News

Acknowledging the detrimental impact the construction industry can have on the environment, both through our construction, production and maintenance operations, we are striving to develop and improve our business processes to address this. Since the formation of our internal Carbon Reduction Forum in 2021, we have assessed our carbon emissions from data available, coordinating this to establish a carbon baseline from which we can measure, report and review our performance in alignment with our commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050.

Publishing our first Carbon Reduction Plan is landmark step in our bid for contiuous sustainable growth.

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A key milestone has been achieved by Centregreat Rail on our Adam Street Underbridge deck replacement project – The Cardiff Bay Line has now been reopened!

Around 7 months ago we were approached by Transport for Wales / Amey Infrastructure Wales concerning a major rail bridge deck in the centre of Cardiff. The Cardiff Bay line had been taken out of use and condemned due to the severe corrosion and poor condition of the deck structure.

The challenge presented to Centregreat Rail was that the structure had to be reopen for passenger services by end of April 2022... Challenge accepted!

Scope of works included full design development, both permanent and temporary works, coordination with Local Authorities and other key stakeholders, full dismantling of the Cardiff Bay line substructure, fabrication and reconstruction of the new substructure, associated civil works to the abutments and deck waterproofing.

All works had to be carefully undertaken, so as not to interfere with the remaining lines and train services passing over the structure from Cardiff Central to Cardiff Queen Street and onwards.
 
Many said that it wasn’t achievable in such a tight timeframe, but we said it could be done - Mission accomplished!
 
Great collaboration between Transport for Wales / Amey Infrastructure Wales and our trusted and valued supply chain.

Centregreat Engineering has successfully completed the manufacture and installation of the new Rotherham Canal Barrier, demonstrating the fabrication and installation capability of our in-house team for bespoke structures. Check out the video of progress to completion here.

Centregreat Engineering was employed by Jackson Civil Engineering, delivering the scheme for the client Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council.

This is part of a new flood defence which will help reduce the risk of the canal flooding Rotherham Town Centre and the Central Railway Station.

Centregreat is delighted to announce that we have been awarded the contract for the Supply, Installation, and Maintenance of Traffic Signals and ITS Equipment for Cardiff City Council.

Works will involve maintenance of traffic signals, automatic bollards, VMS and driver information signs across the City from 2022 to 2025, with an option of a one year extension.

This represents a a significant strategic landmark for the growth of our signals business, which now holds signals maintenance contracts for 12 of the 14 Local Authorities in South Wales, as well as on trunk roads for SWTRA.

Centregreat Street Lighting is honoured to have received the award for winner of the Medium Street Lighting Company of 2021 at the Highway Electrical Association (HEA) awards event in the Celtic Manor Resort, Cardiff.

This is testament to the hard work and resilience demonstrated by all of our staff throughout Team Centregreat to maintain our high standards of delivery, in what has been a challenging year across the industry.

Centregreat is proud to announce that we have signed the Armed Forces Covenant, committing to supporting the Armed Forces Community.

To proceed with signing the covenant, we drafted our key principles to uphold our commitment to the Armed Forces.

This pledge has been officially confirmed and includes the following responsibilities:

• Promote the Armed Forces, as a Forces-friendly organization
• Support employment veterans, recognizing their skills and qualifications
• Support employment of service spouse and partners
• Support the requirements of Reserve Forces and Cadet leaders through flexible employment arrangements
• Engaging in Armed Forces national events
• Support Armed Forces charities
• Upskilling Armed Forces Personnel in line with training provision for other staff

Centregreat continue to invest in modern vehicles to minimise emissions and drive efficiency of our business functions.

We recently welcomed to our fleet two 26T and 18T vacuum excavators.

With our street lighting, signals and civils works inherently involving breaking ground in areas with high volumes of underground services, our new vacuum excavators safely expose these with minimal disruption and maximum safety!

Not only that, but environmental benefits are also realised through the lower carbon footprint, noise and dust reduction and tree root protection when compared to traditional dig methods.

With the environment and safety at the forefront of everything we do, we are always excited to be involved in the installation of sustainable lighting infrastructure such as the Simmonsigns Limited solar powered Solabel Belisha Beacons.

