Author: flint_admin

By Andy Neal, Managing Director, IG Masonry Support

Sustainability is at the forefront of the minds of many construction businesses, most notably because of the key role it plays in tackling the worldwide climate change crisis. As the UK aims for net zero carbon emissions by 2050, companies across the nation will have to take matters into their own hands to make each and every corner of their business more sustainable. This is a sizeable change which cannot happen overnight – instead it needs to be broken down into achievable, smaller increments. With this in mind, which considerations can manufacturers and suppliers make to attain net zero goals?

In order for the construction industry to be more sustainable and reach the net zero carbon target by 2050, everyone in the supply chain has to take action. Creating energy efficient buildings will only prove truly successful if they feature products that have low environmental impact from their production, through to their use and disposal at end of life. Every business should be starting to push towards net zero carbon emissions if they haven’t already, and it is the responsibility of all construction companies to make the changes that are needed.

For us here at IG Masonry Support – and as a leader that many others look up to – we had to ensure we were taking the right course of action for our business to achieve this goal. As a team we are passionately committed to becoming as carbon conscious as possible, and believe this neutrality shouldn’t stop at product innovation. It should be a fundamental cornerstone of a company’s entire culture.

We realise that achieving net zero carbon is no easy feat; remember this is a marathon, not a sprint. For this reason, we decided to take the initial step by looking at how we could introduce a product that was carbon neutral. This has planted the seed of our net zero aim, enabling us to learn from this process and look at how we can implement business-wide.

The launch of IG’s new B.O.S.S. A1 product is the first step in our net zero carbon journey. It is kickstarting our desire to be a carbon neutral organisation by 2021. It will create a legacy for itself as our original carbon neutral product – you better be assured it definitely won’t be our last! The product is an evolution of our market leading brick on soffit system that is lauded by so many. We are proud to say this BBA certified product is A1 fire rated; it has been given the non-combustible seal of approval, meaning this product can be specified on buildings of any height. The product boasts all the excellent qualities of the fellow B.O.S.S. ranges: lightweight, easy-to-install, less labour-intensive.

To make it a carbon neutral product, we have offset carbon emissions through certified carbon offset projects. We realise that offsetting itself is not going to solve the problem, which is why we are committed to ensuring the volume we offset reduces each year. We all have to start somewhere, and taking smaller steps at the beginning will enable us to make the greater leaps that are needed.

 At IG we sought an independent body to offer advice on how to be net zero completely, and have made it our mission to go beyond offsetting the costs. Not only have we changed from diesel to electric forklift trucks, we’ve purchased new fibre laser machines that are more efficient, and all delivery vehicles produce as low emissions as possible. We’re just getting started!

In the five years IG Masonry Support has been around, we have grown considerably. What we want to do now is to continue that development, bringing innovative products to the marketplace in the most sustainable, carbon neutral way. It is the route we can take to suppress climate change, and we encourage friends from across the sector to do their bit and follow the same path.

Emanuele Scarabino, KTP associate with IG Masonry Support and Queens University Belfast was crowned winner of the ‘Engineering Excellence’ category at the National Knowledge Transfer Team (KTP) Awards, hosted by the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN).

Emanuele fought off stiff competition for this hotly contested category, to secure the top prize for his bespoke mathematical model that will deliver 9,000-man hours in just 60 seconds, while eliminating all human error.

This incredible accuracy pushed the project beyond any expectations set out in the original plan; the ability to predict physical behaviour with such precision has transformed product design with material savings and remarkable improvements in efficiency for the design of Masonry Support Systems.

Ken Frame, the Knowledge Transfer Advisor for this project said: “This is a fantastic example of KTP collaboration.  At KTN, through our network of Knowledge Transfer Advisers, we support over 800 KTP projects.  This one is an outstanding success, demonstrating how KTPs can deliver significant impact through open innovation”.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) aim to help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills within the UK knowledge base.

Paul Graham, General Manager at Ireland of IG Masonry Support, said: “The KTP has been a revolutionary programme for IG Masonry Support, enabling the business to completely standardise the design process with the added luxury of achieving high accuracy at a high speed. The bespoke mathematical model designed by Emanuele Scarabino can indeed condensate thousands of men-hours of calculations in less than a minute while eliminating human error and opening the doors to data analysis.”

