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access covers

Howe Green Makes a Splash at East Riding Leisure, Bridlington

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Bridlington Pool and FlumesHowe Green Ltd supplied access covers for a new £25 million Leisure Centre – East Riding Leisure in Bridlington.  The centre, which is located on the seafront, opened last year.  It provides residents and visitors to the town with a wide range of first class sports and leisure facilities.   Features include a 25 metre six-lane swimming pool, learner pool, Splash Zone fun pool with two interactive slides and water play, a health suite, a fully equipped gym, studio, sports hall, squash courts and coffee shop.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council awarded the contract to deliver the new Leisure Centre to BAM Construction Ltd North East Ltd.  BAM appointed tiling specialists P.Plunkett Tiling Contractors to carry out the installation of the ceramic tiling to the outside of the pools and the tiling and mosaic to the inside of the three pools.

P.Plunkett have worked with Howe Green on many projects over the last 27 years, from railway stations to shopping centres and restaurants.  They were happy to recommend Howe Green’s floor access covers when a reliable and safe solution to accessing underfloor services in the pool areas was required.

Nine of Howe Green’s Medium Duty 7500 316 Grade Series Stainless Steel Floor Access Covers were fitted into the ceramic tiled floor around the pool surround in the main pool hall area. The access covers were infilled with anti-slip porcelain floor tiles to provide a flush finish, both functional and aesthetically pleasing. The seamless fit ensures the reduced risk of slips and trips in an inclusive swimming pool environment designed for a variety of end users – older people, the visually impaired, the disabled and excited children.

The floor covers provide easy access for the maintenance and upkeep of the pool sumps and pool balance tanks located beneath the tiling. In a busy community facility, such as a Leisure Centre, keeping the facilities operating properly and avoiding customer disappointment is a priority. In order to achieve this level of service delivery it is essential that underfloor services can be accessed quickly, with the minimum of disruption and without compromise to security.

All Howe Green access covers are available with a double sealed option which ensures the highest levels of security and hygiene and helps to prevent the ingress of water.

The 7500 Series floor access cover is suitable for internal and external use. The 316 grade stainless steel option is non-corrosive and will not rust, even in a swimming pool environment where it is constantly being exposed to water, chemicals, and varying humidity and pH levels. Howe Green’s floor access covers have been used in a number of leisure facilities across the UK and have proved to be a tried and tested access solution for this challenging environment.

Howe Green Medium Duty Floor Access Covers – Tried, tested and trusted

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7500Aluminium (2)The first product designed and manufactured by Howe Green when it opened for business in 1983 was an aluminium medium duty access cover, then known as the 750 Series.

Over the past 34 years that original floor access cover has been developed and refined into the product on offer today – the 7500 Series.  Used in high profile projects around the world the 7500 Series has proven it is a robust, safe and effective floor access solution. It remains the most popular product in the wide portfolio of floor, wall and ceiling access covers, hatches and panels supplied by Howe Green.

What can the 7500 Series Medium Access Cover offer you?

Performance:

A 5 tonne pneumatic tyre loading

Suitable for internal or external installations

Tamper proof for increased security

Double sealed to prevent dirt and grease ingress

Fire rating options

Available in stainless steel or aluminium

Range of standard sizes available from stock

Bespoke sizes precision manufactured to order

Durable

Aesthetics

Accepts wide range of floor finishes up to standard depth of 75mm

Available in single, duct or multipart covers

Fits flush with flooring

In good company

The 7500 Series is tried, tested and trusted – as evidenced by the high profile projects where it has been installed. These include the main concourse at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5, Kings Cross Tube Station, Bluewater Shopping Centre, Copenhagen Metro, Hong Kong MTRC, Presidential Palace Abu Dhabi, Dulles International Airport, Old Trafford and the Emirates Air Line Thames London cable car.

A closer look…

Kings Cross Station

Kings Cross StationBoth single and multipart stainless steel version of the 7500 Series floor access cover were used at Kings Cross Station in the development of the Northern Ticket Hall.  An access solution was required that could cope with very high levels of footfall and offer fire resistance to prevent the passage of fire through service channels.  With a three hour fire rating to BS476 Part 20 1987 the 7500 Series was perfect for the job.

Old Trafford

When Manchester United celebrated the centenary of their famous ground they wanted to mark the occasion by burying a time capsule with memorabilia for future generations to uncover.  Howe Green was called upon to help provide a suitable access solution.  A special purpose 7500 Series was designed and manufactured. The access cover was finished with a rubberised resin flooring which was emblazoned with the Manchester United logo and takes pride of place close to the centre tunnel.

