Drive supplier bought; towers planned for Broadgate and Leeds.

CP Automation Acquires Magnetek Elevator U.K.

CP Automation, headquartered in Scunthorpe, has acquired Magnetek Elevator UK from Columbus McKinnon Corp., CP announced in September. CP specializes in supply, repair and field services for industrial electronic AC drives, resistors, DC drives, programmable logic controllers and inverters, while Magnetek supplies AC and DC drives for geared and gearless lift applications. CP Automation said the acquisition promises to establish it as a leading supplier of elevator drives. It will also ensure customer service for Magnetek customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; Australia; and New Zealand. Magnetek UK’s Bedford office will be integrated into CP, which is retaining Magnetek sales and support staff. CP and Magnetek have worked together “on countless previous projects in the elevator and escalator sector,” CP Director Tony Young said, and the acquisition, which involves only the Magnetek U.K. office, represents an extension of the existing partnership.

Two-Tower Office Project Revealed for Broadgate, London

Danish architecture firm 3XN has unveiled plans for a two-tower office project in London’s Broadgate district, Architects’ Journal reported in September. The project, by developer British Land, would feature a 12-story podium with a 35-story east tower and a 20-story west tower. The plan was sent out for consultation ahead of being officially submitted to City of London planners, a move expected this fall. British Land, which has a record of incorporating existing buildings into new projects, is consulting on how to recycle 1980s structures at the site. The new structure would incorporate environmental initiatives to achieve a net-zero carbon status during construction and operation and Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method Outstanding certification. British Land hopes to secure possession in 2021 but has not yet set a construction timeline. A 32-story office tower was previously approved for the site (ELEVATOR WORLD, December 2016) but never moved forward.

32-Story Student Tower With “Crystalline” Design for Leeds

An old Santander Bank at 44 Merrion Street in Leeds will be home to a 32-story, 100-m-tall student tower designed by Simpson Haugh for developer Merrion Street Leeds, Construction Enquirer reported in August, when the GBP100-million (US$132-million) scheme was approved. With a design SimpsonHaugh founding partner Ian Simpson describes as “evocative, sculptural and crystalline,” the tower will provide accommodations for 660 students. “Tall buildings are markers for ambition, pride and confidence,” Simpson said. “They tell a story about a city and its direction of travel and, in turn, attract people to both visit and put down roots.”