Contract Journal articles from February 2006

Contract Journal archives from February 2006

CNH pre-tax profit climbs to [pounds sterling]91.2m.
February 1, 2006... Case and New Holland's parent company CNH has reported a pre-tax profit for the year up 30% to [pounds sterling]91.2m, although the last quarter showed profit dipping from [pounds sterling]26.8m to [pounds sterling]24m. Net equipment sales...

Sandhurst unveils new light tower.(product introduction)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Sandhurst Manufacturing Company has introduced the ?TL-90 Telelight, a fixed vertical mast lighting tower. The compact unit has an extensive specification and robust build to appeal to rental companies and enhanced safety to ?satisfy...

Caterpillar sets sights on market domination.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Caterpillar has set itself the target of being the number one producer on every continent for every product group it builds by 2020, said vice-president Michael Baunton. "We will not be happy with number two," he said. "In 2005, the...

How toa.
February 1, 2006... Research shows that mentoring relationships can be instrumental in career success. Mentors provide advice and guidance, help instil confidence and offer reassurance, as well as link their mentee to a network of contacts that will be useful...

Multiplex admits 70% chance of meeting Wembley deadline.(handover of Wembley National Stadium )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Multiplex admitted on Monday that there is only a 70% chance that the [pounds sterling]757m Wembley National Stadium will be ready by its handover date. The Australian contractor has always maintained that the troubled project would be...

Bobcat digs in to European market.
February 1, 2006... Bobcat aims to increase its UK mini excavator market share by producing more machines in Europe. The company's strategy was highlighted at last week's Hire Show, with the launch of the new 1.3t 319 model, the first excavator to be...

HBG lined up for Bradford Academy job.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... It looks like playtime for HBG on a [pounds sterling]17m academy project in West Yorkshire. Insiders say the contractor is leading the field in the chase for the Bradford Academy deal, with the contract set to be formally awarded later...

Laing O'Rourke set for Nottingham upgrade.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Laing O'Rourke looks to be in gear for a [pounds sterling]36m roads deal around Nottingham. Sources say the firm has moved to the head of the queue for a task that centres on upgrading a stretch of the A453 to dual carriageway standard...

Morgan Est to build [pounds sterling]60m tunnel.
February 1, 2006... Morgan Est has beaten three rivals to clinch a [pounds sterling]60m cable ?tunnelling design and build ?deal for National Grid in south London. Known as the Croydon Tunnel, it will run 10km between Beddington and Rowdown in the boroughs of...

Lovell wins [pounds sterling]100m PFI for Manchester housing.
February 1, 2006... Manchester City Council has finally got a preferred bidder on board for a massive revamp of a run-down area of the city. Under a [pounds sterling]100m-plus PFI deal, the Renaissance group (Lovell/Mill Group/Family Housing Assoc-iation) will...

Five to contest project for Liverpool museum.
February 1, 2006... Five firms are vying for admission to a [pounds sterling]33m high-profile museum project on Merseyside. The deal, to construct a new museum on Liverpool's waterfront, is being contested by Balfour Beatty, Bovis Lend Lease, HBG, Laing...

Lothian hit by PPP setback.
February 1, 2006... West Lothian council has been forced back to the drawing board after negotiations with the AWG-led consortium Alpha Schools collapsed. The [pounds sterling]70m PPP deal to refurbish five secondary schools fell apart after surveys revealed...

Watchdog questions viability of Brum PFI.
February 1, 2006... Monitor, the independent regulator that scrutinises foundation hospital trusts, is questioning the affordability of the [pounds sterling]550m Queen Elizabeth Hospital PFI deal in Birmingham. The scheme, which has Balfour Beatty as its...

T5 strike talks for O'Rourke.(Laing O'Rourke )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Laing O'Rourke was in 11th-hour talks with shop stewards at Heathrow's T5 site as CJ went to press, in a bid to stave off more strike action by its civils workers. The threat of a three-day strike this week was hanging over O'Rourke after...

ESI website is designed by 'Vogons'.
February 1, 2006... HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) new online employment status indicator (ESI) has been lambasted by the Construction Confederation's tax specialist Liz Bridge. HMRC hopes the site, designed to indicate whether workers are employed or...

Leading the charge.
February 1, 2006... The first thing you notice when you step inside Bison's new plant is its sheer size. At 500m long, the factory is twice as big as traditional plants and is setting new standards of quality and accuracy in ?hollow core flooring manufacture. The...

Winning the Willmott way.(Willmott Dixon )(employee benefits)
February 1, 2006... Competition for skilled staff is fierce in the construction industry. Firms are increasingly having to improve the benefits and training packages they offer in order to attract and retain good people. Willmott Dixon has long put respect for...

