Contract Journal articles from November 2004

Contract Journal archives from November 2004

AWG tipped for [pounds sterling]48m W Lothian schools PPP.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... AWG's Alpha consortium is understood to have chalked up preferred bidder status on a readvertised [pounds sterling]48m PPP schools deal in Scotland. The winner will be officially disclosed later this week, but CJ understands that AWG has...

Architect under fire over latest Bath Spa debacle.(Bath & North East Somerset Council)
November 3, 2004... n Banes Council still awaiting explanation from architect Nicholas Grimshaw over delays to [pounds sterling]36m project. Bath & North East Somerset (BANES) Council is considering legal action against architect Nicholas Grimshaw after it...

Successful PFI projects help Axima achieve [pounds sterling]71m turnover.(Private Finance Initiative)(Axima Building Services)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Axima Building Services, the M&E contractor, hit a record turnover of [pounds sterling]71m last year. David Taylor, managing director, was pleased with a trebling in the group's operating margin, partly as a result of winning mechanical work in...

back bites.(meshed brief)
November 3, 2004... Biting the bullet If it had not been for the fact that we are in November, back bites might be forgiven for thinking someone is playing an April Fools Day joke. A recent item in the press promises commuters in the South East a rail service...

Birmingham stonewalls minister over roads PFI.(Private Finance Initiative )
November 3, 2004... n Council's silence on future of [pounds sterling]2.2bn highways maintenance PFI risks government wrath. Birmingham City Council (BCC) is risking government intervention on its [pounds sterling]2.2bn highways maintenance PFI after its...

Brick price rises expected as energy costs escalate.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... 'Enormous' hikes in gas price creates tough market conditions for brick manufacturers. Brick makers have warned that they might have to significantly raise their prices to counteract the escalating price of gas. Experts say that gas prices...

Bucking the trend.(women construction workers)
November 3, 2004... The construction industry will need hundreds of thousands of new workers in the next few years, but it is unlikely many of them will be women. Semi McCabe discovers how one all-woman company is changing some out-moded notions about the...

Builders from Ilford have ; all the luck.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Builders living in Ilford are more likely to win the National Lottery than anyone else, according to a poll carried out by organiser Camelot to mark the competition's 10th anniversary. The poll reveals that building is the luckiest profession,...

Caterpillar enjoys a 38% three quarters sales rise.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Record demand from mining operators helps boost results for equipment company. Caterpillar's results for the nine months ending 30 September are the best in its history, with reported sales of [pounds sterling]11.8bn and profit standing at...

Crawler pontoon gets to work.(ST-Tekniikka)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... ST-Tekniikka of Finland has developed a self-propelled crawler-excavator pontoon system for inland dredging operations. The initial unit, 'Big Float', designed in conjunction with Finnish Hyundai dealer Suomen Telakone, is based on a 21t...

Management takeover saves 75 Independent Access jobs.(Independent Access Supplies)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... n New management aims to 'maximise every machine in the fleet'. A management buy-in (MBI) has been credited with saving 75 jobs at access equipment hirer Independent Access Supplies, which was in administration with debts of [pounds...

'J' type rubber track success ; for Leach Lewis.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Leach Lewis Plant has sold 3,000 of its 'J' type rubber tracks in the 18 months since it started importing the range. According to the company, the track's success is due to its innovative design that doesn't incorporate an overlapping steel...

ESS and Lord launch scanner.(ESS Safety Services, Lord Technical Utilities )(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... ESS Safety Services and Lord Technical Utilities have launched the Mala Easy Locator in response to legislation that requires construction and excavation projects to conduct a mandatory utility scan before digging. The Easy Locator is said...

Nationwide buys Italian CTE platform.(Nationwide Access)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Nationwide Access has expanded its fleet with the purchase of its first Italian-manufactured CTE Z20 platform. The machine was bought from distributor CTE UK specifically for a long-term maintenance contract rental to Bradford City Council....

Five await A482 funding decision.(Highways Agency)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... The five firms shortlisted to bid for a [pounds sterling]35.7m road scheme straddling the England/Wales border are biting their nails while the government decides if it can stump up enough cash for the project to go ahead. This development is...

Bovis's [pounds sterling]29m Crossrail job.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Bovis Lend Lease has coupled up to a [pounds sterling]29m deal on the [pounds sterling]10bn proposed Crossrail project in London. The contract consists of the foundations for the first phase of the west terminal at Paddington. Work on site on...

Bouygues swoops for [pounds sterling]80m Middlesex hospital PFI deal.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... French contractor emerges as preferred bidder for Edmonton scheme - its third NHS PFI win in Middlesex. Middlesex PFI hospitals continue to be a happy hunting-ground for French contracting giant Bouygues. Its latest scoop is the delayed...

