Contract Journal articles from February 2008

Contract Journal archives from February 2008

13 People.(Ken Davies)(Interview)
February 13, 2008... Ken Davies, senior site manager, Bramall Construction (part of the Keepmoat Group) What site are you working on at the moment? I'm currently working on the Wagon Road site in Rotherham, South Yorkshire as part of Bramall Construction's...

Semi-automatic hitches facing new machine ban.(06 Plant)
February 13, 2008... Semi-automatic ban expected in 2009, but existing hitches can remain in service. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk Production of semi-automatic quick hitches for use on excavators and backhoes working in the EU is to be banned under proposed...

SebaKMT aids the location of pipe leaks.(06 Plant)(Sebalog)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... Locating water leaks has been made easier with the introduction of a new generation of equipment from SebaKMT, including the Sebalog, automatic data-logging sensors and the HL5000. Automatic pressure and flow logging using the Sebalog P...

Industry upbeat on prospects.(06 Plant)(Executive Hire Show)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... Plant manufacturers were upbeat about prospects for the year during last week's Executive Hire Show, despite dire warnings about the general economy and house prices. Ian Brown from Thwaites said: "January was a little quiet, but it was...

Reaching new heights.(09 Focus)
February 13, 2008... A surge in demand for scaffolding training in 2007 prompted ConstructionSkills to invest substantially in new facilities. Helen McCormick reports. Scaffolding has never been more popular as a profession, but last year it became clear that...

Babcock to swallow up to 400 A McAlpine staff.(01 News)
February 13, 2008... 150 move from Eastern MoD regional prime contract 240 more may follow in SW. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk Nearly 400 Alfred McAlpine staff are bracing themselves for a mass departure to Babcock as McAlpine gives up at least one of two...

CCS eyes small sites inititive.(01 News)(Considerate Constructors Scheme)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... The Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) is set to open itself up to smaller sites. The small sites scheme is expected to be piloted on half a dozen jobs in the UK over the next few months, with an official launch planned at the start of...

01 News.
February 13, 2008... HARSH CRITIC Art critic Tim Knox has come under fire for criticising a memorial to dead building workers. Knox - director of the Sir John Soane's Museum - said that the statue of the "Unknown Construction Worker" in Tower Hill, London, looked...

Could you be a winner?(01 News)
February 13, 2008... The entries are open now for Contract Journal's Best Places to Work in Construction Awards - they've made a real difference to last year's finalists, as Emma Penny reports. So why not enter today? If you want to prove you are one of the...

01 News.(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... The cheque is in the post... Payment is a dirty word wherever you are in the construction industry - whether you are a house owner who resents paying for work up front, a major contractor trying to squeeze money out of your client, or a...

Browns tipped to win [pounds sterling]70m Leicester deal.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... Browns Construction is emerging as the favourite to clinch a [pounds sterling]70m mixed development in the heart of Leicester. Insiders say the Manchester-based firm has trumped a pitch from Nottingham contractor Clegg Construction for the...

More delays for troubled M74 project.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... The tortuous saga of Scotland's biggest roads deal has taken another twist, with news of yet more delays. The M74 scheme around Glasgow, will not now be awarded for at least another month. The project's sole bidder, Interlink74...

Seven to share [pounds sterling]300m work for Cambs council.(04 Contracts)
February 13, 2008... Cambridgeshire County Council has lined up seven contractors to tackle [pounds sterling]300m-worth of work on the local authority's buildings under a framework deal. From an initial field of 20, the winners are Kier Eastern, Morgan...

Trio chase [pounds sterling]375m Thames Tideway Tunnel scheme.(04 Contracts)
February 13, 2008... Sewer intervention work aims to stop floodwaters polluting the River Thames. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk At least three oufits are vying to prequalify for the first phase of a [pounds sterling]2bn Thames Tideway Tunnel deal to prevent...

