Contract Journal articles from April 2004

Contract Journal archives from April 2004

Adjudication enforcement.(Amec Capital Projects -v- Whitefriars City Estates)
April 7, 2004... Adjudication is not always the quickest or cheapest way to resolve construction disputes. In the case of Amec Capital Projects -v- Whitefriars City Estates, it is recorded that the parties had spent over [pounds sterling]270,000 in conducting...

Contractors light up the City.
April 7, 2004... 2003 was the year traditional contracting came back into favour in the City. The likes of Costain and Rok proved a well-run contractor can turn in strong performances, while many big support services players faltered. But will the ambitions of...

Holloway pays within 26 days.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Holloway White Allom's (HWA) track record of paying its subcontractors and suppliers in 26 days, on average, puts much of the construction industry to shame. Managing director Bob Cole said: "We want to treat them fairly. They get paid quickly...

Setting the record straight for steel price hikes.(Letter to the Editor)
April 7, 2004... Sir, I was relieved to see the balance achieved in your article, Steel price hikes makes concrete a better first cost option (CJ 10 March), the opening paragraphs of which fostered the usual misconceptions about steel. Derek Tordoff's remarks...

Getting the facts right for concrete pouring records.(Letter to the Editor)
April 7, 2004... Sir, I noted the claim for the "highest single pour in radius format" on page 2 of the 10 March edition of CJ. Unfortunately, this claim is somewhat behind the times as in an earlier part of my civil engineering career I worked for Preload,...

Explanation for rejection.(Letter to the Editor)
April 7, 2004... Sir, It is with great interest that I read the comments from the two representatives of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) who met construction minister Nigel Griffiths (CJ 3 March). I totally agree with the two of them...

Industry hit by data protection fake letter scam.
April 7, 2004... CJ readers should be aware of a data protection scam targeting the industry. An official-looking letter, purporting to be from the Data Protection Agency, has been sent to many firms, telling them to send a cheque for [pounds sterling]135 to...

Housing giants set for further growth.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Top dozen players expected to account for greater proportion of housing market as the 20,000-a-year concept becomes reality. There will be further consolidation in the UK housebuilding sector with the big players nudging up to annual build...

Mears' rapid rise.(Mears Group)
April 7, 2004... If you're a growing business, then social housing is the place to be. Will Mann looks at the rise of the Mears Group - the firm has grown tenfold since its listing on the Alternative Investment Market in 1996, and chairman Bob Holt is confident...

Mears sees profit rise to [pounds sterling]4.8m.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Mears, the support services group with a strong foothold in the social housing sector, has unveiled a [pounds sterling]4.8m ([pounds sterling]3.6m) pre-tax profit on a [pounds sterling]110m ([pounds sterling]80m) turn-over for the year to 31...

Severfield-Rowen reshuffle complete with 5.5% margin.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Structural steel group Severfield-Rowen has improved its operating margin to 5.5%. The company has also completed the rationalisation of recently bought Rowen. Turnover of [pounds sterling]170m ([pounds sterling]160m) in the 12 months to 31...

Firing the imagination.(Construction Industry Training Board)
April 7, 2004... The Construction Industry Training Board wants to change the image of the construction industry among 11 to 14-year-olds, so last October it launched a competition called Creative Spaces. Geraldine Faulkner reports on its progress. What...

Portakabin launches building warranty; ty.
April 7, 2004... Firm's new customer charter offers 20-year structural and five-year product warranties. The Portakabin Group has launched a warranty package for its buildings, which it thinks will raise the benchmark for the modular industry. The...

In brief.(meshed briefs)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Alfred McAlpine must wait for name appeal Alfred McAlpine's appeal against the High Court ruling that it cannot drop its first name will not be heard until July at the earliest. A spokesman said it could even be "the end of the year" before the...

A McAlpine sees off A63 competition.(Alfred McAlpine Construction Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Alfred McAlpine has held off four rivals to clinch a [pounds sterling]22.5m Highways Agency deal in east Yorkshire. The scheme is aimed at improving safety and reducing congestion on the A63 at Melton, and work is due to start on the site in...

Stepnell favourite to win [pounds sterling]10m PFI deal.(Private Finance Initiative)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Stepnell looks set to clock up a PFI win at its first attempt in the sector. Sources say the Rugby-based contractor is emerging as the most likely to clinch the [pounds sterling]10m-plus Whitecross High School scheme in Herefordshire. The only...

