Contract Journal articles from December 2007

Contract Journal archives from December 2007

A-Plant publishes new safety pack.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... A-Plant has launched a new Site Safety Pack as part of its ongoing 'Setting the Safety Standard' campaign aimed at helping its customers work with ever-changing health and safety legislation. The pack is free to A-Plant's customers and...

06 Plant.
December 12, 2007... FANCY THAT A new series Case ADT is being used in an overburden stripping operation at the Fancy Beach Quarry on Portland Island. The machine, belonging to G Crook & Son, is being used in conjunction with a 70t Case CX700 excavator to remove 3m...

Digbits opening new premises to build crushers.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... Digbits, best known for supplying replacement tracks and teeth and buckets is to open a new manufacturing premise for its crushing machinery and rebrand that part of the business Bav Crushers. The company manufactures 1t and 3t...

Array of new products set for Executive Hire Show.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... A number of manufacturers are planning product launches at the Executive Hire Show at the Rico Arena on 6 and 7 February. First off is Hilti which will use the show to introduce its TE-80, a 7kg kombi-hammer set to replace its TE76. The new...

Row erupts over Molson liquidation.(06 Plant)(Molson Holdings)
December 12, 2007... As another dealer for a CNH brand is forced to call in the administrator, claim and counter-claim are rife. colin.sowman.co.uk A war of words has erupted over the reason New Holland dealership Molson Holdings went into liquidation...

Forum moves to raise confidence in tower cranes.(06 Plant)
December 12, 2007... The Strategic Forum is to seek the inclusion of a 'Safe to Use' public statement covering tower crane activities on sites registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme. The move is part of a short-term action plan agreed at the...

06 Plant.(WHC Hire Services )(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... IN THE FRAME Plant hirer WHC Hire Services has designed a quick lock-down system for mini excavators loaded onto trailers. The system uses metal frames to clamp the excavator to the trailer instead of straps or chains and has been load-tested...

05 Products and Materials.
December 12, 2007... GLAZED OVER EAG is nearing completion to its [pounds sterling]900,000 work on the Royal Institution of Great Britain in London's West End. EAG has installed bolted glazing to the rear of the building as part of an extensive expansion and...

Leading the way at Leadbitter.(16 Profile)(Company overview)
December 12, 2007... Leadbitter has grown steadily since it was sold to Dutch firm Heijmans in 2003. It was further boosted by the acquisition of Denne in 2006, which expanded its housing arm. Steve Menary asks managing director Bob Rendell what next? We will...

16 Profile.(Pearce Group Holdings Ltd.)(Company overview)
December 12, 2007... Two years ago, Pearce was losing money and turnover was falling. In the financial year to April 2007, pre-tax profit quadrupled to [pounds sterling]2.1m and turnover leapt [pounds sterling]37m to [pounds sterling]158m. What has happened? ...

Multiplex wins Wembley floor adjudication battle.(01 News)(PC Harrington )(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... PC Harrington (PCH) has lost a courtroom battle to stop Multiplex entering adjudication over [pounds sterling]2m-worth of alleged flooring defects on Wembley Stadium. The win for Multiplex is the latest episode in a series of legal...

Lack of R&D funds spells bleak future for industry.(01 News)(Research and development)
December 12, 2007... Key figures fear UK construction innovation is falling behind that of other nations. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk Research and development in the UK construction industry faces a long-term crisis due to a lack of government funding,...

Subbie dies after accident at Royal London Hospital.(01 News)(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... A subcontractor has died following an accident on Skanska's Royal London Hospital site in Whitechapel two weeks ago, it has emerged. The PC Harrington employee, who is understood to be a 58-year-old German national and a father of three,...

Doosan acquires Bobcat divisions.(06 Plant)
December 12, 2007... Korean manufacturer Doosan Infracore has completed the acquisition of the Bobcat, Utility Equipment and Attachments businesses from Ingersoll Rand. The new business will be split into three divisions: Bobcat Doosan Infracore Portable Power...

Reasonable skill or fit for purpose.(10 Legal)
December 12, 2007... Is a contractor legally obliged to ensure that completed works are fit for their intended purpose? Many standard form contracts contain a provision to the effect that, in respect of design, the contractor's duty is limited to the duty of...

Two chase NE leisure centre.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... Two firms have gone head to head in the final run-in for a [pounds sterling]14m leisure centre deal in the North East. Sources say Rok and Morgan Ashurst will now fight it out for the Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council job at Coatham. ...

Leadbitter wins [pounds sterling]31m Soton college deal.(01 News)(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... Leadbitter has trumped pitches from three rivals to win a college project in Southampton with an overall value of between [pounds sterling]25m and [pounds sterling]31m. Construction costs are put at [pounds sterling]20m. Sources said the...

Seven eyeing [pounds sterling]180m Brum housing deal.(04 Contracts)
December 12, 2007... A mix of national and local players are vying to unlock a [pounds sterling]180m housing revamp deal in Birmingham. The line-up for the Caldmore Area Housing Association project is Connaught, Lovell, Morrison, Inspace, Mitie and local...

Five in contention for North West streetlighting scheme.(04 Contracts)
December 12, 2007... Rochdale and Oldham PFI project will be worth at least [pounds sterling]140m to eventual winner. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Five firms are vying to plug into a PFI streetlighting deal in the North West worth at least [pounds sterling]140m....

