Contract Journal articles from April 2002

Contract Journal archives from April 2002

Work winners this week.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Who's winning the work?Contracts Hotline is your at-a-glance digest of the latest contract awards around the UK. Data supplied by ABI Building Data. South East Hatfield industrial Work: Industrial Location: Hatfield,...

Geoff Brewer of Brewer Consulting considers the adjudication ambush.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Since the Construction Act came into force, commentators have expressed concern over the risk of the "adjudication ambush". This is where, prior to presenting its referral in an adjudication, a party might spend many weeks assembling new...

Back bites.(multiple topics)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... The Russians are coming Amey attracted unwelcome headlines last week as it revealed that it had run into the red last year. Putting its house in order, financially speaking, cost ?46m and the sorting out of how costs and income is...

Bryant development halts.(Bryant Homes)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Work has ground to a halt at a Bryant Homes development on the south coast after the housebuilder breached planning permission at the former Unigate Dairy Site in Bournemouth. Last year, planners gave the go-ahead for the 120 homes, which...

Severn Trent - turning the tide.
April 4, 2002... Severn Trent Water has changed its approach to the procurement of its construction projects. Collaborative working and incentivised contracts are now the name of the game. James Atkinson reports. It's a hard fact of life that contractors...

Export needs UK support.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Ministerial backing is vital to secure overseas contracts Sir, The British Consultants and Contractors Bureau (BCCB) assists all sectors of British consultancy, professional services and construction to win work across the world, and...

Need for project-based CRM.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Sir, I read with interest the article on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems (CJ 13 March). While the writer is correct that there are "hundreds of CRM systems on the market", one crucial point is completely overlooked....

NEWSBRIEF.(multiple topics)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... hydrex reaps ?15m investment The Hydrex Group, specialist in heavy equipment hire, has been bought out by private equity firm Bridgepoint for ?15m. The investment is intended to allow Hydrex to expand by providing funds for fleet and other...

A-Plant secures three-year contract.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... A-Plant has secured a three-year sole supplier contract with contractor McNicholas worth up to ?12m over the term of the deal. The arrangement is designed to cover all of McNicholas' non-operated plant requirements from long-term framework...

Miller turnover up 40m.(Miller Group)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Miller Group's turnover rose to ?600m last year, an increase of ?40m, despite selling both its civil engineering and mining businesses. The former, bought by Morgan Sindall, now trades as Morgan Est. Miller's pre-tax profit bounced ahead to...

CCC/CBPP to communicate.(Confederation of Construction Clients)(Construction Best Practice Programme)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... The Confederation of Construction Clients (CCC) is to work with the Construction Best Practice Programme (CBPP) to improve supply chain communication. The partners are interviewing 12 unnamed clients working on contracts between ?750,000...

Tema unveils sampler.(Tema UK)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 4, 2002... Remote device to overcome traditional sampling problems by Paul Howard Tema UK has unveiled a remote oil sampling device that overcomes some of the problems associated with traditional sampling methods necessary for regular diagnostic...

Barratt bucks housing trend as completions improve 10%.(Barratt Developments PLC)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Housebuilder Barratt continues to lift its market share. Completions were 10% ahead in the second half of 2001, a period when the number of industry completions were static. Announcing the group's latest interim results (six months to...

MoD nearing decision on 40m naval base job.(United Kingdom Ministry of Defense)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... The Ministry of Defence could be edging towards finally choosing a preferred bidder for its ?40m HMS Nelson prime contract deal at Portsmouth naval base. The client has ditched a bid from Skanska and is running with Bovis Lend Lease and...

New skill sets needed.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Recruitment and training essential to guarantee secure future, delegates told by Laura Hailstone The skills mix within construction is changing and the industry needs to consider how it will satisfy new skill needs. That was the key...

Crane backs new partnering form.(Alan Crane of Rethinking Construction company)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... by John d'Arcy A specialists' contract for project partnering has been published by the Association of Consultant Architects with the full endorsement of Alan Crane, chairman of the Rethinking Construction company. The SPC2000...

?244m Home Office deal closed.(Annes Gate Property contract details)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... The Annes Gate Property consortium (Bouygues/HSBC Infrastructure/Ecovert FM) has reached financial close on the ?244m PFI deal to redevelop, manage and maintain the new Home Office building in Marsham Street, Westminster, for 26 years. ...

