Contract Journal articles from March 2004

Contract Journal archives from March 2004

Applying liquidated damages.
March 3, 2004... Bath & North East Somerset District Council can trace its ownership of the site of the hot springs in Bath to a grant of title by Queen Elizabeth I in 1590. In 2000, the council undertook the restoration of the spa buildings on the site for...

Quote of the week.
March 3, 2004... This local knowledge is one of the key factors in helping us to be selected ahead of a national consortium.

Lantra Awards launches new plant certificate.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Lantra Awards, in conjunction with the Construction Industry Training Board and the National Plant Operators Registration Scheme, has launched the new Intermediate Certificate in Specialised Plant and Machinery Operations. The certificate...

In brief.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Rammer set to launch second 'm' model Rammer will launch the second model in its 'm' range of modular hydraulic hammers at Bauma. The m14 hammer is suitable for carriers of up to 24t operating weight. Tobin to sell Morooka and Yamaguchi...

Wanted: larger-than-life builders.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Builders with big personalities are needed for a new BBC fly-on-the-wall TV series. A spokesman for Wall to Wall, the reality TV programme maker, said: "The working title is We`ve Got the Builders In. The focus of the eight half-hour episodes...

Ramesys and Oracle to offer 60% cheaper ERP.(Enterprise Resource Planning)
March 3, 2004... Alliance between software firms will offer system at a fixed price or shared-risk option. Major contractors can look forward to investing in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software "without having to worry about cost overruns" after...

Steel firm rejects sick building accusation.(Richard Lees Steel Decking)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Richard Lees Steel Decking has hit back at The Concrete Centre's claims that its latest advertising campaign for its new product Resotec admits that lightweight framed structures can cause sick building syndrome (CJ 11 February). "Richard Lees...

A mixed bag.(construction orders increased-a report)
March 3, 2004... 2003 was better than 2002 for new construction orders, but only just. Justin Stanton reports. New construction orders reached a record high last year. Figures released by the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) show the total value of new...

HM Plant announces [pounds sterling]5m HQ plan.(headquarters)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... HM Plant, the UK distributor of Hitachi Construction Equipment, has announced plans for a new [pounds sterling]5m headquarters in Newcastle upon Tyne and the closure of its current base in Bridgewater, Somerset. A new 3ha purpose-built...

AGD leader rigs on site.(AGD Equipment has hired drilling systems)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... UK piling specialist AGD Equipment has hired out two RG16T telescopic leader rigs with Eurodrill double head drilling systems to Dawson-Wam for its Quinn Glass factory project in Cheshire. The machines are being used to install 406mm diameter...

Coffey Construction acquires first Allu PF.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... The official launch of Allu's pressure feeder is set for Bauma 2004. Ahead of its official launch at Bauma, Coffey Construction of County Galway has taken delivery of the UK and Ireland's first Allu PF (pressure feeder) for mass soil...

Wimpey builds up operating margin...(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Wimpey's operating margin of 17% represents a huge upward surge in the housebuilding group's performance. Last year's figure was 14%. For many years after the merger with Tarmac, Wimpey was unable to break through the 10% margin barrier, even...

Wilson Bowden joins the [pounds sterling]1bn turnover club.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Housebuilder Wilson Bowden has become a [pounds sterling]1bn-a-year player for the first time. Formed just 17 years ago, the latest acquisitions of Henry Boot Homes and Ward Homes helped push the group into the big league. Its latest financial...

Pochin will hit target of [pounds sterling]50m turnover this year.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Pochin's ambition of doubling its construction division's turnover to [pounds sterling]50m during the current year is on target and will be achieved, said a spokesman for the group. The group's annual construction workload had fallen back to...

CRMS to give Stavostroj STA branding in the UK.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Firm to import soil and asphalt compactors and distribute in UK and Northern Ireland. CRMS, best known as the country's largest Case dealer, has become the distributor for the Stavostroj range of soil and asphalt compactors in the UK and...

Galliford turnround.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... New construction management heading to target of 2% margin within two years. Galliford Try has got its construction division out of the red. The latest operating margin is 0.8% and the reshaped business is on track to hit its target figure...

EA names six to help plan flood defences.(Environment Agency)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... The Environment Agency has lined up six consultants under a [pounds sterling]30m framework deal to help with flood defence planning. Over the next five years, the consultants will identify areas at risk and target investment to manage floods....

