Contract Journal articles from June 2002

Contract Journal archives from June 2002

Geoff Brewer of Brewer Consulting considers the use of delay analysis.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... The recent case of Balfour Beatty Construction -v- The London Borough of Lambeth considered the enforcement of an adjudicator's decision where the adjudicator had been asked to determine the appropriate amount of extension of time due to...

Work winners this week.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 6, 2002... Who's winning the work?Contracts Hotline is your at-a-glance digest of the latest contract awards around the UK. Data supplied by ABI Building Data. London & South East Stockwell housing Work: Housing Location: Stockwell,...

Debate on plant operator training ensues.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... The debate over the merit of insisting on NVQs and formal off-the-job training for plant operators is likely to be re-ignited following the revelation that less than 10% of the anticipated yearly demand across the industry is met by qualified...

Coping with the labour pains.(Statistical Data Included)
June 6, 2002... Contract Journal and Grant Thornton have built on the success of last year's construction industry questionnaire with a second, even more comprehensive survey to discover the real issues affecting the future of the business. Rob Willock...

Mandatory registration the key.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... by John d'Arcy Mandatory licensing or registration of contractors is expected to feature as one of the key ideas for improving construction's health and safety record in a new discussion document to be published shortly by the Health &...

Acclaim for Bell.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Bell Equipment's ADT has a positive response after its official launch at SED by Colin Sowman Bell Equipment is "delighted" with the reception received by its new ADT, officially launched at SED. "In the UK it has grabbed everybody's...

Hitachi plans full range.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... By the start of next year, Hitachi will have a range of excavators "at least the same" as currently on offer with Fiat Hitachi badging. "We have had the base machines in Japan for a year destined for other markets, but these require...

Finnpave bids for a third of planer market.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Finning UK's specialist surface equipment division Finnpave is hoping to emulate its success in the paving market by taking a third of the market for road planers by 2006. The company has recently introduced the first Caterpillar...

Bennett Soil unveils tow-behind kit.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Bennett Soil Technology is selling and contract hiring a range of German manufactured tow-behind soil stabilisation machines in a bid to open up the process in the UK. According to Stuart Cameron, business manager, soil stabilisation is...

Research shows need for training.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... by Paul Howard Research undertaken to improve the quality and scope of training for operators of access platforms has highlighted a number of recurring causes of accidents as well as potential inadequacies in the way the Health & Safety...

New arm for Terex.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... by Paul Howard In a bid to reinforce its corporate identity, Terex has created a new division - Terex Compact Equipment. This will look after the Fermec backhoes, Benford dumpers, Schaeff excavators and wheeled loaders and Terex handler...

Gloves a site must.(safety gloves)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Wates boss demands site employees must be protected after in-depth study by John Leitch All of Wates' on-site operatives now wear gloves after the construction group discovered that employees had sustained almost 300 hand injuries...

Partnering to be made clearer.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Partnering supply chains must be governed by clearer contracts or the partnerships will not survive a recession. That's the view of David Bowen, senior consultant for contract services provider Turner & Townsend. His report, Will it all...

CPA rejects idea of crane members upping prices.(Construction Plant-hire Association)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Colin Wood, director and chief executive of the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA), has rejected suggestions that its crane members are trying to increase prices by refusing simple hires to some customers. "This is about complying with...

Mowlem to sue Egan's old firm for unpaid bill.(Sir John Egan)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Qinetiq pressured for settlement over cancelled [pound]60m Capital Works contract Exclusive by Brian Warner A major client, until recently chaired by the champion of Rethinking Construction, Sir John Egan, is about to face legal action...

Red tape is industry scourge.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 6, 2002... Exclusive by Rob Willock Red tape is distracting managers from addressing the skills crisis and building the value of their businesses, according to a survey published in Contract Journal today. The survey - the second annual...

No new chief executive for Amec's US operation Agra.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Amec will not be replacing Peter Janson, who resigned last week as chief executive of the group's American operation. Janson headed up Agra, the Canadian consulting group that Amec bought two years ago for [pound]221m. Following the...

Firms gun for MoD.(Ministry of Defence)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 6, 2002... International line-up has one of the biggest-ever army PFI deals in its sights by Brian Warner An international battery of firms is gunning for one of the Ministry of Defence's biggest-ever privately financed deals. Valued at...

