Contract Journal articles from July 2008

Contract Journal archives from July 2008

60 seconds on site.(13 People)(Interview)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Alan Smith, CDM co-ordinator, Sutcliffe What site are you working on at the moment? As Sutcliffe provides CDM-C and site safety consulting, we cover some 30 sites concurrently. What is the best building site you have ever worked on...

Bellway halts work on Cardiff block.(01 News)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Bellway Homes is to stop work on a [pounds sterling]240m development in Cardiff Bay in September because of a lack of buyers. The firm will halt all construction on the 17-storey building at the sixth floor because potential buyers have...

01 News.
July 9, 2008... carol.millett@rbi.co.uk Housebuilders are slashing apprenticeships in the face of plummeting house sales. Persimmon is to axe "a number" of apprentices as part of planned cull of around 1,000 jobs at the firm. Last year Persimmon...

01 News.(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... carol.millett@rbi.co.uk The number of construction firms offering work experience to students on the government's new Construction and the Built Environment Diploma has leapt by 300% in just a few weeks. Another 206 construction firms...

Five brickies compete for each job available.(01 News)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Housebuilding slump has knock-on effect for bricklayers. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk Five bricklayers are fighting for every job available in the sector, an industry expert has told CJ. Brickwork contractors have been some of the first...

City Lofts enters administration.(01 News)
July 9, 2008... Harrogate-based developer City Lofts has gone into administration. The [pounds sterling]41m turnover firm was behind a series of high-profile schemes in the North of England, including projects in Manchester and Harrogate. Ernst &...

01 News.(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Statistics from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) show 91% of its members are now carrying a ConstructionSkills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card. HBF executive chairman Stewart Baseley said it was a jump from last October, when only 68%...

Going against the tide.(09 Focus)
July 9, 2008... Western-super-Mare's 120-year-old sea defences have been shored up by Birse Civils using specialist concrete to protect the low-lying town. CJ reports. Weston-super-Mare is well known for its sandy beaches. At low tide, the sea can retreat...

The taxing issue of [pounds sterling]500m.(01 News)(Construction Industry Scheme )(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Have you calculated just how much complying with new CIS has cost your company? Even if you have been lucky enough not to be in receipt of one of the 806,000 penalties issued by HMRC, chances are it has cost you time and investment in new...

Brighton Marina scheme stalls over finance worries.(01 News)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Barratt and Ardmore may now see bidding process re-opened. roxanne.millar@rbi.co.ukbrian.warner@rbi.co.uk A [pounds sterling]250m housing project at Brighton Marina involving Barratt Developments and Ardmore has been put on ice. ...

Five chasing Edinburgh uni veterinary deal.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Five rivals are swotting up for a [pounds sterling]37m deal at the University of Edinburgh. The Royal School of Veterinary Studies project has attracted HBG, Robertson, Balfour Beatty, Carillion and Skanska. The winner of the contest...

Three bids likely for Scot prison job.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Only three of an original field of seven are expected to make the shortlist for the [pounds sterling]100m Bishopsbriggs prison deal in East Dunbartonshire. An insider told CJ: "The smart money's on Carillion, Interserve and Skanska to...

Countryside tipped for Brixton housing revamp.(04 Contracts)
July 9, 2008... [pounds sterling]100m Loughborough Park scheme will create 600 new homes. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Insiders say a favourite is emerging from the pack for a [pounds sterling]100m housing deal in south London. The word is that...

Climbing the ladder: John Robins, All Foundations.(13 People)(Interview)
July 9, 2008... Why did you go into construction? As a young boy (when health and safety was a bit more relaxed) I went on site visits with my father (who owned a heating and ventilation business in Sheffield) and developed an interest in the way buildings...

02 Business.(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Aggreko's share price rose by 21% last month - quite remarkable given that in the same period there were some big downward movements: most notably at Rok (-28%), Jarvis (-29%) and Tolent (-45%). What saved Aggreko? The clue is in its...

Concrete sets new standards.(08 CJ2)
July 9, 2008... Concrete is designed to stand still, but the market for concrete e_SFlbproducts is ever-changing. Advancements in ready-mixed plants and improvements in admixture technology have taken the familiar e_SFlbmaterial to new levels of strength and...

Keeping concrete on track.(08 CJ2)
July 9, 2008... Using one of the longest-boom concrete pumps in Europe, Cemex has laid a giant transfer slab in a 24-hour pour to separate a new retail block and Docklands Light Railway station in Woolwich. Paul Howard explains. The construction industry...

