Contract Journal articles from August 2005

Contract Journal archives from August 2005

Achieving payment from adjudication referrals.(Les Construction Industrielles de la Mediterrannee SA, Geris Handelsgesellschaft GmbH)(case)
August 3, 2005... The recent case of Geris Handelsgesellschaft GmbH -v- Les Construction Industrielles de la Mediterrannee SA (CNIM) highlights the difficulties that may arise when adjudicators fail to decide the overall amount to be paid from one party to the...

back bites.(Amateur Boxing Championship)(Borras, boxing promoters, contract)
August 3, 2005... Originality sin The 60-second interview on our inside back cover has proved a popular feature of CJ since its introduction last year. A similar profile has also been running in one of our rival papers, yet until recently, it was untitled. But...

Civils underestimate soil stabilisation risk.(management of road construction industry)
August 3, 2005... Contractors using inexperienced workers on road soil works risk delays and fines. An increasing number of major roads contracts are running the risk of delays, financial penalties and litigation because main contractors, inexperienced in...

Bid rigging fraud targeted by OFT.(Office of Fair Trading)(Queen's Medical Centre building contract fraud investigations)
August 3, 2005... Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham under investigation following corruption probe. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is believed to be nearing its first criminal prosecution after an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into...

Crash barrier; safety on M6 toll in question.(highways agency)
August 3, 2005... CAMBBA consortium accused of ignoring HA safety guidance. Safety barrier provision along the M6 toll road has been described as "shocking" and "beyond belief" by one experienced highways engineer. He said crash barriers have "lethal...

25% of plant hire companies rate market share over profit.(reports)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... A new analysis of the top 2,000 plant hire companies by Plimsoll Publishing reveals that 25% are intent on capturing market share, regardless of the cost. Having looked at the last two years' trading of each company, the report found at least a...

In the driving seat.(Scania P340 CB8x4)(Product/Service Evaluation)
August 3, 2005... If you're after a rugged eight-wheeler that combines cab comfort with a generous payload for aggregates, then Scania's latest P-series construction range could be worth a closer look. Geoff Ashcroft spent a day at the wheel. With a new...

Caterpillar profit hits [pounds sterling]435m.(Caterpillar (U.K.) Ltd.)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Caterpillar has reported record sales of [pounds sterling]5.36bn and a record profit of [pounds sterling]435m for the second quarter of 2005. Sales of machinery increased by [pounds sterling]1.01bn, or 23% compared with the same period in 2004....

[pounds sterling]127m sales at Pinguely.(Pinguely-Haulotte)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... French-based access equipment manufacturer Pinguely-Haulotte has reported net sales of [pounds sterling]127m during the first half of 2005, a 58% increase over the same period in 2004. Sales in the first quarter of this year totalled [pounds...

Nature; trail.(plans for the construction of nature reserves)
August 3, 2005... Creating lush nature reserves out of apparently barren disused quarries is not uncommon, but what makes Molesey Reservoirs in Surrey so unusual is the amount of co-operation that has been required between all the interested parties in order to...

Rocking all over the world.(import of paving materials used by construction industry)(Column)
August 3, 2005... From Vermont to Vietnam, stone is being imported into the UK from increasingly exotic locations, as cheap labour drives prices down. But what impact is this having on the UK's indigenous industry? Helen McCormick investigates. The British...

60-second interview.(Ray Booth, Pennine Group )(Brief Article)(Interview)
August 3, 2005... Ray Booth, quality and HR manager, Pennine Group Where did you go to school and what qualifications did you gain? I went to Bolton School and got A-levels in maths, further maths, physics and French. I went on to Oxford University for an...

How to.(business writing tips)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... ... produce powerful business writing In an age of e-mail and text messaging, where the emphasis is on speed and brevity in workplace communications, the importance of good English and well-crafted sentences is frequently underestimated....