Insurance crisis is exaggerated.(Electrical Contractors Association report details)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Previous over-capacity in market is the cause of hikes in insurance premiums by Tim Wood Reports of a crisis in the insurance industry with companies refusing to give cover to perceived high-risk sectors are exaggerated, according to...

Costain: further recovery.(company financial profit details)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Core operations return to profit as volumes increase Costain continues to haul itself back towards safety after announcing a ?8.7m pre-tax profit last year. The group moved out of the red in operating results: the previous year's loss of...

Non-res RMI worth ?28bn.(residential housing report details)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... An estimated ?28bn is spent each year on revamping or extending existing non-residential buildings, according to research by Construction Forecasting & Research (CFR) . The report, part-sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry,...

Three bid for PFI.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Robert McAlpine, Amec/Atkins and Equion pitch for ?130m Tyneside hospital project by Brian Warner Three rival groups are competing for a ?130m privately financed deal to redevelop the Royal Victoria Infirmary and the Freeman Hospital...

Forum progress in the balance.(construction industry Strategic Forum)
April 4, 2002... Clients' refusal to pay admin fee casts a shadow over work of Strategic Forum Exclusive by Ross Pearman The progress of the Strategic Forum has been threatened by the Confederation of Construction Clients' (CCC) refusal to pay the...

Balfour/Costain win controversial early D&B Stonehenge tunnel job.(transportation contract details)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... A Balfour Beatty/Costain pairing has nosed ahead of its remaining rival, Skanska/Babtie, to clinch one of the UK's most controversial road schemes - the ?150m Stonehenge tunnel project on the A303 in Wiltshire. Under the terms of the early...

Gleeson calm despite housing loss.(Gleeson Homes profit data)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Gleeson Homes made an operating loss of ?1.5m in the second half of 2001. Chairman Dermot Gleeson said the greatest single failure was a heavy concentration on difficult refurbishment schemes. "We took a bold approach and were successful in...

Montpellier prepares to buy Pearce from Crest Nicholson.(acquisition details)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Montpellier, the rapidly expanding construction group, is rumoured to be in discussions with Crest Nicholson over the purchase of its ?200m-a-year construction subsidiary, Pearce Construction. Earlier progress towards a management buy-out,...

Contractors gamble on new gaming laws.(casino construction increases)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Casino/leisure operators put their bets on expansion as gaming laws are relaxed by Brian Warner Contractors are hoping to hit the jackpot as a result of proposed relaxations of the UK's gaming laws. The changes could unleash at least...

Scots transport plan 'welcomed' by civils.(Scotland transportation system details)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... CECA calls for plans to be translated into real projects as soon as possible by Carol Millett Scotland's answer to the 10-year transport plan was given a qualified welcome by civil engineers this week. The plan, coined Scotland's...

Staff able to sue firms that breach safety law.(workplace safety regulation)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Health & Safety Commission wants to drop civil liability exclusion from regs Exclusive by Carol Millett Construction employers could face a wave of civil action from workers and soaring insurance premiums under government plans to...

Counting the cost of health and safety insurance.(United Kingdom employee safety regulation changes)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... Construction employers face a deluge of civil actions from injured workers and the families of those who have been killed. A touch alarmist perhaps, but that's the essence of the Health & Safety Commission's proposals to remove the civil...

BAA loses Aggregates Levy war in High Court.(British Aggregates Association)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... by Laura Hailstone The British Aggregates Association's (BAA) High Court challenge to the Aggregates Levy failed last week in its attempt to win an injunction to prevent the tax from going ahead on 1 April. The judge intends to give...

CIC is concerned that RBoS online bidding promotes Dutch auctioning.(Construction Industry Council)(Royal Bank of Scotland)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... by Ross Pearman The Construction Industry Council (CIC) has joined the chorus of disapproval surrounding claims that the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBoS) is moving towards an online Dutch auctioning process for its procurement needs (CJ 20...

New staff must get same terms as public sector under new code.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2002... by Carol Millett The government's local authority Best Value review of the two-tier workforce is proposing private sector companies follow a code of practice when hiring new recruits to work in outsourced local authority services. The code...

NEWSBRIEF.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 4, 2002... A78 AYRSHIRE ROAD OUT TO TENDER One of Scotland's major road schemes is up for grabs. The Scottish Executive is inviting contractors to design and construct the ?25m-?30m A78 Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenson bypass in Ayrshire. Work...

