Contract Journal articles from April 2007

Contract Journal archives from April 2007

06 Plant.(Construction Plant Competence Scheme's chairman Trevor Gamble )(Interview)(Brief article)
April 4, 2007... CS - The Inside Line... CPCS proposals CJ talks to CPCS chairman Trevor Gamble on changing the training scheme. What are you trying to achieve? We're listening to industry and trying to make CPCS simpler and faster, allowing it to...

06 Plant.
April 4, 2007... CS - extra NIB Isuzu's facelifted Rodeo pickup has gone on sale. It has a more powerful (100kW) 2.5 litre engine (with extra torque too), a new five speed transmission and a plush new interior.

01 News.(Major Contractors' Group's workforce audit)(Brief article)
April 4, 2007... The Major Contractors' Group (MCG) is pleased with the results of an audit showing that 86% of its members' workforce held an appropriate skills card, despite missing its target of 100% by January this year. The audit, taken on 1 February,...

01 News.(workplace accident)(Brief article)
April 4, 2007... A steel erector working for a specialist steel contractor was killed last week after a mobile crane toppled over on him during the construction of an extension to a warehouse. The accident, which involved a Demag mobile crane from...

04 Contracts.(Rosemound Developments's cotract for distribution centre)(Costain Group PLC)(Fitzpatrick)(Brief article)
April 4, 2007... Four firms are in the hunt for a [pounds sterling]22m distribution centre in Hampshire. The line-up for the design and build deal in Andover is Essex-based McLaren Construction, Fitzpatrick, Costain and Alfred McAlpine - firms that client...

01 News.(hospital development contracts)
April 4, 2007... carol.millett@rbi.co.uk South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has scrapped its [pounds sterling]163m PFI scheme in favour of delivering a rolling 10-year programme of works funded by prudential borrowing. The move was announced last...

01 News.
April 4, 2007... A 4% pay rise this year has been agreed for construction workers employed by members of the Federation of Master Builders under the national BATJIC agreement with the TGWU. The 12-month settlement raises the advanced craft (NVQ3) rate to...

02 Business.
April 4, 2007... James Halstead, the manufacturer and distributor of commercial floor coverings, has lifted its interim pre-tax profit to [pounds sterling]11m, a rise of [pounds sterling]3m on the comparable period last year. Halstead's turnover (six...

01 News.(annual results of Gee Construction )(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 4, 2007... Business Gee Construction has unveiled its latest annual results which show a lift in pre-tax profit to [pounds sterling]2.4m ([pounds sterling]1.8m). Latest financial results (12 months to 30 September 2006) reveal a climb in...

02 Business.(John Doyle Construction Ltd.'s subsidiary Ibex Interiors profit and appointment of Matthew Battle )(Brief article)
April 4, 2007... Ibex Interiors, a subsidiary of the John Doyle Group, lifted turnover by 14% to [pounds sterling]80m during 2006. The forward orderbook currently stands at [pounds sterling]55m. Ibex's pre-tax profit (12 months to 31 December 2006) was down...

11 Letters.(Letter to the editor)
April 4, 2007... It is unfortunate that some parts of the industry have responded in the way they have to our call for a more thoughtful look at the 2007 CDM Regulations. First, the Construction Clients' Group (CCG) and the British Property Federation...

01 News.
April 4, 2007... Skanska has secured a [pounds sterling]50m contract with Land Securities to construct the Dashwood EC2 office building near Old Broad Street in the City of London. Completion is scheduled for November 2008. Morgan Est has won a [pounds...

01 News.
April 4, 2007... CHILL OUT A 3.5t chiller is craned into position by SES as part of its [pounds sterling]3.7m building services contract for two buildings at the University of Teeside, the first phase in Middlesbrough's Digital City scheme. HBG is the principal...

05 Products and Materials.
April 4, 2007... pic: bristol eco-vat 1 A 100,000 litre Eco-Vat tank has been supplied by Polypipe Civils as part of the development of Brislington Enterprise College in Bristol being undertaken by Skanska. The tank will store and filter rainwater...

