Contract Journal articles from February 2003

Contract Journal archives from February 2003

Capital Gains.(Interview)
February 5, 2003... John Gains is a real company man. He has been with Mowlem since 1966, when he joined as a graduate civil engineer. And now he's at the top as chief executive of a FTSE 250 Plc that is performing well and has a rosy outlook. He gives a rare...

Mowlem connects up South Wales.(with a new Internet Data Centre in Cardiff Bay )
February 5, 2003... BT's new Internet Data Centre in Cardiff Bay is the best example to date of Mowlem's much-vaunted integrated solutions strategy. Will Mann reports. "It's a big step away from traditional contracting - but it's where Mowlem is going," says...

HAE makes case forlevy exemption.(Hire Association Europe )(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... The Hire Association Europe (HAE) has submitted its case for plant and tool hirers to be exempt from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) training levy to Ivan Lewis, minister with responsibility for the Board. The submission...

ACE makes new bowsers from old.
February 5, 2003... Bundled bowser specialist ACE Plant has reused a Volvo A25 ADT chassis, which is more than 10 years old, as a carrier for a self-contained 12,500-litre water and fuel tanker for Tarmac Western. The unit has a 10,000 litre capacity for water...

Selwood's smaller pumps.(Selwood Pumps launches new pumps, the 100C and 150C units and 150SA)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Selwood Pumps has launched a range of pumps said to be lighter, smaller and cheaper than its existing Seltorque units. The range retains the pump units of the bespoke Seltorque range, but they have a more standard build, which makes them...

Kinshofer HPX drive buckets.(launches new clamshell buckets)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Kinshofer has introduced a new generation of clamshell buckets for excavators and loader cranes. Instead of using traditional hydraulic cylinders to open and close the bucket, the new design has an HPX drive. The new drive has a...

What the ***k do you think?(Letter to the Editor)
February 5, 2003... Sir, Of course swearing *****y well happens in construction, but some so-called professions are far worse than us. Being serious, it has more to do with context. The Wates agreement is for a project where it is working in people's...

[pounds sterling]35m Liverpool housing stock transfer agreed.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Liverpool City Council has agreed to sign over its housing stock to the Lee Valley Housing Association in a pound sterling5.1m deal. Around 13,000 dwellings in Liverpool's Eastern Fringe and 2,833 dwellings in the southern zone of the...

Powerscreen on warpath.(Warrior 1400 high-capacity screen )(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... The Warrior 1400 from Powerscreen is a high-capacity screen capable of splitting and stockpiling up to 400t of material an hour, including crushed stone, demolition debris, coal, compost and topsoil. It is track mounted to ensure the 25t...

In brief.(includes multiple records)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Grundon buys Cats Waste handling specialist Grundon has added to its fleet with a range of Caterpillar equipment. This includes a 950G series 2 wheel loader and a 330B excavator, as well as an M320 wheeled excavator with a VRG30 sorting...

Work; Winners.(construction contracts let)
February 5, 2003... Who's winning the work? Work Winners is your at-a-glance digest of the latest contract awards around the UK. LONDON & SOUTH EAST London hotel Work: Hotel Location: London Value: pound sterling4m Type:...

Telehandler LOLER debate causes a stir.(Letter to the Editor)
February 5, 2003... The story about the Health & Safety Executive investigating the use of telehandlers on site (CJ 22 January) prompted a slew of correspondence. Sir, Guidance Note GN61 issued by the British Industrial Association lays down guidelines...

Construction lags behind in logistics.(Letter to the Editor)
February 5, 2003... Sir, Your article on a change in handling duties on Bovis Lend Lease sites (CJ 13 November 2002) illustrates a step in the right direction for the industry. However, the fact that a development like this is still news reflects just...

High-Point in buy out talks.(High-Point Render's executive management still in buy-out talks)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Troubled international consultant High-Point Rendel remains in talks with its executive management about a buy-out. At last week's annual general meeting, High-Point chairman Tony Palmer said: "Discussions which may or may not lead to an...

