Contract Journal articles from June 2006

Contract Journal archives from June 2006

A-Plant division aims to grow by adding value.(A-Plant's Specialist Products division)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Steve Shaughnessy, the new managing director of A-Plant's Specialist Products division, said he wants to narrow the gap between its performance and that of its US counterpart Sunbelt Rentals. Specialist Products covers powered access,...

Speedy Hire tops the temporary power supply sector.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Following its purchase of LCH Generators, Speedy Hire said it has become the UK's largest temporary power supplier and will divide Speedy Power into Speedy LCH Generators, Speedy Air and Speedy Pumps. Speedy Power's managing director Andy...

Canvassing for business.(trade shows)
June 1, 2006... The SED Pavilion put on its usual eclectic display of products and services this year. Some exhibitors were there to sell, some just to be seen and discuss their products with new contacts, as well as catch up with old friends. Many exhibitors...

Keeping communication flowing.(contracts of Scottish Water)
June 1, 2006... Building a water treatment works in one of Glasgow's prettiest suburbs was always going to be a public relations nightmare. The existing reservoir at Milngavie, 10 miles from the bustling city centre, has long been an oasis of peace for walkers...

Going underground.(contracts)
June 1, 2006... University engineers and computer scientists are hoping to put paid to unnecessary disruption caused by utility companies when they dig up roads and pavements by developing techniques to locate and map all of the cables and pipes buried beneath...

Watts in store?(Investment in nuclear, gas, renewable and other technologies for new power capacity)
June 1, 2006... The public interest in utilities stems from the knowledge that today's investment needs to be funded and the source of those funds is ultimately the customer. It also means some rich pickings for contractors. The energy sector is currently...

Three chase [pounds sterling]100m Scots PPP scheme.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Three groups are set to pick up the tender paperwork before the end of June for a [pounds sterling]100m PPP deal in central Scotland. Swotting up for West Dunbartonshire Council's scheme will be Dutch group BAM, which owns HBG; Transform...

Lagan/Murphy win [pounds sterling]24m water pipeline scheme.(Lagan Construction/Murphy )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A Lagan Construction/Murphy team has tapped into a [pounds sterling]24m water pipeline deal in Northern Ireland. The DRD Water Service project, dubbed D2H, will see the replacement of the old 48in concrete Dunore pumping main running from...

St Modwen to let Somerset deal.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... St Modwen is gearing up to tender elements of a [pounds sterling]100m mixed-use scheme in Somerset. The developer has the green light from planners for a 17,000m2 industrial estate, plus 550 homes at the Taunton Trading Estate, Norton...

Trio in the hat for [pounds sterling]230m Blackpool development.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Three developers have started a rollercoaster ride on the quest for a [pounds sterling]230m mixed development prize in Blackpool. Amec, St Modwen and a Carillion/Richardson joint venture will work up detailed plans for the development of...

Four clinch Yorks housing revamp.(contracts)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Four outfits have unlocked the lion's share of a [pounds sterling]313m housing revamp deal in Yorkshire. The scheme is to upgrade around 22,000 homes for Rotherham Borough Council under the government's Decent Homes initiative and the...

Keep on the right side of the tax man.(advice on Construction Industry Scheme's tax rules)
June 1, 2006... Next year's CIS changes will mean a lot of work for construction contractors. Liz Bridge, the Construction Confederation's (CC) head of tax and pensions, says: "Get a timeline together so all your staff know what to do to be ready in time....

Schools chief denies baling out of BSF role.
June 1, 2006... Richard Bowker rejected industry rumours this week that he was leaving Partnerships for Schools (PfS) after becoming frustrated by the slow pace of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. BSF bidders reacted angrily to Bowker's...

Get your frameworks in order at CJ conference.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Is more of your traditional business being taken into framework agreements? Are you wondering how you can get a slice of the action of the recently announced [pounds sterling]1bn south-east England framework (CJ 17 May)? Or asking yourself how...