05 Products and Materials.
April 4, 2007... pic: Dan Hamer The inside line on.... interim building solutions Contract Journal asks Dan Hamer, project coordinator at Bristol International Airport, how he solved a tricky planning problem What was the problem? Due to...

01 News.(Gee Constructuion's profit )(Connaught's acquisition of AE Williams)(Brief article)
April 4, 2007... Gee Constructuion increased its pre-tax profit from [pounds sterling]1.8m to [pounds sterling]2.4m in the year to 30 September 2006. Turnover also climbed from [pounds sterling]3m to [pounds sterling]38m. Connaught has acquired AE Williams,...

08 Features.(managing construction contracts)
April 4, 2007... How would you describe your time as procurement director? It has been transformational and exciting. As procurement director, I am very proud of what the agency has achieved: a fundamental and radical overhaul of procurement. It has changed...

01 News.(planning of Heathrow East terminal )(Brief article)
April 4, 2007... BAA chief executive Stephen Nelson has said the construction of the [pounds sterling]1.5bn Heathrow East terminal "does not look viable" under price-cap proposals tabled by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The warning comes after the...

14 Back Page.(management of engineers)(Column)
April 4, 2007... Bogus engineers plumb the depths with flowery job titles I have clearly touched a nerve with my comments about engineers over the last two weeks. First there was the campaign to have the job title protected, then there was the fight back...

01 News.(merger of Taylor Woodrow PLC and Taylor Wimpey)(Barratt Developments PLC's acquisition of Wilson Bowden PLC)(Industry overview)
April 4, 2007... Taylor Wimpey plans to become the UK's largest housebuilder, with a combined turnover of [pounds sterling]6.7bn. Tom Bill examines the implications of an increasingly consolidated market. Last week's creation of mega-housebuilder Taylor...

Rewarding excellence.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... It's your chance to enter the Contract Journal Construction Industry Awards 2007 which launch today. Emma Penny looks at what you'll need to do to win. Everyone likes winning. And now it's your chance to prove your company is better than...

Rental to account for 50% of machine sales by 2011 Cat predicts dominance of rental firms in Europe.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... Cat Rental Stores will increase stockholding levels to satisfy increasing demand. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk Rental companies will buy half of all construction machines across Europe within four years, Caterpillar has predicted. Andy...

11 Letters.
April 11, 2007... 'CPCS chairman swayed by CPA requirements' The Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) announcements on deregulation of plant training (CJ 28 March) makes an interesting soundbite for the CITB but, as ever, provides more of a problem...

Registration scheme gets backing across industry.(06 Plant)(Construction Equipment Security And Registration)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... Support for Construction Equipment Security And Registration (CESAR) has started to grow among machinery manufacturers, contractors and plant hirers. Ahead of the system going live later this month, JCB has said that it will accept orders...

Wacker agrees merger deal with Neuson.(06 Plant)(Neuson Kramer)(formation of Wacker Neuson AG)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... Compaction specialist Wacker and compact machinery manufacturer Neuson Kramer are to merge to form Wacker Neuson AG. Shareholders in both companies have signed a memorandum of understanding about the deal, but it has yet to be cleared by...

Religion and belief discrimination.(10 Legal)
April 11, 2007... The Equality Act 2006 is set to clarify the law on religion or belief discrimination. The Act changes the existing definition of religion and belief set out in the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003. The Act also...

Faulty air-con causes CIS meltdown.(01 News)(Construction Industry Scheme)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... Predictions of an impending 'meltdown' in the run up to the introduction of new CIS might have seemed a little exaggerated, but in a surreal twist on Tuesday, that's just what happened. CJ got a call from a contractor, upset that on the...

Longer-term funding on offer for social housing.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... Housing Corporation hopes that 'greater certainty' of funding will help increase output. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk Social housing contractors could soon enter into longer-term contracts with clients, following the publication of a new...

