Contract Journal articles from August 2008

Contract Journal archives from August 2008

60 seconds on site.(13 People)(Interview)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Mark Hickling, site manager, Westleigh Developments What site are you working on at the moment? A Westleigh residential development called Church Place in Loughborough, Leicestershire. What is the best building site you have ever...

No quick fix.(08 CJ2)
August 6, 2008... The HSE is to ban new semi-automatic quick hitches after a spate of fatal accidents, but not existing ones. Colin Sowman reports. What a pity somebody had to die and another go to jail to highlight the bad practice that is going on in...

01 News.(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Firms on framework deals still enjoy strong orderbooks while rest of industry struggles. Industry divided as downturn hits home neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk Construction is splitting into a 'two tier' industry where contractors on...

Downturn hits apprentices.(01 News)
August 6, 2008... Housebuilders are calling for help from the construction industry's training board as they are forced to lay off hundreds of half-trained apprentices in the wake of the housing recession. With site activity believed to be 50% down on last...

Armcon mixer carries more.(Armcon Cementech introduces road-legal volumetric mixer )(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Armcon's new mixer can carry enough material to make 11m3 of concrete. Armcon Cementech has unveiled a road-legal volumetric mixer capable of carrying materials for up to 11m3 of cement (depending on the required mix). The unit is...

The nuclear dilemma.(01 News)
August 6, 2008... So what exactly is happening to the government's plans for nuclear energy now the EDF bid for British Energy has been rejected? The knock-back was clearly a shock to EDF, and has left its board reeling. But it also results in bigger questions...

Rights and remedies.(10 Legal)(Case overview)
August 6, 2008... How a court will assess a claimant's quantification of damages. In a recent case in the Technology and Construction Court, useful guidance was given on how the courts would assess damages in the event that a claimant's quantification of...

2,500 firms could go bust by end of year.(01 News)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... With 1,000 already going under this year, the outlook is bleak. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk At least 2,500 construction companies could fall victim to the downturn before the year is out - a sharp rise on the 1,500 declared insolvent in...

04 Contracts.
August 6, 2008... In brief Network Rail, The National Museum of Science and Industry and regeneration agency Yorkshire Forward are looking for consortia to develop a [pounds sterling]1bn retail-led mixed-use scheme on a site adjacent to York city centre....

Funding enables work on Alderley bypass to begin.(04 Contracts)
August 6, 2008... Cheshire County Council is drafting a letter of intent to Birse Civils for the lion's share of a scheme totalling [pounds sterling]30m, now that the government has finally stumped up the necessary funding. Work on the 5.3km Alderley bypass...

SDC and HBG top lists for education deals.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Regional contractor lands [pounds sterling]70m Northampton College scheme. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Two contractors are in line to tackle [pounds sterling]100m-plus worth of major college redevelopment work in the South Midlands and the...

04 Contracts.(Academies National )(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... ACADEMY AWARD Willmott Dixon has beaten Kier to become the preferred bidder for a [pounds sterling]16m Academies National Framework deal for Rochdale Borough Council. Work is planned to start next January on the 900-place St Anne's Academy in...

Skanska wins [pounds sterling]120m battle for RAF base in East Anglia.(Royal Air Force)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Skanska has beaten three rivals to scoop a [pounds sterling]120m deal to redevelop an RAF base in East Anglia. The Ministry of Defence has named the firm as its preferred bidder for the RAF Wyton project in Cambridgeshire - part of the...

Four contenders for [pounds sterling]40m Sutton Coldfield work.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Four rivals are swotting up for a [pounds sterling]40m education-sector deal in the West Midlands. The line-up for the redevelopment of Sutton Coldfield College is HBG, Taylor Woodrow, Kier Build and Norwest Holst. The plan is to award...

02 Business.(Financial report)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Source: Thomson DataStream Rolling four-week share price performance City watch Heywood Williams, the distributor of branded building products, suffered a share price collapse of almost 50% during the latest four-week period. ...

Climbing the ladder: Andrew Doel, Lytag.(13 People)
August 6, 2008... Why did you go into construction? I was conducting polymer research at Elkem Chemicals and had the choice of being made redundant or moving to its construction materials division. The rest, as they say, is history. What...

Five chase [pounds sterling]350m Defence Estates deal.(01 News)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Five firms are in the running for a [pounds sterling]350m deal to regenerate Catterick Garrison town centre in North Yorkshire. The deal is part of Defence Estates' [pounds sterling]1bn expansion of Catterick Garrison over the next 20...

