to the

highways sector. And in the process,

Ringway – a long-term service provider

to Kent – would be making a valuable contribution to

the local community and economy.

The company began by running taster days to give a selection of

inmates a flavour of highways work. Liaising closely with the

Governor’s staff, potentially suitable applicants were then interviewed,

and four recruited and trained as highways operatives – with the

client’s full backing – on the Kent term services contract.

Ringway and county staff from Kent Highways Services also joined in

with young offenders on a community volunteering day, which resulted

in another recruit.

Since then prisons in Reading, Lincoln and Dartmoor, and a total of

16 young men, have joined the programme. How long they stay with

Ringway varies, and reflects the local labour market, says Elainne Piper,

Human Resources Business Partner. In the South-East, for example,

turnover rates are higher for all operatives than in the South-W est, and

the same is true for these recruits.

“We’ve improved our retention rate by working with small

numbers, making sure we put the right people in the right

environment, and supporting them properly,” Elainne explains. “This is

a very worthwhile programme but it’s challenging and we have to do it

in a controlled manner.”

Typically, the men are on licence as they undergo induction and

training with Ringway, returning to prison after their day’s work.

Ringway policy is to treat all recruits the same as other employees. “We

chose to pay them while on licence, and the money goes into a prison

account until their release. So when they come out of prison not only

do they have a job but also a bit of money behind them,” Elainne says.

Their contracts are also standard, with a three-month probationary

period.

Under the licence regulations, line managers have to be informed of

their status, but it’s up to the men themselves what they shar e with

workmates. They’re usually open about their past. “They get an extra

degree of support from their colleagues,” says Elainne. “In fact, we all

tend to get more back from these guys. We haven’t had any objections

from our employees, and the reactions from clients too is always

positive.”

The programme, which has evolved in parallel with Ringway’s

strategy for Corporate Social Responsibility, shows how doing the right

thing for people and the community can be good for the company as

well. The VINCI judges, who gave the scheme an Innovation A ward,

praised not only its role in social re-integration but also how it tackles

skills shortages by bringing young recruits into an ageing workforce.

Nationally 70% of those released re-offend and end up back in

prison. With employment schemes like this, the re-offending rate drops

to 7%. The financial savings and wider benefits to society ar e

considerable. “It gives each person the opportunity to hold down a job,

achieve some kind of stability in their life, and become a contributing

part of the community – and the company too,” says Elainne.

The HR department is aiming to

build on their success so far. “We’re

talking to other prisons in the areas

we serve,” she adds. “Our aim is to

have at least one ex-offender

working in each Ringway division.”

And the programme may be

widened to other disadvantaged

groups such as long-term

unemployed, disabled and

homeless people.

8

It has won a VINCI Innovation Award and praise from clients. But more important, Ringway's ex-offenders scheme is a win-win for the community and the company .

"It makes you sohappy to knowthat when youcome out, you

have a job"

insight communityWinning

against the odds

"I feel I'veblended straightin and get the

sameopportunities in

overtimeetc as my

colleagues"


With the UK seeking to lead the way in tackling climate change, our

country’s legally binding targets to cut carbon emissions ar e

starting to bite.

The UK Climate Change Act 2008 set targets to

achieve an 80% reduction in UK emissions by

2050 from their baseline level in 1990.

In 2009, the Act saw the intr oduction of

the Carbon Reduction Commitment

(CRC). This is an energy ef ficiency

scheme that puts a price on carbon and

creates a carbon trading regime for

large public and private-sector

organisations.

The biggest emitters were already

subject to the European Union’s Emission

Trading Scheme, and have to buy carbon

credits in the marketplace if emissions exceed

their allowance. Now less energy-intensive

organisations are being brought into the net as part of

the CRC.

All those consuming electricity above a set level have to monitor

their carbon footprints, forecast future emissions and drive forward

reduction programmes while trading in carbon credits. From April

this year, Ringway – which is covered as part of the VINCI UK gr oup

– is taking part in the CRC along with many of our clients and

competitors.

By conserving energy, limiting our consumption of electricity and

gas and fuel oil in our plants, depots and of fices we will cut the cost

of those carbon credits as well as our footprint. Smart energy

meters are helping us identify the potential for savings at our sites.

Although transport emissions will not be cover ed by the

CRC regime, we can reduce our carbon footprint

further – and increase our cost-efficiency – by

reducing fuel usage. We have already

begun to do this through eco-driving,

tracking the distance reactive

maintenance crews travel to defects,

more efficient routing of our works

vehicles, and renewing the fleet

with more economical models.

And we are doing much more.

As the last Insight outlined (Winter

2009), our Low Carbon Steering

Committee is rolling out Ringway’s

carbon strategy along with strategic and

divisional carbon reduction initiatives. Two

new projects deserve special mention.

The Carbon Challenge is a competition designed

to identify the best ideas for new carbon-savings pr ojects.

Eleven of the company’s graduate engineers have been assigned the

task of developing carbon-reduction initiatives within the divisions

where they are working. Their proposals will be presented at a

graduate seminar later this year and then evaluated by Mike

Burnett, Graduate Programme Manager, and myself. The winner’s

project will be rolled out across the Group.