KTPs are funded by UKRI through Innovate UK with the support of co-funders, including the Scottish Funding Council, Welsh Government, Invest Northern Ireland, Defra and BEIS. Innovate UK manages the KTP programme and facilitates its delivery through a range of partners including the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), Knowledge Bases and Businesses. Each partner plays a specific role in the support and delivery of the programme.

Offsite construction is widely recognised as a time and cost-effective, accurate and sustainable method of building. More than simply an alternative to traditional build processes, offsite manufacturing drives the construction industry towards quality and also fills a huge gap in the sector’s skills shortage. To articulate its tangible benefits, Jemma Ison from IG Masonry Support highlights how the offsite manufacture of products such as brick slip soffit systems are making a difference to the industry, helping the construction supply chain respond to its biggest challenges.

Offsite manufacturing has moved on leaps and bounds since the infamous prefabs of the 1940s and 50s. Nowadays, stunning aesthetics can be achieved by utilising the latest techniques in offsite engineering , which is of particular merit when complex brick features are the desired ‘look’ for a building.

Shedding insight into the benefits

There are many advantages of using offsite methods, and its benefits can be reaped throughout the supply chain. Architects, for instance, have greater creative scope to create intricate brickwork designs that are guaranteed to translate well onsite. This seamless transition results in greater efficiencies and productivity. With contractors consistently working to tight margins, this benefit will no doubt be music to their ears.

DNRC Brick Slip Arch

As well as offering a high-spec translation, offsite methods ensure the same quality finish every time. IG Masonry Support designed and manufactured five soaring corbelled brick slip feature arches with intricate bond patterns which span the entrance façade of the Hendrick’s Gin Palace foyer in Scotland. In total ten arches featuring on the front elevation were successfully manufactured to the same quality finish in factory-controlled conditions and fitted seamlessly with the brickwork onsite. Internally three deep soffit arches were also supplied by IG Masonry Support. The same levels of consistency and quality were essential on the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC) project. Over 1000 brick slip feature arches and just under 3km of offsite cornice were manufactured and designed. It would have been a time-consuming, highly-skilled task to create arches and cornice using traditional methods onsite, therefore IG Masonry Support utilised its offsite solutions to create identical arches of various designs and cornice detail that would achieve the architect’s desired aesthetic and streamline productivity onsite.

The uniformity that was essential to these projects can run the risk of being compromised if traditional trades are employed. However, with modular construction this replication simply isn’t an issue. Taking the construction of complex brick features offsite into factory-controlled conditions drives the level of quality and consistency that is needed to achieve architectural excellence. Where barriers to creativity are unwanted, offsite construction is a worthy solution.

Tackles skills shortage

Rethinking the way we design, engineer and construct buildings will help deliver projects quicker, better and with a greater degree of precision. Building better with these modern methods of construction plays a part in plugging the skills gap by reducing onsite labour whilst addressing the high demand for new buildings. In recent years the UK has fallen behind its European neighbours by depending on skilled trades at the expense of any mechanised processes or components that reduce site working. Offsite manufacture provides better working conditions, reduces build schedules and improves environmental performance in the construction process.

The design possibilities which offsite manufacturing offers can, often, reach further than the capabilities of traditional build processes. Whilst conventional methods are still essential to the industry, on some large-scale developments it simply isn’t feasible cost-wise to use highly-skilled craftspeople. Besides, if cost isn’t an issue it might be hard to find these experts; due to the skills shortage they are becoming harder to locate. Yet, with offsite methods this gap can be filled.

Shining light on IG Masonry Support’s solutions

Achieving deep brick soffits and intricate brick bonds around window heads and openings is quick, easy and cost efficient to achieve with our Brick On Soffit Systems (B.O.S.S. and B.O.S.S.+). These tailor-made bespoke solutions are designed and manufactured to meet the client’s specification. The systems are highly adjustable, enabling architects to design various shapes and depths of brick soffits whilst accommodating a wide range of bond patterns.

