Contract Journal articles from December 2003

Contract Journal archives from December 2003

The withholding of payment.(Morgan Building Services Ltd.)
December 3, 2003... The recent Court of Appeal decision in the case of Rupert Morgan Building Services Ltd -v- David Jervis examined the purpose behind the Section 111 notice requirement of the Construction Act. Section 111(1) states "a party to a construction...

Contractors sought for [pounds sterling]76m school PFI.
December 3, 2003... Contractors sought for [pounds sterling]76m school PFI Kent County Council is inviting tenders for a [pounds sterling]76.6m education PFI project to refurbish and redesign six secondary schools at Ashford, Aylesford, East Malling, Ramsgate,...

Earlier ordering would increase value to clients.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Clients and contractors are missing a chance to get better value from their construction products by failing to partner with product manufacturers and builders' merchants and involve them early enough in projects. This was the message from Paul...

Partnerships pay off for Taylor Woodrow.(Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd.)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Taylor Woodrow Construction's Strategic Alliance Partnership (SAP) with M&E firms NG Bailey, Rotary Group and Staveley Group is providing major savings and better value, according to its director of building services Charles Lever. All four...

Village people.
December 3, 2003... Arup is currently overseeing remedial work at a Cardiff site destined for the Cardiff International Sport Village development. Because of a variety of industrial activities, the site is heavily contaminated. Geraldine Faulkner went to Cardiff...

IR expands its range of jackhammers.(Ingersoll Rand Portable Power )(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Ingersoll Rand (IR) Portable Power has expanded its range of reduced-vibration tools with the launch of two jackhammers. The company said the units are suitable for secondary splitting and small blasthole applications in quarries and mines, as...

Wham, bang, thank you BAM!(Brown and Mason)
December 3, 2003... The traditional 'hard hat and a hammer' image of demolition contractors needs updating. As Paul Howard finds out from Brown and Mason, Contract Journal's reigning Demolition Contractor of the Year, these days they need to be capable of offering...

May Gurney's mixing match.(May Gurney Group Ltd.)
December 3, 2003... May Gurney recently started what it believes is the largest soil-mixing remediation project in Europe, at Sir John Rogersons Quay in Dublin's Docklands. Will Mann finds out what made its approach to the job so appealing to the client. Like...

Piling on the edge.
December 3, 2003... Groundworks contractors building on sloping inner city sites face both access problems and difficulties with ground instability. Mike Walters reports on a clever combination of groundworks being used by Roger Bullivant to cope with slope...

Costain turns back on bid for Wiltshier.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Costain has decided not to bid for Wiltshier fm, the facilities management wing of Ballast plc. Other potential bidders are already thought to have backed away. Wiltshier was a profitable business with 100 employees and a forward orderbook of...

Aquatrine delayed.(Project Aquatrine to provide water and wastewater services for Scotland)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... A decision on a preferred bidder for the final package of the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) [pounds sterling]1.1bn Project Aquatrine has been postponed until the New Year. An announcement on Package B of the PPP was originally due by the...

Bobcat eyes multi-operators.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Bobcat has introduced a control pattern option for its skid steer loaders, added a new model and released its A300 tracked loader. Selectable Joystick Control (SJC) allows operators to switch between H and ISO control patterns (used on...

Euro golf challenge.
December 3, 2003... Plume de ma tante, Rodney. If you thought that hacking was only something that geeks did on computers, then you obviously didn't witness some of the golfers making their haphazard way around some of northern France's finest courses on 20...

Mabey bears the load for Landmarc.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Mabey Hire has supplied 58 Dura-Base ground-bearing mats to specialist contractor Landmarc for a boggy landscaping project in Shropshire. The mats are designed to spread loads evenly over a large area and can be interconnected to create a...

Powerscreen claims recycling cash saving.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Powerscreen Sales Scotland said the inert recycling plant installed at CRM in Edinburgh is the most advanced in the UK. Consisting of a Powerscreen Warrior 1400, Powerscrub 120R and a MKII Rinser all working together, the plant is equipped...

