Fr Peter McVerry SJ has been awarded the title of honorary fellow of Engineers Ireland for his commitment and work to reduce homelessness and social disadvantage in Ireland over many years at Engineers Ireland’s national conferring ceremony held on Friday, May 24, 2019.
One of highest honours
Honorary fellowship is the highest honour, other than the presidency, that Engineers Ireland can bestow. It is conferred on those distinguished by the importance of their work in engineering, science or other areas whom Engineers Ireland wishes to honour.
[caption id="attachment_50384" align="alignright" width="300"]
L-R: Fr Peter McVerry SJ; Engineers Ireland president, Peter Quinn; director general Caroline Spillane; and Liam Henry, COO, COLAS Ireland. Photo: Peter Houlihan[/caption]
Fr McVerry, who established his first hostel for homeless boys in 1979, and went on to found the Arrupe Society – later renamed the Peter McVerry Trust, received a standing ovation at the Dublin ceremony where more than 90 members of Engineers Ireland were conferred with registered professional titles.
Liam Henry, chief operating officer of COLAS Ireland joined Fr McVerry as a recipient of the honorary fellow title.
Both men were presented with their honorary fellowships by Peter Quinn, president of Engineers Ireland. Also attending the ceremony was Caroline Spillane, director general and vice-president, Marguerite Sayers.
A total of 80 chartered engineers also received their professional titles at the event from Engineers Ireland’s president.
Achieving the title of chartered engineer is a public statement of an engineer’s competence to practice as a professional and is a seal of approval by their peers that they have developed an ability beyond that achieved during their academic years to that of a professional practitioner.
A total of 10 members also received the title of Fellow, the highest level of membership awarded by Engineers Ireland. This title is reserved for engineers who have demonstrated a significant level of experience and professionalism.
As president of Engineers Ireland, Peter Quinn also had the privilege of issuing a presidential invitation to become a fellow of Engineers Ireland to 10 conferees, with seven presented at the evening ceremony.
Those in receipt of the prestigious title included: Dr Amanda Gibney, vice-principal for teaching and learning for the College of Engineering and Architecture at UCD; Dr Sarah Ingle, secretary general of the ACEI; Pat Lucey, president of the Construction Industry Federation and director with John Sisk and Son holdings; Emer Murnaghan, vice-president of the Institution of Civil Engineers and head of responsible sustainable business at GRAHAM; Liam Murray, technical standards specialist at Irish Water; John Pentony, managing director of Jons Civil Engineering and Professor Su Taylor, dean of research for the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Science at Queen’s University Belfast.
50th anniversary of awarding of title, chartered engineer
This year Engineers Ireland marks the 50th anniversary of the awarding of the title, chartered engineer. In the Republic of Ireland the organisation is the sole authority who can award the title.
[caption id="attachment_50385" align="alignright" width="300"]
L-R: Dr Amanda Gibney, vice-principal for teaching and learning for the College of Engineering and Architecture at UCD; John Pentony, managing director of Jons Civil Engineering; Fr Peter McVerry, S,J founder of the Peter McVerry Trust; Dr Sarah Ingle, secretary general of the ACEI; Peter Quinn, president of Engineers Ireland; Pat Lucey, president of the Construction Industry Federation; Liam Henry, chief operating officer of COLAS Ireland; Professor Su Taylor, dean of research for the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Science at Queen’s University Belfast and Emer Murnaghan, vice-president of the Institution of Civil Engineers and head of responsible sustainable business at GRAHAM.[/caption]
Peter Quinn, president of Engineers Ireland, said: “I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to each of our conferees who achieved registered professional titles this evening.
"The year 2019 is an exciting year for Engineers Ireland and our 25,000-strong membership, as we celebrate the establishment of our chartered engineer title, 50 years ago.
"This title is widely considered to be the gold standard of the engineering profession. I am very pleased to see that 80 members of Engineers Ireland have been conferred with this title, in addition our 10 members who have achieved the prestigious title of fellow.”
In addition to those conferred at the Dublin ceremony, more than 300 members achieved a registered professional title with Engineers Ireland this year and were conferred at ceremonies in the North East, Northern, Cork, Midlands, West, South East, Thomond and Great Britain regions over the last number of months.
A registered professional title from Engineers Ireland provides peer reviewed and internationally recognised formal recognition of our members’ professional competence and is an accolade associated with the very best of the engineering profession.
For further information on registered professional titles please click here or contact the Membership Team at +353 (0)1 6651 334 or email:
membership@engineersireland.ie.
