Cambridge H O K

A Message from Lord Pickles and Lord Blunkett, followed by Cambridge H O K's best practice article

The ability to listen and learn from one another has always been vital in parliament, in business and in most aspects of daily life. But at this particular moment in time, as national and global events continue to reiterate, it is uncommonly crucial that we forge new channels of communication and reinforce existing ones. The following article from Cambridge H O K is an attempt to do just that. We would welcome your thoughts on this or any other Parliamentary Review article.

Blunkett signature Rt Hon The Lord David Blunkett
Pickles signature Rt Hon The Lord Eric Pickles

www.cambridgehok.co.uk

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE 2019
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
24 | BURROUGHS
Our accreditations and individual
memberships comprise: Association of
Consulting Engineers; Achilles; Airport
Operators Association; Association
of Project Safety; British Standards
Institution; Cyber Essentials; Institution
of Civil Engineers; Institution of
Structural Engineers; Royal Institution
of Chartered Surveyors; Chartered
Institution of Water and Environmental
Management; Railway Industry
Supplier Qualification Scheme. In
addition to all this, we hold ISO 9001
and ISO 14001.
Working through the
challenges
A particularly tough task for us is
broadening the scope of what we
do to achieve appointments for
important framework agreements
both within the Welsh Government
and outside. We strive to demonstrate
the important skills we hold against
much larger consultant groups, and we
often do this successfully with the help
of assistance processes and by taking
care to provide the right resources
to deliver a quality submission that
answers the questions. It’s not a simple
task; indeed, it’s a relatively expensive
process for us to implement. However,
as we become successful, it is evident
that there are opportunities for SMEs
with the right skill set to succeed as
public clients ensure that opportunities
are available.
We have continued to develop from
strength to strength, working with
the challenges. The model to which
we owe this success has not changed:
employ our ethos of quality, integrity
and experience; understand our clients’
needs; employ the right team; and
meet our clients’ aims in respect of
delivery and budget.
Moving forward, we will also continue
to distinguish ourselves by leading
from the front and embracing
changes in technology, delivery and
communication, adding value where
possible for our clients.
Ultimately, it’s about working closely
with the client to maximise results and
going the extra mile. Not only does the
client appreciate this, but it is also an
intrinsic part of our company. Likewise,
we are not seeking to grow at all costs;
rather, we want to continue along a
sustainable growth trajectory and to
train our people accordingly. We are
in this business because we love it, not
just to make money. For as long as this
remains the case, I am optimistic that
the future has bright things in store
forus.
In an age
which is always
producing
change, our
aim is to lead
this process
“
“
The award-winning Radyr
Weir Hydro Scheme
– environmentally
sustainable green energy
25CAMBRIDGEHOK |
CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING
Managing Director John Holland
A large-scale commercial
glasshouse with LED lighting
CambridgeHOK is a forward-thinking engineering company
that specialises in turnkey projects, from automated
vertical farming solutions to combined heat and
power and district heating networks. Established in 1956, it
has continued to grow and develop its technical expertise,
experience and capability in order to provide a complete
solution including advice, design, construction and installation.
Managing Director John Holland tells the
Review
more.
At CambridgeHOK, our philosophy is centred on close collaboration with our
clients, with the aim of achieving results that meet their end goals. As part of this
process, we leave no stone unturned and explore all possible options, while also
keeping the client’s budget constraints in focus at all times. We provide complete
turnkey solutions, with each aspect of a project completed by our in-house teams.
We share a passion for creating cost-effective original solutions and always strive
for innovation in our design and technology.
From our purpose-built manufacturing facilities in East Yorkshire, we deliver on our
reputation as one of the UK’s leading producers of commercial glasshouses, while
leading the way in vertical farming and renewable energy solutions. We are involved
from the pre-planning stage and project conceptualisation, specification and pricing,
all the way through to detailed design, construction, commissioning and handover.
Evolving into a modern, complete service provider
Founded in 1956 as Cambridge Glasshouse Company Ltd, we were one of the
first companies to start manufacturing glasshouses from aluminium. They were
FACTS ABOUT
CAMBRIDGEHOK
»Managing Director:
JohnHolland
»Founded in 1956
»Based in Brough, East
Yorkshire
»Services: Horticultural,
research, commercial and
industrial construction
»No. of employees: 65
»www.cambridgehok.co.uk
CambridgeHOK
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
26 | CAMBRIDGEHOK
sold across the UK and we still use
a number of the same techniques
today. Something else that remains
is our enthusiasm for innovation, a
passion that has become embedded
within the business. An important part
