Arch Henderson

Lerwick Community Council recently organised a garden competition and Arch Henderson was happy to be one of the sponsors. The theme this year was biodiversity, and despite having been a very poor summer this year the entries included some lovely polinator and bird friendly gardens. They were also very colourful too. One of the judges was the Project Manager for Species on the Edge, which is carrying out a study into bee numbers in Shetland. There are 5 species of bee in Shetland, including one that is unique to the Islands, and we managed to see 5 of them during the judging. As well as providing one of the judges, Arch Henderson also provided some bird and bee themed prizes. It was great to get out and speak to some of the keen gardeners who had so much enthusiasm and energy.

One particular garden really caught our attention. It was a piece of steep, rocky, unused land close to Mair's Pier which one of the neighbours had adopted and had introduced some flowers and shrubs to. It was alive with bee activity and was a lovely oasis in the middle of a busy industrial area.

We are delighted to introduce two new apprentices who have joined the Lerwick Office.

Reece Black (right) has just started his apprenticeship journey and will be studying at UHI on block release and ultimately will end up with a BEng in Civil Engineering. Reece took a gap year after school to decide what he wanted to do and worked in the fish markets in Scalloway and Lerwick (coincidentally designed by Arch Henderson).

Johnny Hunter (left) is about to start his fourth year of a Graduate Apprenticeship. He is also studying for a BEng in Civil Engineering at UHI on block release. For the first three years of his apprenticeship he was mostly working on construction sites, for a different employer. He is now looking forward to getting more involved in design work.

This year, the theme is 'enhanced by engineering'. So, we spoke to Sarah Inglis-Hunt, a Project Manager in our Glasgow office, and asked her about a project she has worked on that has enhanced people’s lives and built towards a better future. Here is what she had to say...

"I am currently working on a project at Hunterston marine yard in Ayrshire which is working towards the creation of a major hub for the renewable energy industry on the west coast of Scotland. Our client, Peel Ports Group, is converting a former coal terminal into a site to facilitate major off-shore wind projects. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute towards the Scottish Government’s target of reaching net zero by 2045, as well as aiding the UK Government’s Energy Security Strategy.

With the effects of climate change already in evidence all around us, it is becoming ever increasingly important to prioritise projects and initiatives which expand our society’s use of renewable energy sources. By investing in infrastructure to promote renewable energy and the creation of green jobs, we can make progress in mitigating and reversing the effects of climate change, whilst also growing the local and national economies.

Reducing carbon emissions and decreasing reliance on fossil fuels is an important step towards Net Zero and beyond. I am proud to be part of an Arch Henderson team working towards environmental sustainability, carbon neutrality, and a better future."

Peel Ports



Image credit: Peel Ports Group

Happy International Women in Engineering Day 2024!

Today, Arch Henderson proudly joins the global celebration of International Women in Engineering Day, honouring the exceptional women who are steering the engineering industry towards a brighter future.

To all the extraordinary women at Arch Henderson and beyond, thank you for your dedication, creativity, and hard work. Your contributions are vital in shaping a more sustainable and inclusive engineering sector.

Yesterday, Alishba and Magdalena from our Glasgow office attended the Women in Construction Lunch, sponsored by DYW Lanarkshire & East Dunbartonshire, with excellent guest speaker Nicola Barclay.

It is great to see opportunities like this for women in the industry to connect and support each other.

Here are a few photos from the day! 📸

Last week Arch Henderson Partner Thomas Young and Associate Kevin Fettes joined Fraserburgh Harbour at the Scottish Parliament as they presented the Fraserburgh Harbour New South Harbour Development. It was great to see the Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, take an interest in the project and multiple offshore wind developers attending.

We are very proud to provide project management and expert engineering support on a project that will help Scotland achieve a net zero future and safeguard our maritime heritage, and we look forward to seeing the project take shape over the coming years.

