Contract Journal articles from December 2005

Contract Journal archives from December 2005

Indemnity costs.
December 7, 2005... The Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) govern the way in which court cases are conducted in England and Wales. They were introduced in April 1999 with the aim of enabling the courts to deal with cases justly and to streamline the civil justice process...

Crafting the column.(contracts for construction of Kingston Bridge )
December 7, 2005... Construction of a new concrete pillar on Glasgow's Kingston Bridge called for some traditional carpentry skills of the highest calibre. Phil Bishop explains how formwork specialist Peri worked with main contractor John Graham Construction to...

HGV drivers will need additional qualification.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Driving Standards Agency will make CPC mandatory for those wanting HGV status. The Driving Standards Agency is consulting on new regulations requiring drivers wanting an HGV licence to also hold a Certificate of Professional Competence...

How to.(career plan in construction industry)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... ... risk-proof your career While you can't anticipate everything that might go wrong in your career, you can limit the risk. Typical things you should look out for include: a downturn in your sector; a change in the business priorities...

Pensions report scrutinised.
December 7, 2005... Construction industry pensions firm B&CE is concerned that Lord Turner's proposals will create a surge in bogus employment status. The Turner Report's proposals on pensions, if accepted by the government as they stand, could provide a...

Legal battle for M6 toll contractors.
December 7, 2005... Midland Expressway, the company which runs Britain's first toll motorway, has launched a legal battle against the joint venture companies which built the M6 toll road. Midland Expressway claims that the CAMBBA consortium of Carillion,...

W Mids hospital faces bid crisis.
December 7, 2005... Uncertain future for Manor Hospital PFI as A McAlpine jv pulls out. A hospital trust in the West Midlands has been forced to rejig its admissions list after one of its contractors left in the final run-in for the [pounds...

Jarvis [pounds sterling]61m in red despite wiped debt.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Restructuring and debt cancellation are not enough to put firm's books in black yet. Jarvis is still in the red. Despite the massive turnaround in its structure, involving the cancelling of [pounds sterling]380m of debt, the shrunken...

Finger points at Jarvis's roads arm.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Divisional analysis shows that while Jarvis's rail and plant business has shown strong recovery, the turnaround in its road division is "lagging behind" and still losing money. The roads division added to its [pounds sterling]14m loss in...

Firms face shutdowns as fuel prices rocket.
December 7, 2005... Factories likely to shut unless UK fuel prices are brought in line with those abroad. Skyrocketing fuel prices will force products firms to shut factories. Manufacturers are faced with extended shutdowns as escalating gas and electricity...

Volvo unveils seven-model grader range.
December 7, 2005... Volvo Construction Equipment has introduced a new seven-model range of motor graders for the European market. The new G900 series ranges in size from the G930's 15,554kg operating weight unit up to the 20,993kg G990 unit. The smallest...

In brief.(Stansted plans to increase passenger capacity)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... [pounds sterling]1.75bn Stansted plans due from BAA on Friday BAA will unveil plans on Friday for a [pounds sterling]1.75bn development at Stansted Airport in Essex. Plans will include a new runway and terminal building at the site, with...

In brief.
December 7, 2005... Bids invited for [pounds sterling]300m Welsh housing scheme Swansea Housing Association is inviting contractors to pitch for a four-year framework worth up to [pounds sterling]300m for building works and services for social housing in...

New booklet on how to tow the line.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has published a new edition of Towing and the Law, which explains the increasingly complex legislation and highlights safe practice. The 40-page booklet summarises legislation covering...

Motorway safety barrier causes furious debate.
December 7, 2005... Corus has defended its new motorway Vetex barrier after its performance came under attack from the concrete industry. Last month, the company launched its steel safety barrier, Vetex, at Civils 2005, which it claims will satisfy Highways...

Scaffolding protection for workers.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... A device called Scaffcap has been launched, which protects workers from injury and from ripping clothing on scaffolding joints. Each Scaffcap is almost a hemisphere, with semicircles removed at the north, south, east and west position to...

The only way is UPP.(University Partnerships Programme)
December 7, 2005... Since an MBO 12 months ago, the former Jarvis university accommodation business has been busy developing a business model that could transform the approach to construction among tertiary education clients. Will Mann reports on some bright...

EU launches virtual-reality training.(European Union )(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... The European Union is spending [pounds sterling]820,000 on a research project to develop a virtual-reality unit to train construction workers to use heavy plant, without the risk of injuring their co-workers. Researchers from Spain,...