Meanwhile, we are making progress on an ambitious carbon

labelling project. The aim is to calibrate the carbon impact of our

products and services. So, just as you can check the ef ficiency rating

when shopping for an electrical appliance,

our clients will be able to see at a glance the

carbon impact of our standard materials and

innovative surfacing systems.

This is an enormous undertaking that

requires a big investment in resources,

training and analysis, and close working with

the Carbon Label Company, a subsidiary of

the Carbon Trust. But a rigorous labelling

system will be of significant value to us as a

company and to our carbon-conscious

clients as we strive to create a low-carbon

future for our sector and the UK.

insight sustainability

9

Making the carbon commitment

HOW THE CRC SCHEME WILL WORK ■ During 2010/11 we will benchmark our carbon emissions for all fossil fuels such as gas

and fuel oil (excluding transport emissions).

■ We will then forecast our annual emissions for 2011/12 and pur chase carbon

allowances for each tonne of carbon dioxide (CO 2). These carbon allowances will be

priced initially at £12 per tonne of CO 2.

■ Depending on the actual outcome, the cost will either be r eturned to the company (six

months after the year’s end) or we will have to buy additional carbon cr edits up to the

total level emitted.

The company’s performance will also be published in an annual league table. So the CRC

will affect our business in various ways – not least our pr ofitability – and we need to

manage these impacts as cost-effectively as possible. It is crucial that we make ef forts to

reduce our carbon emissions.

National targets for cutting carbon require big organisations to do their bit, asChris Plant, Acting Group Sustainability Manager, explains.


10

The ‘radical evolution’transforming our supply chainThe supply chain is vital to Ringway. Keith Aldrich explains how it is being transformedand the roles played by the Supply Chain Executive and his team.

Just as an army ‘marches on its stomach,’ any major services

provider must depend heavily on its supply chain. That’ s true even

for a vertically integrated provider like Ringway with the capability

to self-deliver more products and services than standard

contractors. Working closely with sustainable supply chain

members is critical to meeting the challenges we face in the

business and that’s why we are in the throes of transforming the

Ringway supply chain.

Our vision is to become, by 2011, the industry leader for supply

chain measured through customers’ satisfaction, what we

contribute to the Group’s profit, and the efficiency of our

procurement processes.

Our Supply Chain Transformation Project is designed to achieve

that vision through what we see as a ‘radical evolution’ rather than

revolution. We are building on our existing systems and pr ocedures

and making them consistent and more robust with help from

operational, commercial and finance teams in the Divisions.

There are five main elements to our work:

■ Managing costs – by minimising what we pay for pr oducts and

services, waste, distribution, inventories, organisation, and non-

performance.

■ Facilitating Ringway’s growth – by supporting winning bids. This

involves demonstrating professional supply chain management,

timely submission of competitive rates, resource planning, and

feedback to improve estimating accuracy.

■ Promoting sustainability – through supplier approval and review,

ensuring compliance with norms and standards, robust repeatable

processes, and professional support.

■ Achieving superior, consistent performance – through Lean

thinking, ensuring on-time delivery, quality and reliability,

responsiveness in meeting planned and unplanned needs.

■ Developing our people – by providing hands-on support to the

Divisional teams, running commercial and procurement workshops,

and instigating training.

So what have we achieved in the first year? Ther e isn’t space

here to list anything like all the goals we have set ourselves, the

tasks completed and ongoing, or the wins so far , but here are

some important examples.

The cost reduction achieved through smarter supply chain

management in 2009 was in excess of £1.4 million. Rationalising

payments to our supply chain also helped impr ove the Group’s cash

position at the year-end.

We have improved the strategic support provided for tenders and

our bid and estimating teams are now working together more

closely than ever before, as our recent successes show.

The supply chain team has reviewed how we manage

performance. By engaging the supply chain and aligning our

procurement processes to the EFQM business excellence model we

are fostering a culture of continuous improvement. We have

already seen the benefits. Where we have implemented these

changes we are working Leaner, quicker and better. We are freeing

supervisors to supervise. A more competitive supply chain is

delivering efficiency savings and significant cost reduction, for

example through the recent review of plant suppliers.

We have negotiated 26 new framework agr eements covering a

wide range of items from plant hire and builders’ merchants to

Steering our strategyRingway’s supply chain strategy and policies ar e set by the Supply Chain Executive.

Chaired by the Group Managing Director Scott Wardrop, the Executive meets every two months to r eview the

performance of the supply chain and divisional teams, and r evise policies as necessary. It approves all new agreements,

shares best practice and cascades key messages acr oss the Group.

The Executive aims to drive continuous impr ovement, and Ringway’s Regional Directors play a vital role by challenging

any decision that could impact unfavourably on businesses locally .

By providing a forum where urgent issues can be decided quickly, the Executive also ensures Ringway can respond

rapidly to market trends, clients’ needs, and opportunities to drive out inef ficiencies and save money.

The Executive’s members are: Keith Aldrich, Mike Betchley, David Binding, George Daville, Brian Moss, Leanne

Moulding, Jerry Pert, Patrick Sulliot, Scott Wardrop (chair), Tom West.


