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New Managing Director at Ideal Lifts Limited

New Managing Director at Ideal Lifts Limited

New Managing Director at Ideal Lifts Limited

Ideal Lifts Limited celebrated their 20th Anniversary this month by announcing that Gary Bright will be stepping down from his role as Managing Director and handing over the reins to current Operations Director, Louise Honey.

Gary will now become the Executive Chairman of Ideal Lifts Limited, and Louise will take over as Managing Director.

Louise joined Ideal Lifts in 2004, not long after Gary started up the business, and was initially there to give a helping hand part-time.  Nearly twenty years later she has progressed through the business, working as Operations Director, since 2013, and is now taking over the management role.

Louise said When I joined Ideal Lifts in January 2004, I had no expectations. It was initially to help Gary with the admin and initiate some systems and procedures for his new business. Never did I imagine that it would lead on to where I am today. Without first having the opportunity I would not have met Gary, so a big thank you goes to Gary’s wife, Alison Bright, for seeing my initial potential. Thereafter, the support, guidance and trust given to me by Gary throughout our time together has certainly shaped the person I have become today.”   

Although Gary and Louise will continue to support each other, the dynamics will change and there shall be a new management structure. David Whorwood, who joined the team in 2007 as Director, shall continue to work collaboratively with Louise and support Ideal Lifts’ journey within the Offsite Construction market with our Passenger Lift & Frame Systems for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).

Last month Ideal Lifts Limited, along with their sister company Ideal Lifts Service Limited relaunched the Brand with new logos and a new website. Gary shall continue as Managing Director for Ideal Lifts Service Limited.

When we sat down with Gary and Louise to reflect on their nearly two-decade journey, Louise started with a funny tale, laughing whilst remembering one of her earlier days in the job, Gary loved (and still does) playing music at work. He had a record player in the bunker [the affectionate name for the first Ideal office] and lots of records which he used to play, quite an eclectic mix! One day he asked me to changeover the record, so I stood in front of the record player looking quite puzzled. Unbeknown to me, you could turnover the record for more tracks! Unsurprisingly, Gary thought this was hilarious. I have learnt many things working with Gary!”

Gary has always been Louise’s go-to, a source of information and experienced expertise offering his technical knowledge and input, which is sure to continue.

All the team at Ideal Lifts are excited for Louise to take up the helm and wish her every success going forward!

New Managing Director at Ideal Lifts Limited
Gary & Louise in the early days of Ideal Lifts Ltd.
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Apartments Existing Building IL4 Structures Timber Construction

Out with the old, in with the new!

Out with the old, in with the new!

Existing building - Church with Timber Frame

Built in 1873, this grade II listed former church building was significantly damaged in 2007. Now redeveloped, retaining the engaging exterior it incorporates an entirely new pre-manufactured internal timber frame structure including apartments, stairs, and lift shaft.  One new build block of apartments was also built to the rear of the building creating an old meets new vista.

Ideal Lifts were asked to provide 3 passenger lifts within our Ideal Lifts Frame System, which is specifically designed for modern methods of construction (MMC) including Timber, Modular, & Light Gauge Steel (LGS) buildings.

The Ideal Lifts Frame System is an innovative stand-alone structure that negates the need for traditional block lift shaft construction. Smarter than traditional construction, its unique design ensures that that only a standard lift shaft is required.

The frame-mounted structure includes for everything required for lift installation, all lifting beams, pit ladder and does not require scaffolding.  The Frame System is designed to accommodate the natural vertical settlement of timber frame construction.

All of the lifts were installed with our Automatic Remote Monitoring (ARM) system, which allows us to monitor and manage the lifts remotely 24/7.

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Ideal Lifts Frame System IL3 Modular School Structures

Modular Flagship SEN School

Modular Flagship SEN School

Flagship SEN School - Ideal Lifts

Ideal Lifts were approached by a specialist education Modular construction company when they needed a lift for a new SEN School in Hastings.

The Special School opened in 2021 in temporary buildings whilst designing and constructing a new purpose-built building.

As this is a Modular school, we installed our unique frame system for OFFSITE construction, removing the need for a conventional masonry lift shaft.  The Ideal Lifts Frame System incorporates lifting beams, pit ladder and removes the need for scaffolding.

There is no need for additional special fabrication or steelwork inserts to be built in.

A much-simplified design reduced the modular manufacturing and design cost, by removing a bespoke shaft.

The core principles of the Ideal Lifts Frame System are ‘Repeatability = Efficiency’

Ideal Lifts were involved from the early design phase, and we specified our IL3 Eco-Drive, motor room-less (MRL) gearless traction drive passenger lift which was ideally suited for this low rise building with moderate use.  With an ever-increasing demand to reduce energy, our IL3 Eco-Drive passenger lifts use 35% less electricity than conventional traction lifts and can achieve two BREEAM credits.  For further information about the IL3 Eco-Drive see our Video.