Plimsoll keeps monthly watch on plant hire.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Plimsoll has launched a monthly plant hire industry monitoring service that allows subscribers to keep abreast of the competition, industry acquisitions and market movements. Plimsoll senior analyst David Pattison said: "Monitoring the plant...

Deals; done.(meshed briefs)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... A-Plant and Hilta A-Plant has taken delivery of more than 50 Hilta pumps in a deal worth [pounds sterling]200,000. The units, delivered to UK hire locations, consist of diaphragm, automatic priming, centrifugal and submersible pumps. Barry...

In brief.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Speedy turnover up Speedy Hire has announced a group turnover of [pounds sterling]81.7m for the six months ending 27 September 2003, a 17.9% increase over the same period last year. Operating profit was [pounds sterling]10.7m - an increase of...

Exclusive partnership yields new Belle roller.(Tacom)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Development with Japanese manufacturer for latest project. The Belle Group has added a new walk-behind double-drum roller to its range of compaction equipment. The BWR650 is the result of an exclusive partnership between Belle and Japanese...

Single-drum roller test 'augers well'.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Terex Benford spokesman says initial indicators 'look good'. The conformity testing of Terex Benford's and Bomag's single-drum rollers has taken place. This follows the outlawing of single-drum rollers from road reinstatement work by the...

Jarvis sale looks increasingly likely.
December 3, 2003... Balfour Beatty and Ferrovial named as possible bidders as revelation of bill for [pounds sterling]30m exceptional costs adds to analysts' worries. Jarvis' troubles could be pushing the service sector group towards a sale, either in parts...

Expansion boosts turnover at Connaught.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Rapid expansion at Connaught, the refurbishment contractor, has carried turnover to a new high of [pounds sterling]160m ([pounds sterling]110m) with pre-tax profit also moving ahead to [pounds sterling]5.1m ([pounds sterling]3.3m) in the 12...

Bauma 2004 is biggest yet.(show runs from 29 March to 4 April 2004 in Munich )(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Bauma 2004 will cover 500,000m2 (10% bigger than in 2001) including 14 exhibition halls and a dedicated Bauma Mining area. Among the 2,300-plus exhibitors are about 80 British-based companies. Chinese manufacturers will occupy more than...

Britpave's solution to winter concreting.(British In-situ Concrete Paving Association has produced a guide to concreting pavements in winter temperatures)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Britpave, the British In-situ Concrete Paving Association, has produced a guide to concreting pavements in winter temperatures. Created in conjunction with the Highways Agency, the free guide provides practical advice for contractors and...

Opening up the gateway.(government wants around 200,000 new homes to be built on the vast brownfield area known as Thames Gateway, and has earmarked [pounds sterling]1bn of investment )
December 3, 2003... The government wants around 200,000 new homes to be built on the vast brownfield area known as Thames Gateway, and has earmarked [pounds sterling]1bn of investment to 'pump prime' the land in readiness for developers. But will that be enough to...

Carillion wins [pounds sterling]38m project to build Penicuik barracks.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... The Ministry of Defence has enlisted Carillion to tackle one of the largest Army projects currently up for grabs. The design and build deal, worth [pounds sterling]38m, centres on refurbishing barracks at Penicuik, south of Edinburgh. Most of...

Ammanns ease landfill waste.(Ammann RC12 mobile asphalt granulator crushing machine)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... RMC's two Ammann RC12 mobile asphalt granulator crushing machines have processed more than 500,000t of construction materials in the five years they have been operating. The materials, mainly green glass, waste asphalt and road planings, have...

Inland Revenue toughens stance on CIS tax certificates.(Vicky Construction)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... The Inland Revenue is adopting an unduly strict line on the renewal of CIS tax certificates and its "get tough" policy is putting the future of many small and medium-sized construction firms in jeopardy. According to Alan McCann, tax director...