Volvo launches continue.(upgrades L70E and L90E wheeled loaders, launches L60E, L110E loaders)
February 5, 2003... n Manufacturer diversifies into a new sector and expands existing range in a bid to boost its market share. Volvo has upgraded and extended its medium wheeled loader range with the aim of being the world's number-two manufacturer. It has...

Peterhouse acquires Digital Surveys.(Peterhouse Group)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Peterhouse Group is continuing its mission to become a major infrastructure support services player with the acquisition of Newcastle-based civils surveyor and data collector Digital Surveys for pound sterling415,000. Digital, founded in...

NATO HQ project on the cards.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... A deal to build a new NATO headquarters in Brussels will come up for grabs within the next 12 months or soon after. According to a project source in Brussels, the scheme, worth at least pound sterling200m, will be advertised in the OJEC...

Book now for CJ's [pounds sterling]99 golf challenge.
February 5, 2003... A round of golf in France, lunch at the clubhouse, two nights' accommodation on a Brittany cruiser, including a presentation dinner on the return journey and, of course, time for a visit to the hypermarket - all for pound sterling99. ...

MoD invites bids for [pounds sterling]60m PFI job.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... The Ministry of Defence is inviting firms to prequalify for an estimated pound sterling60m private finance initiative deal to build new offices and accommodation for the Defence Communications Services Agency near Bath. The Agency wants to...

Fiat Kobelco appoints UK dealer.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Fiat Kobelco has ended months of speculation by confirming its intention to appoint existing Kobelco dealer Molson Holdings as its first distributor in the UK. Giuseppe Ferrulli, sales and marketing vice-president for Fiat Kobelco, said it...

CSCS contract boost.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... n Joint Contracts Tribunal set to write CSCS-accreditation into the standard forms of building contract. The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is set to take another major step forward with a requirement for CSCS...

RG Carter set to bag [pounds sterling]12m Norwich deal.
February 5, 2003... Local firm RG Carter is emerging as favourite to clinch a pound sterling12m university deal in Norwich. Insiders say the firm has beaten off fierce competition from four rivals for the University of East Anglia scheme. Work is expected...

Recruitment strategy project.(Launched by SummitSkills)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... A research project to provide a comprehensive picture of skill needs in the building services sector is being launched by SummitSkills - the new skills council that represents the electrotechnical, heating and ventilating, and plumbing...

Balfours set for Calderdale school PFI.(Babcock & Brown and Balfour Beatty joint venture in financing scheme for West Yorkshire's Calderdale Borough Council )(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... A joint venture between Babcock and Brown and Balfour Beatty is set to secure a pound sterling30m-plus private finance education scheme for Calderdale Borough Council in West Yorkshire. Insiders say that the council is expected to ratify...

Rombull's safety net training.(Safety net manufacturer Rombull UK)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Safety net manufacturer Rombull UK is running training courses for contractors on the correct maintenance of nets. General manager Rob Harris said: "Although the industry has come a long way since the introduction of safety nets, many...

Three bid for [pounds sterling]15m Salisbury hospital.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Three groups are in the mix for a pound sterling15m-plus private finance hospital project in Salisbury. The task, for the Salisbury Healthcare NHS Trust, is to build an extension to the Salisbury District Hospital and the line-up is:...

Pearce distracted by mbo.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... n Building firm's plunge into the red caused by management taking its eye off the ball. Pearce Group's turnover shrunk to pound sterling180m last year and the business ran up a pre-tax loss of pound sterling3.3m as management took its eye...

Taywood set to build [pounds sterling]24m Welsh Assembly.(Taylor Woodrow wins contract)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Taylor Woodrow has finally emerged triumphant in the tortuous tussle to build the pound sterling24m Welsh Assembly. It is understood that contractor David McLean is the reserve bidder for the Cardiff Bay project. After further...

back bites.(random comments from the real estate/construction industry)
February 5, 2003... All systems die Back bites could not resist a wry smile last week at Jarvis' 'Innovation in Motion' event held at Liverpool Street's grand Great Eastern Hotel. Intended to demonstrate the full range of innovative and technological...