MSC loophole will lead to financial ruin.(01 News)(Managed service company)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... Managed service company (MSC) Giant Group has withdrawn from providing services to one-man limited companies, and warned others that they face "financial ruin" if they continue to do so. The company said its advisers had studied the...

Firms fined [pounds sterling]130,000 for asbestos lapse.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... Briggs & Forrester and Bedford-based B&W Asbestos Removal Specialists (B&W) have been ordered to pay a total of [pounds sterling]130,000 after pleading guilty to endangering the health and safety of their workers and cleaners at a school in...

01 News.(Metropolitan Housing Trust's contract for roofs with Durkan )(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... HIT THE DECKS Durkan business development manager James Billing (left) and contracts manager Paul Shadbolt (right) relax after installing a sedum roof for Metropolitan Housing Trust's [pounds sterling]6m, 56-unit project in Camberwell, London....

01 News.(fire investigation at construction site )(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... BURNING ISSUE A construction site in Newcastle-upon-Tyne burst into flames late on Monday evening, creating what firefighters called one of the biggest blazes the city has seen in recent years. The New Bridge Street site is understood to have...

MySpace used to promote construction careers.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... Willmott Dixon building manager Gemma Sapiano, 25, has set up her own MySpace page to help promote construction to young people, with the support of ConstructionSkills, which employs her as an ambassador. In her introduction to the site,...

Level 3 homes: green without costing the earth.(01 News)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes will offer considerable environmental benefits for a minimal extra cost when compared with the old EcoHomes 'very good' rating, according to research released last week. Cyril Sweett found costs...

01 News.(contracts of Bluestone, Mansell and Wates)(Hermes Real Estate)(briefs)
April 11, 2007... Bluestone, Leadbitter, Mansell and Wates will share a [pounds sterling]300m, four-year framework for the University of Reading. The four will tackle the university's new build and refurb tasks. Bowmer & Kirkland has negotiated its largest...

14 Back Page.
April 11, 2007... UK construction output is now over [pounds sterling]100bn per annum. The bulk of it is delivered via lump sum contracts where the lowest price is the only criterion for selection. This is the antithesis of sustainable procurement. Why? ...

New orders pick up after slow startMaren BaldaufEconomist, Construction Products Association.(03 Benchmark)
April 11, 2007... A strong February helped construction overcome its sluggish start and has put some positive spin on the level of new orders. Justin Stanton analyses the latest DTI data. Market Data: Monthly new orders New orders in the three months to...

05 Products and Materials.(Knauf Drywall)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... RIVER ROUTE Following the launch of its carbon neutral plasterboard, Knauf Drywall has completed a test run on the Thames to prove it can deliver to the 2012 Olympics site by river rather than road. The company is also part of an agreement to...

Three in chase for [pounds sterling]14m Leeds uni project.(University of Leeds)(contracts of Allenbuild, HBG and Shepherd construction)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... Three rivals are vying to graduate onto a [pounds sterling]14m deal at the University of Leeds. Allenbuild, HBG and Shepherd are pricing an Earth and Environment complex, under a two-stage design and build procurement route. Work on...

Seconds out for tall order in Glasgow.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... Sources say that contractors will soon be asked to prequalify for a second time for a [pounds sterling]120m deal to construct Scotland's tallest building. Last year, Sir Robert McAlpine, Bovis Lend Lease, Balfour Beatty and Laing O'Rourke...

Trio line up bids for [pounds sterling]28m complex at Herts uni.(04 Contracts)(Gleeson Building)(University of Hertfordshire)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... Three firms are swotting up in the hopes of gaining a place at the University of Hertfordshire. Laing O'Rourke, Gleeson Building and Willmott Dixon are pricing a [pounds sterling]28m student forum scheme at the Hatfield campus. The...