Climbing the ladder: Peter Owen.(13 People)(Interview)
February 13, 2008... Why did you go into construction? My father was a site manager and I wanted to work with figures and also did not want to be tied to a desk. He suggested surveying on construction sites was a good fit and I never looked back. What...

NW councils urged to pool their resources.(01 News)
February 13, 2008... Councils in the North West should join forces when procuring their construction contracts, according to the influential North West Centre of Excellence. The call follows a report commissioned by the centre, which recommends the creation of...

Thumbs-up for plans to improve BSF schemes.(01 News)(Partnerships for Schools (PfS) )(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... Contractors gave a thumbs-up this week to Partnerships for Schools (PfS) plans to cut the time and cost of bidding for Building Schools for the Future (BSF) schemes. The plans, revealed by CJ last week, are the outcome of a major review of...

Copycat killer.(09 Focus)
February 13, 2008... Counterfeit scaffolding products can look highly convincing, but may not meet the design standards of the real thing, making them potentially lethal. Paul Howard reports on this ticking time bomb. Anyone with children knows how irritating...

Electrical contractors 'not qualified' to work on London Underground.(01 News)
February 13, 2008... Union claims some companies hired to work on Underground lack necessary skills. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk Electrical work on the London Underground is being carried-out by unqualified contractors, according to worried union leaders. ...

Subbies get cold response to BACS payment requests.(01 News)
February 13, 2008... Refusal by main contractors to use faster payment system tests subbies patience. emma.penny@rbi.co.uk Main contractors are refusing requests from subbies to be paid using BACS electronic transfer. Electronic banking means an end...

14 Back Page.(Ian Grice, Alfred McAlpine's soon-to-depart boss is going to get a [pounds sterling]4.5m payout when he leaves)
February 13, 2008... Grice's double whammy Everyone heard the news last week that Ian Grice, Alfred McAlpine's soon-to-depart boss is going to get a [pounds sterling]4.5m payout when he leaves. There was much drooling and excited talk of "trousering" cash on...

M&E workers at T5 hit by delays.(01 News)
February 13, 2008... Hundreds of M&E workers trying to get Heathrow's T5 ready for next month's opening have been delayed getting on the job by new security measures introduced by client BAA. Checks on all those admitted to the new terminal were stepped-up...

Growth predicted in 2008 despite recent slowdown.(01 News)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... Industry forecasters are putting a positive spin on the latest trade figures with the outlook for the rest of this year described as "buoyant". The latest joint Trade Survey Report from the Construction Products Association and the...

HA appoints new projects director.(01 News)(Highways Agency appoints Nirmal Kotecha)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... The Highways Agency (HA) completed its long-running search for a new major projects director last week. The role has been taken up by Nirmal Kotecha, who was previously Alliance director & head of supply chain management at Anglian Water...

Bill targets rights for agency workers.(01 News)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... Pressure is mounting for domestic legislation to give equal employment rights to builders working through labour agencies. A Private Member's Bill promoting equal rights is due for a second reading in Parliament next week and union leaders...

Elliott Thomas sees turnover hit [pounds sterling]24m.(02 Business)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... Elliott Thomas, the construction logistics player, has seen turnover grow to [pounds sterling]24m. The group's construction operation made a margin of 4.3%, as turnover of [pounds sterling]22m in that division generated a pre-tax profit of...

Skanska UK moves into [pounds sterling]1bn-plus turnover club.(02 Business)
February 13, 2008... 44% surge in turnover McNicholas staff brought innovative push, says Fison. john.leitch@rbi.co.uk Skanska UK has joined the top table of major contractors that have an annual turnover of more than [pounds sterling]1bn a year, with the...

Urban Splash consolidates despite fall in pre-tax profit.(02 Business)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... Regeneration specialist Urban Splash saw pre-tax profit dive to [pounds sterling]2.9m in 2007 from a figure of [pounds sterling]8.9m in the previous year. Urban's turnover rose to a record [pounds sterling]62m in the 12 months to 31 March...

