MCBAINS COOPER MEXICO PRISONS PROJECT NAMED IN LATIN AMERICAN TOP 100

MCBAINS COOPER

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY

PRESS RELEASE

April 16, 2012.

MCBAINS COOPER MEXICO PRISONS PROJECT NAMED IN LATIN AMERICAN TOP 100.

A construction and development programme in Mexico advised upon by property and construction consultancy McBains Cooper has been named amongst the Top 100 Infrastructure Projects in Latin America.

The Mexican Government’s Public-Private Partnership programme of prison developments has been given the ranking by one of the region’s leading business magazines – America Economica.

McBains Cooper is based in London, but has a Latin American operation based in Miami, and has now been invited to make a presentation about the programme to the Latin American Infrastructure Forum in Lima, Peru, in May. McBains Cooper was technical advisor to the Mexican Ministry of Security which project managed the developments.

Santiago Klein, managing director of McBains Cooper International, says there’s a steady but growing flow of demand for UK construction consultancy expertise in Latin America for both public and private sector related projects with an especially positive forecast for Public-Private Partnerships.

“Every region of the world has a different way of going about doing business, and Latin America’s way is a complex mix of who you know, what language you speak and the pedigree of professional expertise. Latin America is dominated by two languages and a deep-seated enthusiasm for UK professionals – so we tick lots of boxes,” said Santiago Klein.

“We’re a long-established UK company, with on-the-ground presence and local business experience in several Latin American countries – and that makes us of great interest to the decision-makers.

“But crucial to the whole process is the who-you-know: in Latin America the deals are done between businesses and organisations who know and trust one-another, which is fundamental to protecting the integrity of the contract - and a general rule of thumb is that it’s necessary to have an in-depth understanding and business intelligence of the local markets to be successful in the region.

“We have vast experience across Latin America on both inward investment support and PPP bids and contracts – we have a compelling proposition to businesses and organisations not just in Mexico, but much further afield in Latin America.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800 im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.mcbainscooper.com

@McBainsCooper

Notes.

McBains Cooper

McBains Cooper is an inter-discipline consultancy, specialising in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering. Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than £100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK, Europe and Latin America. McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development and their integrated approach means they deliver effective, award-winning solutions to their clients. The Group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Glasgow, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Lima (Peru), Miami and Mexico, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com

BILLY CONNOLLY: MADE IN SCOTLAND FROM SCULPTED STEEL BARS, AND HUNG FROM A WEE BUILDING IN ANDERSTON

MCBAINS COOPER

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY

PRESS RELEASE

December 14, 2011.

BILLY CONNOLLY: MADE IN SCOTLAND FROM SCULPTED STEEL BARS, AND HUNG FROM A WEE BUILDING IN ANDERSTON.

Billy Connolly sculpture video. http://bit.ly/vLq6eV

Anderston residential project: the challenges video: http://bit.ly/ut0NsJ

Anderston – the next stages, video: http://bit.ly/vxHop5

Links to photos http://bit.ly/vkEhZN

Made in Scotland from girders … not quite, but a sculpture of Big Yin Billy Connolly has been created in metalwork to signal the completion of the first phase of a landmark McBains Cooper project-managed residential housing project in his home town of Anderston, Glasgow.

The sculpture, made from steel bars by renowned north-of-the-border artist Andy Scott, is hung high on an elevation of the first phase to be completed.

And while Glasgow’s most famous son couldn’t make it to the unveiling of a ground level commemorative plaque marking the occasion, a big crowd of locals and media did.

Property and construction consultancy McBains Cooper are project managers on the five phase residential rebuild of Anderston, working with client Sanctuary Housing, and the sculpture of Billy Connolly is high up on the elevation overlooking Glasgow.

Such was the attention to detail during the project as a whole that the team even designed one apartment specifically for the needs of one family, and the gratitude and delight of the residents at that sort of effort - plus the overall finished product – has been clearly signalled by how well kept the whole area is.