BL-Pegson adds crusher to range.(company product introduction)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 10, 2002... BL-Pegson, part of the Terex group of companies, has added a new cone crusher to its range. The Maxtrak 1300 features a 1,300mm cone and is available with a choice of liners for secondary or tertiary applications. It is based around the...

Geoff Brewer of Brewer Consulting considers an architect's duty of inspection.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 10, 2002... The recent case of Consarc Design -v- Hutch Investments considered, among other matters, an architect's duty to inspect a contractor's works. Hutch looks after the interests of a member of the royal family of the United Arab Emirates. The...

Work winners this week.(Construction industry contract details)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... Who's winning the work?Contracts Hotline is your at-a-glance digest of the latest contract awards around the UK. Data supplied by ABI Building Data. L London & South East Cambridge housing Work: Housing Location:...

Call for positive attitude towards achievement in health and safety.(workplace safety statistics and data)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 10, 2002... by Ross Pearman The industry should be embracing its progress in health and safety rather than holding on to negative statistics, according to health, safety and environmental consultancy Sypol. Hitting back at a survey by the British...

Pumps unveiled by Sterling.(Sterling SPP product introduction)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 10, 2002... A new range of purpose designed hydraulically powered submersible pumps has been launched by Sterling SPP. The Autoprime Hydra range combines 30 pump ends with a choice of over 25 hydraulic power packs and are designed to cover high head as...

CITB launches training manual.(Construction Industry Training Board )(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has produced a training manual that highlights the hazards involved in hoist operations and details relevant precautions. The Hoist Installation Training Programme is the result of an ongoing...

Nuclear's unclear future.(construction industries place in nuclear power construction)
April 10, 2002... The nuclear industry could represent a big market for construction, but what form is the work likely to take? Will Mann considers the likelihood of new plants being built, while on page 16, Glenda Thisdell looks at the opportunties for...

Premium problems.
April 10, 2002... Sir, I read with interest your article in the 27 March edition of CJ regarding premiums for specialist contractors and would point out that this is a matter that impacts more widely across the industry. Following a number of disastrous...

CITB fights criticism.
April 10, 2002... CITB responds to letter which slammed the results of sex and booze ad campaign Sir, The ongoing arrogance and ignorance of David Edwards with regard to our work with young people is astounding. In a letter to another publication...

Facelift has a makeover.(company's new equipment details)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... On the back of an environmental policy put in place last year, Facelift has taken delivery of the first of four new truck-mounted access platforms that use biodegradable hydraulic and lubrication oil. The four new GSR S220TJ telescopic...

Komatsu cab deal.(with Volvo AB)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... Komatsu-designed wheel loader cabs to be made at Volvo's Hallsberg factory by Paul Howard The high profile talks last year between Volvo and Komatsu regarding joining forces in component development have borne their first fruit ahead...

Closure of CLG.(Constructors Liaison Group )(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... NSCC and SEC will take over challenges when specialists' umbrella body closes by John d'Arcy In a surprise move, the Constructors Liaison Group (CLG) has announced that it will cease to exist as a single entity with effect from 1 July...

Housebuilders face further consolidation.(construction industry analysis)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... Medium-sized housebuilders that produce between 2,500 and 6,000 units a year are potential candidates for further consolidation in the sector, said Phil Lindsay, housebuilding analyst with stockbroker Old Mutual Securities. In his latest...

Sypol to advise Heathrow.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... Consultant to supply health and safety advice during building of Terminal 5 by Ross Pearman Safety consultant Sypol has been appointed as construction project occupational health advisor on Heathrow Airport's ?2bn Terminal 5 (T5)...

Industry to give world example.(Construction industry)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... The construction industry is being called on to provide a global example of Best Practice at the next Earth Summit conference in South Africa. The Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors are...

Back bites.(Dean and Dyball Ltd. ends free sandwich program)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... Eating the profits Dean & Dyball has thrown its shoulder behind the push for lean construction by... stopping the free lunchtime sandwiches. The freebies began four years ago, when one of Dean & Dyball's offices was on the move and...

Jarvis to build student digs.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 10, 2002... Lancaster University has enrolled Jarvis as its preferred bidder for a ?140m private finance deal to build 4,350 student flats and social facilities. Financial close is expected this summer, with construction scheduled for completion in...