EDF's Anglesey nuclear plant to be fast-tracked.(01 News)
August 6, 2008... EDF's plan to build a [pounds sterling]3bn new nuclear plant at Wylfa in Anglesey could be fast-tracked following the rejection of its bid for British Energy nuclear sites last week. The French energy giant wants to build around four...

Potential trainees put off by knife crime.(01 News)(influence of knife crime on Construction Diploma courses students)(Survey)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Fear of knife crime is hitting Construction Diploma courses in London and other major cities. Surveys by a number of training consortia have revealed that some inner city students have turned down places for fear of being attacked by gangs...

Working time changes to hit crane drivers.(06 Plant)
August 6, 2008... While the UK is likely to retain its opt-out from the Working Time Directive, compromises have had to be made at a European level that could cause problems for crane operators and others when scheduling staff, according to Colin Wood of the...

Focus on fuel burn will pay dividends.(06 Plant)(Bell Equipment is introducing significant upgrades to its articulated dump trucks)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Bell trials show 12lit/hr difference between plant machinery. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk Contractors and plant owners should give more thought to the fuel efficiency of their fleet and operators, according to Neville Paynter, UK managing...

Buy-to-let investors face CIS tax headache.(01 News)(Construction Industry Tax Scheme)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Any buyer carrying out work before letting could be affected. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk Contractors could be hit by a planned clampdown by the taxman on buy-to-let investors. CJ understands that HM Revenue and Customs officials are...

Crown House lays off 50 M&E staff.(01 News)
August 6, 2008... Crown House is laying off up to 50 M&E workers in the South East following the completion of a string of major airport contracts. The company - which is part of Laing O'Rourke - is currently negotiating with the Unite union over numbers....

In brief.(01 News)(housing association RCT Homes will invest 170m for housing rehabilitation)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... housing association RCT Homes will spend [pounds sterling]170m refurbishing more than 10,000 homes in south Wales using local workers. The firm plans to bring homes in Rhondda Cynon Taf up to a new Welsh quality standard over the next five...

01 News.(Morrison Construction Co.'s bridge construction)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... CUMBRIAN CROSSING Morrison Construction has lifted a 65-tonne bridge over a new stretch of the A595 in west Cumbria. The bridge - which will be used as a footpath and for farm access - consists of two braced pairs of 23m-long steel beams...

Clients delay procurement reform.(01 News)
August 6, 2008... Public and private clients are not changing working practices as quickly as contractors. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk Clients are still dragging their heels over revamping procurement practices in the wake of the Office of Fair Trading's...

GOOD WEEK.(01 News)
August 6, 2008... Cyclone survivors: Almost three months after a cyclone hit Myanmar's southern Irrawaddy delta, survivors are replacing their makeshift shelters with eco-friendly homes. Builders are incorporating solar power into new homes as part of government...

Industry shake-up given thumbs-up.(Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Plans to "radically transform the construction industry" have been agreed with the government at Labour's national policy forum at Warwick. Reforms cover issues including casualisation, health and safety, exploitation, and apprentices and...

Encouraging a safety culture.(08 CJ2)
August 6, 2008... While the first goal of any safety strategy is to reduce risk, those that lead the way have realised business benefits too. Juliet Davies asks some top performers their tips for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. Health and safety...

Offshore firms veto training levy move.(01 News)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Offshore contractors have vetoed any increase in the engineering construction sector's statutory training levy. Contractors said they cannot bear any further additional costs following a recent ruling that work on North Sea oil and gas...

QS firm Hannaby looks to join Baqus.(Baqus plans to acquire Brian Hannaby & Associates)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Baqus, the company formed by three private quantity surveyors and floated on the Stock Exchange eight months ago, has laid the foundations for its first acquisition. Brian Hannaby & Associates, the Liverpool-based QS, has agreed to a plan...

Pension woe for Carillion staff.(02 Business)
August 6, 2008... At least 2,000 Carillion employees are set to lose their final salary pensions as the group brings them into line with the rest of its staff. The vast majority of Carillion's 50,000 employees are already on a defined contribution pension...

Morgan Sindall turnover boost.(02 Business)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Morgan Sindall's interim turnover has risen nearly 50% to [pounds sterling]1.2bn. Sindall's results for the six months to 30 June show a pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]29m compared to [pounds sterling]25m last time. The previous...