Completed as part of our Tesco Car Park Maintenance Contract, this installation provides reliable, low energy, off-grid awareness of upcoming pedestrian crossings to facilitate safe pedestrian movement for Tesco customers.

Steve Keary of Simmonsigns stated “As the dark nights draw in it is important that pedestrian crossings are well lit both on the highway and on private sites. Not only does the Solabel offer a good zero energy solution for the environment, but these solar powered Belisha beacons also provide a cost-effective solution for the customer where mains supplies are not a viable option.”

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We are excited to finally announce the launch of the Centregreat PowerPort, our solar powered electric vehicle (EV) carport.

Centregreat companies, Hayes Engineering and Cladding and SolarCentric Renewables, have worked in close collaboration with SOLARWATT and Swansea University’s solar-focused SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre to develop this space-saving innovative, modular and fully scalable solution.

This structure is designed primarily for business and public-sector clients such as local authorities, hospitals and park-and-ride facilities, but is also adaptable to domestic spaces. The modular design means that the systems can be adapted and connected to suit all client needs, achieving delivery and installation with minimal civil engineering below ground, reducing cost, disruption and downtime.

Integrating SOLARWATT’s solar glass-glass photovoltaic panels into the roof structure, the Centregreat PowerPort 4-bay prototype is capable of charging four vehicles in daylight hours. Containerised high-capacity battery packs sit in the central cabinet, preventing loss of parking space for clients through removal of the requirement for large battery containments on site. These batteries will charge during low demand, increasing the load-balancing capacity of the system.

The Centregreat PowerPort turnkey solution includes in-house fabrication, coating and erection of steelwork by Hayes Engineering and Cladding, with all solar power installations undertaken by Centregreat’s solar and battery design and installation associate SolarCentric.

For more information or enquiries, please contact our team: carports@centregreat.net

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The multidisciplinary Polperro Tidal Gate Repair project has been awarded the ICE South West Civil Engineering Award 2020 for Project Under £3m (Re-Engineered).

Following storms in 2014 which damaged the foundations of the harbour gate, a reactive repair was instructed, involving complete replacement of the gate. Centregreat Engineering delivered a complete solution for the manufacture, painting and delivery of the 6.4m wide gate to Truro where it was loaded onto a barge. The barge was utilized to transport the gate to Polperro at 04.00 in the morning for installation by the Centregreat Engineering team.

Despite constrained and challenging conditions, the project was achieved on time and budget, with an exemplary safety record and full community support, providing future security of the flood defence capability.

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Having been engaged by Network Rail, Wales Route, Centregreat Rail has successfully delivered the Herbrandston and Cadoxton Electrical & Power Points Heating Schemes safely, on time and within budget.

After inheriting the scheme with outstanding matters which were preventing the scheme from being commissioned and brought into service, we completed works including reworking of lineside civils, E&P four-foot installs, running new power cabling and terminating, DNO and PHCC cabinet rewire and terminations, lineside transformers and TCB relocations, and recovering redundant cabling and points heating equipment.

We fully tested, commissioned and brought into service the systems, including final issue of NICEIC certificates, and with defect free handover.

Centregreat Ltd continued to undertake critical maintenance to highway infrastructure for the Vale of Glamorgan Council, operating a reduced service throughout the Covid-19 shutdown. Appreciation was shown by the Client and Centregreat Limited Director, Dave Daniel, to Works Manager Ian Holman and the team, who showed great adaptability and perseverance to safely maintain service in difficult and unprecedented times.

After an unusually quiet and uncertain time for the civils operations as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are extremely grateful for the hard work and dedication of our staff and workforce to get back to work, mobilising quickly to complete schemes at Pencoed, for Bridgend CBC, as well as for our Cardiff City Environmental schemes.

We are now receiving many opportunities and enquiries, relieving the back-log built up with our clients, as well as a great deal of works necessary as a result of Storm Dennis, which caused extensive damage to structures and river banks throughout the South Wales region. We look forward to securing our share of this work and remain optimistic about the future.