Strike ballot for NHS builders.(national health service management's refuses to include building workers to qualify for premium rate pay)
June 1, 2006... Thousands of building operatives in the NHS are to be balloted on strike action in an ongoing row over NHS management's refusal to include them among those workers who qualify for premium rates of pay that encourage the recruitment and...

Skills card clampdown planned.(Construction Industry Training Board)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The Major Contractors Group (MCG) is holding "urgent" talks with CITB-Construction- Skills about relaunching the national Qualifying the Workforce initiative. Plans are believed to focus on a new zero-tolerance policy under which those...

The end of the road for Dew Pitchmastic.(Dew Pitchmastic PLC)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Dew Pitchmastic plc has itself gone into administration a week after pulling the plug on two of its subsidiaries, Dew Construction and Dew Remediation with the loss of 285 jobs. A source said: "This leaves 400 directly employed individuals...

Housebuilding exit hits Gleeson profit.(Gleeson Homes is shifting house-building into urban regeneration arena)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A trading statement from MJ Gleeson Group has warned of a dive in this year's anticipated profits. The news comes from the Gleeson Homes division. Terry Massingham, chief executive, was fairly upbeat about the situation. "We're indicating...

HBG's pension deficit doubles.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... HBG UK's pension scheme deficit virtually doubled last year to [pounds sterling]42m ([pounds sterling]22m), despite the group again making a contribution of [pounds sterling]7m. Figures released by Companies House, covering the 12 months...

Nolan takes HSS to double-digit growth.(Paul Nolan)
June 1, 2006... HSS Hire's growth rate is outstripping the rate of expansion of the construction industry's hire sector by 10%, said Paul Nolan, the group's chief executive. Since taking over in January 2004, he has "totally rebuilt HSS from bottom to...

NMC profit reaches [pounds sterling]1m in first quarter of 2006.(Company sales and earnings of North Midland Construction )(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... North Midland Construction (NMC) has reported a "strong start to the financial year" with profit in the first quarter of 2006 running past the [pounds sterling]1m mark, representing a rise of 12%. Turnover was 30% higher at [pounds...

TE Beach lost [pounds sterling]700,000 prior to Ringway sellout.(TE Beach (Contractors) )(company sales and earnings)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... TE Beach (Contractors) has revealed a [pounds sterling]700,000 pre-tax loss in the seven-month period immediately prior to it being acquired by the Ringway Group. During the previous 12-month financial period there was a profit of [pounds...

What's going on withina Pearce Group.(Pearce Group Holdings Ltd)
June 1, 2006... How many days annual leave? Twenty-one to twenty-five in addition to bank holidays. The figure depends on a person's role in the company and their length of service. Can you take holidays when you want? Yes, although everyone takes time...

Macquarie's M6 profit used for more roads.(Macquarie Infrastructure Group to fund two new road schemes)
June 1, 2006... Macquarie Infrastructure Group, the 100% owner of Midland Expressway, has agreed to fund two new road schemes in the Midlands at a cost of more than [pounds sterling]110m. The money represents part of the proceeds of Midland Expressway's...

Hanson and Cemex win Eastern Channel rights.
June 1, 2006... Hanson Aggregates Marine and Cemex UK Marine have secured permission to extract sand and gravel from the new English Eastern Channel resource 32km off the Sussex coast. Subject to ratification from the Department for Communities and Local...

Rhino develops green road repairs.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Rhino Asphalt Solutions has launched a pothole and highway patching repair system that uses recycled road planings. ReadyMac is a proprietary cold asphalt that needs no compaction or excavation, allowing road repairs to be carried out...

Agreement will protect workers from silica dust.
June 1, 2006... Certain construction, building materials and related transport workers are to be protected from breathing potentially hazardous crystalline silica dust by a voluntary health and safety agreement between EU employer and employee organisations....

Kingspan's TEK Building System comes up trumps.(Kingspan Century's TEK Building System)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... An energy efficiency analysis conducted by Clays of Addingham, the Yorkshire-based housebuilder, shows houses built with Kingspan Century's TEK Building System produce heating bills 80% lower than traditionally-built houses. A three-year...