IG Masonry Support designed and manufactured the B.O.S.S. systems for 57 Broadwick Street and Stonebridge Park, London. On the first project, a combination of straight and curved B.O.S.S. units as well as deep soffit panels were created to achieve a range of deep-tiled soffits, slender brick piers, and tile and brick banding on the building’s façades. For Stonebridge Park, London, B.O.S.S. units were designed and manufactured for the intricate corbelled brick feature on the main entrance. This design was delivered in separate components that facilitated optimum adjustability so the intricacy of the design could be achieved without compromising on the speed or quality of construction.

IG Masonry Support’s latest innovation, B.O.S.S.+, is a mechanically-fixed brick slip soffit system. As well as being an easy-to-install, quality system, B.O.S.S.+ was developed to meet with the fire safety regulations highlighted in Approved Document B, building regulations for non-combustible materials for use in the external walls of residential dwellings over 18 metres in height. For added security, all the brick slips on this BBA-approved product are attached to the stainless-steel framework with a robust mechanical fix.

IG Masonry Support has combined experience with innovation to design and manufacture the most practical and advanced range of ‘patented’ stainless steel masonry support solutions, brick slip soffit systems and intricate brick features for the construction industry. We provide comprehensive technical support for all our products and offer a free design service for our range of off the shelf and bespoke solutions. No matter how ambitious the design, our easy-to-install solutions can deliver significant reductions in installation time by up to 90%. Any higher initial costs can be offset by saving time and money in terms of labour. A quality finish that meets the required aesthetics and blends seamlessly with the surrounding brickwork can also be achieved.

The perception of offsite manufacturing is changing rapidly, mostly as a result of the benefits it offers. Its advantages can be felt throughout the supply chain; not only does this solution offer endless creative scope for architects, it ensures that time and labour costs can be saved onsite which is ideal for contactors working to tight margins. But most importantly, it guarantees a consistent, high quality finish every time.

Innovation is key to IG Masonry Support’s continued success, as is the ongoing development of its production processes. The company’s commitment to new technology was the driving force behind the recent evolution of its manufacturing plant in Swadlincote, Derbyshire. To streamline the performance of this facility, IG utilised the global 5S system to maximise the roll-out of its advanced masonry support solutions. Jemma Ison, IG Masonry Support’s Specification Executive, sheds light on this process.

Just over a year ago, IG Masonry Support carried out a refurbishment of its Swadlincote, Derbyshire manufacturing facility; a renovation designed to streamline production processes and improve the safety of staff. Beginning in July 2019 and finishing around late December, IG Masonry Support implemented the globally-recognised 5S system – a workplace methodology which optimises productivity and reduces waste – to make this change a reality.

A well-known system, it is suitable for areas where visual control, organisation and lean production are key and involves the following five stages: sorting, setting in order, shine, standardise and sustain. Naturally, it is a methodology which can make a huge difference to the operation of manufacturing environments.

Jemma Ison was brought onto the team as a graduate who was responsible for managing the project and seeing it move forward. Jemma has since progressed within the company to become IG Masonry Support’s Specification Executive.

“We decided to use the 5S system to help structure the renovation of our facility in Swadlincote, which would result in a site with greater productivity and efficiencies,” Jemma explains. “As a company that is passionate about the products we produce, this process was completely essential for us. The refurbishment was undertaken to improve processes across the board, ensure the continued safety of staff and reduce material waste. As a further note, we also wanted to ensure the IG Masonry Support brand identity filtered throughout our production department.”

Within its manufacturing facility, IG Masonry Support has introduced walkways to improve the flow of the space and adopted other measures to reduce the likelihood of double-handling, for instance. This will maximise efficiency in this area by providing clearer information on where products are supposed to be stored.

As well as making physical adjustments operationally, IG Masonry Support recognised that a sizeable culture change would also be needed. “It was essential for IG Masonry Support to get the very best out of the team and make the changes in the right place,” Jemma continues. “Our production workforce was at the heart of this large programme – they were the main reason why we decided to review our processes. We brought them onboard and listened to the ways they thought we could improve the operation of the facility. It was important to take their recommendations on board as they have both hands-on experience and detailed knowledge of our production processes.”

