OZ-UK Latest News - Latest Advertising - Articles & Stuff.
With the current focus on solar power OZ-UK once again find themselves thrust to the very forefront in technology by being one of the very first Capital Steel Distributors to incorporate Solar pannels into the very design of an Asymetric building design
that is just being finished as I write this Blog. The extra loading having to be taken into account in the design to ensure a completly safe & fit for purpose building for our customer. We are now offering up to £35,000 discount on selected buildings if they incorporate Solar pannel into the design which could make your building project very exciting indeed! Call us now for more information!
1st May 2011: The Mini Centre in Bexley Heath, Dartford Kent
are very happy with their new VOSA MOT Station, this is a CLASS 7 station and was designed to work in with the other buildings that he already has. Alan was very impressed with the whole process from start to finish, he was especially impressed with our erection crew who were able in very difficult circumstances to erect his building safely & correctly. There was very little room for plant and we had to use alternative erecting methords that had not been tried before.
April 2011: With the cricket season upon us we have decided to sponsor our local cricket team DENVER CRICKET CLUB. We are providing them with OZ - UK - CSB logo'd match shirts and they are putting us in their Match fixtures book & allowing us to have advertising boards around the ground. We are happy to be able to help the Local people in various ways so if your team needs a sponsor or you have some Local event or worth cause then feel free to contact us as we are always looking for oppotunities to share in what local people are doing.
Below is the article that tries to explain the expected trend in steel prices for 2011.
NEWSFLASH:
17th January 2011
WHY ARE STEEL PRICES RISING? –
We saw in 2010 steel prices increasing, this looks to be a continuing trend in 2011. At the end of last year we had seen
price increases announced for most steel product groups (Carbon Steels) of around £50 per tonne.
These increases are currently working their way into the marketplace. This year we are seeing further
indications for increases of around £50 per tonne in January / early February with a strong likelihood that this scale of Raw Steel increase will be replicated in March / April.
These price increases over the
first quarter of 2011 will therefore be in the region of £150 per tonne.
Iron Ore
Since April 2010, raw iron ore prices have been negotiated on a quarterly basis, as opposed to an
annual cycle in the past.
The new quarterly prices are generally based on the previous quarter’s
average spot iron ore price.
This has lead to a greater volatility in the market price as outside circumstances, such as natural disasters, are taken into price setting more frequently.
The contract
iron ore price has increased from a low of £64+ per tonne to around £85 in Q1 2011. However
current spot iron ore prices are currently in the region of £114 per tonne. This increase in the spot
price will almost certainly be reflected in Q2 contract raw iron ore prices. To put this in perspective of
steel pricing, each tonne of steel uses 1.6 tonnes of iron ore.
Coking Coal
The floods in Eastern Australia, a region that supplies 60% of the worlds coking coal, has seen
80% of it’s mines closed whilst others are operating at 60% capacity. With a class five cyclone bearing down on Queensland as I write this. This has made the threat of a
shortage of coking coal in the next few quarters highly probable. This will have the effect of pushing coking coal prices
up even further. Q1 prices were fixed at £142 (up from £123in the previous quarter) and the latest estimates of the spot price are nearer to £190 per tonne. Again in the context of steel pricing, each tonne
of steel produced requires 600Kg of coking coal in the manufacturing process. The flood damage
is expected to impact production of coking coal in eastern Australia for at least 6 months. Add to this probable Cyclone damage & Steel prices could be pushed even higher in the not to distant future.
Scrap
Following the severe winter in Northern Europe and with low arisings, scrap prices have quickly
increased over the last 2 months and are now standing at over £316 per tonne. This is an increase
of over £101 since the beginning of November 2010. This increase is reflected in the 3 month billet
price that has risen to £380 per tonne which was £286 in October 2010.
Freight
These increases in commodities have been off set slightly by recent reductions in freight rates,
though the net effect is in the region of £7 per tonne of steel.
Mills / Imports
The European markets for Cold Reduced Coil Steel, Pickled & Oiled steel and Hot Dipped Galvanised steel are
tighter following the fire at the IJmuiden facility forcing Tata Steel to declare force majeure of its supply contracts, Prices are reacting accordingly as the current market prices in Europe are not high
enough to attract significant imports, a factor amplified by the weakness of the Euro.
Demand
Whilst demand in the UK is expect to be similar to 2010. That said worldwide demand, especially in
China and India is expected to be strong, putting further upward pressure on raw material costs and
therefore the price of steel. World steel production is expected to reach an all time high in 2011.
This reflects the current UK’s position as a steel price taker rather than maker.
Summary
In the light
of the above information it is only prudent that OZ-UK Steel Buildings will for the forseeable future be unable to guarantee or hold any prices until contracts are signed & sealed and will be amending it's quotes & contracts information to reflect this ever changing steel supply terrain, in short we're going of road from here!
I have attached here a word from CSL Distributor Network Manager Alan Hendley:
Dear Distributor
I have heard comments through my contacts of imminent increases in the cost of steel in the UK and Europe. Perhaps you have too.
Not, at first hearing, the sort of news you want to hear at a time when orders are scarce and competition tough.
I have passed on these rumours to our suppliers and there is definite substance to them.
Like many of our financial woes currently the problems are Global and outside our control.