11

insight profile

Meet the supply chain team

If you would like to know more on any of these issues please contact your

local Divisional Manager or the Group’s supply chain team direct.

printers and travel and accommodation.

Ringway’s approach to procurement is now joined up with

the VINCI UK Purchasing Club, increasing our purchasing power.

Our combined spend, in excess of £2 billion, makes us a

significant player in the UK market.

We contributed to the effective mobilisation of Ringway

Jacobs in Buckinghamshire, were heavily involved in mid-term

reviews of our services contracts, and pr ovided tailored support

to our teams in Kent, Surrey, Wiltshire, Transport for London

and BEAR Scotland.

Meanwhile, workshops and training provided to the Group

and our extended supply chain team focussed on negotiation,

cost reduction, project management and other crucial areas.

We have achieved a lot and ther e will be more of the same

this year as we work to achieve our supply chain vision and

deliver the objectives of Ringway’s Five Year Plan.

KEITH ALDRICH

Group Supply Chain

Manager

Keith has more than 20

years’ experience in supply

chain management and

procurement, the last five

in the private sector. He is

leading the ongoing

transformation of the Ringway supply chain.

PAUL TILLER

Assistant Category Manager

Paul has been supporting Keith in

developing and reviewing strategic

arrangements for plant and vehicle

hire, and has been instrumental in

developing the waste management

strategy.

DENIS HAYES,

Category Manager

Denis has a wealth of

experience in trouble-

shooting operational

procurement issues,

developing Lean

processes, and negotiating

preferred agreements with

the supply chain.

LEANNE

MOULDING

Supply Chain

Coordinator

Leanne’s role

includes

verification and

approval of sub-

contractors, monitoring supply chain compliance, and

supporting the Supply Chain Executive.

MICHELLE COLLETT

Category Manager

Michelle’s role is to identify

opportunities to

consolidate and synergise

spend through the use of

common suppliers and

service providers to reduce

cost and provide

consistency of product and service to the Group.

JOHN STEEL

Purchasing Manager

John, who has over 30 years of wide-

ranging procurement experience, is

currently supporting all strategic bids

and tenders as well as being involved

in mid-term reviews and

framework negotiation.


The HSE Awareness Officer’s primary role is to provide

information. They don’t have the same powers as an HSE field

Inspector, but can enforce certain aspects of employer legislation.

Our Hinton depot, near Evesham, serves the south of the county ,

and is a strategic base for managing term and winter maintenance

activities. It is used by of fice and site-based personnel and also

stores plant, equipment and materials.

During the two-hour visit Graham Haynes, Martin Lane and Phil

Burns of the Worcestershire contract management team gave a

good account of how health and safety is managed in the

business.

We could confidently demonstrate compliance on the wide-

ranging issues covered from worker involvement and vehicle

loading to site tidiness and welfare. The officer was also clearly

impressed by our 2010 HS&E Calendar and near -miss reporting

procedure.

The visit was very positive and our people in W orcestershire

should be pleased. Good working conditions not only help ensur e

an incident-free workplace, but also generate confidence and

enthusiasm.

So be prepared for yours! And take note too: The visit to the

depot was triggered by a defective air receiver, which is reportable

to the HSE under regulations. Our integrated management system

requires that such equipment is always well maintained.

insight health & safety

A Ringway depot in Worcestershire hasreceived the company’s first advisory visit bythe Health & Safety Executive (HSE). The visit,which is likely to be repeated at other sitesacross the country, was requested by the HSE as part of its ongoing campaignto promote safety awareness, writes Phil Parslow, Senior HS&E Advisor.

We are used to carrying out construction works, but sometimes we

are also the client, writes Dave Campbell, Group Health, Safety &

Environment Manager.

Examples include the extensive works to the fr ont of our signs

factory at Weston-super-Mare, maintenance of the wharf wall at our

Dagenham stone-coating plant, and, most recently, construction of a

large covered storage bay for aggregate at the Immingham plant.

On these projects Ringway automatically assumes the role of client

under the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007.

The CDM regulations give clients specific duties, which increase

when the contract is notifiable to the Health and Safety Executive.

The HS&E Department has been able to support Gr oup companies

by carrying out the role of CDM Coordinator for notifiable projects.

The Coordinator must be appointed by the client at the earliest

opportunity to advise on the appointment of other duty holders,

notify the HSE, and manage the flow of health & safety information.

An in-house CDM Coordinator offers several advantages. It’s

another example of our ‘vertical integration’ and r educes costs. We

can be assured that all the correct documentation and notifications

are in place at each stage of a pr oject. And as we take on this critical

role when needed we have greater opportunity to add real value. So

take advantage.

All Ringway crews and their managers are being reminded to follow

the Group’s new procedures for extracting water from hydrants.

Using non-authorised hydrants or standpipes can lead to sever e

discolouration or contamination of drinking water, putting the public

at risk. Water authorities are prosecuting companies that fail to obtain

the proper consent or permit.

“Not only does this put the health of people at risk, it could also

damage our reputation,” says Dave Campbell, Group Health, Safety &

Environment Manager.

After reviewing the varying local requirements of water companies

around the country, Ringway last year drew up standard procedures

that must be implemented, Dave stresses.