G Mayer branches out with JLG.(G Mayer Groundworks )(Plant Hire )(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Shrewsbury-based G Mayer Groundworks and Plant Hire has entered the access equipment rental sector with the delivery of three JLG platforms. The two JLG 450AJs and one 510AJ unit form part of an overall order that includes several more JLG...

Cement makers' clean sweep.(green technology)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Cement firms are investing in green technology ahead of European legislation later this year that will see tighter controls on waste used as fuels. Cemex plans to spend [pounds sterling]6.5m at subsidiary Rugby Cement, and Lafarge Cement has...

Doka has a tall order in Leeds.(Doka UK safety measures)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Formwork equipment supplied by Doka UK is said to be helping to maximise safety and minimise core construction times at what is set to become the tallest building in Leeds. The 32-storey Bridgewater Place is a mixed-use development and will...

Crane hire companies fear ban on cheap fuel.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... As Revenue & Customs stalls its decision on red diesel, crane operators are left in a state of uncertainty. Mobile crane operators must wait until the end of the year to find out if they can continue to run their equipment on rebated red...

Job tribunal: 'You're free to quit'.(WBB Minerals sacked Stephen Copsey )(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Judges have defended a quarry firm's decision to sack a Christian worker who complained about Sunday working. WBB Minerals sacked team leader Stephen Copsey when he objected to new shift work patterns, which included Sundays. Christian pressure...

The forgotten army.(hauliers safety education)
August 3, 2005... In the past, aggregates firms have only paid lip service to the safety of their hauliers. But now they're lobbying the Major Contractors Group to recognise a 'driver skills card', which would become the hauliers' equivalent of the CSCS card....

Speedy's compact expansion.(Speedy Hire PLC)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Speedy Hire has expanded into compact construction equipment rental, and bought 125 JCB mini excavators and 25 Thwaites 1.5t capacity dumpers. Speedy will stock the equipment at 25 depots. The company said a further order of JCB kit planned for...

Riding the Mexican wave.(RMC acquisition by Cemex)
August 3, 2005... The pace of change has been pretty relentless at the former RMC since Cemex acquired the aggregates giant earlier this year. Will Mann asks Mike Ogden, who now heads up the UK materials business, how the company is adapting. Fast-moving....

New roads double in price since original estimates.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... The cost of new road schemes has increased by an extra [pounds sterling]1.3bn, according to government figures researched by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). The new figures, released in answers to Parliamentary Questions by MPs...

Confusion over plasterboard waste regs.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Contractors have been left confused after regulations on plasterboard waste came in last month. The confusion stems from the Environment Agency's (EA) advice on gypsum waste, which states plasterboard "is not considered to be hazardous...

Esentual claims large saving for contractors.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Employment management company Esentual claims contractors can save on average nearly [pounds sterling]500,000 on worker costs a year, per site, by using its new free service. The service, also called Esentual, involves taking control of the...

US PPP sector on the cards as John Laing plans growth.(Austostrade, IIG, partnership)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... John Laing has made moves to enter the emerging PPP market in the US. The group is bidding for a [pounds sterling]660m project in Virginia that involves the upgrade of a toll road. Chief executive Andy Friend said: "This is our first bid in...

UK steel makers hail energy probe by EC.(European Commission)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... European Commission to investigate increase in energy costs for steel producers. Lower energy costs abroad are handing continental suppliers an unfair advantage over UK steel firms, the industry has claimed, as the European Commission...

Asbestos risk management pays off at BES.(BES Consulting, Carillion PLC, contract)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... BES Consulting anticipates a boom in demand for its asbestos risk management services over the next three years and has signed a [pounds sterling]25m deal to provide the funds needed for expansion. BES has 190 employees and has enjoyed a...

Three bid for Surrey lighting PFI.(Public Finance Initiative)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Three outfits are hoping to switch on to a [pounds sterling]65.6m PFI streetlighting deal being rolled out by Surrey County Council. The line-up for the massive replacement programme is Balfour Beatty Power Networks, Vinci Investments and a...