Bovis wins ?76m Land Sec job.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 10, 2002... Land Securities has appointed Bovis Lend Lease to manage the reconstruction of the ?76m landmark Empress State Building in west London. The remodeled building will provide 43,000m2 of office space and leisure facilities. It is...

Scots ready to launch construction licensing.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... by John d'Arcy The Scottish building industry is ready to launch its own version of the controversial Quality Mark scheme in the shape of a Construction Licensing Executive. The scheme has been under development for the past 18 months...

That was the year that was?(Statistical Data Included)
April 10, 2002... Profits up, margins rising, orderbooks bulging: 2001 was a brilliant year for construction or was it? John Leitch charts the industry's financial ups and downs. Contractors enjoyed a marvellous year in 2001 as most of them saw their...

Online bidding comes under fire.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... Exclusive by Brian Warner Contractors have attacked the recent swing towards online bidding to award contracts as a "trendy gimmick" unlikely to produce best value. A growing number of the industry's major clients are using the...

HSE regroups to blitz construction industry.(Health and Safety Execufive)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 10, 2002... Major changes ahead as HSE takes a fresh look at policing construction by Ross Pearman More inspectors, more blitzes and heavier fines: that's what the industry can expect following the launch of the Health & Safety Executive's (HSE)...

Two shortlisted for ?20m north London PFIsocial housing deal.(Statistical Data Included)
April 10, 2002... Circle 33 Housing Trust and Partners for Improvement battle for housing project by Brian Warner Two bidders have the key to a ?20m private finance social housing deal in north London. Islington council has now asked two of the...

HSE paper to launch in the summer.(Health and Safety Executive)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has announced that it will launch its delayed Discussion Document in the early summer. "We decided to take our time and make sure the final document addresses a wide audience," said HSE chief inspector...

Social housing to get ?4bn boost in Glasgow.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 10, 2002... by Will Mann Plans for a ?4bn transformation of Glasgow's social housing stock were given the go-ahead last week after the city's council tenants voted in favour of transferring to a registered social landlord. The vote means that...

Shepherd wins ski slope work.(Shepherd Construction to build ski, leisure complex in Leeds, England)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... Shepherd Construction has been confirmed as the winning contractor for a ?31m design and build contract to build a multi-level sport, leisure and retail complex on behalf of Xscape in Castleford, near Leeds. The 32,200m2 complex will...

1m fines for safety breaches.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... by Anthony Garvey Contractors breaching health and safety regulations in the Republic of Ireland are to face fines of more than 1m (?610,000) and/or prison terms under tough new legislation being prepared by the government. The...

Coins enters e-tendering.(construction industry software provider offers electronic procurement)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... Contractor procurement savings likely as software provider buys eu-supply's UK arm by John Leitch Coins, the provider of construction industry software, has acquired the UK online business of eu-supply, a move that takes Coins users...

Tax man could lose his rights.(no longer first creditor under Enterprise Bill)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... Enterprise bill could also see bankrupts back in business again after just one year by Carol Millett The government's proposal to abolish the Inland Revenue's right to recover unpaid taxes ahead of other creditors when a company goes...

Public to pay for aggregates bill.(tax passed on to consumers)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... by Laura Hailstone The public will have to pay the bill for the Aggregates Levy, warned British Aggregates Association (BAA) director Robert Durward, speaking on Newsnight Scotland last Thursday. "There is no way quarries can afford to...

Get the health and safety message to small sites.(Health and Safety Executive promises increased inspection)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) launched its new-look construction division this week. We are promised "major changes" and an increased emphasis on "intelligent approaches to health and safety up the supply chain". Well that's great....

Site safety in question after deaths.(workplace accidents)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... A 34-year-old man died last Thursday after a bucket of paint stripper overturned at a private house the man was helping to renovate. The accident happened at about 8am at a two-storey terraced house in Upper Richmond Road, East Sheen,...

PFI equity fund will aid returns.(Private Finance Initiative)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... Fund will allow contractors to recycle equity from PFI projects and reinvest it by Carol Millett A fund that will allow contractors to realise equity tied up in existing PFI projects has been launched by Innisfree and M&G. The fund...

NEWSBRIEF.(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... HA unveils two major projects The Highways Agency has flagged up two massive road contracts in the OJEC that are due to go out to tender at the end of this year or early next year. The first is the ?80m scheme to widen the M60 between...

CITB pegs levy rates.(Construction Industry Training Board)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has set itself a target of pegging the CITB levy rates for four years. In its business plan covering the period 2002-2006, the CITB said it aims to peg levy rates in addition to achieving all...

NEWSBRIEF.(construction industry news briefs)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... CONSTRUCTION college invests ?1m The National Construction College East is to invest ?1m in new plant, including a truck-mounted crane, dump truck, hydraulic excavator, bulldozer and mobile elevated work platform. The plant will be...

Work winners this week.(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... Who's winning the work?Contracts Hotline is your at-a-glance digest of the latest contract awards around the UK. Data supplied by ABI Building Data. Lo LOndon and South East Essex housing Work: Housing Location:...

Geoff Brewer of Brewer Consulting considers the question of jurisdiction in adjudication.(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... Anotice of intention to refer a dispute to adjudication is an important document. It sets the boundaries of the jurisdiction of the adjudicator, in that the adjudicator will not be empowered to deal with matters that are not embraced by the...

How to register.
April 17, 2002... SED is running from the 14 to16 May 2002 at Fen Farm Milton Keynes. By not visiting SED you could be missing out. 17,000 visitors (ABC audited) attended last year's event, from every sector of the construction industry - make sure this year...

Engineers must have more say.(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... The engineering profession and its institutions as a whole should align their efforts and take greater responsibility in influencing science and technology education. This was one message from a workshop at the Institution of Civil...

Face first into the future.(the use of facial recognition technology in the construction industry)
April 17, 2002... Familiar with biometric recognition systems, which identify you through your facial characteristics? No - well, you soon could be. This kind of futuristic technology was once the preserve of science fiction and Hollywood movies. But now it's...

Whitnell boosts kitin expansion bid.(construction company acquires new equipment)(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... As part of an ambitious expansion plan, Colchester-based Whitnell Plant has ordered four Bell B25D ADTs and taken delivery of a Volvo G720 variable horsepower (VHP) Motor Grader. The order for the new Bell ADTs follows six years of good...

Safe for skin.(new saw blade)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 17, 2002... Aussie Kango saw makers say blade is less harmful to operator in an accident A new "safe saw", the Australian KS150 Kango Saw, could prove a big boost to safety as it will not break the skin through accidental contact. While the...

Kit market on go slow.(construction equipment)(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... The market for UK construction equipment to 2006 will only expand slowly, according to a report by Marketing & Business Development (MBD). It forecasts the market for crawler excavators will fall 20%, reducing the value of the market to ?86m by...

NEWSBRIEF.(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... Diamond Masters to launch blades By early June Diamond Masters will have introduced its new range of cutting blades under the Value Masters brand name. The laser-welded, general-purpose cutting blades are said to be low-cost,...

Aggregates anarchy.(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... It's poorly planned. It's a recipe for disaster. It's the Aggregates Levy and it's here whether you like it or not. Laura Hailstone investigates. It has been called a time bomb waiting to happen, a complete and utter shambles, and was...

Two roads approved.(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... Transport minister John Spellar has given the go-ahead for the Highways Agency to add an ?18.5m bypass on the A66 for the village of Temple Sowerby in Cumbria and a ?28.8m programme of improvements for the A419 at Blunsdon, near Swindon in...

Severfield-Rowan pays for market conditions.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 17, 2002... Severfield-Rowen, the structural steel group, has warned of "increased downward price pressure", which it expects to last through the middle and latter half of 2002. The squeeze follows "difficult market conditions" last year that resulted in a...

Mansell eases forward.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 17, 2002... Reorganisation costs impact again on profit as Philip Cleaver reshapes board by John Leitch Mansell has pushed its underlining margin to 1.9%, although the group's 2001 pre-tax profit figure was trimmed back to ?7.7m as a result of a...

Apprentices set for a pay boost.(Construction Joint Industry Council )(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 17, 2002... Contractors and unions in talks to link apprentice pay level to adult craft rates by John d'Arcy Construction employers are aiming to boost recruitment to the industry and head-off skill shortages with a new pay deal this year for...

Firms want voice.(contractors want presence on Health & Safety Executive's construction industry advisory committee)(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... Demolition contractors should have a presence on HSE advisory committee by John d'Arcy Demolition contractors are being urged to press for their own representation on the Health & Safety Executive's (HSE) construction industry...