Over the last three months, our social calendar has been busy with presentations, tours and awards. At BEAR Scotland, we relish the opportunity to showcase our work to others in the industry, particularly our efforts in collaboration and community support. Keep reading to find out more about what’s been happening at BEAR during quarter three of 2024.

Murray Macleod and Daniel Preston from our North West Bridges team were invited to attend and present at the Henderson Colloquium in July, organised by the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering. This year, the theme was ‘moveable structures’, therefore their presentation focused on the canal swing bridges maintained by BEAR Scotland.

At the end of August, BEAR Scotland, in partnership with Balfour Beatty plc, had the pleasure of hosting Transport Scotland for a tour of the Kincardine Bridge to see how the ongoing project to replace the southern piled viaduct (SPV) is progressing. Guests were given a presentation on the history of the bridge, the background to the SPV reconstruction and the current work on site.

Furthermore, we also enjoyed an inspiring day out at the CECA Scottish Civil Engineering Awards where we were shortlisted for the Queensferry Crossing automated barrier project. Although we didn’t take home an award, we definitely won in team spirit. As a testament to this collaboration, the team from SPIE Nederland presented BEAR Scotland with a replica of the automated barriers, recognising our joint efforts in delivering the project alongside John Paul Construction and Clearview Intelligence.

On Thursday 19 September, Bridge Manager David Bishop and Principle Engineer Robert McCulloch delivered a presentation on the construction and maintenance of the Forth Road Bridge and the Queensferry Crossing to a visiting delegation from the Japan Bridge Association.

Lastly, we are proud to announce that we have achieved a gold award from the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme. The award is a testament to our commitment to supporting the armed forces community, including veterans, reservists, and their families. At BEAR Scotland, we recognise the invaluable skills and experience that service personnel bring to the workplace, and we are dedicated to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for them.