Unions claim [pounds sterling]6/hour rise in basic craft rate.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Building and civil engineering unions in the private sector will be targeting a phased increase in the basic craft rate from [pounds sterling]9 to [pounds sterling]15 per hour when formal negotiations open tomorrow (Thursday) at the...

Opencast workers bid to close 30% pay gap.
February 1, 2006... Workers in the opencast coal mining sector are bidding to close what they claim is a 30% gap in minimum rates of pay, which has opened up between this specialist area of civil engineering and the rest of the construction industry. Bob...

Fitzroy Robinson's takeover revives Aukett fortunes.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Fitzroy Robinson's reverse take-over of Aukett has restored the ailing fortunes of the architectural practice, putting an end to its loss-making period. Latest figures, covering the 12 months to 30 September 2005, show a pre-tax profit of...

Carillion bid for Mowlem gets yes vote.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Mowlem shareholders have voted overwhelmingly in support of accepting the [pounds sterling]310m takeover bid from Carillion. Shares in the new [pounds sterling]4bn-a-year combined group are set to start trading on 23 February, with the...

Watkin Jones sees margin rise to 13%.(company sales and earnings)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The decision taken three years ago to slash the size of Watkin Jones' construction division by half might have been courageous, but it has proved extremely profitable [degrees] the latest margin stands at 13% Managing director Mark...

Crest Nicholson achieves [pounds sterling]79m profit despite hit.(company sales and earnings)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Crest Nicholson, the residential and mixed-use development group, has unveiled a pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]79m ([pounds sterling]82m). The latest figure was trimmed back slightly by an exceptional cost of [pounds sterling]2.1m,...

Ellmer proves a model of consistency.(company sales and earnings of FB Ellmer)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... FB Ellmer, the construction group based in Kingston-upon-Thames, has proved itself remarkably consistent when it comes to profit making. Latest annual accounts (to 31 May 2005) show a pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]873,866, which is...

RedSkyIT dismisses Sage merger rumour.
February 1, 2006... RedSkyIT, known as Ramesys before a rebranding exercise, has dismissed the rumour that it was in merger talks last year with Sage, the IT group that offers accountancy software to all business sectors. Mark Chambers, managing director of...

Rydon Group sells to management team.(Rydon Homes)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Rydon, the [pounds sterling]195m-a-year turn-over construction and property services group, has been sold to a management buy-out (MBO). Managing director Bob Bond led the MBO team, which included John Kitchin, legal director, and Paul...

Sol Construction aims for [pounds sterling]100m turnover target.(company sales and earnings)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Sol Construction plans to lift turnover to [pounds sterling]100m in the medium term, said managing director Adrian Whiteside. Currently, turnover stands ?at [pounds sterling]70m and last year the Nottingham-based group made a pre-tax profit...

Planning applications Q3 2005.
February 1, 2006... The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's planning statistics for the third quarter of last year reveal some bad news: the number of decisions made was down compared with the same period the year before. The regional analysis shows that no...

PfS keeping an open mind.
February 1, 2006... Sir, Further to your article Councils told to speed up delivery of BSF work' (CJ 18 January), I can assure you that Partnerships ?for Schools (PfS) has not stated that "variant schemes [to the ?LEP model] are no longer welcome". The...

EA's technical hitch.(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... Sir, I would like to thank CJ for bringing the Association of Technical Lightning & Access Specialists' (ATLAS) concerns to the fore about the Environment Agency's (EA) technical guidance note M1 Sampling Requirements for Monitoring Stack...

Thomas Vale to sue Keller.
February 1, 2006... Thomas Vale Construction has launched a [pounds sterling]500,000 lawsuit in a row over a factory at Halesowen. Vale is suing Keller Ground Engineering for damages for breach of contract and negligence over the design and construction of a...

CJ adds to CPD online services.
February 1, 2006... More programmes have been added to CJ's online CPD service, www.cpdconstruction.com. The Civil Engineers' Channel has gained seven more ?programmes: [bar] An overview of the structural design and construction of an office development...

George Martin to lead sustainability drive.(joins Willmott Dixon Construction )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Willmott Dixon Construction has recruited George Martin, the Building Research Establish-ment's director of sustainability, to lead its new initiative for delivering sustainable buildings. Martin joins as head of ?Re-Thinking, which seeks...

PFI contract terms ?clash with HGCR Act.
February 1, 2006... The provisions of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regener-ation Act (HGCRA) sit uncomfortably with the contractual arrangements that are generally adopted for private finance initiative ?(PFI) projects. The concession company that...