Achieving product longevity

When you consider that the average marriage in the UK is only expected to last 32 years it begs the question as to how a humble access cover can stay the course over three decades?

The answer lies in flexibility, investment and innovation!

Howe Green has adopted a “can do” attitude towards customer requirements from the very early days of the company.  New product development has been driven by customer demand – satisfying a fundamental user need.  The flexibility to rework or tweak existing products, or to even start from scratch with an access challenge that needs to be resolved, underpins the long term success of the product range.

Investment in manufacturing equipment and software to support the requirements of customer has been a further cornerstone in product development.  Performance, profitability, productivity and sustainability are all real life issues that face architects, specifiers and building contractors every single day.  Having the right design and production environment in place helps Howe Green to deliver sustainable, cost effective, high quality access solutions quickly.

When it comes to innovation it is not simply about installing the latest C.N.C manufacturing equipment or the newest C.A.D software package.  Innovation at Howe Green runs much deeper – from the approach to problem solving to the constant evaluation and refinement of systems and processes. All of which positively contributes to developing sustainable products that can endure the test of time.

Excellent Performance by Howe Green Access Covers at ‘The Other Place’

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howe-green-2Howe Green’s metal fabricated access covers were selected for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s studio theatre renovation project, ‘The Other Place’ in Stratford-upon-Avon. The transformed venue reopened earlier this year and houses a new 200-seat theatre space along with the RSC’s extensive costume store. Importantly, ‘The Other Place’ provides a chief learning hub for students from the University of Birmingham.

howe-green-3-copyThe aluminium 7500 Series access covers were fitted on the ground floor to provide easy access to underfloor ducting services throughout the building. Main Contractor BAM Construction fitted the panels on a suspended concrete slab. Once installed they were in-filled with K-screed followed by a resin finish to create a discreet access solution for routine and emergency servicing. The covers have a minimal show-edge and can be easily raised with lifting keys. They are made to sit flush with the surround, guarding against the risk of slips and trips.

Suitable anywhere heavy loading is required – the 7500 Series access covers can accommodate a 5-tonne pressure from a pneumatic tyre. Highly durable and double-sealed to prevent dirt and grease ingress, each access panel from Howe Green is made to the client’s exact specifications, but without the price premium typically associated with bespoke manufacturing. Instead, Howe Green is able to offer competitively priced panels, designed for purpose with a fast turnaround.

Originally built in 1973, The Other Place was home to the RSC’s developmental and new work, housing many landmark productions with RSC alumni such as Judi Dench, Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren, and research and development of major productions such as Les Miserables and Matilda, The Musical.   The theatre closed in 2006 to make way for the temporary Courtyard Theatre, where the RSC performed during the transformation of the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres.

After a 12 month building project the new Other Place includes a 200-seat flexible studio theatre, built within the external steel structure of The Courtyard Theatre, two new rehearsal rooms, and a new home for the RSC’s 40,000 piece Costume Store, giving people access to the Store for the first time via a new theatre tour.

Howe Green’s medium duty access covers will perform for the lifetime of the building and ensure that whenever the need arises, reaching underfloor services serving the venue will be straightforward and drama-free. Find out more about Howe Green’s 7500 Series Floor Access Covers here http://www.howegreen.com/access-covers/floor/medium-duty.php

Howe Green Access Covers Meet Tall Demands

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Howe Green Access Covers
Howe Green Access Covers

The British Airways i360 observation tower opened in August. At 162m (531ft) high, the needle tower features a moving circular viewing platform providing visitors with a new perspective of Brighton’s vibrant vista. It will draw 700,000 visitors a year to the West Pier, along with new jobs, new businesses and a new lease of life for the area.  Requiring a solution built to withstand heavy footfall and the unique demands of coastal conditions, Principal Contractor Mackley selected Howe Green’s 1050 Series access covers for reliable access to power networks serving lighting and seating areas around the attraction.

The 1050 Series stainless steel panels were tailor-made to order by Howe Green with clear openings of 600 x 600mm exactly as requested, a service provided without time or cost restraint for accuracy and best fit.  Set into the substrate, they sit flush with the surrounding paving so as not to present a trip hazard and raised with lifting keys provided.

Specialist marine and coastal contractors Mackley were able to create a seamless finish for a series of block paved seating areas leading to the i360 tower building as the Howe Green access panels feature a recessed lid, enabling paving and other floor finishes to be laid over.

