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Click this link to get to the FeRFA home page www.ferfa.org.uk |
FeRFA e-news edition 11 2010 |
FeRFA celebrated its 40th Anniversary in style and we were delighted to welcome so many delegates, exhibitors and dinner guests to the event at the Marriott Forest of Arden on 19th November. Our congratulations go to the winners of the 2010 FeRFA Awards: As well as attracting a record breaking number of attendees, this year’s event was even more special as we were able to honour our apprentice graduates who received their NVQ Level 2 awards. For the first time this year, this included apprentices from the Surface Preparation scheme who joined with Insitu Resin Flooring candidates to receive their certificates. Awards and FeRFA ID Badges. Well done to all of our winners, and a big thank you to all of our supporters for making this such a memorable and successful event. Helen McGachie, FeRFA CEO |
IN THIS ISSUE:
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Q FLOORING SYSTEMS LTD JOINS FeRFA www.qflooringsystems.co.uk 0161 929 9331 |
FeRFA's 40th ANNIVERSARY EVENT The Chairman, Alex Dennis, welcomed members to the meeting and was delighted to see so many there. He also thanked the exhibitors and sponsors who supported the event and helped to make it a success for visitors. An overview of the past year was given by Helen McGachie, FeRFA CEO, highlighting the continuing growth in FeRFA membership despite the prevailing economic conditions. During the past year 10 resin flooring contractors had joined and 6 associate companies. The importance that FeRFA placed on training was seen as the cornerstone of its success by assisting companies achieve NVQ status for its workforce, running apprenticeship schemes in resin flooring and surface preparation as well as providing upskilling courses to expand the services members could offer.
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EXHIBITORS AT THE AGM: |
Following the formal AGM and election of officers a number of seminars were given on the following topical subjects: FeRFA INSURANCE SCHEME The benefits of using the FeRFA exclusive insurance scheme were outlined by Howard Collins of Cobra Insurance Brokers. This was the sixth year of its partnership and members were enjoying the benefits of the scheme, including reduced premiums. Cobra Insurance had contributed £3,250 to FeRFA’s training fund this year and £14,440 since the scheme began. SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES WITHIN THE RESIN FLOORING INDUSTRY Alex Dennis updated the meeting on the progress to date on a scheme to reduce the amount of waste packaging sent to landfill. FeRFA aimed to implement a new collection and recycling programme for waste plastic packaging and create a closed loop system (waste plastic into new plastic resin containers/ancillary products). It would also initiate training programmes to share best practice and implement a new environmental policy for the resin flooring industry MEASURING THE SLIP RESISTANCE OF FLOORS Dr Malcolm Bailey of Slip Alert gave a short talk on Pedestrian Slipping - why it happens, the problems associated with water lubricated flooring situations, and why only two machines correctly measure Pedestrian Slip Resistance in wet conditions. POLYURETHANES A presentation on Polyurethanes was given by Thorsten Gurke of Huntsman Polyurethanes which discussed the technology behind PU systems, the MDI airborne exposure risk and VOC measurement. CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE OF RESIN FLOORS Stephen Cox of Rotowash demonstrated the most effective way of keeping resin floors clean after installation, with advice on a maintenance programme after installation. |
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FeRFA APPRENTICESThe highlight of this year’s FeRFA Awards Dinner was the presentation of NVQ certificates to the apprentices who had completed their two-year courses. As well as acknowledging the candidates who had obtained their NVQ2 in In Situ Resin Flooring; presentations were made to the first candidates in the UK to complete an apprenticeship scheme in Surface Preparation and Profiling which was set up two years ago. Achieving the NVQ2 in In Situ Resin Flooring were: Benjamin Gillway of Midland Industrial Flooring and Matthew Preston of Respol Ltd; and in Surface Preparation and Profiling were: Levi Cross, John Denton and Jamie Williams of The Preparation Group. Everyone involved with the apprenticeship schemes had been impressed by their enthusiasm and willingness to learn both the theory work in the classroom and all the new practical skills that were required of them. (* Apprentices not able to attend were: Dominic Mitchell of Kemtile Ltd and Paul Lynch of The Preparation Group.) |
CHILDREN IN NEEDA big thank you to everyone who donated money to Children in Need during and since the event. A total of £800 was raised which has been forwarded to the charity. |
PHOTOGRAPHSPhotos from the day and evening events can be viewed at: http://www.prestigephotography.co.uk/proofs/ferfa_13732/ They can either be purchased direct from the site for a professionally printed copy, or a jpeg of individual images can be emailed to print yourself if you let FeRFA know the reference number(s) of those required. |
| TRAINING NEWS |