The process is clear for everyone involved. Supervisors and mangers

must obtain approval for use, record the standpipes in inventories and

tag them, keep copies of consents and licences on site, and plan for

water abstraction at all stages, ensuring the supply chain also

complies.

Our operational teams must know the consent details, check they

have the correct standpipe before starting work, and ensure the

equipment is in good working order.

“If in doubt, always check with your line or Divisional Manager , or

Regional HS&E Advisor,” says Dave.

Use your expert client Water duties are clear

When an officer calls

PHO

TO: I

an S

avag

e

12


13

BACKGROUND: Fred has lived in Harrogate

since the age of six, but originally hales

from Twickenham in Middlesex. He met his

wife Margaret while working in a local

laundry and has remained in Harrogate ever

since.

FRED: “I worked in the laundry until I was

18 and old enough to join the council. I’ve

worked in the hand-lay tarmac gangs since

for various employers holding the contract

with Harrogate Borough Council. So I’ve

done the same job for 48 years although

I’m told (by Margaret, my wife) that I’m

looking forward to retiring next year.”

WHAT’S BEEN THE BIGGEST CHANGE AT WORK? “There’s much more focus on health &

safety now,” says Fred.

PAUL: Paul joined the council in 1982 and

served a four-year apprenticesip as a Street

Mason and Pavor.

JOE: A General Operative, Joe joined

Ringway in August 2008, having previously

worked for himself as a landscape gardener.

WHY RINGWAY? “The long-term career prospects that

Ringway could offer for a lad of my age

and, of course, working with other

members of my family was a r eal bonus,”

says Joe.

WHAT’S BEST ABOUT THE JOB?“Working with the gang,” says Fred. “We

have worked together for a long time and

each have our specific jobs. It’s a well drilled

team!” “For me,” says Paul, “the security

of working for a big company with long-

term contracts is important.” Joe adds: “It’s

also the training and opportunities that

Ringway can provide.”

AND THE WORST? “If there is a down side it would be the call-

out rota,” says Paul. “Every month we do a

week on call and we can be dragged out of

bed at a moment’s notice.” Joe adds:

“Working in all weathers, but that’s part

and parcel of the job.”

WHAT’S IT LIKE HAVING FAMILY AS WORKMATES?“It’s OK,” Fred and Paul answer. “We rely

on each other especially when we are called

out in the night and need extra help,” Pauladds. “I know they are only a phone call

away and they will come out every time.”

“But,” Joe says, “I’ve got to watch what I

say sometimes as my Dad could be stood

behind me listening in.”

OUTSIDE WORK? “All the family are close and drop into Fred

and Margaret’s at all times of the day and

night for a coffee and a chat,” says Paul.

OTHER PASTIMES? “Gardening and also the Christmas lights,”

says Fred. Decorated with thousands of

lights, his house is a Harrogate landmark at

Christmas time when he collects donations

for charity. Over the years he has raised over

£5,000.

PAUL: “I help Fred with the lights at

Christmas, but fishing and Leeds United are

my main pastimes.”

Joe shares his Dad’s fondness for fishing

and also manages a local 6-a-side football

team.

sharp endRingway employees at workLeft to right: Fred (66),

son Paul (47) and grandson Joe (23)

In Harrogate, threegenerations of theBoreham family areworking for RingwayInfrastructure Serviceson the term servicescontract for theborough council.

PHO

TO: D

oug

Mel

huis

h


According to research from

Construction Skills, the industry’s Sector

Skills Council, the problem can only get

worse as the proportion of construction

workers aged 40 years and over is

growing on average by about 2% a

year since 1990.

Its advice to recruit more diversely

and train more employees is now

backed by a new ‘Positive Image’

recruitment campaign.

Ringway is also taking positive steps

to combat this growing problem, not

least through our apprenticeship

scheme launched in 2007. Currently we

have 21 people on the scheme, with 13

aiming to complete their NVQ and

Diploma this year.

Working with Askham Bryan College

near York and Construction Skills, we provide a mixture of classroom teaching for the

Diploma and practical on-the-job training and experience to support NVQs.

This year we are introducing a handbook for apprentices and their managers. The

manual will detail key information on the college curriculum along with practical advice.

And, under a new incentive scheme, as apprentices successfully complete each course

unit, and then obtain their driving licences, they will be awarded ‘milestone’ pay

increases, so that at the end of the two years salaries will rise to the equivalent of a

Grade 1 Operative in their division.

Our industry faces a ‘workforce time bomb’ that willcause serious skills shortfalls, writes Ann-Marie Brock,HR Business Partner (East).

New milestonesfor apprentices

insight people

Testing getssmarterJune 1 saw the launch of anew testing regime fordrugs and alcohol acrossRingway, writes VirginiaHarvey, Interim HRBusiness Partner.

Following extensive research and a

tendering process, we appointed

Concateno, a highly accredited specialist

service provider, to take over the testing

role. We are also taking advantage of

recent technological developments and

updating our policy on drugs and alcohol.

Saliva testing will continue to be our

main method of testing for drugs. But it

will now be possible to get an instant

negative result. This is a great advantage

because so much of our work is in safety-

critical areas. Given an instant negative

result we will now know that workers can

go back to work without any risk to

themselves, colleagues or the public.