of this process is our staff retention,
which has provided the opportunity for
expertise and experience to stay within
the business. One sales manager
only retired this year after 49 years of
service and there are plenty of other
examples of this kind of commitment
throughout our history.
Over a number of years, we developed
a strong reputation for providing
robust glasshouses that stood up to
severe winds and inclement conditions,
from the Scottish mountainsides
to hurricane winds in Jamaica. In
1996, the business was purchased
by the former director of a rival
glasshouse company in Hull who
made the decision to move the
business from Cambridge up to East
Yorkshire. Under new ownership,
it built on its reputation within th e
horticultural industry and began to
work with universities on research and
education projects as well as Victorian
glasshouses and garden centres.
In 2004, I conducted a management
buyout with two colleagues, Steve
Hinch and Ross Hibbs. Together we
have brought about a lot of change
while still building on our original
horticultural roots. Our work is very
much shaped by diversity and the
horticultural environment, and we
have really expanded our reach and
focus. We still offer glasshouses and
garden centres but have also made
a significant expansion into vertical
farms in the last ten years. We are truly
ahead of the curve in terms of vertical
farming solutions and are market
leaders in this field.
Offering turnkey solutions is our key
specialism, with all civil, structural,
mechanical, electrical and control
panel design completed in-house.
Our in-house manufacturing and site
installation teams also ensure that
we are able to offer an end-to-end
service. We have acquired various
companies over the years including
Hotbox International in 2007, a world-
leading manufacturer of horticultural
equipment, which provides a range
of products for both professional use
and the serious hobbyist. In 2011,
we established CambridgeHOK
Construction, an autonomous civil
engineering company that now acts
as principal contractor in its own right
while at the same time ensuring we
can deliver each project without relying
on external civils subcontractors.
Vertical farming – the
future for grown
produce?
The largest tomato
growing glasshouse using
waste heat in the UK
Our philosophy
is centred on
close
collaboration
with our
clients
“
“
27CAMBRIDGEHOK |
CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING
Embracing sustainable energy
sources
In recent years, we have increased our
focus on renewable and sustainable
energy solutions that aim to provide
energy intensive sectors such as
manufacturing and food production
with renewable, low-carbon energy
solutions to meet the EU emissions
and environmental taxation regulations
they face and to improve their
corporate sustainability.
There have been a number of levies
and restrictions placed on companies
of all sizes to significantly reduce their
carbon footprint and impact on the
environment. In response, a number of
these companies are now investigating
renewable energy sources. We
specialise in on-site energy generation
and can deliver tailored technology
that suits the client’s requirements.
We take a holistic approach to each
and every site individually, assessing
the current and future needs before
providing a bespoke solution tailored
to that client for that site.
Our energy solutions not only reduce
carbon footprint and emissions but can
also reduce energy usage and costs
to the client by upgrading existing,
inefficient equipment on site. The
options we offer include heat pumps,
combined heat and power energy
centres, biomass engines, battery
storage, solar and photovoltaics
to name a few. Sustainability is
paramount for the future of all
businesses both in the UK and globally,
and it is likely we will see further
government intervention. As a result,
we are confident that the market for
these solutions will continue to grow.
In horticulture we have found
combined heat and power energy
centres to be particularly effective.
We can use them to generate the
electricity required to power the vast
commercial glasshouses while also
providing heat, which is stored in
the form of hot water before being
distributed throughout the glasshouse
during low temperatures. The carbon
dioxide produced as a bi-product of
the CHP process is also piped into the
glasshouse in order to help the yield
and crop growth. This is both more
efficient and environmentally friendly.
As we move forward, we want
to continue to lead the charge in
vertical farming. We want to promote
automation in order to raise efficiency,
negate the requirement for crops to
be sprayed with pesticides and make
use of currently derelict buildings
throughout the UK. Using derelict
buildings within city centres also
has logistical advantages, reducing
the transportation requirements to
the supermarkets, therefore saving
additional CO2 and greenhouse
emissions from the transport wagons.
Through automation, we are able to
input a seed at one end and bring a
controlled crop out at the other. This
is sustainable and water efficient. This
remains a process in its infancy and we
are confident we will continue to find
new applications in the future.
Offering
turnkey
solutions is
our key
specialism
“
“
A combined heat and
power, or CHP, energy
centre
Vertical farm
growing containers
are shipped globally
BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE 2019
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
26 | CAMBRIDGEHOK
sold across the UK and we still use