Subbie makes its clients prequalify.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Specialist contractor asks clients to fill in its own safety prequal questionnaire Exclusive by Justin Stanton A specialist building contractor has turned the tables on clients and main contractors by asking them to complete its own...

All-risks policy results in no liability for fire.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... A team of construction professionals has failed in a last-ditch attempt to pass on liability for a fire that ravaged a building the group was working on. In a final judgement, the House of Lords has ruled that other firms working on the...

Bid to build [pounds sterling]139m New Tyne Crossing.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority (PTA) has applied for TWA powers to build the [pound]139m New Tyne Crossing. The new 1.5km vehicle tunnel will run between East Howdon and Jarrow using a combination of immersed tube...

Fitzpatrick to head out to Afghanistan.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... by Glenda Thisdell Fitzpatrick is preparing to be among the first international contractors into war-ravaged Afghanistan once the dust settles. Managing director Bernard Woodman confirmed that his firm is in discussions with the...

Lawrence declares rise in operating profit.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Lawrence, the specialist pipeline constructor, has announced a four-fold increase in operating profit to [pound]1m in the latest financial year. Turnover in the 12 months to 31 March climbed to [pound]63m, a 75% rise on the previous figure...

PFIs under threat from skills deficit.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Construction must address shortage of skills in order to meet government's plans by Laura Hailstone The construction industry lacks the capacity to cope with the huge volume of future PFI projects, the Department for Education and...

Councils awarded [pounds sterling]355m for ALMOs.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Thirteen councils have provisionally been awarded [pound]355m to set up Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) to improve the quality of their housing estates. The government announced the list of successful councils for the second round...

Respect for People will bring benefits.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Exclusive by Tim Wood Improved people performance, motivated staff and an ability to retain employees are just some of the benefits the construction industry can expect if firms engage in the Respect for People Key Performance Indicators...

NEWSBRIEF.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 6, 2002... Carillion wins [pound]50m hospital deal Carillion Services has won a [pound]50m, seven-year contract to supply services to hospitals in Lincolnshire. The contract, awarded by Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust, will see...

No business case for safety stats.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Just beating the health and safety drum will get us nowhere, says CC Exclusive by Ross Pearman Contractors are being thrown a "red herring" by the Health & Safety Commission (HSC) in its drive to increase company reporting on health...

Retentions campaign has mixed reactions.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... The campaign against retentions had a mixed week, receiving a shot in the arm and a slap in the face in swift succession. While the House of Commons promised a select committee investigation into the practice, the Office of Fair Trading...

Looking back but planning forwards.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... Welcome to Contract Journal's Golden Jubilee issue! The double bank holiday weekend has played havoc with our deadlines, as we suspect it has with many of yours. But we've got into the spirit of the occasion, decked our front cover with bunting...

[0] NEWSBRIEF.
June 6, 2002... Darling sees new position as a challenge Alistair Darling, the new secretary of state for transport, recognises his new brief is a challenge. "It will take time, but I am determined to see it through," he told the BBC. Darling replaced...

CITB's website football frenzy.(Construction Industry Training Board)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is calling on the industry to spread a pioneering careers campaign to young people. Seizing on the football fever surrounding the World Cup, the internet-based 'Football Challenge' game is...

Geoff Brewer of Brewer Consulting considers enforcement of adjudicators' decisions.(effects of case between Total M and E Services and ABB Building Technologies)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... The recent case of Total M&E Services -v- ABB Building Technologies examined a number of issues surrounding the enforcement of an adjudicator's decision, including whether the cost of the adjudication could be recoverable as a claim for damages...

Work winners this week.(construction contracts)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Who's winning the work?Contracts Hotline is your at-a-glance digest of the latest contract awards around the UK. Data supplied by ABI Building Data. London & South East Fareham warehouse Work: Warehouse Location: Fareham,...

Straight off the shelf.(new BT office structures built using flat-pack modular construction)(Statistical Data Included)
June 12, 2002... Clients looking for fast and efficient provision of new office space could do worse than look at the flat-pack system devised by architect Building Design Partnership for BT. Ross Pearman finds out how it works. Flat-pack modular...