Taylor Woodrow in line for [pounds sterling]250m PFI.(Private Finance Initiative)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... New Hospitals set to win St Helens and Knowsley health deal. Taylor Woodrow is looking good for a [pounds sterling]250m-plus PFI hospital windfall on Merseyside. Well-placed sources say the New Hospitals group, headed by Taywood, is in the...

back bites.
April 7, 2004... Testing times While enjoying a sip and a nibble at a hostelry in Covent Garden with the development director of a contractor from Waltham Cross, back bites was regaled with the tale of when some builders took part in one of the BBC's Test the...

New Revenue attack on bogus self-employment.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Government to tackle non-compliance of firms in building industry over workers' status. New moves have been announced by the Inland Revenue (IR) to crack down on bogus self-employment in the construction industry. A statement from the...

Eight ALMOs to receive [pounds sterling]473m of further funding for homes.(Arms Length Management Organisations)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... The eight first-round arms length management organisations (ALMOs) are to receive further funding of [pounds sterling]473m over the next two years. Housing minister Keith Hill said: "These ALMOs are already doing an important job, making more...

NCC plans site improvement.(National Construction College)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... The National Construction College (NCC) wants to sell off 15ha of its surplus land to fund [pounds sterling]12.5m of improvements to its facilities. The NCC said the redevelopment is vital to secure its future. Changing requirements and the...

Zurich and Railcare fined [pounds sterling]17,000 each for accident.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Zurich Management Services and Railcare were each fined [pounds sterling]17,000 and ordered to pay costs of [pounds sterling]8,265.50 at Aylesbury Crown Court last week for breaches of health and safety law. The prosecutions followed a Health &...

Nuttall and Mowlem to share rail work.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Two contractors have won a year's extension to their structures framework rail contracts in Scotland. The deal, known as the Scottish Territory project, means that Edmund Nuttall and Mowlem will share [pounds sterling]30m worth of work for...

Jarvis staff to vote on strike over NR move.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Strike action from rail maintenance workers is "inevitable" after the Rail Maritime & Transport (RMT) union said it was unhappy with responses from Jarvis and Network Rail (NR). A ballot is due to be held tomorrow (Thursday) for 3,000 Jarvis...

Murphy turnover inches up.(J. Murphy and Sons Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Latest annual results filed for civils contractor Murphy, covering the 12 months to 31 May 2003, show turnover higher at [pounds sterling]34m, a rise of [pounds sterling]1m on the previous year, but with pre-tax profit easing back to [pounds...

Cumbrian Industrials wins [pounds sterling]14m A69 scheme.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Cumbrian Industrials is understood to have headed off challenges from four major-league contractors to win a [pounds sterling]14m Highways Agency deal in Northumberland. Insiders say the firm has stolen a march on Alfred McAlpine, Costain,...

Nuttall wins A421/A428 deal.(Edmund Nuttall)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Edmund Nuttall has reaped a 'two-in-one' highways bonanza around Bedford and Cambridge, clocking up its highest-value early contractor involvement deal to date. The contractor is on the road for the A421 Great Barford bypass and the A428 Caxton...

Inventures' consultancy arm in line for buy-out.
April 7, 2004... Industry views are mixed on consultancy's future as board asks staff to support a management buy-out. A management buy-out (MBO) of Inventures' consultancy arm is in the pipeline. CJ understands Inventures consultancy staff received a...

UK contractors poised to chase Irish ECI deals.(Early Contractor Involvement)
April 7, 2004... More contracts will follow if [pounds sterling]200m Tashel & Mitchelstown early contractor involvement scheme succeeds. UK roads contractors are making a quick dash to set up bases in the Republic of Ireland after the National Roads...

Government urged to offer incentives for new hazardous waste sites.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Introduction of the EU Landfill Directive should be delayed and the government should provide incentives for new hazardous waste sites, according to one demolition contractor. The directive, due to come into force in July, is expected to...

Latham to review Housing Grants Act.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Sir Michael Latham will carry out the review into part II of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. Sir Michael will review the adjudication and payment provisions of the Act. The Chancellor committed the government to...

FK and Lowry pile together.(Lagan Group subsidiaries FK Piling and Lowry Piling have merged to become FK Lowry (Piling))(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Lagan Group subsidiaries FK Piling and Lowry Piling have merged to become FK Lowry (Piling). Previously, the two sister specialist businesses had traded independently, with FK Piling serving Northern Ireland, while Lowry Piling operated in the...

In brief.(meshed briefs)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Arup to advise on [pounds sterling]81m Strathclyde Uni work Arup has been appointed to advise the University of Strathclyde on its 10-year, [pounds sterling]81m campus masterplan. Arup will advise on upgrades, refurb and new build works. ...