Following successful delivery of the Williamstown Footbridge Maintenance Painting Contract, we were engaged by Rhondda Cynon Taff, to identify areas of further bridge maintenance required, notifying these to the client for integration into their maintenance programme. This involved a survey and investigation of loadings and bearing plates for the structure, undertaken in-house by Centregreat Engineering.

Through a competitive tendering process, we were awarded the Williamstown Footbridge Remedial Works Contract. Starting on site in June 2020 we will be working in collaboration with Centregreat Engineering to deliver this project, including replacement of the bearings and bridge deck expansion joints.

We are proud to be one of four contractors named by Network Rail to deliver infrastructure work across its Wales region. This multi-discipline framework for CP6 (control period 6) will deliver projects of varying value, including stations, buildings and civils, electrifications, power, signalling, telecommunications and track. Centregreat Rail secured places on two Lots; Civils and Metallic Structures Lots. The Framework will last for three years with a five-year option to extend.

We have successfully installed the 40-tonne flood control gate in Polperro Harbour, Cornwall, with our own in-house installation team. This gate was manufactured and painted at our Cardiff engineering facility by our own in-house fabrication, welding and painting teams. The installation was carried out on behalf of our client NMCN / Environment Agency during one tide cycle.

Working for our client, Network Rail, we have recently completed our refurbishment project at Cardiff Central Station working for the Route Wales B&C team. Works included DOFF cleaning to the station building façade and approach retaining walls, re-pointing, replacement of fascia boards, guttering, downpipes and lead work, lining of walk in gutters, slate repairs to the roof, refurbishment of the clock tower and replacement of flat roof surfacing including M&E re-locations and reinstatement. The works have given the ‘Gateway to Wales’ a new lease of life.

The Centregreat Engineering workshop and site-based fabrication teams recently delivered and installed the new access for all footbridge sections at Patchway Station, Bristol. The supporting trestles, stairs, lift shaft towers and bridge span sections have all been fabricated in our specialist fabrication facility based in Cardiff, South Wales. The works have been carried out for Alun Griffiths on behalf of the client Network Rail.

We are pleased to have been awarded the refurbishment project at Cogan Station Footbridge working for the Wales Route B&C team. Sister companies Centregreat Rail and Engineering will once again be working together to deliver important infrastructure refurbishment services. Works will include installation of a temporary footbridge, removal of the existing span from site for workshop refurbishment, surface preparation & painting, steelwork repairs & strengthening, replacement of timber deck & treads with a load bearing FRP alternative, installation of LED hand rail and upgrading of the station platform lighting.

Street Lighting is the oldest and largest part of our business with maintenance contracts across Wales and new installs across the UK. We are extremely pleased to add an English maintenance contract to our portfolio. The North Somerset Council Street Lighting Maintenance contract will run for 5 years from April 2019 (with the potential for a further 3 years).

We have successfully completed and handed back our MEP project at Bounds
Green Depot working for the Spencer Group. The project has been
delivered under the continuing collaborative relationship between The
Spencer Group and Centregreat Rail Ltd. Works included re-location of
existing walkway lighting, containment & cabling, re-location &
diversion of other cabling & containment systems, re-location of radiant
heating system, re-location of ventilation system, gas & water
alterations, new gantry lighting system, power supplies to mobile
overhead conductor rail system, earthing & bonding, compressed air, hot
& cold water systems, above ground drainage and a depot protection
system.

We recently became members of The 5% Club and are proud to join other
highway industry members. We are passionate about reducing youth
unemployment and helping to close the skills gap for the workplace of
today and tomorrow.

Our skilled Engineering team have been working hard over the past couple
of months refurbishing and strengthening the Ludlow Station footbridge.
The works included the removal of the bridge span from site, replacement
of both bottom chord members, installation of new U frame stiffeners,
replacement of the non-compliant parapet, replacement of the old timber
flooring with new GRP panels and the application of a new paint system.
All of the works have been carried out within our fabrication facility
based in Cardiff, South Wales. The works have been carried out for
sister company, Centregreat Rail on behalf of the client, Network Rail.