The combined turnover of Ireland’s top construction firms has increased by €720 million on last year according to Construction Magazine’s annual Top 50 CIF Contractors listing for 2018.
The annual listing gives a snapshot of the overall growth in Irish construction as it delivers many large-scale projects throughout Ireland and the world, attracting foreign direct investment to Ireland and exporting more than €1.6 billion in construction expertise.
Combined turnover of €6.72 billion over last 12 months
The Top 50 Irish contractors reported a combined turnover of €6.72 billion over the last 12 months, with €5.1 billion of this activity taking place in Ireland and €1.62 billion resulting from exported construction services.
Robbie Cousins, Construction Magazine editor said: “This is an impressive result, even more impressive when the lack of balanced regional development and the slow rate of recovery in housing is taken into consideration. The Top50 listing gives a clear indication that construction is a dynamic industry sector looking to the future with vigour and ambition to deliver complex construction programmes at home and overseas.”
Tom Parlon, director general, CIF, said: “Irish main and specialist contractors are absolutely critical to the Irish economy’s competitiveness. The largest corporations in the world locate in Ireland for many reasons. But, if our main and specialist contractors were not world class they would never establish a footprint here. Ireland is working because this sector is working.
"Without the success of Irish construction, we would not have had the ability to attract tech-savvy and forward-thinking multinationals like LinkedIn, Google, Facebook, Eli Lilly to name but a few, and this is now recognised by the IDA and the wider government apparatus.
Innovating and leading the way in how we implement new and improved technology
"The construction industry is changing, we are innovating and leading the way in how we implement new and improved technology, how we attract and retain workers and how we work together more generally. We have emerged from the depths of the recession leaner, more modern, sustainable, adaptable and resilient. But there are significant improvements, that still need to be made in order to preserve and support our sector’s recovery into the future.
"We also need to fix our procurement system here at home and ensure the right supports are in place to help build companies of scale. Finally, we must also work to attract workers back into the industry and make the process of moving home from abroad and gaining work in the sector more streamlined.”
Minister of State at the Department of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Patrick O’Donovan said: “The increase in turnover and employment levels across the various sectors is most welcome from government’s perspective. It reflects an economy that has shown an average of 4.4 per cent growth in the years 2013 – 2017 with unemployment figures down from 16 per cent in 2012 to just below six per cent in April of this year.
"The increase in export activity demonstrates growing diversity that will stand the sector in good stead in more challenging economic times. Government’s commitment to advancing digital technologies in the delivery of the National Development Plan will further expand the sector’s export potential.”
The Construction Magazine Top 50 CIF Contractors 2018 listing is as follows:
1. John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Limited €950,000,000
2. Mercury Engineering €600,000,000
3. BAM Civil Ltd €470,000,000
4. John Paul Construction Ltd €360,000,000
5. Jones Engineering Group €350,000,000
6. Bennett (Construction) Ltd €325,000,000
7. JJ Rhatigan & Company €245,000,000
8. Dornan Engineering Ltd €218,400,916
9. Roadbridge €213,997,269
10. Winthrop €208,000,000
11. P J Hegarty & Sons U.C. €205,000,000
12. Collen Construction €200,000,000
13. mac-group €185,000,000
14. Kirby Group Engineering €167,620,000
15. Walls Construction Ltd €162,601,921
16. Designer Group Engineering Contractors Ltd €151,000,000
17. Suir Engineering Ltd €122,000,000
18. Ardmac Limited €107,063,334
19. Flynn Management & Contractors Ltd €105,999,557
20. Specialist Technical Engineering Services (STS Group) €98,900,000
21. Stewart Construction €98,000,000
22. Murphy International €84,000,000
23. SIAC Construction Ltd €80,500,000
24. Wills Bros Ltd €70,000,000
25. L & M Keating Ltd €67,000,000
26. Leo Lynch Group €62,540,000
27. Ganson Building & Civil Engineering Contractors Ltd €60,369,983
28. Duggan Brothers (Contractors) Ltd €49,767,200
29. Monami Construction Ltd €45,101,228
30. Purcell Construction Limited €44,000,000
31. Kilcawley Building & Civil Engineering (Sligo) Ltd €42,100,000
32. Gaeltec Utilities Limited €41,773,000
33. MDY Construction Ltd €38,481,326
34. Clancy Project Management Ltd t/a Clancy €38,028,030
35. Glenman Corporation Ltd €37,000,000
36. Radley Engineering Ltd €36,432,204
37. Lynskey Engineering Ltd €36,290,710
38. BMD & Company Limited €34,585,458
39. Glenbeigh Construction Limited €30,053,407
40. David Flynn Ltd €29,400,000
41. Jons Civil Engineering Co Ltd €29,000,000
42. MMD Construction Cork Ltd €28,744,559
43. Mythen Construction Limited €28,465,172
44. Vision Contracting Ltd €27,734,526
45. T&I Fitouts Ltd €27,113,921
46. Buttimer Engineering €25,156,124
47. Townlink €24,482,380
48. Clonmel Enterprises Limited €22,328,927
49. John Cradock Ltd, Civil Engineering Contractors €21,000,000
50. Tritech Engineering €18,000,000
Top 50 Total €6,723,031,152
Foundation Media, publishers of Construction magazine, compiles the Construction Top 50 CIF Contractors List annually.*
[embed]https://youtu.be/tDXt0C-kjJo[/embed]
John Sisk & Son (Sisk), the engineering and construction company with extensive operations across Ireland, the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, has announced full year financial results for the year ended December 31, 2017.
