Global-MSI recently completed the installation of a large non-forecourt canopy for Contego Packaging in Leeds. Measuring over 600 sq. m. this flat top, this ‘single skin’ canopy is supported on only four main columns to provide as much ‘uninterrupted’ space beneath as possible. The canopy that was installed over a two week period in April, and now provides the Customer with a large covered area extension adjacent to its’ existing premises. The canopy features 1.2m deep steel ‘lattice’ type fascias covered on the outside face with profiled vertical cladding in blue to compliment the sites existing colour scheme.

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Attached is an article written by Martin Steggles, Managing Director of Global-MSI in which he discusses this and the history of the Petrol Station

The article was originally published in the March APEA magazine.

Petrol Station History by Martin Steggles

For those planning to alter or refurbish petrol stations, Global-MSI offers major advantages over others that offer a similar service. Whether the proposed work involves accident damage repair, raising the canopy height, removing the ‘link’ to the sales building, an extension, re-imaging or simply replacing weathered parts, Global-MSI is the contractor of choice for many of the industries leading Customers.

Global-MSI maintains the most comprehensive reference library of original drawings and structural calculations for thousands of operational petrol filling stations across the UK. Accessibility to this unique resource enables a prompt response, providing instant specification definition all in accordance with local regulations when structures on active stations require modification or repair, minimizing downtime, disruption and eliminating expensive intrusive site surveys and multiple site visits.

Not only does Global-MSI have the most comprehensive historical records, anywhere in the UK, the Company also has a highly competent, directly employed team of Surveyors, Structural Engineers, CAD Draughtsmen, Health & Safety Manager, Site Engineers and Contracts Managers that ensure projects are executed in a professional, safe manner, with the absolute minimum of disruption to the operation of the service station.

When considering raising the height of canopy for example, two factors need to be considered initially. Firstly, are the columns of sufficient section size and wall thickness to support the additional loads imposed by the raised condition? Secondly are the foundations of adequate size to support the raised condition? The local councils Building Control Officer may require structural calculations in support of the proposed work. Global-MSI can supply this service, because it is likely to have access to the original canopy details and has 3 structural engineers that are qualified to provide the calculations. Without the combination of this professional support and historical knowledge, other companies will have difficulty satisfying local building regulations. Global-MSI has recently been called out to report on a canopy, originally supplied by Global Canopies Limited, but raised by another. Excessive movement in windy conditions and cracking around the pump islands indicate a lack of consideration given to the above points, that will now require expensive remedial action.

Global-MSI has become increasingly concerned over the standard of canopy repair and maintenance work carried out by companies that have little knowledge of the original canopy design, have no access to the suppliers of original material and do not have professionally qualified engineers to carry out structural calculations in support of alterations. The standard of installation uncovered by Global-MSI’s site engineers during routine maintenance, is of similar concern and indicates a lack of training and experience. Global-MSI has evidence gathered over several years that show numerous examples of sub standard design or workmanship, and on one occasion felt compelled through a duty of care to advise the station operator to close until suitable repair work had been affected. Examples include structural members supplied in several short lengths replacing one original continuous length, secondary steelwork that has failed under loading, structural elements replaced with members that have a lower capacity, gutter sections replaced with insufficient connection to structural members (in some cases wedged into position with timber), electrical cabling damaged through canopy maintenance, rubberized gutter liners concealing badly corroded gutters and so on.

To avoid the potential pitfalls outlined above, we would strongly recommend any Customer that intends carrying out any form of structural alteration or maintenance to their petrol station canopy, to contact Global-MSI. We will provide a competitive quotation and Customers can proceed with full confidence knowing that the original canopy design intent will be fully respected, the correct materials will be used and the project will be managed competently by Global-MSI’s professional team.

For further information please contact:

For many years Global-MSI has offered a refurbishment and alteration service of existing forecourt canopies.  There was often a requirement to raise to raise the height of canopies to allow HGV vehicles to refuel beneath, and to avoid damage caused by contact from high-sides vehicles.

Current safety best practice has rendered traditional methods of raising forecourt canopies, obsolete. Nowadays, best practice dictates a requirement that no person should enter the area under a suspended load at any time. Stricter safety requirements forced a step-change from traditional methods with Engineers inserting new column sections whilst the crane was suspended from mobile cranes above them. Global-MSI understood that the standard method of raising canopies involved unacceptable risk to the engineers carrying out the task, and as a result, has completely re-designed the method.

At the Shell petrol station at Swansea Bay, Global-MSI recently trialed the new method of raising canopies by utilizing the canopy structure to place the column insert onto the columns and then positioning the canopy onto the column inserts at the new height. This new system completely eradicated the requirement for operatives to enter the area beneath the suspended canopy. The trial was a complete success and the method will be implemented on all future, similar projects.

For further information please contact:

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In February 2012 Global-MSI completed the latest KDRB site (Knock down & re-build), in Upper Norwood, South-East London.

The development posed unique challenges that were overcome to produce a very pleasing standard of finish to the forecourt canopy and sales building. The site was triangular in shape and small, so close coordination with other trades was a key requirement. In addition, the site was on a very busy main road and had a bus stop outside; so careful planning of deliveries was a prerequisite.

Although relatively small, the canopy was a 2-island ‘speedgate’ layout with materials and roofsheets installed with the canopy at ground level (to avoid the need to work at height), before being lifted onto the columns using one large mobile crane.

The sales building was supplied complete with steel frame, Kingspan insulated roof panels, shopfront with automatic doors, personnel access doors, and internal wall panels & doors. However what made this particular project different from the other Global-MSI sales building for Shell was the use of Kingspan’s Render Panel for the external walls, that is prefinished to give the visual appearance of a plaster render.