14 Back Page.
July 9, 2008... Gunning for payment Construction has seen better times, so it's hardly surprising that one or two people are feeling a bit downcast at the moment. But I was pleased to see a more sanguine attitude from the specialist contractor I spoke...

01 News.(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... The government has turned down pleas for more safety inspections and more resources for the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). In a formal response to an earlier report on safety by the Work and Pensions Select Committee, the government said...

Wates Interiors rides the storm.(01 News)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Turnover at Wates Interiors is holding up well, despite the downturn in the office market. The division enjoyed a turnover of [pounds sterling]92m in 2007, but is expecting revenue to rise to more than [pounds sterling]100m this year. ...

Leavers & Joiners.(13 People)(Balfour Kilpatrick)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Galliford Try Stuart Gibbons has been appointed managing director of Galliford Try's Building division. He moves from the position of managing director of Galliford Try Partnerships and will be replaced by Mick Laws. Balfour...

14 Back Page.(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... When I was asked by The Construction Youth Trust (CYT) to help with the Capital Xperience programme, I assumed that they wanted someone with 40 years' knowledge of the industry to call in favours from old acquaintances and get them involved....

01 News.(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... roxanne.millar@rbi.co.uk Warwickshire-based contractor Chase Norton Construction has followed its [pounds sterling]90m parent company Chase Midland into administration. The fit-out and refurb specialist, with an annual turnover of...

01 News.(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Belt-tightening construction bosses are putting holidays on hold amid sector-wide redundancy fears, a new survey shows. One in three construction bosses will not use their full holiday entitlement this year because they are worried they...

Housebuilders look to green renovations.(01 News)
July 9, 2008... Making the UK's existing homes green could be worth an extra [pounds sterling]6.5bn a year to builders. New figures show improvements to make homes more energy-efficient could inject an extra [pounds sterling]3.5bn to [pounds sterling]6.5bn...

ODA ramps up security at Olympic Park.(01 News)(Olympic Delivery Authority)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is beefing up security at Olympic Park as the pace of construction gathers speed. Olympic chiefs have put the call out for security firms to guard the site, as the number of workers increases from 2,500...

Builders kept awake at night.(01 News)(Survey)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... A good night's sleep is just a dream for builders worried about the credit crunch, a sleep deprivation study shows. The Travelodge study of 4,000 workers found builders are the fourth-most tired profession - getting six hours and 24 minutes...

Crosby posts [pounds sterling]30m profit.(02 Business)(Financial report)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Crosby Group has unveiled pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]30m. The figure represents a profit margin for the private housebuilder of 22.6% (19.2%). The latest figures cover the 12 months to 30 June 2007. Crosby, now owned by Lend...

Balfour reports 'strong' trading.(02 Business)(Balfour Beatty Ltd.)(Brief article)
July 9, 2008... Balfour Beatty's orderbook has risen by [pounds sterling]400m to approach [pounds sterling]12bn, as it reported "strong" trading so far this year. In a half-year trading update to the City, it said that its building division was healthy,...

04 Contracts.
July 16, 2008... In brief Laing O'Rourke is to build a [pounds sterling]45m extension to Terminal One at Birmingham International Airport. The 'International Pier' project is due for completion in 2010 and will provide parking space for up to 20 aircraft...

04 Contracts.
July 16, 2008... BOOK IN The University of Aberdeen is looking for contractors to express interest in a [pounds sterling]57m deal to build a new library (atrium entrance pictured). Work on site is due to start early next summer, for completion in 2011.

06 Plant.
July 16, 2008... BOOM TIME The GTH-4017 SX is the latest addition to Genie's line of telehandlers for the rental market. The 4t/17m machine has a new four-section boom said to make it more compact when retracted and faster when lifting/lowering or...

01 News.(George Downing Construction signs contract with Leeds Metropolitan University)(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... ART SCHOOL George Downing Construction has won a [pounds sterling]10m contract to carry out the fit-out of Leeds Metropolitan University's (LMU) 10,000m2 of new-build teaching space. The new teaching and office space will house LMU's faculty of...

60 seconds on site.(13 People)(Interview)(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Geoff Rowlands, contracts manager, Ocon Construction What site are you working on at the moment? The Milliners Wharf project in Manchester, a [pounds sterling]27m, 261-apartment regeneration project. The site was formerly famous for...

