Bell GroupForwards together

Bell Group is committed to sustainable development. Committed to staying at the forefront of technical and legislative industry changes. Committed to delivering the highest levels of service and quality now and tomorrow

01 Introduction02 Working with the public sector: Bell Group and you04 Working together: Building relationships that work06 A tradition of excellence10 The art and science of decoration12 Managing maintenance14 Specialist applications16 Standards What you can expect from us www.bell-group.co.uk

Introduction 01

This brochure is designed to give you an idea of the scale of projects Bell Group are commissioned to deliver. We pride ourselves on our professionalism, our attention to detail and our relationship management. We offer our clients the very best service no matter how big or small the job.

Relationships are the cornerstone of our business. We very much look forward to discussing your particular needs and to forming a strong working relationship with you. Please read on.

Bell Group. Forwards together.

Working with the public sector:Bell Group and you

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Bell Group UK is committed to putting customers first, dedicated to delivering professional workmanship, quality and value. We aim to be the partner of choice for customers seeking excellence in service, performance and care.

Copper Beach GlossBS 04 C 39

Holly Bush GlossBS 14 C 39

Port Sunlight, on the Wirral Peninsula, was developed as a model village for factory workers and their families by the visionary industrialist Lord Leverhulme. The houses, schools, concert hall, cottage hospital, swimming pool, church, art gallery and temperance hotel were the work of almost 30 architects, creating a sense of delightfully diverse and spacious streetscapes featuring decorative half-timbered frontages, ornamental plasterwork and carved woodwork, mouldings and leaded windows.

With over 900 Grade II listed buildings, Port Sunlight became a designated Conservation Area 30 years ago and may in future be listed as a World Heritage Site. Today, the integrity of the village is vigorously protected by the Village Trust who work to preserve its unique character and ambience. It is of immense importance to them that the original standards of craftmanship are maintained. Bell Group was chosen for their ability to provide a team of highly-skilled tradesmen to carry out redecoration and conservation work, using a wide range of specialist techniques, that always meets the exacting criteria of the Trust.

01 Exterior detail of Port Sunlight, on the Wirral Peninsula.

02 The ‘model village’ of Port Sunlight.

03 Calder Tower, Motherwell.

Bell Group is unusual, possibly unique. A market leader, we have earned the respect of customers and competitors alike by concentrating on quality in every aspect of our activities, and we have grown into a national force while remaining a wholly-owned family concern. We know that we serve our customers best by investing in our craftsmen; on any job we undertake, the people representing us will be people we trust as custodians of our reputation. We have an absolute commitment to the traditional values of time-served tradesmen, to the apprenticeship system and skills learned over years, not weeks.

In short, Bell Group is about accomplishment and craftsmanship, not bottom lines and account-driven growth, because we know that our future security and prosperity is best served by satisfied customers who will come back to us time after time.

Our clients include NHS Trusts, hotel groups, registered social landlords, local authorities, Ministry of Defence, royal residences, universities and schools, care homes, theatres and auditoria, heritage organisations and commercial and industrial companies of all kinds.

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Working together:Building relationships that work

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How hard-work, dedication and 42,000 litres on paint transformed a shopping centre...

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The £340m Westfield Shopping Centre in Derby was opened to great acclaim. With over 100 fashion, food and leisure retailers, the Centre has a dynamic and vibrant ambience that is accentuated by its crisp, cool colour schemes and contemporary styling.

The Centre was created around and over an existing shopping centre which stayed open during the construction process, so the task of painting and decorating without disrupting commerce presented special challenges. To meet the tight deadlines a dedicated team worked six days a week, scheduling the work in co-operation with other trades on-site and achieving superlative results.

The project involved decorating a huge diversity of surfaces including steelwork, soffits, walls, ceilings, woodwork, blockwork, floors, masonry and pipework with a variety of paints and coatings. An impressive 42,000 litres of paint were used in the project. The craftmanship and quality of the outcome were highly commended and won Bell Group a finalist place in the prestigious ‘Painter of the Year’ competition.

01 Interior of Westfield Shopping Centre, Derby.

02 Ceiling detail of the shopping centre.

03 Exterior of the Westfield Shopping Centre.

04 Wall and ceiling detail.

The most effective way of working through collaboration, developing partnerships built on mutual benefit and shared long-term goals, We have earned our reputation for unrivalled service by listening to our clients and understanding their intentions and aspirations. Before we start on any job, we take the trouble to find out precisely, in detail, what our clients want to achieve.

A positive working relationship allows us to plan and implement a programme of continual improvement. It enables us to introduce planned maintenance agreements, and to invest in training programmes that match customers needs. It means we can develop enhanced lines of communication, and form advantageous partnerships in the supply chain.

Through long-term partnerships, we can complement our exceptional quality of work with even greater value for money and an uncompromising adherence to the highest standards of health, safety and sustainability. And, because the bedrock of any relationship is trust, we operate an extremely transparent financial policy. You know exactly what we’ll do, when we’ll do it and how much it will cost.

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A tradition of excellence

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How we restored an RAF College so that it could pass any test with flying colours...

RAF InsigniaGold

RAF Cranwell is the home of the Royal Air Force College, the first military air academy in the world. Opened on the fifth of February 1920, it was rebuilt in the 1930s to an elegant, classic design strongly influenced by the architecture of sir christopher Wren.

The intricately decorated wrought iron gates and twin lanterns that stand at the entrance of Cranwell’s College Hall reflect the dignity and status of the building. The work of Flight Sergeant Benson, a serving airman who was also a coppersmith and blacksmith, they also date from the 1930s. Bell Group was recently invited to carry out a complete refurbishment of the gates and lanterns, a project involving the skilled application of 21-carat gold leaf to the lettering and detailing of the crests and other ornamentation. Our craftsmen completed the immensely satisfying task with the skill and respect it merited, and returned the entrance to its original striking splendour.

01 Gates to the Royal airforce College, RAF Cramwell showing 21-carat gold leaf application to crest.

02 Detail of railings.

03 More modern ironwork on the site.

We have reached our pre-eminent market position by consistently delivering superlative quality and the most exacting standards of craftmanship. Our work is underpinned by the vision to understand the needs of our customers and the flexibility to respond to them. Whether we are exploring new opportunities or working with long-established partners, we give every job the same individual attention. There is nothing off-the-shelf about our service. We are continually introducing new products and areas of expertise, and we enthusiastically embrace the ethics of environmental responsibility and sustainable development.

Through a gradual programme of strategic acquisitions, we have established a network of branches that enables us to provide the same level of premium craftmanship and personal service across the whole of the UK. Each of the companies brought into Bell Group had its own reputation for excellence, and each branch has retained its own highly-qualified management team and skilled workforce.

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RailingsBlack Gloss

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The art and science of decoration

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How we created a fresh, flawless, designer look without disrupting business...

All woodworkGrey Squirrel Eggshell

47-5M

Jigsaw is a leading-edge fashion chain with its own clothing and accessories design team based in West London. In the fiercely competitive and image-conscious fashion arena, the retail environment is of immense importance. Distinctive shopfitting, flawlessly decorated and finished, is part of the experience.

Bell Group was commissioned to work with Jigsaw’s own shop designer to create a fresh look in the company’s prestigious Edinburgh store. Set in George Street in the city’s historic New Town, the walls and ceilings are painted in neutral colours sympathetic to the magnificent interior, with the intricate ornamental coving accentuated in a contrasting colour. The warm, soft effect enhances the very special character of the building.

The work was carried out while the shop was still trading, with the presence of the public in close proximity to our craftsmen making health and safety issues and unobtrusive working practices even more critical than usual.

01 The newly decorated Jigsaw store in George Street, Edinburgh.

02 Ceiling detail showing intricate cornicing.

03 Exterior of the Edinburgh Jigsaw store.

Colour is an exciting area, and a dangerous one. Get it right, and a room sends out all the right signals. Get it wrong and it can bring the most unfortunate results in the most subtle ways. It is vital to understand the effect decoration will have before making any final commitments.

Our craftsmen have far more experience of space and colour than most people will accumulate in a lifetime. They know how to judge colours that will be appropriate and sympathetic to the function of a room. We can advise on how to obtain the effects and impressions you want in ways that colour swatches or mocked-up visuals, useful though they are, can never achieve. And texture adds another level of possibilities. Innovative and often eccentric designs can add enormous impact, and modern production methods offer a crispness and vibrancy that can be very powerful.

The possibilities are infinite. To get the best from them, there’s no substitute for experience.

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03All Walls

Etheral Blue Matt Emulsion25-1P

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Managing maintenance

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How we used specialist knowledge to create a long-lasting finish that performs to a royal standard...

Clock TowerGold Leaf

Blair Castle is the home of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl, and the headquarters of Europe’s only remaining private army. Set amidst the beautiful scenery of the Perthshire Highlands, the distinctive, crisp white building with its romantic turrets and crenellations was one of the first private homes in Scotland to be opened to the public.

Decorating and preserving the historic fabric of the Castle is a project of immense importance and sensitivity. Bell Group was chosen to undertake an external refurbishment that included repairing the roughcast and render, and then redecorating all of the external masonry. We selected a specialist ‘Keim’ paint system that complements superb appearance with a very high degree of protection and preservation.