FeRFA MEMBERS CONTINUE TO QUALITY THEIR WORKFORCECongratulations to John Amis of 4m Flooring UK Ltd who has achieved the NVQ level 3 in Occupational Work Supervision as well as the Construction Site Managers Safety Certification. APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES 2011FeRFA will be running more apprenticeship schemes in 2011 for In Situ Resin Flooring and Surface Preparation. Apprenticeship scheme are still fully funded and are a cost effective way to receive first rate training for your workforce. To register a candidate call FeRFA on 01252 714250. Full details of both the schemes, and all other training matters are on the training pages of the website at: http://www.ferfa.org.uk/html/training.htm LIMITED TRAIN TO GAIN FUNDING FOR FREE NVQ LEVEL 2 & 50% funded NVQ Level 3In conjunction with ConstructionSkills, FeRFA has limited funding available for the NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Insitu Resin Flooring or Prepare & Profile Substrates. If you have potential candidates, please register now to access this funding. NVQ Level 2: NVQ Level 3 Supervisory Management In all cases, candidates must complete by end March 2011. If you have potential candidates within your organisation, please register now as we cannot guarantee that any future funding will become available. Simply send confirmation of number of candidates, names, date of birth, qualifications, together with a contact name within your organisation. The FeRFA assessor will contact you to process the candidates. |
TRAINING COURSES, SEMINARS AND EXHIBITIONSINTERIORS BIRMINGHAM / NATIONAL FLOOR SHOW: 23-26 January 2011 at the NEC, Birmingham www.nationalfloorshow.co.uk |
SURFACE DESIGN SHOW - 15 - 17 February Business Design Centre LondonYou may already be familiar with the Surface Design Show – held annually in February at the Business Design Centre, Islington, London. It is the only UK event exclusively focused on materials and solutions for building design. The organisers have put together a special package for FeRFA members in the form of a dedicated 30 sq m pavilion at the Show which will be on 15-17 February. The cost per company will be £2105 plus VAT, this will cover:
The Surface Design Show is the only UK event exclusively focused on materials and solutions for building design and more information on the show may be found at www.surfacedesignshow.com. If you would like to register an interest in the show, get more information or see the floor plan – please contact the FeRFA office. |
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Edition November 2010 / FeRFA The Resin Flooring Association. 16 Edward Road , Farnham,
Surrey GU9
8NP. T:
01252 714250 |
Outstanding products, backed by unique Customer Service has made Q Flooring Systems Ltd one of Europe's leading flooring specialists. The company serves the industry with the most technically advanced flooring solutions available. Clients include many major organisations, and the innovative approach we take to Customer Service has secured the company's leading position. Operational throughout the UK and overseas Q Flooring Systems is totally independent and therefore is able to offer clients the advantage of unbiased advice and product selection. Q Flooring Systems is committed to safe working practices and all site operatives and supervisory management hold CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) qualifications. SHEqual accredited (Safety, Health & Environmental qualification), Safe Contractor and CHAS (Contractors Health & Safety Scheme)
FeRFA celebrated its 40th anniversary in style to a capacity audience on the 19th November, with a full day of meetings, seminars, industry exhibition, and following the award presentations, a dinner dance to live music in the evening.
For the coming year FeRFA would continue to raise its profile as the mark of quality by promoting the benefits of resin flooring in a wide range of applications for both industrial and commercial, and the importance of a fully trained workforce.. Work on the technical publications would continue – the FeRFA guide to selection of deck waterproofing and wearing surfaces for car parks was being launched at the meeting – and more would be produced during the coming year. It also aimed to offer FeRFA members value for money by expanding the range of preferential services it offered.
The Preparation Group
Following a champagne reception, guests were entertained during their meal with logic-defying magic tricks from Phil Jay (right) and Dorian Michael.
To win this category the judges sought all-round performance, quality and variety of work, outstanding customer service, new application techniques, promotion of resin flooring, safety awareness, and a commitment to training.
Training is the key to the future of the resin flooring industry and this award is in recognition of a member company’s continuing commitment to training, development of staff to raise quality, and health & safety standards. Due to the excellence of the entries, the panel recommended a highly commended award to 4m Flooring, and the overall winner of this award was John Lord & Sons (Rizistal) Ltd.
Small Project of the Year – Creation Flooring Ltd / Altro Floors (sponsor Huntsman Polyurethanes)
The winning project was from Reprotec UK Ltd and Altro Floors for the Northumbria Police HQ, a new build, architect designed project in the public sector where the floor finish had to be seamless, aesthetic yet practical. The client had very precise requirements in terms of the texture of the finish and how it would be cleaned. The contractor and manufacturer had to work very closely with the client and main contractor to agree a variety of finishes to fit within budget, programme and difficult working conditions. New application techniques were adopted to apply the resin systems as both flooring and vertical applications. Feedback from client is excellent in terms of quality of service received and the quality of the floor installation which is easy to clean, very durable and looks decorative. From design stage through to handover, a true partnership of client and specialist contractor working together. 
Five of the seven successful candidates joined in the celebrations* and were presented with their apprenticeship completion certificates, FeRFA certificate of achievement and the FeRFA ID badge by Alan Wemyss, Project Manager, ConstructionSkills Specialist Team.