Highways Agency cuts schemes again.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... For the second time this year, the Highways Agency (HA) has stripped out schemes from its roads package deals and decreased the value of the original projects. The latest casualty is the North East Package B deal, which has now come up for...

Clegg to build student digs.(Clegg Construction will build new student accommodation in Sheffield)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Clegg Construction has bagged two negotiated deals totalling [pounds sterling]40m-plus. In what is Clegg's second biggest-ever win, the Nottingham-based firm will build new student accommodation in Sheffield as part of a [pounds sterling]24m...

HSE to scrutinise demolition sector after fatalities double.(Health & Safety Executive)
August 3, 2005... Demolition firms will come under Health & Safety Executive (HSE) scrutiny after a "distressing" number of deaths in the sector this year. The sector bucked the trend in the construction industry, which has posted its lowest fatalities rate on...

UCATT calls for campaign to halt exploitation of immigrant workers.(Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UK labor union) )(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... UCATT is calling for a more rigorous campaign to prevent the exploitation of migrant site workers. The union also wants full recognition of overseas workers' contribution to the UK economy. The plea comes in a motion submitted by UCATT for...

Working Time Regs get offshore ruling.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... An Aberdeen employment tribunal has ruled that the Working Time Regulations apply beyond the UK territorial waters limit of 12 miles and cover offshore construction and other workers carrying out North Sea oil and gas work in the UK sector of...

HSE checks foreign worker treatment.(Health and Safety Executive)
August 3, 2005... Inspections will ensure immigrant workers are not at risk due to communication barriers. Health & Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors will swoop on construction sites across the country as part of a new drive to investigate how...

Sacked welder denied basic employee rights.
August 3, 2005... 'Invisible' worker's unfair dismissal claim blocked after confusion over his work status. Representatives of a sacked rail worker last week slammed a High Court decision that effectively defined the welder as "the invisible man". The...

Demolition workers get better pay deal.(National Federation of Demolition Contractors)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Union bosses have agreed an 11% pay rise over two years for demolition workers with the National Federation of Demolition Contractors. The settlement provides for two 5.5% increases. The basic hourly rate for a Grade 3 operative or topman rose...

Christmas card appeal to help homeless.(CRASH)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... "Cancel Christmas and save the homeless," is construction charity CRASH's message this year. CRASH wants construction firms to set aside the money they would usually spend on Christmas cards and donate it to the charity. Firms that do will be...

Quality work hits Skanskaturnover.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... But profit margin is 3% and 4% is feasible via smart working. Skanska UK's turnover in the first half of 2005 dropped to [pounds sterling]330m as the contractor continued with its "emphasis on quality work". Workload ran to [pounds...

Five to share [pounds sterling]230m of housing upgrade.(Breyer and Diamond Build, Lovell, Balfour Beatty and Connaught)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Contractors to carry out refurbishment work on 13,500 homes in west London. Local outfits have lined up with major league players to share in [pounds sterling]230m-worth of housing upgrade work in west London. The deal, for Hammersmith...

Schools deal raises the Barr.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Barr has chalked up its second schools contract win in as many weeks. The latest deal, worth [pounds sterling]12m, is to extend and refurbish four schools for Renfrewshire Council. Rok and Dickie were also in the chase for the design and build...

Enterprise pays [pounds sterling]6.3m for CRW.(CRW Maintenance)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... The support services group Enterprise has paid [pounds sterling]6.3m for CRW Maintenance. CRW provides a reactive mechanical, electrical and build fabric service to retail, commercial and local authority sector clients in the North East and...

Crawley picks Grosvenor for [pounds sterling]500m revamp.(town centre regeneration scheme)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... At least four companies are licking their lips at the prospect of landing the main contractor prize for a [pounds sterling]500m town centre regeneration scheme in Crawley, West Sussex. The borough council has picked Grosvenor as its preferred...

