Sheet piling specialist wins Scottish flood defence contract

By Catapult PR

26 Jul 2021

Website
img_6168.jpg

Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd is handling work on a high six-figure contract to install steel sheet piles as part of the defences within a major Scottish flood defence project, for which £14m of its £18m cost is being covered by the Scottish Government.  

Sheet Piling UK started work on the Upper Garnock flood prevention scheme, in North Ayrshire, Scotland, on May 17 2021, this being part of a project that will help Scotland tackle the impacts of climate change and target green, post-pandemic recovery.  

Sheet piling crews will be working until early October on a project run by main contractor, McLaughlin & Harvey, which aims to reduce the flood risk to properties in Kilbirnie, Glengarnock and Dalvy.  

The flood prevention works are in an area prone to flooding and which suffered greatly in 2008, when many properties in Kilbirnie were affected.  Steel sheet piles have been recognised for their effectiveness in acting as flood barriers within flood defence works, with which Sheet Piling UK has extensive experience.  The current flood prevention works aim to provide the area with a long-lasting flood defence solution and the choice of steel sheet piles demonstrates awareness of their efficacy in this regard.

Sheet Piling UK is handling two major components of the project.  It is firstly supplying and installing 215m of Arcelor Mittal GU16N section steel sheet piles, ranging in length from 8m to 13m and using these to create a long and permanent flood protection wall, very close to domestic properties exposed to flooding risk.

Given the proximity of the wall to the neighbouring properties, Sheet Piling UK is using its own silent and vibrationless Giken F201 sheet pile press, to install the U-section sheet piles in as an environmentally sensitive way as possible.  Noise and vibration pollution is minimised through this methodology, which just requires the equipment to use its methodology to press the piles into the ground, rather than hammering and driving them in.  Also in attendance is a 70Te telescopic crawler crane from Sheet Piling UK’s fleet.

As well as installing the steel sheet pile flood defence wall, Sheet Piling UK operatives are installing steel caps and UC waling beams at several service crossings along the length of the sheet pile wall.  All sheet pile interlocks have been provided with clutch sealant, pre-applied at Sheet Piling UK’s yard, using a new machine which enhances health and safety in the clutch sealant process.   

On completion, all interlocks will also have a 1m length of weld, to provide additional flood prevention for the local Ayrshire community.  The wall will then be aesthetically enhanced with stone cladding and coping, an option coming with the use of steel sheet piles.

The second part of the contract revolves around the supply and installation of approximately 380Te of Arcelor Mittal GU16N section sheet piles, each 10m long.  These are to form a long and permanent flood protection wall at the toe of an existing railway embankment.  Again, all interlocks have had clutch sealant applied and the same 1m welding work will take place.

Here, however, jet filter weepholes – approximately 65mm in diameter - are also being installed in every second sheet pile, at around 250mm above ground level, to assist drainage through the sheet pile wall.   

The U-section sheet piles are being installed at this embankment location by one of Sheet Piling UK’s ABI 14/17 telescopic leader rigs, with a 70Te crawler crane on hand to assist.  Strict vibration monitoring, in line with Network Rail’s requirements, is taking place and, if necessary, a silent and vibration-free pile press is on standby, ready to step in. 

Sheet Piling UK is working in line with the requirement to only carry out works from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday, to minimise impacts on local property owners.

Sheet Piling UK’s managing director, Andrew Cotton, says: “The flood defence works, will help protect the homes of nearby Scottish residents from the waters of the River Garnock, Powgree Burn and Rye Water but there are many other areas in Scotland – and the rest of the UK – that could benefit from sheet pile flood defence works and our in-depth experience with helping communities battle the risk of flooding and the negative weather impacts of climate change.

“We hope to extend Sheet Piling UK’s reach within Scotland and are ready to assist the Scottish government with its attempts to green and future-proof environmental defences and battle the impacts of climate change, should our expertise in this field be required elsewhere.”

Enjoyed this? Read more from Catapult PR

Latest news

1

New India branch campus on the horizon for Lancaster University Keir Starmer meets Indian PM and included Prof Simon Guy Lancaster University. Pic Simon Dawson

New India branch campus on the horizon for Lancaster University

09 Oct 2025

2

Best events and talented students complete finalists list for Lancashire Tourism Awards 2026 Best Events and Talented students on Lancashire Tourism Awards finalist list

Best events and talented students complete finalists list for Lancashire Tourism Awards 2026

09 Oct 2025

3

East Lancashire Learning Group named UK digital transformation leader in CIO 100 Awards Andrew Dewhurst with the award win

East Lancashire Learning Group named UK digital transformation leader in CIO 100 Awards

09 Oct 2025

4

PHX Training appoints new business leader in Blackpool Jason Davenport PHX Training

PHX Training appoints new business leader in Blackpool

09 Oct 2025

5

Velocity seals Airbus extension worth up to $54m Velocity Composites Has Announced Its Entry Into The Us Market

Velocity seals Airbus extension worth up to $54m

08 Oct 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – Oct 10th
Ai 10.10.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
10 Oct 2025 - 10 Oct 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – Oct 10th

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 12:00

Unlocking major project opportunities in the North West
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
15 Oct 2025 - 15 Oct 2025

Unlocking major project opportunities in the North West

Strathmore Hotel, Morecambe, LA4 5AP

08:00 - 10:00

The New Employee Rights Landscape: Day One Compliance Essentials
EventBrite NORi - 15th Oct 2025 Webinar.png.png
LBV Hub Webinar
15 Oct 2025 - 15 Oct 2025

The New Employee Rights Landscape: Day One Compliance Essentials

Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Teams, PR253XH

13:30 - 15:00

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Header (26).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

October Freelancer Meet-Up
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

October Freelancer Meet-Up

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

The Autumn Re set - pour me a wine
LBV Advert_Autumn Reset 1200 x 630px.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

The Autumn Re set - pour me a wine

The Artistry House , Preston , PR1 3JJ

17:30 - 19:30

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues
EventBrite NORi - 22nd Oct Webinar.png.png
LBV Hub Webinar
22 Oct 2025 - 22 Oct 2025

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues

Online - Teams, Leyland, PR253XH

13:30 - 15:00

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women
thumbnail_Emma Weston Illustration WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 18 Mar 2026

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:30 - 15:30

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 09 Jan 2026

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre

The Small Business Academy, Blackpool, FY4 5JX

09:30 - 15:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin