WET News

WET NEWS WATER AND EFFLUENT TREATMENT NEWS News+ Companies are reaping the benefi ts of Building Information Modelling as it takes the risk out of construction, p7 Onsite: Onsite Asset management Totex brings a direct incentive to optimise the operating performance of equipment, extend the life of assets and improve plant and process e• ciency, p9, 10 Insight: Pipes & drainage Pipeline engineers need to be able to access information regarding an asset. Can Urban Detection and Management make this process easier? P14, 15 "Older sta‹ want to pass on their knowledge" Paul Hardy, p8 "There's much more certainty and clearer vision of what's going ahead" Lewis Wenman, p7 Research highlights a failure by utilities to carry out critical checks on information provided by their suppliers. M any utility companies are failing to carry out basic due diligence on suppliers when they procure goods and services, new re- search from supplier informa- tion and supply chain manage- ment company Achilles has revealed. According to the research one in three global utilities say they have issued tenders or contracts to main suppliers without hav- ing an anti-bribery and corrup- tion policy in place, while one in ve rms do not have their main suppliers' nancial reports be- fore procuring goods or services. One in ten do not have health and safety policies for their main suppliers. The research also found al- most one third of utilities com- panies did not conduct any sup- plier site visits to check contractors were operating in accordance with statements made in their health and safety, Supply chain procurement risks must be tackled and safety are mandatory and companies that fail to do so are risking nancial and reputa- tional damage. "In our experience working in the utilities sector, the best practice approach for buying or- ganisations is to carry out due diligence proactively – screen- ing suppliers in advance of awarding a contract." Grand said that without a site audit, utilities companies are trusting that suppliers are acting in accordance with their own policies. "It leaves them open to paying 'lip service' to being responsible. We estimate that businesses worldwide are spending US$60bn on manag- ing information about their sup- pliers – yet this survey shows this spend is ine‰ ective." Grand said that it was upto ten times more eŠ cient if busi- nesses established standards of suppliers andcollaborate on gathering supplier information. High Court rejects council 'super sewer' appeal anti-bribery and corruption, and nancial documents. Achilles, which commis- sioned the independent re- search, said the multi-billion dollar global utilities industry supply chain is developing fast with an ever increasing empha- sis on innovation and eŠ ciency but many utilities rms are fail- ing to carry out basic due dili- gence on suppliers. Tom Grand, Achilles UK re- gional director responsible for the UK-based supplier informa- tion community UVBD, said utilities rms that took a re- laxed approach to checking suppliers' credentials were risk- ing their reputation and oppor- tunities to improve their busi- nesses. Grand said: "In a safety criti- cal industry, it is vitally impor- tant for utilities rms to carry out e‰ ective due diligence on suppliers. Tackling bribery and corruption and ensuring health FEBRUARY 2015 Volume 21 • Issue 02 Pump Hire, Sales & Service Selwood has been manufacturing, hiring and selling pumps for over 60 years. Please call for expert advice on all pumping applications. Models From 50mm To 300mm Selprime Auto Self-Priming Super Silent From 58db(A) Hydraulic Submersibles Electric Submersibles 24/7 Callout Branches Nationwide 08450 733835 www.selwood.co.uk Pump Hire, Sales & Service Selwood has been manufacturing, hiring and selling pumps for over 60 years. Please call for expert advice on all pumping applications. S outhwark Council has lost its bid to appeal against the proposed use of Cham- bers Wharf as a drive site on the Thames Tideway Tunnel pro- ject. The council said the High Court had disagreed 'with our lawyers interpretation of the legislation and court practice rules'. Cllr Peter John, leader of Southwark Council, said the council will look at its options before deciding the next steps. He said: "We are extremely disappointed by this decision and the government's decision to not consider alternatives to Chambers Wharf.˜ We always knew this was going to be a tough battle, but I wanted gov- ernment ministers to have to justify to local residents why they think it's acceptable that their lives should be blighted in this way."˜ John continued: "This deci- sion emphasises the challenge local communities and councils will face when objecting to major infrastructure projects." Water 'Oscars' tickets go on sale T ickets are now on sale for this year's Water Industry Achievement Awards, which will take place on April 21 at a glittering extrav- aganza held at the Hilton Bir- mingham Metropole, NEC, Birmingham. The awards, organised by WET News and Water & Waste- water Treatment, reward inno- vation and best practice in the industry. Tickets are available for the awards ceremony and gala din- ner, the major highlight in the water industry's calendar. Join in the celebrations and book a table now! Find out more by contacting Stephanie Lewis at stephanie. lewis@fav-house.com or visit www.wwtonline.co.uk/awards. "...the best practice approach for buying organisations is to carry out due diligence proactively – screening suppliers in advance of awarding a contract" Tom Grand to pass on knowledge" Hardy, p8

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