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Facilies Management 2016 partners with RICS


Facilities Management 2016 (March 22nd-24th, 2016 at the NEC,


Birmingham) the UK’s only event focusing specifically on the large scale and multi-site facilities industry, has announced a new partnership with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). As well as exhibiting at the show, RICS will be speaking as part of the redesigned seminar programme.


New Date for PICV CPD


Marflow Hydronics has scheduled in a new date for its CPD training course on Pressure Independent Control Valves in


Birmingham on May 4th. The course is free to attend. The half day session will cover how PICVs work, innovative pipe layouts and how to make systems more economical, including the introduction of electronic balancing. To register or for more information visit www.marflowhydronics.co. uk/events


S&P Group acquires Ferrari Venlatori


The Soler & Palau Ventilation Group has acquired the Ferrari Ventilatori Company, which will reinforce its position in the industrial ventilation market, enabling the company to offer complementary products and services. Ferrari Ventilatori, based in Arzignano (Vicenza), has a turnover of 31m and employs 180 people. In the UK, Ferrari Fan Technology (UK) Ltd will continue to offer sales and support for the industrial fan market alongside S&P.


EIB backing for Northern Powergrid upgrade


The European Investment Bank has agreed to provide £250m for


investment over two years by Northern Powergrid to upgrade electricity distribution infrastructure and reinforce the electricity network to enable a smarter electricity network for 3.9 million homes and businesses in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire.


VAC sales engineers in London and the South East are commanding higher average salaries than those in the North, according to research by specialist HVAC recruiter Thornhvac. The results were most marked in the commercial heating sector where 60% of commercial heating sales engineers covering the Midlands and the North of England earn a basic salary below £40K compared to 35% in London and the South East.


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Some 16% of heating sales engineers in London and the South East earn an annual basic salary above £50K compared to just 5% in the Midlands and the North. In the ventilation sector 42% of sales engineers in London and the South East earn an annual basic salary above £45K compared to 36% of sales engineers in the Midlands and 17% in the North of England. Air conditioning sales engineers are also paid more in the South East where 42% earn an annual basic salary above £45K compared to 16% in the Midlands and 28% in the North. But HVAC sales engineers are happier in the North


The survey gathered data from commercial, domestic and industrial sales engineers and managers working in regional, national and international ventilation sales roles and found that although HVAC sales professionals can earn more in London and the South East, those working in the North are more satisfied with their pay.


Two thirds (66%) of respondents working in the ventilation sector in London and the South East felt they were paid below market rates. 71% of respondents in the North of England and 64% of respondents in the


NEWS BSEE


New HVAC salary survey reveals North South divide


Alternave sources of business nance


A new regular column from the fastest growing UK SME crowdlender in the UK


Midlands were satisfied with their rate of pay. These trends were reflected in other HVAC sectors with almost half of commercial heating sales engineers in the South East feeling they are paid below market rates. In contrast, 65% of respondents in the North of England and 63% of respondents in the Midlands are satisfied with their rate of pay. Jason Thornhill of Thornhvac said: “We will now be using this data to provide tailored reports for our clients and we intend to repeat the survey annually to keep our intelligence up to date and as relevant as possible.”


Gree UK set to challenge established order in the air condioning market


challenge the status quo in the UK HVACR market with the launch of Gree UK Limited.


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Part of the Calibre Services Group (alongside Klima- Therm, LH plc and Next Controls), Gree UK will supply the manufacturer’s range of splits, VRF, heat pumps, chillers and award- winning photovoltaic powered systems across the United Kingdom.


The company has already secured orders with national air conditioning specialists and has many active enquiries in the pipeline. The company’s success has been built on a continuous stream of innovation, resulting in more than 20,000 technology patents, nearly 7,000 invention patents and some 300 million users of its air conditioning systems worldwide.


VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.bsee.co.uk Roberto Mallozzi,


Managing Director of Gree UK Ltd, said: “In a lifetime of experience of this industry, Gree is one of the most impressive and innovative air conditioning manufacturers I have ever encountered. The name may not be that well known in the UK at present, but that is something we intend to change. “One in three air


conditioning systems produced in the world today is manufactured by Gree, a measure of the company’s commercial success and seriousness as a global player.”


Gree UK has its own sales, technical and administration headquarters near London, and is currently recruiting additional staff for support positions.


lobal air


conditioning giant Gree is set to


uRobert Mallozzi: “Gree is one of the most impressive and innovave air condioning manufacturers I have ever encountered.”


anding a sizable contract is always a cause of celebration, but once the last Champagne flute has been drained, the practicalities start to intrude on the euphoria. Before being paid by the main contractor or end user, you will have to find a way of paying for the equipment you are going to install. In addition, you may have to hire cranes or extra vehicles, take on more staff, pay transport costs and so on. The problem is, where do you find the money to cover the working capital gap until you are paid? Even if payments are staged, there is usually a problem with a substantial short-term cash shortfall. Traditionally, the place to go is the friendly bank that has looked after your money for years.


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Unfortunately, many businesses are discovering banks are unwilling to provide traditional overdrafts or fixed term loans,


especially to SMEs. Too often the banks recommend companies use expensive, sometime pernicious, invoice discounting services.


Our customers are telling us it is the old story; banks will only lend to people who do not really need the money and, when they do, it is with high charges and personal guarantees, which can see directors losing their homes if things go wrong. Sometimes this is as


frustrating to the bankers as it is to their customers, which is why many are directing customers they cannot help towards us.


Invoice discounters and factors, while more likely to lend, have their own problems. When a company presents them with a copy of the invoice that has gone to its customer, the discounter will advance about 80% of the value. However, a personal guarantee is still needed and the amount of capital available will vary from day to day, depending on which


While companies within this sector are specialists in their elds, they are also businesses with all the problems of other companies, so over the next few months Angus Dent, of crowdlender, ArchOver, will aim to help with some of your nancial issues.


invoices are outstanding. Managing an invoice discounting facility is labour intensive. You will be running parallel sales ledgers, complicated by the numerous charges the discounter will deduct from cash received. Also, if an invoice is challenged by a customer, or the customer fails before it is paid, the discounter will take back the advance. In some cases, factors and invoice discounters will chase customers for payment directly, possibly damaging customer relations.


However, there are now alternative sources of funding available, which we will explore in the next column.


www.archover.com


Financial engineering with ArchOver


BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER MARCH 2016 5


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