Contract Journal articles from March 2008

Contract Journal archives from March 2008

13 People.(Interview)
March 5, 2008... Martine Blake, senior site manager, Morrison Construction. 60 seconds on site What site are you working on at the moment? I'm working on general earthworks for the Olympic Park enabling works contract. Over the past 13 months,...

Set-off from adjudicators' decisions.(10 Legal)
March 5, 2008... Geoff Brewer of Brewer Consulting provides details of a [pounds sterling]1.5m adjudication dispute. The judge determined that the JV had wrongly withheld approximately [pounds sterling]1.2m and that the JV should pay interest on that amount...

Caterpillar upgrades its small wheel loader range.(06 Plant)
March 5, 2008... Cat's 928Hz replaces the 928Gz. Caterpillar has upgraded its small wheel loader range, with the 924H, 924Hz, 928Hz and 930H replacing the 924G, 924Gz, 928Gz and 930G. The H-series machines span 11.5t to 13.2t and get more power, easier...

Poor crash rating for Navara.(06 Plant)
March 5, 2008... Nissan's Navara pick-ups has been awarded the lowest 1 star NCAP rating for crash testing. The main problem was slow deployment of the airbag, which Nissan said took 20 milliseconds longer than allowed by the test house. To overcome...

Tower crane owners given warning over performance.(06 Plant)
March 5, 2008... HSE says owners must be more pro-active in maintenance and reporting faults. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk Tower crane owners rely too much on reactive maintenance, don't classify faults consistently, and do not report defects high enough in...

Young Black's new Rebar Tie tool creates virtually zero wastage.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Young Black claims its new MAX RB655 Rebar Tie tool can tie rebar of up to 65mm-diameter effectively, reliably and quickly. The new tool uses 1.5mm-diameter wire (as used for hand tying), meaning the tool can use a single strand, making it...

14 Back Page.(Australia's Hastie Group. announcement of its merger with Rotary Group's )
March 5, 2008... Call me Geoffroy-Romain Renaud has been in touch. You may remember the name from the other week. He's the finance director at streetlighting group David Webster who doesn't take calls. Well, his switchboard says that he doesn't take calls....

Contractors must do more to attract youngsters.(01 News)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Contractors are still not doing enough to help young people into the industry, according to the man tasked with selling a new construction qualification to companies. Seddon Group training manager Roy Cavanagh is touring the country in a...

01 News.(Kier Build-Safety and security measures)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... SHOUT FROM THE TOP A crane top protest has forced Kier to step up security on the site of its [pounds sterling]36.7m refurbishment of the new United Kingdom Supreme Court in Parliament Square. Two demonstrators scaled Kier's tower crane on...

Brickwork firm to levy [pounds sterling]10-per-day CSCS card penalty.(01 News)(Construction Skills Certification Scheme)
March 5, 2008... Landmark Brickwork to penalise workers who lack skills certification UCATT official says it is "money-making exercise". neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk A BRICKWORK contractor is docking [pounds sterling]10 a day from its workers if they don't...

04 Contracts.(Bovis Lend Lease,Bowmer & Kirkland and HBG deal to build a new research centre)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... In brief Bovis Lend Lease, Bowmer & Kirkland and HBG are pricing a [pounds sterling]35m deal to build a new research centre for the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh. Site work starts this year and the project is expected to take up to three...

01 News.(York House Construction )(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... DOME COMFORTS York House Construction has lowered an 8m fibreglass dome into place on top of the [pounds sterling]1.9m Al Mahdi mosque in Bradford. The project is on a 20-month build schedule and is due to be completed in July. The dome was in...

14 Back Page.(construction, repairs and maintenance are closely linked )(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... How long have we been banging on about the value of whole life costs? How many of us are embracing this aspect of our industry? I would argue, not many! Latham and Egan seem to be a life-time away, yet what progress have we really...

Barratt 3% deduction ruling triggers surge of reaction.(01 News)
March 5, 2008... "Subcontractors tend to cave in unnecessarily," claims dispute resolution specialist. john.leitch@rbi.co.uk TRADE contractors have been flocking to a dispute specialist after his landmark victory over Barratt for deducting 3% from...

Wates tipped for N London sports project.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Sources say a frontrunner is emerging for a high-profile [pounds sterling]19m deal to revamp a north London sports complex. At this stage of the race, insiders say it looks like Wates will overcome three rivals for the Kentish Town Sports...

West Sussex win for Crest Nicholson.(04 Contracts)
March 5, 2008... National regeneration agency English Partnerships (EP) now has a preferred developer on board to deliver the [pounds sterling]25m-plus revamp of a former workhouse site in West Sussex. Crest Nicholson has been lined up to tackle the...

May Gurney bags [pounds sterling]100m rail deal.(04 Contracts)(May Gurney -construction services company )(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... May Gurney has coupled up to a rail deal potentially worth [pounds sterling]100m. The National Rail framework job covers replacement, refurbishment and maintenance in the London and North East regions. The contract mainly features work...

Six chasing [pounds sterling]250m Thames pollution prevention schemeCrossness plant upgrade is worth [pounds sterling]180m Mogden works upgrade comes in at [pounds sterling]70m.(04 Contracts)
March 5, 2008... brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Six firms are vying to prequalify for the next phase of a [pounds sterling]2bn deal to prevent floodwaters polluting the River Thames in London. The second tranche of work, valued at around [pounds sterling]250m...

Councils offered chance to fast-track BSF schemes.(01 New)(Building Schools for the Future)
March 5, 2008... Schemes in BSF Waves 7 to 9 may be pushed through in bid to speed up delivery. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk More than 30 Building Schools for the Future (BSF) schemes, worth up to [pounds sterling]6bn, are being offered the chance to jump...

01 News.(Construction Skills Certification Scheme cards)
March 5, 2008... The CSCS cash question Money talks, and if there is one way of being able to influence people pretty quickly, it is the threat of receiving less pay for the same amount of work. That's the approach that one Staines-based brickwork...

Conexpo's coming to town.(08 CJ2)
March 5, 2008... Running from 11 to 15 March in Las Vegas, Conexpo will be North America's biggest exhibition bar none, with record numbers of visitors expected this year. Colin Sowman reports on some of the new products that will be on show. The Vision...

Crane falls onto house in Kent.(01 News)
March 5, 2008... A last-minute change in a lifting plan led to a telescopic crane toppling over onto a luxury [pounds sterling]1m house at Broadstairs in Kent. The 50t Demag crane was attempting to lift a container over the newly constructed house with 32m...

02 Business.(Gibbs & Dandy's-Market share report)(Market share report)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Gibbs & Dandy's bid speculation boost Gibbs & Dandy's leap up the awareness ladder, the result of a 33% share price rise, was a result of bid speculation. Wolseley and Travis Perkins might be the names in the frame, the word being that...

Unite job cuts signal start of a shake-up of unions.(01 News)
March 5, 2008... "Well-known faces" expected to volunteer for redundancy as cost-cutting continues. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk A SHAKE-UP of the construction trade unions is set to start this month when a round of redundancies begins at Unite. Leaders...

OFT offers cash to contractors to shop cartels.(01 News)
March 5, 2008... CONTRACTORS are being offered up to [pounds sterling]100,000 to blow the whistle on construction cartels. Officials at the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) are offering the incentives as part of their ongoing campaign to crackdown on...

Management reshuffle at .(01 News)(Durkan Pudelek-property investment company)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Specialist contractor Durkan Pudelek has revamped its management team in the wake of its separation from the Durkan Group last year. The heritage and special projects contractor is now headed by Roger Poulton, who is the new chief...

Sparks spot- checks for Tube contractors.(01 News)
March 5, 2008... Contractors working on the London Underground will face spot-checks to see whether they are qualified to carry out electrical work. The move follows a meeting last week between bosses of failed Tube PPP operator Metronet and officials from...

Product firms target sourcing agreement.(01 News)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Product manufacturers are drawing-up a programme to prove they get raw materials from responsible sources. Leaders of the Construction Products Association are keen for a standard framework to prevent a plethora of schemes springing up. ...

Guildhouse faces hospital bid costs row.(01 News)
March 5, 2008... Property developer Guildhouse will demand its bid costs back if the [pounds sterling]15m privately financed Arun Community Hospital scheme is retendered. The scheme was halted in 2006 just days before West Sussex Primary Care Trust was due...

02 Business.(Jarvis's share price )(Market share report)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Jarvis's share price doubles in weeks Many thought Jarvis's share price would never go up, but it's doubled in the space of just four weeks. But to put things in a wider context, Jarvis's shares were trading at 85p back in November but...

Barratt lifts interim pre-tax profit to [pounds sterling]195m thanks to savings.(02 Business)(Barratt Homes.co)(Report)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Barratt's shareholders received welcome news when the housebuilder announced a lift in its interim pre-tax profit to [pounds sterling]195m. However, with Barratt being in a period of rapid transformation, having recently acquired Wilson...

MJ Gleeson sees interim turnover shrink to [pounds sterling]50m.(02 Business)(Report)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... After disposal of string of operations, group still in the red with [pounds sterling]300,000 pre-tax loss. john.leitch@rbi.co.uk MJ Gleeson, once a major player in the construction industry as it followed the 'hybrid' model of running...

Construction delivers bulk of Kier's profits.(02 Business)(Financial report)
March 5, 2008... Housebuilding sales run to 830 units, construction division sees workload ahead at [pounds sterling]820m with operating margin strengthening toward 2% target. john.leitch@rbi.co.uk Kier has announced a record interim pre-tax profit of...

Rotary bought by Hastie for [pounds sterling]95m.(02 Business)(Rotary Group provider of building services bought Hastie provider of air conditioning and ventilation )(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Rotary Group, the Northern Ireland M&E specialist, has been bought for [pounds sterling]95m by Hastie, an Australian rival with global aspirations. Established in 1954 by Gerald Jennings, Rotary is a provider of building services in the...

Styles & Wood notches up another record.(02 Business)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Styles & Wood, the fit-out specialist, has enjoyed a strong rise in pre-tax profit to [pounds sterling]12m ([pounds sterling]7.5m). Gerard Quilligotti, chairman, said: "This is the 14th year of sustained growth. We have commenced operations...

Keller through the [pounds sterling]100m barrier.(01 News)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Keller is now among the UK's most profitable construction companies after pushing its pre-tax profit through the [pounds sterling]100m barrier for the first time. Turnover in the 12 months to 31 December 2007 was up 11% to [pounds...

LEAVERS & JOINERS.(13 People)(briefs)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Finning Group Jim Gray has been appointed to the newly created role of head of safety, health, environment and quality at Finning Group. Supported by a 15-strong team, he will spearhead improvement programmes across the group. Gifford...

02 Business.(Lavendon Group)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... Lavendon earns a 'buy' rating A buoyant market helped to lift shares in hire group Lavendon by 25%. Emma Ormond, analyst with stockbroker Oriel Securities, ranks the shares as a "buy" and says Lavendon is able to "consolidate its...

06 Plant.
March 5, 2008... In brief Ground protection rental specialist GT Trax has added Trenchlink to its range from UK distributor GenSet. The steel anti-slip Trenchlink plates fit together to secure an open trench and allow vehicles to cross the cutting. ...

01 News.
March 5, 2008... FLIGHT SAFETY Painting specialist S Lucas has enjoyed a third consecutive year without a reportable accident at Heathrow's T5. Lucas has been on site continually since being awarded the internal decorating package in 2005.

ProCure21 firms line up for [pounds sterling]1bnScottish framework.(01 News)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... The [pounds sterling]1bn Scottish equivalent of ProCure21, due to be launched this spring, will see all except one of ProCure21's eight contractors vying for a place on its four-year framework. Only Medicinq (Midas Construction, Geoffrey...