9,000 trainees join industry but fewer than 100 are female.
March 3, 2004... Shortage of work experience places blamed for only half the new entrants achieving Level 2 by traditional route. Last year, more than 9,000 new entrants were recruited into industry-approved training schemes - an increase of 10% on the...

Pipeline and Edmundson team up on MoD Project Red Dragon.(Ministry of Defence)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Pipeline Center, part of Wolseley Centers, has joined forces with Edmundsons Electrical to provide a joint stores operation onsite at Project Red Dragon, the [pounds sterling]71m super hangar for the Defence Aviation Repair Agency. The shared...

Single drum roller report sent out.(Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... The preliminary report on the trials of single drum rollers has been sent to interested parties for comment before being returned to the Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee (HAUC). It is believed that single drum rollers have achieved...

BAA challenges aggregates relief.(British Aggregates Association)
March 3, 2004... Association is concerned about levy relief's impact on its campaign. The British Aggregates Association (BAA) has lodged a complaint with the European Commission (EC) against the UK government's proposed scheme for relief from the...

FMB agrees 8% rise to lift minimum to [pounds sterling]250/week.(Federation of Master Builders)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has agreed an 8.1% pay rise for operatives employed under its single-union Batjic national deal with the TGWU. The settlement takes effect from 7 June. It increases the craft basic rate from [pounds...

NFDC tells minister clients are avoiding CDM responsibilities.(National Federation of Demolition Contractors)(Construction Design & Management)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Construction minister Nigel Griffiths has been advised that some industry clients are still ignorant of, or even deliberately avoiding, their responsibilities under the CDM safety regulations. The warning has come from leaders of the...

Waste disposal costs set to rise.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... The cost of building and demolition site waste disposal is set to soar in the wake of new EU regulations that are due to come into effect in July. It is estimated that the regulations will lead to the number of landfill sites available for...

Rising coal prices prompt Castle Cement to search for alternative.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Castle Cement has switched to alternative fuels to offset price rises in the cement making process. "The delivered cost of coal into the UK (a primary source of energy for the cement making process) has risen by more than 50%. This is a...

Ringway's honesty puts it at bottom of CAT table.(Capability Assessment Toolkit)
March 3, 2004... Lack of guidance led companies to many different approaches, claims firm that scored only 33 out of 72. Honesty and a lack of guidance have led Ringway to post a Highways Agency (HA) Capability Assessment Toolkit (CAT) score of just 33....

Welsh Assembly picks line-up for its [pounds sterling]16m highway scheme.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... And Cambridgeshire is to choose from six contractors for [pounds sterling]11.5m Fordham bypass. Contractors have hit the road for a brace of highway deals in England and Wales totalling [pounds sterling]27m-plus. The Welsh Assembly has...

'Green calculator' for assessments.( Co-operative Research Centre for Construction Innovation)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Contractors will soon have access to computer software dubbed the "green calculator" because it provides cost and environmental assessments of commercial buildings. According to Dr Peter Newton, the development team leader at the Co-operative...

Rydon Homes stops work on Brighton site.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Work on Rydon Homes' mixed-use scheme in the centre of Brighton has come to an abrupt halt as the development's viability has come into question. Rydon was given permission in September 2002 by Brighton and Hove City Council to provide 64...

McAleer to build hotel in Nottingham.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Northern Ireland contractor McAleer & Rushe has negotiated a [pounds sterling]19.5m deal for a mixed development in Nottingham. The centrepiece of the project will be a 250-bedroom Jurys Inn for Dublin-based Jurys Doyle Hotel Group. The deal...

[pounds sterling]12m Wigan deal delayed.(wigan council-road deal)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Contractors hoping to get shortlisted for a [pounds sterling]12m road deal in Wigan face a wait of at least six months before they know if they have made it. Wigan Council was due to have sent out the tender paperwork at the start of this year...

Survey shows 40% of contractors lack disaster recovery plans.(information technology systems)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Contractors' disaster recovery systems are not up to scratch, according to new research. If the UK were to experience a large-scale power failure, similar to that in North America last year, nearly 40% of the contractors would suffer a...

Printing error to blame for Havering delay.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Havering council in east London is re-issuing tender documents for a highways term maintenance deal worth up to [pounds sterling]28m. A source close to the project claimed a printing error is to blame. He said: "The documents were supposed to...