Montpellier packs up its past troubles.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Montpellier has put its troubled times behind it and is back in profit - latest annual results show a pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]1.2m. In the same period last year there was a [pounds sterling]6.9m loss. In a move designed to...

Artisan makes [pounds sterling]1m-plus.
December 7, 2005... Artisan, the housebuilder and property developer, has made an interim profit of more than [pounds sterling]1m. Latest interim results (12 months to 30 September) show turnover inching forward to [pounds sterling]13m ([pounds sterling]11m)...

Versalift's load sensor offers extra outreach.
December 7, 2005... Versalift has developed a load-sensing system for vehicle-mounted platforms that allows additional working outreach when there is only one person in the basket. Currently, the maximum horizontal outreach assumes two people in the basket at...

Brandon Hire expands in East Anglia.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Brandon Hire has expanded its East Anglian network with the opening of a new depot in Cambridge. The company said it has made a [pounds sterling]350,000 investment in the new branch, including a completely new stock of equipment. ...

Margin hits 7.9% at Atkins division.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Consultant WS Atkins' top performing division, Design and Engineering Solutions, lifted its operating margin to 7.9% in the latest interim financial period. Currently the jewel in the crown, turnover in the design and engineering division...

New HSE guide to vibration.(Health and Safety Executive )(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published Whole Body Vibration: The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. The guide costs [pounds sterling]10.95 and gives employers advice about what can be done to reduce and control the...

Vp reveals its specialist strategy hit the bullseye.
December 7, 2005... Following a [pounds sterling]26m investment in niche markets, Vp sees profit rocket 19% to [pounds sterling]5.9m. Equipment rental group Vp is on the lookout for further acquisitions, as its latest results confirm the success of...

Six on shortlist for [pounds sterling]90m Cornish plan.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Six developers have made the shortlist for a [pounds sterling]90m regeneration plan in Cornwall. The scheme, in Camborne, centres on redeveloping the site once occupied by compressor manufacturer CompAir Holman which was bought by...

Amec wins [pounds sterling]40m jumbo contract.
December 7, 2005... Amec is about to be cleared for take-off to build a [pounds sterling]40m factory for the maker of the world's biggest jumbo jet. Sources say that client Airbus has now grounded bids from rivals Laing O'Rourke and Mowlem for the north Wales...

Sustainable reality.
December 7, 2005... New research, commissioned by Wates, examines how we should go about achieving a sustainable future. Paul Howard reports. Sustainability is everywhere, and everything has to be sustainable. The buzzword of environmental awareness is now so...

Lafarge eyes the South East after [pounds sterling]5m terminal award.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Lafarge Cement said it plans to focus on the South East market after the firm gained planning permission to improve a Thames import terminal. The company has gained planning permission to ramp up capacity at its Northfleet terminal in...

Unions told to 'think again' about hefty pay rises.
December 7, 2005... Engineering construction employers have told unions to think again about their claim for a "substantial" increase in basic rates of pay for 2006 under the industry's national agreement (NACEI). Contractors have stalled on making a firm pay...

[pounds sterling]50m London streetlight deal shortlists two.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Two councils in north London have turned the spotlight on a pair of firms for a [pounds sterling]50m-plus PFI streetlighting deal. For their joint project, it is understood that the boroughs of Barnet and Enfield will choose either David...

Mansell back to school in Scotland with [pounds sterling]19m deal.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Mansell has chalked up its second PPP schools deal this year for Argyll and Bute Council in Scotland. The latest contract is a [pounds sterling]19m scheme at Dunoon to build a grammar school. The two- and three-storey school, with...

Yorkshire PFI hospital delayed.
December 7, 2005... A [pounds sterling]25m PFI hospital deal in North Yorkshire is on ice because the trust promoting the deal has been wound up after incurring massive debts. The Selby and York Primary Care Trust (PCT) first called for expressions of...

Royal Bam reaps [pounds sterling]63m from UK and Irish sectors.(Royal Bam)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Royal Bam, the Dutch-based construction group, has made a 3.7% margin on the [pounds sterling]1.7bn of turnover undertaken by its UK and Irish construction subsidiaries in the first nine months of 2005. The three operating companies are HBG...

Roads firms must prove they look after subbies.
December 7, 2005... Highways Agency committee wants to see evidence of tendering contractors paying their supply chain on time. Roads contractors will be expected to provide examples of how they treat their subcontractors as part of their tender submissions...