Renew's freedom fighter.(16 Profile)(Brian May)(Interview)
March 5, 2008... Brian May, chief executive of the CJ50 company Renew, tells John Leitch that his management approach is based on giving people the freedom to operate in their own style. I take more interest in the projects we procure than most of my chief...

Northern Ireland profits from peace.(08 CJ2)
March 5, 2008... After years of underinvestment it's boom time for Northern Ireland. A [pounds sterling]20bn infrastructure programme is underway and with the political troubles all but over, private investment is pouring in. Grant Prior explains. Profile...

Firms fear liability for Network Rail fine.(01 News)
March 5, 2008... CONTRACTORS caught up in Network Rail's January engineering over-run fiasco fear a [pounds sterling]14m fine slapped on the rail operator might be passed on to them. The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) imposed the record fine last week for...

Strike threat to 2012 after deal snubbed.(01 News)(Major Projects Agreement)(Brief article)
March 5, 2008... SHUNNING the Major Projects Agreement (MPA) at the London 2012 Olympics could lead to strikes during construction, according to a leading industrial relations consultant. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has confirmed the pay and...

Training spotlight: Tower crane safety.(13 People)
March 5, 2008... Andy Newell, Plant manager for the National Construction College, looks at safety initiatives in the tower crane sector. These courses are designed to help workers examine and maintain tower cranes in the safest possible way. Although...

CITS Forum delegates first to hear police news.(06 Plant)(Institute for Cryptology and IT-Security )(Brief article)
March 12, 2008... Delegates to this month's CITS Forum will be the first to hear what is promised to be a "big announcement" from the police regarding plant theft. The forum takes place on 27 March at JCB's HQ in Rocester and will hear from Home Office...

Buoyant Lavendon buys The Platform Company for [pounds sterling]46m.(06 Plant)(Platform Company )(Brief article)
March 12, 2008... Acquisition will push firm's UK fleet above 15,000 mark pre-tax profit leaps to [pounds sterling]21.4m. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk Powered access equipment provider Lavendon Group is to buy The Platform Company for [pounds sterling]46m and...

Excavator operator charged with manslaughter.(01 News)
March 12, 2008... An excavator operator has been charged with manslaughter after a bucket fell from a quick hitch, killing a site worker. Michael Ernest Roys from Doncaster has been charged with unlawfully killing Alwyne Parkinson who was struck by a bucket...

14 Back Page.(parking wardens set )
March 12, 2008... Ticket plant I've never really thought about it before, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone manage to get a parking ticket for an excavator. So congratulations to whoever it was who parked this Volvo rubber duck right outside CJ...

08 CJ2.
March 12, 2008... Case study vibration monitoring on the road A system which will provide 'live' data on tool operators' daily exposure rates to Hand-Arm Vibration (HAV) is set to rolled-out across the UK by Tarmac's National Contracting division. The...

Getting to grips with hand-arm vibration.(08 CJ2)
March 12, 2008... With more than [pounds sterling]100m paid out in HAVS-related claims since a test case in 1997, contractors face substantial costs if employee vibration exposure is not properly managed. But with access to thorough tool testing and analysis...

Specialist contractors feel the pinch of late payment.(01 News)
March 12, 2008... Continuing hikes in suppliers' prices are also putting a severe strain on firms' finances. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk SPECIALIST contractors are being squeezed from all sides following a huge rise in the time it takes to be paid and...

Six workers hurt in Belfast site collapse.(01 News)
March 12, 2008... Six workers were injured on a site in Belfast when part of a building collapsed on them on Monday. Eyewitnesses said a floor gave way as concrete was being poured onto the six-storey Law Society House office block, being built by...

Web facing liquidation.(01 News)(Report)(Brief article)
March 12, 2008... Devon-based regional contractor Web is expected to be formally placed in liquidation by the end of the month following a creditors' meeting last week. The company - which undertook construction, civil engineering and design-and-build...

01 News.
March 12, 2008... FITNESS LEVEL Scaffold is erected as construction of the upper floors at ISG's [pounds sterling]15m project to build a new Village Hotel with Health & Fitness Club in south Leeds continues. The job is due for completion this summer.