Ideal Lifts installed our contemporary ‘Essential Car’, with stylish stainless steel landing entrances to compliment the contemporary building finish.

The lift controller was designed to interface with the main building key fob security system to restrict access to authorised persons. A dedicated isolation switch enables the lift to be placed into unrestricted on occasions such as open days.

The existing analogue telephone network will be switched off by 31 December 2025. Therefore, the lift was fitted with our optional Digital Communications Platform (DCP) providing the interface between the lift emergency Autodialler and a mobile telephone network.

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Anti-Vandal Lift Apartments IL4 Light Gauge Steel Masonry Social Housing Structures

A Collection of Vandal-Resistant Quayside Lifts

A Collection of Vandal-Resistant Quayside Lifts

Click on the links above for our Digital Magazines

Ideal Lifts Ltd. were approached by our repeat client, leading housing developer Crest Nicholson, who were working with one of England’s largest affordable housing providers The Guinness Partnership, to provide the lifts on a multi-block project by the historic Gloucester Quays.  The £85m waterfront scheme incorporates over 400 mixed-tenure homes, with a selection of 362 1&2-bed luxury apartments and 49 2&3-bed houses.

The Canalside project required Ideal Lifts Ltd. to install Category 2, BS EN 81-71 Vandal Resistant lifts in all blocks, with robust PEGASUS doors, finished in a durable linen textured stainless steel.

The project was of hybrid construction incorporating both traditional and Light Gauge Steel (LGS) blocks, we therefore installed some of the lifts in our Ideal Lifts Frame System and others using a direct wall-mounted solution.

In the LGS block the lifts were installed in our unique frame system for OFFSITE construction, removing the need for a conventional lift shaft.  The Frame System incorporates lifting beams, pit ladder and removes the need for scaffolding.  There is no need for additional special fabrication or steelwork inserts to be built in delivering a much-simplified repeatable process to the team.

The existing analogue telephone network will be switched off by 31 December 2025. Therefore, all the lifts were fitted with our optional Digital Communications Platform (DCP) providing the interface between the lift emergency Autodialler and a mobile telephone network, along with the additional option of a managed commercial grade SIM card package.

All lifts installed were our IL4 passenger lifts is for larger buildings and busy environments – to carry people higher and faster. Fitted with a premium variable speed motor room-less (MRL) gearless traction drive and can achieve 2 BREEAM credits.

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IL3 Modular School Structures

Modular Low Carbon Pathfinder DfE School

Modular Low Carbon Pathfinder DfE School

MODULAR LOW CARBON PATHFINDER DFE SCHOOL

A modular client of ours knew just where to come when they won the contract to build a new 6,850m2 Department for Education (DfE) pathfinder Low Carbon School in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The end client needed an accessible Part M4(2) lift for their new 3 storey building.

A key challenge was to reduce both carbon emissions and operational energy use. We therefore specified our IL3E Eco-Drive energy efficient passenger lift. The completed project achieved a 50% reduction in energy demand of the operational energy use and a 73% reduction in carbon emissions.

IL3 Eco-Drive, motor room-less (MRL) gearless traction drive passenger lift was ideally suited for this low rise building with moderate use. With an ever-increasing demand to reduce energy, our IL3 Eco-Drive passenger lifts use 35% less electricity than conventional traction lifts and can achieve two BREEAM credits. For more information about the IL3 Eco-Drive see our Video.

To compliment the stylish School design our ‘Essential Car’ was installed with durable powder coated RAL7032 Landing entrances.

As this is a Modular school, we installed our unique frame system for OFFSITE construction, removing the need for a conventional lift shaft. The Frame System incorporates lifting beams, pit ladder and removes the need for scaffolding. There is no need for additional special fabrication or steelwork inserts to be built in delivering a much-simplified repeatable process to the team.

The lift controller was designed to interface with the main building key fob security system to restrict access to authorised persons. A dedicated isolation switch enables the lift to be placed into unrestricted on occasions such as open days.

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Apartments IL3 Social Housing Structures Timber Construction

The Shed/Y Sied just got bigger

The Shed/Y Sied just got bigger

Building

Showcasing our latest double lift installation, benefitting the residents of social housing provider Pobl in Newport, South Wales.

The apartments were constructed in timber frame which meant that the Ideal Frame System was specified to facilitate natural vertical timber movement.

Ideal lifts installed two of our increasingly popular, energy efficient IL3E Eco-Drive passenger lifts into this later living development.