The implementation of 5S was a huge team effort, as noted by Jemma. “The workforce’s recommendations highlighted that it was important to have a decluttered and fresh-looking area for whoever was working in that space. We completed the first four stages in full, starting with the sorting stage. We analysed every area of the shop floor and really questioned whether certain elements or components were needed. The setting in order stage followed the sorting period, where we were able to look at the ways in which we keep the changes consistent for workers by introducing measures such as shadow boards. The shine stage was, as its name suggests, about keeping the area clean and tidy!

After implementing these first three stages this naturally set new, improved standards to be adhered to. Once our processes had been standardised and adopted by all, we then introduced appropriate measures in order to control the changes that had been made. This led us to the final stage: sustain. Maintaining our achievements takes continued dedication by all to uphold our new standards. To fully embrace the 5S culture we will never complete the fifth and final stage, we will continually operate in a safer, more efficient manner. The stage of sustain will now be forever in practice.

“It’s safe to say that the team has done a remarkable job over the past 12 months,” Jemma highlights. “This lean methodology was implemented to create a manufacturing environment which reflected the needs and personality of our IG Masonry Support production workforce. It was a smart, innovative move for us, which we really took into our own hands to make a success. As a company, we are proud of what we’ve achieved and definitely encourage fellow businesses to follow suit.”

Specifying products from IG Masonry Support has never been easier. The company has made a significant investment enabling architects and specifiers to access its full range of masonry support products within the National Building Specification’s centralized NBS BIM and NBS Plus libraries.

Dedicated to delivering intelligent engineering with offsite craftsmanship, IG Masonry Support are renowned for creating the illusion of floating soffits of brickwork with hidden structural steel.

Scott Denham, Sales Director at IG Masonry Support stated “Featuring our products on NBS will make it easier for both existing and new customers to access technical information to specify our products, as well as download high quality BIM objects enabling integration with building design models”.

View the IG Masonry Support Product Range on the NBS National BIM Library.

As we continue to celebrate World Architecture Day, Kyle Alexander explains how the Stonebridge Park project gave him the opportunity to push the boundaries in design when developing the curved, stepped feature entrance to the Rotunda building. The Stonebridge Park Project is  £16.6 million development which created an entirely new neighbourhood, producing 117 new homes in the area. Kyle explains how his design used manageable brick slip units to achieve a complex design resulting in the impressive entrance to this 9 storey circular building.

What challenges did this project present?

The curved, and stepped feature entrance to the Rotunda building required a solution that would achieve the architect’s complex design in a relatively short space of time, these time constraints put additional pressure on us to provide a successful solution. Due to the complexity of this feature and the dimensions and location of the structural RC frame that we had to fix the product to, we had to overcome a wide variety of structural concerns.

What solutions were developed to overcome these challenges?

To overcome the time constraints of this project, I worked in conjunction the clients Structural Engineer who designed a steel framework for us to fix our steel work onto. This allowed me time to work on the design of the building’s façade and the connection of the system to the steel frame. My design included tall structural steel hanging brackets fixed to the steel frame which in turn allowed for a curved manufactured stainless steel angle to support brickwork. To accommodate the underside of these steel angles, I designed a brick clad, curved stainless steel unit in small, light and manageable sections and finally bolted this to the angle above. My final design came about by considering many aspects. The factors I needed to take into consideration included, but were not limited to; the structural adequacy of the element and how it would complement the other building techniques used in the project, the longevity of the building as a whole and the ease and speed of installation.

What is your favourite architectural feature on this project?

My favourite architectural feature is definitely the entrance to the Rotunda building which provides an outstanding feature to the project as a whole and will serve as a landmark for many years to come.

Why did you enjoy working on this project?

The Stonebridge Park project gave me a chance to push the boundaries in design and provide a system which has proven to be the key feature for this award winning project.

All this week in honour of World Architecture Day, we are celebrating our engineering team’s passion for creating beautiful architecture. Jonathan Lamb explains how the IG team used an existing product in a completely new way to meet the architects requirements, creating these impressive brick clad fins on the new Science and Health Building at Coventry University.