01 News.
July 16, 2008... In brief Lincolnshire contractor Rand has sold its tools and telehandler operations, UCS Plant, to VP for [pounds sterling]900,000. As part of the sale, VP has agreed a three-year sole supply deal with Rand's building and civil contracting...

01 News.(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... PILED HIGH Galliford Try subsidiary Rock & Alluvium carries out the piling work for new structures at Northwich waste water treatment works operated by United Utilities in a [pounds sterling]400,000 contract. The Rock & Alluvium team is using a...

Tube upgrades threatened by doubts over funding.(01 News)
July 16, 2008... PPP arbiter questions whether LUL has the necessary resources. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk The Tube could see major cuts to its upgrade programme after PPP Arbiter Chris Bolt questioned London Underground's (LUL's) ability to pay...

Komatsu labels to beat counterfeiters.(06 Plant)
July 16, 2008... Komatsu is changing the labelling of its spare parts in order to combat an increase in counterfeit parts coming from countries like China. It said the counterfeit parts are of inferior quality and lead to premature wear and tear and result...

Zeus unveils three-part tyre filling product.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Anti-puncture tyre filling specialist Zeus has unveiled a new product called Triofill, which has a smaller environmental footprint that its two-part offering, and can be recycled. The three-part filling is injected into the tyre and the...

Pre-screening system helps Offerton cut waste.(06 Plant)(Offerton Sand and Gravel )(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Offerton Sand and Gravel is reclaiming up to 100% of demolition waste and more than 90% of skip waste using a pre-screening system. Incoming waste material is first processed by an Extec E-7 track-mounted mobile screen, which feeds fines...

Plant more likely to be stolen than cars.(06 Plant)
July 16, 2008... But Cesar-marking is proving effective in vehicle recovery. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk Plant owners are more likely to have their machines stolen than their cars, vans and trucks, according to Home Office estimates. However, those...

Government angers crane disaster group.(06 Plant)
July 16, 2008... Battersea action group reacts as national register is rejected. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk The Battersea Crane Disaster Action Group (BCDAG) has reacted angrily to the Government's rejection of a central crane register. In its...

Wind and mechanical failure caused Liverpool crane death.(01 News)
July 16, 2008... Inquest into collapse of Falcon Crane Hire tower crane records verdict of accidental death. By Karl Walderman A short but powerful gust of wind and mechanical failure caused the fatal collapse of a Falcon Crane Hire tower crane in...

Mass profit warnings as housebuilding nosedives.(01 News)
July 16, 2008... Financial gloom forces housebuilders to take drastic measures. By Steve Menary Three-quarters of companies in the FTSE Home Construction sector have issued profit warnings in the past six months, according to a survey by accountancy...

Materials firms' sales hold strong.(02 Business)
July 16, 2008... Strong demand outside the housing market and new outlets is helping drive sales upwards at materials firms Grafton and SIG. Sales at the UK outlets of Irish builders' merchant Grafton rose 6% to [pounds sterling]700m in the first half of...

Abbey offloads as land value drops.(02 Business)(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Anglo-Irish housebuilder Abbey is starting to sell off plots after a [pounds sterling]16.4m write-down on the value of its landbank and work in progress cut annual profits by three-quarters. In the year to April 2008, Abbey sold 467 homes...

Avebury chief warns over social housing jobs.(02 Business)
July 16, 2008... Pinewood saves consultancy division of failed group Avebury. By Steve Menary chief executive of failed construction group Avebury International is warning of more pain for companies operating in the public housing sector. Timber...

Costain board reshuffle aims to add focus.(01 News)(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Costain has reshuffled its board to set up four new contracting operations within the company, each led by a managing director and focusing on target customers. David Jenkins tackles the environment sector (water, waste, marine) Darren...

Three share NEC revamp scheme.(04 Contracts)(National Exhibition Centre )(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Three firms have been lined up to carry out [pounds sterling]25m-worth of revamp work at the NEC Arena in Birmingham. Balfour Beatty, Ibex and local outfit GF Tomlinson have signed up to the two-year framework deal. The first shovel is...

O'Rourke tipped for first London Gateway project.(04 Contracts)
July 16, 2008... Contractor set to see-off competition for [pounds sterling]400m ports scheme. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Insiders say Laing O'Rourke is closing in on the first package of work on the massive London Gateway project. The [pounds...

