Our partnership relationship with Willmott Dixon looks to achieve continuous improvement in service performance and delivery, and commits to collaborative working during all stages of the construction process.

This is further illustrated by a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) session we recently presented for key team members of Willmott Dixon. The objective was to impart and share technical knowledge of key elements of the sports construction process and provide Information on our five service divisions. Some twenty executives representing a wide range of responsibilities attended and listened to panel of presenters led by S&C Slatter Commercial Director Jason Douglass.

Both Willmott Dixon and S&C Slatter recognise and support the benefits to be accrued of early supply chain involvement in project development..

Prior to introducing the new systems, the company’s refurbishment technicians had to release, uplift and remove from site both the existing artificial grass surfaces and shock pads without causing disruption of the overall pitch structures.

Having completed the removal process and preparation of the sub-base formations, a new in situ-bound rubber shock pad was machine-laid to fine tolerances over each pitch footprint. This is a highly-skilled operation where attention to detail and vigilant supervision of quality assurance is paramount if one is to achieve the required finished specification.

However, S&C Slatter’s ISO 9001:2015 certified Quality Management System provides a control and monitoring framework for all projects; embracing the full range of on-site programmes and activities. This links with our on-going training and education commitment which ensures that all our team members benefit from regular appraisals and personal development courses.

Installed over the new shock pad systems is FieldTurf CORE 42-17 football turf which represents a genuinely revolutionary development in artificial grass technology. The fibre has a hardened centre for exceptional resilience and durability but a soft outer layer for optimum player comfort and interaction. This combination has prompted many to comment that CORE is the most exciting innovation we’ve seen for many years.

The completed full-size pitch has been independently tested and certified as compliant with the FIFA Quality performance standard while the indoor pitch meets the specified requirements of EN 15339-1.

S&C Slatter and manufacturing partner FieldTurf regularly work together on projects funded under the Football Foundation Framework and have earned a reputation for consistently building  and delivering quality football pitches of the highest order. You will also have seen our pitches featuring regularly in televised FA Cup matches most recently at Haringey Borough and previously Maidstone United and Sutton United. In fact, four teams in this year’s first round ties have football turf stadium pitches built by S&C Slatter with FieldTurf playing systems.

Helen, who along with her wife Kate, is a Sports Ambassador for the School, performed the time-honoured tradition of ‘cutting the ribbon’ and used the opportunity to encourage the pupils to take full advantage of the opportunity to practice and play on such a facility. She said that in her experience ‘it really will make a difference’.

The new pitch has been fittingly titled ‘Pitch Perfect’ by the school and is referred to as such on the Donors Board which the Mayor unveiled as part of the ceremony. It has been certified to the FIH National Performance Standard and features a FieldTurf Hockey Gold Elite artificial turf playing surface.

Great sensitivity and imagination were necessary in developing the design and construction specifications due to the technical challenge of the sloping cliff top location and the need to minimise any visual impact on the local environment. The solution developed by S&C Slatter focussed on an extensive cut and fill operation with a series of retaining walls creating construction footprints inset and modelled into the hillside.

Despite the huge amount of excavated material generated by the process, all was retained and re-used on site in accordance with the parameters set by the school and planning authority. This entirely removed the need for costly and disruptive disposal.

However, the hockey pitch is just part of a wider development completed by S&C Slatter which also included the complete refurbishment of the tennis court complex, the creation of a new natural grass sports pitch and the building of a formal tarmacadam car park and access road. A network of new pathways, transitions and hard standings have been formed to link all these elements.

The end result of the project is an outstanding and highly practical asset for the school.

But that’s not enough. We want to be the best. The very best Sports Construction & Civils Specialist there is. Today, tomorrow, every day. And that means constantly working to improve; to be even better. Throughout the company. In everything we do.

And why?

Because only by striving to always be the best we can, can we hope to offer the best possible product, the best possible service, the best possible value to our clients. And in doing so create the desire for others to come and see what makes us different from the ‘run of the mill’ and the ‘make do’.