Trio awarded four-year BBC framework deal.
June 1, 2006... Interserve, Mansell and Overbury have been selected by the BBC to carry out its small to medium-sized construction projects. They will start work on new projects from 1 July, taking over from Land Securities Trillium. Johnson Controls,...

Accreditation now offered to asbestos experts.(Asbestos inspectors can now be UKAS-accredited)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Asbestos inspectors can now be UKAS-accredited with the launch of the National Individual Asbestos Certification Scheme (NIACS). The scheme, a register of certified inspectors that will be marketed nationally, is a joint venture between...

Tate sues duo for basement flood damage.(Specialist Services (Electrical) Ltd)(Duffy Construction)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The Tate Gallery has launched a legal battle for compensation of more than [pounds sterling]5m after a flood in its half-built basement galleries six years ago. The trustees of the Tate are suing Specialist Services (Electrical) Ltd, which...

Ex-Wembley chief in Multiplex swipe.(Wembley Stadium's added costs debated)
June 1, 2006... Former Wembley National Stadium (WNSL) chief executive Bob Stubbs and Multiplex have become engaged in a war of words. The former alleges that the contractor may find it difficult to recover money from the client should the dispute come to...

McGarvey future up in the air as debts mount.(McGarvey Construction)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Glasgow-based McGarvey Construction has gone into receivership with debts believed to be around [pounds sterling]3m, due to cashflow problems. Thirty three jobs have been lost. The contractor, which had divisions operating in utilities,...

Partnerships for Health chief to leave top spot.(Partnerships for Health's chief executive )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Brian Johns is to step down as chief executive of Partnerships for Health (PfH) after four years in the post. Citing the achievement of successfully reaching financial close on all 42 LIFT schemes, Johns said he is "immensely proud" of...

DEFRA cutbacks leave civils sector strapped.(United Kingdom. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs cuts spending)
June 1, 2006... Civil contractors face a drought in new orders for the next two years with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) apparently cutting back on spending. The news comes after DEFRA announced that no new coastal defence...

Setting the standard.(trade shows)
June 1, 2006... The Concrete Show at SED 2006 proved a hotbed of innovation and competition among exhibitors. There was a noticeable presence of suppliers of volumetric mixers, and impressive products from precast firms. Precast Massive factory-made...

Hitachi in negotiation for HM Plant takeover.(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe is in talks with UK distributor HM Plant about acquiring a controlling interest in the company, a source within the manufacturer has confirmed. It already owns 30% of its distributor and aims to take a...

Terex regains second place in UK backhoe market.(sales and earnings)(united kingdom)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Production of site dumpers at Terex? Coventry plant has increased by 20% and the company has regained second position in the UK backhoe loader market, according to Brian Heathcote, general manager of Terex Compact. Speaking at SED, he said...

Volvo unveils FE lightweight units.(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Volvo Trucks has introduced a new FE range of lightweight vehicles in the 18t to 26t range ? between the FL in the 12t to 18t sector, and the FM in the heavy-duty market. The new FE will be available as a 4x2, 6x2 or 6x4, with three cab...

Merlo?s Panoramic coup.(Merlo)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Merlo not only launched its new low-profile 6m/3.2t capacity telehandler, the Panoramic P32.6 L, at SED ? it also sold the first two off the stand. Barry Murphy, sales manager at Irish dealer CMH, made the sale to an undisclosed contractor...

Thinking positive.
June 7, 2006... If lobbying politicians is your business, then it? difficult to imagine a better base than Wates? Westminster office. No. 16 Great Peter Street is literally a stone? throw ? or should that be spitting distance? ? from the Commons. And it? where...

ADP eyes vacuum excavator sector.(ADP Safe Digging Solutions)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Gloucestershire-based ADP Safe Digging Solutions has started importing the Vaxcavator range in a bid to break into the fledgling vacuum excavator market. The firm is offering a range of machines, manufactured by US firm McLauchlin, and...