Contractors await review after ProCure 21 change.
August 3, 2005... Move to Commercial Directorate may have important repercussions for the awarding of NHS contracts. Contractors working on NHS projects will come under scrutiny following a Department of Health (DoH) rejig. One year after the abolition of...

Metronet and TubeLines attacked in LUL's report.
August 3, 2005... Metronet and TubeLines received a damning end of term report last week for their performance on London Underground's Public Private Partnership (PPP), with the performance of Metronet, a consortium that includes Atkins and Balfour Beatty,...

Costain driver's Lotto win.(Keith Bradley, National Lottery)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... A Costain van driver has won [pounds sterling]4.2m on the National Lottery. Keith Bradley only joined Costain full-time two weeks ago after working for the contractor for two years on hire from an agency. He and his wife were part of a...

Amey makes [pounds sterling]33m profit for Ferrovial.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Amey's turnover in the first half of 2005 ran to [pounds sterling]600m, representing an 18% rise over the corresponding period last year. Ferrovial, the Spanish construction, infrastructure and services group that bought Amey in May 2003, made...

Carillion to sue Royal and Sun Alliance for [pounds sterling]9m.(Carillion Construction, Royal and SunAlliance Insurance Group PLC)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Carillion Construction has launched a [pounds sterling]9m damages claim against insurer Royal and Sun Alliance in a row over a property in Kensington. Carillion is asking the High Court to rule that the insurer is liable to pay [pounds...

Daventry gets the Boot in for regen.(Henry Boot Developments gets contract for redevelopment of Daventry town centre)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Henry Boot Developments has been named preferred developer for the redevelopment of Daventry town centre in Northamptonshire. Boot will masterplan two sites, delivering new shops, offices and leisure facilities. Following consultation, it is...

Sparks fly over heated football pitch.(Falkirk Football Club terminates contracts)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... A war has broken out between subcontractors on Mowlem's [pounds sterling]8m stadium contract for Falkirk Football Club (FFC) after claims by one of the feuding parties that design failures in the pitch's undersoil heating system could kill...

McEwan joins Currie & Brown.(Euan McEwan appointed)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Currie & Brown has taken on Euan McEwan, formerly of AWG, as group chief executive officer with immediate effect. He was previously executive director of AWG's infrastructure management business. Before that he was an executive director of...

Vinci to face tribunal over racial discrimination claim.(Vinci Norwest Holst)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Vinci Norwest Holst is facing an employment tribunal action this month, after claims that white workers on its [pounds sterling]24m schools contract in Bromley suffered racial discrimination. The two bricklayers, being represented by UCATT,...

Editor's comment.(construction industry workplace accidents statistics)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
August 3, 2005... A dangerous game No-one who has experienced a death on one of their sites would ever argue about the crucial role of having a preventative approach to health and safety. The heartache, time, money, stress and sleepless nights involved - not to...

Nuttall fined for polluting rivers.(Edmund Nuttall)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Magistrates last week fined Edmund Nuttall [pounds sterling]50,000 for two environmental offences. On 25 July, the contractor was fined [pounds sterling]40,000 after polluting matter made its way into the River Llynfi in Maesteg, Wales. Two...

Japan pioneers green solutions.(construction of World Expo pavillion by the construction industry)
August 3, 2005... Imagination and lateral thinking go a long way to creating the innovative materials on show at this year's World Expo at Aichi, Japan. Pursuing sustainability and using renewable resources in construction are becoming increasingly...

Second quarter sales rise 14% at Volvo Construction.
August 3, 2005... The healthy growth is bolstered by rising demand for compact equipment, especially from UK purchasers. Volvo Construction Equipment (VCE) has reported worldwide second quarter sales for 2005 of [pounds sterling]701m, an increase of 14%...

What lies beneath.(preparation for Olympics 2012)(a boost for the construction industry)
August 3, 2005... The award of the Olympics, on top of the huge Thames Gateway regeneration plan, means London will require huge quantities of aggregate over the next decade. And the marine sector hopes a lot of it will come from under the sea - if they get the...

The definition of 'working days'.(Newham)
August 10, 2005... The Commercial Court in London was recently asked to examine a contract between Lafarge (Aggregates) and the London Borough of Newham to rule upon the effect of a clause stating that a notice served by either party "shall be deemed to be served...

Rising star.(Higgins Construction)(Interview)
August 10, 2005... Mark Rule, resident liaison officer, Higgins Construction. What are your current day-to-day responsibilities? Trying to make sure residents aren't just content with our work refurbishing their homes, but that they're delighted with the...

Construction equipment the key to CNH success.
August 10, 2005... Equipment manufacturer CNH has reported sales of [pounds sterling]1.9bn for the second quarter of 2005, up from [pounds sterling]1.8bn for the same period last year, while profit increased to [pounds sterling]64m from [pounds sterling]46m in...

The curse of Stonehenge.(early contractor involvement )
August 10, 2005... The history of the A303 Stonehenge ECI scheme is as dramatic and shrouded in mystery as that of the monumental stone circle it is meant to tunnel under. Ross Pearman charts the lay of the land. It took 1,000 years for a team of Celtic...

Peach ; snaps ; into action; goes here.
August 10, 2005... Taylor Woodrow Construction's new boss is a firm believer in youth. He's spent the past four years restructuring the firm's approach to graduate recruitment and, as Will Mann finds out, it's starting to pay off. The departure of...

UK sales forecast to rise 4% in 2005.(Committee for European Construction Equipment )(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Yet a decline is expected by 2006 due to fewer sales to rental firms. Sales of construction equipment in the UK should increase by 4% this year, according to the latest data from the Committee for European Construction Equipment (CECE)....

Hanson turnover leaps 9%.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Hanson's turnover in the first six months of 2005 was [pounds sterling]1.7bn, a rise of 9% over the comparable period last year. Pre-tax profit jumped by more than a quarter to [pounds sterling]170m. During the first-half, the total spend for...

CPA slams plant emissions plans.(Construction Plant hire Association)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... CPA says retrofitting proposals 'disregard the cost to industry'. The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) has made a stinging response to proposals by the Partnership in Reducing Emission from Construction Equipment. These require...

Caterpillar seeks control of leading Chinese manufacturer.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Caterpillar is negotiating to buy a controlling interest of the core unit of China's biggest construction machinery manufacturer. The US company wants to buy 51% of Xugong Machinery, which specialises in the manufacture of wheel loaders and...

Lex boasts economic fleet control system.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Lex Vehicle Leasing has claimed its new own-brand telematics solution can deliver a substantial saving for fleet owners. Known as Lex FleetSolve, the system is said to be a modular fleet and asset-management solution, which uses...

How to.(human resource managemnt)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... ... set up a work experience placement Mention the words 'work experience' and many people are dubious, having had variable experiences from both sides of the deal. However, there are those who have made it work. Speak to a graduate who...

Police raids reveal [pounds sterling]120k of stolen plant.(Dyfed Powys police )(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... The National Plant and Equipment Register (TER) has helped Dyfed-Powys police recover [pounds sterling]120,000-worth of stolen equipment after a series of raids in Welshpool, codenamed Operation Tess. Items recovered included four...

Emcor Group back in black with 1% margin.(Emcor Group UK)
August 10, 2005... The [pounds sterling]3.7m pre-tax profit is a healthy turnaround from the [pounds sterling]12m loss suffered in 2003. Emcor Group UK, the M&E specialist previously known as Drake & Scull, made a margin of 1% last year with chief executive...

A McAlpine plans selective PFI bids.(Pharmaceutical Formulations Inc.)
August 10, 2005... Alfred McAlpine chief will only bid if more than three are on list. Alfred McAlpine is among a growing number of contractors who won't bid for PFI work, unless there are at least three names on the list. "What happens otherwise, with just...