[pounds sterling]125m fire stations' upgrade.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Fire minister Jim Fitzpatrick has unveiled a [pounds sterling]125m PFI plan for new and upgraded fire stations at various UK locations. The Lancashire, Merseyside and Cumbria scheme will provide 20 new and refurbished facilities; in...

Bowcott given a date for dismissal hearing.(Steve Bowcott )(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... A ten-day hearing into the dismissal of Amec's former construction boss Steve Bowcott will take place at Manchester Employment Tribunal on 24 April 2006. The date was set following a private hearing from both parties at the start...

OFT eyes crackdown on bid-rigging scams.(Office of Fair Trading )
December 7, 2005... Watchdog vows to get tough after uncovering [pounds sterling]500m-worth of bid rigging in E Midlands. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is working with the Office of Government Commerce to help draw up a checklist for procurement officials...

Work restarts at Oxford Uni biomed site.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Work has restarted on Oxford University's [pounds sterling]18m biomedical research facility 17 months after work stopped at the site when contractor Water Lilly, part of the Montpellier group, was targeted by animal rights activists. New...

Amec braces itself as further losses loom.
December 7, 2005... International project management firm faces writing off [pounds sterling]90m of fees it is still owed on completed work. Amec might be forced to take a second hit - possibly as high as [pounds sterling]90m - if it concedes that half of the...

Union leaders set discussions over T5 pay rate.
December 7, 2005... Leaders of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU), the GMB and UCATT were due to meet yesterday to discuss the next steps following votes by the workforce to strike in a row over bonus pay at Heathrow's T5. The TGWU balloted over...

Jobs under threat as SGD goes into administration.(SGD Engineering Services)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Around 23 job losses are feared at SGD Engineering Services after the company went into administration last week. The Stoke-on-Trent-based plumbing and pipework company claims it was helped into administration by difficulties on the [pounds...

Dennis Lenard to construct excellence at Birse Civils.(appointment)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Former Constructing Excellence (CE) chief executive Dennis Lenard has been appointed to a consultancy role by Birse Civils. Lenard, whose contract with CE expired earlier this year and was not renewed, is another coup for the...

London Underground to end reliance on agency staff.
December 7, 2005... London Underground's (LU) engineering directorate is taking on 100 engineers in a bid to break its reliance on agency staff and to better oversee the delivery of LU's controversial PPP, writes Carol Millett. David Waboso, LU's director of...

Focus is back on John Laing pension shortfall.
December 7, 2005... News of a potential bid for John Laing has put the spotlight back on the near-[pounds sterling]200m deficit in the PFI infrastructure group's pension fund. "Any bidder will want to offload the pension fund," said a potential interested...

Unions fear Metronet plans Tube transfers.
December 7, 2005... RMT seeks guarantee that Tube maintenance workers won't be shifted to Balfour Beatty. Union leaders have accused Metronet of planning to transfer its Tube maintenance staff to Balfour Beatty. The accusation comes as Rail, Maritime...

Kier's [pounds sterling]64m Bournemouth retail centre forced to shut.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Kier's [pounds sterling]64m Castlepoint Shopping Centre in Bournemouth has been forced to close due to safety concerns over the building's 1,000-space single storey car park. Castlepoint Limited Partner-ship decided to close the whole...

back bites.(William the Concreter)(briefs)
December 7, 2005... Keeping it in the family Durtnell, the self-styled oldest building company in the UK having been founded in 1591, hopes to continue into the family's 14th generation now Alexander Durtnell and his wife Harriet have announced the birth of...

SE Essex NHS LIFT shortlist unveiled.(South East)(National Health Service )(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... A shortlist for the [pounds sterling]100m South East Essex NHS LIFT contract has emerged. The three bidders in the running for the 25-year contract are: Community Solutions for Primary Care (Morgan Sindall, Apollo Capital Projects and...

60-second interview.(career in construction industry)(Interview)
December 7, 2005... Jenny Suttle, human resources manager, Dean & Bowes. Where did you go to school and what qualifications did you achieve? I attended Bassingbourn Village College in Hertfordshire. I would like to say I came away with 12 O Levels at A grade,...

Chancellor's 'dull' autumn statement.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Chancellor Gordon Brown's pre-budget statement was described as being "surprisingly boring" for the construction industry, as CJ went to press on Monday. The half-hour statement and reams of Treasury press releases contained little of...

Deals done.
December 7, 2005... A-Plant's [pounds sterling]400k scoop A-Plant has won a [pounds sterling]400,000 contract to supply traffic management products and services to Mowlem for the A206 Thames Road improvement in Bexleyheath, Kent. MTS adds 30 Bobcats ...