Editor's comment.(public expenditures)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... The Treasury fiddles while PFI burns While the European Commission busies itself with increasing bureaucracy at the preferred bidder stage of PFI procurement, our own government is tinkering with the pre-preferred bidder stage. All local...

SBSA targets safety levels.(Scottish Building Standards Agency)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... The Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), a new body charged with introducing new building regulations to ensure all buildings meet safety and environmental standards, was formed last Monday. The move coincides with simpler standards for...

Ennstone rebels fail in bid protest.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Those expecting fireworks at Ennstone's extraordinary meeting last Friday were disappointed as the rebels' protest over the proposed [pounds sterling]48m acquisition of the Johnston Group failed to make an impact. Three major shareholders who...

Evaluating the 'effective' ; cause of losses.(Eagle Star Insurance -v- Midland Mainline)
November 3, 2004... It is a common occurrence on construction and engineering projects that two or more concurrent causes of delay or financial loss often have to be considered in arriving at an assessment of a contractor's entitlement. Where one or more of those...

How to.(manage elderly workers)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... manage older workers The UK's rapidly ageing population and the demise of company pension schemes mean that workers are staying in employment longer as they are squeezed into postponing retirement. Along with the advancement opportunities...

Hurricane Higgins.(Higgins Construction)
November 3, 2004... No other contractor in the South East turns over more social housing work than Higgins Construction, but the firm has ambitions to become bigger still. Will Mann finds out how. Speed is a common theme at Higgins Construction at the moment....

Jarvis will settle on [pounds sterling]25m for its continental roads division.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Jarvis is reported to have agreed the sale of its continental roads division for [pounds sterling]25m. The buyer is thought to be a European group rather than a UK-based player. "Essentially it is a manufacturing business rather than a...

Quantum construction.(London Centre for Nanotechnology)
November 3, 2004... If you are building a shell for an advanced technological scientific institute that requires an environment with no vibrations, you would be unlikely to opt for a narrow site in a Georgian terrace in London W1 surrounded by underground Tube...

CTRL workers to walk.(Channel Tunnel Rail Link)(labor strikes)
November 3, 2004... n Laing O'Rourke workers on Contract 105 call for TGWU and GMB representation or tools will be downed. All 400 workers on Laing O'Rourke's [pounds sterling]311m Contract 105 for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) will walk off site today...

Administrative receivership for FC Shepherd.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... FC Shepherd directors have made an 11th hour move to enter administrative receivership. Creditor Brent Fabrications put in a winding-up petition for work owed from Lewisham Hospital last month (CJ 6 October). It is understood between [pounds...

[pounds sterling]500 fine for illegal waste tipping.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Exeter Crown Court last week fined quarry owner John Dunne [pounds sterling]500 after he pleaded guilty to illegal waste tipping. Environment Agency (EA) officers uncovered illegal tipping at Old Quarry, in Bridford, Devon, on 28 February this...

Subbies in dispute ; at Coventry Arena.(labor strikes)
November 3, 2004... n Steel workers on new Coventry City FC stadium walk off site for two days following 'subbie bashing' row. Work stopped on Laing O'Rourke's [pounds sterling]60m Coventry Arena contract last week amid accusations of "subbie bashing" among...

Treasury wants second audit of local authority PFIs.(Private Finance Initiatives)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... A Treasury-led review of local authority PFI projects at pre-preferred bidder stage is on the cards, it emerged at the Local Authority PFI Policy Forum last week The Project Review Group (PRG), which oversees the approval process for local...

Raynsford promises PFI system overhaul.(Private Finance Initiative )(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... New measures to streamline local authority PFI schemes were announced by local and regional government minister Nick Raynsford at the Local Government PFI Policy Forum last week. The package of proposed measures follow the recent spending...

Plastic pipes companies hit by increasing oil prices.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Plastic pipes companies are shouldering the burden of escalating oil prices, according to British Plastics Federation Pipes Group president Calum Forsyth. He told CJ that pipes manufacturers found it difficult to pass on high raw materials...

Remote-controlled excavator designed for dangerous site.(Coleman & Company, Marubeni-Komatsu and Koppen & Lethem)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Demolition specialist Coleman & Company, Marubeni-Komatsu and hydraulic solutions provider Koppen & Lethem have joined forces to create a remote-controlled Komatsu PC45R-8 mini-excavator. Coleman & Company required the unit to allow it to...