Howe Green’s 1050 Series access covers are well suited to external usage as they have high resistance to weather exposure, an important feature given their seafront location. As well as being durable, the panels are double-sealed to prevent penetration by dirt and grease and feature stainless steel baseplates and reinforcements to prevent corrosion.

Sponsored by British Airways, the i360 tower was designed by architects Marks Barfield, who also designed the London Eye. With a project cost of £46m, every detail of the building was considered for best value, even down to the covers providing access to essential underfloor services.  With Howe Green solutions installed, access to key service points will be reliably easy whenever routine or emergency maintenance is needed.

Dan Argles of J.T. Mackley said: “The access covers supplied by Howe Green were ideal for the busy seafront setting, with double-sealed panels to prevent water ingress.  They enable quick and easy access to all the electrics serving lighting in public seating areas around the tower. The covers are very good quality and sit flush with the recessed block paving installed”.

Howe Green’s Hinged Access Cover Meets Euro Demand

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HSE75 001The HSE75 hinged access cover is one of Howe Green’s leading lines for export to Europe, and to Germany in particular, where demand for precision and quality remains high. A top quality aluminium access cover with gas springs and internal/external release latches, the HSE75 provides efficient and effortless access to under-floor building services. The high-performance product is ideally suited for settings requiring a heavier loading and anywhere health and safety are paramount.

Flexible, durable and ultimately reliable, Howe Green’s hinged access cover is part of a wider range of total access cover solutions for floors, walls and ceilings and is suitable for all hard floor finishes including ceramic tiles, marble, terrazzo, concrete, resin, wood or parquet. Made-to -order, even non-standard sizes are available without the delays and surcharges typically associated with bespoke manufacture.

HSE75 Features:

  • High-quality hinged access cover with gas springs and internal/external release latches for frequent access to under-floor building services.
  • Can be fitted quickly and unobtrusively into all types of hard floor finish including ceramic tiles, marble, terrazzo, concrete, resin, wood or parquet.
  • Unique design with cover sections tapered for easy removal, and frame sections giving a good key to bedding mortar.
  • Top seal on aluminium covers helps prevent dirt, grout or grinding waste penetrating joints between the cover and frame. Double-sealed option also available.
  • Lifting blocks anchored to the inner frame. Stainless steel securing bolts are stiletto heel proof.
  • Manufactured to order with no price premium or delivery delay and to quality standard BS EN ISO9001

A Smart Step-Up for Greenford from Howe Green

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Greenford LUBest known for high-quality access covers for floors, walls and ceilings, UK manufacturer Howe Green also creates bespoke metalwork solutions for a variety of applications. Most recently, the company supplied custom-fabricated staircase risers for refurbishment works at LUL’s Greenford Station, home of the original step-free access project which was re-established with the opening of an innovative incline lift in October 2015.

In response to a request for a competitively priced solution with a fast turnaround, Howe Green supplied over 100 bespoke risers for specialist contractor D&D Rail to install, made to their specification from 316-grade stainless steel and delivered within days.

Howe Green undertakes substantial and ongoing investment in design software and machinery, which enables the accurate and cost-effective manufacture of special purpose access covers, corner guards and trims in unique sizes and shapes, plus tree grilles and pit covers and other metalwork for the architectural building sector.

“Our experience and manufacturing capabilities make it possible for us to act quickly and without having to charge a premium for bespoke work,” commented Richard Centa, Sales and Marketing Director at Howe Green. “From simple metal risings like those at Greenford to complex tree grilles at One Hyde Park, we provide solutions that fit perfectly, helping to save time and money at the installation stage and creating the best result for aesthetics and performance.”

HOWE GREEN ACCESS COVERS TAKE OFF AT STANSTED

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shutterstock_180870695As part of the multi-million pound, airport-wide transformation of London Stansted, construction leaders Carillion and Galliford Try selected Howe Green’s floor access covers to provide reliable access to essential under-floor services.

Over 250 bespoke panels and frames were supplied for Stansted’s new Satellite One and Departure Hall refurbishment, in two separate phases of works delivered by specialist flooring contractors P. Plunkett’s and AC Flooring.

UK manufacturer Howe Green adapted its Stainless Steel 2500 and 5000 Series floor access covers to custom depths and incorporated additional base plate reinforcement to accommodate specific site conditions and meet the required loading. As well as single covers, the company’s innovative multi-part covers were also used. A series of panels set into one larger frame, they grant simple access to more complex junctions of service utilities.