Editor's comment.(construction of medical facilities)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
December 7, 2005... A prudent year ahead When even the Chancellor of the Exchequer - a born optimist when it comes to Labour's economic forecasts - admits that there is a slow-down and that we are in the "toughest and most challenging year" for the British...

In brief.(Goldhofer)(LCH Generators)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2005... Manheim Auctions launches website Manheim Auctions has launched a new website www.manheim.co.uk which contains access to its selection of available used vehicles. Goldhofer rolls out oversized-load trailer Heavy haulage trailer...

company life.(Interview)
December 7, 2005... what's going on within Shepherd Construction How many days annual leave? Twenty four... plus one more for every five years of service, up to a total of 29 days. Can you take them when you want? Yes, as long as it's cleared...

The Wright stuff.(Gary Wright)
December 14, 2005... Gary Wright made his name as the creator of the Capability Assessment Toolkit when he was the Highways Agency's supply chain manager. So why has this gamekeeper turned poacher by joining Birse Civils? Ross Pearman finds out. Having spent...

How to.(Brief Article)
December 14, 2005... ... survive the festive season Whether you enjoy or endure them, non-stop rounds of lunchtime drinks and the annual Christmas bash are embedded in office culture. Unfortunately, there is a fine line between enjoying the free company...

Sto aims self-cleaning paint at new markets.(Brief Article)
December 14, 2005... Sto is to launch its revolutionary self-cleaning paint into the new build and commercial buildings markets next year. The water-based paint relies on a pimpled surface formed as it dries. Paint and interior product manager Alan Frost told...

back bites.(office Christmas party)
December 14, 2005... Christmas leer - don't! Thinking of attempting to consummate your lustful thoughts for the IT manager/accounts clerk down the hall at the Christmas party this year? Possibly your contact at that special client? Well, don't! If you want to know...

Civils set to pay the price for using CAT.
December 14, 2005... Roads firms face huge admin costs if they have to use HA's scheme to bid for local deals. Small- and medium-sized civils contractors face being bogged down in red tape and paying out thousands of pounds in administrative costs because...

Mobile cranes keep red diesel exemption.
December 14, 2005... The government's pre-Budget statement retains mobile cranes' excepted vehicle status. The mobile crane sector has welcomed the news that its machines will be allowed to retain their excepted vehicle status and continue using rebated...

Atlas Copco E-series boomer set to break drill speed record.
December 14, 2005... Atlas Copco will launch 'the world's fastest tunnelling drill rig' at next year's Intermat exhibition in Paris. According to the company, the new E-series rocket boomer has been developed to speed up the drilling cycle while minimising both...

Plant owners must beware during Xmas.(Brief Article)
December 14, 2005... Plant theft over the Christmas period could once again top the [pounds sterling]1m mark, the National Plant and Equipment Register (TER) has warned. The organisation is urging site managers and plant owners to protect their equipment over...

Deals done.
December 14, 2005... A-Plant to supply Serco A-Plant has won a 12-month preferred supplier contract from public service company Serco. Valued at approximately [pounds sterling]400,000, the contract covers the supply of both tools and small plant equipment. ...

Under-inflated tyres cause UK road fatalities.
December 14, 2005... Under-inflated tyres are the cause of 6% of UK motorway deaths, according to the RAC, with tyre manufacturers blaming incorrect inflation for 75% of blowouts. A recent study by the RAC revealed that more than two million drivers never...

Staff keep jobs as Wernick buys Selwood businesses.(Brief Article)
December 14, 2005... Wernick Hire has acquired the portable accommodation and event hire business of Selwood for [pounds sterling]1m. The deal allows the business to continue operating from Selwood's depot at Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, and all staff will be...

Quarries to pay for site monitor visits.
December 14, 2005... A one-sided process will see local councils voting to award themselves more money at the expense of quarries, claimed the British Aggregates Association (BAA) last week. BAA secretary Peter Huxtable told CJ a government review on monitoring...

Laing brings in [pounds sterling]16m from sale of PFI stake.(John Laing PLC)
December 14, 2005... Following sale of equity stake, firm reiterates its commitment to public sector projects. John Laing has sold half of its equity stake in four PFI projects for a handsome profit of almost [pounds sterling]16m. Asked why it hadn't sold...

Tarmac changes focus to ready-mixed mortar.
December 14, 2005... Company invests [pounds sterling]20m as it develops capacity in dry silo and ready-to-use businesses. Contractors will have to change the way they use mortar on site, Tarmac mortar director Darren Waters told CJ. The company is investing...