Amey in hotseat for [pounds sterling]42m Norfolk streetlighting PFI.(04 Contracts)
April 11, 2007... Amey odds on to beat Tay Valley consortium to Norfolk County Council deal. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk A preferred bidder has finally come to light for a [pounds sterling]42m PFI streetlighting deal in East Anglia. Insiders on the...

Six in contention for [pounds sterling]25m N Yorks school.(04 Contracts)(North Yorkshire)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... Six firms are vying to chalk up victory in the hunt to redevelop the least 'fit for purpose' school in North Yorkshire. The [pounds sterling]25m Richmond School deal has attracted Allenbuild, Amec, HBG, Kier, Shepherd and Willmott Dixon....

01 News.
April 11, 2007... BEAM ME UP The Bristol office of Norwest Holst has reached a milestone on its [pounds sterling]30m-plus contract to design and build a nine-storey car park for the Bristol Alliance as part of the [pounds sterling]500m redevelopment of the...

Essex council proposes reformed transport PPP.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... Essex Infraco will be a separate entity under public/private control, funded by tolls. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk Essex County Council has drawn up proposals for a new form of PPP to fund and deliver an estimated [pounds sterling]7bn of...

Scots school's window defect spells hot bother.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... Alpha Schools forced to rectify design fault on [pounds sterling]28m West Lothian primary school PPP. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk A school built five years ago as part of West Lothian Council's [pounds sterling]28m PPP deal is to have all...

Comment: Starting to feel the heat already.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... It's only the second week in April and already we are feeling the heat. Forecasters are predicting a high of 25[degrees]C this week, and say there is a 70% chance of this summer being warmer than usual. Like almost all media, Contract...

01 News.
April 11, 2007... London calling CJ's first regional workload focus examines how the capital's resources are coping.* CJ2 p21 Are you a winner? Prove you're the best in this year's Contract Journal Construction Industry Awards. Full...

06 Plant.
April 11, 2007... FIVE ARRIVE Joinpoint of Leicester has added another five of Bell's ADTs to its fleet. The latest 30t B30Ds join the company's five existing 25-tonners and the new machines have gone to work for Buckingham Group Contracting on a muckshift for...

06 Plant.(Interview)
April 11, 2007... The inside line on... Travis Perkins' machine rental investment Contract Journal talks to Travis Perkins' group hire director Richard Dey about its [pounds sterling]5m order with JCB. What prompted you to place such a large order?...

The inside line on...Lightweight kerb drainage systems.(05 Products and Materials)(Interview)
April 11, 2007... Contract Journal talks to Chris Rothery, managing director of Pipeline and Drainage Systems, about a new innovation in roadside drainage and kerbing. What is the Envirokerb? Envirokerb is a recycled and lightweight range of both...

Construction gangmasters face legislation.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... Labour MP Peter Kilfoyle has initiated a Parliamentary move to extend the legislation that licenses agricultural gangmasters to cover the construction industry. By the Easter break, Kilfoyle's Early Day Motion had attracted five more...

New NAECI hits tea break snag.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... The launch of the 'New NAECI' national agreement (CJ 4 April) for the engineering construction industry has been hit by a snag over proposals for the partial scrapping of morning tea breaks. Negotiators from the Amicus, GMB, and TGWU unions...

Scanmoor fails after expanding too fast.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... [pounds sterling]20m thought to be owed to Middlesex firm's supply chain as receiver looks to sell on parts of the group. john.leitch@rbi.co.uk The fast-growing Scanmoor Group has plunged into administration after running out of cash....

Wates trebles pre-tax profit to [pounds sterling]32m.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... Wates trebled its pre-tax profit to [pounds sterling]32m in 2006 and its forward orderbook jumped ahead to [pounds sterling]1.8bn. Turnover (12 months to 31 December) ran to [pounds sterling]860m ([pounds sterling]670m). The previous...

04 Contracts.
April 11, 2007... IN THE CLEAR English Architectural Glazing has secured a [pounds sterling]2.9m contract with Wilson Bowden Developments to provide extensive exterior work (including curtain walling, and terracotta and aluminium rain screen cladding) on the...