a number of the same techniques
today. Something else that remains
is our enthusiasm for innovation, a
passion that has become embedded
within the business. An important part
of this process is our staff retention,
which has provided the opportunity for
expertise and experience to stay within
the business. One sales manager
only retired this year after 49 years of
service and there are plenty of other
examples of this kind of commitment
throughout our history.
Over a number of years, we developed
a strong reputation for providing
robust glasshouses that stood up to
severe winds and inclement conditions,
from the Scottish mountainsides
to hurricane winds in Jamaica. In
1996, the business was purchased
by the former director of a rival
glasshouse company in Hull who
made the decision to move the
business from Cambridge up to East
Yorkshire. Under new ownership,
it built on its reputation within th e
horticultural industry and began to
work with universities on research and
education projects as well as Victorian
glasshouses and garden centres.
In 2004, I conducted a management
buyout with two colleagues, Steve
Hinch and Ross Hibbs. Together we
have brought about a lot of change
while still building on our original
horticultural roots. Our work is very
much shaped by diversity and the
horticultural environment, and we
have really expanded our reach and
focus. We still offer glasshouses and
garden centres but have also made
a significant expansion into vertical
farms in the last ten years. We are truly
ahead of the curve in terms of vertical
farming solutions and are market
leaders in this field.
Offering turnkey solutions is our key
specialism, with all civil, structural,
mechanical, electrical and control
panel design completed in-house.
Our in-house manufacturing and site
installation teams also ensure that
we are able to offer an end-to-end
service. We have acquired various
companies over the years including
Hotbox International in 2007, a world-
leading manufacturer of horticultural
equipment, which provides a range
of products for both professional use
and the serious hobbyist. In 2011,
we established CambridgeHOK
Construction, an autonomous civil
engineering company that now acts
as principal contractor in its own right
while at the same time ensuring we
can deliver each project without relying
on external civils subcontractors.
Vertical farming – the
future for grown
produce?
The largest tomato
growing glasshouse using
waste heat in the UK
Our philosophy
is centred on
close
collaboration
with our
clients
“
“
27CAMBRIDGEHOK |
CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING
Embracing sustainable energy
sources
In recent years, we have increased our
focus on renewable and sustainable
energy solutions that aim to provide
energy intensive sectors such as
manufacturing and food production
with renewable, low-carbon energy
solutions to meet the EU emissions
and environmental taxation regulations
they face and to improve their
corporate sustainability.
There have been a number of levies
and restrictions placed on companies
of all sizes to significantly reduce their
carbon footprint and impact on the
environment. In response, a number of
these companies are now investigating
renewable energy sources. We
specialise in on-site energy generation
and can deliver tailored technology
that suits the client’s requirements.
We take a holistic approach to each
and every site individually, assessing
the current and future needs before
providing a bespoke solution tailored
to that client for that site.
Our energy solutions not only reduce
carbon footprint and emissions but can
also reduce energy usage and costs
to the client by upgrading existing,
inefficient equipment on site. The
options we offer include heat pumps,
combined heat and power energy
centres, biomass engines, battery
storage, solar and photovoltaics
to name a few. Sustainability is
paramount for the future of all
businesses both in the UK and globally,
and it is likely we will see further
government intervention. As a result,
we are confident that the market for
these solutions will continue to grow.
In horticulture we have found
combined heat and power energy
centres to be particularly effective.
We can use them to generate the
electricity required to power the vast
commercial glasshouses while also
providing heat, which is stored in
the form of hot water before being
distributed throughout the glasshouse
during low temperatures. The carbon
dioxide produced as a bi-product of
the CHP process is also piped into the
glasshouse in order to help the yield
and crop growth. This is both more
efficient and environmentally friendly.
As we move forward, we want
to continue to lead the charge in
vertical farming. We want to promote
automation in order to raise efficiency,
negate the requirement for crops to
be sprayed with pesticides and make
use of currently derelict buildings
throughout the UK. Using derelict
buildings within city centres also
has logistical advantages, reducing
the transportation requirements to
the supermarkets, therefore saving
additional CO2 and greenhouse
emissions from the transport wagons.
Through automation, we are able to
input a seed at one end and bring a
controlled crop out at the other. This
is sustainable and water efficient. This
remains a process in its infancy and we
are confident we will continue to find
new applications in the future.
Offering
turnkey
solutions is
our key
specialism
“
“
A combined heat and
power, or CHP, energy
centre
Vertical farm
growing containers
are shipped globally