The Ideal Eco-Drive passenger lift uses 35% less electricity than conventional traction lifts and can achieve two BREEAM credits. A fully compliant EN81-71, Category 1, Vandal Resistant lift is also available in this model.

During the construction of these stunning apartments, which incorporated solar panels and green roofs, the local community ‘adopted’ an old site office as a small meeting place which was known locally as The Shed/Y Sied, but unfortunately this was lost to make way for the new development.

When building names were suggested for the new development, the local community were vocal with the opinion that only one name was possible, ‘THE SHED/Y SIED’. This new bigger community hub now forms a vital part of this later living complex.

One of the passenger lifts is cleverly designed as a through-car to give access to the rear sloping gardens for the residents.

The lifts were also fitted with our Automatic Remote Monitoring (ARM) System. Our advanced 24/7 ARM system provides building owners, managers and users additional confidence and peace of mind. The ARM allows the lift to be monitored remotely enabling diagnoses, and on a number of tasks rectifying, without the need for site visits.

The award-winning site manager for this scheme, Matthew Hall, from J.G. Hale Construction had this to say about the lifts.

“WITH THE END OF THE DEVELOPMENT VERY NEAR, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER FAULTLESS LEVEL OF SERVICE YET AGAIN. IDEAL LIFTS HAVE WORKED YOURSELF TO THE TOP OF THE LADDER TO BE ON THE LIST OF OUR A* PERFORMERS.

FROM QUOTATION TO COMMISSION, YOU MAKE EVERYTHING EASY FOR YOUR CUSTOMER. COMMUNICATION IS ON POINT AND THE END PRODUCT IS THE BEST I HAVE SEEN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ANOTHER COMPLETED DEVELOPMENT, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THE NEXT.”

Ideal Lifts Director, David Whorwood said “This development is one of the most impressive I’ve seen in a long time. It was great to tour the completed site and see the contribution our lifts have made to this important new building.”

Our history with Housing Associations is long, varied and successful.
Ideal Lifts understand the importance of long term maintenance and the role of using components from established suppliers. We are able to provide an “enhanced package lift” which meets the Housing Associations exact specification.

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Evacuation Lift IL3 School Structures Timber Construction

New Timber SEND School – Evacuation Lift

New Timber SEND School – Evacuation Lift

BS9999 Evacuation Control Lifts Panel

A repeat client of ours knew just where to come when they won the contract to build a new Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND) school in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The end client needed an accessible lift for their new 2-storey building which contained 10 different learning spaces including a food technology room and art room.

This state-of-the-art school required a passenger lift with BS9999 Evacuation Control. This allows the lift to be used to evacuate disabled students in the event of a fire.

Designed to meet the specific needs of pupils with profound, severe, and complex special educational needs (PSCN) at this SEN School, our energy efficient IL3 Eco-Drive lift was installed in our unique frame system for MMC, removing the need for a conventional lift shaft. Also included in the specification were larger landing colour LCD displays to aide those with visual impairments.

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Structures Timber Construction

Tough Lifts In Timber Frame Construction

Tough Lifts In Timber Frame Construction

Building

This £12.5m Local Authority redevelopment of a former brownfield site provides a mixed-tenure development that will offer homes for affordable rent, shared ownership, and private sale.

There were 2 key deciding factors with the selection of Ideal lifts.  The first being the building was Timber Frame with Ideal Lifts the market leader installing lifts into this method of construction.   Being a repeat client of ours experienced with the Ideal Lifts Frame System , the contractor recognized the construction problems and issues with masonry lift shafts within timber buildings and adopted an MMC solution throughout.

The second deciding factor was the need for fully compliant Vandal Resistant, BS EN 81-71 (Category 1) lifts. The Local Authority housing required a robust solution, which was fully achieved on this project.  For more information on BS EN 81-71 Vandal Resistant lifts see our Guide.

Ideal Lifts installed two frame-mounted, 8 -person passenger lifts within the 4-storey apartment blocks, finished with our stylish Satin Stainless-Steel lift cars and landing entrances.

This lift was also fitted with our Automatic Remote Monitoring (ARM) System.  Our advanced 24/7 ARM system provides building owners, managers and users additional confidence and peace of mind.  The ARM system allows the lift to be monitored remotely which enables the service company to diagnose and resolve issues without having to visit site, resulting in improved response times for faults and reduced lift downtimes by knowing which replacement part is needed before we even attend site.

The development, split across two separate sites, will greatly boost essential housing provision with new homes. The 1st site provided 29 apartments, whilst the 2nd site provides 9 townhouses to the rear of the site and 24 apartments at the front.

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