Unions object to absence of corporate killing Bill.
December 3, 2003... Letter to Tony Blair reminds PM that the Law Commission recommended the introduction of the Bill in 1996. UCATT and TGWU are united this week in their condemnation of the absence of any Bill on corporate killing in the government...

Rhondda scheme ready to roll.(Glamorgan Engineering Consultancy)
December 3, 2003... Consultancy lines up five bidders for council's most expensive road project ever. Five firms are lining up on the starting grid for the highest-value road project ever undertaken by one of the two largest local authorities in Wales. The...

Hyder returns to pre-tax profit.(Hyder Consulting )(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Hyder Consulting has made an interim pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]560,000 on a turnover of [pounds sterling]60m. In the same period last year a [pounds sterling]55m turnover produced a loss of [pounds sterling]300,000. Hyder staged a...

North West take-up assures QM's future.(Quality Mark)
December 3, 2003... Quality Mark wins [pounds sterling]28m in funding over next seven years despite lower than expected launch attendance. Quality Mark's (QM) future is secure for the next seven years after a successful launch in the North West generated a 72%...

Five pass ; first test for Dishforth.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... All five firms have cleared the first hurdle in the race for this year's most prized roads deal - the [pounds sterling]225m Dishforth to Barton early contractor involvement scheme in North Yorkshire. It is understood that the Highways Agency...

ProCure21 saves [pounds sterling]1.3m on Milton Keynes project.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Cost and time savings are already being achieved on the early ProCure21 projects, according to Peter Woolliscroft, head of construction at NHS Estates. He told the recent CJ/BRE supply chain conference that on the [pounds sterling]12m project...

In brief.
December 3, 2003... [pounds sterling]25m project to reopen freight line up for grabs Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is inviting bids for a [pounds sterling]25m scheme to reopen the rail freight line between Ebbw Vale and the South West Main Line in Wales....

Rolls Royce offers two factory deals.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Four firms are fighting to get into the pilot's seat for two design and build deals for Rolls Royce's aircraft division, totalling [pounds sterling]65m. The formation for both schemes is the same: Interserve, Amec, Miller and local contractor...

Retentions could be phased out by 2005.
December 3, 2003... 'Secret' government deadline for abolition of retentions is brought forward by two years. The government has made a subtle climbdown over its stance on retentions by indirectly setting itself a 2005 deadline for their abolition. According...

In brief.
December 3, 2003... Three new construction NVQs launched The Joint Award Body Partnership has launched three higher level National Vocational Qualifications covering project management, site inspection and planning supervision as part of a drive to improve...

Group slams Jarvis' partnering contract.(Specialist Engineering Contractors' Group)
December 3, 2003... Jarvis Construction's amendments to DOM/2 contract make grim reading for hard-pressed subcontractors. Jarvis' partnering subcontract has been labelled "appalling" and a "joke" by the Specialist Engineering Contractors' (SEC) Group....

abut we will, says unhappy council.(school construction-private finance initiative)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council has defended its decision to award a [pounds sterling]25m PFI schools deal to Jarvis, despite hammering the group for sub-standard performance on another project just a year ago, writes Brian Warner. The...

We'll never work with Jarvis againa.(civil engineering contractors)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Leeds-based civil engineering contractor K Rouse Civil Engineers has vowed never to work for Jarvis again after it claimed it has been owed [pounds sterling]127,000 since Easter this year. The contractor is fighting for payment, [pounds...

National Grid Transco invites gas tenders.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Contractors are being invited to tender for gas engineering contracts worth between [pounds sterling]250m and [pounds sterling]500m over seven years. National Grid Transco (NGT) is seeking partners to form alliances to undertake gas network...

Stress driving workers out of housing sector.(survey by Hays Montrose )(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Workplace stress in the housing sector is making staff want to leave the industry, a leading construction recruitment consultancy has warned. A survey by Hays Montrose into workplace stress in the housing sector reveals that almost half of...