Crest aims to increase housebuilding.(Crest Nicholson reports finances for 12 months ended 10/31/02)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Operating profit of 15.4% in Crest Nicholson's development division resulted in a pre-tax profit of pound sterling63m (pound sterling51m) in the 12 months to 31 October 2002. Group turnover climbed to pound sterling700m (pound sterling590m)...

Two win [pounds sterling]1.8bn Scots water job.(Galliford and Gleeson/A McAlpine)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Galliford and Gleeson/A McAlpine teams secure four-year Scottish Water framework. Two groups will share out pound sterling1.8bn worth of work under a massive framework deal with Scottish Water. Earlier this month, the client pared down...

Product guide.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Clement goes online The Clement Windows Group has revised its 19th century Cast rooflight. It now features a timber liner and self-cleaning kit. Clement has also launched its website, www.clementwg.co.uk Pilkington T glass ...

In brief.(four brief news items)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Kier extends Speedy deal Kier has extended its preferred supplier agreement with Speedy Hire. The new two-year deal is estimated to be worth around pound sterling3m a year. It involves Speedy Hire supporting all Kier's UK activities. ...

Defence Estates audit on MoD's FM work.(Ministry of Defence's total facilities management operations)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Defence Estates is carrying out an audit of the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) total facilities management (FM) business, writes Rob Willock. Deputy chief executive Dr Barbara Young is leading the project, and she estimates the value of MoD...

DTI set to scrap UK's working time opt-out.(Department of Trade and Industry; construction workers will be limited to a 48-hour work week)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... The Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) is expected to scrap the opt-out of the Working Time Directive (WTD) in November, according to a source close to the negotiations. The DTI is expected to comment further on the WTD in the summer...

Only two in bidding for [pounds sterling]200m PFI hospital job.(Consort consortium, New Hospitals bid for private finance initiative)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... A pound sterling200m hospital deal in West Yorkshire has joined the swelling ranks of private finance projects attracting only two bidders. Only the Consort consortium (Balfour Beatty and Royal Bank of Scotland) and New Hospitals (Taylor...

Defence Estates fails to notice retentions abuse.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Defence Estates (DE) has been slammed by specialist contractor groups for allowing its main contractors to keep retentions from subcontractors, despite being signed up to government best practice methods. News of the subbie-bashing, which...

Carillion scores at new Anfield.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Carillion looks set to win a pound sterling70m shoot-out with Laing O'Rourke for the right to build a new stadium for Liverpool FC. A well-placed source claimed: "Carillion is coming out as favourite - the fact that the firm helped rebuild...

Mowlem chases Exeter City over [pounds sterling]700k football debt.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Mowlem is battling to recover pound sterling700,000 it is owed by debt-ridden football club Exeter City for the construction of two stands in 2001. A spokesman for Mowlem said last week that two cheques sent to the contractor by Exeter...

Heart attack man's sacking was unfair.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... A foreman who was sacked after having a heart attack at work on Canary Wharf won his case for unfair dismissal at Stratford Industrial Tribunal last week. Gerry Smith was a site supervisor working for Hemel Hempstead-based Grinnell (UK)...

Court issues [pounds sterling]200 fine for fatality.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... A case in which an employer was fined just pound sterling200 for a fatality following a fall from height is likely to amplify calls for heavier penalties for health and safety breaches. Ronald Weedon employed his nephew John Weedon on a...

CCS hits out at Wimpey's form.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... n Central London subcontract 'ignores the Construction Act'. The Confederation of Construction Specialists (CCS) has attacked George Wimpey Central London's permanent subcontract agreement for attempting to contract-out of the Construction...