In brief.(Ihimer reveals two mini excavators)(meshed briefs)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Indeco launches hydraulic breakers Italian manufacturer Indeco has launched a new range of hydraulic breakers. Designated the HP series, the range consists of three models with operating weights from 390kg to 5,000kg. Ihimer reveals two...

CITB markets benefits of apprentice scheme.(Construction Industry Training Board )(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... CITB-ConstructionSkills is highlighting the business benefits of employing an apprentice in a lottery-themed marketing campaign being sent out to contractors. "We want to get the message across to employers that taking on an apprentice has more...

Terex acquires Kaelble in a bid to extend range.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Terex has acquired Kaelble, the German wheel loader manufacturer, for an undisclosed sum. Established in 1894 Kaelble produces a range of machines with capacities from 2.8m3 to 5.4m3. Colin Robertson, president of Terex Construction, said:...

CNH set to be a big contributor.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Having invested [pounds sterling]194m in R&D, [pounds sterling]94m on its production plants and made the transition to Fiat Kobelco, CNH is set to be a "good solid contributor to the bottom line," the company said at Bauma. The company used...

SWP shares suspended.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Products manufacturer and installer SWP has had its shares suspended by the Stock Exchange because of its inability to finalise its financial results. The directors' statement said they were "in the process of finalising" the figures covering...

HA cuts [pounds sterling]275m from major roads budget.(Highway Agency)(Civil Engineering Contractors Assocation)
April 7, 2004... Civil Engineering Contractors Assocation reveals alarming budget cuts that are 'worse and sooner than expected'. Roads contractors face a severe downturn in work after the Highways Agency (HA) slashed [pounds sterling]275m off its planned...

Cowboy clients in TradePro's sights.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Materials business account launches no win-no fee debt recovery service for tradesmen. TradePro, the tradesmen's business account for materials purchasing, has launched a range of debt recovery services for its cardholders to offset the...

Roads programme slows down.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... "There is not an ounce of encouragement to contractors in the Highways Agency's Business Plan 2004/05", according to the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA). Harsh words, and ones that call for some explanation. CECA's rather...

Bath Spa heads for court.(Bath & North East Somerset Council)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Bath & North East Somerset Council (BANES) is in a "strong position" to take legal action against Mowlem over the [pounds sterling]26m Bath Spa contract, according to one council source. The insider told CJ that initial feedback from the...

In brief.(Balfour Beatty has won Network Rail's contract)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Balfour bags [pounds sterling]500m railway work Balfour Beatty has won the five-year plain line track and switches and crossings renewal contracts across Network Rail's Southern Region and in East and West Anglia, including London North East....

Impregilo bags Oxford PFI.(Private Finance Initiative)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Impregilo has seen off a bid by its only rival Carillion to clinch preferred bidder status on Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust's [pounds sterling]50m to [pounds sterling]60m plus private finance initiative scheme at Churchill Hospital in...

Construction kills 72 people in 12 months.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... The construction industry killed 72 people in the 12 months to 31 March 2004, according to the latest statistics from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). The provisional figure, obtained by CJ on Monday, includes four members of the public who...

Bituchem set to cut road work costs.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... Asphalt specialist Bituchem has developed a low-cost hot emulsion surface dressing system that it claims is capable of saving local authorities thousands of pounds each year through the reduction of failed remedial roads work. The system, which...

JLG to buy Delta Manlift.(JLG Industries )(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... The Manitowoc Crane Group announced during the Bauma exhibition that JLG Industries has made a binding offer to purchase the Delta Manlift division for an undisclosed sum. Headquartered in Tonneins, France, Delta produces the Toucan brand of...

Remoteness of damages.(Earls Terrace, Nilsson Design)
April 15, 2004... Earls Terrace Properties engaged Nilsson Design as architect for a substantial refurbishment project to a row of 25 Grade II Georgian houses situated in Earl's Terrace, Kensington, London. The refurbishment scheme involved the construction of...

Komatsu adds control systems.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Komatsu has signed an agreement with Topcon that allows the advanced automatic machine control systems jointly developed by the parties to be added as optional equipment for Komatsu's motor graders and dozers. The collaboration includes onboard...

[pounds sterling]5m in CITB training grants goes 'missing'.(Construction Industry Training Board)
April 15, 2004... Director denies any money is missing despite sweetener grants resulting in no recognised training achievement. More than [pounds sterling]5m in CITB-ConstructionSkills grants is believed to have gone missing, as some contractors are said to...