[pounds sterling]173m cash inflow at O'Rourke.(02 Business)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Laing O'Rourke enjoyed a cash inflow running to [pounds sterling]173m last year, and at the year-end the group had [pounds sterling]480m of cash in the bank. The inflow of cash helped O'Rourke to almost double its pre-tax profit - the...

Travis lifts interim turnover to [pounds sterling]1.7bn.(02 Business)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]120m as outlets lifted to 1,206 locations. john.leitch@rbi.co.uk Travis Perkins, the builders' merchant, has emerged from the first six months of 2008 with barely a downturn in its profitability -...

Komatsu to offer DPFs factory-fitted.(diesel particulate filter)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Komatsu is introducing a factory-fit diesel particulate filter (DPF) option on a range of plant. Initially the filters will be offered on three of its most popular excavators - the PC210LC-8, PC240LC-8 and PC290LC-8 - and will add around...

Safe and sound in Lagan's world.(09 Focus)
August 6, 2008... Lagan Construction delivers infrastructure projects to clients from Scotland to the Caribbean, so its health and safety systems must span international requirements. Contract Journal explains. Lagan employees across the world use the same...

Leavers & Joiners.(Rand Group)(Gleeds has appointed Karen Ostler )(Apollo Group has appointed Kevin Thomas )(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... Balfour Kirkpatrick Balfour Kirkpatrick has promoted Emma Campbell (pictured) to commercial director for power systems and Alex Brown to information technology and communications infrastructure manager. Campbell will be responsible for all...

In brief.(06 Plant)
August 6, 2008... JLG Industries has appointed Min-ex Plant Sales of Cwmbran as a telehandler dealer to cover South Wales. The North West of England will now be serviced by Parkway Plant Sales of Bredbury (Stockport), which also has depots at Wolverhampton and...

01 News.
August 6, 2008... WHITE WASH Wiltshire's famous White Horses are being restored using Lafarge Cement's hydrated lime. The Broad Hinton White Horse on Hackpen Hill has been a tourist attraction for 170 years - but poor weather conditions and pollution have...

01 News.
August 6, 2008... HIGHER EDUCATION An S Lucas painting team working for Mace Plus puts the finishing touches to the external steelwork at Bridge Academy, Hackney. The new school, sponsored by the financial firm UBS, is due to open at its new purpose-built home...

The stakes are getting higher.(09 Focus)
August 6, 2008... If the Health and Safety (Offences) Bill makes it into law it will considerably raise the stakes for health and safety offences, raising the limit for fines and making imprisonment an option. Jonathan Cowlan explains. 2008 is a landmark...

Will your plant purchases make the mark?(09 Focus)
August 6, 2008... Unsuspecting plant buyers trading on the internet and through auctions could be buying machines that won't be accepted on UK sites. Dan Gilkes investigates the depth of the problem The construction equipment sales business, whether new or...

PwC report: higher risk of fraud overseas.(01 News)
August 6, 2008... Contractors hoping to avoid the downturn by expanding overseas could be opening themselves up to the risk of corruption and fraud, a new report has warned. PricewaterhouseCoopers' document Economic Crime: people, culture and controls found...

Opening week log-jams blight CPCS test centres.(Construction Plant Competence Scheme)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... ConstructionSkills is battling to clear a log-jam of applications for new Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) test centres. Just three official centres were up and running for the launch last Friday, while ConstructionSkills...

Cost of energy-saving technologies set to fall.(01 News)
August 6, 2008... The cost of environmentally-friendly technologies that could cut energy bills may finally be on the way down, according to manufacturers. Solar hot water manufacturer Velux claims prices for its units could drop 20% in the next 18 months....

Energy price hikes hammer materials firms.(01 News)
August 6, 2008... Soaring gas and electricity prices force firms to slash costs government is urged to bring prices in line with those across Europe. roxanne.millar@rbi.co.uk Soaring gas and electricity prices are forcing materials manufacturers to...

Clampdown on late payers of training levy.(01 News)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... ConstructionSkills to impose 8% interest charge on slack firms. roxanne.millar@rbi.co.uk Contractors will be charged interest and taken to court if they fail to pay their Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)-ConstructionSkills...

Olympic officials heed residents' noise complaints.(International Olympic Committee)(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... London 2012 officials have promised to keep noise on the site down following a complaint to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by Hackney residents. Neighbours in Leabank Square, Hackney Wick are unhappy that a soil washing plant is...

01 News.(Brief article)
August 6, 2008... News round-upa*a* Up to 50% of all high-rise residential developments are being put on hold because of the market downturn, according to the Financial Times. Savills said half of the high-rise schemes it tracks in London have been...