Kingerlee bags [pounds sterling]35m Oxford college deal.(04 Contracts)
July 16, 2008... Local firm Kingerlee has beaten three rivals to take a [pounds sterling]35m deal to build the Kendrew Quadrangle project for St John's College, Oxford, after a two-stage tender exercise. The scheme is a four-storey development including 68...

02 Business.
July 16, 2008... Directors decided that June was the month where their companies' share prices couldn't get any lower and have made free with the chequebook. The result was a clutch of six-figure deals. At the front of the queue were four bosses who...

HSBC finance offers Cesar registration.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Construction businesses funding plant equipment worth more than [pounds sterling]50,000 through HSBC Equipment Finance will now qualify for two free Cesar registrations under a new scheme being promoted by the bank. HSBC has decided to...

The ForEman.(14 Back Page)
July 16, 2008... Keeps his ear to the ground for the juiciest gossip.Heard any? Email cj.foreman@rbi.co.uk or visit contractjournal.com/foreman Name droppers This week I've got whiff of a colonial uprising among some of the more 'true blue' workers on...

Hanson pulls plug on two brickworks.(01 News)(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Hanson is closing down two more brickworks in response to the housebuilding downturn. The plant at Measham is to close from September with the loss of 50 jobs. And the plant at Stairfoot, near Barnsley, is closing at the end of August...

CBH to launch skills card scheme.(01 News)(Constructing Better Health)(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Constructing Better Health (CBH) is set to launch its own equivalent of the CSCS skills card early in August. The CBH card will give details of health checks on operatives that clear them to do certain types of work. It will allow employers...

01 News.
July 16, 2008... The construction sector is often accused of being too fragmented, with numerous organisations shouting over each other in their efforts to lobby government. So the creation of another initiative with the familiar remit of facilitating a single...

Leavers & Joiners.(13 People)(Walker Sime)(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Walker Sime Manchester-based Walker Sime, winner of the professional services category at the Best Places to Work in Construction Awards, has appointed Peter Valkenburg as commercial director. Valkenburg will work with director Jon Sime to...

Expert determination.(10 Legal)
July 16, 2008... The grounds for setting aside an expert determination. Expert determination is a means by which the parties to a contract appoint an independent expert to decide a dispute that has arisen. The particular advantages of this approach to...

06 Plant.(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... In brief Doug Sprout has taken the helm at Hewden four days after the departure of director Brian Sherlock. Sprout joined Finning in 1980 and has been promoted from the role of finance director. TV botanist David Bellamy has presented...

North West still scoring with public sector work.(01 News)
July 16, 2008... Like the rest of the country, the residential sector in the North West is struggling. But there are pockets of opportunity and those with a mixed portfolio and a focus on efficiency can still profit. Grant Prior explains. This downturn...

14 Back Page.
July 16, 2008... Construction apprenticeships are in crisis. The credit crunch and the downturn in the housebuilding sector could mean that this year will see an all-time low in apprentice recruitment. Yet, the construction industry needs to recruit over...

Growth spurt in the East Midlands.
July 16, 2008... The East Midlands is set to become England's fastest-growing region, and much of this growth is happening because of a huge programme of development in Northamptonshire. CJ reports. Swan Valley is just one of many new office developments in...

Crossrail and Olympics firms must boost apprenticeships.(01 News)
July 16, 2008... Firms working on Crossrail and the Olympics will be told to boost apprenticeships in London where first-time trade jobs are at their lowest. The government wants one in five young people to be apprentices within the next decade and has...

Future of Construction Confederation in doubt.(01 News)
July 16, 2008... Public face of the industry to get two new representative bodies. roxanne.millar@rbi.co.uk The Construction Confederation faces an uncertain future after the Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) announcement last week that it will...

Carillion stops work at Leeds tower job.(01 News)(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Carillion has stopped work on a [pounds sterling]155m contract to build Europe's tallest residential tower block in Leeds after the scheme's developer put the project on ice. KW Linfoot has halted the Lumiere project, which was to include...

Olympic work is costing [pounds sterling]650m a year.(London 2012 Olympics)(Brief article)
July 16, 2008... Olympic officials are spending more than [pounds sterling]650m a year on the London 2012 Olympics and could ask the government for more money. Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chief executive David Higgins said [pounds sterling]1bn had...