Kinshofer Greiftechnik buys Demarec.(Kinshofer Greiftechnik acquired Demarec)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Hydraulic lifting device manufacturer Kinshofer Greiftechnik has acquired 100% of the shares of Dutch recycling firm Demarec. Kinshofer UK, which supplies OEMs and OEDs, has increased its range to offer both Kinshofer and Demarec products...

Speedy Hire unveils a 25% increase in profit.(company sales and earnings)(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Speedy? full-year results to 31 March have revealed a 23% rise in turnover from ?206m in the previous year to ?254m this year. Pre-tax profit showed a rise of 25%, up to ?30.7m from ?24.5m, with utilisation climbing from 67% to 70%. ...

NFB concerned over sustainable housing policies.(National Federation of Builders)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... The National Federation of Builders (NFB) has written to Yvette Cooper, minister of state at the Department for Communities and Local Government, to raise concerns that the introduction of the Code for Sustainable Housing could cause...

Whirlwind romance.
June 7, 2006... Networking events can be awkward and woefully unproductive affairs. They conjure up an image of nervous delegates clutching glasses of warm white wine in soulless hotel function rooms, peering furtively at each other? name badges in the vain...

Steady as she goes?(industry sales and revenue)
June 7, 2006... Construction output increased in value just 2% in the first quarter of 2006 to ?27.6bn, compared with ?27bn in Q4 2005. However, crucially for this year? outlook, output increased 5% against the same time last year, when the total stood at...

Wolseley adopts Brandon name.(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Wolseley UK has announced that its existing Hire Center branches will come under the Brandon Hire name, following its acquisition of the tool hire firm. Brandon Hire chief executive Charles Skinner will lead the combined business from its...

Rights and remedies.
June 7, 2006... In early, 1990 three oil companies, Amoco, Amerada Hess and Enterprise Oil, now part of the Shell Group, entered into an operating agreement to explore and develop certain North Sea oil fields. Amoco, in turn, entered into a contract with...

Local talent wins race for ?100m Falkirk PPP.(contracts)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Three local firms, pitching as the Gateway PFI group, have won the David versus Goliath battle for Falkirk Council? ?100m PPP schools deal. The council has gone for home-grown talent, the team of Ogilvie, A&L King and Forth Electrical...

Fleming bags ?20m housing deal.
June 7, 2006... Fleming is both contractor and developer for a ?20m housing scheme in Hampshire. The firm will start work for Sentinel Housing Association later this month on a project to build 162 apartments in Basingstoke. The development, varying...

Yorkshire and Anglian scoop ?31m housing upgrade deal.(contracts between Yorkshire Windows and Anglian Windows )(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Two firms have entered into a ?31m housing upgrade deal in South Yorkshire. Yorkshire Windows and Anglian Windows have both shown the door to nine rivals in a project to replace external windows and doors for Rotherham Metropolitan Council...

Trio to pitch for NHS Fife hospital project.(National Health Service )(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Three groups are in the waiting room for an estimated ?20m-plus PPP scheme in Scotland. NHS Fife has lined up BHE St Andrews (with Miller Construction on board as contractor); Saltire Care (James Walker/Ogilvie); and Morrison to pitch for...

CIoB signs up to help stamp out corruption.(Chartered Institute of Building)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... bw-corrupt The Chartered Institute of Building (CIoB) has signed up to a special construction forum set up with the aim of controlling the corruption in thatwhich is rife throughout the industry. According to Tranparency...

Berkeley and Heron on song for Guildhall job.(joint ventures between Berkeley Group and Heron International )(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... contract news flash bw-dramaqueen A first-time joint venture between developerss Berkeley Group and Heron International has moved centre-stage for a ?150m scheme at London? Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The centrepiece of...

Trio chase scaled-down W Lothian schools deal.(contracts)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Contarct news bw-loathem Three groups are swotting up for a rebid and scaled-down PPP schools deal in West Lothian. Robertson Group, Miller Construction and a Hochtief/Dawn JVjv are on the register for the council? new ?50m deal...