🔦Project Spotlight: Glen Mallan Northern Ammunitioning Jetty

In 2021, refurbishments were completed on the Northern Ammunitioning Jetty at Glen Mallan to extend the design life of the existing facility by 50 years. This multi-award winning project was carried out by VolkerStevin under a design and build contract with Arch Henderson as Lead Designer and Principal Designer, alongside Jacobs as managing agent.

Used to load and unload ammunition for the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, the jetty was last upgraded in the 1970s and had reached the end of its economic life. Our team carried out the detailed design of the new 135m long jetty which consisted of a reinforced concrete suspended deck supported on steel tubular piles. The jetty was designed to withstand mooring and berthing forces associated with the full British Naval Fleet including the Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales Aircraft Carriers. It also supports two pedestal cranes capable of handling all vessel cargo.

We also designed five mooring dolphins which were connected to the jetty via a series of steel walkways and intermediate support structures. Each dolphin supported one or more quick release mooring hooks to allow mooring of all design vessels.

Four navigation aids were also designed by Arch Henderson as part of the project. The navigation aids consisted of monopiles either socketed into rock or driven in to alluvial sands. The navigation aid topsides (housing navigation lights, solar panels, and battery packs) were prefabricated off-site and fixed on to the lower monopiles using a grouted spigot piece.

You can read more about the project at our website https://www.arch-henderson.co.uk/projects/glen-mallan-northern-ammunitioning-jetty

✨ Staff Spotlight: Alishba Chaudhary

Meet Alishba! She joined Arch Henderson in February this year as a Graduate Civil Engineer after completing a Master’s in Structural Design and Construction Management with Sustainability from Kingston University London.

We asked her what she enjoys most about working at Arch Henderson, how her career has developed so far, and a favourite project she has worked on.

Head to our website to find out her answers! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eiSfa8Mr

🏙 Trivia Tuesday: Architecture at Arch Henderson 🏙

The 1990’s were a decade of expansion for Arch Henderson, and saw the firm appoint its first Chartered Architect, David McBain, who has gone on to join the Partnership. This allowed us to take on more architectural building projects rather than the simple transit sheds and harbour maintenance depots which we had designed since the earliest days.

Today, we have a team of architects who create unique, innovative and practical design solutions for our clients with a portfolio that includes hospitals and health centres, commercial, industrial, transport, residential and educational buildings.

Find out more about our architectural services at our website

Architecture | Arch Henderson Arch Henderson architecture projects gallery and expertise

April is Stress Awareness Month!

In the fast-paced world of engineering, it is crucial to recognise the importance of mental health and well-being. As engineers, we thrive on problem-solving and innovation, but we must also prioritise self-care and stress management.

That is why Arch Henderson is supporting the Working Minds campaign to support businesses to recognise and respond to the signs of work-related stress. Led by The Health and Safety Executive, the campaign is focused on providing tools for employers to make talking and responding to issues routine whilst reminding them of their legal duty. For more information, see https://workright.campaign.gov.uk/campaigns/working-minds/

Working Minds - Work Right to keep Britain safe There are three main reasons employers should look to prevent work-related stress and support good mental health; it’s the law, it’s good for business and it’s the right thing to do.

🍃 Project Spotlight: Seagreen Wind Energy 🍃

Back in December 2021, Arch Henderson completed the design, procurement and delivery of the O&M Base for Montrose Port Authority's client, Seagreen Wind Energy. It was important to Seagreen Wind Energy, given its company objectives in renewable energy, that the project was as environmentally friendly as possible and to this end the project involved the repurposing of both an existing office building, previously sited in Aberdeen, and a 50m high meteorological mast previously sited in Moray.

Head to our website to find out more about the project and our other work in renewables and sustainability. https://www.arch-henderson.co.uk/projects/seagreen-o-m-base

Seagreen O & M Base | Arch Henderson Seagreen Wind Energy

🌊 Trivia Tuesday: Dales Voe Decommissioning 🏗

As part of our sustainability development, Arch Henderson has been increasingly involved in decommissioning projects. The Dales Voe base in Shetland, owned by Lerwick Port Authority, was in a prime position to take on this new important industry and was redeveloped by Arch Henderson to increase its size and load capacity to become one of the strongest quays in the UK.