Gypsy Hill Canopy & Shop

Gypsy Hill Canopy & Shop London

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Gypsy Hill Canopy & Shop London

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Gypsy Hill Canopy & Shop London

Gypsy Hill Canopy & Shop

Gypsy Hill Canopy & Shop London

Gypsy Hill Canopy & Shop

Gypsy Hill Canopy & Shop London

Global-MSI recognises the risks associated with engineers accessing the top of delivery vehicles and offloading steelwork and cladding on construction sites.

With varying degrees of success Global-MSI trialled several proprietary offloading systems and ‘in-house’ methods, and whilst these provided a safer system of work, none fully satisfied the requirement of eliminating working at height and simultaneously reducing safety exposure hours. With encouragement from Mark Day and the team at Artelia UK, Global-MSI developed a method of loading and offloading materials onto delivery vehicles without the need to work at height. The attached movie clip shows the successful trial at the Artelia site at Shell Swansea Bay.

The system consists of two identical frames fabricated from structural steel, with frames delivered to site one on top of the other. The stillages have lifting shackles and chains already fitted to the outside of the frame so that when on site, chains can be visually inspected before use.

On site, the crane chains are manoeuvred into place and connected and secured to the stillage by operatives at ground level. With chains in place, stillages are lifted from the delivery vehicle by mobile crane whilst two engineers guide the frames precisely into position using tag-lines pre-fitted during manufacture. Once at ground level materials can be removed by operatives working at ground level.

Stillages have been proof load tested to all relevant national standards.

With this method, Global-MSI has eliminated working at height during the offloading process and by so doing has once again demonstrated its’ position as market leader throughout the European forecourt structures industry.

Global-MSI encourages other contractors to follow its’ lead, and assess their offloading techniques to ensure this ‘best practice’ extends throughout the forecourt industry.

For further information, please contact:

Martin Steggles MCIOB
Global-MSI plc
Email: martin@global-msi.com

In February 2012 Global-MSI supplied and installed the Shell canopy at Petts Wood, Orpington, complete with the Shell RVIe Level 1 ‘Teardrop’ shaped yellow fascia image and the illuminated red bar support arrangement. Other canopy elevations received the RVIe Level 3 twin-colour design.

Following successful trials witnessed by Shell and Artelia staff in Global-MSI’s superb modern manufacturing facility in Doncaster and on a trial site in Krakow, Poland, the site at Petts Wood is the first UK canopy to receive this latest innovation from Global-MSI.

As well as being very competitively priced, the supply of Shell’s image fascias by Global-MSI has several major benefits. Firstly, the canopy fascia design has been upgraded. Rather than an open fascia arrangement, the Petts Wood canopy was supplied with closed fascias that will ensure complete weathertightness between ‘signs’ and canopy.

However the most significant advantage was the speed of installation. The image signs were installed in just one day and this was achieved within the programme allowance for the canopy itself. A time of saving of 2 days resulted.

All fascias and teardrop image signs were fitted at ground level with no working at height required at all. Once these were fitted, the whole canopy was lifted onto the previously installed columns using two mobile cranes. Together with the shorter programme duration, this represents a significant reduction in safety exposure hours and risk. In these times of ‘Goal Zero’ in terms of accidents and safety incidents, this is a major step forward.

Global-MSI’s solution contains a design feature specifically requested by Shell at design stage. The top flange of the teardrop is angled back in toward the canopy fascia to prevent water streaking on the ‘Teardrop’ surface. Rainwater can pass down the face of the closed fascia without staining the image sign.

Supplied together with the canopy materials without the need for additional transport & storage costs, the Global-MSI system avoids the problems that can arise when importing goods.  One might also consider it to be an advantage in these difficult times, that the system offered by Global-MSI is a UK design innovation that uses manufacturing skill and labour resources from the home market.

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Thank you too all who attended our stand at the at the FFE – See you next year.

Forecourt and Fuel Equipment Show 2012

Global-MSI will be exhibiting at the Forecourt and Fuel Equipment Show 2012 so please come along and join us at Stand F19, Hall 8 of the Birmingham NEC from the 25th – 27th March 2012

More information on the show can be found at the FFE website http://www.nationalconvenienceshow.co.uk/ffs/

Global-MSI would like to congratulate Colette Sellers – Health, Safety & Environmental Manager on winning the APEA Personal Contribution Award

” As a safety professional for 15 years, I was delighted to accept this award not only for mself, but for all the team at Global-MSI.  My personal contribution would not be possible without the support of them. From the Managing Director to the Site Operatives, Clients and Partners, everyone embraces Health and Safety, which makes my job much easier.  The team at Global-MSI has a wealth of experience in the field of forecourt structures, and the technical knowledge and flair for innovation has really enhanced the progression in Health & Safety. While I have always been committed to an incident free environment, I feel my biggest achievement is carrying the whole team with me on this journey.”

APEA 2011 - Personal Contribution to the Industry Award

Martin Steggles Global-MSI Managing Director & Colette Sellers Health, Safety & Environmental Manager accept the Business Initiative Award at the prestigious APEA UK Petroleum Industry Awards held at the Ricoh Arena on 23rd November 2011.

“Winning the award for Business Initiative has cemented Global-MSI’s reputation as an innovative, proactive and safety conscious Company. I was delighted to accept the award on behalf of all Global-MSI staff, who constantly strive to improve our procedures and maintain our profile as the leading supplier of Forecourt Structures”.

Global-MSI - APEA Business Initiative Award Winners