64
Tube Products International March 2013
construct ion, bui lding
& structural tubes
New guardrail system
Barrett Steel has introduced a new,
patented guardrail system for both
internal and external use. The Formarail
®
system, designed for rapid installation,
is versatile and adaptable, making
it suitable for any guardrail project,
including handrails for stairs, steps and
ramps, track-side guardrails, pedestrian
segregation and protection, mezzanine
floors, gantries, shore-line and riverside
walkways, and roof edge protection.
Made from high quality marine grade
LM25 aluminium, Formarail’s smooth,
contoured design is pleasing to the
eye with a more aesthetic appearance
compared to the industrial look of other
modular systems.
The system houses a rotating ball,
eliminating the need to calculate the
angle of the rail before and during
installation, and avoiding the need
for the high number of components
typically needed by modular guardrail
systems. Made from high quality ABS
plastic, the Formarail ball provides a
balance of strength and resistance to
impact, abrasions and extreme weather
conditions. The material also ensures
there is no cross contamination or
wearing of metals between the posts
and the handrails.
Combined with its light weight, which
makes it easy to handle, Formarail
offers reduced risks when designing,
specifying and installing the system.
Each post is precision engineered to
offer strength and durability. Supplied
pre-assembled, the posts are available in
two heights, 1,100mm and 950mm, and
in two common sizes to accommodate
48.3mm and 42.4mm outer diameter
tubes. Bespoke heights are available on
request.
Four options for fixing the foot of each
Formarail post are offered: base, side,
raked and ground implant. This allows
the installer further flexibility and the
freedom to meet all fixing requirements.
The Barrett Steel Group consists of 47
companies operating from 25 locations
across the UK, and is divided into four
divisions: general steels, engineering
steels, tubes, and international. Recent
expansion has seen a stockholding and
processing facility opened in Houston,
Texas, USA.
Barrett Steel
– UK
Modular engineered building
services solution
Imperial Tobacco’s new global
headquarters building in Bristol, UK, is
being equipped with a state-of-the-art
off-site prefabricated building services
solution from Pipe Center’s Modular
Engineering. The modular system for
the 83,000ft
2
flagship building is being
installed by T Clarke for main contractor
BAM Construction. It is anticipated that
it will cut installation time on-site by up
to 85 per cent, according to T Clarke.
The system consists of around 211
combined
electrical-mechanical
modules and both electrical and
mechanical risers, containing pipe work
for heating, chilled water, electrical
containment, fully equipped distribution
boards, rising busbar and cabling.
The building, located to the south of
Bristol city centre, is designed to be
highly sustainable, and incorporates a
wide range of natural materials and
technologies to achieve a BREEAM
rating of Excellent and an EPC Rating
of 33. The four-storey concrete framed
building will bring together a number of
Imperial Tobacco departments currently
spread across different buildings in the
city. It will have a zinc-clad facade, and
extensive glazing and curtain walling.
The modular services are delivered
to site fully pre-tested, and simply
lifted into position in ceiling voids and
connected up. Ellis John, managing
director at T Clarke, said, “We decided
on a modular pre-fabricated approach
for the risers due to
the tight timescale
on the project. It
would not have been
possible to deliver by
conventional methods.
Having
taken
a
modular approach on
the risers, we looked
at what other parts of
the system could be
pre-fabricated off-site,
and concluded the project lent itself to
a modular approach.”
Keith Ashenhurst, mechanical project
manager heading up the installation at
T Clarke, added, “We worked closely
with Pipe Center’s Modular Engineering
team on the detailed planning and
design work. It is critical to get this right
in order to reap the benefits later on.
It saved us significantly on installation
time on-site and the project has gone
very smoothly.”
In addition to saving installation time,
it has resulted in significantly reduced
materials wastage on-site and delivered
improved health and safety.
Ross Cameron, project manager
for BAM Construction, said, “I was
extremely pleased with the minimisation
of both programme time and wastage.
However, the biggest benefit from our
perspective was the huge reduction in
the time spent by operatives working
at height compared with traditional
installation methods.”
Pipe Center
– UK
Imperial Tobacco’s new HQ