A303 Stonehenge tunnel: no decision until end of year.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... A decision on whether to give the go-ahead to Costain and Balfour Beatty's [pounds sterling]470m A303 Stonehenge tunnel contract will not happen until the end of the year. Contract Journal understands that the early contractor involvement...

Smaller firms set to escape training levy.(Construction Industry Training Board )
August 10, 2005... CITB proposals to raise the statutory training levy threshold by 8% to [pounds sterling]69,000 are expected to bring in [pounds sterling]145m. Hundreds more smaller building and civil engineering contractors are set to escape paying the...

Runners wanted for Epsom revamp.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Contractors are set to come under starters' orders next year for a [pounds sterling]23.5m deal to revamp one of the world's most famous racecourses. Epsom has unveiled plans to replace the racecourse's run-down buildings, which have remained...

back bites.(Carillion Natural Habitats Fund)
August 10, 2005... A mice idea Unusual surely, in an industry not always on the best of terms with endangered species like the greater crested newt, to find a contractor actually supporting a wildlife fund? The Carillion Natural Habitats Fund is now into its...

Jarvis appoints Entwistle as chief operating officer.(Richard Entwistle )(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Richard Entwistle is to become Jarvis's new chief operating officer. Currently a main board director at Amey, he will take up his new post on 8 September. Entwistle steps into a post at Jarvis that was previously held by Andrew Lezala, who...

Kent PFI hospital down to final two.(Private Finance Initiative)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Carillion and Equion go head to head; Bouygues drops out of race. Carillion and John Laing subsidiary Equion have been asked by Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust to work up best and final offers for the [pounds sterling]390m PFI...

CITB divided over vow of silence.(Construction Industry Training Board )(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... The minutes of CITB-Construc- tionSkills' spring meeting reveal a fundamental split between training board members over a self-imposed "vow of silence" regarding the then-controversial issue of its relations with the Construction Skills...

Lenard set to exit CE position.(retirement of Dennis Lenard from Constructing Excellence)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Dennis Lenard's tenure as chief executive of Constructing Excellence (CE) is due to end next month after a series of bust-ups with chairman Peter Rogers and what has been described by some as a "disappointing" two years in post. CJ understands...

Cement suppliers face cartel claims.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... European concrete manufacturers have accused cement suppliers of acting as a cartel and keeping prices high. As CJ went to press, Belgian firm Cartel Damage Claims (CDC) is understood to have started a lawsuit against Cemex, Dyckerhoff and...

Glasgow school PFI sets green example.(Private finance initiative )(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Specifiers can expect to use more materials with recycled content on PFI schemes following a study on a Glasgow schools project, WRAP procurement project manager David Moon told CJ. WRAP found that Glasgow's Summerhill primary school exceeded...

Death at T5.
August 10, 2005... The unblemished health and safety record of BAA's major project is shattered, as a 27-year-old worker is killed. BAA's flagship Heathrow T5 project, arguably construction's safest site, suffered its first fatality last Wednesday...

Steel faces competition from composite offering.(Intelligent Engineering )(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Intelligent Engineering claims sandwich product has the strength of steel, but is lighter. Projects ranging from bridge renovation to Olympic stadiums could use composite products over steel and concrete now that product developer...

[pounds sterling]53m housing deal split four ways.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Four groups have unlocked a housing deal for Oldham and Rochdale councils, worth [pounds sterling]53.5m over the first two years of what could turn into an eight-year project. The scheme goes under the banner of Housing Market Renewal...

BSF shortlists are finalised.(Building Schools for the Future)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... The shortlists for [pounds sterling]575m-worth of Building Schools for the Future (BSF) contracts have been drawn up. Lancashire County Council has now pared down a longlist of eight groups, to a shortlist of three to tackle a [pounds...