The striking new £27 million paddock and pit complex at the legendary Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire features a range of Ash & Lacy facade solutions.

Known as The Silverstone Wing, in reference to its radical angles and elevations, the complex is the culmination of a series of enhancements to the iconic race track, bringing it up to the latest Grand Prix standards.

Offering competitors the last word in up-to-the-minute motorsport facilities, the 390 metre-long building includes a totally new pit-lane area, with 41 new garages and a surface area covering 6,200m2, spectator and hospitality zones, a 2,780m2 Media Centre and a new race control tower.

It has been designed for multi-purpose operation, boasting a conference hall, auditorium, two exhibition halls, a banqueting hall and additional breakout rooms for fully flexible use. There is 4000m2 of space to host events for just a few or thousands of people.

AshTech™ rainscreen cladding panels form a stunning frontispiece along the entire length of the pits and the amazing angular structure that forms a backdrop to the winner’s podium. Panels were made in three 1.2mm polyester powder-coated steel finishes – Metallic Silver (RAL 9006), Anthracite Grey (RAL 7016) and a small quantity of Graphite Grey (RAL 2074).

AshTech™ creates a completely flat surface and shallow profile, giving the specifier the opportunity to develop an attractive, low-maintenance facade, whilst attaining long term performance at an economic whole-life cost.

Ash & Lacy AshFab™ double-curved bullnose gutter flashings were selected to form the perimeter of the ever changing roofline, in 3mm polyester powder coated steel in Hamlet finish (RAL 9002).

The double-curved bullnose at Silverstone is an excellent example of what can be achieved with AshFab™ standard, bespoke and architectural fabrication and flashing solutions.

Ash & Lacy’s extensive plant and machinery provides complete flexibility for the precision manufacture of any building perimeter component, made by a team of experienced and skilled professionals to achieve the most exacting standards.

Positioned directly underneath the bullnose feature is a red AshScreen™ mesh grille, providing an attractive colour accent feature above the entire pit straight.

The AshScreen™ range of expanded meshes and perforated screens is proving an exceptionally popular choice with specifiers. AshScreen™ provides a fully-engineered, lightweight solution, improving the aesthetics of any structure, as well as

Photos courtesy of Pyroguard by CGI International.

David Wright has become the new Managing Director of leading building systems manufacturer Ash & Lacy, succeeding Ray Harriman, who will continue to support the transition to the new management team, focusing on export opportunities and product development.

David is a qualified electrical/mechanical and manufacturing engineer. His career started at Invensys Brook Crompton as a Designer and subsequently Business Unit Manager, after which he became a Senior Engineer for the Metals Industry Competitive Enterprise, focused on the development and implementation of World best practice across the metals sector.

David left this role to join privately-owned company Banro Sections as Operation Director. Following Banro's acquisition by Kingspan, he became Operations Director for two Kingspan manufacturing facilities in the UK, before joining Ash and Lacy as Manufacturing Director.

Commenting on the appointment, Ash & Lacy Chief Executive Jonathan Evans said: "I see Ash and Lacy’s future based on manufacturing excellence and the introduction of new products and finishes.

"David has the necessary skills and experience to manage us on this path, along which we have begun to take our first steps.

"April saw the arrival of new manufacturing machinery. I believe this is the biggest capital investment in the company’s history and is a poignant step towards our goal of being the most complete supplier of envelope systems in the market.

"I congratulate David on his appointment and thank Ray for his efforts in handing over the business, as he approaches the end of an excellent career that has made him one of the most popular figures in the industry."

The new Ash & Lacy management team has been in place for nearly nine months. Jonathan Evans and his colleagues are now fully settled into the business and I can begin to look at my own future.

The time is right to hand over the reins and I will be stepping down as a Director of Ash & Lacy at the end of April. I will still be very much involved with the business, whilst working reduced hours.

My career in the industry spans over 40 years, and for the majority of that time, I have thoroughly enjoyed it, even though the last few years have been particularly challenging for all of us. Along the way I have had the pleasure and privilege of working with some great people and this continues.

I will now be able to devote a little more time to my grandchildren, my garden and driving my Morgan.