New website matches subbies to contractors.
June 7, 2006... A new website aimed at matching subbies to main contractors will be launched in the next few days ? in direct competition with another online service set up last year for the same purpose. Known as subconpages.com, the search engine will be...

Scots wind farm leader emerges.(contracts)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... The first stage of a ?140m deal to build a wind farm near Glasgow is likely to blow Morrison? way, according to industry insiders. Sources say that although matters are by no means settled yet, the firm is looking good at this stage of the...

Two new recruits for CJ?s CRASH campaign.(Contract Journal)(construction and property industry charity for the homeless)
June 7, 2006... THE Contract Journal CRASH campaign is gathering momentum, with two new companies, Thomas Vale and Holloway White Allom, signing up to the initiative. CRASH is celebrating its 15th birthday this year, and as part of that, it aims to raise...

Accord reached on revised EU Services Agreement.(European Union)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... A formal political agreement has now been reached on the controversial EU Services Agreement which is intended to free up the provision of services such as construction across Europe. A spokesman for the TGWU, which lobbied hard against the...

Wanted: 348,000 recruits by 2010.(surveys)(Survey)
June 7, 2006... The UK construction industry will need 87,000 new recruits every year until the end of the decade if it is to meet the anticipated surge in workload, according to a detailed survey by ConstructionSkills. The ConstructionSkills Network...

AWG?s Morrison businesses strengthen.(company sales and earnings)(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... AWG has announced that its remaining Morrison businesses recovered further and generated a 2.8% margin last year on a turnover of ?640m. Their future will be decided at the end of the year. The group? annual financial results (12 months...

Arup targets BSF for ?community stadia?(Building Schools for the Future)
June 7, 2006... Arup is approaching local authorities and contractors within the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme over the possibility of incorporating new school buildings into new stadia complexes, to unlock regeneration opportunities and help...

CRMS goes into administration.(CRMS)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... CRMS, the UK? largest Case dealer, has gone into administration with the loss of 47 jobs. The independent dealership sold one in four of all Case machines in the UK last year. Administrator Richard Hill of KMPG said: ?It will continue...

M25 widening faces Olympian challenge.(Highways Agency )(Olympic Delivery Authority, delivery of infrastructure for the games)
June 7, 2006... The Highways Agency (HA) has been advised to delay the roll-out of its 30-year, ?4.5bn M25 widening DBFO for up to two years due to concerns over resources, rising construction costs and the threat of disruption from new powers granted to the...

Newcastle and Sheffield choose BSF teams.(Building Schools for the Future)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Newcastle City Council and Sheffield City Council have both appointed preferred bidders for their Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programmes. Newcastle has selected the Aura consortium of Sir Robert McAlpine, Robertson Capital...

TfL lists prequalified firms for road maintenance work.(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Transport for London (TfL) has announced the prequalified companies for its new ?1bn, 10-year road maintenance contracts. In contrast to the old agreements, which expire next March, the new contracts, worth around ?35m to ?45m and fixed...

UK flounders in efficiency league table.(united kingdom)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... The UK has ranked as the second-worst EU member state for resource and labour efficiency, according to a report by building economist Bernard Williams Associates. In a ranking of 13 EU members, the UK sits just above last-placed Ireland...

Multiplex and CBUK guided to mediation.(Cleveland Bridge UK)
June 7, 2006... Multiplex and Cleveland Bridge UK (CBUK) have been told to try to settle their differences through mediation after a five-month hearing into their ?45m Wembley stadium legal battle. During his judgement at the High Court on Monday, Mr...

Steel prices to rise again, says Corus.(company sales and earnings)(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Corus has confirmed that contractors can expect to pay more for steel, as the company strives to add an extra ?80m profit by the end of the year. The firm also increased prices for structural sections last week. Announcing first quarter...