04 Contracts.(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... Galliford Try has won [pounds sterling]85m-worth of affordable housing deals from three housing associations in London. For Circle Anglia, the firm will build the [pounds sterling]34.5m 336-home Innova Park development in Enfield and an [pounds...

04 Contracts.
August 13, 2008... MEAT DEFEAT The Government has quashed [pounds sterling]200m plans by developer Thornfield Properties to redevelop London's historic Smithfield meat market into shops and offices. But Thornfield says it is "committed to carrying the project...

Firms fined [pounds sterling]120k for worker death.(01 News)
August 13, 2008... Two contractors have been fined a total of [pounds sterling]120,000 after a construction worker fell through a missing scaffold rail. Darren Handley, 36, from Dudley, died after falling 7m from a tower scaffold in 2004 while working on the...

Contractors get tough on cancelled schemes.(01 News)
August 13, 2008... Firms set to sue for loss of earnings on shelved residential work. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk Contractors faced with a wave of cancelled residential schemes could start chasing clients through the courts for loss of earnings. And firms...

West Coast Mainline work on schedule.(01 News)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... A [pounds sterling]750m modernisation programme on the West Coast Mainline looks set to meet its Christmas deadline, despite speculation that it would over-run. The project has been dogged with problems since a four-day engineering overrun...

Roads face ruin as funds fall short.(01 News)
August 13, 2008... Local authorities need better planned maintenance schedules and more government money if they want to stop their roads crumbling away. Asphalt Industry Alliance chairman Jim Crick's call came as the RAC revealed that call-outs for punctures...

Thames Water to pump in [pounds sterling]6.5bn.(01 News)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... Thames Water has unveiled plans to spend [pounds sterling]6.5bn on water and sewerage services for the five-year period from 2010-2015. The money will be spent on maintenance or replacement of major water mains and sewers, and a proposed...

A-Plant Acrow invests [pounds sterling]800k on trench shoring kit.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... Plant hirer A-Plant's specialist groundworks division A-Plant Acrow has spent [pounds sterling]800,000 on new trench shoring equipment The investment is the company's largest single purchase of groundworks equipment and is the first part of...

Construction's [pounds sterling]11.5bn bright spot.(01 News)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... You could be forgiven for thinking that the world as we know it is about to end, and the national press is doing a pretty good job of convincing everyone it's all gloom and doom. But that's not what the evidence suggests. Take last month's...

Osborne poised for [pounds sterling]100m Chichester college scheme.(04 Contracts)
August 13, 2008... Sources say Geoffrey Osborne is poised to haul in its biggest-ever contract. The word is the local firm is preferred bidder for the [pounds sterling]100m redevelopment of the Chichester College campus in West Sussex, ahead of rivals Wates...

Clugston begins Tyne waste job.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... After more than three years in negotiations with client Graphite Resources, Clugston Construction has finally started work on a [pounds sterling]50m flagship waste management scheme on Tyneside. The Derwenthaugh Ecoparc plant will be...

Four in the fast lane for Merseyside viaduct deal.(04 Contracts)
August 13, 2008... HA's M53 viaduct strengthening scheme will be worth [pounds sterling]70m. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Four rivals have geared up for a [pounds sterling]70m deal to strengthen a crucial viaduct on Merseyside for the third time. The...

GB has plug pulled at Doncaster Racecourse.(GB Building Solutions )(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... Developer Arena Leisure shelves its plans for [pounds sterling]13m scheme. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk GB Building Solutions has backed a loser at Doncaster Racecourse after plans for a [pounds sterling]13m redevelopment were pulled up by...

[pounds sterling]5bn Academies deal a boost for contractors.(01 News)
August 13, 2008... Partnerships for Schools to announce double-size National Academies framework bid list. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk Work-starved contractors will be offered the chance to join a new [pounds sterling]5bn National Academies framework deal as...

Plant hire escapes worst of credit crunch.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... Fleet value of top 75 firms increases by 25% in 2007/08. By Paul Howard The plant hire industry has so far managed to avoid the more serious consequences of the credit crunch, according to the 2007/08 Plant Hire Investment Report. ...

Slow start for diesel filter compliance.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... Only three companies and five filter systems have made it onto the Energy Savings Trust's (EST) list of diesel particulate filters (DPF) complying with the requirements of the London Best Practice Guide. There have also been no certificated...