William Pears wins [pounds sterling]50m LIFT scheme.(National Health Service Local Improvement Finance Trust)
December 3, 2003... William Pears Partnership has beaten off contenders Jarvis Healthcare and ExcellCare to become the preferred partner on the [pounds sterling]50m St Helens, Knowsley, Halton and Warrington NHS LIFT scheme, as tipped by CJ. In the same week,...

Good news at last for Quality Mark?( register of approved contractors)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Quality Mark, the government's register of approved contractors, has in the past accused Contract Journal of unfairly reporting only bad news stories about the initiative. This week we have good news to share - Quality Mark's future seems...

Strategic Forum secures DTI funding.(Strategic Forum for construction secures Department of Trade & Industry funding)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... The Strategic Forum's future is secure following "positive" meetings with the Department of Trade & Industry over funding. And chairman Peter Rogers has revealed that there will be some "radical new approaches for the Forum". "Now that we have...

Delayed Wolverhampton PFI hospitals scheme enlarged.(private finance and investment scheme)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Revised plans for the delayed [pounds sterling]300m privately financed Wolverhampton Hospitals scheme call for more operating theatres and increased outpatient facilities. The revised outline business case (OBC) is due to go before the...

Money troubles boost prospects of merger.(Britain's General Union)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... The GMB, Britain's third biggest union and a major construction stakeholder, has run into serious financial difficulties that may threaten the union's continued existence as an independent body and push it towards a merger with the TGWU. A...

Hyde counters West Coast falsification claims.(Kevin Hyde)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Kevin Hyde, Jarvis chief executive, has insisted that documentation of work on the West Coast Route Modernisation is genuine. Jarvis is currently working with Network Rail on a joint engineering review of all the issues surrounding the...

Major Projects Agreement dependent on success at T5.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... The future of the Major Projects Agreement (MPA) will rest on whether it is successfully applied at BAA's Terminal Five site, the electricians' union Amicus has warned. The MPA, which has been accepted by all parties at T5 this week, sees...

Solideal buys Italian rival.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... Solideal, the Luxemburg-based producer of construction equipment tyres, wheels and tracks, has bought Italian rubber track manufacturer Mai. Solideal will relocate the Mai moulds and related machinery from Italy to a new 10,000m2 facility in...

Plant hire conditions.(collapse of crane of Hewden Tower Cranes Limited hired by contractor Yarm Road Limited)
December 10, 2003... In May 2000 a tower crane collapsed at the site of the new HSBC headquarters building at Canary Wharf in Docklands. At the time of the collapse, the crane was being climbed, an exercise in which additional sections of mast are added to raise...

Interserve/Enterprise decision in new year.(Interserve International (Freight) PLC)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... Interserve/Enterprise decision in new year Interserve is still in discussions with Enterprise about the transfer of its [pounds sterling]20m contract for the repair and maintenance of Liverpool's 21,000 council homes to Enterprise. A decision...

Licence to operate.
December 10, 2003... Training is one of the most divisive topics in the construction industry - and never more so than when it comes to plant operators. CJ brought together a champion of the Levy/CPCS/Construction Industry Training Board system and an OPERC...

Galliford and Morgan enjoy Scots Water.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... Scottish Water Solutions (SWS) expects to complete [pounds sterling]200m-worth of work for Scottish Water by the end of March 2004. The construction work will be shared by Galliford Try and Morgan Est, the two contractor members of the SWS...

60-second interview.(Terry Carver, senior training manager, CITB )(Brief Article)(Interview)
December 10, 2003... Terry Carver, senior training manager, CITB What is your greatest work achievement? Persuading companies to have a complete gang of apprentices so that we can tailor the training to meet their needs exactly. Companies such as CA Blackwell,...

