6 News
The Code of Conduct for Data Centres
AIREDALE INTERNATIONAL IS now approved as an Endorser with the European Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency, a voluntary initiative aimed at promoting energy-efficient best practice in data centres. Managed by the European Commission’s in-house scientific service, the Joint Research Centre, the Code of Conduct was created in response to rising energy consumption in data centres and the need to reduce the related environmental, economic and energy supply security impacts whilst recognising the business- critical function performed by data centres. The aim of the Code is to improve understanding of energy demand within data centres and help promote energy-efficient best practice, themes that mirror Airedale’s mission of designing the most energy-efficient solutions for data centres which help reduce
ownership costs and CO2 emissions.
The Code brings together
European decision makers and influencers in the industry - from data centre owners and operators to supply chain and service providers. Airedale’s technical director, George Hannah, commented: “As a team of engineer designers we already work closely with industry partners, government bodies and academics. By joining the Code we hope to expand our network still further, both in terms of specialisms and geography.
“Having led on many of the energy-efficiency technologies now in use in UK data centres, we remain focused on helping shape best practice within the industry and sharing knowledge gained through early adoption of advances in technology and virtual engineering techniques towards common cost and environmental objectives.” Although created in the
EU, the Code has global support from a broad range of organisations.
New HQ for Bitzer
BITZER IS BUILDING new headquarters close to its current head office in Sindelfingen.
Bitzer has had close ties
with Sindelfingen ever since it was founded in 1934, and the skills of the world’s largest independent manufacturer of refrigeration compressors will continue to be directed from Sindelfingen.
Bitzer is aware of its regional heritage, which is why it is investing in new corporate headquarters in its traditional regional base. In the longer term, Bitzer aims to create around 500 workstations for employees in the building. Therefore, in March 2013 Bitzer purchased the land at Tilsiter Strasse 1 and 3, within view of the current headquarters. The older of the two buildings from the 1970s – the house on the corner of Eschenbrünnlestrasse and Tilsiter Strasse – is set to be replaced by the new corporate headquarters. To meet the required planning conditions, the city
of Sindelfingen – in concert with Bitzer – is striving to amend the development plan. The future corporate headquarters are to be housed in a multistory building with 16 to 18 floors, an adjacent semi-basement and two underground car park levels.
As an architectural
landmark, the new building is also expected to be highly visible from the A81 motorway.
“By investing in the new heart of the company, Bitzer is making an unambiguous statement about the location in Sindelfingen and we will increase its value significantly,” said Peter Schaufler, chief executive of Bitzer SE.
Manufacturers report continued growth
SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED manufacturers reported another strong quarter of orders and output growth in the three months to July, according to the CBI’s SME Trends Survey. Domestic orders and output both rose strongly, for the fourth consecutive quarter, and are expected to grow robustly again in the next three months. Numbers employed in the sector shot up in the last quarter, recording the fastest pace of increase since records began (October 1988). Firms’ optimism about their general business situation also rose, but to a lesser extent than in the last quarter.
However, despite the rise in export optimism, export orders were broadly flat in the three months to July, disappointing expectations
ACR News September 2014
for a strong increase. Nevertheless, firms expect export growth to pick up next quarter. Smaller manufacturers plan to increase their investment in plant and machinery over the next year, while their expenditure on buildings is expected to stay broadly the same as last year. Katja Hall, CBI deputy director-general, said: “Smaller manufacturers are settling into a regular growth pattern, with their order books and output growing for the fourth consecutive quarter.
“Firms remain upbeat about their business situation and they are hiring at their fastest rate since 1988. But export orders have underperformed this quarter, which may in part be because of the strength of Sterling. We need the Government to get behind
our small and medium-sized manufacturers to help them to sell their products and services to new markets around the world, giving a sustainable boost to long-term growth.” 36% of small and medium- sized manufacturers reported a rise in new orders, while 22% said they fell, giving a balance of +14%. Orders are expected to increase even more strongly next quarter.
36% of firms reported a rise in domestic orders, while 19% said they fell, giving a balance of +17%. Domestic orders are expected to grow again next quarter. But only 18% of firms said export orders rose, while 20% said they fell, giving a balance of -2%, disappointing expectations of strong growth. 31% of firms said they were more optimistic about their business situation, while 11% said they were less optimistic,
giving a balance of +20%. 34% of firms said that employment increased, while 9% said that it decreased, giving a balance of +24% - the strongest pace of growth since records began in October 1988.
Firms plan to increase their investment on plant and machinery (+9%) in the year ahead, but more companys highlighted labour shortages as a factor likely to limit capital expenditure (12%), the highest proportion since January 2013
Average unit costs inflation slowed somewhat over the past three months (+5%, compared with +9% the quarter before). Domestic prices were broadly flat in the three months to July (-2%), while export prices fell at the fastest pace since October 2009 (-13%).
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