The Agri-Tech Innovation Hub at Harper Adams University in Shropshire leads the way in agricultural technology – namely, the use of technology in agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture to improve yield, efficiency and profitability.
With figures from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs forecasting that the world population could reach 9.7 billion by 2050, changes to agriculture are vital to ensure everyone has enough food – and Harper Adams – with its expertise and facilities – is at the forefront of researching the new technologies that will expand food production sustainably.
The university is a centre of excellence, and we are proud of our ongoing work with them to support the external maintenance of their buildings.
Provision of a one-off deep clean
Our client at Harper Adams asked us to provide a quote for a one-off project cleaning the Agri-Tech building – our existing ongoing contract is for cleaning the exterior windows at the other buildings on campus – so a site visit was promptly arranged to ascertain our client’s exact requirements.
We noted certain tricky areas of the building had not been cleaned or maintained for some time, causing algae to build up on the external façade. The internal glazing on the atrium had been neglected too, making the windows look dirty despite them being cleaned on the outside regularly. The building’s steelwork was covered in a very thick, visible layer of dust and the warehouse, being a working environment with agricultural equipment running over the floor, was in need of a deep clean.
Implementing a tailored solution
We delivered a detailed quotation – specifying the areas that needed cleaning and the cleaning methods required – and we were given the go-ahead.
For the internal atrium work – cleaning the glass, frames, and steel – we used a scaffold tower; for the roadside windowsills we used a water-fed pole (and two operatives); for the high-level meeting room glazing, we used a footed ladder. For all of these, we used the 30 years’ experience of window cleaning that is at the heart of our business. Our broad experience in cleaning all types of buildings across the UK – from city centre hotels to architectural glass-fronted landmarks – makes us well-qualified to tackle the most challenging of buildings and the most challenging of jobs.
For the staircase, steel beams, cross beams, girders, and shutters, we used more height-work and the high-level vacuum-cleaning SpaceVac system, which provides an efficient method of cleaning up to 20m in height from the safety of the ground floor.
To deep clean the warehouse and remove the dust and debris that had built up, we utilised the deep-cleaning services we employ for industrial sites such as new building developments and block management locations – and public spaces such as bus shelters and stations. Using the latest machinery and equipment all of our specialist cleaning is undertaken by IS09001-compliant operators.
To tackle the green algae on the low-level cladding and the tops of the building’s revolving doors, we removed it, cleaned it, and then treated it with professional-grade biocide cleaner to stop the algae growing back.
From employing a scaffold tower to dusting beams to eliminating algae, solving cleaning problems – no matter how specialist – is what we do.
Due to meticulous planning and a full team brief before work started, our operatives were able to complete the project ahead of schedule — so they cleaned the entire building’s external glazing at no additional cost to the client. This wasn’t part of the original quotation, but we are always keen to provide an excellent service and we knew that it would enhance the end result.
Going the extra mile to deliver a great result
After the project was finished, Les Hurdiss, Operations Manager at the Agri-Tech Innovation Hub, gave us his feedback: ‘I’m very pleased indeed with the works completed. [We have had] several compliments received — especially for the atrium area. Thank you. Please pass on my thanks to the operatives [who were] focused, polite and helpful — [and] who I hope enjoyed working with us at the hub.’
With the works going so well, the client requested the one-off clean now be quoted for on a contractual basis. We’re thrilled to show that using a combination of accurate quoting, great service and polite trained staff, stand-alone jobs can develop growth within the business and further develop already established partnerships.
Here are ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos of the Hub — showing how thorough and professional the job was.
Before:
After:
For more details on this or other projects, please contact Tudor Group Operations Manager Jamie Farrell.