Trade associations are ; just 'old boys' clubs'.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... Construction firms spend an estimated [pounds sterling]60m on trade association membership annually, but according to a Citigate Dewe Rogerson survey, some regard those bodies as "old boys' clubs" and "not as effective as they should be at...

Deals; done.(briefs)
December 10, 2003... Stone Haul and Volvo Stone Haul of Cornwall has added an FM12 8x4 tipper to its 100% Volvo fleet. The company said the deal was sealed because of Volvo's aftermarket package and its ability to service trucks out-of-hours. Kimberly and...

London Demolition opts for JCB 300XD.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... Good after-sales service and support lead to first JCB purchase. London Demolition has bought its first JCB in the form of a 330XD (Xtra Duty) tracked excavator with breaker and bucket attachments. The machine has a chassis-mounted falling...

QuikTrak security device goes nationwide.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... A new anti-theft tracking system for plant equipment has been launched in the UK. The QuikTrak QT6070 is a covert security device that provides real-time tracking and alarm monitoring, using the patented Spread Spectrum radio technology. It...

Vp divisions come up trumps in first half.(equipment rental specialist Vp announced sales increase)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... UK Forks, Groundforce, Torrent and Hire Station boost turnover. Equipment rental specialist Vp has announced a 10% increase in turnover to [pounds sterling]40.9m for the six months ending 30 September. Pre-tax profit increased to [pounds...

Solas service deal launched.(HM Plant new service)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... HM Plant, the UK's Hitachi construction equipment distributor, has introduced a new service and an extended warranty agreement. Solas offers a non-stop nationwide parts and service facility from its 10 regional depots and costs a fraction of...

Steer clear of the ; e-bidding process.(Letter to the Editor)
December 10, 2003... Sir, It concerned me to read that Tesco is planning an electronic Dutch auction to choose its suppliers on construction projects, allowing bidders to undercut rivals online (CJ 26 November). I agree with Rethinking Construction chairman Alan...

Business as usual as Mascus gets new owner.
December 10, 2003... Mascus, the internet site for finding and selling used construction equipment, has been bought by Finnish firm Alma Media. Mascus UK manager John O'Leary said the deal will allow sellers to market their equipment through Alma's multiple media...

Nooteboom's Mega takes more in a load.(Mega wind turbine transporter)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... Trailer manufacturer Noote-boom's latest development is the Mega wind turbine transporter. The transporter consists of two hydraulically extendible lift-adapters that can be used to load and unload various tower sections and turbines without...

Work is under way working towards Egan's aspirations.(Letter to the Editor)
December 10, 2003... Sir, Neil Jarrett, a director of the Collaborative Working Centre for Be, said key performance indicators are a "complete waste of time" and hold no relevance for those on the ground undertaking daily duties (CJ 26 November). He also slammed...

Partnering covers a variety of sins.(Letter to the Editor)
December 10, 2003... Sir, Your report of my views on partnering (CJ 26 November) made for good sensationalist copy. But my position is rather more balanced than you suggest. It was not the ethos of partnering that I was criticising, but its variable implementation...

Spreading the word.(Letter to the Editor)
December 10, 2003... Sir, I read with interest the partnering article (CJ 26 November). There is a lot of rhetoric on partnering and a number of clients that are still sitting on the fence. However, there are hundreds of firms that are changing the way they work...

Atkins: back on track with new chief.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... Chief executive Keith Clarke goes for larger, complex projects to help boost group profit and put loss-making era in the past. Atkins, the consultancy and support services group, has successfully "got out of idiot things" and has brought an...

Ennstone seeking innovation rewards.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... Aggregate producer Ennstone is repositioning itself to sell a bigger proportion of its output in markets that offer higher margins. Traditional products generate figures of just 5% to 7%, while innovative products can deliver margins of up to...

Tyrolit to sell Hydrostress new range of floor saws.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... Hydrostress has launched an eight-model range of floor saws. The range includes petrol, diesel and electric units and has cutting depths from 80mm to 500mm. The units will be sold through sister company Tyrolit and are a result of a...

