News

Portland Consulting Engineers is literally lifting the lid on one of its latest projects to create more space in a Northumberland factory.

The firm, was appointed by SCA Hygiene Products to create more head room for new conveyors at its Prudhoe factory - which produces tissue and personal care products.

Instead of taking the obvious approach of removing the existing roof and building up to a new one - which would have halted production and involved costly new steel and materials - Portland have devised a system which will allow them effectively jack the existing roof up.

John Hardy, director at Portland Consulting Engineering, said: "Our brief was to create more head room for new conveyors and the initial idea included scrapping the existing roof, building up and replacing it with a new one.

"But when we started to think about it laterally, we realised there was a much more cost effective, environmentally friendly method which meant we didn't have to scrap the existing roof or stop production at all."

By using this method, Portland has saved tonnes of steel from being scrapped, SCA Hygiene will not loose a day in production, and the cost of the project is lower as no cranes will need to be involved.

Portland Consulting Engineering has welcomed two new members of staff to its rapidly expanding team. The company, which has just celebrated its first year in business, has been joined by civil and structural engineers, David Scrimgeour and Marios Petropoulos.

Six months ago Portland pledged to double its workforce of four within the following year and is on target to do so as it continues to win work and make its mark in the industry.

Mr Scrimgeour has more than 13 years experience working with several engineering firms around the region.

"Portland is a very progressive and ambitious company and although it is a relatively new business, it has a wealth of experience within the team and I am looking forward to working on pioneering projects," said Mr Scrimgeour.

Mr Petropoulos, who is from Athens and studied a masters degree in structural engineering at Newcastle University, said: "Joining Portland is a great move for me as it's a good, friendly practice which will give me a great opportunity to develop my career."

Portland Consulting Engineers appointed to oversee the long-term maintenance and repair of two of the region's historic viaducts.

Portland has been commisioned by the North Pennines Heritage Trust to act as lead consultants on the Haltwhistle viaduct project to repair and refurbish the structure into a footpath link across the South Tyne.

The firm has also been appointed as "quinquennial" inspectors for Northumberland's Lambley viaduct - giving the company responsibility for inspecting the structure for necessary repairs every five years.

Peter Dwyer, associate at Portland Consulting Engineering, said: "We are delighted to have been appointed to work on these magnificent viaducts. We are proud to offer such a skilled service, which requires a lot of knowledge about diverse materials used historically and the restrictions that go with the repair of listed structures."

Portland Consulting Engineering was set up in April last year by John Hardy, one of the region's most respected engineers. The company now has seven members of staff offering a wide range of skills including the sympathetic repair and management of listed structures and historic monuments.

Lambley is considered to be one of the finest railway viaducts in Britain, an accolade created not just by the simple engineering facts, but by its beauty set in context in the nearby hills. Designed by one of the great names of railway engineering in the North East, Sir George Barclay-Bruce in 1852, it is a graceful structure with 17 arches and is today a Grade II listed building, owned by the North Pennines Heritage Trust.

The Haltwhistle viaduct - known as the Alston Arches - is a six-arch structure across the River South Tyne and is a Grade II listed structure also owned by the North Pennines Heritage Trust.

Portland Consulting Engineers offers sustainable engineered solutions to the built environment and has already been accepted as a member of the Association of Consulting Engineers (ACE), as a direct result of positive references given by its expanding client base.

Portland Consulting Engineering is continuing to make its mark in the industry by pledging to double the company's workforce in the next year following a hugely successful nine months in business.

The company, which is based within the offices of Browne Smith Baker architects on Portland Terrace in Jesmond, has welcomed four new members of staff since the business started in April last year.

Portland has also obtained a major commission to project manage and engineer ongoing plant improvements for one of the region's major industrial manufacturers. This contract will run for two years and is likely to have a construction spend in excess of £45m.

Headed up by John Hardy, one of the region's most respected engineers, Portland Consulting Engineering is now working on more than 50 contracts worth more than £300,000.

"It's been and extremely rewarding and exciting business to be involved in and I am delighted with the start we've made," said Mr Hardy, who brings to the business more than 40 years experience including a number of high-profile projects such as Gateshead's Metrocentre, St Peter's Basin and Newburn riverside development.

"It has been very encouraging to learn that there are people out there who really want to work with us and we've received a number of compliments about the standard of work we provide."

The company is now actively seeking structural engineers to cope with the demands of the business and has this week committed to doubling the floor space it hires from Browne Smith Baker in order to house the ever-expanding team.

Being based in the offices of one of the North East's most prominent architects has provided the company with many opportunities in the business - but 60pc of the current contracts have come from external clients.

"We are looking for more professional staff as the work comes in and plan to double the workload to ten within the next 12 months," said Mr Hardy.