14 Back Page.
March 12, 2008... Must be some mistake, surely. No, not a Private Eye joke, but my reaction to the really grim standards of health and safety revealed on many refurbishment projects during our recent targeted inspection campaign. The figures speak for...

Shepherd tipped to win Bradford College revamp.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
March 12, 2008... Insiders are putting their money on Shepherd to beat off competition from two rivals for a [pounds sterling]68m education-sector deal in Yorkshire. The word is that bids from Allenbuild and HBG have been expelled in the race to redevelop...

Morrison celebrates [pounds sterling]970m gas double.(04 Contracts)(Morrison and Amec have been gas projects deal )(Brief article)
March 12, 2008... Morrison Utility Services has tapped into gas deals potentially worth [pounds sterling]970m. The firm, which has been sold to two private equity firms for [pounds sterling]135m, will carry out gas mains replacement and new connections work...

Five in the fast lane for HA's Area 7 highways scheme.(04 Contracts)
March 12, 2008... Midlands and East Anglia maintenance deal will be worth up to [pounds sterling]310m to the winner. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Five rivals have picked up the tender paperwork for a highways maintenance deal in the Midlands and East Anglia...

Norwest and Galliford close in on SE schools projects.(04 Contracts)
March 12, 2008... Significant developments have taken place on two schools deals in the South East totalling [pounds sterling]70m-plus. In the first tranche of work, Norwest Holst has beaten off four rivals to register a [pounds sterling]40.7m hit at the...

Willmott gets nod for Gateshead leisure scheme.(04 Contracts)(Willmott Dixon Holdings Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 12, 2008... Gateshead Council has called up Willmott Dixon as its design and build partner for the area's biggest-ever investment in leisure facilities. Under its five-year Scape framework deal with the council, Willmott will work on the [pounds...

The death of no-blame culture?(08 CJ2)(construction industry-Safety and security measures)
March 12, 2008... From April the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 will come into force, attributing criminal liability for gross negligence, manslaughter and culpable homicide to an organisation rather than having to prove the guilt of a...

Bid costs force Enniskillen Hospital rethink.(01 News)
March 12, 2008... Bid costs totalling an estimated [pounds sterling]18m on the [pounds sterling]250m Enniskillen Hospital scheme have forced health officials to streamline the procurement process for its sister scheme in Northern Ireland - the [pounds...

Domestic firms dominate bids for N Ireland schools work.(01 News)
March 12, 2008... Domestic contractors dominated Northern Ireland's controversial [pounds sterling]500m Schools Modernisation framework this week, with Laing O'Rourke the only outside firm on the eight-strong list. The other seven framework members are all...

Laing ordered to fix heating in Glasgow schools.(01 News)
March 12, 2008... John Laing will have to carry out a [pounds sterling]9m refit on its Glasgow Schools Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract after the Scottish Health & Safety Executive (HSE) upheld union complaints about excessive heat and poor ventilation...

01 News.(Brief article)
March 12, 2008... A temptation too far? As Contract Journal went to press on Monday this week, media speculation was rife about Alistair Darling's first Budget as Chancellor. Firmly under Gordon Brown's thumb, it seems unlikely that the Budget will deviate...

The pursuit of excellence.(08 CJ2)(Construction industry-health and safety management)(Report)
March 12, 2008... Now in its 10th year, Construction Excellence's demonstration projects have raised the bar in terms of health and safety, outperforming industry KPIs by more than 250%. But best practice must continue to be shared if fatalities are to fall...

Unnaceptable statistics.(09 Focus)
March 12, 2008... As the construction industry has grown, so has the sector's mortality rate. And with many projects still relying on a casual, poorly trained and unregulated workforce this trend is unlikely to change, says Paul Howard. The Gangmaster...

CITB-ConstructionSkills gets go-ahead on levy.(01 News)(Construction Industry Training Board)(Report)(Brief article)
March 12, 2008... CITB-ConstructionSkills has been given the go-ahead by Parliament to collect levy payments from the industry for another year. The House of Lords rubber-stamped a decision last week by MPs to grant CITB-ConstructionSkills levy-raising...