SPVs under Treasury scrutiny.(special purpose vehicles )(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Treasury plans to look at the long-term financial stability of PFI special purpose vehicles (SPVs) were set out by Richard Abadie, the new head of the Treasury's PFI policy, at the Local Authority PFI Policy Forum last week, writes Carol...

Strategic Forum to give targets update.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... The Strategic Forum will release a progress update early next year on whether it is reaching its targets for industry improvement. Chairman of the forum Peter Rogers said: "Initial indications show that we are well on our way to meeting the...

Wavin Group plans bid for Hepworth Building Products.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Wavin Group, the European supplier of plastic pipe systems, has revealed its intention to buy Hepworth Building Products (HBP) from current owner Vaillant. Sheffield-based HBP makes plastic, clay and concrete pipes and has factories and...

Willmott Dixon launches helpline for stressed staff.
November 3, 2004... n Employees will be able to discuss in confidence issues such as finances, employment law and childcare. Willmott Dixon has set up its own version of the Samaritans by offering the group's 1,600 staff a 24-hour helpline to provide...

Bechtel plans to keep TubeLines stake.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Bechtel, the US engineering group, has quashed rumours that it is preparing to put its [pounds sterling]60m equity investment in TubeLines, the PPP consortium set up to deliver the modernisation of the London Underground, on the market. The...

Hercules chiefs go after Erinaceous takeover.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Five directors of Hercules Property Services have resigned, following the group's takeover by Erinaceous, a fellow player in the services sector. Two of the five departures are Larry Lipman, the executive chairman who founded the Hercules group...

Skanska chief succeeds ; in push for higher margins.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... n Integration with designers, consultants and clients is helping to eliminate waste. Skanska's latest financial results, covering the first nine months of 2004, show an upturn in operating profit, 65% higher at [pounds sterling]18m...

Westbury increases use of pre-fabricated units.(Westbury Properties Ltd.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Housebuilder Westbury has stepped up its utilisation of off-site manufacturing and now uses pre-fabricated elements on 40% of its units, well ahead of the 30% figure last year. Space4, the group's offsite division in Castle Bromwich, provides...

EU research report maps out priorities.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Future priorities in construction research spending have been indicated by the industry, national governments and the European Union (EU) in a draft report from the European Construction Technology Platform (ECTP) umbrella group. Uniting...

BIW Technologies clarifies funding.(Letter to the Editor)
November 3, 2004... Sir, With respect to the article '4Projects plugs in to make a [pounds sterling]590k profit' (CJ, 20 October), can I please briefly correct two of the assertions relating to BIW Technologies. First, it is not accurate to put BIW alongside...

Late payment must be better than no payment.(Letter to the Editor)
November 3, 2004... Sir, Having just read the letter 'Everyone is the loser when payment is late' from Hamish MacGregor, president of the Contract Flooring Association, regarding late payment (CJ 27 October) I feel I must reply. There are always two sides to every...

BLF needs volunteers to Make A Difference.(British Lung Foundation)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Sir, Make A Difference day took place last Saturday (30 October), whereby members of the public were asked to volunteer in their local community for just one day. The British Lung Foundation (BLF), the only charity supporting the eight million...

Prison gets in-house training facility.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... A purpose-built construction industry training facility has been opened at HMP Lindholme - the first of its kind within the prison service. Jointly funded by Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency for Yorkshire and Humber, and the...

Morton Gravels fined [pounds sterling]10k for unsafe quarries.(Morton C Cullimore Gravels )(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Gloucestershire quarry firm Morton C Cullimore Gravels has been fined [pounds sterling]10,000 for breaches of health and safety. The Stroud-based firm was prosecuted by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) following a routine inspection of the...

Hackney nailed on holiday pay.(London Borough of Hackney )(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Building workers employed by the London Borough of Hackney have won an estimated total of [pounds sterling]500,000 in backdated holiday pay after UCATT challenged the way the council calculated their holiday entitlement over a six-year period....

BSG recruits more safety advisors.(Building Safety Group )(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... An increasing number of small and medium-sized contractors are seeking health and safety advice, according to the Building Safety Group (BSG). "Health and safety legislation is becoming increasingly complex and many businesses find it...

Profit takes a tumble at Botes.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Botes Building's pre-tax profit nearly halved in the year to 31 December 2003 to [pounds sterling]380,000 on turnover down from [pounds sterling]66m to [pounds sterling]63m. The performance represents a margin of 0.6%, down from 1.1% in the...

Bug-eliminating paint developed.(Morris and Spottiswood)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Morris and Spottiswood plans to eliminate bacteria from pub toilets by using a new specialist paint. The company has developed the paint to kill superbugs and E.coli. Yates Wine Bars will be the first chain to receive the paint, and Morris...

