Introduction

Bylor is the contractor delivering the main civil engineering works at Hinkley Point C. When the project started, it had been 30 years since the last nuclear power station had been built, so the team needed to learn quickly. The scale is a site that is highly secure and equal to 250 football fields, with 66 tower cranes, 25 crawler cranes, 40 concrete placing booms and many telehandlers. It’s the equivalent of twenty or thirty projects in one site.

Conquip was chosen as a partner by Bylor in 2019 and still work on the project today. A number of other contractors have been involved at Hinkley Point C, so Conquip has also supported Kier Bam Earthworks JV and Balfour Beatty on the site with Conquip’s proprietary bulk excavation solution, the BulkX, as well as our Concrete Washout.

The Problem: Complexity on a Mega-Project Scale

Bylor has experienced and overcome many hurdles – concerning waste management, planning and ensuring safe lifting practices with compliant equipment, removing people-plant interfaces, and the vital importance of good supplier selection and partnership. Bylor chose Conquip because of the range of equipment and solutions, ability to innovate and modify standard equipment, and the extensive range of services that it offers. It also chose Conquip because of assurances on compliance: to innovate and deliver equipment that was suitable and could support infrastructure projects, while being compliant with relevant regulations for the UK market.

The Solution: Engineering a Diverse Range of Solutions

Waste management

By planning waste management, waste segregation, spoil removal and getting waste off site properly, it means the project moves at a faster pace, it reduces the cost of removal and finally reduces impact on the environment ensuring as many materials as possible are recycled first and separated for other waste-to-energy methods after that. Selecting the right equipment for the job was key.

It’s a simple example, but the bespoke design and manufacturing that Conquip provided around the Autolock Tipping Skips helped. Working closely with the client to take a standard product (Autolock Tipping Skip) and develop it to suit the machinery that was on site – Q-hitch and a more durable skip to suit the on-site conditions (thicker more expensive skip but worked as much more durable for the use-case).

This innovation allowed more efficient waste removal and waste segregation.

Lifting safety and compliance

Main contractors understand that it’s critical to select and use safe, compliant lifting equipment and that the teams are trained on how to use it – and Bylor was no exception. With so many people on site, so many packages of work, it’s a continual challenge to make sure everyone is safe and uses equipment correctly.

Conquip provided Personnel Lifting Cages – fully compliant, large cages for movement of personnel into the shaft and around site, Chain Storage Racks, Goods Cages, Crane Forks Cages and Stretcher Cages and 12 person Access Cages.

Along with inductions and training, this reduces people-plant interfaces. Conquip was also able to ensure that Bylor could adhere to the rigorous lifting equipment inspections in line with LOLER and other legislation. Every piece of equipment was inspected regularly. Beyond compliance, with all Conquip equipment coming with comprehensive usage instructions, Bylor and its operatives had further peace of mind.

Controlling vehicle and personnel movement

Conquip also provided Bylor with a range of equipment in this area, including: COSHH Stores for safe and secure storage of COSHH materials and Shelters / Smoking Shelters, ensuring welfare areas or “phone use” zones on a highly restricted phone usage project.

Support services lead to strong relationships

Conquip’s equipment and teams were able to access and work with Bylor more easily on site in part due to its FORS Gold Transport status, making it easier for everyone to arrive, leave and coordinate on-site schedules and plans. Those assurances strengthened relationships and gave the site a high level of reliability.

Bylor needed a partner that could provide on-site and off-site refurbishments and repairs. Our after-sales offering kept the equipment working for longer, we were able to reduce project downtime to a minimum, extending the operating timeframe for each item of equipment and saving the project money. With work carried out by Conquip, the OEM, the project also had additional assurance of compliant equipment after each repair or refurbishment.

Project Feedback

“Conquip proved to be as supplier that we could rely on throughout the project, to deliver innovation in these key areas: waste management, safety of lifts and planning. One key thing is that you were happy to work with us to innovate and deliver equipment that was suitable and could support infrastructure projects, while being compliant with relevant regulations for the UK market.”

John McCoppin, General Plant Manager at BYLOR JV, Hinkley Point C

“Conquip has been a longstanding supplier that we could rely on throughout the project, to deliver innovation. Their products are not only compliant, but always come with comprehensive usage instructions giving us peace of mind that our operators have the information they need to use the equipment safely. The project has used Conquip’s after-sales refurbishment service to extend the life of our equipment – we know we are getting maintenance and repair work done by the actual OEM, so it’s fully compliant after the work.”

John McCoppin, General Plant Manager at BYLOR JV, Hinkley Point C

Conclusion: Enhancing Efficiency and Safety

Hinkley Point C has undoubtedly set a benchmark in best practice for energy infrastructure builds. The collaboration in the pre-construction and construction phases, the innovations, the emphasis on safety and planning, have all provided talent and experience on-sites and within the supply chain ecosystem. All this has influenced how we can all approach future projects like Sizewell C.

Visit Conquip’s website to learn more about our range of equipment and services, and how we can support on your next project.