Watch the video below to see the quay in action and head to our website (linked in the comments) to find out more about the project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkwMMfFiokI

Video credit: Lerwick Port Authority

Pioneering Spirit's direct lift from quayside at Lerwick Harbour and jacket transfer to Dales Voe. The world’s largest offshore construction vessel, Allseas’ Pioneering Spirit, successfully completed delivery of the 8,500 tonne Ninian Northern platform jac...

🎉 A new Partner at Arch Henderson 🎉

We are delighted to announce that Shane Jamieson CEng MICE has accepted our invitation to become a Partner at Arch Henderson. Shane will be managing our Lerwick Office from the 1st April.

Shane joined Arch Henderson in 2013 after graduating from Strathclyde University. While working, Arch Henderson supported him to complete a Masters in Civil Engineering and Project Management.

Shane has developed a wealth of civil engineering and project management experience and qualifications and has the energy and passion required to take on the responsibilities of the role.

Head to our website to read the full article about Shane and his appointment as Partner.

New Partner for Arch Henderson LLP | Arch Henderson We are delighted to announce that Shane Jamieson has accepted our invitation to become a Partner. Shane will be managing our Lerwick Office from 1st April.

✨ IWD2024: Staff Spotlight ✨

To close off our month of highlighting female staff members, we have Fiona Ritchie, the Office Administrator/Secretary for our Thurso Office.

We asked about her career journey, her biggest achievements, and the women who inspire her. Here is what she had to say:

Q. Can you share a bit about your career journey and how you came to be in your current role at Arch Henderson?

I have been working for over 50 years now – since I was 11! My first real office job was in 1979 working for a local solicitors. I then joined HM forces army as a Military Accountant and when demobilised in 1984, went to work on various jobs in London as a Payroll Clerk, an Accounts Manager and an Administration Manger. I moved home to Thurso in 1992 after having my first child and since then have had a myriad of jobs varying from Finance Officer, Programme Performance Analyst and Programme Manager. I have also specialised in SAP reporting, having helped design, install and operate the business data warehouse at Nuclear Site Dounreay in Caithness. I then moved on to be the IT Service Delivery Manager at Dounreay which I did for 4 years before taking early retirement at 50! I decided to look for a job with shorter hours and less responsibility and worked as a Project Manager’s assistant in a portacabin in the middle of nowhere for 2 years. When the project ended, I was transferred to work at another site for a few months to replace a colleague that had left. This colleague, who had moved on to work at Arch Henderson, made me aware of a vacancy for her position; I got the job and that was nearly 6 years ago. I will be with Arch Henderson until I retire now as I love the job.

Q. What is something you are particularly proud of, at work or in your personal life?

I am proud of my work at Dounreay, where I spent 2 years helping to build a 100 year plan financial model in Excel that then went on to be converted into commercial software and is currently being sold on the open market.

Q. Who is one woman that inspires you and why?

Personally, there are many inspirational women I have met over the years, therefore, picking one is difficult. I have a passion for gardening, probably influenced by my parents, they led by example and my mother in particular loved growing flowers. In the late 90’s I worked in a ‘two-man’ office for a few years with another woman, Ros. Her passion for plants and flowers and knowledge of gardening and horticulture very much inspired me to garden and continues to do so now as, over 25 years later, Ros and I continue to be good friends and the best of ‘gardening buddies’!

You can read all of our profiles at our website https://www.arch-henderson.co.uk/news/international-womens-day-2024

🏗 Trivia Tuesday: Arch Henderson’s first ever project 🏗

It all started at Macduff, on the Moray coast. Archibald Henderson was a Consulting Engineer who supervised the completion of the project to build the Princess Royal Basin.