Wienerberger go-ahead for Baggeridge takeover.(05 Products and Materials)
April 11, 2007... The takeover of materials firm Baggeridge Brick by Australian giant Wienerberger has been provisionally cleared by the Competition Commission (CC). The CC ruled that the acquisition would be unlikely to lead to a substantial reduction in...

Modern Methods under scrutiny over efficiency.(05 Products and Materials)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... Housing project will compare steel, timber frame, concrete and brick methods. james.stagg@rbi.co.uk While contractors are embracing Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), time and money is being wasted through inefficient application,...

08 Features.
April 11, 2007... The new west London headquarters of Octavia Housing and Care is at the centre of a mixed-use development constructed on a long-vacant canalside site. The housing association's aim was to create 28 sheltered housing units, offering 24-hour care...

Concrete frames: the hard facts.(08 Features)
April 11, 2007... Ian Purton, partner at Gardiner & Theobold LLP, discusses the costs and considerations associated with concrete frames. The concrete sector is worth some [pounds sterling]5bn a year with up to 120 million tonnes of concrete being used in UK...

08 Features.
April 11, 2007... From clay to precast pipes, Contract Journal takes a look at some structural solutions. energy efficiency A range of thin-bed solid wall building solutions have been introduced by Natural Building Technologies. The ThermoPlan range is...

08 Features.
April 11, 2007... The use of recycled and secondary materials in construction products such as bricks, blocks and concrete can improve overall sustainability and directly reduce the amount of 'waste' sent to landfill. These materials include aggregates from...

10 Legal.
April 11, 2007... Retention of title Take care to identify unfixed materials, or you could pay for something without owning it. In a previous article, I considered the case of P4 Limited -v- Unite Integrated Solutions plc to discover what lessons could...

Climbing the ladder: Gareth Moores LEAVERS & JOINERS60 seconds on safety.(13 People)(Interview)
April 11, 2007... Why did you go into construction? My first introduction to the construction industry was studying for a mining and engineering degree at Leeds University, where I was sponsored by Redland (now Lafarge). Initially, I chose this degree...

A taxing month for construction.(10 Legal)
April 11, 2007... They say it never rains but it pours - and April showers have certainly made way for a deluge of regulatory change for the construction industry. From new rules on Managed Service Companies, to tax increases on company vans and changes to...

The inside out theatre.(09 Special Report)
April 11, 2007... One of the most unusually-designed theatres ever built is taking shape in Leicester, incorporating a fully-glazed transparent faAs.ade and topped with a 3,000t steel canopy roof. Martin Cooper reports. A radical vision of theatre has driven...

Construction has its say.(01 News)
April 11, 2007... As the Trade and Industry Select Committee takes submissions from the construction industry about what it would like to change (see CJ 4 April, page 1), CJ spoke to five industry figures about what they believe are the burning issues. ...

Euston set for [pounds sterling]1bn makeover.(01 News)(Brief article)
April 11, 2007... Euston and Cannon Street train stations in London are set for major facelifts as part of Network Rail's station revamp plan. British Land is overseeing the [pounds sterling]1bn Euston redevelopment, while American group Hines is the...

14 Back Page.
April 11, 2007... Secrecy gone mad at Canary Wharf I'm the first to admit that some things need to be kept hush-hush when a contract is drawn up between the client and a contractor. You couldn't have everyone knowing what everyone else is charging - where...

ISG goes international.(08 Features)(Interview)
April 11, 2007... Historically a London fit-out specialist, ISG is now expanding way beyond its roots. Chief executive David Lawther, who has just celebrated a year in the job, explains why to Will Mann. If we are active in several other countries, we aren't...