So is this commitment working? Well, we took a ‘snapshot’ of what has happened in S&C Slatter in just the last couple of months. We wanted to see ‘real’ evidence of our improvement strategy showing as ‘real’ actions.

What we saw is:

• 19 Project and Works Team Members booked into GNVQ Study and Training in 2017.

• 11 Project and WorksTeam Members booked into NVQ Study and Training in 2017.

• Charlotte Mills, Accounts Administrator, completing her Professional Diploma in Accounting to become an MAAT.

• Simon McIntyre our Buyer studying for his CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply) Qualification.

• Our Client Project Team undertaking Advanced Customer Service studies next year.

• And, a £300,000 purchase of additional construction equipment – a D61 Bulldozer, an 8t Excavator, 6t Dumper and 7t roller – to further resource our in-house fleet and enhance operational efficiency.

That’s an investment of over a £1,000,000 in plant just in 2016.

We believe this shows how determined we are to deliver the best possible service through continual development as individuals and a team. Hardly surprising then that last month team members Stuart Wilkes and Toby Spearing both won awards from our client Willmott Dixon for outstanding personal performance on separate sports facility projects.

Having the right team with the right training, the right experience, the right resources, the right product and the right attitude genuinely helps us keep being the very best we can.

This appointment recognises our standing within the Independent Schools sector and confirms our commitment to work with the Association and its member schools in delivering the very highest standards of sport facility provision and aftercare.

ISA members value innovation and inspiration and aim to build on the best traditions to promote a range of qualities including integrity, industry and responsibility.

During the year the Association provides an extensive calendar of courses and events encompassing educational, personal development and networking opportunities. S&C Slatter aims to play an active part in the programme making available our substantial expertise and experience where a beneficial contribution can be made for member schools.

Over the last 25 years, the company has grown into the principal National specialist in artificial sports pitch construction with our work with leading Independent Schools providing a strong and acknowledged endorsement of our partnership approach to project delivery.

However in the last two years, we’ve extended our range of product and service reach still further, now offering a truly inclusive end to end project solution featuring key infrastructure elements such as enhanced user and spectator facilities, access roads and pathways, car parking, hard and soft landscaping and sustainable drainage systems (SuDS).

The first International Hockey Federation Certified Field Builder, S&C Slatter operates an ISO 9001 certified quality management system and is a member of UK ActIve, The Institute of Groundsmanship Corporate Plus and the Sports and Play Construction Association. The company carries EXOR Gold, SafeContractor, Constructionline, CHAS and Builder’s Profile accreditations and is a sponsor of Bucks SportsAid which looks to provide funding support for local young athletes.

S&C Slatter is also a Category A Supply Chain Partner to Willmott Dixon which confirms our ‘Preferred Supplier’ status and commitment to collaborative working during all stages of the construction process. Achieving continuous improvement in service performance and delivery is a particular goal of the relationship.

However, did you know that S&C Slatter actually comprises of five specialist product service hubs, each created to deliver a specific set of in-house skills and resources?

With each hub being an acknowledged expert in its particular project specialism, you just know you’re getting the very best advice, skills and technology available.

• Slatter Sports Construction – Specialists in sports facility design, construction, resurfacing and project management
• Slatter Design & Planning – Specialists in advising on and managing the design and planning processes
• Slatter Surfacing & Civils – Specialists in tarmacadam surfacing and associated civils for a wide range of infrastructure
• Slatter Sports Maintain – Specialists in maintaining, refurbishing and repairing sports surfacing
• Slatter SmartPitch Systems – Specialist systems to enhance operational and user experiences of external sports facilities

Adrian Flemming, a specialist in Health & Safety and Quality Compliance has joined the S&C Slatter team as Health & Safety Manager as the company continues to build and extend its in-house expertise and resources.

Health and safety is a concern across all UK industries, but it’s of particular importance within the construction industry.