This 2¼ acre basin was largely excavated in rock on which the new mass concrete quay walls were founded. The excavation was carried out manually, using jumper (a heavy steel bar with a chisel point), pick and shovel, with the rock being carted away on horse-drawn cart. The project was important enough to warrant a royal visit when it was officially opened in 1921, the VIPs arriving in MacDuff Harbour on a flag-festooned steam drifter. 🚢

Find out more about our history at our website: https://www.arch-henderson.co.uk/our-centenary

✨ IWD2024: Staff Spotlight ✨

Continuing our month of highlighting female staff members, next up we have Tracey Carnegie, the Finance & Business Manager for our Aberdeen Office.

We asked about her career journey, her biggest achievements, and the women who inspire her. Here is what she had to say:

Q. Can you share a bit about your career journey and how you came to be in your current role at Arch Henderson?

I left school and started working for Dietsmann, an Independent Operations & Maintenance company. Whilst working I took evening classes studying Accounting then Management at Robert Gordon University. I really wanted to be an Artist, but Accounting was the next best thing! Dietsmann was a great start to my career, a Dutch company that respected their staff and allowed them to flourish with support from Management & Peers. 14 years later I took a very short break (12 weeks maternity in those days) to have my son Harris, then back to work as Financial Controller for a large grain cooperative, what a change from Oil & Gas! 4 years of travelling to and from work lead me to Arch Henderson, now coming up for 17 years I’ve seen many changes in Partners, colleagues, offices, different countries of work which all keeps me on my toes, loving every moment of it!

Q. What is something you are particularly proud of, at work or in your personal life?

My biggest achievement, apart from having my son, is getting through the pandemic in one piece and keeping up with the constant change in rules and regulations in the workplace.

Q. Who is one woman that inspires you and why?

My mum is my biggest female inspiration, being brought up on a remote farm in Chile, home-schooled then moving to the UK at the age of 17, she had many jobs including becoming one of the first woman police officers in Aberdeen and later retiring after many years of running a very busy nursery from our family home. She still has many fond memories of her early years and is the most positive and strong person that I know.

You can read all of our interview at our website: https://www.arch-henderson.co.uk/news/international-womens-day-2024

✖ Trivia Tuesday: Aberdeen Harbour Accropodes ✖

Back in 2012, Arch Henderson was awarded the Aberdeen South Harbour Expansion project. As part of the construction process a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility was built to create the 9000 accropodes required for the 600m harbour extension! This facility is also the only one in the world that produces the 16 cube accropode. Port of Aberdeen made an excellent video about the whole process which you can watch below.

You can also find out more about Arch Henderson’s involvement in the project on our website linked in the comments.

Video Credit: Signal

Aberdeen Harbour | The Story of an Accropode

📢 Job Opportunity 📢

We are currently seeking a Business Management Graduate Apprentice / Recent Graduate Office Manager in our Lerwick office.

🔗 Find out more about the role at our website https://www.arch-henderson.co.uk/careers

🎉 Happy International Women's Day 2024 🎉

To kick off our month of highlighting female staff members we have Frances Valente, the Office Manager in our Lerwick office.

Here is what she had to say:

CAN YOU SHARE A BIT ABOUT YOUR CAREER JOURNEY AND HOW YOU CAME TO BE IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE AT ARCH HENDERSON?

I left school at 16 with a handful of O levels and an absolute determination not to work in an office. I wanted to become an engineer and applied to college to study for an HNC. I was turned down – I have a sneaking suspicion that this was because I was a girl, as I had better grades than some of the boys who were accepted.

That left me with no option but to get an office job, which led to a successful career in the public sector, mostly in the Civil Service. I spent the next 25 years working my way up the ladder and then when I was 40, I was a Service Development Manager at Havant Borough Council. It was a hugely stressful job. I had 27 staff and managed IT, HR and Customer Services for the Building Control, Planning and Housing Departments. At the same time, I was a single parent, with a toddler and a teenager, and had to spend nearly 2 hours commuting to work each day. Something had to give!