Boost from Nationwide.(PowerClad unit can install large cladding panels)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... PowerClad is a newly designed piece of access equipment from Nationwide that includes powered handling kit capable of installing large cladding panels. Using PowerClad, a team of two people is said to be able to carry out work usually requiring...

Long-boom from Grove.(Grove Worldwide L.L.C.)(new cranes)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Grove has announced a long-boom version of its 220t capacity, six-axle crane called the GMK6220-L. It has a six-section telescopic boom that extends to 72m to give a maximum hook height of 75m (an increase of 12m over the standard...

Solideal unveils track.(Solideal Tire Co.)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Specialist solid tyre and rubber track manufacturer Solideal, has introduced an over-the-tyres rubber track system for skid steer loaders. Called the Trackmaster, the tracks can be fitted in less than 15 minutes to conventional skid steer...

RD4000 is a 'world first'.(pipe line detector systems)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... The world's first web-enhanced pipe and cable locating system is how Radiodetection is describing its RD4000. Users can configure the system through the internet and download extra features. In use, a signal strength meter enables the...

Liebherr aims high.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Company wants firm to be among top five kit manufacturers by Colin Sowman Liebherr aims to be among "the top five construction equipment manufacturers" and "in all main markets of the world", said Bruce Field, managing director of...

Underground; plant register goes UK-wide.(Moleseye expands services)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Moleseye, which operates a national plant register in Scotland, is extending its services with the introduction of a UK-wide underground plant register called Moleseye One-Call (UK). The register covers equipment such as pipes and cables...

Government keeps safety and construction separate.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... The industry thinks the government has missed an opportunity in last month's reshuffle to put health and safety with other construction matters. After Stephen Byers' resignation, Tony Blair took the opportunity to disband the Department...

Intuita buys industry software from Unisys.(Conax and Prospero)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Company wants to take Conax and Prospero forward under Unison brand by John Leitch Intuita, the Manchester-based software group, has bought Unisys' two construction software products, Conax and Prospero, in a deal worth around...

Didn't they do well?(the Department of Trade and Industry and the late Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... How have the DTI and the DTLR fared in their dealings with the industry in the past year? Laura Hailstone has the answer A year on from last summer's major cabinet reshuffle, Contract Journal asked the industry how well key departments -...

Fears of split ranks in Strategic Forum.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Construction Confederation 'remains committed' despite disagreements Exclusive by Ross Pearman Some Strategic Forum members are growing nervous that representatives inside its circle may want to pull away from the initiative, possibly...

Constructionline targets safety.(Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Exclusive by Ross Pearman The net is closing in on safety-shy contractors bidding for work with local authorities following Constructionline's decision to partner with a safety performance database for councils. The Contractors Health...

Employment law hampers industry.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Flood of legislation undermines UK's international competitive advantage by John d'Arcy An astounding growth in employment legislation over the past five years is undermining the UK's competitive advantage in international markets,...

MoD jobs in pipeline.(Ministry of Defence)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... A quartet of contractors is pitching for the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) [pound]15m prime contract for new facilities for the Nuclear Biological and Chemical Regiment at RAF Honington, Suffolk. The four-way contest is between Amec, Costain,...

[pounds sterling]576K surplus for UCATTa.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... UCATT general secretary George Brumwell has reported that his union chalked up a further [pound]576,000 trading surplus last year. This followed a surplus of [pound]507,000 achieved in 2000. "Total membership stands at about 120,000," said...

Peterhouse civils arm recovering.(Jackson Civil Engineering firm management)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Peterhouse's civils arm has "gone through the worst" and is "cooking on gas", according to group chief executive Alan Robertson. Jackson Civil Engineering, part of Peterhouse's Certas division, had a tough year in 2001 (the result of poor...

aas Confederation income falls [pounds sterling]190K.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... The Construction Confederation's (CC) total income fell by more than 8% last year from [pound]2.2m to [pound]2m compared with its previous trading year. Spending was reduced by just 6% to [pound]2.1m, bringing a trading deficit of...

Industry leaders give a thumbs up to EU forum.
June 12, 2002... Nearly 100 construction representatives attended the initial meeting of the new Forum in the European Parliament for Construction (CJ 29 May). British industry leaders judged the body to be "potentially invaluable". Andrew Large,...