Sharkey nets [pounds sterling]310k pre-tax profit.(02 Business)(Sharkey Fit Out)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... George Sharkey, the Scottish construction company known better by its trading name of Sharkey Fit Out, made a pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]310,000 last year. The figure represents a margin of 0.9% last year - that might be a tad on...

Marley Eternit ditches natural slate.(05 Products and Materials)
February 13, 2008... In a bid to remove all non-sustainable products from its range, Marley Eternit has stopped using natural slate in the manufacture of its roofing materials. The mining of slate is extremely inefficient, with just 5% of all slate mined...

Housebuilders warned over use of green technologies.(05 Products and Materials)
February 13, 2008... NHBC Foundation tells firms that research is the key to making the right choice. james.stagg@rbi.co.uk More research into the use of environmental technologies must be carried out to prevent the housebuilding industry making costly...

Aggregates fund to continue.(05 Products and Materials)(Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund )(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... Despite a reduction in the allocation of funds, quarrying associations have welcomed the announcement that the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) is to be continued. There had been concern that no mention of the fund in the 2007...

Steel firms face fallout from Corus structural price hikes.(01 News)
February 13, 2008... Price increases of [pounds sterling]60/t blamed on high current global demand, especially in Asia. james.stagg@rbi.co.uk Steelwork contractors fear they could be forced out of business after Corus announced its biggest ever single...

A product of the system.(09 Focus)
February 13, 2008... Thought to be the largest project in the region to be constructed using system scaffold, a [pounds sterling]26m learning and living centre for international students has been completed in Brighton. Conrad Jowell reports. The versatility of...

Engaging statutory undertakers.(10 Legal)
February 13, 2008... Gary Peters discusses the liability for engaging statutory undertakers to carry out work. Contractors and employers frequently encounter problems with statutory undertakers (water, electricity, gas providers) during the construction...

Ministers launch review of M74 scheme.(01 News)(Brief article)
February 13, 2008... The controversial [pounds sterling]500m M74 link is being reviewed by Scottish ministers to make sure it does not fall foul of European procurement laws. The review comes just days before the Scottish Government was expected to award the...

Contractors can shop problem public contracts on OGC hotline.(01 News)
February 13, 2008... Contractors can now blow the whistle on problem public sector bids using a hotline set up by the Office of Government Commerce. The hotline - known as the Supplier Feedback Service - is part of the government's wider initiative to improve...

01 News.
February 13, 2008... SCORE DRAW Work is underway at Lord's cricket ground to replace the scoreboards in the Compton and Allen stands. This will be followed by the building of a new scoreboard in the Edrich stand. The state-of-the-art 'Lighthouse' video screens are...

01 News.
February 13, 2008... WYCOMBE WONDER Cladding specialist EAG is helping with the regeneration of High Wycombe town centre with a [pounds sterling]9m contract for main contractor Multiplex, which includes providing the curtain walling, glazing and cladding on the new...

14 Back Page.(government aid to develop infrastructure)
February 13, 2008... If the government values infrastructure, why is it so reluctant to invest? The government defines national infrastructure as "the underlying framework of facilities, systems and networks necessary for the functioning of the country and the...

SGB at your service.(16 Profile)(Interview)
February 13, 2008... Scaffolding heavyweight SGB has launched a new Project Services Division to highlight its range of products and its focus on customer needs. Helen McCormick talks to divisional managing director (and current NASC president) Kevin Mouatt. ...

13 People.(Steve Attard)(Interview)
February 20, 2008... 60 seconds on site Steve Attard, site manager, AEG What site are you working on at the moment? The Royal Institute of Great Britain (RIGB), where EAG has installed bolted glazing to the rear elevation of the building as part of an...