Long story short, I gave up my job and moved to Shetland, and started a full-time degree. I joined Arch Henderson in 2005 as a part-time secretary while I was studying, so the job was perfect. I didn’t intend to stay beyond my graduation a couple of years later, but I really enjoyed working for the company. I eventually left in 2009 to work for the NHS and then moved to Ireland for a while. When I moved back to Shetland in 2011, I was offered my old job at Arch Henderson. By then I was studying part time for a Master’s in professional writing, so the job was the perfect fit again. However, this time I was no longer tempted to leave after graduation. My job has expanded beyond recognition from when I first started, and uses more of my skills and experience, although without any of the stress. I also gained new skills when I studied for the NEBOSH (Construction) certificate and added ISO 45001 to my auditing qualifications.

WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU ARE PARTICULARLY PROUD OF, AT WORK OR IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE?

There are lots of things that make me proud to work here: the variety of work, the camaraderie in the office, the work hard – play hard relaxed attitude – we get a lot done but we have fun too. But possibly one of the things I like best about the job is seeing the concrete (literally) results of what the company has created locally. It is good to feel I have made a tiny contribution to some of this; especially as after 25 years in the civil service there was nothing tangible to show for it. The piers and buildings that the Lerwick office worked on will be here long after I have retired, so I will always be reminded of Arch Henderson when I walk along the harbour.

WHO IS ONE WOMAN THAT INSPIRES YOU AND WHY?

I am inspired by Jane Austen. Not least because she wrote some of the funniest and most influential novels, but also because she wrote them all by hand, and in a time when nobody took women’s writing seriously. I have published four novels so far and had the luxury of being able to use a laptop, with grammar and spellchecker, and any research could be done instantly with the help of Google. I would not be quite so prolific with a quill.

You can read all of our IWD2024 spotlights at our website https://www.arch-henderson.co.uk/news/international-womens-day-2024

Graduate Apprentice Opportunity at Arch Henderson LLP while studying for Business Management (Graduate Apprenticeship) BA (Hons) – UHI Shetland College.

Or an office manager’s role for a new graduate.

Ideally, we would like to recruit a graduate apprentice to support our team of civil engineers in our office in Lerwick. However, we would also be interested in hearing from recent graduates who might be interested in taking on the office manager’s role.
You would have the opportunity to study for a business management degree at Shetland College while you work. The role is varied and interesting and offers lots of opportunities to learn new skills. The work involves providing administrative support for the engineers and would provide useful experience in connection with the subjects studied for the degree.

This role would suit someone who is interested in working in an office and learning all the usual skills associated with that, but who is also interested in engineering and project management. If you are interested, you might also get a chance to learn about surveying and basic AutoCAD.

After graduation, you would have the chance to progress your career within the company. You might want to develop skills in construction project management, accounting, procurement, or study for a post-graduate qualification. If we find the right candidate, we would be happy to support your career goals.
You would need to have the appropriate qualifications to gain entry to the course, for example, 3 Scottish Highers at grade C or above, or 2 A Levels are grade C or above. Further information can be found at https://www.shetland.uhi.ac.uk/courses/ba-hons-business-management-graduate-apprenticeship/

For a school leaver, the starting salary will be £17,500 and this will go up each year on successful completion of each academic year. You will be able to contribute to a private pension and there is a private health scheme available as well. If you are a mature student or recent graduate, your salary will be negotiable at interview.
The office hours are 35 per week, but time will be allowed for study and attendance at Shetland College.

If you are interested, we would like to hear from you. Please email Frances Valente ([email protected]) with some information about what you are studying at school and what your career goals are. We will be interviewing candidates for the job but we would also welcome anyone who wants to come in and chat to us before applying.

