News

Late last year I found a useful website when I was googling the correct expansion of a construction acronym. I made a note of it for future reference after having a quick look at its dictionary of construction terms and common construction slang. A...

When we talk about equipment for general construction the answer is almost always rent. Unlike the chorus of the Clash song “Should I stay or should I go…” where the answer for going is trouble and staying is double (trouble), renting the right...

The nights are drawing in, it is therefore important that adequate lighting is provided to ensure the health and safety of all employees, visitors and passersby on all construction sites. It is important that every part of a construction site –...

  The theme for this is ‘Mental Health is a Universal Human Right’. The aim is to enhance understanding, generate awareness, and encourage efforts that support and safeguard the mental health of every individual as a fundamental human right,...

Reducing the carbon footprint of a building through construction involves adopting sustainable practices and choosing to make environmentally conscious decisions throughout the construction process. Here are some strategies to help minimise the...

How can we be better at sustainability in construction? It always starts with a good plan. According to the World Green Building Council, buildings are currently responsible for 39% of global energy related carbon emissions: 28% from operational...

The use of architectural models in construction dates back thousands of years and has played a crucial role in the development and communication of building designs, particularly to investors and patrons who have always wanted to see what they are...

What led you to where you are today? I studied mechanical engineering in South Africa from 2002 to 2006 and then worked for a family business for thirteen years as a design engineer & Project Manager. The business portfolio was focused on...

Sophisticated fire protection systems are generally installed in completed food manufacturing facilities, but what about while they are under construction where there is arguably a significant risk? As part of DDK’s Intelligent Construction...

An Association of Project Managers study in 2018, found UK weather extends construction project durations by an average of 21%. So what can you do about it? Sitting in the UK looking out at the rain and wondering where our summer went, it is hard...

When I first started working on construction sites some years ago, the primary method of recording site details, snags or safety observations was a pencil and paper, which then had to be written up upon return to the site office. This always struck...

Generally, roof spaces in food manufacturing facilities are not given much thought. At DDK, we consider them to be an additional process area that is critical to the building’s operation. This unique approach means that we ensure there is full head...

  What led you to where you are today? I left school at 16 and undertook a Business Administration NVQ while working nights at a wholesale market and then went into warehouse operations. I joined a company called Shaftec as a picker and packer...

Any golfer who gets the chance to practice on a quiet course by dropping a second ball and repeating a shot will notice it is usually better, much better than the first attempt. You end up wishing you could always hit that second shot as your...

Interest in sustainability projects in the Food Manufacturing sector has been on the up in the past 5 years and particularly following the recent spike in power and energy costs in 2022. (Source - UK Gov Dept of Energy Security and Net Zero)  ...

When aiming to reduce the capital costs of construction projects in manufacturing, there are two key strategies you should consider implementing. Strategy 1 – Optimise the area Efficient Design – Build Less (m2): Optimize the layout and design of...

Funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, designed and run by spacefund.co.uk and supported by Girlguiding Kent East, the STEM Hub SE and DDK, Space Engineers aims to inspire and educate girls with Engineering, Space and STEM (Science,...

Okay, so this is just a bit of fun, but in looking at why Vietnamese Street Food is so good I wondered if there was anything we could learn about Food Factory Construction.   I travelled to Vietnam recently and made a point of sampling the...

If you want an accelerated learning experience, simply try doing something completely new. We were interested in how we could guarantee the final delivered quality of a highly regulated facility by stretching the work done on the supply-side as...

A construction project is made up of a series of complex interrelated tasks, these are often mini projects in their own right. Typically, the initial project schedule is a first attempt of many to estimate the total time it will take to complete...

Food manufacturing automation has been rapidly advancing in recent years. These advancements continually update, some of the more recent include more complex and/or flexible robotic applications (primarily through robot gripper technology...

One of the challenges faced by many of our clients is how to manage a large portfolio of small, discrete capex projects all of which take time and resource to manage. We have found a solution to this challenge by rolling up all of these projects...

When Samsung decided to enter the Biopharmaceutical sector as a CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation), they established Samsung Biologics and set out to build a Biologics manufacturing facility in half the time that anyone else...

Industrial fit out is a term that most often refers to the transformation of an empty commercial building into a space ready for operations – whether that is warehousing and offices or a combined office, warehouse and manufacturing (or specialist...