Wesley's Clear eases sludge removal.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... With the recent tightening of regulations on liquid content in material going to landfill, pressure washer manufacturer Wesley has put its CLEAR (continuous lamella extraction and automatic silt removal) water separator into production. The...

Probst adds slab lifting solution.(06 Plant)(Vacuum Handy)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... Probst has launched the Vacuum Handy, which aims to make the handling of paving slabs easier. The manually-operated unit consists of open-ended bellows that are pressed onto the slab surface to expel the air and create enough vacuum to...

LEAVERS & JOINERS.(13 People)(Killby & Gayford Group)(Phoenix Interiors)(Ashford Construction)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... Phoenix Interiors Mike Belsten, formerly contracts manager with Phoenix Interiors, has been promoted to project director and appointed to the board of the company. He has previously worked at Special Acoustic Services (now SAS) in Reading,...

01 News.(Forth Bridge)(Balfour Beatty PLC)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... FORTH COAT Balfour Beatty has won a [pounds sterling]74m contract to complete painting work on the Forth Bridge, which carries the East Coast Main Line north of Edinburgh. The work is set for completion in 2012. Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering...

Multiplex court case a 'grim and ghastly' saga.(01 News)
February 20, 2008... Justice Jackson: Multiplex - v- Cleveland Bridge litigation taking far too long and parties incurring excessive costs". neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk AN EXASPERATED High Court judge has described the long running court row between Multiplex...

Osborne cracks level 5 of energy efficiency code.(08 CJ2)(Code for Sustainable Homes)
February 20, 2008... In a village in Surrey, Osborne's affordable housing division is about to achieve level 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. Neil Gerrard reports. An Osborne worker puts the finishing touches to a roof-mounted photovoltaic unit. There will...

Five eye Bristol college deal.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... Five contenders are swotting up for a [pounds sterling]15m college deal in Bristol. Phase two of the St Brendan's Sixth Form College project has attracted Norwest Holst, Pearce, Kier, Carillion and Leadbitter. A source said:...

Three track [pounds sterling]70m Network Rail infrastructure scheme.(04 Contracts)
February 20, 2008... Winner of the Borough Market Viaduct deal is likely to be announced this spring. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Three firms are looking to couple up to a [pounds sterling]70m rail infrastructure deal in London. The job, for Network Rail,...

London housing upgrades bring [pounds sterling]260m boost.(04 Contracts)
February 20, 2008... Contractors are reaping the benefits of the latest tranches of housing upgrade work across London, totalling [pounds sterling]260m-plus. Newham Homes has rolled out its fourth and final framework deal, part of its [pounds sterling]150m...

HA's new projects director set for tour of civils firms.(01 News)(Highways Agency )
February 20, 2008... Nirmal Kotecha will meet the leaders of key suppliers in run-up to June conference. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk The new Highways Agency (HA) major projects director will be doing a whistle-stop tour to meet civils contractors before...

Developers up in arms over project levy.(01 News)
February 20, 2008... Developers are threatening legal action over government plans to make them pay a levy every time a new project kicks off on site. The government aims to bring in the Community Infrastructure Levy this summer and under the terms of the...

Two chase NE school project.(04 Contracts)(North East)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... Insiders say only two firms have registered for a [pounds sterling]19m school deal in the North East. The roll-call for the Monkseaton Community High School scheme in Whitley Bay consists only of Shepherd and Sir Robert McAlpine. A...

Five chase Glos housing deal.(04 Contracts)
February 20, 2008... Five firms are vying to unlock an [pounds sterling]18m housing deal in Gloucester. The prize is the St Oswalds Park Retirement Village and the contenders are Thomas Vale, Mansell, Galliford Try, Leadbitter and Stratford-on-Avon firm...

Call to make Constructionline mandatory.(01 News)
February 20, 2008... Contractors are calling on the government to make Constructionline mandatory for all public sector clients. With the management of Constructionline currently up for grabs, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) and the...