Where tests indicate drugs are present, we

will continue to send samples to a

laboratory for further analysis.

We are also introducing pre-

employment or new employee testing for

all recruits either at offer stage or within

the first few weeks of starting work. We

plan to use urine testing for this group,

and in other circumstances where saliva

testing is difficult, eg, due to operational

circumstances.

The updated policy is supported by

more background information on drugs,

alcohol and signs of misuse, new

procedures and guidance for managers,

and training.

14

Web micrositeis all about jobsIt’s never been easier forpeople who want to find outabout working for Ringway.


15

That’s why all Ringway people have free and confidential access to a

24-hour helpline. Since January, FirstAssist is the specialist provider of

the company’s Employee Assistance Programme, which includes an

online support service, accessible from home and office computers.

And the feedback is very positive, as this message from a Ringway

colleague shows.

I wanted to let you know about recent contact I

had with FirstAssist.

When I called, at 9pm, my details were logged,

and I was asked broadly what my call related to –

employment, finances, personal, etc. It was made clear I did

not have to use my real name and no part of our conversation

would be shared with my employer or any other party.

I got a call back after around 10 minutes and spent half an

hour on the phone to one of their advisors. She made me feel

at ease immediately, was interested and concerned, and did

not make any judgements about what I was saying. The

advisor was extremely knowledgeable, with information to

hand, and able to make practical suggestions for a solution.

All in all, I was extremely impressed and was left feeling

very positive about how to move forward with things. The

whole experience far exceeded what I expected.

I want it known that this programme is

excellent, and I would strongly encourage any

Ringway employee to make use of it.

Benefits of picking up the phone

Other benefitsApart from pension schemes, holidayentitlement and company vehicles and fuel,depending on one’s role, Ringway provides arange of other employee benefits. Here’s areminder:

■ CHILDCARE VOUCHERS: Converting a portion of your pay

into childcare vouchers saves money because there are no tax

and NI contributions to pay.

■ SAVINGS SCHEME: Build up savings by putting a part of

your earnings into a fund you can withdraw for Christmas,

holidays or other big costs.

■ MEDICAL SCREENING: A confidential screening service

covering basic health advice, eyesight, hearing, blood

pressure and the chance to discuss any health concerns with

an occupational health professional.

■ VOLUNTEERING: Two days’ paid leave so you can volunteer

to work on a community project or for a charity.

Who do you turn to when you have a problem – with money, a legal issue, your family,relationships or other personal matters? Friends and relatives are usually the first port ofcall, but sometimes, it’s best to ask an expert, even if it’s just to get a second,independent opinion.

““

The Ringway People website is dedicated to promoting Ringway as an

employer. It aims to answer the key questions of potential applicants about

the company, including available vacancies and career opportunities.

Would-be recruits can also subscribe to receive job alerts by email, and

new content is progressively being added to the site.

The site is also designed to support local managers. Ringway divisions –

who are required to notify all vacancies to the HR department in Horsham –

can use features that make it easier to administer the recruitment process.

Online software can record the outcome of applications and interviews,

and generate the various letters that are needed at each stage.

And the site is for employees too. Have a look and tell the HR team what

you think: www.ringwaypeople.co.uk


16

When thegoing getstough…Resilience is a coreRingway value andthe company and itspeople truly lived upto it during thesevere winterconditions earlier thisyear, as ‘Salt Tzar’Bob Binder reports.

Recent winters have hit various parts of the country har d for

short periods, but the latest freeze was different as it was both

widespread and prolonged. From the Isle of Wight to the

north-east of Scotland, Ringway and our joint ventur es

grappled with some extremely challenging conditions made

worse by a national salt shortage.

We can be rightly proud of how we rose to these challenges.

To give a few examples:

❅ Ringway’s arrival on the Isle of W ight was timely. We

mobilised 12 gritters, within a month, landing them by early

November for the start of a four-year winter services contract.

By mid-December a fully trained pool of fr ont-line drivers was in

place. The previous winter had been its worst in r ecent years.

This winter saw even more actions including two periods of

continuous snow clearing totalling nine days.

❅ In Surrey, gritters worked day and night, battling the fr ost

and icy conditions, as employees worked through the

Christmas holiday period. Nineteen gangs worked over a

weekend to clear access to schools (for GCSE exams) and to

hospitals. Our gritters and ploughs kept the notorious A31

Hoggs Back open when even the police thought it impossible!

❅ Next door in Kent, there were more winter action shouts

than long-serving highway engineers can remember. The

county endured three snow emergency periods with 24-hour

manning.

❅ The Midlands was not spared either. Solihull’s total of 49

gritting runs was similar to the previous year, but the action was

more intense. January saw an exceptional 11 call-outs in seven

days.

❅ Scotland had its worst winter in 30 years. It had been

unusually mild before the weather turned in mid-December for

a three-week cold ‘snap’. As BEAR Scotland’s hard-bitten

highway engineers put it, at least decision-making was easy as

the mercury got stuck below zero. But, after

recovering to ‘normal’ spring levels, it plunged again

in April!