www.cambridgehok.co.uk

This article was sponsored by Cambridge H O K. The Parliamentary Review is wholly funded by the representatives who write for it. The publication in which this article originally appeared contained the following foreword from Rt Hon Michael Gove.

Rt Hon Michael Gove's Foreword For The Parliamentary Review

By Rt Hon Michael Gove

This year's Parliamentary Review comes at a momentous time for parliament, as we collectively determine the destiny of the United Kingdom. 

On October 31, the UK will leave the European Union. The successful implementation of this process is this government's number-one priority.

Three years after a historic referendum vote, we will deliver on the decisive mandate from the British people. Trust in our democracy depends on it. Until that final hour, we will work determinedly and diligently to negotiate a deal, one that abolishes the backstop and upholds the warm and close relationship we share with our friends, allies and neighbours in the EU. But in the event that the EU refuses to meet us at the table, we must be prepared to leave without a deal.

As the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, it is my job to lead on this government's approach, should that scenario happen. Preparing for Brexit is my department's driving mission. But while I am leading this turbocharged effort, the whole of government is committed to this endeavour.

Ministers across Whitehall are working together to ensure that every possibility is considered, every plan is scrutinised and every provision is made. A daily drumbeat of meetings means that we are holding departments accountable, so that preparations are completed on time.

The chancellor has confirmed that all necessary funding will be made available. And we have mobilised thecivil service, assigning 15,000 of our most talented civil servants to manage our exit from the EU.

We will make sure that on November 1, there is as little disruption to national life as possible. Our trade relationships will continue to thrive, thanks to agreements with countries around the world worth £70 billion. Our country will remain secure, thanks to nearly 1,000 new officers posted at our borders. And the 3.2 million EU nationals now living and working among us can remain confident, with absolute certainty, of their right to remain in the UK.

Above all, our goal is to be transparent. Soon, we will launch a public information campaign so that citizens, communities and businesses are ready and reassured about what will happen in the event of “no deal”.

In my first few weeks in this role, I have travelled to ports and tarmacs, borders and bridges, all across the UK –from the seaside of Dover to the rolling green hills of County Armagh. I have heard from business owners and border officials, farmers and hauliers. They are ready to put an end to uncertainty. And they are ready to embrace the opportunities ahead.

Our departure from the EU will be a once in a lifetime chance to chart a new course for the United Kingdom. Preparing for that new course will be a herculean effort. But this country has made astounding efforts before. We can do it again.
Rt Hon Michael Gove
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster