ACO CIVILS_LINKMAY 2009

THE NEWSACO DRAIN PRODUCTS: NEW AND IMPROVEDPage 4-5

SECTOR FOCUSNEW E-LEARNING COURSES AVAILABLE:LEARN ABOUT THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY’S NEWGUIDELINES FOR COMBINED KERB DRAINAGE. See Page 7

THE NEWS CHANNEL FOR THE CIVILS INDUSTRY

EBBSFLEETINTERNATIONALSEE PAGE 6 FOR THE FULL STORY

ACO CIVILS_LINK | MAY 2009

VIENITE™

THE SUSTAINABLE CHOICE

ISO 9001FM 13502

call: 01462 816666 | visit: www.aco.co.ukTo find out more:

For your free information guide call: 01462 816666

RECYCLED MATERIAL- Venite™: a new quality assured recycled material

KITEMARKED- ongoing independent testing by BSI

SPECIFICATION FOR HIGHWAY WORKS- fully compliant

BS EN 1433:2002- all ranges fully certified by a notified body

MARKED- by a notified body

ISO 9001:2000- certified company by BSI

So your designs meet the required standardsACO KerbDrain®

IN THIS ISSUE…NEWS4-5 INDUSTRY & ACO NEWSACO exhibits at Civils 2008 and Ecobuild2009. Also, see ACO’s new products.

SECTOR FOCUS6 PROJECT FOCUSEbbsfleet International– The full story.

7 E–LEARNINGBenefit from interactive online courses.

OTHER FEATURES8 ACO PRODUCT SUPPORTThe ACO Drain catalogue and a refresh onACO products.

9 DESIGN SERVICESFrom grating types to complete project design – Design Services can help with alltechnical enquiries.

10 PRESS RE-RELEASEFocus on ACO projects.

ACO CIVILS_LINK | 3

THE FIRST ISSUE!HELLO AND WELCOME TO ACO CIVILS_LINK, THE FIRST ISSUE OFTHIS NEWSLETTER FROM ACO TECHNOLOGIES!

ACO Civils_Link is specifically tailored to the Civils industry. It providesthe most up to date ACO product information, and gives specific ACO andindustry news that’s relevant to all involved in the Civils market.

ACO Civils_Link will also highlight how to benefit from our increasingproduct range and marketing activity. For example, the Sector Focus forthis issue is on our new interactive e-learning courses.

Ed the Editor.

Communication is the key to so many things in life. For all of us in theconstruction product manufacturing business, communication betweenourselves, the specifier, installer and stockist is even more important atthis moment in time, due to tightening markets and unprecedented inputcost increases. So our launch of ACO Civils_Link is very timely.

Ed and the team have created a very fresh and modern look to ournewsletter. I trust you can agree and, more importantly, find the contentsuseful. We have made a lot of changes and improvements here at ACO inthe last 6-9 months and it is important that you are all aware of themand benefit from them.

I hope this newsletter helps in the communication of thesechanges. Please give us some feedback – remembercommunication should always be two-way to bereally successful.

Richard Hill, Managing Director.

CIVILS 2008

NEWS

The Civils 2008 exhibition tookplace in London at the Earls CourtExhibition Centre. The exhibition isthe largest civil engineeringexhibition and conference in theUK. ACO was there under the ACOWater Management banner toshowcase our new ACO StormTanksystem (see page 5 for details).

We also took the opportunity toexhibit our new sustainablematerials and our Drain (Civils)portfolio.

The event was a great success,attracting a wide range of visitorsincluding civil engineeringcontractors, consulting engineers,specialist sub-contractors, local andcentral government – many peopletook the opportunity to meet, networkand discuss the current Civils market.

ACO exhibited its new ACO WaterManagement solutions at Ecobuild2009, for the first time. Developed toallow complete control of the removaland return of surface water to thenatural environment, the solutionsembrace a range of new and awardwinning products; next generationrecycled materials and support servicesthat will assist designers andcontractors meet the tighteningecological demands of watermanagement specifications.

In a special ceremony at the exhibition,Richard Hill, Managing Director of ACOTechnologies, received the company’s

ISO 14001 Environmental ManagementSystems accreditation from the Rt HonNick Raynsford MP, Deputy Chairman ofthe Construction Industry Council andVice President of the Town and CountyPlanning Association.

4 | ACO CIVILS_LINK

Richard Hill, Managing Director of ACO Technologies plc (right of picture)receives the ISO 14001 EnvironmentalManagement Systems accreditation fromthe Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP.

ECOBUILD 2009

NEWS

ACO QMAX: ACCESS CHAMBER

ACO Qmax® Access Chamber is a lightweightinspection chamber designed to provide fast andsimple connectivity between any channel sizeswithin the award winning ACO Qmax® range.Manufactured from recycled Medium DensityPolyethylene (MDPE) a tough, highly corrosionresistant material, the system can also provideaccess for maintenance, cleaning and themanagement of silt retention.

The ACO Qmax® Access Chamber is available in two sizes;the shallow version is 735mm deep and suitable for use with the ACOQmax® 225 and 350 systems only, the larger version is 1350mm deep andcan be used with all channel sizes within the ACO Qmax® range.

To complete the installation, the ACO Qmax®

Access Chamber can be used with any 600mm x600mm cover and frame certified to BS EN 124Load Classes up to and including F 900.

Typical Applications:

• Airports • Industrial estates• Commercial developments • Parking areas• Distribution yards • Ports and docks• Highways • Retail developments

ACO STORMTANK: WATER MANAGEMENT

ACO StormTank is the first modular storm water infiltration and attenuationsystem to fully overcome the problems created by silt build up and provisionof tank access for inspection and maintenance – a major issue in securingsystem adoption and planning approval.

Manufactured from recyclable plastic, the lightweight material makes ACOStormTank easy to handle and quick to install. Each cell has a 97% void ratioreducing the cost associated with excavation and aggregates compared withtraditional gravel based solutions.

ACO StormTank offers the latesttechnology in storm water infiltrationand attenuation. The lightweightmodular cell system is designed foruse in a variety of applicationsincluding distribution parks, carparks, commercial and residentialdevelopments. ACO StormTank hasbeen tested in accordance withCIRIA guidelines and is suitable foruse in landscaped and vehiculartrafficked areas.

ACO CIVILS_LINK | 5

PROJECT FOCUS

6 | ACO CIVILS_LINK

A number of ACO drainage systems wereinstalled at the international station atEbbsfleet for High Speed 1. The extensivenetwork of kerb and channel drains at thestation combines to effectively remove allstanding water from the rail platforms, thepassenger car parks and around the mainterminal building.

Ebbsfleet International forms a vital componentin the £5.8 billion high speed rail project thatlinks London to the rest of Europe. The station,which sits strategically close to the M25 andM2 in Kent, provides ‘park and ride’ access tothe new rail services outside the capital and isexpected to handle in excess of one millionpassengers a year.

The site was developed by London &Continental Stations and Properties (LCSP), the

property subsidiary of London & ContinentalRailways: “With such high volumes of vehicleand pedestrian traffic, we cannot compromiseon durability or drainage performance - it isessential that the systems remove surfacewater as quickly as possible and providesufficient storage capacity to cope with suddendownpours,” says Paul Shattock, Head ProjectManager at LCSP.

Within the terminal there are four mainpassenger platforms that are partly exposed.On each, a single run of ACO channel hasbeen installed. Cast with protective stainlesssteel edge rails within the resin concrete base,each run has been fitted with stainless steelmesh gratings. These create a finish thatharmonises with the station’s environmentand provide the strength to withstand highvolumes of pedestrian traffic.

ACO KerbDrain® has been used extensively onthe perimeter and around the islands within thecar parks. These are linked together via shortruns of ACO RoadDrain®, which acts as ajunction channel in this application. Whereindividual runs of channel have been requiredACO S Range has been installed. Both ACORoadDrain® and S Range are heavy dutysystems having certified Load Class ratings of F 900, making them suitable for the most demanding load bearing situations.

ACO DRAINAGE SYSTEMS ATNEW HIGH SPEED 1 STATION

SECTOR FOCUS

ACO CIVILS_LINK | 7

After a period of some months spent tradingin the tough economic climate such as thatcurrently being experienced, most of us beginto find ourselves affected in ways we hadnever anticipated.

A direct consequence of fewer staff frequentlymeans people end up busier than ever beforeas they take on new areas of responsibility. It is a regrettable coincidence that thepressure on time arises at the same time asthe need to ensure ‘knowledge’ is at its verybest, because it is knowledge of products andtheir suitable applications that ultimatelyunderpins customer service.

Recognising the conflicting pressures of theneed for more and better knowledge but notime, ACO Academy have specificallyintroduced e-learning programmes which canmake a vital difference without demandingsubstantial investment in time.

The ACO Academy e-learning facility isavailable to registered users. It is accessibleover the Internet using standard web browsertechnology. Each module is designed toexplain product features or application issuesin a user friendly style which users can pursueat their own rate. In order to assist the user indigesting and retaining the information thereare a series of questions designed toemphasise critical information.

One of the key issues currently beingaddressed within the latest ACO Academy e-learning is the standards that customersmust ensure are met when purchasingcombined kerb drainage products. Anothernew module addresses the subject of recycledmaterial being used in construction productsand specifically looks at the benefits of ACO’snew Vienite™ material being used in ACOKerbDrain® and ACO RoadDrain®.

E-LEARNING

Learn about the standards that customers must ensure aremet when purchasing combined kerb drainage products.

Work through the e-learning modules at your own pace,and test yourself on all the key information.

VIENITE™

THE SUSTAINABLE CHOICE

ACO MULTIDRAIN™ PPDACO MultiDrain™ PPD is the firsthigh strength recycledpolypropylene channel drainagesystem offered by ACO.MultiDrain™ PPD consists of:

• A 1m plastic channel unit,100mm wide and 150mm deep.

• HexTechnology™ design, load classrated from A 15 pedestrian areas, up toand including D 400 parking areas for alltypes of road vehicles*.

• Available with an extensive range of Drainlock™ grating,including a discreet slot grating (see left).

• MultiDrain™ PPD is 100% recyclable.

*Depending on grating type.

8 | ACO CIVILS_LINK

ACO PRODUCT SUPPORT

ACO MULTIDRAIN™ MDACO MultiDrain™ MD is the latestgeneration polymer concretechannel drainage system. Itreplaces the N100K system andoffers a host of improvements andnew features:

• An improved load class rating –now from A 15 to D 400*

• Now available with three channel widths:M100D = 100mm wideM150D = 150mm wideM200D = 200mm wide

• A large selection of Drainlock™ gratings, including a discreet slot grating (see right).

• MultiDrain™ MD is 100% recyclable.*Depending on grating type. Not suitable for carriageways of public roads or motorways.

During the past year, ACO has made two major changes to the ACO Drain product range, by addingthe MultiDrain™ MD and MultiDrain™ PPD systems. To keep you up to date, here is a quick guide tothese new products:

TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THE ACOMULTIDRAIN™ MD OR MULTIDRAIN™ PPDBROCHURE, PLEASE FILL OUT THE REPLYCARD AND PUT IT IN THE POST.

If you have ever been caught short on detailed technical information on any of the products in the ACO Drain range - you need

an ACO Drain catalogue. The catalogue includes an ACO Drain product selector - to help you specify the

right product for the application in question. It also provides easy technical reference

for all the products in the ACO Drain range.

The catalogue provides the following technicalinformation:

• Installation details• Load class ratings• Product dimensions• Hydraulic performance• Grating types

REFRESH ON ACO DRAIN PRODUCTS

The ACO Drain Product Selector, a simpleway to select the right product

THE ACO DRAIN CATALOGUE

ACO CIVILS_LINK | 9

THE TEAM

Zoe Gates, Stewart Lindsey, Rachel Simpsonand Anil BangherTechnical Design Advisors

Jon CrokeDesign Service and Technical Manager

Getting the drainage specification right iscrucial and with many issues to consider, it isimportant to assess all the different variables inorder to reduce any potential risk.

At ACO, we recognise these challenges andoffer a free of charge technical support serviceto assist the contractor, in designing andinstalling ACO channel drainage schemes. The ACO Design Services team utilise powerfulnew bespoke software to offer state of the art

computer aided scheme design and hydraulicperformance calculations, along withinstallation advice service without obligation.

The Team will also help with any othertechnical question you may have about ACOproducts, including:

• General product advice e.g. grating types• Parts schedules• On site product advise

DESIGN SERVICESTO SUPPORT CONTRACTORS, SPECIFIERS AND ENGINEERS INDESIGNING AND INSTALLING ACO DRAIN PRODUCTS, THE ACODESIGN SERVICE TEAM (RIGHT) OFFER A RANGE OF TECHNICALADVICE SERVICES.

TO RECEIVE TECHNICAL ADVICE, PLEASE VISIT THE ACO WEBSITE, WWW.ACO.CO.UK AND COMPLETE THE ONLINE ENQUIRY FORM ON THE DESIGN SERVICES PAGE. ALTERNATIVELY, PLEASE EMAILDRAINTECHNICAL@ACO.CO.UK, TELEPHONE 01462 816666 OR FAX 01462 851081.

VISIT WWW.ACO.CO.UK AND COMPLETE THE ONLINE ENQUIRY FORM ON THE DESIGN SERVICES PAGE.

COMING SOON… ACO DRAINSPOTTERYOUR EYE ON THE GROUND

It’s true to say that once you’ve workedwith ACO for a while you develop astrange tendency, when wanderingabout, to notice things that othersmiss. Yep, we’re talking drainage.

Despite the obvious health hazardsinvolved when walking about with your

eyes fixed firmly on the ground, therewards of this unique pastime aretremendous. And now, with thelaunch of a rather special competition,we can safely say that they really are.

We want to reward all you keen eyedspotters of drains out there with thechance to become a member of anexclusive club – ACO DrainSpotter. Andit couldn’t be simpler to get access…

As you trot about the globe, if you seeany ACO product anywhere interesting

– be it the country, the setting or forany other reason, take a picture andsend it in to us.

The top pictures we receive as judgedby our Spotter-in-Chief (yes, we haveone) will receive not only a £50 JohnLewis shopping voucher, but a mug, asticker, lifetime VIP membership of theACO DrainSpotter club and, mostvalued of all, the eternal respect of theentire drainage community.

KEEP ‘EM PEELED!

ACO PROJECTSACO’s products are used for anumber of different applications.We’ve included a couple of our most recent press releases to show how they could be the perfect solution to your next project.

ACO DrainSpotterSpotter

ACO DrainSpotterSpotter

Dr

Perkins takes first Tank The first installation of the new ACO StormTank modularsurface water attenuation and infiltration system hasbeen completed at Perkins Engines’ manufacturingfacility in Stafford. A key part of a sustainable drainagesystem (SUDS) designed by ACO Technologies, the65m3 modular tank system attenuates and controls thedischarge of surface water run-off from a new lorry parkthat has been created to ease vehicle movementsacross the site.

Installed beneath the new concrete hardstanding, thewatertight tank receives run-off (via an oil interceptor)from a single 65m run of ACO S100 heavy duty surfacedrainage channel situated along one side of the park.From the tank, water is discharged to a nearby streamat a controlled maximum rate of 3 litres/second. Duringheavy rainfall, excess water held back by a vortexcontrol in the outlet chamber accumulates within thetank, releasing over time as rainfall conditions ease.The ACO StormTank was installed by Stafford-basedcontractor F. Espley & Sons Ltd. As Contracts ManagerAndrew Bramhall explains, the modular systemdelivered particular site benefits: “As the system hassuch a high void ratio, we were able to reduce the totalvolume of the excavation required to accommodate thetank – a significant time and cost saving. It was alsoextremely easy to handle; the lightweight, modulardesign meant that we were able to assemble the entiretank in under a day.”

In combination with a suitable geotextile orgeomembrane, ACO StormTank can be configured toeither infiltrate or attenuate run-off depending on thespecific requirements of the location. The tank installedat the Perkins Engines’ site is set up to attenuate allsurface water.To achieve the watertight installation required, the tankis first wrapped in a impermeable geomembrane. It isthen covered with a protective ACOTex Plus fleece toachieve a completely sealed and stable structure.

10 | ACO CIVILS_LINK

PRESS RE-RELEASE

Designer Drainage

This year’s Urban Traffic Scheme of the

Year Award was won by Blackpool Council

for its regeneration of Layton District

Centre. The successful transformation of the

old dual carriageway into a ‘Shared Space’

for pedestrians and motorists used close to

1000m of ACO product - ACO KerbDrain®

and ACO RoadDrain®.

However, the standard product’s colour and

texture did not sit in harmony with the

schemes finish. Working closely with

Blackpool’s engineers, ACO’s production

team devised a new method of treatment to

expose the aggregate beneath the surface of

the ACO KerbDrain® and ACO RoadDrain®

sections, allowing for a precise match to the

designer’s colour requirements.

*whilst stocks last

ACO CATALOGUE, BROCHURESAND BASEBALL CAPSTo receive literature on any of the ACO Drain products featured in this issue, an ACO Drain catalogueand the free ACO Civils Link baseball cap*, please fill out the reply paid card and put it in the post.

ACO CIVILS_LINK | 11

ACO Technologies plc

� ACO Drain

� ACO Build

� ACO Building Drainage

� ACO Water Management

� ACO Technic

� ACO Sport

� ACO Wildlife

ACO Drain

A division of ACO Technologies plcACO Business Park,Hitchin Road,Shefford,Bedfordshire SG17 5TE

Tel: 01462 816666Fax: 01462 815895

e-mail Sales: customersupport@aco.co.uke-mail Technical: draintechnical@aco.co.uk

website: www.aco.co.uk

The ACO Group: A strong family you can depend on.

PC20510

ACO CARES ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTPrinted on material approved by the Pan European Forest Certification (PEFC) who provide a means ofassuring that products come from sustainably managed forests.