The resilience of Ringway’s people on the front

line was reflected behind the scenes as well.

Finance Director François Amossé and his team

had to battle in to a snow-bound Horsham to

ensure that our year-end financial accounts were

processed. Payroll staff in the regions showed

similar commitment so our people were paid on

time. And our Managing Director, Scott Wardrop,

had to pitch in to make sure the all-important (and

successful) tender for the Midlands Highways

Alliance was done by the deadline.

Clockwise from main picture: Unloading emergency supplies at Roadstone Dagenham for TfL and theGreater London Salt Cell; ploughing in Wiltshire; a BEAR Scotland snow-blower in action on the A95

RINGWAY 16-17(v6):Layout 1 30/07/2010 13:50 Page 1

17

insight winter service

As the weather depleted salt stocks and disrupted deliveries, Britain

faced its second winter crisis in two years. But we wer e ready. Early in

December our alarm bells had begun to ring as salt deliveries started

to slow down. Following soundings with the UK salt supply chain and

shipping agents, and analysis of mid-range weather for ecasts, we

convened Ringway’s Salt Committee.

This is our equivalent of the Gover nment’s Salt Cell, and it holds

regular conference calls – every other day at the height of the latest

salt crisis – to discuss stock levels, the number of days’ r esilience

across the Group’s operations, and future sources. Securing these is

the job of the committee’s Salt Tzar, which is part of my role as

Commercial Manager.

Scott Wardrop, our Group Managing Director, chairs the

committee, which also includes the regional directors of the term

services business, and Bill Taylor, Managing Director of BEAR Scotland

and Ringway Jacobs. Bill is also leading the winter r eview group of

the Highway Term Maintenance Association.

The committee immediately agreed that Ringway and its clients

could not wait for Government intervention (which did not come

until early January) to sort out the looming crisis. Not only was most

of the UK facing a potentially prolonged freeze, all of northern

Europe was in the same boat. Colleagues in France wer e struggling as

European salt producers, who had obviously over-committed,

cancelled orders that were supposed to have secured stocks.

Decisions had to be made quickly – in consultation with clients and

shipping agents – to secure loads. To avoid price hiking, Ringway

played the role of mystery buyer, allowing the company to secure salt

on behalf of clients at the volumes r equired and reasonable cost.

In the previous salt crisis, we had imported supplies fr om Spain and

Morocco. Such was the demand this December that we had to deal

with suppliers as far afield as Tunisia and Egypt.

Ringway chartered a total of 12 shipments, importing 48,000

tonnes through Bristol, Chatham and Dundee, in addition to another

30,000 tonnes sourced from home producers.

Roadstone’s dockside facility at Dagenham, which had taken its first

salt delivery from Cleveland in the summer, proved a vital supply route

for Transport for London and Ringway Jacobs in mid-winter.

The Salt Committee directed the movement of new supplies to

Ringway contracts and to client authorities who normally pr ocure

their own salt – including Worcestershire, Wiltshire, Surrey and

Rotherham – and they were extremely grateful.

In Rotherham, for example, a 400t consignment imported via

Bristol late in February, saved the day. “The cavalry came over the hill

just as we were getting desperate and living hand to mouth with

gritting demands and limited supplies from Salt Union,” Streetpride

Network Manager Dave Cooper told us afterwards.

Anxious clients were even able to track the progress of vessels from

the Mediterranean on the web. While people on the gr ound waited

for their boat to come in, the Salt Committee also dir ected transfers

of stop-gap supplies between contracts, with our clients’ appr oval.

And we even supplied local authorities who ar e not clients – in

keeping with that other Ringway value, integrity.

As Bill Taylor told the Ringway conference: “We procured additional

salt for our clients and for our competitors’ clients – we did not make

money out of this – it was a service we pr ovided. Our Salt Committee

also provided essential information for our clients at a very high level,

including the London Mayor Boris Johnson, to help them make

pressing decisions and answer media questions.”

Salt conservation also played a vital role in ensuring that gritting did

not slide to a halt for lack of salt in the har dest-hit areas. Authorities

agreed to reduce the number of routes treated and the spread rates,

and to using salt substitutes on gritting runs.

Ahead of the Department for Transport’s call for a 25% reduction

in highway authorities’ daily salt usage, the Salt Committee was

sharing Ringway’s experience in salt blending across the Group and

with clients.

This was condensed into a matrix by John Chur chill, our Contracts

Manager in Worcestershire, detailing more than a score of

combinations and mix ratios covering rock salt, grit, pad salt, sharp

sand, brine, marine sand and additives. Drawing on feedback fr om

local personnel and advice from our Technical Centre in Warrington,

this matrix summarised the results – good and bad – from trials and

various uses on pavements, footways and in grit bins this winter and

during the last salt crisis in 2008/09.

Armed with this information highway teams were better able to

sustain a safe winter maintenance service in trying conditions.

The Ringway Salt Committee’s final meeting took place at the end

of March, and Ringway Divisional Managers reviewed our

performance in April. There was much to discuss. Ringway, our joint

ventures and our staff well deserved the praise they received from

clients and road users. But inevitably, there are lessons we can learn

for next time. Ringway will again be pr epared for the worst so we

can deliver the best possible winter service.