Willmott to investigate sexism row.(01 News)
February 20, 2008... Willmott Dixon has launched a formal investigation into allegations of sexism on its [pounds sterling]8.4m MyHotel contract in Brighton. The allegations, made by Paula Wood, managing director of decorating firm Grashion Wood, relate to a...

SMEs to benefit from [pounds sterling]1bn Decent Homes work boom.(01 News)
February 20, 2008... Initiative aims to revolutionise how framework deals are let across the capital. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk SMALL and medium-sized contractors are set to enjoy a [pounds sterling]1bn work boom from the Decent Homes initiative when a...

The lawyers clean up as usual.(01 News)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... There is never a bad time to be a lawyer - only a good time, and a really good time. That is certainly how it appears to anyone who has every had to fork out to pay legal fees. But it has really come to something when even a High Court...

Family fortunes.(16 Profile)(HT Forrest )(Occupation overview)
February 20, 2008... Tim Forrest took over from his father as MD of HT Forrest in 1993 after nine years on the team, and has worked for the family business ever since. Steve Menary reports. My dad always says that I just handed my notice in to join HT Forrest...

T5 hotel workers given incentives to finish job.(01 News)
February 20, 2008... Arora hopes freebies for electricians will spur them on to get Sofitel hotel open sooner. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk HUNDREDS of electricians are being offered free nights at a luxury hotel in a bid to speed-up the opening of a [pounds...

Jarvis bullish over Network Rail contracts.(01 News)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... JARVIS is confident of winning more contracts from Network Rail despite the debacle on the Rugby remodelling project, where overrunning engineering work over Christmas caused commuter chaos. The firm posted a bullish trading statement last...

Metronet to face unions over unqualified electricians claim.(01 News)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... Metronet bosses have agreed to meet with union leaders next week to discuss claims that unqualified contractors are carrying out electrical work on the London Underground. Senior directors at the PPP operator will sit down with officials...

20% of Olympic workers will be trainees.(01 News)
February 20, 2008... ONE in five workers on Olympic construction sites will be an apprentice or trainee under a new employment strategy for the 2012 Games launched this week. The move will mean nearly 2,000 new recruits to the industry will be working on...

Suspended sentence for tax scam boss.(01 News)
February 20, 2008... The boss of a north-east tiling contractor was given a nine month suspended jail sentence last week for his part in a tax-dodging scam. Mark Phillip Harris from Ponteland, Newcastle upon Tyne was also ordered to repay [pounds...

BAD WEEKGOOD WEEK.(01 News)
February 20, 2008... Candy Brothers: The owners of a luxury Richard Rogers-designed development at One Hyde Park, London have sold more than half of the 80 units, generating [pounds sterling]600m in sales, two years from completion. One-third of the flats have been...

HSE moves to stop use of non-compliant machines.(06 Plant)(Health & Safety Executive)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... HSE may carry out spot-checks on auction buyers' machinery to ensure compliance. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is to ask for a list of buyers registered for a recent Euro Auctions sale so it can carry out...

Chain reaction.(08 CJ2)(Report)
February 20, 2008... In his 2002 report, Sir John Egan set out an ambitious headline target for integrated construction teams by 2007. This has not been achieved, but as Helen McCormick reports, mistakes have been learnt from and progress is being made. ...

HSE blasted for 'ineffective' safety checks.(01 News)(Health & Safety Executive )(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... Site safety blitzes have been dismissed as ineffective and no more than a "sticking plaster" as the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) launches a major campaign on refurbishment jobs. John Scott, northern regional secretary of UCATT, said:...

02 Business.
February 20, 2008... Although a low salary should never be propped up by a bonus, there is no denying the fact that bonuses do drive teams to higher achievements. It's people who make companies. Your staff are your biggest asset. This is a mantra every...

Bouygues UK looks to regions - and to Jarvis?(02 Business)(Warings Ltd.)
February 20, 2008... Warings paves the way: French group now wants four more regional contractors. john.leitch@rbi.co.uk Bouygues UK is on the lookout for four more regional construction groups, having recently snapped up Warings, the [pounds...