Cleveland Bridge to make 240 redundant.
March 3, 2004... Firm says big projects are coming to an end, and it has to cut jobs as new clients are stalling over future work. A quarter of Cleveland Bridge's entire workforce of 920 face redundancy as a result of clients "stalling" over a number of...

back bites.(Quarry Products Association)
March 3, 2004... Needle sharp Readers of Back bites will be aware of the regular litany of complaints over the bewildering number of acronyms in the construction industry, such as CIC, NASC, MCG, etc, etc. A routine phone call to the Quarry Products Association...

Aggregate Industries increases profit for seventh year.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Aggregate Industries (AI) made its seventh successive record pre-tax profit last year as its expansion policy resulted in 10 more bolt-on acquisitions. The quarry and aggregates group's latest financial figures (12 months to 31 December) show...

Infracare is preferred bidder for LIFT project.(Local Improvement Finance Trust )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Infracare is preferred bidder for LIFT project Infracare has seen off Jarvis Primary Health to clinch preferred bidder status on the [pounds sterling]30m to [pounds sterling]48m Dudley South NHS LIFT project. An AWG-led bid withdrew earlier on...

Rail renewals deal awarded.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Network Rail (NR) has answered contractors' speculation that the track renewals contracts will be substantially delayed (CJ 25 February) by awarding one such deal to GrantRail. The five-year framework contract will deliver cost reductions and...

Persimmon profit up by a third.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Housebuilder Persimmon's pre-tax profit jumped one third higher to [pounds sterling]340m last year. Operating margin roared ahead to 20.3%, almost three percentage points higher than the figure of 17.5% the previous year. Completions were...

In brief.(meshed briefs)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Wrekin rounds up [pounds sterling]11m in roads contracts Wrekin has won four highways contracts worth more than [pounds sterling]11m. The largest is a traffic management contract for Cambridgeshire County Council worth up to [pounds sterling]6m...

Paddington bosses deny cuts in project.(Paddington Health Campus)
March 3, 2004... Royal Brompton and Harefield will not be left out of scheme rumoured to be facing cuts. The [pounds sterling]800m Paddington Health Campus (PHC) project wheeled out its big guns this week to refute a "misleading report" in The Evening...

Disasters: an everyday occurrence.(disaster recovery of information technology systems in construction industry)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... According to a company that specialises in "disaster recovery", the construction industry is ill-equipped to cope with the large-scale power failure that could result from a terrorist attack or national grid meltdown. Nearly half the IT systems...

Gangmaster Bill not for building.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... A law forcing gangmasters to seek licences and keep employment records on casual labourers will not be extended to cover the construction industry. The Gangmasters Bill, which was given an unopposed second reading in the House of Commons last...

NHS Estates' property to be used for housing.(National Health Service)
March 3, 2004... Miller Ventures will seek compensation of approximately [pounds sterling]4m as NHS pulls out of deal to sell it the portfolio. The [pounds sterling]400m NHS Estates property portfolio is to be used to develop a national social and low cost...

HSE inspectors vote to strike on pay.(Health & Safety Executive)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Construction and railways inspectors at the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) backed their union's call to strike over pay earlier this week. Prospect union members voted overwhelmingly to support a one-day strike followed by work-to-rule in...

Hat trick.(Bovis Lend Lease going to make it a triple win)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Hat trick Is Bovis Lend Lease going to make it a triple win in CJ50's league table? Find out who takes the crown for February. Grand vision Why Taylor Woodrow let local residents decide the masterplan for the redevelopment of its old...

...and adds [pounds sterling]10m to pension scheme.(retirement benefits)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Wimpey has lifted its cash contribution to the group's defined benefit pension scheme by [pounds sterling]10m to close a funding deficit. The new figure of [pounds sterling]18m will be increased again in 2004 to [pounds sterling]23m. Had FRS17,...

The TUPE regulations.(Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment )
March 10, 2004... The Acquired Rights Directive of the European Community came into effect in 1977 in order to ensure, as far as possible, that the rights of employees would be safeguarded in the event of a change of employer as a consequence of a transfer of an...

Lavendon optimistic as turnover rises 4.7%.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... The Lavendon Group said it has returned to a strong position and its results are fully in line with the volatile access market. The European powered access rental specialist reported a 4.7% increase in turnover to [pounds sterling]108m for...

Developing sustainability.
March 10, 2004... So you want to work for a developer? Then you'd better have clean environmental credentials, a commitment to sustainability, and a good record in offsite construction. Because that's increasingly the way the commercial property sector is...