Bamford splits top job at JCB.(Sir Anthony Bamford)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Sir Anthony Bamford will relinquish his position as managing director of JCB from 1 December, in favour of chief executive John Patterson. Sir Anthony, who succeeded his father in 1975, will continue as JCB chairman and will remain actively...

Security device success for JCB.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... JCB has sold more than 2,000 machines incorporating its Plantguard immobiliser. The device was launched in 2003 to cut down on the annual theft of millions of pounds worth of equipment. According to JCB, the milestone coincides with the launch...

Manitowoc boosted by; global crane demand.(Manitowoc Crane Group)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Strong sales of both tower and mobile cranes boosts third-quarter profit by 34%. Manitowoc Crane Group said worldwide demand for cranes, especially in Europe, has continued to grow, despite rises in steel and commodity prices. The company,...

Remanufactured engines from Cat.(Caterpillar (U.K.) Ltd.)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Caterpillar has opened its first engine remanufacturing facility outside of the Americas at Shrewsbury. Housed in the Old Sentinel Works that Cat inherited when it purchased Perkins Engines, the centre will remanufacture engines for Europe,...

Cautrac adds carriers to range.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... UK Yamaguchi distributor Cautrac has introduced two additional high-lift tracked carriers - the WB05H and the WB07H - to its range. Based on the Japanese WB05 and WB07, which have load capacities of 500kg and 700kg respectively, the high-reach...

Daewoo Heavy Industries reveals preferred bidder.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Korea-based Doosan offers [pounds sterling]878m and plans to keep Daewoo an 'independent entity'. Daewoo Heavy Industries has ended months of speculation about its future by announcing its preferred bidder as fellow South Korean industrial...

Cuddy has a grapple with Geith.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Geith has supplied Cuddy Demolition with the largest grapple it has ever sold to a UK company. The HDG170 was ordered to fulfil a job demolishing old coke ovens at Port Talbot steelworks, which involves processing 40,000t of building materials...

Caterpillar's Eco-mate makes 20% fuel saving.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Eco-mate, the hydraulic accumulator system offered on Caterpillar's 50t operating weight 345B Series II excavator, is providing a fuel saving of 20% per hour. At the same time it is managing to maintain productivity and improve reliability,...

Firestone's radial roll-out.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Firestone has added a 20in radial telehandler tyre to its range - a 400/70R20. The R8000 utility tyre is said to be ideal for smaller telehandlers and to offer an optimum balance of grip, wear life and stability. An extra-wide tread arc and...

JCB theft halted by RAC Trackstar.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... The success of tracking systems has been demonstrated by the return of a JCB 3CX to O'Connor Plant Hire of Cheltenham. Plant manager Tim Mepham was contacted by RAC Trackstar at 6.30am last Tuesday to ask if the 3CX should be moving. Having...

Volvo third-quarter sales up by 17%.(Volvo Construction Equipment)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Volvo Construction Equipment's worldwide sales increased by 17% in the third quarter, compared with the same period last year, to reach [pounds sterling]492m. However, European sales in the third quarter slipped to [pounds sterling]219m from...

CPD Construction gets bigger.(Construction Products Directive )(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Seven new programmes have been added to Contract Journal's CPD Construction service. Dealing with stress at work - the employer's perspective considers 10 tips for managers to reduce organisational stress. Letters of intent looks at when it is...

Vinci nets [pounds sterling]11.5m with two deals.
November 10, 2004... Vinci companies Crispin & Borst and Norwest Holst have scooped two deals totalling [pounds sterling]11.5m. Crispin & Borst has taken a [pounds sterling]6m contract to design and construct a headquarters unit at Colchester Garrison in Essex. The...

Trio bids for [pounds sterling]130m Worcs roads deal.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Contractors are in the hunt for a Worcestershire roads maintenance deal that could net the winner almost [pounds sterling]130m-worth of work. Carillion, Ringway and Colas are understood to be among those challenging Raynesway, the present...

Court of Appeal overturns Amec v Whitefriars case.
November 10, 2004... n Whitefriars ordered to pay [pounds sterling]597,371 including compensation for unpaid Amec work at Tudor Street site. Amec has won its appeal against Whitefriars City Estates, and has been awarded nearly [pounds sterling]600,000 for...

Editor's comment.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
November 10, 2004... When overspending is good It is great news that the industry's training grants scheme is coming under "severe financial pressure" (see p6). This may seem like a strange thing to say, but what it means is that more companies are taking up...

back bites.
November 10, 2004... Bring back sense Don't you hate it when august bodies such as the planning inspectorate kowtow to celebrities? Nowhere was this better demonstrated than when back bites was reminded recently about the decision to uphold an application from...

Energy reserve scrapping causes concern for Corus.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Changes in policies on energy reserves are putting the UK steel industry at a "competitive disadvantage" compared with the rest of Europe, Corus has claimed. The company has spoken out against price rises and the scrapping of reserve supplies...

Enterprise makes steady start on FTSE.(Full Stock Exchange)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Shares in Enterprise, the support services group, were unshaken by the turmoil of the group's move up to a listing on the full Stock Exchange on Monday. During the opening day's trading a massive volume of shares changed hands, but stability...

Exclusivity clause irrelevant in one-horse race.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Vinci has lost its exclusivity clause after failing to conclude its deal to buy Jarvis's PFI bid teams. The clause lapsed on 5 November, writes Carol Millett. As well as the Norfolk deal, Vinci is looking at schools contracts in Manchester and...

Gateway to ; the future.
November 10, 2004... Redeveloping the 3,000ha of the Thames Gateway represents the best chance of tackling London's chronic housing shortage. But how can developers and housebuilders be attracted to an area with so little public infrastructure? On the eve of a...

Gleeson targets smaller works with Parallel Projects Southern.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Gleeson's southern construction division has launched a new department called Parallel Projects Southern to bid for smaller projects of up to [pounds sterling]5m, a market that Gleeson has so far ignored. With a low minimum project value of...

High Court gives Emcor verdict.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... The High Court has ordered a Costain Skanska joint venture (CSJV) to pay Emcor Drake & Scull (EDS) [pounds sterling]200,000-plus for delays to the Great Western Royal Hotel in Paddington. The High Court upheld an adjudicator's decision that...

Jarvis and Vinci lose Norfolk schools PFI.(Private Finance Initiative)(Norfolk County Council)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... n Schools deal cancelled as it becomes clear Jarvis and Vinci cannot deliver - council will readvertise contract. Jarvis and Vinci have been dropped by Norfolk County Council (NCC) from its 25-year, [pounds sterling]92m schools PFI after...

GMB still not on O'Rourke site.(General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Laing O'Rourke is facing further strike action at its [pounds sterling]311m Contract 105 for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) this week following a three-hour sit-in by operatives last Friday over the contractor's reluctance to allow the GMB...

CJ reveals 'underwater' London to Brighton link.(Letter to the Editor)
November 10, 2004... Sir, I always enjoy reading CJ each week and often look at back bites first for the amusing stories before digesting the serious stuff. This week (CJ 3 November) however, the "funny" was found on p15 alongside a photograph of the Pitsea...

Disabled workers can be 'an asset'.(Letter to the Editor)
November 10, 2004... Sir, I write regarding the front page of the 27 October issue of CJ, showing the Willmott Dixon poster featuring a wheelchair. Yes, the point is strong, but being a former wheelchair user myself I find this type of advert offensive. It is...

Timescales v payments.(Letter to the Editor)
November 10, 2004... Sir, As a small/medium-sized contractor I was interested to read Hamish MacGregor's views on late payment (CJ 27 October). Our company is supposedly at the top of the tree in as much as our client base is mostly local authority, NHS trusts...

Masons' delegates vote ; in favour of adjudication.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Adjudication is a workable and welcome solution in construction disputes, but it can be improved, according to delegates at Masons' Annual Law Conference. Voters narrowly defeated the motion: "The three principles of adjudication - any dispute,...

More top employees jump ship.(Jarvis PLC-officials and employees)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Jarvis continues to haemorrhage its collective knowledge, with PFI head Stephen Hornby planning to leave the embattled company once the Vinci deal to buy Jarvis's remaining PFI bids is completed. News of Hornby's departure follows hot on the...

Museum agrees to timber investigation.
November 10, 2004... n Client launches inquiry into use of sustainable timber at National Waterfront Museum. The National Waterfront Museum in Swansea has responded to Greenpeace's demands for an inquiry into a potential breach of contract involving timber...

Commons to tackle future of ProCure 21.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Industry concerns about the future of ProCure 21 are to be raised in the House of Commons by Henry Bellingham, the shadow minister for construction and small businesses. Bellingham is to ask health secretary John Reid to give assurances that...

Bovis headquarters goes green.(Future Forests' CarbonNeutral scheme to control carbondioxide emissions)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2004... Bovis Lend Lease's European headquarters in Harrow now complies with Future Forests' CarbonNeutral scheme. Bovis has worked with climate change consultancy Future Forests to help fund the reforestation of 647ha of woodland at Carrifran, near...