Steely Resolve

From his experience working in the UK and the Far East, Miller had begun to wonder if there might be a more efficient way to create composite floors. Used in steelframe buildings, they're typically limited to 4 metre spans - that's why, when you look at most modern office buildings, you'll see so many pillars housing the upright beams that the composite floors sit between. 

Miller believed that by pre-stressing the steel composite floor, it would be possible to increase its spanning capability to over 10 metres. This would reduce the amount of steel beam tonnage by up to 60%, with further savings to be had on other building materials.  The product also allows for a thinner finished floor, which potentially equates to more floors fitting into a given building height, while the increased span could reduce the number of pillars required. Together, this automatically increases the rentable space of the structure.  

Grant Thornton's international networks were used to facilitate an introduction to an international steel firm that had no competing product lines to protect.

Backed by an R&D grant from the London Development Agency (LDA), Miller recruited Professor Colin Bailey from the Structural Engineering Department at Manchester University (where he graduated from) and set about testing his concept. Despite some inevitable teething problems, the test ultimately proved successful. But getting backing was a different matter.  

When the LDA put TekDek in touch with g2i, Miller's sister, Jean, the managing director of Tekdek Systems, had been trying to get companies in the construction industry interested in the idea. But while many were supportive of the concept, she found most didn't have R&D departments and were unable to provide any financial support. She also found the concept was too early stage to attract investment. 

Over the next several months, Jean worked extensively with the g2i team and attended a series of workshops to refine the business proposition, establish a clear route to market and develop the management team. The consortium tapped into their networks and helped make introductions which enabled TekDek to reach key milestones. In particular, it introduced Jean to a global quantity surveyor who produced an independent cost analysis comparing TekDek's product to traditional composite floors. 'It came in considerably cheaper, despite the analysis being done on a building that wasn't to TekDek's advantage,' Jean says. 

With independent proof of concept under its belt, TekDek is now squaring up to two new challenges. The first thing it has to do is produce a prototype floor space to demonstrate the product working onsite - and that's a significant manufacturing exercise. The steel will need to be rolled, but because it's a non-standard design, the rolling mill will have to be tooled specifically for this project. Not only is that expensive, it's proved hard to find a manufacturer prepared to do the work.  

TekDek found that the UK manufacturers it approached were largely uninterested, perhaps out of a concern that if the project does prove to be successful, it could jeopardise the future of their existing product lines. Grant Thornton's international networks were used to facilitate an introduction to an international steel firm that had no competing product lines to protect. The firm has expressed interest in producing the steel and may even licence the technology if the product takes off. 

The second problem is money - this phase of the project alone is going to cost a cool £1.3m. 'That's a lot of money for a prototype,' Jean concedes. 'We're finding it difficult.' She now plans to apply for Exceptional Development Funds and an Exceptional Development Grant, and is confident that the company will secure the necessary funding in July or August. On a smaller scale, a partner at one land development company has already provided private finance to help fund some of the basic running costs, such as patent processes and a website design. Jean believes this demonstration of private faith in the concept is significant because, as she puts it, construction 'all starts with the land companies'. 

With the funding in place, TekDek expects to take ten to 12 months before the product design is approved. Then comes another major challenge - convincing someone to use it. 'It's such a big product, and it's difficult to get into what is a very, very conservative market that doesn't like change,' says Jean. That said, feedback so far has been positive, and a number of construction companies, engineering firms and architects have said they would be interested in specifying the product when it comes to market. 

In the meantime, the Millers have been strengthening TekDek's management team, bringing in a number of heavy hitters to give the company credibility to secure the kinds of funds - and customers - that it's looking for. Jean was introduced to Ronald Armstrong, a Director at E-Synergy during the g2i programme who has joined as chairman and is now giving three days a week of his time. Professor Bailey and Michael Howard MP are also non-executive directors. While it might have challenges ahead, as Miller points out, 'we've got a very, very strong team' to deal with them.

By Billy MacInnes, Webster Buchanan Research

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