Construction diplomas to be 'supersized'.(01 News)(Brief article)
March 12, 2008... TRAINING chiefs have welcomed plans to expand construction diplomas to make them the equivalent of four-and-a-half A-levels. A Construction and the Built Environment Diploma will be launched in September to encourage youngsters into...

Carillion pay-off dispute angers A McAlpine staff.(01 News)
March 12, 2008... Alfred McAlpine workers unhappy that new owner Carillion is contesting how much staff expect to walk away with. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk ANGRY Alfred McAlpine managers are locked in a pay-off row with new owner Carillion more than a month...

O'Rourke sets out to boost concrete frame business.(01 News)
March 12, 2008... Contractor looks to regain top spot in the sector after losing out to its rivals. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk LAING O'Rourke bosses will host a series of road-shows next month to outline detailed plans for a major revamp of its concrete...

01 News.
March 12, 2008... PAY ATTENTION Plans for new forms of Public Private Partnerships to deliver complex public sector projects more efficiently could be flagged up alongside Chancellor Alistair Darling's first Budget today (Wednesday). A Government source said:...

Refurb firms refute claims of 'appalling' site safety.(01 News)
March 12, 2008... HSE report criticised for not differentiating between large and small contractors. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk REFURBISHMENT contractors have hit back at claims that safety standards in the sector are "appalling". Results of a blitz...

01 News.
March 12, 2008... Anarchy: A Canadian construction company has been left with a hefty repair bill after someone threw a molotov cocktail at its concrete pump truck, worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Reasons for the attack are unclear. Buddhism: A...

Treasury reverses O'Rourke tax penalty.(01 News)
March 12, 2008... LAING O'Rourke has won a victory over the tax man after deductions for travelling and living expenses for its directly employed workers were dropped. The Treasury has reversed a 14-month old decision to levy at source income tax and...

US sub-prime fiasco plunges TW into red.(02 Business)
March 12, 2008... Taylor Wimpey has moved into the red with a pre-tax loss of [pounds sterling]20m after making a [pounds sterling]410m profit in the previous year. Figures for the year ended 31 December 2007 include a massive exceptional item running to...

Balfour Beatty unveils hard-to-beat [pounds sterling]157m profit.(02 Business)(Brief article)
March 12, 2008... Balfour Beatty has pushed its turnover past the [pounds sterling]7bn mark for the first time. In the year ended 31 December 2007, turnover was up more than 35% at almost [pounds sterling]7.5bn ([pounds sterling]5.5bn). Balfour's...

Morrison Utility Services sold.(02 Business)
March 12, 2008... Morrison Utility Services has been sold for [pounds sterling]135m to a combination of two private equity firms, Cognetas and Englefield Capital. Morrison has 3,500 employees throughout the UK in the electricity, gas, telecommunications and...

02 Business.(Alfred McAlpine PLC-merger process)
March 12, 2008... You have had three weeks to dive into McAlpine's figures. What have you put the focus on? Their margins. The concern was that McAlpine's business services operation had figures pointing to a margin of over 5% whereas Carillion was...

Rok profit hits record [pounds sterling]28m.(02 Business)(Brief article)
March 12, 2008... Rok has turned up the volume once again, with turnover jumping to [pounds sterling]950m ([pounds sterling]690m). Rok's figures covering the 12 months to 3 December 2007, also show a record pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]28m ([pounds...

Mowlem acquisition helps lift Carillion to [pounds sterling]4bn player.(02 Business)(Mowlem acquisition Carillion Construction)
March 12, 2008... Pre-tax profit hits [pounds sterling]94m with analysts predicting growth to [pounds sterling]180m in two years. john.leitch@rbi.co.uk Carillion is now a big league player with [pounds sterling]4bn annual turnover. Its latest figures...

13 People.
March 12, 2008... Why did you get into construction? When I was at school I didn't really know what I wanted to do apart from working outdoors. My father had been in the Royal Navy and I considered joining the Merchant Navy but my careers officer suggested...