Ray Harriman

Click Here to View/Download Case Study

Built as part of the NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) initiative and located in the heart of Hull, Wilberforce Health Centre provides an impressive setting for an NHS Medical Practice and Walk-In Centre, offering a wide range of services for both registered and unregistered patients.

The £16.5 million, multi-purpose project was designed, developed and delivered by Hull Citycare Ltd and its partners, on behalf of NHS Hull. It has been built on the site of a derelict office building and is seen as a beacon for ongoing regeneration in the surrounding area. The Centre also includes a café and ambulance services. Wilberforce Health Centre has been designed as an integration between the community and its urban environment, optimising functionality, sustainability and views to and from the site.

AshScreen™ perforated screens and supports from Ash & Lacy have been installed in a captivating arrangement of varying height, width and colour - a key design feature contributing to an attractive, welcoming facade for patients, staff and visitors.

AshScreen™ is the perfect, fully engineered, fast-track solution for enhancing or enclosing open spaces.Available in solid, perforated and expanded configurations, this architecturally-flexible system can be specified in a variety of attractive materials, patterns and finishes, transforming the structure.

Panels may be straight or curved, to suit any requirement. Contrasting panel types and finishes can be integrated in the same elevation, creating visually engaging features.

Ash & Lacy have formed a close partnership with Halcyon Building Systems, the cladding installation contractor at Wilberforce Health Centre. The two companies collaborated to deliver a solution that met both aesthetic and practical requirements.

The AshScreen™ perforated panels feature a purpose-designed hanging system, retrofitted to the substructure, which protrudes through the wall cladding.

The panels were fabricated in powder-coated aluminium trays in contrasting red and silver finishes, to create a stunning visual effect. 3mm gauge perforations were formed in a bespoke pattern.

The project is covered under Ash & Lacy’s AWM Protector Warranty scheme. This protects the client against defective workmanship and materials.

Under the scheme, cover is provided for 25 years following Practical Completion, subject to the independent inspections of the installation and sign off by AWM Ltd.

Quality control of the workmanship and material throughout any project has the largest impact on the life expectancy of a building and thus is key to long term investment potential. An independent auditing and inspection is the best assurance of obtaining the highest quality construction and finishing, which will underpin life expectancy, reduce maintenance costs and benefit the whole life costs of the building. The AWM Protector Warranty is available free of charge on projects specifying Ash & Lacy products and systems.

Reflecting on the very attractive completed building, Austin Ford, Director of Halycon Building Systems, commented: “The project went extremely well and was delivered on time and on budget. Ash & Lacy co-ordinated material deliveries exactly when they were needed. What initially appeared to be a very difficult task went as smoothly as it possibly could."

Following feedback from customers and staff, we have now implemented the following changes to the options you hear when calling Head Office. They are now set up by product as follows :-

Press 1 for AshFix™ and AshGrid™
Press 2 for AshFab™
Press 3 for AshJack™, AshTech™, AshZip™
Press 4 for Accounts
Press 5 for the Operator

This means that staff will now only be fielding calls that are specific to the range of products that they are associated with, making for a more efficient handling of calls for all concerned.

Each of our phones has an on-screen visual display, enabling us to see at a glance who is engaged, in a meeting, off-site, available to take a call etc., reducing caller waiting time and improving our speed of response to your valued enquiry.

(Please note that calls to Ash & Lacy may be recorded for monitoring and training purposes)

We have just issued a comprehensive new online brochure for our AshScreen™ solid, perforated and expanded screens for car parks and enclosures. Please click here or on the above image to view/download it.

AshScreen™ is the perfect, fully engineered, fast-track solution for enclosing open spaces such as car parks and stair towers.

The system is available in a variety of attractive materials, patterns and finishes that can transform any structure.

The addition of a lightweight screen improves aesthetics, simultaneously providing permanent and impenetrable barriers.

Panels may be straight or curved, to suit any architectural requirement.Various panel types and finishes may be integrated in the same elevation, to create interesting features.

Features and Benefits

• Aesthetic options to suit all conditions.
• Engineered to suit the application and supporting structure.
• Variety of types - plain (solid), perforated and expanded, in a wide range of options.
• Material options including steel, aluminium and corten.
• Flexibility - system can be tailored to suit specific requirements.
• Comprehensive design and technical support.
• Ash & Lacy Drawing Office services.
• Integration of other products and systems, such as louvres.