Be reveals partnering cuts costs.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Partnered or negotiated projects are 18% to 44% more likely to deliver on cost and 7% to 15% more likely to deliver on time than traditional methods, according to latest research from industry thinktank Be. In its analysis of construction...

Tendring assets raise [pounds sterling]260,000 at auction sale.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... The assets of collapsed firm Tendring Construction have raised [pounds sterling]260,000 at auction. Asset valuer and auctioneer Henry Butcher International was appointed by the administrator PKF to run the auction, which took place at...

Noise and bad behaviour cause complaints.(sites registered with the considerate constructors scheme)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Noise and inconsiderate behaviour are the main reasons for the public to complain about sites registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS). Analysis of the 1,807 sites registered with the CCS last year shows that noise accounted...

Ridgway invests in long-reach excavator.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Komatsu PC450 demolition rig suitable for high-rise buildings. Ridgway Rentals of Shropshire claims to be the first UK plant hirer to offer long-reach demolition excavators on a non-operated basis after it invested [pounds sterling]3m in...

Stone maker seeks direct talks with contractors.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... London-based Marble Arch, a supplier, manufacturer and installer of natural stone, wants to talk first hand to contractors as it believes they are now the main specifiers. Managing director Robert Merry said: "About 10 years ago it was the...

Deals done.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Healey and Case Healey Construction of Lancashire has taken delivery of the UK's first Case TX140 telehandler. The unit has a lift height of 14m and is part of the new CNH three-model range of telescopic handlers produced in Lecce, Italy. ...

In brief.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Selwood's quiet pumps Selwood has launched a new range of construction pumps. The company said they are the quietest diesel pumps on the market and five of the seven units are available as super-silent versions. New recruits at Amey Amey...

TD500HL for confined areas.(Winget PLC-launch of micro-dumper)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Winget micro-dumper for smaller jobs. Winget has launched a walk-behind tracked micro-dumper, which is said to be ideal for restricted sites. General sales manager Simon Donnelly said the 680mm-wide TD500HL is suitable for small landscaping...

Mowlem and Balfour battle it out for [pounds sterling]115m A46 work.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Rivals asked to extend tender date to give client more time to choose ECI winner. Two contractors have locked horns for the closing stages of the contest for one of this year's top-value roads deals. Sources say that Mowlem and Balfour...

Simply the best.
March 10, 2004... The Collaborative Working Centre wants to radically change the industry's performance by promoting best working practices. Geraldine Faulkner finds out how it is doing. In an industry that abounds with trade bodies dedicated to...

Positive views from NHS batched PFI open day.(national health service)(private finance initiative)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... The Three Shires NHS batched PFI hospital deal received a vote of confidence from contractors who attended the open day last week. The [pounds sterling]132m Three Shires batch is led by the Derbyshire Mental Health Services Trust, along with...

Housebuilding pays off at Taywood with [pounds sterling]340m profit.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Taylor Woodrow's decision to focus on becoming a major housebuilder has paid dividends. Last year the group's housebuilding division made an operating profit of [pounds sterling]340m, a figure that put Taywood's construction division's...

RMC hits [pounds sterling]1bn turnover.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... RMC hit a [pounds sterling]1bn turnover in the UK from its on-going operations, generating a [pounds sterling]46m trading profit. The long-running muddle that has curtailed the output of RMC's state-of-the-art cement plant at Rugby has been...

Performance boost for upgraded Thomas 255.(Thomas Equipment)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Thomas Equipment has upgraded its top-of-the-range Model 255 skid steer loader to improve its productivity and performance. The unit is powered by a 62kW Kubota engine coupled to a two-speed transmission, giving a maximum travel speed of...

For your eyes only.(Letter to the Editor)
March 10, 2004... Sir, We were somewhat amused to see the letter in Contract Journal (25 February) headed 'All in the name of charity?' and felt it only appropriate to respond. Ian Maund, who is a senior quantity surveyor at Shepherd Construction, has raised...

Plan, do, act and check the text.(Letter to the Editor)
March 10, 2004... Sir, I was very interested in your interview with Sam Maroli (CJ 18 February), not least because we are suppliers to some of Interserve's other operational units (Interserve Building, which appears to be part of Interserve Projects). However,...

Longville to operate as three.(Longville Group )(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... The Longville Group is to refocus on its individual businesses - SLD Pumps, Powerent and CRS - its new board has announced. Newly appointed chief executive Ray Ledger, group finance director Chris Attrill and group sales and marketing director...