More information about what Arch Henderson does can be found on www.arch-henderson.co.uk

If you have graduated recently and would be interested in starting your career as an office manager (trainee) in our office we would be happy to accept applications from you. Your degree does not need to be related to business and finance; so long as you have the ability to learn quickly and have good IT skills.

📣Job Alert📣

Our Lerwick office is currently seeking an experienced Engineer and/or AutoCAD Technician.

🔗Head to our website for the full job description https://www.arch-henderson.co.uk/careers

🌟 Celebrating International Women's Day 2024! 🌟

As we gear up to celebrate International Women's Day 2024 on the 8th of March, we want to shine a light on the incredible women who play an integral role in keeping Arch Henderson running smoothly.

Women hold key roles throughout our organisation but this year we wanted to highlight our dedicated administrative staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to manage accounts, liaise with our suppliers and clients, and ensure operations run seamlessly.

For the month of March, we will be spotlighting different women in our admin team to find out about their career journeys, their biggest achievements, and the women who inspire them the most.

Follow along to hear their stories. ✨

🙌 Trivia Tuesday: 100 Years in Shetland 🙌

This month, Arch Henderson celebrates 100 years of work in Shetland. So, for Trivia Tuesday this week we thought we would highlight our first ever project in Shetland!

In February 1924, one of the company's founding Partners, Archibald Henderson, was invited to Shetland by Lerwick Harbour Trust to discuss a project to develop the Albert Wharf and Alexandra Wharf.

The company was appointed to take on this project, and produced drawings, calculations and costs, which were estimated at £18,500. This sum is insignificant in today's money, but at the time the Harbour Trust had to seek grant assistance for it.

However, before the first stage of the project could commence, a dive survey indicated serious problems with the existing Alexandra Wharf, which necessitated urgent repairs. The funding was reallocated, and Alexandra Wharf was saved.

During the repairs, the contractors undertaking the works found a 38ft long section of a ship’s keel on the seabed. It was later identified as Dutch ship, one of two driven ashore in 1640 when attacked by Spanish privateers!

Arch Henderson has just celebrated one hundred years of working in Shetland. Read all about how it started - and how it's going. Thanks to Will'm Spence who designed the wooden plaque we presented to Lerwick Port Authority.

A Century in Shetland | Arch Henderson Celebrating one hundred years of working with Lerwick Port Authority

🚧 Trivia Tuesday: Coastal Protection 🚧

Much of Arch Henderson's work, right back to the early years, was undertaken at harbours sited on Scotland's exposed east coast, so we have extensive experience in designing structures to resist the powerful impact of stormy seas. Our work along the coast often extended to building seawalls and concrete revetments to protect the villages built round the harbours.

Stonehaven was the site of several coastal protection jobs, both around the harbour and along the shore. The most challenging project involved the harbour's mass concrete breakwater which was severely damaged by the catastrophic storms of 1953. The dramatic picture below, taken during the storm, shows how powerful it was!

Arch Henderson designed repairs for Stonehaven harbour which encased the collapsed structure in sheet piling, capped with a heavy concrete deck and wave wall. Since then, the firm has carried out periodic inspections and has overseen the re-facing of the seaward face in 1974, and a harbour side re-facing and extension in 1997.

Want to find out about more our projects? Head to our website https://www.arch-henderson.co.uk/projects

🚢 Trivia Tuesday: Safe Seas 🚢

At Arch Henderson, we are proud that our projects not only contribute to Scotland's maritime economy but also ensure the safety of our seas. We have had the privilege to design and manage the construction and modifications of several RNLI berths and pontoons across Scotland.

Our projects include:

🛥 Designing a new jetty for the Montrose lifeboat station

👷‍♀️ Constructing a new building and berthing pontoon at Peterhead

✏ Designing a new lifeboat station on Loch Ness

🏗 Refurbishing a Tollbooth building for RNLI use in Lerwick

Curious to learn more about our projects? Visit our website to explore our portfolio! https://www.arch-henderson.co.uk/projects

Projects | Arch Henderson Search our selection of projects by sector or location.