We have just produced a new online guide to our wide choice of RIBA-assessed CPD seminar presentations, to assist practices in planning their 2012 CPD programme. The guide offers a brief description of each seminar module, with full details of how to book a presentation at your practice.

Please click here or on the image below to download the guide.

Ash & Lacy Building Systems has proved invaluable to several ambulance stations in Yorkshire that have all undergone refurbishments or re-roofing projects. Stations from the Yorkshire Ambulance service in Halifax, Longley and Rotherham all decided Ash & Lacy’s AshJack™ flat to pitched roofing system would be the perfect solution to eradicate the long term water ingress problems that were affecting all the sites.

Abbey Construction Consultants worked alongside Yorkshire Ambulance Service on the stations, all of which are flat-roofed and all comprising of a large garage and offices. The stations were typical of flat-roofed buildings with inherent water seepage problems including degradation of brickwork.

Typically the garages are around 400 square metres and the offices between 200 square metres and 400 square metres. All required an over-roof conversion system to address the problems. Ash & Lacy’s AshJack™ was specified by Abbey CCL following their research into other comparable systems which proved Ash & Lacy to be superior and the best solution for all of the projects, despite their slightly differing requirements. AshJack™ provides a permanent weather-tight solution for a wide range of failed flat roofs. Furthermore, AshJack™ is highly cost effective and comes into its own when meeting the very tight budgets of refurbishment projects, whether for the public or private sector. In this case it allowed remedial work to be carried out rather than incurring the costs of a completely new roof.

The ambulance stations also benefited from the AWM 25 year warranty as part of the Ash & Lacy service which met the warranty specified by the client. The insurance backed warranty is independently audited and provides on-site inspections at key stages to ensure peace of mind. This warranty is invaluable for projects that are already experiencing budget cuts and reduces ongoing maintenance costs.

Graham Holden, Director of Abbey CCL comments: ‘AshJack™ provided the perfect solution for all of these projects and thanks to Ash & Lacy’s ongoing guarantee with the AWM warranty our client was more than reassured about the product’s sustainability. Furthermore, the AshJack system means minimal disruption to the occupants of the building; so much so that two of the stations remained fully operational throughout the works’.

Ray Harriman of Ash & Lacy commented: ‘AshJack™ has been used extensively on refurbishment and re-roofing projects since we first introduced it to the UK in 1991. Since then we have constantly innovated the system to ensure it remains undefeated and the best solution for a wide range of failed flat roofs’.

We are pleased to announce that our new, upgraded head office phone system is up and running, enabling us to serve you better.

All incoming calls are now answered by an auto attendant, giving you a choice of five options: -
Press 1 for Sales
Press 2 for Production and Customer Service
Press 3 for Technical
Press 4 for Accounts
Press 5 for the Operator
This ensures that your call is routed directly to the team of people best placed to assist you.

Each of our phones has an on-screen visual display, enabling us to see at a glance who is engaged, in a meeting, off-site, available to take a call etc. This creates a far more efficient method of handling incoming calls, reducing caller waiting time and improving our speed of response to your valued enquiry.

(Please note that calls to Ash & Lacy may be recorded for monitoring and training purposes)

We have just launched a new micro-site, exclusively focusing on our range of AshFlow™ rainwater management systems.

The site can be found at www.ashflow.co.uk

Ash & Lacy has vast experience in the provision of gutter systems and related products and has a depth of expertise and range which few can rival.

With many years of fabrication experience, we can offer bespoke guttering which is CNC precision engineered and produced by skilled fabricators to suit virtually any application, as well as an off-the-shelf range which has been created for quality and versatility. A number of refurbishment solutions are also available which can add decades to the life of a gutter system.

Technical advice and CAD design is readily available from our support team, AshFlow™ is dedicated to ensuring our customers achieve maximum satisfaction and performance from our gutter systems.

We also recently launched a micro-site for our range of solar pv solutions at www.solarpvsupport.co.uk and another for the AshJack™ flat-to-pitch over-roof conversion system at www.ashjack.com