Cement safety regs set to cause red tape hell.
June 7, 2006... Contractors working on large projects face a bureaucratic headache after the EC told the cement industry to upgrade its safety advice, British Cement Association health and safety programme manager Ian Gibson told CJ. The industry is...

First plastic bridge installed.(Brief article)
June 7, 2006... Balfour Beatty is using what the Highways Agency (HA) claims is the first new construction material for motorway bridges in over 100 years. The company is installing a plastic bridge over the M6 at Mount Pleasant near Garstang in a ?2m...

Remote-control system available for Bobcat skids.(MTS Bobcat)(Brief article)
June 14, 2006... Bobcat dealer MTS Bobcat has developed a remote-control system that can be fitted onto the manufacturer? standard skid steers. Both the drive and hydraulic systems are converted to remote control and a full machine, including attachments,...

Case plans to double its UK market share.(Case Construction Equipment Ltd.)(United Kingdom)(Brief article)
June 14, 2006... Case UK plans to double its market share within three years. In order to meet this target, set by vice president of global operations George Russell, the company has formed a new management team and intends to increase its current tally of...

PfS academy schools bid list of 14 named.(Partnerships for Schools)(Brief article)
June 14, 2006... Partnerships for Schools (PfS) has shortlisted 14 firms to bid for inclusion on the ?1.2bn to ?2bn national framework for academy schools. The framework will deliver academies, one-school offers and other educational facilities on behalf of...

Fassi?s latest crane designed for urban usage.
June 14, 2006... Italian loader crane manufacturer Fassi launched its new 50A crane at SED. The firm is targeting the machine at smaller builders? merchants and contractors working in urban areas. The 5tm unit tracks with a gross vehicle weight of 7.5t....

Do we have the stamina for 2012?
June 14, 2006... While the Olympic torch is due to be set ablaze in the capital in 2012, most of the construction industry? skills and materials resources in London and the South East are at risk of burning out. There have already been several reports...

Wates wins Birmingham work.(Wates Building Group Ltd wins housing upgrade work in Birmingham)(Brief article)
June 14, 2006... contract news flash bw-brummmm Wates has won ?20m- worth of housing upgrade work in Birm-ingham for year three of its framwework agreement with the city council. The job involves work onto around 6,000 homes in the south of Birmingham in...

Balfour Beatty/Morgan Est jv wins gas works.
June 14, 2006... contract news flash bw-gaz A Balfour Beatty/Morgan Est jv is the preferred bidder for a deal to upgrade gas networks across northern England, potentially worth ?720m. The scheme is valued at around ?420m over seven years, but there is the...

Nine in the running for W Yorks roads scheme.
June 14, 2006... bw- nineofthem Contractors have at last picked up the tender paperwork for a road deal in West Yorkshire ?- five years after the scheme first came up for grabs. It is understood that Leeds City Council has called up nine contractors...

Interserve bags scaled down Plymouth PFI job.
June 14, 2006... bw-plymed Interserve has moved to the top of the class for a PFI schools deal in the West Country. But Plymouith City Council? scheme is now worth around half its original value of ?60m after the client bust its budget. When the...

Red tape delays Redcar streetlighting project.(streetlighting projects of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council)(Brief article)
June 14, 2006... bw-redcarred The first PFI streetlighting project to undergo a new government scrutiny procgress is being plagued by delays. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council had hoped to have a preferred bidder plugged into the deal, worth at...

Trio scoop ?70m Slough Decent Homes contract.(brian.warner@rbi.co.uk)(housing contracts of People First, the borough council)(Brief article)
June 14, 2006... contract news flash brian.warner@rbi.co.uk bw-theoffice Three outfits have opened the door to ?70m- worth of housing revamp work in Slough. United House, Apollo and local firm Ian Williams will tackle the work for People First, the...

New schools lobby group demands speed up of BSF.
June 14, 2006... The British Council for School Environments (BCSE), a lobby group launched last week, is calling on the new schools minister Jim Knight to speed up the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Ty Goddard of School Works said BCSE...