Can the capital cope?(08 Features)(new commercial developments in London for 2012 Olympic Games)(Financial report)
April 11, 2007... Can you have too much of a good thing? What with the overhaul of the Tube, the Thames Gateway regeneration, and now the Olympics, contractors operating in London have never had it so good. But do they have the resources to deliver it all, asks...

60 seconds on safety.(13 People)(an interview with Charles Purkess)(Interview)(Brief article)
April 18, 2007... Charles Purkess, health and safety director, RAW Group How long have you been involved with the health and safety side of the business? Four challenging years. What's the most difficult aspect of your job? Keeping up-to-date...

15 CJ50.
April 18, 2007... Bovis Lend Lease was back at the top of the CJ50 table in March after just a month away, thanks to a huge waste PFI deal with Lancashire County Council and Blackpool Council. Bovis will design, construct and operate two waste management and...

A-Plant restructures to meet Olympic challenge.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
April 18, 2007... Hirer's depot network will be split up into London and South East divisions. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk A-Plant has restructured its depot network in and around London to cater for construction work on the Olympic Games venues. The...

United Rentals statement prompts talk of a sale.(06 Plant)(Wayland Hicks, chief executive officer of the company retiers)(Brief article)
April 18, 2007... United Rentals, the world's largest equipment rental company, has effectively put itself up for sale and announced the retirement of its chief executive officer Wayland Hicks. In a statement ahead of its AGM in June, its board of directors...

CIS: more minor glitches, but not 'overloaded'.(01 News)(construction industry scheme)(Brief article)
April 18, 2007... HMRC has denied having more problems with the systems it uses for new CIS, despite claims that a contractor was unable to verify a subcontractor last Thursday (12 April) evening because the system was 'overloaded'. An HMRC spokesman...

Olympic regen could provide local training opportunities.(01 News)(Brief article)
April 18, 2007... ConstructionSkills wants 25 major regeneration projects in the Olympic region to sign up to a new initiative aimed at ensuring locals benefit from the opportunities available. Construction Legacy London was due to be unveiled at the Housing...

Construction still not a career choice for most.(01 News)
April 18, 2007... ConstructionSkills' [pounds sterling]1m campaign aims to attract ethnic minorities to the industry. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk Only 4% of parents would rank a career as a construction site manager as first choice for their child, with...

Broadgate's crowning glory.(08 Features)(British Land PLC chooses Bovis Lend Lease )
April 18, 2007... The latest tower on the City skyline is being built on a giant transfer deck over railway tracks outside Liverpool Street station. Will Mann explains. Broadgate was one of the City of London's biggest developments, a huge construction...

BAM wins [pounds sterling]120m Scots schools PPP shoot-out.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
April 18, 2007... Dutch group wins battle of the BAFOs on West Dunbartonshire Council scheme. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Dutch group BAM is the only one of three rivals left standing in the final three-way shoot-out for a [pounds sterling]120m PPP schools...

Rydon gets ready for Islington estate regen.(04 Contracts)
April 18, 2007... Rydon Construction is gearing up to start work in September on a [pounds sterling]129m regeneration deal in north London. In tandem with Hyde Housing and following a masterplan worked up by architect PTE, the job centres on transforming the...

Bouygues leads way on Tyne & Wear crossing.(04 Contracts)(Bouygues Travaux Publics)(Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority)(Brief article)
April 18, 2007... The French connection has triumphed over UK and Dutch interests on one of the UK's biggest and most complex civil engineering schemes. A group headed up by Bouygues Travaux Publics has surfaced as preferred bidder for the Tyne & Wear...

Cement in a fix?(07 Analysis)
April 18, 2007... Cement manufacturers around the world have been hit by multi-million pound fines for price-fixing. James Stagg looks at the global picture and asks what the implications are for the UK market. With the inner workings of the UK construction...

Public sector risk for projects.(01 News)
April 18, 2007... The public sector is a key source of risk during the construction phase of PPP projects, according to a survey conducted by Standard & Poor's (S&P). Inexperience, lack of commitment and engagement, bureaucracy, political interference,...