Darling reverses decision over A228 improvement in Kent.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Tendering for the pound sterling28m A228 improvement in Kent will be delayed after the secretary of state for transport Alistair Darling reversed his earlier decision and announced an inquiry into the scheme's compulsory purchase order (CPO) on...

In brief.(construction industry)(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Lilley Services goes into receivership Lilley (Construction) Services has been placed in administrative receivership. PricewaterhouseCoopers is now handling proceedings for the Norwich-based firm. A creditors meeting has been set for 28...

Insurance to hit roofing trade.
February 5, 2003... n Redland Roofing Systems name change will show link between four Lafarge divisions. Insurance is going to be a key concern for the roofing industry this year, according to Redland Roofing Systems, soon to be renamed Lafarge Roofing. ...

In brief.(building industry)(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Birse wins pound sterling6.5m windfarm work Birse has picked up a pound sterling6.5m contract for the civils and electrical works on a new 20-turbine windfarm in south-east Scotland. Project manager for the 49MW project is Norwegian firm...

Board restructure at Defence Estates.
February 5, 2003... n Air Vice-Marshall Gerry Willis appointed director of projects for Defence Estates. The new Defence Estates (DE) management board structure has been revealed, with no direct replacement for Dr Barbara Young, DE's deputy chief executive...

Builders' federations scrap over members.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... n The National Federation of Builders attacks the Federation of Master Builders' attempt to poach its members. The National Federation of Builders (NFB) and the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) have gone to war over a membership drive....

The federations strike back.(The battle of the builders' federations)
February 5, 2003... Kate Adie is donning her flak jacket, and Brian Hanrahan is getting ready to "count them all out and count them all back". No, it's not war in Iraq. It's the battle of the builders' federations. And it's getting nasty. Forgive the...

[pounds sterling]1bn NHS LIFT attracts new private bidder.(National Health Service )(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... The NHS's pound sterling1bn LIFT programme has succeeded in attracting a major new private sector bidder for its latest batch of PPP projects. Three regional bidding vehicles, operating under the Infracare brand, will bid for around 15 of...

NAO probes [pounds sterling]400m sale of Inventures.(National Audit Office)
February 5, 2003... n Rival bidder claims its variation bid was leaked to Miller Ventures by NHS Estates. The National Audit Office is investigating the pound sterling400m sale of Inventures, the NHS Estates property and land division, to Miller Ventures and...

Nine firms in race for [pounds sterling]44m road schemes.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Nine firms are in the mix for two council road schemes totalling pound sterling44m. The Sheffield Inner Relief Road and Nottinghamshire County Council's Mansfield Ashfield Regeneration Route are valued at pound sterling22m apiece. The...

Only seven sign up for ProCure 21.(Training workshops)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... Only seven companies have signed up for the first two ProCure 21 training workshops, due to be held next month in London and Birmingham. Organiser of the event, Knowles Management, said the response was disappointing and warned that both...

Loughborough Uni responds to ECI story.(Letter)
February 5, 2003... Sir, Loughborough University notes the article in Contract Journal dated 22 January, regarding Ivor Williams and the European Construction Institute (ECI). In this article you quote unofficial sources as saying that the University did...

Liquidated damages.
February 5, 2003... In the construction industry, we commonly think of liquidated and ascertained damages as a sum of money stated in the contract, calculated per day or per week, which will be paid by the contractor to the owner in the event of late completion....

RMC leads the way.(Market share of the ready mixed concrete market)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2003... RMC continues to lead the ready mixed concrete market, according to a new report published by BDS Marketing & Research. RMC leads the market with a 26.4% share, ahead of Hanson and Tarmac on 22.2% and 20.1% respectively. Lafarge and...

One of a kind.(Wates Interiors, a division of the Wates Group)
February 5, 2003... Wates Interiors is carving a niche for itself in the retail fit-out sector. Ross Pearman reports. Why take work to site when you can do it in a factory? This appears to be the motto of Wates Interiors, a division of the Wates Group, which...

Secret service.(RG Group has emerged from a 12-month business review )
February 5, 2003... RG Group has emerged from a 12-month business review with a new home, name, and website and a renewed determination to expand the business. Rob Willock went to see what all the fuss is about. RG Group is construction's best-kept secret,...

On the right track.(tracked excavators )
February 12, 2003... When it comes to 46t+ tracked excavators being used in quarrying and aggregates applications, which machines are proving most popular in the market? Geraldine Faulkner takes a look at the kit currently being used. An isolated coastal...

Telematics tracking device.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... Wire free telemetry specialist Box Telematics has launched a solar powered tracking device designed to offer protection to trailers and other vehicles without their own integral power source. The system has been developed in conjunction...

Slow payment continues.(companies not prompt on paying bills)
February 12, 2003... Companies are no quicker at paying their bills now than they were five years ago, despite the introduction of laws to encourage prompt payment, a study by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has revealed. The payment performance...

In brief.(multiple briefs)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... New appointment Charlotte Parsons has been appointed finance director with James R Knowles, the construction legal services and disputes resolution group. Patrick Lineen, who previously held the post, left at Christmas. Morrison fights...

Work; Winners.
February 12, 2003... Who's winning the work? Work Winners is your at-a-glance digest of the latest contract awards around the UK. London & South East Westminster offices Work: Offices Location: Westminster, London Value: pound sterling5m...

China in your hand.(Imerys Minerals and Bardon Aggregates exploiting china clay as new construction industry aggregate)
February 12, 2003... In the far south-west of England, Bardon Aggregates and Imerys Minerals are working to exploit what could be a massive new source of aggregates for the construction industry. Will Mann explains. At first glance, it's almost like being on...

WSP launches environmental risk solution.(Active Transfer solution)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... Consulting group WSP has launched an environmental risk solution called Active Transfer. Clients will pay up-front to transfer the burden of liability so that they are not at risk of future potential environmental problems. WSP...

Hanson axes quarry jobs as Aggregates Levy bites.(Hanson blames Aggregates Levy for redundancies in workforce)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... n Materials giant set to lobby the Welsh Assembly for changes to levy's parameters. Hanson has blamed the Aggregates Levy for its decision to axe 25% of the workforce at a north Wales quarry. The 10 redundancies at its Penmaenmawr...

Fiat Kobelco to appoint local dealers.(for compact equipment line)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... Fiat Kobelco wants to appoint more dealers at a local level for its compact equipment line, in addition to three or four main dealers in the UK and Ireland Contracts should be signed very soon according to Giuseppe Ferrulli, Fiat Kobelco's...

Construction fails to retain skilled workers.(U.S. construction industry, having CTA cards renewed for current employees)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... n CITB attributes downturn to the nature of CTA card renewals. Further questions have been raised about the construction industry's ability to retain skilled plant operators after figures from the Construction Industry Training Board...

Tracker helps recover stolen mini digger.(Southern Electric's stolen mini-digger found by Tracker tracking system)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... A pound sterling15,000 mini-digger stolen from Southern Electric's engineering depot in Lower Weybourne Lane in Farnham was recovered by the police thanks to Tracker. Three days after the theft, the activated system allowed the police to...

JCB's [pounds sterling]1m deal with Tamdown.(JCB deal to supply Tamdown Group with construction equipment)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... JCB has clocked up another pound sterling1m-plus deal to supply equipment to ground redemption, civil engineering and concrete structure specialist, the Tamdown Group. The deal covers JS220, 160, 130 and JZ70 tracked excavators and 3CX...

In brief.(UK construction industry company reports)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... Freelander tops the lot Range Rover's Freelander has come top of the league of vehicles ranked according to their retained values after three years. Freelander retained 79.6% of its value according to the table compiled by the Alliance and...