Wates ties up [pounds sterling]5m deal with Hewden.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Wates Group has chosen Hewden as its sole supplier for tools, ?plant equipment and temporary accommodation in a deal worth more than [pounds sterling]5m over the next ?12 months. Hewden's key account manager Brian Jones said this is the...

Red Rhino charges in with mobile mini crusher.(product introduction)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Milton Keynes-based manufacturer Red Rhino launched its smallest ever mobile crusher at the Hire Show. The tracked 4017 micro crusher features a jaw opening of 400mm x 170mm and can produce material ranging in size from 80mm down to 5mm....

Sennebogen's new compact crane option.
February 1, 2006... German manufacturer Sennebogen has added a new multi-purpose compact crane to its equipment line-up. The Multicrane 608 features a five-piece telescopic boom offering a maximum lift height of 20m and a capacity of 4t. The company said...

Takeuchi loads its range for shot at success in UK.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Best known for mini excavators, Takeuchi has taken the plunge and launched a new series of tracked loaders. Three models [degrees] TL130, TL140 and TL150 [degrees] with operating capacities from 735kg to 1t have already been successfully...

Terex upgrades TV100 rollers.(product introduction)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Terex has upgraded its TV100 series of tandem vibratory rollers by equipping them with new and more powerful Kubota water-cooled engines. The smaller TV1000, TV1200 and TV1200H are now fitted with Kubota three-cylinder 24.5kW engines, while...

Back in fashion.
February 1, 2006... The 1960s are hailed as the heyday of pop culture, and a period of rapid social and political change, but it is a decade the concrete sector would rather forget. Dreary shopping centres, car parks and housing estates sprang up all over the...

Fuel prices to carry on rising.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Energy minister Alan Johnson has warned contractors that they face another year of rising fuel costs. Johnson said there is no end in sight for fuel price increases for at least the next 12 months. "There is little that can be done...

Hold-ups avoided as Scottish Water accepts tough targets.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Civils contractors have been saved an unnecessary stalling of work on their water framework contracts after Scottish Water decided not to challenge the Water Industry Commission's (WIC) final spending determination. Scottish Water claimed...

HSBC considers project banking.
February 1, 2006... The Specialist Engineering Contractors' (SEC) Group is in talks with HSBC about setting up a project bank account model for the whole industry to use. Although discussions are in the early stages, if successful the groundbreaking move...

Norfolk and HA fight over [pounds sterling]2.5m A11 overspend bill.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Norfolk County Council (NCC) and the Highways Agency (HA) have clashed over which of the two should foot the bill for an overspend on May Gurney's A11 Thickthorn roundabout and Cringleford link road scheme. Originally budgeted at [pounds...

Lafarge reveals roofing price hike.
February 1, 2006... Roofing contractors can expect to pay more for materials after Lafarge announced price rises last week. The company will charge between 5% and 10% more for its Redland range of tiling products. The increases cover all products...

Government red tape blocks brickmakers.
February 1, 2006... Government dawdling on house-building projects is forcing ?brickmakers out of work. Hanson Building Products last week closed a factory and laid off 60 people across its business. Blaming a "nosedive" in the brick market towards the end of...

Innovation for Homes plan unveiled.
February 1, 2006... Housebuilders and forward-thinking products firms will come together after a new scheme was launched yesterday. As CJ went to press, the Innovation for Homes scheme was due to be unveiled. The scheme aims to judge products on their green...

Infrastructure work held up by red tape.
February 1, 2006... Bureaucracy is stifling government decision-making on infrastructure projects, the Construction Products Association has claimed. The association said the construction supply chain is suffering while the government waits to make spending...

Contractors and suppliers join forces to reduce waste.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Contractors will work with products suppliers to reduce waste on site in a scheme backed by the Department of Trade and Industry. The Construction Products Association and Building Research Establishment (BRE) will lead the...

Asbestos ruling unfair to workers, says UCATT.
February 1, 2006... Construction workers are taking the blame for their former employers' irresponsibility, UCATT general secretary Alan Ritchie has told CJ. His comments came after the courts decided claims for asbestos-related pleural plaques were fuelling the...

Thinking big with small scale ideas.
February 1, 2006... There is a huge amount of waste glass produced every year. Much of it ends up in roads, some is used for decorative landscaping, and some becomes glass once again. But until now, none of it has been used to create a glass-aggregate terrazzo...

Contract Journal 2006 features schedule.(Calendar)
February 1, 2006... 15 February Steel Has the steel sector got over the price hikes of 2004? We find out how the major steelwork contractors are finding business and visit some of the best and most unusual examples of constructional steel currently on site. 1...