Countryside in clover as profit surges.(02 Business)
February 20, 2008... The payback to the directors of Countryside Properties, who stepped forward to take the housebuilder private after a spell of trading on the Stock Exchange, has paid off handsomely. The latest pre-tax profit is a record, showing a leap to...

Lights dim at DW as returns drop.(02 Business)
February 20, 2008... DW Group saw turnover dip slightly to [pounds sterling]22m, a fall of [pounds sterling]3m, but that change was small beer compared to the collapse in pre-tax profit, down to [pounds sterling]1.2m, which was well below the figure of [pounds...

McCarthy & Stone margin has a fall.(02 Business)(McCarthy and Stone PLC)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... Retirement home specialist McCarthy & Stone saw a slight dip in margins last year - but still made an industry leading 45%. The massive margin for the 12 months to August 2007 was down on the previous year's 48%. Pre-tax profits hit [pounds...

Interpave thumbs-up for water strategy.(05 Products and Materials)(Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... The government's water strategy for England and Wales has been welcomed by Interpave, which claims that concrete block permeable paving can make a significant contribution to a successful drainage strategy. The document Future Water...

Lafarge reports 4% upturn in sales.(05 Products and Materials)(Lafarge Cement UK)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... Lafarge has reported strong growth during 2007, with sales up 4% to [pounds sterling]13bn thanks to high performance in its cement and aggregates division on North America, despite the slowdown in the US residential market. The materials...

Norbord wins praise for achieving green targets.(05 Products and Materials)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... Panel manufacturer's new biomass plant will further reduce its CO2 emissions. james.stagg@rbi.co.uk A wood-based panel manufacturer has been praised by Malcolm Wicks, minister of state for energy, for living up to its environmental...

06 Plant.(Barford)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... Welfare Cabins UK is to double its 150-strong fleet, which managing director Charles Perry said is the widest range available in the UK and uniquely includes the 10'x6' Unipod. The [pounds sterling]99 delivery and minimum one-week hire means...

05 Products and Materials.(Capita Symonds contracts with Bolton railway lines)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... NIGHT SHIFT A team from Capita Symonds has moved the 800t Freckleton Street Bridge into position over the Blackburn to Bolton railway lines. The 26-strong team took more than four hours to move the bridge 25m into place. Part of a [pounds...

06 Plant.
February 20, 2008... ADDED VALUE Caterpillar has updated its D4K and D5K dozers with upgrades including SystemOne undercarriage, improved hydrostatic control, increased leg room and visibility in the cab and seat-mounted controls to isolate the operator from...

01 News.
February 20, 2008... Rok Civil Engineering has won water treatment deals in the Highlands and Islands totalling [pounds sterling]15.5m. The Loch Ewe scheme at Wester Ross for Scottish Water Solutions is the firm's biggest-ever water-related deal and includes eight...

01 News.(Corby Borough Council contracts with Galliford Try Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... STEEL SQUARE Galliford Try will start work later this month after winning a [pounds sterling]25.5m contract to build the landmark 'Corby Cube' in Northamptonshire for Corby Borough Council. The six-floor civic building will contain a theatre,...

04 Contracts.(Amey contracts with Home Office )(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... Amey has scooped a five-year deal with the Home Office worth "hundreds of millions" plus a [pounds sterling]150m three-year extension to its Hertfordshire Highways contract. The former project involves property services in London, the South...

04 Contracts.(Mulalley and Gallions Housing Association ave funded a tribute to former Londoner Ronnie Lane )(Brief article)
February 20, 2008... FACE ABOUT TOWN Mulalley and Gallions Housing Association have funded a tribute to former Small Faces rock star and east Londoner Ronnie Lane at one of their development sites on the Little Ilford Estate in east London. The street in Little...