Jones Bros features in Earthmovers Magazine for coastal defence scheme11th Jul 2023

Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK’s crucial shoreside improvements have caught the eye of a leading industry publication.

The firm has been appointed by Conwy Borough Council to deliver the £7.5 million Penrhyn Bay marine infrastructure scheme which will reduce beach erosion and minimise the impact of stormy weather and flooding.

Earthmovers Magazine, which focuses on news and developments for construction machinery, highlighted the company’s use of heavy plant to import and place 70,000 tonnes of rock armour for the project.

The feature titled ‘Defending the defences’, saw journalist Paul Argent visit the site to examine the current stage of the works and the machinery used on site, which includes six excavators and 40-tonne capacity dump trucks.

In addition, the piece detailed how the team overcame challenges of working in short blocks of time due to the receding tides only allowing for six-hour shifts.

Describing how excavators with GPS systems can positively impact time efficiency, Paul said: “Accuracy of rock placement is paramount for a job of this type and Jones Bros has been a user of GPS technology for many years.

“Not only does it make the job quicker, but there is also a massive safety benefit in not requiring a surveyor to be clambering over potentially slippery rocks.”

Jones Bros senior contracts manager Dafydd Elis, who was quoted in the piece, said: “It was fantastic to have drawn attention from a leading publication like Earthmovers Magazine to highlight our extensive experience in marine infrastructure schemes.

“The machinery used on the project so far has been integral to locally sourcing large quantities of shingle and rock armour, as well as ensuring we can work to strict timescales.”

Through the use of its heavy-duty trailers, the firm imported rock armour from North Wales quarries, supporting the local economy through procuring materials native to the region.

The onshore coastal defence aspects of the project are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023, with Jones Bros set to have up to 30 staff, including apprentices and trainees, across the entire scheme.

Established in the 1950s, Jones Bros owns one of the largest plant fleets in the UK and employs approximately 500 people.

The company is currently working on contracts in various sectors including highways, flood and marine defence, waste management and renewable energy around the UK.

The company runs an award-winning apprenticeship scheme, which has produced nearly 40 per cent of its current workforce, with many of its senior managers having started out as apprentices or in a trainee role. It has recruited more than 100 apprentices during the past three years.