Tilting the balance.
February 1, 2006... Future Inns' [pounds sterling]11.5m hotel will be a new landmark on the Plymouth skyline when it opens next month [degrees] and it will also be a landmark for concrete construction in the UK. Or more accurately, tilt-up concrete. Essentially,...

Mowlem's last stand.
February 1, 2006... This Saturday sees the start of the 2006 Six Nations Championship, and with England kicking off their campaign against last year's champions Wales, it's a date English rugby fans have been eagerly awaiting. It's also a date Mowlem has had...

60-second interview.
February 8, 2006... Where did you go to school and what qualifications did you get? I went to Guiseley Secondary School and Leeds College of Building, where I received a BTEC and an HND in building studies, before going to Leeds Metropolitan University to study...

Retrospective delay analysis.(case of Leighton Contractors)
February 8, 2006... Most standard forms of construction contract require the architect or engineer to deal with the contractor's claims for extension of time when actual delay has occurred to the works and also when a prospective delay event is notified. An...

Mecalac mixes up machines.
February 8, 2006... VITAL STATISTIC: The 8MCR has nearly 3.5m maximum dig depth. Mecalac has claimed that its new 8MCR combines the attributes of a 6t excavator with those of a skid steer loader. When the excavator mode button is pressed, the machine works...

JCB's graveyard smash.(mini excavator)(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... JCB has introduced a Grave-?master version of its 8018 mini excavator, specifically modified to dig graves. The 1.5t machine is supplied with the latest JCB cab. It is ?also fitted with an extended ?(1.5m) dipper allowing the grave to be...

Michelin develops tyre/wheel combo.
February 8, 2006... Michelin is developing a combined tyre, rim and wheel for off-road equipment [degrees] the Tweel. It provides the puncture resistance of a solid tyre with the suspension and load-carrying qualities of a pneumatic. The Tweel comprises...

Firms line up for [pounds sterling]25m City of London office contract.(office refurbishment deal)(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... Four outfits have thrown their hats into the ring for a [pounds sterling]25m office refurbishment deal in the City of London. HBG, Sir Robert McAlpine, Bovis Lend Lease and Wates are vying for the Gracechurch Street scheme. The client,...

Gleeson and Keepmoat scoop [pounds sterling]100m-plus deal.(Gleeson Homes)(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... Two contractors have the key to an estimated [pounds sterling]100m-plus worth of housing new build and upgrade work in Burnley, Lancashire. After months of interviews, site visits and negotiations, Gleeson Regeneration and Keepmoat have...

HSE launches site housekeeping initiative.(Health and Safety Executive)(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... Health & Safety Executive ?(HSE) construction inspectors launched a nationwide inspection programme last week to target building sites with poor housekeeping. Approximately 1,000 sites of all sizes nationwide are to be inspected as part of...

Terex launches two hydraulic breaker ranges.
February 8, 2006... Terex has launched two new ranges of hydraulic breakers. The TXH S range is vibro-silenced and suited to mini and midi excavators, as well as backhoe loaders. The series consists of seven models with maximum energy-per-blow ratings of...

Asda names five to design and build.
February 8, 2006... Five firms are set to share out building and upgrading work for supermarket giant Asda. Midas Retail, Bowmer & Kirkland, Pearce, HBG and RG Group will tackle new build, refit and extension work in 39 projects across the UK. The...

Skanska at top of skyscraper list.(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... Skanska is being tipped as the contractor most likely to win a [pounds sterling]500m deal to build the 47-storey Heron Tower at Bishopsgate in the City of London. It is understood that two ?other bidders, Bovis Lend Lease and Multiplex,...

Balfour to scoop [pounds sterling]20.1m HA deal.(Balfour Beatty Construction Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... Balfour Beatty has accelerated past four competitors to find itself in pole position for a repackaged early contractor involvement roads deal in the North East. Sources say bids from Amec, Birse, Carillion and Costain have now stalled on...

Redrow Homes gets cream in [pounds sterling]50m Devon regeneration.
February 8, 2006... Redrow Homes has beaten off four other hopefuls to take a [pounds sterling]50m regeneration deal in Devon. The firm will breathe new life into the South Yard Enclave at Devonport, with the aim of transforming it into a mixed-use...

Hospital chiefs claim Barts split is illegal.
February 8, 2006... Government plans to split the [pounds sterling]1.1bn Barts Hospital scheme are "unlawful", according to health chiefs at the Barts and London NHS Trust. Health secretary Patricia Hewitt, under pressure from the Treasury to cut the cost of...