Whatever the aspect of construction – demolition, building, refurbishment, roadworks – construction sites can present risks beyond most other industry workplaces. Whilst no workplace has zero risk, there is an obvious and major difference between the risks presented at a construction worker’s place of work, in comparison with, for instance, a finance or retail worker’s workplace.

This is why S&C Slatter takes its Health & Safety responsibilities to its staff, clients and the general public very seriously and has certificated accreditations with EXOR Gold, Safecontractor and CHAS. This commitment and the company’s policy of pursuing a path of continual improvement has directly led to this key appointment.

Adrian is a highly qualified Health & Safety professional with specific senior management experience within the construction sector and armed forces. He is a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (CMIOSH), Specialist Member of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (SIIRSM) and Associate Member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (AIEMA).

In addition to spending a good deal of time on S&C Slatter’s active construction sites throughout the country monitoring and ensuring H&S compliance, Adrian will be working with the in-house Pre-Construction team in preparing client submissions and pre-works risk assessments, method statements and constructions phase plans.

On wider quality-related strategy, implementation of our quality and environmental management systems ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 also comes under Adrian’s remit as QEMS Manager This again is an area within which he has a good deal of practical experience being a qualified Lead Auditor for both standards and ISO 18001.

S&C Slatter is a certified member of various PQQ and Compliance organisations including Constructionline Gold and Builder’s Profile and is the Independent Schools Association (ISA) Gold Preferred Supplier – Sports Construction including Artificial Sports Pitches.

It’s no coincidence they chose the S&C Slatter/FieldTurf partnership to deliver their football turf systems. All wanted a facility which delivered the highest play performance quality for league football at the same time as providing a valuable resource for the wider community.

Combining the surfacing development & manufacturing excellence of FieldTurf, the World’s leading manufacturer of artificial sports turf, with the design, construction and project management skills of S&C Slatter has proven to be a winning team.

The results speak for themselves.

So, it’s best of luck to Sutton United who are contesting the National League Play Off Semi-Final, to Harrogate Town AFC in the National League North Play Off Semi-Final, to Slough Town FC in the Evo-Stik Premier Play Off Final and to Haringey Borough FC in the Bostik North Division Play Off Final.

If your club or community is considering a 3G football turf pitch and would like to learn more of the work we did for these and other clients please call the S&C Slatter team on 01635 345210 or email info@sandcslatter.com

As a prelude to the golf, Roedean School very kindly invited everyone to take breakfast at the school, including the opportunity to see their outstanding new range of external sports facilities – constructed by S&C Slatter.

The picturesque setting of ESNC was enhanced by warm, sunny weather and supported by the excellent facilities provided by one of the South’s premier leisure venues. This was all very much appreciated by the guests.

‘It was such an enjoyable occasion and very well organised, meaning the tone of the day was spot on and I hope this will be an annual event.’ Richard Poffley, Roedean School.

‘I was great fun. I know the amount of effort that goes into arranging such an event and it really is much appreciated.’ Paddy Jackman, Ardingly College.

After play, dinner was taken in the Club’s Hunningtons Restaurant and everyone took the opportunity to relax and take in the fabulous views of the Sussex countryside. This was also the occasion to present the competition prizes.

• Best Individual – Michael Robertson Farnborough Hill School.
• Team 1st Place – Nick McRobb ex-Bryanston School, Richard White Prince’s Mead School, Lee Gladwell.
• Team 2nd Place – Richard Poffley Roedean School, Mark Mackenzie Crooks St Helen’s School, David Martin Denstone College.
• Team 3rd Place – Simon Jones Warwick School, Paddy Jackman Ardingly College, Chris Marriott.
• Longest Drive Men – Simon Piggott Oakham School.
• Longest Drive Ladies – Sharon Penn, Withington Girls’ School.
• Nearest the Pin – Mark Mackenzie Crooks St Helen’s School

S&C Slatter is grateful to Richard Poffley, Roedean School, and Mark Suddaby, Millfield School, for their invaluable assistance in preparing the day, and Chris Marriott for co-ordinating team selection, tee timings, scoring and lots more.