The company reported a strong outcome in profitability and business development. The results reflect a very robust performance in Ireland, and no loss-making projects were reported by the business in 2017, it said..
Turnover decreased in the year to €792.2 million. The business reported a pre-tax profit of €24.7 million that incorporates an exceptional item of €11.4 million relating to an associate company reaching a settlement in relation to historic construction contracts.
Financial highlights
1.) Pre-tax profits increased by 73 per cent to €24.7 million (2016: €14.3 million)
2.) Turnover decreased by five per cent to €792.2 million (2016: €833.7 million)
3.) Total equity of €88.2 million (2016: €74.3 million)
4.) Net cash at year end of €97.1 million (2016: €95.4 million)
Stephen Bowcott, CEO of John Sisk & Son said: “Our engineering and construction business enjoyed a successful year in 2017, where performance reflected strong levels of activity, particularly in areas such as data and technology, life sciences and biopharma, advanced manufacturing, commercial, retail, residential and civil engineering.
[caption id="attachment_44181" align="alignright" width="300"]
Croke Park: Another major Sisk project[/caption]
“The focus we brought to the business in 2017 was around value generation - for our customers, our people and our shareholders. This meant a shift from being a revenue-led business to being a profit-led business working with key partners to generate greater productivity in the industry leading to better outcomes for our customers.
"The results of this approach are clear across the business where I’m happy to report that Sisk recorded no loss-making projects in 2017 for the second consecutive year. Our focus on value generation, our commitment to safety and the environment and our ongoing investment in our people has paid dividends in 2017 and positions the business on a strong platform for future sustainable growth.
“We continue to be selective about the projects we undertake. Sisk has the financial platform and skilled people to compete for business across key sectors based on high quality, timely, cost efficient and safe project delivery.
“We were proud to host the inaugural Sisk Supply Chain Awards in late 2017, celebrating our key partners in the supply chain both in Ireland and the UK. There is a strong order book for 2018 and combined with our focus on value creation for key stakeholders, and sustainable profits, the business looks to the future with confidence.”
Deliver complex projects in key sectors
Based on a strong commercial and operational platform, Sisk’s strategy is to create value for its customers, shareholders and other stakeholders by continuing to deliver complex projects in key sectors. Sisk offers the full range of project delivery services where quality and value is integral to everything the business does while collaborating in partnership with its clients and business partners to deliver world class innovative results.
The key to creating value has been in shaping the project delivery in order to introduce innovation at an early stage, using digital tools to understand the challenges of each project and bring about a very strong programme focus to create as efficient an environment as possible for all those who work on our projects.
Sisk has been on the Lean journey since the late 1990s but undertook a step change in approach in 2016, recognising how core Lean principles matched the company’s focus on delivering value for customers and respecting and creating an efficient, sustainable, safe and rewarding environment for all those who work with them.
€70 million redevelopment of Pairc Ui Chaoimh successfully handed over
Building on the strengthening performance of the business over the past number of years, 2017 was another year where Sisk completed and were appointed to, key landmark projects.
The €70 million redevelopment of Pairc Ui Chaoimh was successfully handed over to the GAA in 2017 and earned Sisk two honours at the Irish Construction Excellence Awards. Sisk’s civil engineering business completed several of Ireland’s substantial projects including the Cross-City Luas extension in Dublin and the N17 Gort to Tuam motorway.