Howe Green’s covers provide a high quality solution for easy access to vital underground services so that, should any maintenance be required, access is straightforward and will not require costly, time consuming and disruptive removal of paving slabs or flooring. The panels have tamper resistant features to provide additional security, whilst double sealing at the edges makes for enhanced hygiene. They fit perfectly flush with their surround to avoid distortion and prevent slips or trips; essential for heavily trafficked locations such as the UK’s fastest growing airport. Visit www.howegreen.co.uk

Howe Green Provides Easy Access in Quality Hill Homes

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SJH_7564Howe Green’s Tile-a-Door + has provided the award-winning developer Hill with a seamless solution to accessing concealed bathroom services at The Scene in Walthamstow and at their Park View development in Sidcup.

Popular in commercial development and refurbishment projects, the Tile-a-Door + wall access panel is ideal for bathrooms, wetrooms, WC’s, kitchens and utility rooms in residential settings.  L223 The Scene 5The hatches can be custom made to the millimetre and are supplied ready to tile with up to a 10mm thick finish. Magnetic latches or security lock options keep the panel neatly and securely in place whilst frames can either be discreetly visible or completely sealed for situations where only occasional access is needed.  Howe Green’s range also includes the Waldor 50, a hinged access panel for more frequent access within tiled walls.

Final tile a doorHill have built a reputation for pioneering new homes across London and the South East and recently achieved a 5-star rating for customer satisfaction in the 2015 Home Builders Federation independent survey. For Hill and their happy customers, Howe Green’s Tile-a-Door + panels provides added peace of mind that, should access for bathroom repairs be required in the future, getting to the problem will be faster, easier and more cost-efficient.

Visit http://www.howegreen.com/access-covers/wall/tiled.php

Howe Green Provides Easy Access to Essential Services at Southmead Hospital

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Southmead_34B6553Over 100 of Howe Green’s Visedge access covers were installed at Bristol’s £430million state-of-the-art Southmead Hospital. With the floors of the new super-hospital facing foot traffic from millions of visitors and staff each year, a heavy duty, hygienic and tamper-resistant solution was required to provide access to under-floor drainage and services. The Visedge range provided a cost-effective and low maintenance solution and AC Flooring carried out the installation for main contractor Carillion.

Howe Green’s Visedge covers are double-sealed to meet the highest standards of hygiene and security. The range was developed specifically for use with flexible sheet flooring systems. Unlike similar products, Visedge allows sheet flooring, including PVC or linoleum, to be locked into the cover and frame by hot welding to a pvc section sealed to the surface. This creates a permanent joint and eliminates water ingress and peeling.

Howe Green manufactures a comprehensive range of access cover solutions for floors, walls and ceilings. Their 7500 Series stainless steel access covers were also supplied for the Southmead project. These were installed in ground floor areas of the hospital, where a heavier loading for service vehicles and bulky medical equipment was needed.

Howe Green Launches New Mobile Friendly Website

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Howe Green, The UK’s leading access cover manufacturer, is proud to announce the launch of its new website. Being fully responsive, the site offers a range of new eye-catching features and user-friendly functions to deliver the best experience to mobile visitors.

Developed to cater for increasing volumes of website traffic from mobile devices, the new site was launched ahead of Google’s latest algorithm, designed to reward mobile friendly pages. As well as maintaining mobile search rankings, Howe Green’s responsive website enables visitors working away from their desks to obtain the information they want via a homepage slider, seamlessly delivering the most important content. Specifications and technical data are readily accessible and new features include fully enabled search functions, easy-to-sift content, intuitive contact forms and a quick quote builder.

“Our old site looked and performed perfectly well but business isn’t just conducted from a desk anymore. Websites must be fully functional and accessible on tablets and smartphones of all shapes and sizes,” said Richard Centa, Howe Green’s Sales and Marketing Director. “The affects of Google’s new algorithm has been a topic for debate and speculation in webmaster and SEO communities for some time but our focus has always been on meeting the needs of our customers. It was a simple decision. If our customers are looking at our site from mobile devices, which we know they are in increasing numbers, then we should do all we can to make it easy for them to find what they want. Our new site has lots of new features designed to put the information visitors need at their fingertips”.

Howe Green is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of metal fabricated floor, wall and ceiling access covers. The company has developed an outstanding brand name and a worldwide reputation for quality, customer care and service. For over 30 years, the company has been at the forefront of design and innovation in the highly specialised architectural building products sector.   Visit the new site at Howegreen.com

 

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