B&K scores in competitive arena.
April 15, 2004... Construction division's decision to concentrate more on the open tender market helps to boost group's pre-tax profit to [pounds sterling]21m. Bowmer & Kirkland's (B&K) construction division, which accounts for three-quarters of the group's...

In brief.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... BTE opens new premises in Rugby Midlands plant dealership BTE Plant Sales has moved into a new 882m2 premises in Rugby. The company's portfolio includes Atlas Copco, Manitou, Terex Compact Equipment and Volvo Compact Equipment. Saville to...

Miller may take leftovers from Inventures land deal.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Miller Ventures is still in the running for remnants of NHS Estates' [pounds sterling]400m property and consultancy arm Inventures, despite the collapse of the original deal last month. Miller Ventures was disappointed after a last-minute...

Internet auction dispute.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... The Local Government Taskforce (LGTF) is at loggerheads with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) over the use of internet-based reverse auctions. Despite reports that many local authorities are looking to implement e-auctions as a more...

Taking training for granted.(CITB-ConstructionSkills)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Reactions to the news that [pounds sterling]5m in CITB-ConstructionSkills grants has been pocketed by contractors, which then - purposely or otherwise - failed to initiate the requisite training programmes are likely to range from shock to...

Majors set site health priorities.(Major Contractors Group)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... The Major Contractors Group (MCG) has named four key site health risks as targets for action as part of an industry occupational health strategy. They are: hand/arm vibration syndrome; dermatitis; muscular skeletal disorders; and noise-induced...

Services help Tulloch reach record profit.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Inverness-based construction group Tulloch has unveiled a record pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]5.4m. Chairman David Sutherland described 2003 as "an excellent trading year". Tulloch's latest financial results for the 12 months to 31...

Kingspan Group set to launch offsite arm.
April 15, 2004... Kingspan Off-Site division integrates Kingspan products and offers wide design choice. The Kingspan Group will launch a major offsite construction division at Interbuild 2004, which will provide a holistic solution from foundations to...

Firm foundations.(school buildings)
April 15, 2004... Standards of teaching for children in south London are set to improve when pupils move into a new, purpose-built Academy next year. Mike Walter reports on early progress from the site. An eye-catching teaching and sports facility is under...

Perkins upgrades its 1100D series.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Perkins Engines, one of the main power providers to plant manufacturers, will provide Stage 3A- compliant versions of its 1100D series family of engines with either electronic or mechanical fuel injection. The new engines will produce 51%...

Bellway's [pounds sterling]77m pre-tax profit sets a new record.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Housebuilder Bellway boosted its operating margins to 18.5% in the six-month period to 31 January 2004, a full two percentage points higher than in the same period last year. Bellway chief executive John Watson said: "I am delighted to announce...

back bites.(trends of construction industry)
April 15, 2004... Anyone for tea? Castle Cement knows how to get a journalist's attention. Promise of a free lunch? Tickets to the football match of their choice? A night with Scarlett Johansson? No, a year's supply of teabags. Castle Cement is promoting its...

Coal comfort.(National Coalfields Programme)
April 15, 2004... Twenty years on from the start of the miners' strike, the last remnants of Britain's once great coal industry are slowly disappearing. English Partnerships' [pounds sterling]386m National Coalfields Programme is cleaning up the old colliery...

Deals done.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... UN and SkyKing The United Nations Development Programme for Northern Iraq has purchased 12 SkyKing 179T hydraulic aerial access platforms. The machines will be used to repair and install electricity pylons. Humberside and Terex Humberside...

Two vie for Ipswich PFI health deal.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Two groups are on the waiting list for a [pounds sterling]24m PFI hospital deal in Suffolk. The Summit consortium, fronted by Sir Robert McAlpine, and the Prospect group, headed up by Kier, will work up bids to build an extension to the Ipswich...

Equipment sales to China set to expand.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Diesel engines, all-terrain cranes and excavators are in short supply. More than 233,000 items of construction equipment were sold in China last year, 82,000 of which were wheel loaders, according to Mao Zhongwen of the Chinese...

Bauma sees boom in boom dimensions.(concrete pumps)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Concrete pumps will get smaller with longer and lighter booms. Concrete pumps will be able to deliver at greater heights and take up less space on site, according to manufacturers at the recent Bauma exhibition in Munich, Germany. With the...

EDF, Jarvis and Webster bid in Lambeth lighting PFI.(Private Finance Initiative)(streetlighting deal )(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Three firms are understood to have plugged in to a [pounds sterling]35m-plus PFI streetlighting deal in south London. Jarvis, David Webster and EDF Energy (the new name for the recently merged London Electricity and Seeboard groups) are...