“We occasionally get celebrities turning up at launches and openings, but it’ll be nice to drive past the sculpture of the Big Yin every day and be reminded that we played a part in putting Anderston back on the map – after Billy Connolly did it first time round,” said Alan Hannah of McBains Cooper.

The project involves the demolition of a number of 1960s housing blocks in the Glasgow suburb, but has proven to be a massive logistical challenge for the McBains Cooper and Sanctuary teams.

“The key issues here are that the work is going on in amongst a number of schools and nurseries, while also being surrounded by occupied homes – so not only have the logistics of getting into the sites been taxing the grey matter, there has also been the issue of moving families out and into nearby accommodation, and then into the completed Phase One apartment complex,” said Alan Hannah.

“But we know we’ve got it right, firstly because the local residents were surveyed and asked what they wanted and needed in the area – a target we delivered against – but secondly because you don’t have to go far through the area to see how well-kept and looked-after the communal areas are.

“This is one of those incredibly complex but equally incredibly satisfying projects that’s clearly making a vast difference to life in Anderston. And with the Big Yin looking down on us, we wouldn’t dare get it wrong.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800 im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.mcbainscooper.com

Notes.

McBains Cooper

McBains Cooper is an inter-discipline consultancy, specialising in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering. Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than £100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK, Europe and Latin America. McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development and their integrated approach means they deliver effective, award-winning solutions to their clients. The Group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Athens, Lima (Peru), Miami and Mexico, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com

UK EXPERTISE AND US PACE – BUILD BRITAIN OUT OF DOWNTURN, SAYS "RE-IMPORTED" MCBAINS COOPER DIRECTOR

MCBAINS COOPER

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY

PRESS RELEASE

October 11, 2011.

UK EXPERTISE AND US PACE – BUILD BRITAIN OUT OF DOWNTURN, SAYS NEW MCBAINS COOPER DIRECTOR.

What happens in the USA today has to happen in the UK tomorrow – and nowhere is it more critical than in the property and construction sector.

That’s the considered but urgent view of Richard Fewings, newly-appointed director of London-based international property and construction consultancy McBains Cooper, who joins the firm after nine years’ gathered scar tissue working in the fastest, toughest property market in the world – Manhattan, New York.

“My brief at McBains Cooper is cost management and quantity surveying on current and forthcoming major projects in the UK and internationally, and while I was ‘exported’ to the USA because they have immense respect for the expertise and experience of the British construction industry, I’ve ‘re-imported’ myself into the UK and realised just how devastatingly dominant we could be as an international design and construction power if we combined UK expertise with US-style pace and urgency,” said Richard.

“In fact, having been exposed to big projects on both sides of the Atlantic, I believe UK construction and property expertise combined with a bit of Manhattan-level pace could establish Britain as the absolutely dominant source of professional consultancy, worldwide, for generations.

“That may sound a little aloof or ambitious, but UK construction professionals are the best in the world. When you combine that with the aggressive accelerated delivery New York is noted for, it’s a very strong package.”

Richard, who has worked on blue chip office, residential, hotel, retail in the USA – sectors he’ll be focussing on in the UK and internationally - believes that one of the areas where pace and cost management can be improved is by being as demanding on behalf of UK project clients and investors as the most demanding investors in Manhattan - where he was involved in billions of dollars worth of construction projects.

“We have to take every opportunity to squeeze the procurement and delivery process, such as far more frequent progress and co-ordination meetings than is the UK norm, fully exploiting pre-ordering opportunities, and maximising use of overseas suppliers to drive competition,” he said.

“The upside: faster turnover and delivery of projects will further enhance the reputation of UK professionals abroad.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800 im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.mcbainscooper.com

Notes.

McBains Cooper

McBains Cooper is an inter-discipline consultancy, specialising in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering. Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than £100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK, Europe and Latin America. McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development and their integrated approach means they deliver effective, award-winning solutions to their clients. The Group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Athens, Lima (Peru), Miami and Mexico, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com