Cardiff Central is in Central Square in the city centre, it's not only
the largest and busiest station in Wales, it's one of the major stations
on the British railway network. It's an interchange for services between
South and West Wales, and other major British cities. Centregreat Rail
are proud to have been awarded the contract to refurbish the roof and
building of this beautiful piece of history. As Operations Director,
John Hannah, rightly says "We are privileged to be undertaking works on
the iconic building dating from the 1850's and enhancing the passenger
experience through the gateway to our capital city"

Works include DOFF cleaning & re-pointing of the building façade,
scaffold & encapsulation of the clock tower to allow redecoration &
replacement of lead flashings, alterations & enhancements to the
rainwater discharge system within the station attic, cleaning &
installation of sikalastic membrane to the front canopy gutters,
replacement of lead work to the front canopy gutters and replacement of
gutters & fascia boards to the trackside elevation of the roof.

We don't just work in Wales - one of our latest contract awards is a
platform extension for the iconic Birmingham New Street Station. We have
been awarded the extension of Platform 5B working for the LNW(S) Route
Buildings Team. The extension works are being completed to accommodate
11 car, class 390 Pendolino trains. The award realises a major milestone
in our strategic growth plans as this will be our first Principal
Contractor project within the LNW Route.

Following the successful delivery of Phase 1, Centregreat Rail has been awarded Abergavenny Station Footbridge Phase 2, delivering the works for the Wales Route B&C team. Phase 2 works include cable diversions from solid parapet span, providing a temporary footbridge to maintain passenger access to all platforms, removal of the solid parapet span from site, both spans will undergo surface preparation, strengthening and painting by sister company, Centregreat Engineering, in our specialist off site facility. Both of the existing decks will be replaced with a load bearing FRP solution and all three staircases will undergo surface preparation, strengthening and painting on site in a controlled environment.

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An interesting insight into the city-wide scheme installed by Centregreat Lighting.

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Centregreat Engineering recently completed the fabrication and installation of a 23.5m span footbridge, lift shaft towers and staircases at Totnes Station for main contractor Dyer & Butler. The old footbridge and staircases being dismantled and stored at Lostwithiel for possible reuse later in the year.

This is a strategic win for Centregreat and ERH. The contract consists of category of works such as programmed works, urgent works and minor works and covers a variety of roadside technology including cameras, signs, lighting and traffic signals. The prior experience of ERH and Centregreat Limited, in relation to South Wales Trunk Road Agent (SWTRA) network and the assets upon it put us in a strong position and has ensured a continued service as we take over from the incumbent maintenance contractor.

Centregreat are proud to be supporting the Welsh Transport Conference in November. The event will bring the leaders from the region together to discuss devolution, new technology and innovation, funding and investment, the skills shortage and how we are going to align apprenticeship programmes to fit the needs of the sector, electrification, smart ticketing and much more.

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Following a project award to deliver essential renewal work to the River Usk Viaduct, to ensure it remains safe and reliable for years to come, the scaffold and encapsulation has now been stripped to reveal the refurbished structure which carries the South Wales Mainline across the River Usk in Newport, South Wales. This is part of Network Rail's Railway Upgrade Plan which aims to help accommodate growing passenger numbers.

The structural refurbishment & strengthening of Caerleon Road Underbridge in Newport City Centre has been awarded to Centregreat Rail. The award follows a competitive tender competition by IP Wales. Works will be completed over 2 phases with lane closures below the structure. This award reinforces our commitment to providing value engineering and value for money to our delivery partners.

Centregreat Rail recently attended the National Launch Event in London, it was a proud moment for the business to be advised that from the nearly 2000 companies bidding for a place on the 54 available frameworks we made it into the 'chosen 34'.

We will now work with Network Rail to deliver over £3 Billion of infrastructure maintenance, repairs and enhancements.

As an SME based in Wales, we are fully aware of the skills shortage our industry is facing. That's why we believe in supporting the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act by actively encouraging and providing a range of apprenticeships. We are extremely proud of one of our current apprentices who has won two apprenticeship awards this year & now eagerly awaits the outcome of the JTL National Apprentice of the Year Award 2018.