Three chase Southwark BSF project.(01 News)
December 12, 2007... Three groups have thrown their hats into the ring for a [pounds sterling]220m Building Schools for the Future (BSF) deal in south London. Bidding for the Southwark council project are: Transform Schools (Balfour Beatty/RM) Vinci...

Two left in the race for Torquay BSF scheme.(01 News)
December 12, 2007... Only Carillion and Interserve remain in contention for a [pounds sterling]20m to [pounds sterling]22.5m Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme in the West Country. The two firms are vying for the Pathfinder Torquay Community College...

Holloway White Allom tipped for [pounds sterling]22m V&A job.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... Holloway White Allom is looking the firm most likely to cash in on a high-profile museum deal in west London. Sources say the company is favourite to gain entry into the Victoria and Albert Museum, courtesy of a [pounds sterling]22m...

Carillion's hand forced on McAlpine buyout.(01 News)
December 12, 2007... Carillion was forced to buy Alfred McAlpine sooner rather than later because its support services division would have cost more once it demerged from its construction arm next spring. Speaking to CJ after the deal became official on Monday,...

01 News.
December 12, 2007... Blown Away Laing O'Rourke started work on its new offsite manufacturing facility last week when it demolished a 42m-high concrete silo at the former Baker Refractory works and Steetley colliery site near Worksop in Derbyshire. The site will...

Boom time for the South East.(08 CJ2)(Industry overview)
December 12, 2007... There is no shortage of work in the South East - on the contrary, there is an overabundance. The biggest headache for contractors is trying to find enough good quality managers and for those in post it means very long hours. But some wouldn't...

2007 - a year of change?(01 News)
December 12, 2007... It has certainly been an interesting year for the UK construction industry. But while the newspapers are busy talking the UK into a recession, it's worth looking at what has happened over the last 12 months. We end the year with a new...

Doosan: unofficial imports damaging to plant sector.(06 Plant)
December 12, 2007... Plant manufacturer say non-compliant machinery from Far East comes with risks. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk Unofficial machine imports damage the plant industry and contractors as well manufacturers and official dealers, according to Doosan...

Excavators move with the times.(09 Focus)
December 12, 2007... Excavator technology has been moving a ferocious pace, with new models aplenty introduced at this year's key industry shows. Geoff Ashcroft looks at how innovation and technology has helped manufacturers to focus on reducing operating costs and...

ConstructionSkills eyes new chief with Lobban set to retire.(01 News)(Peter Lobban )(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... The hunt is set to start for a new chief executive at ConstructionSkills after boss Peter Lobban announced his retirement from the [pounds sterling]240,000-a-year role last week. Lobban will step-down next August after 10 years at the helm....

Doubts over 2012 M&E agreement.(01 News)(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... Hopes that the pioneering Major Projects Agreement will be used to govern M&E work at the Olympics are fading. CJ understands that backers of the deal have failed to convince London 2012 leaders that the agreement provides value for money....

Construction is still awash with bogus self-employed.(01 News)
December 12, 2007... Union leaders believe the problem is still rife under the new CIS scheme. By Grant Prior Concerns over bogus self-employment in the construction industry deepened last week when it emerged that nearly two million construction workers...

Work starts this week on Olympic Stadium.(01 News)
December 12, 2007... Construction work originally due next summer bought forward by extra four months. By Grant Prior Site huts will be erected for the main Olympic Stadium this week after preparatory work on the project was brought forward by another...

Council workers target 7% pay hike for 2008.(01 News)
December 12, 2007... Employees want a better package after 'reluctantly' accepting a 2.457% rise this year. john.darcy@rbi.co.uk Local government workers are set to bid for a 7% pay increase next year. The target has been set as UCATT's council...

Berkeley sees interim profit jump to [pounds sterling]91m.(01 News)(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... Urban regenerator Berkeley has unveiled a [pounds sterling]10m jump in interim pre-tax profit to [pounds sterling]91m. The group has also announced that [pounds sterling]242m will be returned to shareholders on 4 January, well ahead of the...

British Precast eyes improved sustainability.(05 Products and Materials)
December 12, 2007... British Precast has invited member companies to sign a series of commitments to improve their sustainability. The association has drawn up The Precast Sector Sustainability Charter, which includes a number of pledges that go beyond current...

ECA simplifies accreditation route.(05 Products and Materials)(Electrical Contractors' Association partnered with Exor Management Services)(Brief article)
December 12, 2007... The Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) has partnered with Exor Management Services to provide its members with a simpler route to private sector accreditation. The deal will make ECA members more visible to local government officers...

Glass firms hit with huge fines for price fixing scam.(05 Products and Materials)
December 12, 2007... Four flat glass manufacturers - including Britain's Pilkington - have been handed fines totalling [pounds sterling]350m by the European Commission for price fixing. The Commission found that between 2004 and 2005, Asahi (Japan), Guardian...

Accusations fly over role of roofing panels in death fire.(05 Products and Materials)
December 12, 2007... War of words following deaths of four firefighters at Atherstone on Stour warehouse fire. james.stagg@rbi.co.uk A Row has broken out between mineral wool insulation manufacturers and the rigid urethane panel industry over the role of...

BRE questions efficiency of wind turbines.(05 Products and Materials)
December 12, 2007... A report into domestic micro-wind turbines has found that, until they are more efficient, in many applications their installation will do more environmental harm than good. BRE Trust's report considered carbon and financial payback times...