The unique surroundings and the importance of the building itself meant that environmental factors were under tight scrutiny throughout the planning and execution of the work, and the Castle remained open to the public during the whole time making stringent attention to health and safety precautions paramount. Both the management of the project and the finished result were outstandingly successful.

01 Blair Castle, Blair Atholl.

02 Blair Castle showing its majestic Highland setting.

Some of the advantages of well-planned maintenance are obvious. Others are less so.

The obvious benefits include lifting the burden of scheduling and inspection, and putting together the complex combination of painters and associated trades that is often required. The expensive consequences that may arise when maintenance is postponed because of the demands of core business can also be completely avoided.

Planned maintenance painting can also bring substantial cost advantages. We can arrange work at times that minimise disruption, and provide a professionally-supervised service to ensure that ancillary work is carried out to our own high standards. With our vast resources and national coverage, we can provide a single, comprehensive contract covering multiple properties across the UK.

A building is a long-term investment. It makes sense to develop a long-term relationship with specialists who will protect its fabric and its integrity as well as its appearance.

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All Exterior WallsKeim Granital Brilliant White

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Specialist applications

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How we made a ferry tough enough to withstand the North Sea and its gulls...

Topsides and stern rampsIntersheen 579 Cobalt Blue

The refit of the Ro/Ro cargo ferry Norcape, operated by P&O Ferries on the Hull to Zeebrugge route, took place at the A&P Tyne Hebburn yard. All of the preparation and coating work included in the refit was carried out by Bell Marine UK Ltd, a division of Bell Group UK specialising in a wide range of heavy-duty coatings for nautical applications.

While the ship was in dry dock the hull coatings above and below the waterline were applied. Bell Marine UK Ltd also renewed the deck coatings, carried out repairs to the ballast tank and refurbished the accommodation areas, garage-deck bulkheads and deckhead. The specialist materials used in the project included single-pack acrylic topcoats, modified pure epoxy abrasive-resistant primers and a hybrid TBT-free anti-fouling coating system.

The refit, a complex operation sometimes involving over 100 personnel working simultaneously on the ship, was completed to its original 42-day schedule.

01 Close-up of the Ro/Ro cargo ferry Norcape.

02 The Norcape at the A&P Tyne Hebburn yard.

03 Detail of the hull.

All decorative coatings we apply are protective to some extent, and knowledge of temperatures, humidity, and weather conditions will often be a significant factor in selecting materials. However, we also deal with protective coatings designed to cope with extremely challenging environments including accidental fires.

Fireproofing coatings are frequently applied to structural steelwork in buildings, to offshore oil platforms, to oil and gas pipelines and to some areas of ships. They are constituted to withstand specific types of fire for a specified period of time, and are crucial in allowing escape plans to be carried out. Intumescent coatings go further: by expanding when subjected to extreme heat, they insulate and protect the material underneath and for varying amounts of time depending on the specification and fire rating.

Their selection and application is highly specialised and skilled operation requiring a great deal of experience and training. Our experts have a full understanding of how these coatings perform, and are fully trained in the complex methods of application; directed by their various suppliers.

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Top coat for hullInterswift 655 Red

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Standards:What you can expect from us

01 Glasgow International Airport.

02 Durham University.

03 Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh.

04 Helme Lodge, Kendall.

Across all our activities, we observe the highest standards of safe practice and corporate responsibility. Our ISO9001:2000 quality assurance accreditation involves a formal structure that encourages continual improvement of our services, drawing on customer feedback and setting clear objectives. We methodically analyse our performance and take action to address anything that falls below target. And, importantly, our quality improvement programme actively involves everyone from senior management to the newest apprentice. Perfection may be impossible to attain, but it’s what we always aim for.

We employ a full-time corporate risk Manager and operate a CITB-recognised training plan for all staff and operatives. In our experience, delivering a first-class service is a team responsibility. It involves everyone from the site foreman and the craftsmen who apply the coatings to the contract management and surveying staff. Everyone is fully trained in their part, and everyone understands the level of commitment and responsibility expected of them.

Bell Group will always:• undertake the responsibilty of planning supervisor

under the CDM regulations if requested to do so• provide a Method Statement, Risk Assessments

and COSHH documentation covering all aspects of the work

• gurarantee that all contract staff, site foreman and operatives are CSCS qualified.

In addition to keeping our standards of workmanship and our reputation intact, our guidelines are designed to keep your people, our people, the public and the environment safe at all times.

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Bell Group UKBell Business ParkRochsolloch RoadAirdrieML6 9BGTel: 01236 766 878Email: HeadOffice@bell-group.co.uk www.bell-group.co.uk

www.bell-group.co.uk