RINGWAY 16-17(v6):Layout 1 30/07/2010 13:51 Page 2

18

insight business systems

PHO

TO: N

igel

Car

d

Much of the work by our Information &Communications Technology team is devoted todeveloping and extending Kheops in ways thatmakes people’s jobs easier and our business mor eefficient, writes Paul Williams, Group ICT SystemsManager.

The enhanced reports now produced by Kheops – analysing

weekly costs and the sales order dashboard – are helpful tools for

monitoring and controlling costs. In Solilhull and Worcestershire our

Kheops cost reimbursement solution is also saving admin time and

money as staff no longer have to key the figur es into two systems

and reconcile the outcomes, and the resulting information is

accurate.

Similarly, the ability to allocate detailed pur chase order costs to

works orders makes managing costs easier.

We are continuing to bring new elements of the day-to-day

business within Kheops. Its new training module now captur es our

people’s training requirements and progress. Staff can now input

their expenses. And we are testing how we can use the system to

track the fuel consumption of our plant by adding Arval fuel data.

Other work in progress covers a range of areas from health and

safety to invoicing. Projects include:

■ scanning supplier invoices so they can be stor ed and searched

online – this is Horsham-based but will be r olled out to divisions;

remittance scanning is already available online;

■ eContrack key performance indicator software is being

reorganised to allow easier data capture and reporting for Group

health & safety and sustainability results;

■ a Kheops Industry module is being investigated for use in

Roadstone;

■ a timesheet system is being rolled out to simplify recording of

hours for reclaiming costs on bids; and

■ speeding up the processing of intra-group invoices as a first step

to electronic Kheops invoices.

Further rollouts are also planned for other Ringway operations

across the country, including Airport Services, EUROMARK, Traffic

Management, Signs Installation, the Harrogate contract and the

A417 DBFO.

eServe mobile is helping to streamline management of the

reactive maintenance service. Using their PDAs (personal digital

assistants), gangs notify their arrival on site, take a ‘befor e’ photo of

the highway defect, followed by ‘after’ images once the work is

done, and then confirm completion of the works or der.

Inputting the information is easy – just a matter of tapping pull-

down boxes on the touch screen. Gangers can even navigate to the

location of hard-to-find defects using the PDA’s in-built satnav when

highway inspectors provide the GPS coordinates.

Back at the depot, eServe is updated almost instantly with all this

data, so contract and client managers have a live view of pr ogress

across the network. Programming and rescheduling of jobs is more

responsive and efficient, and closing jobs off electronically saves the

client admin time.

Extending eServe mobile to the 20 Parish Stewar ds who ‘find and

fix’ defects would also allow them to cr eate works orders for urgent

reactive maintenance jobs that can’t wait for the next inspection

Meanwhile in Kent, the ICT team will launch eServe mobile v2.0

by the summer. This enhanced system will be able to send and

receive permits for streetworks under the Traffic Management Act.

To automate as much as possible of the associated admin, the

package will dovetail with the county council’s Street Gazetteer and

scheduling systems.

V2.0 offers a series of other improvements, including gangs being

able to record actual quantities using schedule of rates or activities

downloaded to their PDAs.

Kheops makes the day job easier

eServe rolls out in WiltshireReactive maintenance gangs in W iltshire are now using hand-held devices to r eceive works orderselectronically in the field via the wir eless network. Works order details and images that are capturedby the gangs are also sent back to base via the same wir eless connection. And Parish Stewards in thecounty could be next to make use of eServe mobile – the on-the-r oad extension of Ringway’s worksorder tracking and client interface system.


19

insight news

Fitted to a purpose-built traffic

management truck, low-voltage LED

light bars are using about 40% less

energy than conventional units and, like

Ringway-manufactured LED illuminated

signs, are virtually maintenance-free.

They are also brighter and more

visible and can be left on when the

engine is no longer running without risk

of a flat battery, says Michelle Mitchell,

Divisional Manager of RIS East’s Traffic

Management Division.

“The benefits – in enhanced safety,

reduced running costs, and lower

carbon impact – more than justify the

20% cost premium of these units,”

Michelle adds.

Ringway acted quickly to close the r oad and make the site safe,

reports John Martin, Divisional Manager, Ringway Infrastructure

Services - Kent. Following the reactive works, the Ringway

Infrastructure Services team worked with the council, CDM Co-

ordinator and specialist

supply chain partners

to devise a quick and

sustainable solution.

Further movement

required temporary

works before the careful demolition of unsafe parts of the wall and

new construction. This saw sheet piles driven along the full 145m

length of the wall by a silent piling rig with zer o damage or

vibration to nearby terraced houses, community housing

or the cemetery itself.

The piles were clad with concrete blockwork and

special copings to give a high-quality finish. RIS also

resurfaced the road and developed a landscaping

scheme for the cemetery. The works were completed

ahead of programme and under the £450,000 budget.

TRIGGER HAPPY: Special signs for diverting traf fic during emergency closures on some of

England’s busiest trunk roads have been manufactured by Ringway Signs. The ‘trigger’ signs

also benefit from a new latching system devised by designers at the W eston-super-Mare

plant.

Trigger signs are grey-fronted signs that can be opened to display a standar d sign as

required. But erecting the signs on steeply sloping banks put the top ‘trigger’ out of r each.

EnterpriseMouchel, managing agent for Highways Agency Ar ea 3, sought the help of the

Signs division. It amended the latch design, and developed and demonstrated two

prototypes, resolving the problem.

The managing agent praised the company’s ‘high degree of innovation and problem-

solving’, appointing Ringway Signs as preferred supply chain partner.

More than 175 triggers signs were supplied for Area 3, which ranges from Surrey to

Dorset and includes parts of the M3, M4 and M27.

Ringway clients are notthe only ones cuttingcarbon emissions andrunning costs byswitching to LED lights.

LED barslight the way

Plaudits for piled wall solutionMedway Council and local residents have heaped praise on Ringway’s solution for acollapsed retaining wall. The Victorian un-reinforced concrete structure was left hangingprecariously over headstones in a cemetery when a 50m section failed last year .

PHO

TO: P

eter

McC

allio

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PHOTO: Martin Addison


insight news

Insight is published by Eurovia Group Ltd, Albion House,

Springfield Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 2RW

Feedback to: Tracey Elms, Group Marketing & PR Manager.

E: [email protected]

20

Edited & produced by E B Silke. E: [email protected] Designed by Tom Thompson Design. E: [email protected]

Printed by Alpine Press Ltd on 9lives paper – manufactured by ISO 14001-certified mill from 80% post-consumer recycled fibre and totally chlorine-free pulp from well-managed forests and controlled sources .

£3M MAKEOVER: Maidstone town centre is in line for a major makeover managed by

Ringway. The National Contracting division has been awar ded the professional services

element of Kent County Council’s £3 million High Street improvement scheme. Its

responsibilities include early contractor involvement in design, sequencing, cost

management, programme and buildability. The construction work will be added,

subject to cabinet approval. As with the successful revamp of Brentwood High Street

in Essex, a Ringway Public Liaison Of ficer will work closely with local businesses as

more than 11,000m2 of new granite paving is laid.

5 more years ofroyal serviceRoads in the Royal Borough of Kensington &

Chelsea will be resurfaced by Ringway crews

for at least another five years. The asphalt

surfacing contract retained by the national

contracting arm of Ringway also allows for

three one-year extensions up to April 2018.

Ringway has been delivering consistently

high standards of service for over 30 years in

the borough. Worth £2 million per year, the

new contract covers reconstruction of

carriageways, cold road milling, resurfacing,

minor carriageway repairs, ironwork

adjustment, replacement of road markings, and

anti-skid surface treaments.

ECO-GARDENERS: A show garden

with an Alice in Wonderland theme –

and a serious environmental message

– has been designed and built by

secondary school students in Solihull

with the support of Ringway. Trish

Willetts, the borough council’s

Environmental Manager, had the idea

of exhibiting a biodiversity garden at

the BBC Gardeners’ World Live show

at the NEC this summer – in the UN’ s

International Year of Biodiversity. She

approached local strategic partners

for help and Ringway, which already

works with local students through

the Ringway Schools Partnership,

was glad to give it, says Der ek

Mathers, Divisional Manager. “We

were delighted to work with Trish

and her team to provide ideas, raw

materials and support to bring her

and the students’ ideas to fruition.”

Ringway’s life-size sign telling drivers

to slow down has gone national after a

trial in Worcestershire showed a

noticeable drop in traffic speeds.

The idea of creating a sign in human

form came to Dave Rowley, Divsional

Manager of Ringway Infrastructure

Services - Worcestershire, after a trip to

France where human silhouettes are

used to publicise road casualties.

Back home, Sam’s appearance soon

sparked interest, and a local BBC radio

interview with Dave Campbell, Ringway’s

Group Environment, Health & Safety

Manager.

Sam may be a novelty but he has a

serious purpose, he told listeners. People

are bombarded by advertisements and

messages at every turn, but Sam gets

their attention when it matters.

“Passing drivers slow down to read

the message Sam is holding. So he’s

helping to reduce the very real risk our

people face from vehicles speeding by

our work spaces,” Dave adds.

Sam

the Man is a

1.8m-high digital image on a 3mm

aluminium composite with a gloss

laminate. He wears standard-issue PPE,

in yellow or orange, and is either single-

or double-sided. Ringway’s factory in

Weston-super-Mare is producing Sam

using a computer-controlled routing

machine that can cut signs to any shape.

His hand-held white-on-red sign is made

from a temporary adhesive, allowing

different messages to be displayed. The

unit now comes with a sturdy and easily

demountable stand.

Dedicated to safety everywhere, Sam

is available to work for any company.

Contact Christine Kittridge at Ringway

Signs: T: 01934 421400,

E: [email protected]

All around the country, hestands against danger. Theytalk about him on the radio.He’s coming to roadworksnear you…. It must be Sam theAluminium Man!

Sam is here… and there!

RINGWAY 20-1 copy 3:Layout 1 03/08/2010 06:34 Page 1

Documents

Eurovia / Ringway - Insight Magazine - Summer 2010