[caption id="attachment_44184" align="alignright" width="300"]
Limerick Greyhound Stadium[/caption]
The business was selected by Center Parcs to build 470 lodges and 30 apartments at its Longford Forest Resort in addition to the holiday village’s central building that includes a swimming pool, bars, restaurants, and retail outlets.
Sisk continued to successfully deliver three strategically important data centres in Dublin marking its 10th year of project delivery in this sector.
Developed the first BIM virtual reality model in Ireland
Other significant contracts under way include the redevelopment of the Curragh Racecourse, which was secured using innovative construction methods where the business developed the first BIM virtual reality model in Ireland, and also the landmark Capital Dock mixed use development for Kennedy Wilson on Dublin’s South quays.
The business also recently turned the sod on the major Grangegorman educational campus for the Dublin Institute of Technology and are delivering a major expansion of the Bons Secours Hospital in Cork.
Sisk Living, which was established in 2016 up as a specialist Housing delivery division of Sisk to deliver good quality, energy-efficient houses quickly, and based on volume delivery, was successfully appointed to two affordable housing contracts, the first of which was delivered in Dun Laoghaire in May 2018, with the second for South Dublin County Council due to be delivered over summer this year.
The business has proven that builders on a design, build and finance basis can deliver homes at a far lower cost than developers who take the risk of speculatively purchasing land upfront based on securing large profit margins.
Major redevelopment and restoration of London’s iconic Royal Academy of Arts
Following a number of challenging years impacting the entire industry in the United Kingdom, Sisk successfully returned its business to profitability in this market and delivered key projects during the year including the major redevelopment and restoration of London’s iconic Royal Academy of Arts.
It was also successful in securing other landmark projects such as an £88 million hanger for Boeing at Gatwick and the £190 million fourth phase of Great Ormond Street’s redevelopment programme.
Sisk, using its experience of building the National Conference Centre in Dublin, is also the primary contractor on the International Convention Centre Wales in Newport and continues to be the primary partner of Quintain in its major redevelopment at Wembley Park as we build out the largest build to rent programme in the UK.
At present Sisk is delivering more than 3,000 residential units in the UK market, a core skillset which can be used to solve the housing issues we face at present in Ireland.
The Irish based business has also expanded its footprint into European business this year working in programme management and project delivery for some of its key long-term customers across the Nordics, Benelux, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. These projects are a core part of our strategy and we see this as a particular area of growth over the coming years.
John Sisk & Son (“Sisk”) has been selected by Bruntwood as the construction partner to deliver the first phase of the commercial development at Circle Square, a new city centre neighbourhood in the heart of Manchester’s Oxford Road Corridor innovation district.
Total value of the project comes to £240m
The appointment, with a development value of £96 million follows Sisk’s announcement in November 2017 that it had been chosen to deliver the £140 million Circle Square Affinity residential development for Bruntwood’s joint venture partner Select Property Group, and brings the total value of the project to £240 million.
Sisk is due to complete all the current contract works on the project, which at peak will employ a workforce of 1,300 people, during 2021.
Guy Fowler, John Sisk & Son’s managing director, UK north and major projects, said: “John Sisk & Son is delighted to be selected as construction partner to deliver the next phase of this exciting development on behalf of Bruntwood and Select Property Group.
"Both projects demonstrate Sisk’s commitment to building a long term strategic alliance with the city and our clients. We look forward to bringing our extensive residential and commercial expertise to these projects, working in an open and collaborative manner with all of the stakeholders on what is a landmark development for both clients and the city of Manchester.”
Create a new urban neighbourhood in Manchester
With total development value of £750 million, Circle Square will create a new urban neighbourhood in Manchester, a diverse and unique place where education, technology, business and culture meet, mix and thrive.
Circle Square will be delivered over three phases with over two thirds of the scheme completed by 2020. The master plan for the site includes 1.2m sq ft of commercial office space, 1,700 new homes and 100,000 sq ft of ground floor retail and leisure space for shops, studios, bars and restaurants. A multi-storey car park and two hotels will provide additional amenity to the site and the 250,000 sq ft of beautifully designed public realm will bring much needed green space to the city.
Ciara Keeling, director of asset management at Bruntwood, said: “Circle Square will truly be a location like no other – at the gateway to Manchester’s innovation district and an amazing place to live, work and play.
400,000 sq ft of beautifully designed contemporary workspace
"We are delighted to be moving forward with the construction phase of the first two commercial buildings, representing 400,000 sq ft of beautifully designed contemporary workspace, with technology, collaboration and wellbeing at the heart of our customer offer.