What led you to where you are today? I moved over with my immediate family in my late teens from South Africa, back in 2006. I studied for my A-Levels alongside doing GCSE’s when I first arrived then transitioned to a 5-year part time BSc Hons...

Invented sustainable concrete, that’s what   It’s the Monty Python sketch that just keeps on giving. A paper published in January 2023 in Science Advances (Vol 9, issue 1) made headlines at the start of the year. The study suggests a reason...

By guest blogger Wayne Redford, Senior Project Management Consultant to the Food Industry   There have been some attention-grabbing headlines recently with food manufacturers facing significant fines for safety breaches.  Clearly this is not...

It cannot have escaped most people’s attention that we are in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis that is predicted to go on for some time. As consumers reduce their spending or switch to cheaper options, manufacturers are seeing their bottom lines...

Cloud-based technology facilitates revolutionary approach to construction management   DDK has heavily invested in the design and development of a bespoke software solution that distils decades of project management experience into a...

The current cold snap across the UK is being keenly felt on construction sites. In a guest article by DDK’s safety consultant Peter Bean, here are some top tips for Winter Wellbeing.     Construction sites can be hazardous places at the...

In the second of our two-part series on unfamiliar projects, we look at some key processes and techniques to focus on when the size of your project moves rapidly towards large scale and you are asked to build your first big and complex facility....

In every Project Engineer’s life, there comes a time when you are asked to deliver a project that stretches conventional boundaries and sits uncomfortably beyond known experience. It could be of larger or smaller scale where conventional solutions...

  What led you to where you are today? I left school early as I wasn’t a very good student and studied bench joinery at college where I earned an apprenticeship at 14, obtaining my NVQ level 3. After 4+ years as a shopfitter, I went to serve...

What’s new in BRCGS version 9 relating to Building and Equipment? By guest blogger Jerry Hunter (J Hunter Technical Services Ltd) While the latest update of the British Retail Consortium’s Global Standards BRCGS doesn’t have any major changes from...

Fundamental errors One error that is surprisingly common is building unnecessarily. Ask yourself a few fundamental questions: Is this the right project? Do you actually need this project? Are you building the right size and capacity or is it too...

With many businesses looking to postpone or rethink capex investment in the current challenging economic climate, the time is right for some strategic introspection. Taking a step back to look at the business holistically, identifying strengths and...

Many food manufacturers do not have standard specifications for their production facilities, and using different design consultants, contractors and suppliers can lead to vastly different quality standards across factories owned by the same...

DDK’s integrated project delivery model, Define Deliver Sustain, coupled with our breadth and depth of industry experience and expertise, provides a comprehensive and adaptable structure to deliver clients’ capital project requirements. While...

What led you to where you are today? Following a military career in the Army and with a background and passion for architectural joinery and a love of sailing, I became a professional builder and captain of superyachts for the most exclusive of...

How much attention do you pay to the market price of commodities? If you’re involved in managing capex projects, then you should definitely be following the macroeconomic trends. Each industry has characteristic costs for each type of facility and...

The answer would appear to be…sort of?   When the Food Safety Act was enacted in 1991, a large amount of responsibility was put on to the shoulders of food manufacturers and retailers and specifically their boards of directors. This led to a...

When building a new food production facility, there are many factors to consider, with site selection at the top of the list. Here are some top tips to bear in mind that will have a direct impact on the success of your new facility. 1. Geographical...

It is striking how quickly the world can change. A mere 12 months ago the food industry was optimistic about growth and the government was incentivising the building of new production facilities. Throw in a couple of black swan events like the war...

It is no secret that the food manufacturing sector is facing significant challenges in attracting and retaining staff, both skilled and unskilled. While industry organisations like the Food and Drink Federation are working with government bodies to...

The hunt is on for the UK’s best food and drink processor, with the launch of the leading competition in the sector. The Food Manufacture Excellence Awards recognise excellence across the UK food and drink manufacturing industry. They shine a light...

DDK has successfully completed a detailed audit process through SafeContractor and has been accredited by the organisation as a principal contractor.   SafeContractor is an independent association, part of Alcumus, and has been supporting...

DDK has entered into a strategic partnership with AIM Recruitment, a specialist supplier of interim and executive managers to the food industry, that truly understands the complexities of food manufacturing. The challenge many businesses face when...

I’m often asked my opinion on whether it is better for food manufacturers to buy or lease production space. As with most things in life, the answer isn’t black and white. For smaller manufacturers with a small capacity requirement and no...