Ashridge boosts fleet with four Volvo BL71 backhoe loaders.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... Berkshire-based Ashridge Con-struction has invested in its first Volvo backhoe loaders with the delivery of four BL71 machines. The additions join a number of Volvo excavators and will be used on local authority and highways projects....

VL Tracer to track vehicles via the internet.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... VeriLocation has launched an electronic tracking device that uses mobile phone technology to instantly locate virtually anything via the internet. The device, called VL Tracer, contains an integral GSM transceiver and SIM card and it can be...

We will work with Network Rail.(Letter to the Editor)
December 10, 2003... Sir, As usual I thoroughly enjoyed reading your journal and reviewing the usual airing of company views. In general your opinions are clean and usually fair. However, in the Network Rail could pay dearly for plant story (CJ 19 November) you...

Push-pull piling builds bridge.(Dawson Construction-technology which enabled the construction of a unique bridge in Milton Keynes)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... Dawson Construction Plant's push-pull piling technology has enabled the construction of a unique bridge in Milton Keynes. The design used 22m long, 750mm square box section piles with 14m below ground level. The tops are cast directly into the...

Ruling due on 48-hour week.(European Commission review of the Working Time Directive)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... The results of a European Commission review of the Working Time Directive and the UK's opt-out of its maximum 48-hour working week are expected to be published within the next couple of weeks. Publication was originally due at the end of...

Emcor wins [pounds sterling]53m MoD Wales work.(united kingdom. Ministry of Defence-Emcor Drake & Scull)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has called up Emcor for a [pounds sterling]53m deal to provide facilities management and mechanical and electrical services at RAF St Athan, South Wales. The contract relates to the [pounds sterling]70m Project Red...

UCATT fined [pounds sterling]130k over official strike.(Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians-guilty of a technical infringement)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... The High Court in London has fined UCATT [pounds sterling]130,000 after finding the union guilty of a technical infringement of the law governing official strikes in a dispute involving the Hull-based contractor Willerby Holiday Homes (CJ 24...

HSC launches work at height consultation.(Health & Safety Commission-workplace regulations)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... The Health & Safety Commission (HSC) has launched a four-month consultation period for the draft of new Work at Height Regulations. During this period the HSC wants the industry's views on the proposals, before the document is put to ministers...

Brumwell set to head up skills register.(Union of Construction Allied Trades and Technicians general secretary, George Brumwell is to succeed Tony Merricks as chairman of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... UCATT general secretary George Brumwell is expected to succeed Tony Merricks as chairman of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) when it holds its annual general meeting at the end of January. It is anticipated that current...

MPs worried about union access to Home Office.(Members of Parliament)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... MPs are expected to table an Early Day Motion in Parliament expressing concern at allegations that union officials are being denied access to the Home Office headquarters development site in central London where Bouygues is the main contractor....

Strategic Forum set to deliver targets on time.
December 10, 2003... Forum hopes to prove to doubters that it is giving 'maximum value to clients, end-users and stakeholders'. The Strategic Forum is on course to deliver its headline targets, covering client engagement, integrating teams and supply chains,...

David McLean sees turnover rise by 55%.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... David McLean's latest annual turnover has roared ahead to [pounds sterling]170m ([pounds sterling]110m) while pre-tax profit stood level at [pounds sterling]4.5m. The previous year's figure included an exceptional item running to [pounds...

Trio awaits [pounds sterling]12m Barbican upgrade.(Willmott Dixon, Geoffrey Osborne and Wallis, part of the Kier stable)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2003... Three firms are waiting in the wings for a [pounds sterling]12m deal, known as the Foyer Project, to upgrade the Barbican Arts Centre in London. The cast-list features Willmott Dixon, Geoffrey Osborne and Wallis, part of the Kier stable. The...