Terex starts afresh with tracked excavator range.
December 14, 2005... Terex has unveiled a 20t to 65t tracked excavator range and plans to produce 1,000 units per year by 2008. In designing the new TC (Terex Crawler) range, Terex started with a clean sheet of paper and has opted for Cummins Stage IIIa engines...

OPERC DVD on vibration at work.
December 14, 2005... The Off-highway Plant and Equipment Research Centre (OPERC) has published An Intro-duction to Whole-Body Vibration, a 16-minute DVD produced in collaboration with the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). The DVD will interest workers and health...

Carillion eyes major savings at Mowlem.
December 14, 2005... If its [pounds sterling]290m offer is accepted by shareholders, Carillion plans to cut costs by [pounds sterling]15m a year. Carillion expects to make savings of [pounds sterling]15m a year by 2007 if its agreed [pounds sterling]290m...

GLA wants DPF rules by April.(Greater London Authority)(diesel particulate filter)(Brief Article)
December 14, 2005... Proposals on fitting diesel particulate filters to go out early next year despite CPA's reservations on funding. The Greater London Authority (GLA) is to put its proposals requiring plant on certain sites to fit diesel particulate filters...

Laing wastes no time in pitching for [pounds sterling]300m deal.(John Laing Plc)(Viridor Waste Management association )(Brief Article)
December 14, 2005... Making its debut into the PFI waste market, Laing partners with Viridor to bid for the UK's largest-ever waste deal. John Laing has entered the PFI waste market for the first time. Laing Roads & Utilities has linked with Viridor to...

Richardson buoyant with 5.9% margin.(Brief Article)
December 14, 2005... Richardson Projects, a construction company that obtains more than 80% of its turnover from its operations in the social housing sector, has notched a margin of 5.9%. Andy Dyson, business development manager of the group, which has two...

Derby multiplex for Westfield.
December 14, 2005... Developer/contractor Westfield is to build a [pounds sterling]30m multiplex cinema at its [pounds sterling]300m-plus Eagle Centre retail scheme in Derby. A project insider said: "Almost certainly, the cinema will be constructed by...

Materials prices continue to rise.
December 14, 2005... Contractors face further materials price hikes after manufacturers complained they are struggling to contain prod-uction costs. Plastic pipes giant Polypipe Civils last week warned its customers it will put up prices next year and...

Per Aarsleff reaps rewards from pre-cast concrete piling.(Brief Article)
December 14, 2005... Per Aarsleff's managing director Terry Bolsher said he was "exceptionally" satisfied with the group's latest result. "We are driven by our product, which is pre-cast concrete piling, and we're active in projects that have a wide range of...

Prison workers reject 4% pay increase offer.
December 14, 2005... Building workers in the prison service have rejected a 4% pay offer backdated to last July. Unions led by UCATT are seeking an urgent meeting with the employers to discuss their claim. A UCATT spokesman said: "The employers were five months...

Four firms on shortlist for Swindon.(Amec)(Modus Properties)(Wilson Bowden)(CTP)(Brief Article)
December 14, 2005... Amec, Modus Properties, Wilson Bowden and CTP with St James are on the shortlist for the first tranche of the [pounds sterling]1bn redevelopment of Swindon town centre. They beat more than 15 other bidders for the mixed-use development on...

Balfour ends the year on a high.
December 14, 2005... Balfour Beatty retained its lead at the top of the table in November thanks to more than [pounds sterling]450m-worth of contracts, boosting its haul for 2005 to well over [pounds sterling]4bn. We'll reveal next year if it managed to hold the...

Five share [pounds sterling]40m capital housing scheme.
December 14, 2005... Five firms have unlocked a [pounds sterling]40m-plus housing deal for predominantly new build work throughout the London area. The Notting Hill Housing Group has lined up Willmott Dixon, Higgins, Countryside, Wates and JLP to roll...

Trio win share of Gateshead Decent Homes.(Gateshead Housing Company contracts)(Brief Article)
December 14, 2005... The Gateshead Housing Company has confirmed that three contractors will share out around [pounds sterling]300m of work to improve homes in the area over the next four years under the Decent Homes initiative. Local Environmental Services,...

Ringway stays on track with Wilts roads scheme.
December 14, 2005... Five rivals have failed to topple Ringway from its perch on a highways maintenance deal for Wiltshire County Council, potentially worth [pounds sterling]250m. Ringway is the incumbent and has just won a further five years on the job (worth...