Our team in Scotland, supported by colleagues from Wales, have commenced an installation contract installing Philips City Touch Starsense nodes into existing Philips lanterns in Perth (Scotland) which is the first step to Perth becoming a Smart City.

Perth and Kinross will take data from the sensors help manage the city with the aim of "creating a city where many different sensors and devices are connected together drives improvements in city services and the operation of transport and other infrastructure."

Greener Grangetown has been awarded Engineering Project of the Year 2018 at the Water Industry Awards. We're proud to have been a part of the innovative environmental (SuDS) project with sister company ERH, Welsh Water, NRW, Arup and Cardiff Council.

Another important project for our Rail business. Works include structural repairs to the main girders following impact collisions, replacement of life expired steel parapets, local surface preparation & painting and installation of a chevron warning system.

Following manufacture in 2016, the gate has been stored for 18 months due to issues with civil works and constraints on site. The gates main function is to act as a flood defence, however the lock keeper has also realised operating the gate during traffic movement gives him an increased lock size (i.e. more boats through the lock at one time); the new lock gate offers much greater ease of operation (push button which is less strenuous than manually moving the timber mitre gates.

The project involved the closing and draining of the lock in October 2017, crane lifting operations for the gates and the assembly and testing of the new gates prior to the re-opening of the lock.

Delivering for the Network Rail Route E&P team in Wales, this pumping station in Caldicot, South Wales, is a critical Network Rail asset where 10 million gallons of water are removed from the Severn Tunnel every day to allow its continued operation. Centregreat Rail have been contracted to replace the life expired exhaust, attenuation and silencer systems for the five diesel generators that provide back-up power to the pumping system. Our directly employed mechanical engineers have worked collaboratively with Network Rail to develop a value engineered solution with phased installation to ensure an adequate level of redundancy remains in the back-up system throughout the project.

Padstow previously had one major problem - on the equinoctial spring tides, it flooded. In 1988 this problem was addressed and over the period of two years, the present-day flood-defence scheme was built - sheet piling and extending the pier in the Inner Basin, building a tidal gate and raising the walls on Langford’s Quay. The result is that since the gate was put in the town has not flooded.

Centregreat Engineering recently completed the installation of a temporary flood defence and the removal and floating (first time this has been done at this location) of the existing Padstow Tidal flood gate; lifting it out of the harbour and setting it up ready for refurbishment.

The team have secured a new project for a South Wales Trunk Road Agency Traffic Signal Junction in Pembroke. Centregreat Traffic Signals will provide all necessary supply, installation and commissioning of the site to include slot cutting, design and MOVA.

During the heavy snow, the Centregreat team (at all levels) were hard at work for the entire period, including the weekend, at times with 20 men out salting and clearing along with machine operators also clearing roads. A main access route through the Vale of Glamorgan to the west (including the airport), Five Mile Lane, caused major issues for travellers and the local authority but we persevered and eventually got through; clearing the route and enabling access to resume.

On the Sunday we focussed on the major schools (access routes, car parks, pathways) to ensure they were able to open safely on the Monday.

As an SME based in Wales, we are fully aware of the skills shortage our industry is facing. That's why we believe in supporting the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act by actively encouraging and providing a range of apprenticeships. We are extremely proud of one of our current apprentices who has won two apprenticeship awards this year & now eagerly awaits the outcome of the JTL National Apprentice of the Year Award 2018.

Centregreat Limited secured a place, alongside one other contractor, on this comprehensive estate regeneration schemes framework in October 2017. The framework covers:

• Civil Engineering works: footpath renewal and carriageway resurfacing, parking courts and street lighting;
• Public Realm works: landscaping, amenity areas, external seating and street furniture;
• External Building works; boundary wall and fencing, gates and railings, refurbishment and renewal of bin-stores, sheds, garages and court-yards.

We have recently secured a number of schemes under this framework:

• Alice Street, Butetown – Courtyard Improvement Works
• Abergele Close – Courtyard Improvement Works
• 4 fencing schemes & 3 garage sites