GB Consortium shortlisted for NHS LIFT deal.(National Health Service contract goes to consortium formed by British Health Enterprises, Mill Group and Gilthouse)(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... GB Consortium has scored a ?hat-trick, getting shortlisted for the third time for a Wave Four NHS LIFT scheme. The [pounds sterling]120m Sustainable Communities in Kent scheme has shortlisted GB Consortium (led by British Health...

Wooliscroft joins OGC to work on Gershon targets.(Office of Government Commerce)(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... Peter Wooliscroft, former head of the Department of Health's ProCure 21 programme, is to join the Office of Government Commerce (OGC). Under the leadership of ?director of construction and FM ?efficiency David McMeehan, Wooliscroft will...

Transit torques it up.(Ford Duratorq from Ford Motor Co.)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 8, 2006... With the introduction of the 115ps (85kW) 2.4-litre Duratorq engine, Ford is predicting an upward shift in entry-level power for the 3.5t Transit. And while the 90ps (66kW) version remains on the list, Ford says the new engine not only gives...

How toa.(career planning )(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... Long-term career planning can be a daunting task. As a result, many of us take an opportunistic approach to career progress, seizing suitable openings as they present themselves. Review what you have achieved in 2005. Where did you make a...

Skills minister pledges to defend training levy.(Construction Industry Training Board)(Engineering Construction Industry Training Board)
February 8, 2006... Phil Hope, minister for education and skills, has pledged to defend the statutory training levy in the face of a threat to its continued legal status. "I want to ensure that the levy system is not put at risk, as it is such an essential and...

Asbestos training implications are 'horrendous'.
February 8, 2006... Government proposals for changing the law relating to the control of asbestos at work are set to lead to a massive training programme with tens of thousands of construction workers being required to undergo a half-day asbestos awareness course....

Sir Fraser and AWG settle ?out of court.(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... The [pounds sterling]130m legal battle between AWG and the duo of Sir Fraser Morrison, former head of the Morrison construction group, and Stephen McBrierty, its former finance director, has been settled on the eve of the case being heard. ...

Bellway sticks to lower and middle housing markets.
February 8, 2006... Bellway's average selling price of [pounds sterling]168,000 in the six months to 31 January was "still one of the lowest in the industry" said the group in a trading update. John Watson, chief executive, reported: "Our focus continues to...

Churchill sets McCarthy & Stone as benchmark.(Churchill Construction Co.)(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... Churchill Retirement Living aims to match sector leader McCarthy & Stone's remarkable profit margin figures, which ran to 39% and 46% in the last two years. Spencer McCarthy, Churchill's chief executive, left his father's business McCarthy...

Aukett fits FitzroyGalliford's face shines in CityHot topics for Februarya.(Aukett Associates PLC)
February 8, 2006... Aukett is the sort of share you wish you'd spotted while it was in the ?doldrums, as its days of trading at 3p look to be over [degrees] its price jumped 55%. The reverse takeover by Fitzroy Robinson holds the key to all this. It was a...

Barr reveals [pounds sterling]420m orderbook.(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... Barr, the Scottish construction group, is enjoying major growth prospects. Its forward orderbook in 2003 was [pounds sterling]65m, but today that figure is seven times higher at [pounds sterling]420m. The group made a pre-tax profit of...

Inspace reaps rewards after going on AIM list.(alternative investment market)(Brief Article)
February 8, 2006... Inspace, the repair and maintenance service provider, is "very satisfied" with the progress it has made during its first year since listing on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). Analysts anticipate that when Inspace unveils its...

Mission possible.
February 8, 2006... It seemed like mission impossible, but Alan Lovell has all but achieved it: he's transformed Jarvis from a seemingly doomed business into one that can cautiously look forward to a brighter, more certain future. Lovell has fought and won...

Shareholders happy with Carillion offer.
February 8, 2006... The strength of Mowlem's share price [degrees] which has been running at more than 220p for the past fortnight [degrees] should be interpreted as indicating that many Mowlem shareholders relish the prospect of becoming Carillion shareholders,...

IT control of defects is slow to catch on.
February 8, 2006... IT specialists are trying to convince the construction industry of ?the value of electronic snagging management. Software Systems and BuildOnline are both marketing systems to the industry, but anecdotal evidence suggests they may face a...

Tailor KPIs to improve results.(Letter to the Editor)
February 8, 2006... Sir, In reference to KPIs, let's not get so hung up on measures that we forget communication. There's an ongoing challenge to run an effective and efficient performance management system in any business or long-term contract or partnering...