CJPryor picks up five Volvos.(CJ Pryor deal with Volvo, adds five Volvo vehicles to its fleet)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... CJ Pryor of Harlow, Essex, has added five Volvo excavators and six A30D ADTs to its fleet. The deal includes three Volvo EC210Bs (21t), one 46 tonner (an EC460B) and an EC140B, which has a 14t operating weight. The A30D's dump body has...

Hewden Power acquires Andover platform trailers.(from Andover Trailers)
February 12, 2003... Hewden Power has taken delivery of three tilting platform trailers from Andover Trailers that ease the loading and unloading of heavy wheeled items like compressors and generators. The units have an unusual design in that the trailer...

Kobelco sees positive shift for crawler cranes.(Kobelco's market share increasing due to large demand for its crawler cranes)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... Over the past year, Kobelco has seen a resurgence in the sales of crawler cranes and believes it is increasing its share of the market. Part of this increase comes from a five-machine deal (a 55t BM500 and four 70t CKE700s) with Weldex. ...

Heart of glass.(Lafarge and RMC using recycled glass for road construction)
February 12, 2003... Growing demand for recycled materials is prompting aggregates firms to consider the potential of household waste as a construction material - particularly glass. Will Mann looks at how RMC and Lafarge have found a use for coloured glass in road...

CAMBBA trials kerbing system.(A-Plant provides CAMBBA with Jumbo BV Kerb Lifters for trials)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... n BV Vacuum Kerb Lifters being used for health and safety reasons and to save time. A-Plant is supplying two Jumbo BV Kerb Lifters to CAMBBA, the consortium building the Birmingham Northern Relief Road, for trials. The vacuum kerb...

[pounds sterling]3-an-hour boost; for M&E workers.(trade associations come to agreement that electricians and mechanics will receive equal pay for major projects)
February 12, 2003... n M&E representatives finally reach landmark agreement over pay on major projects. Equal pay and conditions on major projects have finally been guaranteed for mechanical and electrical (M&E) workers following the signing of the landmark...

Rocky road ahead.(Working Time Directive to cost UK aggregates sector more money a year)
February 12, 2003... In just over two years time, the quarrying and aggregates sector is going to face an extra cost of at least pound sterling300m a year when the road transport sector's exemption from the Working Time Directive expires. Laura Hailstone looks at...

back bites.(news briefs from the building industry in the UK)
February 12, 2003... Facing up to it News that Dirk Benedict, the actor who played Face in the 1980s television action series the A-Team, is giving members of the Irish parliament advice on security has got back bites thinking. Apparently Benedict is an...

FMB joins SEC Group to combat retentions.(Federation of Master Builders)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... Smaller firms in the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) have joined forces with the specialist engineering contractors of the SEC Group to form a united front in the continuing battle to stamp out the use of retentions. SEC Group chief...

Lafarge buys Premier to boost concrete arm.(Lafarge Aggregates buys Premier Readymix Concrete)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... Construction materials producer Lafarge Aggregates has acquired Staffordshire-based Premier Readymix Concrete for an undisclosed sum. The move strengthens Lafarge's presence in the region and underlines the group's long-term strategic...

[pounds sterling]55m Stonehenge visitor centre delayed.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... A pound sterling55m project to build a visitor centre and transit system at Stonehenge in Wiltshire is to go ahead despite an OJEC notice stating the project has been scrapped. English Heritage first invited contractors to prequalify for...

Web launch: aggregate info at your fingertips.(Waste and Resources Action Programme launches AggRegain Web site for information on aggregates)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2003... A one-stop source of practical information for specifiers, purchasers and suppliers of recycled and secondary aggregates was launched in London last week. Developed by the Waste and Resources Action programme (WRAP) and funded through the...

Haymills trys new tactics.(Haymills Ltd. hires Julain Brandon as managing director)
February 12, 2003... n After a management reshuffle, the new managing director undertakes face-to-face contact with clients for honest response. The management turn-round at Haymills, the pound sterling100m-a-year construction group, is now complete. Four of...