“Circle Square’s incredible location lends itself to being a natural home for innovative tech businesses and we are already making strides to build a new cluster here with the launch of the new incubator for data science and tech start-ups at Manchester Technology Centre.”
As part of its commitment to the local community, Sisk is working closely with the multi-award-winning community engagement specialists ‘Mancunian Way’ which was set up after the Manchester riots in the summer of 2011 and now works on projects that get right to the heart of social issues, empower people to make positive informed choices, build resilience and constantly promote personal responsibility.
Passenger services commenced on December 9, 2017, on the Luas Cross City Line, an extension that brought the Luas Green Line through the city centre to Broombridge on Dublin’s northside.
Construction on the €368 million Luas Cross City line began in 2013, and it was delivered on time and on budget in late 2017. Construction works for Luas Cross City (main infrastructure) were carried out as a joint venture between John Sisk & Son and Steconfer, a Portuguese-based global railway construction company. The project comprised the construction of 5.9km of track with 13 new Luas stops.
One of the most complex and challenging projects undertaken in Ireland in modern times
“The Luas Cross City project has been one of the most complex and challenging projects undertaken in Ireland in modern times. Its on-time completion is testimony to the quality and commitment of the people who worked on it namely, Sisk, Steconfer and our supply chain,” said Pat Lucey, managing director of infrastructure, John Sisk & Son.
“The co-operation and teamwork with our client, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), and the many stakeholders was essential and is a template for how complex infrastructure projects should be carried out in a busy urban environment.
“Since January 2015 nearly 3,400 people have been involved in the project with a peak of almost 600 in March 2017. The mantra of the project was ‘Keep Dublin Moving’, and it took the combined efforts of all parties to deliver on that and still finish on time,” he added.
Dave Toole, John Sisk & Son bid manager and project manager, said: “This project took a lot of forward planning before the first sod could be turned. It was a design & build contract, which had to facilitate the design integration of many diverse systems, above and below ground, and then incorporate these into the crowded city streets.
Building Information Modelling played a key role
"Building Information Modelling, (BIM) played a key role in mapping underground utilities and obstructions at key locations in order to plot corridors for new infrastructure. Underground ducting was the first thing to go in on site. But, this had to be arranged to facilitate many elements, including the ticketing machines, which would be the last things to go on site.”
Invasive works at the intersection of the new Luas Cross City Line and the existing Luas Red Line at Abbey Street and O’Connell Street, which were initially limited to 11 weeks, were completed within six weeks.
A phased crossing of both quays at O’Connell Bridge could potentially have brought the capital city to a standstill for weeks, but with careful planning and scheduling of the works, it only resulted in the quays being closed for one long weekend – the 2016 August bank holiday.
“There were a number of things that could have happened, which would have caused the work on O’Connell Bridge to run on into the working week. But we completed the necessary works on the bank holiday Monday,” said Toole.
Developed a new fast-curing reinforced concrete mix
"Much of the groundwork was in place. We had developed a new fast-curing reinforced concrete mix with Roadstone and Sika specifically for this project. We had completed a lot of advance preparation works at night and used prefabricated reinforced steel rail sections that were millimetre perfect. We worked double crews, who had prepared for any eventuality, through the weekend. But again, because of the pre-planning that went into the work, all ran smoothly.”
The wider project included the reorganisation of more than 30 major traffic junctions and a facade-to-facade renovation of the city streets, as well as full tram depot facilities. Early collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, package contractors and subcontractors on site at the planning stage helped deliver the project on time and on budget.
“This was a challenging and exciting project for everyone that was involved,” said Toole. “It required a massive team effort. This teamwork dynamic also resulted in another achievement – 2.5m man-hours were completed without a reportable accident, with the project achieving an Accident Frequency Rate (AFR) of 0.03.”
(Sisk Steconfer JV has recently made the shortlist of bidders for the £90 million Edinburgh tram network extension design & build contract. The next phase of tendering is expected to close in late summer.)
Key construction numbers
1.) Total single-line track: 13.4km
2.) Total weight of the tracks: 1,520 tonnes
3.) On street, concrete track bed and shoulders poured: 13,600m3
4.) Total ducting and pipes under the surface: 178,000m
5.) Daily average distance walked by a Foreman or Engineer: 12km
6.) Projected total man hours to complete SSJV works: three million hours
7.) Number of people who worked on the main infrastructure project: 3,398 overall, 583 at peak (March 2017)