While nothing is set in stone at this time Steadman's are talking of an 8% increase on selected products across their range. Gliderol are indicating significantly more in percentage terms possibly 20%
Other roll formers I have contacted are talking about a 15% increases – it`s a little sketchy at this time I am afraid.
While not good news for industry but we have to look to the positives and think about what it is about our buildings and companies that differentiates us from the competition.
Here are some - I am sure you can think of more........................
Cold Rolled – CSL have credibility and a successful track record that no other provider can match. This differentiates us from everyone else supplying this type of building.
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We are part of a national distributor network comprised of professional businessmen.
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We have CSL contracting Structural Engineers
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We have the input of the world`s leading engineer in cold rolled steel, Stephen Healy of Eclipse Consulting Engineers in Sydney
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We have academic back up from Queens and Strathclyde Universities
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We are partnered with the best in the business – SIG Group and Steadmans
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We have the world`s most sophisticated software and on line systems in this business - with programmers working in the UK , Czech Republic and Pakistan
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We have LGS Frame working in Australia and under test in the UK for integration into Projex. This software will fully optimise your standard designs and provide signed calculations for standard jobs designed in Projex
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We have experienced support from CSL Head Office in Glasgow and IT Bolton.
Remember, there are a number of copy cat, and in some cases, unscrupulous traders in the market selling cold rolled buildings that are under specified and have dubious engineering and components .
We are currently aware of two large jobs supplied by our old friend J*** Mac****** (one in Wishaw and the other Kent) where the end user is going to find themselves massively out of pocket to correct the problems he has created.
Hot Rolled – Our software provides:
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Bespoke sizes
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Optimised designs
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Better value
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Fast delivery
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Kit assembly
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Drawing and engineering back up
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Less haulage
Never let an enquiry for a Hot Rolled shed pass you by. It is possible that we can satisfy the customer with a cold rolled design providing it is not essential that the span is clear. Ben, for example, has outline designs for a 60 metre span building with propped rafters.
We are in discussion with Hot Rolled Frame suppliers and designers and plan, in the future, to have a selector in the software for hot rolled structures -----you heard it here first.
There really are so many positives you must keep in mind .
Good luck and if we can assist is any way then please call.
Best regards
Alan
So it's welcome to the jungle my friend, the paramiters in steel building design & supply that have always been so constant & reliable are now changing & we shall have to learn to diversify with these ever changing days. This however is good news in some ways as OZ-UK Steel Building Norfolk are ready with both product, design & back up to take advantage of just such times. We have the technology & design in place where we can generate very steel effective designs in a very short turn around with minimum of fuss & offer our clients confidence & security at a time when the steel building industry is shaking, through our ground breaking
Bond System, that has been set up with the Royal Bank of Scotland to ensure that our customers get their building or their money back regardles of what happens to OZ-UK steel buildings Norfolk, Capital Steel Buildings, Steadman's, Gliderol or any other links in the supply chain. So you may buy with confidence knowing that your investment is safe.
A WORD ON SAFETY - C Peach
Erecting Steel Buildings is fun & challenging, it's important to remember that although our kits are just grown up Meccano, safety is a real issue that requires your attention when it comes to erecting your OZ-UK Steel Buildings Norfolk.
Weather is only one H&S consideration, yet it is one that can be so easily overlooked in the planning of your Steel Building Erection. It's not dificult these days to access a five day forcast that will give you some idea of the conditions that are expected in your local area.
Wind can be very hazardous when erecting steel buildings, especially when cladding, as the large flat surface area of the sheeting can act like a sail and make it very difficult to hold & manoeuvre these safely. We always check the wind forecast and try to ensure that we do the majority of the sheeting when wind conditions are below 12kph at 16kph we stop all together and try to busy ourselves on other areas i.e. doors, windows etc.
Rain, snow & ice can also present issues as the steel becomes very slippery when wet, especially the plastisol coated cladding. Gloves are an essential part of the erectors PPE as human skin & tissue is very easily sliced by the sharp edges of the steel work & cladding. Do not try under any circumstances to walk on the roofing sheets if they are even just slightly damp, this includes dampness from morning or evening dew as they will be very slippery.
This may sound obvious, but please never work on your Steel structure in a
thunderstorm as lightning is attracted to bare steelwork and not very good for the human body. It could be a rather shocking experience!
It's important to ensure that your working environment is a safe working environment & that any plant or tools used are only used by competent persons using the right PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) boots, gloves, ear protection, overalls, Harnesses & glasses etc.
Every care should be taken even when using hand power tools as the swarf from teks, drill bits and Grinders is very hot and can easily fly into your eyes or burn into your flesh if your not wearing the right PPE.
Obviously great care should be taken when working at height as this is possibly the most dangerous part of the Erection. The single skin roof sheeting is considered fragile and as such should not be walked upon unless there are safety precautions put in place to ensure that a fall from height is limited or not possible. Please remember that a fall from height is a very serious issue and very great care should be given to this aspect of the build.
Nut rattlers, Grinders and such are very noisy tools and proper care should be taken to ensure that ears are not damaged by the excessive noise that these can make when used on steelwork. Ear protection is a must for any operative using such equipment.
So please remember that we want you to enjoy the satisfaction of erecting your very own DIY Steel Building and to do this you need to work safely and carefully, I have attached some HSE forms here for download that may also help.
I have attached some relevant HSE information below that should help you understand your responcibilities to provide a safe working enviroment, taking every care to ensure that your site remains safe & accident free!