14 Back Page.
August 13, 2008... Virgin on the ridiculous I really hope that the predictions of our man on the West Coast Mainline are correct and we'll see the modernisation programme completed on schedule (see page 3). Why? Because I bring you this entry from a...

01 News.
August 13, 2008... DUBAI DEAL Flooring specialist Flowcrete has won its largest ever deal - an [pounds sterling]8m contract to install car park decking at the Jumeirah Lakes Towers in Dubai. Flowcrete-approved contractor Pegasus, which is based in the...

01 News.(Van Elle)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... Van Elle moves into civils sector Work in action on Van Elle's M1 widening job for main contractor MVM. Piling specialist Van Elle is looking to expand into civil engineering as work in the housing market dries up. Around 20% of...

Construction's gloom to last until end of 2009.(01 News)
August 13, 2008... Industry experts are predicting a recession until the end of 2009 at least as two leading construction trade bodies released their gloomiest ever joint trade survey this week. Results from the Construction Confederation and Construction...

SME savings on health and safety admin.(01 News)
August 13, 2008... Smaller contractors will save millions thanks to government plans to slash health and safety red tape. Contractors spend an average of 20 hours a year, at a cost of more than [pounds sterling]350, on administration for safety requirements....

Electricians to finish T5 by this Christmas.(01 News)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... Finishing work deal agreed at troubled new Heathrow terminal. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk An 80-strong gang of electricians will be carrying out finishing work at Heathrow's T5 until Christmas. BAA has agreed a deal with the Unite union...

Union anger at length of proposed pay deal.(01 News)
August 13, 2008... Employers accused of taking advantage of economic downturn. grant.prior@rbi.co.ukjohn.darcy@rbi.co.uk A ROW is brewing between employers and the unions over the length of the next building and civil engineering pay agreement. ...

Makers wins [pounds sterling]1m contract battle.(02 Business)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... Social housing specialist Makers has won a High Court judgement in a [pounds sterling]1m contract fight with the London Borough of Camden. The decision upholds an earlier adjudicator's ruling on the row. But Makers believes it still has a...

14 Back Page.
August 13, 2008... The Construction Act should be amended by autumn 2009, more than five years after consultation on changing it began. Only construction contracts made after the Bill is enacted will be affected. The draft Bill seeks to intervene where the...

2012 officials take lessons from Beijing.(Olympic Delivery Authority)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... London 2012 officials are in Beijing to learn how to build Olympic venues. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is sending construction boss Howard Shiplee and infrastructure and utilities boss Simon Wright to the Games with a team of...

Plant test puts off operators.(01 News)
August 13, 2008... Plant trainers fear tough new tests could force mass drop-outs from the Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS). ConstructionSkills has made theory and practical exams harder. The number of questions in theory tests has risen from...

Standards raised for green roofs.(01 News)(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... Green roofs will soon be subject to strict standards to improve the quality of those being built. A newly-formed green roof advisory board has pledged to develop a standard within the next 12 months that will preach "quality not quantity"....

[pounds sterling]10m boost in push to develop energy saving technologies.(01 News)
August 13, 2008... More than [pounds sterling]10m has been earmarked to develop cutting-edge sustainable technologies to help contractors meet carbon emission targets for buildings. The government-sponsored Technology Strategy Board and Engineering and...

M&A Roarty hits administration.(M&A Roarty Construction )(Brief article)
August 13, 2008... Stratford-based M&A Roarty Construction has dropped into administration. The [pounds sterling]17m-turnover subcontractor provides services in utility- and infrastructure-related civil engineering including tunnelling, shaft-sinking,...

01 News.
August 13, 2008... News round-upaC*aC* British workers face being sidelined with manual work as foreigners take the plum engineering jobs, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has warned. The Times reported workers will be left "pouring the concrete"...

06 Plant.
August 20, 2008... FLIPPED OUT The first Flip Screen bucket to be mounted on a JCB Midi CX has been delivered to RTC Building Developments of Norfolk. The combination was facilitated thanks to a skid-steer style hitch on the backhoe and was used to screen topsoil...

06 Plant.
August 20, 2008... ATTENTION! Graham Allison, a booking controller for Leggat Plant Hire in Barrhead, Glasgow, wore his Lance Bombardier uniform from the Territorial Army as part of Uniform to Work Day to increase awareness of the TA's contribution to current...

01 News.
August 20, 2008... In brief Cemex-owned concrete firm Readymix will cut 15% of its staff and sell non-core assets after reporting a [pounds sterling]7.6m first-half loss due to a slowdown in the property sector. First-half revenues were down 9.4% on the...