TUPE regulations apply on second generation contracts.(Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... TUPE regulations can apply on second generation contracts, according to a recent Court of Appeal finding. The finding arose from a dispute between Fairhurst Ward Abbotts and Botes Building. In the mid-1990s the London Borough of Southwark...

Engineering employers stick at 8% pay increase.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Engineering construction employers were standing firm this week on their offer to increase the operatives' basic craft rate by nearly 8% over the next two years. They warned the trade unions that their rejection of the offer and plans to hold...

HSE safety blitz stops work.(Health & Safety Executive)
March 10, 2004... Healthy Handling initiative puts pressure on contractors to comply with safety regs or risk having work suspended. Two sites were told to stop some construction work by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) during a one-day safety blitz in...

Mowlem confident with [pounds sterling]45m.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Profit up but margins slip back in the construction division as firm takes a more conservative approach. Mowlem's pre-tax profit in 2003 climbed to [pounds sterling]45m ([pounds sterling]33m), although the group's construction division...

Bovis takes off at Finningley.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Bovis Lend Lease is flying high after bagging an [pounds sterling]80m deal to redevelop RAF Finningley, near Doncaster. The task involves creating the first international airport in the region, serving 2.3 million passengers a year. Work will...

Mowlem beats Fitzpatrick to [pounds sterling]11m rail deal.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Mowlem has snatched an [pounds sterling]11.2m rail-sector contract in north London from under the nose of arch-rival Fitzpatrick. Two years ago, Fitzpatrick emerged as preferred bidder for a scheme to build a maintenance depot at Wembley for...

Operatives claim 4% pay increase.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Unions representing more than 50,000 construction operatives working for local authorities are calling for an increase of well over 4% in basic rates of pay this year. A "substantial" building craft pay claim is due to be submitted to the local...

St Helen's PFI down to two.(St Helens & Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Two firms have gone head to head in the race to gain admission to one of this year's most prized PFI hospital deals. Taylor Woodrow and Balfour Beatty are the only outfits left competing for the [pounds sterling]200m-plus redevelopment of...

ECITB future bleak as it fails to raise annual levy.(Engineering Construction Industry Training Board)
March 10, 2004... Future of the training board is in jeopardy after it fails to meet target of signing up 50% of employers. The future of the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) is under threat after the board failed to meet one of the...

DEFRA to cut cash for Aggregates Levy fund.(Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
March 10, 2004... QPA slams 30% cash cut saying it undermines validity of Levy. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is to cut financing for the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) for the coming year by a third. The news has...

JRC fights air pollution.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... The European Union's joint research centre (JRC) is testing innovative construction materials that are designed to fight air pollution. In a joint scheme with academic institutes, building supply and chemical companies, the JRC's PICADA...

HBG rocks Robertson.(Hollandsche Beton Groep )(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... HBG looks set to dent the Robertson Group's record of successes in the PFI sector. It is understood that HBG is about to be chalked up as preferred bidder for a [pounds sterling]67m schools deal for East Renfrewshire Council in preference to...

Collaborative working will boost value of PFI.(private finance initiative)
March 10, 2004... PFI will provide better value if collaborative working throughout the supply chain is adopted, says Be report. Pan-industry think-tank Be has submitted a paper to the Treasury in an attempt to improve the Private Finance Initiative (PFI)...

Marshalls sees a record profit.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Marshalls, the specialist landscape and clay products group, achieved a record profit of [pounds sterling]50m last year. The group's financial results (12 months to 31 December 2003) show turnover slightly ahead at [pounds sterling]350m, with...

Steel price hikes 'makes concrete a better first cost option'.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... The Concrete Centre is using the price hikes the steel industry is currently experiencing to promote the cost advantages of concrete frame buildings over steel frames. Steel section prices for construction increased by [pounds sterling]23/t in...

Bids wanted for [pounds sterling]1bn army upgrade work.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Contractors are being invited to register interest in a [pounds sterling]1bn programme of work to upgrade Army garrisons at Aldershot and around Salisbury Plain. Aspire Defence (Mowlem/Kellogg Brown & Root) is the Ministry of Defence's...

Gleeson is 19th best company to work for.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Gleeson was the highest placed construction firm in The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies To Work For list. The contractor came in 19th, eight places ahead of the industry's next best, Interior. Gleeson staff appear to be a happy bunch, according...