Five in M25 widening battle.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Five firms have hit the road for one of the biggest highways deals to surface this year. The [pound]144m project includes widening the UK's busiest stretch of motorway - the M25 between junctions 12 and 15 - and constructing stage two of...

Designers get on track for Crossrail.(Mott MacDonald and Arup contracted)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Mott MacDonald has been appointed to provide multi-disciplinary design services for Crossrail line 1 and Arup has won two commissions for the project. Mott MacDonald will offer design services for all tunnels and underground stations for...

Carillion clamps down on safety.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Safety measures introduced as review reveals recruits not adequately trained Exclusive by Ross Pearman Carillion is tightening up its safety regime on all of its sites and with all of its subcontractors by introducing a host of new...

NEWSBRIEF.(miscellaneous brief articles)
June 12, 2002... Wigan ALMO seeks contractors Wigan Council is inviting contractors to pitch for housing renovation work worth a potential [pound]137m over four years. The work will be let through an arms-length management organisation (ALMO), Wigan and...

Five queue for [pounds sterling]125m retail job.(in Manchester, England's Arndale Shopping Centre)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Arndale centre's five-year extension plan by Brian Warner Up to five firms are checking out a [pound]125m deal to extend the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester. Queuing up for the project are Bovis Lend Lease, Taylor Woodrow, Laing...

Prequalification begins for [pounds sterling]3.8bn Dublin Metro.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Ireland's Railway Procurement Agency is sending out prequalification questionnaires to consortia interested in pitching for the [pound]3.8bn privately financed Dublin Metro. The government agency is giving firms until 31 July to return...

Profit boost for YJL from acquisitions.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... YJL made a "good contribution" to Montpellier in the six months to the end of March, according to chief executive Roger Feast. Mostly thanks to the acquisitions of Allenbuild and VHE last year, YJL delivered [pound]211.2m of the group's...

Kent's roads are tipped for HA's first PFI MAC contract.(Highway Agency's, Private Finance Initiative, Managing Agent Contract)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... by Ross Pearman Kent is the favourite to host the Highways Agency's (HA) first Managing Agent Contract (MAC) under the private finance initiative (PFI). Although expressions of interest for the Area 4 (Kent) MAC have already been...

Database to stop safety breaches.(for Railtrack)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Railtrack pledges to crack down on rogue suppliers and nomadic workers by John Leitch Railtrack's new computer database that stores both competency information and up-to-the-minute records of hours should improve safety and stop the...

Skanska on to illegals.(Skanska AB investigated for employing illegal aliens)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Skanska's [pound]130m Stratford Box contract for Section 2 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) has come under scrutiny this week after reports of illegal immigrants working on the project. According to one source close to the contract, a...

Construction begins to feel at home at the DTI.(Department of Trade and Industry)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... It is a year since the General Election and since construction transferred to the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) and (temporarily) lost its minister. There were howls of derision from some quarters, angry at what they saw as a snub, while...

Swallow set to expand.(Swallow Construction recruits employees)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Swallow Construction is expanding, with the recruitment of key personnel at all levels and the opening of a new office. "We're changing the culture of the business and adopting a new philosophy to the way we trade," Swallow's construction...

Devon's deal denied to local contractors.(property, building and civils work available in 100 pounds sterling contract)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Council's [pound]100m bundle leaves small firms out in the cold Exclusive by Carol Millett Opposition to the growing use of framework contracts by local authorities continued to grow this week as the Federation of Master Builders...

Newcastle Council gets one Best Value star.(construction service)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... by Laura Hailstone Newcastle City Council's construction service, which spends [pound]60m a year on construction, has received a rating of one star and has "uncertain prospects for improvement," according to a Best Value report by the...

Health trusts link up for PFI.(Private Finance Initiative)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Salford and Manchester primary care trusts have joined forces in a [pound]90m privately financed venture to update their health and social services facilities. Under the government's NHS LIFT initiative, the trusts will set up a public...

NEWSBRIEF.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Five in running for [pound]25m framework deal Five contractors will battle it out for a four-year framework deal worth [pound]25m for the construction and refurbishment of British forces living accommodation in Gibraltar. The line-up...

NEWSBRIEF.(miscellaneous brief articles)(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... Warings cuts it to win blade contract Warings is heading for a [pound]16m victory in the race to build engineering laboratories at Bristol University. Sources say that the Portsmouth-based firm has seen off rivals HBG and Sir Robert...

Structuring a new rail partnership. (Railtrack Group PLC, May Gurney Group Ltd.).
June 19, 2002... The rail industry has taken a battery of criticism in the past year, but it's not all bad news. John Leitch takes a close look at the Structures Partnership, where May Gurney's value engineering and innovative ideas have saved Railtrack more...

SMEs set for PFI schools. (small- and medium-sized contractors).(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... Exclusive by Laura Hailstone Small- and medium-sized (SME) contractors could get a larger slice of PFI schools projects if a proposal from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) gets off the ground. The DfES plan would see...

Skanska to buy project management software.
June 19, 2002... Skanska (UK) is set to pick a new IT software provider. Three competitors are being evaluated and the winner will be the one offering the best project management capability. Chief executive David Fison said that the group needed a common...

Transit vans get TDCi common rail option.(Ford Motor Co. offers turbo diesel engine)(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... Ford is offering its latest Duratorq TDCi common rail turbo diesel engine as an option on front wheel drive Transit vans. The second generation common rail two-litre engine produces 92kW (at 3,800rpm), against its predecessor's 74kW, and...

Services firms to expand.(survey finds consumer services companies plan to increase expenditures on land and buildings)(Brief Article)(Panel Discussion)(Statistical Data Included)
June 19, 2002... Consumer services companies are planning to increase their capital expenditure on land and buildings over the next 12 months, but business and professional services firms are still cutting back. The improved outlook for consumer services...

Managers need training.(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... Sir, Liz Bennett is right concerning cash spent on health and safety (CJ 1 May), beginning with education and training of site management and supervision, and the ability of site staff to effectively communicate the safety message to...

YJL is not only firm with good client mix.(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... Sir, I was interested to read the article about YJL launching its new fit-out business (CJ 29 May). I would like to correct Peter Kilby and suggest that there are more than just two fit-out companies who work in more than one sector....

Northern Ireland joins CSCS.(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) has signed an affiliation agreement with Northern Ireland's equivalent scheme, Construction Skills Register (CSR). The link-up means that there are now 262,000 construction workers...

Imer imports machine for self-levelling screed.(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... Imer Direct has started importing the Transmat 27.54 mixing and conveying machine for self-levelling screed and the Lissmac range of mini conveyor belts. Manufactured by Turbosol, the diesel-powered Transmat 27.54 has a 270-litre pressure...

Vp profit doubles.(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... Chairman says move out of general plant hire proved good for business Vp, formerly known as Vibroplant, has posted provisional results for the year to the end of March showing pre-tax profit doubled to [pound]6.2m on a turnover of...

Time is running out.(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... Next year the UK's opt-out from the Working Time Regulations will cease. John d'Arcy reviews the impact this will have on the construction industry. Since their introduction in October 1998, the Working Time Regulations (WTR) are reckoned...

Work winners this week.(construction contracts)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 19, 2002... Who's winning the work?Contracts Hotline is your at-a-glance digest of the latest contract awards around the UK. Data supplied by ABI Building Data. london & south east Wembley warehouse Work: Warehouse Location:...

Galliford Try finally gets [pounds sterling]6m hospital PFI project.(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... Galliford Try has finally clinched a [pound]6m privately financed hospital deal in Kettering - more than a year after returning tenders for the job. The contractor, in tandem with financier Grosvenor House, has held off a challenge from...

Contractors must be green to seal the deal.(firms must have environmental policies updated)(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... by Laura Hailstone Contractors could find they are unable to tender for certain jobs unless their environmental policies are up to scratch. The changes could be in place as early as 2004 if a Private Members Bill on corporate...

'Pay cut' shock hits thousands.(contractors face pay cut by Inland Revenue)(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... Union fears end to tax-free concession for travel allowances on long-term sites Thousands of construction workers on some of the biggest sites in the country, including Heathrow Terminal Five and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), face...