NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 6 SUMMER 2020 INDUSTRY RECOGNISES A&P AS BEST IN PRACTICE DURING COVID-19 A&P Defence has been praised for It is A&P Group’s strict programme of the risk of the virus entering our facilities its role in preparing RFA Argus Covid-19 measures that has made it and minimise disruption to vessels as and RFA Lyme Bay for urgent possible to continue essential ship repair they arrive at our sites. Customers can and maintenance work for the MoD, be assured that they face minimum deployment, as part of the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Seaborne disruption when visiting our facilities as Government’s Covid-19 asset community during the pandemic. we’ve found effective ways to safeguard pandemic response. Throughout this period A&P Group our workforce and customers whilst has provided critical support to continuing to deliver essential projects.” Based at A&P Falmouth, A&P Defence RFA Mounts Bay. supported RFA Argus during an extended A&P’s Covid-19 Response Assisted Maintenance Period (AMP) A&P Tyne has also installed cable repair • Full contingency plans in place equipment to Prysmian’s North Sea Giant, earlier this year. RFA Lyme Bay was due across all three facilities. for scheduled maintenance at A&P which was essential to the safe and Falmouth in March, however the vessel continuous power supply to the • Enhanced cleaning & hygiene activities. was diverted to a Ministry of Defence National Grid. • Supply of appropriate PPE. facility to fully store for operations. A&P David McGinley, Chief Executive Officer • Enforced social distancing measures. provided remote engineering support of Cammell Laird Ship Repairers and • Daily directors’ safety tours. for RFA Lyme Bay until Covid-19 travel Shipbuilders and Atlantic & Peninsula • Implementation of customer, sub- restrictions made it necessary for the Marine Services, said: “Our rigorous risk vessel to move to Falmouth for better contractor and contractor Covid-19 assessments, pre-planning and ongoing risk assessments. access to A&P’s labour and communication with customers and engineering support. ships’ staff have ensured we can limit Captain T Edwards, of the RFA Afloat Support Team, said: “The resilience that has been put into both ships now enables them to be deployed in areas where support may not be easily obtained for some considerable time. RFA Lyme Bay is a prime example of how the workforce at A&P Falmouth is able to react, at very short notice in order to meet potential emerging defence tasking.” Gerald Pitts, Managing Director of A&P Defence, said: “It’s a privilege to have our work commended during such challenging times and to know that we’ve helped the RFA in its pandemic response.” Spotlight on the North East… Update on A&P Australia… A&P secures ROSPA Gold Award... 01 A WELCOME NOTE FROM DAVID MCGINLEY 2020 has been like no other, yet and letters of praise we have received, despite the adversity of Covid-19 the new appointments we have made, and its restrictions, it is proving the community projects we’re supporting to be a year of resilience. We’ve and the plans for growth we have set seen extraordinary resolve and in motion. determination across the nation The rest of the year will not be without as individuals, communities and its challenges, but we will continue businesses have adapted quickly to develop our reputation as a centre to the changing landscape. of engineering excellence and keep Within A&P Group we are proud of delivering collaboration, agility, certainty the resilience we have seen. Our teams and service innovation to our clients. have adapted quickly to working under We hope you enjoy finding out more stringent Covid-19 guidelines so that we about our work in the field of global ship can continue our critical work for the repair, conversion and fabrication in this MoD. Our huge investment in HSEQ over issue, and we wish you, your families the last 18 months has certainly held us and your businesses good health. in good stead here - not just regarding Covid-19 - but in ensuring we always put our people first and continue to meet the exacting standards we exemplify. David McGinley Chief Executive Officer of Consequently, this issue of Excel is Cammell Laird Ship Repairers a celebration of all that the group and Shipbuilders and Atlantic has achieved during the last six very & Peninsula Marine Services. challenging months. We share news of our project successes, the accreditations ROSPA AWARD RECOGNISES HIGHEST STANDARDS A&P Group has been recognised and wellbeing of our staff, customers has been using Achilles’ proven supplier as a world-leader in health and and sub-contractors. We are delighted pre-qualification system to manage risk safety practice. to have our efforts and commitment within the supply chain and comply with EU regulations. THE RoSPA Commended in the recognised by RoSPA, particularly as we Engineering Services Sector Health and competed in the highly competitive and Kevin Peart added: “We are proud to Safety Award recognises A&P Group’s broad engineering category.” maintain our 100% pass rate from last year. It shows A&P Group is maintaining high health and safety standards and its A&P Group’s ongoing commitment to work to ensure staff, clients and supply the very high standards set by Achilles’ HSEQ is also exemplified with its recent chain go home safely at the end of qualified assessors.” 100% success at its Achilles UVDB Verify every working day. B2 audit for A&P Falmouth. Since securing The award highlights the success of A&P the accreditation in 2019, A&P Group Group’s Work Safe, Home Safe (WSHS) campaign, which was launched in 2018 and outlines the four core values that underpin A&P Group’s safety culture. Kevin Peart, A&P Group’s HSEQ Director said: “This highly coveted award win is testament to the commitment we have placed on protecting the safety 02 APPRENTICE RECRUITMENT DRIVE UNDERWAY The search is on for a new cohort our Falmouth facility started out as of engineering apprentices to apprentices themselves, which shows join A&P Falmouth. just what is possible with the right opportunity, training, and support. With apprenticeships available in Apprenticeships are the lifeblood of a electrical engineering, marine and business like ours and we take nurturing mechanical engineering, machining and the next generation of talent as both fabrication and welding steel and pipe, a responsibility and a privilege.” the new apprentices will be able to earn Since A&P Group launched its as they learn, thanks to a partnership apprenticeship programme in 2008, more between A&P Falmouth and than 100 apprentices have started careers Cornwall College. in engineering, welding, procurement, Paul Kneebone, HR & Development finance and health and safety. Manager at A&P Falmouth, said: “Our A&P Group apprenticeships are open to apprentices work on high profile vessels anyone over 16 years of age. To find out and projects from day one and learn more email [email protected] their craft from time-served professionals in their respective fields. Most of our A&P Tyne will also be welcoming its next apprentices go straight into full-time intake of apprentices later this year. employment and many have progressed The new trainees will embark on Level 3 their careers with A&P Group as well Apprenticeships in welding, plating as gained further qualifications. and as maintenance fitters. “In fact, 70% of the management, supervisors and technical staff at NEW RECRUITS JOIN A&P IN COMMERCIAL ROLES Mark Ellis has been appointed we have focused on expanding our as the new Commercial Director footprint in the renewables sector and for A&P North East and Andrea creating a dedicated fabrication division Sabbion has joined A&P Falmouth to leverage the breadth of our as Business Development facilities and resources. Director. “Mark’s experience in both of these areas Mark joins A&P North East after 10 years will have tremendous value to us and we Mark Ellis, Commercial Director with the Heerema Fabrication Group expect him to play a significant role in where he was the Cost and Contracts A&P’s continued success.” Manager. Whilst at Heerema, Mark also In Andrea’s new role, he is responsible worked on the Cygnus Project, thought for showcasing the company’s capabilities to be the largest gas find in the southern globally, developing A&P Falmouth’s North Sea for 25 years. Mark has also marine portfolio and securing additional been involved with construction of the maintenance, repair and conversion central hub for the Galloper Offshore projects with both local and Wind Farm. international clients. Mark is now responsible for continuing Andrea was previously Group Sales A&P’s commitment to best practice across Manager for Palumbo Shipyards in the estimating and commercial teams, Monaca. Prior to that, he managed evaluating commercial and contractual the ship repair, towage and salvage risks and pursuing new business. desk at Italy’s main brokerage house, Banchero Costa. David McGinley, Chief Executive Officer of Cammell Laird Ship Repairers and Shipbuilders and Atlantic & Peninsula Marine Services, said “Over the last year Andrea Sabbion, Business Development Director 03 of the ferry, such as the engine room FALMOUTH’S FIVE YEAR and accommodation spaces. Despite the challenges, A&P Falmouth adapted the project schedule to REFIT FOR LYNHER II the shipowner’s satisfaction. Torpoint Ferry, Lynher II Lynher II’s refit included a major overhaul underwent its five-year refit at of the ramps at each end of the ferry, a A&P Falmouth despite the testing major upgrade of its CCTV and IT system, conditions and restrictions extensive engine room works, removal associated with Covid-19.