01 News.
July 16, 2008... News round-upa*a* Residents have thrown Candy & Candy's redevelopment of the Chelsea Barracks into doubt, backing a rival design, reported the Evening Standard. Members of the Barracks Opposition Group presented a scheme by P&O to...

Training: Increasing opportunities for tradeswomen.(Building Work For Wome)
July 16, 2008... In the past eight years, Durkan has trained more than 200 women in manual trades through organisations such as WAMT, Building Work For Women and Women's Education in Building. This is in addition to the company's own apprentice programmes under...

06 Plant.(UK Forks' acquired by UCS Plant)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... In brief UK Forks' parent company Vp has acquired the tools and telehandler fleet of UCS Plant, part of the Rand Group, for [pounds sterling]0.9m. It has also signed a three year sole-supply agreement with Rand's subsidiaries UCS Civils...

06 Plant.
July 23, 2008... ON A ROLL Hiab is launching its Roller Crane concept in the UK. The system sees the crane mounted on rollers that run on tracks down the length of a truck or trailer loadbed, giving more flexibility and maximising loading options. The...

06 Plant.
July 23, 2008... DRUM ROLL Hydro-demolition and water-jetting specialist Aqua Fortis is offering non-entry service for cleaning concrete mixer drums. It uses a 1,300bar water jet mounted on a telescopic arm that is placed inside the drum and feeds slowly out as...

01 News.
July 23, 2008... RAFT OF WORK Dean and Dyball has won a [pounds sterling]12.3m contract for the design and construction of a 250m-long, Olympic-standard canoe slalom and white water rafting centre at Cardiff International Sports Village.

60 seconds on site.(13 People)(Interview)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Peter Motley, site manager, English Architectural Glazing What site are you working on at the moment? St Bartholomew's hospital in London, which is undergoing a major refurbishment with a new building in Portland stone, in keeping with...

01 News.
July 23, 2008... In brief Rolls Royce is developing a nuclear division in a bid to win work on new-build projects worldwide. The firm wants to act as a supplier and consultant on schemes in the UK and foreign markets such as China. Rolls Royce bosses...

Doubts over future of Birmingham Arena.(01 News)
July 23, 2008... Developers refuse to set start date amid cashflow concerns. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk Developers overseeing the construction of the first phase of the [pounds sterling]500m Birmingham Arena Central have refused to set a start date "in...

CECA advises members to up day-work rates.(06 Plant)(Civil Engineering Contractors Association)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has advised members to add 20% to its published day-works rates because of the rise in the price of fuel oil (red diesel). Since publishing the latest edition a year ago, CECA said: "The...

ODA seeks consortium to supply plant and products.(01 News)
July 23, 2008... A bird's-eye view of the Olympic site in east London. One lucky plant joint venture will walk off with the contract to supply small kit, access equipment, materials and training for the Olympic Park and the Stratford City Retail Development...

EIC defends stance on particulate filters.(Environmental Industries Commission)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Trade body reacts to CPA's campaign against fitting DPFs. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk The Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) has hit back at the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) for stepping up its campaign against the...

JCB set to axe 700 workers in the UK.(06 Plant)
July 23, 2008... JCB is to cut 700 jobs in the UK, with almost one worker in eight now facing redundancy. It initially announced it would cut 500 manufacturing jobs, but up to 200 office-based positions are also now at risk. The company employs more than...

Moxy revamps smaller ADTs.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Moxy has introduced Series lll versions of its MT26 and MT31 ADTs, with increased payloads and oil-immersed disc brakes all round. Heaped capacity of the MT26-lll is now 15m3 with a 24.1t payload - 600kg more than its predecessor. The...

06 Plant.(United Crane Operators' Association)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Move would improve stability at minimum radius. UCOA urges restrictions on luffing elevation colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk The United Crane Operators' Association (UCOA) is calling for changes to the design of luffing jib tower cranes...

Poole takes post at Highways Agency.(01 News)
July 23, 2008... The Highways Agency (HA) is to appoint David Poole as its new procurement director, CJ has learned. Poole, formerly supply chain director at GE Aviation Systems, will be based in Birmingham and starts on 1 September. It is understood he...

HA in move to make ECI more competitive.(Highways Agency)(Early Contractor Involvement)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Firms will be asked to provide clearer out-turn costs at early stages. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk The Highways Agency (HA) is revamping Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) to give it a "more competitive edge". Contractors will be...