What challenges did this project present?

The main challenge that this project presented was using an existing product in a completely new way. The product used in this project is traditionally used on a smaller scale and applied to soffits. We needed to develop a solution that would allow us to use the product on a much larger scale. The elevation of the project also meant we couldn’t use traditional building methods due to the fins being projected from the building. Therefore the solution we developed had to be light but also provide the same aesthetics as traditionally built brickwork. We also encountered a further challenge of returning the MAG board brick slip units around the fin on to the back side; we had to consider how best to support the MAG boards around a corner, effectively making a U shape around the fin. This was something that had never been done before with MAG board and would normally require the use of steel.

What solutions were developed to overcome these challenges and why did you choose these options?

After extensive testing, we managed to come up with a solution to the challenges of this project and we were able to achieve the desired effect that the client and architect wanted for the project. We developed an innovative solution which allowed us to use MAG boards around a corner, which previously had never been done before. Luckily we always look to provide our customers with a solution that meets their needs and the team at IG always work hard to help the architect achieve their vision. After developing this solution we were able to offer this type of corner detail to other customers as a more effective solution and it has been very well received.

What is your favourite architectural feature on this project?

My favourite feature from this project has to be how the finished project looks, standing back and taking in all of the fins protruding from the building. For many people this detail may go unnoticed, however those with a keen eye for detail will wonder how the brick is supported and will wonder at how something like this can be achieved. It’s a great feeling to know this project could inspire future architects and show them that anything is possible.

Why did you enjoy working on this project?

I enjoyed working on this project because it gave me the opportunity to apply products in a completely different way which also allowed me to consider new applications for how we use our products. This project expanded the use of MAG board to a larger scale and provided me with a great feeling of accomplishment each time I saw it. I look forward to the next time we have a request to use a product in a different way as I know that anything is possible.

To celebrate World Architecture Day, we asked some of our engineers to describe their favourite architectural project. Harry Robinson explains how a bespoke design was required to form his favourite architectural feature on the Residence project – the impressive double arch at the entrance to the building. The Residence is a luxury residential development situated on London’s South Bank. The IG team were tasked with developing almost 140 brick slip arches which helped to achieve the architect’s vision creating intricate brick elements while manufacturing these offsite ensured a high level of quality and savied time on site, reducing the need for skilled labour.

What challenges did this project present?

This project incorporated many unprecedented bespoke designs and therefore presented many challenges, one of which being the double brick slip arch lintel. As the two arches were so close together and sat on a narrow pier, there was insufficient bearing zone on this pier to have two separate arches so we had to develop a solution to accommodate these requirements. Another challenge was that some of the full arches had very deep soffits meaning we had to develop a solution using two separate arches to keep the weight down and make it easier to install.

What solutions were developed to overcome these challenges and why did you choose these options?

To overcome the double brick slip arch challenge, we designed the arches as one prefabricated unit, which then just needed to be lifted in to place. Creating this double arch made the production very complex in terms of the steelwork fabrication, it also meant we required small cut infill bricks between the arches and either side, we decided to cut these bricks and bond them to the lintels in our controlled factory environment which allowed more accuracy and helped speed up the build on site. The full arches that were made separately had to be bricked up in tandem to ensure all the bricks aligned. We also tested the arch installations in our factory to ensure they lined up perfectly prior to delivering them to site.

What is your favourite architectural feature on this project?

My favourite feature on this project is where the two full arches with deep soffits meet adjacent to each other on the same corner pier. Both arches were bearing on the same pier internally and met at the same point, which meant the steel of one arch had to be notched around the other, and brickwork from one arch had to run into the brickwork of the other. This is not something anyone would really notice on initial inspection, unless you were part of the great deal of work that was conducted behind the scenes to make this possible. It took a great deal of accuracy from the production team to ensure the steel element fitted together perfectly and the bricks of the two separate arches aligned perfectly when the two came together.

Why did you enjoy working on this project?

I enjoyed working on this project because the challenge of creating something unprecedented was exciting. The building itself was a beautiful design and you could visualise the arches. There was a real sense of achievement when the finished product was installed perfectly as we had intended.