Trio win [pounds sterling]85m Warrington housing job.(Bramall Construction, Connaught Property Services, Golden Gates Housing)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Three outfits have the key to [pounds sterling]85m worth of housing upgrade work in Warrington. From a list of nine finalists, Warrington Borough Council has now gone for Bramall Construction and Connaught Property Services to carry out a...

Birse bags M4/M5 motorway project.(Birse Group PLC)(Highways Agency )
April 15, 2004... Birse storms ahead to win improvement worth [pounds sterling]30m-plus. Birse is in the driving seat for a high-profile motorway upgrading deal in the West Country with a potential value topping [pounds sterling]70m. Insiders say that Birse...

Castle Cement adds to Castle Readybag range.(Readybag products)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Castle Cement has added five new products to its Castle Readybag range, all of which are ready to use when water is added. "It's the same principle as using a tea bag," explained Castle Cement marketing manager Stuart Crisp. "Just add water and...

Bath Spa pools get new epoxy coating.(Bath & North East Somerset, Mowlem Civil Engineering)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Threat of legal action between Mowlem and council grows over [pounds sterling]7m-worth of delays. Resurfacing work started yesterday (Tuesday) on the four pools of the [pounds sterling]26m Bath Spa project, following an eight-month delay....

Redcar asks firms to resubmit bids.(Redcar )(Cleveland Borough Council)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has asked the two groups vying for its [pounds sterling]54m PFI schools deal to resubmit their bids. A source said Jarvis and a Mowlem/Robertson jv were originally asked to work up "innovative and variant...

BAA calls for extension on WBV rules.(British Aggregates Association)(whole body vibration)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... The British Aggregates Association (BAA) is calling for a longer transitional period for the implementation of new rules on whole body vibration (WBV). In response to the Health & Safety Executive's consultative document on the proposed...

Chain of custody scheme for timber.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... BM TRADA Certification has launched a new chain of custody scheme for the timber industry. "The scheme will give recognition and market access to national forest certification programmes and initiatives that are not currently included within...

Brent lines up 10 for [pounds sterling]60m homes upgrade.(Brent Housing Partnership)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Ten firms are knocking on the door for a [pounds sterling]60m-plus housing upgrade deal in north London. The scheme up for grabs is part of a three-year project to revamp 5,500 homes for Brent Housing Partnership, Brent council's arm's length...

Forging a new path.(light gauge steel stud frame)
April 15, 2004... Oakridge Village in Basingstoke, Hampshire, is one of the latest developments to use a light gauge steel stud frame. David Bennett finds out why Oakfern Housing Association specified a more expensive product for a low-budget house building...

Specialists applaud 'adult' subcontract.(Joint Contracts Tribunal, Major Project Form)
April 15, 2004... New JCT subcontractor form is so subbie friendly 'it is unlikely to remain unammended'. No retentions. No pay-when-paid or pay-when-certified. Final date for payment just 21 days from the due date. These are some of the reasons why...

Five to bid for A47 bypass.(Highways Agency)(Kier, Birse, Alfred McAlpine, Jackson and May Gurney (construction industry))(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Five firms have picked up the tender paperwork for a Highways Agency scheme near Peterborough, worth between [pounds sterling]13m and [pounds sterling]18m. Kier, Birse, Alfred McAlpine, Jackson and May Gurney will tussle for the A47 Thorney...

300 construction firms go under in the first quarter.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... More than 300 construction firms failed in the first quarter of this year, according to research by Experian. Some 314 building and construction firms went to the wall between January and the end of March, and six building materials companies...

WYG offers service to repel attack.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... White Young Green has launched a service that focuses on security, in response to clients' heightened security expectations stemming from recent terrorist attacks. The service, promoted under the name of Integrated Protection Services (IPS),...

Amicus struggles over strike ballot.(Engineering Construction Industry Association)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Threatened industrial action over pay in the engineering construction sector may be halted before it has even started. Nearly two months after operatives rejected the offer of a two-year deal worth 8% on basic rates, contractors in the...

Six chase [pounds sterling]42m Lincolnshire road maintenance contract.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Six outfits are chasing a scaled-down highways term maintenance deal for Lincolnshire County Council. Aggregate Industries, Lafarge, Mowlem, RMC, Tarmac and the council's in-house team LCR have thrown their hats into the ring for a project now...

Barhale integrates its IT in anticipation of expansion.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2004... Civil engineering group Barhale's rapid expansion to a turnover of more than [pounds sterling]100m on the back of several chunky framework agreements has prompted a total revamp of its IT software systems. Turnover stood at just [pounds...